Equestrian Wedding Photos
Apollo Fields | Best Wedding Photos | Equestrian Wedding Photographers | New York Wedding Photographers | Upstate New York Wedding Photographers | John jay HOmestead | Katonah, NY
Helen + Sam’s Wedding
The first wedding of a triple-header weekend feels like the first lap around the track when running a mile. Your pace is good, energy is high, and you think to yourself, “I got this, this is going to be easy!” Lucky for us, Helen and Sam’s equestrian wedding at John Jay Homestead was the perfect mix of their fun personalities to get our weekend off on the right foot!
John Jay Homestead Wedding Photos
The best part about having a wedding on a blank canvas historical site like John Jay’s Homestead in Katonah, NY, is how customizable it is. Yes, you have to do the legwork to bring everything in, but the result is a wedding that reflects the most important aspects of a couples relationship. Take Sam and Helen’s wedding for example: they held their ceremony behind one of the many picturesque, historical buildings, and branded a cowhide rug at the ceremony’s conclusion. From there, their guests moved onto cocktail hour in the garden while the staff put the finishing touches on their reception space under a pristine white tent. Helen and Sam decided to bring in food trucks rather than a catering company, and had a mechanical bull (!!), and a bunch of other carnival games scattered about the grass. You won’t see these details at your local country club.
Equestrian Wedding Photographer
We knew going into Helen and Sam’s wedding that wedding photos with their horses were at the top of their priority list. Right after the ceremony, their horses, Pacman and Pepper, arrived to the property, and we found a great shaded spot for them to stay cool while we corralled them. Taking photos of horses can feel like trying to take photos of 2,000 pound children who can’t be bothered to look at the camera, but Pacman and Pepper did a great job! Helen even jumped on Pacman bareback—the kind of no-frills bride we absolutely LOVE to work with! Do what YOU WANT TO DO on your special day!
Personalized Wedding Details
Whether it’s something blue, a pair of cufflinks, a watch, belt buckle, tie clip, or cowboy hat—make sure you grab a little something for yourself to show off on your wedding. Heather and I had “bad cop” and “good cop” stitched into our respective wedding garments for our celebration. We always joked that when we had a kid that these would be our roles. As for Helen and Sam, they trekked down to Fort Worth, Texas, to get some American-made, custom cowboy hats for their wedding day. They both dazzled in them and wore them like badges of honor. No faux cowboys or cowgirls here, just a couple horse lovers through-and-through.
Golden Hour Photos
We finished Helen and Sam’s wedding day with some absolutely stunning golden hour photos! They strolled the grounds, already reflective and ecstatic with how their wedding day went, and shared a few beautiful moments before we headed home.
vendors
Photography | Apollo Fields
Venue | John Jay Homestead | Katonah, NY
Tent | Cartwright and Daughter’s
Bar | Bar-a-Cudas
Food Trucks | Brooklyn Boys @southbrooklynboyspizza | Three Little Pigs | Taco Loco | Waffle Cabin
DJ | Lakeside Productions
Floral | Maple Field Floral
Planner | LCR Events
Concessions | Conrad’s Concessions
Carnival Games | Just 4 Fun Entertainment | Ovation Events
Hair/Makeup | Beautify by Celeste
Transportation | Red Oak Transportation
Howdy, friends!
We had such a blast with Sam and Helen! Reach out today for your own photography.
Horse Farm Engagement Session Ideas
Anet and Ian’s engagement photos | hunterdon county wedding photographers | apollo fields | New York wedding photography | farm wedding photographers | wedding writer
There’s something about looking out into a field from the wooden porch of a farm that makes you want to take a deep, full breath. Maybe it’s the way that twilight seems to color the evening sky a little longer than it does in the city. Maybe it’s the smell of dinner from the stove that sweeps through the house and makes the screen door squeak. Or maybe—it’s just the company that we find ourselves in.
Heather and I plan to create such a life on a farm together one day...but it looks like Anet and Ian are going to beat us to the punch! We can’t wait to photograph their wedding next May at The Farmhouse at the Grand Colonial in Hunterdon County, New Jersey because we love being on farms with wandering animals, freshly cut grass, and seasonal vegetables. And if it’s up to Heather, we’ll being feeding our horse, Limbo, through the kitchen window from the palms of our hands one day.
Funny enough, Heather met Anet over 10 years ago in the—you guessed it—horse world. As an equestrian novice, I’ve learned that the bond between a rider and their horse should never be underestimated; and apparently neither can the social ties between horse people. It’s one of the everybody seems to know everybody kind of communities; a blast to be a part of and an absolute mystery to the rest of us. In the years to come I hope to be integrated into the community through meeting people like Anet and Ian, who is also apparently a pretty deft hand at polo. (I, on the other hand used to think that the players hit the ball with the small end of the mallet. facepalm.)
For us, one of the most alluring aspects of the living on a farm is learning to utilize fresh produce all-year round. Whether you’re storing, preserving, pickling or crunching into a spear of asparagus fresh out of the soil, there ain’t nothing quite like biting into some really fresh, homemade food. Despite the fact that both Anet and Ian are afraid of birds, they’re also excited to start a farm and get some chickens—and we’re excited for them! (We miss our little Colorado flock!) Anet and Ian’s plan after their wedding is to begin their family farm in the hills of Ireland and we couldn’t be happier for them. As long as they share their vegetables.
Shooting weddings on farms feels like we’re part of a family or something. Like we can hear the dinner bell and remember to hide the grass stains on our knees. It’s the comfort of a shared table, the waves of chatter, and the clanking of glasses and silverware. It’s the raucous bursts of laughter. There’s so much warmth in my thoughts when I think of farm life that it makes photographing weddings on farms one of my favorite things to do. It may be because of the fresh food and long summer evenings—or maybe—it’s just the company we find ourselves in.
AS SEEN IN THE POPPED! MAGAZINE
Upstate NY Farm Wedding Photographer
Horse Farm Wedding | Upstate NY Weddings | Backyard Barn Wedding Photographer | Montgomery, New York | Apollo Fields Photography
Tori and Colin had an intimate wedding at their family farm in Montgomery, New York. The Riverview Farm is absolutely beautiful and holds a special place in my heart. I grew up riding horses and spent some time riding at this New York farm years ago and I can’t put into words how wonderful it felt to be back on my old stomping grounds. The farm itself is a 25 acre equine boarding and training facility located a little over an hour north of New York City.
Tori and Colin’s wedding included the perfect mix of rustic and modern details, as well as some intimate ones like photos of Colin’s father. I absolutely love when couples include special details like this to honor their loves ones that, for one reason or another, cannot attend their special day.
Tori and Colin also decided to include horses in their couple's photos, which made this the perfect equine wedding. They are both involved in the hunter jumper world and love horses just as much as I do. I have been riding my entire life and have a horse of my own, so photographing an authentic horse wedding like Tori and Colin’s was a dream come true.
Tori and Colin’s Equine Wedding at River View Farm
Tori & Colin | Farm Wedding on Equestrian Property | Upstate New York Weddings | Horse Wedding Photographer | Montgomery, NY | Apollo Photo
I was so excited when an old friend who I used to ride for reached out to ask about flying me out to their family farm to photograph her son's wedding! It had been years since I rode at their farm, but I always loved their property. The farm was always pristinely manicured with flowers, ponds, beautiful old trees, and perfect paths. Colin owns a landscaping business, so I was sure that they would be rolling out only the best for the wedding!
The barn houses a number of the family's horses as well as a few boarders that are part of Jenny's training business. She has been a highly successful and competitive hunter rider for years and I know her from the equestrian world and showjumping circuit. I was surprised when I still recognized a few of the four legged friends on the farm even after all of these years.
Tori was a stunning bride and I felt more like family than a photographer on the entire day of the wedding. Many wedding days begin hectic, with people running around last minute tacking on decorations and frantically calling vendors and friends. This wedding was the complete opposite.. everybody was calm, loving, and nostalgic. Friends and family were gathered around laughing, spending quality time together, and sharing memories. I truly felt like everyone was fully present in the moment. Wedding mornings like theirs remind me of why I love my job.
Tori and her bridesmaids got ready in the family farmhouse and I couldn't believe how much natural light there was! It was a photographer's dream: white walls, soft lighting, tall ceilings. If only all of my bridal suites were this aesthetically designed! One of my favorite in-between moments was when I went downstairs to find Tori tucked in a quiet corner painting her own nails. I just loved how modest she was in that moment, not obsessing over having her nails done at a salon or them being perfect. Instead, we just chatted together as if we were old friends. I love those moments on wedding days when I just put my camera down for a moment and lay down the foundation for a friendship.
The ceremony was sweet and heartfelt. Tori and Colin exchanged their vows, but it was the easy and adoring way that they looked at each other that said more than any words could. Afterwards, everyone celebrated with live music, champagne, family photos, and dancing. We even managed to squeeze in a portrait session with a few of the horses, which was one of my favorite parts of the day!
Tori and Colin's Wedding Vendors
Horse Wedding Photography: Apollo Fields
Wedding Venue: Riverview Farm, New York
Heather is a New York and Colorado based wedding photographer, but photographs weddings throughout the United States. If you’re interested in having her photograph your wedding, contact her today!