Backyard Wedding Ceremony and Emery Park Ski Lodge Reception | Buffalo, NY Wedding Photographer
EPISODE 2.55
WNY’s Best Kept Secret, Emery Park Ski Lodge
If I was planning a DIY wedding, this is where I would start! I myself had a small private wedding at Hamlin Beach State Park. I had not heard of this perfect gem until last year. If you love Bond Lake Warming House but don’t want to wait 2 years to be married- this is the perfect spot!
This wedding is a particular favorite of mine – I feel like I have known Molly and Andrew for years. They booked with us on their own – we have been trying to set up a way for people to check their wedding date without having to contact us. But it’s relatively tricky thing to program. Well Molly & Andrew were the first couple to not only find it- but book through it!
During their engagement session we spoke of our love for animals, they did not yet have a dog. But just a short couple months later at their wedding I got to meet their very own dog! Wearing the cutest flower collar, we might have taken 200 photos of her. I didn’t actually count this but it sounds about right haha.
There’s something really special about weddings that happen close to home, and this one was exactly that. The day started with a backyard wedding ceremony at the bride’s childhood home and ended with a cozy reception at Emery Park Ski Lodge. Just a short walk down a lantern lit path to the reception. It was relaxed, personal, and Magical.
These two have been together since high school, which made every part of the day feel even more emotional. They weren’t just celebrating a wedding — they were celebrating years of growing up together.
Friends and family gathered behind the house, and the ceremony took place in a spot the bride has known her whole life. In a ceremony led by the Bride’s brother, who was also married there. There’s something you can’t recreate about that.
And just a short walk away was the barn, home to the family’s chickens and goats, who quietly went about their day while all the excitement was happening. It added such a fun and personal touch to the setting, and of course we had to include them in a few photos.
Late September is one of the best times for a wedding in Western New York. The air starts to cool, the light gets softer, and the pumpkins are just perfect.
The timing couldn’t have been better. The early fall colors were just starting, and the weather made it easy for everyone to enjoy being outside. Molly was prepared with blankets for the ceremony – but it ended up being the perfect temperature day! Just one of the many thoughtful little parts of their wedding.
If you’re planning a backyard wedding in Buffalo, NY or a reception at Emery Park Ski Lodge and are looking for a Buffalo wedding photographer, we’d love to hear about your plans.
