One wedding day, two ceremonies, three rings, and four outfits… if we told you our 13-hour work day was exhausting, imagine standing in the bride & grooms’ shoes. Thankfully, all four of us made it through the day with gigantic smiles, an overflow of wonderful memories, and a dozen memory cards bursting with photos.
We had the absolute privilege of documenting this lovely couple’s wedding celebration last weekend. Together, they combined their families (and cultural heritages) for a fantastic + colorful multicultural wedding day. First came the Hindu marriage ceremony, followed by a traditional Catholic wedding ceremony. Colors, details, sweets, humor… they included it all. Symbolism was a key feature in their ceremonies– from the first moment they joined hands (the hasta melap and kanyadaan) to the various garlands + cords joining them together– the deep symbolism and richness of colors never cease to amaze us as photographers.
The evening was spent celebrating their new marriage as husband + wife– delicious cocktails, vast buffet options, and a whole lot of dancing.
We hope you all enjoy the little preview we’ve shared below. Please visit us on our facebook page to see more images! Enjoy!
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13 Aug ’13 | Categories: Wedding Photography | Tags: Amy Peter, asian brides, candid moments, colorful weddings, Mansion Weddings, Morris County Wedding Photography, Morris Plains Weddings, multicultural multiethnic weddings, multicultural wedding photographers NJ, Southeast Asian Brides, The Mansion at Bretton Wood, wedding celebration indian saree sari, wedding photojournalism NJ NYC, wedding photojournalist NJ | 494 Comments »
We are incredibly excited to showcase some images from a very recent wedding. Suzy + Andrew’s big day was bursting with energy, emotion and much anticipation. Just 11 months earlier, this awesome couple had celebrated their engagement in Weehawken, NJ. This past weekend, we were honored to join them as they exchanged vows + celebrated in style.
From start to finish, the bridal party (particularly, the bridesmaids) decided any random moment was a good time to dance. Singing, dancing, and a very unique form of vocalic cheering soon became the theme of the day (we’ve only seen this cheering at Arabic language weddings…YouTube it). Beyond the fun and laughter, we could sense how supportive and close the bridal party was with the bride and groom.. in the end, that made our job that much more enjoyable.
Suzy + Andrew’s wedding ceremony took place at Grace Episcopal Church, followed by a reception at the very elegant Berkeley Oceanfront Hotel in Asbury Park. Sandwiched between these two events, we took a visit to the history Asbury Park Casino for some portraits.
As always, it’s difficult to point out our favorite aspects from the day. For sure, some unforgettable moments include the ultra-fun[ny] bridal party, the bride’s stunning veil, the ringbearers’ entrance photo, and all the crazy dance floor moves that ensued.
Congratulations once again to our newest newlyweds, and we hope you all take the time and enjoy the photos below. More images can be seen on our facebook page here -> Dreamlite Photograph’s Facebook Page <-
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16 Jul ’13 | Categories: Wedding Photography | Tags: Andrew Suzy, arabic dancing, Asbury Park boardwalk photos, Asbury Park Casino wedding photos, Asbury Park wedding photographers, Boutique Jersey weddings, candid wedding moments, classy weddings near the Jersey Shore, creative wedding, creative wedding cakes, creative wedding ring lighting photos, cultural wedding celebrations, egyptian american couple, elegant New Jersey weddings, ethnic weddings in America NYC NJ, Grace Episcopal Church weddings, New Jersey wedding photojournalists, orchids wedding bouquets, ululation ululate wedding joyous, unique creative wedding photographers, weddings at the Berkeley Oceanfront Hotel | 3 Comments »
‘A celebration in paradise’ is how we would describe this trip. We feel extremely honored that Lejanie + Phil invited us along for the journey, and are very much elated to share with you a glimpse of the moments we’ve captured from their recent wedding in Hawaii.
From the early days of Dreamlite, we remember LJ being one of our most supportive fans. When they contacted us about their wedding in Hawaii, we couldn’t possibly say no. Throughout the yearlong planning process, we witnessed LJ + Phil diligently organizing, preparing, scouting [Hawaii], all while slowly making their dream wedding a reality. On the day of, our eyes were drawn to the little details that this bride + groom have invested effort into– the DIY goodness that made up their day seemed endless. From unity candles to the little reminders of love (check out her fingernails) to custom wedding party t-shirts to the carefully selected vendors (spot the sea turtles & superheroes)– the amount of detail in their wedding day was astounding.
Their wedding reception took place at the Palikū Gardens in Kualoa Ranch, a breathtaking venue with oceanside views to your front, and postcard-worthy views to your back. More famously known as a tv/movie filming location (think Jurassic Park and Lost), the scenery was simply out of this world. The super creative wedding cake, fantastic cupcakes, top-drawer dinner menu, traditional Hawaiian Hula performance, shaved-ice bar, hours of dancing + entertainment (including the Filipino Money Dance) all contributed to a wedding celebration we’ll never forget.
Lejanie and Phil, thank you so much for having us at your wedding. We hope you all enjoy the photos below, and be sure to visit our facebook page to see more of our work!
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Coordinators/Planning: Milestone Events Hawaii [ http://www.milestoneeventshawaii.com ]
Catering: Beaches & Backyards Catering [ http://beachesandbackyards.com ]
Videography: Supreme Video Productions [ http://www.svp-weddings.com ]
Cake/Cupcakes: Kristin K of A Cake Life [ http://www.acakelife.com ]
Hair Stylist: Sherry M. [ Hair by Shairy Mangrobang ]
Make-up: Sarah O. of Whik’d Hawaii [ http://www.whikdhawaii.com/ ]
DJ/MC/Photobooth: 808DJs [ http://www.808djshawaii.com/ ]
Limo Service: Jay’s Limousine [ http://www.jayslimousine.com/ ]
Ceremony: St. Ann’s Church [ http://www.saintannshawaii.org ]
Reception: Kualoa Ranch [ http://www.kualoa.com/weddings/wedding-venues/ ]
Portrait Location: Byodo-in Temple [ http://www.byodo-in.com/ ]
Rentals: Pacific Party Rentals [ http://pacificpartyrentals.net ]
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10 Jul ’13 | Categories: Wedding Photography | Tags: a cake life hawaii, awesome wedding photos, beaches and & backyards hawaii catering caterers, byodo-in temple, creative lighting photography, creative wedding cakes, DIY Brides, DIY wedding flowers, filipino american weddings, filipino money dance, hawaii destination weddings, hawaii travel wedding, honolulu weddings, kualoa ranch, LJ Phil, milestone events hawaii, notcheap, oahu island wedding photography, pacfic island wedding photographers, snow cone machine at weddings, traveling wedding photographs, wedding photojournalism Hawaii | Leave A Comment »
Sarah and Mark tied the knot in the most picturesque of settings; pure Michigan beauty. For their special wedding weekend, they reserved an entire recreational campground (including gorgeous lakeside views, rustic cabins + campfire rings) all tucked away in the forest.
Joined by family and friends from all over the country, this happy couple exchanged vows on the lakeshore. Although the weather was overcast, the skies began clearing up shortly after they were introduced as husband and wife. We enjoyed cocktail hour under sunny skies, celebrated amongst loved ones over a feast of food and drinks, and topped off the evening under the stars.
Much of the details from their wedding day was DIY– something I always love seeing at weddings is the venue I love these Outdoor Wedding Venues Brisbane be sure to check them out if planning a wedding. I particularly admire DIY wedding details because it reflects an enormous amount of commitment, time, creativity + personality from the couples themselves. Wooden handcarved wedding topper (credit to a grandfather), handmade bouquets, and specially decorated homemade cupcakes were a few of my favorite things that day. The DIY aspect, coupled with a very natural setting, was very much inline with the newlywed’s wedding day vision.
Take note of the wedding rings in the photos below. Sarah’s wedding band and engagement ring had both belonged to Mark’s mother… a really significant and special aspect of their wedding commitment. Sarah gave Mark mens titanium wedding rings from alpinerings. Having already known this detail coming into the weekend, I completely choked up during the dinner speeches. Mark’s brother was giving a toast to the newlyweds, and at one point said to the bride, “Sarah, you are the answer to our mom’s prayers.”
This was my third time in Michigan for a wedding. With each visit, the charm of Michigan continues to captivate me, again and again.
Enjoy the photos below. Please follow us on our Facebook page to see more of our work!!
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17 Jun ’13 | Categories: Wedding Photography | Tags: campfire, central michigan weddings, children at play, destination Michigan pure nature weddings, DIY Brides, flying squirrels, forest weddings, hand carved wooden cake topper, jt, Long Lake Outdoor Center weddings, low light photography, Mark Sarah MI, michigan forest weddings, Michigan Weddings, NJ travel photographers, photojournalism weddings, tall groom, wedding photographer Kalamazo, wedding photography near Grand Rapids, wedding photojournalist, wedding photojournalist Michigan, weddings in nature forests, weddings near Kalamazoo Grand Rapids, Yankee Springs Recreational Area weddings | 1,244 Comments »
…Seven hundred and ten miles later…
I (Jon) had the absolute privilege of joining this couple for a really special weekend celebration in Michigan. Mark and Sarah chose a setting that thoughtfully reflected their love for nature (as well as their very first date!) The weekend events took place in Middleville, MI, tucked away into the woods, and surrounded by love ones who had flown in from all over the country.
Here’s a few of my favorite frames from their Friday evening rehearsal dinner. Picking my #1 favorite image would be impossible; but definitely note the little rebel eating out of the Cheez-it box, and the shooting star image. S’mores, vegetarian mexican dinner, shooting stars, energetic children at play, and a whole lot of love… what more could a photographer ask for? Enjoy!
(Edit: 6/17/13 Click here to see a whole lot of images from their wedding weekend!)
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16 Jun ’13 | Categories: Wedding Photography | Tags: campfire, central michigan weddings, children at play, destination Michigan pure nature weddings, DIY Brides, forest weddings, jt, low light photography, Mark Sarah MI, Michigan Weddings, photojournalism weddings, tall groom, wedding photographer Kalamazo, wedding photography near Grand Rapids, weddings in nature forests, Yankee Springs Recreational Area weddings | 1,109 Comments »
For the longest time, we’ve dreamt of being invited to a wedding in Cape May… and this past weekend, our dreams came true.
We’re so thankful that Sarah and Dmitry asked us to document their big day. The wedding day events all took place within historic Cape May– a gorgeous New Jersey beach community most famously for it’s Victorian architecture and shore town charm. They spent the morning getting ready at Hotel Macomer, followed by the wedding ceremony at the nearby Cape Island Baptist Church (in line with tradition, the church staff rang the tower bell to celebrate their nuptials). We journeyed through downtown Cape May & as far as the Historic Cape May Lighthouse for some portraits, before heading back to the Union Park Restaurant for an evening full of celebration. The rest of the night was filled with memorable toasts, keyboard performances dedicated to the bride + groom, dancing and a whole lot more dancing.
Below are some of our favorite moments from the day… and in no particular order, we’ll share with you some of them. We loved how Sarah and Dmitry exchanged handwritten letters to eachother. Dmitry’s best man was his son; we enjoyed watching how close of a bond they had together. A definite tear-jerking moment for us took place moments after the wedding ceremony had ended. Bride + groom had just exited the church sanctuary, and the best man quickly catches up to them. Without saying a word, the young man embraces his father with both arms.
Enjoy the preview below, and follow us on facebook to see more of our work! Congratulations once again to Sarah and Dmitry.
A few special mentions:
-Cakestand and Bridal Bouquet Brooch provided by Cake It Up, LLC
-Make-up and Hair by Rudy Raya (rudyraya@gmail.com)
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2 Jun ’13 | Categories: Wedding Photography | Tags: Cake It Up LLC Princeton, Cape Island Baptist Church weddings, Cape May wedding photographers, Dreamlite Photography Cape May NJ, exchanging letters, historic cape may, Hotel Macomber, rolls royce, Sarah Dmitry, six pence tradition, south jersey weddings, Union Park Restaurant Wedding Reception, victorian architecture, visual storytelling, wedding bells, wedding chocolates, wedding photojournalism, wedding story tellers | 144 Comments »
We’re proud to feature Day 1 of Gayatri + Shiva’s traditional Hindu wedding celebration.
Of the 100+ weddings that we’ve had the opportunity to photograph over the last few years, we can recall only one other instance where we have started photographing before 5am. This Thursday celebration began bright and early around 4am. What began as a super-early start quickly transformed into an incredibly fun (yet rewarding) day of colors, celebration, laughs, and tradition. From the early morning wedding ceremony at the renowned Hindu Temple of Greater Chicago to the myriad of rich colors + textures, G + S’s wedding ceremony was simply unforgettable. We finished off the afternoon with a delicious vegetarian lunch banquet. Special thanks to Matt of MSW Photos for assisting me on this day.
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27 May ’13 | Categories: Wedding Photography | Tags: Chicago IL weddings, chicago wedding photography, chicagoland weddings, colorful weddings, destination weddings Chicago, early morning weddings, Gayatri Shiva, Hindu Temple Ceremonies, jt, mehendi mehndi, memorial weekend weddings, Midwest Wedding Photographers, multiday wedding event photography, South Indian weddings, Southeast Asian Brides, Tamil wedding ceremony traditions, weddings at Hindu Temple of Great Chicago HTGC Rama Temple | 1 Comment »
We’re kicking off our 2013 wedding season with Erny and James’ very intimate private ceremony. They officially tied the knot last week in NYC, and celebrated their new lives together among family. Their private ceremony took place at The Water Club, a very choice location situated along the East River. Loved ones flew in from as far as California to celebrate with Erny + James, and the entire night felt like a super fancy family banquet (with extra fancy clothes). It was stress-free, close-knit, warm, and everything a private ceremony should be. Congratulations once again to Erny and James, and we wish you the very best in your new lives together!
Below are a few of our favorite frames from this lovely couple’s event– enjoy! (With single-digit evening temperatures outside, a shout-out to the Water Club for keeping us all warm is definitely mandatory. Although the Water Club’s Yelp! page says that they are closed for renovation, they are actually really open.. and really wonderful!)
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27 Jan ’13 | Categories: Wedding Photography | Tags: asian american wedding photographer, candid wedding moments, documentary wedding PJ photojournalism, East River Wedding Photography, Erny and James, Initimate Weddings 2013 NYC, jt, NYC Wedding Photography, photojournalist weddings moments nj nyc, private ceremony NYC, small private events photographer, The Water Club NYC, The Water Club NYC wedding dinners venues, tri-state wedding photography photojournalism, wedding photojournalist, winter wedding photographers | 3 Comments »
The last few months have been a whirlwind of busyness for us at Dreamlite, but we’re proud to interrupt our blog hiatus to share with you what we did this past weekend. We ventured all the way to Virginia to document Georgia + Philip’s wedding celebration, and we are incredibly excited to share with you some of our favorite frames from their big day.
From the custom dress hanger gifts to the many boxes of Chic-Fil-A, we saw this couples’ love of life (and people) evident all throughout the day. Yet, the sweetest things were those less obvious. In the short time we spent with the couple + their bridal party, we realized how authentically real their relationships were. Their sense of community + support were both subtle and loud, both Biblical and human. One of our favorite moments of the day happened right before their ceremony. Taking a more traditional approach, Georgie and Phil insisted on not seeing each other until the actual ceremony. However, they still wanted to pray together. We found a good spot for them to escape from the crowds, gave them some space, and let them pray it out. Beautiful.
For now, we’ve posted a handful of our favorite images from Sunday’s wedding. Be sure to check out our facebook page for more photos from their day. If you haven’t done so, “like” our page!! Congratulations once again to our newlyweds, Georgia and Philip.
Specials thanks to the wedding coordinator, Sokha, for carefully creating their wedding itinerary. She allotted extra “cushion” time throughout the days’ schedule, all of which we were grateful to have had. The day seriously wouldn’t have been as smooth if it weren’t for your coordinating expertise.
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18 Dec ’12 | Categories: Wedding Photography | Tags: American South weddings, chic-fil-a wedding bride, custom customized dress hangers as gifts, destination weddings, diy creating wedding bouquet, footwashing ceremony wedding Christian Biblical, Georgia Philip, Manassas and Gainesville VA wedding photographers, Stonewall Golf Club weddings, teasers, TOMS shoes worn by bridal party, TOMS wedding shoes, virginia wedding photography, wedding moments, wedding teasers, weddings at country club | 482 Comments »
At the end of October, Jon had the incredible opportunity to fly to Mexico City and collaborate with his good friend / fellow photographer cohort Victor Zuñiga for an all-night wedding celebration at the Anahuacalli Museum in southern Mexico City. Originally conceived by the legendary Diego Rivera, the actual museum wasn’t completed until after Rivera’s passing.
The daytime was full of the standard preparations, but the evening… the evening was something extraordinary. To call it “one big celebration” would be an infinite understatement. After doing some portraits with the bride and groom, the formal group photos, included a few b&g creative lighting portraits, and moved on to the actual ceremonies. The first ceremony was traditional; bridal party involvement, vows, music, confetti, celebratory kisses + the signing of the marriage license. Afterwards, they conducted a ‘spiritual ceremony’ of some sort, with a spiritual figure taking the lead of this one. Didn’t completely understand this part, but I was fascinated by the environmental uplighting & completely enamored that we were photographing a Mexican wedding under the moonlight. Amazing…(oh, and the couple eventually sealed a hand-written contract with blood drops from pricking their fingers with a pin)
Then the party got started. With multiple live performances (including a few numbers by YouTube sensations TropicalForever), endless cocktails, delicious hors d’oeuvres, tequila-pumping water guns, and phenomenal dancing all night long. At some point, we lost track of time… which, coinciding with the Mexican Daylight Savings Time, we were thoroughly confused. We officially wrapped up around 3:30am (or was it 4:30am?), drove back to Victor’s apartment, and completely crashed in our respective beds before the sun had risen.
Not only was this my first wedding in Mexico, but it was also my first wedding immersed in 99% spanish. It was quite a challenge (often times, I felt lost by the fast-pace advanced conversational dialogues) but I survived. And I loved every moment of it.
Thank you to my friend Victor for an amazing, out-of-this-world opportunity to join you in documenting this wedding in your country. Congratulations also to our newlyweds, Ximena and Maicol, on your new life together!
Want to see more images? Check out + follow our facebook page. There’s a whole lot more images posted here.
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28 Oct ’12 | Categories: Wedding Photography | Tags: Anahuacalli Museum, bodas de destino, Bodas en el Distrito Federal, bodas mexicanas, destination weddings, Diego Rivera Architecture Museum, fotografia de Bodas en Mexico DF, fotografia de bodas internacionales, Fotografo de Bodas Mexicanas, international destination weddings, jt, Museo Anahuacalli, weddings in Coyoacan Mexico, weddings in Mexico City, Weddings in the Federal District MX | 2 Comments »
Nearly two years ago, we shared with everyone Peter and Grace’s surprise proposal at Rutgers University. Fast forward a year and some, and we were fortunate enough to join them for their engagement photos along the jersey shore. This past Saturday, we were there to document their wedding day celebration at the Mayfair Farms in West Orange, NJ… and celebrate they did.
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24 Sep ’12 | Categories: Wedding Photography | Tags: asian american weddings, autumn fall wedding photography, Autumn weddings, bridal party parasols, diy hair makeup bride, Fall New Jersey Weddings, gangnam style dance bridal party, Mayfair Farms Weddings NJ, nikon CLS wedding photography, outdoor NJ weddings, peter grace, september weddings NJ, surprise bridal party dance, surprise psy song wedding NJ, taiwanese brides, wedding teasers, West Orange NJ Wedding Photographers | 3 Comments »
Having the opportunity to photograph Adam and Amy’s wedding day was like hitting the lottery (seriously!). Whenever we meet a couple that puts their faith completely in us- our work, our ideas and our creative vision- we feel all the more empowered to do what we do best. Our story with them started with a few friendly email exchanges 2000 miles apart, burger & beers in Denver, an email saying “yes, we’d love to have you guys at our wedding day,” and finally, their big day this past Saturday.
This wonderful couple celebrated their wedding day at the gorgeous Ballyowen Golf Club in northern New Jersey. From our bride’s breathtaking wedding dress to sparklers and smores, the only aspect that could have topped all of those things was witnessing firsthand how well-loved this couple was. Family and friends trekked from all over the country to be there for Adam and Amy, and we certainly enjoyed documenting as they partied well into the night.
For now, here’s a handful of our favorite images from yesterday’s wedding. Congratulations once again to Amy and Adam, and please visit our facebook page to see more images over the coming weeks. Enjoy!
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2 Sep ’12 | Categories: Wedding Photography | Tags: Adam Amy, autumn fall wedding photography, bagpipes at weddings, Ballyowen Golf Course, black and white wedding photos, creative lighting, Crystal Springs Weddings, father daughter wedding moment, nikon CLS weddings, Northern New Jersey Weddings, sparklers at weddings, wedding teasers | 2 Comments »
He’s way tall. She’s really sweet. They met at Wheaton College, their relationship flourished over four long years, she said “yes” in March, and they finally tied the knot this past weekend in Denver.
Andrew and Valerie were joined by a multitude of loved ones as they exchanged their vows at the beautiful Hudson Gardens in Littleton, CO. Besides getting the chance to see a few old friends at the wedding, my favorite part of the day was spending the pre-wedding hours with the couple (separately, of course). Being there as their close friends encourage + pray + laugh + share tears with them are certainly special moments that really gave me a glimpse of the immense support they had for their new journey together.
Check out some of the teaser photos below from this weekend’s wedding in Colorado, and be sure to visit our Facebook page for more images.
-Jon
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21 Aug ’12 | Categories: Wedding Photography | Tags: beautiful wedding veils, bubbles at weddings, colorado, Colorado Destination Wedding Photographers, Colorado Wedding Photography, daytime wedding photography, denver littleton wedding photography, destination weddings, DIY earrings gifts, jt, pedicab newlyweds, valerie andrew, wedding teasers, weddings at Hudson Gardens | 3 Comments »
Sam and Siyi chose the gorgeous Princeton University Chapel for their wedding ceremony, followed by an amazing evening reception at the Washington Crossing Inn right across the river. In between, we took portraits of our newlyweds on the Princeton University Campus (yes, at a chem lab), as well as the grounds near the WCI bridge.
Oh, and for all you DIY brides out there… our bride Siyi totally just raised the bar on the world of “DIY-ers”. Homebrewed apple beers as wedding favors for everyone with a scratch-and-sniff sticker on the bottle cap (stickers also doubled as a dinner choice indicator for the waitstaff.) Special mention to Mel at The Sugar Posse for designing the bottle labels.
Enjoy the latest teaser photos below, and be sure to follow us on facebook for more updates!
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16 Jul ’12 | Categories: Wedding Photography | Tags: creative lighting, DIY Brides, DIY homebrew beer beers, DIY weddings, Frick Chemistry Lab Building photography, nikon CLS weddings, PA Wedding Photographers, Princeton Chapel Wedding, Princeton University New Jersey Photography, Princeton Wedding Photography, Siyi Sam, Washing Crossing Inn Weddings, wedding teasers | 3 Comments »
A few months after meeting Deena & Dieter at another Michigander wedding this past January (the bride was Dieter’s sister), they got in touch with me (Jon) and invited me to document their big wedding day on July 9th.
Fast forward to this past Monday. Nothing says unique like a wedding day filled with friends & family hailing from all over the world just to celebrate this wonderful couple’s marriage covenant.
Their wedding ceremony took place at AACRC, with readings + songs in both English and beautiful Malayalam. During the evening cocktail hour, Deena and Dieter brilliantly planned some very unique activities for their guests– games! From beanbag tosses to slacklining (and a whole lot more), this certainly is the coolest cocktail hour I’ve ever had the pleasure of attending. The rest of the evening was spent honoring family & friends with, among other things, table games, speeches, toasts, and a humorous duet by the bride & groom themselves (if only I had a video camera…).
Below are some of my favorite images from their wedding day. Stay tuned for more images to come, and be sure to check us out on Facebook! Enjoy.
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10 Jul ’12 | Categories: Wedding Photography | Tags: Ann Arbor Wedding Photography, cocktail hour games, creative lighting, destination out of state weddings, Dieter Deena, indian christian weddings, jt, Malayalam, Michigan Weddings, multicultural multiethnic weddings, SEA southeast asian wedding traditions christian, slacklining at wedding, Southeast Asian Brides, wedding teasers | 2 Comments »
When Joyce & Jason booked us back in early May, we were admittedly a little nervous because they didn’t give us too many details. All of the typical wedding-photographer-worries snuck their way into our heads.. “do they even have a complete schedule? are they last minute planners? how come this bride doesn’t send us multiple emails a day?” Funny thing is, we worried ourselves senseless.
On the day of, we quickly learned their day was a reflection of who they were as a couple: easy-going, relaxed and surrounded by loved ones. Their ceremony was pleasant & beautiful; Jason and Joyce decided to tie the knot at the Perennial Gardens of Colonial Park in Somerset, NJ (what we believe to be a real gem of a garden in this part of New Jersey). After some portrait time, their wedding celebration continued at the Harvest Moon Brewery & Cafe in New Brunswick. This upscale college town brewery churned out some seriously delicious good eats; let’s just say we didn’t go home hungry that night. With a day of good food, great company, and a genuinely sweet love story, there’s really nothing more we could have asked for.
(In case you missed it, check out their wedding teasers here and here)
Thank you Joyce & Jason for having us at your wedding day, and we wish you two the best on your new life in Texas!
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3 Jul ’12 | Categories: Wedding Photography | Tags: Central New Jersey weddings, colonial park somerset weddings, delicious wedding foods, Joyce Jason, nikon CLS weddings, weddings at Harvest Moon New Brunswick NJ, weddings at the perennial gardens colonial park, weddings in a brewery cafe, weddings in New Brunswick NJ | 4 Comments »
Yesterday’s wedding with Lindsay + Rich left us nearly speechless. We’re not talking about their ceremony at the St. Francis of Assisi Cathedral (it was stunning, and so was the AC). We’re not talking about this couple’s perfectly fitting chemistry (no doubts they are meant for eachother). We’re not even talking about all the crazy dancing that went on or the hilarious speeches or the excellent food that night. The pictures below should be enough proof for you all…
From morning until cocktail hour, Lindsay and Rich were ON TIME! To everything! Never have we been to a wedding where a couple was on time; it just doesn’t work that way in the wedding world. But somehow Lindsay and Rich did it, and they did in style. They tied the knot at a beautiful cathedral, had portraits done at Roosevelt Park, and celebrated their new life together at The Westwood. They even provided all of their guests with white gloves + shades to dance away under UV lights.
Enjoy the teaser photos below, and congratulations once again to Lindsay & Rich on their new marriage. Be sure to check out our facebook for more images to come in the coming week!
(and for those of you who are wondering why there are 4 rings in the first image below.. that’s four generations of wedding bands. Great grandmothers‘, grandmothers’, mother of the bride’s, and our bride’s.)
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1 Jul ’12 | Categories: Wedding Photography | Tags: blacklight wedding dance, Central Jersey weddings, creative wedding ring lighting photos, Lindsay Rich, New Jersey Wedding Photographers, nikon CLS weddings, union county photographers, wedding teasers, Weddings in Garwood NJ, weddings in Metuchen NJ, Westwood Wedding Photography | 1 Comment »
Here are a few of our favorite images from yesterday’s wedding celebration with Mary + Sam. From our gorgeous bride’s beautiful veil to the surprise dance performance (and endless of the tear-jerking moments in between), we can’t wait to share more with you all soon.
Thanks for stopping by, and be sure to check out our facebook page for more photos in the coming week.
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24 Jun ’12 | Categories: Wedding Photography | Tags: creative lighting, Livingston NJ Weddings, Mary Sam, Morris County Wedding Photographers, wedding teasers, Westminster Hotel weddings | 3 Comments »
This past weekend we had the opportunity to celebrate the wedding of Joyce and Jason. They tied the knot at the perennial gardens in Colonial Park, followed by an evening reception at Harvest Moon brewery & cafe in New Brunswick. Not only did the weather hold out on us throughout the day, but we are so very thankful to have been in the company of a great couple + a super easygoing bridal party.
Enjoy the teasers photos below, and come back soon to see even more photos! (Go to our facebook page and see more photos very shortly)
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10 Jun ’12 | Categories: Wedding Photography | Tags: central new jersey wedding photographers, colonial park, creative lighting strobes, harvest moon new brunswick wedding receptions, Joyce Jason, wedding teasers | 3 Comments »
We’ve waited six months for this wedding day, and we’re thrilled to share some images from this Saturday’s celebration with Maya and Pierre.
Last November, we were honored to join this amazing couple for their engagement party at the Philadelphia Museum of Art– an evening so fantastic that we (of Dreamlite) couldn’t stop talking about it for weeks on end. Indeed, they were that kind of couple, and their party was that kind of awesome. Fast forward to this past weekend, where we documented Maya and Pierre’s catholic wedding ceremony at the Church of Saint Isidore in Quakertown, PA. Following their ceremony was a lunch reception at the Melt Restaurant, a new-americana food experience housed in an upscale setting. Thinking about their food still makes us salivate. Their evening celebration was one giant party, hosted at the bride’s familys’ estate, filled with hundreds of friends & family, delicious indian food (including a charcoal oven for fresh baked naan), and a whole lot of celebrating. From choreographed dance performances to comical music presentations by Pierre’s relatives (they flew in from France!), this truly unique wedding celebration could not be properly summarized by words alone.
Did we mention that our groom Pierre, a Parisian native, self-studied Hindi throughout the course of their dating life? If that isn’t a mark of real commitment, we don’t know what is. Better yet, when you check out the henna photos below… a word of advice: find someone who reads Hindi and see if you can find something ‘hidden’ within the henna.
For now, we’ll leave you with a whole set of teaser photos. Please enjoy them below, and follow us on facebook for more updates to come!
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30 May ’12 | Categories: Wedding Photography | Tags: butterfly release wedding, catholic wedding photography, charcoal oven Naan, creative wedding ring lighting photos, custom wedding dress as gift, handmade handsewn wedding dress, henna, Henna ceremony, Hindi, Indian food catering, Maya Pierre, multicultural multiethnic weddings, Quakertown PA Wedding Photographers, South East Asian Brides, Southeast Asian Brides, teaser, teasers, unique weddings, Wedding Teaser, wedding teasers, wedding veil as gift | 46 Comments »
From the moment we got home on Sunday night, it took every ounce in our bodies to fight off the urge to edit all of the images from Grace & Matt’s wedding. Having awesome couples to work with has but one downfall– there’s so many images you want to share on your blog, and not enough bandwidth to share them all. From the guys’ morning trip to Shaving Grace Barbers for an upscale “gentlemen’s barbering experience” to an absolutely stunning bride with her birdcage veil, we had a hard time choosing a few images to share.
For now, here’s a little preview from Grace & Matt’s wedding. Enjoy the images below, and stay tuned for more images to come!
(Oh, and in the event you don’t recognize their lovely faces, three words for you: epic. snow. portrait.)
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29 May ’12 | Categories: Wedding Photography | Tags: birdcage wedding veil, elegant wedding dress, Grace Matt, Horsham PA Wedding Photographers, Shaving Grace Barbers Doylestown PA, The Manor House at Commonwealth Weddings, wedding teasers | 1 Comment »
First of all, the sheer creativity + multicultural richness + countryside charm that embodied this wedding might make you pass out.. but please don’t! Like a fine glass of whisky, we ask you to enjoy our photos slowly. 🙂
With that being said, we recognize it will be impossible to properly summarize Joel and Joanna’s celebration by words alone… and yet, we’ll do our best to highlight some of amazing moments (and people) that made their wedding day so special.
Our bride and groom’s big day took place in Arisaig, a picture perfect village nestled on the western coast of the Scottish Highlands. The morning hours were spent preparing at Arisaig House, followed by an afternoon ceremony at St. Mary’s Church, a gothic-style church dating back to the mid-19th century. Our late afternoon schedule consisted of a traditional Cantonese Tea Ceremony, followed by an awesome portrait sessions on the houses’ property. Let it be known to all our readers that Arisaig House is anything but a regular “guest house”- it’s more like a country estate/luxury B&B. To add to it’s charming allure, the house is family-owned, staffed with a full-time chef, and maintains their own onsite greenhouse. Phenomenal doesn’t even begin to describe it.
The evening dinner was incredible- delicate cheeses, (really) fresh seafood platters, garden-harvested salads, and tasty venison steaks.…And then there was the speeches. Joel’s best man gave a hilarious speech, sported a jimmy wig, and to top it all off, handed out miniature flipbook to all the dinner tables chronicling the groom’s one particular water sport mishap. If that weren’t enough to keep people laughing, Joel’s gave his own toast in Cantonese (presumably having written out the pronunciation in IPA-fashion), followed by a mini-speech in his native British-English tongue.
If we could give out awards for the coolest parties thrown at a wedding, Joanna and Joel would definitely be the front runners. The first few hours of their evening celebration was led by the Glenfinnan Ceilidh Band. They played a fantastic set of traditional folk music, all the while teaching the guests various kinds of ceilidh. When the band had finished, Joel and Joanna introduced their guests to Nigerian (Naija) hip-hop, as well as the concept of a “Nigerian Money Dance”.
As the bride & groom dances, guests may “spray” (flick currency bills ‘at’) the couple, or for the equally adventurous, may “stick” the bills onto the dancing couples’ sweaty body. Better yet, our couple even prepared their guests with wads of Nigerian Naira. Combined with catchy songs like P. Square’s “Chop My Money“, this could probably explain all the crazy dancing photos you see below. Last but not least, my favorite image of the evening? The very last photo… it’s Joel’s grandma 80-something years young showing off her moves on the dance floor to Nigerian R&B.
More details & fun facts:
The Cantonese Tea Ceremony: a proper way of honoring all the “elderly” figures in the couples’ lives (in this modern age, it’s basically anyone relative who has more years than you). After serving them tea, the couple receives gifts + plenty of words of wisdom.
Scottish Kilts– ‘Tartan’ is another name for the criss-cross patterned fabric associated with kilts. Kilts are traditional Scottish formal wear, highly regarded as the attire proper Scotsmen wear to formal events (i.e. weddings, ceremonies, funerals). In America, we often tease this practice as merely “men wearing dresses”, but in reality, it’s really fascinating. To don a kilt is to pay homage to the Gaelic culture. After having spent 11 days in Scotland, 3 days of which included wedding-related activities, I’ve certainly attained a newfound respect for this traditional practice. One really cool fact about tartans? Historically, each tartan pattern was associated with a particular warrior clan (family clan), and clans would wear a specific tartan pattern as a form of identity/family pride, much like a family crest or a flag. Therefore, people belonging to the Macdonald Clan would wear a different tartan than, say, folks belonging to the MacLeod clan.
Nigerian Money Dance– Fun fact #1 Jon spent 2 semesters of his college life studying Yoruba, one of the major languages in Nigeria. Fun Fact #2: Joel and Joanna met in Nigeria, where they both work for really cool organizations. So what better way to represent their Nigerian pride than to include a traditional money dance into their evening celebration? Other cultures around the world also include a similar form of money dancing into their wedding reception. While this is all in good fun with Nairas, more traditional couples will use this time to receive actual money for their honeymoon/future marriage, which doubles as a sort of gift receiving event.
Scottish Highlands Catholic Traditions(?)- The first look between the bride and groom happens at the end of the aisle. As the bride walks down the aisle, the groom stands facing front. He holds his hand up + out (palms up), and stays there until the bride’s hand is placed in his– this placement is done by the honorary person who escorts the bride down the aisle). It is then that the bride + groom see each other for the first time.
For more traditional Scottish Catholic wedding ceremonies, when it comes time to place the wedding bands on eachothers’ hands, you don’t simply slip the ring on your spouse’s fourth finger. The person who is placing the ring must first touch the ring to the receiver’s fingers- first on the thumb (symbolically representing the Father of the Trinity), then the index finger (for the Son of the Trinity), then the middle finger (for the Holy Spirit), and then proceed to place the ring on the proper finger. Both wedding bands are placed in this manner.
List of Wedding Vendors:
Arisaig House: luxury bed & breakfast, contact page
Glenfinnan Ceilidh Band: traditional scottish and folk music and masters of Ceilidh, facebook page
Forget Me Nots: wedding flowers, contact page
Two for Joy Paper Studio: wedding stationary (seating chart, place cards, menu, program) etsy page
Hair & Makeup Team: Catherine of Sparkle Scotland main page
Photography: dreamlite photography! facebook page
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24 May ’12 | Categories: Wedding Photography | Tags: Arisaig Guest House Weddings, brilliant wedding engagement photography, Caildh Ceildh Caildhi, Chinese Cantonese Wedding Traditions, creative wedding ring lighting photos, destination wedding photographers, destination weddings, etsy bride Two For Joy Paper Studio UK, Glenfinnan Ceilidh Band, international destination weddings, Joanna Joel, jt, Kilts Tartans, Lochaber Weddings, money dance with nairas, multicultural multiethnic weddings, Nigerian Wedding Traditions, Scotland, Scottish Bed and Breakfast weddings, Scottish Wedding Traditions, Setllers of Catan reference, St. Mary's Roman Catholic Church Arisaig Village, unity candles, wedding photography in Europe UK, wedding teasers, weddings in Scotland, Western Highland Wedding Photography | 339 Comments »
Rachel and Howard’s wedding day was simply perfect. Not only were we blessed with beautiful weather, but we got to work with a lovely bridal party, a phenomenal venue and incredibly cute newlyweds. Our couple incorporated some really beautiful personal touches to their day, including handmade floral paper centerpieces you see below. For now, we’re excited to share with you a handful of teaser images from yesterday’s big celebration. Visit our facebook page for even more images from this past weekend, and come back soon to view some more photos.
Congratulations once again to Rachel and Howard, and enjoy your honeymoon in Disney World!!
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20 May ’12 | Categories: Wedding Photography | Tags: bamboo gardens, creative wedding ring lighting photos, DIY Brides, DIY weddings, NY State Wedding Photographers, NY Wedding Photography, Rachel Howard, Snug Harbor Weddings, Staten Island Wedding Photography, wedding teasers | 2 Comments »
While documenting the wedding day is our job, our favorite parts are really the little moments in between. Often times, it’s these very moments that we get so excited about witnessing. For everyone that knows Nicky, she’s a no-holds-bar-in-your-face-gets-the-job-done kind of woman…(Jon’s allowed to write this in our blogpost– Nicky use to be Jon’s boss when they worked together at New Horizons in Autism) But on her big day at the Valley Regency, she was all tears.
One of our favorite moments below is when her older brother escorted her down the aisle. As they slowly passed our cameras, it was really hard not to get blurry eyed by that moment, knowing how special that day (and that walk) was for our bride. Another beautiful part of the day took place during the reception. Nicky included two special ‘first dances’ with two of her students from the school… for all the staff/friends/family, this was really precious to watch.
If we gave out trophies for “guest of the year”, we would certainly be paying a hefty price to ship this one out. One of our brides’ sisters couldn’t make it to the wedding, as she was in Korea. So she did what any loving sister would do- Skype into the wedding (she joined in for a few group photos, as well as the photobooth, too).
As for all the other moments? Best man intermittently recording the wedding ceremony with a pocket cam, ring bearer taking a peek at the rings he just gave up, nephew running through the dance floor during the first dance, and the bouquet dodging??… yes, we included all those images, too.
Congratulations once again to Vlade + Nicky on their new marriage, and we thank you two for allowing us to be a part of it all.
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6 May ’12 | Categories: Wedding Photography | Tags: Central New Jersey weddings, Clifton New Jersey Weddings, creative wedding detail photos, creative wedding ring lighting photos, funny wedding moments, Montclair NJ Wedding Photographers, multicultural multiethnic weddings, Nicky Vlade, Northern New Jersey Weddings, unique creative wedding photographers, Valley Regency Weddings NJ | 4 Comments »
