The Adirondack mountains have always just been a few hours north of my backyard but I only managed to make it to them for the first (and second!) time this summer. First for a dear friend’s wedding in Lake Placid, and again for Mary Dougherty’s Adirondack Wedding Workshop.

I brought the paper goods, pitched in with styling help and snuck into the ceremony as the officiant.

Summer in Saranac Lake is dreamy: mountain views, that can’t-recreate-it-in-a-candle smell of pine, wooded hikes, cool blue lakes, and sunny fields.

Mary designed the workshop to allow guests to attend and shoot three days of wedding events. I designed a boxed invitation set that would set the tone for a relaxed, luxurious summer experience in the mountains.

The invitations inside their pattern-lined box were enclosed in an embossed velvet pouch.

Attendees and the vendor team ate together with Mary on the first night of the workshop on the front lawn of her home in Saranac Lake. The event was both a welcome dinner for all and an opportunity to photograph this scene and the couple.

Exquisitely creative floral design by Fern Croft, the best wine from Living Roots (see how happy it makes me?), natural linens from The Bayith, and lovely table settings from Petunia Rose. Our place cards pulled in touch of the invitation with a simple double-thick tag tied in velvet ribbon.

The ceremony took place in a clearing with mountain views. We creative small-biz owners spend a lot of time solo, so it was exciting to witness all the attendees sharing and learning from each other.

For our bride, Dove Antonia, and groom, Francis Cosmo, I created velvet vow books embossed with a custom design of a dove holding a cosmo. I seriously love details that tell a story. Tell me yours.

Following the ceremony, we all hiked to the summit of Whiteface Mountain for bridal portraits.

Do you love this Marchesa Notte gown from Silk Bridal ?

Day three is a post-wedding brunch. The brunch invite’s soft yellow enclosing envelope arrives in the invitation box along with the wedding pieces and implores guests to, “Wait. There’s more.” It opens to a bright and summery envelope liner patterned with a design of pears, lemons, grapefruit, and kumquats.