Long Beach Engagement Session | Long Island Wedding Photographer | Daria and Elias
Choosing a location for your engagement session that is important to you as a couple and that helps to tell your story is so important. Often times, your engagement session images are the first professional images of you as a couple, and they will be used a lot between now and your wedding. These images can be used on your save-the-date card, on your wedding website, social media, and sometimes as framed prints at your wedding venue.
Long Beach is important to Daria and Eli, and we had a great time walking around the boardwalk, skateboarding, walking near the surf, and finally watching an amazing sunset.
If a couple enjoys an activity together, I try to incorporate that in the the imagery. Daria and Eli brought their longboards, and we were able to catch a bunch of fun images as the sky was just starting to change colors.
When walking down the boardwalk in Long Beach during the day, there is a lot of the same view. But, there are a lot of opportunities for some intimate posing - especially with the new boardwalk additions.
We walked down to the shore and walked around the surf as well as some of the jetties.
We had a little time before sunset, so we took a little detour to the boardwalk entrance.
With all the planning in the world, it is never possible to be certain what the sunset is going to look like. But, we lucked out with some beautiful color and a great sunset. Seconds after these images were taken, the sun fell behind clouds on the horizon and the show was over.
I had a great time with Daria and Eli. They are both fun-loving, and they got images that really reflect their personalities and helped to tell their story. I’m looking forward to working with them for their wedding!
Baptism | Saint Paul the Apostle | Water’s Edge | Long Island Event Photographer
The sacrament of baptism is such a wonderful event. The family celebrates welcoming new life into the church, and they have an opportunity to celebrate each other. Jaclyn and Scott recently welcomed a baby boy, and he was baptized in a touching and personal ceremony at Saint Paul the Apostle on Long Island. Then they celebrated the event with their wonderful family at Water’s Edge.
Documenting this event for the family was very important as these family moments become part of their family history. I wanted to make sure that as he grew up, he had the opportunity to see how everyone celebrated his baptism.
I started the day at Jaclyn and Scott’s home. I had the opportunity to take some images of the family preparing for the ceremony. It was just so obvious how proud they were of their new son. Scott’s face lit up every time he spoke to his son. It was really a nice moment for me to watch all three of them interact.
The church service was both personal and intimate. While there were many family members there, the officiant did his best to have everyone involved. My favorite moment was when he asked everyone there to come around the baptismal font to witness the sacrament. From the first moment of the ceremony, the officiant spoke to the family in personal and meaningful terms to the family. The ceremony, combined with the beautiful church, will make for some great memories.
We ended the day at Water’s Edge with a great party. The location is stunning, and the party was upbeat. It was a true celebration.
Mary Kate + Connor | Surprise Proposal | Riverside Park | New York City & Long Island Wedding Photographer
One of the best parts of my job is to document important moments in the lives of others. I get to see couples at their happiest and share in the joy of their families celebrating the couple. This couldn’t have been more true for Mary Kate and Connor - a couple I met right after Connor proposed on a tree-lined promenade in Riverside Park.
Connor contacted me a couple weeks before the proposal. He explained how he was going to propose and we planned the moment the way he envisioned. He was going to propose privately, then we would have a few minutes to take some images of just the couple, and finally we would meet some family members that would be waiting out of sight nearby.
Once I was at Riverside Park, I sent Connor an email letting him know I was ready. With an ETA, I started scanning the path through my telephoto lens trying to make it looked like I was watching birds! I’ve only seen pictures of both of them, but I was able to spot them with about 2 minutes before they arrived.
Wedding Proposal - Riverside Park
Connor turned Mary Kate at the exact spot we discussed, and you could tell that everything else disappeared for the two of them. They spoke for a few moments and then he asked her to marry him.
I had been wondering all morning if she had known something was up. There were a lot of moving parts - family coming from the midwest, the radio silence that is sometimes associated when families are trying to keep the surprise, the ring box, emails to me, and I’m sure other things that happened as well. She was clearly surprised!
Connor chose a beautiful ring by Verstolo.
The genuine expressions of surprise was impossible to miss. Equally inspiring was their happiness. I did my best to give them room to enjoy the moment and the moments after. Even throughout the small portrait session we planned, the joy was so obvious!
After a few posed images, we walked a few more minutes to meet their families - who had been waiting the whole time. Watching the families celebrate the moment was a great experience for me, and I know that Mary Kate and Connor have a loving and supportive family as they begin the next chapter in their relationship.
I love being a part of marriage proposals. It is always a big moment, and I do everything I can to make sure that moment is well documented. These images become part of a family’s legacy, and I was so happy to be there for this part of Mary Kate and Connor’s story.
Angelica and Mike | Hudson Yards Engagement Session | New York City and Long Island Wedding Photographer
Angelica and Mike had a great engagement session in Hudson Yards in late September. They had an absolutely gorgeous night with a golden hour that seemed to last forever.
The High Line
The High Line is a public park built on an elevated rail line. Ending right near Hudson Yards, it gave us some great potential as we started our session. Even though it was very crowded, we were able to find some private spaces that gave us the ability to feature both the unique nature of the High Line and the New York City.
Hudson Yards
As a photographer, you can’t ask for a better place than Hudson Yards when working in the city. The architecture there is so unique, the possibilities for amazing engagement photos and wedding photos seem endless. While the Vessel is the most prominent feature, there are so many great places throughout the entire area. We were able to find stairways, walkways, and fountains that helped to compliment Angelica and Mike.
The Edge
The Edge is the highest outdoor sky deck in the Western Hemisphere at over 1100 feet, and it gave us the ability to create some different phoggtos. With Manhattan below them and a phenomenal golden hour, Angelica and Mike have some great images and a unique experience. I was so happy for them that the sunset and the haze gave them a warm glow that seemed to be everywhere.
As we were leaving The Edge, I noticed a small window with an incredible view right by the elevator. Most of the color had left the sky, but the color that was there was perfect!
Engagement sessions are always exciting, and Angelica and Mike are a great couple. While we had quite a bit of waiting in line to get to the glass, they were fun to be with and so easy to talk to. I’m looking forward to their wedding next year!
Devlin + Peter | Crescent Beach Club | Long Island Wedding Photographer
What a beautiful event with such a great couple! Devlin and Peter’s wedding at The Crescent Beach Club was beautiful and meaningful - and the weather was perfect.
I met Devlin and Peter at their engagement session about a year ago, and I was thrilled to be photographing their wedding.
The Crescent Beach Club is set right on Long Island Sound, and it is a perfect venue for a beach wedding. The palm trees give the whole place a tropical vibe and the view is stunning.
Devlin arrived with her bridesmaids and opened a bottle of champagne to celebrate the day.
After everyone was ready, there was a small reveal with Devlin’s dad and the rest of her family. I was so happy to see how much everyone was both calm and completely enjoying themselves.
The first look was amazing. Peter waited for Devlin to walk up a garden-lined path to meet him. It was small, private, and perfect.
Since both the reception and the wedding were in the same location, we had the benefit of not rushing through group pictures, and I was able to photograph them and their families with different lighting conditions. So, before the ceremony, we took some images of the families, the bridal party, and Devlin and Peter together.
The rehearsal was quite a bit of fun. Just as before, everyone was relaxed and in a great mood!
Once the guests were seated, the ceremony started. You could not ask for a more perfect day. While the sun was strong, it was just beginning to move toward the horizon, and the wind was just beginning to come from off the Long Island Sound. The ceremony was intimate, and it was wonderful to see a couple so in love with both family and friends sharing in the moment.
The cocktail hour was at the best possible time. While couples try to catch a few pictures during the golden hour, their entire cocktail party was during the golden hour - and the sunset was spectacular. The venue gave us a perfect view of Long Island Sound, the sunset, and a sky exploding with color.
Devlin and Peter were able to walk away from the group to take a couple images and go right back to their guests.
I was also thrilled to meet many of their friends and family. They are a great group of people.
The reception was great - dancing from the start to the last minute.
I loved working with Devlin and Peter. They are two amazing individuals, and a fantastic couple. I was honored to be part of their day!
Wedding Dress: Bridal Reflections
Bridesmaids’ Dresses: Birdy Grey
Hair and Make Up: Safie Salon
Cake: Saint Honore Pastry Shop
Flowers: Two Of Us Event Planners
Entertainment: DJ Tony Kerr
Venue: Crescent Beach Club