Kathleen and Dan had known each other for years. Growing up in the same town, they seemed to orbit around one another - attending the same preschool, elementary school, high school. They knew each other's names, would recognize each other in town. But in all those years they had never really gotten to know one another.
Until a dinner on the Upper East Side five years ago changed all that for good. That night, they shared sushi and traded stories and, in the process, found that they had much more in common that just living within the same zip code as kids. They talked for hours and by the time the night was over, Kathleen knew she wanted to see Dan again. Because in those few hours with him, she knew deep down that something incredible was beginning.
After that night, Dan couldn't seem to stop thinking about Kathleen's laugh. That infectious, Julia-Roberts-style laugh that made him smile at the mere thought of it. He needed to see her again. He needed to hear that laugh again. Because seeing Kathleen's smile, hearing that laugh, made Dan feel something he never had felt before.
Over the next four years they shared many more dinners. They discovered new New York neighborhoods, traveled to beautiful places, and dreamt of the life they would share together. After all those years of passing by one another, they knew that this time the timing was exactly right. They had "found" each other and they weren't going to take that for granted.
Last year there was another dinner. Another night on the East Side, sharing sushi and trading stories. After dinner Dan got a phone call. He was needed at work, right away. He had to go fix something at a job site. With no time to spare, he told Kathleen she would have to come with him and that it shouldn't take long. She agreed, thinking it must be a serious emergency since Dan would never usually takes her to a job site. They were ushered into Grand Central, met by security and granted access to the 59th floor.
But there is no 59th floor in the MetLife building. There was no work emergency for Dan to rush to either. When the elevators door opened, Dan escorted Kathleen out onto the roof of the building. He took her hand and walked her around, showing her the view of Manhattan from nearly 60 stories up. There, with the city traffic rushing by below them and the Empire State Building standing tall behind them, Dan got down on one knee and asked Kathleen to be his wife.
Fourteen months later, they gathered together all of their family and friends, all the people who had shared this journey with the two of them, in one of their favorite places in the world. They promised to love each other forever and hosted the celebration of their lives, with bonfires by the water and dancing well into the night. There, at the end of Long Island, Kathleen and Dan's married life began.
So this is a little something we've been working on behind the scenes and we're THRILLED to be announcing it officially today with this beautiful short preview of Kathleen & Dan's wedding film. That's right, we have officially expanded our team to now include videography by launching Wedding Films by Robert and Kathleen Photographers. By teaming up with some of the most talented wedding cinematographers in the industry, we are now able to capture wedding days in an even more comprehensive way. For more information about our Wedding Films, click here.
It was their first year of medical school; a busy haze of hours upon hours of reading, studying, going to class. That's where Jess and Dan met. Had they been like most people, they probably would have been too distracted to notice what was in front of them. But they aren't like most people. They did notice. Jess and Dan managed to forge a a connection that broke through that haze. They formed a bond. And that bond didn't make them distracted, it actually made them more focused. It helped them realize what mattered (and what didn't). Helped them see the best way to get through the next class, the next test, the next year - by doing it together. They would encourage each other. They would help each other. Together, they could get through anything.
Jess' friends discovered that Dan was the guy for Jess during one of the rare nights out during that first year. They all gathered together at a local bar. Music was playing, drinks were flowing and there was exhausted Jess, sound asleep on Dan's shoulder. That was the moment her friends knew. They knew because not only did Jess feel comfortable enough to fall sleep on Dan's shoulder, but they could tell that in that moment, there was no other place in the world that Dan would rather be. Let the music play, he was content.
Jess was on the other side of the world when Dan realized just how strongly he felt about her. Literally, the other side of the world. He was in Connecticut, she was in Taiwan. It was a break in their school schedule, and while Jess was in Taiwan visiting family, Dan was at a casino with a few of his friends. There, after a few drinks, he proclaimed to his friends that he was in love. And, he had to tell Jess. Right then. It must be done. So he found a phone and started dialing. Dialing numbers in Taiwan. He had spent a good bit of money dialing the wrong numbers before he got a hold of her. But it didn't matter. Because he knew how he felt and he wanted to make sure that she did too.
But she already knew. Everyone knew. It was clear from that first year of medical school. Clear as the act of falling asleep on his shoulder. Clear as the smile on Dan's face whenever Jess was around. Jess and Dan were meant to find each other. They make each other stronger. They make each other better. Together, they can do anything.
When Lauren's friends ask her where they can meet a guy like Josh she has a very simple answer for them. "An elevator."
It was an ordinary day. Lauren was heading out to take her dog for a walk when the elevator doors opened. There was Josh. Tall, handsome Josh with kind eyes and shy smile. They rode together long enough to learn each other's names and for Lauren to find out that Josh was new to the building and to Florida, in general. Josh knew he had to get to know that gorgeous blonde whose smile he couldn't seem to forget. It didn't take long for a first date to be made and the two of them to hit it off. Living in the same building, they got to know each other quickly and found it surprising (and nice) just how easily they fit into each other's lives. Lauren showed Josh around her home state, quickly making him feel very much at home there. Josh would return the favor, bringing Lauren up to Connecticut to meet his family and see where he grew up.
What you'll quickly discover about Josh is that he doesn't do anything half way. He swept Lauren off her feet better than most leading men do in romantic comedies. But that's not to say what they have isn't real. What they have it so sweet, so genuine that the best examples of anything remotely similar that come to mind are from the best books and movies. Because what they have is not only real, it's rare.
Because it's rare that you find a man willing to put his heart out there and tell you exactly how he feels. Rare to find a mind that flies you to one of the most romantic cities in the world and asks you to be his wife in a suite overlooking the Eiffel tower. But Josh did just that. Because he knew that what he had found was rare too. He knew it was rare to find a woman who was just as kind as she was beautiful. Rare to find a woman who was supportive of him and who truly thought for herself. Even more, they knew it was rare to find someone that their friends and family loved almost as much as they did. Because their friends and family could see exactly what they already knew - together, they had become better versions of themselves.
They decided on a destination wedding of sorts, having his family from Connecticut and her family from Florida all gather together in another one of the world's most romantic cities for their big day. The scene was set: NYC in December. It was a cold day and there was a threat of snow that would have made a lot of other brides nervous. Not Lauren. The cold was a change of pace for her and the snow was the icing on the cake. She could think of few things more romantic than to have snow falling as they said their vows under the glass roof of the Gramercy Park Hotel. And - to top it all off - this was the first snow some of her guests had ever seen. (I have to say, standing there and watching the wonder of snowy NYC through the eyes of Lauren's sweet friends and family made me fall in love with the city all over again). But even that, even NYC and the snow falling where no match to the magic of Lauren and Josh themselves. Watching them say their vows, seeing the way they looked up at each and held hands so tight during the ceremony. They were flanked by a sea of friends and family (with crying bridesmaids in the front) all smiling broadly while they shared their first dance.
It was enough to make even the hardest heart melt just a little bit. Enough to make many a single girl to head to the elevator, looking for exactly what Lauren and Josh have found.
When it came to wedding planning, Alyssa pulled together all the ideas she and Ian loved to create a clear vision for the day. Every detail had been meticulously thought out and executed. The day would be sweet and romantic, just like the two of them. Their friends and family would be treated to a glimpse into the beauty of Alyssa's hometown, Larchmont. With the venue literally steps from the Long Island Sound, guests would mingle on the back deck during cocktail hour, gazing at lights bouncing on the water, and sipping cocktails while they toasted the happy couple. Taking place in the middle of the Fall, there would be whimsical touches to incorporate the season - white pumpkin escort cards, berries in the bouquets. With the help of her mother and sister and the fantastic coordinator at the Yacht Club, John, everything was falling into place. It was going to be a perfect November wedding.
But mother nature had another plan. Less than a week before their big day, Super Storm Sandy battered the East coast. Wind, rain and swelling tides hit New York. The Sound flooded towns, the wind knocked out power and their venue was hit hard. In the wake of the damage, no one was sure when things would get back to normal. But Alyssa and Ian trudged on. They met with John at the club to talk through the options. And John, as always, was going to do everything within his power to make their day just as amazing as they had dreamt it would be. One of the things not in his power, unfortunately, was the electricity. While working out just what they could do to make their day go on according to schedule, one of their two generators blew at the club. The other one soon followed suit. It seemed the odds were against their November wedding.
It was then that it became clear that the date was just going to have to be pushed off. But John worked his magic and found another date that would work, brought the Yacht Club back to life in a month's time and arranged it so that all of Alyssa & Ian's dream team of vendors would be available on this new date. Their new anniversary-to-be.
In the midst of all this chaos, Alyssa and Ian could have let it all get to them. But they didn't. Ian held Alyssa tight. He told her it was going to be alright, and she believed him. She knew that the date wasn't what mattered. So they would get married in the winter and not the fall. It would be December, not November. There would be Christmas ornament escort cards, and not white pumpkins. Berries would still adorn the bouquets. Alyssa and Ian would still be glowing with happiness. The guests would still mingle and gaze at lights, they would just be the lights of the Yacht Club's Christmas tree rather than the ones bouncing off the Sound. But there would still be many toasts to the happy couple. Everyone would still revel in their joy.
Because either way, they were getting married. Either way, she would put on that dress she loved and walk down the aisle to the man of her dreams. Either way, their friends and family would be surrounding them as they danced their first dance. And that day would be the single greatest day of their lives, thus far. No matter which date it happened to be. It would be their wedding day. And when it was over, they would hold each other close and know, full well, that they would brave any storm together. Because they already had.
Some people float in and out of your life, leaving an indelible mark. With each coming and going, you cling on a bit tighter. You hope that deep down one day you will find each other again. Next time, it will be for good. Ramie and Jeff grew up in the same small town but it wasn't until college that the finally got to know one another. There was an ease in their connection, they just felt comfortable around one another. They spent the Spring of 2005 as a couple, laughing, joking, listening to music. It was effortless. It was sweet. It was short-lived. Jeff was graduating and Ramie was busy with school. But even as they parted ways then, they knew they were was something more between them. Something they would discover when the timing was right.
After Ramie graduated two years later, they found each other again. They picked right back up where they left off - laughing, joking, going to concerts together. That time, they knew it would have to be short-lived. Ramie would be leaving to go to the other side of the world - to South Korea, where she would be teaching English for fourteen months. Before she left, Jeff took her to a Wilco concert. He held her tight and sang along with the song into Ramie's ear. "I hate it here, I hate it here, when you're gone." Ramie held Jeff tight, knowing she'd be missing him just as much. But they both knew, somehow they would find each other again. They always did.
By the time Ramie returned, the timing was finally perfect. They fell back into their lives, together. They laughed. They joked. They went to concerts. They walked Steve, Jeff's dog. That time apart had taught them each just how much they cared about each other. They felt how deep the mark they had left on one another went. And they knew they never wanted to be without each other ever again. Three years after Ramie's return from South Korea, Jeff took her for a walk near Madison Square Park. He stopped on a corner where the Flat Iron building was behind them. He turned to Ramie and asked if he could take a picture of her in front of the building. "Why?" she asked. Jeff replied while he snapped the shot, "So I could get one last picture of you as my girlfriend." Then got down on one knee and asked Ramie to marry him.
Ramie and Jeff tied the knot in New Jersey in November, just two short weeks after Superstorm Sandy ravaged the tri-state. Thankfully it didn't alter Ramie & Jeff's day. But when Ramie went to pick up the marriage license in the town they live in, Hoboken, the clerk's office was flooded. A woman in the office agreed to grab the license for them and she went into the flooded building with Ramie to grab the paperwork. As she did, sparks started flying and the fire alarm went off. Ramie and the woman left the building as quickly as possible, marriage license in hand. There, on the streets of Hoboken, the woman filled out the form on the hood of a flooded-out car with the sounds of fire engines coming their way in the distance. Somehow, it seems a fitting. Ramie and Jeff's relationship had had survived years apart, living on different sides of the world, and now a superstorm that flooded their town right before their wedding. And through it all they kept their sense of humor and never lost sight of the ultimate goal. They had found each other over and over again and built a solid relationship. A relationship that is sweet. A relationship that is easy. A relationship that will stand the test of time.
