Casey and Jamo had been a fixture for so long, many thought they were married already. But they decided finally to take their vows in Jamo’s home town, Aurora, in the gardens of dear friends. This informal, country-style wedding expressed the couple’s values in a variety of ways. The meal was a foodie’s delight (they are foodies), and it included, of all things, chicken provided by the Aurora Fire Department. Chicken provided by the fire department? Seriously?
In Jamo’s words:
“Seriously. …Fire departments… often hold chicken barbecues in the summer to raise money. We’re quite fond of the version made by the AFD, and thought it would work well with some of Pumpkin Hill [the caterer]‘s salads/etc, to help create the hybrid casual/rustic/elegant feel we were going for. Most of all, we liked the idea of some of our wedding spending going to help the fire department — we tried, when possible, to direct our spending and that of our guests to causes and entities we care about.”
Casey’s gown: Punk Rock Bride
Flowers came from a few places, but primarily Hometown Florist in King Ferry
Caterer: Pumpkin Hill Bistro
Wine: Thirsty Owl
Rentals: Auburn Party Rental
Deft DJ: Jamo himself!
The weather could have gone either way. It had been raining earlier, more rain was threatening, and Terri and John Van Soest, the owners of the Fontainebleau Inn, waited until the last to decide whether to put the chairs outdoors for the ceremony. Groom Don was checking online weather reports practically by the minute, but finally they all took a leap of faith, and they were rewarded. The ceremony took place largely in sunshine.
Fiona and Don are an adventuresome couple. For picturesque backgrounds for portraits, they were willing to walk through spongy wet grass and muddy paths, Fiona in trailing gown and high heels, to the historic Lawrence Chapel and its cemetery. Afterwards, Fiona, undismayed, rinsed the mud off her gown and the wedding proceeded. They were going to be hiking in Austria on their honeymoon, but no hike would be quite like this one. I’d like to think our visit to the old graveyard was a way for Fiona and Don to say “till death do us part.”
I thank David Spellman for assisting me in photographing this wedding. He’s always an asset, that man.
Hair & Makeup: Satori Day Spa
Dress: Bella You, Rochester, NY
Florist: Ithaca Flower Shop
Music at ceremony and cocktail hour: Jeffrey Sherner
Catering: Word of Mouth Catering, Trumansburg
Cake: Sincredible Pastries
Bus: Swarthout Coaches
DJ: Michael Erb
Lauren and John were married at Immaculate Conception Church in Ithaca on a sunny, sticky, sizzling, rainy, cloudy, clearing, chilly day. They celebrated later at Dano’s on Seneca Lake. The day’s weather was simply an advance on their wedding trip to England, where the weather is famously changeable. It didn’t begin to subdue the spirits of this adoring couple, euphoric to be married at last.
Hair: Satori Salon
Flowers: Plenty of Posies (from the Ithaca Farmers Market)
Gown: Reva Mivasagar
Milliner: Blair Nadeau
Tuxes: Hage Tailor Shop
Band: Mike Titlebaum Jazz
Cake maker: Sarah’s Patisserie
Bus company: FitzGerald Bros Finger Lake Winery Tours
My thanks to Peter Ozolins for assistance at the ceremony.
Though this photo shoot originated as an expectant father’s gift to his wife, envisioned as portraits of her, in the event the couple decided they wanted the first “family portraits” of the three of them, mom, dad, and baby Ella. Ella was traveling incognito at the time, but she would reveal herself very soon. We needed to go no farther than the couple’s back yard to find pleasing backgrounds for the session.
