the blog

It’s always amazing going back to Syracuse, NY to shoot weddings. However, it’s even more amazing when I get to do it for a friend! I’ve know Brittany since my freshman year in college. My best friends little sister was Brittany’s best friend…does that make sense? No? Ah well, either way, Brittany and I would go over to our friends home and spend hours there talking, laughing, creating silly video, and just having a great time! It’s crazy to think that during that time Brittany was still in high school!

Now she’s all grown up and has married a most excellent man! I didn’t get a chance to meet Ryan before the wedding, but it only took me a few seconds to know that Ryan was perfect for Brittany. He’s the kind of guy you know will adore and take care of his lady. I couldn’t be happier for them both!

In my opinion there is nothing better than Syracuse in the fall so Brittany picked a winner of a day! It was just beautiful! It was a mini reunion for us all, hanging out with Britt as she got ready, everyone…I mean EVERYONE crying as they married, and then the rockin party that I knew would take place after if our past was any indicator! 😉 And in true Brittany fashion, everything was glam and gorgeous! Every single detail was just stunning and it was so perfectly my friend.

Thank you Brittany & Ryan for bringing me back home to capture your amazing day! It was such a joy to be part of it all!

XOXOXO,
Mabyn

– Tell me a bit about the planning process for your wedding
The planning process was really fun and relatively easy. My mom was a wedding planner for over 25 years, and my aunt is a florist of over 30 years, so I literally just had to say a few bits of my vision and they ran with it!  The colors of the wedding were plum and platinum, which were absolutely perfect for the fall season.  Everyone just assumed my favorite color is purple, and though I favor it a lot the reason I chose that color for the dresses was because every single year growing up when I went to a semi-formal dance, my dresses just so happened to be purple.  This was never intentional just the way it worked out so my bridesmaids had always said that it obviously had to follow suite and be purple.  It just made sense, so I didn’t even think about it and went with that! I incorporated other pinks and silver and other shades of purple to make the vision complete.  Ryan the whole planning process kept saying he didn’t want to know many of the details as he wanted to be completely surprised when he walked into the room and saw everything, so the day of provided several moments of me looking for his reaction and anticipating what he was going to think!
– What was the most memorable moment(s) of your day?
Leading up to the wedding we knew my dad was going to be the most emotional guest at the wedding, and boy was he.  When I did the first look with him I knew it was going to be a memory I would never forget.  I also loved how he suprised me with a slideshow of pictures of me through the years that played in the background as we danced.  The song we danced to was also a secret until the day of, I told him when I first got engaged he was to pick it and not tell anyone until the day of!  Tears filled the room of course!
– Funniest memory from your wedding day?
Going back to how Ryan kept saying he wanted to be surprised the whole time, I really had a chance to see his reactions when him and I got to share a moment alone when we checked out the venue space before the rest of the guests enterered.  Knowing that we are huge Dave Matthews Fans my mom had a fire-dancer ice sculpture made for us that neither one of us knew about.  That was the first thing we saw when we walked into the room and Ryan literally yelled to me with excitement OH MY GOODNESS that is the coolest thing I’ve ever seen, and he then proclaimed that if we were a couple on a episode of the tv show Four Weddings, we would have indeed won.  He is such a goof any ways but watching him walk around like a kid in a candy store was probably the funniest most adorable thing I have seen.
– If you had to do it all over again would you change anything? 
Not one thing, except that I forgot to bring home some dessert! We had a whole dessert bar and I didn’t try one thing!

 
– Any advice for future bride & grooms?
Don’t sweat the small stuff, the whole time everyone kept telling me that something is bound to go wrong, and leading up to it I was so nervous thinking about what that was going to be.  The day arrived and everything was flawless, don’t be nervous and tamper with your planning process because of silly things.
– What was your biggest fear before hiring me? Did it come true, and if not, what happened instead?
It’s been my dream forever to have you shoot my wedding, knowing that you moved to N.C. I was nervous it wouldn’t work out and you wouldn’t be able to come to N.Y.  No worries, you accomodated and drove up for us! Thank you again!

 

– What, specifically, was your favorite part of working with Mabyn Ludke Photography and why?
It’s almost like you were invisible, and I mean that in the best way possible.  I never once felt like you were having us pose or do traditional things.  I really didn’t even feel like I took any pictures at all, which is amazing because you really captured moments in real time instead of traditional poses. You can’t ever duplicate real moments like that, and you were literally a photographic genious fly on the wall and I love you for that!
– If you were to recommend Mabyn Ludke Photography to your best friend, what would you say?
If you want to feel more photogenic and really feel beautiful when you look at your pictures, you are hands down the person to do it.  You just have us stand or look a certain way and boom…model status.  I have already had so many people say you are a genius and can’t wait to see the rest! I will recommend you to every bride I know!

 

Hair: Sue Dahl at Cliptomania Salon // Makeup Artist: Lynne Winters owner of GlamVanity // Dress Designer & Store Location: Oleg Cassini at David’s Bridal // Jewelry: David’s Bridal // Veil or Hair accessories: Purchased at Mirror Mirror in Baldwinsville // Shoes: David’s Bridal // Bridesmaids Dresses: Alfred Angelo // Grooms Attire: Tuxedo Junction // Ceremony Venue: DeWitt Community Church // Reception Venue: Justin’s Tuscan Grill // Additional photo venue: Erie Canal // Florist: My beloved aunt, Roxanne Elefante // Transportation: S&S limousine // DJ: DJ Slammin’ Sam and Gary Rainbow of SHOtime Entertainment // Caterer: Pascale’s at Justin’s Grill // Cake: My Momma, Tammy Ballard // Event Designer: Me, my mom, aunt and grandma Pat // Wedding Coordinator: Stephanie at Justin’s // Lighting: Provided by the dj // Invitations & Stationary: Purchased an invitation kit at Michael’s and made them myself. // Other: All other signage was made through Etsy, and the videographer was of course Gina B. Cinema

Oh Syracuse, even though you’re almost as warm as NC right now I still miss you around the holidays. This will be my first Christmas in my new home with my new hubby, which is exciting in itself, however a piece of my heart is definitely in NY. Daniel & I haven’t had too much time to think about what Christmas (and holidays in general) is going to look like for us. We’re excited to figure out what “traditions” we want to implement in our home. I’m hoping egg nog & Christmas movies might be in there somewhere!

Since I’m missing the ‘Cuse right now, I thought it’d be appropriate to share one of my NY weddings with you all! Not too long ago I had a quick trip up for Alida & Matt’s absolutely incredible wedding day. Like wowzah people, these two have such a beautiful story to match their beautiful hearts!

Alida & Matt met and started dating in 9th grade. NINTH GRADE people! I don’t know that I’ve kept in contact with anyone from school, let alone in a relationship with them! They stayed together through their tumultuous teens, college years, travels for lacrosse,  ups, downs, and everything in between. Their wedding day was such a celebration! Everyone who attended seem to radiate joy that these two were finally to be wed! I don’t know if I’ve ever been to a wedding where so many stories were shared of how generous, kind, welcoming, beautiful, and loved these two have always been. It made my heart happy to capture such sincere and heart felt moments for Alida & Matt.

You know how in Christmas movies there is always that moment where the main character gets overwhelmed with the love of his or her family? Well that was Alida…pretty much all day long…and it was fabulous! Almost every time I turned around during the “getting ready” process, Alida was holding back tears, hugging someone, and soaking it all up! The ceremony was just as emotional for both Alida & Matt and all of their beloved family and friends.

The reception was unreal people! Not only was Sky Armory decked out, but there was a celebrity appearance by none other than Otto the Orange! He kicked the night off with a grand entrance and it sure set the tone for a party to remember! Alida & Matt’s celebration could have gone on for days and I think everyone would have stayed to dance it out! All in all it was so much fun and I’m just in awe of this beautiful couple and their love that has already weathered so much and stood the test of time. Thank you Alida & Matt for your trust and love, it was an honor to capture your Love Story!

MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE!

XOXOXO,
Mabyn

 

A huge thank you to my bestie Emily of Emily Elizabeth Studios for being my awesome 2nd shooter and pulling a double header weekend. 22 hours of shooting and you didn’t die! You’re amazing! <3

– Tell me a bit about the planning process for your wedding:
The planning process began back in 2002, when we started dating in 9th grade and I knew that Matt was going to be the man I would eventually marry. From day one, I started to set aside ideas of color schemes, wedding verses and decor ideas and the theme. Hey- I had a LONG time to plan to make my wedding dream a reality! We both agreed that the ceremony would take place in my home church and for the venue we knew that we wanted something unique. SKY Armory was still a shell of a gutted department store when we first saw it, but Matt and I knew that it would ultimately be the perfect setting for our celebration. We knew that we wanted the wedding to reflect who we are as individuals as well as a couple and really be a wonderful reflection of our love.

– What was the most memorable moment(s) of your day?
Our first look was one of the most memorable moments for us. Just having that time for the two of us and then being able to pray together before we set off for the church was pretty special. Another unforgettable moment took place on the corner of Walton and S.Franklin while we were taking photos. We were walking down Walton Street and stumbled upon a saxophonist. Mabyn had the wonderful idea of asking him if we could pose with him for a photo and he started to play “Here Comes the Bride.” After the photo, we tipped him and started to cross the street to S. Franklin for more shots. As we were walking across the street, the saxophonist started to play “Always & Forever” by Heatwave as well as Luther Vandross. We stopped at the corner and realized that he was playing OUR song! Nobody that was outside with us knew that it was our song, our first dance! So we started to dance on the street corner, just the two of us.

– Funniest memory from your wedding day?
That I couldn’t stop crying! Tears of joy were flowing left and right. Watching all my girls get ready-tears. Opening my gift from Matt- tears. Watching all my girl’s all read the notes that Matt had written them- water works. Explaining to my cousin (flower girl) that her bouquet was modeled after our grandmother’s wedding flower and the wrap around our bouquets was a piece of her wedding dress- TEARS. The first look with my father- There wasn’t a dry eye in the room!  It was also pretty funny that Matt, Mabyn, Emily and I were locked out on the parking garage roof for just a brief moment!

– If you had to do it all over again would you change anything?
I would ask for God to add a few more hours to the day!

– Any advice for future bride & grooms?
Try not to sweat the small stuff, like arguing over invitation wording and fonts. And really try to be in the moment- take just a few minutes that you can stand with your spouse and look at all that came of the work of planning a wedding and all the people that are there to support you guys as you venture into a great new journey.

– What was your biggest fear before hiring me? Did it come true, and if not, what happened instead?
I think my biggest fear was letting go of the reins and letting Mabyn do what she does best! Anyone that knows me, knows that I am a planner and of course I had a whole Pinterest board of the “must have shots.” I tossed out all but one or two of those ideas and really put all my trust into Mabyn. That’s why we hired her of course!

– What, specifically, was your favorite part of working with Mabyn Ludke Photography and why?
Mabyn has a wonderful eye for the beauty all around us. Whether it’s capturing a reflection in a window of marriage prayer, the pure joyous expression of having just walked down the aisle, or just the magic of dancing on a street corner, Mabyn captures it all beautifully!

– If you were to recommend Mabyn Ludke Photography to your best friend, what would you say?
I would say that it was hands down the easiest and smartest decision in wedding planning! Mabyn is a true gem, an instant friend and an absolute joy to work with!

Hair: Joanna Rizzo owner of My Salon // Makeup Artist: Serenity Kucharski // Dress Designer & Store Location: Enzoani & Mirror Mirror Inc // Jewelry: Her wedding rings from Tacori from Skaneateles Jewelers and his from Littman/Skaneateles Jewelers. Bridal earrings from Mirror Mirror Inc and bracelet from Matt’s parents Lorie & Tom. // Veil or Hair accessories: Mirror Mirror Inc and the clip was my something borrowed from my bridesmaid Emily // Shoes: Angela Nuran // Bridesmaids Dresses: thedaintyard from Etsy // Grooms Attire:  Calvin Klein from Men’s Wearhouse. // Ceremony Venue: Erwin First United Methodist Church // Reception Venue: SKY Armory // Additional photo venue: Armory Square, downtown Syracuse // Florist: The Floral Gardens // Transportation: J&J Limousine //  DJ: Black Tie Entertainment // Caterer: SKY Armory // Cake: Biscotti Cafe & Gelateria // Event Designer: Most of the design was my own vision with the help of Nicole. // Wedding Coordinator: Nicole Samolis from SKY Armory // Lighting: SKY Armory // Invitations & Stationary: Wedding Paper Divas & home made by Matt & Alida // Videographer- BVCinematic

What a better way to celebrate Thanksgiving than with my beautiful friends Chris & Lindsey’s harvest wedding day?! Seriously, it’s like they gifted me the perfect themed wedding for this week’s feature!

A rustic setting, pumpkins, autumn leaves, and a gorgeous barn to seal the deal. MKJ the Farm was the perfect backdrop for their beautiful day. Now lets talk about Lindsey & Chris and their incredible group of family and friends! Can I tell you that these people are so dedicated and in love with this couple it blows my mind. The way everyone jumped in feet first to help create their day was extra special. A huge shout out to Rick Luckette and Cheryl Severance who’s artistic eyes & mad organizational skills really shown through. I had a great time capturing all of the beautiful little details.

So you can imagine that Chris & Lindsey’s day was pretty perfect. The sun shown down, there was a slight breeze, and laughter could probably be heard all throughout Deansboro. This group is overflowing with joy for this awesome couple, and when you get to know them it’s easy to see why. These two have giant hearts and a sarcastic wit that everyone loves! Their snakiness fit perfectly with mine which turned into a day of hilarious banter and friendship. Huge hugs go to this couple, I can’t thank them enough for choosing me to capture this incredible day!

XOXOXOXO,
Mabyn

I love this shot of Lindsey, her eyes are POPPIN & LOCKIN!

This is also a personal fave, so elegant!

MKJ Farm is just stunning

One of my favorite first dance photos of the season…booooookehhhhhhhhh!

The night sky was incredible that night so I had to try something new! It was TOTALLY worth it!

Especially when the big dipper decided to photo bomb

-Tell me a bit about the planning process for your wedding:
-Well, after the first month or two I was not a huge fan of wedding planning. Too many decisions and not so much time! My husband was a huge help during the process and he was very involved. He found our wonderful venue. My favorite season is fall, so I knew that I always wanted a fall themed wedding. This was the easiest decision I had to make. I recruited my friends Rick Luckette and Cheryl Severance and they helped make my wedding location and day absolutely beautiful. I showed them what I wanted it to look like and they surpassed anything I could ever have imagined it looking like!

-What was the most memorable moment(s) of your day?
-I was able to spend a lot of the day with my mom and my sister. They were with me from the moment I woke up and they stayed with me at each stop getting ready. Different people would also come to different getting ready stops, but I really cherished that alone time I had with them both before the wedding craziness began. They helped to make the day calm and special for me. I also loved Chris and I’s first look. That was a special time we got to enjoy together before everything began. He looked so handsome!

-Funniest memory from your wedding day?
-Chris and I loved listening to Cindy Ormond’s introductions of our bridal party, but we especially loved what she said about one of my bridesmaids. Jokingly when I was filling out the “getting to know” paperwork for our bridal party, my bridesmaid Mariah told me to answer one of the questions with “single and ready to mingle”. Little did we know that Cindy would actually say this in front of everyone! This was hilarious!! I wished I was able to see her face when it all happened.

-If you had to do it all over again would you change anything?
-I would slow the day down! It goes by so fast. I would also not worry about anything because it all comes together in the end.

-Any advice for future bride & grooms?
-Enjoy every moment! It really goes by in the blink of an eye!! Also, if you don’t like the planning process like me, then enlist help from others to plan. People are more than willing to help and they aren’t too busy! Just make sure your opinion is heard and at the end of the day it’s the wedding you and your spouse always thought it would be!

-What was your biggest fear before hiring me? Did it come true, and if not, what happened instead?
-I didn’t really have any fears. I trusted Mabyn’s expertise and I knew her photos would capture the day perfectly! Chris and I loved our You and Me session! This helped us feel comfortable with having Mabyn take pictures of us.

-What, specifically, was your favorite part of working with Mabyn Ludke Photography and why?
-She is HILARIOUS! She has such an eye for special unique photos! Mabyn and her second photographer Emily really were so great to work with! They kept us laughing and enjoying the moments during pictures!

-If you were to recommend Mabyn Ludke Photography to your best friend, what would you say?
-If you want quality pictures and a great experience then choose Mabyn! She is very thorough and takes good care of you!!

 

Hair: My hair was done by Amanda Guardipee. // Makeup Artist: My makeup artist was Lynne Winters. // Dress Designer & Store Location: I got my dress from David’s Bridal in Syracuse NY. // Jewelry: I rented my jewelry from Rent The Runway. // Veil or Hair accessories: My veil was from David’s Bridal too. // Shoes: I wore Tom’s wedges. // Bridesmaids Dresses: The bridesmaid dresses where from David’s Bridal. // Grooms Attire: His suit was from Men’s Warehouse. // Ceremony Venue: MKJ the Farm in Deansboro NY // Reception Venue: MKJ the Farm in Deansboro NY // Florist: Sam Rao // DJ: Ormond Entertainment // Caterer: Brooks Barbeque Oneonta NY // Cake: Dessert bar made by friends and family // Event Designer: Rick Luckette and Cheryl Severance // Invitations & Stationary: nmi Creations

Up until a couple of years ago, I had never been past Buffalo NY as far as going west in the USA. The east coast and I had become fast friends, but the rest of the country was an undiscovered adventure waiting to happen. Slowly but surely, wedding photography has brought me to places like Chicago, Colorado, Boston, St. Thomas, Long Island, Florida, and now my longest flight to California! These adventures never would have been a thought in my head if it weren’t for some pretty incredible people. My clients, whom have taken it upon themselves to get me to their wedding, are the only reason I’ve been able to adventure and see this beautiful country.

Liz & Steve are two such incredible people that I’ve been privileged to meet and befriend.  We originally met to chat about their Syracuse based wedding that was quickly turning into a mega event! After watching the guest list grow and grow, Liz & Steve realized that their dream wedding day didn’t include running around like chickens all day saying hi to 400 people and maybe getting a bite of cake in between. They really wanted to enjoy their day with their closest and dearest family & friends. So as many of my destination clients do, they changed their original plans to and started searching Napa California for the perfect venue. The most surprising part of it all was that they asked me to come with! *insert the happiest of dances here*

When Gina and I drove up Napa Valley we couldn’t help but be in awe by it’s beauty. I mean, you hear about how beautiful wine country is, but you don’t really get it until your there. Had Gina and I known, I think we would have spent more time there. I definitely want to go back and just wander! But I will say, that Liz & Steve chose one of the most incredible venue’s I’ve shot at yet. Calistoga Ranch is this amazing little hide away that is tucked on the hillside of a mountain. It’s got this feel like you’re camping in the forest but at the hight of luxury.

So when I’m at a venue like this, and the likely hood of being there again is low, I try to take full advantage if I can. Sometimes I ask a little more of my clients than I normally would. I knew Liz & Steve wanted amazing photos, so I stepped out of my comfort zone and asked if they’d be willing to take a short walk up one of the hiking trails there at the Ranch. It was risky, the trail was dusty, and Liz hadn’t officially walked down the isle yet, but regardless they said YES! Really?! YES?! We held up her dress & made the walk up to the perfect little ledge. I scrambled down the hill (got covered in tumble weeds in the process) and snapped away while Liz & Steve snuggled on the hillside. How many brides can say they took a hike on their wedding day? I love Liz so much! 😀

Then it was time for their wedding & celebration. Jessica Kerns of So Eventful took Calistoga Ranch and made it her playground! Every inch of Liz & Steve’s wedding was covered in some sort of beautiful detail, from the stationary to the flowers, to the adorable cake topper, everything was flawless. So of course you know I was feeling like a kid in a candy shop. The rest of the day was full hugs, stories, dancing, and a lot of delicious wine! It was an honor to get to know Liz & Steve’s family & friends and spend time capturing every moment for this rockin’ adventurous couple! It’s weddings like this that remind me of how lucky I am to do what I do. Thank you Liz & Steve for having such faith and trust in me. I can’t wait to see you and share everything with you!

XOXOXOXO,
Mabyn

– Tell me a bit about the planning process for your wedding: My husband and I initially began planning our wedding at home in the Syracuse area. We were planning a very large wedding to accommodate our large group of family and friends. However, as we progressed in the process, we began to realize the wedding we were planning was not the wedding we truly wanted. Half joking and half serious one night, my husband suggested we return to Napa Valley for my birthday to look into the possibility of planning a destination wedding. What we initially joked about, quickly became a reality as we booked plane tickets and engaged our wedding planner to help us with a venue search. Once we stepped foot on Calistoga Ranch’s property, there was no turning back. We fell in love with the natural beauty of the property and knew that a true “Napa Valley” wedding would be a once in a lifetime experience for us to share with our guests.

– What was the most memorable moment(s) of your day? For the Bride: Calistoga Ranch is located in a private valley and has several hiking trails for the use of their guests during their stay. On our wedding day, Mabyn asked us if we would be willing to “take a hike” so we could get some amazing pictures from one of the hiking trails. Our guests hardly believed me when I told them Steve and I had been hiking the hour just before our ceremony began! We had a blast and I’m sure the pictures will be even better!

For the Groom: For me, the most memorable moment was immediately after our ceremony was finished as we were introduced for the first time as husband and wife. However, the whole day was very memorable.

– Funniest memory from your wedding day? The funniest memory we have was when we had to quickly getting ready after getting back from our hike so that we could look our best for the wedding ceremony, and not look like we had just been working out, full wedding attire and all.

– If you had to do it all over again would you change anything?  We would have just started planning our Napa wedding sooner—we wouldn’t change anything about that experience.

– Any advice for future bride & grooms? Enjoy every moment of the planning process and most importantly, your wedding day. It is over too far quickly!

– What was your biggest fear before hiring Mabyn Ludke Photography? Did it come true, and if not, what happened instead? Right after my husband and I got engaged, we found out Mabyn was moving to North Carolina. We knew we wanted to hire her because we fell in love with her pictures after she photographed one of my law school friend’s weddings. Of course, we were afraid Maybe would not be willing to travel back to New York. And then, when we chose to have a destination wedding, we were afraid she wouldn’t want to travel to California with us! Mabyn was nothing but supportive throughout the entire process. She even had an assistant travel with her to help document our wedding day. Her enthusiasm and excitement to go on this journey with us was a very special part of our wedding weekend.

– What, specifically, was your favorite part of working with Mabyn Ludke Photography and why? Mabyn’s personality allowed us to relax. She instantly became a friend in addition to being our photographer. She made us comfortable during our photo shoots and her work product has always been impeccable. We have never doubted the quality of work we would receive from Mabyn. She is truly an amazing artist!

– If you were to recommend Mabyn Ludke Photography to your best friend, what would you say? Before my husband and I were even engaged, I recommended Mabyn to a close law school friend for her wedding. All I told her was, take a look at her pictures—they are worth more than I could ever say. Of course, just as I did, she saw Mabyn’s work posted on her blog and there was no turning back. Mabyn has a gift to be able to capture raw emotion and love in every picture she takes. It is a gift very few have, and Mabyn no doubt does!

Hair/Makeup Artist: Denise Cronk, Studio 304, Liverpool, New York // Dress Designer & Store Location: Alfred Angelo, Syracuse, New York // Jewelry: Lia Sophia // Veil or Hair accessories: Alfred Angelo, Syracuse, New York // Shoes: Kate Spade // Bridesmaids Dresses: Alfred Angelo, Syracuse, New York // Grooms Attire: Men’s Wearhouse // Ceremony Venue: Lommel Lawn at Calistoga Ranch, Calistoga, California // Reception Venue: Wine Cave at Calistoga Ranch, Calistoga, California // Florist: Bella Vita Event Productions, Santa Rosa, California // Transportation: Pure Luxury Transportation, Petaluma, California // DJ: AMS Entertainment, Sebastopol, California // Caterer: Calistoga Ranch, Calistoga, California // Cake: Pâtisserie Angelica, Sebastopol, California // Event Designer/Wedding Coordinator: Jessica Kerns of So Eventful, Healdsburg, California // Invitations & Stationary: philoSophie’s, Spencerport, New York // Other event rentals: Hartmann Studios, Richmond, California; Encore Event Rentals, Petaluma, California