This wedding at The Mansion at Knox Farm was the most EPIC celebration with the best people. Hanna and Matt were inspired by rich fall colors, late summer greenery, and gorgeous floral designs—and man, did everything turn out so beautifully. Congratulations to Mr. & Mrs. Metzger on this dream come true of a day, hosted at the most amazing East Aurora wedding venue!
Hanna & Matt’s Wedding at The Mansion at Knox Farm
From childhood friends to husband & wife
Would you believe me if I told you this day had been more than 20 years in the making? That’s right, these two lovebirds have known each other since they were 5 years old. They were friends in high school, too, reconnecting in their early 20’s because their parents are actually close friends themselves. All it took to finally start dating was a shared 10-day family trip to Costa Rica (aka the best first date EVER), a few visits to each other over the following few months, and the rest was history!
Hanna & Matt now live in East Aurora together and spend their time exploring the outdoors, taking weekend trips into the mountains, hanging out with friends, drinking craft beer, and listening to live music—all of which you’ll see incorporated into the wedding day they dreamed up 🙂
A drizzly morning with dreamy details
I spent the morning with Hanna and Matt as they got ready at their respective locations, Hanna inside of the mansion and Matt at an Airbnb nearby. The day started off drizzly with light rain as Hanna and her crew got dressed, Hanna in the most breathtaking tulle gown and her gals in an array of quintessential fall tones. Her bridesmaids were SO stunning with this variety of colors and mismatched dresses, rocking everything from mustard yellow to deep burgundy, rose gold, and rust orange. My dreammm. She did a great job of having hints of fall in her wedding without going full pumpkin!
Allow me to pause on the bridal party real quick and dedicate a moment to the details, because dang were they beautiful. The invites, RSVP’s, and save-the-dates all featured subtle hints of fall, as did Hanna’s shoes covered in floral designs. Her bouquet was incredible, featuring all the classic shades of fall: dark purples, pale pinks, muted oranges, even a few sprigs of pampas grass in there for a subtle boho touch. She even had matching florals in her hair, with delicate white flowers and tinted orange baby’s breath that elevated her curled style so effortlessly!
After first looks with Hanna’s crew and her father, followed by bridesmaid portraits under the trees, I joined Matt and his group at their off-site Airbnb. Matt wore a navy blue suit and bright orange tie, featuring designs inspired by the landscapes of Yosemite National Park (so creative and personal!). Before everyone headed off to the mansion to get Matt married, he read a letter from Hanna in private, which was a super sweet moment to capture before the chaos began.
Emotional vows in the picturesque countryside
Hanna and Matt held their ceremony in the beautiful grassy area at the mansion, with sweeping views of the farmland in the background. We got lucky with our timing—it had been lightly raining all morning, but the clouds fortunately held off for the outdoor ceremony! And what a perfect ceremony it was: live string musicians played music for guests as they waited, and the couple said their vows in front of a beautiful wooden arbor decorated with asymmetrical floral arrangements. Their guests cheered the newlyweds on by throwing dried flower petals during the recessional, where Hanna and Matt rushed to shower their adorable pup, Norman, in celebratory kisses!
Wedding party & newlywed portraits around the mansion
Let me tell you, the wedding party photos after the ceremony were a riot. Hanna and Matt had such a great crew that brought all the energy and love, so we had a total blast taking group portraits around the mansion! We ventured around the trees and into the fields, soaking up all the greenery we could before I grabbed the couple for their own newlywed photos (featuring Norman, of course). We slipped outside of the mansion, away from cocktail hour so that they could have a little time together. Highly recommend doing this in between your ceremony and reception, if you can, to have a quick breather before you transition into the evening!
Live music, gorgeous greenery, & a brownie buffet
This reception was to die for, and so much fun for the guests to participate in: from the mobile photobooth bus to the dessert buffet filled with cookies, chocolate-covered madeleines, and an assortment of brownies… Hanna and Matt truly created an epic experience for everyone involved. As I said before, they LOVE live music, so having the Young Relics perform at their reception was such a vibe!
The details were impeccable, no surprise to anyone: table numbers were identified by embroidered floral designs, every guest had a personalized seating card, and the coasters were customized with the couple’s names & wedding date. Plus, the hanging floral installation in the center of the tent was absolutely unreal—Bushel & A Peck killed it.
Thankfully, the evening rain cleared up just in time for us to do Hanna and Matt’s sparkler sendoff—after which they headed to their afterparty at 42 North Brewing! This brewery in East Aurora is actually Hanna’s parents’ company, so they supplied the alcohol, created custom beer, and hosted the afterparty. Can you think of a more fun way to end the night?! SO grateful to have been a part of this day ♥️
The sweetest review from the bride
“Ok, this is LONG overdue, but I can’t say enough about how wonderful Val was to work with for our wedding.
She is incredibly communicative, organized, kind, and detailed. When I say organized… she had a more thorough outline of the events than our event coordinator did. I also loved having the ability to do an engagement shoot with Val ahead of our wedding so we could meet her in advance and get a little more comfy behind the camera. She really crushed it and captured all of our favorite parts of our wedding day.
Don’t think twice about reaching out to Val for your wedding/event/shoot/etc.”
Vendor team
Venue: The Mansion at Knox Farm
Groom + crew getting ready location: The Lofts at 42 North Brewing Company
Suit: SuitShop
Dress shop: Emma & Grace Bridal
Dress designer: Pronovias
Shoes: Anthropologie
Bridesmaid dresses: Birdy Grey + Azazie
Florist: Bushel & A Peck
Makeup + hair: Fringe Beauty Studio
Videographer: Northern City Productions
Photobooth: Buffalovebus
Live band: The Young Relics
Caterer: Buffalo Catering Company
Beer/Alcohol: 42 North Brewing
Dessert/Ice cream truck: Our Ice Cream Truck
About The Mansion at Knox Farm, a Romantic East Aurora Wedding Venue
Before I let you go, I have GOT to tell you a little more about The Mansion at Knox Farm, because it’s easily one of my favorite East Aurora wedding venues.
Located on over 600 acres of picturesque countryside within Knox Farm State Park, The Mansion is every bit as sophisticated as it is rustic, offering that perfect blend of historic charm and refined elegance. The mansion’s Colonial Revival style draws inspiration from beautiful garden design, manicured landscaping, and eclectic decor; in other words, the architecture of the home itself is beautifullll… and so are the surrounding grounds.
The Mansion at Knox Farm can accommodate up to 150 guests for a traditional, seated dinner, up to 250 for a stationed event, or up to 350 for a tented outdoor reception, as Hanna & Matt did.
What is the average cost for a wedding at The Mansion at Knox Farm?
The Mansion’s website currently doesn’t list starting prices for wedding packages, but you can reach out to the venue here to get a custom quote for your one-of-a-kind celebration!
Contact information for wedding bookings at Knox Farm: info@themansionatknoxfarm.org
What is included in wedding packages at The Mansion at Knox Farm?
I’m so glad you asked! This venue does a fabulous job of including everything you’ll need to have the most incredible celebration from start to finish, including (but not limited to):
- Exclusive use of the property (you won’t be bothered by any visitors!)
- Plenty of free parking for you, your guests, & your vendors
- Access the day before for setup and your rehearsal
- 2 getting ready suites for the wedding party
- Caterer’s kitchen
- Access to the patio and gardens
Another cool thing about getting married here is that, if the farm’s Guest House is available, you get priority access to book it! This means that the two of you and up to 12 other guests could stay on-site and enjoy all the amenities this farm has to offer. It’s the perfect way to enjoy even MORE quality time while you’re all together, and add fun experiences to your trip such as exploring the nearby trails and grounds, cooking meals together in the spacious kitchen, orrrr simply admiring the views from the furnished outdoor patio. Sounds like a dream come true, am I right?
Who are the best wedding photographers for a Mansion at Knox Farm wedding?
Wellll I may be a little biased on this one… can I use myself as an answer? 😉 I’m Val, a Buffalo-based wedding photographer who specializes in helping you feel comfortable & not awkward in front of the camera, so your photos truly feel like you! The Mansion at Knox Farm has quickly become a favorite venue of mine to work at after seeing how much Hanna & Matt adored it—and it’s a total dream as a photographer.
To book me as your Mansion at Knox Farm wedding photographer, reach out here to see if your date is available. Or, feel free to DM me if that’s easier for ya! I can’t wait to see how this venue brings your dream day to life ✨
