Hi! My name is Holly, and my husband Nick and I got married this August, amidst the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Nick and I had originally planned on getting married at Cicero United Methodist Church in October. Eventually, this changed, and we decided to go ahead with our church ceremony as planned, just with fewer guests. Our guest list ended up being about twenty people -- our parents, our siblings, my grandparents, and a few aunts and uncles.

Are you a soon-to-be bride? This year has been filled with so much uncertainty and stress, but if you still want to get married and having a smaller wedding, then this post is for you. I asked my 2020 bride Heather if she would answer a few questions about her experience planning a wedding. Her answers from their intimate Memory Lane Farms wedding are below!

Christine reached out to me to photograph her engagement session with Travis last fall, and I was excited to meet them back in my hometown for it! They first met at the farmer’s market in front of Canal Commons when they were teenagers, because what else does an Oswego, NY teen do to hang out with friends besides get a snow cone and fried dough? Pro tip: have your engagement photos taken at a place that is meaningful to both of you. It makes your session even more memorable!

Bryce and Brianna's Green Lakes State Park Intimate Wedding is one of my favorites from the Fayetteville NY area yet with family details from her brother who officiated their ceremony to grandma's dress, a second wedding, the backyard reception, and the rain. Read more on why rain on your outdoor wedding day isn’t a big deal!

Emilie met Jordan while she was auditioning for graduate school in Ithaca, where he’s from. From the way she told me about Jordan and how the photos were going to be a surprise, I knew they would be so sweet together! We met up at Breitbeck Park to start taking pictures. The golden, glowy sunlight was perfect as they got cozy, ran around in the snow, and even had a snowball fight. When it was time, we headed to Bristro 197 for drinks, dinner, and the celebration with their parents.

Ryan and Kate have been together for 6 years and live in an apartment together (with their pup they got after this session, who is the cutest). The plan was for them to go to brunch in Skaneateles, and when they were back in Syracuse, they would go for a walk around the park. When it came time for the proposal, there were chairs set up in the middle of Franklin Square Park from a wedding ceremony earlier in the day, and my mind went straight into problem solving mode. Both he and I were nervous as plans changed quickly, but Kate said yes! We then took some quick photos after they were officially engaged.

Emily and Chris met through a mutual friend, and they ended up going on a blind date. She was unsure at first at how things would go, but they hit it off! 4 years later and they are inseparable! It was the perfect fall morning. These two told me that they’re a little camera shy, but that was not the case! I gave them prompts to make their experience more natural and fun.