Our Story - Kristen & Stewart Millikan

 

 

 

I met Stu like so many other people meet, through a shared group of friends. The only difference in our case was that our shared group of friends was spread across the country and I had never met any of them face to face. In a world of online dating and apps to meet the right 

partner, we took it a step further and met in a video game.

 

Like many people do, we spent time as friends within the group, then moved on to being friends outside the group. In the online game we played together, two people could marry their avatars (the characters people play as) and after a while we decided to do just that. 

 

And so, with a small, virtual marriage, we started on our path to the real thing.

Over the next few years I would make the trip to Chicago to spend a week with him, and he would fly to Albany to do the same. After a year and a half, he decided to make the move to Albany.

 

In keeping with the rest of our lives, our wedding was a celebration of everything nerdy. Our tables were named after houses in Game of Thrones. We had swords, and cloaks, and crowns. The words we spoke to each other when we were married were pulled straight out of fantasy. It was a day that was uniquely us and we know our family and friends loved it every bit as much as we did!

 

 

Wedding date  

November 11, 2018  

 

Location

Glen Sanders Mansion

 

Photographer  

Matt McClosky Photography 

 

Event Decorator 

Glen Sanders Mansion 

 

Wedding gown & bridesmaids' dresses

Jocelynn's Bridal  

 

Tuxedo & groomsmens' clothing

Men's Warehouse

 

Wedding planner 

Maria DeMartino

 

Hair 

Platinum Salon - Alyssa Lauder

 

Makeup 

Platinum Salon - Becca Shaeffer 

 

Flowers  

Felthousen's Florist and Greenhouse 

 

Caterer / Cake 

Mazzone Hospitality   

 

DJ 

Bobby Dick & Susie Q

 

First dance  

'Answers' by  Nobuo Uematsu

 

Honeymoon destination 

New Zealand 

 

Hespera Designs providing the gemfire ring cut from the 

same motherstone that Lena Heady wore in Game of Thrones.

 

Eden Luxe Bridal Swarovski Crystal Crown, necklace and earrings

Costurero Real Ceremony Cloak

 

Special touches...

The wedding party received engraved Alehorns with their names, the date and their "title" given to them by the bride & groom. The Groom wore a replica of the famed valryian steel sword "Longclaw" from Game of Thrones.

 

Advice to pass along...

Your wedding day goes by as fast as everyone says it does!  Remember to take some time 

to sit down and enjoy the meal, cake and drinks for yourself.

Our Story - Rebecca & Scott Brown 

 

After a friendly conversation over a few bottles of Maple 

porters at a birthday party in January of 2015, there was an instant connection between us. A few gatherings later, and three more attempts to go out on a date (Thank God for persistent men), we had our first date at Morgan and Co. in downtown Glens Falls. 

 

We were scheduled for a trip to Italy /Portugal in April of 2017. We visited my family in Marsicovetere, Italy. Scott made several attempts to have some alone time with me (planning to propose), but there is never a quiet moment when socializing with Italians. Finally, as we were leaving Marsicovetere, he popped the question in the backseat of the car. In shock, I didn’t even answer. Immediately after, my cousin pulled the car over (unaware of what just occurred), we jumped out of the car, and wandered over to a nearby garden, in which a small church covered in vines appeared. Finally, alone, Scott knelt on the steps of the church and proposed the way he had planned to for so long. Spoiler alert, I said, “Yes.” 

 

We had more fun planning and preparing for the big day than we did stressing about it. Our wedding was on a crisp October day. It was gorgeous, there was a double rainbow and we were surrounded by our closest family and friends at the most beautiful venue. Everyone worked so hard to make our day special, and we are so grateful for the love and time spent on us.

 

DETAILS:

 

Wedding date 

October 13, 2018  

 

Location 

Burlap And Beams Wedding Barn

 

Photographer 

Lauren McGarry

 

Event decorator

Bride, Owner of Barn and Day of Coordinator

 

Wedding gown 

Custom made by Kim Vanyo in Saratoga Springs at Khymanyo Studio

 

Bridesmaids' dresses 

Etsy.com (RenzRags)

 

Groom's clothing

Etsy, and other stores

 

Groomsmens' clothing 

Vests from a Historical costume site, 

other items of their choice 

 

Rings 

Engagement ring custom made by Argento Laraine Fine Jewelry, 

Bride's wedding band: David and Lily,Groom: Etsy

 

Hair 

Bride did her own, 

Bridemaids by Jennifer Wright, 

owner of Swagger in Saratoga Springs

 

Makeup 

Bride and Bridesmaids did their own  

 

Flowers Dehn's Florist in Saratoga Springs

 

Wedding planner 

Kate Taylor

 

Caterer 

Deliciously Different

 

Cake 

The Baker- Maria Pelton,

 

Homemade pies for guests made by 

family and friends  

 

Transportation 

Best Limousine in Glens Falls

 

DJ 

Ray Monroe, Sound Solutions of Saratoga

 

First dance 

'Better Man' by James Morrison

 

Honeymoon destination 

Aruba

 

Whiskey 

Bar Owner 

 

Shuttle service for guests 

First Student Charter

 

Lavender for centerpieces and 

groom/groomsmen boutonnières 

Lavenlair Lavender Farm

 

Special touches...

Father of the bride wrote and performed a song, family and friends made and brought pies for  dessert (pie dishes collected from garage sales), rings brought out on a book (Pride and Prejudice), Bride and Groom made Limoncello for wedding favors (traditional drink where we got engaged), Bride made all groomsmen's boutonnières/flower girls' headbands, and most of the decor (signs, labels, centerpieces) was DIY, save the dates 

were wooden magnets 

 

Advice to pass along...

Your wedding day will not go as perfectly as you imagined it to, just remind yourself 

of the big picture. 

 

 

Our Story

 

Nick and I went on our first date on October 4th, 2011 in New York City, but we quickly realized we had been leading parallel lives for years prior. We hung out at all the same places and can both recall being in the same place for a specific event or happening - multiple times. However, it took us meeting online to actually go out on a date. We hit it off right away and neither of us went back online after our first date.

 

Nick works in IT and I produce TV commercials. We both have hectic schedules at times, but always managed to make time for each other.

 

Being a Skidmore alum. I had a long-standing tradition of 

spending New Year’s Eve in Saratoga with my close friends from college. We would come in from whichever cities we were living in at the time to congregate at our favorite watering hole, Desperate Annie’s, and ring in the New Year together. Nick had only been to Saratoga to see concerts at SPAC but wanting to spend our first NYE together he came along to join in the tradition. 

 

That was the first time we said I love you. That next 

September we moved in together.

 

Our trips to Saratoga for NYE continued, plus we started making more trips for the track in the summer and foliage in the fall. On one such trip, October 1st, 2017 - six years after meeting - Nick planned an extra stop in Lake Placid. He proposed on top of Whiteface Mountain (after we both discovered I am afraid of heights – who knew!). We joke to this day that I only said yes so, he would bring me back down the mountain. Our favorite hockey team, the NY Rangers was in Lake Placid that weekend and were staying at our hotel. We saw it as a good omen as we are both diehard Rangers fans! 

 

I grew up in New York City and Nick grew up in Marcellus NY. To us Saratoga has always felt like a blend of where we both come from, probably why we enjoy spending time there so much. After visiting venues in NYC and the Syracuse/Finger Lakes area we decided to 

get married in Saratoga… the place we had shared so many good times in, together. Not only is it about midway between both of our hometowns but also, it is such a special place to us and we wanted to share it with those we care about most.

 

When we saw the space at Saratoga Polo Association, we knew we had found our venue. It is such a beautiful and unique location and it allowed us to have both indoor and outdoor components to our reception which was important to us. They were fantastic and so accommodating, they made it easy for us to customize our day, to feel personal and not just like another cookie cutter event. All our vendors were spectacular and worked so closely with us to make our day perfect! We could not have been in better hands and we can’t thank them all enough for making our wedding truly special and amazing.

 

The whole wedding weekend was magical. We felt so lucky to have family and friends come from all over to celebrate with us. People came from New York City, New Jersey, Syracuse, Boston, California, Washington DC and even Italy. We wanted some place that was easy for everyone to get to but also a fun destination. We got married on the Saturday before Columbus Day so our guests could make a mini vacation out of the trip if they wanted to. Having everyone come together in Saratoga for us was so touching and meaningful. We felt so fortunate to have so much love around us as we started our lives together as husband and wife.

 

Wedding date 

October 6, 2018  

 

Location 

Saratoga Polo Association

 

Photographer 

Leo Timoshuk

 

Stationery Suite 

Appycouple

 

Wedding gown 

A Love Story Bridal

 

Bridesmaids' dresses 

Chose their own

 

Tuxedo

JCrew 

 

Event Decorator

Rena & Rain or Shine Tent Co.

 

Rings 

Tiffany & Co. 

(for ceremony bride used gold band, 

5th generation to wed in it)

 

Hair & makeup 

Lipstick N Lashes 

 

flowers 

Rena's Fine Flowers 

 

Wedding planner 

Donna Connor @ On the Go 

 

Caterer 

B-Rad

 

Dessert

S'mores Station & Tiramisu by B-Rad 

 

Transportation

Premiere Transportation

 

Band 

Soul Session 

 

First dance 

'Into the Mystic ' by Van Morrison 

 

Honeymoon destination 

Crete Greece, Venice Italy, 

 

Lake Como Italy

Room Block & After Party

 

Embassy Suites

Rehearsal dinner & welcome drinks Hatties patio

 

Photos 

Congress Park, Adelphi and Saratoga Polo

 

Brunch/local brewery tour 

Saratoga Winery, Artisinal Brewery, 

R.S. Taylor (bus from Premiere) 

 

Special touches...

We set up S'mores tent and fire pits outside the reception tent and everyone got to make their own S'mores. We did a sabrage, a polo tradition,  and a dessert and aperitif table. My Uncle performed the ceremony. We shipped in sugared almonds from Ernesto Brusa in Italy as favors, a tradition of five wishes.

 

Advice to pass along...

Do what you like but more importantly don't do what you don't want to. It sounds silly but that's what made our day so special to us and all our friends and family. We didn't stress about the little things we just wanted to host a great weekend for everybody. It was magical to be surrounded by so much love in a place that is so special to us. We worked together to make every choice so that it felt like us.