Intimate Finger Lakes Destination Wedding at Glenora Winery

This wedding day at Glenora Winery was a long-awaited celebration, full of love and family traditions. Alyssa and Steve originally hired us for a 2020 wedding but, well…we all know how that year went. In 2021, the two tied the knot in a backyard wedding but kept holding out hope for a larger celebration.

Finally, after waiting for two years for Steve’s friends and family to be able to travel from Canada, they reaffirmed their vows at this gorgeous vineyard venue in the Finger Lakes. We’re so glad that we could be there to capture the whole thing!

A Wedding Ceremony Steeped in Tradition

We loved the fun, laidback tone of this day, from the morning as the two relaxed with their wedding parties to the evening as everyone let loose on the dance floor. The members of Steve’s wedding party are all long-term friends, and this day was the first time they were all able to be together in 12 years! Everyone looked dapper in dark grey suits with a subtle checker pattern from Sal Lauretta. Meanwhile, Alyssa’s wedding party wore floor-length dresses in complementing shades of lilac and mauve. And of course, Alyssa looked stunning in an off-the-shoulder gown from David’s Bridal!

The couple’s intimate ceremony was our favorite part of the day, full of traditions from Steve’s Filipino heritage. Both partners’ mother’s assisted the two in performing a sand binding ceremony, as they poured sand from two small jars into one large heart-shaped jar to symbolize the union of their two families. In addition, Steve’s sister/brother-in-law and Alyssa’s MOH’s parents performed a veil and cord ceremony for the couple. They draped the two with a ceremonial veil and wrapped a cord around them in a figure-eight to represent their eternal fidelity. Finally, the couple’s officiant oversaw the coin ceremony: an exchanging of 13 coins between the couple to symbolize an oath of provision to one another.

Reception at Glenora Winery

The couple’s reception took place inside the Champagne Dining Room, where their guests were treated to floor-to-ceiling views of Seneca Lake. Above the stone fireplace, the two hung a customized piece of metal artwork with their new shared last name. Their cake from Sugar Mountain Bakery also celebrated their union with a ‘Mr. and Mrs. Willis’ topper, along with a scattering of blush roses, yellow thistle, and ferns from Foote Florals.

Florals featured prominently on the tablescapes as well, in the form of runners and centerpieces with blooms of lilacs, pink Hawaiian peonies, and orange roses. While Alyssa knew that she wanted the day to feature colorful florals, she gave Rebecca from Foote Florals complete creative control over the arrangements. Of course, they were stunning! Rebecca is a dear friend, and we recommend her to all of our couples who are looking for a creative florist they can trust.

To round out the tablescapes, ivory floating candles and soft gray muslin runners joined the colorful blooms. The design was perfect for late spring! The couple made their entrance to thunderous applause and spent the evening enjoying mouthwatering selections from Glenora’s Veraisons Restaurant. It was obvious that they were overjoyed to finally be celebrating with their people!

We feel so honored that Alyssa and Steve trusted us to document their special day. Is a Finger Lakes destination wedding in your future? Then we would love to be the ones to capture it! If our work speaks to you and your partner, we want to hear from you.