Fire Island Engagement Photos in Long Island
Fire Island Engagement Photos in Long Island | Fair Harbor Photography | Apollo Fields Engagement Photographers
Kayla & Jonathan
Our Wedding at Honeymoon Acres in Ramsey, NJ
Our Wedding | Heather and Terrence Huie | Honeymoon Acres, Ramsey NJ | Apollo Fields
Despite attending and photographing countless weddings, I never knew how I would feel on my wedding day. Would I get cold feet? Would I cry helplessly at the altar? Would my vows live up to what I hear in my heart? I really wasn’t sure, but now I can say that it was without question the best day of my life. Typically I avoid using superlatives and hyperbolic statements like “the best day of my life,” because I believe they don’t really tell you anything, but it was the best fucking day of my life. (I usually don’t use curses either, but I guess I’m breaking all my rules today.)
On Saturday, October 6th, 2018, a quintessentially grim and misty northeastern autumnal day, I wed Heather Erny in front of our closest friends and family at her aunt and uncle’s farm in Ramsey, NJ. Honeymoon Acres, as aunt Pam and uncle Rick like to call it, is a beautifully-manicured farm splashed with wild sunflowers and potted mums, a vintage 1950’s Ford with big round headlights and an entire family of farm animals. The amount of work that Pam, Rick, and both of our families and friends put in to wrangling all of the animals (roll call: 1 pig, 1 horse, 1 donkey, 2 goats, 1 cat, and 4 dogs), making all of the food, and assisting in the general logistics of the day will have me grateful for many years to come.
For those of you who don’t know, Heather and I decided to make and serve all of the food for our wedding day. Many called us crazy, as we only arrived in New York on October 1st from our road trip back from Colorado, leaving us five days to set the place up and prepare all the food—but with the help of our family and friends we did it. We made a fresh pasta bar consisting of truffle mushroom linguini, vegetable lasagna, pumpkin and butternut squash ravioli and a classic spaghetti and meat sauce. As we ladled and scooped generous portions to our guests donning our respective aprons, I couldn’t help but speak with an Italian-American accent to move the line along like I was running my own Long Island deli. We didn’t plan to serve everyone ourselves but we were having fun, so we did—to our relief nobody went hungry.
As dinner waned and the scotch shed opened, our wedding was now in full swing. The small potting shed that we converted into a whiskey tasting room exploded with laughter, warmth, and old stories. The dance floor in the garage-turned-banquet-room jumped beneath the Edison lights, uniting the older and the younger in a musically-induced exuberance. All around there were smiles, especially from the farm animals living their best lives as moonlight entertainers. Fairytales aren’t just for storybooks, anymore, I thought.
Then came the speeches. Justin and Grace spoke on mine and Heather’s behalf’s like they knew the most intimate thoughts inside our diaries. Great friends never fail to recognize the greatness in those closest to them, for they keep their company for those exact reasons. It’s only until we throw each other on stages with microphones that we realize how well our friends really know us. We should do it more often, for all of our sakes.
Perhaps the thing I was most excited about our wedding, with exception to swigging whiskey on the dance floor as “One Bourbon, One Scotch, One Beer” by George Thorogood played, was to announce the surprise Heather and I had for Pam and Rick. For twenty years, Pam and Rick have been going to Negril, Jamaica, in late winter, but for the past few years financial troubles have stymied their tradition. As a way to say thank you for hosting our wedding, Heather and I asked the Dj to play their wedding song from when they got married on Honeymoon Acres in 1996. When they tried to retreat to their seats after the song’s conclusion, we kept them out there and told them we’re all going to Jamaica in three weeks and the animals are already taken care of. They cried. We cried. Everyone cried.
On a day filled with so much love, I cherished every minute. Even when Heather and I stood at the “altar,” a bunch of red begonias that Rick planted in the shape of the heart, as a light rain fell upon our shoulders, I remained grateful. During our ceremony, our officiant, David “Killer” Miller, spoke with equal parts comedy and soul, the very reasons we chose him. On a day where the bride and groom are supposed to be celebrated, I’ve never felt more part of our communities.
Here’s to everyone who helped, whether giving the animals haircuts or drinking whiskey in the scotch shed, because without you, it wouldn’t of been the best fucking day of my life.
Photography: Alexis Cohen & Derek Morf for Apollo Fields
Venue: Honeymoon Acres, Ramsey NJ
Dress: Maggie Sottero
Flower Crown: Allendale Flowers
Highlands Ranch Mansion Wedding Photography
Allison & Michael's Wedding | Highlands Ranch Mansion | Colorado Mountain Weddings | Denver Photographer
Alli & Mike didn't miss a beat with their beautiful Highlands Ranch Mansion wedding. Everything was gorgeously planned and executed, and the day was spent amongst friends and family. They had a first touch where they prayed, back-to-back and hand-in-hand, with the sweetest whispers of their love for each other. The ceremony was just as beautiful. Alli and Mike exchanged their handwritten vows in front of the people who mean the most to them. They made promises to each other, and held hands while tears fell silently.
Their reception was so much fun. You could feel the love from all of their guests and family members, as heartfelt speeches filled the space, and they lovingly cut the cake with a little smash to top of the fun. They danced and partied, and when the sun begin to set into the mountains, I snagged them for the most epic golden hour light. The way the beams of light fell through the tree leaves was magical, and Allison and Michael enjoyed their own private dance out behind the mansion while the light began to fade.
This fun couple met in the Air Force and are devoted to their service work. They lived in Colorado Springs while finishing their degrees from the Air Force Academy. I don't know how she pulled it off, but Alli actually graduated just a few days before their wedding! Impressive, to say the least. They honeymooned at Disney Land and then made their way off to Hawaii to soak up the beach and sunshine. Seeing their pictures in Hawaii made me so jealous and now I'm dying to visit myself! What a dream...
Allison's big, bubbly personality shined throughout the day. She just beamed with joy amongst her bridesmaids. You could tell that their bond is tight, the whole group was smiling and laughing the whole day. Michael is more stoic, but it was easy to see how is quieter bond with his groomsmen was just as genuine. Their family members showered them with well-wishes, and the love was palpable. They had the most fun dancing, mingling, and making silly faces in the Photo Booth. An epic day to say the least!
VENDOR TEAM:
Photography: Apollo Fields
Venue: Highlands Ranch Mansion | Highlands Ranch Colorado
Event Planning: Jennifer Wetterlin | Denver Event Pros
Videography: Lavender Haze Wedding Films
Florals: Kimball Floral
DJ: Encore Events & Entertainment
Catering: All Love Catering
Dress: Something New Boutique
Farm Engagement Session in Arvada, CO
Allison & Michael's Engagement Session | Farm Engagement Photography | Clear Creek in Arvada, Colorado | Nature + Wildflowers + River | Apollo Photojournalism
Allison and Michael are a fun and energetic couple from who came up from Colorado Springs for their engagement session at Clear Creek in Arvada. I love this location because it has open space as well as woodsy and intimate natural settings. The golden light pours through the trees and if you go during the right times in the season, you get these wonderful pops of wildflowers.
Best of all, it's not oversaturated with too many people, photographers, or foot traffic. My couples get an intimate and unique backdrop to really ease into one another to get those truly connected moments where they can just settle into each others arms without any awkwardness. Alli wore a fun white dress that complimented the country setting so well, while Mike was clean, classic, and preppy. We chatted about their wedding plans and details, which I am very excited for because I have had a great experience in the past working alongside a few of their vendors (dream team status)!
I love getting to do engagement sessions in the woods and farm spaces like this one because you can immerse yourself in the fresh air while listening to the creek running next to us while we play some music and go for a nature walk. It doesn't get too much better than that in my opinion!
Alli and Mike are getting married this upcoming May at the Highlands Ranch Mansion and I can't wait to shoot their wedding. They have been so wonderful to work with! They have an easygoing relationship where they can just stroll with one another and hold hands, but still play around and make one another laugh. They met at the Air Force Academy and have big plans for their future and I'm excited to be able to follow along their journey, camera in hand!
