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Indie Buffalo NY wedding

September 1, 2016
wintery wedding bouquet

A few fun facts about Erin + Will before we dive into all the incredible shots Mary Dougherty captured of their day: They both have backgrounds in acting (though E’s now a creative director). They both love vintage, and their day was full of local goods and finds. Her style is part boho, part classic, which worked out well for a classic church ceremony + bohemian reception. Their design rule: if you’d find it in a spring garden, it was game for décor!

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Erin tells it, The thing that set Mary apart from other photographers is that she didn’t just sell me on the one money shot she gets at every wedding; she sent me an entire album from a recent wedding she shot, and every. shot. was good. And they weren’t just good shots: the lighting was perfect and they hadn’t been made to look good with heavy retouching, they were just good photographs. The gallery documented the entire day, and there were hundreds of incredible photographs. That’s what you need in a good photographer: not a perfect posed shot, but somebody who can capture the spirit, love, and organic moments from the biggest day of your life.

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Wondering how they formed this pretty lavender color story (totally unplanned)? Erin found those bridesmaid dresses at BHLDN + Will found gray suits for his guys, so those two tones became the main colors. From there, they sprinkled in yellow, pink, and green, particularly with all those Fern Croft florals. Oh and, they purchased the dresses/suits for their wedding party. A friend had done that at her wedding, and Erin loved the idea of the dress being the gift.

indie Buffalo NY wedding

FYI: The field photos were at a nature preserve near downtown Buffalo. Even though the weather was crazy windy and cold, Mary urged them not to cancel, and they’re SO happy they went! (Us too!)

dogwood centerpieces

Their biggest cost savers were Erin getting the dress at a sample sale, hiring her talented designer friend Michelle Dimuzio to do invites + paper goods, having them printed in one color (more affordable for letterpress… and gorg!), and having branches for half the centerpieces instead of all floral arrangements. Nice tips! 

semi naked wedding cake indie Buffalo NY wedding

Check out Erin’s planning tips to see how she planned in 11 months with 120 guests in mind:

Put the guests first. Everybody wants their guests to be wowed at their wedding, and in order to do that, you have to consider their experience. Our main goal with the day was to throw a great party that would make everybody feel welcomed and loved, and that’s exactly what happened. 

Hire great vendors, then trust them. My overall creative management theory is to let people do what they’re great at, and my wedding was no different. I spent time vetting and hiring vendors who I gelled with creatively and who are passionate about what they do, talked to them about my overall vision, and then trusted them and their expert advice when it came to their areas of expertise. 

Get a day of coordinator: My two best girlfriends both gave me this advice and I’m so glad I listened to them. I didn’t initially think a wedding planner would fit into my budget, but a day of coordinator vs. a full planner is actually quite affordable, and hiring Gabby of After 5 Events  was one of the best decisions I made. It took all of the stress off of me, the moms, and the ‘maids the day of: the only thing I had to focus on was getting ready, marrying Will, and having the time of my life. 

Have a late night plan: Our venue had a downstairs bar and music venue that was a bit more intimate, so after the reception, we moved downstairs for pizza, buffalo wings, and a low key open bar. We didn’t think a lot about it while planning as it was laid back, but it was one of the best times of the night. It gave everybody a chance to wind down and talk after a night of dancing and celebration, and capped off the arc of the day.  It was also a perfect opportunity for us to catch up with some friends and family there wasn’t time to talk to properly in the whirlpool of the day.

Thanks for the tips, E! Cheers!

Photographer: Mary Dougherty Photography / Venue: St. Louis Roman Catholic Church / Reception Venue & Catering: Asbury Hall Babeville / Day of Wedding Coordinator: Gabby of After 5 Events / Florist: Fern Croft / Makeup: Rachelle of Halo Salon / Hair: Jen Buscaglia & team of Halo Salon / Design & Calligraphy: Michelle Dimuzio / Letterpress: Bella Figura / Cake: Blackbird Sweets / Gelato Cart: Sweet Melody’s / DJ : Kyle Tatum / Vintage Suitcases & Frames: quaint rentals / Café Lights: Balloon Masters / Dress: Josephine by Rebecca Schoneveld from Schone Bride / Veil: The Rebecca from Schone Bride / Headpiece: Hushed Commotion ‘Isis’ / Shoes: Nina / Sapphire Ring: Jennie Kwon from Catbird / Wedding Band: Satomi Kawakita from Catbird / Bridesmaids Dresses: Donna Morgan from BHLDN / Groom’s Suit (bespoke): Bureau / Wedding Band: Catbird / Bow Ties: Vagabond Bowties / Suits: Combatant Gentlemen