Newark Museum Wedding : Tracey & John : Newark, NJ
Tracey and John were married on November 11th, with a ceremony at Bethany Baptist Church and a reception at the Newark Museum in New Jersey.
I began with Tracey and the ladies at the Element Hotel in Harrison, New Jersey, while the guys finished their final preparations at the Hilton Newark Penn Station. Tracey finished up by reading a touching letter from her soon-to-be husband before we caravanned over to Liberty State Park, where they would see each other for the first time.
I hadn’t had the chance to meet the bride and groom before the wedding, so the first time I saw them together was the first look. Immediately, their magnetism was evident, and we quickly forgot about the blistering cold out by the waterfront. Actually, the weather even worked to our advantage, because the park was completely empty, and the sky was crisp and colorful. The images of the first look were my favorite because of the power of the moment as well as the low, flattering afternoon light that added such warmth to the pictures. As the sun set, we made our way into Newark for the ceremony at the Bethany Baptist Church. Now, there are parts of every wedding that are the most memorable. Sometimes it’s the party, and sometimes it’s the portraits. But for this wedding, it was by far that ceremony. The sanctuary was packed full of friends there to cheer them on, and I loved the atmosphere. Their loved ones performed music, and they wrote personal vows that had everyone clutching a tissue.
From there, we made our way to the Newark Museum, where the reception was set in a grand space with high ceilings that made it feel like a society event in a movie. John sang with members of an acapella choir from his alma mater along with his best man—a beautiful moment that added a personal touch to the reception by uniting John’s past with his new life with Tracey.
John & Tracey, thank you for letting me be part of your love story. It was an amazing experience!
Vendors
Event Planner/Design: Virginia Grace
Caterer: Frungillo Caterers
Florist: Laurel Society
Stationary: The bride. Instagram: @papertrace
Hair: Rachelle
Makeup: Christopher Michael
Officiant: 2/ Father Charles Fischer Pastor Timothy Jones
Band/DJ: The Legendary Chris Washington
Video: First Day Films firstdayfilms.com
Wedding Dress: designer: Matthew Christopher, Panache Bridal
Bride's Shoes: Alchimia Di Ballin
Bridesmaids Dresses: Jenny Yoo
Cake: Baked
Veil: Lovely Bride
Groom's Attire: Suit Supply custom tuxedo
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
Studio 450 Wedding : Isabelle & Jonathan : New York, NY
Isabelle and Jonathan were married on October 13th, with a ceremony and reception at Studio 450.
After photographing their engagement session at Coney Island, when I arrived at the Dream Hotel in Midtown to do some getting ready pictures for Isabelle, I was so excited to see them tie the knot. Jon was getting ready at the Kimpton Ink48 nearby. Both venues have a modern vibe that perfectly fit their sensibilities.
Their first look location was a first for me: the James A. Farley Post Office Building, right across from Penn Station. I loved this idea of Isabelle’s not only because it was centrally located between the hotels and the venue but because it was a totally unique place for a first look. The columns added a dramatic flair and it was easy to forget we were standing in the middle of New York City.
A short walk later, we were at Studio 450 for a rooftop ceremony surrounded by the skyscrapers of Manhattan with the Empire State Building in view. This is one of my favorite venues. Between the rooftop view and the wraparound windows, you can see that stunning horizon from anywhere inside as the sun goes down. It’s also totally unassuming—you’d never know just walking down the street that one of the coolest NYC loft wedding venues is upstairs.
After a traditional Chinese tea ceremony to honor family members, it was time for hilarious speeches, dancing, and plenty of fun all around. I was particularly entertained by the fact that Isabelle and Jonathan had given their dog free rein throughout the night! He’d run around, say hello to some guests, and then plop down right on top of Isabelle’s dress while she danced. It was hilarious. LOL
I also had the pleasure of running into some musicians that I went to school with 10 years ago. Bianchi Musica Productions is a professional ensemble that reads music from iPads, so there’s no fumbling around with paper music, which was perfect to keep the focus on Isabelle and Jonathan during their ceremony. I can’t believe it took over 500 weddings to run in to a few people I know! I have to give Blue Smoke Catering a shout too because they added the perfect personal touch to the reception. What’s better than getting married and then chowing down on your favorite BBQ comfort food?
Jon & Isabelle, I thoroughly enjoyed documenting your story, from engagement to wedding. Thank you for trusting me with these important moments in your lives!
Vendors:
Caterer: Blue Smoke
Cake: Ovenly
Florist: Rachel Cho
Makeup & Hair: NY Bridal Beauty
DJ: Scratch Weddings
Wedding Dress: Karen Willis Holmes
Bride's Shoes: Jimmy Choo
Groom's Attire: The Black Tux
Ceremony Music: Bianchi Musica
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