Photography by Austin Ryan
For Mariah and Zac Fanning, marriage was a long time coming. Their relationship was a slow burn for Mariah, who says when she met Zac he was wearing “the ugliest sneakers I’ve ever seen in my life.” And she told him so. His response: “It’s working, isn’t it?” Six years and two daughters later, they still laugh about this moment.
Finding a wedding venue was a quicker process. When they stepped inside the Canfield Casino, only the second venue they toured, Mariah knew right away that they’d found the one. “When I saw the ceilings, I instantly started crying,” Mariah says. They didn’t look at any other venues, and had the place booked almost two years in advance.
The couple also booked a room for two nights at the gorgeous Adelphi Hotel, where they would get ready on the day of the wedding and spend their wedding night. Planning was going smoothly.
Then, just a handful of months before her June wedding date, their room at The Adelphi was canceled by the booking company, with prices raised by thousands of dollars, and their venue asked them to change their wedding date. The reason? For the first time ever, the Belmont Stakes would be held in Saratoga Springs, packing in tens of thousands of horse racing fanatics just down the road from the Canfield—on their wedding day.
“My anxiety was through the roof,” Mariah says. To make matters worse, her photographer was no longer able to fulfill their contract, for a separate reason. “My mom and my husband just kept saying, ‘trust the process,’ and that’s all I could do.” And, with the help of her loving support system, she managed to put out one fire at a time. A cousin was able to help get her room back at The Adelphi. She hired a new photographer. And she stood her ground and kept her wedding date.
For the many guests coming from across the country, hotels were no longer a viable option. Her family ended up driving RVs from California and Arizona and staying on a family member’s property. Zac’s uncle rented limos to take them to the wedding. “It was actually fun to watch it all pan out,” Mariah says. She even found ways to embrace the historic event: They screened the race during their cocktail hour at the Casino, and the bridal party bounded into the reception ballroom donning horse masks, shots and gold money guns. The whole town was already decked out for the festivities, so they decorated minimally. “Being in a wedding gown in the middle of Saratoga Springs on Belmont day,” Mariah says, “you feel like absolute royalty.”
The Details
Photography: Austin Ryan Photo
Venue: Canfield Casino
Caterer: Distinctive Catering of Albany and Saratoga
Wedding Coordinator: The Luxe Affair
Content Creator: Behind your Luxe Affair
Florals: Market 32 Florist
Wedding Dress: Lily Saratoga
Reception Dress/Bridesmaid Dresses: Styled by Lily Saratoga
Bridal Makeup: Amanda McMillen
Hair/Makeup: Aranda Artistry
Tuxedos: Mr. Formal Wear
Jewelry: Hannoush Jewelers
Accommodations: The Adelphi Hotel
DJ/Photo Booth: Chris Johnston/The Love of Music
Transportation: Premiere Plus Travel and Tours LLC
Rentals: Clifton Park Rental Center
Dance Lessons: DanceFire Studios