River Cafe Wedding : Christine & Diego : Brooklyn, NY

Christine & Diego were married at The River Cafe overlooking Manhattan.

It’s always interesting to see how different couples bring a varied vibe to venues I’m at frequently. Sometimes The River Cafe is warm and intimate. Sometimes it fosters a casual party atmosphere. On this day there was a bit of an intriguing mystique to the air thanks to Christine & Diego’s creative sensibilities and penetrating gaze.

The bride and groom got ready at NU Hotel in Brooklyn allowing me to visit both of them as they prepped since I was flying solo that particular day. We took advantage of the sharp, contrasty light in Brooklyn Bridge Park for their portraits as the sun settled down on the horizon during the ceremony on the patio. Christine wore Robert Bullock while Diego donned a custom Alan David tuxedo. Another example of how TRC can take a bow tie or no tie.

Roundhouse Wedding : Jess & Josh : Beacon, NY

Jess & Josh held their Spring wedding at The Roundhouse in Beacon, NY.

I am lucky to shoot at The Roundhouse quite a bit and it was great to kick off this season of visits with this spirited couple. This was one of those weddings that feel like is photographing itself. So many raw and real expressions and a well crafted vibe. This venue is great just on its own without little dressing up, but Jess & Josh’s disco ball theme really upped the ante. I had a spree of 3 or 4 weddings in a row where they all had disco balls and it added so much! I hope to see more in the future.

These days I’ve found myself really gravitating towards the hotel building on the property at the top of the hill. I love the brick details and contemporary landscaping which. The warmth plus the cool greens really pop and I feel like many modern couples look and feel at home there.

Jess & Josh lucked out with both the ceremony and cocktail hour being held outside. I love how easy it is to get big group shots with family and friends on the expansive patio or down by the waterfall. It’s the ideal setting for cocktails.

Moving inside for the reception, the lights came on and we were in amazement at the zillions of bright disco spots swirling about the room. As we light various elements with flash the disco balls pick up that light and send it out like a sparkler. It’s pretty amazing to see flying across the viewfinder.

Photography: Brian Hatton
Venue: The Roundhouse
Florist: Lavender & Leaf
Hair & Makeup: Gem House
Officiant: Rabbi Lori Koffman
Lighting: LNJ
Band: Atomic Funk
Cinema: Kiss the Bride Films
Wedding Dress: Rebecca Schoneveld

Sole East Resort Wedding : Ying & Eric : Montauk, NY

Ying & Eric were married in the exquisite Hamptons, choosing the relaxing getaway Sole East Resort in Montauk, NY for their wedding ceremony and reception.

It makes for an early start to my day, but I love the drive to Montauk. When you’re headed East from NYC, there is a point a 90 minutes or so in where the trees transition from your typical random highway-side assortment to these ethereal, sea-green pines. This is the moment where any lingering stress begins to dissolve, even if I'm on my way for work.

This lovely couple asked me to come to Sole East to document their day after photographing their friends’ wedding in the city at The Pierre. I love these types of referrals that take you between two opposite ends of the spectrum in terms of venue style.

Upon reaching Montauk, I had a couple of hours to spare before I was to start by documenting the traditional Chinese tea ceremony. I utilized this time to familiarize myself with the venue and scout potential locations for photography. Located just a few moments from Sole East, we made our way to the bay side which was absolutely serene. We gathered the bridal party and family there after the first look and then it was off to the ceremony under the absolutely gorgeous sky that we were offered in the Spring.

Photography: Brian Hatton
Venue: Solé East
Florist: Pink Jasmine Designs
Hair/Makeup: EJ Kim
DJ: DJ Lou
Ceremony Music: Julian Schwarz & Marika Bournaki
Wedding Gown: Amsale

Central Park Zoo Wedding : Ashley & Kip : New York, NY

Ashley & Kip were married on a Spring afternoon at the Central Park Zoo in New York City.

I met up with the bride and groom with umbrella in hand at the Park Lane Hotel which was especially gracious is allowing us to use their rooftop bar for 5 minutes. This is a very rare occurrence as most hotels common spaces are totally off limits in NYC for photography. We staged a first look there and then hopped in cars to go to Grand Central Terminal for some portraits. If you show up at GCT with a bridal party you’ll need a permit, but they’re always cool if you keep a small footprint with a bride & groom.

At the Central Park Zoo, Ashley & Kip’s ceremony took place under a covered walkway which offered a long and anticipation building aisle. A lovely tent was erected nearby which kept everyone high and dry. Fortunately by the time cocktails rolled around the sky dried up a bit and the guests were ushered over to the sea lion tank for a demonstration with drink in hand.

Photography: Brian Hatton
Getting Ready: Park Lane Hotel
Ceremony & Reception: Central Park Zoo
Wedding Planner: Alinato Events
Catering: Bartleby & Sage
Florist: Rosehip Social
Stationery: Swell Press/Little Black Dress Paperie
Hair: JC Hair Design
Makeup: Beauty on Location NJ
Lighting: Frost Lighting & Production
Band: Silver Arrow Band
Wedding Dress: Ines di Santo
Shoes: Manolo Blahnik
Bridesmaids’ Dresses: Amsale
Rings: Howard Engle

SECOND Floor NYC Wedding : Kevin & michael : New York, NY

Kevin and Michael tied the knot in early spring at SECOND Floor NYC, situated within the Eventi Hotel in Midtown Manhattan.

This unique venue combines the charm of an urban industrial loft in Brooklyn with all the amenities of a towering NYC hotel. The location is perfect as Madison Square Park is just a stone’s throw away, providing a stunning backdrop for couples portraits. During cocktail hour, the entire wall of windows surrounding the bar can be raised to create an indoor/outdoor ambiance, weather permitting. A distinctive feature is the massive Jumbotron screen, which projects a slideshow of images across a courtyard. The grooms chose to showcase their beloved cat, making it seem like he was present at the event. What really stood out to me about this particular wedding reception was the use of an amazing disco ball. I think all weddings should have these! When it comes on - people go nuts haha.

I'm thrilled to have had the opportunity to shoot at SECOND again, and the vibe was nothing short of fantastic.

Vendor Team:

Photographer: Brian Hatton Photography
Event Planning: The Union Studio
Cake: Lulu
Florist: Rosehip Social
Stationary: Bella Figura
Groom's’ Attire: Brooks Brothers
Grooming: Salon SCK
Lighting: Universal Light & Sound
Ceremony Music: Venus Ensembles
DJ: James Mulry
Rings: Tiffany