Nell & Emily: The Part I Never Get To See

Here's the thing about being a wedding photographer: It's an amazing job--a privelege--but after six and a half years, the sneaky ol' repetition blues can sometimes rear their ugly, repetitive heads. so, when i'm invited to document some new or different part of the wedding process, it's a real high for me. today was one of those days.

nell and emily are very close friends of mine and nell's been planning her proposal moment to emily for several weeks. here it was--my opportunity to document the wedding process from it's inception--to actually photograph the engagement moment! i got to help devise the plan (a "casual" picnic in our backyard), i got to shop with nell for the ring, and--most importantly and most fun for me--i was invited to be there with my camera at the "will you? with me?" moment.

...unfortunately for them, i got so caught up in that moment that i started crying and forgot to pick up my camera!!! casualty of being emotionally involved with my photographic subjects. (: but when i recovered, i took some photos that i hope have captured for them the once-in-a-lifetime afterglow...of the beginning of forever...together.


emily calling her dad to tell him the good news....


congratulations nell and emily!!! i can't wait for the wedding.....!

Colleen & Shane: Wedding of the Great Vendors

saturday's wedding was the most fun i've had at an event in a while. colleen and shane were super cool and fun and up for anything. my only regret was that there were no pools or bodies of water in the vicinity of the reception hall, because i have been trying to convince a couple to jump in the water after their party for 6 years and they were totally up for it--they were ready!!!!! but of course....no water....anywhere....(: but despite this specific dream of mine that, as fate would have it, i would not fulfill, everything else was amazing!

#1: gorgeous flowers by Flower by David Anthony.


#2: a *gorgeous* reception hall on a phenomenal golf course in spring valley, ny. not only was this place beautiful, but the cocktail hour was THE BEST we've experienced in a long time--the layout, the selection, and the taste...yum! in addition, the maitre d' and entire staff were incredibly accommodating and very kind and made it a pleasure for us to work there. unfortunately, this is often NOT the case at reception halls, so this experience really stood out. if you're getting married in the rockland county area or considering a not-too-far-from-the-city wedding, check it out:

New York Country Club


and finally, the make-it-or-break-it crucial wedding day element--the music. colleen and shane got it right on this one...i was blown away by the amazing band they chose: LLiquid....i see lots of average wedding bands in this line of work, and these folks stood out as simply amazing. amazing energy, enthusiasm, and talent got the crowd going, and, from our perspective, made it that much more exciting to be shooting. if you're looking for your wedding music, you MUST check these guys out:

lliquid

and here are some of my favorites from the day:

Janet & Christopher

janet & chris got married in jersey city and had their reception at the ramsey golf and country club in nj. it was a beautiful wedding and gave me some serious dejas vous, since the lighting, the time of year & day, and the setting almost exactly replicated one of my favorite shoots from several years ago at the village club at lake success, in great neck, long island.

the results of this one were equally fun and beautiful if not more so. check it out!

Sometimes Baseball

my favorite thing about friday's wedding was this piece of writing, found in the "advice for marriage" jar at the reception:

my other favorite thing was this piece of precious deliciousness, found on the belly of the bride's sister-in law:

and here are all my other favorite things, found spontaneously throughout Dana & Robert's Northern Westchester wedding day: