and we got Mike's subtle expression as Leslie walked down the aisle:

Two more images from their church celebration:

Love the dove of peace right over Mike's head... It was classic and timeless, and just the right beginning for the day's adventures.

Now we go to Leslie getting ready for ceremony #2, switching to a stylish gown:

And just before leaving home, Leslie posed for Shelley with her appropriately dressed Best Dog:

Meanwhile, Keith was with the guys at a nearby hotel, where it was time for a toast:

And since Mike is an EMT, the guys arrived in a rescue truck at the next destination, the Stony Hill Inn:

Not to be outdone, Leslie arrived by fire truck soon after, with her girls:

and the girls were not about to be out-toasted either:

Then it was time for the second ceremony, this one attended by all their friends, family and  guests:

Lovely floral work by Petals Premier.... 

It was snowing like crazy, but we were crazy enough to go outside for a gazebo shot!

Meanwhile, the ballroom was reset beautifully for the reception to come:

A very impressive transformation that came together quickly. Here's an image from the first dance at the start of the reception:

Here's a fun portrait of Leslie & Mike with their cardboard painted counterparts, quite a foursome:

The party was big fun, with DJ services provided by Golden Note Entertainment. Two unique features in the party: one, the arrival of the Bergen County Firefighters Pipe Band, playing some rock classics to move the room-- you just have to hear "We Will Rock You" played by these guys:

And two, a great idea from the DJ's, some UV light combined with white gloves for everybody, a very cool effect:

All in all, an adventurous day with lots of love, creativity and fun for all! Thanks so much, Leslie and Mike!

And meanwhile, at the church, Keith made this shot of the guys, striking a pose in front of the limo, pre-ceremony brewskis in hand:

(Bryan is 4th from the left, just in case the neckties don't make it obvious...)

Just a couple black and whites from the ceremony:

And we got an expressive shot of their exit from the church, and a backlit, lens-flared magic moment during the champagne toast:

Next stop was a lake close to Kim's home-- this had been her playground growing up, and so it was fun to make some spontaneous bridal party shots, you can feel the joy:

Since it was November, the sun was already setting, and rather than try to avoid it, we decided to exploit it as an element for some backlit portraits on the beach, very dramatic:

As you can see, they gave us some great expressivity here, it makes all the difference!

Then it was on to the Knoll Country Club West, in Parsippany. There are two venues at the Knoll: East and West, and they are both very nice, but we prefer the West for its architectural character. We got this shot of the building entrance in the falling late daylight, and also made an image in the lobby:

We took advantage of the large lobby space to make some portraits with Kim& Bryan, beautiful lines and using the available low light:

And then it was time for the reception, which started with their exuberant entrance and first dance:

Notice the flip flops, no stiletto shoe torture for this girl...

Needless to say, the party was big fun, lots of dancing, lots of eating, lots of connecting. And after dinner, the staff at the Knoll offered their Venetian dessert display, complete with flambe! Oh, the calories...

At the end of the evening, we got this image of one of two Adirondack chairs that Kim & Bryan used for guest signing, a great idea, furniture as art and heirloom:

So that's the overview, there's lots more images, but you can see that it was a joyous and meaningful celebration. Our thanks to Kim & Bryan for letting us capture the story!

So let's begin with a beautiful portrait of Jen, just ready to leave her house for the church (I guess that actually makes 4 locations altogether):

Somebody's happy! Now, the ceremony was beautiful and meaningful, with some serious moments of commitment and connection. We took advantage of our photographic teamwork to capture these synchronized views of Jen processing (check out the gorgeous gown) while Matt watches:

A lighter moment during the ceremony:

And a nice exit shot as our newly married couple recess:

Black and white works great for classic images like these, it's timeless.

Now the scene changes to Wilson Hall, where we had a blast making creative shots with the bridal party. Here's one we loved, each person bringing something unique, and yet it all works together:

Big fun! And while we were there, we spent a few minutes creating some portraits with Jen & Matt, lots of nice opportunities at this beautiful location:

We could have used some more time at Wilson Hall, but soon enough it was onto the PNC Arts Center, which most of us think of for big summertime open air concerts-- but they also have a nice reception hall there too. Definitely worth a look, and it's right off the GSP, super convenient... The party was rocking, and we got some cool dancing evidence:

It was a great day, and we appreciate all the planning, presence and joy that Jen and Matt brought to it! We close this one with a shot of their cup-cake cake, along with, you know, that kissing thing... 

and here is our gorgeous bride Michele just before her ceremony:

One joyous bride, and the perfect gown also... Here are some images from the outdoor ceremony:

The light was quite dynamic, but we still got a lot of great images, with our teamwork making the difference. After some group photos during cocktails, it was time for the reception, here's a wide angle of relatives and bridal party ready to welcome Michele and Alan to their party:

And we got this nice moment during their first dance, along with many others:

Time for the Hora, and here we took advantage of a balcony that provided an ideal view of the celebrants:

which gave way to much dancing with all their guests having a great time:

Another classic moment:

And, toward the end of the day, we finally got some nice light outside-- Michele and Alan did a great job just walking and talking and enjoying each other. With minimal direction, we made a series of beautiful images that tell the story of their relationship... and the grounds at Florentine Gardens presented many possibilities:

It was a perfect day with a perfect couple. Thanks to Michele and Alan for letting us capture their story!

We are proud to be voted by brides as a Winner in The Knot's Best of Weddings 2010. This puts us in some elite company, selected not by a panel of judges, but voted by brides as a favorite photography studio. We were excited by this news, all the more since we are not advertising on The Knot, which means our brides are talking us up on the forums.... Our sincere thanks to all our former, current and future brides for sharing their positive experiences with others in The Knot community.

Yes, it was another wet wedding day. So what? Julie and Christian enjoyed it all anyway, and we were lucky enough to share in their adventure. The day included a ceremony in Spring Lake, and then travel to Red Bank for the reception. The Jersey Shore offers a lot of possibilities for wedding locations, but this area is a favorite of ours-- buildings with a sense of history and taste, easy access for shooting in a beach or park setting, and multiple locations that are reasonably close together, so we don't spend half the day on the GSP. For Julie, the day began with getting ready at her parents' home in Wall. Shelley made this charming bridal portrait as Julie was ready to leave for the ride to the church:

The wedding was in Spring Lake, at Church of the Holy Trinity, where Christian was on time, if a little nervous:

We've photographed here before, notably for the wedding of Julie's sister Alison, whose wedding is shown elsewhere on our blog. It was great to be back, we love the beautiful details and sense of history outside and in:

Just one image from their carefully planned ceremony:

And then the scene changed to Molly Pitcher Inn over in Red Bank. We've worked there before, and we like to take the couple out on the deck for sunset images-- well, not this time. But the clouds and rain still made a dramatic landscape, juxtaposed here with a mirrored shot of their multi-tiered cake:

Since we couldn't shoot outside, we took advantage of some secluded hallways inside. The classic and tasteful architectural style makes a great setting for some intimate portraits:

Julie and Christian commissioned a custom oil portrait of their reception, and the artist went to work early, allowing J&C a chance to chat with her before the party:

Here are a wide angle and close up shot from their first dance, we love getting multiple views of these magic moments:

There were lots of fun moments during the dancing, this one was outstandingly athletic! We covered a lot of musical ground, from big band to Motown to MJ, thanks to DJ Eric Taylor. 

Later in the evening, dessert was served, leading to this synchronous shot of two young guests:

As far as we could tell, everybody had a great time, most of all Julie and Christian!

To start out, we have Heather and her bridesmaids walking in a light rain over to the onsite barn, where Mike and the guys were awaiting their arrival:

We got a look at the upper level in the barn, and instantly decided to use it for a "first look" meeting of Heather and Mike. We love juxtapostion, and the combination of their totally polished appearance against the rustic hunting lodge vibe was irresistible. Sure, we made some more conventional portraits and group shots later on, but taking advantage of distinctive locations can make a wedding day so much more unique, memorable and fun:

Who said anything about horns? Not us... Anyway, while we were there, the guys had some fun with the available props:

And Heather was in for a group shot with Mike and the guys:

Then we all walked outside and used the barn as a backdrop for some bridal party images:

As you can see, these guys weren't going to let a little light rain keep them from enjoying the day! Then it was back to the main building for the ceremony, quick and light and meaningful:

By the end of the ceremony, the weather was improving, and we decided to go back outside to make some images using the pond onsite-- this was some tricky light, but we found the angles to make it work, and having some more picture fun seemed like a great release after the ceremony:

So, it all turned out fine, and a great party ensued. Our thanks to Heather and Mike, and all the bridal party members, for being so spontaneous and creative. It was a day to remember...

They had a "first look" meeting in advance of the ceremony, and Atticus' gesture says it all: Kathy looked delicious!

Shooting their ceremony in the blazing midday sun is tricky, but we've been there and done that... The Manor offers a gorgeous stage for memorable moments:

And at the ceremony's conclusion, Shelley got this great moment of pure joy:

Then it was inside for the party, and here again, there were some traditional, and some unusual choices. One was the band, The Cangelosi Cards (they're so cool they don't even have a website), with a repertoire of classic standards from the 30's and 40's, presented in a unique blend of jazz, folk and pop influences:

Another element of distinctive entertainment was some amazing tap dancing from a friend. We got some fun images that froze the action:

And here's another unplanned moment, when the tinkling of glasses found our couple amongst their guests:

Love the traditional red dress in that shot! It also gave their cake ceremony a new twist:

It was a beautiful day, and after the party, they gave us a little extra time to make some portraits... This one makes the perfect closer for this love story. Thanks to Kathy and Atticus for a fresh and creative wedding, keeping it real and unique:

Meanwhile, Keith was at the church with the guys, where Alex was ready for the ceremony:

Emily and her girls arrived by trolley... this girl knows how to make an entrance!

We love churches with a balcony, it lets us take in the whole scene during the ceremony:

And here's a great shot as Emily and Alex leave the church after the ceremony, excited and joyful:

And here they are leaving the church, and back in the trolley for the ride to Pleasantdale Chateau:

The grounds at Pleasantdale were gorgeous, as usual, what an outstanding venue:

Along with lots of group photos, we had some time at the Chateau for a few shots with just the two of them:

Just before the start of the reception, Keith found this image while Emily was being bustled:

Party time! In the gorgeous ballroom, with an enthusiastic welcome from friends and family:

We got a series of closeups during their First Dance... These images can say so much about a couple and their relationship:

Music was supplied by the Smokin' Section:

The setup in the ballroom offered lots of beautiful details, with flowers by Crest Florist:

And, just like the balcony shot at the church, we took advantage of a similar opportunity for the party:

Congrats to Emily and Alex for a beautiful day, thanks for letting us share in it!