The Riverview Weddings in Simsbury CT Photography
Michelle & Sarah’s Wedding at The Riverview | Simsbury, CT | Apollo Fields Wedding Photography | New England Weddings | LBGTQ Wedding | Love Is Love
Coster
Est. 2018
Droplets of rain fell upon Farmington River
Creating a myriad pattern of circles
That extended towards the riverbanks.
The tall trees that lined the shores
Leaned away from The Riverview in Simsbury, Connecticut,
Almost seeming to listen to the trickle of water
With their long, looming branches.
Michelle & Sarah
Frolicked beneath those eavesdropping leaves
Sinking their shoes into the soft ground
Two synchronized steps at a time.
No amount of rain could mute the soundtrack of their love.
They each promised to listen,
Holding close to every word
Whether loud as a shout of faint as a whisper
They Knew
That love is a practice:
A discipline of communication
That embraces the ridiculousness
Tucked into the corners of their smirking lips.
They Knew
That love is as silent as a lip sync
& As deafening as a ballad at Cadillac Ranch.
Echoes of Jim Halpert emanated from Michelle’s room
While the twang of Ke$ha’s voice blared from Sarah’s.
Different approaches to a shared day
Showed the balance of a partnership as
Gay & Proud
As a rainbow cake both inside and out.
Jordans sparkled from beneath Sarah’s white dress
As she dipped Michelle just like they practiced.
Only this time was for real,
Only this time was forever.
Family is never perfect
&
Rarely is love,
But They Knew
They can always groove to the soundtrack
Playing between their ears.
They symphony of their hearts can never be silenced,
For they dance upon the notes of a song
Like raindrops upon a river during a gentle rain.
I met Michelle years and years ago at The Ethel Walker School and always loved her playful and witty personality. She was super outgoing, loved to joke around and would do just about anything to get a laugh out of someone. Sarah is the perfect compliment to her, she is equally as witty and just as sentimental, but she has a type of focus to her personality that seems to really work for their relationship.
Sarah loves to work a crowd and does DJ work herself, so she can absolutely command a microphone and loves to keep the party alive. It’s so much fun to watch a bride be so dynamic and full of life at her own wedding! Their wedding was a perfect mix of sentimentality and warmth, coupled with downright fun and silliness! Our favorite vibes. We also recognized a bunch of faces in the crowd, so it made the day just a little more special for us. It was fun to be back in Simsbury, CT where I spent four years while attending boarding school. It’s a quaint, very New-Englandy, little Connecticut town and The Riverview is nestled right down on the Farmington with a beautiful backdrop of lush woods and of course, the river.
Photography and Poetry: Apollo Fields
Venue: The Riverview | Simsbury, CT
The Burr Homestead Wedding Photography in Fairfield, CT
Laura & Bill's Colonial New England Wedding | The Burr Homestead Mansion | Fairfield, Connecticut | Farmhouse Weddings Photography | Apollo Photojournalism
I met Laura and Bill a few years ago when we were photographing a wedding in Old Quebec, Canada. They are both dancers and I was so inspired by their awesome skills on the dance floor and got some amazing shots of them in the Chateau! Fast forward a few years and they got engaged and were looking for a wedding photographer. I was so excited when Laura reached out to have me travel to Connecticut for their own wedding!
The Burr Homestead Mansion, Fairfield CT
Laura and Bill celebrated their wedding with all of their closest friends and family at The Burr Homestead Mansion in Connecticut. This historical property was the perfect venue for this couple, who I got to know through a wedding that we shot in Quebec two years ago. I loved photographing their big day even more because we knew most of the bridal party already, which made the day so fun and exciting!
Laura and Bill live in New York City and are both fantastic dancers. We got our first taste of their abilities on the dance floor in Quebec, so we already knew how important this part of the day would be for them.
The Wedding Day
The day started out quiet, with everybody casually arriving at the mansion with all of their clothes and accessories. Some of the women in the bridal party are hair and makeup experts, so the bridal suite was a buzz with everybody getting ready! In the grooms room, the guys were hanging out, getting dressed, and enjoying some whiskey and cigars together.
The skies began to threaten rain as we were close to the first look, and amidst all of the business, Laura and Bill had to reroute their original plan to get married in the open garden space outdoors because the rain was imminent. The first look was such a sweet moment – I just love how Bill took Laura’s hand and kissed it when he first saw her! The bridal party watched through the windows of the mansion, which added a little flair.
The ceremony had to be moved to the front of the mansion to keep guests dry. Laura had her heart set on it being outdoors and this backup plan ended up being a great option! People had a great time watching them exchange their vows, and then we did some fun and formal portraits afterwards. The rest of the night was spent dancing, toasting, eating, and drinking! It was a late night, but trust me we got down on the dance floor with everyone too.
Connecticut Wedding Venue: The Burr Homestead, Fairfield CT
Wedding Photography: Apollo Fields
Family Photography in Hunterdon County NJ
new jersey family photos | hunterdon county photographer | family photo session | apollo fields wedding photographers | summer session
This session just warmed my heart. I initially met Lindsay many years ago when she managed the local coffee shop in Clinton, NJ that my best friend Grace and I used to go to all of the time. We had complicated coffee orders, would stay way too long making Gilmore Girls reenactments, all while Riddle would cause a raucous. I don’t know why she liked us, except for the fact that we tipped, but for whatever reason we totally clicked.
Lindsay wore every hat at that coffee shop and brought so much positive energy to the place. She is one of those people who could do any job in the world, but belongs with people. She has great organization and hospitality skills and I have a feeling that one day we’ll be on some sort of project together. She’s also a lover of the outdoors and shares the same passion for eating healthy and local as I do. She loves supporting artisans and has a great sense of community.
When we first met her, she hadn’t met Brian – her now husband – yet. Grace and I absolutely pried into her personal life and would constantly bug her for details on her dating world. Occasionally, she would throw us a little quip about someone she was seeing and we would all gossip together like schoolgirls. It was all in good fun, but when she met Brian, it was practically fate. They make such a great couple and I’m so stoked that they now also have an awesome son, Henry.
Henry is absolutely full of life and cannot be contained. His huge personality made photos so fun because it very quickly became all about him. Following him around as he just ran from place to place with the biggest smile, and his curiosity was beaming. We almost had to reschedule the session when the weather was super rainy, but the skies broke and let us sneak the photos in. All of the rain did leave huge puddles and I could keep seeing Henry eying them. I knew it was only a matter of time and I think my favorite part of the whole session was the very end, when we let him finally jump in the puddle! The look on his face says it all :)
Photography: Apollo Fields
Location: Hunterdon Country, NJ