Caroline + Alex

There is something to be said about very large wedding parties. When you have 20 people standing up in your wedding, you have a lot of people that love you! For Caroline and Alex, these people are either family, or friends they have known through all walks of life. These are friends they have known from grammar school or even moved with around the country. Alex has a tight circle of friends that he grew up with in California and a whole other set of friends that he has been close with now, for a decade while living in Chicago. Caroline has remained close with the girls from her days at St. Mark's School, Nardin, and Fredonia.  Caroline and many of her girlfriends from Buffalo, followed each other to Chicago and have been happily living there for years. It's like their whole Buffalo crew just relocated to the windy city. Unbelievable! That being said, you can imagine what this reunion was like for Caroline and Alex. So much fun, so many laughs! And lots of singing. This crew was not afraid to sing it loud, sing it proud! 

Caroline and Alex's romantic and chic wedding day began at the new Hotel Henry. This impressive urban resort has been renewed from the old Buffalo State Asylum for the Insane. The exterior of the building is incredible with two iconic towers that have been Buffalo landmarks since the late 1800s. The interior has been restored with modern renovations giving the hotel a stylish and contemporary feel. There are several lounge areas throughout the interior and an open concept restaurant centrally located in the hotel. The resort features all of the exclusive amenities you would find at your typical upscale hotel, but the restored architecture throughout the building is awe-inspiring. From the large wood beams, rustic metal pipes and gigantic pulley systems, there so many interesting caveats throughout this building. 

Hair and makeup started in Caroline's suite which was a gorgeous loft with modern accents. The 10 bridesmaids looked stunning in their long, chiffon gowns in ice blue. Caroline looked absolutely gorgeous in her off-the-shoulder ivory gown with button down back and lace embellishments. This breathtaking dress was paired beautifully with a sophisticated updo and cascading bouquet. I am obsessed with the colors in this wedding. I love that very pale blue, and the simple but oh, so elegant mix of ivory and white details. Maureen's did a phenomenal job of bringing Caroline's vision for the florals to life with a blend of white and ivory, accented with an array of pretty greens. The guys looked dapper in classic black tuxedos with black bow ties and white pocket squares. They accessorized themselves individually with on trend sunglasses. 

Caroline and Alex were married at St. Mark's Church in North Buffalo with a traditional Catholic ceremony. They had a lovely ceremony and a wonderful opera rendition was performed by a male/female duo after communion. This song was so beautiful that the whole congregation applauded when it was over.  After the wedding ceremony, it was back to Hotel Henry for a few quick photos with the wedding party and cocktail hour. The ballroom had a romantic vibe with a fusion of textures in ivory, gold and the glow of candlelight. Caroline's bridesmaid actually wrote all of the calligraphy for the invitations and escort cards for the reception. The gold script was so lovely! The elegant table decor featured tall candelabras with flowers and low florals to add depth and dimension to the room.  The ivory cake was simple, yet stunning with gold and ivory rose accents. The bride and groom had their own sweetheart table just beyond the dance floor with an open view of the band and all of their wedding guests. 

This wedding was all about the dancing and the party. And what a party it was! The new Mr. & Mrs. Soulier were introduced and playfully cut their wedding cake. The cake cutting was followed by some heartfelt and hilarious speeches from the father of the bride, maid of honor, two best men, and a blessing from the bride's uncle. Caroline was summoned by her sister to sing aloud the theme song from the musical "Annie" during her speech and, thus "The sun will come out tomorrow..." was happily sung! After dinner, Party of Nine got the dancing started with Caroline and Alex's first dance as husband and wife. It was a sweet and emotional dance to "I Can't Help Falling in Love With You". All of their friends stood up and gathered around the dance floor cheering them on. They sang and laughed and kissed. Their love for each other was palpable! 

The father/daughter dance really got the party started. There was already a small crowd around the dance floor and then "Sweet Caroline" began to play. You can't help but get up and sing along to that song! The bride and her father were having such a good time dancing and singing together. He lifted her into the air and she waved to all their "fans." It was awesome! The mother/son dance was equally as great on a more sentimental level. Alex is an only child and his mother held on to him like she didn't want to ever let  him go. I cried behind the camera and am crying again just thinking about it. At the end of the song, she brought Caroline on to the dance floor and handed Alex over to her. It was a very touching moment. Once the music started, the dance floor was packed and it never slowed up. Caroline hand picked each song the band performed and she certainly knew her audience. Everyone was dancing all night long. Caroline even got up on stage and sang with the band, it was great! This was probably one of the most fun weddings ever! Congratulations Caroline and Mike! Mary and I are so very honored to have been a part of your wedding and we wish you a lifetime of happiness together!!

​Dress: Kelly Faetanini
​Makeup: Jaime Ruggiero
​Hair: I DuPretty
Calligraphy: Laura Georger
Shoes: Nina NYC
​Jewelry: James & Sons
Veil: Etsy
​Cake: Sweet Beginnings
Venue: Hotel Henry
​Ceremony: St. Mark's Church
​Bridesmaid Dresses: Amsale
Florals: Maureen's Wholesale Flower Market 
​Band: Party of Nine
Video: Anland Media