Mid-Century Modern Styled Photo Shoot at Old Daley’s on Yates.
What do you do for fun? A couple of times a year, I get to play with my vendor friends and do a styled photo shoot. We usually do this for a publication, but mostly just to have fun and play around with some different things.
Two weeks ago on a Sunday, I got together with some friends and did a Mid-century Modern Wedding Shoot–great fun! When I first saw Old Daley on Yates, I knew I would love photographing there. The 1950’s through the early 1960’s were a time of sleek lines, bright colors, futuristic shapes and materials, and just overall coolness. The Mid-century Modern look is characterized by a kind of minimalist design, so the decor details at the venue were perfect without being over the top, especially in the dining areas. The challenge when shooting an editorial like this is to keep the feel of the theme, but make sure it appeals to people now. I love the look of photographs by Richard Avedon and Irving Penn, so I wanted to use posing and lighting ideas from that period to get a more elegant look.
How perfect is this area when you just enter the venue?Obsessed with this one.The Production Assistant Kimberlee has an outstanding collection of vintage costume jewelry that we were able to use. I love these period pieces. They really pulled the looks together quite well.
We had the most awesome team of Wedding Friendors participating! Dresses were from Saratoga Elegance, Hair and Makeup was True Beauty, and Floral design was fromPoppy Tree. Suits for the men were provided by Jonathan Reid Menswear. And I actually got to use one of my own pieces–the bride is wearing a vintage bridal hat I scored a while back from Laura‘s Vintage.
Florals from Poppy Tree were on point for this theme–the colors are very much from the era.The ice buckets are actual vintage pieces that the venue has provided–so great!Cocktail food that would look accurate on the set of Madmen.Minimalist detail for the boutonniere. Love the discrete pattern on this suit.Don’t you just love the yellow taxi images on the wall in this area?The garage doors and the exposed pipes lend an industrial feel to the space. Slim line of the suit is very Rat Pack.The stylists did such a great update on the Motown look we were going for.How fun is this green sequined jumpsuit?One of my favorite images from the shoot.
Con The courtyard at the venue featured gas fired firepits.
This was just a really fun project to be part of. Be sure to look for the rest of the images in the Fall/Winter Edition of Saratoga Bride, which is due out this summer.
Everything you need to know about professionally retouched portrait photos.
Wow–for the second week in a row, I had a blog post all planned and then something came up that made me totally change my mind! Yesterday, the subject of professionally retouched portrait photos came up in conversation. Incredible!
People rarely talk about retouching in casual conversation! Most people don’t really understand what goes into retouching a portrait, so I would be happy to walk you through it quickly. There are some major misconceptions about retouching, mostly due to a lot of really bad retouching out there. In fact, I recently had a client ask me to not retouch their photos. When I demonstrated the difference, they understood that retouching is meant to enhance, not totally change the look of a person. Think of it as the best version of you.
The difference is subtle but evident.
I always start with a clear understanding of what I want to accomplish. We are starting with a very pretty bridal portrait that does not need a lot of work to begin with, in part because the makeup/hair stylist was wonderful. I always recommend stylists who have experience in working for print/weddings.
In the photo above, there were some very distracting stray hairs. They will need to be cleaned up without making it look fake or like she has a helmet on her head. The eyes look a tiny bit dark, so we want to enhance them slightly. This is one of those areas where if you enhance too much, they can look “creepy” or even demonic, so a light hand is imperative. Lastly, with cameras and lenses today, the final image can look a little too sharp sometimes. This can be noticeable in the texture of the skin. Our model here has a lovely “peaches and cream” complexion, but we do not want to see the actual powder or any dry skin. There were only a few tiny blemishes that needed to be corrected. So we need to smooth the skin without it looking plastic or doll like. She is a real person, and we want her to look real. We want to make the portrait look polished without looking fake.
For comparison, we have the correctly retouched version next to an overly retouched version. It was kind of fun to make it look bad. And for the record, when I was first learning to retouch, I was guilty of many poorly retouched images. It is easy when you are working so intently on something close up to go too far. In the over retouched version, you can see what I mean about plastic skin, helmet head and “creepy” eyes. Many times when photographers do not understand retouching, they throw a filter on their portraits and call it done. That is where plastic skin comes from–too much with the filter.
Close up of skin in normal retouching and over retouching. The one on the left leaves skin texture while the one on the right totally obliterated it.
So here were are again with the Before and After. Which do you prefer?
I think you will agree some degree of retouching is really necessary.
This past June I got to photograph a great wedding with a great story. Spoiler alert–Good things come to those who wait. Meghan and Sean were married on the most perfect day in the middle of the week in June at the Mansion Inn in Rock City Falls. It was such a pleasure watching their happiness among their family and friends! But I will let you read their story in Meghan’s words:
“For the longest time I felt like the girl from the movie 27 Dresses. I had been in 15 weddings and was Maid of Honor in four of them. I grew up in Saratoga Springs, NY and went to Siena College and had a great career locally–but wasn’t meeting Mr. Right and wanted to experience living in a big city. I decided to uproot everything and move to Boston in June of 2010 for a change of scenery and to expand my horizons and career. Sean had come to Boston, MA from his home in Cleveland, OH post law school in 2001. Sean and I met on July 13, 2015 for our first date after corresponding through Match.com for about a month. It is such a cliche statement, but I just knew that first date that Sean was the one.
Lots of original features at the Mansion make it a great Victorian Restoration.Rings from Tiffany & Co. with bride’s attire from Ferri Formals.
Loved these dresses from Ferri Formals in Schenectady.Gorgeous flowers from the Posie Peddler in Saratoga.
“We had a blast dating for two years, exploring Boston and travelling. On our two year dating Anniversary, July 13, 2017, Sean took me to the Envoy Hotel in Boston for dinner. After dinner we went up to the Envoy’s roof deck bar overlooking the Boston skyline and harbor. As the sun went down and the skyline lit up, Sean got down on one knee and asked me to marry him. I said YES!!!
Beautiful outdoor ceremony space in the gardens of the Mansion.
Sean and his mom in a candid moment right before the ceremony started.
Literally tying the knot with Reverend Joy Burke officiating.
I love candid moments.
Signing of the license–so important!
“Planning a wedding was overwhelming at first. We both have a lot of friends and big families. We had originally thought we’d do a huge 200 person wedding, but ultimately followed what felt right for us and had a more intimate ceremony and reception. Saratoga Springs is where I grew up and it just has a special place in my heart, so when we found the Mansion Inn could do everything for us with their Dare to Be Different Mid-Week package, we were thrilled and booked our dream wedding.
The Mansion has so many lovely locations for wedding portraits
Meghan has gorgeous eyes.
“Sean and I were married on a Tuesday, June 26, 2018 at 4PM at the Mansion in front of 80 of our closest friends and family. We were married outside under the trees and sun by Reverend Joy Burke, who provided a customized ceremony perfectly tailored to us. Saratoga Sound provided amazing music, Susan Blackburn captured all our most precious moments with her photography, and The Posie Peddler, Annie Brill and The Mansion did not miss one detail in making our day spectacular.
Welcome your guests with a Champagne Greeting Station.
Get the party started with great entertainment! Saratoga Sound is awesome!I love capturing details during the First Dance.
“Sean and I left the next day for a 9-Day Honeymoon in Italy. Sean and I both thought we would be married younger, but I at 40 and Sean at 42 can both say it is so worth waiting for the right one!”
Wedding Vendors for Meghan and Sean’s Mansion Inn Wedding in Saratoga:
The perceived high cost of Wedding Photography vs. the value of what you are getting–It can be an endless debate.
A formal properly posed and lit portrait of the bride and groom does not have to look like a typical wedding image. Proper posing and lighting separates professional photographers from the amateurs.
This is traditionally the time of year when couples begin planning their wedding. It is also the time of year when couples experience some serious sticker shock. Most people have no idea what a wedding will cost before they begin the planning process. Hence, they have no idea what wedding photography costs. And I might argue that they do not really know the value of their wedding photos until after the wedding. I personally believe that your wedding photos are not expensive–they are priceless. Really. Wedding Photography Cost vs Value is our topic today.
There is really not much of a margin for error in wedding photography. Bonus with this wedding at the National Museum of Dance is that no one jumped in front of me with their cell phone during this photo. LOL.
In any industry, there is a a Cost vs Value ratio. You can buy a leather purse at the local Target or you can buy one at Louis Vuitton. The cost of the materials and the labor are probably pretty much the same for both bags. I know this because I used to work in the garment industry. Which one do you think will last longer? Which one will come with a better experience? Do you want to use the self checkout at Target or do you want to be personally waited on by the salesperson at the Louis Vuitton boutique. There is no correct answer here–just trying to establish some perspective. Another analogy is hotel rooms. You can check into Motel 6 or you can check into The Pavilion Grand Hotel. They both have a bed for you to sleep in.
Seriously, moments like these are why I do what I do. If I had not been paying careful attention, I might have missed it.
Your Wedding Photos Are Priceless
So what is the Cost/Value we are talking about here and how does it relate to wedding photography? Over the years, I have heard many arguments for going with “less expensive” photography options for weddings.
Sure, there are photographers charging $1500 or less to shoot weddings out there. But in my 20+ years of being a wedding photographer, my experience has shown me that those photographers sometimes cut costs on important things including but not limited to: backup equipment, insurance, processing, and final products. Some are not collecting and paying State Sales Tax. Or reporting their income. As a small business owner, self employment tax can eat up one third of the gross profit.
For example, most of the good professional wedding photographers that I know and admire in this area charge upwards of $3,000 to cover a wedding all day. They go out with multiple camera bodies, lenses and strobes so they have backup in case something malfunctions. Most lower end photographers have one body, maybe two and they are not professional grade cameras. If you really think about it, do you want to miss great memories because the less expensive photographer you hired had their camera malfunction? This is what I am getting at when I say your wedding photos are priceless.
My dad has a 35 mm camera that is pretty good. He would be the first person to tell you he can’t make a photo like this. Just saying. Night shot in front of the Gideon Putnam in Saratoga Springs.
Professional vs. Amateur Photographers
One argument I hear is “My Uncle (friend, coworker) has a great camera. They are doing the photos for us for FREE.”
OK, everyone has a camera and cell phones are starting to have great built in cameras too. But honestly, I would not put my 82 year old mom in a Formula One race car and expect her to do the track in record time. Because that is what you are asking your Uncle/friend/coworker to do–a photography marathon that they really have no idea of what they are getting in to.
And how are you going to feel when they hand you a thumb drive with poorly posed, poorly lit images from an event you spent a year of your life planning? Will you even want to speak to them again? I have had to step in on more than one occasion to do post wedding images of a couple in their attire because they got a big, fat–NOTHING. Again, your wedding photos are not expensive, they are priceless.
I did an abbreviated coverage for this couple so they did not break the bank but still have awesome images. The venue is the newly renovated Queensbury Hotel in Glens Falls.
Hire the Best Wedding Photographer You Can Afford
Did you know that many really great photographers offer time based coverage? That means that if you can’t hire a fabulous photographer for all day, you can at least hire them for the important moments like the ceremony, the wedding portraits and the family portraits. Why not explore this option instead of just going for the all day coverage at $1500 option? Because again, your wedding photographs are not expensive–they are priceless.
October is the busiest month for Wedding Photographers here in Saratoga Springs NY. Fall is so popular here because we have cool, crisp air and vibrant fall colors. While I really should be blogging more, I just have not had the time due to shooting and editing some really glorious weddings. So instead of sharing every single wedding I have shot this fall, I have decided to just share some of my favorite wedding photos of some of my great couples.
Zach and Shannon got married at the Dance Museum in Saratoga Springs this past September, kicking off my fall weddingseason with a bang. We went downtown after their ceremony because the couple met at Max London’s and downtown is special to them.
Natural light on a street corner in downtown Saratoga Springs, NY.When we headed back to the Dance Museum, I captured a night shot outside in the portico.
I photographed Jen and David’s wedding at the historic Mansion in Saratoga NY.
First look on the porch at the Mansion Saratoga. First Look is a great idea if the wedding ceremony is later in the day but you still want some outdoor photos.It was pretty rainy, but it was not a problem because the Mansion has some great indoor locations. And I love the dress Jen chose–so pretty!
Carli and Ron held their reception at the Queensbury Hotel in Downtown Glens Falls NY. The building has been recently restored to it’s original grandeur and beauty.
The newly renovated ballroom at the Queensbury Hotel is stunning. The chandelier is original.
Stacy and Scott were a really fun couple to work with. They also had a rainy day, but we did manage to get some outdoor photos on the property of the Mansion.
Peak foliage calls for some selective focus to capitalize on the outstanding bouquet from the Posie Peddler and of course the lovely foliage.Final photo of the barn at the Mansion. Stacy brought and installed those fun lanterns in the barn herself. If you look closely, you can see the raindrops!
We have several more weddings this month that will also be lovely, so be sure to check back in to see those as well!
Did you enjoy this post on Fall Wedding photos in Upstate NY? You might also enjoy this wedding post.
Are you ready to book a wedding photographer for your wedding day? Please call us at (518) 584-4237 or use our Contact Form to schedule a consultation. I would love to photograph you!
Recently I had the wonderful opportunity of working with some very talented Saratoga Springs NY Wedding Vendors on a styled shoot for the Fall/Winter issue of Saratoga Bride Magazine. If you did not know, Saratoga Bride is an award winning publication created here in Saratoga. The magazine always features a ton of great photographs and articles, as well as planning tips and resources for local brides.
We were working on an editorial featuring Winter Wedding Trends at the Wedding Barn at Lakota’s Farm–in July. Yes, July. It was hot. It was sweaty. But it was also really great! I always like to see what other vendors can do when they are allowed to just let their imaginations run wild. The general idea was a Winter Wedding in a rustic setting, but with a glamorous twist. Fabulous dresses, gorgeous flowers and tablescapes, and hair and makeup that was stunning–it doesn’t get any better than that!
Here is a short slide show video I created of some of my favorite photos:
I am really excited for this magazine to come out because in addition to this photo shoot being featured, quite a few of my Winter Brides will be in the Real Brides section of the magazine. The magazine just went to print the other day, so it should hit the stands in a week or two. Make sure you get a copy! If you can’t find a physical copy, don’t worry. They have an online version of Saratoga Bride as well.
Ready to schedule a consultation for your wedding? Call (518) 584-4237 and let’s chat. Or use our Contact Form. We would love to photograph your wedding!
Wedding Season is rolling around here once again in Saratoga Springs. And with it, I am going to discuss a topic that is sometimes a little delicate, shall we say? As Wedding Photographers in Saratoga Springs NY, we work with lots of different people. Most of my clients I absolutely adore. But once in a while, there can be a Bridezilla.
I said it. I take the unique view that most people who act like Bridezillas are not doing it because they like that title. Note that I said “most” not “all.” Some people like being difficult, but that is a subject for a later date. I am talking about the ones who are just so stressed out they don’t know what to do with themselves. They have most likely never planned a wedding before. So let me give you, dear Reader, some tips on how to be a Wedding Vendor’s Favorite Client.
It is all about managing stress. To get yourself on the right foot, think of Wedding Planning as you would any Project Management scenario. Do not over complicate the process. You are executing a shared goal while managing time and budget constraints. Your Wedding Vendors are all part of the team to make that happen. To make sure you have an optimal outcome, you need to communicate your vision clearly with people whose work you love and who you trust.
Single Point of Contact: Assigning a single point of communication makes everyone’s life easier in the long run. It will make the process much smoother if your vendor is communicating with the same person all the time. The bride can be on point for flowers, photography, and venue while the groom is on point for DJ, transportation, and hotel reservations. You can divvy it up whichever way you like. And keep in mind that sometimes it is better and faster to communicate over the phone instead of via text or email.
Realistic Cost Expectations: Certainly have a budget/price estimate in line for each vendor. But also realize that flat cost of goods is not the only thing that goes into pricing. Expertise is important and has a value as well. In fact, an experienced vendor can show you ways to maximize your budget and still get the look you want. You might need to be a little flexible and open to suggestions though. Maybe the flowers you want are out of season, but your florist can suggest something similar that will work just as well.
Respect Your Vendors’ Time: Everyone is super busy these days. As a client, one of the things you can do to make our jobs easier is to respond promptly to questions or requests so we don’t need to track you down. Honor all appointment times and try to keep last minute cancellations to an absolute minimum.
Clearly Communicate Expectations: The plan for your wedding will probably evolve over time. However, starting out with a shared vision and basic expectations is very important. This is especially true in terms of budget. Surprises should be of the pleasant variety only.
Pay Promptly: This is a big one. Discuss Terms of Payment with each wedding vendor BEFORE you sign a contract. Make sure you understand those terms. Once the bills start rolling in, pay the invoices on time. Do not make your vendors chase you for payment–it can cause some really hard feelings.
Respect Their Experience: You have chosen your wedding vendors based on their experience and portfolio. If you have clearly communicated your wishes and expectations, you will need to trust that they will do the best possible job they can.
We are very fortunate here in Saratoga Springs. Wedding Vendors in the area for the most part are top notch professionals and love what they do. So relax and enjoy the process.
Would you like to schedule an appointment to talk about your event? As wedding photographers in Saratoga Springs NY, we would love to chat! Please call (518) 584-4237 or use our Contact Form. We would love to hear from you!
Photographer Susan Blackburn of Susan Blackburn Photography provides the finest in Portrait and Wedding Photography. Susan serves Saratoga Springs, Lake George and the Adirondack Regions. She is also available for travel assignments. Susan has been a professional photographer for 20 years. Her goal has always been simple—take pictures that her clients love.
Are you stressing about planning your Wedding Day Timeline? As a Wedding Photographer I spend a lot of time planning Wedding Day Timelines with all my clients. One really crucial element in planning is when your Saratoga Wedding Photographer should arrive. Don’t fret–I’ve got you covered.
Ashley’s gorgeous dress and veil were from LIly Saratoga.
These are a few questions I always ask my couples to think about when beginning to plan the Wedding Day Timeline:
What time of day does your ceremony begin? We always work backwards from the start time of the ceremony because the ceremony is the most important part of the Timeline. I know that the ushers need to start seating guests 20 minutes prior to the start of the ceremony. The groom needs to be in place wherever the officiant wants him. And the bride needs to be on her way to the ceremony.
Just Married! Working backward from the ceremony is the easiest way to determine Wedding Day Timelines.
Do you plan on doing a First Look? Many couples do a First Look where they see each other before the ceremony and then complete all their family formal photographs after that. We even do some of the Bride and Groom portraits at this time. To accomplish this, we need at least an hour and a half, preferably a little more, to get great images. That is one reason why determining your Wedding Day Timeline in advance can be so helpful.
Adorable! One of my favorite First Looks took place at this couple’s apartment building in the beautiful stairwell.
How much of the “Getting Ready” process do you wish to document? Some people want to document the entire getting ready process, some people only want a few staged photos–it is up to your individual preference. We like to get some details of the dress, invitation, accessories, etc. at this time.
Some getting ready images are nice to include in your Wedding Photography Coverage. How much is up to you.
How many bridal party attendants will you have? How many family groups are you planning on having photographed? The number of people you want to include will have an impact on how much time we need to spend photographing family formals at the wedding. Building enough time into the Timeline will let you capture all the images you need with little to no stress.
The number of attendants you have will impact how long Bridal Party Photos take.
What time does the sun set on your wedding day? It may seem obvious–lighting is critical to good wedding photographs. All good Wedding Day Timelines take sunset into account. The most flattering time of day for outdoor location portraits is typically the hour before sunset, also known as the Golden Hour. I love doing “night shots,” so we need to build that into the Timeline as well. Sometimes we sneak out during the reception for a few quick minutes to do these. We like to be able to communicate this to the caterer so we can all work well together. We also bring supplemental off camera lighting for indoor portraits, so no worries there.
Night shots are fun! We set everything up prior to taking the Bride and Groom out so it was as quick and painless as possible.
Are you familiar with locations for photos at your venue? I like to do a site tour of places I have never before worked at prior to the wedding, but sometimes this is not possible. Not only do I like to have your input on what you would like for your images, I need to know if the locations are all within walking distance or if we will need to have a form of transportation available to expedite the process. This is especially important if we are dealing with a large bridal party or huge family groups–frankly, it can be like herding cats:)
The grounds at Saratoga National are part of what makes this venue so great for weddings. But the locations for photos are spread out. The venue provides a golf cart to get around quickly.
Taking some time to think about these considerations will makes planning Wedding Day Timelines easy and fun!
If you are looking for a Saratoga Wedding Photographer to document your wedding day, I would LOVE to chat, so please Contact me! In the meantime, be sure to visit our Wedding Photography Portfolio.
Susan Blackburn is a Saratoga Springs NY based Wedding Photographer serving couples in the 518 area.
Everyone loves a Winter Wedding, especially in Saratoga Springs.
This wedding had even more to love–it was a small, intimate winter wedding with fabulous details. I have noticed a trend toward smaller weddings lately. There are many people getting married who want a beautiful wedding without the major stress involved in planning a larger event. Intimate weddings allow couples to have beautiful details with a fraction of the stress and cost. What is not to love?!
It was the coldest day in December, but we still managed to get some stunning outdoor portrait photos in Congress Park.
Kathryn and Dominick live in Saratoga Springs and decided to have their event at The Thirsty Owl, a local wine garden that features wines from their own vineyard in Cayuga Lake. Add in a one of a kind dress from Something Bleu Bridal. Hair and Makeup by Make Me Fabulous, and lovely florals from Simply Sidney and you have a perfect bespoke Winter Wedding. Read about Kathryn and Domenik’s story below:
White Roses and Succulents with Evergreens–so perfect.
How did you first meet?
We met at the University of Maryland while Dominik was completing his PhD and I was working in a communications position and getting my MBA. I had a strict no-grad students policy with one exception: the “Hot German Grad Student” as I referred to him to my friends after he helped me clean up after a conference event.
Getting ready at your own apartment is so great!Check out the back of this dress from Something Bleu.And aren’t the shoes fabulous?The dress was absolutely perfect.
How did he propose?
Dominik proposed at Yaddo at the beginning of October, just the two of us. It was perfect! He bought my ring from Fox after it caught my eye in the window and surprised me with it. The day was perfectly sunny and a little on the warm side for fall, so I was surprised he kept his jacket on until I turned around from photographing a rose to find him down on one knee.
We did a First Look in the beautiful stairwell of their apartment building.
Adorable!This just reminded me of Film Noir/Old Hollywood.It was super cold outside, so I wanted to make sure we had some photos indoors before we headed outside. The stairwell had perfect light!
What made you choose your venue?
The decision on where’s/when’s/how’s of the wedding was much harder. Because neither of us are from the Saratoga area originally – and we are an international couple – having a traditional wedding was going to be a production and, inevitably, a destination for pretty much everyone involved.
Coldest day ever, and the Bride still looks amazing!Late Winter light with a snowy background–romantic.Those eyes!
In the end, we realized that there was a perfect solution: an immediate family only wedding at Christmas when both our families were already planning to be in Saratoga for the holidays.
Thirsty Owl features wines made at their family owned vineyard in Cayuga Lake.
Arriving and greeting family.Roses and Pinecones.People do the most amazing things if you watch them.
Tell us about planning your wedding:
Once that decision was made, everything else just fell into place. We immediately knew that we would have the ceremony and reception at the Thirsty Owl because their wine pairing dinners are one of our favorite date night treats (and Lyndsey and Josh are just fantastic)! In fact, the day I called to tell Lyndsey we wanted to get married there, I was meeting friends for happy hour at the Owl. When I ordered my wine, Lyndsey got a big grin on her face and was like, “I knew it! I just put three bottles of that wine away for your wedding”. It’s attention to detail and customer service like that that makes the Owl so special.
Fabulous view from a window overlooking the ceremony.
Both Dads performed the wedding ceremony–very special.
Flowers and photography were next on my list, and as you know Tas found out at knitting that I was getting married and he gave me your and Sidney’s info. After doing a bit of investigating and talking to you both, I knew I couldn’t possibly look anywhere else.
Beautiful rings from local jeweler N. Fox on Broadway.The Dining Room at Thirsty Owl set up for the five course meal with wine pairings.The bride’s dad gave a speech.
Cheers!There was lots of fabulous food, but I am all about this brownie. LOL.
I was absolutely convinced I’d have a non-traditional wedding dress until I put on my French-lace dream of a gown at Something Bleu. I could not have found a more perfect gown if one had been designed for me. Honestly, my sister joked that maybe this one had.
Oh! And my coat was from H&M and I bought the shoes before the dress.
Kathryn and Domenik have a 1950’s film star vibe, so that is what I kind of wanted to capture in their wedding photos.Fun with off camera strobe.My personal favorite from the day–the expression is just great.
As you can see–small weddings are fantastic!
Congratulations to Kathryn and Domenik!
Wedding Vendors for Kathryn and Domenik’s Saratoga Winter Wedding:
Did you enjoy reading about Kathryn and Domenik’s Intimate Winter Wedding in Saratoga Springs? You might also enjoy this Winter Wedding in Lake Placid Post.
Are you planning an Intimate Winter Wedding in Saratoga Springs? We would love to photograph it! Please call (518) 584-4237 or use our Contact form to schedule a Wedding Photography Consultation.
Photographer Susan Blackburn of Susan Blackburn Photography specializes in photographing Seniors, Family, Weddings, Glamour, Boudoir & Commercial Photography sessions. With a photography studio location in Saratoga Springs, NY, Susan serves the Saratoga Springs, Lake George and the Adirondack Regions. She is also available for travel assignments. Susan has been a professional photographer for 20 years. Her goal has always been simple—take pictures that her clients love.
Rev your engines people! Check out this Saratoga Auto Museum Wedding!
I photographed a wedding this past fall that was really cool–a car themed wedding at the Automobile Museum in Saratoga Springs, NY! I really loved and appreciated the level of thought and detail that Dana and Kyle put into their wedding. I also really enjoyed working with them because they scheduled a wonderful amount of time to create portraits on their wedding day. Below is Kyle and Dana’s story–I hope you enjoy it!
We had a great amount of time to create some images of Dana and Kyle around the State Park with his Dad’s classic Thunderbird.
How did you two meet? Everyone knows we met on eHarmony. Well, the running joke between us is that it took him 10 years to find me and it only took me 10 minutes to find him. I had just finished filling out the whole questionnaire when I got a message from Kyle. It was like he knew he had to message me right away. After about a week of texting back and forth he wanted to meet me. Eventually he convinced me to meet him for a drink at a restaurant/bar in Ontario. My very first impression of Kyle was a know-it-all Engineer. Needless to say, I was not impressed. I made the biggest mistake (which at the time I didn’t know was the best thing ever in my life) when I asked Kyle if he could ask me any question what would it be. How slick was he? He said, “Can I meet you again?” I was stunned. So instead of being rude, I said sure. Well, I guess when things are meant to be, they are meant to be. Kyle was a complete gentleman the next visit, and the rest is history. Meeting online really does work!!!
I used off camera strobe here because I wanted to use the window as a backdrop and not completely blow it out.The guys looking handsome in the Hilton Hotel Lobby.Dana’s Dad.
How did you get engaged? It was pretty simple. Kyle had reservations at a five star restaurant and proposed at our house right beforehand.
I think hands are really eloquent.
Dana’s sister helped her get ready.Black and White plus great light. Don’t you love the hair?
Dana’s Dad waiting to see her dressed for the first time.I sometimes really like the candid images the best.This is just funny.
St Mary’s in Ballston Spa is so pretty.
Tell us a little bit about planning your wedding. As for wedding planning, we both wanted something unique. Kyle had helped me get my Chiropractic practice up and running, so I wanted it to be special for him, so we chose a car themed wedding. I told him if we had the wedding at the Automobile Museum, I wanted everything to be car themed.
I love capturing moments like this.
St Mary’s Church is very important to Dana’s family, so we made sure to capture some formal images there.
My former assistant is the brides sister in law!We went to the State Park to do formal images there as well.The leaves were absolutely perfect that day.Black and White is so classic.
The Automobile Museum is in what used to be a Bottling Plant in the State Park.
Do you have any tips for couples planning a destination wedding? Book all your vendors as quickly as possible. We had all of ours a year in advance. Try to coordinate more than one vendor appointment per visit so you don’t need to travel a lot. Compromise with your spouse and don’t let family come in between you two.
Dana’s Aunt made this awesome cake!
What was your favorite part of the day? My favorite part was probably being wowed when I walked into the Auto Museum. It wasn’t what I had expected–it was even better! Mazzone’s and Total Events did an amazing job! It was well worth more money paying for one of the best caterers!
Great idea for escort cards!
Explain some of the details like the centerpieces. All of the centerpieces meant something to each of us–my first car, his first car, etc. It was a lot of work, but worth it!
You had a caricature artist–what made you think of that? I wanted a unique favor that people would not throw away!
Dana and Kyle had a caricature artist to do drawings of people for their favors.
One of my favorite shots from the day. The building has great architecture and is beautifully landscaped.
What is up for you next as a couple? We are buying a commercial building this month to grow my practice, and Kyle starts his Master’s Degree. We are working on our careers.
