A gorgeous lakeside wedding, complete with the sweetest couple (just read their proposal story!), Adirondack details, and a most meaningful venue. Read on to see and hear about all of the details of Kelsey and Spencer’s day, with beautiful photos by Carrie of CLH Images!
Photo: CLH Images
THE COUPLE: Kelsey Morris-Taylor (formerly Taylor) and Spencer Morris-Taylor (formerly Morris)
Tell us about yourselves!
Spencer is from Indiana. I (Kelsey) am from Glens Falls! I left for college and then taught for a time in Memphis, TN. After missing home and the beautiful Adirondacks, I moved back to Glens Falls to take a job at a place that is very special and near to my heart — Camp Chingachgook. I had grown up attending Chingachgook and living there in the summers while my parents worked there. Little did I know that Spencer had just been told about Chingachgook from a friend, and moved across the country to take a job there as well.
Where did you meet?
Spencer and I both accepted jobs at Chingachgook to work as Outdoor Educators and met there in the fall of 2016. We would spend that fall doing everything together with our staff of 12 other 20-somethings. Outdoor educators live on the premises and spend all of their time together. We live, work, eat, and play together from sun up to sun down. Spencer and I were the two lead sailors that fall season, so we spent most of our days on the lake — him in one boat and myself in another, each accompanied by a gaggle of middle schoolers or whoever was visiting that week. I'd whiz by him and he'd wonder if my boat was faster or if I was simply a better sailor!
What is something you two like to do together?
What don't we like to do together? Hiking, skiing, paddleboarding, sailing, camping, and really any fun outings in the Adirondacks. Walk downtown, wander the Feeder Canal Path, bagel sandwiches at Cool Beans, trivia at Common Roots, ATF shows at The Wood Theater, ADK Balloon Festival, X-Country skiing at Cole's Woods, brew our own beer together at home, cuddle up with our two kittens, and of course...our infamous annual Ugly Sweater Christmas Olympics party!
Photo: CLH Images
THE PROPOSAL
Our first date was in the fall of 2016. When you work and live with a very tight knit group of people in a place like Chingachgook, it's very hard to "sneak away" from the group. Typically if someone is heard saying, "I'm heading into town for something" suddenly their car has 11 people trying to cram in because we don't want to leave each other's sides, and a trip to Target can be a real blast with 11 friends!
I managed to discreetly ask Spencer to join me for the opening day of the Adirondack Balloon Festival at Crandall Park, though. He had no idea what he was walking into. I tried to tell him about my favorite childhood memories at the Balloon Festival, all the colors and shapes, and walking inside of the balloons, all the warmth from the fire, and dreaming that one day I'd get to ride in a hot air balloon. Even then, he still didn't quite know what to expect. We showed up at Crandall Park and I was instantly filled with childish glee. I looked at him and his jaw was on the floor. We had a perfect evening sharing in the awe that is the Balloon Fest. We wandered downtown for the street festival afterward and enjoyed some music and tasty brews.
Fast forward 3 years.
In September of 2019, we were with a bunch of friends and headed to the opening day of the Balloon Festival at Crandall Park. Eventually we found ourselves watching a sweet older couple as they were blowing up their balloon and setting up for take-off. As they were about ready to take off he said, "You know, we're missing a couple of crew members this evening. I wonder if there are two people out there that might want to hop in while we fly!" I think my heart stopped for a moment at this point. I looked around me to see a dozen precious children who have their arms in the air, shouting, "Oh me! Me!" and I thought there was no way I'll get chosen over one of these wide-eyed kiddos. Yet I can't seem to control my arm, and suddenly it was waving high in the air just like theirs were. The man made eye contact with me and I felt like I might faint. He pointed to me and before I can even recognize what's happening, I am diving into the basket of the balloon. With Spencer following behind me, we situated ourselves in the basket and suddenly the basket was off of the ground. Suddenly I could see the whole park below us, and we were flying. Just like that. In the air with us, were dozens of other colorful specks. There aren't really words to describe the next 30 minutes are so. I've tried to put it into words... astounding, sensational, momentous, but nothing could quite encapsulate it all.
After about 30 minutes in the air, and somewhere over Bay Road, we started to make our descent. As we touched down in a grassy opening on Meadowbrook Road, I noticed neighbors coming out of their homes at the shock of the balloon and I see the support vans arriving to help with the balloon. We climbed out of the basket, and the pilot told us that after landing the crew shares in a toast. We headed towards the vans to share in the celebratory toast and suddenly I see familiar faces. Our friends were there, my parents were there — had they all followed the balloon in their cars? Were they all there for the post-landing toast? Glasses were being handed out and then I was handed a bottle. I noticed the bottle had a hot air balloon on it, and in fact, it had an exact illustration of the balloon we were just riding in! The bottle read, "Kelsey, will you marry me?” When I turned around, Spencer was on one knee with the most endearing smile on his face, the sun setting behind him. Right there, in front of our friends and family, we got engaged.
Photo: CLH Images
THE WEDDING: October 2, 2021
What was your favorite part (and the most challenging part!) of the planning process?
The most challenging part would be the same for both of us, dealing with two years of Covid-chaos. We were engaged and began planning before the pandemic began. So that spring was filled with difficult decisions, everything constantly changing, new information and rises in cases, and ultimately our decision to postpone an additional year. Even when it became safe to hold the wedding the following year in 2021, we were routinely faced with challenges due to the pandemic.
Our favorite part of planning is actually tied into this challenge. I think all of these challenges that made this so difficult also brought us closer together as a couple. We really had to practice some of the qualities that make a marriage strong, like patience, compromise, and compassion. It was a true test, and we passed with flying colors!
Photo: CLH Images
The Venue
There was no question as to where we would get married. We went right back to our favorite place and got married in the place where we first met, shared our first kiss, and created our first memories — Camp Chingachgook. We were married right on the point, with the lake behind us, and we had our reception under the stars in the pavilion along the lakeside.
The Decor
Our color palette was natural jewel-tones and wildflower colors, and our style was natural and Adirondack. We used lots of raw birch wood for candle holders and decor. Our arch was made from birch. We had long farm tables covered in ivory tablecloths with burgundy runners, and glass jars filled with wildflowers and eucalyptus. The wild and local flowers ranged from every shade of green, to bright burgundy, light blue, peach, and deep maroon. Our reception tables were named after local mountains we've summited together. Our dessert table was filled with assorted cookies displayed on slabs of wood.
Photo: CLH Images
The Dress
The dress had an underlay of subtle shimmer to emphasize my silly, vibrant side, and an overlay of lace flowers to emphasize my love for nature. I wore glitter sequined lace-up keds because I love to dance and wouldn't be seen dancing in heels to save my life.
The Details
Our flowers were done by two incredible family friends who dedicated their gardens to growing flowers for us, harvested local mosses and wildflowers, and even cut grasses to incorporate from our family's property. We had a very special potted plant also present along the wedding aisle: a plant from my grandmother's funeral (who passed earlier in 2021), so that she could still be there with us. Many of our very talented friends (woodworkers, graphic designers, bakers) helped us by contributing their skills to make our wedding very personal.
Photo: CLH Images
The Moments
Our favorite moments of the day included seeing people from different corners of our life connect. We put a lot of thought into how to really bring people together, from the seating arrangements, to conversation starters and trivia at the dinner tables, to the fact that we planned four days worth of events (hikes, beach days, brewery open houses, etc.) around the wedding so that everyone had ample opportunities to make new connections. At one point during the reception we looked around and there was not a single bored or lonely face in the room. Everyone was smiling, laughing, and chatting. That feeling was priceless.
Photo: CLH Images
Some Advice
Planning a wedding can be very difficult. It was an incredible challenge that made us stronger as a couple. Take the time to remind yourselves as often as you can what your wedding is really about: the opportunity to celebrate your love with the people you love the most. That truth can really put things into perspective.
Vendor Credits
Venue: Camp Chingachgook
Food/Catering: The Barnsider
Cake/Dessert: Tracey Davey (friend)
Gown: Bride and Gown (Saratoga)
Hair: Shirley Padasak (Touch of Class, GF)
Makeup: Cait Righi (friend)
Photographer: CLH Images
Videographer: Alex Hobbs (friend)
Invitations: Zola
Florals: Suzanne Zaher and Carol Hobbs (friends)
DJ / Band: we made our own EPIC playlist
Transportation: Durham Transportation
Rentals: Saratoga Tents & Events