Owl's Hoot Barn Wedding in Coxsackie, NY
Apollo Fields | New York Wedding Photographers | Best Wedding Photos | Owl’s Hoot Barn Wedding Photos | Upstate New York Wedding
Jess + Kyle
Some of our couples find us through Instagram, some were guests at a wedding we worked, and others, like Jess, are best friends with the woman who delivered our baby, Capa. We actually met Jess for the first time at Stony Brook hospital a week after Capa was born when Heather had a postpartum appointment. I’d never visited a friend who works in medicine at their hospital before but boy were we grateful for Jess’s enthusiasm and warmth.
Long Island and Upstate New York Wedding Photographer
Even though most in attendance to Jess and Kyle’s wedding were from Long Island, they still opted to get married at Owl’s Hoot Barn in West Coxsackie, NY. It’s a beautiful venue with a cute bridge, little creek, a few ceremony sites to choose from, and a great combination of rustic and modern amenities. Jess and Kyle each had their own house on site to get ready in, maintain privacy, and have plenty of space. The light pouring in through the barn doors was perfect for the reception, and the cocktail hour under the covered back patio allowed for their guests to comfortably enjoy the day.
Have Your Friend Officiate Your Wedding
I may be a bit partial to Michelle, Jess’ best friend, officiant, and our midwife, but having someone close to you officiate your wedding is absolutely the way to go. They know your quirks, relationship, and will speak from the heart. Watching the ceremony allowed me into enter another world of Michelle’s life and of course it was consistent with her thoughtful, caring, and genuine self. You just won’t get the same type of emotional investment in those moments with an officiant-for-hire. We welcome all the feelings and all the tears!
That Time Your Wedding PHotographer Rapped with the Bride
So I don’t know exactly how it happened, but it did. That familiar guitar riff from “Lose Yourself” by Eminem came on and Jess got into the middle of the dance floor and started going for it! As a huge Eminem fan, I joined in on the rapping from the sidelines, but once her friends started peeling off as the song got into its lesser known verses, I found myself gravitating towards the center. I wasn’t going to let her rap by herself! Then all of a sudden, there I was, camera on my hip, rapping with Jess as we exchanged lines. If you prefer your wedding photographer to wear black and be a wallflower, please don’t play Eminem or classic hip-hop. You’ve been warned.
End your Wedding with a Bonfire
The music fades, the cake or ice cream has come and gone, and your friends aren’t done hanging out yet. Book yourself a venue like Owl’s Hoot and grab a bench or a stump to roast a marshmallow and assemble a s’more. The perfect wind down to an epic celebration, just don’t tell Heather, she gets waaay too competitive about her s’more technique.
Vendors
Photography | Apollo Fields
Venue | Owl’s Hoot Barn | West Coxsackie, NY
Floral | River Garden Flower Farm
DJ | DJ Johnny B
Videography | Genuine Collective Films
Makeup | True Beauty Company
Suit | Advance Formal Wear | Rockville Centre, NY
Dress | Enzoani | Bridal Reflections
Invitations | Minted
Cupcakes | Dolce and Biscotti | Clifton Park, NY
Transportation | First Student Transportation
Equestrian Wedding Photos
Apollo Fields | Best Wedding Photos | Equestrian Wedding Photographers | New York Wedding Photographers | Upstate New York Wedding Photographers | John jay HOmestead | Katonah, NY
Helen + Sam’s Wedding
The first wedding of a triple-header weekend feels like the first lap around the track when running a mile. Your pace is good, energy is high, and you think to yourself, “I got this, this is going to be easy!” Lucky for us, Helen and Sam’s equestrian wedding at John Jay Homestead was the perfect mix of their fun personalities to get our weekend off on the right foot!
John Jay Homestead Wedding Photos
The best part about having a wedding on a blank canvas historical site like John Jay’s Homestead in Katonah, NY, is how customizable it is. Yes, you have to do the legwork to bring everything in, but the result is a wedding that reflects the most important aspects of a couples relationship. Take Sam and Helen’s wedding for example: they held their ceremony behind one of the many picturesque, historical buildings, and branded a cowhide rug at the ceremony’s conclusion. From there, their guests moved onto cocktail hour in the garden while the staff put the finishing touches on their reception space under a pristine white tent. Helen and Sam decided to bring in food trucks rather than a catering company, and had a mechanical bull (!!), and a bunch of other carnival games scattered about the grass. You won’t see these details at your local country club.
Equestrian Wedding Photographer
We knew going into Helen and Sam’s wedding that wedding photos with their horses were at the top of their priority list. Right after the ceremony, their horses, Pacman and Pepper, arrived to the property, and we found a great shaded spot for them to stay cool while we corralled them. Taking photos of horses can feel like trying to take photos of 2,000 pound children who can’t be bothered to look at the camera, but Pacman and Pepper did a great job! Helen even jumped on Pacman bareback—the kind of no-frills bride we absolutely LOVE to work with! Do what YOU WANT TO DO on your special day!
Personalized Wedding Details
Whether it’s something blue, a pair of cufflinks, a watch, belt buckle, tie clip, or cowboy hat—make sure you grab a little something for yourself to show off on your wedding. Heather and I had “bad cop” and “good cop” stitched into our respective wedding garments for our celebration. We always joked that when we had a kid that these would be our roles. As for Helen and Sam, they trekked down to Fort Worth, Texas, to get some American-made, custom cowboy hats for their wedding day. They both dazzled in them and wore them like badges of honor. No faux cowboys or cowgirls here, just a couple horse lovers through-and-through.
Golden Hour Photos
We finished Helen and Sam’s wedding day with some absolutely stunning golden hour photos! They strolled the grounds, already reflective and ecstatic with how their wedding day went, and shared a few beautiful moments before we headed home.
vendors
Photography | Apollo Fields
Venue | John Jay Homestead | Katonah, NY
Tent | Cartwright and Daughter’s
Bar | Bar-a-Cudas
Food Trucks | Brooklyn Boys @southbrooklynboyspizza | Three Little Pigs | Taco Loco | Waffle Cabin
DJ | Lakeside Productions
Floral | Maple Field Floral
Planner | LCR Events
Concessions | Conrad’s Concessions
Carnival Games | Just 4 Fun Entertainment | Ovation Events
Hair/Makeup | Beautify by Celeste
Transportation | Red Oak Transportation
Howdy, friends!
We had such a blast with Sam and Helen! Reach out today for your own photography.