Brian and Jessica – Inn on the Lake | Canandaigua, New York Wedding Photographer

by | Sep 1, 2009 | New York Wedding Photographer, Weddings | 131 comments

I had the honor of photographing the wedding of Brian and Jessica this past weekend. They are actually old friends, I think I met Jessica when I was 10 years old. So when they hired me to do their wedding, there was a lot of excitement at witnessing and documenting this amazing step in their lives (and a high-strung nerve or two hoping I would do a great job).

They were married at the Inn on the Lake, a beautiful hotel on Canandaguia Lake, in upstate New York. My husband and I stayed at the Inn when we got married in 2001, so it carries some great memories for me.

When I got to the site on Saturday, it was like a flood of memories, as I ran into old friends that I haven’t seen in a decade. The flood of memories were brought in on the tsunami of rain that was pouring down all around us. The rains were so hard that boats were crashing together on the picturesque backdrop of a lake. yikes.

Here’s the exterior of the hotel – from where I was standing when I took this, to that front door, I had to walk through 4 inches of water.

But, as the heavens sometimes do, the sun began to break through just before the ceremony began, and just got more glorious as the day went on.


What was most remarkable about this wedding between Jess and Brian, was the palatable love that infused the entire day and on into the night. Beginning with Jess’ aunt, who sewed rings from the generations of women in Jess’ family into the underside of her gorgeous Vera Wang gown …

Getting ready with best friends Shelby and Allie…

Jessica with her mom (who drove us to and from gymnastics for YEARS….)

Jess and her dad, heading down the aisle…

Brian and Jess, laughing joyously through most of their ceremony…

That love that I mentioned infused the day really was visible in this unique element of their ceremony. They selected seven locations that were relevant to their relationship (10 years in the making) and lives together, and then asked people from those locations to bring soil or stones from there to the wedding. Those folks then came up during the ceremony, told a story about Jess and Brian in that place, and poured their soil into the large container. Beginning with Jason, Jess’ brother, who poured in soil from Fairport High School, where they first met…

Right after the ceremony…in disbelief….First Dance….

The SPIRITED bridal party!Jessica and her aunt

Jessica said to me “I love props” for her pictures, and she wasn’t kidding…a barrel, a fish, a post, and some boat houses later, I think we got a few good ones…


And that sun just got more and more brilliant as it began to set over the horizon…
The people that were witness to their union were the most important thing for Brian and Jess, as evident of Brian’s one image request “to get everyone into one picture”.
Thank god for wide angle.
As I was leaving, my good friend Chad said “Parting shot?” and gave me this last image of the night.
Thanks again, Jessica, Brian, Chris, Allie, Matt, Shelby, Chad, Shannon and Mr and Mrs Blank, for welcoming me back into your lives for this brief moment! It was a beautiful day, and the start of a great marriage. Have a wonderful time in Italy you two!

more to come…sv

131 Comments

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