Bowery Hotel Wedding : Carolyn and Jonathan : New York, NY
Carolyn and Jonathan were married on November 18th, with a ceremony at the famous Daniel restaurant and a reception at the Bowery Hotel. It’s amazing being a wedding photographer in New York because there are so many different ways to throw a truly personalized event, and I seem to see them all! This particular wedding was unique because it was spread out over two days so that they could give attention to the ceremony with their closest friends and family and then spend the next evening dancing all night with literally every person they know. On day one, Carolyn got ready at the Bowery Hotel before traveling to the Upper East Side. The ceremony was held with just the bridal party and family in the private dining space at the 2-Michelin-Star Daniel restaurant. The space was intimate and dimly lit casting a romantic feeling as they read their vows. Carolyn’s 90-year-old grandma served as the flower girl, and her excitement just after the ceremony was adorable, exuberant, and contagious! We took a few pictures after the ceremony just out front and on Park Ave before Carolyn and Jonathan, itching to get back to the event, went back inside for toasts and dinner. On day two, we met up for a few more portraits inside the moody, character-filled Bowery Hotel. I loved having that extra time to focus on photography before 350 people showed up for the extended cocktail party and dancing. Carolyn and Jonathan made their grand entrance through the crowd of guests, and I stood on the stage to get an elevated view so I could capture that moment. After they arrived, video played of the previous day’s ceremony before the dancing truly began. Since the wedding really does fly by in a whirlwind, it was an emotional moment for the couple and their family to witness their ceremony just the day after thanks to a quick same-day edit. I have to shout out to the band, Vali. It’s by far one of the best in the NYC area, and I have been recommending them since I first heard them several years ago. Vali’s musicians are active independently of the band and bring this wealth of experience to wedding performances—and as someone with two conservatory degrees in music, I really appreciate that! Jonathan & Carolyn, thank you for letting me be a part of your unique days! Yours was a very New York wedding, and I love how you made this event wholly your own!
Vendors
Band: Vali
Wedding Dress: Pronovias
Bride's Shoes: Manolo Blahnik
Bridesmaids Dresses: Reformation
Groom's Attire: Polo Ralph Lauren
Roundhouse Beacon Falls Wedding : Lilly and Andy : Beacon, NY
Lilly and Andy were married on July 3rd, with a ceremony and reception at Roundhouse Beacon Falls. These days, wedding planning has shifted almost entirely online, so I don’t always get to meet the couple before the wedding day when I act as photographer. That was the case with Lilly and Andy, but even though we’d only spoke on the phone, these two and their family radiated warmth and positive energy, making me feel welcome and at home photographing them. On the day of the wedding, Lilly got ready on-site at the modern yet rustic Roundhouse—a beautiful escape from New York City with a quaint main street landmarked by the waterfall right in front of the venue. In fact, the bridal suite overlooks the waterfall, so there was tons of natural light to work with! From there, we headed off to the hollowed-out industrial loft for a first look. We then made our way to a local park for a quick change of scenery before we grabbed a few pictures together and headed to the Roundhouse. Since this was a traditional Jewish wedding, there was a tisch and bedeken. During the tisch, the bride and groom welcome guests in separate receptions with singing, dancing, and a prayer. The groom is then paraded with a lively klezmer band to the waiting bride and places a veil over her before he retreats and the guests make their way out for the beginning of the ceremony itself. During the ceremony, one of the most memorable moments was actually when Lilly walked down the aisle. Sometimes, when a couple chooses to do a first look, there is less emphasis on this moment—but that wasn’t the case with Lilly. She looked as if this were the first glimpse of the day! We were also able to place the second photographer in an elevated position for a unique aerial view.My favorite image of the whole night, though, was when the bride and groom entered the reception together. The Roundhouse has beautiful, tall windows and high ceilings that make for such an impressive entry! The whole day was particularly fun to photograph. There was a continuous, extroverted display of joy from everyone, but I was particularly impressed with the closeness between Lilly and her mother and sisters. I loved seeing Lilly’s mother look on at key moments, especially when she embraced Andy after she presented Lilly at the end of the aisle. Of course, I’d be remiss if I didn’t note the amazing, organic, contemporary details that made this wedding beautiful. Vendors like Dark & Diamond (who rocked the floral design) came together to create this beautiful vision, and it was so amazing it was featured on Style Me Pretty here. Andy & Lilly, thank you so much for the opportunity to be part of your amazing day. Congratulations to you both! 
Vendors
Floral Design: Dark & Diamond
Video: 15 Minutes of Frame
Wedding Dress: Reem Acra
Stationary: Minted
Shoes: Badgley Mischka
Makeup: The Blushery
Hair: Giannetta Salon & Spa
DJ: Nestor Marsh/MD Music & Entertainment
Groom's Suit: Reiss
Klezmer Band: Shirim
Mandarin Oriental Wedding : Lidia & Anthony : New York, NY
Lidia and Anthony were married on September 26th, with their wedding ceremony and reception at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel in New York City. Anthony is a real estate developer, and he and Lidia got together when she was considering getting an apartment in one of his properties. He got wind of just who was coming by for a showing and insisted on giving the tour himself! The rest is history. The whole day took place at the Mandarin Oriental overlooking Columbus Circle in Manhattan. I love shooting in this spectacular space every year, not only for all the service and luxury of a 5-star hotel but also the unparalleled views from the ballroom and bridal suite. I got a shot of the room before everything was set up, and the transformation was amazing. Before the ceremony itself, Lidia and Anthony opted to do a first look just outside in the circle, and then we all hopped in Sprinter vans to head out for pictures at Lincoln Center. Then it was back to the Mandarin Oriental for the ceremony overlooking Central Park as the sun went down. They were surrounded by flowers and glamorous décor by Tantawan Bloom. I’ve loved them since I first worked with them at the Plaza Hotel! They even had differing but complementary bouquets for each of the bridesmaids. The whole day was simply filled with fine details and stunning visuals. The invitations were especially gorgeous, with each guest receiving a silk-covered bifold imprinted with gold leaf. After the ceremony, it was off to the party, where the name of the game was funny toasts. There was a running theme of everyone being hard on the groom because of the age gap, and I loved the picture of Lidia and Anthony sitting at the sweetheart table reacting to all the teasing. Anthony & Lidia, thank you so much for allowing me to be a part of your stunning vision! Your wedding was nothing short of beautiful, and I’m so grateful to have been part of it.
University Club Wedding : Syd & Adam : New York, NY
Syd and Adam were married on December 11th, with a ceremony and reception atThe University Clubin New York City.I arrived a few hours early for this event because I had no idea what was going to go down with all the nearby commotion surrounding a certain someone. Trump Tower is just a few blocks away, and right outside of the windows, we could see the first of the major protests marching down 5th Ave. Nevertheless, Syd was remarkably unfazed by the whole thing, and since all the guests made it to the club on time, we were able to proceed without a bit of interference thanks to the help of Polka Dot Events! In fact, we even ran out into the street for a picture with the protestors. There were plans to go to Central Park for portraits, but with all the activity outside, we decided to stay inside instead. That worked to our advantage with the classic New York touches in the University Club, which was erected in 1899 and has one of the most beautiful ballrooms in the city. But of course, we had to take a few portraits outside with their dog… arguably the most important guest of the night. The ceremony itself was especially beautiful, with romantic lighting and a moody old-world NYC feeling. I especially liked the epically-sized bouquet and the Chuppah from Xylem & Phloem. From there, it was time to party. The best part of the night was the toasts,because you could see the love they had for each other. Indeed my favorite image of the day was when Adam was glacing over at Syd as they listened to their loved ones gush. With all the formalities of the wedding now behind them, these were some of the first momentsthey had to relax and enjoy each other's company. 15 Minutes of Frame was the cinematographer for this event and with as many weddings as we shot with them this past year, we can predict each others' next move. It’s always fun, and easy, to work with Kaipo and the gang! Thank you, Syd & Adam,for entrusting me with documenting your day in such a beautiful space. I wish you both nothing but happiness. Congratulations!
Vendors:
Event Planner: Polka Dot Events
Cake: Mini Melanie
Florist: Xylem & Phloem
Stationary: Suite Paperie
Makeup and Hair: Vensette & Glamsquad
Band: Love Revival Orchestra
Lighting: SNS Staging & Lighting
Videography: 15 Minutes of Frame
Gramercy Tavern Wedding : Andrew & Kenneth : New York, NY
I love Gramercy Tavern. A New York institution originally co-founded in 1994 by Top Chef's Tom Colicchio along with Danny Meyer, it represents the steadfast epitome of new American cuisine in a city where restaurants come and go before you know it. When Andrew & Kenneth asked me to come and photograph their wedding with a handful of friends and family, I was thrilled. They snuck their wedding in between lunch and dinner service when the dining room would otherwise have been unoccupied and reaped the benefits of Michelin star cooking moments after saying "I do".
Check out Private Dining at Gramercy Tavern
