natalie + eric // West Falls, NY
Filed in weddings shot by Ayres Photography on at
Backyard weddings have my heart. This was one of the most beautiful celebrations I have ever seen, and I’m so happy to finally be blogging it on my own site. We submitted it for publication first, and it was featured on Glamour & Grace last Fall (you can check that out here!!!), but now it’s my turn to share it. :)
I’m a huge believer in the sacredness of your own space, so it makes perfect sense that backyard/in-home weddings are a favorite of mine. Ben and I got married at home, too, right in our own living room. For most of us, home is our happy place, so why not celebrate your love and commitment in the place where you feel most at ease? Natalie and Eric own a beautiful piece of land in West Falls, NY, that was the perfect backdrop for their sweet DIY wedding.
On a personal note, this wedding was a really special one for me because I had just had a baby and my self-confidence was at an all time low. If you’ve had a baby, then maybe you know what I’m talking about; you lose your identity a little bit, doubt your talents, and question everything about who you are. Maybe that was just me…either way, that first summer of weddings with a newborn at home was the hardest of my career, and the fact that Natalie (who is also a talented photographer) trusted me with her day was just the reassurance I needed to make it through that summer. Thanks for believing in me, Natalie…you’ll never know how much that meant, girl.
As you scroll through these photos, you can feel the vibe of this day. It was light and happy, emotional, joy-filled, relaxed, and beautifully designed. Read the words that Natalie shared to learn more about this wonderful couple and their beautiful wedding day!
*The portrait I took of N + E with their animals is probably my favorite photo that I’ve ever taken. Can we have more cats at weddings, please? I mean, seriously.
Natalie: “The comb I wore in my hair was my mother’s that she wore on her wedding day. My father had passed away not long before our wedding and my husband wore the tie tack that my father wore on his wedding day. I know we all had my dad in our hearts that day.”
Natalie: “The most important thing was staying sane! There are so many details that if you can get caught up in. Weddings are meant to be fun, joyful occasions that celebrate two family’s coming together. But all that can be overlooked when one becomes overwhelmed.”
Natalie: “We let the groomsmen and bridesmaids chose their own outfits, with some guidance (cream/off white for the ladies, gray suits for the guys). We had a very small bridal party, only consisting of our siblings (we each have one brother and one sister).”
Natalie: “Our home that we built together sits on a beautiful piece of property that we own and it was important for us to have our reception here. Our property is personal to us; it’s where we started out our lives and hope to grow old together here. We have cute rocking chairs on our porch, a house and barn, and a view of a beautiful field that we try and walk to everyday together.”
Natalie: “The flowers were mainly done by Maureen’s Wholesale, but my mom had several of her local friends all cut fresh flowers from their backyard and create these beautiful arrangements for the tables! I think they really added color and cheer to the day. The signs (on where to park, the wedding, bathrooms, etc.) were made by Eric’s Aunt and Grandmother.”
Natalie: “There were so many great memories from our day, but one stands out: At dusk Jenn and Ben took us to our field that we so love and we had a moment alone during the ‘golden hour”’of sunset. We embraced for a few photos and reflected on how lucky we are to have our supportive families, the great land that we live on, and of course, each-other.”
Natalie: “We had Elm Street Bakery make all the desserts, my mom made us a beautiful, simple white cake with flowers on top for us to cut. My sister was basically our entire wedding planner!! She did a TON of work for us.”
Thinking about having a tented reception?? You might also want to consider one of these then :)
Wedding Vendors Include:
Ceremony: St. George Roman Catholic Church
Reception: Private Residence
Hair and Makeup: Groom Service Beauty Bar
Dress: BHLDN
Groom’s Look: Banana Republic
Florist: Maureen’s Buffalo Wholesale Flower Market
Paper Goods: Minted
Catering: Apple Wood Cafe
Desserts: Elm Street Bakery
Cake Topper: BHLDN
Rentals: McCarthy Tents and Events
Band: Doug Yeomans Band
