It’s so funny to me how some things work out. Erin is originally from upstate NY,  she lives in Raleigh, NC, but her wedding was back up in NY…Still with me? Her wedding coordinator contacted me about her wedding and I was inclined to turn her away thinking that they wouldn’t want to hire me now that I was in NC. It was then that I learned of Erin’s move to Raleigh. So as a fellow upstate NY transplant, I agreed to meet with her and see if flying me up was even on the table. Low and behold we got along immediately and the rest, as the say, was history!

One of my favorite parts about Erin & Brian’s wedding weekend was how much thought went into the little things. There were planned moments or mementos that held an importance that no one knew, but the people closest to the Bride & Groom. As I learned more about their families, the more these little things took on significance for me too. I was on a mission to capture these events in the best way possible! On top of that, Erin and Brian did an amazing job planning a wedding (with lots of help from the lovely Caitlin Jurinich) all the way from NC! I can barely plan flights let alone a wedding from 600 miles away!

Their weekend was lovely and hilarious. There were so many moments that just made me crack into a smile, like when the peacocks at The Apple Station decided to talk to everybody at the rehearsal wedding (they’re surprisingly loud)! Or whenever the ring bearer wanted to be incredibly cute…which was EVERY MOMENT! Then, there were those beautiful moments where you just see the love two people have for one another. During their ceremony, Erin and Brian missed saying their written vows. So when we snuck away for our private lakeside photo shoot, we opted to record them instead. It was a raw and beautiful moment that they’ll have forever.
Overall, Erin and Brian’s wedding weekend was an incredible success and I’m so honored that they were willing to invest in me and my photography! Erin and Brian, I can’t thank you enough and I can’t wait to see you again in just a few days!

XOXOXO,
Mabyn

 Erin’s face just lit up when they practiced walking down the isle. I can just see her thinking “THIS IS REAL!”

The pastor that married Erin & Brian also married Erin’s parents. I found his hands fascinating, so many stories to be told.

I was also thoroughly enamored by Erin’s nephew & ring bearer. We became fast friends!

Oh Erin! How you’ve changed! 😉

This shot entertains me to no end…hahaha! Oh I’m punny!

Though we didn’t get a formal You + Me session, we snuck a few beautiful shots at Pumpkin Hill before the rehearsal dinner started

This may be my favorite location to hang a dress yet!

Erin had so many personal touches to her wedding day. They all had extreme significance. For instance, the necklace she wore had a beautiful vintage photo of her grandparents!

Another little spot of significance. Erin has a photo from when she’s a little girl pinning a boutonniere on her pastor. One of the most important parts of her wedding day was getting to recreate that moment as a bride.

I love when couples intentionally schedule “alone time” on their wedding day. I know it’s not the normal thing to do, but it slows the day way down and gives you a moment to breathe….OH and you get some awesome pictures to boot!

Sometimes things don’t work out as planned…but the alternative is even more perfect!

– Tell me a bit about the planning process for your wedding:
May 2013, Brian and I took a trip to New York to find a venue for our wedding. For two days we drove around Cayuga and Seneca Lake looking for the right place. Then my Mom mentioned that we should stop at the Apple Station, so we did. At the time Kathy and Bob only had the addition for the wine tasting room finished. The room for the reception was built, but it didn’t have interior walls and there was plastic on windows. Regardless of the work that still needed to be done, it was the first time I saw Brian’s face light up. It was then that I knew that was the place we were going to get married.
– What was the most memorable moment(s) of your day?
The pictures we took for our first look in the apple orchard and saying our vows at the lake.
– Funniest memory from your wedding day?
My father dancing! My wedding was the first time I have ever seen my father dance, and just like everything else he thinks he’s amazing at it and I’m inclined to agree with him (this time). Since the purpose of dancing is to feel good and encourage others to do the same, he nailed it!
– If you had to do it all over again would you change anything?
The only thing I would change would be my organization. I should have been better at writing things down that other people can follow. Although I thought I had everything organized, something did go wrong two days before the wedding (we didn’t have table linens). Which meant that I couldn’t be there to help set up the venue on Friday. Without any directions or details written down for other to follow it was difficult and I’m sure stressful for everyone who came to help. I deeply appreciate how well Brian, his family and friends did, despite my lack of preparedness.
– Any advice for future bride & grooms?
Schedule moments to be alone. During the week leading into the wedding and especially the wedding day everyone wants time with the bride and groom. Whether it’s to gush over their excitement that the two of you are in love or more simply to ask a question or clarify details, you’ll both be pulled in a hundred directions. The few times Brian and I did get alone time, were our favorite moments.
– What was your biggest fear before hiring me? Did it come true, and if not, what happened instead?
I didn’t have any fears. I found a lot of comfort in being able to meet with you in person before you were hired (not a luxury I had with other vendors). Our initial meeting, at Caribou Coffee, definitely left me feeling confident that you were the perfect photographer for our wedding.
– What, specifically, was your favorite part of working with Mabyn Ludke Photography and why?
I love Mabyn’s personality. She felt like she was part of the family from the minute she arrived.

– If you were to recommend Mabyn Ludke Photography to your best friend, what would you say?
I have already recommend Mabyn Ludke Photography to friends who are starting their wedding planning process. I’ve told them, and will continue to tell others, when you hire Mabyn Ludke your getting an extremely knowledgeable photographer with an artistic eye that is willing to go into waist high weeds to get the perfect picture.

Hair: Michele Taber, owner of Meeshe Salon in Aurora //  Makeup Artist: Lauren Brewster, makeup artist at Meeshe Salon in Aurora // Dress Designer & Store Location: Alfred Angelo, Disney Princess Line (Belle) Purchased at the Syracuse Location // Jewelry: After my maternal grandmother passed, my sisters and I had a necklace made for our mom, by Kari and Diego at Copperesque in Union Springs. It’s a beautiful pendant with a copy of an old picture of my grandparents when they were young with the words “God Bless and Love”. My Mother, the following Christmas, had one made for each on of us. Since my grandmother had meant the world to me and I wanted to feel like she was still apart of the big day, my sisters, my mom and I all wore our pendants. // Veil or Hair accessories: I made my veil for $15 and it took about 40 hours. I cut out a pattern from some lace and hand sewed each embellishment onto the tulle with clear thread. Each embellishment took about 2-3 hours and there are 11 in total on the veil. My hair accessory was a headband I purchased from Alfred Angelo // Shoes: My shoes were my something blue and I LOVE them! // Bridesmaids Dresses:  The bridesmaids’ dresses were also purchased from Alfred Angelo (Vintage Line) in the color “ink”. Each dress had the same strapless cut for the frame and each bridesmaid had the choice of the net overlay they wanted. // Grooms Attire:  The groom wore a dark grey suit from JoS. A Banks // Ceremony Venue: The ceremony was held at the same venue as the reception, The Apple Station, an apple orchard/winery in Union Springs NY. The owners are a wonderful family that I have had the pleasure of knowing since I was 10 years old. The ceremony was outside, nestled in the shade between the apple trees and the pond. // Reception Venue: The reception was indoors at The Apple Station. // Additional photo venue: We chose to go to Frontenac Park where we took additional photos. This also gave Brian and I some time to take in the moment and appreciate each other and our marriage, before rejoining the festivities. // Florist: Gretchen Weir, who also lives in Union Springs. She is a local teacher who does flower arrangements on the side. //  DJ: Tommy D // Caterer: Ithaca Bakery, we couldn’t have asked for better food!! // Cake:We didn’t have a traditional cake. Instead we had individual cheesecakes made from the local bakery, Man in the Moon Bakery in King Ferry; 50 blueberry (my favorite), 50 blackberry (Brian’s favorite), 50 strawberry (crowd pleaser). In addition to the cheesecake we also had delicious cannolis and cookies from Ithaca Bakery. We chose not to have a traditional cake because Brian doesn’t like cake at all and I don’t like frosting. // Wedding Coordinator:  One of my best friends, Caitlin Jurinich, helped me coordinate everything from the details of the flowers to finding my photographer, and DJ, as well as the overall organization of the big day. Most importantly she was there the whole time with emotional support and ready to take care of anything when I got over stressed. I don’t know what I would have done without her. // Lighting: Candle lit tables and the venue already had icicle lights strung around the room. // Invitations & Stationary:  Brian and I created and designed our own save the dates and invitations. // Other: My stepfather drove his motor home down to the venue and parked it in back. This gave us more space for the bridesmaids and I to get ready. My sister, Kara, made the table names that were personalized to the venue with various apple and wine names (instead of the traditional numbers). I hand wrote the escort cards using calligraphy pens. Instead of a guest book, I painted a 24×36 canvas with a sunset covered with clouds. Kara’s fiancé built the frame and Kara painted it. Then the guests filled it in with well wishes using acrylic paint pens.