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from Saratoga TODAY November 18-24, 2022

by Saratoga TODAY

The 9th Annual Convoy for Tots was held across Saratoga on Sunday Nov. 13, 2022. Photo by Super Source Media Studios. See Story

From The Editor

Chris Vallone Bushee, Saratoga Bride Editor-In-Chief

cBushee@SaratogaPublishing.com • 518-581-2480 ext. 201 SaratogaBride.com • SaratogaTODAYnewspaper.com

Welcome to Saratoga Bride – the newsprint edition! SARATOGABRIDE.COM

Search by a Vendor’s Name, a Category, or just look around :)

Congratulations on your upcoming wedding - you have come to the right place! I’ve been doing Saratoga Bride for about 15 years now (where does the time go?!) and I’ve seen how NOTHING prevents LOVE from blossoming in this town! Two feet of snow during a Bridal Expo – people still come out! – a global pandemic – people just prioritize and reschedule! I know why people get married here – I’ve been reading their stories for years, but I thought I’d call on DISCOVER SARATOGA for some real numbers to back up my belief that we’re a world-class four-season wedding destination.

This is what I found out:

• 80% of the weddings they work with are destination weddings – meaning that most of the guests and/or the couple is travelling from out of town and most of the guests will be needing overnight hotel accommodations. The primary request that we get from couples are for room blocks where at least 50% are travelling from out of town. • People are booking weddings further out now as there is both the newly engaged couple, as well as people who rescheduled their weddings from COVID. So... Book Early! • In 2022, there will be an estimated 2.5 million weddings – which is the most in US history since 1984 • $33k is the average wedding cost in the US, and 50% is spent on the venue Saratoga Bride is full of inspiration, whether you’re searching Saratoga Bride.com for ideas, reading through Real Brides and stories online, or checking out these beautiful fall brides – we have what you’re looking for to plan your wedding in the Adirondack / Saratoga / Capital Region! When calling on our advertisers, please mention where you saw them – Saratoga Bride – The Newsprint Edition!

Happy Planning!

Chris

Real Bride Emily & Chris

- OUR STORY -

Chris and I first met at Bentley University in 2011 but it wasn't until we attended the same Mumford and Sons concert at SPAC in June 2016 that we officially got together. At the time, I was living in Boston, and he was living in NYC, so we struggled through a long-distance relationship for some time before I packed up and moved to Brooklyn. We moved in together and I quickly convinced him to let me get a dog (Hudson!). After three years of dating Chris proposed in Congress Park by having Hudson wear a "Will you marry Dad?" charm on his leash. We celebrated the rest of the summer with family and friends and even had (almost!) our entire bridal party up to my parents’ house for a celebratory weekend at the track on Labor Day Weekend 2019! Soon after that, of course, the world changed, as did our plans for a September 6, 2020 wedding at the Canfield Casino, as well as our living situation. We left our one bedroom in Brooklyn for my parents’ house in Ballston Lake and bought property to build on in Ballston Spa. Building a house while replanning a wedding (occasionally!) caused some stress, but the end result was perfect. We wanted it to have a destination wedding feel in Saratoga, with events all three days of Labor Day Weekend – a welcome party at SingleCut, rehearsal dinner at Thirsty Owl, after party at Nashville, and the day after brunch at Longfellows. We couldn't have imagined a more beautiful, historic venue than the Canfield Casino and the vendors we were able to work with were so incredibly kind and supportive throughout the entire process, all the way through to the day of. We owe a lot to our families and friends for all the hugs, help, and (at times!) manual labor. We felt so loved and celebrated and started our marriage in such a beautiful way.

details �

WEDDING DATE September 5 LOCATION Canfield Casino

PHOTOGRAPHER Charlotte Jenks Lewis VIDEOGRAPHER Gavin Law Films WEDDING GOWN Something Bleu Bridal BRIDESMAIDS' DRESSES Jenny Yoo NYC HAIR Bride: Shannon Ramirez Bridemaids: Truebeauty MAKEUP Doria Tremante BEAUTY CARE Spray Tan: Body Glow NY, Workout Classes: VBbrides Fitness GROOM'S ATTIRE Suit Supply RINGS Designs by Kamni WEDDING PLANNER Katie O Events FLOWERS Olive & June Floral Co. STATIONERY SUITE The Illustrated Life RENTALS: Total Events

CATERER Nicole's of Albany CAKE Cake Street Sweets

PARTY FAVORS Mint Julep Cups TRANSPORTATION Royale Transportation PHOTOBOOTH DJ Anthony B Photobooth DJ OR BAND Cocktail Hour: Tyler Giroux Reception: DJ Anthony B FIRST DANCE "Forever After All" (Dance lessons by Arthur Murray Dance Studio) HONEYMOON DESTINATION Maui/Oahu

SPECIAL TOUCHES...

• Welcome party at SingleCut in Clifton Park • Rehearsal dinner at Thirsty Owl, after party at Nashville Saratoga • Day after brunch at Longfellows Restaurant • It's so hard to narrow this down since it all seemed special to us! We tried to make the wedding a mix of Saratoga and Southernthemed with mint juleps prepared as a seating chart, and stationery that depicted the city of Saratoga. We are also very close with our families and made sure our grandparents played a role in our big day. I wore pieces of both of my Grandma's wedding dresses on me, and Chris wore his grandfather's photo pinned to his suit. We also had his grandma do a reading during our ceremony, which was officiated by my cousin. My best friend and her sisters played our ceremony music on violins as well, which was so emotional and amazing.

ADVICE TO PASS ALONG...

Stick to what you love and don’t lean into a trend that doesn’t suit you! Also, identify the things that are most important to you as a couple and prioritize those. For us that was photography and food. Weddings are a lot of money and work, and you can’t do it all!

Real Bride Madison & Jacob

- OUR STORY -

Jake and I met on the first day of college orientation at Elmira college in September of 2015. We were best friends from the start. Others came and went, but he was my number one. After we both became newly single in the fall of 2016, we began to flirt a little. In the spring of 2017, I finally said to him “are you going to date me or what?” The next day he took me on our first date to Pietro’s in Elmira, NY and the rest is history! We got engaged wine tasting with all our friends and family at our favorite spot in fall of 2018. We graduated college in spring 2019 and moved to the Capital Region. When we were wedding planning in 2020, it only felt right to get married in the fall, it was OUR season after all! After we saw The Hayloft on the Arch, we knew it was our venue. The next summer, Jake and my mom came wedding dress shopping with me at Lily Saratoga, (we are not traditional at all!) They cried when I put the first dress on, as I kept trying, nothing seemed to compare! We have been married almost a year now and just bought our first home together in the Capital Region!

details �

WEDDING DATE October 2 LOCATION Hayloft on the Arch PHOTOGRAPHER Lisha Hill Studio WEDDING GOWN Essence of Australia - purchased at Lily Saratoga

BRIDESMAIDS’ DRESSES

Jenny Yoo - purchased at Lily Saratoga HAIR Danielle Elsaesser

MAKEUP Emily Morris GROOM’S ATTIRE Tuxego RINGS Kay Jewelers WEDDING PLANNER Alisha Mathalia EVENT DECORATOR Mary Friedel FLOWERS Mary Friedel RENTALS: Decor Rentals: Mary’s Forever Flowers, now ForeverFlowerscny. Furniture rentals: from Alisha at the venue STATIONERY SUITE Minted CATERER Michael’s Fine Food & Spirits CAKE Wicked Sweets by Alyssa PARTY FAVORS Vermont Maple Syrup PHOTOBOOTH Ormond Entertainment DJ OR BAND Ormond Entertainment

FIRST DANCE “ Remedy” by Adele