Sarah & Anthony are engaged to be married at Shadow Lawn in High Falls this coming fall. For their engagement portraits they wanted to capture a slice of their life here in the city, and since they have an adorable young dog and live in a picturesque block of the Upper East side just a short walk from Central Park, naturally I met them at their place. We started with a short dog-walk and some portraits as a family on their stoop and in front of the famous Lexington Candy Shop, a.k.a. Luncheonette Diner at the corner of their block. Then we walked to Central Park, hitting the stairs outside The Met and some other cool spots we saw along the way (I couldn’t resist shooting with this beautiful fountain, for example!). Despite the strange now-it’s-spring-just-kidding-it’s-still-winter weather we had been having this particular session fell on what was surely one of our very few perfect spring days this year, so the park was gorgeous and Sarah and Anthony enjoyed walking around with me as we hit some pretty spots by a pond and up near Belvedere Castle and the Shakespeare Garden. I couldn’t be more excited to shoot this wonderful couple’s wedding in October! Congratulations Sarah and Anthony!
VENDOR CREDITSGetting Ready Location: The Lucerne HotelCeremony Location: The Linden Terrace @ Fort Tryon Park
Reception Venue: The New Leaf Restaurant
Wedding gown: Watters
Hair: Michael Lucero from Scott J. Aveda Salon Spa
Makeup: Michael Lucero from Scott J. Aveda Salon Spa
Groom’s suit/tux: My.Suit
Invitation Design: Minted
Floral Design: Rachel Cho Florist
Catering: New Leaf Restaurant
Music: Juilliard Performers – Megan Yip
This intimate wedding was so sweet to capture– Stacy was tearing up before we even got to the sunlit greenhouse hallway where she was to have her first look with Wayne. When he turned around and came to embrace her she sobbed such sweet tears of joy and he wiped them away for her and held her sweetly. Nobody likes rain on their wedding day but I knew Stacy and Wayne were particularly enamored with the exteriors of the venue, so I kept peeking outside to see if the misty rain had cleared up yet. Luckily the venue itself was quite lovely and expansive– so even though we didn’t get much time with them outside I was able to get some portraits in the pretty natural light of the plant-filled greenhouse, as well as a handful of other portraits I knew they’d love at various spots in the beautiful spaces we found there. After capturing the couple alone together and then with their wedding party and family groups, Stacy went up to the bridal suite to change into a long red gown she had chosen to wear for a traditional tea ceremony with their parents. Wayne got a 2nd “first look” with this dress as she came down the stairs, and they exchanged meaningful blessings with their parents in the privacy of a small elegant room as they served them tea and gracefully received wedding gifts in the traditional red envelopes. Right after the tea ceremony I noticed that the rain was much lighter (though still lightly sprinkling)– I suggested we step outside with one of my white shooting umbrellas and the couple was game! We quickly made some pictures with them outdoors and then it was back upstairs to change back into the white wedding dress as guests began arriving for the main ceremony with Father Jack Ryan. Much of the ceremony was translated so that guests from abroad could follow the events, but I dont’t think you’d need to know english to feel the emotions that came through in their wonderful vows to one another. After an relaxing cocktail hour where family and friends reconnected, Stacy and Wayne and their guests were invited into an elegant dining room for dinner and dancing. Everyone was delighted by the Tango they had learned for their first dance, and we were treated to a series of toasts that celebrated the couple’s history, accomplishments, and love for one another. Stacy and Wayne capped off the evening by cutting their wedding cake and giving a speech of thanks to their family and friends who had come to support them as they made their commitment to marriage. These two are off to a wonderful start– congratulations to Stacy and Wayne!