Your Wedding
Months, even years, of planning disappear in an instant as the guests leave. My job is to document the entire experience exactly as it happened through authentic and stunning images.
Now booking wedding, engagement, elopement, bridal, and Photo Booth sessions.
Engagements
Weddings
Modern Photo Booth
Elizabeth and Marc had a winter wonderland to play in for their engagement session at Highland Forest, a lovely location nearly in Elizabeth's childhood backyard. Elizabeth and Marc are about as far as you can get from Central New York as they make their home in the very sophisticated and metropolitan London, England. They met through work, Marc was setting up a New York City office for their company when he met Elizabeth. They survived a long-distance relationship before Elizabeth decided to make the move to England for work...and Marc. I just love a happy ending! They are planning to marry in Syracuse at Hendricks Chapel and then celebrate at the spectacularly renovated Hotel Syracuse in May, I am thrilled to be photographing this classy couple at two lovely locations...see you in May!
Arielle and Andrew are getting married next July and I couldn't be more excited to work with this pair at the stunning Fontainebleau Inn! We met at their alma mater, far above Cayuga's waters, at the beautiful Cornell University for their engagement session. I was thrilled to spend the evening with this pair in a place that has so many wonderful memories, bright beautiful emotions were bubbling under the surface throughout the session and I am thrilled to see what their wedding day brings (you can bet on tons of joyous laughter)!
Emily and John's wedding was a wonderful way to close out my wedding season especially since I got to shoot at the beautifully renovated Hannum House at the Sherwood Inn. My favorite moment from their wedding was her dress (yes, the dress is officially a MOMENT) I loved the gauzy pale pink skirt that twirled oh-so-perfectly! Another high point was the Russian wedding dance which gave her so many opportunities to spin in her awesome dress. It was a nice touch that her guests were rewarded with vodka shots and traditional cookies after dancing with the bride but the absolute highlight of the wedding were Emily's vows, I don't often tear-up at weddings but her vows did me in...well done!
Brian and Tom did not have the perfect weather day but they did have the perfect wedding so who cares if the sun never made an appearance! Their sweet ceremony and killer reception were at Anyela's Vineyard in Skaneateles. The best part of the wedding was the tremendous display of love and support this couple was surrounded with, it was a fantastic celebration of love (and the food by Rosalie's was awesome, too)! I am so happy we live in a country that celebrates all types of love and I look forward to documenting so many more same-sex weddings over the years...love ALWAYS wins!
Molly and Rich celebrated their wedding day at SKY Armory in downtown Syracuse surrounded by dear friends and family on a beautiful fall day. My favorite moments from their day were both provided by Rich's best man, he gave one of the most moving toasts I have ever had the pleasure to witness and then preformed a highly choreographed dance to Lady Gaga's Applause to celebrate the newlyweds...all best men should strive to be this fabulous!!!! Please enjoy these images, which speak to the couple's loving relationship to each other and their friends and family.
I recently had the opportunity to do a senior portrait session for Ben, a Skaneateles High School student. He was really reluctant to do the session but the hour we spent walking around town flew by and I even managed to get him to laugh for a few moments (I see that as a complete success when working with 18 year old boys). I never force my clients to do things that feel fake or artificial so Ben spent most of the time being serious and I have a feeling that really reflects his personality, here are two of my favorites...
Elsa and Patrick were married at Emerson Park Pavilion in Auburn, NY. My favorite aspect of this wedding was the joining of two cultures, Elsa's family is from Albania and many of their wedding traditions were incorporated into their celebration. The best part was seeing the couple dance in the traditional wedding costumes and get showered with cash. I also loved seeing how much family came from Albania to help celebrate the newlyweds. I wish you both a lifetime of health and happiness!
Vidda and Kyle are two of my favorite people ever! I shot their engagement session and wedding in 2013 and now they are getting ready to welcome their first child!!! I am so excited that I have been a part of so many milestones in their lives, I am really looking forward to meeting their little sweet baby! Thanks to Vidda and Kyle for making my first maternity photography session a huge success...I am now officially booking maternity sessions, book yours today!!
Sarah and Michael had a spectacular day at the always spectacular Aurora Inn. I absolutely love shooting weddings here, it's a shame I won't be back until June of next year! Some of my favorite moments from Sarah and Michael's wedding were Michael's reaction during the first look, the lavender toss as they walked down the aisle as a married couple and when Sarah and her father both burst into tears before a word had been spoken when I asked him if he had any advice for his daughter on her wedding day. I wish these two a lifetime of laughter and love...if their marriage is to be anything like their wedding day that shouldn't be a problem!
Sheena and Reid had an intimate wedding at the Aurora Inn on beautiful Sunday evening. My favorite part of their day was the sunset, it was spectacular! Here is a glimpse of their wedding day...
Ellie and Donny celebrated their marriage at the Lodge at Welch Allyn but not before kicking off the day at Mirbeau Inn and Spa. Ellie spent well over a year designing and even growing many of the flowers for her wedding, she loved the wedding planning process and it certainly showed. A few of my favorite touches were the groom's cow spotted socks (he's a dairy farmer) and the dozens of tiny ladybugs tucked here and there in remembrance of Ellie's mother, I think Ellie should consider wedding planning if she ever gets sick of nursing!
Cari & Geoffrey's wedding at the John Joseph Inn and Elizabeth Restaurant was everything I hoped it would be...I have been dying to shoot at this venue for years and this lovely young couple was a wonderful introduction to the property. My favorite aspect of the wedding was the love and affection that was on full display, Geoffrey was brought to tears during the first look and during the vows, I just love it when people let their emotions come to the surface. It was so nice to see the love these two have for each other and their friends and families, I've never seen so many hugs at a wedding before...love, love, love was in the air.
Emily and Lenny are engaged! This NYC couple spend a gorgeous evening cuddling and laughing in the village of Skaneateles. Lenny proposed to Emily at the end of the pier in the village...there are so many good memories for these two in town, that's one reason why the energy between these two was so bubbly! I am looking forward to their wedding next year at the Skaneateles Country Club...they are going to KILL it!
Beth wasn't done wearing her dress after her wedding day so we met to do a bridal session and she invited her niece and nephew along for some happy distractions. Down South, where I grew up, bridals are still a common practice so I was thrilled to bring this tradition north of the Mason Dixon Line. I am officially starting my campaign to make bridal portraits a nationwide tradition...who doesn't want a legitimate reason to wear their wedding dress again!! Bridal sessions are typically done well before the wedding day so it’s a great trial run for your wedding day look. Maybe you will discover the dress needs adjustments, or the lipstick was not your shade, or the loose curls you imagined went flat in in 20 minutes. With a bridal portrait session you will be able to make adjustments BEFORE your wedding day, most brides do a trial run of hair and makeup...put that beauty to good use!
I have been to a lot of weddings and I typically see the same lovely traditions but Nicole and Kevin did something I had never seen before and it was awesome. Nicole's delightful grandmother was a bridesmaid and I hope this becomes a trend! It was a touching gesture and it was made even more special because we were able to witness the love her grandparents still have decades after their gold anniversary. I wish you lots of love and luck in your new lives together, you should be fine with your role models!!!
The Mashia's met me at the Skaneateles Country Club on a bright summer's evening for a mini-lifestyle family portrait session. My sessions are very low pressure and unstructured, there is lots of playing, dancing, & even time for snacking (if the session feels like work for your kids the images will show it)! I love photography because it forces me to be present and to really observe situations, their 9-year-old showed me how quickly kids grow up...at times she was startlingly mature and then a few moments later she was enjoying a juice box while sneaking a cuddle from her mom! I feel grateful that I had this evening with the girls to capture them while they were still little girls (for the most part). My favorite part of the session came at dusk...the girl's reward for being awesome was getting to jump in the lake in their clothes!!!
Stephanie and Jason had a classic Skaneateles wedding, they were married at St Mary's and then celebrated lakeside at the Skaneateles Country Club. Stephanie and her crew got ready at 34 State Street and it is my new favorite wedding prep location...I highly recommend it for your wedding day or even a little luxurious getaway! I had a chance to get to know Stephanie and her family when I documented her sister's wedding, I am so happy they chose me again since it's always delightful to work with their family! Jason and Stephanie were blissed out enough to remain completely fabulous even though we were battling extreme heat and humidity (thank God Jason had the foresight to pack a fresh shirt to change into before the cocktail hour)! They kept the great energy going all evening with The Mere Mortals, it's such a treat when great vendors and people come together to create a wonderful celebration. Many many thanks to Megan and her crew at MLH Events in creating a seamless experience and to Rachel at In Bloom for proving stunning florals!
Time flies especially when your first baby arrives. Brooke's sweet baby boy is already 6 months old and we'll be doing his one year portraits before we know it (here is his newborn session). I love this age, the babies just stay put and do a lot of smiling...that's a photographer's dream! I am available to document your bundle of joy's first year.
Rose and Michael were wise enough to schedule their engagement session while the sunflowers were in full bloom, it was a lot of fun photographing this engagement session among the brilliant colors of late summer. I am very happy this lovely couple chose me to capture their day...they are just delightful people and a joy to work with!
Molly and Eric were married in Skaneateles at the Sherwood Inn. My favorite aspect of their wedding day was how they incorporated Molly's daughter, Claire, into every tradition. Two of my favorite moments were when Claire escorted her mother down the aisle and overhearing her declare that Eric was officially her step-dad. It was a real treat to photograph a wedding and the creation of a new family all in one event! I wish this lovely family a beautiful future!!
The Delmonicos' welcomed me into their home early one morning, the two oldest were still rubbing the sleep out of their eyes while the two youngest were still in bed when I started documenting their daily routine. I am so grateful they allowed me to start early because I love capturing the seemingly forgettable moments of life. It's rewarding when I transform something ordinary into a cherished family photograph. Thanks to the Delmonicos' for trusting me and allowing me to immerse myself into a typical day. Here are a few from our family lifestyle session...
Beth and Tyler were married on a steamy and stormy August day which certainly kept us on our toes. Although it may sound odd, I am really pleased that the rain forced us to abandon our initial plan because we found a lovely location near their reception at The Genesee Grande Hotel, sometimes problems become blessings! Life and weddings don't always go as planned but things usually work out in the end...it's important remember to focus on the positives and to savor the wonderful moments which are so plentiful (and fleeting)! I wish Beth and Tyler a marriage filled with more sunny days than stormy but at least they know they can weather the stormy days with beauty and grace!
We don't get to see our extended family enough but we were lucky this year when almost all of the Colorado Buttolphs' vacationed on Skaneateles lake (we missed you Ed, Andrew, and the twins)! Here are a few of my favorites from a perfect summer evening, keep me in mind to photograph your next family gathering...I love capturing all the little moments that make up life.
I love the way Nita and Kai look at each other, it's the kind of love and affection that really warms your heart to witness. We started at the Rowland House, it doesn't get much better than a first look next to the Greek-folly overlooking the lake. For their ceremony and reception we made our way to the Inns of Aurora. The sunset was spectacular, the ENTIRE wedding made their way to the shore to watch the brilliant colors transform the lake. It was a pleasure to document their intimate Inns of Aurora wedding day, working with a couple that is so clearly in love with each other is a dream! I wish you a marriage as brilliant as your wedding day, thank you for allowing me to document your beautiful day!
Sara and Anthony were married in Skaneateles and then celebrated at Lodge at Welch Allyn. My favorite moment of the day was when Anthony teared up when he saw his bride walk down the aisle. You may think that first looks spoil the drama of the "aisle" moment but Anthony's tears are clear evidence to the opposite. Another thing I loved was the generous amount of time we got to work with Sara prior to the ceremony...I am such a sucker for a veil!! You two make a beautiful couple (inside and out) thank you for including me in your happy day!
Christina and Brian were married at the Aurora Inn on a brilliant June day. I'd like to think that the day's sparkling brilliance was a refection of their love for each other, these two were just radiant together...thank you for inviting me into your love story! I wish you both the best and many, many, many wonderful years together!
Beth and Tyler's wedding day is just days away! They were able to squeeze in an engagement session after their pre-wedding honeymoon tour of Europe, luckily we fit in a session at the Erie Canal park on a beautiful summer evening. They often walk the park so they wanted to incorporate the sentimental location into their session...the only challenged we faced was the explosion of Pokemon Go gamers that swarmed the park during the photoshoot! Coming soon...their Genesee Grande Hotel wedding.
Kate and Alex did not have the perfect wedding...what they had was beautiful despite heartache. Kate was suffering the tremendous loss of her very dear step-father who had suddenly passed just prior to their wedding. The perfect wedding would have had him escorting her down the aisle and she would have danced with him rather than her mother for the parent dances. He would have been present for the clever toasts and loving words shared by her maid of honor and Alex's best man. I have never witnessed such strength and grace in the midst of grief, she was a rock. Alex you are terribly lucky to have found such a kind and resilient person to share your life with, I suspect that she draws from you those qualities I so admired in her on your wedding day. You both are such lovely people and I can only image a wonderful future for you as you grow old together. Thank you for reminding me that although life is sometimes painful, if you can muster the strength to look past the turmoil, there is always beauty around us...as long as you choose to see it. Inns of Aurora you have done it again, a lovely backdrop to a beautiful celebration.
Charlie David arrived on 12/12/16 and he is the sweetest little critter! I had the honor of photographing his parents wedding in 2014 and it is always a pleasure to document my couple's next chapters. I hope to see this little guy in 6 months for another session...it's the perfect age for photo sessions since they are too little to crawl away but big enough to show off their personalities. To book your family or newborn session click on the contact form here.