Summery, Boho Microwedding in Upstate New York || Laura and Mark

The couple standing atop a rock with a waterfall as their background as the brides dress blows in the misted breeze.

Laura and Mark, Jersey dwellers and native city lovers, desired a summery, boho microwedding in Upstate New York for their special day.

After 11 years together, they envisioned a day that felt euphoric, tranquil, and whimsical — one that was as laid back and grounded as their long-time love — and New York’s Inn at Taughannock Falls in the Finger Lakes served as the perfect, peaceful destination.

Describing their relationship as something akin to reverie, Laura told me how they had a one-in-a-million connection from the beginning. “It all started when he played me Chopin on the piano. The beauty of the music made me cry, and without even trying, it was like there was a wordless connection between us. That’s how it’s always been.”

Laura wanted this very same sense of dreaminess to saturate their microwedding, creating an atmosphere of romance and whimsy. Surrounded by ~30 of their closest friends and family members, they curated the summery, boho microwedding of my dreams and leaned into so much of the natural beauty of the Finger Lakes region. Their day felt intimate and private, intentionally designed to be smaller in number, and having chosen a venue that was tucked away in the forested ridges of Cayuga Lake, we were enveloped by a lush oasis of greenery.

The ceremony location nestled between trees and a waterfall as the backdrop for the microwedding location.

I’ll put it this way: If you’ve been following along for any amount of time, you know that I am a huge fan of Upstate New York weddings — more specifically, Finger Lakes weddings!

There is something truly elusive, something magical, about the Finger Lakes region, stretching for miles upon miles with rural farmlands, sprawling with gentle rolling hills, and dotted with glittering blue-green lakes. It is a handshake of spacious skies and rugged forests, tranquil spaces and luxurious beauty. And to have a wedding there — a summery, boho microwedding in the heart of August — it was nothing short of idyllic.

Don’t wanna take my word for it? See Sydney and Brady’s Rainy Destination Wedding at The Inn at Taughannock or Lindsey and TJ’s Modern Wedding Under String Lights at The Treman Center, both of which ooze with Upstate New York’s scenic landscapes, glorious woodlands, and picturesque lakes. The words ‘serene’ and ‘ethereal’ don’t even scratch the surface of the beauty that is an Upstate New York wedding.

The bride and groom having their first look in front of The Inn at Taughannock.

So many elements of their microwedding did, in fact, feel ethereal, and one particularly special moment was their first look.

With a vision for woodland, fairy-like wedding portraits, Laura really wanted to do their first look at the neighboring Taughannock Falls. I loved seeing this happen for them, since it can otherwise be tricky for couples to prioritize when planning a traditional, full-blown wedding (#TimelineComplications) and I especially loved that they opted to walk all the way to the base of the falls!

Black and white photo of the couple sharing a moment together with a waterfall as their background.

Taughannock Falls is one of Upstate New York’s most beloved gemstones — a 215-foot plunging waterfall that is the highest single-drop waterfall east of the Rocky Mountains, coming in even taller than Niagara Falls!

Standing at the base of the falls and getting an up-close, personal view of its grandeur is an out-of-body experience. In and of itself, it is sublime — but coupled with wedding photos like Laura and Mark’s, it is truly celestial.

Laura, Mark, and I made the 20-minute walk through the ravine leading to the falls — a 400-ft gorge textured with sandstone, shale, and limestone — and along the way, we were equal parts conversation, equal parts awe. Struck by the scale and majesty of the gorge, there were moments of quiet reverence. Then just as quickly, we were back in stride, lost in conversation about Mark’s work as a Princeton University professor, Laura’s work as a nurse, and a shared dream in all of our hearts — to create a home filled with scampering littles, happy hearts, and rich memories that felt sweeter than nostalgia.

After their first look, Laura and Mark moved directly into their ceremony, which was nestled alongside Taughannock’s “small falls” — a babbling brook with cascading waterfalls situated at the entrance to the park.

The setting of their ceremony was lush greenery, whispering baby’s breath, and a smattering of delicate white roses, and with the accompanying string quartet music by Lykander Music, the ambiance was simply dreamy. Surrounded by only their closest friends and family members, Laura and Mark shared personal, handwritten vows, erupted in peals of laughter at inside jokes, and shed a pool of happy tears — a metaphorical pool that was also filled by the happy tears of every other guest in attendance.

The bride with her family and friends sitting comfortably in a She Rents Vintage furniture with the lake as their background.

It truly was a joyous occasion, and the cherry on top for my design-loving soul was the specialty lounge designed by She Rents Vintage.

Focused on vintage and modern event rentals, Nina of She Rents Vintage serves the finger lakes region and central New York with luxurious wedding pieces like sofas and settees, buffets and displays, candlesticks and lanterns, and dinnerware and glassware. Collaborating with She Rents Vintage, Laura and Mark chose a setup that said, “whimsical elegance, pink cashmere, and summery, boho microwedding vibes” — and the raindrops that pooled on the brass table, geometric hurricanes, and vintage votives definitely didn’t hurt the cause! 😉 Their setup reminded me of another favorite lounge that I photographed at the Inn at Taughannock — see Anna and Matt’s elegant microwedding lounge here! Both lounge setups were the epitome of dreamy romance and elegant beauty.

Such a high-impact, boho microwedding aesthetic couldn’t have been achieved without Laura and Mark’s amazing team of wedding vendors. I loved working with each and every one of these creatives!

The bride and groom sitting on She Rents Vintage furniture with the lake as their background.

I’m still over here (and probably always will be), unable to shake the goosebumps from Laura and Mark’s summery, boho microwedding, and will forever be reminiscing on the beautiful undertone of their magical wedding.

I’m so thankful that they invited me into such a sacred day, welcoming me to be a part of their community and to play such a unique role in their wedding, and I will forever be grateful to tell the love stories of wonderful couples like Laura and Mark. Thanks be to God for His beautiful gift of marriage!


For more Upstate New York wedding inspiration, check out Sydney and Brady’s Laid Back Engagement Shoot on Cayuga Lake and Siobhain and Ian’s Dreamy Engagement Shoot at Garrett Chapel on Keuka Lake, and let the magic of the Finger Lakes take you by force! 😊

Gallery, MicroweddingEmilee CarpenterThe Inn at TaughannockEuphoric, Romantic, Cayuga Lake, Whimsical, Intimate, Boho