Jenessa + Clint's Unique Buffalo Wedding at Asbury Hall by a Buffalo Wedding Photographer

Doggie in a bow tie. Rooftop first look. Dinosaurs on the dinner table. Geode cake, name cards, and decorations. Giant LOVE sign. And a balloon drop during the first kiss! Jenessa + Clint's wedding at Asbury Hall in Buffalo this spring was full of unique and fun touches that perfectly reflected their laid back and fun-loving personalities, but above all else it was a day centered around the; a celebration of their love! It was such a blast to be a part of this day and I'm so excited to have kicked off the 2018 wedding season with them this past April!

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Special shout out to all the vendors:

Ceremony & Reception Venue: Asbury Hall @ Babeville
Wedding Planner/Coordinator: Austin Scaccia II
Officiant: Kyle Bradstreet
Photographer: Dawn M. Gibson Photography
Florist: Wegmans
Caterer: Exquisite Catering @ Asbury Hall
Cake/Bakery: Blackbird Sweets for the cake, cupcakes, and cookies // Paula's Donuts for the donuts
DJ/Band/Entertainment: Toy Bros. Entertainment (also provided the Social Booth)
Invitations: Minted
Hair & Makeup: Lizzy Dugan @ Salon Elizabeth
Bride's Attire: Sottero and Midgley - The Emery
Groom's Attire: Groom - Express
Shoes: Badgley Mischka / TOMS
Accessories (jewelry, hairpiece, cufflinks, ties, etc): Hair Piece from Salon Elizabeth, Her Ring: Ken and Dana, The Sarisa and the Bella, His Ring: Lashbrook Designs, Meteorite in Black Zirconium
Wedding Party Attire: Girls - Modcloth // Guys - Express
Decorations/Decor Design or Rentals: Balloons, Lanterns, and Cafe Bulb Lights - Balloon Masters, Love Sign - Fine Scale Designs
Favors: Geodes inscribed with guest names made by the bride and bridal party, Gold Dinosaurs painted by the bride and bridal party, Treats from the Dessert Room to take home in DIY boxes
Late night food/snacks: Pizza and Wings - La Nova

Ashleigh + Nolan's Classic and Elegant Buffalo Wedding | Buffalo and WNY Wedding Photographer

There is something about a classic, black tie wedding during the month of October that will forever make me swoon, and Ashleigh and Nolan's late October 2017 wedding at Hotel @ the Lafayette was everything I could have ever dreamed of photographing and so much more. The entire day from start to finish was laid back yet perfectly polished, their ceremony was incredibly touching and the dance floor was PACKED with family and friends having the time of their lives all night long. I'm so excited to share a small glimpse into their wedding day with you today, along with a few words from the bride and groom on their experience as well!

How would you describe your wedding vision/theme?

The vision we had for our wedding was to keep it classic and timeless. We decided on ivory and black with silver and gold touches for our color theme. I would chose to live in the past if I could, so there was no better place than the Lafayette to offer that classic feel. The marble hallways, original detailed tile flooring, hard wood floor ballroom, beautiful chandeliers with 20+ foot ceilings and the ornate details really just speak for themselves. The venue leaves you speechless without any wedding decor. Add in the candles, lighting and formal seating - and there's nothing more I could even ask for. I had a vision of the whole bridal party in black with just the white dress, and I think that this theme came out flawless. The girls all chose their own dress and designer, the boys wore black tuxedos with the bow tie, suspenders and ivory pocket square. Everything came together perfectly for our theme!

Favorite moments/memories from the wedding?

Walking down the aisle is every little girl's dream I think. Dad on the arm, family and friends filling the church, and the most perfect groom standing at the end of the aisle smiling. That moment I will not forget, ever.

Seeing the room for the first time before the guests entered was amazing. After all the time and effort put in to planning and organizing, I almost cried when I saw it. It was just beautiful and everything I wanted it to be. I also really enjoyed Nolan's reaction because I don't think he knew my vision of the reception until he saw it in person and he was blown away!

Also - the dance floor!!! I don't think I left the dance floor for more than a minute or two at a time, and it was always packed. This was one of my big concerns about the wedding - I needed a fun dance floor! And a fun dance floor is exactly what we got :) Great music and always a ton of people dancing all night long!

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

It will be stressful, but it will also be worth it. Take on tasks one at a time to avoid being overwhelmed, plus checking things off your list will make you feel better than having a bunch of things half complete. Enjoy every minute of engaged life while you are planning! Its a journey that you only get to do once :)

Special shout-out to all the vendors:

Ceremony Venue: St. Thomas Aquinas Church
Reception Venue: Lafayette Hotel - Marquis Ballroom
Officiant: Fr. Gallagher
Photographer: Dawn M Gibson Photography (with second photographer Liz)
Videographer: Filmwell Studios
Florist: Flourish
Caterer: Acqua
Cake/Bakery: Blessings Bakery
DJ/Band/Entertainment: CJ Sound
Transportation: Status Limo
Invitations: Wedding Paper Divas
Hair: Claire Sumbrum
Makeup: Mallory Finnegan (MakeUpByMal)
Bride's Dress: Calle Blanche "Paulette" Ballgown (Satin, V-neck, empire waist, chapel length train, with jeweled belt and back)
Bride's Shoes: Badgley Mischka "Gorgeous" Ivory satin and and jewel embellished heel
Groom's Attire: Black tuxedo, black bow tie and suspenders, ivory pocket square (Tuxedo Junction)
Additional Accessories: Bride - Tennis bracelet from parents, Elizabeth Cole Crystal Ring, Ben-Amun Silver Cluster Studs, simple gold and jewel hair pin on side of bun. Groom - Monogram cuff links to match groomsmen and fathers (Etsy)
Wedding Party Attire: Black Tie - Bridesmaids in all black formal gowns, each individually picked / Groomsmen in black tuxedos with black bow tie and suspenders with ivory pocket squares
Decorations/Decor Design or Rentals: Decorated ballroom with gold mercury glass candle holders, and different height pillar candles; candelabras on head table. Ivory centerpieces mixed with baby's breath tall centerpieces. Room had gold uplighting throughout. Ivory table clothes and ivory napkins with gold back chiavari paneled chairs
Favors: Our favor was a large donation of food, toys, and care supplies to the City of Buffalo Animal Shelter on behalf of our family and friends, and also on behalf of the two little hound-mix sisters we adopted from there that make our little family complete (for now!)
Late night food/snacks: LaNova pizza and wings

** Note to website visitors and vendors, please do not take images off website for use without photographer consent. If you are interested in using/sharing photos, please email info@dawnmgibsonphotography.com. Thank you! **

Alexis + Krishna's Wedding @ UB's Center for the Arts | Buffalo and WNY Wedding Photographer

Alexis + Krishna planned an intimate wedding ceremony and celebration held inside the atrium at UB's Center for the Arts. It was the perfect space for their unique wedding celebration, which included a fusion of their Polish and Indian heritages. Filled with colorful decorations and wedding party attire, surprises for the bride and groom, and SO much emotion – it was one for the books for sure.

Prior to the ceremony, while Alexis and Krishna were tucked away, their ring bearers passed out tiny patches of fabric to all their family and friends, a surprise for the bride and groom played out by their officiants during the ceremony. The patches of fabric will be stitched into a quilt for the newlyweds, which I have to say is not only incredibly unique but incredibly thoughtful. It was also very thoughtful of Alexis to include several important people in her life on her walk down the isle.

The surprises didn't end at the ceremony. Prior to the wedding, Alexis had arranged Doug Allen – the man who sings the National Anthem at Sabres games – to come and sing at their wedding. Krishna is the biggest fan of his, so this surprise literally brought him to tears. It was such an incredible moment.

Huge shout out to all the vendors!

Ceremony & Reception Venue: UB Center for the Arts
Wedding Planner/Coordinator: The bride planned, Coordinator at UB is Moriah Hegmann
Officiant: Silpa Wainright & Sara Theriault
Photographer: Dawn M Gibson Photography (with second shooter: Kelly T)
Florist: The bride made the bouquets herself
Caterer: Amaretto Bistro & Taj Grill
Cake/Bakery: Oh My Goodies Cakery
DJ/Band/Entertainment: The Silver Arrow Band
Hair: KaLu Salon & Spa
Makeup: Genny's Glitter Box
Bride/Groom Attire: Bride's dress by JS Collections, Groom's suit by Calvin Klein
Shoes: Nine West (bride's shoes), Florsheim (groom's shoes)
Accessories (jewelry, hairpiece, cufflinks, ties, etc): Custom ties & pocket squares by Knotty Tie Co., Bridal jewelry- borrowed bracelet with finger chain, brides own tri-gold bracelet, earrings by Jaipurmahal, bridesmaids earrings found in Little India in Toronto, bangles from my mother in law, handkerchiefs by Keepsake Hankies
Wedding Party Attire: Mens suits and shoes from theblacktux.com, each girls dress is from somewhere different, based on their assigned color and budget
Decor: Chair cover rental from L-Egant Chair Covers, remainder of decorations by bride
Special Appearance: Doug Allen of the Buffalo Sabres – sang the national anthem

Do you have any recommendations for future couples planning a wedding?: It's going to be overwhelming and a bit stressful at times, but at the end of the day, remember that you're the ones getting married, so do what you want. The day is supposed to be one of the best days of your life, so remember to live in the moments & take a little breather from the reception to look at everything. And everyone says your wedding day goes by fast- and they're right! You don't realize it until you live it, so just be sure to enjoy yourself!

Kristy + Tim's WNY Wedding at the Delaware Park Rose Gardens and Marcy Casino | Buffalo Wedding Photographer

There are some people in this world who you'll meet, that will leave a lasting impression on you for their genuinely kind, thoughtful, and fun-filled personalities, and I'm positive if you've ever met Kristy or Tim, you'd agree they fit this description to a tee. Their wedding day was a complete reflection of their love for one another, all things Buffalo, and most of all, for the people in their lives. In their wedding planning, they included awesome personalized touches for their guests: custom bobble heads for each of the wedding party members, caricatures done on site as wedding favors for their guests, and table centerpieces that included photos of not just Kristy + Tim, but the people who were actually sitting at each table. They also added personal touches of things important to them, like photos of Kristy's dad who passed away a few months prior to the wedding, their favorite beer from throughout the region, and a cake showing off some Buffalove. They had the funniest and sweetest ceremony I've ever been fortunate enough to witness and they partied well into the night in one of the most epic receptions I've photographed to date. Every second of their day was incredible and I'm so excited to share a few of my favorite images with you today.

Special shout out to all the vendors:

Ceremony Venue: Delaware Park Rose Garden
Reception Venue: The Marcy Casino
Wedding Planner/Coordinator: Kristina Schmitt - through Marcy Casino
Officiant: Michael Abbatoy - a friend of ours
Photographer: the amazing Dawn M. Gibson Photography!
Videographer: Monarch Productions - Paul Hare
Florist: Maureen's Buffalo Wholesale Flower Market Goods
Caterer: Magnolia Events - part of the Marcy Casino
Cake/Bakery: Muscoreil's Fine Desserts, Cakes and Gourmet Baskets
DJ/Band/Entertainment: Nik Lite - part of Nik Entertainment (their full band is Nik and the Nice Guys which is how we've known them - they suggested the 7-piece band for our wedding and they were awesome!)
Invitations: Lindsay van Harssel at Hoopla House Creative
Hair: Jennifer Cuttitta from J. Lynn Salon
Makeup: Amandalee Shamrock
Bride's Attire: Dalia's Bridal
Groom's Attire: Marty's Formal Wear
Shoes: Macy's: nine west and The Walking Company: Birkenstocks
Accessories (jewelry, hairpiece, cufflinks, ties, etc): Earrings and Hairpiece from USA Bride online and bracelet from Lord & Taylor
Wedding Party Attire: Bridesmaids: MA Carr Groomsmen: Marty's Formal Wear
Decorations/Decor Design or Rentals: Just flowers from Maureen's and lanterns from Michael's
Favors: Canalside Caricatures
Late night food/snacks: Charlie the Butcher's beef on weck (of course! how could we not! I hope you grabbed one for yourself!!)

Any additional vendors used you'd like to mention: Marriott Harborcenter is where I stayed the night before and got ready the day of and where we stayed the night of our wedding - they were AMAZING to us!!

Big Ditch is where we had our rehearsal dinner - they went so far above and beyond what I ever would have thought. I wouldn't hesitate to have another event there or recommend them to someone for their event - they were awesome!! We walked in and that space looked so much more than I ever would have anticipated. We had dropped off our gifts and some photo frames earlier in the day. They spread the frames around the room and made a beautiful display of all the gifts. They had simple table and room decorations. It was simple yet beautiful and just really was an awesome space to celebrate. And not to mention the food was out of this world! They were so top notch there and it was such an awesome way to kick off our celebrations!

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Tips from the bride & groom for future couples planning a wedding?

Plan YOUR wedding. Be careful not to get too caught up in pinterest or etsy. They are great to get your ideas going and find some examples of things but after awhile you just have to turn that stuff off or you'll end up at someone else's wedding the day of your wedding. The wedding planning timelines, too. Those just stressed me out!

And don't worry about the perfect this, or the perfect that - at the end of the day you've already found the perfect partner for you and that's all that matters. Sure, we wanted a beautiful ceremony in the rose garden but, had it rained, the day still would have been beautiful and perfect because I knew when we woke up on July 1st that we would be husband and wife and, at then end of the day, that was what mattered most.

Try not to stress. It's hard to do. I'm not one to stress too much about anything, and even when I do I usually keep it in. And I definitely felt it release the moment we turned around to walk down the aisle after our wedding. I know now why people do pictures in between! I think that would've been much more fun if I could have relaxed a little. But we are who we are, right? So do what will work best for you.

Try not to put things off. This is likely what added to some of my stress. (Maybe I should've watched those wedding planning timelines a little more closely!) And there will be things that need to be done in that last week. So try to have people lined up to help that week to minimize the stress that comes along with that.

And have fun with it! All of it. It is such an amazing experience - all of the time leading up to your wedding and even the time after - just embrace it all. Spread the love you feel and enjoy sharing all of the moments you are blessed to share with the people who are most important to you. It is an absolutely amazing way to celebrate and begin your life together with your partner. Enjoy!

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** Note to website visitors and vendors, please do not take images off website for use without photographer consent.
If you are interested in sharing photos, please email info@dawnmgibsonphotography.com. Thank you! **