New York, New York: Katherine & Thomas's Wedding

Katherine knew that Thomas was the one for her after a particularly kind act in a parking lot, when Thomas spotted an abandoned kitten and rushed over to help it. Katherine and Thomas had been dating for a bit by this time and she was already starting to fall for him. But it was in that moment that Katherine said to herself, this man - this is the one for me. In that unexpected, unrehearsed moment Thomas revealed the depth of his kindness and his willingness to help those in need.

In Katherine, Thomas had found a like-minded soul. Beautiful inside and out, she dedicates herself fully to the things she does and has an exuberance for life that is completely contagious. They were married this fall on a chilly day in October in what just might be the most beautiful historic church in all of Manhattan - a fitting location for a couple whose love is so pure and commitment to one another will stand the test of time.

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Dress: Custom Designed for the Bride  |  Ceremony Location: Grace Church in New York, NY  |  Venue: Home Studios in New York, NY

New Haven Lawn Club: New Haven, CT: Laura & Jaime's Wedding

Even before their wedding day, Laura and Jaime had committed to one another many times. They encouraged each other through job changes, new careers and exciting creative endeavors. They traveled together to beautiful places and blended into each other’s families. They adopted a dog and then another, sharing their love and adventures with what just might be the luckiest pups in the world.

So it’s not surprising that on their wedding day Laura and Jaime were completely calm. They were confident in their decision because this day was the culmination of all the days that had come before - the times they chose one another, cheered each other on, and ultimately said, with every action, by your side is exactly where I want to be. 

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Hair: Elise from Top Level Salon  |  Make-Up: susan from Wild Honey Face and Body Suite  |  Bridal Gown: Kelly Faetanini  |  Bridal salon: A Little Something White  |  Venue: New Haven Lawn Club in New Haven, Connecticut  |  Cake: J Cakes  |  Floral Design: Diane Gaudette  |  DJ: PowerStation Events

Cranbury Park: Norwalk, CT: Alyssa & Mike's Engagement Session

Alyssa and Mike met during what, for many people, is a pretty stressful time: law school. As they were both students at Quinnipiac Law they discovered that, like all challenging things in life, law school is much easier to get through it when you have someone by your side.  And when they graduated they were able to celebrate their accomplishments together, fully knowing just how much hard work they had each done to get them to that point. It seems like a very fitting way to start a life together: seeing each other through a rewarding, and sometimes challenging, endeavor sounds a lot like marriage in general.

We met Alyssa and Mike for their engagement session in Cranbury Park (which is beautiful and super dog-friendly) not long before their wedding last fall. They were so much fun to photograph, not only because they happened to bring along their adorable dog Quincy Jones, but also because they are just so crazy about one another.  And if you like this, check back on the blog again soon because we'll be sharing their New Haven wedding very soon!

New York, New York: Tracy & Ben's Engagement Session

I’m sure I’ve mentioned before just how much I love New York City in the Fall, but, really, I can’t say it enough. The colors in the trees, the crunch of leaves underfoot, the blue October sky and weather that does not require a sleeping-bag-like coat nor make you feel like you’re frying like an egg on the city sidewalk. In short, fall in New York is pretty much perfect.

So it's fitting that Fall is also a very popular time for engagement sessions - especially for spring couples who want to take advantage of getting the chance to have photos of the two of them during another season (which happens to be one of our 5 reasons to do an engagement session, click over for the other four.)

With our spring wedding season about to kick off next month, I thought it’d be the perfect time to share Tracy and Ben’s engagement session, photographed in Washington Square Park and some of our favorite streets in the West Village. We had a blast with Tracy and Ben, getting to know them and capture their undeniable chemistry. Tracy has a gorgeous smile and Ben knows all the best ways to bring it out. 

Breakwater Inn and Spa: Kennbunkport, Maine: Ashley & Max's Wedding Film

Truthfully, whatever words I may put here will be insufficient. They will pale in comparison to the act of actually seeing Ashley & Max's wedding day (in video form) with your own two eyes. So, just go ahead and click below and see for yourself what a waterside wedding in Maine can be like when you have a couple that are incredibly in love, whose energy is infectious and whose family and friends who could not be happier for them.

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Bridal Gown: Alvina Valenta    |    Tuxedo: Russo Tux    |    Hairstylist: Taylor & Company of Kennebunkport, Maine    |    Make-up: Jackie Angelini    |    Invitations & Paper: Designed by the Bride Produced by Invitations & Co.   |   Calligraphy: Antea Amoroso Design    |    Flowers: Winston Flowers    |    Trolley: Intown Trolley Company, Inc.    |    Event Design & Coordination: Salvatore DeGeorge of DeGeorge Signature Events    |    Ceremony Location: St. Ann’s Episcopal Church in Kennebunkport, Maine    |    Reception Location: Breakwater Inn and Spa in Kennebunkport, Maine    |    Cake: Gayle Forte of Let Them Eat Cake

Central Park: New York, NY: Rachel & Farid's Family Session

I have said before that I often miss our couples after the wedding. We spend a lot of time with them (from the engagement session through the wedding and then afterwards for albums and such) and we get to know them pretty well. That’s why I’m always delighted when we get to see them again at other weddings or for portrait sessions when they start families of their own. In Rachel and Farid’s case, we’ve gotten to see them for both of those. 

We have know Rachel and Farid for eight years, having first met them back in 2009 when we photographed their engagement session and then their lakeside wedding in Connecticut. We got to see them again in 2013 when we photographed Rachel’s brother Andrew's wedding. These two are so easy to talk to, super laid back and just fun to be around.

That’s why we were thrilled when they contacted us this past fall to do a portrait session for them now that they are a family of four. Their two daughters are not only gorgeous but they are also incredibly sweet and have so much personality. We really enjoyed getting to see them again and hope to catch up with them all again sometime soon.

New York, NY: Stephanie & John's Engagement Session

When you live in a city as densely populated as New York, you are surrounded by people. They are quite literally brushing against you on the street, standing (usually too) close to you on a crowded subway car, hailing that last cab with it’s light on in the rain just before you can. Manhattan, with it’s twenty-two square miles and 1.6 million people (nearly all of which seem like they are constantly in a hurry), can be a surprisingly challenging place to make a true connection with another person. Days are long, sidewalks are busy, time is precious and crowds become faceless.

That’s why, when Stephanie’s friends invited her to join them at the local bar after work, she was hesitant. She would have just as soon gone home and relaxed. Thankfully, she decided to go. That night, she met John. He was smart and funny and although he happened to live in her neighborhood, they had never met before. As they talked that night, they both came to the conclusion that this was perhaps the very best “grab drinks after work” night that they had ever had. Because had they decided to bypass the bar that night and opt for a quiet night at home then they would have missed out on the rarest of opportunities in Manhattan: finding the one person that stands out from the crowd and can make you feel, even in a city of a million and a half people, like you’re the only person in the world.

Quogue, NY: Claire & Tom's Engagement Session

We recommend engagement sessions to all of our couples for a host of reasons; most importantly because it gives you the chance to incorporate things into photos that will not be a part of your wedding day. In Claire and Tom’s case, those things were a meaningful location and Pip, their sweet dog. The location was a beach home that had been in Tom’s family for decades - built by his grandparents and now shared by the family. It’s been the destination for many fond memories and seemed like the perfect place to capture this time in Claire and Tom’s lives. Pip, an energetic Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, is not only incredibly photogenic but she also is adorably devoted to her owners.

Claire and Tom will be getting married this May in an equally beautiful, but much less coastal, location at the Blue Hill at Stone Barns. Based on how much fun we had with them (and then Tom’s family for a portrait session a few months later) we can not wait for their wedding. That’s especially because, as you’ll see below, this beautiful couple is an absolute joy to photograph.

Housing Works Bookstore: New York, NY: Kaley & Eric's Wedding

Kaley’s mother was not at all surprised when her daughter called and told her that she would be getting married in a book store. It seemed fitting for her daughter who had loved books since she was a very little girl, when the local library in their small town in Maine was one of her favorite places to visit. That love of books grew into a love of learning which ultimately led Kaley across the country to Stanford University, where she would met Eric. 

Eric was an East Coaster, too, having also moved across the country from Maryland to California for college. He and Kaley ended up living in the same dorm and started dating their senior year. After graduation, their relationship went long distance, with Kaley working in D.C. and Eric in San Francisco. Five years ago, Eric relocated to NYC, a move that meant that the distance between them was no longer time zones and thousands of miles, but a simple bus ride down the East Coast. Kaley ended up moving up to NYC not long after and soon Eric asked her to be his wife. 

In the hunt for the perfect place for their wedding, the Housing Works Bookstore just happened to be around the corner from Kaley’s work and offer the exact kind of unique setting they were seeking. Of course, being among stacks of books was something that Kaley had enjoyed for as long as she could remember, and she wouldn’t forget that learning from those books had led to what would be her greatest adventure - a life with Eric.

Bryant Park Grill: New York, NY: Donna & Jonathan's Wedding

It rained all day on the day Donna and Jonathan were married. It wasn’t a drizzle. The rain came down hard and sideways with puddles growing large on the city streets. Every glance out the window was met with the confirmation that it did not look as though it was going to stop any time soon. Their plans of the outdoor, rooftop ceremony had to be rearranged. Pictures could no longer take place in the park. There would have to be umbrellas, probably a lot of them. But none of that stressed Jonathan.

All morning, friends and family came up to him to tell them how sorry they were about the weather. To him, there was absolutely nothing to be sorry about. “I wouldn’t care if there was a hurricane,” he said. “I’m marrying the woman I love.”

If the rain was bothering Donna at all the morning, any worry about it washed away the minute she was with Jonathan. If he could have, by sheer force of will, he made the sun shine just for her. And she knew that. Because he would do anything for her. “If I were a singer, I’d sing a song for you,” he told her during his vows. “What I am is a dreamer, and you are my dream come true.”

As if that wasn’t enough to fill their guest’s eyes with tears, Donna and Jonathan then opened their reception with a movie-worthy first dance made all the more special by how clear it is that these two just really love to have fun together. And when the night came to the end, the rain had dissipated enough for the guests to line the walkway with sparklers as Donna and Jonathan left their reception - the dream-worthy ending to a day that was as magical as the couple in the center of it all.

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Hair: Krystal Clark  |  Headpiece: Boutique de Voile  |  Bridal Gown: Essense of Australia  |  Bridal Salon: Ally’s Bridal in Hoboken, New Jersey  |  Shoes: Shoes of Prey  |  Bridesmaids Dresses: Dessy  |  Flowers: Catherine Cotter of Somerset Hills Florist  |  DJ: Rob Frannicola of Ultimate Entertainment  |  Cake: Joyce Osorio