10/25/17 10/25/17

Glen Oaks Club Wedding : Hailey & David : Old Westbury, NY

Glen Oaks Club Wedding Brian Hatton Photo

Hailey and David were married on September 9th, with a ceremony and reception at the Glen Oaks Club in Old Westbury, NY.

These two were referred to me by a former bride of mine, Katharine Gray, who has also referred many of her other friends. As a wedding photographer, it’s the nicest compliment to know that she appreciates my work and trusts me with her friends’ pictures. And, of course, I sincerely appreciate it.

I met up with Hailey in the locker room of the beautiful Glen Oaks Club after she had gotten her hair done at a local salon. There, she got her makeup done and got into her dress, while David was nearby getting ready at the Viana Hotel in Westbury. We staged a first look on the golf course, followed by some photos with the bridal party on the back patio of the club before going inside for some family pictures.

The Glen Oaks golf course is one of the heralded treasures of the area. In fact, while we were taking pictures for the wedding, we saw preparations getting underway throughout the grounds for an upcoming US Open. It was a warm, familiar space for Hailey, too, because many people in her family are longtime members of the club.

The sunlight was just beginning to dim when we finished with our pictures, which set the stage for the ceremony, beautifully decorated by Atlas Florals. The stunning chuppah was just a preview of what was to come, as the ballroom was absolutely overflowing with flowers. It took three full days to load everything in and set up—with great emphasis on the jaw-dropping ceiling arrangement.

I really enjoyed photographing Hailey & David's ceremony. Cantor Schwartz brought some beautiful, glistening qualities to the wedding that had some excited guests in the back on their feet with delight. And yet they never lost that intimate feeling during the ceremony—which is especially impressive when you have a room full of a couple hundred other people.

Thank you, Hailey & David, for allowing me to be part of your love story. It was a pleasure to come to your home for your engagement session, and I enjoyed photographing your spirited, absolutely beautiful wedding.

Vendors:

Florist: Atlas Florals

Cinema: The Light Mill

Band: Hank Lane Band

Planning: Ariana Stecker of Save the Date

Cake: Butterfly Bakeshop

Favors: Laduree

10/19/17 10/19/17

W Union Square Wedding : Justin & Ian : New York, NY

Justin & Ian were married September 16, 2017 in a sincere, touching ceremony with glistening happy tears at the W New York Union Square in the middle of New York City. These handsome gentleman called me up from Texas to have me photograph their wedding, and I was delighted to shoot for them! Getting ready in separate rooms, the grooms readied their made-to-measure navy tuxedos from Suit Supply before we set up the magical moment of their first look on the grand staircase of the hotel. After a quick jaunt around Union Square, the time warp that is a wedding day led us right in to the ceremony. Justin & Ian's infectiousness love for each other made portraits a breeze. Flo NY Events did a beautiful job dressing with white florals the stately ballroom of the W which made for a lovely backdrop for several wonderful speeches, parent dances and a lively dance floor thanks to DJ Marvl of Scratch Music. Getting the opportunity to photograph such a loving couple and their families is what makes this job fun and fulfilling. Thank you Justin & Ian for having me!

VendorsCake: Butterfly BakeryFlorist: Flo NY EventsGrooms' Attire: Suit SupplyDJ: Scratch Music, DJ MarvlRings: Krombholtz Jewelers

10/11/17 10/11/17

Park Hyatt New York Wedding : Rebecca & Thibault : New York, NY

Park Hyatt New York Wedding Brain Hatton Photography Rebecca and Thibault were married on September 8^th, with a ceremony and reception at the Park Hyatt New York.

I started out the day with Kaipo of 15 Minutes of Frame, with whom I work frequently, and Teal from LLG Events who kept the day running smoothly.

We photographed Rebecca’s bouquet as Stacey Weinstein of Once Upon a Bride finished preparing her, then took a few pictures of her in her gorgeous dress. After the bridal portraits we went downstairs for a first look at the base of the hotel’s entryway staircase. From there, we took some photos with the bridal party and family ahead of the ceremony in the Onyx Room. I especially liked the round, dynamic light piece in the lobby—it's such an interesting element for pictures.

After exactly 8 minutes, Rebecca and Thibault had been pronounced husband and wife—and the party could officially start. The guests rushed off to a cocktail party, while Tantawan Bloom worked hard to transform the room. It was an impressive reveal when we all returned, with high centerpieces draped in roses and white and pink cherry blossoms. The incomparable Golf Srithamrong can truly turn a space into such a wonderland, you forget where you are!

Rebecca, a former dancer, and Thibault, who I think will be a professional dancer in his next incarnation, took to the dance floor to dazzle their guests while the Onyx Room walls sparkled. I loved the elegance of their dance as well as the way we were able to position a light so that we could pop them right off the background. Once the party really got going, it was all fun and dancing, including some epic Bollywood dancing. Thibault happens to have a strong affinity for Bollywood, and some of the guests took to the dance floor to bring a little flavor. It wasn’t long at all before both Thibault and Rebecca joined in the fun.

I’d be remiss if I didn’t also mention Ron Ben Israel, who you might otherwise know from his Food Network Show, “Sweet Genius.” He designed the wedding cake, as he does for all weddings at the Park Hyatt, New York. His signature is the hand-molded sugar florals on the cake, and this time around, he had delicate, small flowers, giving the cake a whimsical feeling that still complemented the deco style of the space. Over the course of this past year, I’ve seen a wide range of his creations, and they never fail to impress.

Rebecca & Thibault, your wedding was stylish, freshly decorated, and full of so much character. It makes my job so fun to have a wedding like this, especially toward the end of the season, and I really appreciated being part of it. Thanks also especially to Tantawan Bloom for graciously referring me for this stunning wedding.

Park Hyatt New York Wedding Brain Hatton Photography

Vendors:

Dress: Monique Lhuillier

Florist: Tantawan Bloom

Shoes: Jimmy Choo

Video: 15 Minutes of Frame

Cake: Ron Ben Israel

Hair: Once Upon a Bride

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

Details

Florist: Superior Florist

Makeup & Hair: Once Upon a Bride

Officiant: Rabbi Jeffrey Clopper

Band: The Next Faze, Faze 4 Orchestras

Video: WeCinema

Wedding Dress: Selia Yang

Shoes: Badgley Mischka

Groom's Attire: Hugo Boss

9/28/17 9/28/17

Oheka Castle Wedding : Abbie & Tony : Huntington, NY

Oheka Castle Wedding Brian Hatton Photography

Abbie and Tony were married on August 20^th, with a ceremony and reception at the Oheka Castle in Huntington, New York.

In mid-August, I found myself sitting in a hotel room in Rome when I received a phone call from Abbie’s wedding planner: “Are you available to shoot a wedding at Oheka Castle this weekend? Yes . . . this weekend.” This is officially the closest to the date that I’ve ever booked a wedding! But I ended up loving it all the same—especially because I got to meet an amazing couple because of it.

Abbie and Tony have always dreamed of getting married at a castle, so in the NYC area, the obvious choice is Oheka Castle on Long Island in Huntington. As a Long Island wedding photographer, I’m at Oheka every year and am always impressed by the expansive property. It’s so vast that every couple can really bring their own tone to the wedding.

For Abbie and Tony, it was the chance to have some fun and take some great pictures with Abbie’s THREE dresses. Abbie wore her first dress, a red ballgown, for the Chinese tea ceremony honoring her parents. We took a few photos around the grounds before Abbie got ready in Oheka’s famous bridal suite, changing into a white gown for the wedding ceremony in the garden. The gown looked stunning in the super soft, warm, late afternoon light. After the ceremony, there was another dress change—this time into a highly-detailed red dress for the reception. I especially loved the way the red popped against the neutral colors of the castle.

During the ceremony itself, as Abbie walked down the aisle, we were able to get that quintessential Oheka shot with a photographer in the elevated position to take it. Doves were released, the newlyweds departed in a horse-drawn carriage, and the whole thing looked absolutely magical.

It was a spectacular afternoon with perfect weather—and the most enthusiastic groom I think I’ve ever had for taking photos. The planner kept trying to nudge us along to the next scheduled event, but Tony was all about getting the shots that Abbie wanted. After this, Abbie and Tony are headed to Shanghai for a reception in China, and they planned to display the photos that we took during this wedding for their hundreds of guests, so getting that perfect shot was so important to them.

Tony & Abbie, thank you for letting me be a part of your celebrations. I hope these photos are a hit at your reception in China! Thanks also to Bliss Wedding Films—you guys were a pleasure to work with, and your drone operator was one of the most talented I’ve ever seen.

Oheka Castle Wedding Brian Hatton Photography