Pre-Wedding at City Island, New York

I really look forward to Wedding Days, they are little mini-adventures for me. New towns, venues and people! I started my day very early as usual. I always leave plenty of time on wedding days because of my super fear of being late. When I arrive super early I eat at some cute new spot or go fishing, hoping for the big one! Today I found myself near City Island. If you haven’t been to City Island, GO! NOW!! It’s a little fishing community you would never believe is part of NYC. I found a coffee shop called Clipper Coffee and was immediately greeted by Jerry. He dug my camera shirt and it turned out he is a retired wedding photographer currently making movies. Great dude! He made me a perfect Avocado toast, and an Egglander (Highly recommended). A perfect place toi mentally prep for a big Wedding day at The New York Botanical Garden.

Wedding Prep in the Bronx

I met Kim & Kenny awhile back when we shot their engagement photos out in Dumbo, Brooklyn. They brought Penny, their adorable dog, Kim’s sister Jasmine and another friend and we cruised around Brooklyn Bridge Park getting some great shots.I always love an engagement shoot prior to a wedding because it’s a great way to get to know the couple and for them to get an idea of how I shoot!! Check out the Engagement HERE!

Todays Wedding prep was at a Marriot. Normal hotels (as opposed to boutique hotels or wedding venues) always pose a bit of a problem for photography. We had a few challenges, but made them work to our advantage, because thats what we do!! I loved that they had a lot of rad tattoos. Kim told me they have a matching one of two skeleton hands in a pinky swear. So cool! Penny the Dog helped Kenny write his vows. Ha! The girls were essentially in a conference room which we made the best of, our lobby was nice and we had an attached mall sort of space for 1st look. All in all, between (the awesome) Max Bovin (videography), his 2nd, my 2nd and I, I think we nailed prep and 1st look.

Wedding Formals at The New York Botanical Garden

We moved over to The New York Botanical Garden for the remainder of the day. Starting with formals, we found a nice set of stairs (in hindsight I feel like a real dummy for not using the damn gardens,DUH!). The Gardens assistants brought over a limo of a golf cart to transport us to my spot, and this gave me a great idea of putting the whole Wedding Party on it for an epic photo. We banged these photos out due to Kims amazing list she put together (I ask all my couples to do this, it makes this section of the day MUCH smoother). I was able to spend some time with Kim & Kenny for some portraiture. I could have done this all day given how perfect the New York Botanical Garden is for Wedding Photography. Kim kept asking me “ Is that me?” Yes, Kim, thats you!!!

Wedding Ceremony at The New York Botanical Garden

During prep we got word that there was some heavy rain coming in. Of course it was meant to start right when the Wedding Ceremony was supposed to start. This did not make Kim happy. She told me she picked this venue specifically to have her ceremony outside. The venue, florist and DJ were worried about this storm, understandably. I told Kim that between my team, the venue and our phenomenal planners at Runway, that we would do everything in our power to continue the ceremony outside, even if it rained. IT RAINED. A LOT!! Man, did Kim have a legendary group of people! Umbrellas were busted out, even the botanical gardens were handing them out, jackets were used, some troopers just said fuck it and took the rain like champs. It was awesome to see their wedding party stand by their side through that storm, as I am sure they have for years past, which is why they were up there in the first place! Again, LEGENDARY!

P.S. If you want to change up the whole flower girl thing, get an amazing gay couple and then tell them to be as gay as possible. Yes, this happened. I love my job.