Lauren and Del had family who traveled all the way from State College, PA to watch them exchange their vows in Balston Spa, NY in a beautiful Christian Orthodox ceremony. After the ceremony, we all headed much further North, into the Adirondack Mountains, just outside Lake George, NY for their reception.

Del’s Family’s lakeside home in Stony Creek, NY was the perfect backdrop for this intimate wedding. Providing a view that captures your eyes and your heart. Before we headed to this beautiful location, we first met Lauren at her AirBnB in Saratoga, Springs, NY. Her father was ever the gentleman and offered to help us with her dress and details. Surrounded by her mom, sisters, and friends, Lauren got ready to go see Dell for their first look.

 

After sharing a sweet first look with her father, Lauren was full of nerves and anticipation on her way to see Dell for their first look. One unique thing Lauren did to make an otherwise often overlooked family member feel not only very included but so very special was to share a first look with her grandmother. Upon arriving at the church, Lauren fled to the side of the building.

My associate (and daughter) Aary, accompanied her along with a roll of paper towels, as I didn’t have any tissues left! I let them have a private moment, Aary is phenomenal at easing the bride on the wedding day. Lauren was crying, really crying. We needed her sister Kristi to jump in with the makeup, which she did ever so gracefully. Aary eased Lauren into the first look with Grandma, and came around the corner where I waited with Grandma, and said “She wants her grammy.”

When I tell you, it is hard for me to sit here and write about this moment without tearing up, I truly mean it.

 

After grandma and dad worked their magic, Lauren felt all of her nerves melt away just long enough to get ready to see Dell for their first look. They shared their first look in a beautiful garden on the church grounds. My favorite moment during the first look was when Dell went in for a kiss, Lauren politely and excitedly told him “oh not yet!”

After the first look and a few bridal party portraits, we stepped inside to prepare for the ceremony. Lauren and Dell exchanged vows in a beautiful Christian Orthodox ceremony, in front of their closest family and friends.

The reception was a little over an hour’s drive from the ceremony location. About 10 minutes after we left the ceremony site, it started pouring. It was the type of rain that your fastest windshield wiper speed didn’t even take care of. Any bride I am sure would be feeling disappointed on that hour’s drive to her reception.

I was praying the whole way to the reception that God would open up the sky for us, even if it was just briefly. If you have ever watched my TikTok, you know the Lord and I have an understanding on the wedding day, lol! He always makes a way for me. We arrived and it was just seriously dumping buckets.

Aary looked at me in utter horror. We ended up changing clothes in my Jeep before getting out, and getting all of the gear ready inside. The father of the bride brought us over an umbrella, and we had one of our own. Keep in mind, we had yet to do the family formals. When the weather gets like this, you have to be slightly more creative.

And wouldn’t you know it, God delivered on His promise to me. If you look closely in the photos above of the cake cutting, you can see the rain pouring down in the shadows of the trees. And just like that, when it was time for Lauren and Dell’s portraits, the rain stopped, and the sky opened up to the most amazing cotton candy sunset.

The mosquitoes that followed us in swarms during the portrait session were of epic proportion. I have never experienced such a thing in my life. However, I will take mosquitoes over pouring rain, because the sunset was truly incredible. Aary and I made an observation that the sparklers were not long enough. If you want a sparkler exit, they need to be 36″. However, I did not bring this to Lauren’s attention until I came up with an alternative. During their ceremony, candles were a main part.

I discussed this with Aary, what if we did a candlelit exit? I have never seen this before. We took our idea to Lauren’s sister. YES. Absolutely YES. I told Lauren about it, and she immediately LOVED the idea and thought it actually fit the mood of their entire day much better than sparklers. So we did our very first candlelit exit, and the groomsmen had a nice surprise of Roman candles at the end, those are candles too, right? 😉