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