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Hello, Upstate wedding crew! I’m back with my third newsletter after a slight delay. It’s been a wild few weeks as our wedding planning is now in full swing! (And if we're being real here, we also had a Covid scare after attending a micro wedding. We tested negative, fortunately.) I am so excited for this issue, not only because it features my own engagement photos by Julia Rebecca Photography (keep scrolling to check them out), but because it features other amazing vendors and venues which could be the missing pieces to your dream wedding. As always, I hope Upstate I Do provides you with some inspiration in this sometimes stressful and uncertain wedding world. Enjoy!

I first came across Kiera Ogden on Instagram and have been following her journey ever since. She is the founder of Kiera Elise Collection, which just launched its first full bridal line. After graduating from Virginia Commonwealth University with a BFA in Fashion Design, Kiera began working in the industry doing everything from styling and buying to managing bridal salons and, now, gown design. (Plus, she’s a professional bridesmaid!) Read on to learn more about this talented woman who is shaking up the bridal industry.

When did you decide to make a move from bridal accessories to designing a collection of gowns? I have been freelance designing gowns for a while and doing custom pieces, but this collection came to be when I was asked by my former employer to create some exclusive gowns for their stores. They asked me to design three pieces, which I then told them should be five for a proper capsule collection…and then it turned into ten because I can never leave well enough alone! Go big or go home!

Tell us a little about the process behind this collection. I started the collection about six months ago. It took about five months in total to finish and get the photoshoot completed before New York Bridal Market and to be able to shoot it at my childhood home before it was sold.  I design, fabric source, sew, and I also do pattern-making. On that note, it would be totally misleading if I didn’t also mention that I also have the world’s most talented seamstress named Viola, who has the patience of a saint.  Without her, there would be no way this collection happened in the timeframe that it did.

What would you say were some of the most challenging parts of launching a collection during Covid-19?  Money.  I am sure a lot of people can relate right now and it sounds pretty cliché.  I think the hardest part of starting a business like this is funding and support.  I am fortunate to have met so many amazing people during my 15 years in this industry and without the support of my friends and colleagues, family, and my current retailers, this collection wouldn’t have been possible.

Do you have any advice or words to share with our readers who are navigating wedding planning in 2020/2021? Hire a wedding planner.  Planning a wedding when there isn’t a global pandemic is hard enough.  You should be enjoying the process of wedding planning.  Remember what’s important and also do your best to be understanding/flexible as things change and adjust.  It’s a hard time to be a bride, and it’s also a hard time to be in the bridal industry!  If we work together, there is no reason you can’t still have your dream wedding – even if that means postponing!

The Kenmore Ballroom is part of an $80 million investment by Redburn Development in Downtown Albany. Around two years ago, Katie O'Malley Maloney (of Katie O' Weddings and Events) began working on this dream project with one of the partners at Redburn. After a lunch meeting and a tour of the space, they knew it was meant to be. Shortly after, they began work on this project that would benefit not only the community of Albany, but also local wedding couples and vendors.

The completion date of the space was set for April 2020. They gave themselves what they thought would be safe wiggle room to iron out the kinks and booked their first events for the summer of 2020. Like every other business, they couldn't have foreseen the Covid-19 pandemic, but as they pivoted with their opening plans and procedures, they collaborated closely with their couples and clients and learned the new way of events, together. Through the process, they became quick experts at hosting intimate events that adhere to guidelines, while still making magical memories. I had a chance to chat with Katie to learn more about the space and how they’re innovating in this new wedding world.

In a normal world, what is the max capacity of the space? Three hundred guests on both levels. We have a unique space in that we are a bi-level space. We have the main ballroom and a mezzanine connected by a beautiful grand staircase. So we can do seating on both levels and have a dance floor.

Aside from the rental of the space, what else is included in your packages? We include up to 300 custom black chairs with white pads and 60” and 70” round tables. We also have an audio system with two wireless microphones and a lavalier microphone for speeches. And we also have the ability to plug in an iPhone or computer to play music from that device.

Is coordination included in every package? Kenmore Ballroom and Katie O' Weddings and Events are two completely separate businesses. We still own and operate Katie O', and we own and operate Kenmore Ballroom. We welcome any wedding coordinator or planner into the Kenmore Ballroom, and we, ourselves, will also plan and coordinate at the Kenmore, but you can come in with anyone you like or no one. We do say that it is a venue, and this isn’t self-promotion, that warrants having a planner because it is a blank space. Other than tables and chairs, you have to really bring every other vendor in, from food to florals and so forth.

Is there parking on-site? This venue is a downtown destination, so you are dealing with a lack of parking. But since our events are typically after 5pm, the meters are not in effect. So there is free street parking in that case, and there is a free parking garage a block and a half down the street. We also encourage Uber, Lyft and Falcon Club as a safe and seamless way to get to your event. And it is also important to remember, that if you are having your event here with us, your hotel blocks are most likely at one of the three hotels that are within walking distance. Otherwise, there are many great shuttle services you can hire to make transportation seamless for your guests.

Are you currently booking for 2021 weddings? We still have a few dates available in 2021. We are following all Covid guidelines and regulations and will adhere to all rules set in place. Right now our biggest focus is letting people know we are available for intimate events and gatherings. We are booking as normal with the understanding to adapt and adjust as needed.

Book your tour at The Kenmore Ballroom here.

Ever since I first met Julia Starkey at my cousin's wedding (and saw the photos afterwards), I made a little mental note that she was my dream wedding photographer. So, I'm not joking when I say only a few days after Jesse and I got engaged, I sent her an email. Luckily she was available on one of the dates we were considering for Fall 2021. To me, choosing a wedding photographer was such an important decision because it's one of the only tangible pieces of your wedding you'll have forever. I look at my parents' wedding photos all of the time and love thinking of how one day my kids will hopefully do the same!

Julia is based in the Keene Valley area, so we opted to make a weekend trip and drove up into the Adirondacks. Flash forward to the week of our engagement shoot, and the forecast was a total wash with rain every day. Julia was so kind and flexible and let us move our shoot to an earlier day with less chance of rain. And, wow, did we luck out with a beautiful sunny afternoon and pink sunset. 

It's no shock to anyone who knows me that I love taking pictures, so I was obviously excited for the shoot. I was, however, a bit nervous that Jesse would lose interest pretty quickly. I mean, many people dread photo taking of any kind, let alone a multi-hour photoshoot. But Julia created such a calm and comfortable atmosphere that Jesse genuinely enjoyed himself the entire time and had only good things to say about the experience. It was a total win-win-win in my book! We are so excited for our next photoshoot with Julia on our wedding day!

If you're looking for an incredible wedding photographer, I highly recommend reaching out to Julia here.

No matter how you got here, thank you. Thank you for supporting Upstate I Do with your readership, clicks, engagement, and feedback. Whether it’s every day, once a week, once a month – it means a lot.  I work so hard on this corner of the internet I’ve created, so thanks for stopping by and making my Upstate I Do dreams come true. And please, if you have a story to share, simply reply to this email.