We're Not Just an Instagram Couple
Farm Venues in Hudson Valley NY | Apollo Fields Wedding Photography | Husband and Wife Team | Small Business Owners
“We’re not just an Instagram couple,” I playfully declared to Heather while carrying a handful of dirty dishes to the sink. “If people knew that we really live this way all the time—I think they’d be sick,” I added. We were just putting the finishing touches on a delicious candlelit dinner of baked tofu in a spicy yellow coconut curry sauce, when Heather and I both realized that that declaration was just begging to be the beginning of a blog post.
What I meant in that moment was that it’s not just that we do “‘Gram-worthy” things all the time in our everyday lives, but that we do them because we really enjoy them rather than “doing them for the ‘Gram.” Thinking on this topic made me realize that Heather and I are motivated by connecting with each other and other people—that’s why we cook healthy, homemade meals with spices we can barely pronounce for people that we love—because that’s what makes us happy. Where most people see a moment to get some likes and promote themselves (and we’re not blind to the fact that we’re doing this also), we see a moment to express ourselves and connect with like-minded people.
Social media platforms like Instagram are the 21st century soapboxes for us to climb upon and speak our truths to the town (or more accurately, our local city, country and world). They are magnificent microphones of unlimited potential, but we all know that their feeds tend to hide the dirty dishes and legwork, tucking away the hours of unsexy tedium in favor of the curated moments of short-lived perfection. While it is important to celebrate the beautiful products of our hard work it is equally important to acknowledge the reality of success, that success is built upon aches and pains, empty cups of coffee, expletives, and endless amounts of frustration. To ignore that is to fail to tell the whole story of our success or truth.
Heather and I lean into the ugly side of our truths because we know that to ignore them is to live an incomplete life. Yes, we may not be as perfect or as “‘Grammable”, but because we are honest with ourselves we feel more whole as individuals, as a couple, and as a business. It allows us to connect with each other and connect with you. It is part of our brand because we are our brand, through and through. Apollo Fields is the whole meal: the rickety chair, the dirty dishes, the colorful plate and flickering candlelight; the stubbed toe, spilt red wine, and dabbed club soda; and as such our stomachs and hearts are always full to the brim. “We are not an Instagram couple” — we are an Apollo Fields couple and are damned proud of it.
As we enter 2020 may we give equal voice to our pains as we do to our peaks, embracing bravery in our weakness as much as humility in our strength. May we help each other do the dirty dishes while we polish off that last bottle of champagne. May we remember that success and failure are not mutually exclusive but rather are inextricably linked.
Cheers, friends, let us cry and create our truths together, Instagram and other social media be damned.
Photography: Apollo Fields
Pound Ridge Proposal Photography Upstate NY
Matt & Danielle’s Proposal | Pound Ridge NY | Upstate New York Engagement Photography | Apollo Fields Wedding Photographer
It was a cool morning last Friday in Pound Ridge. I had been up since before the sun to make my way over the city before rush hour, and found my own peace on the lake overlooking the house that Danielle and Matt were staying in. I already scouted the little hideaway space in the woods where I would be able to discreetly capture their proposal and had been texting back and forth with Matt to coordinate the last details to make the morning perfect.
He was busy scattering rose petals on the jetty that he had delivered to his work address to keep this huge secret from Danielle. They live together in NYC so it’s not easy to pull off this kind of surprise without arising suspicions, and Matt went above and beyond for this one— even flying to Chicago on a “work trip” to go custom design her engagement ring and another secret trip to her parent’s house to ask permission to propose!
For whatever reason, proposals are the ONLY thing that make me nervous to shoot (in a good way) and par for the course, as soon as I saw them walk out the back of the lake house, my heart began pounding. Danielle began connecting the dots when she saw the big rose petal heart on the dock and the water carried her “Oh my god oh my god”s in a way that suggested that she was just as surprised as intended. Before long, Matt was down on one knee and they were engaged!
I am always humbled by these moments because there is something special about being the only other person to witness such a huge moment. After the proposal, I was able to come out of hiding and celebrate alongside them with a champagne toast, some FaceTime calls to family, and a few pics before giving them the rest of their day back to enjoy the big moment. I loved their sentimental and playful energy and felt so lucky to have been a part of such an amazing moment!
Here’s to Danielle & Matt— cheers to your engagement!
As seen in: BROOKLYN BRIDE
Proposal Photography: Apollo Fields
Pound Ridge Venue: AirBnb
Ready to pop the question?
I’m your girl for the job. Proposals make me almost pee my pants but I love shooting them so much. Reach out to plan the most epic proposal ever!
Cazenovia New York Wedding Photographers
Liz & Rob’s Wedding in the Woods | Cazenovia NY | DIY Upscale Backyard Weddings | Apollo Fields Wedding Photography
Some call getting married “taking the plunge,” others call it “tying the knot,” but never before have we heard it called “stepping through the portal.”
“The Portal” is what Rob and Lizzie called their woodland-sourced and family-crafted circular altar. It’s mismatched limbs created a complete arch with local wildflowers and ivy and it was unlike any altar we’ve ever seen. This thoughtful feature of Rob and Lizzie’s wedding in the woods of Cazenovia, NY, is but one of the many things that made their wedding one of the most unique we’ve ever documented.
Rob & Lizzie are a couple of New York City performers who own their own dance theater business and are constantly using the sidewalks as their stage. Where we see open space, they see bodies and choreography, and where we see people— they see an audience. Rob and Lizzie’s creativity knows no bounds and ambitions have no limits. They are as present and improvisational as they are contemplative and calculated. Their energy and relationship epitomizes the creative New York spirit that pulls wanting eyes to the sparkling lights of Broadway. They are performers.
And their celebration of love reflected just that. From the hula-hooping fire twirler, to “the portal,” and multiple dance and singing performances, we never saw a stagnant soul. Tears were shed, lips quivered, and bodies embraced. Family and friends sat on on the edges of their seats beneath an illuminated tent in the otherwise dark woods. Every word spoken barely left the lips of cracking voices. Moments were used to reflect and collect emotions rather than repeat dead words, reminding us all that love is a product of our collective souls. The memory of this celebration still echoes in my mind like a catchy, heartfelt Beatles’ tune.
The word that kept coming up when I asked the guests about Rob and Lizzie was nucleus. Like their guests came to their wedding because they pulled them into their lives like floating electrons. All of us are are charged with a certain amount of energy but some of us have a bit more magnetism, a bit more pull than others.
Watching the way Lizzie and Rob exchanged moments with their eyes showed us just that. They didn’t talk to their friends, they reached out with their irises and arms and touched them. They made them feel seen and felt—a feeling humans spend a lot of time chasing —Rob and Lizzie gave in a glance. What a wonderful kind of pull they have.
Rob and Lizzie reminded me that we are all nuclei and centers of our own communities. That we bring something to our friends and families in our lives that no one else does. They also reminded me that we are in a constant state of self-improvement.
That ambition isn’t only about accolades and achievements but also emotional well-being. What pulls people in is not what you have done or seen but the way you make people feel. Our magnetism comes from our centers, our portals, and our nuclei. Cheers to Rob and Lizzie, and the performers of the world that remind us that we’re supposed to feel.
Enjoy these sneak peeks from Lizzie & Rob’s wedding:
As seen in: Storyboard Wedding
Vendors:
Photography & Writing | Apollo Fields
DJ/Band | Melody Rose DJ
Getting Ready Photos/Hotel | The Brewster Inn
Rehearsal “Dinner” | Brae Loch Inn
Bakery | Half Moon Bakery
Florist | Just a Sweet Grandma in town named Wesley
Decor/Tent | Ralston Tents & Events
Dress aka “Moon Baby” | Theia | Lovely Bride
Suit | Macy’s
Invitations/Save the Dates | Canva | Shutterfly
Custom Rings | Misty Summers
Come Join us for a Beer and Let’s Talk Wedding Planning!
This is from a recent visit to Port Jeff Brewing Company on Long Island, one of our local faves. The visit included an IPA, an imperial stout, and our two dogs getting a barkload of attention. Cheers!
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.
Wolf Lake Wedding in Wurtsboro, NY
Emma & Jes | Wolf Lake, Wurtsboro NY | Upstate New York Wedding Photography | Apollo Fields Wedding Photographer
There are certain weddings — certain couples — that I just feel called to. I can’t always explain it but things will fall into place exactly the way that they are meant to and this wedding was a perfect example of that. My sister went to elementary school with Emma’s brother and those couple degrees of separation were enough for our paths to cross at the right place and right time.
Call it a little slice of fate, or perhaps even faith, considering that one of the ways that Jes reconciles decisions is to pray to her father in heaven, flip a coin, and let destiny do the work. This is ultimately what led Jes and Emma to connecting, when a flip of a coin swayed Jes into taking a night shift (they are both nurses) and they were able to get to know one another and exchange numbers. Fast forward to wedding planning and Jes also flipped a coin to help them decide whether or not to get married in March or June, and it landed on March (which was great for me since my Junes are usually booked solid).
They decided to have an intimate wedding at Emma’s mothers lake house, “Moondance”, which is an adorable and eclectic little home tucked into the woods of Wolf Lake with beautiful water views. Her mom, Sandy, was such a gracious host and her hospitality was tangible. The home was buzzing with everyone getting ready when I walked in and it was such a warm welcome.
Being back up in Wurtsboro was trippy— it’s where my family lived for years when we were younger and driving those same roads, past our old house, and walking through the same woods brings up memories that have faded so far into the back of my mind that even I forgot they were there. I walked around the Bashakill to get “into my zone”, a little pre-wedding day ritual that I always do, and just breathed in the experience of working and creating art in places that I thought were left in childhood.
The timing of Jes and Emma’s wedding couldn’t have been better and I loved getting to know this awesome couple. One of my favorite sentiments from Emma was when she told me that, “Jes says she fell in love with me the minute she saw me. Walking down the hall at work, just being a nurse. . We have so much fun together, she really is my best friend”. Their first formal date was when they got dressed up and went to see the Polar Express in IMAX and went for all-you-can-eat-sushi afterwards.
Their engagement also gave me all the feels. First of all, Jes made their rings. FROM SCRATCH. As in, she took a jewelry making class and then spent twelve hours perfecting Emma’s engagement ring six months before proposing. Out of all of the weddings I’ve ever shot, this was a first for me. And they weren’t rinky dinky DIY rings, these were the real deal (see pics, they are stunning). Jes is clearly the kind of person that goes the mile and does things right.
When I was chatting with them about the proposal, Emma said the sweetest thing. She was talking about how she had no idea that it was happening until halfway through the video Jes made and had an OMG-this-is-really-happening epiphany! But in the most raw and honest way, Emma said to me, “We didn’t need forever to figure out this was the real deal. This was it, Jes was it”.
I love how Emma describes Jes: “Anything you can do I can do better” should be Jes’s theme song. She has high standards for herself, and is constantly trying to be better especially as things that may usually be considered masculine- firefighting, fixing cars, Jes takes a lot of pride in being a woman who can keep up with the men. I also loved photographing Jes for this same reason, she exudes a lot of masculine strength but has a soft and feminine gaze behind her eyes. It makes for very powerful photographs and I love when my couples are so uniquely themselves that they can pull qualities from both genders and just totally be themselves.
Jes described Emma in such a great way, too: Emma would be Evelyn Johnson McCawley from the movie Pearl Harbor. A nurse, someone with a lot of love to give, fierce loyalty, beautiful, and when shit gets real she knows how to buckle down and get the job done, especially if the job at hand involves serving and taking care of others. This I can promise you, is true, because when the day was winding down I was able to join them for dinner, an amazing spread of homemade food with some of Jes’ mother Rosie’s DELICIOUS Mexican cuisine. I wanted to drink the green sauce, and in fact I think I might have. If I remember correctly it was tomatillo and I want to do shots of this stuff (I wouldn’t be mad if a jar of it randomly got sent to my house, wink wink).
Jes and Emma have dreams of building a tiny house on top of a mountain or on a body of water and I have no doubt that this badass duo will. “We want to travel the world as much as possible. Eventually we want to become as self sufficient as possible and to decrease our carbon foot print- growing our own food, solar panels, and just doing more with less in general”. I’m so excited to share these sneak peeks and some of their story and cannot wait to see what these awesome women do next!
Jes & Emma’s Intimate Wedding Highlight Photos:
AS SEEN IN: LOVE INC MAGAZINE
Heather loves photographing intimate weddings, please reach out to see if she is available on your date!
Photography: Heather Huie for Apollo Fields
Location: Wolf Lake, Wurtsboro NY
