There's nothing like a good summertime outdoor wedding, but the weather doesn't always cooperate. That's when it pays-off to have backup plans! Although rain prevented Kelly and Sal from saying "I do" outdoors at Wolf Oak Acres in Oneida, solid backup plans allowed the ceremony and reception to take place indoors without a hitch. Guests who weren't aware of the original plans probably assumed the ceremony was going to be indoors all along.
Elise and Ryan's wedding day will probably stick out in my memories of the 2016 wedding season for breaking two records: longest distance traveled and hottest wedding day of the year. Now, I realize those might sound like complaints, but to the contrary! It was beautiful day for a drive to Hancock, where one can find The River Run Restaurant at the West Branch Resort, nestled between route 17 and the Pennsylvania border. While intense storms caused power outages in the Syracuse area on August 13, we were far enough south to avoid the storms -- allowing Elise and Ryan to get married outside under clear blue skies, surrounded by the westernmost fringe of the Catskill Mountains.
One of the best things about the Syracuse area is that there's a vibrant city life, but you don't have to drive too far to get "out to the country." And when it comes to getting married in a country setting with a beautiful view for miles around, it's tough to beat the Skyline Lodge and Highland Forest County Park in Fabius. That's where Meghan and Ryan held their wedding ceremony and reception this past August.
What a busy wedding season! Although I usually try to give myself one weekend off per month, I somehow managed to let myself book all four weekends in August... so that explains why I'm a little behind on my blogging. In any event, the first weekend in August brought me back to a familiar venue, MKJ Farm in Deansboro. Located about 25 minutes south of Utica, just off route 12B, MKJ Farm provided a perfect setting for Carly and Mike's wedding, especially considering they just started their own farm not too long ago.
Kate and Brendan are an amazing couple and put together a wonderful wedding at one of Syracuse's newest venues, SKY Armory. Although I've heard plenty of buzz about the venue since it opened, this was my first opportunity to visit SKY Armory in person, so I wasn't quite sure what to expect. I'm pleased to say the staff was awesome to work with and the entire experience was a great success. Check out the post for photos and some great ideas you can "borrow" for your own wedding.
With over 300 people, Brandi and Dan's wedding at a private residence (her parents') in Madison was one of the largest weddings I've played. A giant party tent had room for over 20 guest tables, a large dance floor, three bars (saving guests from long walks or long lines), a photobooth and more. When it comes to staging an outdoor wedding at a private residence, there's plenty of things that could go wrong or overlooked -- but Brandi, Dan and their families hit it right out of the park!
In the few years since I've moved from Syracuse to Fayetteville, I've had Green Lakes State Park practically in my backyard, but never realized its potential as a wedding venue... until now! It's all thanks to Mackenzie and Jeremy, who held their ceremony and reception at the park's Old Administration Building. If you've been to the park but aren't familiar with this building, you've probably seen it before; if you're standing on the beach, it's the stone building up on the hill to the left.
What's old is new again. Finally, that saying rings true for the former Hotel Syracuse. Now the Marriott Syracuse Downtown, it has new life after $70 million in renovations. This past weekend, more than a thousand attended "Forever Hotel Syracuse: A Historic Gala." The fundraiser for the Onondaga Historical Association provided a first look at the fruits of the extensive renovations. Thanks to some fortunate luck, I had the chance to accompany my wife to the event, camera in hand.
You can tell wedding season is getting busy when I start to fall behind on my blogging! In what seems like just the blink of an eye, it's already been nearly two weeks since Stephanie and Joshua tied the knot at The Beeches in Rome. Although I've played receptions at The Beeches in the past, this was the first time I've worked with a couple who also had their ceremony on-site.
After a few weddings followed by some time traveling with family, it was exciting to resume the 2016 wedding season with Clare and James at the Cross Lake Inn and Marina in Cato. We couldn't have asked for better weather for a reception that featured the bride, groom and the entire wedding party arriving by boat! If you're a Disney fan, you'll definitely want to check out the photos.
