NYC City Clerk Wedding
New York City Courthouse Wedding
Joe + Marie
Marie and Joe decided to get married at the New York City City Clerk's Office located at 141 Worth St. They began by obtaining a marriage license from the City Clerk's Office, filling out the application online, and presenting their valid identifications in person. Once they had their marriage license, they scheduled an appointment at the office, either online or by phone.
On the day of their appointment, they arrived at the City Clerk's Office early, ensuring they had all necessary documentation in hand. With their marriage license, identifications, and other required paperwork ready, they proceeded to the designated area for the marriage ceremony, accompanied by their beloved dog.
During the ceremony, officiated by a city clerk, Marie and Joe exchanged vows and rings. They had the option to personalize their vows or choose from standard options provided by the city clerk. After the exchange, they, along with their witnesses if required, signed the marriage license, with the city clerk also signing to finalize the marriage legally.
Following the ceremony, Marie and Joe received their marriage certificate from the City Clerk's Office, which served as legal proof of their union. With the formalities completed, they celebrated their marriage in whatever way they saw fit, whether it was with a small gathering, a dinner with family and friends, or a special outing with their dog.
Throughout the process, Marie and Joe ensured they followed the specific requirements and procedures of the New York City City Clerk's Office to ensure everything went smoothly.
Planning a wedding can be stressful —especially if the cost is coming out of your own pockets
Planning a wedding can be stressful —especially if the cost is coming out of your own pockets!
Wedding etiquette used to be that the bride’s family shouldered the entire cost of the wedding and the groom’s family would cover the rehearsal dinner. The couple was only expected to pay for the gifts that they would exchange with one another and their wedding party… Well, it’s 2019 and we happen to think that this uber-traditional arrangement is a bit antiquated and unrealistic. According to WeddingWire, about 44% of modern couples are paying for the majority of their wedding themselves. At Apollo Fields, we probably see an even higher percentage of our couples footing their own bills and honestly, we think that’s super rad! We really “click” with the word hard / play hard kind of couples who are more focused on their weddings being a unique and sentimental experience rather than a trendy, over-the-top social affair.
QUOTE FROM A PREVIOUS COUPLE
Planning a wedding can be stressful —especially if the cost is coming out of your own pockets. Around every corner there seems to be an expense waiting for you; from bigger costs like renting a venue, catering, and stocking the bar, to unforeseen expenses like chair and table rentals, glassware and silverware rentals, and single-use items like decorations and stationery. That’s not even to mention services like a DJ or live band, the serving staff, and the totally unbiased, most important cost of your wedding: photography! Well, coming from a couple of industry-tested wedding photographers who have seen the good, the bad, and the ugly, including the full planning and execution of our own wedding in October 2018, please heed our advice from one proud, professional couple to another!
Establish Your Priorities As A Couple
As soon as you post your engagement on social media, every aunt and uncle, sister and brother, mother and father, and friend will have an opinion on what your wedding should be like. Where you should get married, who you need to invite, what food you should serve and what music should be played. As you will see (or already have seen), the planning of your wedding can quickly become less about you and more about the people who surround you. Don’t forget that the biggest benefit of paying for your own wedding is that you don’t have to answer to anyone! It doesn’t have to be as cliché and rigid as “this is your day” or “this is the bride’s day,” of course you can listen to those closest to you for advice, but the fact of the matter is-- you’re paying for it--so don’t allow others to dictate the way you want to celebrate your love. Your wedding day is just as much a romantic symbol of your relationship as it is an opportunity to showcase its strength by making important decisions together. So take the time to sit down and hash out what’s most important to each of you individually, that way each of you feels represented in the atmosphere of your wedding day, from the decorations to the guest list to the dance floor.
Apollo Fields List of Priorities:
1. Location – Family hobby farm in Ramsey, NJ.
2. Guest List – Immediate family and close friends (tough to keep <100 guests)
3. Food and Beverage – Beer, wine, and N/A bev., whiskey/scotch room, homemade fresh pasta bar, salad, candy apple dessert bar.
4. Photography – Associate/friend of Apollo Fields.
5. Entertainment – Inexpensive but trusted DJ of family friend.
6. Décor – Mainly rustic tools from farm’s history, table cloths from amazon, glassware, dishware, and silverware from second-hand stores.
7. Rentals – Tables, chairs, portapotty.
QUOTES FROM PAST COUPLES?
Tackle One Thing At A Time
When you have to pay for your own wedding, you have to work the planning around your already busy schedule. The best way to do this is to start at the top of your list of priorities and work down one at a time. This way it is more manageable, enjoyable, and hopefully never becomes overwhelming. If a venue is at the top of your priority list, start there, and then determine your guest list as per different venue’s respective guest maximums; if the guest list is paramount, then start there and find which venues are best for your guest count. Leverage your priority list into the planning process. Take a weekend to hit a few venues, taste their food, and check out nearby towns and hotel accommodations. Over dinner at a restaurant, discuss who or what is not negotiable come wedding day. Let it be light and fun, it doesn’t have to be stressful! I still remember putting the playlist together for the DJ in our cottage in Colorado, laughing and singing to all of our favorite tunes. But bear in mind, get a start as far in advance as possible, as venues, DJs, and photographers become booked up as far as a year to two years in advance, and we all know the feeling of being in the mall the day before your significant other’s birthday, only to settle for a gift that doesn’t truly represent how much you care. Don’t let this happen for your wedding day.
Apollo Fields Planning Workflow:
1. Location - Heather and I planned trips to New Jersey from Colorado in advance of the wedding, purchasing things that wouldn’t spoil, measuring space as per rental table dimensions, and helping set up the property as much as possible.
2. Guest List - The guest list is a common battleground for couples. There are going to be those left behind. You can try to divide the count 50-50 but it’s never that cut and dry. For us, we began with what the space allowed, and then it was all about who was currently contributing something to our lives that made the difference.
3. Food/Bev. - Getting a Costco membership can save you tons. We shopped around for the best prices for whiskey, beer, and wine, and grabbed a package or two of non-alcoholic beverages.
4. Photography – This was obviously easy for us as it is right up our wheelhouse.
5. Entertainment – We prioritized cost effectiveness on this one, and a family friend who had good reviews online came at the right price and delivered (literally and figuratively).
6. Décor – We built these purchases into our trips to NJ from Colorado, and found things on Amazon that were much better quality and cheaper than renting from a wedding company.
7. Tables and Chairs – At first I wanted to build all of them. In the week leading up to the wedding. Yeah, I was over-ambitious. We rented them at a great price from a company that dropped off and picked up at the location. We also rented a portapotty, which was a funny conundrum getting stressed about where people were going to use the restroom.
Tangible Items vs. Intangible Services
Similar to creating a pros-and-cons list to help make tough decisions, separating costs into tangible items and intangible services can help clarify where you should direct the bulk of your time and budget. It’s easy to fall down the rabbit hole of designing your wedding to be the perfect, dream-like experience, all the way down to the way the napkins are folded, but to be honest, the quicker you depart from that pipe dream, the better. The reality is that something always goes wrong at weddings and the more value you put into each small detail the more you risk that stress eventually coming back on you when/if it doesn’t pan out. If you do have your heart set on a lavish extensive wedding experience, it can pay to hire a wedding planner, but if not, or they’re too expensive, we say cut the corners on immaculately matching silverware, dishware, glassware, and single-use items like decorations, invitations, wedding favors and the like. It will drive you crazy and the pursuit of perfection will make everything else seem imperfect. Instead, consider hiring a Day-Of Coordinator to take the stress off without breaking the bank. This is one of the biggest “I wish I had _____” feedback that we hear from past couples. Having a point of contact for the day to make sure things are running smoothly and on time will take the pressure off of you guys without maxing out your credit card.
MAYBE GET A QUOTE FROM A LOCAL DAY OF COORDINATOR HERE?
Invest in the things that people will remember: your beautiful ceremony in an historic barn, the tunes blaring from horns and reverberating from the strings of an electric guitar, and of course the photography that will capture all of these moments for you “to have and to hold” (see what I did there?).
(INDUSTRY SECRET: You wouldn’t believe how much cake goes untouched (and often thrown away) while your guests are tearing it up the dance floor. We say ditch the elaborate multi-tiered cake and direct the funds elsewhere. Dessert bars with cupcakes and cookies are great alternatives. Or think outside the box-- we had an autumn wedding so we went with bite-sized pumpkin pie nibbles and caramel apples).
Apollo Fields Tangible Items vs. Intangible Services Cost Breakdown
1. 70% Services: DJ, photographers, venue, staff.
2. 30% Items: Rented tables and chairs, second-hand silverware, avoiding glassware via bottled beer and large stock of wine glasses.
Sapphire Point Engagement Photos in Colorado
Matt and Julie’s Sapphire Point Engagement Session | Dillon, Colorado Engagements | Lake Dillon Photography | Apollo Fields Wedding Photographers
I’ve never described a view as “sticky” before, but that’s the word that came to mind after we wrapped Matt and Julie’s engagement session at Sapphire Point in Dillon, CO. It was like the feeling I got as a kid when it began to get dark and there was just one inning left in our wiffle ball game. “Just one more inning, mom!” It’s this feeling that this moment is all that exists and to leave it would be to deny yourself an experience that you will never get back. Call it juvenile or dramatic but I think 12-year-old me and 31-year-old me might be on to something.
Our first meeting with Matt and Julie happened in one of our favorite places—a brewery. Oasis Brewing Company in the Highlands neighborhood of Denver, CO, is a multi-level, exposed-brick venue with rustic wooden tables and industrial steel beams to anchor the open, charming space (I actually helped re-open it in March 2018). Once we grabbed a beer we all took a seat at one of the banquet tables along the wall and chatted about Matt and Julie’s wedding in Littleton, CO, in May 2020. The conversation mimicked the space in which we spoke: laid-back, organized, and youthful yet sophisticated.
Matt (a lawyer) and Julie (a teacher) represent the kind of couples that we are grateful to attract and meet. Matt and Julie know what they want, aren’t afraid to ask questions, and their communication is a wonderful mix of professional, candid, and casual. These conversational cornerstones allows us to navigate the complexity of wedding photography, i.e. “what do we get?” or “what are we paying for?”, with ease. Instead of bogging down the meeting in the details, we candidly ask what they are looking for in wedding photography as we all casually take a sip of our beer. This way, we can deliver a customized package based on their priorities rather than trying to sell them products or services they’re not interested in. Of course, we don’t expect every one of our couples to know what they want like Matt and Julie, but it’s definitely something we’re grateful for when it comes down to the brass tacks of wedding photography (totally thought it was “brass tax” until I Googled it).
Fast forward a few months and we’re meeting Matt and Julie at Matt’s family home in Dillon for their engagement shoot. We were welcomed by his mother and father, two dogs, and a brilliantly blue Colorado sky quickly approaching our coveted golden hour. We began by taking a stroll down by the cliffs of their home for a more casual start before we made our way up to the photographer-and-chipmunk occupied Sapphire Point (seriously, there were adorable little chipmunks scampering everywhere). Luckily, we came on a Sunday night when it wasn’t that busy, we don’t even want to imagine the amount of hikers we would have photoshop out of a picture on a Saturday afternoon.
The love was real, the mood was romantic, and the view was...sticky. Everything about Matt and Julie’s engagement session made my eyes and heart want to stay but it was starting to get dark. It was an experience I may never to get to live again exactly, but perhaps that’s the best way to appreciate a moment. To allow your desires to remain a bit unsatiated, to walk up the hiking path away from the view so that your mind clings to its pristine image in all its glory. I can still see that sunset when I close my eyes, and even though I won’t know how that wiffle ball game was supposed to end, maybe I’m not supposed to.
Enjoy Julie & Matt’s Engagement Photos:
As seen in: Couture Colorado Magazine
Breweries and happy couples… these are a few of our favorite things…
Hanging with Matt and Julie after their Sapphire Point engagement photos! What better place to connect than over a craft beer! If that makes us hipsters then you should expect handlebar mustaches on both of us shortly!
Wedgewood Boulder Creek Wedding Photographer
Apollo Fields | Wedgewood Weddings at Boulder Creek | Intimate Wedding Photos | Candid Wedding Photography
The modernization of traditions keeps our jobs as wedding photographers fresh and inventive. From DIY ceremonies and weddings in the woods to more conventional rituals in churches; each wedding reveals each couple’s unique relationship to their respective belief systems. Kelly and Alec’s catholic wedding at Sacred Heart of Mary and reception at Wedgewood-Boulder Creek in Boulder, Colorado, showed us that you can both honor your past and embrace the new.
Before Kelly and Alec’s wedding, I never knew the significance of St. Francis of Assisi, the patron saint of animals and the environment. But when we went to photograph Kelly and Alec’s first touch (a version of a “first look” where a couple doesn’t see each other) right near a fountain with a golden statue of St. Francis, Alec filled me in after they shared a few moments of beautiful tension. Alec spoke about St. Francis the same way that an environmentalist speaks about Jane Goodall, worshipping the person for what they mean to the natural world rather than elevating them as an idol outside the realm of natural phenomena. It was incredibly refreshing to see someone who holds a monotheistic belief system so close to their heart also share a deep love for Mother Nature.
Following the ceremony inside the church, the caravan climbed Boulder Creek Canyon Road to the reception hall a few minutes into the foothills of the Rockies. Wedgewood-Boulder Creek is an immaculately designed, accessible, and romantic setting to host one of life’s most precious gatherings. Upon entering the space you can hear the trickle of Boulder Creek, just as the friendly staff of the venue greet you with your favorite refreshments and libations. The flow of the property mimics the way the creek carves its way through the mountains, allowing for family and friends to naturally convene on patios and berms of fresh green grass. There is no doubt in my mind that St. Francis helped Kelly and Alec choose this venue to celebrate their love.
On a day where clouds were kept at bay, golden hour floated in the early evening air like lightning bugs on a summer night. We borrowed Kelly and Alec from their celebration for a few romantics down by the creek and thanks to their genuine chemistry we didn’t keep them for long. They spun and smiled and danced and frolicked. They kissed. They unabashedly enjoyed themselves, wrapping their arms around one another like vines around a tree. Undeniably in love, we laughed, snapped pictures, and danced with them. When love is as natural as the trees, the breeze, or the trickle of the creek, you better believe that you’re doing something right. If Kelly and Alec wouldn’t take credit themselves, I’m sure they’ll be thanking St. Francis for a long time to come.
AS SEEN IN COUTURE COLORADO MAGAZINE
Vendors:
Venue | Wedgewood - Boulder Creek
Dress | Madison James
Floral | Painted Primrose, Sabia Magrun
DJ/Band | Diamond Empire Band
Suit | Generation Tux
Rings | Shane Co.
Hair & Makeup | Serenity Salon- Arvada
Cake | Kelly Leigh Cakes
Oh Hey!
It’s us at the end of the night having the best time with Kelly & Alec.
Montauk NY Engagement Photographers
Bri & Tyler’s Engagement Session | Montauk NY | The Hamptons Destination Weddings | Apollo Fields Wedding Photographers
An early evening summer breeze coming off the Atlantic reminds the Montauk locals of the sun and the salt on their skin, but that same breeze that warms a beach bum’s heart can chill a Texan to the bone. A kind memory of home to Bri is a reminder to Tyler just how far he is from his, but come October 2020 their families will join to celebrate their love in a half-homegrown, half-destination wedding.
Many would consider it a luxury to grow up in a destination wedding town, embracing the lifestyle and culture that seems as light as a day on the beach. Others might say that the summer months that bring tourists and city slickers who clog the one road, two-lane streets like the sidewalks in Manhattan are killing their vibes. The reality is that the sun shines no matter what and despite the traffic we are all going to enjoy our drink of choice on the beach for one reason or another.
For Bri, hosting her wedding in Montauk will be like having her own personal welcoming parade of family and neighbors, smiling faces lining either side of the aisle like a beach version of the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. While Tyler and his family, although no strangers to coastal waters, will mostly likely be dipping their toes into the Atlantic a bit more timidly than they do in the Gulf of Mexico. The thing about the locations of weddings is—whether a new or familiar experience—the love in the room is all the same.
Weddings offer us wonderful opportunities to connect with groups of people we might not speak to in our daily lives. Too often our occupations and locations restrict us to familiar routines that can limit our world experience, but when love is the accepted common ground all conversations and connections are possible. There is simply no space for judgment when love is in the air. Breathe it in, take it in, and clink glasses with someone you might otherwise not meet.
Heather and I are so lucky to share these spaces in places all over the world, snapping photos and writing down all of the emotions that we see. I’ve said before that our emotions are our secrets until we share them with someone, but on wedding days most people wear them as proudly as their finest suit or most elegant dress. Restraining the contents of our hearts would be like putting those garments back in the closet and throwing on the wrinkled clothes that adorn the floor. Instead we see tears trickle down cheeks like rain down window panes and eyes well up like dams that are about to burst.
A forum to express the version of ourselves that is too often buttoned up and hidden away is one of the many reasons that make our jobs more than an occupation or service. According to our tax documents we are wedding photographers, but according to ourselves we are photojournalists who never settle for the surface, always scanning the room for people to show us the best version of themselves.
Enjoy these pics from Bri & Tyler’s Montauk Engagement Session:
Hi! We’re Terrence & Heather…
…we are the husband-and-wife duo of Apollo Fields! Thanks for checking out Bri & Tyler’s engagement photos. We are so stoked to shoot their 2020 Wedding at Gosman’s Dock in Montauk!
How To Run A Wedding Photography Business
Happiness in the Workplace: The Life of a Wedding Photographer
Apollo fields | Denver wedding photographer | New York wedding photographer | Wedding photos | Engagement photos | wedding writer
Most people don’t enjoy their jobs. Whether it’s the fluorescent lighting or the no windows casino approach to work environments, the tired early morning commute or the death by a thousand cliches like “happy wife, happy life,” working in the 21st century is at best and worst a dull sort of suffering. The intermittent good days make the job not quite bad enough to quit, and the benefits of a stable job outweigh childish millennial pursuits like happiness in the workplace. Lucky for us, we don’t have that problem.
Heather called me yesterday after her 4th wedding of the weekend (!!), and I could hear her smiling through the phone. She was beaming about being in the center of a 30-minute horah (Jewish wedding dance celebration) and reflecting upon how grateful she is to have an occupation that lands her in the middle of these powerful cultural traditions. Despite having no ties to any sort of religion ourselves, more often than not, we are educated on and included into these intimate spiritual circles rather than being forced to the perimeters and relegated to the role of outsiders. Take that “multicultural day” at the office!
This wedding season, Heather has already shot weddings in Pennsylvania, New York, New Jersey, Colorado, soon to be Maine, and at the tail end of the season, Cape Cod, Massachusetts. Travel is part of our jobs and we’ve learned that there is love to be photographed everywhere! In the past, we’ve photographed weddings from the Dominican Republic to Quebec City, Canada, and we’re excited to the places our jobs will bring us in the future. Our ever-changing workspace keeps our eyes fresh and the hundreds of miles of open road keep our hearts for adventure well-fed.
That being said, the life of wedding photographers can be stressful and inconsistent. We don’t have work until we book it ourselves, making security and stability in our profession an autonomous responsibility of discipline and dedication. We don’t have windows in our office either, but that’s because the sun is on our shoulders; and we can’t hear cliches because we’re too busy dancing to the live band. Sure, it can be hard to keep the energy level high as the season wanes on, but every time it begins to fade there is a tear-jerking moment to bring us right back into the fold. I would trade the dynamic difficulties of our job for the static grinding of the human will that permeates office culture a hundred times over—because at the end of our workday—we’re growing towards love rather than withering towards retirement.
Wedding “I-Dos” and Don’ts: The Inside Scoop
Wedding Planning Tips from Photographers Who Have Shot Over 100 Weddings— The Inside Scoop on How To Prioritize Your Timeline and Budget
Wedding “I-Dos” and Don’ts:
Things You Should Know For Your Wedding Day
Some people have been thinking about saying “I Do” since they were marrying their stuffed animals in a fort underneath their coffee table; while others, well not so much. Whether or not you have a Monica-sized binder of wedding ideas, rest assured that your wedding day is going to be a wonderful experience. It’s a day where you’re doted upon like royalty as friends and family deliver their support, love, mimosas and/or whiskey and everything in between. There will inevitably be stresses, but if you safeguard the experience of your wedding day by heeding a few of our industry tips, you and your significant other will live happily ever after.
I Do…
Host Cocktail Hour Before the Ceremony
This one may be controversial as it goes against the tradition of not seeing the bride before the ceremony, but everyone knows the feeling of sitting through a wedding ceremony when cocktail hour starts to creep into your mind. By welcoming guests with hors d'oeuvres and beverages upon arrival, you’re able to ease your guests into the day, creating happy bellies and heads to fully enjoy your wedding ceremony. Yes, you may run the risk of your irresponsible relative or friend loading up on a few drinks, but as long as you keep it short they won’t have much of a chance; or better yet, save the hard liquor for after the ceremony.
You will find that you create a much more relaxed, welcoming atmosphere where people can be themselves, especially for those guests who arrive late. We initially thought of this for our wedding because we wanted to create the vibe of a dinner party, knowing how critical it is from a hospitality standpoint to make someone feel welcome as soon as they enter an event. We felt more like gracious-hosts than guests-of-honor, and encourage couples to create their own timelines to reflect their personalities as well.
Take The Edge Off With A Little Bubbly Before The Ceremony
I Don’t…
Schedule Your Itinerary Down to the Minute
With all of the moving parts of a wedding day, it makes sense to want to be hyper-organized when it comes to your itinerary. The thing that most couples don’t realize is that while you may be organized, that doesn’t mean the rest of your guests and event staff will be up to the task. It is all too often that we get a four-page timeline that goes something like, “6:47PM Welcome Toast, 6:51PM Blessing By Bride’s Father,” and we know how impossible it is to adhere to that tight of a schedule. So when you’re charting out your day, keep in mind that you have to account for things like: wrangling your uncle’s four cranky kids when taking family formals, finding a chair for grandma to sit on, the changes in location when the weatherman was wrong yet again, and how the staff forgot to set up for your special seating arrangement sign.
I’m not trying to say all of these things will go wrong -- but I am saying that something inevitably will -- and when it does, your perfectly laid plans will start to stress you out because you’re quickly 4 minutes, then 7 minutes, and then 10 minutes behind schedule. Our advice is to treat your itinerary like a guideline, not a schedule, that way you have a structure to follow, but you can still be flexible to accommodate for the many variables of your wedding day. Figure out what actually needs a concrete time and let everything else bend with the breeze. For us, those were our guests arrival time and when the DJ would begin playing music—everything else—had some room to breathe. One of our favorite 2017 brides put it best when she said:
“Our wedding (and life) was rough around the edges, but straight from the heart.”
Roll With The Punches And You’re Guaranteed To Have A Good Time
I Do…
Have a Backup Location for the Ceremony
Most venues accommodate for this, but you would be surprised how many weddings we’ve been to that when the weather got cranky, everyone stood around staring at each other wondering what to do. It is super important that when you book your venue, you know where the backup ceremony location is and that you’re happy with it.
We could tell you some war stories about shooting in torrential rains, subzero temps, nor’easter floods, sideways hail, and hotter-than-hell sun because there either: (A) was no backup plan, or (B) the bride simply would not get married anywhere else. I have literally watched a group of 200+ guests get pelted by hail while the couple is standing at the altar pretending like shit isn’t hitting the fan.
Maybe we’re superstitious, but we tend to believe that the more content you are with your backup location, the less likely it is that you will actually need to use it! Similar to the itinerary advice, you have to gauge your expectations to the many variables of the day, and this is especially true for the weather. Be realistic and aware about the seasonal weather patterns of your locations, friends! (i.e. it is probably going to be crazy-humid in NYC in August / you can expect a wet day in Seattle in May / and it’s not unheard of to have a September blizzard in CO.)
We’ll Be There, Come Hail Or High Water
I Don’t…
Spend Big on the Cake
Yes, we all want to mush cake on our significant other’s face to get back at them for beating us at Scrabble (is it just me?). And yes, we all want to seize the opportunity of having a tiered custom cake made to our specific wishes and desires—but think for a minute—can you specifically remember any cake you had at a wedding? According to WeddingWire, the average couple spends about $500 on their wedding cakes. I’m not saying that the bakeries are over-charging because they really aren’t, but maybe your wedding isn’t the time to live out your Cake Boss fantasies. This is a great place to trim the fat (literally) and reallocate some of those funds to some real memory-makers.
Chances are you’re going to be too busy tearing up the dance floor to actually tear into the cake with grandma over a cup of decaf coffee anyway. So instead of shelling out for something that will most likely wind up in the trash (we see it ALL the time), go for a dessert that your guests can enjoy on the fly, like an assortment of cookies, brownies, cupcakes, or try thinking of a fun and healthier option! (We had a caramel apple bar with slices of apple on sticks and melted chocolate and caramel for dipping.)
Cupcakes Are A Great Money-Saving Alternative To A Traditional Cake
I Do…
Take a Few Minutes for Yourselves
The other side of being treated like royalty on your wedding day is that everyone wants a piece of your time. As wedding photographers, we’re almost part-paparazzi part-security in how we snap pictures of a couple as we shuffle them along through gauntlets of friends and family. The flow of the day can quickly feel like you’re being shuttled from one place to another without stopping to enjoy the day that you spent so much time and money planning.
As hospitality professionals, Heather and I recognize when this is happening and always encourage a couple to take a moment to duck out in a room to take a few breaths and steal a few kisses. Everyone who has gotten married will tell you how “the day goes too fast,” so slow it down by finding some quiet time to take it all in. Go to the bathroom, drink some water— it sounds obvious, but you might be surprised at how even the most basic of needs can fall by the wayside on your big day. According to The Knot, the average wedding celebration clocks in only around 5 hours (although it feels like five minutes). What good is having a wedding if you don’t thoroughly enjoy it!?
Sneak Away For Sunset
I Don’t…
Stress About Wedding Favors
Have you ever taken a wedding favor and thought, “this is amazing, I can’t wait to use it?” Us neither. Yet we’ve heard so many couples talk about how difficult it was to choose something to give as favors to their guests. Some ideas can get expensive very quickly, so what are some ideas that are inexpensive but not “cheap,” and won’t go directly into the trash?
We like to suggest things that are edible (especially if it’s good for soaking up booze), like specialized cookies or popcorn you can make at home, or something that is eco-friendly like wildflower seeds. The average wedding produces about 400lbs of trash and 63 tons of CO2 according to the Green Bride Guide, so we love the idea of doing something to give back to Mother Nature in lieu of a crappy present.
Another great option is to donate some money to a charity of your choice and tastefully let your guests know which organization you went with. The reality is, like wedding cake, odds are people aren’t going to remember it, so direct your stress and your funds to something that actually adds to yours and your guests’ experience! Take it from a Pro Event Coordinator with The Pines at Genesee:
“Less can definitely be more, people don’t miss what they don’t know isn’t there!!”
Eco-Friendly Flower Favors
Hi and Welcome!!
We are Heather & Terrence Huie— the husband-and-wife team behind Apollo Fields. We are a photojournalist duo who have worked weddings big and small all over the United States as well as International Destination Weddings. As vendors who have also been through the process of planning and executing a wedding ourselves, we have a unique perspective on the good, the bad, and the ugly that can happen on your “big day”. What works for us certainly won’t work for everyone, our hope is that our inside scoop can help you and your fiancé prioritize your wedding timeline and budget in a way that actually serves you (and your guests).
Harlem NYC Engagement Photos
Lizzie & Rob | Harlem Engagement Session | NYC Engagements
When you walk in New York City you get lost in the crowd, paradoxically providing you an opportunity to assert yourself as an individual. The sheer population density of the five boroughs is a marvel to contemplate, a frustration to endure; it is your license to be loud and a soundboard for your creativity. Some perish in the gutters while others shine on Broadway, but it all comes down to your will and the company you find yourself in.
Rob & Lizzie find themselves in good company. They act and play and laugh. They smile. They bring happiness to others at Touch Performance Art. They're just another couple faces in the NYC crowd but they stand out because they use their freedom to perform the dialogue in their hearts. You can’t fake that kind of happiness.
Heather and I met not too far from where Rob & Liz’s engagement pictures were taken, but for months we shared the same sidewalks as strangers. Close proximity doesn’t promise connection, you have to seek it out for yourself. I remember the first night I got Heather’s number she almost walked away from me in shy embarrassment, but I didn’t let her get away. I yelled “your phone number would be great for something like that” after she turned her back when I told her that I’d love to see her again. Happiness like Rob & Liz and Heather & I have is a reward for our respective self-expressions.
When I think of love I think of two people who can’t help being themselves, embracing the most positive sides of their identities and celebrating them. When we shoot a wedding it is clear as day which couples have this brand of relationship because their vibes reverberate through all of those in attendance. It all stems from an honesty to themselves and each other, asserting their identities as individuals and as a couple.
New York City can make you or break you but it’s obvious that Rob & Lizzie will make it. They are the walking paradoxes meandering through the collage of people crowding the sidewalks of Manhattan. They are the ones smiling and laughing, working hard and loving harder.
These guys didn't miss a beat. We popped a few beers and brown-bagged them in the park. They brought water guns, bubbles, and a lasso. Rob successfully lassoed Lizzie on his first try... did I mention they are performers? It's SO MUCH FUN to photograph people in the entertainment industry. They weren't shy or bashful, rather they were animated and theatrical and treated their engagement session like the biggest performance on Broadway.
We wrapped the session under the NYC lights in Harlem, dancing into the headlights of the traffic, with people buzzing by and taxis nearly running us over for their epic dip under the bridge. We even ran into a mutual friend on the street! It was in every way the best that New York has to offer, and reminded me of why this city will always be my city.
NYC Engagement Photography: Apollo Fields
Clean & Classic: The Importance of Timeless Wedding Photos
Hey guys! Heather here...
It's a balmy -2 degrees F here in Denver, so I'm calling it a snow day and have gone ahead and rescheduled all of my clients (trust me, it's no fun being outside in this weather).
Snow days used to be highly anticipated events, huddled up in bed watching the flakes falling from the window, listening to the radio station with your fingers crossed, toes crossed, pajamas inside out, and any other superstition that you thought might help the chances of your school being announced on the list of cancellations.
But now, twenty years later, I don't get that same luxury. Being a business owner means that you have to be the one to make those calls, and it's not always as easy as just wanting to stay in your sweats all day drinking hot chocolate and watching movies.
Clean & Classic
It seems that the wedding photography world has been dichotomized into two categories and photographers are pressured to define themselves as either "dark & moody" or "light & airy".
Now, don't get me wrong... I personally love both of these styles. I frequently find myself scrolling through the work of some of these masters envious of their well-crafted brand. As for myself, I know how-to and can shoot "dark & moody" as well as "bright & airy" while still properly exposing for my subjects. Sometimes it is fun to play around and push my own artistic boundaries, it keeps my eye fresh and it a fun challenge.
But I think there is a risk involved in subscribing to trendy editing techniques and why I shy away from them: they will one day be out-of-style. I would hate for someone to look back at photos I shot of someone's wedding and go, "eek, that's so 2018".
Let's all take a moment to remember when super-desaturated photos were in, or the all black-and-white except one color splash was considered artsy; circa early 2000's. Or a real life example: My parents got married in the '80s and let's just say their wedding photos are "so 1980's". Sepia-washed prints and shoulder pads. Oh my god, so many shoulder pads.
This is why if I had to categorize myself, I will confidently say "clean & classic". I want you to look back at your wedding photos and love them ten years, twenty years, and fifty years from now. I don't want your kids laughing at them. I mean, they can laugh a little, because that's what kids do, but it should stop there. I want to give you timeless photos that withstand the test of trends, fads, and increasingly savvy technology.
Here's a fun one: we have such a great time with our grooms and want to give them the attention they deserve. This photo captures our groom at a very flattering angle, but shows off his personality – fun and easygoing – to give it some uniqueness.
Another classic photo that I love. My couple is so happy in this moment and the photography stays really true to the season, their decor, and the overall mood of the day. Even though it is posed, it doesn't feel forced. I love when something feels candid even if it's not.
I love this photo because it has beautiful soft and warm light. There is still a lot of emotion, and yet in some ways it is also a classic bridal portrait. As an artist, I want to keep my viewer's eye on the image which is exactly what you get here.
It’s okay to not perfectly fit into either the “Bright and Airy” or “Dark and Moody” Categories
I love when I am building out my albums and I feel like I can re-live the entire day. Depending on the season, weather, venue, dress, florals, and other design and natural factors, there will be some variation in my photographs... and I think that's a good thing! I don't want my couple's to ever feel like they are just being plopped into posing placeholders, trying to replicate some picture they found on Instagram. I want uniqueness and storytelling, without compromising correct exposure and composition.
I think the mark of a true artist is to have your work become distinctive enough that the viewer no longer needs a signature or a watermark to know who created it. For me, I prefer not to categorize my work into somebody else's style. I would say "clean & classic" if I had to label my work, but in some ways that feels boring. Even the word "timeless" can begin to stale. My photos aren't stale or boring, and I am constantly searching for new ways to craft my art into true storytelling and bold narration. That is my pledge as an artist to all of my clients and viewers alike.
Photography By:
Zarit's Family Session in Long Island, NY
Long Island Family Photography | Apollo Fields Wedding Photographers | NYC Families | Outdoor Photo Session Ideas | Paint Guns
I love photographing this sweet family and have been lucky to get to shoot them throughout the years! Watching their little girls grow up in the photos is so much fun. They have such a fun and sweet bond and I’ve always clicked with them. This session was great because it was a balmy New York evening and then sun was just starting to set. We went for a nature walk and kept the everything really light and fun. With little kiddos especially, I prefer to keep things moving and active instead of trying to get them to pose or hold still for traditional portraits. Also, I feel like you get a much more wholistic sense of their personalities when we allow them to stay on the move and do fun stuff together!
Zarit had a great idea to do paint guns after we got the “clean” shots and of course I was on board! I haven’t used them before but I’ll admit I was a little jealous because they looked like SO much fun. I could see the girls eyes just lighting up as soon as they were getting unwrapped and I knew then that we were in for a treat!
Shortly after, the paint started flying. The whole family had a fun and wild paint gun war and they just kept laughing and laughing. I loved the paint colors they picked out and how fun their clothes popped against the golden light! I think one of my favorite parts of the session was once they were all out of paint and about to leave (the girls were excited to head out for their promised ice-cream outing since they behaved) they went out and sat on the dock together. They sat with their arms over each other (totally un-posed) and just giggled and whispered together like the adults didn’t matter at all. They watched the bugs zoom over the surface of the water and tried to make splashes even though their legs wouldn’t reach— how sweet! It reminded me of my own childhood, sitting out my the water as the summer sun set when everything seemed possible. I love watching the world through kid’s eyes again like this and it’s definitely my favorite part of doing family sessions.
Photography: Apollo Fields
Location: Northport, NY
The Best of 2016 Wedding Photography
THE BEST OF 2016 | WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHY AND ENGAGEMENT PHOTOGRAPHER IN NEW YORK AND COLORADO | Apollo Fields
As 2016 comes to a close, it's hard not to get nostalgic about all of the great celebrations of love, fun people, and spectacular places that my business has introduced me to. I always say – even though it's cheesy – that the best part of my job is being surrounded by people during what is oftentimes some of the happiest moments of their lives. How much better does it get??
We got to travel to a lot of different places for weddings this year which was great, including our big move to Colorado from NYC. Some of our favorite places included getting to shoot upstate at The Roxbury Barn and Estate, heading up to Canada for Jen and Jon’s wedding in Quebec, and finding some awesome mountain locations in the Rockies for engagements and weddings. We love traveling and it’s been such a great part of our lives and the business. We’re excited to book more destinations and get the chance to find new places and couples and everything in between!
So, to commemorate an epic year, here is a compilation of some of my personal faves...
SOME OF OUR FAVORITE VENUES OF THE YEAR:
Denver Art Museum | Denver, Colorado
Rocky Mountain National Park | Colorado
Jack Studios | New York, NY
The Roxbury Barn | The Catskills, New York
Le Chateau Frontenac | Old Quebec City, Canada
NOAH's Event Center | Westminster, CO
The Loeb Boathouse | Central Park, NYC
Chatfield Farms | Denver Botanic Gardens, Littleton
Lionsgate Event Center | Lafayette, Colorado
Historic Red Barn | Golden Gate Canyon State Park, CO
Alex & Rae's International Wedding in New York State
Alex & Ragnhild's New York State Wedding | International Weddings | NYC Wedding Photography | Norwegian Dancers | Apollo Photojournlism
I met Alex on the Upper West Side in NYC at a restaurant. We got to chatting at the bar and I told him that I was a photographer, and as it turned out, he was engaged to his fiancé Ragnhild and looking for a wedding photographer. After talking a while longer, we realized that we had quite a few mutual friends from the neighborhood, and it all fell into place right after that.
Alex is a personal trainer and a former professional basketball player. He met Rae on the court, when her professional dancing career took her to one of his games. Rae and her daughter, Denise, were from Norway and literally packed up their lives to live in New York City with Alex. They have such a loving and playful relationship that made my job so easy!
Their wedding day kicked off with the guys hitting the basketball court, which was a fun alternative to traditional wedding mornings. Terrence was out there playing with the groomsmen, and it really reminded me of how much fun we have on our wedding days! The ceremony was officiated by a friend, who spoke of them so eloquently that it made me cry behind the camera. Yes, I still get emotional when I shoot!
The reception was one of my favorites to date. Rae's bridesmaids were all on her dancing squad and had planned a secret dance special for the couple. A room full of professional Norwegian dancers is just as much fun as it sounds. Oh my god they were talented! It was such a great party.
The importance of memories:
When you’re in a particular industry long enough, it’s easy to forget the importance of your job. You wake up on Monday, meet deadlines, schedule future goals, work through the drudgery, finish the week, and if you’re lucky, do it all over again on the following Monday. Wedding photojournalism is no exception.
Then, once in a while something happens, something that jars you out of your automatic work setting and you take a step back. Sometimes it’s good news like a family member is having a baby and other times it’s something tragic like someone has passed away. Whatever the case may be your life is drastically different than what it was just a few days before.
One of the defining things about wedding photojournalism is that we capture particular moments in our client’s lives where happiness and celebration are center stage. We have the luxury to see people at their best, laughing among their family and friends, assuming the roles they’ve carved out their who lives by sharing the stories that have made them into the persons they’ve become. When things inevitably change in their lives in the months or years that follow, we watch their stories unfold through the photos we’ve taken and we’re drawn right back to the happiness of that day.
Each story we relive is a jarring reminder of the unpredictability of life and the importance that weddings hold in bringing people together, rekindling relationships, and the celebration of love and happiness. From budding romances to lost love ones, our photos travel across time, telling our present selves the story of our past, hugging our hearts with tangible memories and familiar feelings. It’s borderline wizardry how our inanimate pens and lenses can animate our past so vividly.
As wedding photojournalists we professionally tell love stories, but it’s as friends that we remember our client’s personally. Connecting with you all is what makes us remember that our jobs are important and our happiness immemorial. Thank you for your love.
New York State Wedding Photographer: Apollo Photojournalism | Erny Photo CO