WEDDING AT THE LAKE INN AT TAUGHANNOCK

May 10, 2025

An Elegant Spring Wedding at The Lake

As a photographer, I live for the details—and this wedding day was filled with them. The modern, lush green gardens of the venue made the perfect backdrop, creating a contrast with the bride and groom’s classic, romantic style. Every corner felt like a dream. The groom, quiet & patient, had this calm presence about him, but you could see in every glance and gesture how deeply he loved her—truly soaking in each moment. One of the sweetest touches? Including their adorable dog in the first look with the bride’s dad and bringing him onto the dance floor as well. Some of my favorite memories were the laughter shared between the guys while getting ready, the incredibly emotional first dances with their parents, and, of course, the energy on the dance floor—so fun and full of life. And I can’t forget Grandma and Grandpa—absolutely a vibe. Their love lit up the room and reminded us all what it means to grow old together with joy. It was a day I’ll never forget.

How They Met: A Modern Love Story of Michelle & Stephen

How did you two meet? A right swipe on BUMBLE

What was your first impression of each other? 

• Stephens answer: "She is hot" LOL

• Michelles answer: Shy, handsome, extremely kind

  
  

How did the proposal happen? We went to dinner at Panorama on Seven and went for a walk at sunset on the canalside. On our walk Stephen got down on one knee, it was an obvious and immediate yes.

What do you love most about each other? 

• Stephen's answer: smile, sense of humor, care for others

• Michelle's answer: kindness, humility, willingness to do anything for anyone

  
  

What are some things you enjoy doing together as a couple? Cooking dinner together, walking our golden doodle Henry, watching a good binge worthy show on Netflix, spending time with family and friends.

Where Love Grows

What was the inspiration or theme behind your wedding day? Intimate and romantic garden theme

How did you choose your venue? We wanted to get married in a wine region, particularly on the water. We were drawn to the Inn by  the eclectic and diverse seating areas. Whether friends and family wanted to sit inside at the bar or outside by various fire pits they could go where they felt comfortable.

What was the most important thing to you when planning the wedding? I particularly enjoyed honing in on the decorative elements. With the help of the amazing Melissa Brindamour we were able to incorporate elements of romance, elegance, and timelessness with neutral tones, a garden-like feel with all white flowers,  and subtle texture with the patterned outdoor linen and striped signage.

Did you incorporate any cultural, family, or personal traditions? During our first dance our family wrapped us in streamers, an Italian family tradition .

What song did you choose for your first dance, and why? Hold my hand by Hootie and the Blowfish. We chose it because it was personal to us, our Goldendoodle Henry likes to swipe at us for attention and we would often sing "hold my hand" when he did it.

What were some of your favorite moments from the day? Our favorite moments from the day include being surrounded by our closest friends and family, crushing it on the dance floor, and of course saying "I do"

Where did you go (or are planning to go) for your honeymoon? We went to Italy and Switzerland. We went to the northern region of Italy at Lake Maggiore, next to Lake Como. Then we went to Switzerland and took a scenic journey through the Swiss Alps.  

A Vision in Bloom: Style and Planning for the Romantic at Heart

How did you choose your wedding attire? I chose my dress because I felt like the corset fit my curves and body well. I loved the sleek simplicity of the ivory linen. I chose to remove the large sleeves and add a chiffon scarf for cocktail hour. We chose black suits because we felt it matched well with the timeless and romantic garden feel.

Did your outfits or accessories have any special meaning? The groom's grandmother made the small lace handbag I used out of the groom's mothers wedding dress as well as the ring pillow. 

Describe your wedding party’s look – how did you choose the colors/styles? I am a neutral girly. I loved the sleek and timeless chocolate brown with black suits. 

What was your favorite detail or decor element? My favorite detail was the grand entrance to the curved aisle. It felt like a breathtaking moment that I got to enjoy with my dad by my side. 

The Story in Every Frame: A Timeless Wedding Captured with Heart

What was your experience working with me? Right from the beginning I loved how enthusiastic and excited Gabriella was to spend our special day with us. She went above and beyond to make all our requests a reality and provide absolutely STUNNING work. In addition, she was timely and absolutely lightning fast providing us with sneak peaks and the entire gallery so we could relive our most perfect day on our honeymoon. 

What were your favorite moments captured on camera? Our favorite moments captured on camera were our first touch, family portraits, and the dance floor!

How did it feel to relive your day through the photos? I was brought to tears several times by how beautiful our gallery was. We will cherish these moments for years to come. We can't wait to hang the photos on the walls of our home, get a jaw dropping wedding album, and put frames by our bedside. We couldn't be more grateful for these moments captured.

Vendors & Decor

Venue: Inn at Taughannock Falls @innattaughannock

Planner: Tania-Lynn Anderson @sincerelymelissaco

Florist: Business is Blooming @bizbloomfloraldesign

Dress Designer: Allure @allurebridals

Dress Boutique: Stellas Bridal Rochester @stellasbridal

Bridesmaid Dresses: Reverly @shoprevelry

Groom’s Tux: Tom & Luigi's Tailor Shop @tomandluigi

Makeup & Hair: Love Johnny & June @lovejohnnyandjune

DJ + Sax: JB party sounds @jb_partysounds

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