This, loves, is classic elegance done oh-so-right; a fairytale-esque day with the most beautiful traditional details woven throughout. Think lush blooms by Flowers by Johnny playing nice with fabulous paper goods from French Press Design Studio and a Romona Keveza gown that will take your breath away. See every beautiful moment captured by Ayres Photography in the full gallery.
From the Bride… I grew up in Buffalo, and because most of my family was there, and most of his family and our friends were within driving distance, we decided that it would be a good geographic fit. When I was a kid, my mom used to take my brother and me on weekend outings to the historic places in Buffalo, and I remember looking at the Mansions and thinking, ‘I would love to get married in a place like that.’ Little did I know that one day, one of those grand old homes would actually be the location of my wedding!
We had a hard time choosing a venue, since I wanted classic elegance and Ken wanted a less formal outdoor feel. Lucky for us, Buffalo had both to offer. The Butler Mansion had beautiful gardens for an outdoor ceremony and cocktail hour, while The Statler gave me the ‘wow’ factor I was looking for. We decided to do both, and show our guests all of the great things Buffalo had to offer.
While planning the details, everything was focused on favorite things. We had assorted craft beers and a cigar bar for Ken, and plenty of champagne and French macaroons for me. One of my favorite touches was the assortment of hors d’oeuvres at the cocktail hour. As a nod to all the places we’ve lived, we had a deconstructed Buffalo wing (for my childhood), a mini Maryland crab cake (Ken used to spend summers on the Eastern shore), mini lobster BLTs (we met in college in Boston), and blackened beef tostadas (we currently live in Texas).
There were countless other little touches that made the day special for us. The gladiolas in my bouquet, Ken’s boutonnière, and our ceremony arrangements were a nod to my great grandmother. They were her favorite flower and are a favorite of all the women in my family. We also chose to include wedding pictures from all the couples in our families on the gift table. The cake, an almond cake with raspberry filling from Muscoreil’s, was the same type I used to request for my birthday when I was a kid, and the detailed band matched the belt on my dress.
The color scheme (creams, golds and navy) was based on one of my favorite outfits, and the bridesmaids dresses were from my favorite clothing store, J.Crew. Scarves are my favorite accessory, and all the bouquets were tied with unique silk scarves in the same color scheme. Ken designed some of the stationery items, and the vintage Rolls Royce was his one non-negotiable. Despite the lack of air conditioning, I wouldn’t have taken our first married ride in any other way.
All the details and planning were obviously perfect, but what really made the day was the moments with family and friends. My mother and brother arranged a surprise recessional – my brother’s a capella group drove up from Cornell to sing ‘All You Need is Love’, recreating a scene from one of my favorite movies, Love Actually, and my maid of honor’s speech made me tear up. Once the music started, we never left the dance floor. My Uncle led a whole group rendition of ‘Thriller’, and both of our families came together for ‘We Are Family’.
The whole day was a success because we took everything in stride. At the end of the day, we were both married to our best friend, and that was all that mattered.
Photography: Ayres Photography | Wedding Coordinator: Dawn Schragel of Distinctive Occasions | Floral Design: Flowers by Johnny | Wedding Dress: Romona Keveza | Cake: Muscoreils | Stationery: French Press Design Studio | Ceremony Venue: The Butler Mansion | Reception Venue: Statler City | Bride's Shoes: Anne Klein | Bridesmaids' Dresses: J.Crew | Hair Stylist: Glam on Location | DJ: Jim Slaiman | Groom's Attire: Vera Wang | Bride's Earrings: Kendra Scott Jewelry | Groom's Shoes: Cole Haan | Make Up Artist: Glam on Location | Wedding Dress Belt: Monique Lhuillier