Northport NY Wedding Photographers
apollo fields wedding photography | outdoor wedding photos | long island wedding photographer | candid wedding photos | huntington wedding photography
Kristen & Mike
I remember meeting up with Kristen and Mike a couple months ago when they just re-locked in their wedding date for 2020. “I bet we’re like the only ones still getting married this year,” Kristen said, half-joking, half-relieved. I’m not usually one for hashtags, but it’s hard not to think of the tag #loveisnotcancelled when it comes to Kristen and Mike and so many others that have decided to host their weddings this year. As our crazy wedding season continues to take shape, gratitude is at the forefront of my mind; if not just for the opportunity to get back to work, then for the privilege to be safely surrounded by people who refused to let a pandemic cancel a celebration of love.
Mike and Kristen were still able to hold their ceremony at their original church, St. Anthony of Padua in East Northport on Long Island. Just a stones throw away from our house, Heather and I welcome any opportunity to reduce travel when we’re not off on one of our many trips to Colorado or any of the states lining the eastern seaboard. Because the church had such a large capacity, Kristen and Mike were still able to invite a significant amount of their guest list, even with the reduced capacity requirement due to Covid. They held a full mass and made a grand exit to the front steps of the church where they were received by an enthusiastic crowd in a sea of bubbles.
It’s fun to think back when we first got to know Kristen and Mike when we did their engagement photos in Blydenburgh Park. Mike grew up fishing with his father on the small lake, and I couldn’t believe I had never even been there before. We gave a small posing direction to Kristen to give a small bend to her leg and kick a foot out behind her and Mike, thinking it was for him, immediately popped his classic Timberland boot out and said, “like this?” We were all doubled over in laughter. If only every one of our grooms to be were so eager to take direction!
After the church, we met Kristen and Mike at Heckscher Park in Huntington, the gorgeous location they chose to do their formals. At one point, the adorable ring bearer and flower girl got into a territorial dispute with the local Canadian geese—thankfully it ended peacefully. The bridal party could barely contain themselves with how well everything turned out as Kristen planned, and how beautiful she looked in her custom dress. There’s nothing quite like seeing a stunning bride in an immaculate dress on her wedding day and offering her and her partner congratulations, stirring memories of hope and love’s beginnings.
In a world where too many things are politicized, let us protect weddings from judgment; let us rejoice in the moments that lift us up, especially in uncertain times like these, for this is when we need them most. Cheers to Kristen and Mike, and all of the other couples who refused to cancel their love.
Say Hey!
It’s team Apollo! Having the best time with Kristen & Mike. We can’t wait to celebrate with them again next year!!
the vendor squad:
Apollo Fields | Photography
Karako | Suits
Madi Lane Bridal | Dress
Green Alaska | Hair Vine
Betsey Johnson | Shoes
Tim’s Florist | Massapequa, NY | Floral
Chris Lobello Productions | Videography
Heirlooms and Squires | Rings
Dinglewood Design | Invites/Save the Dates
Mark of Elegance | Limo
St. Anthony of Padua | Church Ceremony Venue
Ocean View Backyard Wedding Photography in Long Island
Apollo Fields Wedding Photography | Long Island Backyard Wedding | Bellmore Wedding Photographer | Bellmore, NY
Laura and Dimitri’s backyard wedding wasn’t your typical big fat greek wedding, but it had all the hallmarks of one. A kitchen island buzzing with relatives like bees around a picnic blanket, an air of laid-back leisure extravagance, and someone around every corner asking, “do you need anything--can I get you something to eat or drink?” When Heather and I showed up to the private residence on the Great South Bay of Long Island, Laura, Dimitri, and their small big fat greek family were just putting the finishing touches on their backyard wedding celebration.
In Greece, “you invite the whole island,” Dimitri told me. Everyone is family, from the nuclear to the rest of the community, “you put your arm around your third cousin like you would your brother.” I love that. I love the power of extending your family to the rest of the community. There’s such a pride, a comfort, and a peace that lives in the hectic interactions between family members; you don’t yell at people the way you do your family (or at least I don’t), and you certainly don’t love them that way either (well, maybe I do). I have a feeling a trip to Greece is in our future.
Laura casually slipped into her wedding dress in a bedroom at the top of a set of modern floating stairs, waiting for her mom and soon-to-be mother-in-law to help her put on some jewelry for some candid wedding photos. The early evening summer light poured in through the floor-to-ceiling windows and Laura’s eyes glinted almost like she knew she would remember this moment. As guests began to arrive, the buzz around the kitchen island picked up to a full swarm so Laura sought refuge in welcoming the rest of her friends and family in the backyard.
Laura and Dimitri held their backyard wedding ceremony in the corner of the yard, using the sunset over the Great South Bay as a backdrop. They had a friend officiate and her words were as simple as they were sweet, embodying an eloquence that reminds you why sunsets are so meaningful; how the sky is but a mix of colors and words of love an arrangement of letters. I understand that many people choose to have a member of their faith or church to officiate their wedding, but I just can’t get enough of the raw emotion and simplicity that a friend or a family member can provide.
Of course, Laura and Dimitri will be hosting a “proper” big fat greek wedding next year, pulling out all stops in East Meadow at The Carltun, but this was a great start. It was a day that represented who they were, where they’re from, and what their family and community looks like. They even had a gyro truck sending the sweet aromas of Greece into the salty Long Island air. Nothing can hold back a celebration of love, especially when you have a whole island in your corner.
Portland Oregon Photographers
Hungry for an adventure? Here’s why we’re hooked on the PNW.
Our Trip to Portland, Oregon | Apollo Fields Travel Photography
“If I know my wife—she’s gonna love milking that cow,” I declared to everyone surrounding Sierra, the gentle hobby farm, Portland(ish)-based cow. It all started as a joke—a one-off comment made by my brother, Matt, and his wife, Morgan—to go to a local farm at night to milk a cow after an epic powder day of snowboarding on Mt. Hood. To our surprise, we all responded, “well, that could actually be fun,” and just like that our winter vacation to Portland, Oregon, got off to an authentically Apollo Fields start.
The following day we took a scenic route through the foothills of Mt. Hood, meandering on winding streets beneath mossy branches, vines, and canopies, surrounded on either side by vegetable, livestock, and tree farms. The quick transition from the below freezing, fluffy white sloping facade of the mountain’s coniferous trees to this foggy, almost magical forest instantly inspired in us a sense of wide-eyed childlike wonder. I didn’t realize I appreciated the diversity of flora until I imagined the contrast of the barren branches of the east coast with the explosion of ferns and teeming life of the Pacific Northwest.
We continued on a self-guided tour of waterfalls, short hikes, and scenic pull-offs as we made our way back down to Portland proper, driving along the Columbia River Gorge, and taking in our first view of the Portland skyline. The first thing I noticed were the many bridges that reached over the Willamette River (which bisects the city), whereupon Matt informed me that aside from being known as the “City of Roses” because of all of the roses that adorn the highways and streets, Portland is also known as “Bridgetown” or “Bridge City” (“The more you know…”). The easy access to nature from the city reminded Heather and I why we loved living in Colorado as we were quickly began to fall in love with Portland.
After trying a bunch of local breweries (shout out to Cascade Brewing and Base Camp Brewing), bakeries, and coffee houses, we rounded out the trip with a drive to and Cannon Beach on the coast. 55 degrees and overcast, we hooked up with one of our east coast comrades and he showed us one of his local surf spots. Again, another short hike captivated us with towering trees, babbling creeks, and thriving life in the trail’s every nook and cranny. I saw a creek flow into the ocean for the very first time. By the time we left that beach, our hearts had officially been won by the Pacific Northwest.
Heather and I realized on the flight home that this vacation was the first one we have taken since our honeymoon to Negril, Jamaica in November 2018. Yes, we’ve traveled to a bunch of states this past year and enjoyed documenting one epic wedding after another, but it was so damned refreshing to just kick it with one another and our families and friends. It didn’t hurt that we found a corner of the planet that we might want to eventually call home, but for now we’re refreshed and revitalized. Whether you find peace on a snowboard, on a hiking trail, in the city, or beside a cow, never stop exploring this world to find where your heart is at ease—there is truly no better feeling in this life. Cheers to 2020 and beyond.
Photography: Apollo Fields