Wedding Planning in Upstate NY
A vendor guide to help you begin planning your wedding in the Albany NY, Saratoga Springs NY Capital Region area in Upstate NY!
Being wedding photographers in this area since 2007, we are very familiar with what goes on in weddings in this area, so we've decided to compile some of our favorite places (and more) to help any couples who would like a little guidance when planning their wedding here in the capital region of the great state of New York!
We plan to update this post regularly with any new content & tips that we have to share, so feel free to bookmark this and come back to see what we've added!
VENUES
Besides a photographer of course (wink wink), choosing the venue for your wedding is one of if not THE most important decisions when it comes to your wedding. Because we have worked at most venues in the area, and many we've worked at numerous times, we certainly have our favorites. Each venue has their own unique characters and strengths. Here's a little look into a few of our favorite venues in the Albany and Saratoga NY area and the reasons why we love them and why you will too!
Old Daley On Crooked Lake
If you asked us to choose just ONE venue to work at for every one of our weddings for the rest of our career, we would, without a doubt, choose Old Daley on Crooked Lake (Aka The Crooked Lake House)! It was originally built in 1780 as a stagecoach stop and rebuilt in 1840 after a fire. According to a Times Union article we found, Teddy Roosevelt had visited here while he was Governor of NY as well as famous gangster Legs Diamond. The article also states that NBC broadcasted big-name bands live from the location in the 1940's.
The view and grounds are just beautiful, featuring the lake as a backdrop, enormous willow tree and a creek with a small bridge that is often used for formal portraits of the couple and wedding party. It's a picturesque location for your ceremony and for formal portraits and in the event that it rains on your big day, the beautiful charm of the inside of the venue is a perfect alternative. The building features a beautiful ballroom with chandeliers and hardwood floors, beautifully detailed rooms for brides and grooms, and the bar is simply perfection. There is no shortage of spots to utilize for photos.
With a unique history to go along with this charming venue, a fantastic staff and delicious food, you can not go wrong with Old Daley as a wedding venue!
See some samples of our work at this venue below and also visit our Old Daley On Crooked Lake Highlight Galleries for even more!
(Please note that the phone number included with our information in the vendor section of their website is our old phone number!)
The Mansion of Saratoga
Built in 1866, The Mansion of Saratoga is yet another local historic building with endless charm and character! The mansion has gorgeous rooms that couples can get ready in and so many spots, inside and out, that we absolutely love to use for formal portraits. They have a large tent on the deck in the back that is often used for the first part of the reception, and a barn behind that that is often used for ceremonies and the dancing part of receptions. For outside ceremonies, there is an open area in the back with a beautiful pond. From the incredible character on the inside to the picturesque grounds and gardens on the outside, the possibilities are endless. We love this venue for SO many reasons!
Read more about their history HERE!
See some samples of our work at this venue below and also visit our Mansion Of Saratoga Highlight Galleries for even more!
Franklin Plaza
Beautiful inside and out, this venue also has all of the prestigious charm you could ever want, and the ballroom is nothing short of luxurious. The little pockets of amazing spots throughout the historic building are a dream for photographers like us! There are also some great little spots around the outside of the venue, creating endless opportunities for photos. You can go up onto the roof for some epic portraits as well, and if you can time them for around sunset time, you can get some truly amazing stuff!
Most couples get ready across the street at the Best Western Hotel, which many of their wedding party, family and guests also stay, making it super convenient to not have to worry about transportation after the reception is over. It also has it's own parking lot for guests, something that so many city venues don't have, and we super love this! The food is also amazing, which is a major plus, of course!
See some samples of our work at this venue below and also visit our Franklin Plaza Highlight Gallery for even more!
The State Room
Located on State St., in the heart of downtown Albany and right next to the Capital buildings, these beautiful venues have prestigious charm. Both have vaults from when they were banks in the early 1900's. These make for some amazing photos when utilized in the right way! When it comes to the aesthetic of the venue itself, we find that The State Room has a bit more character, and they also have an antique car to get you around the area and also use for your photos! Don't get us wrong, though, Sixty State has it's own strengths as well, including the inside gate that makes the most amazing backlit portraits! (See our samples below)
Both of these venues offer a sweet city landscape as a backdrop and in walking distance to the Capitol buildings which are always great to utilize! Click HERE to see some more samples of photos we've taken in that area and also visit The State Room Highlight Galleries to see more of the venue!
Glen Sanders Mansion
We've worked at the Glen Sanders Mansion many, many times throughout our career. One word that comes to mind to describe this venue is "cozy". It's got a lot of beautiful spots like the gazebo's, the river with dock in the back, the patio with a fire pit and of course the ballroom which dresses up so beautifully. Something about this venue just feels like "home".
See some samples of our work at this venue below and also visit our Glen Sanders Mansion Highlight Galleries for even more!
Most of these we've worked a several times, and some just a few times. Seven Ponds Farm is a venue we've only worked at once so far, but if we get the chance to do more wedding there in the near future, we will be sure to bump them up to the featured part of this post! Such a gorgeous place! We've worked at Hall of Springs many times, but we only have one highlight gallery posted at this time (click the thumbnail photo to see it!) We will post more in the near future. It's a great venue and we always love working there! We've been to Gables & Gardens twice so far (still need to post highlight gallery #2!) and it's quickly becoming another favorite! As we add more galleries to the highlights, the thumbnail links below will automatically update.
All of these venues have both inside and outside charm with plenty of great spots to utilize!
Saratoga Springs, NY
Rexford, NY
Altamont, NY
Saratoga Springs, NY
Saratoga Springs, NY
Granville, NY
Summit, NY
Cropseyville, NY
DJ's
We've worked with SO many DJ's through the years, and there are many fantastic ones, so if someone isn't mentioned here, that certainly doesn't mean they aren't great! These are just the ones that have stuck out to us as being exceptional! When it comes to your wedding day, having a DJ that works well with the other vendors is a great way to ensure that things go super smoothly!
First and foremost is Mike Garrasi from Music Man Entertainment! Chances are you have seen him working before, or have heard about him, and we can guarantee it's been GREAT things! Being from the same hometown that we are both from, Mike actually DJ'ed our own wedding in 2001, back when we had no idea we would end up working together regularly years down the road!
He's always on top of things, very personable, and makes sure that everyone is happy. He's the nicest guy and an exceptional DJ, so he is at the top of our list! Don't wait to reach out to him though- he's very much in demand!
A few others that we highly recommend (in no particular order):
If you would like to know more about us and our experiences with other vendors, including other categories of vendors not listed here, contact us using the button below!