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.
follow us on the ‘gram:
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
Vanderbilt Museum and Planetarium Intimate Wedding
Vanderbilt Museum and Planetarium Intimate Wedding | Centerport, New York Weddings | Long Island Microwedding Photography | Apollo Fields Wedding Photographers
Meghan & Samuel
Like many other industries, photographing fellow wedding industry pros can go one way or another— either it is a total dream or the experience backfires and you end up with a micromanaging know-it-tall. Luckily for me, Meghan and Sam’s wedding was the former!! It was exactly that: a total dream!
This sweet couple unfortunately had their original wedding plans totally derailed by COVID but still wanted to honor their love by getting married this year. The plan was to postpone the big wedding to 2021, but as the year continued on, they ultimately decided that this wedding would be the wedding— and honestly, I can relate so hard to this! Planning any wedding celebration is a lot of moving parts even in non-pandemic times, and I cannot imagine how tough it must be to have everything turned upside down and then trying to reconfigure multiple weddings.
At the end of the day, the most important part of a wedding– whether it is just two people or two hundred people–is the love between the couple and their commitment to one another. Meghan summed it up best when she said, “ I work in the wedding industry and love attention to details” she started, “But for myself, I would say to ignore any pressures to deliver anything perfect! If there is anything that 2020 has taught us, it is the importance of family and health and spending it with the ones you love most”.
That is exactly how their wedding felt, too! Meghan and Samuel exchanged their vows in front of six guests at the Vanderbilt Museum and Planetarium in Centerport, NY. The venue is stunning and sits right up against the water. We were lucky to have a perfect autumn morning and were able to have the ceremony at the fountain in the back of the courtyard. Their ceremony was personalized and so sentimental, and I think that because it was so intimate, their promises were that much more special.
After they exchanged the vows, rings, and “I do’s”, Meghan and Sam had their first dance in the courtyard followed by parent dances. You could just feel how light and easy the day was flowing without all the chaos of hundreds of guests and tight timelines to stick to, and I admit that it makes a big difference as a photographer, too, to be able to lean into my creativity instead of worrying about huge shot lists and complicated moving parts.
We were able to do family photos without needing a party planner, an ambassador, and an assistant all coordinating people and then I was able to steal the couple for some romantics of just the two of them without having to rush them back to cocktail hour in five minutes. Such a luxury! We wrapped up the morning with a sweet cake cutting and a quick toast before heading out and I left the venue just beaming with happiness for this amazing couple!
Enjoy these sneaks from Meghan & Samuel’s intimate wedding:
Vendors:
Photography: Apollo Fields
Venue: The Vanderbilt Museum
Rentals: Elite Party Rentals
HMUA: Hair Salon of Centerport / Genna Makeup
Florals: Cold Spring Harbor Flowers
Officiant: Michele LaRosa- LI Officiant
Videography: Purroy Video
Dress: BHLDN
Bakery: Blondies Bake Shop
"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
Half Baked: Twenty Week Bumpdate
Half Baked: Twenty Week Bumpdate | Apollo Fields Wedding Photographers
I have never been the kind of girl to try on a bunch of outfits before going out. In fact, I have always prided myself on not being that kind of girl. Now at twenty weeks pregnant, I am most definitely that girl.
On goes a shirt, off goes a shirt, on goes a dress, dress comes off, grab a tank top, hold it up in front of my chest, yeah that’s a no-go, throw it all on the floor in a pile. Then I’ll stand in front of the mirror half naked wondering how it is possible to barely recognize the person looking back at me. I will freeze in that frustration for a little while, then reach back into my closet for another shirt.
Rinse and repeat.
I can go way down the rabbit hole in this cycle of trying to make my tried-and-true pre-pregnancy clothes look the way they used to, but it is usually futile and ends up with me shoving them in my crawl space that I’ve now designated as the burial ground for clothes that I probably won’t see for another year or so. Another one bites the dust, then I slam the door shut.
I’ll reach for one of the hand-me-down maternity outfits I’ve been given and try to come to terms with that outfit. Leopard print. Wow. I don’t think I’ve ever worn leopard print in my entire life… am I about to wear leopard print today? Try it on-- yikes-- I am definitely not a leopard print girl. Throw that in the pile too.
So there I am, still half naked, still standing in a pile of fallen soldiers (I glance down at my favorite gray J.Crew shirt-- you were a good friend), and that god forsaken mirror reminds me that yes, my belly button just keeps getting weirder looking. “When did you get so fucking vain?” I think to myself, almost out loud.
I was deep in the struggle this morning when my husband walked upstairs and found me practically hiding in the closet like a dog on the Fourth of July. I was wearing nothing more than my underwear, a bralette, and my frustration and he just says, “You’re having a moment, aren’t you?”
Yep. Definitely having a moment and it didn’t take too long before I tried explaining how nothing fits and my whole body feels foreign and I am gaining weight in the one place that society has told me to never gain weight and someone jokingly called me ‘fatso’ yesterday but why didn’t that feel like a joke but also everyone tells me my bump is cute but maybe I should hide the bump better so people stop telling me to take it easy and not move a chair but more importantly my body is healthy and I feel great and why can’t I just be grateful that I’m healthily pregnant how many women would kill for this but I am grateful so why don’t I feel sexy??
Woof, dude. That run-on sentence was basically the word-vomit that came tumbling out of my mouth before I started crying. Or maybe I just cried my way through the whole thing but it didn’t take long before realizing that very little of this actually had to do with the way I looked or how I actually felt.
The truth is, I feel great. In many ways, I feel better than I did before we got pregnant. I have tons of energy, I eat like a monk, I’m active, I’m working, my skin has never looked better, I feel strong and I feel healthy. So what’s the problem?
The problem, as it turns out (and I shouldn’t be surprised because it is my dark shadow), is actually centered around control and power. I am afraid that by looking pregnant, people will assume that I either won’t be as good at my job or that I shouldn’t be doing it in the first place. Think this sounds like an outdated problem? Think again. I was literally reprimanded by an older Indian man at a wedding last week for shooting when I should be home resting. “Where is your husband?” he asked me, “Your husband should be taking the pictures instead. You should have an assistant”, he insisted.
My blood was boiling. Not only was I perfectly capable of working that job, but I was there to crush that gig, which I did. I plan on crushing gigs as long as I can, having this baby, and then getting back to crushing gigs. It is just what I do and who I am and that doesn’t automatically make me selfish or any less-mother.
So now I’m all revved up and high on my feminism but holy ego it’s time to check all that because Terrence reminds me that I am going to get a lot more pregnant and our priorities are going to have to shift eventually. A sobering thought for someone who derives as much of their sense of self from their ability to get-shit-done-for-themselves, but alas, he’s right. Things will change and that’s not necessarily a bad thing. I have to realize that maybe I can’t wear my favorite gray J.Crew shirt for a while, but I don’t have to walk out of the house in leopard print, either.
People love to comment on women’s bodies. They especially love to comment on pregnant women’s bodies. This probably isn’t going to stop in the next few months, so it is up to me to learn how to navigate this new chapter. Unpacking my own skinny privilege and the pang of the scale every time I see the numbers climb is all valid and real, but the actual work for me comes up when I am told by a colleague, “Oh, I just assumed you wouldn’t be working now so I haven’t been sending you any leads”. That one that actually stung, and was maybe the reason I wanted to hide my bump in the first place.
Our identity is huge, and as women we forfeit a lot of that during pregnancy (and subsequently motherhood). It is not all bad: Personally, I have taken better care of myself both mentally and physically because for the first time in my life, it’s not just for me. Pushing myself to my absolute limits is no longer a badge of honor but can have very real negative effects on a baby, so I have had to find a long overdue new normal for myself. But I am still working-- I’m still shooting and I’m loving it and I really do plan on doing it as long as I can. Yes, things are shifting but at the end of the day I am still me, except now I try on clothes about forty times before leaving the house.
– Heather
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