Our Baby Registry Must Haves (Spoiler Alert: You Won't Find Any Onesies Here)
Our Baby Registry Must Haves (Spoiler Alert: You Won't Find Any Onesies Here) | Apollo Fields Wedding Photographers | No-Nonsense Baby Essentials
My BABY REGISTRY advice / tips / tricks / personal choices that worked for us:
-> Just going to come out of the gates saying that everyone is different here and there’s no universally right way to do these things. This is just what worked for us and what I’ve picked up along the way…
My #1 takeaway when people send me their registries they are working on (this happens all the time actually) is too much CUTESY BABY CRAP and not enough ESSENTIALS FOR THE BIRTHING PERSON.
If your friends and family aren’t willing to buy you titty cream because they think it’s weird and they would rather just send you a ton of brand new onesies you might get one run out of, well, they need to do better. Birth is beautiful but it’s also messy and mamas need real support, not just materialistic stuff.
For Real Support:
- Childbirth Education
- Doulas
- Fourth Trimester Support
- Photographers
- Midwives
- Chiro, massage
For Birth and Postpartum
Okay mamas / birthing persons / support persons: PUT SOME STUFF ON YOUR REGISTRY FOR YOU. It’s not selfish, it’s essential. A nice robe, slippers, something that will make you feel luxurious when you feel like a leaking tired cow otherwise.
Frida Mom Postpartum is my actual MUST HAVE item. Trust me, your vag will thank you. Get this kit for anyone you know who is expecting a baby and you’ll be the real MVP.
Staying hydrated is super important, as is maintaining your electrolytes. So I used the coconut water powder quite a bit. The Manuka honey can also be a good food source in labor, and doubles as a good topical option for tears. Postpartum bath salts also come in clutch… trust me.
The SMEG Espresso Machine is the real pro-move, y’all. You’re freaking tired with a baby, might as well drink good coffee.
Breast/Chest-feeding (if that’s your thing) + Bottles
Breastfeeding was (lol, is, because no end in sight here) such a great option for Capa and I. And we were lucky to have a pretty easy go at it from the beginning, but it does not always come naturally to babies or mamas. Here’s my official plug for getting a certified lactation support person before it gets overwhelming. Do tons of skin to skin. Probably disregard most of the weird schedules that a lot of hospitals push… newborns do best (again, in my non-expert opinion) with on demand feeding.
For supplements to help with milk supply, I’ve done the chews, the teas, a fenugreek supplement thing, and brewers yeast. My supply has always been fine so I haven’t really needed too much but I figure it can’t hurt.
Anyway, as a full time working mama, pumping saved our BFing journey and I couldn’t have done it without being hands free with the Willow. Don’t get me wrong I have a love/hate relationship with these things, but they were worth every freaking penny. Go with the Elvie, if you prefer. They’re basically the same. And you know what, I got mine on marketplace from someone who didn’t end up breastfeeding. For like half the price and no shame.
I just use the generic breastmilk bags and not the willow ones, too. Saves a ton of money and isn’t much more difficult.
The manual pump is honestly so easy if I just need to pump a little and don’t have time to do the full willow set up / clean up / dump situation. No frills, no nonsense… Super cheap, no learning curve, I still use this thing at least a few times a week.
We introduced bottles around three or four weeks and Capa took right to them. And we only ever owned like three of them. No need for a big huge stash here… It can be more simple than it seems.
The pumping backpack cooler is great because it’s pretty discreet (I could have it out with my camera equipment and not get any looks), but it helped to keep all that milk cold for the long hours I’d be on the road!
Baby Wearing
I could baby wear all f—ing day long. I love it and honestly couldn’t imagine getting through the first year without having Capa strapped to our chests and backs.
The NuRoo Shirt was one of my absolute faves and I miss that stage now. A kangaroo shirt designed for skin to skin which has soooo many benefits but is also just the best.
Infantino Convertible Carrier: is honestly so cheap and kind of great. We started using it more when Capa got bigger and can wear him facing in, facing out, or as a backpack.
I absolutely love the Ergo Baby Wrap and a lot of caretakers are intimidated by how to tie it but honestly it’s not that hard to learn and so comfy. This this was a total lifesaver. Personally, wasn’t a fan of the k’tan because I found it too tight on my boobs but I know a lot of people who love it.
Diapering
Okay, so we decided to hybrid diaper (cloth at home and disposables on the road). There are ups and downs to each approach but I’m pretty happy with the combo for us. We definitely saved some $$ with reusables, hopefully did some good for the landfills, and I’ll admit it was nice to never worry about running out of diapers (except when we were on the road).
Anyway, Costco for disposables– no shame– they are so much cheaper. And “All In Ones” or “AOIs” for cloth.
Stroller / Car Seat
There’s a million to choose from and everyone is going to have an opinion here. I’d recommend going to a store (we did BuyBuy Baby) and try them out in person to see what clicks. Terrence really wanted a jogger to go running with Capa in, so that feature has been nice. But the drawbacks of the model we got are (1) it’s huge and pretty cumbersome (2) the front wheel gets wonky. But the carseat safety was a priority to us, so Graco it was. Our runner up was the Mockingbird, which I’ve heard nothing but great things about, too.
Eating
We introduced solids around 6 months and did a relaxed version of Baby Led Weaning. What I’ve gathered for high chairs is that it is important that they can rest their legs on the base. And for self-feeding, just be prepared for mess and go with it. That’s how they learn and explore foods.
The portable high chair is pretty great for our lifestyles, as is some other little trays and snackers. We also recently introduced the EZPZ Cup in addition to regular sippy cups which is mostly successful.
Sleep (or lacktherof lol):
Capa is a shit sleeper and we’re shit at enforcing any sort of bedtime routine. So take this one with a grain of salt…
The sleep sacks have been helpful as he’s more mobile because they signify bed time, restrict some of the ease of his walking around, the little weighted bean thing is supposed to be calming. Idk. You can find a lot of differing info out there and some people don’t suggest the weighted function. Suit yourself.
Moses Basket Bassinet: We used this way longer than I thought we would, actually. Kept it right next to my side of the bed and the dockatot fit right in it. Again, not technically safe sleep so I’m not endorsing anything officially. It’s just what worked for us.
The white noise machine (which is going while I type this) has been helpful. Sometimes I think it’s more for me because I wake at the slightest grunt baby makes at night, but we also don’t keep a quiet house and welcome noisy sleep environments.
The pack n play is one of those staple items, but Capa has legit always hated being in it. When it’s full of toys he will occasionally spend 5-10 min in there but he won’t sleep in it. We’ve tried… maybe not as hard as we could have, but hey.
Dockatot: Another controversial item (what sleep item isn’t, though?) because it’s not technically safe sleep. It’s low key designed to be a co-sleeper but they can’t market it that way, but listen, Capa slept AMAZINGLY in this thing and I 100% swear by it.
Capa never liked to be fully swaddled, even from day one, and would manage to squirm one or both arms out. We did use the Ollie Swaddle and had some success with it. It’s super easy to use so I would recommend it, for sure. Get yourself a good stack of muslin cloths going too, for burps and beyond. But I would say to wait to see how your kiddo likes being bundled up before getting a whole bunch of different swaddles and stuff.
Misc Items:
If you’re going to be around open water / boats, a life jacket is a must. We don’t use it for “fun swim” and will avoid floaties and puddle jumpers, but living on Long Island, we are on boats quite often and this one is non-negotiable. Make sure the fit is good and don’t take it off, even for a moment if you’re on a boat. Duh.
The vitamin D is a supplement that we did, especially in the first six months, since breastmilk does not contain any of this vitamin. I believe formula does, but always check with your doctor first!
We’re super hesitant to use things like acetominophen, but when the baby is truly in pain we will give him some. Particularly for flights, where we always give him the minimum amount 30 min before takeoff for ear pressure.
Magnetic cabinet locks, because all the other ones suck in my opinion. We try not to go too hard on baby proofing, but things like the liquor cabinet and cleaning cabinets are locked up. I’d also recommend those outlet plug things, especially if your baby likes to live on the edge like ours.
We love the drawer dividers for baby’s dresser and can’t imagine trying to organize without them. Onesies are freaking tiny, and we just roll everything up and keep them in sight like that.
And the touch free thermometer is also great, because idk about you but I’d rather not stick one up his butthole to find out if he is running a fever…
Baby nail grinder / file thing has honestly been a lifesaver. Clipping their nails with scissors or clippers is terrifying to me. Their nails are so small. They are attached to the freaking skin. Babies wiggle and squirm and the whole thing has been so much easier with this grinder thing.
The noise canceling headphones got us through many weddings and even a red rocks concert. Benefit is they obviously protect sensitive ears. Downside is babies love to take them off…
These little chamomile teething tablets are one of the only “remedy” things we use for teething. I’m not even sure if they work, but Capa loves them and the ingredients are pretty harmless IMO.
The Otteroo was one of our favorite things to do with Capa until he started teething. The mini was perfect for him because it gave him some body autonomy / movement freedom and I think really helped him fall in love with bath time. Once he started really teething he figured out how to hook his mouth underneath the neck ring which sort of put an end to it, but it was AMAZING until then.
Stuff that I personally did not end up really needing:
Nursing pads: I used them a bit in the first few weeks when my supply was still regulating, but never needed since. I did buy the nice bamboo ones, but they just sit in a drawer now and never get used. Some women end up needing them much longer, so I think this is on a case by case basis.
The boppy pillow: Okay some people swear by these so I don’t want to yuck your yum… but it was pretty useless for us. Shape and size wasn’t optimal for breastfeeding, and Capa didn’t really like it for tummy time. Sits in the closet.
Hakka breast pump: Another one that is a popular “must have” for people, but I hated how it felt. Suction was awkward and not super productive for me. I know they make a catcher for strictly let down that I might have gone for if I was doing it again.
Baby Brezza Sterilizer: We used it, but I wouldn’t call it a "must have” by any stretch of the imagination. Like was it nice to not have to boil bottles? Sure. But it still took a long time and always sort of rusted at the bottom and stuff. Sits in our basement…
Nursing Cover: Lololol I’ve literally never used this. No shame if covering up is your thing it just seems so cumbersome and not at all my jam. Capa would hate it. I’d hate it. I’m team ‘whip-em-out’ but again, that’s just me. I think you can use this thing as a carseat cover too… who knows.
Things We Never Bought And Don’t Miss:
A Crib: This one might surprise you, but we don’t have a crib. We have the pack n play and that still barely gets touched. Capa recently transitioned into a Montessori style toddler bed on the floor, and I think that’s going to be the one that sticks.
The Snoo: Get at me… but $1600 was more than we were willing to shell out. And the rental didn’t really add up, either. I know people who say they couldn’t have lived without it, but we did and lived to tell the tale.
A baby monitor: We legit don’t have a monitor, at all. Capa’s always near us and we’ve really enjoyed using our intuition instead of apps to keep him under our watch.
The Owlet: Another one that we decided to use more intuition / less apps for. I honestly went back and forth over this one, but I’ve read recalls for burns, skepticism over technology on babies, and false alarms for these so I opted not to. Having said that, if Capa was born premature or had certain health concerns, I’d reconsider.
Baby Bath: Capa has never actually been in one of those special baby baths and to us, it just seemed like a waste. We bathed with him when he was a newborn (and still do a lot), and he’s always loved bath time. I honestly preferred skin to skin for newbie baths over putting them in a special tub, but that’s just me.
Hand-Me-Down / MARKETPLACE Stuff That Came Up Clutch:
Clothes. All the clothes!! We didn’t buy a single item of clothing retail for Capa until he was 11 months old. We didn’t put any clothing on our registry because PEOPLE LOVE TO GIVE YOU BABY CLOTHES. Gifts, hand me downs, etc. Trust me, there are plenty of outgrown outfits that we still have with tags on them….
Mamaroo: “The Spaceship” we called this one. We got one hand me down + one as a loaner. Wouldn’t recommend doing a new one and would totally recommend marketplace or a friend if possible.
Swings, bouncers, play mats, etc— there is SO much stuff that you don’t need to buy new. Honestly, the only things I think you HAVE to have new are the carseat, life jacket, and bottles.
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Here's to 30 and Quite Possibly The Best Days of My Life
30th Birthday Reflections | Third Trimester Pregnancy Blog | Long Island Wedding Photographers | Apollo Fields Photography
Here's to 30 and Quite Possibly The Best Days of My Life
I remember waking up on the morning of Terrence’s 30th birthday in a cabin we had rented on top of a mountain in Colorado. He had woken up before me, and I went downstairs to find him sitting in a bay window, writing and drinking coffee. He wrote a blog appropriately titled, “Turning 30– Am I Where I Expected Myself To Be?” and now that I am turning 30, I find myself asking the same question.
Of course, my 30th birthday looks a little different than Terrence’s did a few years ago. We celebrated his birthday by venturing out into the mountains, spending the day with a few friends, going to some breweries, and then driving up to a trailhead in the middle of the night to hike to our cabin. We were guided by nothing more than our cell phone flashlights and good morale, but having the time of our lives.
When I look back on pictures from then, I can’t help but think that we look like such babies. We were engaged and planning our own wedding, living in Colorado, still figuring out each other’s place in Apollo Fields, and so full of adventure. We could have never predicted how the next few years would turn out: the ups and downs of moving back East, getting married, going through an ectopic pregnancy, traveling the country for weddings, running a small business during a pandemic, and eventually getting pregnant again.
But here we are – in a totally different season of life – and yet just as happy and optimistic as ever. We don’t look at things with the same carefree lens as we might have a few years ago, but we’re not jaded either. We have a little babe who will be here in just a few weeks, and even as I sit here typing this out on my couch I can’t help but think that each squirmy little kick is a surreal reminder that shit’s about to get real real.
So, as Terrence hashed out on his birthday, “am I where I expected myself to be” turning 30? Literally speaking, probably not; but figuratively speaking I think I am. I don’t think I would have imagined myself in a suburban Long Island home per se, but just about everything else adds up. I love that we are able to sustain ourselves with a business built on creativity and authentic connection, and the fact that I am able to do it with my husband is beyond fulfilling.
I feel a sense of pride for our marriage, for it is built on the pillars of open and honest communication but also contains a massive amount of silliness and zest for life. I love our animals and the quirky little adventures that we all take and I can’t wait to bring this little baby into the mix.
I will admit that I love this age for the gift to curate our circle of truest friends. There is something freeing about understanding who is an acquaintance and who is a lifelong friend, and to not carry any guilt around that distinction is a wonderful part of adulthood that just doesn’t seem to exist in your early 20s.
My relationship to family has evolved as well. Of course, building a family of your own will put you on the fast track to developing that understanding, but I think this chapter of life has also been so conducive to realizing the role that family can play in your life if you nurture it. Quarantine has brought a lot of us closer, especially Terrence’s siblings (all six of them!), and I feel especially grateful to have been able to bond more with both sides of our families during this year.
I think many of us experienced a collective sense of both connection and loneliness during this pandemic, and as I look ahead to the winter and what postpartum life might resemble, I anticipate a lot of those same emotions coming up. I’m not sure what the next few weeks, months, or years will look like, but I am looking forward to them.
I think turning 30 can bring on a crisis of ‘I haven’t done enough with my life so far’ for a lot of people, and while my default is normally to shortchange my own accomplishments, I think I’ll shift that mode of thinking into feeling a sense of calm-- not for the things I have necessarily worked for or earned, but for the gifts of stability and connection that I have from the people around me.
Cheers,
Heather
Photography: Cait McCarthy Photo
"Where The Wild Things Are" Cake Smash Ideas
Miles' First Birthday Cake Smash in Northport, NY | “Where The Wild Things Are” Themed Birthdays | Apollo Fields Wedding Photography
Summer 2020 Wedding in Long Island, NY
Billy & Cara’s Summer Wedding in Long Island | NY Weddings on the North Shore | Apollo Fields Wedding Photography
Returning to work has felt like going back to my childhood home, rolling the garage door up, grabbing a basketball, and heading out to the hoop in the street. Even though my old hoop may be long gone; I still remember the give of the plexiglass backboard, the strange bend on the rim from when it fell during a storm, and how I used to countdown from three right before I heaved up a game-winning shot. Those memories literally feel like a physical part of me. Then this past weekend, when I walked into Billy’s mother’s house and began joking with the groomsmen as they bent their wrists as they put on their helicopter cuff links, I realized that Apollo Fields is becoming part of me in the same way.
Billy and Cara, like many other 2020 couples, have been run through the gamut of rescheduling their wedding (twice). On top of that, Hurricane Isaias knocked power out of Cara’s parents’ house and the location where they planned to have a small reception. Resilience, patience, and kindness are the first words that come to mind when I think of the way that Cara and Billy handled all of these obstacles, but even they don’t do justice for their wonderful relationship.
A couple of Long Island natives, their engagement story is one of my favorites. Billy planned a kayaking trip on a bay on the south shore, going beforehand to bury a small box in the sand and marking it with an ‘x.’ They brought a couple of sandwiches with them on the trip and while Billy was doing his best to nudge Cara to hunt for buried treasure, all Cara could think about was how hungry she was and that she wanted her ham sandwich. “Who passes up buried treasure for a ham sandwich?” Billy playfully asked in the questionnaire we give to our couples to get to know them better. I’m sure any groom that has taken romantic lengths like this one knows all too well the anxiety of trying to maintain the surprise while trying to play it cool. “Just hunt for the treasure, damn it!”
You would never have guessed with Cara and Billy’s cool and calm demeanor during their wedding that they’re actually fierce competitors. Bowling and mini-golf are games in constant rotation, and Cara refuses to leave the alley until she wins a game (Heather does the same). Cara even disclosed in the questionnaire that she won’t play Clue with Billy’s family until they learn to play by the right rules (lol), showing the integrity of a competitor that we 100% respect. Whether it was from this backbone of competitiveness against the events of 2020 or the sentimentality behind buried treasure and a ham sandwich, we’re so happy that the celebration of their love prevailed.
It’s crazy how our memories and our work entangle with our identities, reinforcing who we are even though we think we are just living our lives. I definitely err on the side of reflection and contemplation as opposed to impulsivity, and am grateful that my job, through Heather’s undeniable artistic talent, continues to shape my reality through stories of love and basketball. Cheers to the love of Cara and Billy, who helped me realize that work can be just as powerful as nostalgia.
Wedding Vendors:
Photography: Apollo Fields
Ceremony Venue: St. Kilian Parish
Videographer: John Morelli
Officiant : Deacon Bill
Florist: Bloominous
Dress : BHLDN
Suit: Generation Tux
Rings : Blue Nile
Hair and Makeup: Luxe and Co
Invitations and Save The Dates: Minted
Transportation / Limo: All Star Limo
Northport Long Island Elopement Photography
Jamie and Allison's Crab Meadow Beach Wedding Portraits | Northport NY Photographer | Apollo Fields Wedding Photography
The birds of the beach soared over our heads, higher than the early morning rising summer sun, taking turns plunging into the Long Island Sound. Their impacts sent a sputter of splashes on the surface, wings flapping amidst the spray, almost like they were cooling off in a ceramic bird bath at the center of a peaceful garden. The air was fresh and only slightly saline as high tide swept up the shore, covering the thousands of small, hollowed-out sandy homes of Crab Meadow Beach with a shifting layer of foamy water. Allison and Jamie bowing their heads, gently closed their eyes, bringing their foreheads to softly rest upon one another like wings spread in the wind, floating above the earth, ready to take their dive at any moment.
Jamie and Allison took the proverbial “plunge” or “dive” a couple months prior under the tree cover of a forest in Maryland at the height of quarantine. They, like many other couples who planned to get married in 2020, had to decide what the celebration of their love would look like during a pandemic. It’s so hard to shift expectations when they’ve already been set, but if it’s anything we’ve learned from Jamie and Allison and the difficult situation in general, is that love, like water, will always find a way.
Jamie and Allison’s Zoom wedding celebration in June was intimate and endearing, heartfelt, and natural. Figuring out how to get hundreds of little faces to fill a series of screens on several different devices changes the physical landscape of the audience but not the nature of the celebration. Love is—and always will be—at the core of weddings, and we’re watching in real time how we are all adapting to our expression of it. While a few family members were on hand to photograph the ceremony and first dance on the day of, Jamie and Allison decided they would take a trip up to us in Long Island, NY, to further honor and document their love and connection.
The idyllic found a home in circumstances less than ideal that morning on Crab Meadow Beach. Jamie and Allison moved effortlessly in the sand in their stunning wedding clothes as we watched and snapped away in awe. Heather is a sucker for evening golden hour and sunrise wedding photography and our morning with Allison and Jamie further solidified her resolve. The golden shape of their smiles and the aura around their faces hit the lens and our hearts with equal emotion. It was hard not to be happy.
And that’s what many couples think they are missing during this tough time. There’s definitely some truth to it but Heather and I and Jamie and Allison are the silver (or golden) lining kind of people; we are the kind of people who know that our love and our effort will carry us through the tough times and lift us even higher in the lighter ones; we are the kind of people who commit and take a plunge when we need to but extend our wings and float in the breeze while we can.
Enjoy some of the pics from Allison & Jamie’s Wedding portraits:
Backyard COVID Elopement in Long Island
Roy and Randi's Backyard Elopement in Long Island | Intimate Wedding Photography | 2020 Weddings During Quarantine | Apollo Fields Eloping Photographers
Many couples are obviously having to postpone their big wedding celebrations this year due to the effects of coronavirus and subsequent travel bans. While this might mean obviously having to wait to have hundreds of people on a dance floor all hugging, drinking, and partying together, it doesn’t necessarily mean that you cannot still get legally married and celebrate safely with your closest friends and family.
I have been so inspired by the resiliency of couples who are taking all of the current events in stride and prioritizing the health and wellness of their guests by moving their receptions to a later date but still focusing on the importance of honoring their marriages. One popular option has been backyard and otherwise private elopements where social distancing and staying outdoors are easy options. By taking the worry and stress off of health concerns, you’ll be able to focus more on celebrating one another and staying in the moment.
Roy and Randi were able to have a sweet backyard wedding with their closest family and friends in a very laid back and stress-free way. They each have children and even some grandchildren in the mix, so it was obviously imperative that they were able to be present, in addition to their matriarch of their family. We were able to use their landscaped yard for nice family formals, and even took advantage of their koi pond and waterfall out back.
The ceremony was sweet and intimate, with a chuppah even impromptu fashioned out of the garden terrace that they have on their fencing. The chuppah is one of my favorite elements of Jewish wedding ceremonies because it symbolizes the home with the four pillars, but intentionally keeping the sides open so visitors know that they are welcome. Roy and Randi made theirs out of Randi’s family tallit, which was another special touch. They were still able to exchange vows, rings, and break the glass even though a lot of the other wedding formalities had to be postponed.
After the wedding ceremony, we did a champagne toast outside and Roy surprised his newlywed wife with a brand new Audi— her dream car (black on black) that she has always wanted! Such a sweet touch to always remember the day by.
Photography: Apollo Fields
Let Me Tell You About Womanhood
International Women’s Day | Let Me Tell You About Womanhood
Photo by: Eden Photography
Woman.
Let me tell you about womanhood.
Teeth chattering coming out of anesthesia, the first thing I thought out of surgery was where is my baby? The baby that had died inside of me and then almost killed me – I asked to see it and the look on the chaplain’s face suggested that this was not a normal request. She obliged. It came in a cloudy plastic container with a big sticker on it that had my name, a bar code, and some medical jargon on the side. Terrence and I held it up into the light – squinty eyed – wondering out loud what exactly was what. I was able to make out two beady black eyes and felt a sense of pride: my body made that. That is womanhood.
I spent the next week arguing with the state about getting that baby back to bury it the way I wanted. I weeded through death certificates, permits, I became a funeral director, and I didn’t get my way. I lost that battle and I wept out loud from the bottom of my belly at the county mortuary with at least a dozen strangers watching me. I had to walk away from it. That is womanhood.
And then in that same week, I shot two weddings. I showed up when I had every reason not to because I wantedto. In my most broken moments, I was still a photographer and an artist and knew that was where I needed to be. I could still wear all of the hats because that is womanhood.
But that is only part of what it means to be a woman. I’ve been a woman when I have been called a bitch, when I have been called bossy, when I’ve been too stubborn for my own good. But you know what, I own my business and I am the boss, I get to be bossy. And sometimes I am too stubborn. But sometimes I’m not. Sometimes I am just stubborn enough because stubborn gets shit done and I like to get shit done.
Being a woman is about primal strength. We have it in our bones, it’s in our DNA and no one can take that from us. We can move mountains, we can build careers, we can choose to make babies – we can choose not to make babies. We can love; oh we can love so hard that it becomes impermeable. We can feel, we can fight, we can lift each other up and we should. We are women.
Enjoy these photos of my fellow strong women.
Photography: Apollo Fields
Family Photographer in Northport, NY
Sweet & Sassy | Leila’s Portraits at Crab Meadow Beach | Northport, NY | Long Island Photographer | Apollo Fields Wedding Photography
I just never get sick of photographing this cutie! I have been doing her pics since before she was born, and ever since then. I’ve done Nikki and Leila'’s maternity, fresh 48, 6mo, 1yr, and so on every chance I get! Even though we specialize in weddings, I love taking on the occasional family and kiddo. Leila is such a bright light, a sassy and sweet little girl who I just adore.
It was cold and windy at Crab Meadow Beach, but the light cloud coverage was great for photos. Leila only had about five minutes threshold for the chilliness (I couldn’t blame her, I wouldn’t have wanted to pull my jacket off either) so it was up to us to get as much of her personality out in just a few minutes). Leave it to this little girl though, because she gave us the whole spectrum — her curiosity, playfulness, quick witted little personality just beamed.
My favorite was when I was trying to keep her attention and get her engaged, and I said, “Leila can you give us a smile” and she just goes, “RAWR! I’m a monster!” Hahahaa she gave us the biggest smile right after doing a playful monster and then threw her hand on her hip and posed her pants off. What a ham!
Leila’s mom, Nicole, is a dietician and works at Memorial Sloan Kettering as well as managing her own brand, Worksite Wellness. She just published her own cookbook, The Truly Healthy Pescatarian and we were lucky enough to snag our own copy when she came out for the session! We love chatting about all healthy eating and nutrition and of course, doing anything with Leila!
Photography: Apollo Fields
Location: Crab Meadow Beach, Northport NY
New York Wedding Photographers on Long Island
New York City Wedding Photographers | Colorado Weddings | Apollo Fields Photojournalism | NYC Photography
“Did you guys miss New York?”
This is one of those questions we have been asked by everyone since moving back East. And it’s a good question, but the answer is complicated… When we moved to Colorado in 2016, we were veryready to move. But it wasn’t because we hated NYC, it was just time. It was time to be in nature and time to be in an unknown place together. Big moves like that can make or break a relationship, and for us I guess we got lucky.
When I first moved to New York City a few years before that, I barely knew anyone and the people that I did know were in different boroughs. Despite always having the city close by, the UWS was as much of a mystery to me as if I had moved to Los Angeles by myself. I learned a lot about myself in that first year while I was getting my MA and living in a tiny studio apartment on 105thStreet. It was just me and Riddle, a mini fridge, an oven that leaked Carbon Monoxide, and a sort-of-view of the Hudson River if you hung your head out of the prison-sized window.
I was still living in that death trap of an apartment when I met Terrence. I was riding out my lease before moving farther uptown, but I can still remember one of our first dinners together there. We were eating on the couch because I only had one dining room chair and Terrence was cautioning me about how he didn’t eat onions, fish, tomatoes, etc. I had no idea how to feed such a picky eater, so I just went ahead cooking like I normally did anyway. How far we’ve come since those days.
For as much as I learned about myself being single in NYC, I think we learned as much about each other when we made the move to the mountains together. We had very few connections in CO when we first moved and had to learn how to lean on one another in ways that we hadn’t before. Even though we had lived together in New York, we always had additional roommates (such is life in Manhattan). We had a very familiar neighborhood in New York filled to the brim with drinking buddies, walk-able pubs, and enough libations to stay busy until 4am any time we felt like it.
We landed in Colorado and everything quieted down. We only had each other and our little cottage. We found ourselves less intrigued by urban life and much more content hanging at a local brewery in town with a couple beers and a board game. We got bikes and went hiking, we spent afternoons at the dog park and evenings cuddled up on our couch. Life was good and it was hard to miss NYC at that time.
We were still flying back East multiple times a year for weddings and holidays. We were always happy to come back to familiar faces and good ethnic food. Distance helps you weed out the drinking buddies and bring family to the surface, or at least that was the case for us. Don’t get me wrong, we can still throw back a few shots at a dive bar, but suddenly, we were more interested in making a push for spending time with our siblings instead.
Our decision to move back was multidimensional. We are looking to buy a farm to turn into a wedding venue and the numbers just weren’t adding up in Colorado. The real estate market there was pretty volatile: we were part of a huge boom of fellow transplants making the Rocky Mountain move and we got in too late. By the time we were ready to look at properties, everything was selling above already-high asking prices. Zoning was a nightmare, and anything with a mountain view was just plain cost prohibitive. With the average all-in price of a CO wedding coming in at $26k and NY suburbs at roughly $65k+, we weren’t about to take that kind of business risk just to keep our beloved mountains in our backyard.
So as you all know, at the end of September we packed up our little cottage into our Highlander and drove back East. Animals and cameras in tow, we hit the ground running—getting married, wrapping up busy season, and honeymooning in Jamaica while settling into a new house. We are finally slowing down (but not for long).
We’ve moved into a cute yellow house in East Northport, five minutes from Terrence’s dad and stepmom. We went from a 550sq foot cottage to a real house, which after a few Salvation Army raids is beginning to feel like a home. We are living well by Long Island standards: fenced-in backyard, walking distance to the LIRR, and a ten-minute drive to the North Shore.
Despite being an hour train or car ride from the city, this is a very different lifestyle than when we were actually living in NYC. We are very much in a commuter / family town. The delis and pizzerias are good, but that’s about it in the way of local flavor and small town charm. It is nice to be closer to family again. We have been into the city a few times and it’s been great. We hit The Whitney for the Andy Warhol exhibit and gorged ourselves on international food. We ride the subways like nothing has changed, and traversed up and down the blocks with the sharp cold air lingering on our cheeks.
New York will always be our city, even though if we’re being honest I don’t think I’ll ever live in it again. It doesn’t fit our lifestyle, business trajectory, or relationship anymore. In a perfect world, we won’t be on Long Island for very long, either. We would love to end up on a farm in Bucks County PA or upstate NY. We have big dreams of hosting weddings, homesteading, and photographing more and more amazing couples. We envision an old barn, a big fireplace, chickens and kiddos running through the fields, and a labor-of-love property that gives us as much as we give it.
So the short answer is, yes we missed New York but we also miss Colorado. We like walking through museums as well as walking up mountains. We love our family here and love our friends in CO. We miss the big western skies and the “300 days of sunshine” that we got so used to. But we’re glad to get a decent bagel again. We are lucky because we get to experience such a range of landscapes, and because of our business, we don’t have to choose one or the other. We get to go back to the Rockies for work and play, and in the meantime we are stoked to start to look to the future to find the quirky farm venue that will turn into the biggest passion project we’ve taken on so far.
