11/2/18 11/2/18

Central Park Boathouse Wedding : Paris & Nick : New York, NY

Paris & Nick were married in late Summer holding their wedding ceremony and reception at the Loeb Boathouse in Central Park.The boathouse has become to many one of the most iconic of NYC venues. You’re quite literally in the center of the park and all of Manhattan. Paris & Nick selected the equally notable Lotte New York Palace to get ready in and it really set the tone for the rest of the day. You’ll see I was particularly inspired with this couple to incorporate a lot of black and white giving them a sleek New York feel.

Photographer: Brian Hatton

Event Planner: Modern Kicks

Beauty: Maria Seccia & Glam Squad

Cake: Magnolia Bakery

Ice Cream Truck: Mister Softee

Cinema: Now As One Films

Band: 45 Riots

Florals: Lenox Hill

Photo Booth: Shake & Share Media

Chuppah: Chuppah Studio

Transportation: Top Class Limousine

6/24/18 6/24/18

Central Park Boathouse Wedding : Ally & Danny : New York, NY

Ally & Danny held their Spring wedding ceremony and reception at the Loeb Central Park Boathouse in New York, NY.If you happened to be following my blog last year, you might have seen Ally & Danny's engagement session in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. While the vibe of Williamsburg and Central Park are pretty different, I really wanted to tie both sessions together and give them a contemporary feel for the wedding as well - even on a rainy day in the park.Starting at The Parker Hotel (formerly Le Parker Meridien), we were lucky to be able to use the rooftop for their first look. The overcast sky actually helped out, keeping the light soft and flattering no matter where you turn. It's crazy how much building there has been recently along Central Park South. The skyline had changed substantially since I was last on The Parker's roof a couple years ago! With skyscrapers towering all around us it was a great place to highlight the two of them in the city.I semi-jokingly call Central Park my "office" with frequent visits to the Boathouse and vicinity for weddings and engagement sessions. The iconic 72nd St traverse of the park is just perfect with the unique architectural and natural elements that couldn't be anything but Central Park. The romance of this part of the park is what makes the Boathouse a major draw for many couples. You're whisked away from the city despite being literally in the very center of it.With a great band and end of the night bites from Valducci's Pizza, Ally & Danny's wedding was great fun for everyone, including me.

Florist: Lenox Hill FloristCake: Butterfly BakeshopBand: Live Music ProsVideography: Wellspun WeddingsWedding Dress: Reem AcraGroom's Attire: Knot Standard

5/17/18 5/17/18

NY Athletic Club Wedding : Alea & Matt : New York, NY

Alea & Matt were married April 7 with a wedding ceremony at Christ Church and reception following at the New York Athletic Club in New York City. The NY Athletic Club exudes a certain kind of understated elegance, unlike most any other NYC venue. Nestled on the Southern end of Central Park, the ballroom looks over the trees and out across the park with a vantage point that brings a peaceful feeling despite being in the middle of Manhattan. Beginning with Alea and her bridesmaids, I photographed the tail end of her preparation before capturing a first look with Matt on the club's rooftop. It was an unusually crisp April day with bright, clean sunlight. A perfect compliment to Alea's stunning Marchesa wedding gown. Although I find myself at St Ignatius Loyola frequently when shooting at NYAC, another beautiful space is Christ Church located nearby on Park Avenue. A United Methodist church, ceremonies are only 30-40 minutes and late in the day! This allows you to go straight from ceremony into cocktails. Doing just that, we went from first kiss to the venue in a matter of minutes. The ballroom of the club was decorated in cherry blossoms as the bride and groom entered for their first dance and live music by Silver Arrow Band. I loved photographing Alea & Matt's wedding. There was a positive, easy energy throughout the day that made it a breeze to document. Enjoy!

Venue: New York Athletic ClubFlorist: Rosa RosaStationary: Rosemont PressHair: Crystal TushinskyMakeup: Erica GonzalezOfficiant: Leslie Houseworth-FieldsBand: Silver Arrow BandWedding Gown: MarchesaBride's Shoes: Manolo BlahnikGroom's Attire: My Suit

11/16/17 11/16/17

Mandarin Oriental New York Wedding : Stacy & Stan : New York, NY

Stacy and Stan were married on October 7^th, with a ceremony and reception at the Mandarin Oriental New York.

The great thing about a wedding in a space like the Mandarin Oriental is that everything takes place on-site, and the facilities are gorgeous throughout. With an amazing space to work with, and with Andrea Freeman’s team keeping the day on track and stress-free, I was amazed at how beautiful this wedding was—in the main events and behind the scenes as well.

Stacy got ready in one of the spacious suites, while Stan got ready on another floor. Even though there was a lot of activity and plenty of people getting ready, we managed to slow down and keep one side clean so we could get some final “getting ready” images of Stacy in the wraparound light. The floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking Central Park truly make for some stunning bridal pictures.

From there, we made our way to the hotel terrace for a first look, with the buildings of the Time Warner Center towering around us. The bridal party joined us as we made our way across the street to Central Park for some portraits before we headed back to the Mandarin for the ceremony itself.

Normally, the curtains are raised for ceremonies at the Mandarin, but I really liked the moody feel they created by keeping them lowered. It drew attention to the ceremony itself, not the surroundings. Of course, that just meant everyone had a perfect view of Stan’s reaction coming down the aisle at the end of the ceremony. You could tell he was excited and ready to celebrate—it was my favorite moment of the whole day.

I think the real heart of the day was the reception. Stacy and Stan and their families were in their element, and everyone in the room took part in the celebrations. It was high energy, nonstop.

At some weddings, the different sides of the event more or less keep to themselves—but not so with this reception. Here, everyone became one. Work friends, old friends, Russian family, Korean family—everyone was not only out on the dance floor but dancing around with each other. I especially loved to see the connection made between their siblings, with lots of love flowing both ways.

Stan & Stacy, thank you for trusting me to capture your wedding day. It was amazing to be part of such a wonderful celebration of joy and love.

mandarin oriental new york wedding brian hatton photo

Vendors:

Planning: Andrea Freeman Events

Cake: Fancy Cakes

Florist: Ariston Flowers

Stationary: East Six

Makeup: Kimara Ahnert

Officiant: Corey Kennedy

Lighting: Fusion Productions

Band: Kevin Osborne at Hank Lane

Videography: Clark Walter Studio

Wedding Dress: Wedding Salon of Manhasset

Bride's Shoes: Jimmy Choo

Groom's Suit: Enzo Custom

5/31/17 5/31/17

Central Park Boathouse Wedding : Gillian & Cameron : New York, NY

Gillian and Cameron were married at Church of the Blessed Sacrament, followed by a reception at the Loeb Boathouse in Central Park. We got ready at the Nylo Hotel on Manhattan’s Upper West Side neighborhood, just a few blocks from the church. All that was required was a quick Uber ride off to the hidden gem that is the Church of the Blessed Sacrament. After the ceremony and some portraits at the altar, Gillian and Cameron took a tour with me of some of New York’s most iconic sites before we headed uptown. They were such good sports to go through the city even though the weather was inclement, and I think it was absolutely worth it. Taking couples out in to the streets of New York City is perhaps one of the biggest pluses of having your wedding here. Tourists feel like they’ve hit gold when they spot newlyweds out and about and make sure to treat the bride and groom like celebrities. Native New Yorkers, on the other hand, see couples all the time and let us do our thing -- never complaining if I need someone to move a little bit for a shot. While we were out, we visited Top of the Rock at Rockefeller Center. If you’re visiting NYC, the roof deck is the place to be for the amazing views of the Empire State Building and the 1 World Trade Center (Freedom Tower). My favorite image of the night was up inside the Observation Deck. There’s something magical about that view, and I love how the picture window framed them up so nicely. We took a quick taxi ride to Times Square, then a ride on the Q train on the new 2^nd Avenue Line to the Upper East Side, taking a quick detour for a gondola ride right up to the Loeb Boathouse in Central Park, where 45 Riots was on hand to keep the dance floor packed non-stop. Out on the dance floor, Gillian and Cameron owned their first dance. Brides and grooms will often spice things up, but their tango took the cake. I felt like I was watching Dancing with the Stars! Gillian & Cameron, thank you for letting me be part of your day, and thank you especially for being such good sports about shooting outside despite the weather. It was wonderful to be able to showcase you in our wonderful city.