James + Anne || Sunrise DUMBO Engagement Session
There is always a first for everything, as the saying goes.
For us at Dreamlite Photography, this engagement session marks the first time we’ve ever started an hour before sunrise, in the darkness of dawn. In doing so, we had the opportunity to photograph James + Anne beneath three unique lighting situations in one session: dark pre-dawn skies, golden sunrising skies, and bright Monday morning commuter skies.
James + Anne are a really sweet couple, full of laughter and super easy going. They were real champions, meeting us all the way in DUMBO Brooklyn for an early 5:45am start time. They are also two really talented professionals in their own rights (one in medicine, and one a professional musician). As with any couple, differences are nothing more than differences, so long as they share something deeper in common.
We had such an amazing time photographing Anne + James’ engagement. Our favorite moments were probably hanging under the Manhattan Bridge, waiting for “the moments”. Moments such as the sun rising from the east, providing us with a breathtaking backdrop that only nature can elicit. Also, all those wild city birds flying around us, adding something really fun to the final images.
A special thanks to James + Anne for finding time in their long-distance love story to join us for these photos on an early Monday morning! Can’t wait for your wedding next year!!
Martina + Kirolous || Bernardsville, NJ Engagements
We are thrilled to be sharing images from our engagement session with this fun-loving couple. Both Martina and Kirolous were a riot to be around. Their laughters are incredibly contagious, and their ability to put each other at ease is something we noticed right away.
Out of all the potential locations we considered for their engagement, we really had our eyes on this garden. For generations this was a privately owned garden estate, complete with a stone water tower + 23 room private mansion. According to their website, the property’s history dates back to the turn of the 20th century. The estate was eventually acquired in the 1970s by the National Park Service, and opened to the public very recently. The garden has a lot of unique features, from wisteria-laced pergolas to a couple dozen flower varieties. Our favorite part of the garden was… the shaded areas, as it was pretty sunny during our time there… just kidding! It was actually the wriggly branch shrubs surrounding a pathway beside the mansion. We can’t remember what type of shrubs they were exactly, but they look pretty similar to the manzanita shrubs found all throughout Yosemite National Park.
Thank you Martina + Kirolous for your adventurous spirit, and for making us laugh throughout your session. We can’t wait to celebrate your marriage later this fall!
BJ + Dara || Hillsborough NJ Engagement Sessions
We at Dreamlite love a good challenge.
When we first started discussing location ideas with BJ + Dara, we agreed to stay local. But in our own little town of Hillsborough, NJ, where could we go? Surrounded by farmlands and a seemingly endless wave of suburban strip malls…. the challenge was accepted. After a few hours of scouting locally in our car, we discovered a place void of crowds, traffic, and canadian geese. With a clear view of the Sourland Mountains to the west, we were amazed a spot like this could exist in Central Jersey.
We’re so thankful that we had the chance to photograph Dara + BJ. After a few rain date reschedules, we finally met up one Saturday evening and came away with these photos. Congratulations once again to Dara + BJ on a new adventure together!
Danny + Sherry || NYC Central Park Engagements
This amazing couple met up with us on an early Sunday morning in Central Park. Although you cannot see it in the photos, it was a crowded mess in the park — 5k runs, loads of tourists, casual joggers, and food carts everywhere… another typical summer morning in NYC.
Easy-going, adventurous, and fun are a few of the words that come to mind when we think of this couple. Having first met at a football tailgating party, their love story has been built on their faith, shared love of adventure and the ability to get each other laughing (atleast that’s what we think). We appreciate Danny + Sherry’s desire for adventure, so we decided to approach this engagement session with our own sense of visual creativity. Can’t wait to celebrate marriage with you both later this year!
Paulette + Mena || New Jersey Botanical Garden Engagements
Just three weeks before their wedding day, we met up with Paulette + Mena for their engagement photos. The brilliantly colored fauna of the botanical gardens made for a stunning location for their engagement session…. sadly, we’ve never heard of this place until our couple mentioned this place to us.
For a late September afternoon, we encountered a quirky mix of sunny weather and cloud coverage. However, we had a great time learning more about their story; how they knew eachother in highschool, but Mena kept getting friendzoned for the years that followed. Paulette said that there was one time in English class that she got paired up with Mena. She had no idea what was going on in that class so Mena had to explain the subjects about advanced synonym. And Paulette then started admiring of how much effort Mena did.
In the end, everything worked out, and here we are today, celebrating their engagement. Congrats to you both, and we look forward to your wedding this October!
Namita + Niket || Philadelphia Engagements
Namita and Niket heard of us through a mutual friend, and we’re glad to have connected with them. Sharing a love for adventure + good food is always a good way to bond in a relationship, and these two have seen quite a bit of the world as a couple. Best of all, they asked to bring their rescue pup Nikki along for a few photos. Although we’re not photographing their summer wedding in India, it was a real pleasure hanging out with this couple for their engagement session in Philadelphia, and thanks for the treat from The Franklin Fountain!
Alissa + Chris || Boston Engagement Session
There’s a first time for everything. For starters, it was Dreamlite’s first opportunity to photograph a couple in the wonderful city of Boston. For Chris and Alissa, their location of choice was a homage to their first date. With a love story that traces its beginnings to Honduras, it goes without saying that this engagement session was particularly special for everybody.
Alissa and Chris first met while serving with Signs of Love, an incredible non-profit Deaf ministry situated in the coastal city of La Ceiba, Honduras. Though Jon partnered with the same ministry doing photography work back in 2011 + 2012, the three never had a chance to serve together in the years that followed. As the story goes, Alissa and Chris’ friendship carried over stateside, staying in touch as they lived their own lives in Massachussetts and Florida. Eventually, Alissa visited Chris in Boston, where she boldly challenged him with the question, “What am I doing here?” And so, their first date in Boston also marked the beginning of a new chapter in their story.
For their engagement session, we ventured through some spectacular areas in Boston. We began our session in the Beacon Hill neighborhood, a charming and historic part of town. Surrounded by sloping row homes and cobblestone streets, it certainly felt as if we had stepped back in time. From there, we wandered through Boston Commons, Commonwealth Avenue Mall, and topped off our session overlooking the Charles River.
Alissa and Chris: we cannot wait to photograph your wedding in Florida later this summer!
Carl + Helen || Philadelphia Engagements
Helen and Carl are an incredibly unique + fun couple, and we’re so glad to be working with them. When they asked to have their engagement session at Boathouse Row, we thought, “Okay, sounds good. Historic part of Philadelphia.. picturesque.. staple Philly tourist destination… sounds like a solid idea.” Then we learned it wasn’t just photos near the historic Boathouse Row, but rather photos inside Boathouse Row. Being both a professional rower and a member of one of the boathouses, Helen’s membership made taking photos along the docks possible.
Before heading to Boathouse Row, Helen + Carl opted for a much more green location. With a shared love for the outdoors, we decided upon Wissahickon Valley Park, located not too far from Philadelphia. Afterwards, we ventured towards the Boathouse Row side of Philly. While the sun was still strong, we found some colorful spring blossoms for some really neat portraits. It’s hard to tell from the photos, but we did the photos right along Kelly Drive, all-the-while rush hour traffic was crawling on by.
We capped off our night with some incredible Mexican food (and a hefty portion of nachos), a much needed reprieve from an evening of photos.
Congratulations once again to Carl and Helen. We’re very much looking forward to celebrating your big day in Texas later this Autumn!
Teny + Enrique || Pink Sisters Convent, Tagaytay, The Philippines
The funny thing about friendship is that you never know when you’ll encounter it. We’re not talking about how Teny + Enrique met, but rather, how Dreamlite met Teny + Enrique… on a double date!
Jon and his then-girlfriend (now fiancée), Ria, went on a double date with this lovely couple back in July of 2015. Ria wanted to introduce a dear friend of hers to Jon, seeing as they both shared a strong connection with Latin America. Their Pinkberry hangout turned into a late afternoon of chatting, laughing and fond story swapping. Enrique is a teacher by trade while Teny is a former Latin-America missionary turned corporate trainer for Army Navy Burger + Burritos in the Philippines. Beyond their work, they conjoinedly emit a heart warming presence. Their easy going personalities are matched only with their shared faith for God, as well as their love for each other.
Months later, the wonderful news broke the social media world: Teny and Enrique were getting married! Jon reached out to Teny + Enrique, and the four of them decided to celebrate their engagement in Tagaytay, a smooth two hours’ drive from Metro Manila. They chose to have their engagement session (known as ‘prenup photos’ in the Philippines) at the Pink Sisters Convent, an incredible campus containing a chapel, walking garden, and towering pine trees.
Officially, the Pink Sisters Convent is maintained by a catholic order known as the Holy Spirit Adoration Sisters, but due to their rose-colored religious attire, they are affectionately referred to by the former. The grounds at the convent were beautifully maintained, full of various flowers and trees, that they got from the flower delivery in Deer Park TX. Although a bit crowded, which is expected for anything opened to the public in the Philippines, we managed to dodge much of the crowds during their portrait session. We wrapped up our session over lunch, alongside a caravan of family + friends, in the city of Tagaytay… the perfect way to cap off their photo session.
Thank you Enrique + Teny for your support of of Dreamlite Photography, and looking forward to many more life celebrations with you both!
Miriam + David || Engagement Party at the Chart House
Miriam and David celebrated their engagement in style. The engagement party took place at the Chart House in Hoboken, filled with hours of dancing, great food, and a hall packed with loved ones. Below are a few of our favorite images from that night… congrats again to David and Miriam (and another victory to long-distance love)!
Mitchell + Justin || Long Island City Engagements
We met Mitchell and Justin at a wedding earlier this year, where they were given the responsibility to read scripture at the ceremony. When they reached out to us about an engagement session, we were excited to hear that they wanted to do it in Long Island City. Having never been to LIC before, we were eager to see what all the chatter was about.
Jon joined Mitchell + Justin one bright and early Saturday morning for their engagement session. They were the most easy-going of couples; very relaxed, warm, and knew how to make one another laugh. They are pretty much everything we hope for in a couple.
Enjoy the photos below, and congratulations to Mitchell + Justin (and thank you for braving the chilly morning weather for these photos)!
Esther + Theo || Rutgers Garden Engagement Sessions
Adventurous couples are the best to photograph. Better yet, when you’re also friends with the couple (and have known them for quite a few years), things can get pretty risque risky on the day of 🙂 . We opted for a morning engagement session at the very last week of September, and met up at the beautiful Rutgers Gardens. This couple was tough enough to take the quarter mile hike into the forest in their sunday’s best, and were such great sports the entire time. On the return hike, we ventured off the path and found a great little nook to take photos by the river. We wrapped up our session at the main garden area, including a successful climb up a stunning + very Goliath-like tree. Congratulations once again to Theo + Esther, and I can’t wait to stand alongside you guys in your wedding celebration this December. -Jon
Vivian + Anthony || Austin, Texas Engagement Photography
We’re ecstatic to share with you these images from Vivian and Anthony’s engagement session from Austin, TX. We all met up for an awesome pre-session dinner at the incredible Rio’s Brazilian Cafe Monday night, Jon went off on his own for an entire day of scouting locations on Tuesday, followed by an unbelievably engagement session that Wednesday. We journeyed all throughout Austin, experiencing everything that you could think of — Austin summer heat, Texas humidity, sun showers, extreme fog, and just the right amount of clouds. A very special thanks goes out to this couple for enduring all of the elements, hiking up rocky cliffsides in elegant attire, and journeying throughout bushy creek beds for these images. Also, a special thanks to Luisa for helping with hair/make-up the day-of! We can’t wait to celebrate with Anthony + Vivian on their wedding day in Nicaragua this coming winter!!
David + Mary || Peekskill, NY Engagements
When Mary + David suggested to have their engagement photos taken in Peekskill, NY, we initially drew a blank as to where that town was. After some research, we realized it was situated in our favorite area in the State of New York: the Hudson Valley.
The entirety of the Hudson Valley is filled with charming, old-school communities and brimming with history. Located a train ride away from NYC, towns such as Peekskill are known for their historic downtowns and scenic views of the majestic Hudson River.
Taking a trip to Peekskill was a welcomed escape for all of us. Although we scheduled the engagement session in late July, the slightly cooler weather of the Hudson Valley made our visit a whole lot more manageable. We ventured around town with David + Mary, took some photos, all the while getting to hear a little bit more about their story.
Congratulations again to Mary + David, and we look forward to your wedding later this summer.
Ben + Sam || Houston Engagement Photography
For Dreamlite Photography‘s first visit to Texas, we could not have asked for a more fantastic couple to work with. Ben and Sam spent the afternoon with Jon as they ventured throughout Central Houston for engagement photos. The sunny Texan weather was a nice break from the gloom hovering over New Jersey that week. In between photos, we stopped by Cloud 10 Creamery for incredibly delicious and handmade ice cream (they happen to also be friends with the owner), and grabbed a quick bite to eat at Torchy’s Tacos. We finished off our session in the Bayou City neighborhood of Houston, at the famous “We Love Houston” sign. Minutes before taking the last photo below, we ended up bumping into David Adickes, the well-known Houston sculpture behind this artwork.
Thank you Sam + Ben for the opportunity to take your engagement photos!
If you like what you see, follow us on facebook to see more work… and if you’re in need of wedding/engagement photographers in Houston, don’t hesitate to contact us!!
Ellen + Chris || Philadelphia Engagement Portraits
Last week, Ellen + Chris kindly met up with Jon for some adventurous nighttime portraits. Although the cherry blossoms had just begun to bloom, we managed to find some incredible spots to work with. Below is one of Jon’s favorite frames from that evening.
Thank you both for the opportunity!
Be sure to follow us on facebook ( http://www.facebook.com/DreamlitePhotography ) to see our latest work.
Louisa + Roland || Philadelphia Engagements
Certainly don’t miss this fun engagement session from Philadelphia.
Louisa + Roland’s session took us all over the city of brotherly love. From world-famous mural art pieces to picturesque museum terrain, we spent the afternoon hanging out, taking portraits + catching up, all while helping Jon see some of the less ventured sides of Philly. We topped off our session the best way possible; dinner at Han Dynasty in the Old City part of Philly. If you had to ask us, we’d give it an 9/10 for it’s modern and bold take on Szechuan cuisine.
We look forward to celebrating your wedding later this year at The Vie!
Cindy + Derek || Wormsloe Historic Site Engagements
We feel so privileged to be sharing these photos with everyone tonight. Just last week, we flew down south to meet up with this awesome couple.
Although the weather forecasts warned us of a rain-filled afternoon, the beautiful city of Savannah welcomed us with warm, sunny skies. We began our session at the historic Wormsloe Plantation, an estate-turned-state park that traces its southern roots back 300 years. The ‘driveway’ of this historic site alone is worth the visit; an incredible tunnel of oak trees that seem to never end. We ventured around the property, making good use of the crisp golden light, the dangling spanish moss, and through the diverse forest paths within the park. Afterwards, we drove to downtown Savannah and explored River Drive. with Cindy + Derek.
We’re very proud to wrap up our 2013 photography season with this wonderful couple, and we hope you enjoy the photos below!
Jonathan + Josie || Hillsborough New Jersey Engagement Photos
Fall engagement sessions are our favorite. The brilliant colors and moderate climate make for a great season to have engagement sessions.
Enjoy the photos below, and be sure to visit our facebook page to see more images from their session.
Jon + Josie: thanks for letting us be a part of your lives, and we look forward to celebrating with you both this spring!!
Veronica + Mina || New Hope Engagements
The gorgeous couple that we’re showcasing below has got to be one of the bravest + strongest couples we’ve ever had the chance to work with. The first time we met Veronica was at Panera Bread. The first time we met Mina? Well, he was on a computer screen.
Long distance relationships are more than just the making of a Hollywood summer blockbuster romance– they’re difficult, scary, daunting, real… and also very admirable. From what they’ve shared with us, living on separate coasts of the USA means lots of Skype, lots of plane tickets, and lots of phone calls. If you want to know what devotion looks like, look no further than this couple.
The hardest part of our day was waking up and meeting Veronica + Mina in New Hope, PA a little before 7am. The easiest part of our day was hanging out with them. We journeyed through funky, modern New Hope, PA, and then ventured through the cozy little river town of Lambertville. At first, the fog covering provided us with an eery, unique environment to take photos. When the sun came out later on, the autumn colors shimmered and glowed.
We hope you all enjoy the engagement photos below. Once again, we congratulate Veronica + Mina on their engagement, and we look forward to their wedding this February!
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Eileen + Frank || North Edison Baseball and Softball Complex
“Back to the beginning…” are the words that come to mind when we flip through this amazing couple’s engagement session.
Eileen and Frank met many years ago at this very sports complex. As teens, they were employed as umpires for the competitive little league circuit in Central NJ… and that’s how their love story began. With both of them coming from athletic family backgrounds, their relationship flourished slowly throughout the years (somewhere in that timeline, we feel it necessary to give credit to ‘Mom the Matchmaker’). Fun fact: we photographed Frank’s sister’s wedding in the summer of 2012.
Make sure you visit our facebook page to see more images from their engagement session.
Katrina + Ben || Philadelphia Engagements
We had a wonderful time hanging out and photographing Katrina + Ben’s autumn engagement session in Philadelphia. They were a great combination of fun, easy-going and adventurous. Be sure to check out the “love” image at the very end… you’re eyes are not tricking you. That isn’t actually an image, but rather a GIF file (think modern day flip book). Trust us– you won’t want to miss that one!
Katrina + Ben- we look forward to celebrating with you both in March!
Moses + Tiff || UPenn Campus, Philadelphia
Jon’s first official tour of the University of Pennsylvania’s campus also happened to be for Moses + Tiff’s engagement session. We zig-zagged our way through campus, passing libraries, dorms, CHOP, beautiful architecture, and even took a visit to the “Dueling Tampons” . While Dreamlite won’t be there officially for their wedding celebration in the spring, Jon is extremely honored to be there as a groomsman.
Thanks again Moses + Tiff for getting engaged! 🙂
To see more of our work, visit our facebook page here: https://www.facebook.com/DreamlitePhotography
Vince + Jen || New Brunswick Engagements
Remember Vince + Jen’s surprise proposal story from New Orleans? Well, here they are again, featured on our blog with their official engagement session.
After pulling some personal strings, we were fortunate enough to get access to the Rutgers Football Stadium. Home of the Scarlet Knights, the state university’s stadium is a place to behold. The last time I (Jon) was in the stadium was actually with Vince. It was my first (and last) football game as a Rutgers student– back when football game admission was as simple + free as a RU student I.D. swipe.
We spent the early morning hours photographing inside the stadium. We moved to Rutgers Gardens for a few awesome shots, then ended our morning at the park with Vince, Jen, and a motorcycle.
Enjoy the photos below!
If you like what you see, contact us for your engagement session here: info@dreamlitephotography.com
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