Meredith and Nick's Intimate Ceremony at Garrett Memorial Chapel and Backyard Air BnB Wedding in the Finger Lakes

Like many couples this year, Meredith and Nick had their wedding plans flipped upside down with the onset of Covid and tight gathering restrictions across the country. But, they decided not to let a pandemic stop them from exchanging their vows and celebrating their love, instead opting for a super intimate ceremony at Garrett Memorial Chapel in Penn Yan, NY and sharing in great conversation (and the most delicious catered meal I’ve ever had at a wedding) under the summer Finger Lakes skies in the backyard of a historic Air BnB. It truly was a perfect day and I’m so excited to share a few highlights today!

Huge shout-out to all the vendors who brought their wedding vision to life:

Ceremony Venue: Garrett Memorial Chapel
Reception Venue: Branchport NY
Wedding Planner/Coordinator: Meredith Bruno
Officiant: Tom Lorenz
Photographer: Dawn M Gibson Photography
Florist: Bridal Bouquet & Boutonnieres, made by Bride's mother's BFF; Nick's wedding arrangement for Meredith, The Flower Cart, Penn Yan
Caterer: Feast & Co. Catering, Geneva
Cake/Bakery: Cafe Canole, Utica
DJ/Band/Entertainment: Nick & Meredith's personally curated playlist
Transportation: Nick's 2017 Honda Civic Sport Touring
Invitations: Printed by Canva (online)
Hair & Makeup: Bombshell Beauty, Rochester
Bride/Groom Attire: Suit Supply (Custom Order) / Filipinas by White One Bridal
Shoes: Johnson & Murphy / Kate Spade Keds
Accessories (jewelry, hairpiece, cufflinks, ties, etc): Veil, earings, hairpeice from The White Dress by the Shore, Clinton CT; Cufflinks, handed down from groom's father's uncle; Tie & Square, The TieBar.com
Decorations/Decor Design or Rentals: Homegrown succulents, Bride's mother & family items, Nolan Tent & Party Rental, Rochester
Groom Prep Location: Laurentide Inn for where Nick got ready, great breakfast, well done 100%

Jenna and Daniel's Rainy, Gold-Detailed, September Wedding at Sonnenberg Gardens in Canandaigua, New York

It's hard to believe we are already in the middle of September. Another fall season is beginning; another summer season soon to be behind us. Like many photographers, blogging for me always gets put on the back-burner to all the other business things – especially during the summer and fall months. But today I am taking a pause on everything else to reflect back on Jenna + Daniel’s September Wedding at Sonnenberg Gardens. Today they are celebrating the big FOUR, and while I’m a little embarased it’s taken me THIS long to share their amazing day, I’m even more excited that we can all relive this day together on their anniversary (which oddly enough, is another rainy September morning here in Buffalo, NY)!

In our time leading up to the wedding, I had the pleasure of getting to know Jenna and Daniel and was really excited about not only working with them, but photographing them because they are seriously the cutest and most playful couple. I am so drawn to personalities like theirs – fun-loving, a little quirky, and not afraid to be themselves or be silly, but yet also super affectionate.

Their wedding ceremony and reception were planned to be outdoors at the breathtakingly beautiful Sonnenberg Gardens in Canandaigua, NY (which is a dream come true venue setting for anyone looking to have a wedding with a garden setting). But of course, mother nature didn't quite agree with their plans, so they ended up needing to get a tent up over the ceremony and sides to a tent for the reception. It was a really wet day, I'll be honest. I'm pretty sure it didn't stop raining once. But even more importantly, it was a really AMAZING day. From start to finish, the rain was a part of their story, and rather than let it get them down, Jenna and Daniel embraced it and enjoyed every minute of their once-in-a-lifetime wedding day despite all the rain. And I’m sure everyone who was there will agree – it was nothing short of perfect.

Special shout-out to all the vendors:

Ceremony & Reception Venue: Sonnenberg Gardens
Officiant: Beth Bouwens
Photographer: Dawn M Gibson Photography
Florist: Wegmans
Caterer: Creative Caterers
Cake/Bakery: Scratch Bakeshop
DJ/Band/Entertainment: Turner Music Productions
Invitations: Minted
Hair & Makeup: Michelle's Salon and Spa
Bride Attire: Dress: Lovely Bride, Shoes: Wallis, Accessories: Twigs & Honey
Groom Attire: Suit: Combatant Gentlemen, Shoes: Cole Haan
Wedding Party Attire: Bridesmaids: BHLDN, Groomsmen: Combatant Gentleman
Decorations/Decor Design or Rentals: McCarthy Tents & Events
Favors: Succulents
Late night food/snacks: Mini Pies

Additional thoughts from the Bride:

How would you describe your wedding vision/theme? My friends started joking that they were going to call me "Midas" – everything that I touched with this wedding turned to gold! I knew very early on that I didn't want a specific color to be the focal point of the vision, as I felt that might be a bit overwhelming when looking at the entire wedding as a whole. Instead, I focused on a softer vision of gold, ivory, and warm lighting. I also knew that I wouldn't be wearing a white ballgown down the aisle, it just wouldn't have felt like me. Why wear a white wedding dress when you can wear an incredible golden gown covered in pearls and sequins?! I felt like a radiant sun! To keep everything soft and light, I dressed my girls in ivory bridesmaid dresses with gold shoes. Since our wedding was in September, I still wanted to incorporate a little richness in color in small touches, which I did with berry-colored flowers, vivid green leaves, navy suits, and camel leather shoes/belts for the guys. The goal was to achieve an overall sense of warmth and welcome while set in an ethereal garden, and I couldn't be happier with how everything turned out!

Favorite moments/memories from the wedding? Even though I was next-level devastated when our wedding day came with a forecast of rain all day, it actually ended up blessing us with some truly incredible moments. We had to move our wedding location so we could get all of our wedding guests under a tent, which meant that my girls and I had to make our entrance through a beautiful wooded area. When my girls stepped out to make their way down the aisle with their huge clear umbrellas, they looked like mystical woodland nymphs! As my turn came and I grabbed my dad's arm to walk towards Dan, I was filled with an overwhelming sense of joy and had a true out of body experience. I was immediately brought back down to earth as I heard my dad start muttering, "What do I do with this umbrella? When do I drop it? I'm going to drop it now." And with 20 feet to go before reaching the safety of the tent, my dad tossed our umbrella! Even though I got quite wet, I was ecstatic to make my way to my grinning groom through the drizzling rain and the laughter of friends and family. Moments like that can't be planned!

Do you have any recommendations for future couples planning a wedding? Don't take on more than you can handle, and feel free to let some things slide. Your engagement is an incredibly important time in your life, and you shouldn't experience it as a big ball of stress. It is meant to be enjoyed and shared with all of the people in your life that you love! Figure out ways that you can create your vision without breaking the bank or your peace of mind. And whatever you do, don't stop planning and just elope like you surely want to a few months into the process! Even though planning can be overwhelming and frustrating, nothing can beat the experience of having your friends and family surround you as you join your life with the person you cherish. It will make all of the stress worth it a thousand times over.

Carly + Paul's Romantic Wedding at The Sinclair of Skaneateles | Finger Lakes Wedding Photographer

One of the first decisions couples make when planning a wedding is the WHERE. Where will you have your family and friends gather to witness your exchange of vows? And where will everyone gather after to eat, drink, mingle, and dance like there’s no tomorrow late into the evening? For Carly and Paul, their decision to hold their ceremony and reception at an old chair-factory-turned-wedding-venue, The Sinclair of Skaneateles, could not have been more perfect. The venue itself provided an on-site ceremony with the cutest little church pews and the most beautiful woodland backdrop, and the building where chairs used to be manufactured provided a rustic/industrial space that was perfect for the intimate dinner and wild night of dancing for their reception. There is even a beautiful suite upstairs available for the wedding party to get ready in, filled with charming old chairs and furniture, where Carly and her girls spent the morning prepping.

From the laid-back prep of both bride and groom with their crews to the beautiful ceremony with an exchange of personal vows to every wild moment on the dance floor later that evening, it truly was THE most perfect day. And I’m so excited to now share a little peak of the highlights from this special day of love and celebration!

Before diving into their images, here’s a quick word of advice from the bride + groom:

Do you have any recommendations for future couples planning a wedding?

Have fun! We sometimes wondered if we were being too quirky with some of our details (like the guinea pig invites, the Harry Potter reading, or the 90’s pop music) but everyone loved it. Those things are what made it ours. Not everything for a wedding has to be so serious

Special shout-out to all the vendors!

Ceremony & Reception Venue: The Sinclair of Skaneateles
Officiant: Kathleen Jacques
Photographer: Dawn Gibson (the best photographer EVER)
Florist: Blooming Gals
Caterer: Gance’s
Cake/Bakery: Cake was made by family friend, Valentina Yalanzhi
DJ/Band/Entertainment: Sierra Yaple
Transportation:
Invitations, Programs, and Signage: Alison Kenyon (The Invitation Oven)
Hair: The Traveling Stylists
Makeup: The Traveling Stylists (bridesmaids & MOB only), Bride did own makeup
Bride + Groom Attire: The Black Tux & Something Bleu Bridal
Shoes: Michael Shannon (found them on clearance for $15!)
Accessories: Hairpiece from Etsy shop (AnnaHandwelleryAccs)
Wedding Party Attire: The Black Tux & Azazie
Decorations/Decor Design or Rentals: Most of it came from the Sinclair! Other things we purchased from Etsy shops or craft stores and put together ourselves.
Favors: Treat Yo’ Self candy bags from Etsy shop, StampsJubilee
Guest Book: Etsy shop, Bleudetoi