In addition to photographer Dave Bigler’s wonderful red carpet photos taken at the new-look saratoga living‘s fabulous re-launch party on the evening of February 8, the talented people behind Smile Lounge brought one of their photo booths to the party for guests to pose in. With a number of props to choose from—boxing gloves, telephone and cord, mustache, hashtag wand—the results were nothing short of pure joy. Fine all the results in the accompanying photo gallery.
On The Red Carpet With ‘Saratoga Living’
February 8 was “saratoga living Day” in Saratoga Springs, as the publication hosted its official re-launch party, unveiling its stunning new-look magazine and website at Putnam Place. With more than 300 guests having RSVPed for the event, it was a packed house—and photographer Dave Bigler was set up at the entrance, snapping photos of attendees on the red carpet, as they came in.
Arias Wine
When Arias Wine co-owner and former Boston Red Sox slugger David “Big Papi” Ortiz hit home runs, he was known to point towards the sky in honor of his mother, Angela Rosa Arias, who passed away in a tragic car accident in 2002. This gesture would end up inspiring the logo for Arias Wine, which he named after his late mother.
“Within every great wine there’s a great story,” says Peter Ianniello, Ortiz’s business partner. For example, one of Arias’ signature bottles, Cristalan, was inspired by a statue in Yaddo’s Rose Garden. The statue, which is also gesturing upward, was constructed to commemorate Katrina Trask’s four children, none of whom lived past the age of five, and her late husband, who died in a train accident.
Ianniello sees a common thread between Trask’s and Ortiz’s approach to bereavement: After losing her family, Trask threw herself into the creation of the Yaddo artists’ residency program; and when Ortiz lost his mother, he started Arias Wine and launched The David Ortiz Children’s Fund, a nonprofit organization committed to providing critical pediatric services to children in New England and the Dominican Republic.
“It’s through the pursuits of passion that we overcome grief and rise above adversity,” Ianniello says. Saratogians interested in tasting the fruits of this passion can find Arias Wine at a handful of local restaurants, including Max London’s, Osteria Danny and Druthers Brewing.
Chris Morrow, Co-Owner Of Northshire Bookstore
I recently had the chance to interview Chris Morrow, the co-owner of Northshire Bookstore, a much-loved, two-story storefront on Broadway in Saratoga Springs that sells—of course—loads of great books, as well as stationery, journals, tote bags and a limited (but well-curated) selection of records. Here’s what he had to say:
What inspired you to open the Saratoga location of Northshire Bookstore?
Well, we had been running the store in Manchester, VT since 1976, and when the Borders on Broadway went out of business, a number of folks from Saratoga Springs who knew our store asked us to open here. It was a long process of analysis and fundraising and searching for the right spot. It all came together, and we opened in August 2013. The inspiration was, and is, to connect people with books. This is especially important for kids who can learn the power of a story, get access to information and explore the world through books. Books have real power, and we exist to provide open access to titles as diverse as the world in which we live.
What makes Northshire Bookstore different? How does that reflect your personality?
Northshire has always been focused on excellence. I think of it as having three broad aspects: creating a physical environment that is uplifting, welcoming and soothing; having excellent buyers (who have been with us for decades); and having great booksellers who read a lot and can help our guests. Binding all this together is a commitment to being good community partners and promoting the First Amendment.
What impact do you hope your business has on the Saratoga community?
I hope we can contribute to the vitality of the city and be a haven for book lovers; Saratoga Springs has such vibrant cultural offerings. Hopefully, Northshire and the literary arts can be a positive part of the mix. And, of course, we want to be an easy one-stop choice for when people need a gift.
Barber, Raconteur, Horse Enthusiast: Woody Is Someone You Should Know
Hello. I’m Joe “Woody” Wood. Or just Woody to my friends. Pleased to meet you all. I’m the owner of Woody’s Barbershop in Saratoga Springs. I was born and raised in Ithaca, NY, and life eventually brought me to Las Vegas, where I worked as a bartender at Treasure Island. Not long after my tenure in Vegas, life brought me—full circle—back to Ithaca, where I put everything aside to take care of my ailing father. It was through my dad that I would discover Saratoga Springs. I spent all day, every day taking care of him in Ithaca, and he told me I needed to get out of the house one day and go to the track (I’ve since become a huge fan of horse racing and a betting opportunist). He also told me something rather poignant: “When I’m dead, I want you to be a barber.” You see, one of the things I’d been doing for my dad and the rest of his friends was cutting their hair. I apparently had a gift. “I’ve been to barbers all over the world, and you’re the best barber I’ve ever been to,” he told me.
That’s how I ended up becoming the Owner/Master Barber at Woody’s Barbershop in Saratoga. It’s an amazing place with a wide array of clients, both poor and rich, and we gather countless stories from everyone. I’m an avid sports fan, passionate horse racing fan and I love live music. I’ve golfed and dined with the famous and eaten with the homeless, and I consider myself an entertaining optimist, always willing to share myself and my open observations. All this has led me to this column on saratogaliving.com. I’ll be bringing you articles, stories, reviews, predictions and random rants and raves on interesting people and events in Saratoga—as well as some fun and interesting insights on everyday living in town. Like this one below.
Being a barber, I get to hear countless stories from clients: good, bad, happy, sad and everything in between. I also gain amazing insights into peoples’ lives and relationships, and sometimes, a night on the town is just what I need to unwind. Not that sharing intimate conversations about peoples’ lives is tiresome—I assure you it’s not; it’s something that I treasure and cherish—but I was just due for a night out.
Wow, who knew downtown Saratoga in the winter was just as much fun as a warm summer night! Really, I’m not kidding! It was fun for everyone—well almost. Cocktails, chatting, mingling, dancing, more cocktails, everyone getting along, laughing and smiling…the good times just kept rolling. Now being a middle-aged man, sadly my body won’t allow me to have the good times of my days gone bye. But that didn’t seem to stop countless other adults my age from going out and having fun that night. I met a couple from Rochester who told me that they just came in for the night because Saratoga is so much fun; and another couple, who traveled all the way from Buffalo to spend a romantic weekend here, told me it was because of the great bars and restaurants we have. I met some others who just go out every Friday to let off a little steam after a hard week of work.
But remember: not everyone I met was happy. One lady was just sitting by herself in the corner being sad and depressed, and me being Mr. Personality, especially after a couple of glasses of red wine, I had to test my skills and try to cheer her up. After a brief introduction she shared her story with me. She said she was sad, lonely and depressed; she’d just sent her youngest daughter off to another state to go to college. She told me how she was a single mom and how she worked two jobs just to get by. I told her how proud I was of her and how it’s not easy being a single working mom. In fact, I can’t even imagine it. And to get two children through school and off to college is most certainly as good as any reason to celebrate. I’m not sure it worked, because she didn’t hang around long, but hopefully my kind words will stick with her and she’ll soon look back at her amazing achievement. I didn’t even know her and I was proud of her!
It’s easy to forget how great downtown Saratoga is, especially when we live here. Sure, our middle-aged bodies often punish us for wild night out—and it definitely seems easier to just stay home and leave those good times for the younger generation. But with that being said, I couldn’t be happier with my night out on the town. The laughter, good times and new friends I made were well worth the price. It was Saratoga Living at it’s best, and I can’t wait to do it again!
Until next time,
Woody
Interior Designer Leah Margolis Is Shaking Things Up In Saratoga
The decor that I’m willing to pay for is limited to what I accidentally knock over and break (and even then, I might not replace it). But my grandmother, a much more graceful woman than I, kept a stunning home: lively, bright colors and bold prints in her custard-yellow kitchen; light blues and silver bowls in the dining room to accent the palette of a ten-foot-long Japanese tapestry hanging behind her mahogany dinner table; a centuries-old mandolin, violin and viola, passed down from generation to generation, mounted together over her baby grand in the living room. Her house was fantastic, and arranged in such a way that there was a sense of welcome and rightful place for any guest who came through her deep green double doors. And she was always entertaining.
But my grandmother lived in a suburb of San Francisco; unlike residents of Saratoga Springs, homeowners in the East Bay aren’t necessarily faced with the task of balancing their personal decor with architecture that dates back to the Victorian Age.
Luckily for Saratogians, that’s where Leah Margolis comes in. Margolis is a Skidmore-educated interior designer with more than a decade of experience in the field. Her specialty? Designing contemporary interiors to complement Saratoga’s timeless exteriors. “I like boldness, I love color, I like a clean, contemporary style,” Margolis says, excitedly. “We all need to have a little fun in our lives, you know?”
Margolis’ light but distinct aesthetic touch and her unmistakable sense of youthful, sophisticated glamour has caught the eye of major “shelter” magazines—House Beautiful, O At Home, House & Garden—and her work, locally, has earned her The Saratogian’s “Readers’ Choice Award for Best Décor” honor four years in a row.
“I like being able to introduce new styles to the area,” she says. “I like to push limits and boundaries; to add a little piece of whimsy to a room, a little unexpected element such as a bold print or an interesting piece of furniture that you wouldn’t think would be there.”
For all her personal style points, Margolis is ultimately dedicated to bringing her clients’ own design aesthetic to life. “Honestly, I think it would be quite boring for me if everyone just gravitated towards what I like to do. I like to be the one that shows people what’s available, and then they can decide if they want to use it. They have to love it because it’s their home.”
Originally, I assumed that the majority of Margolis’ clients—particularly the longtime Saratoga residents—used her services to preserve the classic feel of their homes’ interiors. But it turns out that her more distinguished clients tend to be her most adventurous: “As they get older, people want to get rid of their old stuff and start fresh. They appreciate more contemporary, clean lines, fun bold prints; and they’re not as scared of taking risks.”
That said, Margolis believes Saratoga Springs will always have that certain Norman Rockwell charm. “I don’t think classic will ever totally be out, especially when it comes to traditional homes and everything traditionally Saratoga. But I do think that there are a lot of people moving up here from metropolitan areas, and with that comes what’s on trend.”
I think my grandmother would have liked Leah Margolis. I really do.
Hennessey Performance’s Venom F5 Is Beyond Beyond. Buckle Up
If you reside long enough in New Jersey, two things will happen: You’ll eventually drive like a maniac and, invariably, you’ll live the lyrics of a Bruce Springsteen song. When I “borrowed” my father’s Audi A6 Allroad 2.7T Quattro Wagon to take it “down the Shore” for the first time, in high school, I was too young to know either of those things. I just knew I felt invincible. Plus, I wanted to look like a badass and go fast. Really, really fast.
Too bad I chose what amounted to a luxury station wagon for dropping the kids off at school or going grocery shopping in style. But I knew this innocuous-looking sedan harbored a dangerous secret: that if you applied a leaden foot to the gas, its 250-horsepower, twin-turbo 2.7L V6 engine could make this chimera breathe fire—and burn rubber just like a sports car. I hit 120 mph going down the Garden State Parkway without getting thrown in jail (that would happen later). But it was already too late. I was addicted to going fast.
Speeding in a car—like coffee, sex and the unmentionables we crave so much online—is a drug. While the others generally make us feel good because of a secretion of dopamine, speeding is all adrenaline. When we speed, even in a station wagon, our brain signals to our adrenal glands to start secreting adrenaline, which increases our heartbeat, blood glucose and muscle strength to get our bodies ready for a “fight or flight” response.
But, alas, we’re adults now. We’re mindful of the speed limit and “stay in our lane,” as the high-schoolers of today say. Every now and again, though, I’ll catch my foot getting heavier on the gas pedal and feel that old-time thrill come upon me again. I call it “the itch.” And I’ve been getting it a lot recently, particularly reading about this brand new, all-American sports car.
Hennessey Performance has seemingly been founded on that very same itch; the need to break the rules and go fast that all of us adrenaline junkies know all too well. John Hennessey of Hennessey Performance has potentially caught lightning in a bottle with his Venom F5, an all-new hypercar designed from the ground up, with only one goal in mind: to be the absolute fastest production vehicle on Earth.
And, yes, he has his fair share of skeptics. For one, no street legal car has broken the 300-mph barrier, which is exactly what Hennessey has his sights set on with this hypercar. (I can tell you, I’ve felt speeds of more than 150 mph at the Monticello Motor Club in a Lotus 2-Eleven. That felt fast. This would leave it in the dust.) The F5—named after the strongest tornado winds on the Fujita Scale; fairly appropriate I’d say—is poised to succeed Hennessey’s Venom GT, a Lotus Elise-based predecessor, which holds an unofficial speed record of 270 mph.
But in this rarefied field, gaining additional mph isn’t easy. That’s why it’ll need all the help it can get from a twin-turbo V8 engine that has been said to put out more than 1,600 bhp through a 7-speed paddle shift transmission, with a drag coefficient listed as 0.33, a significant departure from the Venom GT’s 0.44. And, lest I forget: a newly designed chassis and carbon fiber body give it a curb weight of 2,950 lbs.
Which is all to say this: The F5 is said to be able to reach 186 mph in less than 10 seconds, which is faster than a modern-day Formula 1 car. Its top speed is expected to go beyond 300 mph (!), which would be a first for a production vehicle. Ever.
True, unadulterated, adrenaline-inducing, heart-in-your-stomach speed is hard to come by these days, even for an automotive journalist. But every time I look at this hypercar, my heart flutters, my palms get a little sweaty and I start thinking about every speed limit I’ve ever broken. What my younger self wouldn’t give to take this puppy for a spin down the Jersey Shore or up the Northway to Lake Placid—riding through mansions of glory in a stunning, intoxicating suicide machine.
Snowmageddon! What It Was Like Weathering Saratoga Springs’ Great Blizzard Of 1888
I’ve always loved history. I’d better—I’ve been teaching history for three-and-a-half decades at both Saratoga Springs High School and the University at Albany. In fact, a fellow teacher (Charlie Kuenzel) and I joined forces nearly 20 years ago to launch Saratoga Tours, where we’ve given everyone from members of the FBI to veterans groups, and from United Nations delegations to pop superstar Demi Lovato the inside look at Saratoga’s storied history. So, yeah, I know my Saratoga Springs history.
Back in the day, I had no idea that Broadway was originally called Broad Street, that Gideon Putnam was the first person buried in a cemetery he donated to the village or that one of his uncles was one of the founders of Marietta, OH. Every time I’ve researched a new aspect of Saratoga’s history, it has raised and answered additional questions. That’s what makes history so fascinating to me. I don’t think I’m alone in that sentiment.
Saratoga Springs has a wealth of fascinating history, including the Great Blizzard of 1888, which is celebrating its 130th anniversary this March. Whereas this winter has been the coldest in Upstate New York since 1989—and is threatening to break that record—the Blizzard of 1888 went down as the worst in the history of the Northeast, and the record remains unbroken to this day. The monster blizzard crippled everything in its path, and when it was over, left more than 400 people dead and cost the region more than $20 million in property damage (roughly $725 million today).
In 1888, the weather heading into the weekend of March 10 to 11 was typical for mid-March. Saturday the 10th was a mild day, with temperatures in Saratoga Springs reaching the high 30s. The following day, a rainstorm traveled up the coast from Florida, eventually merging with a small snowstorm that had originated in the Great Lakes. The snow began to fall in New York City by late evening on Sunday the 11th, and by noon the following day, more than a foot of snow was already on the ground and winds howled unabated at 40 mph.
Saratoga Springs and the Capital Region began to see heavy snowfall in the early hours of Monday the 12th. Within 24 hours, more than two feet of snow had fallen, and winds ranging from 20 to 50 mph buffeted the area. By the time the storm wound down on Wednesday the 14th, Saratoga Springs was buried in an astonishing 58 inches of snow!
Two of the first casualties of the storm down in the city were the telegraph and telephone wires that connected it to the rest of the world. By Tuesday the 13th, the only telegraphs that left or came into the city were via the transatlantic cables that connected it to London. With communication severely compromised, people had no way of knowing the extent of the storm or what was to come. Another immediate effect of the storm was that the elevated railway system throughout the city ground to a halt after numerous accidents caused by intense winds and ice on the tracks. The railroads ceased to operate from Pennsylvania northward, as their engines were no match for the huge snowdrifts that impeded their progress. People were frightened and disoriented by this relentless beating by Mother Nature. In the 1880s, most people didn’t have any adequate form of refrigeration, and depended on buying fresh food every day. With all businesses at a standstill, and with fierce winds whipping through the boroughs of what was then New York’s most populated city, people were trapped in place and restricted to eating what they had on hand or venturing out into the cold to find food for sale at exorbitant prices.
Conditions were no better in the Capital District. By the afternoon of the 13th, the telegraph lines were all down. George B. Strong reported to The Saratogian that he made 48 repairs to broken Western Union wires between Ballston Spa and Mechanicville before he gave up. Snowdrifts as high as 40 feet were reported in Albany, Troy and Saratoga. Fire departments and police were unable to reach people who needed their assistance.
Albany was shut down as roads became impassable. The paperboys employed by The Saratogian reported that they were walking on the tops of fences to try and stay above the fast accumulating snow. The Civil War Monument in the middle of Broadway in Monument Square was a curious sight, as it was covered with an enormous white crown, the statue’s body almost completely obscured. The back piazza of Congress Hall was buried in 12 feet of snow. A small house on East Harrison Street in Saratoga was completely encircled by snowbanks so high that it made the house invisible from the street. Neither students nor teachers could make their way to schools, which were closed, and the superintendent issued a declaration that, legal or not, schools would remain closed for the duration of the storm.
The most immediate issue was how to clear the streets. Generally, in those days, a team of horses pulled heavy wooden boards to pack down normal levels of snowfall and make streets passable. That was attempted early on in Saratoga by Robert Rice, the caretaker at Judge Henry Hilton’s estate at Woodlawn Park (now the site of Skidmore College). He traversed the grounds and Broadway with four strong horses pulling a lumber sleigh. This was only effective until the snowfall and drifts became too high for the horses to move through. Anyone with a shovel or any object that could be used to move the snow was called upon to do what they could. Many of the working-class residents in the area and Northeast made good money during and after the storm helping to clear streets and railway tracks. In Saratoga, tunnels were dug so that people could get from one side of Broadway to the other.
The Blizzard of 1888 was devastating economically and in the number of lives lost. Some people went out into the snow for supplies and succumbed to the storm. Along the coast, more than 100 seamen went down with ships and boats that were torn apart by the brutal winds.
In the wake of the storm, several changes were called for and implemented throughout the country. Telegraph and telephone lines were buried underground in all urban areas, to keep them from being subjected to another round of Mother Nature’s fury. Within nine years, the city of Boston unveiled the first underground subway, an endeavor that was replicated in New York City by 1904. Railway engineers developed new attachments that improved snow removal from buried tracks. Electric cars, already on the streets of Richmond, VA, were found to be much more effective in transporting people through snow. To that end, by the early 20th century, horse-drawn carriages had become increasingly rare.
The Blizzard of 1888 was a record-setter in Saratoga Springs for the amount of snow fallen in a short period of time and the size of the snowdrifts. For years, people compared any sizeable snowstorm with the Blizzard of ’88.
Time will tell if this winter’s deep freeze will be added to the history books—and Saratoga lore.
Upstate New Yorkers On The Addition Of Lyft And Uber To Saratoga Springs
We literally walked “off Broadway” to ask the people who live, work and visit here a burning question about this place that we love.
“Since Lyft and Uber have been in the area six months now, what do you think has been the effect on Saratoga Springs?
Romualda Ramirez-Clark Saratoga Springs
“Sometimes people need to go somewhere and don’t have a car…come on, we need it.”
Kelley Streeter Saratoga Springs
“I think it’s a godsend. Uber and Lyft bring something great to Saratoga Springs—no one has to drink and drive.”
Kelvin J. Davis Saratoga Springs
“Definitely positive. I think that Uber and Lyft open up areas for people to have more income and create jobs for the community.”
Tyler Briscoe Glens Falls
“Uber and Lyft attract tourism, as well as responsible partygoers. I think people are more responsible and have more fun.”
Kimberly Purdy Saratoga Springs
“There’s more opportunity for transportation, especially if people have been drinking. They’re less likely to get into their car.”
Matt Ladd Saratoga Springs
“Now you don’t have to worry about waiting for a cab to show up when they say they’re gonna show up. And it’s obviously a lot safer and somewhat cheaper.”
Francis Brady Saratoga Springs
“It’s certainly safer leaving the bars—there are less drunk drivers. I find cabs, especially in this area between here and Albany, to be mostly unreliable.”
7 Brides, 7 Stories: Saratoga Brides Tell Us All About Their Big Day
saratoga living tracked down seven brides—Emily Borisenok, Amanda Kriss, Shanley Henry, Masako Yamada, Tristina Torreggiani, Marissa Seagrave and Donna Wilcox—and interviewed them about their big day in Saratoga Springs. Below, find their incredible first-person stories.
Bride: Emily Borisenok, 27
Wedding Day: June 24, 2017
Venue: Old Tavern Farm
Current Home: Saratoga Lake
I was so nervous! Like, beyond. I was like, “If I’m this nervous the entire day, I’m not gonna make it.” So we started having mimosas very early to try to calm the nerves. On the 10- or 15-minute drive over to Saratoga Lake, I remember being in the car and looking at my makeup and just being like, “My makeup is too heavy, my hair is all wrong, like this is just…” I started freaking out. Then we pulled up to the farm and I could see the huge tent and everybody gathering, and I started to feel less nervous and more excited.
Right before I started to walk down the aisle—it was the weirdest feeling—you’re so excited and you’re so nervous, and it’s almost like all the feelings cancel each other out and you’re just so present in the moment. I just remember getting up there with Mike and not even thinking about anything, just being present.
During our father-daughter dance, which was the thing I was not expecting to be emotional during, because I thought it was fun—you get up, you dance—I was crying during the entire thing. My dad picked “Tupelo Honey” by Van Morrison and he was like, “Do you know why I chose that? Because you’re my angel and I love you so much.” I was like, “Oh my god, my makeup.”
Mike and his dad and some of his friends have this little band, and at one point in the night, they got up on stage and were playing a couple of songs. They were playing that song “Valerie” and they changed it to “Emily.” It was just so much fun. I remember being so happy.
Bride: Amanda Kriss, 34
Wedding Day: October 6, 2014
Venue: Canfield Casino
Current Home: Wilton
It was raining, of course, because that’s a wedding day for you. We stayed overnight at Longfellows and then got ready at Pin Ups Blow Bar. I remember one of the makeup artists telling me I was one of the calmest brides she’d ever seen. I was like, “What’s there to worry about? It’s happening. Here we are.”
Were there any surprises? No, it really all just ran, and I think a lot of that was just because of the people I was working with. I produce a wedding show at Longfellows every year, and that’s how I met everybody who had anything to do with our wedding: We had Longfellows cater; Blooms was our florist and Piano Man’s DJ was our DJ. I would say from the first day I met Rob Spring, I was like, “This man will take pictures at my wedding, whenever that happens.” They all just work well together, and if anything was to come up, they kind of just took care of it themselves.
We chose the Canfield Casino because we live in Saratoga, and my husband’s family is from Florida, so we wanted to choose something that really felt like the epitome of Saratoga Springs. And it was fancy. We like to be fancy. Our theme was black and gold and cream with sparkles, and that’s what I think of when I think of Saratoga—something grand.
Bride: Shanley Henry, 34
Wedding Day: October 4, 2014
Venue: Saratoga Polo Grounds
Current Home: Chicago
I live in Chicago, but my family lives in Saratoga Springs and has been there for generations. Before the wedding, we took first-look photos at my parents’ house, which is a huge barn they converted when I was three.
It was an absolutely horrible day—torrential rain from start to finish. The people at the polo field said if we were OK with having people stand, we could do the ceremony inside, in a building that’s like a house with a bar. We went that route. We had some chairs for our parents and elderly guests, but everyone else stood, which was actually kind of nice; it felt very intimate. Everyone was standing close—not too close—so everybody could hear. My husband’s best friend married us, which was really nice and special.
The ceremony went off without a hitch, and right after—it was kind of funny—everyone just turned around and the bar was right there. After the cocktail hour, everyone went into the tent outside for the reception. My brother-in-law plays for the New York Players—they were our wedding band—and he got up and performed, even though he had the night off.
At the wedding, we got up and thanked everyone for coming, and looking out into the sea of people, who took time out of their lives to be there for our marriage, was a really special moment.
Bride: Masako Yamada, 43
Wedding Day: October 20, 2007
Venue: The Wilson Memorial Chapel at Skidmore College
Current Home: Niskayuna
I’m originally from New Jersey, but both of my in-laws work in Saratoga, and my husband grew up there, so we wanted to have our wedding someplace where we could do the planning ourselves.
One of the things that really mattered to us was that, since I’m Japanese and Gautam’s Indian, we wanted to incorporate both of those elements throughout our wedding day, including the ceremony itself. So we had aspects of a Hindu and Japanese ceremony, along with the words of Skidmore chaplain Tom Davis.
I think my favorite part of getting married in Saratoga was that we were able to really incorporate a lot of our favorite haunts into the whole ceremony. For instance, our wedding cake was made by Mrs. London’s Bakery; the rehearsal dinner at Union Gables was catered by Karavalli; and the reception, at Saratoga Polo, was catered by sushi restaurant Mino’s.
At the time, we lived in Saratoga Springs and we were just able to add all of these aspects that were important to us in our daily lives, and it meant a lot for us to support local businesses as well. We weren’t just out-of-towners coming in and having some wedding planner put stuff together. These were people and businesses that meant a lot to us.
Bride: Tristina Torreggiani, 34
Wedding Day: June 30, 2017
Venue: Canfield Casino
Current Home: Troy
I grew up in Saratoga, and Ken and I met and had our first date here. So it meant so much to get married in my favorite city. We also were able to get our photos taken on Saratoga Lake and in Congress Park.
We got married at the historic Canfield Casino in the parlor, which we decorated in all-ivory drapery, flowers in high cases and gold Chiavari chairs. We wanted an elegant affair, so I chose romantic and luxe colors: blush, ivory, with some gold.
I was all about the little details to customize things, from the ceremony to our memory table (pictures of our relatives who had passed on so they were there with us); customized seating chart; and table numbers made by me, complete with childhood photos corresponding to our ages.
The big day was amazing, like a dream you want to relive over and over. We wanted a traditional ceremony, so we really put a lot of emphasis on that. Special touches included traditional music by Spa City Duo; my friend Tracy Corry singing one of our favorite songs, “The Prayer;” special roses handed out to our moms; and our unity candle ceremony.
Bride: Marissa Seagrave, 26
Wedding Day: June 10, 2017
Venue: Hall of Springs
Current Home: Vernon, CT
The big day was a dream, with all our plans falling into place perfectly. It was a gorgeous summer day. We turned the wedding into an entire weekend, hosting a great party the night before at the Pavilion Grand Hotel.
On our wedding day, I had so much fun with my husband! We truly enjoyed every single moment, laughing the entire day and partying all night with friends and family. Our venue was the Hall of Springs, and it was beautiful. We set up a large tent, highlighted by four tall flower displays and petals going down the aisle, outside near the reflecting pool. Our half-indoor/half-outdoor reception took place just around the corner, between the venue’s jazz bar, with outside overflow into the park.
After cocktail hour, everyone moved into the stunning hall, where tall, vibrant flower displays accompanied low-hanging chandeliers and ivory drapes. The venue (and our vendors) did a great job incorporating our theme into the expansive hall. The food and staff at the hall were incredible and a highlight of the day.
My favorite memory was being announced for the first time as husband and wife! Hearing John read his vows to me was such a humbling moment, and I was so honored to become his wife from that day forward.
Bride: Donna Wilcox, 71
Wedding Day: August 31, 1968
Venue: St. Peter’s Church
Current Home: Saratoga Springs
Believe it or not, this year is our 50th wedding anniversary! Both Michael and I are native Saratogians, so there was no way we would’ve gotten married anywhere other than Saratoga.
We were the second ecumenical ceremony allowed in St. Peter’s. Michael is Presbyterian, and I’m Catholic, so until then, you couldn’t be married inside the church. Vatican II was just over with, so they were trying to modernize the Catholic Church. That’s when English came in instead of Latin, and parishioners started singing in church. So all of this was brand new, and they said that you could actually get married, if you were marrying a non-Catholic, in the church, instead of in the vestibule. Michael’s minister and my priest got together and planned our ceremony. We couldn’t have a mass, but we wanted to have somebody from both of our religions present, and they did an absolutely beautiful job.
In 1968, Saratoga was starting to come back. I always hear these things about how you could throw a bowling ball down the street in Saratoga, and everything was boarded up, but I don’t remember that. Having been born and raised in Saratoga, both of us always remember Saratoga being this fabulous place to grow up.