I just LOVE networking with fellow wedding vendors. It is great to meet other people who love what they do as much as I do. WeDo is a curated group of New York wedding vendors who get together monthly for some networking and yes, a bit of drinking! I photographed the April event at the Brooklyn Winery. The already beautiful space was made even prettier by Rock Paper Scissors. We were serenaded by the Baby Soda Jazz Band of Lucy Music. Check out more pics on the WeDo blog.

Me with Fleur of The Artful Bachelorette. Check out her cool website! They host art parties for bachelorettes with nude male models. :) Thanks for taking our pic Karen Zieff!

On their 20th anniversary, James and Michael were married during a very intimate midnight ceremony at the W Hotel in New York City. The couple came up from Virginia for the occasion. It was such an honor to be their photographer and witness! Earlier in the day, we took pictures around Times Square, The New York Public Library and Central Park. It was a fun, colorful shoot despite the dreary weather. While I photographed another wedding in the evening, James and Michael got to see Ricky Martin in Evita! We met up again in the hotel lobby and found the perfect backdrop for the ceremony by officiant Kim Worley. After a celebratory stroll through Times Square, James and Michael got cheesecake at Junior’s. Mmmmm. Congrats!!!!!!!!!!

A few Saturdays back I had the honor of photographing two weddings for long time gay couples. First up, Bill and Steve’s intimate wedding at the Ritz-Carlton Central Park!

After 15 years together, Bill and Steve were officially married in November 2011 in a very small ceremony at their home. But they also wanted to have a larger reception for 40 of their friends and family. After searching all over New York for just the right venue, Bill found a suite at the Ritz-Carlton which would be perfect for the ceremony and a seated dinner. As it turns out, it was also the first gay wedding held there!

Cocktail hour included music, hors d’oeuvres and a slideshow from their November wedding by friend Ira Block. It was a very moving ceremony meant to complete the one begun in November. There were not many dry eyes. Bill and Steve’s love and commitment to each other was clear to everyone there. Following the ceremony, dinner was held in a room perfectly appointed for an elegant, candlelit dinner. In a change from the usual wedding traditions, toasts were give by Bill and Steve for each of their 40 guests! Their closest friends and family were honored with stories and given a chocolate picture frame with an image of the couple with them.

Bill and Steve’s cake reflected their passion for spinning at Fly Wheel. And there were also groom sugar cookies! (Shame I had to leave and didn’t get to try them, but it was on to wedding #2 for me!)

Vendors
Ceremony and Reception: Ritz-Carlton Central Park
Cake, Favors: Ritz-Carlton Central Park
Florist: Perriwater
Invitation, Menu, Table Numbers: Arlene Boehm, Graphic Design

Carnival themes often plays a role in New Orleans weddings, but Andrea and Brian’s actually took place during Mardi Gras! Having attended Loyola University New Orleans (my alma mater too!), Brian knew how much fun their guests would have. Latrobes, such a quintessential New Orleans venue, was the prefect background for the festivities. Candles by Luminous Events glowed everywhere and the Groovy 7 rocked the halls of the one time bank building. We ran a photo studio in the carriage way for guests to don beautiful masks and boas Andrea thoughtfully selected. The late night secondline was the prefect ending to the night. Escorted by the police, the wedding party was able to cross Bourbon Street twice, no easy task -especially during carnival!

Ceremony and Reception: Latrobe’s, New Orleans
Florist: Meade Wenzel
Videography: Studio Vieux Carre
Cake: Royal Cakery
Ceremony Music: New Orleans Finest Musicians
Band: Groovy 7
Dress: Francesca Pitera for Jim Hjelm
Shoes: Jimmy Choo
Headpiece: Maria Elena Headpieces
Make-up: Kessel Artistry
Candles: Luminous Events
Second Photographer and Photo Studio: Victoria Pisarello
Mardi Gras Masks: Mardi Gras Outlet
Invitations: Elizabeth Grace Paperie Chicago (Bella Figura)
Second Line Band: New Orleans Finest Musicians (The Pinstripes)
Welcome Bags: Lagniappe for your Event

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This was a very special engagement session because the groom is my brother! I’m so happy for him and just delighted to welcome Meredith to our family! Despite the freezing temperature and wind, we braved the French Quarter and City Park one Sunday morning and rewarded ourselves with beignets after. We spent a good deal of the session by Preservation Hall because of the couple’s love of music. I can’t wait for their wedding in November, and I’m so glad I won’t be photographing it! It will be nice to be a guest for a change. :)