Brooklyn Botanic Garden Wedding : Lena and David : Brooklyn, NY

Weddings

Jun 7

Written By

Lena and David were married on May 6^th, with a ceremony and reception at the Brooklyn Botanic Garden. The day started out with a bang as Lena got ready at the Box House Hotel in Greenpoint, Brooklyn. She’d had to change her “getting ready” venue at the last minute, because the original hotel had flooded out the day before! I’m glad it all worked out, though, and the new venue perfectly complemented her and her stunning pair of gold and black titanium micro pavé wedding rings. We moved from there to the Brooklyn Botanic Garden so that Lena could finish getting dressed in their brand new bridal suite. The renovations—new carpets, walls, and chandelier—make a huge difference, and I loved photographing the new space. Once Lena was ready, we staged a first look and headed to the Cherry Esplanade. The iconic rows of cherry blossom trees had just dropped their blossoms a few days earlier, leaving the ground decorated in a soft pink. The whole first look was simply striking, in a sea of blooming purple. I found a spot in the distance to get low and capture a big, wide shot of the scene. As we headed back to the venue for the ceremony, I saw some of the guests coming in with large-brimmed hats and other Kentucky Derby-themed attire. After all, it was Derby Day, so Lena and David had encouraged their guests to dress the part. The ceremony itself took place outside under a beautiful chuppah as the sun came down and a guitar/cello duo, NY Ceremony Music, set the mood. My favorite image of the day was right at the end of the ceremony—when Lena and David gave each other a high five. That moment right after they are married is often when I get some of my most genuine expressions of the day. From there, it was off to the reception back inside the Palm House. They had a unique setup, with various themed food stations—an Asian food cart, Provencal cuisine, Moroccan food, and more. I love it when couples do something different for a nice change of pace like that! As a surprise to the guests, the Three Waiters blended in as catering staff—only to break out into operatic song to serenade the room! A number of ladies made no secret of their delight for these gentlemen when that happened. Once the dancing got started, I was pleasantly surprised by the crazy moves I was seeing out on the dance floor. It’s not often I see guests trying to disrobe the groom! LOL David was cool with it, though— amazing. It was clear these friends have a ton of fun together. This was yet another wedding courtesy of Exquisite Affairs Productions. We collaborate several times per year, and Christine, Tara, and Janine make my job so much easier as they keep all the moving parts together and pull out an awesome party for everyone involved. David & Lena, thank you for the chance to photograph your Brooklyn Botanic Garden wedding. You brought a totally different vibe to the classic gardens, like being at a fun dinner party, and I loved your unique spin on everything. Congratulations to both of you!