Month: June 2015

kate + kevin // hotel lafayette

Filed in weddings shot by on at

We’re so very excited to share this super awesome couple with you! Their smiles are contagious and their love for one another really fills each photograph. Kate and Kevin wed in the absolutely gorgeous Greenhouse Terrance at The Hotel Lafayette in Downtown, Buffalo.

Read Kate and Kevin’s super sweet wedding day memories as you scroll through this perfect love story!

Kevin: “Kate and I had been together for ten years at the time of our wedding and we wanted the day to reflect the fact that honesty was at the core of our relationship. As much as possible, we chose to do things we felt would authentically reflect who we were – starting with the first look in Lafayette Square, across from the Lafayette Hotel. Traffic bustled around us, but the moment we first saw each other was incredibly intimate. Jenn and Ben were amazing at stepping back and letting us experience that excitement together while still capturing our emotions close-up.

Kate: “Meeting in the park before the ceremony solidified the fact that we were choosing to embark on the day together – and it calmed my nerves for our actual ceremony!

Kate: “The Lafayette Hotel had the perfect combination of incredible architecture and drop-dead gorgeous flowers – standing in front of it, twirling around in my dress, I felt like we were on the set of a romantic movie. People driving by were slowing down to wave and cheer us on! Having our wedding party join us for pre-ceremony photographs brought everyone together to relax and have fun greeting each other. The Buffalo Public Library’s gardens were in full bloom and created the perfect backdrop.

Kate: “It was a gamble to plan our ceremony on the Greenhouse Terrace – rain, space, and noise were all threats – but we are thrilled with how the cozy space made the ceremony personalized and intimate. Somehow, we fit one hundred people, a string trio, our wedding party, and a ribbon backdrop into that tiny space! It was miraculous and perfect.

Kevin: “Kate and I both agree that our ceremony was one of our favorite moments of the day. We chose to walk down the aisle together. Having been advised to pause at the end of the aisle to take it all in, we stood together, gripping hands almost painfully, and were overwhelmed with the emotion of seeing loved ones who were present to support our marriage. It’s a moment I will never, ever forget.

Kevin: “Jenn and Ben had suggested that we take a few more photographs together immediately after our ceremony. It was surreal and magical to go from standing in front of so many people to dancing in front of City Hall, just the two of us! The photographs really capture how excited we felt to be strolling the streets of Buffalo as a married couple.

Kate: “Choosing to have a live band at our wedding was a nod to our mutual love of music – Kevin was in a swing band throughout high school, and we became close friends as members of a wind ensemble. Having live musicians energized the guests. My grandmother danced until midnight after changing into pink slippers! We love looking back at the photographs that capture our closest friends and family celebrating together in one place.

Jenn and Ben were incredible at stepping back to let real moments happen and then discreetly and expertly photographing them. They gave suggestions about the timing of the day, shooting locations, and combinations of people, but never did they ask us to in-authentically pose or recreate an experience. It was a relief to know that we could be fully present in the ceremony and reception without having to worry about orchestrating certain shots. They are photographing Kate’s sister’s wedding in July and we can’t wait to work with them more then!


Wedding Vendors Include

Ceremony and Reception: The Hotel Lafayette
Florist: Flower Fields
Cake: Butterwood Desserts
Band: JOYRYDE
Hair and Makeup: Lizzy Dugan
Wedding Dress: David’s Bridal

laura + nathan // timberlodge

Filed in weddings shot by on at

Laura and Nathan’s beautiful wedding at the Timberlodge in Akron, New York was able to come together flawlessly with a little help from their family and friends. Lucky for us we were there to capture all of the important moments. Scroll on through their summery nuptials and I bet by the end all of their sweet memories will have you wanting s’more! (See what I did there??)

Laura: “Nathan and I planned our entire wedding from another country. No small task! Jenn and Ben were so amazingly accommodating. We Skyped once and I knew I could rely on a quick email reply to all my questions along the way. I even was able to turn to Jenn for some vendor advice when I was having trouble finding one. When we finally met in person just a few days before the wedding Jenn and Ben brought examples of their work, just in case we wanted to see more. Of course I had stalked their blog and Facebook page and had seen it all online beforehand, but I thought it was a really nice gesture.”

Laura: “Our first look area was about a 5 minute golf cart ride away from our ceremony site. I was pretty nervous to see Nathan and trying my best to not start crying. Jenn was great at telling stories to keep my mind occupied. It was a small touch, but really appreciated!

Laura: “Our first look was amazing. I don’t like to be the center of attention and let’s be honest, that’s what a bride is. For our first look I was so excited, but also so comfortable because it was just Nathan and I. It was so personal and special.

Nathan: “The first look was really incredible. I admit I was pretty nervous, especially waiting to see Laura, but once we were together all the nerves just went away. It was great to enjoy the moment: just the two of us, surrounded by trees, and away from all of the craziness. Just to see how happy Laura was – that was probably my favorite moment of the day.

Laura: “I chose to do a unique take on my bouquet. Our ceremony started with me pausing at the end of the isle and receiving a flower from each of my closest friends and family to make my bouquet. I felt this made my bouquet more meaningful. It was one way to quickly connect with the most important people in my life and take a piece of them down the aisle with me. Then once I got down the aisle Nathan was waiting for me with the last flower for my bouquet. A perfect ending and addition to my support system.

Nathan: “During the wedding planning process, Laura had told me about ‘groom’s cakes’ and I told her that I didn’t need one (as long as there was indeed cake). She never brought it up again. On our wedding day, I was then quite surprised to find not just a groom’s cake, but a cake made entirely of Oreos and fish-shaped gummies (I’m a fish ecologist). It was both awesome-looking and delicious. When I learned that the cake was made by my sister-in-laws I was blown away and appreciative of all the effort they took to make the day that much more special.

Laura: “I really enjoyed sneaking off for more photos at sunset. As much as I wanted to party with family and friends, it was great to have a reason to sneak off together and reflect more on our day.

Laura: “Nathan and I are not the ‘golfer’ type. I never in a million years would have thought we’d get married on a golf course. But, one fun thing that came out of this was a golf cart ride with tin cans dragging behind us. It was a lot of fun (come on, who doesn’t love driving/riding in a golf cart) and provided for some great photos. My only regret is that we didn’t ride in it longer!

Laura was kind enough to offer some words of advice to upcoming brides:

If you’re considering a first look, do it! The first look was a very special time for us to spend together. We were able to speak more freely to each other than we would have at the ceremony. Not only was I able to see Nathan’s reaction to me in my dress, but also hear his comments instead of just a smile or whisper. Also, Nathan is one of the best people in the world to help calm my nerves and being able to laugh, hug, kiss, and see each other put me at a much bigger ease for the ceremony. Lastly, Nathan and I didn’t do any engagement photos so the first look allowed us some time to get used to a camera on us at all times (not that I even noticed Jenn or Ben during the ceremony!). One concern I think a lot of people have is that the first look will take away from the ceremony. Even with a first look, I still had tears in my eyes during the walk down the aisle. Hearing the music and walking down the aisle with my dad was still just as special to me. If anything, I felt like I could focus more on the ceremony because of the first look. I don’t regret a thing about our first look!

Advice that was given to me that I found extremely true: This is a very unique time in your life when family and friends are more than willing to help you with anything! People will offer out of the blue! And, it’s awesome to have so many personal touches in your wedding. So, don’t hesitate to take some of the help. My sister-in-law married us, my friends created our cake topper, my sister-in-laws created our groomsman cake, and friends and family saved glasses for our center pieces and my brothers helped make them. With some minor direction I even let the venue pick the aisle decorations. Involving others in my details resulted in some outcomes that might not have been exactly how I imagined or would have done it myself, but I wouldn’t change it for the world.


Wedding Vendors Include

Ceremony and Reception: The Timberlodge
Hair and Makeup: So Chic Now
Wedding Dress: David’s Bridal
Groom’s Look: Moores
Florist: Lipinoga Florist
Cake: Wegmans

 

  • 3 Reasons Why We LOVE (and highly recommend) First Looks SAYS...

    […] “The first look was really incredible. I admit I was pretty nervous, especially waiting to see Laura, but once we were together all the nerves just went away. It was great to enjoy the moment: just the two of us, surrounded by trees, and away from all of the craziness. Just to see how happy Laura was – that was probably my favorite moment of the day.” – Nathan + Laura […]