6/1/18 6/1/18

Lighthouse Chelsea Piers Wedding : Lauren & Chris : New York, NY

Lauren & Chris were married April 20, 2018 with a ceremony at Old St Patrick's Cathedral followed by dinner and dancing at The Lighthouse at Chelsea Piers. What seems like just a few months ago was the year 2016 when I met Lauren & Chris for the first time. It seemed like their 2018 wedding was so far away, but as it goes, the time flew by. Before long I found myself in a large suite at the Eventi Hotel as Lauren 's makeup artist was putting on the final touches. Dodging cyclists as they whizzed by, we were whisked into a waiting Rolls Royce Phantom which brought Lauren and her father to Old St Patrick's Cathedral in SoHo. 200 years ago, the Cathedral of the Archdiocese of New York was found in fact on the corner of Mott & Prince, not 5th Ave as it stands today. This was my first time in this space which is quite striking with tons of light streaming in and a large enclosed courtyard out front. After a beautiful ceremony, we stopped at Washington Square Park for some portraits before continuing on to The Lighthouse at Chelsea Pier 61. I'm here a few times this year much to my delight as I love the wide open space and proximity to the waterfront. As we arrived the sun was just beginning to touch the horizon which meant it was time to photograph the room and document the party. There's something about couples who choose The Lighthouse that always have a lively dancefloor and this evening was no exception. The night absolutely flew by with tons of activity and great speeches. Laurent & Chris, it was a great ride - getting absolutely poured on during engagement session #1, having a great shoot for #2, and finally getting to photograph all the moments of your day. Next step - the album!

10/7/17 10/7/17

Lighthouse at Chelsea Piers Wedding : Stephanie & Ben : New York, NY

Stephanie & Ben were married on August 19 with a ceremony and reception at The Lighthouse, Chelsea Piers. I've shot at a number of the Abigail Kirsch venues this summer, and I always love returning to The Lighthouse. Located on the Western edge of Manhattan in Chelsea Piers, The Lighthouse is a stunning venue with amazing views overlooking the Hudson River. The Abigail Kirsch venues all have spectacular service which makes the lives of all the vendors so much easier.

Stephanie & Ben got ready at the Ritz-Carlton Battery Park, located only steps from the water where the Statue of Liberty stands just across the bay. The room where Stephanie got ready looked right out onto the water, and you could see Lady Liberty in the distance.

As a wedding photographer, I'm always waiting for exuberant expressions... and that's just what I got during Stephanie's first look with her dad. He walked in to the hotel room overflowing with pride as he saw Stephanie in her gown. It was a touching moment that makes me so happy to capture. After the touching father daughter first look, Stephanie & Ben had a first look as well, nearby in Battery Park. We took some time to photograph the bride and groom along the sun-drenched waterfront before making our way to the venue.

Upon arriving at The Lighthouse, we continued with their portraits before the tone of the ceremony was set by the signing of the ketubah. I always love this time as it refocuses all the moments of the day leading up to the ceremony, and is a quiet, contemplative pause with family before things really get underway.

As the sun set over New Jersey, we settled into the ceremony for their vows at dusk. Twilight is a magical moment at The Lighthouse with the wall of windows overlooking the colorful horizon. After saying "I do", it was time for the famous Abigail Kirsch cocktail hour and dancing courtesy of The Next Faze by Faze 4 Orchestras.

I loved the overall feeling of the reception. The colors were clean and classic which provided great contrast to the dark space. Some sophisticated up-lighting added pops of color which provided a nice sense of depth and richness to the party photography.

Stephanie & Ben, thank you so much for asking me to be your wedding photographer. It was such a pleasure to capture your beautiful summer wedding. Congratulations!

Lighthouse at Chelsea Piers Wedding Brian Hatton Photography