If there’s one word that comes to mind when I reminisce on working with Katherine and Victor for their Hollow Brook Golf Club wedding, it’s the word Comfort. They are comfortable and warm with each other, their family, their friends, and were such a joy for me to photograph on their big day. Everything felt enjoyable and light because all they cared about was getting married to each other.

When Alina and I first connected, she told me that she was envisioning a slightly industrial garden and greenery vibe for her wedding day - and her wedding to Ilya at Brotherhood Winery in July delivered just that. It was a beautifully aesthetic day filled with the same type of vibrant joy that colorful flowers welcome in on a warm summer day.

If I’m being honest,  I think about Sophie and Eric’s Callicoon Hills wedding weekend often, especially when the late days of June turn into the early days of July, as the weather is consistently warmer, and the trees are most lush. Sophie and Eric’s wedding weekend is seared into my mind, and looking back on it feels as nostalgic as looking back on my own milestones feels. There was just something about that weekend, those 72 hours, with the most endearing and wonderful of people that felt like a gift, like I was welcomed and included, like I could have spent another whole week there with these souls. It just all felt GOOD.

Looking back on Stephanie and Brian’s Nostrano Vineyards wedding day for this blog felt like the happiest of memories revisited. It was the wildest of weather days - warm and sunny in the morning, windy and cloudy by midday, and so cold I had to wear my winter coat by the time the reception started - but the different weather only added to how magical this whole day felt, from beginning to end.

Weddings that are a little out-of-the-box are my favorites to photograph, and Jules and Dakota’s wedding at Locust Grove in Poughkeepsie, NY was just that. This location is gorgeous, but is also almost completely DIY, so you can really design your wedding day exactly as you want it to  occur. Jules and Dakota’s wedding day was full of all of the best things - a pup, a pizza truck, their smiles, good friends, precious family. It was a uniquely sweet day for all of the right reasons.

When I became a wedding photographer in the Hudson Valley, I truthfully had no idea how close I was to all of the magic that the Catskills region has to offer for weddings. But, when I did realize it - man, what a dream. It’s no secret that I love the Hudson Valley, but Catskills weddings just feel different in the best way. There is space and open air; guests and couples feel just a little more relaxed; venues are scarce, but backyards are plenty, which is where Lauren and Scott got married on the most adorable June day.

As a seasoned (14+ years, y’all!) photographer in the Hudson Valley, I get to photograph so many wonderful weddings in beautiful locations, and The Garrison is one of those beautiful locations. Tara and Dylan chose to get married here because they love the beauty and simplicity of nature, and the grounds at The Garrison provide exactly that - beauty and simplicity, surrounded by gorgeous greenery.

We were so lucky with the beautiful weather on Tara and Dylan’s wedding day - the sun was shining, the air was warm, and even though it had rained the day before (and we had to strategically avoid some puddles), it didn’t hamper any documentation of their gorgeous day.

It’s no secret that I photograph a lot of weddings at Hollow Brook Golf Club, but it’s not often that I get to photograph weddings there back-to-back; however, on this glorious May weekend, I photographed a wedding there on Saturday, and then Christine and Sinjin’s wedding the following Sunday.

This day was lush, green, fun, relaxed - it was everything that I believe anyone could ever hope for on their wedding day.

I’ve photographed so many weddings at Hollow Brook Golf Club by now, but every single one never ceases to be different and magical in its own way. This venue just seems to call in the most endearing souls, surrounded by the best people. And this is exactly how I felt about Courtney and Steve’s wedding day there - they and their families and friends are just the most endearing and enjoyable people ever.

As a wedding photographer in the Hudson Valley who has photographed hundreds of weddings by now, it is not often that I get to celebrate a marriage twice, on two different days, in two different seasons - but that wasn’t the case with Jenn and Chris, who hosted a ceremony at the Orange County Arboretum in April, and a reception at West Hills Country Club in October. It was the most joyous of joys to be able to spend two different days celebrating with these two souls, who are some of the warmest and cutest people around.

As a wedding photographer who primarily works in the Hudson Valley, it is not often that I get to journey to Albany for a wedding day, but when I do, it’s always a treat. There’s something about the hustle and bustle of Albany that is appealing to me, and I feel like there are so many hidden gems in that city that are often overlooked, especially in the outskirts and actual neighborhoods of Albany.

Bre first reached out to me on Instagram (I love connecting with people there!), and then met via Zoom prior to officially deciding to work together for her sweet Albany microwedding.  Although hers and Luke’s original wedding plans had to be changed due to the pandemic, their eventual December day was such a joy to be a part of.

I first meet most of my couples via a half-hour Zoom chat in which we get to know each other, and discuss any wedding questions before deciding whether or not we will be able to work together. I often remember these Zoom meetings vividly - I like to be incredibly locked in to these conversations, no distractions, bright-eyed and eager to hear about and meet the two new souls in front of me so that I can retain a mental picture for our journey ahead together.

When I first met Katelyn and Nick, I was struck by how sweet and kind they seemed on camera. They were no fuss, and just incredibly confident in their love for one another, and comfortable in each other’s company. People like them are my favorite to photograph because there are no overarching expectations for their wedding day except to celebrate their love, and that freedom brings a lightness to the day for everyone involved.

Sometimes the universe sends you people who are just an absolute delight to spend time with and take care of - Marissa and Anthony were two of those people for me. From the moment I chatted with Marissa, I knew I wanted to spend her wedding day with her and her fiance. They are some of the warmest and funniest people I have ever met.

I feel like I’ve known Nicole and Matt for ages now - maybe because I actually have, or maybe because they have always felt like kindred spirits to me, as if we have always been connected.

Nicole and Matt were one of the last of my pandemic postponements, and witnessing the way they navigated their change of plans with such grace, optimism, and humor (their new save-the-date featured a photo of them wearing masks and riding scooters - I remember because I thought it was so clever that I have it saved and featured on the love notes wall in my office) kept my heart afloat when things felt less than ideal. In 2020 and 2021, it was my clients’ sense of love, duty, and desire to protect those around them that brought my heart such joy and comfort.

I don’t even know if I can express how special, monumentous, and serendipitous it felt (still feels) to have gotten to know Sarah and Joe throughout their wedding journey. They are such gifts to me - I don’t really know how to best put it into words. If I try really hard with words that don’t quite convey what I want to say, but maybe do a little bit, I can tell you that their souls feel sparkly, and their combined presence feels warm. I feel both smarter and more compassionate when I’m around them. They make me want to be a better person. Their generosity of spirit inspires mine. They are top tier, cream of the crop people. I am still in awe that they are in my corner. I am still in awe that I get to be in theirs.

I remember almost every single wedding consultation I host, and I distinctly remember Meagan and Mike’s. They were sitting on their couch, sharing their story with me. The blinds behind them were closed, but some light was peeking through. They told me they live near the ocean, and I was so enamored with that - I haven’t lived near an ocean for over a decade now, and I miss it. What struck me about Meagan and Mike was their body language. It was welcoming. They were comfortable. I was being accepted into their story from the moment we met.

Essie and Mikhail are some of my favorite people to spend time with. At this point, I’ve spent multiple days with them - engagement session, wedding, family session. They’re fun and funny, and feed off of each other’s down-to-earth yet humorous energy. Essie is direct and matter-of-fact, with a giggle thrown in at the end. She calls things like they are, and Mikhail is right there with her. They are realistic yet go-with-the-flow…

As I’ve been chronologically working through all of the galleries I want to blog about (there are so many, y’all 🤦🏼‍♀️), I’ve been looking forward to being able to blog about this one. 🥹I’ve never been more appreciative of and enamored with a couple, their group of friends, their family as I am with Alyssa and Jordan. They are the type of people you hope to always have in your corner. They are so incredibly thoughtful, so kind, so aware - they are pure joy to spend time with because they understand that the simplest things in life are what make life the best.  They are inviting and welcoming and never make you feel like an outsider. To spend time with them feels like you’re in a sparkly snowglobe of warmth.