Rutgers Gardens Wedding : Anna and Neal : New Brunswick, NJ
Anna and Neal were married on June 11th, with a ceremony at the Reformed Church of Highland Park and a reception in Rutgers Gardens in New Brunswick, NJ. These two met while studying at the Manhattan School of Music in New York City. Neal is from the West Coast, and Anna is from New Jersey and is the child of two opera singers. We had actually crossed paths in school, but it wasn’t until later that I started to get to know them, as they live near me and I always see them walking their dog through Fort Tryon Park. On the day of the wedding, I started out with Anna as she finished getting ready at the Heldrich Hotel in New Brunswick before we took a short ride to the church. They wanted an intimate, elegant, relaxed wedding, which is why they picked Rutgers Gardens, surrounded by tons of greenery and lush sunlight. Once we were at the church, we took some pictures of the guests arriving as well as a few group pictures with the bridal party and family. At the wedding, the amazing harpist Kristi Shade—a mutual friend of mine and Anna’s—added an ethereal touch to the whole day. She is one of the most popular wedding vendors in the New York City area in addition to being a recording artist and musician, and it was amazing to have her there! The weather was perfect, which meant the reception was completely open and in the outside air. I don’t often get to create pictures in NYC that include the twilight sky and guests partying below, so I enjoy shooting outside of the city when I get the chance so I can capture a more rustic feel. I loved that the guests were able to step outside to chat or look at the stars before going back in to dance. I was able to take Anna and Neal aside at just the perfect moment, where the sun was just kissing the treetops. That 5–10-minute span, followed by the soft wash of evening light, often produces the best images of the day. My favorite image was the black and white portrait of them standing in front of the venue during the party, and they must have agreed, because they chose it for their 8x12 studio print enlargement on a cotton rich, heavyweight art paper. It looks stunning! I look for shots like that all day to get that one special print that hangs on the wall forever. Sometimes you just know as it happens, and sometimes you discover it like an artifact when going through the images. Anna & Neal, thank you so much for letting me be part of your wedding! It’s not often that I get to shoot weddings for people I know, and I’m so lucky that you contacted me early and asked me to be there!
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