I’m so excited that Anhelo, a Japanese wedding magazine has published a beautiful spread of Kara & Matt’s gorgeous wedding. The magazine is so beautiful:
I always ask my couples to send me the story of how they met or their proposal. Wedding announcements in papers sometime give glimpses of couple’s stories, but they inevitably feel too formal. As the photographer and someone who is well equipped to witness up and close the depths of love, I feel a special responsibility to present their background as a complement to some of their photos- to make their wedding announcement personal and heartfelt. In this instance, Ashley and Lorne raced off on their honeymoon in South Africa before I could ask them to send me their story. Needless to say, I found a Capitale. I was really excited to shoot at such a stunning event space. The building was designed in the City Beautiful movement and shares the Beaux-Arts tradition with other architectural gems such as the Grand Central and the New York Public Library. Such grandeur is undeniably inspiring.
Even more important than architectural delights are the delights of witnessing a close family. I have to say I was in love with both Ashley and Lorne’s families. Ashley and Lorne are centered, yet carefree and their personalities are filled with playfulness and charm. Some people are lucky to be born with such qualities, but these can only be truly nurtured by family and friends, and it was a real pleasure to meet everyone and see that support and love in person.
I felt a bit of destiny that this was a wedding I had to shoot. I actually met Ashley and Lorne through Dana and Andrew, whose wedding I photographed last year. I was, however, especially surprised and delighted when I learned that Ashley actually lives in my building and I had met her several times before in the elevator! It never hurts to have both a recommendation and proximity working for you. :) In shooting their wedding, I had the added pleasure of seeing Dana and Andrew again, now embarking on the next stage as they are expecting a baby! Seeing them reminded me as well why I love my work, for even after twelve hours on my feet, I get a rush and great pleasure knowing that the moments I freeze in that relentless sweep of time, will be shared and appreciated by people still yet to come into this world.
Here is a sneak peak of their photos:
Vendor List-
Venue: Capitale
Dress: Pnina Tornai
Shoes: Jimmy Choo
Rental Car: Filmcars
Alicia and Joel were married at the Metropolitan in Long Island City. This beautiful and artistic place has a very interesting story behind its creation: “Dating from 1909, the same year the Queensboro Bridge was built, the Metropolitan Building was first an electrical parts factory. Seventy years later it was long vacant and in a sad state of disrepair.
In 1980, Eleanor Ambos, who had a successful antique furniture rental business in Manhattan, bought the building for storage space and to accommodate a variety of artisans to set up their studios and workrooms.”
If you are looking for a unique place to get married in- the Metropolitan building has so much to offer- it really is a different kind of space
with three floors of antique furniture, mirrors, and plenty of windows for natural light. Each floor creates a different, shifting ambiance
which really inspires creativity as a photographer. I couldn’t stop taking pictures even for a minute.
The beautiful flower arrangements were done by Jena Barry at Xylem & Phloem. Tracy at Polka Dot Events planned and coordinated the day and I would recommend her to brides looking for a good planner.
Alicia is an artist who makes a beautiful line of jewelery (I’ll get her link soon and post it!). She designed and created the gorgeous necklaces for the bridesmaids. Because of her artistic eye, she put a lot of thought into the planning and small details that created such a visual splendor.
I was sitting for hours editing all the pictures and there are so many great photos.
So, here is a sneak peak for Alicia and Joel of the wedding photos. Since they left straight from the place to the airport for their honeymoon in the French Riviera, I am hoping to surprise them while they are still away.
Several brides have been clamoring for the vendors from Alicia’s wedding, so here is a list:
Synergy (Band) Howard Prince 800 617 4542
Timeless Glow (Makeup) Anthea 917.860.4423
Hair Danielle Priano
Cake Sarah Magid 917 405 3022
Officiant: Ryan Arthur
Dress: Pronovia
Jewelry: Alicia, herself (contact me if you need her email)
Shoes: Calvin Klein
And, here are a couple shots of yours truly (see what a go through to get photos, luckily a bit less dangerous here than on NYC streets).
I did a shoot with Yossi and Dana in Las Vegas last March, and I was so excited to have the chance to shoot with them again. Yossi & Dana have a tender and vibrant energy between them. They are so loving and it makes them incredibly intriguing to photograph. In both shoots with them, I felt so caught up that I didn’t want to stop. There’s a crazy inspiring energy between them that I find so powerful.
Nelson, Nevada is a hidden gem of a location in the desert outside Las Vegas. The whole atmosphere of the area feels like a movie set. Actually, it has been a movie set before. The place was used in the movie “3000 Miles to Graceland” with Kevin Costner, and recently Beyonce posed there for a fashion shoot.
The combination of the amazing location, and the couple’s beautiful connection inspired me so much. When I am in a perfect shoot like that, it’s like a blissful combination of factors. I felt an adrenaline rush in my body as I snapped shots, and felt like I was floating on air. This kind of shoot isn’t about where you go, but pulling inspiration from the beautiful connection the couple has, and the loving energy between them.
It was interesting to find out that the place was a famous mine that produced several million dollars worth of gold, silver, copper and lead until 1945 when some of it was destroyed by a flash flood.
Now, what remains of the ghost town is a beautiful relic of its sordid past. As soon as we arrived we were greeted by abundant wildlife. A fox and a rabbit crossed our path and immediately I had the surreal feeling that we were on a movie set. It was so much different than a New York City scene like I am used to shooting. It was actually a very refreshing change of scenery.
The caretaker of the property showed us a picture of a 9 foot long rattlesnake that had just been found there! He warned us to be careful digging around because there are about 50 snakes living in the area. I told Yossi to sit down on a chair next to a boulder, when suddenly a small yellow snake jumped out and scared us all! Yossi freaked out momentarily, but soon decided that we should continue the shoot. I really have to thank them both for being so brave even after that! I’m sure it was a great experience for them. :)
by admin