Don’t miss Part 1 of Hollie and Will’s Wedding at The Pavilion at Sunken Meadow.
Sep 202010
Will and Hollie are one of those awesome couples who just scream “fun!” You know they’re always having a good time by the way they break into robot dance moves, have secret handshakes (which involves grabbing each other’s foot), or the way they serenade each other with Kanye West cover songs. I’m talking about Will’s cover of Golddigger, of course, that will go down in wedding serenade infamy. They’re also one of those loving couples who aren’t shy about showing affection, which makes my job as a photographer that much easier.
Recently, I had a chance to photograph their wedding at The Pavilion at Sunken Meadow in Long Island, New York. On a personal note, it was a special wedding because it was the first one I photographed on the beach, something I’ve wanted to do for a long time. It was — no surprise — pretty awesome! The guests experienced, among other things, lobsters and steak on the boardwalk venue, rockin’ music from Peat Moss and the Fertilizers and a brilliant sunset that according to Will, “Yeah, we paid extra for that.”
- See all the photos from Hollie and Will’s wedding and order professional prints.
The next couple of my blog posts will be detailing a great weekend in Savannah, Georgia — the jewel of the American South. It was my first time there and we were celebrating the wedding of Kelly’s younger sister, Kara and her now-husband, Zach. I wasn’t the lead photographer at this wedding, so it was nice to sit back (for the most part) and enjoy the show. That is, until the heavens parted.
I have several friends (including Kara and Zach) who are alumnus of the über-artsy Savannah College of Art and Design and they all agreed it’s a common occurrence to have sporadic intense thunderstorms that last only a few minutes. (The most disappointing part is that the rain does nothing to break the hellish humidity.) The timing of this storm was impeccable. It had been a perfectly sunny day until about an hour before the 5 p.m. ceremony. That’s when the sky suddenly turned dark and we heard the distant rumble of thunder. Continue reading »
Saturday, April 3, 2010 — Wedding season is upon us, dear friends! Last week, I had the pleasure of photographing my first ceremony of the year. The happy couple were Heather Plourde and Michael Rubiner. Heather, a talented interior designer, was a one-woman planning and decorating team. She blended her craftiness and personal touch to every element — from handmade felt flowers for each guest to an adorable bride and groom cake topper (see photo at end). Michael, an accomplished screenwriter, added his wit and humor to a very funny toast and also made sure all the arrangements went as per schedule.
This being an April wedding, the theme was “pushing spring.” Heather and her bridesmaids wore bright, vibrant colors (Heather, an exquisite lime green and white dress) which added a nice contrast to the classic architecture. The weather was also in total agreement with the theme. It was a fine spring day with plenty of sunshine and even a cool breeze. As per usual, I arrived hours ahead of schedule — a tip I picked up from my friend (and fellow wedding photographer) Jacob Pritchard — and even had time to stop for coffee at the neighborhood establishment Tea Lounge. I then arrived at the breathtaking Montauk Club.
The Montauk Club is a true hidden gem in my hometown of Brooklyn, New York. It’s a private club that’s been a gathering place for the Park Slope community since 1890. The architect, Francis H. Kimball, was inspired by a palace on the Grand Canal in Venice. Michael and Heather are members and somehow scored this superb space for the big day. (Word has it Martin Scorsese just filmed a scene of his new movie there).
The wedding itself was unique and inspiring. I saw a lot of familiar faces — Heather and Mike were guests at a previous wedding I photographed last year and that was the point of contact for their own ceremony. They, along with a couple of hundred of their closest friends and family, filled the space with laughter, cries, a beautiful rendition of the Magnetic Fields’ song, “Book of Love” and of course plenty of dancing and rocking out. Dinner included a delicious buffet and no less than a dozen homemade cakes (one for each table)!
All in all, it was a great celebration and a wonderful party!
Dave and Jenn are now married!
Last weekend at the Kum Gang San restaurant in Flushing, Queens I had the privilege of photographing Dave and Jenn’s colorful and inspiring Korean wedding. You might remember the lovely Lower East Side-based couple from a previous post where I had taken some pre-wedding photos. Now the day had come for the main event.
It would not be an overstatement to say the wedding blew my mind and expectations in every way. There was so much color and food and friends that I didn’t feel like I was just the hired help dressed in all-black. Instead, I mingled with old Condé Nast friends I hadn’t seen since our days of working together, I met Dave and Jenn’s lovely parents, family members and friends, and oh yeah, I took some photographs. Boy, did I take a lot of photographs!
Another reason it was a special day — as least for me — was because it would be my first solo wedding as a photographer. Earlier in the summer I had shot Ravi and Laura’s charming wedding at the Foundry with my good friend, wedding photographer extraordinaire Jacob Pritchard, in part to prepare for this event. (Jake and I are also shooting another wedding together in Connecticut this weekend. Stay tuned.) Perhaps that was one reason I shot so many frames — I knew Jacob wouldn’t be just around the corner in case I missed a precious moment or two. In fact, I inhaled my dinner while sitting by the reception desk with one eye and ear glued to the main stage and my camera strapped around my neck, and actually ended up having to jump in mid-oyster-slurp when Jenn’s mother was approaching the podium for the first toast of the night.
Despite the stress and craziness that all wedding photographers undoubtedly face — especially those without a second shooter, it was a lot of fun. And I have no doubt (and plenty of evidence, in fact) that Dave, Jenn and everyone else present at the ceremony also had a really good time. Here are a few glimpses of the amazing night. I hope they serve as wonderful reminders for Dave and Jenn and their families and friends, and perhaps future generations of the Cho-Ross household.
