As a Buffalo wedding photographer, I’ve seen clients have great and not-so-great experiences on their wedding day. The happiest people are always the ones who are true to themselves on their wedding day. Josef and Pedro are a perfect example of a couple who prioritized the people and things that mattered most to their relationship. Their backyard wedding had a heavy emphasis on flowers and family. The photos of their international celebration are just as lovely as their intimate wedding day.
Josef and Pedro’s Backyard Wedding
To keep their wedding day intimate, Josef and Pedro kept the guest list small. They only invited their closest friends and family to the backyard celebration. That freed up time to take creative portraits around Buffalo beforehand.
I first met up with Josef and Pedro at The Richardson Hotel. They were spending their wedding weekend there, so we took some photos surrounded by the amazing historic architecture and classic interior decor. These backdrops add more variety than you sometimes get from backyard wedding photos, and I love this idea of adding convenient portrait locations even if you’re staying at home.
Afterward we headed to the stairs at the Buffalo AKG Art Museum. Jack, Josef and Pedro’s dog, met us for some portraits. These images are a fun mix of carefree loving moments and elegant surroundings. Then we headed back to the house where guests were already enjoying cocktails by Las Puertas in the dreamy backyard.
Gorgeous Wedding Florals
Josef and Pedro really enjoy gardening together. They’re very proud of their yard in Buffalo’s West Side. Any regulars of the Buffalo Garden Walk might actually recognize it because they take part every year. It’s a chance to show off their stunning hydrangeas and well-kept gardens. They wanted the same focus on incredible flora for their backyard wedding.
Since Josef and Pedro do the Garden Walk, it’s no surprise that fresh flowers are one of Pedro’s favorite things in life. Both of them knew they wanted to include a LOT of flowers on their wedding day. They worked with Rochester florist Pistil & Pollen to transform their backyard into a romantic wonderland in a pastel palette.
Josef and Pedro shared their chosen colors ahead of time with guests, too, so that they could coordinate their outfits. Since they had such a small guest list, they could get everyone on board with complimentary outfits. It gives their wedding photos an even more ethereal quality.
The arbor Pistil & Pollen built took center stage for Pedro and Josef’s ceremony. Countless lavender and blush orchids and roses covered the lush arch. The coordinating arrangements lining the aisle looked like clouds of blooms. Everyone thought it was breathtaking.
A Heartfelt Unity Ceremony
Josef and Pedro love gardening so much that they wanted to find a way to make it part of their unity ceremony. Planting trees is common enough, but they took it a step further in making this unity ceremony very personal. They invited their family members to add soil from their childhood homes of Orchard Park, New York, and Aguas Buenas, Puerto Rico. Now they have a living symbol of their union thriving in their backyard.
A few other personal touches for this backyard wedding ceremony included the music and officiant. Josef and Pedro are BIG Swifties, so they hired a musician to play their favorite Taylor Swift songs throughout the ceremony. Their officiant, Bob Fink, had deep ties, too. He officiated Josef’s parents’ wedding years ago.
After the ceremony, everyone mingled over cocktails amid the incredible floral installations. Then they walked a few blocks to the couple’s favorite restaurant, Las Puertas. They rented the restaurant for the evening. Their best friends made speeches before everyone enjoyed a ten-course meal. This wedding day was like a highlights reel of Josef and Pedro’s favorite things about their Buffalo neighborhood.
Would you like me to photograph your wedding? I’m the Buffalo wedding photographer ready to be your wedding bestie! Let’s document your wedding with joyful, authentic photos. Inquire with me here.
Thank you to the vendors who made this stunning backyard wedding possible:
Day-of Coordinator: Casey Kazmierczak
Photography: Kelly Kaz Photography
Suits: Custom Made from BUREAU
Musician: Andrew Borkowski of Buffalo String Works
Pedro’s ring: Tiffany & Co.
Josef's ring: family heirloom
Florist: Pistil & Pollen
