Elizabeth and Michael 6/26/2010

This June I had a full weekend that began with the wedding of Elizabeth and Michael Stephens. This pretty bride was picture perfect from the moment I arrived and really seemed to shine in front of the camera the whole day through. Her hair, makeup and jewelry were tasteful and elegant, and she was organized and prepared for her day!

The nuptual ceremony was held at Drew Methodist Church in Carmel, NY, where the pews were decorated with coordinating pink roses as Elizabeth and Michael exchanged vows. The strong faith that Elizabeth and Michael share was evident throughout the ceremony.

Perhaps we had a little help from above, since the impending rain held off long enough for plenty of outdoor photos at the church and at Villa Baron'es lakefront property!

The Villa Barone Hilltop Manor in Mahopac was the setting for their reception and it looked fabulous, complete with ever-changing room lights that really added something the the images. Adding room lighting enhances the ambiance of a reception by glowing in the backround. Shades of magenta, purple and peach alternated to create a mood that was memorable for all. Michael even wrote a song for Elizabeth and performed it in front of a captive audience! Besides having great room lighting and decor, Elizabeth and Michael were also a pleasure to work with and I am so happy they chose me to photograph their wedding!

Summer Love

I actually photographed this wedding for another photographer, and am only posting it finally because of how much I loved the details of this wedding. The bride chose the most gorgeous accents and went all out with a candy table, lavish, ornate champagne glasses, sunflowers and gerbera daisies galore, and to-die-for table menus and favors. Much of the decor was done by a family member as well, making for a more affordable way to really go all out to decorate a tent wedding. As a photographer, you really couldn't ask for more to photograph!

Trash the Dress: A Creative Way to Get More Mileage Out of Your Wedding Gown

Trash the Dress: A Creative Way to Get More Mileage Out of Your Wedding Gown

Marissa and Justin's Trash the Dress shoot

On Memorial Day weekend, I had the pleasure of doing a Trash the Dress shoot alongside Jennifer and Michael Walker of Beautiful Memories Digital videography. We had shot Marissa and Justin's wedding last year, and so enjoyed them that we were thrilled when they expressed interest in doing this type of shoot!
We started out in Poughkeepsie along the waterfront and then by Mahoney's Irish Pub for some portraits before we got them REALLY dirty.

We then moved on to the creek near The Overlook Drive-In in Poughkeepsie where we continued doing portraits and just started easing them into the wetter, dirtier part of the shoot. I had no idea it was so beautiful back there and both of them were open to all of the ideas we had.

We had one more portrait sitting in mind before we completely trashed the dress. I had purchased an old rust-red leather chair from a yard sale and really wanted to try an edgy shoot in the woods behind my house using that chair. A totally natural setting, but a little different and upbeat. Marissa and Justin took to it like fish in water! (and then we moved on to the REAL water!!)

Our last location was Pine Woods Park in Hyde Park. I had been there many times but never ventured beyond the swingset, so I was stunned when I saw the waterfall and beautiful creek running through. I snapped a portrait of Marissa on a log stretching across the creek that I am particularly fond of. She is stunning!

And then, we got to it! The waterfall was a little tricky to get to, but they made it and it was well worth it!

By the end, Marissa's dress was filthy, and all of us were so excited to see the images and video we had made throughout the day. We all had a great time, and Marissa was totally pleased with her complete and total trashing of the dress!!!

Stay tuned to Beauiful Memories link on the right for the video portion of the day. I am sure Jennifer and Mike are cooking up something amazing!

Nicole and Andrew: April 24, 2010

What a beautiful day for a wedding it was and Nicole was just beaming from the minute the day started until the very end. The nuptuals took place at the quaint Marist Chapel, followed by a lovely reception in the Terrace Room of the Poughkeepsie Grand Hotel. With red accents and simple decor the reception was perfect and we thouroughly enjoyed this happy couple, who smiled and enjoyed their day without worries or stress!

Nicole and Andrew had a wonderful time...and with those adorable flip-flops, I bet she was the only one at her wedding whose feet didn't hurt a bit!

Domain problem

Someone is currently using my domain name. How on earth this happens I don't know, but it's happening to me! Please be advised that my website is currently unavailable as I continue to be tatooed to the phone trying to solve the problem...

Don't make the mistake of hiring the "Cheap Photographer!"

You get what you pay for, they always say, and here is one's bride's story about how she regretted choosing a discount wedding photographer for her wedding.

Wedding photography is a very labor-intensive and time consuming profession. There are astronomical overhead costs, and most people don't realize how vastly different professional grade equiptment and experience are when compared to the amateur counterparts. We simply HAVE to be paid accordingly.

While I consider myself an affordable wedding photographer, I certainly wouldn't consider myself "discount" by any means. My packages start at $1950, which is slightly lower than the going rate for professional wedding photography and my larger packages are quite reasonable as well.

My advice for couples out there today looking for a wedding photographer is to weigh your options well, go visit a couple of established photographers to see the quality and look at package options. You might be pleasantly surprised what you can afford!