One Venue, Four Weddings: Ithaca Farmers Market, Ithaca, NY
Four different couples. Four different aesthetics. Four different types of weddings were held at the Ithaca Farmer's Market - each of them showcased a couples’ unique style and focused on what mattered most to each of them.
There’s just something about the Ithaca Farmers Market…
It’s rustic, but still has that “crunchy Ithaca granola” vibe to it
It loved throughout the community, and some of my couples even visited the market while they attended school in Ith, and decided to get married there!
It has a built in rain plan! No need to worry about tents.
It’s RIGHT on the lake. On hotter summer days, I can’t tell you how wonderful a cooler lake breeze feels.
The space allows for your personality to shine - you can dress it up or keep it to its bones. This blog post is to showcase how different couples approached their wedding day decor, and it always looked lovely.
It’s outside of downtown Ithaca, and is quiet easy to get to.
Also with it being close to downtown Ithaca, you have ample places to get ready, including hotels, Airbnb’s, and Bed and Breakfasts.
Last summer, they paved their parking lot, so now parking is simple, well-lit and weather resistant!
It’s ADA accessible so all of your guests can be comfortable.
Two Quick JZPS Photo Tips:
If you have a lot of set up, I highly recommend hiring a month of or day-of coordinator to ensure that everything gets set up!
The sweetheart table is usually placed at the entrance of the market - now with the snazzy new parking lot set up, another option can to have it near a booth for speeches, dances (reaction shots), and dinner.
Getting Ready
Van and Alex got ready in a big house through AirBnB in downtown Ithaca on separate sides of the house, then met in the middle for their first look.
Lizz got ready at her childhood home with her family, while James got ready at Firelight Camps with his friends and family.
Jolan got ready at a cozy AirBnB near Ithaca College, and Ben got ready only a short walk away at the Inn on Columbia.
Emily got ready at a funky, modern AirBnB outside of downtown, and had a backup option of getting ready at the Fountain Place
First Look & Vows
Couples Portraits
Ceremony
Emily and Ethan were SO worried about the weather - there was a chance of rain all day. BUT right before the ceremony, the sun appeared, and they were able to have their ceremony outdoors as they had hoped.
Van and Alex’s wedding day was so rainy! That didn’t stop the ceremony though - they were able to have it in the market and bring all the chairs in. It still overlooked the lake, but everyone was able to stay dry and celebrate.
The morning pf the wedding day, James built a chuppah with his friends, made with wood from the area.
Jolan and Ben’s wedding was in late spring, but the day was PERFECT.
Venue Decoration
Everyone had different aesthetics for their wedding days.
Van and Alex went all out! Customized napkins, felt made flowers, greenery lining the market sign, and bundles of balloons everywhere. This was a super cool, artsy couple, so they really wanted to showcase their love of prop-making and design. They had long tables so friends and family can easily chat and share stories.
Jolan and Ben welcomed the early spring aesthetic and really let the venue shine - they focused on bright, colorful florals, and minimal design. Those florals were GORGEOUS !
Emily and Ethan’s authentic was super classy - think white and sage colors, with clean florals. Everything fit the mood - a calm day that was meant to focus on connection and getting married.
With Lizz and James, they loved hosting dinner parties and having friends over - to them their wedding was no different. Each table included a flower on guests plate, along with recipes on the back of the table numbers. With them, each guest was an intentional part of their story, and they wanted them to feel at home.
Reception
Each of these weddings had different receptions - all had energetic or lovey first dances, wholesome cake cuttings, and speeches that made everyone in the room tear up. However, they were all different enough to match the personality and goals of the couple.
One thing I love about the Farmers Market, is how you can really make it your own. There’s so many ways to decorate and incorporate your personal styles.
No matter how many times I photograph a wedding, it’s always different. But the people are always the kindest cuties :)
VENDORS from each wedding
Lizz and James
Planner: KM Lyons Events
Catering/Desserts: Gola Osteria
Bulk Florals from Pistil and Pollen
Rentals: She Rents Vintage
DJ: DJ Tuggle
Van and Alex
Day-of Wedding Coordinator: Terra Rosa
Florals: Handmade by the couple
Bar/Rentals: Serendipity Catering
Catering: Van Noble Farm
String Trio: Rintaro Wada
Actor/Puppeteer: Lilypad Puppet Theatre
Emily and Ethan
Planner: LuLu Bee Weddings
Catering/Dessert/Rentals: Serendipity Catering
Florals: Willow Floral Studios
Hair & Makeup: Grace Holistic Beauty & Wellness
DJ: Westphal Music
Jolan and Ben
Catering: Beacon Events and Catering
Photographer: Juliette Zyg Picture Studios
Florals: Plenty of Posies
Desserts: Ithaca Bread Works
Hair: Mavin Hair & Beautty
Band: Silver Arrow Band (!!!!)
Check out my other, real life weddings & helpful guides below
About Juliette…
Juliette is a wedding photographer and videographer based in Upstate New York. She specializes in wholesome and nostalgic imagery, ensuring her couples are present on their wedding day and also have bomb photos.
Juliette grew up in Ithaca and then attended Ithaca College years later. The crunchy, granola city holds a special place in her heart.
While visiting Ithaca nowadays, Juliette loves going to local coffee shops (all hail Gimme Coffee and the Botanist), buying Ithaca College merch she doesn’t need, and picking up weird stickers at her favorite funky stores.
Asbury Park Wedding In Springtime
Elena and Jarred had the perfect wedding weekend in Asbury Park, New Jersey. Five minutes away from the ocean, the couple celebrated their love in style and with friends from all over the country.
Elena and Jarred reached out to me about a year before their wedding day, and after the first call I pretty much knew they were going to be the coolest couple to work with, and I was totally right.
Here’s a list of reasons why this wedding was awesome:
It was my first out-of-state wedding ever!
I was going to be focusing on photography, while my husband focused on videography.
I was so excited to have full creative control and the fact that Elena and Jarred trusted me so much was really humbling.
We stayed about 5 minutes from the ocean at Asbury Park boardwalk, and we were able to get a lot of really lovely footage and photos for their gallery.
Everyone at the wedding was so kind and excited. I immediately felt how loved the couple was with every event.
Elena decided to chop her hair during the reception (wait to see the photos omg)
The dance parties were INSANE. Talk about a pumped up dance floor.
Now look at their photos already!
VENDORS:
Welcome Dinner Venue: The Laylow
Getting Ready Space: The Asbury Hotel
Catering/Venue: The English Manor
Photography/Videography: Juliette Zyg Picture Studio
Video Assistant/Audio Tech: Teddy Brill
Florals: Rose of Sharon Florist
Hair: Colored By Cole - Nicole Pesce
Makeup: Bridal Makeup By Kat
Bride's Dress: Serendipity Bridal Collections
The Night Before
Elena and Jarred wanted to have a chill evening with friends and family the day before the wedding - they chose to have it at a speakeasy in Asbury Park. When Teddy and I walked in, we had to ask for the password to get in, and the vibes were immaculate.
Elena and Jarred were able to sneak away for about 10 minutes to get some pre-wedding day photos, in addition to some group photos they weren’t sure they would have time for the next day.
The Wedding Day
About five minutes from the ocean, Elena and Jarred prepped for their wedding day! In the morning, Teddy and I decided to head to the Asbury Park boardwalk and get some footage and photos of the ocean to put into their final video and gallery.
After, we met Elena in her room and the day started full speed ahead.
When Teddy and I arrived at the The English Manor, everything was coming together perfectly. Having a tour of the manor the day before, we had a good idea on where we can do the first looks Elena and Jarred without guests seeing them, as well as where we can do portraits.
stunning omg
Elena and Jarred wanted to do their first look and vows in the garden.
I (not surprisingly) sobbed the entire time.
this is my favorite compilation from the day
Elena decided to surprise Jarred but cutting her hair halfway through the reception, right before the cake cutting.
Needless to say Jarred loved her new look (as we all did)
Now watch their photos come to life in their wedding film!
Photo by Elena’s wonderful bridesmaid :)
Based in Upstate New York, I specialize in weddings, lifestyle and brand photo + video far and wide.
My interest in documenting love stories began when I was a teenager, but photography has been in my life since I was about 8-years-old (my pet chickens were lovely models back then).
My favorite part of being at a wedding is documenting real emotions and approaching a day as a professional fly-on-the-wall. My goal is to always make sure you are comfortable, excited and living in the present.
When I’m not editing or at a wedding, I’m probably watching Parks and Rec, making pizza or hanging out with my husband.
JZPS PHOTO
GALLERY
JZPS VIDEO COLLECTION
Summertime Ithaca Farmers Market Wedding
Jolan and Ben had their summer wedding at the Ithaca Farmer’s Market in Ithaca, NY surrounded by close family and friends, and made it their way.
I don’t think there’s anything better than a perfect summer wedding on the lake. Ben and Jolan had an intentional wedding day that focused on being with family and friends, and sharing quiet moments together.
VENDORS:
Venue: Ithaca Farmers Market
Catering: Beacon Events and Catering
Photographer: Juliette Zyg Picture Studios
Florals: Plenty of Posies
Desserts: Ithaca Bread Works
Hair: Mavin Hair & Beautty
Bride's Dress: Lulu’s
Band: Silver Arrow Band
ABOUT JULIETTE…
Based in Upstate New York, I specialize in weddings, lifestyle and brand photo + video far and wide.
My interest in documenting love stories began when I was a teenager, but photography has been in my life since I was about 8-years-old (my pet chickens were lovely models back then).
My favorite part of being at a wedding is documenting real emotions and approaching a day as a professional fly-on-the-wall. My goal is to always make sure you are comfortable, excited and living in the present.
When I’m not editing or at a wedding, I’m probably watching Parks and Rec, making pizza or hanging out with my husband.
Have a question? Want to schedule a call or learn more about the process?
Intimate Summer Elopement at Dinosaur BBQ
a look at the photography and videography of jess and vincent’s intimate reception at Dinosaur BBQ in Syracuse last summer.
the photography and videography of an Upstate New York elopement.
it’s about yam time.
Jess and Vincent are very cool if you didn’t know that already.
You may have seen their photos on my website a lot because it was one of my favorite weddings from 2022. Plus, it was one of the first weddings I did both photo and video for!
A little backstory
Before partying it up at Dinosaur BBQ, Jess and Vincent had a small ceremony and reception in New York City prior to the celebration at Syracuse. Before that, I was luck enough to document their love at an engagement session at the Johnson Museum of Art on a chilly January day.
During the session, we chatted about how Jess and Vincent met, what they were planning for the wedding, and explored the Johnson Museum of Art and the Cornell campus.
One reason I love offering engagement sessions to the couples whose wedding I’m photographing or filming —
Engagement sessions give myself and my couples a fun time to get aquatinted with each other before the wedding day.
I get to see how the couple interacts with each other: what jokes make them laugh or poses they really enjoy, if they like a lot of PDA or a smol amount.
My couple benefits too (obvi) - They get to know me and my personality, they get used to being in front of the camera (you don’t get engaged everyday), and they get a fun little excuse to plan a date night. Like, how can you not love this.
Then, once the wedding day arrives, we have at least met in person once (especially if they are out of state or a bit further away) and we both go into the wedding day knowing exactly what we want - to document the big and little things.
Wholesome.
the wedding
!!
the wedding !!
After their NYC ceremony, Jess, Vincent and I got on a call to discuss what the plan was for their Syracuse ceremony. They initially said in their inquiry form:
“We’re envisioning it to be a more relaxed, chill night where we can celebrate our love with the people we love most, have some good BBQ, and have a ton of fun together!”
And dang it we were going to do that.
So, we decided that we would do an hour at Franklin Park for their couples photos, and then go full into party mode once we got to Dinosaur BBQ in Syracuse.
AND THEN….
wait wait wait…
I grabbed this little photo before their entrance :)
ok back to the party!
PARTY TIME.
Jess and Vincent entered the party dancing to Music For a Sushi Restaurant by Harry Styles (THE BEST SONG AHHH) and the had the most lit reception at Dinosaur BBQ, dancing, eating, and celebrating with some of the coolest people.
one of the great parts about their afternoon, was how *relaxed* it was.
there wasn’t any pressure to perform for the camera. they were authentically themselves, enjoying their friends and family and dancing to some really good songs.
that to me, is a perfect wedding day :)
And now, you can watch their film to truly relive their day,
by watching their film.
VENDORS
Photographer/Videographer - JULIETTE ZYG PICTURE STUDIOS
Photographer/Videographer Assistant - MARK FEOCCO
Venue - DINOSAUR BBQ
Florals - AFFECTIONS FLORAL DESIGN
Hair & Makeup - BLOOM ON WILLOW
Bride’s Dress - THE BRIDE PROJECT
DJ - TORGO ENTERTAINMENT
Based in Upstate New York, Juliette specializes in weddings, lifestyle and brand photo + film for humans far and wide.
Her interest in the documentation of the human experience has lead her into becoming something of a professional third wheel/hype woman/paparazzi/for her clients.
She’ll probably cry during your ceremony, or tell you how amazing you look at your session or wedding.
When she’s not at a wedding or editing, she’s probably watching Parks and Rec, watering her plants, or hanging out with her cats.
A nostalgic Skaneateles weekend spend exploring the lake, a wedding at the Sherwood Inn, and dancing so hard you forget the cake cutting.