We had the absolute pleasure to be a part of Kaitlyn and TJ’s wedding, on a chilly but beautiful October day! They are both such wonderful people, and they really made us feel so welcome the whole day. Even though it was cold, rainy, and ridiculously windy, there was nothing that could dampen their spirits. They were both so excited to marry their best friend, and it showed in every photo. We are so happy to have been able to capture these moments for them! :)
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 :)
LOVE.
Many, many takes to get the lighting to be exactly what I wanted it to be in this one…but, so worth the effort. :)
Mad props to Jen for her willingness to hold a germ infested pay phone receiver up to her face!! YOU RULE!!! I don’t know what I was thinking….well, yes I do, actually. I was thinking, “OMG!! Phone booths?! Are you serious right now???!!! I thought these went extinct!!”
I love this shot!! It totally takes me back to that exact moment in time. It was such a gorgeous night, and we could already tell that the sunset was going to be amazing, so we were both happy about that. I was just sitting there in the sand shooting Jen and Nate looking out at the lake, and watching the boat drift slowly to shore. There was a black lab on the boat who had his front paws perched up on the side, as if he were ready to either jump in and swim to shore or yell, “laaaaaand hooooo!!” I remember laughing to myself about that, and thinking, “wow. I really love my job.” :)
Have I mentioned how much I love people who are willing to get in trees for me? Well, I do. It was, as we expected, a phenomenally beautiful sunset. That last frame is one of my favorite shots of all time. The sky was stunning, the people are incredible, and we had a wonderful adventure that night. :)
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!!)
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 
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 
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, 
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 
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!
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. :)
by Ayres Photography
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