Another great visit to Princeton, this time for Kristin and Dave's wedding celebration! We have the best clients, and this couple is no exception-- fun, real, spontaneous, smart, and a whole bunch of other complimentary adjectives apply... And they did a great job of communicating their joy and love, not only to each other, but also to their friends and families. 

Shelley was at the Hyatt at Carnegie Center to see a beautiful girl turn into a beautiful bride. Sure, the dress, the shoes, the jewelry, the hair and makeup, all these things contribute-- but it's even better when the inner and outer beauty are there to begin with:

Meanwhile, Keith arrived at the Princeton Chapel, an architectural masterpiece that presents endless ideas for images. It was seriously dark inside, but that creates a dramatic setting:

And even if it was dark, Dave was supplying his own source of light:

Of course, with a great couple and a great setting, the ceremony was a beautiful thing, distinguished by some unusual music choices-- the classic standard "When I Fall In Love" performed by Lily Arbisser, and "I Will Be Here", in a sophisticated A Capella arrangement performed by The Princeton Nassoons. Music can be a big emotional factor in a ceremony, and these songs and performances took it to the next level:

One happy couple leaving the ceremony:

We made some group portraits outside the Chapel after the ceremony, just managed to stay ahead of approaching rain and thunder... we even had a little goofing time with the bridal party:

And then we drove through the rain to the reception location, Greenacres Country Club, in Lawrenceville. It was pouring rain when we arrived, but we took advantage of a picture window in the ballroom to create some portraits that look like we're out in a garden. As is our method, we just set them up in a nice location, the posing and emotion are all from them, love is the real deal:

It's time for the party! 

We got this nice scene-setter just before the guests entered. 

The Greenacres staff did a great job with details, and were consistently attentive to the needs of the guests.

DJ Matt Blank from Synergetic Sound supplied the MC and music flow, keeping the crowd moving.

Florist Adrienne Presti of Dahlia Floral Concepts contributed to the understated and tasteful setting.

Here are a couple key images from Kristin and Dave's first dance, beautiful and stylish:

And a fun party followed, with K&D setting the tone for everyone:

The party concluded with the guests in a giant circle, with Kristin & Dave feeling the love:

It was a distinctive and memorable day! Best Wishes to Kristin & Dave!

Debbie and Rich's wedding took place in Westfield, NJ, at the James Ward Mansion, a unique and interesting setting that complemented their own sense of style and fun:

In advance of the ceremony, we made some portraits in one of the upstairs rooms, a great-looking couple in a classic setting:

Their ceremony was in the Grand Salon, a double-height room with a wrap-around balcony, allowing us to take in the whole scene:

We're all about capturing moments, and the Minister, Mitch Maged, brought a wonderful sense of joy to the celebration, not only inspiring but entertaining:

Debbie and Rich included a beautiful exchange of roses in their ceremony, followed by a violin and piano performance of "La Vie en Rose" by Sweet Harmony:

All leading to the kiss, with one of the mansion's beautiful portraits as a backdrop:

Continuing with the roses theme, Debbie and Rich had lots of tasteful displays all around, designed by House of Flowers:

One great feauture of the Mansion is the access to multiple rooms, allowing different activities to happen simultaneously:

And to get the reception started, Debbie and Rich made their entrance from the balcony in the Grand Salon and did a great job with their first dance:

They really enjoyed themselves throughout the evening, and their guests had the option of dancing in one room, cocktails in another, and dinner in a third. (This made it possible to have conversation during the party without yelling over the music-- what a concept!) Here are a few moments we recorded:

A bit of their gorgeous cake wound up on Rich's face:

DJ services were provided by All Star Entertainment. We got some different looks during the party, taking advantage of our equipment options-- it's fun to have the tools when needed:

Custom cupcakes were provided for departing guests, a nice gesture:

And, at the end of a long and busy day, Debbie and Rich gave us some time to make portraits, letting us work with some creative lighting and dramatic scenes. The emotions are right there, and we just set up situations that allowed them to be expressive, without instructions from us. We love to work this way, since the images feel real and unique:

It was an exceptional day, and we finish this abbreviated story with a romantic image looking out from the balcony-- they even ordered up a beautiful moon, now that's planning! Thanks so much to Debbie and Rich for a memorable experience!

Carissa and Jason's big day was entirely at Westmount Country Club in West Paterson. We had a great time capturing the events, and it was a beautiful day for both families and guests. Let's begin with a gorgeous bride, Carissa with that wedding day glow, and looking fabulous from any angle:

And the perfect complement, Jason is looking sharp:

The weather was changeable, threatening to thunderstorm, but it held off for them, which allowed an outdoor ceremony:

Here are some key moments from their celebration, with our photographic teamwork bringing multiple viewpoints:

Carissa and Jason did a great job, lots of poise and joy-- and you could feel the love and support from all the guests....

Then it was back inside for cocktails:

The Westmount interior spaces are very impressive, and we made some shots in the ballroom also:

What a beautiful scene! So let's get this party started, with C&J's exuberant entrance:

So often, the first dance is where all the emotionality of the day comes together, and this first dance was no exception, with a combination of wide angle and close up images that tell the story:

Delicious moments, and then onto the Hora, big fun for all:

Dining and dancing ensued, with Carissa setting the tone for friends and family:

In the middle of it all, we still are collecting some images of beautiful (and caloric) details:

The late afternoon light presented some dramatic possibilities for images, capturing the ambient lighting design on the dance floor:

And as the sun set, we took Carissa and Jason out to the balcony for some classic portraits:

The party vibe continued, with help from an exciting and versatile band, White Light:

A great day for one and all! Thanks to Carissa and Jason for the planning, poise and emotion!

It's Spring!! Jenny and Ryan hit the lottery on the weather, with an almost-too-warm day, lots of sun, and lots of beauty... Speaking of which, Shelley started at Jenny's house, getting these beautiful bridal images:

Meanwhile, Keith arrived at the church in River Edge, and took advantage of contrasty light to create some drama:

The guys showed up, loose and ready to have fun:

Here are four images from the ceremony, joyous and meaningful:

Beautiful moments! And then, the scene changed to the Bronx Botanical Garden, where we spent some time with Jenny and Ryan strolling the grounds, taking advantage of Mother Nature's generosity:

Not much posing here, just letting the vibe happen... Their reception was catered by Abigail Kirsch, with music by the Topaz Orchestra. Here are some images from the first dance:

Lots of beauty, lots of love, lots of dancing, all the right ingredients for a great party:

It was a wonderful day, and we close with this romantic image of Jenny and Ryan:

Stacey and David's wedding had all the right elements-- a fabulous couple, great locations, attention to details and planning, a smart timeline, great guests, etc.... They even hit the jackpot with the weather, an unpredictable factor in March. Shelley made some beautiful images of Stacey getting ready, with a gorgeous gown by Priscilla of Boston. How beautiful is this girl?

And then, let's add one majorly handsome groom, before the ceremony:

The marriage took place at the amazing Princeton Chapel, on the Princeton University campus:

It's huge! For example, here's a wide angle from the back of the chapel-- Stacey and David are way up front, getting married:

Here are just a few images from their celebration:

After some quick family photos, Keith got this view of their joyous exit:

We made some images on the campus surrounding the chapel-- no posing required for these guys, in the love zone:

Shelley was in the limo for this expressive moment:

Next was a visit to the Princeton Battlefield, a big open field that is a favorite spot for local geese, and we all know the residue of that... This is when it's good to marry Prince Charming, who has no problem carrying his bride across the danger zone:

There's a wonderful iconic monument there, with Greek colums, perfect for a few creative moments. Again, not really posing, just suggesting, we love it when the expressivity happens:

And yes, he carried her back to the limo, this guy is something else... Now the location changes to the Crystal Plaza, a beautiful venue in Livingston. In the falling light, we made a few images in the garden area:

The ballroom is wonderful, the perfect setting for their first dance, a dramatic, classic moment, just the two of them, plus the videographer who shared the floor with his girlfriend dolly:

Time for the Hora, with fun for all:

Everybody had a great time, and that big dancefloor got a good workout:

A perfect day, a perfect couple! Thanks, Stacey and David, for making it possible...