River Cafe Wedding : Brooklyn, NY
Clara & Aaron were married at The River Cafe in Brooklyn, NY on the waterfront.
More and more, couples have been opting to bring me to the rehearsal dinner to capture the day-before festivities. I always love this as it gives me some time to get to know and document very close family and friends. The next day at the wedding, the jitters of being in front of the camera have all but dissipated.
Clara & Aaron held their rehearsal dinner at Hana Makgeolli in Greenpoint and took the opportunity to hold a Korean paebaek ceremony. This serves as the perfect ice breaker for the two sides of family to relax and get to know each other. Wearing traditional hanbok, they honored their parents and family before the fun hazing rituals of throwing chestnuts to determine how many kids they’d have and carrying the bride around the room on the groom’s back. Fun stuff.
The next day I started right at the first look outside 1Hotel Brooklyn Bridge. We meandered our way through Brooklyn Bridge Park taking photos before meeting up with family at The River Cafe. The weather decided to pull a fast one on us so we began with cocktail hour before the ceremony was underway. I kinda loved that - guests arrived leisurely and had a chance to grab a drink and mingle before heading to the garden for the vows. After that 30 minute break from refreshments everyone went inside for the reception. This somehow had a “modern” wedding vibe as the guests all saw Clara before the actual ceremony. Shockingly, no one turned into pumpkins.
Photography: Brian Hatton
Rehearsal Dinner Venue: Hana Makgeolli
Wedding Venue: The River Cafe
River Cafe Wedding : Brooklyn, NY
Rachel & Mike were wed at The River Cafe located on the waterfront in Brooklyn, NY in August.
I’ve come to love Brooklyn Bridge Park for its almost zen like atmosphere. The 1Hotel Brooklyn Bridge is built adjacent to the park which happens to be adjacent to The River Cafe. This is an indisputable trifecta for getting ready, portraits and reception. On this, my second of five stints at the River Cafe this season, I was met with overcast skies which cast a pleasing calmness and uniformity to the images throughout the day. Having sun is nice of course but there are definitely pros to the softness the clouds can provide.
River Cafe Wedding : Ashley & Ben : Brooklyn, NY
Ashley & Ben were married on May 13th, with a ceremony and reception at the River Café in Brooklyn, New York photographed by Brian Hatton Photography. I started off the day at the stylish new 1Hotel Brooklyn Bridge. I love shooting here because of all the backdrops and textures available for photography. Also, it’s not often that I get to experience a completely new property here in NYC! With its industrial, modern design, as well as its living walls and amazing rooftop, this hotel has instantly become a go-to “getting ready” spot for weddings in the Brooklyn Bridge Park area. Once Ashley was ready, we staged a first look at the hotel under the covered entryway, then hopped in an Uber to head around DUMBO for photos near Jane’s Carousel and under the Manhattan Bridge. Even though it was raining, the bride and groom were both good sports and ready to try anything. So, we kept right on—they had an umbrella, and I had fully-weather sealed cameras. I might have gotten a little wet, but we were good to go! Besides, I always find New York to be romantic in the rain. Their ceremony took place under the tent at the River Café with the Brooklyn Bridge towering above. One of my favorite moments was at the very end, once Ashley and Ben were married, when Ben threw his fist in the air to the cheers of their guests. He was too excited to hold his emotions in. That set the tone for the fun reception filled with off-the-cuff toasts and a no-holds-barred dance floor. Throughout the entire day, I enjoyed the opportunity to photograph every single person there. That is one of my favorite parts of shooting small weddings: every single person in attendance was important to Ashley and Ben, so I had a great time pursuing each moment and expression to capture those personal interactions. Ben caught some light-spirited flack from his best man over his new vegan lifestyle (thanks to his bride). But the River Café provided a beautiful dish to accommodate those meal preferences—one of the many benefits of having a wedding at a Michelin-starred restaurant. Of course, I must praise the talented ladies of Exquisite Affairs Productions once again. No matter how big or small the wedding, having an extra hand to help with the dress and move family around with an eye on the schedule goes a long way. This was two weekends in a row with these amazing women, and I love every second of that partnership. Thank you, Ben & Ashley, for having me photograph your intimate day. Congratulations to you both!
Vendors:
Wedding Planner: Exquisite Affairs ProductionsFlorist: OpaliaBand: Elan Artists
