Photography by Dori Fitzpatrick
Part of the beauty of upstate New York is that we have four distinct seasons: snowy winters, hopeful springs, sultry summers and crisp autumns. And when it comes to planning a wedding, those seasons can often serve as a built-in theme. Keep reading to meet one of four couples who took the timing of their Capital Region weddings to heart and celebrated the magic of our upstate climate in spectacular, seasonal style.
Becca Molten wanted to have her wedding during the winter for several reasons. For one, she didn’t want to worry about the weather, or about the chance of having to move a planned outdoor ceremony indoors at the last minute. “I have too much anxiety for that,” she says, laughing. “And if we were going to get married inside anyways, then why not do it around a really magical time of year? Saratoga’s so gorgeous during the holidays.”
Becca and her then-fiancé, Chris, chose The Adelphi for its vintage but modern feel, and ran with the winter wedding theme. Their altar was flanked by Christmas trees; their centerpieces were lit by soft, romantic candlelight; and Becca’s bridesmaids were dressed in rich tones of velvet. “I wore a fur and my girls had fur shawls,” Becca says. “It was cold that day, but with the furs we got to take some nice photos outside without everyone freezing.”
The icing on the (wedding) cake? Everything was walkable for the Moltens’ guests—the rehearsal dinner at The 408 included. “The convenience of Saratoga is so special,” Becca says. “No one had to get on a bus and be shipped anywhere. I really wanted our guests from out of town to have an experience and a feeling about the place—like, ‘Oh my gosh, this is so romantic.’”