Since St. Patrick’s Day is just a few days away,

I thought this wedding would be perfect to share!

The ceremony was held in our backyard on a beautiful fall day. The majestic sound of bagpipes played by Kelly Eustis kicked off the wedding processional. Justin was extremely nervous prior to the ceremony. Nothing seemed to calm him down until he saw Amanda for the 1^st time. Instantaneously, all of his nerves went away.

Our indoor Courtyard was very formally decorated with Kelly green satin runners with centerpieces put together using Longfellows’ mirrors and fishbowls. The couple provided green gems for the bottom of each bowl and delicate bunches of hydrangeas floating in water.

 Amanda & Justin’s Sweetheart table was nicely decorated with the bridal bouquet and a personalized vase with an Irish Claddagh symbol which represents friendship, love & loyalty.  Justin’s family helped by providing hand dipped votive candles to supply soft lighting around the centerpieces.

Candies were boxed as favors for guests to take and matched similar designs used on the wedding cake. Celtic knot designs were included on both the favor boxes and the guests’ place cards.

There were certainly other special touches that really personalized the night, but my favorite by far was this little 4 leaf clover that Amanda wore on her dress that was her great grandmothers.  I just love it!

After a formal meal, DJ (and family friend of the couple) Frank Genevick & Groomsman Mike Genevick gave a tribute to the Groom’s Brother in Law who was in Afganistan and then finished off the day by getting everyone on the dance floor.  Guests of all ages danced through the night.

Big Thanks to Brian Haynes who captured all of these special moments of their Big Day!

“May you always have enough happiness to keep you sweet, trials to keep you strong, success to make you eager, friends to give you comfort, wealth to meet your needs, enthusiasm to look for tomorrow, and a growing love to make each day better than the day before.”

We don’t think we can say enough great things about Rob! We have only been working with him for a few years now, but every second has been such a pleasure. As soon as he walks into a room, he has everyone smiling and he has a way of making everyone feel comfortable.

Rob is originally from Glens Falls and currently works out of his home in Saratoga with his wife Rosie and their ADORABLE daughter Dorothy (Which Rob admits is his “hands down favorite thing to photograph”).  He was traveling around the country with a national tour of a Broadway Musical in 2002 when he began photographing people. “I always felt that being on stage, the audience learns all about YOU, the actor, but you never meet (or see) any of them in the dark theatre. Working one on one photographing individuals I found much more fulfilling – as I became the audience member and had an opportunity to learn all about THEM while still entertaining them by providing flattering photography.”

As the actors started getting married, Rob went back to school to earn his photography degree. Though he was used to the publicity shots he felt the right education was needed to ensure that he did not ruin the printed memories of the biggest day of someone’s life.

Though Rob hasn’t always been interested in photography he has always enjoyed making people happy and being a wedding photographer gives him that opportunity.  He encourages open dialogue with all of his clients. Though he has his own style, if someone has a certain idea in mind, he loves making that happen.

He understands the importance of the candid shots and “capturing the moment” and is well educated with knowing the importance of and finding the perfect lighting. “Without good lighting, you can make a great moment look awful- but WITH good lighting, you can make a dull moment look beautiful, funny or intriguing.” Rob enjoys getting to know his clients so while searching for the right lighting they are relaxed enough to act candidly. Resulting in a wonderful, natural moment caught in great lighting.

If you are looking for a photographer that you will enjoy having around you all day, adding that special touch and capturing moments that will last a lifetime, Rob is your man.

Check out his website or his blog to see his work!

Alison was very particular about the decor and didn’t miss one little detail. If you are looking for some Natural, Rustic Wedding Inspiration, this is it!

Are these guys not the cutest couple? 

Cait & Billy are getting married at Pat’s Barn on June 2nd and Longfellows is catering thier Big Day! I had the pleasure of sitting down with the couple last week for their food tasting and Cait showed me their engagment photos. I loved them so much I had to share them!

Cait is from Delmar and Billy is from Southern Ohio. Their common interests in sports and academics brought them together in college and they couldn’t be seperated. In April 2011 while alone in the dark caves of Howes Caverns on a lantern tour, Billy proposed and Cait was thrilled! Cait began planning the wedding day immediatly. She and Bill could not wait to start their lives toegther. “He is truly my soulmate and my best friend” Cait told me. Pat’s Barn was the perfect fit for their idea of a rustic themed wedding.

The Engagement Photos were taken by Janelle Rodriguez.  I have not had the opportunity to work with Janelle yet but based on these photos, I can not wait!  The couple chose the site of Indian Ladder Farms for their engement photos. Autumn is Cait’s favorite season and though it was too soon for her to plan a stress free wedding for the fall, the Farms gave the perfect, fall backdrop for these photos.

I am so excited to work with Cait & Billy and cannot wait for their day to be here!!

Vegetarian with no alcohol??? Really????

When I first met Ellen & Jeff, I started the conversation as I always do asking them to share with me their vision for their big day. They had a very clear vision which was, unlike any other I had ever heard before. So, when they said they wanted a complete vegetarian menu and did not want alcohol available, needless to say, I was very skeptical. In spite of my best efforts to convince them that this was a major departure from the normal and might not be the best “party” for her guests, they were unwavering.

Realizing that they were so passionate about their vision, I jumped in with both feet and said “we will make this the best vegetarian, dry wedding EVER”! I spoke with the chef, who also got excited about creating a custom vegetarian menu (even with some vegan options) that would appeal to the 150 expected guests. And so, it began….

 Ellen & Jeff held their wedding reception under a tent, provided by Clifton Park Rental, on her parents property in Greenfield Center which they acquired in 1967.  The property, which was originally owned by the Scott family (Scott Paper Company)  was built in the 1920′s.  All of the fossil stone and wood that were used to build the house were found on the property. 

The weather was absolutely perfect and made the day even more amazing. Ellen’s dad, John, outdid himself with the little extra touches, such as these pots of flowers at each tent post!

The ceremony was a real family affair with all the nieces and nephews participating. They were all SOOO cute!

After the ceremony the cocktail hour featured such vegetarian hors d’oeuvres as vegetable spring rolls, mini quiches and vegetable sushi rolls. While the guests were enjoying the cocktail hour, the newly married couple were busy taking photos.  Ellen & Jeff did not hire a professional photographer and used friends and family to shoot their big day. One of my favorite photos is this one showing the orange Converse sneakers worn by all the groomsmen…too funny!

The dinner was served buffet style and our kitchen team went above and beyond all expectations and prepared a vegetarian feast. The menu included such vegetarian delights as Vegetable Lasagna and Tofu Stir Fry. Every guest enjoyed dinner and were so happy with the food! I don’t think anyone missed the meat at all! Guests enjoyed chilled lemonade, iced tea, soda and water…again, I don’t think anyone missed the alcohol!

After dinner, the party really got started as guests took to the dance floor. The band, friends of the groom, kept the dance floor full all afternoon!

The tables were decorated with orange gerber daisies in mason jars (of course). The table numbers were made by the bride & groom and featured photos of them at the age of the table number! What a great way to personalize the little details. 

As the afternoon fun continued, many guests found another activity to keep busy…the hula hoop! The laughter and fun could be heard for miles!!!

This wedding was a perfect example of a well thought out vision that was executed perfectly! As a bride and groom, you should never let anyone talk you out of the ideas that you have for your special day. It is so important that your wedding reflect who you are, and, Longfellows was quite honored to help this special couple turn their vision into reality!!