Buffalo Wedding with Reception at the Admiral Room

Updated: Jul 18, 2023

Want an iconic Buffalo wedding venue? Why not three? Allison and Bob’s wedding day included some very Buffalo locations. After their church wedding, we took portraits at Shea’s Buffalo Theatre. Then we headed to their reception at the beautiful Admiral Room at the Marin. The whole day felt like the perfect mix of laughter and quiet, intimate moments despite the wild Buffalo weather.

A bride and groom stand beside a table with a small cutting cake in the Admiral Room Buffalo.

Wedding Photos at Shea’s Buffalo Theatre

Before we got to Allison and Bob’s Admiral Room wedding reception, we started the day at the Embassy Suites. Allison and Bob shared some downtime and laughter with their wedding party and parents. Based on the sunshine pouring through the windows, you would never know that the sky was about to take a turn for the worst.

A groom and his mother laugh as she pins a rose to his wedding suit.

A groom sits on a bed surrounded by groomsmen on a hotel bed.

A bride holds her mother's hands and smiles in a Buffalo hotel room.

Bridesmaids smile and cheer when they see a Buffalo bride in her wedding dress.

Just as guests arrived at the church, a monsoon-style rainstorm hit. Hard winds and rain soaked guests arriving at the church, and everyone was a little wind-blown. It felt like a bit of an April Fools joke. (Yes, this wedding was on April first!) But everyone persevered. Judging by Allison’s elegance at the altar, you’d never know that we’d battled such a storm to get there. The clouds parted just before their first kiss, and we took advantage of the light to get some family photos.

A groom poses with groomsmen behind him outside St. Michael's Roman Catholic Church in Buffalo.

A bridesmaid helps a bride fix her hair in a church hallway before a Catholic wedding mass.hallway before a Buffalo weddin

A bride and groom hold hands at the altar while wedding guests stand at St. Michael's Roman Catholic Church Buffalo.

Next we headed to Shea’s Buffalo Theatre where we had access to the entire lobby for an hour. This theater was built in the 1920s, and it has all the glitz and glam you’d expect from the Roaring 20s. Shea’s hosts weddings, but the lobby is definitely the highlight. It was so much fun taking time directly after the ceremony to soak up the stunning space.

A bride and groom kiss at the end of their church wedding in Buffalo.

A bride and groom pose with wedding party members at the altar of a Buffalo church after their wedding ceremony.

A bride and groom walk down a Buffalo sidewalk with the wind blowing their hair behind them.

I also loved taking this time before heading to the Admiral Room because Allison and Bob are naturally a bit reserved in front of the camera. They’re a Netflix-and-chill type of couple, so it was good to have time for them to loosen up and enjoy being together. The combination of playfulness and romance in these portraits is a perfect representation of who they are.

A bride and groom pose on a staircase in the lobby of Shea's Buffalo Theatre.

A bride and groom kiss at the foot of a staircase with their wedding party lined up along the railing in the lobby of Shea's Buffalo Theatre.

A groom hugs a bride while she laughs on a balcony at Shea's Buffalo Theatre.

An Admiral Room Wedding Reception

An Admiral Room wedding reception was a great followup to the elegant portraits at Shea’s Buffalo Theater. The space is grand with towering columns and arches lit by chandeliers. Allison and Bob stuck to a neutral color scheme with gold accents for an elevated effect.

A bride and groom stand in front of a vault door with their arms raised in a historic wedding venue in Buffalo.

A bride and groom stand in the doorway of a Buffalo wedding venue pressing their foreheads together.

The Admiral Room Buffalo is decorated with white floral arrangements for a wedding reception.

The Admiral Room is one of Buffalo’s bigger wedding venues with capacity for 360+ guests. You absolutely don’t have to have a wedding that large for the space to feel comfortable, though. Site fees for this venue start at $1,500 year-round with additional fees for catering. The Admiral Room provides catering on-site as well as an event planner to make your day as easy as possible.

A Buffalo Bills helmet sits at a table at a wedding reception for guests to sign.

A bride and groom dance with a fog machine.

On our way to the Admiral Room from Shea’s, the bad weather started up again. We trudged through 60+ mph winds to get to the reception. Luckily, once we arrived, everyone was able to dry off. Bob and Allison even got a reception reveal before everyone entered for cocktail hour.

A bride and groom dance with their parents at a wedding reception.

A bridesmaid gives a wedding toast while a bride and groom laugh at a reception table at the Admiral Room.

Even though Allison and Bob were on the introverted side in front of the lens, they brought the energy to the dance floor! They brought LED light sticks for their wedding guests. I love the movement and color this brought to their photos. They kept everyone fueled for dancing with late night Mighty Taco!

A bride and groom smoosh wedding cake into each other's faces.

A bride and groom kiss beside a wedding cake table in the Admiral Room.

Wedding guests smile and wave LED light sticks on a dance floor.

By the time the cake cutting rolled around, Allison and Bob were feeling so lighthearted. Their candid photos are so funny and sweet. You practically can see the moment Allison decides she’s going to smush the cake in Bob’s face. These two knew how to be in the moment!

Platters of tacos sit under warming lamps.

A bride dances with wedding guests waving LED sticks at a Buffalo wedding venue.

A groom kisses a bride in front of a crowd of guests before their wedding exit from the Admiral Room.

Your Buffalo Wedding Photography

Are you interested in having me photograph your wedding in Buffalo? I’m a wedding photographer who preserves candid moments with magical images. Let’s connect! Reach out to me here.

Photography: Kelly Kaz Photography

Second Photographer: Cecilia Denise Photography

Reception Venue and Caterer: The Admiral Room at the Marin

Dress Brand and Store: Made with Love from Lovely Bride

Suit Store: Tom & Luigi

Cake Baker: Muscoreils Fine Desserts

Band: Violena Music

DJ: Toy Brothers

Jewelry: Melting Point Jewelers

Florist: Maureen's Flowers

Hair: Elle Aire Beauty Bar

Makeup: Marisa Borrello