In September I had the honor and pleasure of creating Emily and Mark’s Franklin Plaza Wedding Photos. It was a perfect September day–sunny, warm and dry. You may remember Emily and Mark from their Baseball themed Engagement Photography Session. Emily and Mark met playing softball, so of course they used Baseball as their wedding theme at the Franklin Plaza. So enjoy their story and photographs below!
How did you know he/she was the one?
Em: For me, I knew Mark was the man I wanted to be with early on. There was just something about him that I can’t quite put into words. I found him so funny, and we could just be ourselves with each other. It came so easy. I had never felt that I could be myself around someone like I did with Mark from the very beginning. He stuck by me through my happy, crabby and goofy days, and that is when I knew I wasn’t letting him go anywhere. My sister Sara and my Aunt Erin told me a million times over how great of a man they thought Mark was and that I needed to marry him some day!
Mark: I knew I was going to marry Em when she said, “Of course!” All kidding aside, once I got to know Em and spend quality time with her and her family, I realized she was the one. Em does so many things for others and she was always there when I needed her. She is a selfless person and is always there. When we started finishing each other’s sentences and knew what the other was thinking, it was just a matter of time. We also share the same interests, albeit rooting for rival teams. I will always be there for Em, especially when she needs something off the top shelf!
How did Mark propose? Did you see it coming?
Em: I had no clue Mark was going to propose to me! Mark likes to do things only when he is 10000% ready–I like to call it Mark time! So I thought it would be 7 more years! I felt so excited and nervous and so shocked! I couldn’t even comprehend what as going on–I was sweating and shaking! I was so incredibly happy and I couldn’t wait to tell everyone!
Mark: I went golfing with Em’s father one weekend and asked him for permission to propose to his daughter (full disclosure: I won the golf match). After that, I went ring shopping on my own and knew better than to ask her sisters. You can’t keep a secret with them. I decided to propose to Em at Fourth Lake in Lake Luzerne as we had been camping there many times. My original idea had been to pop the question on the beach there, but Em started a fire at our site before I could lure her down there. Instead, I proposed on our site by luring her away from the fire by having her come and check out this “huge bug.” She had no clue what was going on.
What is one thing you like most about each other.
Em: One of the things I like most about Mark is his hugs and the way he can put me at ease in most situations. If I am having the worst day or not feeling great about myself, a hug from him can put a smile on my face and make me feel important and so loved. I also love how goofy we are together and all the laughs we share every single day!
Mark: The one thing I love most about Em is her sense of family. She will do mostly anything for any one of them, myself included. When I see this, I know she will be a great mother to our kids.
This was done as a cross processed photo.
How did you choose your venue? What did you do to make your event more personal? Were there any current wedding trends that you chose to incorporate?
The Franklin Plaza was the first place we looked. After that we saw two other places and neither of them came close to how beautiful the Franklin Plaza was. We really fell in love with the venue right away. We personalized our event in little ways with a Baseball theme. We wanted to incorporate baseball because that is how we met. Our cake topper, card box and seating chart were all baseball themed, a little touch of baseball, but not too much! A big wedding trend we incorporated was a photobooth. We originally were not going to have one, but my bridesmaids and mother gifted it to us as a shower gift. It was absolutely awesome and we are so glad we had it–it captured some really great memories that we can look back on for years to come.
What is one thing about wedding planning that you wish you had known ahead of time? If you could do anything differently, what would it be?
We worked with individuals at the ceremony and reception venues who were great resources and guided us along the way. We also had friends who had recently gotten married and provided us with tips. The best thing we did was securing the location(s) and vendors very early on. We wouldn’t have done anything differently.
What is next for the two of you as a couple?
REST–and a family at some point.
Hope you have enjoyed Emily and Mark’s wedding photos from the Franklin Plaza in September. If you are interested in becoming a client, please fill in a contact form.
Susan Blackburn of Blackburn Portrait Design is a Wedding and Portrait Photographer offering Photography services in Saratoga Springs, Lake George, the Adirondack Region and destinations worldwide.
Vendors for Emily and Mark’s wedding:
Ceremony Location: Our Lady of the Assumption, Latham, NY
Reception Venue: Franklin Plaza, Troy, NY
Entertainment: Sound Advice (Bob Cooper)
Photo Booth: Complete Albany
Dress Designer: Ella Rosa
Dress Salon: Thoughts and Best Wishes
Cake: Villa Italia
Transportation: Premiere Limousine
Saratoga Wedding Photographer: Blackburn Portrait Design
