Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts : Karla & Greg : Philadelphia, PA
Karla and Greg were married on December 31st, with a ceremony and reception at the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts in Philadelphia. I don’t often find myself in Philadelphia for weddings, but I always enjoy the trip. It really isn’t that far away, and it’s a chance to get out of my usual element!
When this New Year’s Eve wedding rolled around, it was blisteringly cold—10 degrees Fahrenheit! Thankfully, when I arrived at the Ritz Carlton to photograph Karla putting on the finishing touches, I was grateful to see that the plans were to stay stowed away inside the warm and expansive museum.
I was more than happy with staying inside when the venue had so many opportunities for photography. The main building had a bit of the Old World feeling to it, with all the romance that it brings to live in the past in those surroundings. And then across the street at a different building, the feeling changed to a more modern one with plenty of contemporary art—the perfect backdrop for a great band and a party that went all the way to the stroke of midnight to ring in the new year.
And for as impressive as the museum itself was, I was even more impressed with Karla and Greg. From the first look to the bridal portraits, these two were nothing but stunning. I especially loved the pictures of the two of them on the grand staircase of the museum. I was able to get plenty of perspectives that highlight the expansiveness of the space as well as the grandeur that these two embodied.
I also loved that Karla and Greg knew how to take care of their guests. Everyone got a beverage in the gallery before they were ushered into the ceremony space, with gorgeous high ceilings—which meant all the guests were warm and happy.
And of course, I have to give a shout-out to my friends at Frank Ahm Films from New York. They were on top of all the action, as always, and I loved working with them.
Karla and Greg, thank you for choosing me to help capture your celebration. I loved ringing in 2018 with the two of you!
Vendors:
Wedding Dress: Pronovias
Caterer: Starr Catering
Cake: Night Kitchen
Florist: Robertsons
Band: EBE
Planning: Melissa Codkind, Initiatives Events
Videography: Frank Ahm Films
The Grove Wedding : Dora & Paul : Cedar Grove, NJ
Paul and Dora were married on November 11th, with a ceremony at the St. George Greek Orthodox Church in Clifton and a reception at the Grove in Cedar Grove, New Jersey.
It was a perfect fall day—my favorite time for shooting weddings—when I got to Dora’s parents’ home. It’s a big tradition in Greek weddings to zip up the dress and place the veil in her childhood bedroom, so I made sure to capture that moment. Greek weddings are always so colorful and include rituals that are beautiful both to witness and to photograph, so I always love being asked to do them.
When we got to the St. George Greek Orthodox Church in Clifton, the white church transported us to somewhere that felt far away. The gorgeous venue was illuminated by the afternoon sun, which only contributed to the feeling of majesty.
Just before the sun hit the horizon, I was able to whisk Paul and Dora away to Verona Park. This is the best possible time for outdoor photos, when the light is soft, flattering, warm and especially romantic. And in the autumn, the trees pick up the golden sunset. Even though we didn’t have a ton of time, these images were some of my favorites.
We arrived at the Grove, a venue I’d never had the pleasure of photographing before, and I immediately loved the spacious lobby and ballroom. There is nothing like a New Jersey cocktail hour, and the Grove was no exception. I would have been excited to have their cocktail hour as my own wedding reception!
Since there were many Greek family members in attendance at the reception, at the very first beat of a Greek song from the DJ, a circle of people spontaneously erupted upon the dance floor with great spirit. And toward the end of the night, I was highly entertained as people really started to let loose the closer we got to the final song. I had so many options for angles to cover this vibrant celebration thanks to the huge ballroom and staircase, and I enjoyed myself finding new ways to cover this party.
This wedding was also the inaugural event for our new photo booth offering. With a booth technician to keep things moving smoothly, Dora and Paul’s friends had a ton of fun with all the amazing props! It’s a great way to get silly pictures of your guests in addition to normal coverage—and for people to leave with their own prints in hand.
Dora & Paul, thank you for asking me to be part of your vivacious wedding. It’s so nice to work with such a warm couple, and I’m grateful that you were able to show me such beautiful locations.
My 2018 wedding season is already well underway, with weddings at the St. Regis and University Club coming up. I can’t wait to work with all the couples in this coming year. But first, I wanted to finish remembering last year’s—and Paul and Dora aren’t the last wedding. There’s still more to come!
Vendors
Florist - River Dell Flowers
Brooklyn Botanic Garden Wedding : Ayana & Chris : Brooklyn, NY
Ayana and Chris were married on October 27th, with a ceremony at the Church of St. Mark’s Episcopal and a reception at the Palm House at the Brooklyn Botanic Garden.
I started out the day with Ayana at the Nu Hotel as she got ready before the first look. There was a great spirit in the room already, so I knew I was in for a fun day. It wasn’t long before we made our way to the Brooklyn Botanic Garden for the first look and portraits, where we met up with Christopher. I always love shooting around the Brooklyn Botanic Garden, especially around the staircase that seems to lead up into the sky.
From there, we made our way to the beautiful Church of St. Mark’s Episcopal for a rousing ceremony, filled with laughter and well-wishes. The intimacy of the space created a tight community atmosphere, and the colorful sermon had everyone excited and responsive, which is always fun to photograph. This was definitely my favorite part of the whole day.
When we got to the Palm House for the reception, I was stunned by all of the renovations they’d made! The space has a clean, airy feel with all of the new fixtures, carpets, and walls. And the dance floor lit up immediately with Caribbean music, highlighting the background of the bride and groom.
Of course, I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention the fact that this wedding allowed me to work with some of my favorite people in the area. Christine & Tara from Exquisite Affairs Productions split up to manage the flow of the day and make sure we all made it on time to the church. And John and the team from First Day Films are always easy to work with; I’ve had the pleasure of doing weddings with them for years.
Thank you, Ayana & Christopher for having me as part of your wedding day. I can't wait to put together your beautiful album!
Vendors
Planner: Exquisite Affairs Productions
Caterer: Patina Restaurant Group at BBG
Cake: Patina
Stationary: Type and Love Paperie
Florist: Atlas Floral Decorators
Hair & Makeup: Mia Farah Beautique
DJ: DJ Trauma
Videography: First Day Films
Transportation: Silver Star, Brownin & Luxor
Mandarin Oriental New York Wedding : Stacy & Stan : New York, NY
Stacy and Stan were married on October 7th, 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.
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
Oheka Castle Wedding : Nichole & Michael : Huntington, NY
Nichole and Michael were married on September 30th, with a ceremony and reception at the Oheka Castle in Huntington, New York. I was particularly honored to be chosen for this wedding, because Michael is a photographer himself, and whenever a fellow creative trusts me to capture these important moments, I take that trust seriously. And it turned out to be the perfect match of a couple, a venue, and the weather, too. Even though rain is one of those things that no one really wants on their wedding day, to say that the clouds passing over Oheka that day were dramatic would be an understatement. They added a whole new dimension to the famous castle that perfectly suited Michael, since he loves landscapes and travel. As the clouds rolled in, Nichole got ready in the bridal suite, while Michael and the guys put on the final touches downstairs. Nichole looked stunning in her Monique Lhuillier wedding gown—elegant and soft, complementing the atmosphere of the wedding perfectly. Just as we set up our first look, almost on cue, the rain came to a stop, and we were able to go outside. I tend to tread lightly in situations like this, because I completely understand if a bride isn’t up for being outside in her dress moments after a storm has passed, but Nichole didn’t even flinch as we marched outside onto the wet grounds for some amazing photos all the same. Soon after that, the guests began to arrive for the ceremony, and once again, the skies parted just enough for this moment. The sun shone through, illuminating Nichole and almost nothing else as she stood with Michael during the ceremony. Those pictures are not altered—that’s what it really looked like. After the ceremony ended, I couldn’t help but steal Nichole and Michael for a few more photos as the drama in the sky continued to unfold. One of my favorite photos of the whole day was the one of the two of them as Nichole’s veil blew in the wind. I loved how clean and smooth this looks in black and white, with the action of the veil completing the look. Now that I’d sated my dramatic photographer needs, it was time for the reception. The speeches were touching, and there was plenty of laughter and good times to go around. I was even thrilled to see that a former couple of mine got out on the dance floor. Nichole & Michael, I had so much fun shooting for you. I look forward to following your travels through the years to come on Instagram! 
Vendors:
Florist: Flowers by Brian
Stationary: Ceci New York, Bella Figura, EAST SIX
Hair & Makeup: VickyC5
Lighting: Ambient Events
Band: Hank Lane Music
Cinema: 15 Minutes of Frame
Wedding Dress: Monique Lhuillier
Bride's Shoes: Jimmy Choo
Bridesmaids Dresses: Amsale
Groom's Attire: Sebastien Grey Clothiers
Strings: Highline String Quartet
Photobooth: Sweet Booths