vow fall 2013 winter 2014

A Times Union Publication

YourWedding.Your Way.

FALL 2013/WINTER 2014

&Three Capital Region weddings

Up ClosePersonal

Going Vintage✽ Echoing the past — with style

FLOWERS:

What’s in,

What’s Out Want a Stress-Free Wedding? Delegate!

timesunion.com/VOW

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We’re here for your birthdaycelebrat ion, anniversaryparty, wedding reception,ceremony, retirement party,mitzvah, engagement party,gi r ls n ight out , bapt ism,dedication, baby shower,br idal shower, sweet 16,bachelor-bachelorette party,ho l iday par ty , companymeeting, sports banquet,fundraiser, life.

hospitalitymazzonemazzonehospitality.com

PUBLISHER:George Hearst III

EDITORIAL:Janet Reynolds, Executive EditorBrianna Snyder, Associate EditorBrittany Lenotti, Editorial Intern

DESIGN:Tony Pallone, Design DirectorColleen Ingerto, Emily Jahn, Designers

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS:Kristi Barlette, Merci Miglino, Lee Nelson, Wendy Page, Cari Scribner

CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS:Candidly Beth Photography, Michael Gallitelli, Viscosi Photography

SALES:Kurt Vantosky, Sr. Vice President, Sales & MarketingKathleen Hallion, Vice President, AdvertisingTom Eason, Manager, Display AdvertisingMichael-Anne Piccolo, Retail Sales ManagerJeff Kiley, Magazine Sales Manager

CIRCULATION:Dan Denault, Home Delivery Manager

BUSINESS:Ray Koupal, Chief Financial Officer

TIMESUNION.COM:Paul Block, Executive Producer

VOW: Your Wedding. Your Way is published twice a year. If you are interested in receiving home delivery of VOW: Your Wedding. Your Way magazine, please call: 518.454.5361 or 518.454.5395, or go online to www.timesunion.com/VOW For advertising information, please call: 518.454.5569

VOW: Your Wedding. Your Way is published by Capital Newspapers and Times Union, 645 Albany Shaker Road, Albany, NY 12212, 518.454.5694

The entire contents of this magazine are copyright 2013 by Capital Newspapers. No portion may be reproduced in any means without written permission of the publisher.

Capital Newspapers is a wholly owned subsidiary of The Hearst Corporation.

VOW YourWedding.Your Way.

Frenchis the languageof LOVE

On-Site Reception of Up to 125

INTIMATEWEDDINGS • ENGAGEMENT PARTIESBRIDAL SHOWERS • BACHELOR/ETTE PARTIESREHEARSAL DINNERS • CUSTOM EVENTS

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ContentsFALL 2013/

WINTER 2014

www.timesunion.com/VOW

44

in every issueEDITOR’S NOTE Your Wedding. Your Way.

DOWN THE AISLE The latest trends and ideas to help you say “I do” with style

REAL WEDDINGS Behind the scenes at the Capital Region weddings of Christina and John Buddenhagen, Susan and Patrick Carpenter, and Kristin and Andrew Ferree

IF I KNEW THEN WHAT I KNOW NOWNewlyweds on what not to sweat

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12

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24

28

32

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41featuresWANT TO BE YOUR UNFRAZZLED BEST ON YOUR WEDDING DAY? Have a good plan and delegate

YOU’RE INVITEDClever ways to include those who can’t make it to your special day

WEDDING AFTERMATHWhat you need to know if you want to have an after-party

COLOR YOUR WORLDWays to carry your palette throughout your wedding

46

51

KID STUFF Deciding whether or not your wedding will be a kid-free zone

GOING VINTAGE Ways to make your wedding echo the past — with style

WHAT’S IN, WHAT’S OUTTrends in fall and winter wedding flowers

RESOURCE GUIDEA comprehensive list of services to help you plan your big day

REAL WEDDINGS: Read about three Capital Region weddings beginning on page 12. Pictured here, and on our cover, is the wedding of Susan and Patrick Carpenter; photos by Candidly Beth Photography.

timesunion.com/VOW 5

6 VOW | Your Wedding. Your Way.

| online |

GIVING THANKS

» online only

Not sure what to give your attendants? We offer ideas on the best — and worst — options.

MAKE YOUR OWN VINTAGE WEDDING FAVOR

» online only

Want to know how to make these personalized paperweights? We’ve got the how-to online.

» online onlyMORE, MORE, MORE!Want to see more wedding photos of our local brides and grooms? Flip through our galleries at timesunion.com/VOW.

plus!facebook.com/ VOWYourWeddingYourWaymagazine

MARRIED OR GETTING MARRIED?

Photo: Sharon Mahar

Photo by Viscosi Photography

Photo by Michael Gallitelli

Want to be part of a community of brides-to-be sharing their wedding plans and best tips? Check out Audrey Mangini’s blog at timesunion.com/VOW.

» VOW blogSOMETHING BORROWED, SOMETHING BLUE

GET WITH THE PLAN Want to create your own wedding planner? Download our helpful planning worksheets.

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If you’ve recently gotten hitched and would like to be featured in our Real Weddings, just send us an email at [email protected] and tell us how you and your spouse met. Add a photo from your wedding, along with the name of your photographer and your name and phone number.

You could be the next bride on our cover!

Or, if you just want to share your favorite wedding photo from our online gallery, we’d love that, too!

Visit timesunion.com/VOW and check it out.

check out the VOW channel @ timesunion.com/VOW

http://blog.timesunion.com/weddings/



http://www.timesunion.com/planyourwedding/



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}

I just came back from a wedding that epitomized all that a wedding should be.

It was outdoors, casual, and personal — absolutely representative of the couple and the families they’re from. It interwove bits of their various religious beliefs and values — Jewish and Quaker — and included many homemade touches.

It was also multigenerational. As Jacob and Grace exchanged their vows, children ran around in the grass behind the chairs, completely oblivious of what was going

on beyond them … and yet their laughter was the perfect soundtrack to the joy of the moment.

I know it’s tough to have children at more formal wedding settings. But I will share one more priceless moment of this wedding: my 2-year-old granddaughter, Maxine, wildly dancing in the middle of a circle of adults, all of whom clapped and danced along with her. Everyone was smiling, and Maxine was ecstasy in motion. What better way to celebrate.

Dancing in Life

Janet ReynoldsExecutive [email protected]

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Down the Aisle Trends and ideas to help say “I do” with style

Compiled by Brianna Snyder and Brittany Lenotti

1. CUSTOM JEWELRYThe folks at Sampaguita Custom Jewelry, in Castleton on Hudson, know the importance of memories. What better way to pay tribute to those most important to you than incorporating old photos into your jewelry for your special day? And don’t stop at the bride: Jewelry is custom-made for bridesmaids, too. More information at sampaguitacustomjewelry.com.

2. A CAPE TO REMEMBERSoft, over-the-shoulders shawl-capes give winter-wedding brides a soft, cozy, elegant look. This one comes with white, fluttery lace. Get it at Angela’s Bridal in Albany.

3. COMB IT OUTYou can never have too much sparkle on your wedding day. Dress up any wedding hairstyle with this antique silver comb. Made of freshwater pearls, Swarovski crystals and rhinestones, it will add simple elegance to any bride’s style. Get this hair comb at Clifton Park-based allysonjames.net.

4. BROOCH BOUQUETA new alternative to the traditional flower bouquet, brooch bouquets are forever. These bouquets can be custom made to match your wedding colors and add a vintage glam to your walk down the aisle. Bridesmaids bouquets, boutonnières

and corsages are also available from AnnaSinclair at Etsy.com.

5. PUT A CLIP ON ITWant to add a little flair to your footwear? These satin rose shoe clips fit easily onto the fronts or backs of your bridal shoes. Made by Mariell, these white organza and satin rose clips are nestled in 2 and a half inches of ostrich feather spray. The 3-inch-round flowers have glistening crystal centers. Find them at mariellonline.com or check Ferri Formals in Schenectady, who carry the line.

6. GUESTBOOK 3.0A nice variation on a guestbook, this wintry tree collects the fingerprints of your guests. The result is a blossoming tree of white fingerprint-leaves. Hang it in your home after the wedding as an arty tolkien of your greatest day. Comes in different sizes; a 16x20 sheet holds about 175 “signatures.” $14.75 at Esty, at dovelyday’s shop.



By Cari Scribner Photos by Viscosi Photography

&JohnChristina

| real weddings |

Christina and John Buddenhagen have always loved the autumnal glory of

Upstate New York. So it was a given that the couple would get married at peak leaf season in October.

Their enjoyment of the great outdoors is just one of the many behaviors the newlyweds share. Both live healthy lifestyles including fitness routines; they love dogs, they’re easy going, and both Christina and John are entering their three-year residency programs before launching their own family doctor practices.

Their love story began in 2009 at New York College of Osteopathic Medicine in Long Island, where they hung out with the same crowd as casual friends. But that changed within a couple years, when Christina and John discovered they were both ready for a serious relationship.

In November 2011, after going to a hockey game, John presented Christina with a ring, using his trademark sense of humor. “The ring was inside a Pokémon ball,” John says, laughing. “That shows how nerdy we are.”

BRIDEChristina (Spaulding) Buddenhagen, 26 graduating medical school in May, resident physician at Ellis Hospital in Schenectady

GROOMJohn Buddenhagen, 27 graduating medical school in May, resident physician at Ellis Hospital in Schenectady

THE WEDDING DAYOctober 14, 2012 at The Appel Inn

HONEYMOONAlaskan cruise in June (doubles as their med school graduation celebration)

ONE DETAILHand-filled decorative cellophane bags of candy corn served as the wedding favors and also name cards: seating arrangements were written on the ties of the festive bags.


THE PARTICULARS

After setting Oct. 14, 2012 as the wedding date, Christina made a well-organized to-do list, kept to her timeline, and put thought into how to add plenty of personal touches. “I’ve always dreamed of a fall wedding, and we wanted to take advantage of the outdoors,” Christina says. “We wanted to keep things simple and memorable.”

John gave Christina the go-ahead on the wedding particulars, knowing he’d be happy with what she chose. “I tried not to get bogged down in every detail; we agreed on everything and were always on the same page,” John says. “She was a very calm bride. We were both laid back about the whole thing.”

The couple planned a small, intimate wedding with 80 guests. “We wanted people who were most important in our lives to be there,” John says. “And we wanted to be able to greet them and acknowledge them all and not miss anyone in the crowd.”

One of their smartest moves was meeting before the afternoon wedding ceremony to have photos taken at The Crossings, a large outdoor park in Loudonville. That meant John saw Christina in her gown before they were at the altar, but they didn’t mind breaking tradition. “John and I got to see one

another just the two of us, which made it more special,” Christina says.

October 14 dawned cold and dreary, and the couple admits to being more than a little chilly during the photo session. But as they left the park, the sun came out and the temperature rose to an unseasonably warm 65 degrees.

Paying homage to the season, John wore an orange silk tie with his dark suit. Christina also had a pop of color, although hers were less visible: her wedding shoes were purple heels.

“I wanted to be fun and different,” Christina says. “I love those shoes and hope to wear them often, but boy did I have blisters at the end of the night.”

CEREMONY & RECEPTIONThe Appel Inn590 Route 146, Altamont(518) 861-6557appelinn.com

PHOTOGRAPHYViscosi Photography 296 Albany Bush Road, Johnstown(518) 762-2780viscosiphotography.com

WEDDING ATTIREWedding DressAngela’s Bridal (Allure)1811 Western AvenueWestmere Plaza, Albany(518) 869-1848angelasbridal.net

Bridal partyDavid’s Bridal1440 Central Ave., Colonie518-437-1223davidsbridal.com

Tuxedo/men’s formal wearMacy’s (Calvin Klein) 200 Colonie Center, Albany(518) 459-1950macys.com

Men’s Warehouse18 Wolf Road, Colonie(518) 459-3682menswearhouse.com

JEWELERGlenn Peter Jewelers1544 Central Avenue, Albany(518) 689-3670glennpeterjewelers.com

HAIR AND MAKEUPMake Up and Hair Artistry, By Kyle Anne Garcia(518) [email protected] facebook.com/MakeUpAndHairArtistryByKyleAnneGarcia

FLORISTBella Fleur100 Main StreetAltamont(518) 861-8355facebook.com/pages/Bella-Fleur-Flower-and-Gift/157503550558

MUSIC AT RECEPTIONJeffery Scott(518) [email protected] djjeffreyscott.com

INVITATIONSVistaprintvistaprint.com

continued on 15

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Christina proudly wore the pearl necklace that’s a family heirloom, passed down from her grandmother on her wedding day.

The couple infused nature into many aspects of their wedding. Christina’s bouquet was made with seasonal flowers and included kale for dramatic contrast. “I love veggies, and it was important to us [that] we use as much as we could from the fall season,” Christina says. “We’re untraditional and wanted to be different.”

The couple has connections with a local farm, Webb’s Gold Krest Farm in East Greenbush, and used orange and white pumpkins, gourds and graceful cornstalks as decorations for their outdoor ceremony. Their reception dinner menu also focused on the season, with butternut squash shooters, pumpkin ravioli, apple cider donuts and cider.

Some of the couple’s most lovely wedding photos are those among the autumn leaves, including several shots in which they’re seated in piles of gold leaves, and another in which John is carrying Christina through a field ablaze with color.

Another distinctive touch was creating a family tree, asking guests to add their names to the paper orange leaves rather than signing a guest book. “After the wedding, we framed the family tree and put it up on display on

our walls,” Christina says.For Christina’s family, the wedding

was also their family reunion. “We meet from all over the county; there are about 35 of us that get together every two years,” Christina says.

The couple opted to serve wine and beer only and to do away with the traditional wedding cake. “I used to work with a caterer and did a lot of weddings, and I saw so many times when no one ate the wedding cake,” John says.

Instead, they had a pretty dessert table set with pumpkin cheesecake, apple caramel pie, cannoli and tiramisu. “Everything was delicious,” Christina says.

Speaking of delicious, the couple is thankful to the waiter who saved them both plates of food so they could enjoy their meal after greeting their guests. “If it hadn’t been for him, we probably wouldn’t have eaten,” John says. “It was all really good.”

One of the most memorable moments of the day was when Christina danced with her grandfather, 92-year-old John Reardon. Other grandparents at the wedding included Josie Spaulding and John and Dolores Filiberto.

Christina says she’s happy they created a wedding that reflected who they are as a couple. “We wrote our own vows, skipped the traditional activities like tossing a bouquet and the garter,

didn’t have a cake. We didn’t have a rehearsal dinner; we had a brunch,” Christina says. “I’d advise couples to make it the wedding you want. Don’t try to please anyone but yourselves.”

continued from 13

CATERINGNicole’s Restaurant556 Delaware Ave, Albany(518) 436-4952nicolescatering.com

REHEARSAL BRUNCHPeaches Café1475 Western Ave, Albany(518) 482-3677peachescafe.net

TRANSPORTATIONToday’s Limousine 2622 7th AveBuilding 51 East, Watervliet(518) 452-4242todayslimo.com

HOTEL ACCOMMODATIONSAlbany Marriott 189 Wolf Road, Albany(518) 458-8444marriott.com

Residence Inn Albany East Greenbush/Tech Valley3 Tech Valley Drive, East Greenbush(518) 720-3600marriott.com

THE PARTICULARS cont’d.


From the Sabre Salute by the groom’s fellow Army men, to her grandmother’s fur stole

worn by the bride to keep warm during outdoor photos, the wedding of Susan and Patrick Carpenter was steeped in tradition.

The couple met in 9th grade Earth Science class in Saratoga Springs. Susan played in the orchestra and Patrick in the school band. But when Patrick’s family moved to California a year later, it seemed unlikely the couple would ever reconnect.

Fast-forward to 2011 and their college years, when Patrick was at West Point and Susan was attending Siena College in Latham. “The summer before our senior year, Patrick came back to Saratoga Springs and got in touch,” Susan

says. “We went to Travers [at the Saratoga Race Course] and just hit it off really well. Our personalities are very compatible.”

“When you know, you know,” Patrick echoes. “I could picture the two of us growing old together and raising a family.”

Patrick’s proposal in June 2012, however, was far from traditional. The couple was in New York City with friends, standing in a park overlooking the Statue of Liberty and taking photos.

“Patrick kept telling our friends to take another photo, and I had turned away, but he insisted I come back, and when I looked back, he was on one knee with a ring,” Susan says. “I can’t remember a word he said, but I said yes and cried my eyes out in

&Patrick

Susan

BRIDESusan Kelly (Grauel) Carpenter, 22 part-time student.

GROOMPatrick Michael Carpenter Jr., 22 U.S. Army.

THE WEDDING DAYDecember 28, 2012 at St. Mary’s Church

HONEYMOON“Haven’t taken it yet but we are hoping to take a trip someplace tropical!”

ONE DETAILSusan admits to being a shoe fanatic, and didn’t want to be limited to one pair of heels for her wedding day. She wore pearly satin heels for the wedding, then switched into ruby red shoes for the reception. In some of the photos, the red shoes are dramatically displayed.

| real weddings |

By Cari Scribner Photos by Candidly Beth Photography


front of everyone around there. A little old man walked by and told me, ‘You’d better say yes.’”

Patrick had no reservations about his very public proposal. “It felt pretty awesome,” Patrick says. “You could say I’m fairly confident.”

Boldly setting a wedding date of Dec. 28, 2012, the couple had just under seven months to plan a ceremony and reception for 150 guests. “I’m a person who doesn’t like a timeline; I’d rather just get it all done at once,” Susan says.

They chose the majestic, traditional St. Mary’s Church in Ballston Spa, with seven bridesmaids in floor-length black satin and seven ushers in military dress blues.

Undeterred by the winter wedding

date, Susan knew she wanted a gown with a keyhole opening in the back, and set out on the search. “I tried on around 150 dresses,” Susan says, laughing. “I liked about half, and then narrowed it down to three. I’m so happy with the dress I chose in the end.”

The day before their wedding rehearsal, 10 inches of snow blanketed the Capital Region. “We wanted snow for the photos, because winter is my favorite season,” Susan says.

Susan wrapped her grandmother’s mink stole around her shoulders and braved the snow along with her bridal party. She also wore a silver comb in her hair festooned with some of her grandmother’s antique buttons.

THE PARTICULARSCEREMONYSt. Mary’s Church167 Milton Ave., Ballston Spa518-885-7411

RECEPTIONCanfield CasinoE Congress St, Saratoga Springs518-587-3550

PHOTOGRAPHYCandidly Beth PhotographyBeth ShawSuite 314 Collamer Building 480 Broadway, Saratoga Springs518-309-4325candidlybeth.com

WEDDING ATTIRELily Saratoga6 Franklin Square, Saratoga Springs518-587-5017Lilysaratoga.com

Men’s Warehouse18 Wolf Road, Colonie518-459-3682Menswarehouse.comBridesmaids

David’s Bridal1440 Central Ave., Colonie518-437-1223www.davidsbridal.com

Brides and More202 South Central Ave, Mechanicville518-664-1189bridesandmorediscountbridal.com

JEWELERAlexander’s JewelryKen and Trudy Zampier435 S. Main St, Shrewsbury, PA 717-227-0610alexanders-jewelry.com

HAIRMJ at Remarkable Finish Salon375 Broadway, Saratoga Springs518-587-9555Remarkablefinish.com

FLORISTPosie Peddler92 West Ave., Saratoga Springs518-587-8273posiepeddler.com

CAKEJ&S Watkins Homebaked Desserts1675 Route 9 / P.O. Box 1151, Clifton Park518-383-1148Jswatkins.com

REHEARSAL DINNERMama Mia’s Pizza and Café185 Ballston Ave., Saratoga Springs518-583-7783mamamiassaratoga.com

continued on 19

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As they exited the church following the ceremony, the newlyweds walked through a Sabre Salute, while the Army men exclaimed, “Welcome to the Army, Mrs. Carpenter.”

After registering at Target, J.C. Penney, and Bed Bath & Beyond, the couple now has a fully stocked kitchen. Susan’s parents gifted them an Oriental rug. “It’s a family tradition,” Susan says. “My grandparents gave me one for my high school graduation.”

Their formal cake was a chocolate black satin that tasted as good as it looked. “It was so good that I can’t wait to have our anniversary cake,” Susan says.

As can be expected, a couple of blips

occurred along the way, such as some of their wedding invitations getting lost in the mail. Also, the day of the wedding, they left behind the bridal garter and ring bearer’s pillow, so a neighbor had to pick them up and run them to the church. Susan and Patrick took it all in stride.

“I didn’t worry about every single minor detail,” Susan says. “You have to keep it fun, because you only do it once.”

Patrick comes from a large family in which he’s one of 10 siblings. There’s no pressure on the young couple to start a family soon, but Patrick has some ideas. “I think we’ve narrowed down our number to about four kids or so,” Patrick says.

INVITATIONS“I found the paper that I like at A.C. Moore and then printed them all myself. They have kits there that make it really easy to do at home.”

VIDEOGRAPHERSilhouette Art on Video471-B Albany Shaker Road, Albany518-464-0364artonvideo.com

MUSIC AT RECEPTIONDJ Paul Malo10 Oak Hill Drive, Clifton [email protected]

RECEPTION DÉCOR/ WEDDING PLANNINGClassé Catering, Ltd. Event Producers Inc.2 Petra Lane, Albany518-690-0293eventproducersinc.com

BRIDE & GROOM HOTEL ACCOMMODATIONSGideon Putnam Resort24 Gideon Putnam Road, Saratoga Springs866-890-1171gideonputnam.com

HOTEL ACCOMMODATIONSResidence Inn Marriott295 Excelsior Ave, Saratoga Springs518-584-9600marriott.com

Holiday Inn125 South Broadway, Saratoga Springs518-587-1500hgi.com


continued from 17


Kristin and Andrew Ferree believe in togetherness, even when going through all the

details of planning their wedding. They worked as a couple to create the traditional fairytale wedding they’d always wanted, making the task of wedding planning a true joy.

Their story begins as freshmen at Shaker High School in Latham, where they shared an art class but were too busy to really notice each other. “We never dated, but when we met up after graduating college, we remembered each other,” Andrew says.

With common interests including hiking, soccer, wine tours and the outdoors, the couple talked about marriage within six months

of dating, but when they became engaged in October 2010, they set a date two years in the future.

The proposal itself was formal and memorable, taking place in a cabin in Lake George where they’d previously celebrated Kristin’s birthday. “It was a special place to us,” Andrew says. “I went up ahead of time and put out candles, started music and got dinner ready.”

Meanwhile, Kristin thought they were on their way to a wine country tour in the Finger Lakes when they set off for Lake George. “I’m not really good at directions, so I didn’t realize where he was taking me until we got to the cabin,” Kristin laughs. “It was very sweet and something I’ll never forget.”

BRIDEKristin (Zychowski) Ferree, 28Occupational Therapist

GROOMAndrew Ferree, 28Mechanical Engineer

THE WEDDING DAYOctober 5th, 2012 at Mallozzi’s Ballroom

HONEYMOONAntigua

ONE DETAILAndrew and Kristin’s guest favors on the tables were bottles of red and white wine labeled with their names and wedding date, which gave Andrew another project during the planning and preparation stage. “We bought the wine locally, so I had to peel off their labels and put ours on,” Andrew says. “It was a big job but well worth it. They looked great.”

&Andrew

Kristin

| real weddings |

By Cari Scribner Photos by Michael Gallitelli


The couple set a wedding date of October 5, 2012, which would give Kristin time to finish grad school and ensure they would have plenty of advance time and not feel rushed. Then, they enjoyed every detail of planning a wedding for 100 guests.

“Andrew proposed in the fall, so we knew we wanted a fall wedding,” Kristin says. “We loved the ballroom [at Mallozzi’s] with the lights and the drapery and the atmosphere.”

In no rush to pick a dress, Kristin went out with her mom and sister just to get an idea of the possibilities, but her gown was waiting for her. “I didn’t think I’d find a dress so quickly, but the third one I tried on was perfect,” Kristin says.

The couple chose deep pink with touches of orange for their colors. Kristin’s bouquet featured coral ribbon intertwined with cream satin ribbon taken from her mother’s wedding dress. “It meant a lot to me to have part of her dress in my bouquet,” Kristin says.

Setting up a gift registry at Macy’s was the next step Andrew and Kristin took together. “We went out together to look at nice things we’d never buy for ourselves,” Andrew

says. “We picked out things like china and tableware that we’d use for entertaining.”

Andrew made place cards for the reception using corks from bottles of wine he’d shared with Kristin, or those donated by family and friends. The corks formed the base to hold the cards. They also filled a glass vase with corks and topped them with fresh flowers.

THE PARTICULARSCEREMONYSt. Michael’s Roman Catholic Church20 Page Ave., Cohoes 518-237-5151stmichaelsofcohoes.org

RECEPTIONMallozzi’s Ballroom 1930 Curry Road, Schenectady518-355-0340mallozzis.com

PHOTOGRAPHYMichael Gallitelli34 Crumitie Road, Loudonville518-459-8050metrolandphoto.com

VIDEOGRAPHERWe had a friend video the ceremony and reception.

MUSIC AT RECEPTIONThe Piano Man’s DJ Productions683 New Loudon Road, Latham518-489-4000pianomandj.com/

WEDDING ATTIREWedding dress & Bridal partyDavid’s Bridal1440 Central Ave., Colonie518-437-1223davidsbridal.com

Tuxedo/men’s formal wearJos. A. Bank1475 Western Ave., Albany518.435.0056josbank.com

JEWELEREngagement RingNortheastern Fine Jewelry1575 Western Ave., Albany518-862-9441nefj.com

Wedding BandsHannoush Jewelers112 Wolf Road, Albany518-472-0368hannoush.com

HAIRGiorgio’s the Salon3 Johnson Rd, #2, Latham518-785-3756

MAKEUPMake Me Fabulous32 Front St., Ballston Spa518-885-2929makemefabulous.com

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When October 2012 rolled around, Andrew and Kristin were ready. Even though it rained for days leading up to the wedding, they both kept their hopes high. “We were lucky,” Kristin says. “We had a beautiful day.”

After the formal wedding ceremony at St. Michael's Roman Catholic Church — the church where Kristin was baptized — the wedding party headed to a Cohoes park in a limo for outdoor photos. The pictures, some near a historic bridge, came out beautifully. The only blip happened when they got back to Mallozzi’s and realized Kristin didn’t have her bouquet. Their photographer jumped into his car to race back to retrieve it. Moments later, the limo driver handed

it to Kristin from where it had been safely stowed in the front seat.

“So then we had to wait for the photographer to return before we made our entrance to the reception,” Kristin says. “It was one small hiccup along the way; nothing anyone would have noticed.”

Kristin and Andrew took a mini-honeymoon to a Seneca Lake wine tour in October, followed by a 10-day official honeymoon to Antigua three months later.

The happy couple says the whole process — from the engagement to the picture-perfect wedding and reception — was just what they’d hoped. “Andrew was always there with me,” Kristin says. “It was a project that brought us even closer together.”

FLORISTThe Floral Garden340 Delaware Ave., Delmar518-478-7232 thefloralgarden.net

CAKEVilla Italia Pasticceria226 Broadway, Schenectady518-355-1144villaitaliabakery.com

REHEARSAL DINNERTreviso by Mallozzi’s 257 Washington Ave. Ext., Albany518-456-0292trevisoalbany.com

INVITATIONSCarta Bella (Joanne Barry)Clifton Park518-253-7208cartabelladesign.com

TRANSPORTATION Royale Limousine137 Lark St., Albany518-286-4444albanyroyalelimo.com

HOTEL ACCOMMODATIONSThe Belvedere Hotel1930 Curry Road, Schenectady518-630-4020mallozzis.com/page/belvedere-hotel-10.html


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Fourteen months. That’s the length of the average engagement, according to a

survey of more than 18,000 brides by TheKnot.com and WeddingChannel.com. That means a touch more than a year is spent planning for what is, essentially, a big ‘ol party.

But who’s doing the work? Only about 18 percent of couples

hire a wedding planner from the start, according to Wedding Paper Divas, so that leaves a huge percentage of people going at it on their own — sort of.

By “on their own,” we don’t mean the bride stands at the pulpit and orders people around. No, today’s brides are asking their friends and their family and the groom to help out.

“Delegating can be beneficial if the bride or groom lack vision, organizational skills or have a demanding work schedule,” says Karen Splendido, owner of Splendid Stems in Schenectady. “Some family members and friends may have talents or strengths and are only too happy to help.”

Renée Meade, 27, is one of those brides who asked for help. The Delmar resident planned most of her November 2011 wedding with her mom.

“She’s very crafty and has done flowers and centerpieces for weddings before,” says Meade. “I had visions of what I wanted, and she really helped to make them a reality.”

Meade’s mom also took care of the smaller details — such as the

place cards and programs — and left the bigger items, such as ceremony readings, music for the string trio, the song list for the reception and the seating chart and table assignments, to Meade and her fiance, Bryan.

But the assistance didn’t stop with Meade‘s mom and groom. The teacher tapped her mother-in-law’s perfect penmanship and asked her to address the invitations. Her bridesmaids created labels for favors and worked on the “wish tree,” basically an alternative to a guest book.

“Delegating gave me more time to focus on other things like keeping up correspondence with our vendors, planning the ceremony, dress fittings, hair/makeup trials, bridal party details, etc.,” says Meade.

By Kristi Barlette

Your Unfrazzled

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• Pickingaphotographer• Selectingreadingsfortheceremony• Choosingweddingdressand

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• Planthebudget• Bookingtheofficiant• Choosingthemen’ssuits• Arrangingtransportation

Have a good plan and delegate

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The In-Laws

Sharing the responsibilities can be fun, too, says Jamie Miles, editor with The Knot.

When you have a group effort, you can combine personalities and make the day unique to you as a couple, not to you as an individual.

But how do you decide who does what? Emulating Meade’s approach is a good place to start.

“Ask everyone, ‘What do you have an interest in?’ [and] then have them go off on their own and come back with several ideas and suggestions,” says Miles.

Be sure to give them some direction, though, such as the theme of your wedding (romantic, rustic, shabby chic, modern), a color scheme and your must-haves.

Budget is important, too. If you have, say, $500 to spend on flowers, make sure you communicate that

so your maid-of-honor doesn’t bring you three proposals each totaling more than $1,000.

These details and directives will help both of you, and theoretically mean less work for any person, Miles says.

Remember, too, that this sharing of tasks may not be easy. Many women have been envisioning their wedding since their days playing dress-up and will have a hard time trusting even their closest friends and family to execute their ideas.

“I wasn’t very good at delegating in the beginning. I’m kind of a control freak,” says Meade. Balancing planning with work created stress, which added to her anxiety. “People who really knew me well could tell I was overwhelmed, and kind of just stepped up to the plate and offered help.”

Designing centerpieces

Hosting and planning the bridal shower

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The Friends

Designing the wedding website

Planning the bachelorette parly

Making the wedding cakeDJing and

helping choose music

Addressing envelopes

Planning the bachelor party

Meade was fortunate in that she wanted the help and people wanted to help her. The situation can get sticky when people nose their way — uninvited — into planning.

There are ways around this. You can take a pass on the help, of course, explaining you have everything under control. You can also loop them in by giving them a call or shooting off an e-mail when you are making decisions.

Something as simple as “I’m torn between a DJ and a band at the reception, what do you think?” or “We can’t decide between traditional favors or a charitable donation; what did you do at your wedding?” can go a long way in making someone feel included.

You’re not going to take every bit of advice from one person, nor will any reasonable adult expect you to, says Splendido. “It is important to avoid taking every ounce of advice or referral thrown your way,” she says. “Be polite, but you do not want your wedding to feel like your cousin’s, friend’s or sibling’s.”

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PLANNING AT WORKFor many brides (and even some grooms) planning a wedding is almost like a job, so it’s not surprising that 90 percent of brides admit to doing some planning at work. This makes sense, since many vendors are easiest to reach during regular business hours. But how much planning at work is too much? Here are some strategies to make sure your boss doesn’t look askance.

• You’re in front of your computer, so communicating with vendors and even friends and family is natural, but do it on your lunch break, or during another break in the day.

• If you need to make calls, use your cell phone out of the earshot of other colleagues. If fellow employees hear you planning, they can become resentful that they‘re working on the budget for next quarter while you‘re working on locking down a photographer within your personal budget.

• While a little in-office planning at lunch is fine, do not try and visit vendors in this time period. You need about three hours at a venue, and an hour or two with other vendors. You don’t want to rush these tasks, so save these visits for the weekend.

• Save the DIYs for home. The office is not the place to assemble your invitations or print out 200 favor cards.

• Keep a notebook with you. Ideas may come to you while you’re in a meeting or on a call. Jot them down, so you can research them when you get home.

• If you take public transportation to and from work, read wedding magazines during your commute. Do not read them at your desk.

• If you drive to work, use the voice notes feature on your cell phone for ideas and reminders, and listen to CDs or your iPod to create your song list. Ph

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Everyone wants to share their wedding with

with most treasured family and friends.

Inevitably, some of those dearest to you cannot make

it because of age, illness, and unavoidable scheduling conflicts. Rather than sink into a bridal funk,

say the experts, consider creative ways to include Grandma and Aunt Tillie in the celebration even if they can’t be there in person. New technology such as camera phones and online video

services such as Skype make it easier than ever to share experiences with the people who matter to you — wherever they are.

“It is becoming standard practice,” says Reverend Joy Burke of Saratoga, who often presides over elopements in her home, a beautifully converted 1869 Methodist church building in downtown Saratoga Springs. “Couples who are eloping often want their parents or grandparents to be a part of the ceremony,” says Burke. “With Facetime on an iPhone or with Skype, it’s as easy as having someone hold up

a phone or set up a tablet or computer — which I do all the time.”

“When planning to use Skype or other streaming video, be sure to clear it with the church or synagogue hosting your ceremony,” says Katie O’Malley of Katie O’ Wedding and Events in Troy. “You want to be respectful of their policies and privacy concerns.”

“Setting up a Facebook and Twitter feed are also very popular,” says wedding and proposal planner Lisa Light of Destination Bride in Chatham. These social media services allow

Clever ways to include those who can’t make it to your special dayBy Merci Miglino

You’re Invited


guests to “follow along with the festivities” and she adds that even those attending the wedding in person often log in to follow along!

“There is always someone special that cannot attend the wedding,” says Light. “Rather than feel bad about it, get creative and find ways to include them. Ask folks to send a video with their wishes for the bride and groom. Then have these woven into the wedding video and send everyone a link to view it.”

Not surprisingly, there’s an app for that, says Charlsie Sturm of Albany, who often assists

wedding planners from New York to Los Angeles. The Wedding Party (weddingpartyapp.com) is “kind of like Instagram, but it’s personalized for your event.”

“You have your own personal website that people not attending can go to and see live photos of the festivities as they are being taken. It also includes all the social buttons so you can share your photos in real time across your social networks,” says Sturm. “It’s not only a fun way for your guests to participate in your wedding but also the best way for you to collect pictures from your guests.”

Sturm, who admits to “perpetually planning her own wedding,” says she will also consider decidedly old-school ways to make everyone a part of her special day, including a custom photo-puzzle guest book.

Here’s how it works: The couple chooses a favorite picture to turn into an enlarged puzzle (which can be done online at bellapuzzles.com). Then each wedding guest is given a puzzle piece at the reception — or mailed one, if they are unable to attend — with instructions to write their special wishes to the couple on the piece.

Absent friends and family mail back their piece to the couple, while those present enjoy doing this as a reception activity. For those who were not able to attend, this visually includes them in the community of people.

“It’s simple and requires no technology,” says Sturm. “When the puzzle is put together, everyone will be a part of the whole puzzle and the whole day. And, best of all, it’s a guest book that you can play with!”

Jacqueline Henry, whose husband is from Scotland, chose another option when planning a Scottish-themed wedding in the Berkshires, a landscape that reminded them of the greenery of the country outside of Edinburgh. “Obviously, many of our relatives couldn’t be there,” says Henry, an elementary school teacher, “so we had our groomsmen read letters of congratulations from them during the reception toasts. And we really splurged on the video so that we could send it to those who couldn’t come.”

Creating a digital picture frame with photos of people who can’t be present, including those close to the couple who have passed away, is another way to include those who are there only in spirit. A memory table might be designated, featuring family photos, and perhaps a lit candle. “You want to find the balance between recognizing those loved ones that have

passed away without dampening the celebration by becoming too morbid,” O’Malley says. “Often couples prefer to recognize those who cannot attend or who are deceased in more subtle ways.” She adds that most ideas for recognizing deceased loved ones can be adapted to include those who can’t be physically there for the ceremony.

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Lindsey Griesemer of Ballston Lake decided to turn her mother’s secret-recipe chocolate-chip cookies into wedding favors and named her signature drink after the groom’s grandparents so they could be “here in spirits.” She also incorporated one of her grandfather’s ties into her floral bouquet to make her feel as if her grandfather was walking her down the aisle with her parents.

Recent bride and groom Adrienne Cahill and Chil Woo of Hudson remembered their deceased loved ones with a candlelighting as part of the ceremony, but the special moment — unplanned and unexpected — came later. Woo’s mother, who passed away when he was just a young boy, had purchased a watch to give to her son’s future bride before she died. During the reception, Woo’s father presented the watch to Cahill, his new daughter-

in-law, and expressed his late wife’s intention to wish her well in her marriage to her son.

“Needless to say there were a lot of tears,” says Cahill. “I had no idea about the watch and was so touched by this woman who had the foresight to purchase such a gift for the bride of her young son.”

Cahill also wore one of the last gowns made by Priscilla of Boston in honor of her grandmother, who purchased one of the first such gowns for her own wedding. She wore it with the pearls her aunt — in her 90s and unable to travel — gave her as a wedding gift, which thrilled her aunt and made her feel so much a part of the day.”

“With a little creativity and some good planning,” says O’Malley, “you can include everyone near and far in your special wedding day celebration.” Ph

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When Lisa Bonacquisti-Walsh and her husband, Mark Walsh, got married in

December 2011 on a cliff overlooking the ocean in Cancun, the weather, the music and the day were perfect, but one thing was missing. Or, well, 100 things.

Getting married out of town, and out of the country, meant only about

26 people could attend the Albany couple’s nuptials. Bonacquisti-Walsh’s grandmother couldn’t make it because of her health; her sister-in-law was eight months pregnant and many other guests were not able to take the time from work, or spend the money.

So the couple celebrated again that summer, hosting a party at Colonie Mohawk River Park.

More than 130 people attended, and even more were invited to the budget-friendly party that included catering from her husband‘s favorite Italian deli and table arrangements and favors crafted by her mom.

“The best part about having the second party was being able to wear my dress twice and get more pictures that we didn’t get in

What you need to know if you want to have an after-party

By Kristi Barlette

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Mexico,” says Bonacquisti-Walsh, such as father-daughter photos and pictures of Bonacquisti-Walsh with her brother. “At the local party, I had a friend who is a photographer come and he took some awesome pictures, along with those I didn’t get in Mexico.”

About 30 percent of brides have an after-party, according to TheKnot.com and WeddingChannel.com 2011 Real Weddings Survey. This number includes the type of event the Walshes had but also celebrations immediately following the reception. Often, these are held at a restaurant near the venue or in the bar back at the hotel.

“Any bride will tell you that the reception flies by, but with an after party, the last dance doesn’t have to signal the end of the celebration,” says Anja Winikka, TheKnot.com site director. “There are always revelers who refuse to let the good times come to a close, so it’s really helpful and a nice touch to have an after-hours game plan. It isn’t just a way to prolong the wedding day; it’s another chance to impress guests with surprising details and personal touches.”

A lot of brides start talking about the after-party before they even have their wedding day figured out, says Katie O’Malley, owner of Katie O’ Weddings & Events in Troy. “Some clients are doing the wedding their parents envision, so they want to have a fun, relaxed time with their friends afterward,” says O’Malley. About 25 percent of her clients host one of these affairs. “They think, ‘We have to do all the structured stuff, then we want to go to the bar, relax and have beers.’”

There are a few things to think about when hosting this wedding-night party. You can secure a room at a local bar or restaurant in advance, arrange for food

and drinks and invite everyone over. In fact, you can even include these after-party details on an insert card in your wedding invitation.

But this isn’t necessary. While it’s nice for the bride and groom not to have to spend their wedding night thinking about where to go, and if there will be enough space (e.g. any bar in Saratoga during track season will, inevitably, be crowded), this detailed pre-planning can be tricky, O’Malley says.

Timing isn’t always firm, due to lingering reception guests, a DJ willing to play another set or a venue with staff that isn’t in a rush to close up. Also, often far fewer people attend the after-party than the bride and groom expect.

“That late night can go really bad, really quick,” O’Malley says. “If my clients have after-parties, they’re either really great, or no one is going to come.“

continued on 35

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Some people want to get home and get to bed; others have to get on the road the next day. Several guests may have to get home to their kids or the dog. Heck, even the couple may decide they’re not up for it.

O’Malley says most brides and grooms don’t anticipate how tired they’ll be after waking at 7 or 8 a.m. for the bride to start hair and makeup or to meet for brunch or a pre-wedding round of golf for the guys. A more casual gathering means the bride and groom can stop by for an hour or so, talk with guests they didn’t get to spend much time with at the reception, and then head out. If the night is more formalized, the couple is likely to feel obligated to stay till the end.

Also, because wedding receptions tend to have no shortage of food, many times guests aren’t hungry at the after-party.

So save your money, and make the food decision on the spot. It doesn’t hurt to call the bar or restaurant you’re thinking of attending a few weeks in advance to talk about options, but you don’t have to lock things down (that said, if you plan to host this party in a small room at your hotel, that does need to be pre-planned).

Which brings us to: who pays? When you’re hosting a party as the Walshes did — basically a reception several weeks or months out — this isn’t really a question. Typically the couple, or their parents, throw the party.

But, if it’s a night-of event and a more casual affair, the question of who lays down the AmEx card can be questionable — although it shouldn’t be. “If you say ‘We’re

having an after party,’ that doesn’t mean you have to pay for everyone’s drinks,” O’Malley says. “Most people know you just spent five or six hours on an open bar.”

The same goes for the food. If people want to order, it’s on their bill. The more casual the gathering, the less likely it is guests will expect you to pay, says Winikka.

Know, too, these after-parties take time, planning and forethought, especially when they are months later and lots of people are invited. “An after-party is great, but is just as much work as a real wedding,” says Bonacquisiti-Walsh. “Biggest advice? Don’t rely on friends to help with setup, and have a backup plan.”

The night-of after-party is generally thrown for the couple’s closest friends and any crazy relatives who want to attend, says Anja Winikka, TheKnot.com site director. A stringent guest list is rarely adhered to, but some couples aim to restrict the post-reception bash to the bridal party, while others choose to invite anyone and everyone who wants to keep the party going.

Couples should start by determining who will definitely be invited and then just know to expect other guests who spontaneously decide they, too, want in on the action. Don’t make it sound exclusive and secretive — it’s important not to hurt feelings, Winikka says.

Couples can let word-of-mouth take over too. Mention the party at the bachelor and bachelorette bashes, and maybe follow up with invitations in the hotel room hospitality baskets.

Everyone should feel welcome to join.

The guest list for an after-party that occurs weeks, or months, later is different. Budget plays a key role, says Katie O’Malley, owner of Katie O’ Weddings & Events in Troy. If you want to invite more people, keep the party more casual — like a backyard barbecue.

If you prefer a more traditional reception, use the tiered-style approach to your guest list, with family and close friends near the top and acquaintances further down the list.

And, remember, no matter what you choose, or who you decide to invite, this is your event, not someone else’s. “You can’t change the way people perceive things,” says O’Malley. “You have to stay true to what is right for you. If someone is upset, there is nothing you can do about it.”

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Ways to carry your palette throughout your wedding

By Wendy Page

Color Your WorldSome brides pick a couple of

colors for their flowers and bridesmaids’ dresses and call

it a day. If you want to expand the color palette of your wedding and really make a color statement, here are some options to extend the color theme throughout your wedding, from tip to toe, from vows to favors.

Bridesmaid dresses are always a good place to start, experts say. “I’ve noticed a resurgence of tangerine and deeper oranges,” says Marylu Aragosa, owner of Ferri Formals and Bridals, of trends this fall and winter. “Pumpkin colors. They have sunflower-type flowers to accent the autumn color. Daisies, too — the nontraditional flowers.” For dresses, consider choosing a color and then

letting each bridesmaid pick a dress in that color that best complements her figure, Aragosa says.

To extend the color beyond the dress, Aragosa suggests adding complementary ribbons on hair accessories, such as a headband, “or incorporating the color in a sash or on the shoes to match the dress.” The same ribbon can wrap the flower bouquets.

In trend for tuxedos this fall and winter, Aragosa says, are “a cocoa color, instead of the black, to match the orange dresses. Then they can have the pocket square to match the bridesmaid dresses to tie it together.”

Katie O’Malley of Katie O’ Weddings & Events says “brides are getting a little more daring, a bit

more fun with makeup,” she says. “They have a bolder lip, smoky eyes — more dramatic makeup.”

O’Malley says Pinterest is influencing today’s brides and their choices. “There’s more pressure

to have their boards worked out, because of the ease of it,” she says. Indeed, look up “fall wedding theme” on Pinterest and you’ll see a ton of ideas, from pumpkins to flowers, bridesmaid dresses and tuxedos, place cards, desserts, drinks, décor and centerpieces.

Floral centerpieces or floral accents are another way to carry through your color palette. David E. Siders, co-owner of Experience and Creative Design, turns to materials in nature to echo the season of a wedding. “We spray pine cones all different colors,” Siders says of fall and winter weddings. “You have all types of glass ornaments that can be used. There are lots of different colors of orchids. There are pinkish-burgundy artichokes. Fruits and vegetables are wonderful to work in — plum-colored grapes, or red, or chartreuse.”

For winter weddings, Siders says large gazing balls with a wreath around them can be a striking centerpiece. “The reflections off them are incredible,” he says. Snowflakes


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Our wedding professionals have been working withengaged couples and their families for over 35 years andwe understand this special time in your lives.We have two gorgeous ballrooms catering to weddingsof all sizes. Our wedding specialists are the top in theirprofession and will help guide you through your journeyto marriage. Our award winning Executive Chef willpersonally oversee the preparation of your meals.Make sure you ask about our overnight roomaccommodations for your out of town guests.Please call for our wedding packages.

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of crystal and silver are another idea, he says, or go for “the Adirondack winter look with gray birch and frosted twigs, or flocking material.” Every table can be different.

In addition to flowers and linens, printed materials offer another way to introduce color. “Escort cards and menus on the table are a nice way to do color,” O’Malley says. “With the menu, you can do a bright, bold color, or a beautiful softer shade.”

Jessica L. Laviano, owner of Simply Elegant Event Planning, says that almost every one of her brides uses the table menus. “You can have pops of color in flower petals on the menu or with candles,” Laviano says. “It can make a difference in the tiny things. It doesn’t need to be a big gesture. And it looks great in the photos.”

Uplighting is a new trend that also offers an opportunity to work with your color palette. “Use dim lighting around the room with colors in uplighting focused on the dance floor, the couple, and/or the bar,” suggests Laviano.

“Pick a hue to make sense with the color palette to complement the room,” O’Malley says. “Or go neutral and soft to not call attention. Lighting can also be a monogram on the dance floor.”

Chair ties or covers are a unique way to add color. “I have seen covers that are really fun and cool — they’re textured or ruffle-backed. They’re more for a Chiavari chair, though,” O’Malley says.

Siders agrees. “Burlap in different colors can be made into tie backs, chair covers, runners,” he says. “Brooches and buttons can be used as napkin ties.”

When it comes to color, don’t forget the food. “Color palettes can be in the food choices, in the desserts or the cocktail hour,” Laviano says. Even the inside of the wedding cake can be dyed to match the palette. “If you’re going to do a fun cake, get creative,” says Laviano, who believes television cake shows are responsible for some of the trends in wedding cakes. “You can do a different color or flavor in every layer.”

Beverages can also get in on the color theme. “You can color-coordinate with a signature cocktail

drink,” Laviano continues. “Use colored lighting in an ice luge, as well. It looks beautiful.” At one of Laviano’s client’s weddings, color was added by flavored salts to accompany the drinks.

Though not as popular as they once were, wedding favors are another place where color can count. Create a candy bar — a long bar of individual jars filled with candies in your color palette, where guests can fill bags to take home. Take it one step further and imprint an image or the wedding date onto M&Ms.

SEASONAL TRENDSFall and winter weddings offer their own unique color opportunities, say our experts. Here are some of their suggestions:

• “Fall has those wonderful reddish pears and cabbages that can be opened up in flowers, or you can add lavenders and fuchsia. Echeverias come in pink and rose and burgundy shades, chartreuse shades.” — David Siders, Experience and Creative Design

• “With winter, people can incorporate jewel tones with shimmer and the winter white. Black and white works

really well; add a champagne or blush. You can do black and white without it being too much if it’s incorporated in a subtle way.” Katie O’Malley, Katie O’ Weddings & Events

• Inspiration can also come from patterns and products. One of O’Malley’s clients was inspired by a St. Germaine bottle. “It has black and gold, and is swanky elegant,” she says.

• “Chevron is very trendy,” O’Malley says. “Accents of pinstripe or a bolder stripe, possibly polka dot. The pattern is incorporating itself into wedding trends.”

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Rebecca McGrouty of Troy has a large family. She also has a lot of good friends with

younger children.“When I first got engaged, I

thought I’d ask my best friend if her son could be the ring bearer and her daughter be the flower girl for our December wedding. My friend told me to not torture myself,” she says.

Her friend would have to worry about her kids and not have as much fun during the celebration. So, McGrouty opted to keep the little children out. Instead, she asked her 12-year-old goddaughter to be a junior bridesmaid, and her 15-year-old brother to be a junior groomsman.

She invited about eight other teens

who were cousins, putting them all at one table at the reception. Instead of paying the lofty adult price, McGrouty ordered chicken finger meals for all of them.

“It was perfect. It worked out for them. I just had to make it clear to the servers not to put champagne on their table. But other than that, everything went well,” she says.

Jessica Laviano, president of the Simply Elegant Event Planning in Albany (who was McGrouty’s wedding planner), says the topic of whether or not to invite children to a wedding and the reception is a huge concern for most of her couples. “For some reason, it’s much more of a bigger issue the last two or three years. I haven’t

worked with many couples that this isn’t a battle between them,” she says.

The reasons can be as simple as a budget. Kids don’t eat or drink free at the reception, and sometimes that can be another $50 to $120 a plate for a child who probably won’t even touch the fancy food. Others don’t want the headache of having noisy, unsupervised children interrupting the festivities.

Some couples worry that their friends and family will be mad if they don’t invite their children. Others feel all their young nieces, nephews, neighbor kids and college friends’ offspring will bring a bit of magic and frolic to the ambiance of the event.

By Lee Nelson

Kid StuffDeciding whether or not your wedding will

be a kid-free zone

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It is your wedding, Laviano says. “I tell my couples to think about their wedding day. Do they see children there? Do they want them a part of the ceremony but not the reception? That can be a solution, too. Then, the arguing usually stops.”

HOW NOT TO INVITE CHILDREN

If you decide you’re not going to invite children, you need to let people know ahead of time — especially the families affected by your decision. You can do that through your Save the Date announcement, through your wedding website, through e-mails and just by telling friends and family why children won’t be attending your celebration.

Be diplomatic but direct in your conversation, says Michelle Dischiavo, owner of Intuition Event Coordination and Design in Latham. “If people question you, just tell them graciously that having children at the wedding and reception is not in your budget,” she says. “You can tell your friends that the kids wouldn’t enjoy it, and that you want it to be a good date night for them without the responsibility of watching over their kids.”

Your invitations should reiterate the fact that you aren’t inviting children by writing only the couple’s name on the envelope. If you were inviting children, it would say, “And Family.”

Of course, some guests will inevitably ignore the invitation and RSVP including their children. If this happens, a tactful telephone call is appropriate.

“It’s a case-by-case basis. But you just tell the couple that you aren’t having a lot of kids at the wedding, and it wouldn’t be very fun for them,” Dischiavo says.

Try to be understanding. Your decision not to include children at your wedding can cause stress and

inconvenience for some people. On the other hand, your guests also need to understand your situation. It is your special day, and you get to make the rules. Plus, you have to pay the bills.

“I do have a lot of brides and grooms who are absolutely adamant about not having children at their wedding and reception. It is rare to see children at weddings here,” says Brenda Moreno, banquet and special events sales manager at Longfellows Hotel & Restaurant in Saratoga Springs.

Laurie Beckman has been planning and hosting weddings in the Capital Region for 30 years. “Kids aren’t bad at weddings. They are just bored,” says Beckman, owner of A Gracious Event in Guilderland and The Appel Inn in Altamont. “You get a group of them together, and you don’t know what will happen. You might have eight 7-year-olds sliding all over the dance floor. The parents think it’s cute. But 100 guests are intimidated and won’t go on the dance floor.”

Many times, Beckman says, parents don’t watch their young children, and they get in the way of the wait staff carrying large trays of food or drinks. Or the kids wrestle near the five-tier wedding cake. It’s just not safe.

KIDS FOOD TO THE RESCUEWho wants to pay $100 for a prime

rib or chicken marsala dinner for a 4-year-old who won’t eat it anyway? “Some venues don’t offer children’s pricing for the meal. The couple has to pay full price for even little ones. That’s not fair to the bride and groom,” says Moreno.

Her locale does offer a children’s menu for events with special pricing. “We can serve something that is kid-friendly such as chicken fingers and fries, pasta or a hamburger for those finicky eaters as long as we get the requests a week in advance,” she says.

Some of Moreno’s couples do invite a few children to the ceremony – mainly because they are in it. However, after it is over, the kids

PICKY EATERS?Try asking your venue for a children’s option instead.

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go up to one of the Longfellow’s 50 hotel rooms with the supervision of a grandmother or babysitter. The caretaker can order room service for her and the kids, while the parents enjoy the adults-only reception alone.

“The parents can then partake in all the festivities knowing the kids are close by but they don’t have to watch over them,” she says.

Even when event locations offer kids’ meals for wedding receptions, including children can still be pricey. A plate of chicken fingers, macaroni and cheese, or pizza, for instance, can run $40 for a plate.

“It can be upward of half of a regular catered meal,” Dischiavo says. “And that’s not the drinks or the tax and tip included. Although many people don’t invite a lot of kids, the price tag can still add up with just a handful of them.”

Laviano suggests that couples not factor in the number of children when ordering a cake or dessert. “So many adults don’t eat it so it all balances out in the end,” she says.

KEEP THEM ACTIVE AND SUPERVISEDIf you decide to have children present at your reception,

it’s a good idea — depending on their ages — to set up a room nearby with crafts, crayons and paper, a big-screen TV with kid-friendly movies, snacks and other activities.

“I’ve set up separate children’s tables at the reception with colors and coloring books. Some brides also provide goody bags with silly putty, PlayDoh, books, puzzles and more to keep the kids active before the dancing starts,” Dischiavo says.

If you rent out a hospitality room or a few hotel rooms where you are holding the reception, you can also show movies and order a few pizzas to keep the children of all ages happy. Sometimes, hotels can offer a list of babysitters or nannies available.

“If the kids are older, I‘ve set up art projects such as making jewelry or Legos in a separate room near the reception,” Laviano says. She’s even hired a clown and a magician so the kids wouldn’t get bored. She’s set up story time where someone reads books out loud to the kids.

Depending on what is offered at the reception, such as a photo booth or cotton candy machine, sometimes children will be fine. “You never know how kids are going to be. It can really go both ways,” Laviano says.

At Beckman’s outdoor ceremonies in the fall and the warmer months, she has set out beach balls, Frisbees, Nerf guns and other outdoor activities for the kids to keep them busy. They run around, burn off their anxiety and don’t bother the other adults at the party.

“The older ones can’t hurt the little ones with all the soft stuff,” Beckman says. “When they are active, it just makes things more pleasurable for everyone involved.”

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Ways to make your wedding echo the past — with style

Going Vintage

◀ BRING NATURE INSIDE with these easy-to-make flowering branches. They’re a nice alternative to fresh flowers, which can be costly, add a nice height to tabletops and can be tailored to your color palette, Demos says.


By Janet Reynolds | Photos courtesy Chronicle Books

If you love to DIY and want to give your wedding a touch of personal elegance with a vintage

twist, Vintage Wedding Style is a great place to start your planning. Authored by wedding designer Elizabeth Demos, the book offers a multitude of creative ways to style and theme your wedding, from flowers to favors.

The suggestions and tips are told through specific weddings. Seth and Elizabeth, for instance were avid travelers who opted for a destination wedding. That idea became the theme of their wedding, starting with a save-the-date card incorporating a hand-drawn plane to the candle favors wrapped in vintage maps. Each story includes clear directions and photos for how to create your

version of some of these ideas. The projects are rated and also note how far in advance you should begin your creation, as well as what tools you’ll need.

For Demos the vintage focus is a logical jump from her years as an antique dealer. “I always default to vintage first,” she says. “I would gladly go to a flea market [rather] than a mall. Old stuff has more character and soul.”

Weddings, she says, are the perfect place to explore, adding a bit of the old with the new — and maybe something borrowed, something blue? “Weddings are an ideal place for it, full of traditional and generational connections,” she says, noting adding a vintage touch is growing in popularity.

The key, as with any theme or trend, is moderation, she says. “Use it but in a tailored way. Don’t cram in every element you can possibly add.”

Brides worried that they have to be expert crafters to add a personal touch to their wedding or to take on any of these projects should relax. Demos says her editors made sure she included projects for every ability and very detailed instructions. “I’m an instinctive crafter. I rarely read instructions. Because of that I assumed I wouldn’t

have to explain ‘get a glue gun,’” she says. “[The editors] were persistent. They said we have to make sure we’re talking to a large audience and not eliminating anyone.”

In addition to being accessible, the projects in this book are also affordable. “The only time they’re unaffordable is if you have to do hundreds and hundreds of something. “

Demos offers some tips for those planning fall and winter

weddings. “With fall and winter you can layer more,” she says. “You can do stuff that’s more rich, play with layers and candlelights.”

For colors, she says the opportunity for unusual color combinations is broader. “I like to play with weird color combinations. In fall you can do a lot of strange combinations — citron with browns and grays. It’s an opportunity to do something more clever. In spring and summer you have every flower in the universe to choose from. Come winter you may have sticks and pumpkins. You have to be more creative but the reward is you get something that’s definitely different.”

Vintage Wedding Style, More Than 25 Simple Projects and Endless Inspiration for Designing Your Big Day, by Elizabeth Demos, Chronicle Books, 208 pages, $30.

Want to learn how to make collage paper-weight decorations like the ones pictured at left? Go to timesunion.com/vow.


Flowers are anything but a side thought in a wedding. The right flowers will complete the look on everything from your dress and those of your bridal party to the tables and vibe at your reception.

Whether you are planning a traditional, trendy, elaborate, country or simple get-together, there are plenty of top choices trending in wedding flowers for fall and winter nuptials. Here’s what local florists and designers say area couples are choosing these days for their special day.

Trends in fall and winter wedding flowers By Lee Nelson

What’s In…What’s Outin TEXTURE & ORGANIC

Twigs, berries, winter greens, pumpkins in the fall, gourds and all sorts of fruits and vegetables are being used as centerpieces at the reception, says Peters. “They add interest and depth. I’ve used artichokes quite often in arrangements. We’ve even scooped out the flesh and put in votive candles or taper candles.”

She’s also using ornamental kale with its ruffled edges and herbs such as the frilly dill or lavender in arrangements and bouquets. Peters paints twigs and branches white for winter events and hangs crystals or votive candles from the branches. “It just catches the light right. I believe this look will stay around awhile.”

Manchester is using a lot of pine cones, dried pods and evergreens to her creations for those interested in a more natural look.

out TIGHT BOUQUETS with lots of different flowers bunched together and bridesmaids holding just one flower

“Just using one flower at a time for the bridesmaids or a centerpiece is definitely out,” Manchester says. “Girls want their bouquets more spread out so you can see each individual flower.”

in BABY’S BREATH

With its light and elegant appearance, baby’s breath is making a big comeback as the star of wedding bouquets, boutonnieres and centerpieces all by itself. “It gives a romantic feel with just big bunches of these white showy flowers in any season,” says Michele Peters, owner of Ambiance Florals & Events in Albany. “They don’t want the baby’s breath mixed with flowers. They want them alone in big bunches. You can get them in pink, but most of the brides want them in all white. It’s a very clean look when done right.”

Michaela Manchester, floral

designer at Felthousen’s Florist & Greenhouse, Schenectady, agrees. “The lacy appearance of the flowers is great as a country-chic thing with the container being a Mason jar. Or they can be elegant in a tall pilsner container.”

in CARNATIONS

That may surprise people, Splendido says. “But they are making a huge comeback with antiquated colors. They are gorgeous. They resemble peonies with their ruffled edges. There is a huge variety to pick from. It makes me happy because they smell good, last a long time and present well.”

will never be out ROSES

“They continue to be one of the most popular flowers,” Peters says. “Any flower grouped together by itself is beautiful.”

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in MUTED COLORS

“It’s a return to romance with a modern twist,” says Karen Splendido, owner of Splendid Stems in Niskayuna. She is seeing pale peach as a hit when combined with accent colors of sage green and silver. Champagne and light pink are catching on, too, as favorite colors with many brides wanting to add that softness in everything from the dresses to the flowers.

out BRIGHT COLORS

Brides used to want the oranges, yellows, bright pinks and purples splashed everywhere in their ceremony and reception. No more. “Last year we had so many more bright colors. But now it’s very soft colors.” Manchester says.

out TRADITIONAL FALL & WINTER COLORS

Very few brides are choosing the oranges, greens and reds for their flowers, says Peters. “So many of them want an all-white wedding with an accent color such as dark plum or eggplant.”

in BIG FLOWERS such as garden roses, peonies, dahlias, mums and hydrangeas in loose arrangements

“They want florals that are more free-form and have movement and shows off each flower,” Splendido says. “We’re seeing a lot less compacted bouquets and centerpieces, and more brides selecting flowers that aren’t too showy.”

continued on 48


in VINTAGE-STYLE EVERYTHING

Women are bringing in their grandmothers’ brooches, pearls, handkerchiefs or other handed-down items to be incorporated into their bouquets. Some have pieces of lace or satin from their mother’s or grandmother’s wedding gowns to put into their own bouquets. “It’s pretty, and it means something to them,” Peters says.

out OVER-THE-TOP BLING

“There are still girls that love the bling. But there is a lot less of it,” Manchester says.

in BOWS AND CANDLES down the aisle

“Lots of girls just like some bows on the pews,” says Manchester. Keeping it simple has been the trend. Some will have pillar candles in glass cylinders with flowers on top positioned down the aisle either on pedestals or on the ground.

out CHURCH WEDDINGS

“Ninety-five percent of the weddings I plan don’t take place in a church. If they don’t have a big religious background, they choose a reception place where they can have the wedding ceremony, too,” Splendido says.

continued from 47

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in SIMPLE BOUTONNIERE CHOICES such as a single rose bud with berries for foliage, a single calla lily or miniature botanicals put together

“These pick up on what the bride is carrying,” says Peters.

out SEVERAL FLOWERS IN A BOUTONNIERE

Keeping it simple is the definite style that grooms and brides are selecting these days, says Manchester.

in SUCCULENTS AND SMALL FERNS in the arrangements and bride’s bouquets

“They come in different colors such as dusty gray and purple. I like to use them in boutonnieres as a quirky element,” Splendido says.

out TROPICAL FLOWERS

“People around here don’t do a lot of tropical flowers. They are more traditional, even those brides who have a modern edge,” says Peters.

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ALBANY COUNTRY CLUB300 Wormer RoadVoorheesville, NY 12186518-765-2851albanycc.cc

ALBANY MARRIOTT HOTEL 189 Wolf Road Albany, NY 12205518-458-8444albanymarriott.com

ALTAMONT MANOR1047 Route 156Altamont, NY 12009518-861-8176thealtamontmanor.com

THE APPEL INN590 Route 146 Altamont, NY 12009518-861-6557appelinn.com

BAVARIAN MANOR COUNTRY INN & RESTAURANT866 Mountain Ave.Purling, NY 12470518-622-3261bavarianmanor.com

BIRCH HILL CATERING1 Celebration Way Schodak, NY 12033518-732-4444birchhillcatering.com

CANFIELD CASINO 1 East Congress St.Saratoga Springs, NY 12866518-587-3550 ext. 2471saratoga-springs.org

CAREY CONFERENCE CENTER 63 Huyck RoadRensselaerville, NY 12147518-797-5100careyconferencecenter.org

CAROUSEL BALLROOMS AT STERUP SQUARE 2113 New York 7 Troy, NY 12180518-279-9600sterupsquare.com

CENTURY HOUSE 997 New Loudon Road (Route 9) Latham, NY 12110518-785-0834thecenturyhouse.com

CROWNE PLAZA ALBANY HOTEL40 Lodge St.Albany, NY 12207518-462-4611cpalbany.com

THE DESMOND 660 Albany Shaker RoadAlbany, NY 12211 518-869-8100 desmondhotelsalbany.com

EAGLE CREST GOLF CLUB1004 Route 146AClifton Park, NY 12065518-877-7082eaglecrestgolf.com

THE EDISON CLUB891 Riverview RoadRexford, NY 12148518-399-2393edisonclub.com

THE EPICUREAN BISTRO & WINE BAR 579 Troy Schenectady Road (Latham Farms)Latham, NY 12110518-786-8272Epicurean-ny.com

THE EXCELSIOR BALLROOM47 Excelsior Ave.518-886-0020

FAIRWAYS OF HALFMOON17 Johnson RoadMechanicville, NY 12118518-664-1578fairwaysofhalfmoon.com

FRANKLIN PLAZA BALLROOM4 Fourth St.Troy, NY 12180518-270-9622franklinplaza.com

GIDEON PUTNAM RESORT & SPA24 Gideon Putnam RoadSaratoga Springs, New York 12866866-890-1171gideonputnam.com

GLEN SANDERS MANSION1 Glen AvenueScotia, NY 12302518-374-7262glensandersmansion.com

HALL OF SPRINGS108 Avenue of the PinesSaratoga Springs, NY 12866518-583-3003hallofsprings.com

HILTON GARDEN INN AT ALBANY MEDICAL CENTER62 New Scotland Ave.Albany, NY 12208518-396-3500albanymedicalcenter.stayhgi.com

HILTON GARDEN INN CLIFTON PARK30 Clifton Country RoadClifton Park, NY 12065518-371-7777angelosprimebarandgrill.com

HOLIDAY INN – SARATOGA SPRINGS232 BroadwaySaratoga Springs, NY 12866518-584-4550saratogahi.com

**Bold listings indicate advertisers


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Photo by Candidly Beth Photography

HOLIDAY INN EXPRESS AND SUITES IN LATHAM400 Old Loudon RoadLatham, NY 12110518-783-6161hielatham.com

THE HOLIDAY INN – ALBANY205 Wolf RoadAlbany, NY 12205518-458-7264 ext. 421hialbanywolf.com

HUNTER MOUNTAIN7740 Main St.Hunter, NY 12442518-263-5580 huntermtn.com

THE INN AT ERLOWEST 3178 Lake Shore Drive Lake George, NY 12845518-668-5928theinnaterlowest.com

THE INN AT SARATOGA231 BroadwaySaratoga Springs, NY 12866518-583-1890theinnatsaratoga.com

JIMINY PEAK MOUNTAIN RESORT37 Corey RoadHancock, MA 01237413-738-5500 ext 3930 jiminypeak.com

KEY HALL AT PROCTORS436 State St.Schenectady, NY 12305518-881-4501onereputation.com/keyhall

THE LAZY SWAN GOLF AND COUNTRY CLUB VILLAGE 1754 Old Kings HighwaySaugerties, NY 12477845-247-0075thelazyswan.com

LONGFELLOWS INN AND RESTAURANT500 Union Ave.Saratoga Springs, NY 12866518-587-0108longfellows.com

MALLOZZI’S BANQUET AND BALLROOMS1930 Curry RoadSchenectady, NY 12303518-355-0340mallozzis.com

MICHAEL’S BANQUET HOUSE1019 New Loudon Road Cohoes, NY 12047518-785-8524michaelsbanquethouse.com

MOHAWK RIVER COUNTRY CLUB847 Riverview Road Rexford, NY 12148518-399-1920mohawkrivercc.com

NATIONAL MUSEUM OF DANCE 99 South BroadwaySaratoga Springs, NY 12866518-584-2225 ext. 3003dancemuseum.org

OLD DALEY INN CATERING2 Northern DriveTroy, NY 12182518-235-2656olddaleyinn.com

ORCHARD CREEK GOLF CLUB – HELDERVIEW WEDDINGS6700 Dunnsville RoadAltamont, NY 12009518-861-5000orchardcreek.com

THE OTESAGA RESORT HOTEL 60 Lake St.Cooperstown, NY 13326800-348-6222otesaga.com

PARK MCCULLOUGH1 Park St.North Bennington, VT 05257802-442-5441parkmccullough.org

THE RENSSELAER235 Hoosick St.Troy, NY 12180518-953-1983therensselaer.com

RIVER STONE MANOR1437 Amsterdam Road Glenville, NY 12302518-382-8322riverstonemanor.com

THE SAGAMORE110 Sagamore RoadBolton Landing, NY12814518-644-9400thesagamore.com

SARATOGA HILTON 534 Broadway Saratoga Springs, NY 12866518-693-1004thesaratogahotel.com

SARATOGA NATIONAL GOLF CLUB458 Union AvenueSaratoga Springs, NY 12866518-583-4653golfsaratoga.com

SARATOGA POLO ASSOCIATION2 Bloomfield RoadGreenfield, NY 12833518-584-8108saratogapolo.com

SARATOGA SPRINGS COURTYARD BY MARRIOTT11 Excelsior Ave. Saratoga Springs, NY 12866 518-226-0538www.courtyardsaratoga.com

SETTLES HILL BANQUETS & EVENTS 1123 Settles Hill RoadAltamont, NY 12009518-355-0460SettlesHillBanquets.com

SHAKER RIDGE COUNTRY CLUB802 Albany Shaker RoadLoudonville, NY 12211518-389-2889shakerridge.com

SHORELINE CRUISES 2 Kurosaka LaneLake George, NY 12845518-668-4644lakegeorgeshoreline.com

THE STATE ROOM 142 State St.Albany, NY 12207518-432-7773thestateroomalbany.com

THE STOCKADE INN1 North Church St. Schenectady, NY 12305518-346-3400stockadeinn.com

TASTE30 South Pearl S.Albany, NY 12207518-694-3322tastealbany.com

TURNING STONE5218 Patrick RoadVerona, NY 134781-888-361-7958turningstone.com/wedding

WOLFERTS ROOST COUNTRY CLUB120 Van Rensselaer Blvd.Albany, NY 12204518-449-3223wolfertsroost.com

WINDHAM MOUNTAIN33 Clarence LaneWindham, NY 12496518-734-4300 x 1382windhammountain.com

PHOTOGRAPHERS/VIDEOGRAPHERS

BLACKBURN PORTRAIT DESIGNBallston Spa518-584-4237susanblackburn.biz

C.A. MOORE PHOTOGRAPHYAlbany518-312-6968www.camoorephoto.com

CANDIDLY BETH PHOTOGRAPHYBeth ShawSuite 314 Collamer Building 480 Broadway, Saratoga Springs518-309-4325candidlybeth.com

CAPTURED MOMENTS BY SHARON MAHARStillwater518-664-5233cmbsm.vpweb.com

CHRISTINA PRIMERO PHOTOGRAPHY 391 Albany Shaker RoadLoudonville, NY 12211518-482-4132primerophoto.com

CREATIVE EXPRESSIONS PHOTOGRAPHY BY JOAN HEFFLERSchenectady518-346-4485joanhefflerphotography.com

DENIS J. NALLY PHOTOGRAPHY55 Altamont RoadVoorheesville, NY 12186518-765-2299denisjnallyphotography.com

DEXTER DAVIS PHOTOGRAPHY & VIDEO518-391-2338dexphotos.com

DINO PETROCELLI PHOTOGRAPHY872 Old Albany Shaker RoadAlbany, NY 12110518-785-7656dinopetrocelliphoto.com

EMERSON PHOTOGRAPHY518-229-4498emersonphotography.me

EMMA DODGE HANSON PHOTOGRAPHYP.O. Box 772Saratoga Springs, NY 12866518-587-4282emmadodgehanson.com

FOLEY PHOTOGRAPHY518-879-8580jefffoley.com

FRED RICARD PHOTOGRAPHY518-432-0736ricardphoto.com

HITCH PHOTOGRAPHY518-577-7002hitchphoto.com


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JESSICA PAINTER PHOTOGRAPHYAlbany, NY 518-542-3346Jessicapainter.com

ELARIO PHOTOGRAPHY INC.1084 Madison AvenueAlbany, NY 12208518-438-0989elariophotography.com

KEESE PHOTOBOOTHS AND VIDEO PRODUCTION518-729-3509nyphotobooths.com

KEITH HITLIN PHOTOGRAPHYEast Greenbush, NY 518-336-5370khitlinphoto.com

MCGARRY PHOTOGRAPHY14 Continental RoadSchenectady, NY 12306518-355-7030mcgarryphotography.com

MICHAEL GALLITELLI34 Crumitie Road, Loudonville518-459-8050metrolandphoto.com

MYSTIC PHOTO/VIDEO4 Aster St.Schenectady, NY 12306518-265-4481mysticphotovideo.com

NIKI ROSSI PHOTOGRAPHYSaratoga Springs518-495-1593nikirossi.com

OVERTIME PHOTOGRAPHY60 Sisco Street P.O. Box 413Westport, NY 12993518-569-7272overtimephotography.com

PHOTO PHRAME PHOTOGRAPHYCohoes, NY518-258-1832ph3pix.com

PRECIOUS MEMORIES692 Stillwater Bridge RoadSchaghticoke, NY 12154518-664-2181preciousmemories-video.com

RAY ZANTA VIDEO518-877-5936zantavideo.com

SHANNON DECELLE PHOTOGRAPHY518-495-2314shannondecellephotography.com

SILHOUETTE ART ON VIDEOBridal Resource Center Kimberley’s Square518-464-0364artonvideo.com

SUSAN KNOTT PHOTOGRAPHY518-369-6057SusanKnottPhotography.com

T.R. LAZ PHOTOGRAPHY125 Wolf RoadAlbany, NY 12205518-458-7008trlaz.com

VISCOSI PHOTOGRAPHY 296 Albany Bush Road, Johnstown(518) 762-2780viscosiphotography.com

THE WHITE STUDIO14 Fuller RoadAlbany, NY 12205518-438-7343whitestudio.com

CAKES AND CATERERS

2SHEA CATERING802 Albany Shaker RoadAlbany, NY 12211518-389-28892sheacatering.com

BELLA NAPOLI BAKERY672 New Loudon RoadLatham, NY 12110888-800-0103bellanapolibakery.com

BLACK DIAMOND CATERERS44 Phila St. (Rear) Saratoga Springs, NY 12866518-581-7450blackdiamondcaterers.com

CAKES BY KATHYNassau518-755-8621veryspecialcakes.com

CLASSÉ CATERING2 Petra LaneAlbany, NY 12205518-690-0293classecatering.com

COCCADOTTS CAKE SHOP1179 Central Ave.Albany, NY 12205518-438-4937coccadotts.com

CREO’ CATERS1475 Western Ave.Albany, NY 12203518-795-4581creocaters.com

ELEGANT TOUCH CATERING COMPANY6787 Route 158Guilderland, NY 12009518-356-5008theeleganttouch.com

J&S WATKINS HOMEBAKED DESSERTS1675 Route 9Clifton Park, NY 12065 518-383-1148jswatkins.com

THE LILY AND THE ROSESaratoga Springs, NY518-587-1953lilyandtherose.com

MAKE ME A CAKE NEXT DOOR378 Delaware Ave.Delmar. NY 12054518-439-4040cakesnextdoor.com

MANSION CATERING 518-374-7262mansioncatering.com

NICOLE’S CATERING AND RESTAURANT 556 Delaware Ave. Albany, NY 12209518-436-4952nicolescatering.com

PANZA’S RESTAURANT510 Route 9PSaratoga Springs, NY 12866518-584-6882panzasrestaurant.com

VILLA ITALIA226 BroadwaySchenectady, NY 12305518-355-1144villaitaliabakery.com

TRANSPORTATION

ALL OCCASIONS LIMO518-479-5466allocclimo.com

CAPITAL REGION LIMOUSINE45 Stirrup DriveEast Greenbush, NY 12061518-479-2020crlimos.com

CELEBRITY LIMOUSINE SERVICE4280 Route 43Rensselaer, NY 12144518-283-5466yourthecelebrity.com

CLASSIC LIMOUSINE 137 Lark St. Albany, NY 12210518-355-3009albanyclassiclimo.com

PREMIERE TRANSPORTATION GROUP 456 North Pearl St.Albany, NY 12204518-459-6123premierelimo.com

TODAY’S LIMOUSINE LLC2622 Seventh Ave.Watervliet, NY 12189518-452-4242 todayslimo.com

RENTAL SERVICES

C.W. WHALEN & SONS5 North St.Troy, NY 12182518-274-4412whalentent.com

CLIFTON PARK RENTAL CENTER871 Main St.Clifton Park, NY 12065518-877-7449cliftonparkrental.com

JAY’S TENT RENTALSDelmar888-373-2449jaystentrentals.com



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RAIN OR SHINE TENT COMPANY167 Wall St.Grangerville, NY 12871800-647-6054tentrent.com

TABLECLOTHS FOR GRANTED, LTD. 510 Union St.Schenectady, NY 12305518-370-5481tableclothsforgranted.com

TOTAL EVENTS MANAGEMENT4021 State St.Niskayuna, NY 12304518-383-8602totaleventsmanagement.com

TREMONT ABOUT TOWN EVENTSP.O. Box 519 2897 Route 43 Averill Park, NY518- 674-8280tremontrentals.com

SALONS/SPAS

ALLURE SALON 1675 Route 9 (Watkins Plaza) Clifton Park, NY 12065518-371-7200alluresaloncliftonpark.com

CAPITAL CARE FAMILY MEDESTHETICSSlingerlands Family Medicine1882 New Scotland Rd., Suite 200Slingerlands, NY 12159518-429-2909CapitalCareFamilyMed Esthetics.com

CLASSICAL CONCEPTS SALON & SPA323 BroadwaySaratoga Springs, NY 12866518-587-6039classicalconceptsaveda.com

COMPLEXIONS SPA & SALON221 Wolf RoadAlbany, NY 12205518-690-0615complexions.com

GENESIS HAIR SALON 1658 Central Ave.Albany, NY 12205-4029 518-869-9696

JEAN PAUL DAY SPA & HAIR SALONSStuyvesant PlazaAlbany, NY 12203518-482-2121jeanpaulspa.com

JEFFREY R. RIDHA M.D., P.C.83 Railroad PlaceSaratoga Springs, NY 12866518-306-5466drridha.com

KIMBERLEY’S A DAY SPA982 New Loudon RoadLatham, NY 12110518-785-5868kimberleysadayspa.com

MAKE ME FABULOUS32 Front St.Ballston Spa, NY 12020518-885-2929 makemefabulous.com

MARIPOSA STUDIO475 Albany Shaker RoadLoudonville, NY 12211518-729-4215albanymariposa.com

RUMORS626 New Loudon RoadLatham, NY 12110518-786-1777rumorsinc.com

RUNI THE IMAGE CENTER1811 Western Ave.Albany, NY 12203518-869-3900runiltd.com

SANCTUARY SPA OF SARATOGA72 Railroad PlaceSaratoga Springs, NY 12866518-587-5219sanctuarysaratoga.com

SPA CASCADA487 Broadway (Second Level)Saratoga Springs, NY 12866518-583-4850cascadasalonandspa.com

STILETTO SALON1315 Central Ave.Albany, NY 12205518-437-3471stilettosalon.com

LIVE MUSIC

A TOUCH OF WOODWINDS518-372-2129atouchofwoodwinds.com

ELIZABETH MERIWETHER HUNTLEY (HARPIST)Greenfield Center, NY 12833518-893-7495emhuntley.com

THE HARMONY BAND518-357-8098theharmonyband.com

HARRY G. PELLEGRIN (CLASSICAL GUITARIST)518-346-5827pellegrinlowend.com/wedding

HIGH DEFINITION BAND518-584-4174highdefinitionband.com

THE KAREN LAWRENCE BAND518-664-8310karenlawrenceband.com

KELLY BIRTCH (SOLO GUITARIST)646-284-3418kellybirtch.com

LEE WADDELL (PIANIST)518-331-6007onthewebserver.com/leewaddell/piano.html

MARLOWE & COMPANY ENTERTAINMENT518-272-0652marlowemusic.com

MICHAEL POPKIN (PIANIST)800-350-7426popkinpiano.com

NEW YORK PLAYERS518- 482-8252newyorkplayers.com

THE SAINTS OF SWING845-647-7291saintsofswing.com

SPA CITY DUO (VIOLIN/CELLO DUO)Spacityduo.com

TOP SHELF518-766-4447topshelfband.com


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D.J.S

CAP CAPELLO11 Nott Road Rexford, NY 12148518-399-7451 imadj.com

CAPITAL DISC JOCKEYSAlbany, NY518-372-7121capitaldiscjockeys.com

CONWAY ENTERTAINMENT683 New Loudon RoadLatham, NY 12110800-882-7216conwayentertainment.com

COOL CAT ENTERTAINMENT & PARTY STORE19 Glenridge RoadGlenville, NY 12302518-384-2288coolcatdj.com

DANCIN’ TIME DJ & DANCE ENTERTAINMENT444 BroadwaySaratoga Springs, NY 12866518-542-4272dancintime.com

ELITE SOUNDS ENTERTAINMENT518-955-8469elitesoundsentertainment.com

ENTERTAINMENT ASSOCIATES518-452-1517

FRASIER ENTERTAINMENTP.O. Box 3919Albany, NY 12203518-355-8855frasierentertainment.com

KING ENTERTAINMENT518-466-9947kingdj.com

MUSIC MAN ENTERTAINMENTP.O. Box 48 Amsterdam, NY 12010518-842-4065musicmanentertainment.com

PAUL MALO DJ SERVICESClifton Park518-383-3978

THE PIANO MAN’S DJ PRODUCTIONS683 New Loudon RoadLatham, NY 12110518-489-4000www.pianomandj.com

RICK ANGERAMIAlbany518-869-6675rickangerami.com

RIC MITCHELLClifton Park, NY 352-874-7544ricmitchell.com

SOUND CONTROL DJ’SEast Greenbush, NY 12061518-479-7257soundcontroldiscjockeys.com

FLORAL DESIGN

ARIELLA CHEZAR DESIGNSaratoga Springsariellaflowers.com

CENTRAL MARKET FLORIST AT PRICE CHOPPERSeveral Capital District Locations873 New Loudon RoadLatham, NY 12110518-782-0136 myfloralplace.com

DANKER FLORIST658 Central Ave. Albany, NY518-489-5461 dankerflorist.com

EMIL J NAGENGAST FLORIST169 Ontario St. Albany, NY 12206 518-434-1125 nagengast.com

EXPERIENCE & CREATIVE DESIGN, LTD.510 Union St.Schenectady, NY 12305518-374-6885experienceandcreativedesign.com

FELTHOUSEN’S FLORIST & GREENHOUSE1537 Van Antwerp RoadSchenectady, NY 12309518-374-4414FelthousensFlorist.com

THE FIREFLY FLORIST1613 Union St.Schenectady, NY 12309518-377-9277fireflyflorist.com

FLEURTACIOUS DESIGNS470 North Greenbush Road Rensselaer, NY 12144518-283-7262fleurtaciousdesigns.com

THE FLORAL GARDEN340 Delaware Ave.Delmar, NY 12054518-478-7232thefloralgarden.net

FRANK GALLO & SON FLORIST1601 State St.Schenectady, NY 12304& other locations518-346-6171frankgallo.com

THE POSIE PEDDLER92 West Ave.Saratoga Springs, NY 12866518-587-8273posiepeddler.com

RENAISSANCE FLORAL DESIGN1561 Western Ave.Albany, NY 12203518-464-6002renaissancefloraldesign.com

SURROUNDINGS FLORAL145 Vly Road (Shaker Pine Plaza)Schenectady, NY 12309518-464-1382surroundingsfloral.com

GOWNS AND FORMALWEAR

ANGELA’S BRIDAL1811 Western Ave.Westmere PlazaAlbany, NY 12203518-869-1848angelasbridal.net

THE BRIDAL GALLERY BY YVONNE 895 New Loudon RoadLatham, NY 12110518-782-9333bridalgallerybyyvonne.com

THE BRIDAL ROSE BOUTIQUE133 N. Allen St. Albany, NY 12206518-482-3079

BRIDES AND MORE DISCOUNT BRIDAL202 S Central Ave.Mechanicville, NY 12118 518-664-1189

DE ANNA’S BRIDAL 3991 Route 43 West Sand Lake, NY 12196518 283-6252

CHOPPA AND SON FORMAL WEAR1020 Central Ave.Albany, NY 12205518-453-2202choppatux.com



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DANIELLE’S BRIDAL BOUTIQUE 75 Weibel Ave. Saratoga Springs, NY 12866518-584-7067daniellesbridalofsaratoga.com

DAVID’S BRIDAL1440 Central Ave.Albany, NY 12205518-437-1223davidsbridal.com

FANCY SCHMANCY1800 Western Ave.Albany, NY 12203518-452-1269fancyschmancycouture.com

FERRI FORMALS AND BRIDALS1608 Union St.Schenectady, NY 12309 518-374-3464ferriformals.com

FUTIA’S TUXEDOS 1289 Central Ave.Albany, NY 12205518-436-7177futias-formalwear.com

JOCELYNN’S BRIDAL1705 Route 9Clifton Park, NY 12065518-371-1199jocelynnsbridal.com

JULIET HOUSE OF BRIDES 897 Troy Schenectady RoadLatham, NY 12110518-785-5262

LILY SARATOGA6 Franklin SquareSaratoga Springs, NY 12866518-587-5017lilysaratoga.com

MEN’S WEARHOUSE18 Wolf Road Colonie, NY 12205518-459-3682menswearhouse.com

SOMETHING BLEU BRIDAL75 Woodlawn Ave.Saratoga Springs, NY 12866518-584-0962somethingbleubridal.com

TUXEGORoute 7 Peter Harris Plaza952 Troy Schenectady RoadLatham, NY 12110518-783-0260tuxego.com

TUXEGO OF CLIFTON PARK1505 Route 9Clifton Park, NY 12065518-383-7701upstatetuxego.com

WALDORF TUXEDO204 Lancaster St.Albany, NY 12210-1941518-449-5011waldorftuxedo.com

WEDDING PLANNER

BRIDAL RESOURCE CENTER471 Albany-Shaker RoadAlbany, NY 12211518-464-4111albanyweddings.com

CHRISTINE A. WHEAT SPECIAL EVENTS432 Broadway Suite 4Saratoga Springs, NY 12866518-584-1333cweventsfirm.com

DEBBIE MCNAIRY WEDDING COORDINATORQueensbury, NY 12804518-798-6228debbiemcnairy.com

DEBORAH DEPASQUALE DESIGNS51 Ash St.Saratoga Springs, NY 12866518-944-8951deborahdepasqualedesigns.com

INSPIRED OCCASIONS518-487-8128inspired-occasions.com

KATIE O WEDDINGS AND EVENTSLatham, NY 12110 518-275-6813katieoevents.com

LISA LIGHT LTDP.O. Box 142 39 Kinderhook St.Chatham, New York 12037518-392-7766 - Hudson Valley Office518-682-2499 - Saratoga Officedestinationbride.com

SIMPLY ELEGANT WEDDINGS & EVENTS518-817-7085albanyeventplanner.com

USA WEDDINGS125 Wolf RoadAlbany, NY 12205518-458-7008usaweddings.com

WEDDING PLANNING PLUS518-269-1243weddingplanningplus.net

INVITATIONS/ STATIONERY

AV COSTA450 Fulton St.Troy, NY 12181518-274-7075avcosta.com

ADDRESSES & MORE1203 Fernwood DriveSchenectady, NY 12309518-382-0643addressesandmore.com

PEARL GRANT RICHMANSStuyvesant Plaza 1475 Western AvenueAlbany, NY 12203518-438-8409pearlgrant.com

OTHER SPECIALTIES

BEST CLEANERSVarious Capital District Locations518-458-BEST lookyourbest.com

BUMBLE BEADS594 New Loudon RoadLatham, NY 12110518-690-7896bumblebeadsstudio.com

CHOCOLATE GECKO21 Colvin Ave.Albany, NY 12206518-436-0866chocolategecko.com

COUNTIES OF IRELAND77 Third St.Troy, NY 12180518-687-0054thecountiesofireland.com

FENIMORE ASSET MANAGEMENT384 N. Grand St.Cobleskill, NY 12043518-234-4393famfunds.com

FOTOMAGIC5 Southside Drive Suite 159Clifton Park, NY 12065518-877-3046

FRANK ADAMS JEWELERSStuyvesant PlazaAlbany NY 12203 518-435-0075frankadams.com

GERTRUDE HAWK CHOCOLATESSeveral Capital District LocationsCrossgates Mall1 Crossgates Mall RoadAlbany, NY 12205518-464-5630gertrudehawkchocolates.com

VENT FITNESSSeveral Capital District locations518-464-1500ventfitness.com

LIBERTY TRAVELSeveral Capital District Locations518-456-8691libertytravel.com

MARY KAY COSMETICSBrenda L. Tholin Independent Beauty Consultant 518-884-8467marykay.com/btholin

MCGEARY’S TRAVEL1141 Central Ave. Ste. 3Albany, NY 12205518-436-3411mcgearystravel.com

PAULA JACKSON – CELEBRANTUpstate New York973-746-1792celebrantinstitute.org

SAMPAGUITA CUSTOM JEWELRY518-944-0463sampaguitacustomjewelry.com

SARATOGA PHOTO BOOTH CO. 51 Caroline St.Saratoga Springs, NY 12866518-584-6473saratogaphotobooth.com

STICKLEY FURNITURE151 Wolf RoadAlbany, NY 12205518-458-1846stickleyaudi.com

YANKEE TRAILS569 Third Avenue ExtensionRensselaer, NY 12144518-286-2400yankeetrails.com

YOUR GOWN AGAIN1229 Central Ave.Albany, NY 12205518-669-7248yourgownagain.com



If I knew then what I know now

| I do redo |

My dress didn’t fit. The store from which I ordered it did not carry the designer and the seamstress had no clue how to fit it to my body or bustle it. My beautiful dress was not done justice and it is my one and only huge regret. If I could do it again I would buy the same dress from a shop who carries the designer so the seamstresses are familiar with the intricacies of the designs and materials. ” — M.C

“

The only regret I have is my dress. At the time, I wanted a really simple, casual, comfy dress. I wanted it white but not bride-like. Now I don’t know what I was thinking! I watch bridal shows in envy of the beautiful gowns. Oh well, live and learn for next time … just kidding! ” — Kara

“

I wouldn’t change anything except the fact that I felt my hairdresser stressed me out. I wouldn’t use her again. She was the only one that would open up early (since my wedding was at 10:30 a.m.). We had to start at 6:30 a.m. so I couldn’t use my normal hairdresser, so I had to use this other hairdresser and I felt like she was lollygagging along and, I felt like my hair wasn’t done up tight enough. By the end of the day, some of the flowers were falling out. It annoyed me. ” — Bridget

“

I sometimes regret not having any guests at all, but not that much. Running off to Vermont and having a nice private weekend alone was the absolute best way to go. ” — Aaron

“

I loved my wedding. It was intimate and did not break the bank, but if I had to change anything, I would have allowed my father to walk me down the aisle. I had a touch of the feminist in me back then (11 years ago) and felt the whole concept of “giving away the bride” was patriarchal and dated. I felt that I was not chattel to be bargained for or exchanged and if anyone was going to “give me away” it would be me. My father respected my feminist stance and never pressed the issue, but I think it hurt his feelings a little. In looking back on the day, it would not have betrayed my ideals to take that walk with my daddy. Hey, perhaps I’ll renew my vows; do over! ” — Lany

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Advice from recent brides and grooms for enjoying your big day

Compiled by Brianna Snyder

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Last year over 2,000 brides said “yes” to CentralMarket Florist. Let us create the perfect

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