Having attended college in the Finger Lakes I’m one of the lucky ones who knows the secret of their beauty. But that cat is about to be let out of the bag with these pics by Alexandra Meseke; she captured this beautiful Bride looking her finest (thanks to Gabriella New York) and the super sweet nuptials of her and her new hubby. See it all in our Vault and join me in the Finger Lakes Fan Club right this way.
From the Bride… When Andy and I began planning our wedding, we imagined a day filled with love, laughter, music and dancing. From the moment we saw Suzanne Fine Regional Cuisine, we knew we had found the place for our celebration; Bob and the entire Suzanne staff were warm and inviting, the farmhouse and barns were beautiful, their flower and herb gardens were vibrant, and the pond out back with a view of Seneca Lake was simply stunning. The fact that their food is absolutely incredible truly set the venue over the top.
I worked on a number of DIY projects for the wedding, and also have a few people to thank for their help. My dad cut, sanded, and stained wood for me to paint with table numbers. My sister helped me prepare watercolor escort cards and also perfectly sewed the banner I made for Andy’s nephews to carry (as a surprise, she also sewed a beautiful handkerchief for my “something blue”!). I made a number of other signs as well and loved being hands on with creating each piece. We eventually brought in the Events Company to help tie the overall feel together. They provided rentals, such as linens, vintage chargers, chandeliers and lanterns, and coordinated our sparkler send off. They also created a fantastic lounge space in the barn with tufted ottomans and chairs, which was very important because we had dinner in a tent just outside the barn and used the barn as a giant dance floor. This lounge area was key in making sure all of our guests felt included in a long night of dancing. Alyssa of the Events Company was also our day-of coordinator, and she kept everything moving smoothly!
We were incredibly lucky with the weather on our wedding day – it was 80 degrees in late September in Upstate New York! The leaves had started changing and everything felt magical. I knew that I wanted to focus on the natural beauty of the property, so we decided to keep the ceremony site simple with a circle of white rose petals. One of my favorite moments was stepping into that circle of petals with Andy to exchange vows and be married by our dear friend Lucas, who blew us away with his heartfelt and personal speech. We are also both very connected to family, so it was important to us to involve family members in the ceremony. My parents walked me down the aisle, which began on a beautiful tree lined path. Our siblings stood on our respective sides. Andy’s nephews carried a banner reading “Uncle Drew Drew, here comes your bride” and were so adorable in their tuxes and Converse sneakers. My aunt Brenda and our close friend Brian did readings. We also incorporated small elements of our heritage. During the ceremony and cocktail hour, Tim Ball and Sophie Orzechowski played Irish music, including a beautiful rendition of “She Moved Through the Fair” for the processional. The flower crown, ringing of bells as we were pronounced husband and wife, reading of an Eavan Boland poem, thistle boutonnieres and tartan pocket squares were all small nods to our family history.
I also really cherished the moments walking alone with Andy to join the cocktail hour. Immediately following the ceremony, we took couples shots with Alexandra as our guests began enjoying cocktail hour. When we finished up with the photos, Andy and I walked through Suzanne’s gardens to join the celebration. As we approached hand in hand, ready to join all of the people we loved, I was overwhelmed with an indescribable feeling of excitement and calm. It was incredible to see all of our loved ones gathered in one place, laughing and celebrating, and to observe everything briefly from afar. This was a fleeting, but wonderful moment before joining everyone for a long night of incredible toasts, great food, and dancing.
Through it all, we were so grateful to have Alexandra and Michael of Alexandra Meseke Photography with us every step of the way. Alexandra offered fantastic advice throughout the planning process, from sketching the path of the sunset at our ceremony site to reviewing timelines and recommending that we plan for golden hour photos in the wildflower fields across from the lake. Together, Alexandra and Michael are such a comforting force that it almost seems like you’ve got close friends by your side. And their talent and intuition is amazing, they captured the feeling of our wedding day perfectly.
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Photography: Alexandra Meseke Photography | Floral Design: Whistlestop Florist | Cake: Connie Decker Cakes | Bride's Shoes: Loeffler Randall | Rings: Bario Neal | Bridesmaids' Dresses: J.Crew | Bridesmaids' Dresses: Jenny Yoo | Bridesmaids' Dresses: Bill Levkoff | Makeup: Erica Abdo | Hair: Adagio Salon | DJ: Select Receptions | Venue: Suzanne's Fine Dining | Bridal Boutique: Gabriella New York Bridal Salon | Decor Rental: The Events Co. | Live Music: Timothy Ball And Sophie Orzechowski