caitlin + justin // Marriott Syracuse Downtown Wedding
Filed in weddings shot by Ayres Photography on atCaitlin and Justin’s wedding day was the first time we’ve every been inside the Marriott in Downtown Syracuse and let me tell you, we can’t wait to go back! From the cathedral ceilings painted with the most beautiful cloudy sky to the incredible chandeliers to the stunning golden hand-carved architectural details – it really was a photographer’s dream. The love that Caitlin and Justin brought to the table that day was the absolute icing on the cake, so to speak. Everything about this day was magical, and we’re so happy to finally be sharing it with you!
Justin: “We first met on the playground of Huntington School, when Caitlin‘s mom was my principal. It was the summer of 2004, before we each started high school, and I was engaging in random shenanigans with my friends on the playground while Caitlin was casually swinging. Then we did not talk much over the next 6 years or so, and we re-met on a mutual friend’s porch up by Syracuse University the summer of 2011 over a few cold beverages.“
Justin: “We got engaged in Florence, Italy in April 2018. [When we arrived at the airport] Caitlin ended up losing her passport before going through security. The whole time, the ring was rolled up in a pair of socks in my carry on and I was getting extremely nervous as we started looking through all of our bags to make sure it wasn’t misplaced. Eventually she found [her passport] in the bathroom, without coming across the ring in my bag, and we raced to the gate to just make our flight.
When we got to the first hotel and I immediately showered. When I got out of the shower, I saw Caitlin had dumped everything out of our bags. I started freaking out, thinking she must have come across the ring, but then noticed the pair of socks it was rolled up in were laying on the floor. We cleaned up everything and I nearly avoided disaster again.
The actual proposal took place in Florence. We woke up early to go on a nice walk, and as we were crossing the Ponte Vecchio bridge, I asked Caitlin to dance. She was resistant at first, but then decided to go along with it. As I spun her around, I got down on one knee and pulled out the ring. She was absolutely SHOCKED and thought I was joking, until I took the ring out and placed it on her finger.“
Caitlin: “I loved having the doors of the church open up and seeing Justin waiting for me at the alter! That was THE moment I dreamed about and it did not disappoint.“
Justin: “At the church, when I was standing up there with nervous anxiety, seeing Caitlin start to walk down the aisle… everything just felt right and I knew I was the luckiest man alive.“
Caitlin: “We had a number of guests that made a significant effort in traveling so they could share in our day with us. We were surrounded by so much love!“
Justin: “Caitlin is one of the most supportive people I know, and is always there to help me through tough times. We are a good mix for each other, constantly balancing out the best parts of one another.“
Caitlin: “Justin is my best friend and is always up for any adventure I throw his way. I enjoy everything we do together, whether we are going out or staying in.“
Justin: “The moment we left the church with the wedding party and drove over to the rose garden in the limo was surreal. Processing what just happened and sharing it with our closest friends was awesome.“
Caitlin: “We went to Thornden Park Rose Garden for the photos. Despite feeling like we were all melting in the heat, it was perfect. It was fun hearing all the shouts of encouragement from people passing by on their way to the pool.“
Caitlin: “I found my dress at Spy Baby Bridal. My family was in town for my mother’s retirement party. We were able to schedule an appointment at the last minute for Friday the 13th (a lucky day for me). I saw the polka dots along the skirt and thought it would be fun to try on. The back of the dress was exactly what I’d been looking for. Once I had it on, I didn’t want to take it off! It was special that my grandma was able to be there with me.“
Caitlin: “Justin went to a residency in Hong Kong for his MBA program in January. While he was there, he had a suit custom made for the wedding! They even embroidered his name on the inside of the jacket.“
Justin: “My best man knows how much I love fancy socks and had custom socks made for the men. The groomsmen each had a different picture of me on them and I had my bride’s beautiful face on my socks.“
Caitlin: “We suggest having someone else designated to handle any and all things that may need to be addressed on your day. If someone tries to bring you a problem, stop them and send them on over to your designee!“
Justin: “When we were all alone before walking out for the first dance, we had a few minutes to take it all in and did the photobooth together. That was the perfect way to kick off the reception.“
Justin: “We are both Taylor Swift fans! After talking about a number of song choices, we landed on Taylor’s song ‘New Years Day’. What made it truly special was having my sister and her childhood friend singing it for us accompanied by my Uncle on piano.“
Caitlin: “I loved sneaking off during the reception with Jenn and Ben to take a few more pictures outside in front of the hotel. It allowed us a quiet moment to refocus on us during the party.“
Caitlin: “‘Forever Young’ is a song that my Dad would sing all the time when I was little. He also sang it during my graduation mass so it felt fitting. Justin and his mom danced to ‘Simple Man’ which his mom used to play for him as a child and they would sing it together.“
Caitlin: “My Dad is a huge ‘dead head’ and at the end of the night he joined the band with his guitar to sing ‘Friend of the Devil’.“
Caitlin + Justin: “We loved having Ayres as our photographers. Everyone felt so comfortable and you can see our emotions in our pictures. It was also nice to have be able to have a place for photos and watch where their creative eye took us!“
Wedding Vendors Include:
Ceremony: Holy Cross Church
Reception: Marriot Hotel Syracuse
Bride and Bridesmaid Dress Shop: Spy Baby Bridal
Hairstylist: Tricia VanArnam
Makeup Artist: Christy Monti
Groom’s Look: Sam’s Tailor
Groomsmen: Jos. A Bank
Florist: Wegmans
Cake: Biscotti Cafe and Pastry Shop
Band: The Swooners
