A Beautiful, Laid-Back Wedding at the Historic Knox Farms Estate | Buffalo Wedding Photographer

You know how sometimes in life you meet someone and you just instantly want to be their best friend? Well, I’ve been very fortunate in my business to create great relationships with nearly all of my clients, and in many instances, it’s as if I’ve been adopted into their families. Beyond the wedding day, they invite me back year and after year to document their love as it expands to fur babies, real babies, or even just more for one another. It’s undeniably the biggest honor and I’m so grateful for all the amazing friendships that have come from photographing so many couples on their wedding days.

Natalie and Dan are no exception to this. From day one, I knew we’d become lifelong friends. They’re so goddamn nice. Like, legit the nicest people you’ll ever, ever meet. They LOVE hard – whether just each other, their loved ones, life all around. And they are such joyful, positive souls. Even my husband wants to hang out with them, and no lie he and I are both over here living life viacariously through them these days post-babe and may or may not be waiting for them to have children of their own so we can all just get together for baby play dates. Needless to say, they are my type of people and therefore, this wedding day was soooo beyond special to be a part of.

Natalie and her girls got ready in the Knox Farms bridal suite, with Natalie’s baby brother doing some of the girls’ makeup. (How awesome is that to have a built-in makeup fixer on hand all day?) Dan and his crew got ready downstairs, and helped with setting up everything for the ceremony, including the big heptagon piece Dan MADE for the ceremony. Natalie had the vision, and he built it for her. (Ladies… marry a man who will build you things or make your visions come true. I’m serious.) Once ready, Natalie exchanged a first look with her father, and then did a First Look with Dan – both times her eyes swelling up with tears before they even turned around to see her. The ceremony was another tear-jerker as Natalie and Dan exchanged their own personalized vows. And the incredibly beautiful speeches at dinner brought on more tears. Needless to say, there were emotionally-charged moments of happiness and joy like that throughout the day, and it was perfectly beautiful, and perfectly true to who they are as a couple. To even out the tears, there was a fun pig roast style dinner catered by Occassions by Osteria, capped with yummy homemade pies from Everything Pie Farm Bakery, and A LOT of dancing. The dance floor was packed all night long, with everyone parting the night away to the music of Saxman Slim under the tent provided by McCarthy’s Tents and Events.

From start to finish, it was a beautiful day to be a part of, and I am so excited to share a few highlights here today. But first, some stellar recommendations for any couples currently wedding planning:

Do you have any recommendations for future couples planning a wedding? Stay true to yourselves every step of the way. Try not to get caught up in the little details. One day I found myself browsing monogrammed cocktail napkins, and I was like, “WHAT. AM. I. DOING?!” Just make sure you have good food, good booze, good music, and most importantly a great photographer because photographs are all that will be left of that whirlwind day. We wish we could’ve been ten people at one time in order to see everyone, do everything and be everywhere, but thankfully the photos give us glimpses of those unseen moments for us! Lastly... if you can, go on a honeymoon right away! It gives you something to look forward to during those final days of planning/stressing, and it was the perfect way to celebrate and relax as husband and wife.

Thank you, Nan & Dan for everything!!
And for being the sweetest people ever and asking me to be in a photo, too.
You’re the best. <3

Special shout-out to all the vendors:

Ceremony & Reception Venue: Knox Farms
Wedding Planner/Coordinator: Basically [our photographer] and our caterer!
Officiant: Glo McDonald
Photographer: Dawn M Gibson Photography <3
Florist: Flowers by Nature, plus Trader Joe’s and Sam’s Club for mantel decor and centerpieces made by the bride!
Caterer: Occasions by Osteria - Alyssa Sumers the coordinator is a godsend
Pies: Everything Pie Farm Bakery
DJ/Band/Entertainment: Saxman Slim - Matthew Tritto
Invitations: Lisa Santoro (Bride’s Aunt) at Seaboard Graphics
Hair: Fawn and Fox Salon
Makeup: Adam John Beauty (Bride’s brother) and Grace Suzanne Makeup
Bride/Groom Attire: Bride: Lillian West from Bliss Bridal in Hamburg. Groom: theblacktux.com Shoes: Badgley Mischka
Wedding Party Attire: Maids: azazie.com and Groomsmen: theblacktux.com
Decorations/Decor Design or Rentals: Our living room and dining room, ha!
Favors: Custom matchbooks from foryourparty.com
Tent, Table, and Chair Rental: McCarthy’s Tents & Events

Zoe and Jon's Laid back, Boho Chic wedding at East Aurora's Knox Farms Historic Estate | Buffalo Wedding Photographer

In contrast to their snowy, at-home engagement session last winter, Zoe and Jon were married on what felt like one of the hottest days all year, exchanging vows under a grand tree on the property of the estate at Knox Farms in East Aurora, NY this September.

With fans and music on full blast in the morning, Zoe got ready with her side of the party in an upstairs bridal suite, while Jon and his guys prepped in a room on the first floor. Once dressed – Jon in his custom-made suit from Bureau and Zoe in a boho-style dress from Lovely Bride – they shared an intimate first look, followed by an exchange of love notes to one another (Zoe’s note to Jon was actually a notebook she had been filling in for the past year when they lived on opposite ends of the state). Guests arrived to the estate welcomed with large-scale printed signs of Zoe and Jon’s beloved fur baby, Olive, and hand-passed flutes of champagne as they took their seats for the ceremony. Zoe was walked down the isle by her brother, with her father’s coat and photo thoughtfully laid on the back of chair beside her mom, and all their siblings sharing special readings as everyone listened on with tears filling their eyes. It was a heartwarming ceremony that conveyed to all the love they have for one another and how much they both cherish those they love. After the ceremony, they celebrated with their guests over drinks and food catered by the Roycroft in an hors d’oeuvres style reception and late night food from Lloyd’s Food Truck. Plush couches from Quaint Rentals were set up on the lawn, and a beautifully decorated tent gathered everyone together to dance the night away with live music from the band, Geno McManus & Stoneflower.

After meeting while volunteering at Cradle Beach Camp in 2005, Zoe and Jon developed a friendship that later brought them together in love in 2009. They have spent most of the past almost decade of their relationship living apart from one another, which made their bond and love for one another even stronger, and consequently, made this wedding day even more special for them. This day not only marked the beginning of a new chapter for them becoming husband and wife, but it also was the start in their next life adventure: selling their home in the Allentown area of Buffalo (where Zoe has lived solo most of the last year) to embark on a grand move across the country, together (where Jon’s job has them now resettled in Pasedena). Needless to say, this wedding day was a long time coming; well worth the wait but simultaneously highly anticipated by all those who know and love them.

Congratulations again, Zoe and Jon! It was an honor to be a part of your day and I can’t wish you both enough happiness as you soak up husband and life in tandem with all the sunshine and new experiences California has to offer!

Special Shout-Out to all the vendors:

Ceremony & Reception Venue: Knox Farms
Caterer: Roycroft
Wedding Planner: Social Maven (Syrie)
Photographer: Dawn M Gibson Photography
Videographer: Brian Debottis
Hair and Makeup: Salon Elizabeth
Bride’s Dress: Rue DeSeine from Lovely Bride
Groom’s Suit: Bureau (Custom made)
Florist: Fern Croft
Cake & Desserts: Blue Eyed Baker
Late Night Food: Lloyd
Band: Geno McManus & Stoneflower
Rentals: Quaint, All season
Transportation: Buffalo Limousine
Signage: T 2 Printing