Buffalo, New York, often overlooked as a wedding destination, is a city brimming with historic charm and hidden gems that make for a stunning backdrop for your special day. If you're dreaming of a city wedding with a touch of elegance, than you are in the right place!
Meghan and Justin's wedding day was my first experience shooting in the city setting. Up until this point I had been loving the rural farm and barn style weddings. And needless to say, after this day... I was hooked! There's something so timeless and elegant about the historical architecture surrounding the downtown district. Let's check out how this beautiful day unraveled!
We started the day off with Meghan and her lovely bunch of gal-pals in the penthouse suite at the Hyatt Regency. Not only was it a stunning room, but the lobby offered some incredible city scape views and perfect lighting for detail shots! It was truly a photographers dream. Can we also talk about how darn precious her daughter, Audrey, is?! She was wearing mama's gown while we started the getting ready process! Peep her blue dress! Audrey was mama's "something blue"... my heart EXPLODED!
After a beautiful day at the Hyatt, I made my way over to meet the groom, Justin at Hotel Lafayette. This was my first time visiting this location and I was pleasantly SHOCKED at how beautiful the rooms were! The hotel is renowned for its vintage charm and modern amenities. And it made for the perfect backdrop for a Justin's "getting ready" experience.
A growing trend that I see more and more recently, is that couple's are opting out of a having a bridal party. And I must say, while I love the party and energy a solid bridal party brings, there's something so intimate and soothing about just keeping the focus on your significant other. So since we didn't have any bridal party to photograph, we jumped right into our first looks!
We had back to back precious moments heres.. Starting off with the Bride and her father. Just how perfect was this moment! As somebody who lost their father while planning my own wedding.. it's moments like these that just GET ME. And I feel so blessed to witness them..
We head over to Hotel Lafayette's Courtyard. It's a beautiful brick-lined space with some seriously gorgeous ambient lighting. It also offers some great shade for those extra bright days, so we can really capture the timeless mood.
We finished off with the newlyweds FINALLY getting in a hug. It feels like the longest day ever until that point! I LIVE for these first looks. It's a great way for the bride
and groom to fully and privately embrace each other on an otherwise VERY busy day. It's where NOBODY else is around, just the three of us! And I promise, I do not take that honor lightly.
Time to say "I DO"
For a touch of artistic flair and cultural significance, look no further than the Karpeles Museum, located just a stone's throw away from Hotel Lafayette. Housed in a former church, this museum boasts the world's largest private collection of original manuscripts and documents, making it a captivating setting for wedding ceremonies and receptions alike. Check out a few of these highlight's from Meghan and Justin's GORGEOUS ceremony! And YES! They did have a dried floral shower for their grand exit, and it was just as magical as you might imagine!
Here's a few more bridal portrait highlights as we frolicked through the city!
Their reception was held in Hotel Lafayette's Greenhouse Room! It was flooded with natural light and was truly the perfect way to top off their modern and vintagey vision!
