Jul
18
I’m on a bit of a stay-close-to-home kick right now. Not for me so much, but for our couples. We’ve had several engagement sessions in which our clients have chosen to do their shoot in and/or around their home, or got back to their roots. I LOVE this!!! It’s so nice to get to know people in their natural environments and we get a great sense of who they are and what they like to do, simply by walking by this cafe or that park.
And so it was with Cleo and Dieter. They had initially thought we should do the session in New York City, as they live right across from the Big Apple. But as the day approached, we realized that their town of Hoboken provided the perfect backdrop for their session. They showed us their favorite spots to walk and bike ride, and the views of Manhattan were the views they could see by stepping out their door. Absolutely perfect!
We started down by the water. You can pretty much see the Empire State Building from anywhere in town. I especially love this photo because their story is central, but there are also two other neighborhood stories and life cycle stories- the dad and his son on the right were fishing (future family) and the couple by the railing is an elderly couple (to me, symbolizing the golden years in Cleo and Dieter’s life together).
Dancing and fooling around. Why not?!
On our walk, we popped onto the campus of the Stevens Institute of Technology (Cleo takes a class here for fun). Wow, the views! It must be a great place to go to school.
Hoboken just built this fabulous new park on the water. And there was this beautiful bridge.
We finished our tour at the Hoboken Terminal (Dieter rides his bike through here every day). It has character and charm and few people on a Saturday. It is truly a gem of a spot.
Loving this simple formal portrait.
A quiet moment.
And this one with a bit more drama.
After we were done, we took a cab back to their apartment and enjoyed brunch at one of their neighborhood haunts. I couldn’t get over how great Hoboken was. Having never been there, I had no idea. Seeing the town through their eyes was such fun. And seeing them through a filter of their town helped me get to know Cleo and Dieter even better.
If you would like to see a few more, check out their slideshow.
May
04
A few weeks back, before we had even a hint of spring, we ventured down to New York to meet up with Caitlin and Nick for their engagement session. Not many couples take us up on a winter e-session, but these two were up for enjoying a little fresh air and a beautiful wintery scene. That’s right, Manhattan offered up its best winter look, complete with fluffy flakes of snow. It was magical!
Another little bit of magic, is the story of how they met. Perhaps it is even a bit of movie magic, because they have a When Harry Met Sally story. (One of my all-time fave flix, by the way.) If they were sitting on a couch and recorded it, it would have fit in perfectly.
You see Caitlin and Nick both attended the same weekend music school for 3 years while they were in high school and never met. Nick saw Caitlin perform at their school, but they didn’t meet then either. They even have a photo from their class and they are separated by one row and they never met. Not until they attended a summer program in Colorado did they meet. They enjoyed dating for a few months, but they were headed in different directions for college and didn’t want to be long distance. They saw each other each summer, but they were still focusing on other things. That is until Caitlin took Nick out for his 25th birthday celebration. From that point on, there was no denying that these two were meant to be.
And really you can see what a perfect match they are for each other simply by watching how they look at each other.
Our session took us in and around Lincoln Center to capture their relationship and their connection to music.
And when we got cold, we ventured inside to do a few more photos in their home.
The session was a perfect mix, reflecting their lives, their relationship and their connection to the city. And I can’t imagine a more perfect time of year to do it!
Huge thanks to Caitlin and Nick for being so great to work with and for sharing your music with us! We truly can’t wait for your wedding!
Mar
26
Huge congrats to our friend and colleague David Tutera for being featured in Vogue: Japan. And we are so excited that they chose one of our photos to highlight his amazing work. That’s right, we were recently published in Vogue Japan. International and chic, no?!
I’ll be honest I can’t tell you all about the article our work is part of, because, as you would expect, it’s in Japanese, but what I can gather is that they were highlighting several vendors celebrated in the international wedding industry. They focused on florists and event planners, in particular. And David Tutera, whom we have worked with on several occassions, was number one on their list. It’s no surprise as his work is astounding- it completely captivates all of my senses.
Our image was taken during a wedding at The Fairmont’s Plaza Hotel in New York City. The whole concept was based around crystals and they were everywhere. The ballroom sparkled.
If you want to see more of David‘s work, definitely check out:
David Tutera’s Metropolitan Club Wedding
Tutera’s Gotham Hall Wedding
Fall, Winter, Spring and Summer Inspiration
More of David’s designs still to come from a fall episode of My Fair Wedding.
Jan
27
So very excited to share the news that we have been published in the Spring/Summer 2010 issue of grace ormonde WeddingStyle. Absolutely love this wedding magazine- chic, elegant, fashion forward designs and style aplenty. If you are planning a wedding, you should definitely check out their current national and New England issues. Tons of great stories, real weddings and inspiring ideas.
We submitted images from this fabulous Plaza Hotel wedding in New York City. It was designed by the trend-setter David Tutera and his talented team. With his table decor, he not only defines the space around a table, but creates a feeling like you have been transported to whole other world. All of your senses are enticed. It’s an amazing experience. We are thrilled that we could share one of his signature designs with Grace Ormonde readers.
If you would like to see more from this wedding, definitely check out our story from the wedding.
And if you would like to see other David Tutera wedding designs and ideas, check out these posts- NY Metropolitan Club Wedding, NY Gotham Hall Wedding, Fall, Winter, Spring and Summer Inspiration. More of David’s designs still to come from an episode of My Fair Wedding.
Cover image by Jade Studio Productions.
Jun
27
Just two weeks after photographing our David Tutera wedding at The Plaza, Dave popped back down to New York to photograph the decor of this fabulous wedding at Gotham Hall. It was all blossoms and sparkles and simply amazing details. And the food looked to die for.
When the guests first arrived, they were greeted by a security detail and serenaded by violinists.
They entered the Grand Ballroom of Gotham Hall to find their escort cards laid out on this beautiful table. Then took their seats for the ceremony behind it.
At the top of the entry, you see the full view of the ceremony space. The aisle lined with elegant floral arrangements on pedestals. But the Chuppah was simply out of this world. I love the view from the inside looking out. This is one canopy I would gladly start the rest of my life under, and for that matter spend the rest of my life under (assuming the flowers wouldn’t die).
And a close up…
And you can get the full awesomeness of the scene, as the bride takes her first steps done the aisle…
Another amazing aspect of this wedding was the food- the presentation was simply a work of art. The champagne was chilled in ice sculptures.
An array of sushi in every shape, size and color.
The bride and groom were Russian Jews so the food also needed to pay homage to their roots. Each guest received a rainbow of caviar at his seat.
And the piece d’resistance, the stunning cake designed by Sylvia Weinstock. The craftsmanship, technique and attention to detail that goes into her cakes are exemplary.
During the cocktail hour, the David Tutera team transformed the space from the ceremony arrangement you saw above to the reception arrangement below. I think they had just over an hour to get it all done.
They turned the Chuppah into a canopy for the sweetheart table. This is the bride and groom’s view (looking to the right) during the reception.
And another view (straight ahead), where they can see the dance floor.
Some of the tables were arranged in a criss-cross patern. In the center was this tall arrangement with roses, willow branches, and all kinds of flowers pouring out of the urn and the pedestal.
These displays of calla lillies, roses, and crystals were placed throughout the hall and reached way into the sky.
The whole look was stunning. A huge thank you to David Tutera and his team. We are so thrilled that we could be a part of this beautiful design and capture these images for you.
Want to see more? Check out the slideshow.
Apr
25
Ever the romantic, I am totally in love with these pink orchids all wrapped up in willow branches and surrounded by candles. This table setting definitely has a tropical feel mixed with old world elegance. I think this arrangement could work in any season and would definitely wow your guests.
Dave captured this at the Westchester Ritz Bridal Show while photographing for David Tutera, who was speaking and displaying his work.
Check out more from the show here.
Apr
08
The designers of today are totally upping the ante with unique ways to set a table. Check out this black and white themed table. I love the Victorian chairs and the chic lighted table. And the floral arrangements of varied different flowers all in shades of white. This would be perfect for a winter wedding.
Dave captured this at the Westchester Ritz Bridal Show while photographing for David Tutera, who was speaking and displaying his work.
Check out more from the show here.
Apr
01
Blue is hot. I have seen some amazing glow bars recently and I think this trend definitely works for today’s hip urban bride. When you walk into a space with a bar that is all lit up, the nightclub feel is such fun!
Dave captured this at the Westchester Ritz Bridal Show while photographing for David Tutera, who was speaking and displaying his work.
Check out more from the show here.
Mar
24
A few weeks back, I had the opporunity to document the work of David Tutera at the Ritz Carlton in Westchester. David was invited to create wedding reception table displays. He designed a suite of arrangements, from small to grand for each, that represented the four seasons.
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