Sunset Terrace Wedding : Lindsay & Kolby : New York, NY
Lindsay and Kolby were married on May 27th, with a ceremony at the Church of St. Francis Xavier and a reception at the Sunset Terrace Wedding at Chelsea Piers NYC. Both the bride and groom got ready at the Renaissance New York Midtown Hotel, and I have to say that I was pleasantly surprised by the venue. This unassuming hotel is set on a side street behind Penn Station and had spacious rooms with tons of light, not to mention the beautifully-designed lobby where we had free range for our photographs. I love hidden gems like this. We staged a first look before heading over to Gramercy Park for their portraits. During this time, I could really see how genuine and fun Lindsay and Kolby are—and so expressive. They share a love of the higher echelons of both academics and faith, and that passion carried over into everything they did in preparation for their ceremony and beyond. Kolby’s sister is a minister herself, so they were lucky enough to have her officiate over their beautiful ceremony. This personal touch made the ceremony that much more intimate, and it truly showed the love everyone present had for these two. We made our way to Chelsea Piers for the reception under a dramatic and rapidly changing sky, and to this day, I am convinced that the groom must have called in some kind of heavenly favor for their reception. As Kolby got up to give his speech, the sun descended into such a spot that only he and Lindsay, who was across the room, were illuminated—at the precise moment that he started to gush about her. I doubt anyone else in the room even noticed, but as a photographer, I was having a moment! I’ve seen a lot of weddings at the Lighthouse at Chelsea Piers, and that’s certainly the venue that most people have heard of. But the Sunset Terrace is a lesser-known gem that I adore. With elevated, panoramic views of the Hudson River and the ability to open the doors in the entire space, you feel one with the outside. It is a perfect, peaceful alternative for weddings that don’t need to accommodate too much space for 200 guests. Lindsay & Kolby, being a part of your New York City wedding was a delight. I loved being part of your celebrations as you both singlehandedly kept up the most amazing energy, nonstop, all night long. I wish you all the best.
Vendors:
Venue: Chelsea Piers NYC
Caterer: Neuman's Kitchen https://www.neumanskitchen.com
Cake: Billy's Bakery https://billysbakerynyc.com
Florist: City Iris
Stationary: Bella Figura
Hair: Lauren Decosimo
Makeup: Evy Drew
Transportation: George Karan Limos
Wedding Dress: Robert Bullock
Bridesmaids Dresses: Jenny Yoo
Rings: Jangmi
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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