Holiday Valley - Ellicottville, NY
Ellicottville Brewing Company - Ellicottville, NY
Nicole & Mike's wedding at EBC in Ellicottville was a treat in the heart of winter. The charming village covered with fresh-fallen snow. The trees with that amazing white powder glaze that balance upon bare branches. The fluffy lake effect flakes dropping on their January afternoon. We were literally in the prettiest snow globe possible. (Cue the fairytale music that snow globes make.)
Our couple embodied two people who just wanted to surround themselves with the things they love for their nuptials. To surround themselves with their family, including their giddy son the ring bearer. To surround themselves with nature, having as much as possible planned in the fresh outdoor air.
To surround themselves with skiing, to where they followed up their Holiday Valley Champagne Sundeck ceremony, with a ski run. In her princess wedding dress. In his fine suit. Yes folks, a ski run. Strapped on the boots moments after their first kiss as husband and wife, and off they went poles in hand. As crazy as it sounded while planning this with us the months before, it makes total sense after getting to know Nicole and Mike as a couple. And we're grateful they'll have that unique memory that might have been a first there, granted how many bystanders had their cell phones out to get it!
It even makes total sense now as to when we walked in to start the wedding day at the salon where the ladies were in bride tribe prep mode, Nicole asked us from her hair chair "So have you ever photographed a pop-up wedding?". "I'm sorry, a what?", we asked with confused faces. "A pop-up wedding. Where we're just all going to walk out onto the ski slope and create a space for us to get married. And then just do it.", the bride answers.
While we had no idea how that was going to fly when it was proposed, and sort of wanted to crap our pants thinking about everything that could go wrong, it now makes complete sense why a pop-up wedding was conjured up. And why, you ask? Because it was perfect. A perfect moment. A perfect desire to get married in the muffled falling snow. A perfect peacefull easy feeling. And it happened just like that.
To Nicole and Mike, we commend you. We commend you for being true to yourselves. True to what you wanted your wedding day to be, and just going for it. We are so thankful you chose us to document such spectacular sights and moments. And we wish you guys a lifetime of just going for it as a great couple. Cheers to you!
CEREMONY: Holiday Valley
RECEPTION: EBC, Ellicottville Brewing Company
PHOTOGRAPHY: Vita Bella Photography
CAKE: Kareli Cakes
DJ: Toy Brothers
HAIR & MAKEUP: The Edge Hair Salon