Feb 27 2025

The Terrace at Marcy Casino Wedding in Buffalo, NY

Sara and Andy’s wedding at the Terrace at Marcy Casino in Buffalo was one of my favorites to photograph last season. They integrated so many subtle nods to a lot of meaningful aspects of their lives – from the Jewish traditions at the ceremony and dinner (they met at a Jewish camp as kids!), to the tributes to Sara’s mom who had recently passed, to little hints of New Orleans (where Sara lived previous to Buffalo) which were sprinkled through Sara’s beaded earings, the use of purple gold and green in the decor, and of course through the oversized, Mardi Gras parade ready flowers in the portrait station. As someone who often “winters” in New Orleans and considers it a second home in many ways, it always warms my heart to feel a little bit of “the big easy” here in Buffalo.

Sarah and Andy got ready for the wedding at the Curtiss Hotel in downtown Buffalo. The rooms here are dark and cozy, and the rooftop REALLY shines for portraits.

When your friend loves you this much…

Meanwhile, second photographer Mark was over in Andy’s room. His crew got fresh cuts and shaves from Jonny the Barber. The use of the headlamp made me endlessly happy.

Sometimes second photographers deliver gems I don’t even know how to thank them for. This groomsman portrait below is certainly one. Thanks Mark.

Sara’s dress from Unbridaled in New Orleans featured a convertible skirt that let Sara air out the limbs and show off her platforms all day long. I was obsessed with her whole look.

The flower girl employed an interesting method to try to see her special wedding day eye shadow.

The groomsmen were able to grab a quick game of shuffleboard before the first look. Vue on the Curtiss Hotel rooftop is a delight in both form and function with it’s good time activities and great views.

The space might be tight on this roof deck, but the views of downtown are just unparalleled.

We made a quick stop for a few portraits of the wedding party at the recently restored and beloved lion mural on Delaware Ave. The lion is considered the “grandfather” of Buffalo murals as it was one of the very first in the city!

At last we arrived at the wedding ceremony and reception location, the Terrace at Marcy Casino in Buffalo!

The Terrace at Marcy Casino in Buffalo is one of my favorite wedding venues if for no other reason than the myriad of close by locations for pictures. It makes my life so easy. <3

There are a variety of really beautiful options for outdoor ceremony locations at the Terrace. The patio over looking Hoyt Lake is a popular one for obvious reasons – what a lovely view! Depending on the time of year though and the direction of the setup, it can be harshly side lit. This can create harsh shadows and leave one side of the wedding party looking right in to the sun. Fortunately for us, it was cloudy for a good portion of the event, so it wasn’t as much of a hurdle as it could have been.

Kristi at Wild Blossom Hollow created this floral masterpiece in record time. The Terrace had another event right before Sara and Andy’s wedding, so the set up was super rushed. And it still looked so incredible!!! This is why you hire the pros. Kristi is the best! (:

Signing of the kehtubah!

Sara and Andy invited a big group of family members to collectively read the Seven Blessings during the wedding ceremony. It was so sweet to see the couple surrounded by so much love as each person took a turn reading a portion.

One of the tributes to Sara’s mom, was tucked in to the wrapping of the tallit. This tallit was Sara’s moms prayer shawl. This tradition serves as a reminder of the love the couple is surrounded by, so it felt extra fitting.

Last but never least, the stomping of the glass! Mazel Tov!

When the ceremony ended we made some pictures using the AKG as a backdrop. This is literally just a 90 degree turn from the ceremony space. So convenient!

Wedding reception time!

Parent dances are always emotional – but the feelings are always amplified when a parent has recently passed. So hey, dance with the whole family you have while you can. Father-daughter-sister dance. (:

DJ Yama, y’all! A female DJ is hard to find. I was SO excited to see Kieta (DJ Yama) in this vendor lineup!

And now for one of the CUTEST wedding portrait station setups we’ve done to date, complete with New Orleans float caliber giant purple flowers!

Last but certainly not least – a big shout out to the wedding planner, Syrie and her team from Social Maven pictured below! I work with Syrie often and always know my photographer eyes will be very happy when they see her work.