Although I could write volumes about these two wonderful people and dear friends, I promised Lindsey that I would have this post up today, so I’m going to refrain from blabbering, and let this fabulous couple do the chatting!!

Here are the first three of Lindsey’s Top Five Favorite Wedding Day Memories (in no particular order):

2. Walking down the aisle with my dad. I think as girls that’s such a big moment that we dream about our whole lives.  It certainly didn’t disappoint.  Amazing moment for me.  I thought I would be so nervous, but I was just beaming.

3. Hearing the priest give his homily at our wedding was so special to me because I have known him so long.  It was so special to have someone so close to me and Chris witness the most important day of our lives.

And, here are the first three of Chris’s Top Five Favorite Wedding Day Memories!!

1.  The hours before the ceremony getting ready with my groomsmen.  I was more nervous about the fact that I wasn’t nervous.  I just wanted to get to the church so I could finally see my bride-to-be.

2. The moment that sticks out the most in my head is the moment Lindsey appeared at the end of the aisle.  It was the only moment that I actually saw her before everyone in the church blocked her from my vision, but it was one of the best seconds of my life.

3. The ride in the limo after the ceremony.  It was one of the first moments where we could take a breath and relax, but the reality of the day hadn’t set in yet.
This group was absolutely hysterical and had us cracking up all day.  They were all so much fun to work with!!  Lindsey and Chris chose Forest Lawn Cemetery as the location for their photos, and we were loving it.  It’s such a gorgeous spot!After our epic photo session in the cemetery, we headed on over to Kloc’s Grove for a fabulous celebration!  A lot of these desserts were made by Lindsey.  Can you imagine?  With everything else there is to think about as a bride, and she was baking up a storm!  She’s pretty incredible.  ;)
Two more of Lindsey’s Top Five!!

4. First dance with my dad. The song that we danced to (“If We Hold On Together” by Diana Ross) has been my “daddy song” since I was a little girl.  I wanted to learn the song, so my dad wrote down the words for me; I still have that piece of paper.  When we were dancing my dad kept saying to me, “the only other time I’ve seen you look this beautiful was the day you were born.”  I’ll never forget that.

5. The last dance of the night.  After running around trying to see everyone, my husband grabbed me for the final dance and it truly felt as if the world stopped. There were so many people on the dance floor, but it truly felt as if we were the only two people in the room.  I thought I would be so embarrassed about the attention, but I didn’t even notice because all of my attention was on him.

And, two more of Chris’s Top Five!!

4. One of my favorite moments was my first dance with my new wife.  We were both so nervous about looking like idiots in front of our guests, that we took dance lessons.  When we were on the dance floor, neither one of us wanted to do the dance routine!

5. The end of the night we had been pulled out of the reception by Ben and Jenn for some photos.  It was really one of the few moments I had with Lindsey alone without people tugging us in all different directions.  It was nice to sit out in the open air with my wife and enjoy a few moments of quiet.
This dance floor was something else…I’m not sure I can even describe the energy that was in the room that night.  I think you had to be there.  When we pulled Lindsey and Chris out for the night shots, they actually asked if we would be in one of the photos!!  That was so cool!!!  I loved it so much, that I had to add it to the blog post.  What an honor!  ;)
Wedding advice from Lindsey: “Things are absolutely going to go wrong or not turn out the way you planned. It’s okay. The pianist at the church played the wrong song for the procession. My eyelashes started to fall off during the ceremony. It’s okay. At those times, remember the whole reason why you’re doing this in the first place. As long as Chris was waiting for me at the end of that aisle, nothing else mattered to me that day. You spend so much time and effort trying to organize every detail but the truth is you will remember the memories you create for yourself so make sure you put emphasis on all the good things that happened.”

Wedding advice from Chris:  “My advice is simple: just say yes to what she wants.  Ultimately she will be right and it’ll make life easier.”

Lindsey and Chris – thank you so very much for everything!! We’re so thankful that you found us, and that we got to be a part of such an amazing time in your lives! You two are the best, and we love the heck outta you! See you soon! Your buddies, J + B :)

I started out the day at Kaitlyn’s parents’ home.  Kait ran a little late at the salon, so I spent the extra time I had with this gorgeous girl!  Isn’t she beautiful?!  She is such a sweetheart!

Kait soon returned with her mom and sister, and started getting ready!Then, we were off to Zion Lutheran Church for a very beautiful ceremony!Due to the weather, Kait and TJ opted to just have photos done right in the church, which was fine with us!  It was really a beautiful space to shoot in!
Our next stop was Samuel’s Grand Manor for a super fun reception!  Kait and TJ booked The Ayres Photo Booth, so we got that all set up during cocktail hour, and it was ready to roll soon after!
After two beautiful and heartwarming parent dances, the dance floor opened up, and things got wild!  It was a fun dance floor for us to shoot!  Everyone really seemed to have an awesome time!  :)The Ayres Photo Booth was in full effect, and everyone really seemed to enjoy that, too!  Good times were had by all!!
Kaitlyn and TJ – thank you so much for choosing us to be a part of your wedding day!! We had a wonderful time! You two are such a sweet, adorable couple, and we wish you all the happiness in the world!! Much love, J + B :)

Janelle and Alex live in Boston, but Janelle grew up in Canandaigua, NY, which is an absolutely beautiful little town in the Finger Lakes region. It is the perfect place to have your “dream” wedding, and in early October, with the colors just starting to peak, it was truly amazing.

I started out the day with Janelle and the girls at her parents’ home in Canandaigua – a stunning old Victorian beauty. It was the perfect backdrop for some “getting ready” shots!
When everyone was ready, we headed over to St. Mary’s!  It was our first time shooting in this church, and we loved it.  It’s very old, dark, and rustic, and it has so much character.  The pews were all decorated with a few wild flowers in a small glass vase.  It was such a simple touch, but it added a wonderful rustic vibe!  (The first shot in this set is of Janelle and Alex’s Italy themed wedding invitation.  It was so cute and unique!!)

Here are the first of Janelle and Alex’s Top Five Favorite Wedding Day Memories!

Janelle:  “Breathtaking is an adjective often used as a descriptor, but I literally experience its meaning as soon as the doors to my childhood church opened.  About to begin the bridal procession, escorted by my mom and dad,  I was overwhelmed by the vision.  My family and friends surrounded me as my gaze followed along the aisle to Alex, awaiting my arrival at the altar.  The beautiful strains of ‘Time to Say Goodbye’ filled the church, a song with such special meaning to the two of us.  The scene overwhelmed me.  As many times as I had been in St. Mary’s, it had never been more beautiful.”

Alex:  “When the doors opened and I saw Janelle (and how beautiful she looked).”

After the ceremony, Janelle and Alex made their grand exit, and walked around to the side of the church where Janelle’s parents had a very special surprise waiting for them – a gelato bar!!  What an awesome surprise!  It added something special to the “Italian” theme of the wedding, and it provided all of the guests with a delicious cool treat on a hot, 80 degree day!Janelle:  “Alex and I had traveled to Italy this summer to visit family and returned obsessed with everything Italian.  One of our favorites was gelato.  Our mouths dropped as we exited the church and saw a gelato cart waiting for us and our guests, a surprise from my parents. It was even more delightful since we had been blessed with an 80 degree day in October!”
Our next stop was the “boat house” area in Canandaigua for some portraits of our gorgeous bride and groom.  We have shot in this spot once before, and it’s just adorable.  :)Next, we headed over to a privately owned vineyard that J and A had reserved for photos.  We were slightly confused, as we followed the huge limo bus up this very steep dirt road, but as soon as we got to the top, it all made sense.  It was BEAUTIFUL up there!
Our final location of the day was the reception at Bristol Harbor.  We had a feeling that the “Italy” theme would be very cool, but we were absolutely blown away when we walked in and saw all of the hard work and time that must have gone in to all of the wonderful details.  It was absolutely fabulous!  There was even an accordion player walking around during the cocktail hour!

Here’s two more of Alex’s Top Five:

“The view from Bristol Harbor when we arrived at cocktail hour.”

“How genuinely happy Janelle’s parents and my mother looked all day.”

The energy that filled the room was incredible.  There was so much love and support directed toward this couple…you could feel it in the air!  Janelle’s sister sang the song that they danced to for their first dance, and she did a fantastic job.  I love the shots that Ben took from the perspective of her singing – they tell the story of that moment so well.  :)Janelle:  “Our first dance song, ‘Home,’ was sung by my amazing sister. Listening to the sweet sound of her voice and feeling the joy of our guests in my hometown as they watched, made my first dance with Alex absolutely perfect.”
Janelle:  “During the reception, we had an opportunity to toast our family and friends and thank them for the love and support they provided to us.  We chose to serve the champagne in jelly jars, as a tribute to my late father-in-law, since he always enjoyed using these.  Instead of tossing my bouquet, I decided to give it to my grandparents as a way to thank them for being our ultimate role models. Being able to say thank you to those who have shown us so much love was something for which I’ll be forever grateful.”There were so many toasts during this reception, and they were all absolutely wonderful!  I wish I could have included a shot of every single one, but this post would have been soooooooo long!!  Needless to say, the speeches were just a further testament to how loved Janelle and Alex are.  They really are such a warm, wonderful couple…it’s no wonder that their families and friends are the same.  :)Janelle:  “Being Italian, I was worried that my dad and I would both disintegrate into tears during the Father/Daughter Dance, but my dad was having so much fun he told me to dry my eyes and just enjoy.  He had even arranged for the band to change the music mid-dance to play the Beatles song he always sang to me when I was a baby!”This was one hoppin’ dance floor!!  From our perspective, everyone had a great time.  ;)  Especially Alex, whose last three “Top Five Favorite Wedding Day Memories” are centered around the dance floor action!

Alex:  “When the music started and all the groomsmen started dancing (alone).  There were no women on the dance floor.”  ”When everyone lifted Janelle and I up on chairs on the dance floor.”  ”Robert singing.”

We had the opportunity to do one quick night shot with Janelle and Alex, and I absolutely love it.  Ben set up all the lighting, and I clicked the shutter, but it was definitely a team effort.  This is such a beautiful shot, and will forever be one of my favorites.  :)

Janelle and Alex – thank you so much for choosing us to capture these wonderful memories for you!! Your wedding day was absolutely beautiful, and we enjoyed every minute of our time with you and your families! Much love to you both, J + B :)

I started out the day with Michele and the girls at Cielo Salon in East Aurora.  I love it when I get invited to the salon portion of the day!  It’s always fun to shoot in a busy salon – challenging, but fun.  :)  The weather that day was a little crazy.  It was a typical cold, rainy, windy Fall day in Western New York, but Michele wasn’t bothered by it in the least.  She was so excited!!  There was no way a little bit of wind and rain was going to bring her down!

One of Michele’s Top Five Wedding Day Memories:   “Waking up to the horrible “wedding day weather” (40 degrees, rainy, windy), but still feeling so excited that despite the elements, I was going to marry my best friend!!  It was as if nothing could spoil how happy I felt.”After the salon, we headed back to Michele’s parents’ house to have lunch and finish getting ready.  This part of the day can be very “harried” at times, but everyone here was as cool as a cucumber.  It was awesome!  I even got to put my camera down for a few minutes, and enjoy a vegetarian wrap with the girls.  ;)Michele had her wedding jewelry made at Wild Things on Lexington.  The center piece on the bracelet was her grandmothers, and the talented artisans at Wild Things re-worked it into a stunning new design.  I also bought my wedding jewelry from Wild Things, and I’m sure a lot of other Buffalo gals did, too.  If you’ve never checked it out, you should pop in ASAP.  ;)A friend of Daryl’s has a vintage Packard that he let them use to arrive at the wedding in grand style.  This car is a beauty!  I have kind of a “thing” for vintage cars, so I get really, really excited whenever I get to shoot one as part of a wedding day.  It definitely adds a little something special to the photos, so if you have the opportunity to borrow or rent one, GO FOR IT!!  You won’t regret it.  ;)
The only tricky part about the Packard, was that it had a tiny back seat, and watching three bridesmaids shimmy carefully into the back was definitely at least a little bit funny.  ;)

Another one of Michele’s Top Five:  ”Watching Lisa, Molly and Christine (my bridesmaids) getting into the two door Packard. OMG…it was hysterical seeing them maneuver themselves in fitted dresses into the backseat of the car all while maintaing their beauty and composure! I think it was good comic relief for all of us.”
Ben started out the day at The Roycroft Inn, with Daryl and the guys.  I always find myself wishing that there were more shots of our grooms getting ready, but across the board, there are so few.  Ben keeps assuring me that “there’s just not that much involved with men putting on a suit,” so I guess I have to believe him, since I’m not a man and certainly wouldn’t know about these things.  He definitely took some super awesome group shots of the guys after they were ready, though!   My favorite…what a cool angle!  Shortly after this shot was taken, something crazy happened.  I’ll let Daryl tell you about it.  Here’s the first of his Top Five Favorite Wedding Day Memories:  ”Prior to the ceremony, there was this moment where this guy accidentally knocked over one of our glass candle holders at the top of the stairs which proceeded to fall into the glass candle holder on the next stair creating a domino effect.  It was as if time stopped in the middle of all the chaotic last minute wedding prep, as we stopped and watched glass shatter down the entire staircase.  It somehow relaxed me.”

I wasn’t there to see the candle incident, as I was still with the girls when it happened, but Ben was there, and from what I hear, it was quite something.  You’ll have to ask him about it sometime.  ;)  I took this next shot of the candles on the stairs when I came in, so I don’t know what they looked like before this, but I would have never known that some were missing.  The ceremony site looked amazing!!  The Roycroft is such a gorgeous place.  Everything there has a “timeless” feeling to it, like it could never go out of style.  I love that.Two more of Daryl’s Top Five:

“Seeing my mother crying as she whispered to me, ‘just wait until you see Michele, she looks absolutely amazing Daryl, amazing’.”

“Seeing Michele walk down the aisle and look absolutely amazing!”

Another of Michele’s Top Five:

“I remember feeling nervous about walking down the aisle. Yet, when I approached the ceremony and looked down the aisle, the only person I saw was Daryl.”

The ceremony was absolutely beautiful.  It was brief, yet profound, heartfelt, genuine – perfect.  Here is another one of Daryl’s Top Five:  ”Hearing Michele’s vows (we wrote our own). She told a story that I had never heard before and it was extremely moving. This was a reminder to me of what a special woman I was marrying.”After the ceremony, we a few minutes for some portraits of our gorgeous bride and groom!  It was still cold and rainy, so we explored some of the rooms of The Roycroft first, which resulted in this lovely shot.  :)We did get a few minutes of non-rainy weather, so we took a few more shots outside with the very handsome Packard!  (Yes, that is Daryl behind the wheel, wearing the driver’s cap.)  I absolutely LOVE this shot.
Then, it was party time!  Michele and Daryl were announced in, and immediately had their first dance!

Here’s number five of Daryl’s Top Five!!  ”Being introduced to the wedding reception party as Husband and Wife! We couldn’t stop smiling and I felt so happy.”And, here are the last two of Michele’s Top Five Wedding Day Memories:

“During the father/daughter dance, my dad and I chatted about how the wedding was going so far, all the people who were there, etc. At the end of the dance, my dad said to me, “If I haven’t already told you this tonight, I want to say you look really beautiful”. I think I’ll always remember that.

“I loved seeing the video that Matt (Daryl’s brother) made for his “Best Man speech”.  It was perfect and it was fun to be in on the secret. ;) The video was memorable to me because it showed how each of us grew up, and then us growing together as a couple.”

After two wonderful speeches, a marvelous dinner, and two very moving dances with their parents, Michele and Daryl’s dance floor opened up, and it was quite a party.
Due to the weather, we didn’t really get a chance to shoot the wedding party outside, so Ben came up with this awesome idea of using the front porch of the Roycroft!  Our people (and lighting equipment) got to stay dry, and I took this shot out in the rain with Ben holding an umbrella over me.  Sometimes, Ben can be quite the creative genius.  ;)  And then, of course, we got to grab Michele and Daryl for a few night shots!  I love these!

Michele and Daryl have offered this awesome wedding planning advice to our other couples who are still in the planning stages.  Thanks so much for sharing, guys!!

“As you are planning your wedding, let your love for each other be the focus, and everything else will fall into place. Even when things get stressful, (ESPECIALLY when things get stressful), find humor in the situation! With too much attention spent on the details of the presentation, you can lose sight of the true meaning of the day.  The feedback that we received from our guests after the wedding brought it all into perspective as we continued to hear about how meaningful the ceremony was, how sincere and beautiful our personalized vows were, and how clear it was to everyone that we are truly in love with each other.”

Michele and Daryl – thank you so much for allowing us to be a part of your wedding day!! It was truly an amazing day, overflowing with love, and we enjoyed every moment. We’re so glad we had the opportunity to get to know you both a little bit over the past year, and we hope that you’ll stay in touch!! Much love to you both, J + B :)

In keeping with my new blog feature, I had Christine and Rick submit their Top Five Favorite Wedding Day Memories, so I will definitely be sharing those throughout the post, but Christine also wrote a sort of “overview” of the day that I would like to share first, before I start blabbering on about these images.  Sadly, Christine’s father passed away recently…just a few months after their wedding.  Here’s the story that she wanted to share:

“These pictures and the day itself have become even more special to me. This day was really the last happy memories we have of my dad. He was determened to walk me down the aisle and he did. I remember when he first saw me, he burst in to tears and kept saying, ‘oh wow, oh wow’ so much so, I had to tell him to stop! I know he was honored to give me away to an amazing man. He loved Rick and knew he would always be the one to take care of me. He had a blast at the wedding, and was so proud of his “father of the bride” title!  The Wizard of Oz was mine and my dad’s favorite movie, so it was a given that ‘Somewhere Over the Rainbow’ by Judy Garland would be our father/bride dance (again he cried and I had to stop him!)  He LOVED the idea of inviting all the father and daughters on the dance floor with us to Stevie Wonder’s, ‘Isn’t She Lovely,’ the song he said he’d sung to me as a baby.  Another special moment was right as the ceremony ended.  They say rain is good luck but let’s be honest, nobody wants a rainy wedding day!  So just my luck, I break my toe the day before AND I wake up to rain!!  If you know me, it wouldn’t have been right if something didn’t go wrong.  Anyway, with the rain on and off throughout the morning, it was that one magical moment where I was taken a back.  As we finished the ceremony we were walking back down the aisle, right on cue the clouds seemed to disappear and the sun came out. I knew right then and there, my mom was looking down on us and gave us that sunshine.  There is no doubt in my mind.  Rick and I wanted our guests to have the best night. Thats all that mattered to us. With all the smiles, laughs and dancing that I remember, I know we were successful in making it a fun night for everyone. We feel so lucky to have the people in our lives that we do. We are forever grateful for being able to share such a special day to us, with all of them.”

Words cannot express how happy we are to have captured such beautiful memories, for such wonderful people.  :)

I started out the day with all the ladies at Christine and Rick’s house.  It was super calm and anxiety free…I had a great time capturing the “getting ready” process!
Christine had a fabulous team from Capello Salon doing her hair and make up.  They did an awesome job!  One of Christine’s Top Five:  ”Spending the morning getting ready with my bridesmaids!”I love this shot of Christine getting on the limo.  The hilarious man holding the umbrella was the limo driver.  It always proves difficult to get a shot of the bride getting on the limo without the driver weaseling his way into the photo.  I understand their job is to take care of the bride, but jeeeeeeez.  Well, I guess he’s forever a part of their wedding day memories….wish I could remember his name.  I’m sure I’ll see him around next summer.  ;)Then, we headed on over to St. Peter and Paul for the ceremony!  We loooooove shooting at this church.  It’s right in the Village of Hamburg, literally two minutes from where we live, and it’s always cool to shoot in your “hood.” How cute are these children?!  I actually included two shots of them because they’re just that cute.Two more of Christine’s Top Five:  ”Having my Dad walk me down the aisle,” and “Seeing Rick’s face at the altar.”  One of Rick’s Top Five:  ”Watching Christine walk down the aisle with her Dad.”  :)  It really was a beautiful and emotional moment.  It’s really a good thing that I had a big camera in front of my face during the whole thing…seriously.  (You can actually see me in the next photo with said camera in front of my face, and my weird knobby knees, but I love the shot.)

Some priests ask the bride and groom to write letters to each other before the wedding day, and he shares them during his homily.  I love it when they do that!  It really personalizes the ceremony.  Christine and Rick’s priest had them do this, and he shared a story about their first date that was both heartwarming and hysterical.  ;)
After the ceremony, we headed over to the little park across the street from the church to do some family photos, and a few shots of our gorgeous bride and groom.  As Christine mentioned, it had been raining all day, but literally when we walked out of the church, it stopped and the sun came out.  It was perfect.  We got to hit up the old-style trains in the Village for some wedding party shots (which I LOVE), and then we made a super quick stop at the Bills’ Stadium at Rick’s request.  ;)
These were so much fun to shoot…such a great group of people!More Top Five Wedding Day Memories!!  Christine:  ”Walking into the venue and seeing everything set up for the first time.”  Rick:  ”The candy buffet!!”  (LOL!!)  Yes, Rick…the candy buffet was pretty sweet.  I loved that they had baby pictures in frames on every cocktail table – that was such a great idea!Christine made those gumdrop trees herself.  Isn’t she crafty?!  They were so cute.  ;)This is honestly the most serious cake smash I’ve ever seen.  She looks so determined!!All three of these dances were just beautiful.  We both loved capturing these moments!Christine and Rick very wisely booked DJ Eric Volk, who is (in our opinion) hands down, the best wedding DJ in the area.  If you can get him – DO IT!!  It will be one of the best vendor decisions you make.  You are guaranteed an awesome dance floor experience.  Just ask Christine and Rick…they’ll tell you.  ;)

More Top Five Wedding Day Memories!!  Christine:  ”Rick’s grandparents dancing to Notorious B.I.G.’s Juicy!”  Rick:  ”Dancing to ‘Hey Baby’ with all my college friends (that was the song we always played when we went out together at school)!”

We did manage to sneak out for a few quick night shots in the parking lot.  It’s amazing what a few lights and some colored gels can do to a parking lot…I love these!!!

Christine and Rick’s advice:  ”Remember to make the day about the two of you. Do whatever you want, whenever you want.  Listen when people tell you it goes by fast because, IT DOES!!  So be sure to take a step back and soak it all in.  And lastly, Rick’s words of wisdom….’Have a blast on the dance floor…its the only time you can act like an idiot and get away with it.’ ”

Christine and Rick – I know I said a lot already, but again, we want you to know how truly grateful we are to have been a part of your day. It was amazing! We love you both, and wish you all the happiness in the world! You deserve it. J + B :)

Getting to know Jackie and Nic has been an awesome process. We had so much fun at this wedding, it’s hard to even put it into words.  If I had to describe this wedding day in one word, it would be:  magical. I started out the day with Jackie and her girls, aaaaaannnd….her TWO amazing dresses.
Here are a few of Jackie’s Top Five Favorite Wedding Day Memories:

1. “Riding in the limo on my way to get married, listening to ‘Today Was a Fairytale’ by Taylor Swift and surrounded by the most important women in my life.”

2. “Standing with my father, just the two of us, right before they opened the doors at the church for him to walk me down the aisle. That was a really special moment!”

3. “Nic was so nervous during the entire ceremony that he forgot to repeat after the priest when we were exchanging rings. He just slipped the ring on my finger and stood there staring at me until I finally I told him that he was supposed to say something, it was too cute.”

That last one is sooooo adorable! That would explain all the laughing that took place during the ceremony! ;)

Nic’s Top Five Favorite Wedding Day Memories:

1. “Getting ready at my parents’ house that morning with my family and all of my friends with me.”

2. “When Jackie first joined me at the altar.”

3. “Me and all my groomsmen taking pictures out in the field at Knox Farms.”

4. “Our first dance together.”

5. “Getting introduced as husband and wife at the reception.”

After the ceremony, and some family shots inside the church, we were off to Knox Farms for some portraits of our stunning bride and groom and their wedding party!  These two just could not be any cuter!!

I have absolutely no idea what is going on in these photos of Nic and the guys.  I was off shooting the ladies, so I wasn’t paying attention to what Ben was up to.  I have tried to figure out what kind of directions he could have possibly been giving them, but I can’t.  It’s just too hilarious.  Luckily, this hilariousness was on Nic’s Top Favorite Memories list.  ;)

Here’s another one of Jackie’s Top Five Favorite Memories!!

4. “At Knox Farms Nic and I were walking up the road to the next photo location and I remember he had his coat over his shoulder and I had my dress over my shoulder.  It was my favorite moment of the entire day; it was so beautiful out and I was just so happy in that very moment.  Of course frolicking through the fields was also a high point for us, we had so much fun.”

This part of the day was a definite high point for us, too.  It’s not every bride that will just run through a field in her wedding dress (or climb a tree for that matter), but Jackie is amazing.  She just wanted to have fun on her wedding day, and that really is what it’s all about.  The last image in this set is currently my favorite shot that I’ve ever taken.  I can’t even explain to you what makes me love it so much…I think you had to be there.  ;)

Gorgeous.After we wrapped things up at Knox Farms, we headed over to Pearl Street to get the party started!  I know I don’t need to say anything about these details, because as soon as you see them, you will melt just like I did.  However, I can’t stop myself from pointing out, that those table numbers that look like Jackie and Nic’s dog, Darth, are among the cutest things I’ve ever seen in my whole life.Here’s number 5 of Jackie’s Top Five Favorites!!

5. “I was really excited to walk into the reception and see everything I had worked so hard on come together.  Right when I arrived I was able to walk around the entire room and look at everything.  I was also really excited to show Nic the cake I had surprised him with.  It had a pirate groom and a zombie bride cake topper because he loves the Pirates of the Caribbean movies and I love zombie movies (and of course our little Darth was also included on the cake).”

Jackie couldn’t narrow it down to 5 Top Favorites, so she gets to have 6!  In her words:  ”I have one more favorite too, because I loved our first dance together so much!!!”There’s a little park right across from Pearl Street that is perfect for some night shots.  ;)Pearl Street weddings always have a good dance floor.  There must be something in the water.  ;)

Jackie and Nic were kind enough to share this piece of advice with future brides and grooms:  ”Think about how you want your wedding day to feel and base all of your decisions on that.  Then, once you have made a decision, trust your instincts and don’t second guess them, or you will drive yourself crazy!  Also, take any chance you can to make the wedding personal and about the two of you.”

Jackie and Nic – thank you so much for choosing us to document this incredible day…seriously…words cannot express how grateful we are to have been a part of it. You are both such amazing people, and together, you make one of the most awesome couples on the planet. Thanks for sharing your favorite wedding day memories with us, too!! I really think everyone will love reading those! Much love, J + B :)

This is Emilio, my nephew.  I call him “Mee-yo.”  He was peeping into where the ladies were getting ready.  I adore him.  ;)The ceremony was wonderfully heartfelt, and so full of emotion.The wedding party!  Doesn’t Ben look dashing in a tux?!  ;)After we took a few group photos, we headed down the road to South Creek – the same spot where we shot Ev and Jessie’s engagement session.  It’s so beautiful there, and in late September, the colors were just stunning.Then, we headed back to the barn for an absolutely awesome reception.  I suppose I could be biased, because this was a party filled with so many people I know and love, but it really was a good time.  ;)
The Ayres Photo Booth was in full effect at Jessie and Ev’s wedding, and I do mean full effect. Even Ben and I hopped in there for a few shots! Good times. ;)
Jessie and Evan – we love the two of you with all of our hearts, and we’re so very glad we got to be a part of this absolutely amazing day!! Much love always, J + B :)

We were super excited to be back at the Glen Iris Inn!  We were there in July for Sandy and Brian’s wedding, and decided back then that it was one of the best venues EVER for a wedding – just incredible.  One of my favorite parts about weddings at the Glen Iris is that the bride gets ready in the library.  Not just any library, but a library with stars on the ceiling!!  I LOVE those stars.  I also love that Heidi chose such a cheery shade of yellow as a wedding color.  It’s so happy and fun!  Just like her.  :)

The ceremony was so beautiful…in every way possible.After the ceremony, we got to stroll around and grab some portraits of our gorgeous bride and groom.  There is, of course, no shortage of amazing photo locations at Letchworth.Heidi and Brent rented a bubble machine for their reception and it was so awesome!  Having bubbles shooting up all around you while you make your grand entrance is such a cool idea!  Also, if you’re planning on having a kid-friendly reception, a bubble machine will provide them with hours of entertainment…I promise.  :)Heidi did an incredible job with all of the reception details.  The daisy place cards were pure genius.  :)Instead of a traditional wedding “favor,” Heidi and Brent made a donation to the ASPCA, and had those adorable postcards printed up to put at each place setting, which is really just a further testament to what amazing people they are.  Those are their cats, Peachie and Ed, who you may remember from their e-shoot.  (Photographing kitties in costume was a MAJOR highlight of my summer!)  :)
I love this shot…times a billion.

And, what a party it was.  ;)

Heidi and Brent – thank you from the bottom of our hearts for being such wonderful people. Not only are we honored that you chose us to document your wedding day, but we are grateful just to know you. You are two of the kindest, most genuine people we have ever met. We wish you both all the happiness in the world – you deserve it. Much love, J + B :)

I started out the day with Amanda and the girls at Ciao Hair Salon in Niagara Falls.  Then, we made our way back to Amanda’s hotel room so she could get into her dress and head over to the ceremony!  I absolutely LOVE this part of a wedding day – girls getting ready, general chaos, and lots of laughter and fun – always a good time.

Love this shot of Amanda and her mom!  :)Ben hung out with Nick and the guys before the ceremony.  I love these personalized mustache flasks that Nick gave to his groomsmen!  So cute!!  Their church, St. Jude the Apostle in North Tonawanda, had the most amazing colored glass.  The way the light shined through, and projected the colors all around the sanctuary was incredible.  I absolutely LOVE the silhouette shot that Ben grabbed of all the guys before the ceremony.  It’s gorgeous. This is yet another gorgeous shot by Ben.  I am obsessed with it!The ceremony began, and Amanda’s mom walked her down the aisle.  It was such a beautiful moment!Such an awesome ceremony…such a wonderful couple.  :)From the ceremony, we headed out to Freedom Run Winery in Lockport to grab some shots of our fabulous bride and groom and their wedding party.  It was our first time at Freedom Run, and we loved shooting there.  Their tasting area is air conditioned (thank the LORD), and their grounds are simply breathtaking.  There is also a super cute stone house, and a very cool-looking “vintage-y” barn that would also be a great location for a ceremony, just in case anyone’s interested!

I love this next shot so much!

This is the inside of the barn.  How gorgeous are these two?!This was the last set we took before it was unanimously decided that we were all dying of heatstroke.  I love these so much.  I can’t speak for Amanda and Nick, of course, but for us, these really capture exactly how we felt in that moment – hot, sweaty, slightly brain-fried, happy, and a little bit silly.  :)  It really was such an awesome day.We headed over to the reception (where there was glorious air conditioning), and got the party started!  Amanda and Nick are both engineers, so their whole wedding had a theme of “gears,” which was super unique and fun.  The gears on the cake were just fantastic, and really tied the theme together.  Isn’t it so cute?!  And, of course, we had to use gears for the ring shot.  ;)
The speeches were so great.  It’s kind of rare to see the groom stand up and toast his bride, but Nick did, and it was the sweetest thing in the world.  Their love for each other is so obvious, and we feel honored to have been a part of their day.
Amanda and Nick – thank you, thank you, thank you for allowing us to be a part of your amazing wedding day! We are so glad you found us!! You were wonderful to work with, and we enjoyed every moment of your day! We wish you both all the happiness in the world! Much love, J + B :)

Krista and Matt are two of the most hilarious people we have ever met. We love being around them, because all we do is laugh, laugh, and laugh. That being said, you will notice that there is a lot of laughter in these images. As it turns out, Krista and Matt’s friends and families are all pretty hilarious, and everyone just made everyone crack up all day long. I honestly can’t think of anything better than a day filled with laughter and love. This was a REALLY phenomenal wedding, and we were incredibly lucky to be a part of it.

I started out the day with Krista and the girls at the Mansion on Delaware. I LOVE that place!! Not only do they do a phenomenal reception, but their rooms are just gorgeous (and when you stay in one of their rooms, you get your own business cards to let people know that you are “in residence” at the Mansion – super sweet). Krista planned in a lot of getting ready time so that she and the ladies could have a relaxing morning. It was wonderful to spend that time with them…I had a blast!
I love this shot of Krista, her mom, and her sister….just LOVE it!!Ben started out the day with Matt and the guys at Krista and Matt’s house.  Then, they headed over to Karpeles Manuscript Library, where the ceremony took place.  The front pillars at Karpeles are excellent for photos….soooo gorgeous.  Ben grabbed a few shots of the guys on the steps.  I love the ones of Matt and his brother!  (Karpeles is such a fantastic place for a ceremony, but they book up super fast so you have to reserve it as early as possible.  Do it NOW!!  Don’t be deterred by their lame-o website.)Ben grabbed this stunning shot of Krista and her dad coming down the aisle….love it!
That beautiful officiant you see there is Rev. Susie Trice.  She’s one of our faves.  ;)After the ceremony, we headed over to Tift Nature Preserve with the most giggly wedding party EVER.  These people were HILARIOUS.  So much so, that it was hard to get a picture of them without someone cracking up.  Luckily, photos of people cracking up are among my favorite things in the world.We gave the wedding party a short break while we took some portraits of our gorgeous bride and groom.  I was super insistent about using this boardwalk, even though Ben discouraged it due to the ridiculous amount of bugs we encountered that day.  Tift Nature Preserve is, well, a swamp, so yeah, there’s a lot of bugs.  We got about half way down this walkway, when Krista noticed that the entire thing was covered with ants.  COVERED.  It was way gross, and poor Krista was wearing flip flops; but, bless her heart, she just draped her dress over the railing and put on her best “I’m having so much fun right now” face.  Have I mentioned how much I love her?I love these next two shots…seriously….these two kill me.  Also, it was at this exact moment that I was stung by two wasps, one in each leg, in exactly the same spot….just in case anyone wanted to know that.Then, we headed over to the waterfront to get some shots by the lake.  We did a few more wedding party shots, too.  ;)  I heart these so much…it was a great day to be by the water.Then, it was back to the Mansion on Delaware for the reception!!  They really do a great outdoor cocktail hour at the Mansion…very chic, yet super relaxed.  Also, they put chocolate in their coffee mugs….YUM.
Receptions at the Mansion are typically multi-level, so after dinner, the party moved to the lower level where the dance floor was.  Krista and Matt’s first dance was just adorable, and the shot Ben grabbed from the outside looking in, is probably the best first dance shot I’ve ever seen from him…awesome shot, B.
Krista and Matt – somehow, just saying “thank you” doesn’t seem like enough. We are so incredibly grateful to know you both, and absolutely honored to have been a part of your wedding day. Thank you for being so awesome to work with. Thank you for your trust, your patience, and most of all, thank you for making us laugh more in one day than we laughed all year. You guys ROCK. Much love to you both!! -J + B :)