Aug 15 2019

Tricia + Ryan – Yates Park at Green Lake & La Galleria Wedding Photography – Buffalo, NY

Topping Tricia and Ryan’s epic engagement photos in Pittsburgh was going to be difficult, but we had to try.  Tricia and Ryan love Pittsburgh and travel there often, so that was the easy theme for the engagement pictures – the wedding theme though was all about their love of my favorite color and theirs, green!  Tricia is a graphic designer and created all of the invites, signage, etc. herself!  This is some next level DIY work.  More on that later.  Let’s get started.  Tricia and Ryan both got ready at the Staybridge Suites near their venue and a beautiful celebration was under way.  Check out the gorgeous wedding stationary Tricia created!The lace on Tricia’s Lillian West dress was so beautiful and sweet – and this open back design gave it that extra POW.  I just love it!Those are some proud parents looking on if I’ve ever seen them.  Tricia carried the memory of loved ones who had passed on her bouquet. <3Flower crown by William’s Florist for the WIN!From the hotel we traveled to Yates Park on Green Lake in Orchard Park, NY for the first look and portraits.  The couple visited the site ahead of time and decided this bridge was the perfect place to see each other for the first time on their wedding day, and I couldn’t have agreed more.  So serene and certainly picturesque.  And GREEN!From the bridge I somehow convinced these ladies to walk in heels down a hill and in to a field of daisy’s for more photos.  Sweltering heat, a dash of sunburn, mosquitoes and a snake that I *oops* failed to mention I saw on the way down were no match for this wedding party though.  To anyone with doubts on bridesmaids serving a purpose: From Green Lake it was on to La Galleria for the ceremony and reception.  Let’s take a minute to appreciate these mirror signs – Tricia designed, printed and placed all of these letters on these mirrors.  Amazing!  Also, photographers, these are so pretty right, but who’s secretly excited for this trend to end so we’re not constantly dealing with awkward reflections?  It takes a lot of work to get these to photograph perfectly, but they look so beautiful in real life!The opening line of this speech was, “I still can’t believe you asked me do this” and this best man did NOT disappoint with the humor. I absolutely LOVE when time allows me to steal the bride and groom away from the reception for some golden hour portraits.  The property at La Galleria has a wooded area out back that photographs beautifully, this was such a treat!

Many thanks to Tricia and Ryan for having us document your day! And thank you to all these venues and vendors who helped make the day so great!

Bride Preparation: Staybridge Suites

Groom Preparation: Staybridge Suites

Portraits: Yates Park at Green Lake – Orchard Park, NY

Ceremony: La Galleria

Reception: La Galleria

Hair + Makeup: Care Frandina

Dress: Lillian West from Bliss Bridal

Florist: Williams’ Florist

Bakery: Ohlson’s

Videographer: Dave LaNassa

DJ: Whirlin’ Disc

Transportation: Status Limousine

Second Photographer: Steve Karosik

COMMENT
Jul 08 2019

Devon + Bob + Alice + Doggies! – Family Photography – Chandler St. Murals – Buffalo, NY

Every now and then I’m lucky enough to document my wedding clients growing families, and it’s really the best.  I photographed Devon and Bob’s wedding a whole bunch of years back at Hidden Valley Animal Adventure, and I’ll never forget their wedding for a lot of reasons…

#1 has to be that my intern and I BOTH got bit in the butt by a miniature horse during their engagement session.  That was a heck of a bruise from that little Rod Stewart lookin’ mini-horse.

#2 was that this couple had tons of guests flying in from southern California and England for a winter wonderland wedding here in Buffalo.  Well… winter isn’t always so wonderland-y ya know?  BUT, we had the most perfect fluffy snow for their wedding and it was absolute heaven.  I’ll never forget watching one of the bridesmaids looking out the window the morning of the wedding and saying, “Buffalo is magical.”  That was a first.

#3 their photobooth set had two taxidermied bears wearing bride and groom clothes.  No further explanation needed.

Devon and Bob have since relocated to Buffalo.  Devon’s working remotely as so many here seem to be these days and Bob has started a chocolate company! All I can say is that it’s always an adventure with these two and I was so happy to meet their new addition, Alice for our session.  She’s a tiny bundle of energy and smiles, and chasing her all around this Chandler St. courtyard was a blast.

Big props to Chuck Tingley for providing the colorful murals we used as our backdrop!

COMMENT
Jun 21 2019

Alanna + Ben – Wilkeson Pointe & Barrel Factory Wedding Photography – Buffalo, NY

We got to spend the most emotional, fun day with Alanna and Ben last Saturday as they celebrated their wedding with their family and friends.   These two cried, and laughed, and cried, on repeat, all day long.  It was exactly as weddings should be.  I started the day with Alana at the Hilton Garden Hotel.  The views from her room were out of this world!

Meanwhile my partner in photo for the day, Teri, joined Ben and his groomsmen (and this adorable pup) at his house.Alanna and Ben love games – you’ll notice a game piece theme sneaking in to the details throughout the wedding from the cake topper to the guest book and more!When everyone was dressed and ready, it was off to Wilkeson Pointe on Buffalo’s Outer Harbor for a (very) sunny ceremony next to a perfectly sparkly blue Lake Erie.  A few rowdy boaters aside, it was an incredibly emotional, beautiful ceremony.  Not a dry eye to be seen.  Next we visited Main St. in Buffalo for some iconic Buffalo backdrops.  I think maybe we had a little fun with the photos… And finally we finished the day at the Barrel Factory in Buffalo’s Old First Ward neighborhood.  The factory is 116 years old but newly restored and now home to several great tenants, including this fabulous event center.  Don’t worry folks, those train tracks aren’t currently in use.  (:About this bouquet!  Alanna had her shower guests bring her a broach as a gift for her to create this fabulous (and HEAVY) bouquet from.  Some are family heirlooms, some new and some newly thrifted, they make quite a collection!

Many thanks to Alanna and Ben for having us document your day! And thank you to all these venues and vendors who helped make the day so great!

Bride Preparation: Hilton Garden Inn

Groom Preparation: Private Residence

Ceremony: Wilkeson Pointe

Portraits: Wilkeson Pointe, Main St. Shea’s Theater and Barrel Factory

Reception: Barrel Factory

Hair + Makeup: Evilina Natoli (hair) Katie KTVD (makeup) of Teez Salon

Florist: DIY (bouquets) / Barrel Factory (reception decor)

Bakery: Chrusciki Bakery (cake), Paula’s (donuts)

DJ: Zach Munger – TNT Sound

Transportation: Simply the Best

Second Photographer: Teri Fiske

COMMENT
Jun 12 2019

Caroline + Paul – Buffalo Seminary – Delaware Park/Albright Knox – Hotel Lafayette Greenhouse Room

Caroline and Paul had the most wonderful wedding filled with warm, lovely people and personal touches as sweet as them.  I started the day in Caroline’s parents house, the house she grew up in (a renovated barn!) while Steve was off with Paul and his groomsmen at Paul and Caroline’s place.  Caroline is from South Buffalo, a traditionally Irish neighborhood, and so I wasn’t surprised at all to see these lucky shamrocks hanging from the rafters of their family room.  Add an old nail to the beam and there we had the perfect place to hang Caroline’s dress.Caroline and Paul both wrote each other thoughtful notes to read the morning of the wedding.  I feel like these letters always set the tone for the day – they bring laughter, tears and excitement, and the loving, calming words always seem to get things started right.Once everyone was dressed and ready, it was off to Buffalo Seminary for the wedding ceremony – this also happens to be where Caroline and all but one of the bridesmaids went to high school.  It’s a beautiful, historic building right in the heart of one of Buffalo’s nicest neighborhoods.  It was clear that Caroline had many fond memories of her time here and no surprise they chose this beautiful chapel for their ceremony.  The bride was greeted by a former teacher, “Mr. Sutton,” in the library.  It was clear he was a beloved educator and staple of the school.  And it was only fitting while in this glorious library that the girls be photographed drinking champagne beneath the infamous head mistress.  Meanwhile guests (and doggie) gathered in the chapel upstairs as music filled the halls and friends and family greeted one another.Easy to see, Caroline made quite an entrance and an emotional ceremony was under way.  I love the two perspectives Steve and I got of the same moment!They don’t call him the best man for nothing.  Tissues were handed back and forth between the groom and the groomsmen until the best man finally took matters in to his own hands and did the wiping himself.  <3After the ceremony we made a quick trip down the street to the Albright Knox Art Gallery/Delaware Park for a few portraits of the wedding party. And finally it was time to make our way to the Hotel Lafayette’s Greenhouse Room for one heck of a fun party.A well known fact about the groom – HUGE Star Wars fan.  He gifted each of the groomsmen a proper light sabre with their names engraved on the handles.  They were awesome.  I’ve always been a fan of the military sabre arch at a wedding, but this was next level.  This reaction right here was the moment people started confessing they had never seen Star Wars to the groom.  Hysterical!Wedding pie for the win!  A family friend made ALL of these pies for the guests to eat.  Yum!About the band they hired.  James Blonde.  They’re a big YES from me.  They killed it and the guests lost their minds dancing to their favorite songs.  The groom even got up and rocked out the most epic version of Raconteurs, “Steady As She Goes” that 100% brought the house down.  Big props to the groom.  And also, hire James Blonde for your next event.  They’re great.Then something really fortunate/unfortunate happened.  It was an absolute monsoon outside the entire evening so I hadn’t taken an exterior shot of the reception venue.  I looked out the window at some point and noticed it had let up a bit, so I headed outside to grab the shot.  Then all the sudden… this LIGHT!!!  I cross the street to get this photo of the block and when I turn around… wouldn’t you know, an epic double rainbow right over the hotel!!! So there I am a block and three floors away from the party without my phone to try and get my assistant to get the couple outside.  Rainbows are fleeting and opportunity was lost.  But at least now Caroline and Paul will forever know their wedding was adorned with magic.  Then we played with light sabres more.…and a light sabre tickle fight ensued… The end.

Many thanks to Caroline and Paul for having us document this wonderful day!  We couldn’t have asked for better people to work with.  And thank you to all these venues and vendors who helped make the day so great!

Bride Preparation: Private Residence

Groom Preparation: Private Residence

Ceremony: Buffalo Seminary

Portraits: Albright Knox and Hoyt Lake at Delaware Park

Reception: Hotel Lafayette Greenhouse Room

Hair + Makeup:  Elle Air

Florist: Maureen’s

Bakery: Family friend

Band: James Blonde (formerly X-prime)

Transportation: Zoladz

Second Photographer: Steve Karosik

COMMENT
Cathy Jasper - June 13, 2019 - 7:41 pm

Thanks for sharing…looks like an awesome place for a wedding ceremony and a very unique venue. I would of loved to hear what was said during the toasts…everyone looks like they are in stitches. 😄.

God Bless them both as they live “Happily Ever After!”

lindsay - June 20, 2019 - 3:34 pm

They confessed to the groom they had never seen Star Wars!!!

May 12 2019

Moms.

One of the funny things about photographing weddings is that a lot of people assume I photograph the same basic things from celebration to celebration.  Certainly a lot remains the same week to week,  I see a lot of white dresses and tiered cakes.  I hear a lot of vows and toasts.  But it’s not the same really.  There’s an entire collection of unique personalities who have an intensely deep history, and when together, they create a one of a kind dynamic.  What keeps wedding photography spicy for me is diving in to this dynamic and allowing a couples deepest, truest relationships to shine bright in their photos.

I see weddings as a culmination of sorts, the actual marriage is simply a capstone to an entire lifetime of moments that got them from A to B.  So much of that history, that collection of moments, is reflected in the eyes of those the couple surrounds themselves by.  As the photographer, providing the viewer of the pictures an outlet to truly FEEL the nature of these relationships, that’s what it’s all about for me.  Parents are undoubtedly the biggest reflections of this history in most unions.  And since we’re celebrating moms today – this post is about some of my favorite moments with moms this past year.

I’m not a mom.  Becoming a mom has never really even crossed my mind in any sort of serious way at this juncture in my life.  And maybe it’s just because… I get it.  The sacrifice, the responsibility, the time and attention, the capacity to love unconditionally, the list is endless and it’s a wild leap to take in ones life.  One I quite literally haven’t been able to wrap my head around.  A lot of my friends are moms, my mom’s a mom, my sister is a mom, I know a lot of moms.  And THEY.  ARE.  ALL.  SUPER.  HEROES.  I stand in awe of every one of them and their commitment to others.

So, this one goes out to all the moms.

The moms who prepare us and lend helping hands.

Moms who “can’t even” during life’s biggest moments

Mom’s who still have wise words, even for adults.

Dogs moms count too.  Don’t be a hater.

Moms who teach us about friendship, sharing, helping others

and then become friends themselves

sisters can be like moms too

moms who look at their children with wonder and pride

Mom’s who are still learning and embracing the ride (those lighters really are impossible sometimes)

Grandmas who have passed a strong legacy and soak it all in too.

Moms who aren’t afraid to be silly and enjoy every moment

Mom’s who support dads.

…and let everyone know it’s ok to laugh hysterically at his bad dad jokes. For the record, this was not a bad dad joke, this guy was hilarious.  Then again, I love bad dad jokes…

 

Moms who have adorably cheesy ideas supported by no shame when it comes to embarrassing you

This isn’t a mom photo, but to whoever makes kids this cute.  Props.

Moms who laugh with us and share their joy, unabashed.

Aunts who are like second moms, I had my share of those

Moms who are the best huggers, ever.

…and Grandmas who spark spontaneous standing ovations for all they’ve done

moms who celebrate us, with open arms

Mom’s who still fix our hair

And moms who uphold family traditions

 

to the moms who are no longer with us, your legacy is carried in these photos and our hearts

and finally, to some of the brides who became moms this year too

It’s a true honor to have the opportunity to immortalize so many moms in photos throughout the year.  Your support and love of your families inspires me every day.  Thanks to all the great moms in this world, nothing exists without you.  Literally.  And we love you! Happy Mother’s Day!

 

 

 

COMMENT
Reen - May 13, 2019 - 6:38 am

Lindsay, I love this so much. What a beautiful collection of images and heartfelt words. So well done!

lindsay - June 20, 2019 - 3:35 pm

Thanks so much Reen!!! These moments are what it’s all about (: