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Displaying items by tag: Saratoga Springs, NY

Our Story:

I met Christopher at The University at Albany in 2008. We wouldn't go on our first date until 2010- he took me to a small Italian restaurant called Barcelona. If you haven't been - you need to go!

Six years later, we had dinner at Barcelona again. I thought he wasn't feeling well because he wasn't really touching his food. I ate most of the potatoes on his plate and finished my plate. At one point, the spotlight on the wall had gone out and a waitress immediately ran over and fiddled with it. I told her it was fine, but she insisted. I looked around and realized that people were looking at us. I looked back at Chris laughing only to notice that he was holding a box that he had taken out of his pocket. I realized what was happening and exclaimed, "oh my gosh, is that for me?" He laughed and said, "No, it's for the waitress" 

Our wedding day was perfect, all our vendors were amazing and thought of everything!

The Details:

wedding date: November 3, 2018

ceremony location: St. Mary's (Ballston Spa, NY)

reception location: Mansion Inn

photographer: Brayton Photography

 wedding gown & bridesmaids' dresses: : David's Bridal

tuxedo and groomsmen clothing: Men's Warehouse

flowers: Trader Joe's (Colonie,NY

wedding planner: Family

hair & makeup : Blended Hair Studio (Saratoga Springs, NY)

cake & caterer: Chef Rick at The Mansion Inn

transportation: Exclusive Chauffeur

music & photobooth: DJ Mike Melice (Ithaca, NY)

honeymoon: Sandals Ocho Rios, Jamaica

wedding favors: Saratoga Tea & Honey  

Published in Our Story

2020 certainly did not turn out the way that any of us expected.  It has been a challenging year for everyone, but we need to remember first and foremost, the loved ones that we have lost, those who continue to fight, and that this is far from over.  We both believe strongly that couples should continue to celebrate their love and get married/elope and go on local mini-moons. If there were ever a time to ‘seize the day,’ it would be right now. 

Our roles when hired is that of advocates and advisors of our couples, so while we do not recommend delaying your actual marriage or celebrating that special day together as a couple, we are suggesting that you do indefinitely postpone the much larger celebration/party/reception/ceremony along with the big dream honeymoon.  The best part is that you can have it both ways, and we are both here to help you figure out how.  None of you are alone, and it even holds in the wedding business right now, “we are all in this together!”

Tonya’s Wedding Advice:

When couples get engaged to be married and start planning their wedding, it’s such a happy time. This year those couples were halted. As a planner, I have had many conversations with my clients about how to proceed.
Postpone, punt the date or get hitched, and tackle the big celebration later.

My advice has been to get married; after all, that’s why you were engaged in the first place. These are emotional and tough decisions to make as a couple when you envision your family and friends to be with you. It’s also hard to have your wedding date on the calendar and not have your wedding on that day.

One of my clients, Bill and Rachel, was scheduled to have their wedding on June 6th, 2020, at Universal Preservation Hall, but COVID altered their plans like many others. We had many discussions about what they could do; in the end, they could not sit back, and watch June 6th go by and not have a wedding. They decided to be married on their date at UPH with just the two of them.

How does this work to make it as unique and memorable as possible?

We worked with Samantha Nass Floral Design to make an intimate romantic space in the building with florals and candlelight, a beautiful bouquet, and a boutonniere in the original color scheme. We also had a photographer, Kevin DeMassio, and videographer, Lauren Caldwell, come to document the event.

The ceremony was so intimate and beautiful, but they didn’t stop there. Following the service, Bill and Rachel had photos and went to The Adelphi Hotel for a private dinner in a suite and were served the actual menu from their wedding.  During dinner, they watched well wishes sent in by a loved one on a large-screen TV. The following day they packed up and hit the road for a mini-moon. They are so happy they decided not to wait. Bill and Rachel are still planning on having a massive celebration when all friends and family can attend along with a real honeymoon.

 Anne’s Honeymoon Advice:

Live Life Travel is not booking any International travel at this time.  I feel that there are too many unknowns and that our clients’ money is better protected in their own pockets until we know more.  We are booking local travel and are highly recommending private ceremonies, wellness travel, and mini-moons.  We are working closely with several of the very best local hotels and resorts to customize special celebration packages for our clients to guarantee an elevated experience beyond what one would traditionally get.  To reserve your special celebration with Live Life Travel, simply go to our website (www.livelifetravel.world) and click “Let’s Start Planning” and we’ll take care of everything from there, completely stress-free for you.  As with every trip that we plan, everything is customized based on your preferences and “must-haves.”

We are also launching a 6-month webinar series this Fall with the purpose being to support both the wedding and travel communities.  These will not be “boring sales webinars” (no way!).  They will be live and interactive and meant to answer all of your unanswered questions.  They will feature exciting guests, including wedding planners, destination specialists, wellness specialists, local wedding vendors, and 5-star hoteliers, all focusing on different aspects of the wedding and honeymoon planning process. We’ll have lots of fun prizes, including a honeymoon sweepstakes for all who register.

We intend to remind everyone that we are all in this together, that you all have many resources (when you are ready), that there is no rush, and that you have a community of other couples in the same boat. We will also be providing a platform for you all to connect outside of the webinar series. 

Hang in there, everyone.  Please continue to practice social distancing, wear your masks, stay safe, and be grateful for all of the love in your life.  The best is yet to come.

Anne & Tonya
www.livelifetravel.world
 
www.pellegrinievents.com

 

Published in Wedding Planner

Our Story:

Matt and I started dating about 2 years ago. Given that we both had children from previous relationships we were very cautious and intentional from the beginning. What started out as a solid friendship bloomed into love as we both realized we had common goals and priorities.

I grew up in Saratoga and Matt relocated here after college, but it has become one of our favorite places. Even though we live here, there was no question that we wanted to have a very Saratoga wedding. Matt proposed in front of The Adelphi Hotel in June 2020.

The Adelphi has always been a favorite place of ours downtown and I think we both knew we'd like to get married there. But, 2020 meant the pandemic and COVID. We decided we really wanted to start our lives together with our kids so we planned a wedding for September 12, 2020, just 12 weeks after getting engaged!

Because we could only have a ceremony and a dinner, we focused all our energy into those things. We had only 27 guests; immediate family, and a handful of close friends.

The day was about our union and our children, and it could not have been more perfect. Our vendors perfectly understood our vision and worked so carefully to keep everyone safe without compromising on the experience. We had amazing weather, the best vendors, the perfect venue and at the end of the day we were married!

What could be better?

The Details:

wedding date: September 12, 2020

ceremony: Adephi Hotel

reception location: The Blue Hen, Adephi Hotel

photographer: Rob Spring Photography

stationery suite: Paperdolls

wedding gown: Lily Saratoga

groom/groomsmen clothing: Simon's Menswear (Mike), Greenfield

wedding bands: N. Fox, Engagement ring from a jeweler in Texas

flowers: Samantha Nass Floral Design

hair & makeup: Revive Hair and Skin (Juliet Smith)

cake/caterer: The Blue Hen

dj: Anthony & Tyler from Non-Stop Music

first dance: "Love Like This" by Ben Rectort

officiant: Dianne Patterson - From The Heart Ceremonies.

"Guest Book" print of the Adelph: Impressions of Saratoga

special touches: It was important to us to keep our vendors local. As someone who works in the wedding industry, I know how much business our fellow vendors have given up. We wanted to support our local wedding industry. We also wanted to make sure our guests felt as comfortable as possible during a pandemic. Everyone was socially distanced during our ceremony and we had mostly two tops for dinner, spaced out.

Advice to pass along... Keep the focus on what the day is really about which is getting married to your best friend. Yes, we would have loved to have more friends and family present with us and danced the night away, but at the end of the day that's not what the day is really about.

 

Published in Our Story

Our Story:

Jordan and I met at the University at Albany. I was in my freshman year, while Jordan was just finishing up undergrad. We saw each other in passing a lot as Jordan was very heavily involved in athletics, and I was on the cheerleading team. Over the course of 2 years, Jordan and I got to know each other and became closer friends. In 2012 Jordan started grad school and we officially started dating. We both graduated in 2014; me with my bachelor’s degree, Jordan with 2 masters, and we moved to New York City.

Three years of living together in NYC flew by, and In April 2017 we headed back up to Albany to celebrate Easter with my family. When we are in town, we always stop by the old campus to walk around and check out anything new. We walked around for bit and ended up in the front of the campus, Jordan told me there was no better place than "where it all began.” He got down on one knee and asked me to marry him. Soon after, our parents ran out of one of the buildings so excited; they had witnessed the whole proposal! It was so amazing to have both families present for our engagement.

We had been planning a trip to California, and it ended up being the week after we got engaged. I spent the entire 6-hour flight researching and planning. Living in the NYC area and being from the Capital Region, we both knew there was no better place to get married than Saratoga. We were lucky to have booked some of the best vendors in the area and our planning process was a breeze.

Our wedding day was magical. That’s the only way I know how to describe it. We felt overwhelmed with love by our friends and family, and that was a feeling we will never forget.

The Details:

wedding date: November 17, 2018

ceremony & reception location: Hall Of Springs

photographer: Matt Ramos Photography

videographer: LaRose Medias

stationery suiteAmber Michaniw Designs

event decoratorTotal Events

wedding gown: Angela's Bridal

bridesmaids' dresses: Badgley Mischka

tuxedo and groomsmen clothing: The Black Tux

rings: Kent New York

flowers: My Mom!

wedding planner: Family

hair: Kelsey Gabriel

>makeup: Amy Caridi

caterer: Mazzone Hospitality

cake: Cake Street Sweets

transportation: Exclusive Chauffeur

music: Fernando, Piano Man

first dance: "So High" John Legend

honeymoon: The Maldives

get ready location: Pavilion Grand Hotel

aisle Runner: The Original Runner Co.

special touches
My mom created all of the florals, including the bouquets, boutonnières and centerpieces. I'm the youngest in my family, and she helped make all of my siblings florals for their weddings. So it was very special she did the same for mine Jordan LOVES Bourbon, The Hall Of Springs set up an amazing Cigar and Bourbon Bar.

advice to pass along
Hire vendors you LOVE and feel comfortable with. I'm so glad we splurged on photography. It's a keepsake for the rest of your life; and we got beautiful images. Most importantly, Relax and enjoy the best day of your life.

 

Published in Our Story

Our Story:

A few short months after I moved to Boston, I joined a co-ed soccer team named "Victorious Secret" where I met my husband Mike. He says he was instantly charmed by me and I say I couldn't take my eyes off his flashy foot skills. Neither of us knew what this fateful day would be "kicking off."

A couple of weeks after that first game, he invited me to his St. Patrick's Day Parade party, which is a very big tradition in Boston. Little did I know the party would conveniently consist of only 2 people...seemed fishy! The party started with some traditional Irish car bombs and ended with Mike asking me out on our first date! From then on, he continued to court me with his quirky sense of humor and adventurous spirit. We spent the next few years making unforgettable memories exploring New England and traveling around the world together.

He proposed to me on a weekend getaway to Burlington, VT in July 2018 with our loveable dog, Zoey, and my best friend and her husband. After dinner, we walked along the beautiful Burlington waterfront at sunset and when my best friend asked if she could take a photo of us along the sunset waterfront, he got down on one knee and asked me to marry him and he was met with a happy, tearful "yes!"

Fast forward 13 months, we were married at St. Peter's Episcopal Church in Albany, NY and had our reception at The State Room on September 7th, 2019. I always knew I wanted to be married in a church and we were drawn to St. Peter's Episcopal Church because of its gorgeous architecture and it is the church my father often visited when he worked in downtown Albany. The State Room is conveniently located across the street and when we saw the venue and met with the staff (Eric, Tara, & Tom) we knew it was the perfect place for us with its gorgeous ballroom and unique architectural features-it preserved its previous elements of when it used to be a savings bank.

For our wedding, we chose September because it is our favorite month of the year as the summer transitions into the fall. We were incredibly lucky that we had a gorgeous sunny day in the 70s. It was important to us to incorporate as many personal touches as possible into our wedding. One of our favorite things to do together is travel, so for our seating chart, we did a world map and each table was named by a location we had traveled together. And our table numbers at each table featured a different framed photo of us at each location. Our signature drinks were a Moscow Mule-our first drink we had together on our first date and a Caramel Apple Bellini-a drink we love to make for our friends every fall. Our wedding favors were macarons, our favorite treat! And we loved incorporating a dog biscuit bar in honor of our dog, Zoey and her furry pals who couldn't make it to the pawty! Ending the night with a sparkler send-off was a wonderful way to end our perfect day. It was like a fairytale. We are so thankful to our vendors who helped bring our dream wedding vision to life!

The Details:

wedding date : September 7, 2019

ceremony location: St. Peter's Episcopal Church in Albany, NY

reception: The State Room in Albany, NY

photographer: Bryer Photography-Heather & Jason

stationery: RSVP Hingham

videographer: Ebabil Film

event decorator : The State Room

wedding gown: Flair Boston

tuxedo & grooms’ clothing: Men's Warehouse

rings: Long's Jewelers

flowers: Ambiance Florals-Michele Peters

wedding planner: Eric Stewart & Tara Cometti

hair & makeup:: Krystal Rose Studio

caterer: The State Room

cake: Coccadotts

dj: Hollister Entertainment

first dance "Speechless" by Dan & Shay

photobooth: Bryer Photography

honeymoon: Maui, Hawaii and Kauai, Hawaii

Day of Details-ceremony booklet, seating chart, menu cards: Hirokawa Design Company

Favors: Maca Boston

Dog Biscuit:  Bar-Bella & Lindy's Saratoga Pet Boutique

Welcome Bags: Saratoga Candy Company

advice to pass along... On the day of your wedding, don't stress over all the little details and try to soak in every moment since it goes by so fast. It is an incredible feeling to have everyone who loves and supports you all together for the first time ever. Don't forget to have some private moments as a couple because it is your relationship and commitment to one another that made this day possible. Some of our favorite memories of the wedding were private moments together to reflect on how grateful and lucky we are to have found each other.

Published in Our Story

Our Story:

Nick and I went to elementary school together, but it wasn’t until we were put in the same eighth grade English class that we started to like each other. My childhood home was next to the YMCA, so Nick would ride his bike over, and we would meet there. Years later in our senior year of high school, we started dating. We talked about getting married, and the future - but we were so young that it seemed like a lifetime away. When college came, we decided that if our relationship was meant to be, we would get back together in the future. Four years of undergrad and months later, we went out with some friends as a group, reconnected and the rest was history. We started dating (again) as adults (ha!), moved up to Saratoga together, and five years later we got engaged!

When it came time to pick the venue, we knew we wanted to get married somewhere in Saratoga or Lake George. So, we started researching, and Nick stumbled on the Inn at Erlowest. We laughed when we realized how close it was to my family camp on the lake, drove by the sign a million times, and never knew what a hidden gem it was. However, it ended up being exactly what we pictured. Our wedding day turned out to be a beautiful sunny September day! I got to marry the love of my life, with all our favorite people - at a place we love!

The Details:

wedding date : September 13, 2019

ceremony location: The Inn at Erlowest

reception location: The Inn at Erlowest

photographer: JB Photography

event decorator : The Inn at Erlowest

wedding gown: Angela’s Bridal

bridesmaids' dresses: Show Me Your Mumu

tuxedo and groomsmen clothing: JoS. A. Bank

rings: Glennpeter Jewelers

flowers: Dehn’s Flowers & Greenhouses, Inc and Petal Pusher

hair: Premier Hair Lounge

makeup: Bar Beauty - A Julie Occhino Salon

cake: Cider Belly and Kathy’s Kupcakes

dj: Conway Entertainment

first dance "Do You Remember" - Jack Johnson

honeymoon: TBD

guestbook paddle - Love is in New York

rehearsal dinner at the Inn at Erlowest: Charlton Tavern (The Maloney’s)

advice to pass along... Don’t worry about the time. You have people there whose jobs are to keep you on schedule. Once your timeline is established, enjoy your day.

Published in Our Story
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