Venue Review: The Lockstone, Albion NY

One of Western New York's up and coming venues...

I first photographed a wedding at The Lockstone in Albion, NY in August of 2021. I was actually assisting another amazing photographer, Rebecca O'hara Photography, for this wedding as it was a larger scale event. The Lockstone is about a forty minute drive outside of Buffalo, but after photographing a wedding here I would completely recommend it and note that it is definitely worth the drive.

This venue is very unique in that it not only is a converted warehouse with a cool contrast between more industrial elements and rustic wood features, but it is also attached to an ice cream parlor that operates during the week and is available to operate during your wedding. It offers both indoor and outdoor ceremony options and space for guests, and they have a lot of beautiful details that provide great photo opportunities, as shown below.

Getting Ready...

One of my favorite features of The Lockstone are its getting ready spaces. There are several options to use, my favorite being this completely gorgeous attic space. The attic has hardwood floors and white shiplap walls, a couch that is perfect for photos, and a huge window that makes for gorgeous natural lighting opportunities. There are also a few other rooms that are available to use, such as a larger room towards the front of the venue with ample space and outlets for hair and makeup, and a completely wooden room that has sliding windows to overlook the whole venue's interior perfect for storing bags and to have a private space to step away. The only caveat in regards to the getting ready space is the lack of air conditioning in the attic. It gets pretty warm upstairs in the summer, so I would save this space for getting dressed and some photo opportunities only.

First Looks at The Lockstone...

There are both indoor and outdoor locations at The Lockstone that are perfect for first looks, whether that be a first look between the couple, parent first looks, and more. For this wedding, we decided on the loft overlooking the indoor ceremony space for a family first look. The loft is fully wooden with large windows, providing a neutral backdrop and ample natural lighting.

The Ceremony...

For this wedding, the indoor ceremony space was used. There's ample space indoors, and while natural lighting was possible given the bright, sunny day we had, I would still recommend using flash as any photos not taken directly of the couple at the front of the space would be in the shadows. I haven't had the opportunity to photograph their outdoor ceremony space, but having walked through it provides a woodland, forest vibe that would be the perfect backdrop for any outdoorsy couple.

Wedding Portraits in Albion, NY...

While there is ample space around The Lockstone itself for your bridal portraits (I recommend the fun detail outside the main building as pictured below), the town of Albion, NY itself provides brick details, waterways, and a picturesque small-town backdrop. All photos pictured below were taken within a five minute walk of The Lockstone. I particularly loved the golden hour photos taken in front of the river, as it's very still and provided a glassy reflection of the evening light.

Final Thoughts...

It only took one wedding for me to completely fall in love with The Lockstone in Albion, New York. The staff is lovely to work with, there is plenty of space for a larger guest count, there are both indoor and outdoor spaces to use, and from a photographer's perspective, the backdrop, attention to detail, and lighting are all stunning. It's truly a unique and gorgeous space to begin your marriage in, and I love to see how popular it is becoming. If you are considering The Lockstone for your wedding, I would definitely recommend it, and I cannot wait to photograph more weddings there in the future.