THE COUPLE

I think there are some couples and some weddings that show you what’s possible. Like a breadcrumb trail, people and weddings like this only enter your life when you are truly ready for them - because once you see the possibilities of working with such wonderful people on such wonderful days, you want nothing else but to recreate that every weekend.

Kristine, Matt, and their gorgeous October wedding day at Crested Hen Farms did exactly that - showed me what was possible for the future of this precious wedding photography business. After working with them, I couldn’t imagine not working with people like them from there on out. They inspired me just by who they were. That is a special and rare quality.

Kristine and Matt love spending time together outdoors and upstate, so it only made sense that they planned an entire wedding weekend in one of the most gorgeous parts of New York (the border between the Hudson Valley and the Catskills). Their kind hearts were as warm as the beautiful October sun that day.

THE VENUE

If you want a quintessential rustic upstate New York wedding venue, then you want to get married at Crested Hen Farms. Owned and operated by the most endearing couple, the care and thoughtfulness that the owners put into each wedding is so evident. They are there on the day of the wedding to check in with the couple who is getting married, keep the historic barn in beautiful shape, and only host about a dozen weddings on the property every year. If you get one of the wedding dates available at Crested Hen Farms, consider yourself lucky and get excited - the space does not disappoint.

THE DETAILS

Wedding day details are so interesting. They’re like a little peek into the heart and soul of a couple. Kristine and Matt’s wedding featured a warm color palette, with autumnal attire, dried flowers, and pops of reds and yellows here and there. The food was also important to Kristine and Matt, as they are self-proclaimed foodies, and Kristine runs a food influencer Instagram account. The food they chose for the cocktail hour and reception was not only tasty, but also beautifully decorated, with leafy sprigs and pretty florals.

THE RECEPTION

Kristine comes from a super fun Irish family (as do I - fun fact), so it was important to the couple that live Irish music was showcased during the reception. They hired McLean Avenue Band for the wedding, and I have truthfully never seen a dance floor as packed as the one at Kristine and Matt’s wedding. Kristine did some Irish step dancing with her sister, she and Matt were hoisted up to do the Hora to pay homage to his Jewish heritage, and I don’t think I saw ANYONE sit down until it was time for dinner.

This wedding, its people, its details, its vendor team - incredible from end to end.

When I think about Sweet Alice, I think about this day. Because this wedding perfectly represented the heart of it all - and I can’t thank Kristine and Matt enough for that.

FROM THE COUPLE

Where do I start: ERICA is AMAZING. From my first call with her, I knew I HAD to have Erica be a part of our wedding day one way or another. After my call, my husband was like wow, you sound like you are friends already – and it was true! Instant connection! We wanted our wedding full of good vibes, great people, and positivity and we knew Erica would make it even more special. Erica is a professional at what she does, but not only that, she is one of the most amazing, kind, caring, loving, thoughtful people I have ever met. She is one of those people that has so much passion in everything she does, and spreads positivity and love wherever she goes. Erica was so responsive, organized, and fun to work with throughout the whole process, and I am so thankful we had her. She felt like a close friend that I have known forever. Erica is one special person and really excels in her craft.

When my husband and I first met Erica at our engagement shoot, we were like, wow this girl is so cool! She made taking picture so easy (which can be awkward) and the pictures were FLAWLESS. She really captured who we are as a couple. After the engagement shoot, we couldn’t be more excited for having her for our wedding day. Erica also came to our walk-through meeting at our venue Crested Hen Farms, and she really helped us envision the day and gave us the visuals of where the best photos would be and helped plan out our timeline. AND she brought my whole family coffee - how cool and thoughtful is she?!? Right before the wedding she also sent us a Starbucks gift card to enjoy a small coffee break together - so amazing. It’s the little things in life that matter the most, and Erica captures that essence to a tee.

On our wedding day Erica and her second photographer were so fun and caring to work with. She found the most amazing locations to take pictures at our venue, and I may be biased, but I think we had the BEST wedding photos ever! Erica really caterers to YOU and what YOU want, as your wedding day should be all about YOU. She made everyone in our family so comfortable with taking pictures and captured such special moments that I will treasure for the rest of my life. Our family and friends continued to compliment how nice Erica and her team were, and after seeing the pictures everyone was in awe with how amazing everything came out. I couldn’t be more thankful and blessed for my wedding day, and having Erica a part of that made it better. Do not question booking Erica – you will be thankful you did!!! Thank you, Erica, for everything, and for making our day so special!