Wedding Date on Apr 30, 2022

It wouldn’t be wedding season if our weekends weren’t spent on the road, and this particular weekend saw us spending Friday in New Jersey at Bear Brook Valley for Alexa & Michael’s wedding before heading out to beautiful Albany, New York, to celebrate the love story of Ashley & Shawn at The State Room! Ashley is the sister of our 2021 bride Megan who got married at The Hotel Hershey back in the summer, and we absolutely LOVED the chance to work with their family again. We started our day at two separate Air BnB’s for the getting ready portion, before arriving at St. John the Evangelist for their full mass and Catholic ceremony. As the newlyweds left the church together for the first time, they passed through a saber arch, signifying Ashley’s welcome to the Marine Corps family. The State Room is located just blocks from the picturesque New York State Capitol building, and it’s grounds and neighboring buildings provided a beautiful backdrop for our wedding party portraits, followed of course by our favorite thing: portraits of the bride and groom. One of the perks provided by the owner of The State Room is the use of an elegant vintage car reminiscent of the one in The Godfather movie. Paired with the neighboring architecture, it is that extra something special that every wedding could benefit from! We absolutely LOVE the use of vintage vehicles, regardless of the wedding location. The reception space in The State Room itself is something unique. With an open bank vault in one end and towering columns throughout, it pairs the elegance and extravagance of the gilded age with an intimate, roaring 20s vibe. Colorful uplighting filled the space as Ashley and Shawn performed a choreographed dance to a remixed version of Cyndi Lauper’s classic hit, “Time after Time.” Cutting of the cake followed by delicious late night snacks ended our time at this beautiful wedding, and we left our couple to dance the night away surrounded by their nearest and dearest. We wish them all the best as they start their new lives as husband and wife! How they met: “We met in November 2015, several weeks after I (Ashley) moved to Albany, NY from Pennsylvania. I had relocated for my job and went to Druthers, a local restaurant in Albany and met Shawn who was there after work one night. We hit off and felt like we knew one another from the start. Shawn is laidback and easy to talk to and I instantly felt SO comfortable by his presence which was welcoming being in a new town. From that moment on, we were together. Shawn planned fun dates around Albany and the Saratoga area and welcomed me right into his family (I literally spent Christmas with them at their house that year). We have already enjoyed many wonderful trips and adventures (Montreal, Germany, Switzerland, Lichtenstein, and also explored much of the east coast together.” How Shawn proposed: “It was a beautiful warm day in April 2020 (yes, the height of the pandemic!) and we decided to go and get some fresh air. We went to a beautiful garden in Alexandria, VA (where we were living at the time) called the Carlyle House Historic Park. I just remember how peaceful that day was, and exploring the garden while looking at all the flowers. Shawn and I went to sit on a bench in the park to take in its beauty and in that moment, Shawn got down on one knee and asked me to marry him. It was a beautiful, intimate moment that was just the two of us and I wouldn't have had it any other way.” Favorite date night: “Going to see a movie or show! We also love trying new places to eat.” What Shawn loves most about Ashley: “Shawn always says he loves that I am industrious (lol?) but I think he admires my creativity and innovation. I am always working on a new business idea or passion project and he is extremely encouraging and positive each time.” What Ashley loves most about Shawn: “I love how deeply Shawn cares for everyone around him. Literally everyone. He makes time to make sure all his family, friends, co-workers, etc. feel loved and included.”