I have been photographing weddings for over a decade (yes, I'm old; no, I don't look it #goodgenes), and I've seen a whole lot in the wedding industry between 2010 and today. Most of what I have witnessed has been lovely and given me the warm fuzzies, but one of the least cool things I have seen in the industry has been the lack of care that wedding photography clients have gotten from photography teams, in particular.
I think we all know the studio photographer stereotype: an egotistical individual that continually gets in the way, wants to do weird old-school poses, is rude to the family, gets stressed about the timeline, and creeps on the wedding party.
I deeply desire to turn that stereotype on its head.
It's my dream that the Sweet Alice Studios team of womxn wedding photographers embodies a new incredibly intentional and especially kind boutique team wedding photography experience for clients. More than taking your photos, we want to take care of YOU. Every Sweet Alice Studios team photographer has been personally chosen and vetted by me, not only for their ability to take gorgeous photographs, but also for their ability to treat you and all those around you as the beautiful souls that you are on your wedding day. For us, it's not about building our portfolios or gaining more Instagram followers - it's about the honor of documenting your story and supporting you throughout your journey. We consider it a joy and a privilege to photograph every single wedding that we are contracted for.
And I think you can see that in the images here in this blog that my team photographer Maria created a few years ago. ✨
THE COUPLE
I think Kate + Erick know that I was completely taken with them from the moment I received their inquiry - not only because they are fun and fun-loving, but also (and especially) because they had a cat named Ke$ha that Kate’s dad hilariously called “Dollar Sign.”
The moment they shared that on their consultation call, I was hooked on them. Their easy way of operating in the world while also being highly aware of what’s going on in the world, advocating for others, and being incredibly intentional with their relationships is something I personally strive for. And I know it inspired Maria when photographing these two darling souls, as well.
THE VENUE
Diamond Mills is a sweet little venue located in Saugerties, NY. Its main draw is the waterfall that it overlooks, especially considering that it can be captured in most couple portraits on a wedding day, and the ceremony space also overlooks it (which guests love).
Another bonus for you and your guests is that Saugerties is the most perfect little Hudson Valley town if there ever was one, with its cute coffee shops, adorable bookstores, and lack of good cell phone service. So, people like making a weekend out of attending a wedding there.
(There’s just something magical about bad cell phone service sometimes, isn’t there?)
THE DETAILS
Kate + Erick were intentional with the details for their wedding - they wanted beautiful colors with hints of gold and Gatsby. The wedding party colors were wine and navy, and the reception details highlighted the gold. Kate made most of the reception decor - a feat that I am always impressed by when my couples choose a more DIY route (while I deeply desire to be a DIY person, I am decidedly not, which I have learned through many a Pinterest fail).
THE RECEPTION
It’s interesting to edit a wedding when I have not personally been there. While I am familiar with Diamond Mills from photographing weddings there myself, there’s a special kind of surprise and delight when going through the images for the first time - it’s like picking up a good book and becoming immediately enchanted by it. That’s how I felt when editing the reception images from Kate + Erick’s day - it looked like just the most enjoyable wedding reception ever.
FROM THE COUPLE
“When you hire Sweet Alice Photography, you are without question hiring the best. The first time we Facetimed with Erica, I felt so connected to her! She is easy to communicate with, professional, and, above all, caring. She wants you to have the best wedding day ever! (It also did not hurt that she is equally as obsessed as we are with cats and The Office). When we found out that Erica was not available for our wedding date, we were upset, but then we met her team photographer - another amazing photographer & human being - Maria!
While Erica handled the details leading up to our big day, Maria made for an absolutely flawless day of! She was extremely helpful in organizing our wedding party and keeping us on time - not to mention, of course, creating beautiful photos and memories. It is soooo much easier to feel comfortable in front of a camera when you have Maria saying "Yasssss, omg yassss" haha. But in all seriousness, it is very important to connect with your vendors, and with Sweet Alice Photography, that effort will be minimal!”
Kate + Erick, Maria and I still talk about your wedding as if it were just yesterday. We miss it, and we miss you. 💛
VENDORS
Venue: Diamond Mills - Saugerties, NY // Hair + Makeup: Devon Yankowski // Florals: The Dancing Tulip // Invitations: Shutterfly // DJ: Get Down Upstate // Team Photographer: Maria
Wedding Date: August 17, 2019
