Modern Rustic Wedding in Upstate NY | Leigha and Logan
Leigha and Logan struck the perfect balance of meaningful intention and elevated design at their modern rustic wedding in Upstate NY.
Surrounded by their vibrant and not-so-quiet community, they said their I Do’s under a canopy of wild greenery and savored a personal, peaceful start to their marriage enveloped by the natural beauty of Upstate NY. Every moment of their day was emotion-rich— every ritual packed with joy and holiness (not to mention, alllll the happy tears!) Personally, I’m still reeling from their special day and beyond grateful that they entrusted me with the privilege of creating a visual narrative of their love story.
Hi, I’m Emilee
If you’re looking for authentic and artful imagery, then I maaaay be your gal!
I’m an Upstate NY Wedding Photographer who specializes in a laid-back photography approach, and I’d love to help tell your love story!
I first met Leigha and Logan when they hired me for an impromptu couple’s session back in 2023.
They were newly dating, but it only took a second for a few things to become crystal clear:
1) They were crazy about each other.
2) They balanced each other out so well— Leigha radiated with a magnetic warmth and larger-than-life playfulness, and Logan complemented her with a quiet steadiness and grounded sense of calm.
3) They were in it for the long haul. So when I saw on Instagram they were engaged a little over a year later, I was literally not surprised at all.
Leigha reached out to me shortly afterward about doing their wedding photography, and I was over the moon. Photographing their love story not once, but twice— both at the beginning of their relationship and at their wedding? An absolute dream. Leigha envisioned a soul-filled, laughter-soaked celebration wrapped in faith, family, and friends— and lemme tell ya, their day delivered in every way.
“Of course I want those ‘core shots’ of Log and me so we can look back and feel the memories of our wedding day,” Leigha said, “But mostly, I just want to be present and enjoy every single moment with my guests, family, and friends.”
Say less, gf. Imagery that captures the soul of your wedding, honors your love, legacy, and tribe, and transports you through the test of time? That is the stuff I live for— it’s the type of photo experience I aspire to deliver to every one of my couples.
Capturing the essence of Leigha and Logan’s wedding was both effortless, and straight-up, a joy. Leigha and Logan— world’s most natural couple in front of the camera— were so in sync that they hardly even needed posing or directing. Lost in each other, they practically forgot the camera existed, leaving me to my passion— making art. Channeling all my creative juices, I was able to fully immerse myself into their wedding portraits, celebrate them as a newlywed couple, and champion them on a day as glorious as their wedding.
Psst… in case you haven’t noticed, awkward photos aren’t really my vibe.
My goal is to get you feeling comfortable and yourself, so you can enjoy personality-driven imagery for years to come!
If you’re looking at this gallery, thinking, “YASSSSS!”, then we need to talk… like yesterday!
Keep scrolling to see Leigha and Logan’s full wedding gallery ↓
Invariably, I’m an advocate of organic, free-flowing prompts, and it was my priority to create wedding photography for them that felt laid-back, down-to-earth, and comfortable (and by the looks of things, I’d say we nailed it?!)
Being that these two needed even less coaching than usual, I was able to run wild with other inspiration— out-of-the-box angles, unique locations, different lenses, etc.— and the resulting wedding portraits were artful, authentic, and personality-driven.
We embraced the lush greenery of Upstate NY— not to mention the background of Leigha and Logan’s modern rustic wedding venue, The Pines— and I was obsessed with all the vibes.
Surrounded by an oasis of greenery and a wind that whispered through the trees, we leaned into the quiet magic of Upstate New York, as if nature itself had been invited to bear witness to their union, and Leigha and Logan’s wedding photos literally radiated with a transcendental type of beauty. Between the trees swaying in the breeze, the muted spring light filtering through an overcast sky, and the soundtrack of gravel paths crunching softly underfoot, we were lost in a world of tranquility.
This quiet, yet soul-filling serenity was the perfect undertone for their ceremony as well.
Leigha and Logan opted for an outdoors ceremony, creating a gorgeous contrast between their exuberant energy to be married and the calm hush of nature, and Leigha especially lit up the entire clearing with her abundant joy, radiant beauty, and palpable warmth. She was truly the most bubbly, full-of-life bride, and between her cheek-to-cheek grin and sparkling eyes, she was glowing from the inside out.
One unique way I captured their one-in-a-million connection was through GIFs.
These super short, looping animations are something I include in every single gallery, and hands down, they add an extra layer of oomph, interaction, and emotion to my storytelling. Leaning into tiny bursts of motion ensures a dash of movement and a pinch of nostalgia that brings wedding photography to life in a whole new way. So those quick, candid, deliciously sweet moments like Leigha and Logan’s first kiss? Pure magic that deserved to be documented through that special dimension of GIFs.
Another special part of Leigha and Logan’s day was the way their crew turned out to celebrate their marriage.
While nature may have provided the peaceful backdrop, their guests filled the air with the best kind of commotion— cheering, laughter, hooting, and hollering. It was a rowdy, heart-swelling kind of love, and they dialed the celebration all the way up. Surrounded by family, friends, co-workers, and tons of first responders (because Logan is a firefighter!), Leigha and Logan were championed loudly, proudly, and with so much joy. True to form, their people matched their energy and came ready to party with full volume and zero hesitation.
As you may have guessed, I was all about this. Marriage is a gift (the best, really!) from God for all of humanity to enjoy.
Not only is marriage patterned upon the union of God with His people, but it points us to our hope in Christ! Marriage is a living picture of the Gospel of grace, and it’s 100% worth celebrating. Leigha and Logan did this in the best way possible, and one thing I especially loved about working with them was their “realness.”
Leigha and Logan are both straight shooters— candid, down-to-earth, open, and honest— and you can see this in the very DNA of their relationship.
From their vows, to their interactions, to even the toasts being made, it was obvious that even though they complemented each other effortlessly, they were also committed to each other above all else. Meaning, for better or worse, for richer or poorer, in sickness and in health— they were in this thing, come hell or high water.
Every married couple knows the joy of marriage, but if they’re being honest, they can also attest to its struggles— misunderstandings, selfishness, conflicts, frustrations. Many couples may stand at the altar thinking they’ll be immune to these struggles, but I loved that Leigha and Logan looked these things in the eye and still affirmed, “I choose you.”
In Timothy Keller’s book, The Meaning of Marriage, he explains how marriage points us to the Gospel by showing that:
“While we are more sinful and flawed in ourselves than we ever dared believe, we at the very same time are more loved and accepted in Jesus Christ than we ever dared hope.”
The Gospel fills our hearts with God’s love so that we can handle it when our spouse fails to love us as he or she should, and at the same time, it frees us to see our spouse’s sins and flaws to the bottom— yet still love and accept our spouse fully.
Honestly, no relationship offers a closer, more personal look at human imperfections than marriage— or provides the extraordinary experience of radical love, unconditional acceptance, and soul-deep security.
According to Paul, marriage is a profound mystery (Ephesians 5:32) and through it, we discover why the world was created:
“Human history begins with a marriage in Genesis 2 and culminates in a marriage at the end of Scripture— this time, the perfect marriage between Christ and His bride (Revelation 19).”
I love how God has created an undeniable connection between marriage and the Gospel!
I also love that marriage is a gift for us to simply enjoy, savor, and revel in. Leigha and Logan took full advantage of this, curating a wedding that was every bit intentional, elevated, and stylish.
Their vision was for a modern rustic wedding in Upstate NY, and their venue, The Pines, struck just the right blend of modern farmhouse meets elevated countryside. It’s a space that combines both industrial and natural elements with its garage-style sliding doors, concrete floors, farmhouse-style seating, wooden cross-back chairs, and reclaimed vintage pieces, and it totally nails the easygoing, yet still refined aesthetic.
Imagine this: Guests welcomed to their ceremony by a custom calligraphy welcome sign; clinking glasses under a black bar cart with a fringed cream umbrella during cocktail hour; leaving heartfelt messages at a vintage guest book station; and finding their seats at a table covered in ivory linen, gold flatware, handwritten notes, and tiny tied sprigs of baby’s breath. All the details— from the lace-lined hutches, gold-framed mirrors, fresh florals, woven baskets, ceramic urns, and elegant script signs— were drenched in layered textures, soft neutrals, and a vintage charm that felt thoughtful and effortless.
See Leigha and Logan’s full team of Upstate NY wedding vendors below:
Venue: The Pines
Wedding dress: With Love Bridal Boutique
Hair: Cassie Smith of Ivory & Fleur
Groom’s attire: Bonjulies
Videography: Max Comfort Films
DJ: TLadd
I loved seeing this incredible vision come together for Leigha and Logan, and it was such a joy to celebrate their marriage and contribute to their special day through artful, joyful, emotion-rich imagery.
“I just want to capture all the soft moments,” Leigha told me, “but I hope we can capture our happiness, fun and joy during the reception as well!” From my end, crafting this type of joyful, personality-driven imagery was effortless.
Between Leigha and Logan’s unfettered joy, their community rallying behind them, and an evening of dancing, laughing, crying, and partying hard…
Every moment was photo-worthy, every speech dripping with emotion, and every dance begging to be frozen in time. It was honestly unforgettable, and I still can’t believe I got to photograph it all.
Leigha and Logan’s wedding was more than just a modern, rustic wedding in Upstate NY— it was a soul-deep celebration of their commitment to one another, a sacred joining of their lives, and a reverent promise of future love that, by God’s grace, will continue to flourish into an even deeper, wiser, and richer love. I’m so happy for Leigha and Logan and will forever be championing them as they run into the rest of their forever together. Cheers to the Baldwins! 🥂