Upstate NY Weddings: Saratoga

It’s no secret that you can’t beat summer time in Upstate NY. An all access pass to the most gorgeous Mountains, Lake views and small towns. I’ll tell you why you NEED to get here for your perfect wedding.

We’re going to start this thread by highlighting everyone’s favorite town in Upstate; Saratoga Springs, NY. Home to the world famous Horse Race Course, Saratoga Performing Arts Center, the ever charming and classic walk-able downtown, and so much more. Don’t look any further for a wedding destination, Saratoga has everything you need right here!

Venues

Your most important wedding decision is the venue. You need somewhere picturesque and with lots of space to capture gorgeous, fun and creative wedding photos. Our two favorite venues in Saratoga are the Hall of Springs and Canfield Casino.

The Hall of Springs has everything you could ever dream of for your wedding venue. A peaceful location in the center of Saratoga Spa State Park, and right next to the Performing Arts center; there is no shortage of gorgeous backdrops for your wedding photos. From nature shots, to stunning shots down the Portico Brick Stretch outside the Hall, you’ll love every inch of it! The inside of the hall is just as gorgeous as outside. For those of you who love architecture you’ll want to make a stop by the Hall. The massive hall has plenty of space to fit you, your guests and a crazy reception dance party. Just minutes away from the track and downtown!

For those of you who want to be closer to the hustle and bustle of downtown during the reception, you’ll definitely want to check out Canfield Casino. The Casino is located in Congress Park right next to an old-time, classic carousel (perfect for a photoshoot), and just steps away from the busy downtown. There’s endless nightlife in downtown – be sure to check out the bar scene on Caroline Street when you’re finished with the reception! The location isn’t the only great thing about the Casino. The inside of the reception hall is breathtakingly gorgeous. You’ll love to spend your special day here. For the party couple, this is definitely your wedding venue!

There’s plenty of gorgeous places to stay in and around the city, but if you’re looking for a spot with an “old world glamour feel” check out the Pavilion Grand Hotel – Saratoga’s finest. Located right in downtown it’s the perfect, close to everything, spot for those of you who want to keep the party going (and it’s also the perfect escape when you want some alone time with your new hubby).

Glam

Next on your wedding checklist – making sure you have the hook up for an A Team Glam Squad. No worries, Saratoga is the mecca for everything classy, high-fashion and elegant – you’ll have tons of access to spas and salons with great customer reviews to choose from. Some salons we love in the area are Blush518 and Make Me Fabulous. Our brides always look AMAZING after their session with one of these teams. You’ll love the way you look and feel when you walk down the aisle….and you’ll love being treated like a queen with your own expert style team before the big event!

If you’re in town for your Bachelorette party, or you want to treat you and your bridesmaids to some relaxation before the wedding, stop by Complexions Spa. A day at the spa is much needed and well deserved for a bride and her besties.

Entertainment

For your reception you need to be sure you have great music so you and your guests will want to dance the night away. One of our favorite DJ’s is DJ Vinny Vin from NonStop Music, this guy knows how to get a party started – and how to keep it going.

Once the reception’s over, there are endless opportunities for fun in Saratoga. First stop is obviously Caroline Street – as we mentioned before you have to take advantage of the bar scene. There’s dancey bars, bars with live music and games, and bars with five floors of themes – bottom line, there’s a place for everyone. If you want a good laugh there’s some great comedy clubs to check out downtown – we can’t always promise the best shows (but there’s a laugh in that too). We HIGHLY recommend that you ride in style when you’re on the way to the bars, check out Premiere Transportation for luxury limos and party buses to fit the whole squad.

The next day before you ship off on your amazing honeymoon we definitely recommend you make a stop by the track. The old-time feel of a bygone era, everyone is dressed to the nine’s and having the excitement in the air from the races – it is a sight to see. Who knows, maybe you’ll get lucky and win little extra cash for the honeymoon!