Jordan + Carl
Another gorgeous wedding at Sage Chapel in Ithaca, NY!
I had such an amazing time creating at this wedding. It was like a mix of wedding garden party and old Hollywood. Cornell University’s campus offers a stunning and unforgettable setting for weddings, blending rich history, architectural elegance, and natural beauty. I never leave disappointed when shooting here.
Our day started at the Statler hotel. The Statler is also right on Cornell and is full of elegant charm with views overlooking gorgeous architecture and the beautiful landscape of campus.
Photographing Jordan’s dress, I immediately knew we would need pictures of her spinning. All that material! Very princess like. But we can’t ignore the PJ’s. A lot of brides opt for matching silk sets but the super fun designs and bright colors definitely seemed appropriate for this group. They were so much fun and definitely kept the morning from being boring. If there were nervous pre-wedding jitters, it came out in expressive dance and jokes.
After finishing touches on hair and makeup and a first look with Jordan’s dad and brother that had the whole room tearing up, we moved onto the official first look between Jordan and Carl.
One thing you should know if you’re getting married here, especially if you’re not Cornell alum and haven’t spent much time on campus, this whole place is hills. On a hot, humid day you will be climbing hills and giant staircases in order to reach the most majestic places for portraits. This makes the fact that Jordan did this in heels all the more impressive.
Jordan and Carl exchanged their wedding vows privately and it was the sweetest thing to capture.
After the first look we traipsed all over campus for the epic shots. The “big red barn” on Cornell is INCREDIBLE for photos. This was obviously the place we needed spinny dress photos. I could have shot here for hours. I’m such a nerd for gorgeous architecture and historic buildings.
The hardest part about blogging is picking out my favorite images. That’s why it takes me so long to get them up. Instead of picking out my top 50, I pick out more like my top 2 to 300. I can’t help myself. ESPECIALLY Jordan and Carl’s wedding. Culling through their images I mark the ones I’ll use for their blog and letting any of them go is physically painful for me. Even the ones that are so similar to shots I’ve already tagged.
Sage Chapel is an exceptional place to get married because it offers a rare combination of history, architectural beauty, and intimate atmosphere. Built in 1875 and adorned with soaring hammer-beam ceilings, breathtaking stained-glass windows, and rich mosaics, the chapel provides a romantic, almost storybook backdrop for a ceremony. Its non-denominational roots mean couples of all faiths (or none at all) can exchange vows in a space that’s welcoming and inclusive.
The chapel’s location on Cornell University’s picturesque campus adds to the magic, with gorgeous photo opportunities just steps away. Think ivy covered stone buildings, tree lined walkways, and sweeping views of Cayuga Lake. Inside, the acoustics are unmatched, making live music or organ performances sound truly majestic.
Jordan and Carl had Cadence musicians perform their ceremony music – a sister duet I’ve worked with many times. They are so incredibly talented and really set the mood for a timeless Sage chapel ceremony.
Jordan and Carl’s reception took place at Willard Straight Hall, just steps away from Sage Chapel. Willard Straight is reminiscent of a grand gothic ballroom. Attached is Ivy Terrace which was blessedly breezy (did I mention this day was a scorcher?) and offered views of Cayuga lake and Ithaca.
I immediately noticed how amazing the guests look against this backdrop. I later heard that Jordan encouraged bright colors to match the garden party theme. Guests did not disappoint. If you’re a guest of Jordan and Carl’s reading this – you looked awesome!
We had to end the evening with sunset photos. The sunset from Willard Straight Hall is enchanting and Jordan’s reception dress was giving 1920 Old Hollywood vibes. I need more vintage inspired garden party weddings in my life.
A huge shoutout to Jordan and Carl. You guys are so lovely and made us feel like family on your wedding day. It’s always bittersweet when a wedding day comes to a close. It’s such a beautiful journey and I am so grateful I got to go on it with you.
Another shoutout to the wedding planner and coordinator, Kayla, from KM Lyon Events. I absolutely loved chatting with you at this wedding and all of your guidance and hard work did not go unnoticed.
The videographer, Ryan, from The Celestial Impression was a dream to work with. We played off of each other all day and he was so nice and carried my giant 50lb suitcase of camera gear up countless steps. A true gentleman and an excellent videographer. We definitely hope to work with him again!
Bel Canto flowers provided us with the most amazing flat lay flowers. Absolutely stunning! Their setup was also incredible and I was blown away with their artistry. If you’re looking to book florals in the Fingerlakes area, definitely look up Bel Canto!
DJ Dale Harrington! He kept the dance floor consistently full even though Willard Straight doesn’t have AC and everyone was sweating buckets. Truly the sign of an excellent DJ! We’ve bumped into each other a few times in the last month and what a great guy!
Love Johnny & June did hair and we are big fans over here. There’s a reason they’re so popular in the wedding industry and it’s always a pleasure starting my day off with this incredible team.
The staff at Cornell – WOWZA. Just fantastic. Always friendly and always accommodating. I love working here and it’s because everyone at Cornell is so welcoming and wonderful.
Lastly, a shoutout to my assistant for the day, Amanda. She is a true talent, totally gets me and was the best company on a sweltering wedding day. We probably walked 8000 steps and there was not one complaint from her. If anything, she kept me laughing and intuitively just knew the shots I needed without any direction. Her talent is insane.
All of the vendors at this wedding were an absolute delight to work. I’ll post links to websites below. You should definitely hire them all for your wedding if you’re an inquiring couple! Teamwork is SO important on a wedding day and when you have a cohesive wedding day team, everything just runs so beautifully.
Venue: Sage Chapel and Willard Straight Hall
Photography: Jen Pecka Photography
Hair/MUA: Love Johnny & June
DJ: Dale Harrington
Videographer: The Celestial Impression
Wedding planner: KM Lyon Events
Piano & Violin: Cadence Musicians
Flowers: Bel Canto Florals
Dress: NY Bride & Groom in NC
Rings: The Jewel Box – Ithaca NY
Invitations: The Knot
Desserts: XL Cookie Company
Catering: Cornell Catering
Tucks Rental: Generation Tux
