Saja: How did you meet?
Lianne: I’m originally from Warsaw, NY a small rural town in Western New York, and he’s from Buffalo, NY. We met by chance, at Octoberfest, a fall festival in Ellicottville, a small ski town about an hour south of Buffalo.
How did he propose?
It was a quiet early Saturday morning in January. We were still in bed, just lounging the morning away. That’s when he did it, and even though it wasn’t a big production or anything, I loved how real and intimate it was. It’s a moment all our own.
Where did the wedding take place? What made you choose it there?
We chose to have the ceremony and reception in East Aurora, NY at a country club called Crag Burn. Crag Burn used to be the old polo grounds of the famous Knox family of East Aurora in the early 1900’s. The clubhouse actually used to be the old horse stalls, which they kept in the design after it was renovated in the 60’s. You’ll see that in some of the pics.
Jeff is an avid golf lover and I am a country lover as well as a history buff. We wanted a place that was meaningful, unique, could facilitate an outdoor wedding, and a place that was easy for both of our families to come to (East Aurora is smack in the middle of Buffalo and Warsaw.)
This spot melded it all perfectly. The clubhouse evokes a Scottish-European rustic vibe that we instantly found charming, and the grounds are so off the beaten path that the place is totally quiet (nothing ruins a good ceremony like busy traffic sounds in the background).
What was your favorite part of the day?
I’d have to say, the ceremony and vows. Although it’s slightly jarring being in front of so many people trying to recite lines and not mess up, it’s a moment every woman dreams about since she’s a little girl. I always wondered how it would be, and how I would feel in that moment, and it was amazing.
Is there anything you can point out about your pictures that we might not have noticed?
We did a “first-look”, which means you see your man before the ceremony, but you get all the pictures out of the way without being rushed, so you can enjoy the reception. We did our first look at Knox Farm (where the Knox family of the 1900’s lived in their summer mansion). The Knox property is now a state park and has all sorts of great photo locations, and was a five-minute drive from Crag Burn.
The dress held up so well. The photographers kept telling me to let them know if I was “melting” from the heat, but I could not complain one bit. It was so perfect for an outdoor wedding.
Which of the photos is your favorite? Why?
Gosh I have so many.
One is us kissing at the ceremony. It went so fast. We were holding hands saying our vows and then when he said we could kiss, we ended up never letting go of our hands. I didn’t even realize it at the time. But I think it makes the image quite compelling. And I love that I’m on my tip-toes. :)