Stunning Backyard Wedding with Incredible Florals

As a Buffalo wedding photographer, I’ve seen clients have great and not-so-great experiences on their wedding day. The happiest people are always the ones who are true to themselves on their wedding day. Josef and Pedro are a perfect example of a couple who prioritized the people and things that mattered most to their relationship. Their backyard wedding had a heavy emphasis on flowers and family. The photos of their international celebration are just as lovely as their intimate wedding day.

Two grooms hold hands in front of a floral arbor at their backyard wedding in Buffalo.

Josef and Pedro’s Backyard Wedding

To keep their wedding day intimate, Josef and Pedro kept the guest list small. They only invited their closest friends and family to the backyard celebration. That freed up time to take creative portraits around Buffalo beforehand.

Two grooms pose for a wedding photo on a wooden staircase in a historic Buffalo wedding venue.

Two grooms in custom wedding suits hold hands outside The Richardson Hotel in Buffalo.

I first met up with Josef and Pedro at The Richardson Hotel. They were spending their wedding weekend there, so we took some photos surrounded by the amazing historic architecture and classic interior decor. These backdrops add more variety than you sometimes get from backyard wedding photos, and I love this idea of adding convenient portrait locations even if you’re staying at home.

Two grooms sit on the steps of the AKG Art Museum beside a white dog.

A groom leans down to pet a dog in a candid wedding photo on the steps of the Buffalo AKG Art Museum.

A groom in a green wedding suit leans down to kiss his husband on the steps of a Buffalo museum.

Afterward we headed to the stairs at the Buffalo AKG Art Museum. Jack, Josef and Pedro’s dog, met us for some portraits. These images are a fun mix of carefree loving moments and elegant surroundings. Then we headed back to the house where guests were already enjoying cocktails by Las Puertas in the dreamy backyard.

Two grooms pose with their dog in front of the decorated window of Las Puertas Buffalo.

A cellist and violinist sit under a tree playing a wedding processional.

Late afternoon sun shines on a wedding arbor of roses and orchids created by a Buffalo wedding florist.

Gorgeous Wedding Florals

Josef and Pedro really enjoy gardening together. They’re very proud of their yard in Buffalo’s West Side. Any regulars of the Buffalo Garden Walk might actually recognize it because they take part every year. It’s a chance to show off their stunning hydrangeas and well-kept gardens. They wanted the same focus on incredible flora for their backyard wedding.

A custom wedding fan sits beside a vase of flowers at a backyard wedding in Buffalo.

The father of a groom sits at an antique piano before the backyard wedding.

Since Josef and Pedro do the Garden Walk, it’s no surprise that fresh flowers are one of Pedro’s favorite things in life. Both of them knew they wanted to include a LOT of flowers on their wedding day. They worked with Rochester florist Pistil & Pollen to transform their backyard into a romantic wonderland in a pastel palette.

Two grooms' parents walk them down the aisle at their backyard wedding in Buffalo.

The fathers of the grooms hold jars of soil for the unity ceremony.

A flower girl wanders into the aisle during a backyard wedding ceremony in Buffalo.

Josef and Pedro shared their chosen colors ahead of time with guests, too, so that they could coordinate their outfits. Since they had such a small guest list, they could get everyone on board with complimentary outfits. It gives their wedding photos an even more ethereal quality.

A guest in a white dress reads a wedding ceremony reading while two grooms watch from a floral arbor.

Two grooms hold hands while they exchange vows at their backyard wedding.

A wedding guest adds soil to the base of a tree during a unity ceremony at a Buffalo wedding.

The arbor Pistil & Pollen built took center stage for Pedro and Josef’s ceremony. Countless lavender and blush orchids and roses covered the lush arch. The coordinating arrangements lining the aisle looked like clouds of blooms. Everyone thought it was breathtaking.

Two grooms in custom wedding suits put rings on each other's fingers.

Two grooms share the first kiss at their backyard wedding surrounded by flowers.

Two grooms raise their hands in celebration while their wedding officiant pronounces them married at their backyard wedding in Buffalo.

A Heartfelt Unity Ceremony

Josef and Pedro love gardening so much that they wanted to find a way to make it part of their unity ceremony. Planting trees is common enough, but they took it a step further in making this unity ceremony very personal. They invited their family members to add soil from their childhood homes of Orchard Park, New York, and Aguas Buenas, Puerto Rico. Now they have a living symbol of their union thriving in their backyard.

Two grooms kneel to pet their dog at the end of their recessional in their backyard wedding in Buffalo.

Two grooms stand around a table with wedding guests laughing as they sign their Buffalo marriage license.

Two grooms pose with their parents under a floral wedding arch created by wedding florists in Buffalo.

A few other personal touches for this backyard wedding ceremony included the music and officiant. Josef and Pedro are BIG Swifties, so they hired a musician to play their favorite Taylor Swift songs throughout the ceremony. Their officiant, Bob Fink, had deep ties, too. He officiated Josef’s parents’ wedding years ago.

Two grooms step behind the floral arbor at the end of their wedding ceremony in their backyard.

A custom cup with two grooms' names on it sits beside colorful wedding flowers on a table in a Buffalo backyard.

After the ceremony, everyone mingled over cocktails amid the incredible floral installations. Then they walked a few blocks to the couple’s favorite restaurant, Las Puertas. They rented the restaurant for the evening. Their best friends made speeches before everyone enjoyed a ten-course meal. This wedding day was like a highlights reel of Josef and Pedro’s favorite things about their Buffalo neighborhood.

A wedding cake decorated with roses sits on a counter at Las Puertas Buffalo.

A wedding guest gives a speech in a Buffalo restaurant wedding venue.

Would you like me to photograph your wedding? I’m the Buffalo wedding photographer ready to be your wedding bestie! Let’s document your wedding with joyful, authentic photos. Inquire with me here.

Thank you to the vendors who made this stunning backyard wedding possible:

Day-of Coordinator: Casey Kazmierczak

Photography: Kelly Kaz Photography

Suits: Custom Made from BUREAU

Cake: Butter Block Bakery and Patisserie

Musician: Andrew Borkowski of Buffalo String Works

Pedro’s ring: Tiffany & Co.

Josef's ring: family heirloom

Florist: Pistil & Pollen