Jocelyn + Gabe tied the knot on 5.21.21 at a gorgeous Catholic ceremony at St. Mary's Church in Ballston Spa, NY, followed by a stunning tent reception at the National Museum of Dance in Saratoga Springs, NY.
From the moment we first spoke, I knew that Jocelyn + Gabe would be a love match for me. Calling from a little post-engagement getaway in Florida, we got to chat about their wedding vision, proposal story, and overall vibe as a couple. I was delighted to hear that on the day that Gabe proposed to Jocelyn, she had been playing the Sims and eating hot dogs. Both of these activities play a big role in my life, so in my head I immediately knew that we'd get along just fine.
After their beautiful Bolton Landing engagement session, I think we were all even more excited for their wedding day. Getting to know each other in a fun, low-pressure environment such as an engagement shoot is a great way to break the ice and practice for the big day.
On the day of the wedding itself, I was just delighted from start to finish. The second I showed up on site, I knew we were going to have an amazing day. The bridesmaids dresses were photo-ready and hung in an aesthetically pleasing spot, and all of the bridal details (shoes, invitations, rings, veil, etc) were lovingly gathered and laid out on an antique silver tray.... I was in detail heaven. HEAVEN! And I also must mention - Jocelyn's family pup Daisy was puttering around, keeping me company during details and being such a good girl during all of her close ups. I love when there's a dog involved in the wedding day. It's my favorite thing.
This was a no-first-look wedding, which means that the first time the couple got to see each other was down the aisle. St. Mary's Church is SO breathtakingly stunning, that I couldn't have imagined a more perfect way to first see each other. Jocelyn's grand entrance turned heads, and I could tell Gabe was absolutely blown away by his gorgeous bride down the aisle. The beauty of this church, the readings, the spoken words delivered by their priest, and the palpable love in the air really moved me and I found myself taking a second to soak it all in and just think about how incredible the memory of this day would be when Jocelyn, Gabe, and their friends and families reminisce about their day.
You know the post-ceremony drill at a no-first-look wedding: family formals, bridal party formals, couples portraits, cocktail hour, reception. All of these events flew by and I could tell everyone was having so much fun. It was so great to watch everyone let loose and just enjoy, dance, chat, and speak kind words to each other. I think Gabe was picked up entirely off the ground by no less than two different groups of people... and I spent a lot of time running around after the cutest little toddler-age niece and nephews as they delighted in such an exciting event.
All in all, this was an incredible day. I could immediately tell - and I think you will agree with me after looking through these images - that a lot of thought, care, and detailed planning went into pulling together such a lovely, truly beautiful event. Everything was just right - the locations, the guest experience, the decor.... really well done, guys.
Joce + Gabe, I hope you had the best time and that your wedding was as wonderful for you as it was for us. You two are some of the kindest people I have ever had the pleasure of working with, and I wish you 100 lifetimes of happiness together. Enjoy these photos and memories forever - it was truly an honor to be there with you to document every perfect second.
<3 love you guys, HL
The amazing vendor team on this wedding:
Church: St. Mary's in Ballston Spa
Venue: National Museum of Dance
Invitations: Minted
Florals: Samantha Nass Floral Design
HMUA: Blush518
Trolleys / Transport: Royale Transportation
Cake: The Bread Basket, Saratoga
Catering: Nicole's Special Events & Catering Co.
Suits: Men's Wearhouse
DJ: Intra-State Entertainment
Rentals: Saratoga Tents & Events
& a big big thank you to my second shooter, Livy!