NYC City Clerk Winter Wedding
NYC City Clerk Winter Wedding
Kevyn + agi
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Getting married at the New York City Clerk's Office, also known as the Manhattan Marriage Bureau, is a straightforward process. Here's a step-by-step guide to help you through the process:
1. Obtain a Marriage License:
Both parties must appear together at the City Clerk's Office to apply for a marriage license.
Bring valid photo identification, such as a driver's license or passport.
The minimum age to marry without parental consent is 18.
If either party has been previously married, you will need to provide the exact date of the divorce or the death of the former spouse.
2. Fill Out the Marriage License Application:
You can complete the marriage license application online before your visit or fill it out at the Clerk's Office.
The application requires basic information about both parties, such as names, addresses, and Social Security numbers.
3. Pay the Marriage License Fee:
As of my last knowledge update in January 2022, the fee for a marriage license is typically around $35. Payment can be made by credit card, money order, or by paying in cash.
4. Wait for the Marriage License:
Once you have submitted the application and paid the fee, you will be issued a marriage license immediately.
5. Perform the Marriage Ceremony:
The marriage license is valid for 60 days from the time it is issued.
You can have your marriage ceremony performed at the Clerk's Office right after obtaining the license or anywhere else in the state.
You may bring your own officiant, or you can have a ceremony performed by a staff member at the Clerk's Office for an additional fee.
6. Obtain Your Marriage Certificate:
After the ceremony, your officiant and witnesses (if any) will sign the marriage license.
The officiant is responsible for returning the signed license to the Clerk's Office.
Once the signed license is received and recorded, you can request a certified copy of your marriage certificate for a separate fee.
Important Notes:
It's advisable to check the current fees and requirements on the official website of the New York City Clerk's Office or contact them directly, as these details may change.
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, procedures and requirements may be subject to change, so it's recommended to check for any updates or restrictions.
Terrence Takeover - 2023 Wedding Season Check-In
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By the end of every single day, my t-shirt looks like a Jackson Pollock painting. An orange-yellow smear of baby food and boogers up by my shoulder, a splattering of red marinara sauce across my chest, and a living museum of the day's activities everywhere else. Taking it off and throwing it into the hamper is the closest thing I’ll come to feeling like an athlete anytime soon. Part badge-of-honor and part a symbol of parental sacrifice, I throw myself on to a bed that has never felt so good.
The funny thing about my tattered shirts is that they are the perfect representation of what it’s like to become a parent–not only from a literal perspective—but also an analogy for my physical, mental, and emotional self. Everyday there is a messy confluence of factors that prod at various vulnerabilities: whether it is shifting my identity as a professional or creative to a parent; my parents exhibiting some benign (or malignant) behavior towards my children that triggers something about my experience as a child, or how each of Heather and I’s individual lives and relationship as a whole take a back seat to the family’s immediate and ever present needs.
We are fortunate enough to run a business that allows us to be present in our children’s lives, but it isn’t always easy for us to draw that line in the sand. I have a predisposition to overcompensate for the lack of attention that I got as a child, and Heather has a predisposition to provide for them as her family struggled in her youth. It is a cruel joke that parents are forced to grapple with these psychological hurdles when we are operating on the least sleep we have gotten in our lives–but I suppose true comedy is all about timing.
This entry is less about complaining about being a new parent and more about recognizing the framework of parenthood and setting up a plan for success. We will always have a pile of laundry to get to and no amount of detergent in the world will rid us of the stains. My generation is operating with a different relationship to work than our parents, where more often than not both parents are working. In our case, at least early in our 2023 wedding season, Heather is handling the business side while I am staying home more with the kids. It isn’t a clear 1:1 division of labor but we recognize that it is important for both parents to put on the other cap, realizing sides of their identities before they are lost in the maelstrom of parenthood. Sometimes time feels like a paradox, where days pass in a blur but every minute is a struggle, or “how they grow up so fast” but it feels like no time has passed.
There is no universal advice to offer new parents as every situation is unique, but here are a few observations. Right now, Heather and I only know how tired we are when we get good rest, when the bags under our eyes sag a little less. That means all of the other times we are operating on a razor slim margin, meaning that when one of us gets sick or our car winds up in the shop for a week, there will be blood (So that’s what that stain is). There is no way around parenthood, the only path is through it. The ultimate struggle is that if you don’t enjoy it then you are ungrateful and will regret it five or 10 years from now.
The best anecdote I heard to combat this is to pretend that you’re 80 years old and laying in a bed and you get to warp back in time to this particular time, where both kids are crying, or you’re trying to navigate a dirty diaper, and that there is no other place that you’d rather be. It sounds like a hypothetical platitude but it has helped me this week, and I hope it helps you.
Chart House Wedding Photography in NJ
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Lily + Dan’s Wedding
Being invited to photograph any wedding is a privilege. But being invited to photograph the wedding of my childhood bestie is an extra special privilege and one that isn’t lost on me.
Lily and I met in pre-school and were fast friends, despite the fact that she came home from school to tell her mom about her new buddy “Feather” and promptly decided that I must be the spawn of hippie parents. (Little did they know, my dad wanted to name me Pinecone, so the assumptions weren’t that far off).
But as we grew closer, so did our parents, and for the next decade we had lived within walking distance of each other so there were endless playdates, hiking adventures, sleep overs, and I even managed to coerce Lily and her sister onto a horse one or two times. We went to the same schools and rode the same bus all the way up until 9th grade when I left for boarding school, but despite the distance, still managed to maintain our friendship as we formally grew up, went to college, began our careers, and eventually “settled down”.
“Settled down” is a term I mostly loathe, so please don’t take it too seriously. There is an inherent resignation in the phrase, which is precisely the opposite of how I feel at this point in my life. But it does sort of blow my mind to think that we are at the age where we can be getting married and having babies and it’s not scandalous.
When Lily and Dan first began dating, I was living in the UWS of the city at the time. And I remember joining them at the tail end of one of their early dates in midtown actually, but my fatal flaw was that it was during my "sober week” that I do the first week of each new year. We had a great time, but I do remember the bartender getting a little sassy with me for just ordering an iced tea late night at a bar….
Over the years though, their relationship grew and grew so I was both delighted and unsurprised when they got engaged! Getting the opportunity to photograph their wedding meant so much to me, as I was able to be so hands-on with both of them on one of the biggest days of their lives! And I’d be lying if I said I didn’t tear up at least a few times during their big day.
74 Wythe NYC Rooftop Wedding in Brooklyn
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Hiro + Janel
The wedding season winding down feels like those last couple hours of an amazing dinner party: you’ve got a good buzz going and you’re looking around as the crowd starts to wane--but you’re not quite done yet. You start striking up conversations with people you’ve never met and you open one of the leftover bottles of wine. As guests continue to file out you find yourself finishing your last few sips and you begin to admit that the night is coming to a close. It’s bittersweet--but you know that rest is important and you say good night to the hosts for an amazing evening. 2021 was (and is) Heather and I’s best year of our lives, both professionally and personally, so it’s only fitting that Hiro and Janel are one of the last few incredible hosts to bring our year to a close.
The week leading up to a wedding Heather and I are always keeping an eye on the weather report. Even if the forecast says rain we typically carry a bit of optimism because you never really know. Contingency plans are important, of course, but maintaining a positive attitude is even more critical. I’ve learned to watch how a couple manages their emotions during their wedding day--it often tells you most of what you need to know about how they handle difficulties in their relationship. Well despite hail, sideways wind, and an immense wall of fog sweeping through Manhattan like an early morning in San Francisco, Hiro and Janel were class and charm all the way through.
When Heather and I started snapping Hiro and Janel’s getting ready photos at The William Vale in Williasmburg, Brooklyn, the sky was tame and the atmosphere clear. I took Hiro and his family members and groomsmen out onto the gorgeous balcony overlooking the east river and took advantage of the beautiful, diffracted light. Within minutes the sky went black and little white pebbles began to fall from the sky. I could no longer see a single building in Manhattan. Hiro and Janel’s wedding venue, 74Wythe, was just across the street but the hail gave way to a downpour of rain. Crossing that block would feel like an avenue in the city. Heather and I told Hiro and Janel that we’d go scout the venue and come back with a contingency plan.
We all decided to do Hiro and Janel’s first look in the rooftop greenhouse where they would later hold their ceremony and reception. After they climbed the stairs and turned to look at each other their gazes still carried such a depth of appreciation: of each other, the day, and the moment. It definitely wasn’t easy for them to look past the things they couldn’t control but watching the way they looked at each other I saw how strong they were together--not to mention that they looked absolutely stunning.
The night would continue on as planned, and the band brought down the house. Each of Hiro and Janel’s brothers gave speeches that further proved the caliber of their families and friends, and the depth of their connection. At the end of the night they thanked us for being calm amidst the storm and we commended them for doing the same. They invited us to the after party, and we would’ve 100% taken them up on their warm invitation if we didn’t have to get home to Capa. As we said our goodbyes and I started ratcheting down the light stands, I found a glass of wine that a guest put in my hand from 30 minutes before--and I couldn’t help but take a sip and want to stay a little longer.
Closing out the night
with Hiro and Janel! Contact us below for your own photography.
Vendors
Photography | Apollo Fields
Reception | 74Wythe | Williamsburg, Brooklyn
Getting Ready Photos | William Vale | Williamsburg, Brooklyn
Florals | Eriko Nagata | EriN Design INTL | New York, NY
Caterer | Nuhma NYC | New York, NY
Astoria Wedding Photographers
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Alexis & Dan’s Wedding
Ever since Heather and I lived on the Upper West Side over five years ago, people have always talked about “the beer garden” in Astoria, Queens. For us, it was always too far to trek to from the UWS--kind of like Williamsburg or Bushwick in Brooklyn--but the thought of this little German-themed beer and brat oasis has never eluded me. I was so stoked to hear that Alexis and Dan planned to hold their wedding reception at Bohemian Hall because that’s where they had their informal first dates among friends.
We first met Alexis and Dan when we photographed their elopement in Gantry Plaza last year. It was a sweet, intimate outdoor ceremony with the skyline of Manhattan in the backdrop. Champagne was popped, cake cups were served, and smiles and giggles were seen and heard through cloth masks. It was evident that Alexis and Dan’s relationship is light and heartfelt, sincere and silly. They are so thoughtful that they gave us a thank you card with a typewriter print on the outside and a handwritten message on the inside--things like that go really far with us.
When we asked Alexis to compare Dan to an animal, inanimate object, scene, song, or movie in our questionnaire, she said “every entrance Kramer makes into Jerry’s apartment in Seinfeld,” and I can’t stop laughing. That is such a specific reference and vibe that I don’t think I know anyone else that can fit that description. Additionally, Alexis is as ruthless when playing games with Dan as Heather and I are and I love it. She made him spell an answer in Trivial Pursuit once and he said “Vellagio” instead of “Bellagio” and it makes me think of all of the times Heather used a bullshit word in Scrabble and I called her out on it. Relationships are all fun and games until you unfold the cardboard and put the pieces on the board.
Heather and I have always loved to play and bet on games like mini-golf, Scrabble, Patchwork, Tokaido, Sequence, and Rummy. Sometimes we make silly bets like you have to wear two different shoes on a date and other times it’s more serious like you’re picking up the tab at the brewery. There always has to be some element of embarrassment to the wager to really spice up the competition. I fondly remember one time where Heather had to wear her pants backwards at a dinner party we hosted. Somehow, people didn’t really notice--and the one person that did thought it was a style choice, lol.
It’s easy to get caught up with work and other responsibilities and forget to give your partner the same amount of attention that you did at the beginning of your relationship. Over time romance waxes and wanes and life inevitably becomes more complicated. Since having Capa Heather and I have barely played any board games and made any bets. We said we’d make a concerted effort to spend time with each other before he was born, but time management is really difficult with a little one. We both understand that we are doing all we can and before we know it we will be embarrassing one another. I just can’t wait to get Capa in on the action.
Enjoy these pics from Alexis & Dan’s Bohemian Beer Garden Wedding:
Vendors
Photography | Apollo Fields
Reception Venue | Bohemian Hall [Beer Garden] | Astoria, Queens | NYC
It’s Us!
With Alexis and Dan having a great time at their wedding!! Reach out for your own photography below:
The Carltun Wedding Photos on Long Island
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Dmitri & Laura’s Wedding
When Heather and I walked into Dimitri’s parent’s house on the Great South Bay, the vibe was a lot like his and Laura’s intimate wedding last year. A bunch of family members wearing half-done ties around their necks, orange juice and bagels on the counter, and some EDM playing in the background. Dimitri was the only one fully dressed and was as relaxed as someone walking in from a beach on Mykonos. Laura was actually at the reception venue already, The Carltun, getting ready with her bridesmaids while sipping on a mimosa. Another date on the calendar and another beautiful Long Island summer day to celebrate their love.
Laura and Dimitri held another wedding this year to 1) host a ceremony in a Greek Orthodox Church, and 2) to do a big fat Greek wedding right. Holding the reception at the Carltun aptly fit Laura and Dimitri’s architectural backgrounds with: an ornate fountain, distinguished and specialized craftswork, and historical details aplenty. The large, partially-covered patio was perfect for a leisurely cocktail hour where their guests were happy to eat, share stories, and enjoy a drink or two.
I learned a lot about Laura and Dimitri at their wedding last year but even more from the questionnaire they submitted this year. I learned that for the first summer they were together as a couple Dimitri was in Greece and had to chase down places that offered WiFi to FaceTime Laura at all hours of the night. And that they have a love for visiting national parks and plan to hit Glacier and Yellowstone to kick off their honeymoon. I love the stories of them getting to know each other while doing studio work together, sneaking glances in between focused coursework. But most of all I enjoyed how Dimitri compared Laura to a hobbit or a rose; and Laura called Dimitri “definitely a bird.” You can see how their love has evolved over the years but is still so light and playful.
I’d like to say that Heather and I’s love is still light and playful-- and it is--but it definitely comes with a boatload of responsibilities at this point in time. We both knew before having Capa that we wanted to make a concerted effort for each other as individuals and as a couple after we had him. It’s one of those things that new parents tell you to look out for. But amid a crazy wedding season, our calendar has had other plans. The cliche “there just isn’t enough time in the day” comes to mind, and as humans we have a finite energy supply. We still find time to joke around in our long car rides and jogs through the airport, but the words light and playful aren’t the first words to describe our relationship right now.
I’d probably say dedicated, professional, and unrelenting. We both give all that we have everyday to our business, our beautiful baby Capa (nine months old already!), and whatever we have left we give to ourselves and each other. It is the life we chose and the life we love, but man what we would do to kick it on a beach in Greece right now. We have plans to plan an offseason for the ages but for right now we are gearing up for the last couple months of this grueling but unbelievable wedding season. So tie up your bowties, slip into your dresses, and get the toasts ready because we have more love to document and enjoy!
Enjoy Laura & Dimitri’s Wedding Photos:
vendors
Photography | Apollo Fields
Videography | ONPHILM
Venue | The Carltun | Westbury, NY
DJ | Bravo Sound
Floral | Garden World
Cake | Francesco’s Bakery
Dress | Essence of Australia | Paisley Bridal
Suit | Feldman Tuxedo
Rings | Kardesh Jewelers
Makeup | Adelyn’s Canvas
Hair | Ahern Beauty
Transportation | Broward Limo
It’s Busy Season!
And we’re loving it. Reach out for your own wedding photography!
Three Village Inn Wedding Photography in Stony Brook
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kelly & derek’s Wedding
I’ve taken 25A heading west on Long Island countless times in my life. Grandma’s house, Smithaven Mall, Port Jefferson Ferry, baseball games in St. James--it’s the kind of road that I never needed to use a GPS for. But just like the rest of this summer, I turned off of 25A towards Three Village Inn for Kelly and Derek’s wedding and stumbled across beautiful places I’ve never been to before.
First, Heather and I grabbed a snack at a local cafe tucked into Old Stony Brook Village, a charming village center of storefronts and restaurants whose timeless facades have been preserved through time. Later in the day we visited Kelly and Derek’s old apartment on Setauket Harbor and captured romantics and bridal party photos to commemorate their relationship’s beginnings as the sun set in the background.
Heather and I love traveling to places where our couples formed core memories of their relationship. It doesn’t get much more romantic than watching a couple sit down in the exact place where they used to picnic, remembering favorite meals as their bodies gradually move closer to one another. I’ve noticed that the natural state of a relationship emerges when sharing a meal; a few pilfered fries here, a sip of a drink there, each partner knowing exactly what they can and can’t get away with--sharing food turns out to be a surprisingly intimate experience.
When Heather and I eat on the road it’s not pretty: gas station snacks, Clif Bars, Starbucks sandwiches, bags of chips or nuts we forgot were in the center console. But when we have time to make a home-cooked meal, or better yet, host a dinner party, there are few things we enjoy more. Our speciality has always been fresh cooked pasta but we love to explore different cuisines, test our skills, and expand our palates. Maybe it’s because we have a lot of experience in hospitality, but we don’t quite understand when people stress about hosting others for a meal. To us, as long as you greet your guests with a drink and have some snacks ready to go, the vibes will take care of themselves. We’re actually waaay overdue on hosting so once wedding season slows down a bit we will totally be busting out our dirty aprons!
When I think about it, the best part about this summer is a lot like entertaining guests in your home: striking up a conversation with a table full of people is all about uncovering beautiful things about your guests that you didn’t already know. Just like traveling is all about discovering places you’ve never been before. We will always feel more comfortable in the familiar, in places we love and with people we know, but real connections happen by taking that extra step and finding the beautiful in the unfamiliar. So turn off your GPS, throw your cookbook away, and invite some friends over for dinner!
Enjoy these photos from Derek & Kelly’s wedding:
vendors
Photography | Apollo Fields
Venue | Three Village Inn | Stony Brook, NY
Dress | Family Heirloom made by Great Grandmother
Videography | Violet and Iris Cinematography
Event Coordinator | One of a Kind Gatherings | Cynthia Lynn
Flowers | Wildflower Touch
Makeup & Hair | Beauty Marks Spa and Bridal Studio
DJ | Todd Barrie Music
Trolley | Hampton Jitney
Limo | LIE Lite Limo
It’s no secret…
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Hamilton Hall Wedding in NYC
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Carly & Mike’s Wedding
Walking through Harlem with eight-month-old baby Capa strapped to my chest felt like a bridge between two versions of myself: the mid-twenties, student/martini-mixer and the early-thirties small business owner/infant entertainer extraordinaire. The former stayed up until six a.m. drinking and the latter currently wakes at six a.m. to help another person drink. Sleep is seldom in both versions but the idea of it is much sexier now. The link between the two is my wife, Heather, who helped elevate my life from those romantically late New York City nights to my current state of blissful, overworked, exhaustion.
I first met Carly when she was a bartender at my favorite late night jaunt, a bar fondly remembered as AmTav (Amsterdam Tavern) at 106th and Broadway. I’d walk in with my tie undone and saddle up to the bar next to other industry folk with empty shot glasses in front of them. Carly would always be finishing a story or giving somebody the business over what an idiot they were. She embodied the kind of take-no-shit NYC bartender that I always wanted to be but never had the stomach for. I met her partner, Mike, there a number of nights after he finished his shift down at St. Marks that all seem to blend together now. He was (and is) always so kind, charming, and welcoming. They really make a great pair.
Carly and Mike love hosting for all the same reasons Heather and I love hosting: fresh food, strong, well-made drinks, and gathering people around a table to share stories and laugh. They know not to freak out when guests start arriving because they know things always will come together. Just throw a drink in their hands, keep doing what you’re doing, or ask them to help. The true beauty of having good friends is that you can rely on them—the frivolous, irresponsible, and selfish ones were cut before last call.
Carly and Mike replanned their wedding more times than an Upper West Sider sends back a bone dry martini. Yet they still held an incredibly authentic celebration of their love at The Hamilton Hall in Harlem. Carly and Mike’s guests first walked into the space to find handmade seating cards made by Carly herself. Then, as they made their way past the long, wooden bar, more personalized details adorned the tables and walls: wildflower arrangements, specialized bitters from TNT Bitters (a company that Mike runs with his business partner, Anna), and printed itineraries of what to expect the rest of the evening. They held their ceremony down on a secluded outdoor patio and they entered together to the biggest ovation I have heard for a bride and groom to date.
There is absolutely a community in the late night bar scene in New York City. We grew closer as the morning grew nearer and we never seemed to care. We learned that you leave some friends at the service bar because you want something more. And there was always some epiphanic revelation about life that turned out to be nonsense in the morning. But maybe those late nights and early mornings were training us to operate on short sleep to have a family one day. Or maybe we were just rounding up a crew of misfits that we were just beginning to consider family. Either way, food and drink did bring us together.
Enjoy these photos from Mike & Car’s NYC Wedding:
vendors
Photography | Apollo Fields
Venue | Hamilton Hall
Seating Cards | Crafted by the bride, Carly
Floral | Crafted by the bride, Carly
Day-Of Coordinator | Sophie Russek
Coming Atcha
Team Apollo with some of our faves!!
Riviera Waterfront Mansion Wedding Photos
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Kristen & Mike
Fall colors, a stiff but gentle breeze, your significant other nestling onto the shoulder of your flannel shirt. Genuine laughter, a pause, and the click of the shutter from Heather’s camera. Heather, Mike, Kristen, and I marched forward, brittle leaves crackling beneath our feet as we circled Stump Pond in Blydenburgh Park in Smithtown in fall 2019. Pre-Covid memories like these seem more like a dream, reminiscent of the pristine moments from Heather and I’s honeymoon in Jamaica. They manifest a clear division of before and after [quarantine] in my mind, where our relationships with our couples represent the light at both ends of a dark tunnel.
Kristen and Mike held their ceremony last year in East Northport, stopping in Heckscher Park in Huntington afterwards for family formals and romantics. They turned it up this year for their reception at the Riviera Waterfront Mansion in Massapequa and it did not disappoint! Although it rained, the beautifully renovated property right on South Oyster Bay allowed Kristen and Mike’s family and friends to mingle and explore, especially when the clouds let up for a short while.
Kristen and Mike took it all in stride, allowing themselves to enjoy the celebration that they waited so long for. When cocktail hour gave way to the reception, the grand entrances of the wedding party officially kick started the day. With a camera on one hip and a stuffed octopus on the other, Heather, Capa (with protective headphones) and I danced and documented these priceless moments. Seeing all of Kristen and Mike’s closest family and friends that we’d met the year before reminded us how grateful we are for being, albeit briefly, allowed into these intimate circles of our couple’s lives. Occasionally we’re even lucky enough to be invited to photograph one of their siblings or relative’s weddings!
Such is the case with Kristen’s brother, Mike, and his fiance, Caity. We’ll be photographing their wedding at Sunken Meadow State Park in August 2022 and we’re already pumped. Caity and Mike, like Kristen and Mike, are fun loving, salt-of-the-earth type people. They’re the kind of people you want to sit around a bonfire with, sharing stories, ‘smores, and a drink or two. They’re the kind of people you can count on.
And in this last year I think we’ve all needed and found the people in our lives that we can count on. I was surprised that my five siblings and I kept a weekly Zoom chat going all year. It culminated into our first family vacation together with all of our partners and children. For all of the turmoil that each one of us have been through, having a friend or family member you can count on is one of the most valuable assets you can have in life. Lucky for Mike and Kristen, Caity and Mike, and Heather and I, we all have our partners, and now we all have each other to follow the light outside the tunnel.
Enjoy these photos from Kristen & Mike’s Riviera Waterfront wedding reception:
Vendors
Photography | Apollo Fields
Venue | Riviera Waterfront Mansion | Massapequa, NY
Videography | Chris Lobello Productions
Suits | Karako
Dress | Madi Lane Bridal
Hair Vine | Green Alaska
Shoes | Betsey Johnson
Floral | Tim’s Florist | Massapequa, NY
Having the best time!
With Kristen & Mike ANDDDD one of our couples for next year, Caity & Mike!!
Waterside Restaurant Weddings New Jersey
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Heather and Scott’s Wedding
“This is actually the park where Aaron Burr shot Alexander Hamilton,” Scott told me, his eyebrows raised with the enthusiasm that comes with sharing a juicy factoid. Heather (my wife), Heather (the bride-to-be), Scott, Capa, and I were walking through Hamilton Park in Weehawken, New Jersey, just on the other side of the Hudson from Manhattan, snapping some pre-wedding celebration photos before we made our way up to their venue. I have to say, the view of the skyline from Hamilton Park is unparalleled--and I do love me some views from Brooklyn Bridge Park, The Wythe Hotel in Williamsburg, Liberty State Park (NJ), and Gantry Plaza--but the combination of the elevation and the location of the park (across from ~ 48th Street in NYC) truly takes the cake.
I met Heather and Scott about seven years ago in my favorite community that I’ve ever been a part of in New York--Sheep’s Meadow Ultimate [Frisbee]. Led by a dear friend, Ben, Sheep’s Meadow Ultimate is an ever-increasing group of performers, hospitality professionals, tourists, and pretty much anyone who ever wanted to join in on our ultimate frisbee game. We spent so many hot summer days out there, sweating, laughing, and trying not to get kicked out by the park rangers. I knew Heather and Scott before they were Heather and Scott--and it’s amazing that our frisbee community led to Heather and I being their wedding photographers.
Heather and Scott are performers through-and-through. They’ve both been on Broadway and it had me wondering how people who love the spotlight fared through quarantine. They said that they both found ways to redirect their unspent energy: exercising, eating healthy, exploring career options that don’t rely on rooms filled with hundreds of people. They’ve fallen in love with biking up and down the coast of New Jersey, staring across the Hudson at the city that brought them together. “We love it here,” Scott said.
I was so excited to see Heather and Scott dance together because I know the energy and skill that each of them bring to the table. So when the music started and the smoke machine started pumping I put headphones on Capa and Heather and I started snapping away. Heather and Scott immediately locked right in, synchronizing steps, movements, and looks toward the crowd, baiting their guests with confident stares that said, I know you want more. Things started getting really spicy when Scott heard Michael Jackson come on. I’m so jealous of performers like Heather and Scott who can own a stage like that--Heather and I talk a big game--but when all the lights are on us we pick up a camera, pen, or meet for a beer at the bar.
When you make a connection with someone you never know how long it’s going to last. I’ve seen so many friends disappear over the years, and sadly enough, most of the time it’s for the better. Yet the ones that come back, the ones that reach out, and say, “hey, heard you were in town, want to grab a beer?” Are the ones who are growing right along with you; the ones who aren’t just living life but taking center stage.
Enjoy Scott & Heather’s Wedding Reception Photos:
vendors
Photography | Apollo Fields
Venue | Waterside Weddings
Team Apollo!
Having a blast, as usual, with baby Capa in tow!
The Maker Hotel Wedding Photography and Proposal
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Ricardo’s Proposal and Wedding at The Maker Hotel in Hudson, NY
After wrapping a wedding reception in Port Jefferson on Long Island, Capa and I made our way back home to Northport on a humid sunny afternoon. Heather, however, pressed on past our exit off the LIE en route to a surprise proposal at The Maker Hotel in Hudson, NY. I’m not sure if she listened to DMX, DMB, or podcasts but I’m sure that she was feeling a mixture of fatigue and excitement on the three-hour drive. That’s because The Maker Hotel isn’t just any hotel; and Ricardo and Michael aren’t just any couple.
The Maker Hotel was co-founded by Lev Glazman and Alina Roytberg, the creative minds behind the global beauty brand, Fresh, and nearby cafe and bakery, Bartlett House in Ghent, NY. A personalized aesthetic can be traced through all of their brands and nowhere is it more tangible than in the unique and authentic decor between the cozy walls of The Maker. Glazman and Roytberg’s hospitality expert, Damien Janowicz, was pivotal in the execution of the old-world-meets-new-world-vibe, providing both comfort and intrigue to restaurant diners and hotel guests alike.
Ricardo and Michael’s proposal and wedding seamlessly transitioned from a dimly-lit intimate dinner party to a beautifully sexy burlesque on Broadway show between toasts of champagne. Ricardo has a gentle, caring tone that makes him a warm and generous host. You could tell by the look on Michael’s face when Ricardo spoke just how deep their connection ran. By choosing The Maker Ricardo and Michael were able to share their story with their guests in a space that felt like home with a splash of the old world and a dash of bright lights.
Heather and I got to talking and realized that Apollo Fields is based on a lot of the same principles as The Maker and Ricardo and Michael’s relationship. At one point we even said that our motto should be “an old way to look at the new world” in regards to the artistic style we implement when we document weddings. Heather and I have an adoration for history and want to lift the best parts of it into the 21st century. We aim to build a future that celebrates humans in all of their many beautiful forms, and are always on the lookout for honest artistic expression. We appreciate style but don’t want to sacrifice comfort; we want to travel the world without leaving home.
A great relationship is like a great hotel, you feel comfortable anywhere you are. You want for nothing, you’re in great company, and all of your needs are met. You sink into the couch a little bit deeper, sip that hot coffee a little longer, and maybe even drift off into a daydream. You look over at your partner and lock eyes--oh how love can be so light in those beautiful moments. That is what we are all after--what a great partner, hotel, or brand can bring--those moments of deep love that somehow come so easy.
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Venue: The Maker Hotel | Hudson NY
Photography: Apollo Fields
Central Park Wedding in Shakespeare's Garden
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Emily + David
Damn it feels good to be back! I’m finally beginning to feel like myself again after such a tumultuous year. With every conversation my mind is making new connections to old memories like fresh breaths of spring air. Heather and I are back on the road, this time with Capa’s squishy napping face in the seatback mirror. First stop, Emily and David’s intimate wedding at Shakespeare’s Garden in Central Park!
Like many other couples, Emily and David’s wedding plans changed several times, but their pivot to an intimate ceremony near Shakespeare’s Garden in Central Park struck all of the right chords. Tucked into a small picnic area directly behind the steps of Belvedere’s Castle, Emily and David’s ceremony was light, heartfelt, and honest. Small drizzles of rain dropped upon our heads but the clouds held off, creating an almost fantasy-like novel atmosphere of refracted light.
We strolled through Shakespeare’s Garden, stopping to take a series of photos in front of the blossoming tulips that bursted with color. We turned a corner and stumbled across a couple of surprised locals when Heather was clicking away on her Nikon while at the same time nursing Capa. “You are my idol,” one woman shouted, “You go girl,” said another. Integrating the development of our son into our business will be a constant give-and-take relationship, but it is one that we find deeply important as parents and partners.
We continued on through the paths between the trees towards Bethesda Fountain, where Emily and David first wanted to have their ceremony. A nice group of teenagers moved when they saw us beginning to pose them in front of the fountain--an act of kindness that I will never forget. Just as we were about to wrap the close shots of them at the fountain a gust of wind swept through and drenched Emily and David like a log flume at Six Flags. They laughed it off and began to dance and share space with one another on the side.
Emily’s dress was the perfect combination of class and comfort, as she was able to navigate the park and look absolutely stunning. David’s great smile and fun personality popped from the lapels of his grey suit as we moved beneath the terrace where there were a couple of quintessential New York City buskers. Heather encouraged Emily and David to take a moment and enjoy a dance in the spot where they wanted to get married, when suddenly one of the buskers began tenderly singing Lean on Me by Bill Withers, and the entire moment came together so serendipitously. It was impossible not to become emotional in a beautiful happenstance like that given all that Emily, David and all of us have been through this last year.
Emily and David went on to have a small reception at a local Irish pub where they spent a lot of time early in their relationship. I think everyone who has spent a good amount of time in NYC has their own Irish pub; maybe a year from now we can all go back and celebrate the one year anniversary when the warm spring air begins to smell like tulips again.
Team Apollo
In our favorite park (Central Park, duh!) doing what we do best.