Brittany & Jack’s Carey Lake Wedding: A Grand Celebration Full of Thoughtful Details and Seamless Coordination

by Ember Event Management – Wedding Planner in Rochester, NY

Brittany and Jack’s wedding was a huge, joy-filled celebration with nearly 300 guests, heartfelt moments, and so many personal touches. It was the kind of day that just felt full — full of love, laughter, and a ton of moving parts (which is exactly where Ember came in!).

Brittany reached out to us for Day-Of Coordination because she had a vision but knew she needed someone to help pull it all together — and to give her support and guidance throughout the planning process. With multiple locations, a big wedding party, a tight timeline, and lots of custom details, she wanted the day to turn out exactly as she hoped and envisioned, but she was understandably a little nervous.

So we worked closely with Brittany (and her mom!) to fine-tune every detail — creating the timeline and floor plan, helping with the seating arrangements, double-checking vendor logistics, and making sure everything she’d been working on would come to life perfectly.

The morning of the wedding kicked off at Carey Lake, where Brittany and her bridesmaids were getting ready in the suite. While the girls were sipping mimosas and making the best instagram stories, Ember was busy transforming the ballroom. There was a lot of, custom décor pieces plus dropped off from the rehearsal dinner that needed to find a place. We’re talking everything from a champagne tower and cigar bar to personalized napkins, a memory table to the cutes audio guest book booth. Wegmans dropped off the florals, and we made sure each one landed exactly where Brittany envisioned — some on specific tables, others styled alongside her personal items. It was a full-on team effort with the Carey Lake staff, and honestly, it looked incredible when it all came together.

Then it was off to St. Joseph’s Church for the ceremony. We coordinated with the church team to make sure everything ran smoothly — and one of the sweetest moments of the day came when Brittany’s parents surprised the couple with a Papal Blessing from the Vatican. We helped with the setup and presentation of that moment, and it was a surprise that really meant a lot to the family.

Right after the ceremony, it was go-time. The timeline was tight, so we jumped right in to help organize family group photos alongside TPI Photography, making sure everyone was where they needed to be and that things moved quickly and smoothly. Every minute counted, and with a big group like this, having someone to wrangle family members and keep things moving made all the difference!

We were also frequently checking in with the shuttle company, since they had a small window to take the wedding party over to the Monroe County Courthouse for photos before heading back to Carey Lake for a few more portraits before dinner began — all perfectly on schedule (and trust me, that’s saying something on a wedding day!).

Back at Carey Lake, we lit candles, styled final touches, and made sure the ballroom was absolutely glowing by the time guests arrived. The venue staff was incredible, and it was awesome being able to join forces so that when guests arrived they were greeted with a stunning welcome drink display and live musicians playing through cocktail hour — it was elegant but still totally fun and full of energy.

Once the party kicked off, our team stayed close to vendors — making sure every toast, dance, and surprise happened right on cue. The room was packed, the dance floor never emptied, and by the end of the night, Brittany and Jack shared a private last dance, just the two of them, soaking it all in while we quietly packed up their personal items to make sure everything got back to them safely.

Even though we were technically there for “day-of” coordination, our time with Brittany and Jack felt like so much more than that. We were in it with them — from refining details to managing all the behind-the-scenes logistics that made their day feel seamless. And honestly, seeing them fully present and having the best night ever was the best part of the evening.

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Vendor Team
Planner: @ember_eventmanagement

Videographer: @barnumfilms

Photographer: @tpi_photography

Reception Venue: @ballroomatcareylake

Ceremony: @sjcpenfield

Rentals: Rustic Rebels

Desserts: @savoiapastryshoppe

Makeup: @savsmallsmua

Hair: @alyse_donalty

DJ: @encoreevents

Florist: @wegmans

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