Emma and Matt’s Outdoor Wedding Ceremony and Ballroom Reception at Barton Hill House and Niagara Falls Country Club
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, I LOVE photographing multiple weddings for the same family. What a special opportunity to be part of the ongoing photographic story these families will tell. Emma and Matt’s wedding was the second I photographed for Emma’s family this past year, as I had pleasure of photographing her sister Hayley’s wedding as well! Oddly enough, Hayley was a referral from another sister duo whose weddings I photographed at the exact same venues, Niagara Falls Country Club and the Admiral Room! What are the odds?!
Second photographer and bow-tie-tie-er extraordinaire, Dorian, and I began our day with some wedding preparation photos at the Barton Hill House in Lewiston, NY. This is a house I know well! When I was younger, I served as a tour guide of this home when it was featured on a tour of homes. What a treat it was to see it again in its new form, a B&B! This house is REALLY historic. Originally built in 1812, it was used as an armory during the War of 1812. It was burned by the British in 1813, rebuilt on its original foundation in 1815, complete with Underground Railroad Tunnels behind a trap door in the fireplace! Also of note, the famous winding staircase carved from a single piece of wood!
Enough history lessons, let’s get to the wedding photography!
We set up the big reveal or “first look” for Emma and Matt on the grass path that leads to the Barton Hill House. It was just the perfect lush, romantic runway for this scene to unfold.
The Barton Hill House has no shortage of nooks perfect for wedding portraits. What a treat it is to make pictures here!
Off to the Niagara Falls Country Club for the wedding ceremony and reception!
The lawn of the Niagara Falls Country Club provides a scenic vista for outdoor weddings with views of the Niagara River, wine country, Lake Ontario, and on clear days, Toronto, ON! Add to this scene some beautiful floral arrangements provided by Fern Croft and you’ve set a perfect outdoor wedding ceremony scene.
The Niagara Falls Country Club offers a modern ballroom with a gorgeous terrace overlooking the wedding ceremony lawn. It’s an effortless transition from wedding ceremony to reception.
If there is one thing weddings at the Niagara Falls Country Club are best known for, it has to be the sunsets. What a SCENE!
Ok… so… don’t buy these sparklers. I was so excited when I saw they had a built in match stick, but literally NONE OF THEM WORKED. It’s always a project getting everyone to light their sparklers at roughly the same time. This seemed like a perfect solution. Alas, it was a comedic fail as you can see in the first picture. Luckily we were able to conjure up some matches and lighters and get the show going.
I highly recommend doing your sparkler show early in the evening if you’re concerned about getting guests to go outside late night and breaking up the party. Many people will already be outside to enjoy the waning sunlight, and the sparklers still illuminate beautifully just after sunset. It’s a great way to transition in to the next portion of the party back inside, the dancing!
Yooooo… EMMA ATTACKED with this wedding cake. They hadn’t even pulled the slice out and she just grabbed it and smashed Matt’s face. NO ONE SAW IT COMING. Including me! The aftermath says it all though.
That’s all for this one! Many thanks to Emma and Matt for having us document your wedding day!
If you would like to check out another wedding from Niagara Falls Country Club, be sure to pop over to this post!
And thank you to all these venues and vendors who helped make the day so great!
Bride Preparation: Barton Hill House
Groom Preparation: Barton Hill House
Wedding Ceremony Venue: Niagara Falls Country Club
Portrait Locations: Barton Hill House and Niagara Falls Country Club
Wedding Reception Venue: Niagara Falls Country Club
Event Planner: Molly Fitch of The Planning Touch
Hair + Makeup: Jordan Barr of Salon Diaz and Chantel Nicole
Florist: Fern Croft Floral
Bakery: Muscoreil’s
DJ: Breakthrough Entertainment
Second Photographer: Dorian Patrick
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Illika + Brendan
Oh Knox Farm, you beautiful place you. Whenever I get an inquiry for a wedding at Knox Farm State Park, I almost automatically know it’s going to be a good fit. There’s just something about this wedding venue that brings out the best people. The grounds are beautiful, of course, and filled with endless opportunities for photography. The mansion is spacious and perfect for wedding preparations. And the back lawn with it’s views of the surrounding farm land make an idyllic setting for a tented outdoor wedding. But there’s a certain tranquility about this place that seems to draw the sweetest people here, and Illika and Brendan were no different.
With this couple though, came folks from all over the world. From Dubai and India, to Washington DC, Buffalo and beyond – this was a colorful mix of the loveliest people. Illika and Brendan paid homage to these people, their heritage and international travels through out their decor and apparel. From Illika’s dress, handmade in Moldova where the couple currently resides, to their colorful lanterns, patterns and elephants reminiscent of Illika’s Indian background, to Brendan’s buffalo nickel cuff links, every detail told a story.
This wedding was such a joy to witness, I’m happy to now share it with all of you! Enjoy!
How is this for a ring stack? <HEART EYES!>
…Things only photographers would notice. If you’re planning a wedding at Knox Farm and considering where to have your ceremony, keep in mind this gazebo is TINY and surrounded by hedges. Photos that show full body, side views, and distant views are tricky to come by here! Other than that, cute as a button. (:
The tree lined pedestrian road leading to the mansion at Knox Farm is a timeless location for family wedding portraits. It offers much needed shade for mid-day summer weddings, keeping everyone cool and comfortable.
For couples portraits at Knox Farm, the fields are gold, literally. The warm glow of this location in the early evening hours makes this photographer very happy.
Time for the wedding reception in the backyard of the mansion at Knox Farm!
Illika and Brendan’s thoughtful and colorful details were so much fun to look at. I love when couples add so many personal touches to their decor!
This was a point in the evening that could have been the end for some less experienced photographers. The couple wanted their dance floor out in the open… which was awesome… until we realized there were literally NO lights out there. Fortunately, I came prepared with a couple led lights that I was able to add colorful gels to. This gave a fun dance floor vibe for the guests, and gave me enough light to focus my camera on fast moving subjects in the dark. No one realized anything was off at all!
We were surprised to see some fireworks off in the distance from the village of East Aurora! They were a bit too far away to make much photographic magic with, but still a nice little treat to spot through the fields.
Illika and Brendan decided they wanted a private last dance after their guests left. As photographers, we work really long days as is, so honestly, we’re never stoked about this idea. Why not a private first dance? But… just the two of them and a cell phone to play their song, alone in the dark soaking in what remained of such an incredible day? It was a really special thing to witness and document for them.
Many thanks to Illika and Brendan for having us document your day! And thank you to all these venues and vendors who helped make the day so great!
Hair/Makeup: Salon Elizabeth
DJ: Tom Murano, Tom Tom Productions
Rentals: Buffalo Party Rentals
Florist: Moonrise Floral Design
Bakery: Buffalo Cake Pops
Catering: Fat Bobs
Planner: Dave Majaka
Second Photographer: Dorian Patrick
And if you just can’t get enough photography from weddings at Knox Farm, check out this link for another!
