When I think of Alyssa and Conor, and their Hudson Valley Weddings at the Hill wedding, I can’t help but feel warm fuzzies. Their day felt like home to me. Their family and their friends felt like they were mine. Alyssa and Conor themselves felt like they were extensions of my own heart. I remember every moment of their wedding day so vividly, their milestone memories as clear in my mind’s eye as my own personal ones.

THE COUPLE

Alyssa and Conor are two of the most intentional people I’ve ever met. They are careful and thoughtful with their choices - something that means a lot to me, considering that they first inquired to be able to work together two full years before their wedding date. They are calm and quiet and kind, but also confident and emotive. The things they love are hallmarks of an abundantly beautiful life - time spent outdoors and with their adorable dog Fletcher; watching Lord of the Rings; discovering new flavors of tea together.

When I ask couples how they like to spend their time, answers like what Alyssa and Conor shared show me that their love will go the distance. When joy and heartwarmth are found in the little things, I know that their life and love is full and embodied.

THE VENUE

Hudson Valley Weddings at The Hill is such a unique and beautiful location. Located in Hudson, NY, and tucked away from the main thoroughfare, it’s a lovely estate that features stunning open fields and one of the most gorgeous barns I’ve ever seen. While most barns are left to their natural wood color or painted red, this barn is painted a powder blue that serves as such a lovely backdrop for photos, and such an exciting welcome into the space for guests.

Most couples choose to host their ceremony and cocktail hour outside, overlooking the mountains, and then welcome their guests into the barn. Receptions are held on the second floor, which does have a chair lift for guests who are not as mobile.

THE DETAILS

Alyssa and Conor chose shades of blue and pink to decorate their day, with florals arranged in teapots on the reception tables. It was gorgeous, of course, but the best details of their day were the little emotive moments. The dance party that Alyssa had with the younger members of her wedding party before the ceremony; Conor’s tears when he first saw his bride walk down the aisle, someone who is so clearly his best friend; Alyssa’s siblings and mom embracing me like I was one of their own; the beautiful sunset, and the way Alyssa and Conor glided across their reception, greeting all of their family and friends.

These moments are beautiful and meaningful and emotional, but also ride on an undercurrent of bravery. Not everyone can exist so open-hearted; but Alyssa and Conor do, and it’s truly a gift to witness.

THE RECEPTION

When I think back on Alyssa and Conor’s reception, I mostly remember the way they danced and delighted with their families. Seeing them thrive together was a joy.

Alyssa and Conor, working with you continues to be one of my most deeply cherished memories.

FROM THE COUPLE

“Hiring Erica as your wedding photographer is not simply hiring someone to take photos at your wedding. Instead, when you welcome Erica into your wedding journey, it feels like befriending an incredibly kind and thoughtful soul who will gently, lovingly and enthusiastically usher you through one of the most special chapters of your life. At the end of it all, you are not only left with the most beautiful photos of you, your person and your loved ones that you could ever possibly imagine, but also, you are left with a life-long friend.

We don’t need to tell you how gorgeous her work is…the beauty of her work speaks for itself in every photo you’ll see; Erica’s gift of capturing a love story beautifully from engagement session to wedding day is unquestionably extremely impressive. But what’s even more impressive is the way she serves her clients. We’ve seen others use this phrase when describing her, and we will use it here too because it is so true: she took such good care of us. We fell in love with her from the very start in our first conversation and that was solidified at our engagement session. She made us laugh, feel so at ease in front of the camera with her positive and encouraging energy, and she genuinely took the time to get to know us as we talked and walked together during that hour. When we left our engagement session, we were on such a high and knew we would be in the very best hands with her on our wedding day.

In the months and weeks leading up to the wedding, Erica checked in several times, shared in our excitement and made sure every detail was in place so that the day could run smoothly and how we wanted it to run. On our wedding day, we were overwhelmed with so many different emotions, and Erica’s presence struck the perfect balance of being calming, reassuring, cheerful and celebratory. We truly believe that her showing up in that way and with that energy was what set the tone and allowed all of our wedding party and family members to feel just as at-ease, excited, joyous and present. Our people raved about her; how she made them laugh and feel comfortable posing for portraits and how incredibly friendly, warm and professional she was.

As she guided us through our couple portraits in our first moments of marriage, she allowed us to really soak in the pure joy of that time, making it feel so magical, sacred and, again, easy. We simply can’t imagine our wedding day with anyone but Erica and her team there with us.

We could honestly go on and on about how genuinely wonderful she is, but we’ll end by saying that she is a gift and a light and was, without a doubt, the absolute best decision we made when planning our wedding. We were sad to hug her goodbye at the end of the night, knowing our time together in this chapter was coming to a close. But she has gained friends and fans for life in us, and every time we see our gorgeous wedding photos hanging on our walls and in the homes of those we love, we’ll always feel so grateful for who she is and all of the beauty she has brought to this world through her work and especially through her care and love for those she serves.”