Category: weddings

danny + jason // The Westin Buffalo Wedding

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We can’t say enough wonderful things about working with Danny and Jason! From their “tour of WNY treats” engagement shoot, complete with Paula’s Donuts and Anderson’s ice cream cones, to their incredibly glamorous wedding day, we couldn’t have asked for anything more. These two really know how to throw a good party, (and they really love donuts)!

Their stunning gold trimmed big day at The Westin was pure perfection. Above all, we love the tiny details that really made it special, such as their heirloom cuff links, metallic brooches instead of traditional boutonnières, and tear-filled vows during a truly moving ceremony, while being wrapped in their grandfathers’ Talis’. We hope you enjoy this gorgeous day just as much as we did!

Danny: “We met on Tuesday, August 18, 2014 and have been together ever since. We connected on Tinder a few days prior and due to an impending trip Jason was about to take, decided to have a first date that Tuesday before he left. We met at the Dream Hotel in Chelsea to have drinks on the rooftop. It was a beautiful night. After many drinks and bonding over a shared love of music, we had our first kiss! We decided to meet again once Jason got back to New York, and the rest is history.“

Danny: “We planned our first trip alone internationally to London and Paris in December 2017. After the first few days in London, we traveled to Paris. On our first night, in front of the Eiffel Tower, Jason proposed! He then surprised me with dinner he had arranged at 58 Tour Eiffel. After a beautiful meal, we stayed up til 2am to call family back in the US at a reasonable hour to surprise them all.“

Jason: “We both knew that we wanted our wedding day look to be the same, but with a individual complimentary element. The initial idea was to get custom made tuxedos, but we didn’t enjoy the vendors we shopped around and the experience overall. It never felt like we found ‘the one’ this way, so while doing our research at various department stores we saw the Paul Smith tuxedos from a far hanging on a rack at Barneys New York. It’s almost as if there was a light shining on them and we knew they were ‘the ones’ the first time we tried them on and saw each other in them. The idea to individually compliment one another was by the use of metallic flower broaches, one in silver and the other in gold, different color cuff links, both in silver and in gold (Danny wore his Grandfather’s passed down to him and I wore new cuff links, which Danny bought for me as a wedding gift).“

Jason: “We incorporated all three of our grandfathers’ Talis’ in the wedding ceremony. Two of the Talis were wrapped together (those of my grandfathers, Papa Lenny & Papa Freddie) on top of the Chupah, while the third (Grandpa Al’s – Danny’s Grandfather) was used to wrap around us while standing underneath the Chupah.“

Danny + Jason: “We have a lot of the same interests, goals, and values, including family and commitment to one another. We love a night in spent cooking at home together, listening to vinyl records, drinking wine, watching a show and hanging out with our dog, Oliver. We also love getting dressed up, having dinner at a restaurant we’ve never been to and meeting up with friends for drinks and dancing.“

Danny + Jason: “When it comes to wedding planning, make sure you take your time and feel good about all the decisions you make together. Work together and enjoy the whole process, because it goes by really fast. Each moment you dedicate to planning should require your undivided attention and really be in the moment. Make sure that you really take a step back from the morning you wake up that morning of your wedding and take it all in, because it goes by so fast. Try not to stress too much, because it is supposed to be fun!“

Jason: “We danced to Paula Abdul’s ‘Will You Marry Me?’ We chose it while getting ready for another event one day. The song came on and we just looked at each other and felt like it was our song. We also really gravitated towards the lyrics and the title, since Paula includes the word ‘boy’.“

Jason: “Madonna has always been an artist both my Mom and I have liked since I was a little kid, so I wanted to choose something by that artist for us to dance to. The lyrics of ‘I’ll Remember’ made the most sense out of the entire catalog to choose from.“

Danny: “My mom and I danced to James Taylor’s ‘How Sweet It Is’. It’s a more midtempo song that is about a joyful and positive love, so we could be ourselves and not feel too stiff.“

Danny + Jason: “Working with Ayres Photography was the cherry on top for our wedding. After seeing the final photos we are once again reassured that we picked the perfect team from our initial meeting to now ordering our wedding album. Jenn really listened to what we wanted and was able to capture the emotion we feel towards one another perfectly in the photos, and the love and support that everyone experienced who attended the wedding. We would use Ayres in a second for any other important moment in our life.“

Loving the look at The Westin?? Check out another stunning Westin Buffalo wedding here!

Wedding Vendors Include:

Venue: The Westin Buffalo
Wedding Coordinator: Bonnie Gersh
Invitations: Bonnie Gersh
Hair + Makeup: Blush Makeup and Hair Salon
Tuxedos: Paul Smith
Lapel Pins: Barneys New York
Cake: Dessert Deli
Cake Topper: BestDecoWedding – Etsy
Reception Linens: Tesoro Event Rentals
Donut Wall: Paula’s Donuts
Florist and Decor: The Display Company
Band: Twilight Entertainment
Videographer: Shutter Dream Studio

jenny + brendan // Marcy Casino Wedding

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There’s not much that makes us happier than a couple who’s not afraid to really put their own stamp on their big day. We love when anyone follows their hearts and their own unique style instead of feeling forced into the ever dreaded box of cookie cutter wedding traditions.

Letting her personal style shout loud and clear throughout their wedding day, Jenny passed on the traditional bridal attire and opted for a short embellished vintage dress complimented by a flower adorned birdcage veil, red and hot pink chunky heels and her own super cute trendy glasses, (we love a bride in glasses!!). In order to make sure she could comfortably bust a move on the dance floor, she changed into a fun white jumpsuit for the reception!

Brendan and Jenny also really made the day their own by forgoing a traditional wedding party. Their family and friends were able to join in the morning festivities and then were free to just soak in the rest of day without the added responsibilities. It really helped to set the tone for the day, along with some killer song choices, of course. We’re so glad that our associate Michele was able to spent this amazing day with them!

Jenny: “Although we are both natives of Buffalo with a dozen mutual friends and similar interests (and later found out we were at a bunch of the same concerts), Brendan and I met online. After under a year of being together and of me living in NYC, so we decided to move in together and it has been just the best since!“

Jenny: “Our first date was at Essex Street Pub. I was still living in Buffalo, and Brendan was in town visiting his family. Things were going so well that one hour quickly turned into three, and then it was time for Brendan to meet a bunch of his good friends in town, and he asked me to join. The next day I met up with a friend and told them that I knew he was the one, and it turned out I was right!“

Jenny: “We knew we were perfect for each other and had spoken about getting married, it was just a matter of when, so there was never really a formal proposal. But then Brendan surprised me one night a few years ago with a ring, which was totally unexpected since we spoke about not doing an engagement ring. He totally caught me off guard and it was just such a natural thing. The ring was so fitting for me, as it is a really unique design that used to be his Grandma’s and fit me perfectly!“

Jenny: “I knew I wanted to wear something vintage and not a long, formal dress. I searched through Etsy and found the perfect one from simplicityisbliss, I think even before we had settled on a date! It’s tricky ordering a vintage dress online because you never know if it will fit right, but the dress fit almost perfectly! And for a pop of color I had bright red, vintage-inspired heels!”

Jenny: “We both like to cook, play music and go to shows, bike around the city, frequent our favorite dive bars, go to art museums, do crossword puzzles, Instagram weird/interesting things we see, and are active in local politics.“

Jenny: “The ceremony was one of my favorite parts of the day. We walked each other down the aisle to ‘Rolling Down the Hills’ by Glass Candy and back up to ‘Love You So’ by The King Khan & the BBQ Show.“

Brendan: “I’m really happy with how the ceremony turned out – especially since it was officiated by one of my parents’ oldest friends.“

Jenny: “At one point we both read a poem together, ‘Love’ by Roy Croft, and it was very sweet and I caught myself getting emotional and said ‘Oh shit!’ out loud, and everyone laughed. The whole ceremony was short and sweet and very much our own. Our vows were very personal and silly. It was so wonderful to celebrate with our closest family and friends in one place.”

Jenny: “Our ideal night in is cooking a fancy vegan meal, while dancing to records, and then settling in with a 80’s sci-fi or action movie. Our idea of the perfect date night out is grabbing a beer at a local bar or brewery and then getting either cheap tacos or going to our favorite vegan restaurants. We recently moved to Woodside in Queens, so we also enjoy exploring the neighborhood and experimenting with different cuisines. Our recent favorite is a small, local Tibetan restaurant that serves the best momos!“

Jenny: “I made a lot of the decorations myself (including the pom pom wall), and we got a lot from a tag sale from a bar in Williamsburg, Brooklyn that closed after 66 years of operation (Rosemary’s Greenpoint Tavern). Brendan designed buttons of our cat, Karl, that we keep finding in unusual places. There were also a fair amount of googley eyes.“

Jenny: “My dress was heavily beaded, so it was quite heavy and I was having doubts as to whether I would be comfortable the whole day, so a few weeks before the wedding I ordered a white jumpsuit and had minor alterations complete with a few days to spare! I put on the jumpsuit after dinner and it was so comfortable and perfect for dancing!“

Jenny: “Brendan and I danced to ‘Warm in the Winter’ by Glass Candy. It has great energy and we wanted to go with something upbeat and fun.“

Brendan: “The DJ did a great job with the music – both Jenny and I are big into music and Pat did a great job with our admittedly eclectic requests. It was a great party – it’s rare to see so many important people in your life, and in your families’ lives in one place at the same time, and it felt like a great start to our life together.“

Jenny + Brendan: “It was such a great experience working with Michele and the Ayres team! Michele has such a creative eye and our photos turned out wonderful! We didn’t have formal wedding parties, and the Ayres team did a great job with keeping up with how informal and loose a lot of things were.“

We absolutely LOVED Jenny’s reception jumpsuit! Are you considering switching things up for your reception?? Click here for another reception jumpsuit surprise!

Wedding Vendors Include:

Morning Prep Location: Hotel Henry
Ceremony: Delaware Park Rose Garden
Reception: Marcy Casino
Hair + Makeup: Kristin Draudt of Fawn & Fox Salon
Wedding Dress: simplicityisbliss
Donuts: Paula’s Donuts and Fry Baby Donut Co.
DJ: Pat Kewley