When I first met with Susan we connected instantly. She told me all about her plans for a traditional Macedonian wedding and I just kept getting more and more excited! I love experiencing different cultures and the way they celebrate marriage. I got to her family’s home and was immediately greeted by the jaunty sounds of the accordion. Now I know most people wouldn’t put accordion at the top of their favorite instrument list…but it’s up there on mine! There’s something instantly romantic about it, whether it’s a polka or a love ballad, I can’t get enough! The party was in full swing and It was so fun to capture! The coolest thing was that everything had meaning, from the dances to the bread making to Susan kicking over a glass of water before she left the house. Everything had significance!

The ceremony was just as full of stimulation. My eyeballs were overwhelmed with color, texture, and emotion! After the ceremony we intended to head to a park to do the wedding party pictures & couple’s pictures, but as soon as we stepped on the limo bus the heavens opened up and it poured like you would not believe! So we nixed that idea and went straight to the Genesee Grande to do the majority of the group shots. As soon as you enter the Genesee Grande you feel elegant! It’s always so beautiful and Susan & Tim’s vision came together so well. We had a ton of fun during the reception, Macedonian’s & Italians suuuuuure know how to party! Thank you so much Susan & Tim or choosing me to capture it all! It was wonderful!

xoxoxo,
Mabyn

How did you meet?

We met on a fourth of July weekend in 2005 (wow, that seems forever ago!). I went with my cousin and her then boyfriend’s friends on a boat ride. Tim wouldn’t leave me alone the entire day (in a good way)! We ended up getting lost in each other’s conversation the entire day. Oh, did I mention he was living in Chicago! He asked me for my number and I was reluctant at first, since he didn’t live here. We haven’t missed a day of communication since we’ve met. Whether it be email, text or a call…or five! We dated long distance for a year until I moved to Chicago for a few years myself and we recently moved back home (he’s originally from here too!), purchased a home together and are starting the next chapter of our lives. We’re truly each other’s best friend. 😉

How did your fiance propose?
He proposed on New Year’s Eve in 2009. We had a low key evening to celebrate our first NYE in our home together. He made a beautiful dinner, and we rang in the new year in our outdoor hot tub under the stars where he proposed (with a beautiful family ring) at midnight. It was totally us and I loved that.

Tell me a bit about the planning process for your wedding (how did you pick the venue, colors, funny stories, etc..):
Planning! Yikes. You never really know what you get yourself into when you plan a “traditional’ wedding, until you’re actually doing it and there’s no turning back, LOL! We knew we wanted to keep it relatively small, so the Genesee Grande was perfect in size and elegance…and we both fell in love with the food at the tasting (our favorite part!). Everything else just seemed to fall into place.

What details at your wedding had special significance?
The ceremony was the most important part for us. It was a very traditional orthodox ceremony and sums up what the day is about…vowing our love to each other and taking our first steps as husband and wife.

If you had to do it all over, would you change anything?
I think I would get less consumed by all the “have tos” and “must haves”. It’s easy to get lost in all the planning. My advice to future bride and grooms is to keep it simple (if simple is what you want). If barefoot on the beach is your first thought, go for it!

Funniest memory from your wedding day?
All of the rain! It’s funny how you hope and pray it doesn’t rain on your wedding day, but when it does, it’s actually comical. Things that are out of your control have to be funny. Besides, my lovely bridesmaids stopped to purchase umbrellas to make the most of our pictures! They’re awesome!

What was your favorite wedding purchase?
My wedding band. My engagement ring has been in my husband’s family for over 100 years and most recently worn by his late mother, Nan Songer, so we had Tom McLaughlin at Lennon’s jeweler create a band that went seamlessly with my ring. It was perfect.

Where did you go on your honeymoon?
We took a mini-moon and went hiking in the Adirondacks and stayed in Lake Placid. So tranquil. We plan to go to Maui at the end of December to escape the Syracuse winter!

When I got to Susan’s home, the party had already started! Music, dancing, and food were abundant!

Isn’t Susan stunning?!

These are some of my all time favorite bridals. Especially the one on the right. I love the feeling it evokes

Reflective surfaces make for one happy photographer!

This is one of my faves from the day

I’m going to hire her as my new assistant 😉

So the rain held off until JUST before we got the park for pictures and then it POURED!!! So we opted for the elegance of the Genesee Grande

After a bit things cleared up so the ladies opted to go outside!

The rain gave me more reflective surfaces! Woohoo!

After we finished with the couples shots, Susan wanted to keep shooting. Oh geez, really? Twist my arm! Hah! So that’s what we did!

This was alllll Susan’s idea! Brilliant!

The Genesee does it right every time!

I’ve decided that we should nix the “Dollar Dance” that Americans are use to and replace it with the “Pig Dance” from the Macedonian culture. WAY MORE FUN!

Hair: Liz Lanza’s Salon //Makeup Artist: Riki Lebied//Dress Designer & Store Location: Sottero and Midgley Couture from Spybaby//Ceremony Venue: St. George Macedonian Orthodox Church//Reception Venue: The Genesee Grande//Florist: Jen from Price Chopper (she’s great!)//Transportation: S&S Limo//DJ: Black Tie Entertainment//Band: Makedonski Melos//Cake: Biscottis//Invitations/programs/placecards: DIY