A beautiful day to match a beautiful bride… A great group of friends and family, warm & welcoming. A lovely country club setting for the reception. A hopping dancefloor… all add up to a wonderful, unforgettable wedding! Congratulations to Jen & Jason, and a thank-you for making us a part of your special day.
The studio was abuzz last Tuesday, as we hosted Rochester Wedding magazine for a cover portrait shoot. The lovely ladies at RW.com brought their favorite dresses and tiaras from David’s Bridal, flower bouquets came from the incredible Lisa Meyer at Flower Power Decor, I brought in T-Love to work her magic on hair & make-up, and Heather, Kathryn, Kristen, and Holliann wanted to be brides for a day… The results speak for themselves: beautiful imagery all around.
Heather's veil
Heather looking so lovely...
Kathryn- we loved her long hair...
You SO have to wear your boots for a few...
Kathryn looking quite "Love-ly"
Kristen wearing one of Flower Power's custom headpieces.
Close-up of Flower Power's bouquet.
Holliann - chunky necklaces are in...
Holliann & Flower Power's copper-wound bouquet
We got to know Pam & Jordan during their engagement portrait session at the Rochester Red Wings’ stadium. We scrambled all over the stadium, from the bleachers to the field, taking photos all the way… When their wedding date rolled around, we had their favorite print from the day matted into a signature matte for their guests to sign- a picture of them piggy-backing around the base path. The ceremony was in the beautiful Asbury First United Church on East Avenue, and before riding to the reception at Cobblestone Creek County Club, we quickly stopped outside our studio on Schoen Place for some formals. Flowers and centerpieces by my plaza mates, The Topiary.
Laura helps Pam with her shoes.
Pam's wonderful shoe details.
...how many bridesmaids does it take to...?
The beautiful soon-to-be Mrs Meehl.
Pam and her bouquet...
The exterior of Asbury.
The rings.
Exchanging the rings.
Lighting the unity candle.
Schoen Place, on the canal.
On Cobblestone Creek's amazing flowered bridge.
Cobblestone Creek
The signature board with the engagement session print.
Centerpieces and Ireland table numbers.
Sabrina & Pat are being married in a few weeks, and we met at the reception site, Genesee Country Village, in Mumford, NY, to scout out wedding day photo locations and snap some engagement photos for use in their reception signature matte. Playing up the 1800’s theme of the site, they chose to dress the part, with Pat in a cappy and suspenders… I kept reminiscing back to the days of watching Little House on the Prairie, and kept throwing around references to Charles Ingalls, Nellie Olson and Doc Baker… Our tour guide seemed amused by my antics, and did me one better by saying that the actor that played Almonzo Wilder was making an appearance the following week… Looking forward to the wedding day, shooting in front of the lovely architecture, and sampling the homemade beer from the on-site brewery 
Love Pat's suspenders
Walking through the gardens
In front of the Hyde House, built c. 1870,
Garden Porticos
Outside the brewery... hops and barley growing behind it.
Melissa & Tom came to us to shoot their wedding in Honeoye Falls, one that would include many “firsts” for us: the first at the Lower Mill, the first with the Reverend Kris Miller, the first that included the Milwaukee Brewer’s team song… What wasn’t a first for us were the wonderful people involved in the wedding party, as we’ve been on the receiving end of a great many compliments from them… This is the latest in a long string of referrals from bride to bride, as former bridesmaids would turn to us to shoot their own wedding. After spending all day with us, and viewing their friends’ images and beautiful storybook bridal album, they are enthusiastic about us spending their special day with them also … The best compliment we can receive!
Invitation
Melissa getting laced into the dress, with help from Mom and Jamie.
Melissa getting laced into the dress, with help from Mom and Jamie.
Jamie helping Melissa into her garter.
The lovely bride in our special beauty lighting.
Waiting for the ceremony at the Lower Mill.
Melissa and Dad coming down the steps to meet Tom.
Outdoor ceremony at the Lower Mill, presided by Rev. Kris Miller.
Blessing of the rings.
Rev. Kris Miller and the handbinding ceremony.
The handbinding, a lovely touch.
Wonderful friends and family in the bridal party.
Formals down the road at the Honeoye Falls waterfall
Honeoye Falls
Melissa's bouquet
Reception at the Lower Mill restaurant & art gallery.
Keeping with the rustic nature of the room, Melissa & Tom used photos from our engagement shoot hung by a clothesline to accent the decor.
Milwaukee Brewer Fever...
The ladies of Delta Phi Epsilon...
Aimee and Adam Snyder came to us, as they are friends with one of our former brides, and simply loved her photography and finished album. We told them to trust us, that their wedding would look just as beautiful as our previous work… Come the big day, held at Westwood Country Club, Williamsville, NY, and Aimee and her twin sister Kim(ee) were looking lovely, and seemed cool as cucumbers. The previous evening, at the rehearsal ceremony, I got to meet and “warm up to” the flower girls, so they were all smiles for me on the wedding day. Have you ever seen such cute little redheads? The little one, 6 yrs old, told me she was, “Sarah…. with an h…” so her big sister introduced herself as, “Kaitlin…. with a K.” So cute…
Aimee's gorgeous dress hanging at Westwood Country Club
Hair & make-up at Capello's Salon
Aimee's girls helping her into the dress
Aimee in demme photography's special beauty lighting.
The guests at Westwood CC waiting for the bride
Aimee & Adam becoming Mr. & Mrs. Snyder...
"Kaitlin... with a K, and Sarah... with an h"
The rings...
Look at the height Nicole reached- far left...
Such cuties... great little personalities!
Mr. & Mrs. Snyder at Westwood Country Club.
...Loved the cake table with the rose petals.
Nice dip, Adam. DJ and bubbles by Phenomenon Sound
Look Out! The Party Girl comes out on the dancefloor...
Sarah & Eric Soehnlein had a wonderful wedding day, with the ceremony at Christ the King Chapel on the Canisius College campus, formals at the Erie County Historical Society and the reception at Brierwood Country Club…. Sarah was a bit worried about the weather, as the forecast called for rain on their special day- we found bad-weather locations for formals just in case. So, I cashed in some of my karma with momma nature, and performed a wonderful sun-dance on the night before the wedding. The thunderstorms arrived Friday evening, petered out by the morning, and by the time of the ceremony, the sun was shining bright, with a light breeze blowing…
Sarah in her beautiful dress.
Approaching Christ the King Chapel, Canisius College campus.
The long walk down the aisle, Christ the King Chapel, Canisius College
Bridesmaid's bouquets.
Exchanging rings.
Receiving line, Christ the King Chapel.
Erie County Historical Society, Buffalo, NY
The bridal party- friends & family- steps of the Erie County Historical Society.
Sarah & Eric - Erie County Historical Society, Buffalo, NY
The groomsmen's presents from Eric- light blue Converse for everyone...
Sarah used her grandmother's wedding cake topper, 50 years old.
Bouquet toss, Brierwood Country Club- Hamburg, NY
…My sister-in-law Kristi recently opened a cupcake bakery, Dolce Cupcakery in Pittsford, NY- www.dolcecupcake.com. She and her staff make the most delicious cupcakes, and, as she’s located right under my new studio in Schoen Place, I’ve become the official taste-tester. Not a bad gig really, tastebud-wise, but I think my waistline would disagree… As Kristi’s walls in the shop were a blank canvas, I decided to gather some little ones, hop them up on her buttercream frosting and chase them around while they were on a sugar rush to capture some wonderful portraiture for her customers.
Kristi Dellaria- Dolce Cupcakery
Little Maddy
Adorable Ava
Cute Kayden
Landen looking to eat...
Messy Matthew
Danielle digging in...
Darien said, "Delicious!"
Paige is pretty in pink
The lovely Lisa LaRuez came into the studio needing to freshen up her modeling portfolio, as it was looking a bit dated. During a modeling portfolio session, we try to show many differing looks, so Lisa would shoot fitness, casual, fashion, etc. to really broaden her book in a style similar to the shoots I’ve worked on for Talbots, LLBean, Nordstrom, etc.
casual outfit, beauty headshot
Fitness shot- Blue belt Lisa scaring me with her butt-kicking abilities
Lifestyle shopping, very "catalog-ey," if that's even a word
Lisa's a wonderfully beautiful subject, making my life a lot easier...
Smiling for the camera- not mine, the other camera..!
LOVED this dress- Lisa wore it so well!