KATIE & MICHAEL

Photos by
Michael Conway

Our Story...

"Dinner and Dancing”

Two simple acts that wove through Katie and Michael’s romance since the moment they met. Well, met for more than a passing hello. They both attended Siena College and while their circles overlapped, it wasn’t until a few years later that they truly met. A concert in Albany was the stage - and as cliche as it seems, the spotlights lit the pair in a way that felt like something at first sight. Their conversation led the pair away from dancing and into a diner to share grilled cheese and stories until their friends pulled them their separate ways.

Texts and calls turned into the first date and as Katie would come to quickly learn - food was important to Michael. New World Bistro was one of his favorite restaurants and a place where exciting flavors turn into exciting stories. That’s one of Michael’s favorite notions about sharing a meal: The places it can take you or the way a familiar taste can stir up memories. They shared their dishes and their thoughts, dreams and bits of their history. Found similarities in their families and values. After dinner, Michael left Katie with a first kiss and a request - to join him as a date to his good friend’s wedding…next weekend. It was a long shot - some may say crazy - but there was that something they both knew the other could feel. That pull at your chest the moment you part ways. She said yes to the wedding, but in that moment to Michael it felt like “I do.”

They danced at the wedding, at shows, on vacations and in their living room. They explored new cities and tried the best food each had to offer. Their families met and their friend circles entwined. Their love was easy, comfortable, and warm. Job opportunities pulled them away from the Capital Region and to New York City. A small loft in the upper west side with an even smaller kitchen was still enough space for Michael to cook Katie her favorite meals - carbonara, amatriciana, Bolognese. She really loves his pasta.

A few years of dancing and dining across the city, Michael and Katie returned to their new home in downtown Troy. A vacation was planned together with a few small details withheld from Katie. He spent nights secretly working on booking a photographer, a beachside sunset dinner, and the perfect place to ask her. With everything in place, Michael still had the challenge of finding a moment away to ask for her parents’ approval. This would come the day before they left with a firm shake of her father’s hand and an emotional hug from her mom.

Michael knew he wanted to ask her early in the trip and probably wouldn’t have survived the butterflies he felt for much longer. On the day he planned to propose, Michael went to retrieve the ring hidden in their safe and was met with electronic letters spelling out ERROR. Dinner was fast approaching, the photographer strolling the beach waiting for his cue and Michael had to get Katie out -to get a repairman in!!  …Aperitif?

While they shared some small bites and drinks, Michael was also bouncing between the front desk, security, and maintenance to crack the safe. When he returned to her with ring in pocket, she hadn’t noticed a thing. The engagement was a welcome surprise to Katie and the rest of the night felt like a dream. They shared tears of joy at dinner and danced on the beach.

The old saying, “don’t plan a wedding during a pandemic” must have been forgotten by these two as they began looking at details for their perfect day. They both agreed on what was most important: dinner and dancing. They wanted a meal for their friends and family that felt like a celebration, with seasonal ingredients and shared plates that made guests interact and tell their own stories. They wanted music, from arrival to exit, that brought life into the event - their life together - and would have tables cleared to dance the night away.

The first venue they visited, The Sablewood, was the one they compared every other venue to. The beautiful grounds, outdoor space and picturesque surroundings were perfect. On the day of the wedding, a rain-filled morning broke for a private reading of vows by the pond on the property and as guests arrived an hour later, the sky turned blue. The food, customized from Nicole’s Catering was outstanding. And the music from Conway Entertainment - pulled from a playlist Michael and Katie curated had all the right notes. All the concerns, stress and contemplations leading up to the wedding washed away and they surrounded by the ones they loved, Michael and Katie came together for a perfect night of dinner and dancing.

Advice to pass along...  

It's your day. Plan your wedding the way that feels right to you. We went a nontraditional route of envelopment/micro-wedding. I didn't love the idea of a big traditional wedding. I was much more comfortable in our micro-wedding setting with only 10 guests. We had a small ceremony with immediate family, and then my husband and I went off to take photos with our photographer in the German Alps, followed by a nice private family dinner. This allowed my husband and I to spend more time with each other and our closest loved ones on our wedding day, and gave us a lot more flexibility with our schedule. We still wanted to celebrate with friends and family, but we saved that for a later date. By separating the two events, we got to have our special day at our pace and saved the fun part (the reception) for our friends and family back in the US.

Special Touches 

Our videographer made a two-minute highlight reel of the special day with a song of our choice, it was amazing to have to be able to share with people who couldn't attend.