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As soon as I got engaged, checking out wedding dresses was one of the first things on my to-do list. And lucky for us Upstate NY brides, our area is graced with many beautiful bridal boutiques. The first shop I visited was Something Bleu Bridal, which fittingly became Upstate I Do’s first featured vendor. I can share with you firsthand that even during a pandemic co-owners Kathryn Metzler and Marissa Mackay have curated the most comfortable and beautiful bridal shopping experience.

Here’s what you need to know: the boutique is open by-appointment-only, you must wear a mask, fill out a brief questionnaire, and for now, only two guests are permitted to join your appointment. And if you were set on getting your whole crew’s opinion, you’re still in luck, because they have a large TV with a webcam where additional guests can join via Zoom! Behind the scenes, this small business is going above and beyond to keep their spaces safe, with attentive cleaning protocols like steam sanitizing dresses after each appointment.

Now, back to the dresses. Something Bleu specializes in modern romantic bridal style, carrying designers like Madi Lane Bridal and Flora Bride. And believe me, you can’t help but be obsessed as soon as you try on one of these dresses. Not going to lie, I had almost a dozen favorites before Marissa helped me narrow it down. This month, we’re featuring two amazing gowns that are available in the boutique now, shot on location at Anne's Washington Inn.

This designer’s gowns are known for being comfortable and lightweight, perfect for brides planning to dance the night away. Isabella is wearing the Atlas gown, which is a part of Madi Lane’s 2020 Marrakech collection. 

The petite floral details give this dress a delicate flair, while the low back and curve-hugging silhouette create an old Hollywood glam feel.

Flora Bridal is known for their intricate fabrics, imported mainly from Europe, focusing on laces and embroideries. Each gown is created to reflect a vintage antique style. The Esther gown, a part of the brand's Whispers collection,  is surprisingly lightweight despite its intricate fabric and dramatic silhouette. 

The pearl buttons adorning the long sleeves and back add a classic note to this gown's more bohemian style and material.

Shopping for your wedding? Book an appointment here.

I'm sure you've realized that there are hundreds of unique ways to display your reception seating chart. But which to choose?! Do you individually print each guest's name with their table number? Will you have table lists written on a chalkboard? Perhaps you're not into this idea at all, and want to keep it simple and share table numbers ahead of time? 

In one of my most recent wedding planning escapades, I came across the sweetest idea below, which I can't seem to get out of my head. This display could easily be DIYed with a trip to Target, Home Goods and/or Michaels. Once you have a large cork board, a variety of frames, and artificial flowers, grab your glue gun and some Command Hooks and get to work. I'll totally add some battery powered fairy lights, like these, if I do this project myself.

If you’ve ever been out on Caroline Street, you may know the spot where this story began. Joseph Consolo and Sarah Bruno-Jezierski first locked eyes across the bar in The Saratoga City Tavern in 2016. (In true Toga fashion, this was followed by late-night pizza next door.) Fourteen months after their first-date at Boca Bistro, the couple got engaged and started planning their dream day. Sarah quickly found her dream dress at Angela’s Bridal and by the end of the following summer they were fully planned for their 2020 wedding. 

With Joseph’s military career, the couple were pros at adjusting to the many obstacles that came with moves and deployments. But COVID-19 was a hurdle they could not have predicted. After first pushing their wedding date back from June to August, the couple ultimately decided to postpone their celebration to a third date, June 26, 2021. The bride posted an Instagram to share the bittersweet news saying, “Same Couple, Same Place, New Date,” noting that they have already started counting down the days, again.

Photography, Bridget McDonald

Music is one of the most challenging pieces of the wedding puzzle right now. I turned to the founder of NonStop Music, Vinny Vin, one of the Capital Region's most sought after DJs, to answer some subscriber submitted questions.

With the current gathering restrictions, have you found creative ways to safely collaborate with micro wedding couples?

"Music is hands down one of the most magical and important parts of a wedding reception. The regulations implemented by New York State have limited our ability to create the music experiences our company is known for. Still, with only a handful of micro weddings we have performed, we’ve found ways to create a more intimate and more customized approach to our music soundtrack. We’ve successfully encouraged guests to enjoy and celebrate our music and performance from their seats and tables, while still maintaining and following the guidelines NYS has put in place."

For micro weddings or elopements this fall, what services would you recommend? Are you offering any new package deals?

“We’d recommend booking our ceremony music and microphone services. We provide a separate microphone for the officiant and a separate microphone for the couple, perfect for social distancing while decreasing the contact of a shared microphone. Besides our regular DJ services, we’re also offering a hands-free photo booth option. This is great if you would like a non-contact way to take and share pictures from the event with your ‘circle’ of people. And at this time, we are offering customized package pricing for dates still available for this fall. Several couples who have decided to go through with a smaller wedding and booked just recently were thrilled at the huge savings they received."

For couples choosing to push back their date, or recently engaged couples beginning to plan their weddings, what advice would you share with them?

"This is a temporary setback. We understand how frustrating it must be to coordinate with all of your vendors and reschedule a new date. Just know that when that day comes when we can party and we can have all of your closest friends and family in one room, together, on the same day, celebrating you…it will be worth it! If you are a recently engaged couple looking to book your vendors or venue for 2021, my biggest advice would be to do so quickly. We are experiencing one of the busiest calendar years for 2021 due to all the postponements for 2020 so I can share firsthand that dates are filling up fast! My best advice would be to consider looking into 2022, so you can pick and choose the best vendors for your event."

Inquire about rates and availability here.

Alexis Deeb and Brad Kasselman began planning their dream wedding almost immediately following their engagement in 2018. The couple booked a date for the summer of 2020, after negotiating and signing contracts with numerous vendors. But when this March rolled around, they realized the negotiations had really just begun. By the end of the month, they had made the tough decision to send a note to their guests explaining that the celebration was canceled. 

After nearly 12 weeks in quarantine together, the couple had an even greater appreciation for their love, health, and life together. In mid-May, with the support and encouragement of loved ones, Brad and Alexis changed their plans again, and chose to move forward with their original June date, but with a much smaller guest list.  

The couple secured their marriage license over Zoom. Their florist, Deryck DeMatas, took the lead on turning their vision into a beautiful reality. Brad’s brother Steven got ordained online and wrote a ceremony that focused on the beauty of marriage, spirituality, and love. And the intimate ceremony and reception became reality at The Chateau on The Lake and on computer streams internationally. 

Alexis’s friends and second family from her time in Africa were able to stream from a small village in Uganda at 2:30 am local time. Brad’s 93-year-old grandmother tuned in from Florida wearing a corsage and enjoying wedding cake. It was a small but mighty team that pulled off a wedding day more magical and far-reaching than they could have dreamed.

Do you have a story or advice you'd like to share with the Upstate I Do Crew?! Reply directly to this email so we can chat!