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
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Greek Wedding Photographers in Upstate New York
Greek Wedding Traditions | Upstate New York Weddings and Photography | Apollo Fields Wedding Photographers
Planning a wedding can be a big, elaborate affair but when you come from a big Greek family, the traditions and expectations can really pile on! In a good way, of course, but Greek weddings can be a real to-do! We love them because of how dynamic everything is and the energy level can really escalade into a good party, which always makes our job that much more fun and the photos come out so energetic.
The morning of Paris and Dayna’s wedding was buzzing with friends and family and each other’s houses. Paris got dressed with his groomsmen and participated in a Greek tradition where his Best Man will shave him and then friends and family will take turns afterwards. This symbolizes trust on your wedding day, because OBVIOUSLY things could go very wrong with an untrustworthy person— from a bad job to cutting your face— it’s important that you have a good crew there!
The wedding ceremony took place in a church where the rings were blessed three times by the priest before officially exchanged, in addition to their personalized vows that were read aloud (this isn’t as traditional, but was a fun way for this couple to give their own personal and modern take on the ceremony). One of my favorite elements of Greek ceremonies is the crowns that symbolize the union of two people into a singular entity. They are connected and worn by both partners, which I think is so sweet but also meaningful.
I loved the large wedding parties that they had and they were certainly ready to have a good time! Those portraits were probably some of my favorites, with exception of the bride and groom shots, because everyone was having so much fun together despite the hot summer day. We were able to find some shade and a nice big white wall which was a double whammy for us because the reflector that naturally occurs with all that white!
One of the most recognizable parts of a Greek wedding is the money throwing at the dancing part of the evening and it never disappoints! It feels so surreal to be out on the dance floor with tons of cash just flying in every direction! The older guests always seem to have a blast with this tradition, as well as the kids who love to dance around in all the piles of money. It always cracks me up when you see one of the staff members come up with a big sweep broom and just push the money into a big pile. It makes me think about where any dollar bill could have been— you might not imagine on a dance floor but who knows!?
Shot by Apollo Fields for Sloane Dakota
