Sarah & Anthony’s Engagement Portraits: Upper East Side & Central Park

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!

James & Alexandra’s Wedding at New Leaf Restaurant

Alex runs marathons, and she and James wanted an outdoor ceremony and a relaxed fun party for their wedding— they were thrilled to find New Leaf, a unique NYC venue adjoining Fort Tryon Park up near the cloisters.  It was the perfect hilltop location for a beautiful outdoor ceremony with portraits of the couple to be nearby in the terraced garden area and the surrounding park space.  She was excited to have found the perfect flats to wear for her wedding- designed with elements of the NYC Taxicab, these shoes were comfy without sacrificing any pizazz!  After getting ready early (!) up at The Lucerne Hotel on the upper west side, we hopped in separate vehicles and made our way up to the restaurant and park where the couple was to have their first look.  James was looking dapper in his suit, and his smile when spinning her around to see the whole dress just says it all.  We were nervous about the forecast as there was a chance that rain would force the ceremony inside their reception tent at New Leaf, but over the course of the portraits it became clear the sun was actually coming out and it would be a beautiful day after all.  I loved getting to explore this amazing park with Alex and James— they had seen some photos I’d done at another wedding here and were eager to hit some of the spots from their favorite photos, and everything was in bloom.  Alex had chosen a multi-color tulip bouquet and is pretty into tulips, so I when I saw this pair of perfect yellow tulips I couldn’t resist making a portrait of them in the background with the flowers in focus- it ended up being a favorite!  After meeting up with the family over by the restaurant and capturing all their group pictures we all made our way to the top of the park where Alex and James were wed under a canopy of beautiful tall trees by the bride’s sister.  It was a touching ceremony indeed!  Guests were treated to a pretty walk down the path to New Leaf and greeted with champagne at the door to the reception.  The rest of the evening was relaxed and fun, just as the couple had imagined it!  Instead of cutting a wedding cake, they had ordered a selection of their favorite Pies to be served for dessert.  Before the evening was over I made sure to get a pretty night portrait of them.  Congratulations, Alex & James!  It was an honor and a pleasure capturing this fun wedding!
 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

Band: Around Town Entertainment

Stacy & Wayne’s wedding at Pleasantdale Chateau

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!

Vendor Information:
Wedding gown: Pronovias
Bride’s shoes: Nine west
Hair & Makeup: Jam’s Studio
Groom’s suit/tux:  Tom Ford
Officiant: Father Jack Ryan
Invitation Design:  Vera Wang
Floral Design: Flowerful Events
Rings: Tiffany

Mindy & Samuel’s Wedding at Indian Trail Club

Mindy and Sam have a great story– they met on a soup bus serving the poor and found they shared the same passion to love those who need it the most.  I was honored to document their beautiful marriage at Cornerstone Church in New Jersey on a beautiful Saturday afternoon in April.  From the excitement in Sam’s eyes as he got ready with his groomsmen to the tears that sprang from Mindy’s as she read a surprise letter from her groom, there couldn’t have been more sweetness between these two.  I started the day with the men at the venue and then headed to the church to a small room where the bride and her bridesmaids were putting the final touches on before the ceremony.  Mindy opted to wait and let Sam see her in her dress for the first time as she walked down the aisle toward him— always a romantic moment!  They have such a strong church community, the ceremony was very moving and full of song.  At one point Sam and Mindy were surrounded by their pastors and spiritual mentors, all laying hands on them to pray for their union.  There is no doubt this couple will have a world of support from their community as their journey unfolds!  After a round of family photos in the front of the church we made our way to Indian Trail Club and shot some portraits of the couple down by the water during cocktail hour.  After the reception kicked off with a sweet performance of ‘Blackbird’ by the bride’s brother on acoustic guitar, I was able to sneak them out again quickly around sunset when the sky was getting really pretty.  I just love this shot of them under a tree with the twilight sky over the lake behind them.  Another highlight was a surprise video presentation that had been made with sweet messages of congratulations from all the children that Mindy has taught over her years of service at her church’s Sunday school!  Mindy and Sam, you two are a match made in heaven and I couldn’t have been more delighted to capture this wonderful celebration!

VENDOR CREDITS
Getting Ready Location: Cornerstone
Church: Joy Church
Reception Venue:  Indian Trail ClubDebbie Pagerie
Wedding gown: Pronovias
Bride’s shoes:  Jimmy Choo
Hair & Makeup: Christie Lee Makeup
Bridesmaid dresses: Jenny Yoo NYC
Groom’s suit/tux: Menguin
Invitation Design:  Linda Park
Floral Design:  Peonia Atelier
Music: The Pros

Sally & Neil’s Wedding at The Paper Factory Hotel

Sally and Neil were married on a Saturday at The Paper Factory Hotel, a hip boutique hotel that used to be an actual paper factory.  Neil is an art director and novelist and Sally is an editor, so the fact that the venue has used books as a primary component of the decor was perfect for them!  As the day began it was clear that there would be rain, but of course I knew the hotel lobby and the reception space below their restaurant, Mundo, would provide a variety of cool looking options for my portraits of the couple, the wedding party, and family groups.  I went upstairs to shoot Sally’s preparation and she was freshly back from having her hair done at a nearby salon.  For the first look we brought the couple to a pretty sunlit room near the lobby that housed a fooseball table, and then I got to have fun shooting them in the cool spaces of the hotel– there was even a gorgeous red phonebooth, check it out!  And how could I resist using this amazing column of books in the stairwell of Mundo?  The ceremony that followed was a sweet Jewish ceremony, and the couple signed their Ketubah under the Chuppah with all the guests witnessing.  Afterwards I took a few minutes to shoot them signing their marriage certificate and got the opportunity to make a few portraits of them with the beautiful night sky and manhattan in the background–you wouldn’t know it but the just married portraits were shot inside their hotel room.  My favorite moment from this intimate celebration with close family and friends was the impromptu Hora dance complete with the couple being lifted on chairs.  Congratulations to Sally & Neil!

Vendor Details
Event Design & Day-of Coordination: Beauty and the Details
Wedding gown: J. Crew
Bride’s shoes:  Seychelles
Invitation Design: Neil Swaab (Neil Swaab, the groom, also designed the favor stickers.)
Floral Design:  fLorEsta
Catering: Mundo New York
Ketubah:  Susie Lubell
Bride Headpiece:  Halo, Justin & Taylor
Wedding Cake: Baked
Chuppah: Chuppah Studio