Darren + Maris || Branch Brook Park Weddings
Even in the most unusual times…
Despite all the setbacks– rescheduling their April 2020 wedding date, being separated during the pandemic– Darren and Maris persevered. With a few weeks notice (and a permit from the parks department), we found out that they planned to host an intimate wedding celebration in early July.
Fast forward to 7/11, we find ourselves standing in the most famous park + staring at arguably the most beautiful church in all of New Jersey.
For Maris and Darren’s first look, we had the best spot in the park. Most famous for its collection of cherry blossoms, Branch Brook Park is a stunning green oasis during the summer months. We were blessed with an overcast sky for their first look, which really helped to turn down the summer heat for our first outdoor wedding of the year.
Surrounded by a small group of their loved ones, their wedding ceremony took place outside the visitors pavilion amongst the fresh summer air. We traveled through the park for some amazing portraits, exploring as we went along.
We capped off the wedding day with a traditional Chinese tea ceremony at the groom’s family’s home, followed by our dream wedding meal. Imagine bringing together your favorite gastronomic delights, spreading it across one large table, and inviting your loved ones to dine with you. That is what Darren and Maris did! Filipino barbecue from Tropical Hut, sushi, wraps, Chic-Fil-a nuggets, and the list goes on. For dessert, the bride’s close friend brought a Green Tea Mille Crepes cake from Lady M Cake Boutique in New York City.
You all have no idea how excited this made us. What more personal of a touch could there be than to bring all of those foods together and share it with loved ones? We really hope to eat more like this at future wedding events.
Warmest congratulations to our newlyweds, Maris + Darren!
Danny + Sherry || Weddings At The Venetian
Making photos is our job, but celebrating stories is truly what brings us so much joy in this profession. For Danny + Sherry, their long distance love story started a few years back. Being separated by the entire expanse of the eastern seaboard of the U.S. did not stop their love for eachother from growing and flourishing. Fast forward to this day, when their families came together for an unforgettable celebration.
Everything about Danny + Sherry’s wedding was just as we hoped for. The October weather was favorable and void of rain for most of the day, and loved ones flew in from all over the world to join the celebration. Thankfully, we are no strangers to Sherry’s family, having already photographed her sister’s wedding just a few years earlier… seeing her family + church friends felt like a mini reunion on so many levels.
Having already photographed their engagement session earlier this summer, we already knew how easy going this bride + groom would be on the day of. Sherry and her gown certainly stole the show at their church ceremony, while the ring bearers charmed the crowd every step of the way. Thank God the stormy weather held back the precipitation all the way until the end of the evening, just as we wrapped up our portraits in the garden of the Venetian.
Our favorite part of their wedding? Definitely the reception party. We love, love, LOVE being witnesses to the wedding party unwind on the dance floor– there is always so much personality to capture when all the formalities have concluded. From the LED thunder sticks to watching the newlyweds conquer the dance floor, it was most definitely a party to remember.
Many congratulations to our newlyweds, Danny + Sherry!
Last but not least, our warmest thanks to the other wedding professionals who helped make this day possible:
Hair/Makeup: @AngelfaceNYC https://www.facebook.com/angelfacenyc
Video: @TheBleuStudio https://www.facebook.com/TheBleuStudio/
Florals: Dee’s Flower https://www.facebook.com/DeesFlowersAndGifts/
Reception:The Venetian https://www.venetiannj.com/
Patty + Andrew || Westmount Country Club Weddings
What an unforgettable wedding celebration! We present to you, the lovely (and newly married) Andrew + Patty.
What an honor it was to celebrate with these two. From start to finish, our job was non-stop… and that is exactly why we love our jobs so much. Moments upon moments upon moments– from the tight-knit feel being surrounded by their bridal party the morning of, to cherishing the moments where mom and dad help with the finishing touches of their wedding day attire, to the first time Andrew sees Patty entering the wedding ceremony– there were so many images that helped encompass the emotions of the wedding day. This wedding was the first time we had a proper “confetti shower”, and we were so stoked to hear that there was some more at the reception.
Our favorite moment? Definitely when Patty + her father are honoring the father-daughter dance, and their family looks on with teary eyes.
A million congrats to you both, Patty + Andrew!
Rose + Joe || Ballyowen Golf Club Weddings
Every once in a while, we only get to learn about a couples’ love story on the day of their wedding. In the case of Rose + Joe, our respect for their relationship grew tremendously when the wedding officiant revealed that their long-distance love story had stretched 7,393 miles… from Shanghai to New York.
Our bride + groom decided to tie the knot a year earlier, and thus, when they contacted us about their May event at the Ballyowen Golf Club, they highly emphasized their day being a “joyful celebration” rather than simply a wedding. We certainly kept that in mind as we documented this love-filled day.
If you asked us, we would definitely say that our favorite images were all the little moments in between the formalities. Such as the time that Joe unabashedly picked up his wife and spun her in the air during portraits; or the time that our newlyweds were joking around with one of the flower girls during some downtime at the reception. The table centerpieces were very clever as well: a cup of “joe” and a rose were fittingly centered at each of their reception tables.
Regardless of our personal picks, we hope you all will share in all of the joy of our couples’ celebratory day as you browse through these images.
Sarah + Mark || Long Lake Outdoor Center, Middleville, MI
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!!
Surprise Proposal in New Orleans || Audubon Zoo, New Orleans Louisiana
Here’s another super-secret-surprise-proposal that you don’t want to miss. I (Jon) have been fortunate enough to know this couple for quite a few years. When Vince contacted me about my early June availability, I knew something special was going down… and this time, it was taking place in New Orleans, LA.
Jen + a girlfriend had been on a 5-day cruise prior to our Wednesday arrival. In collaboration with her friend, we flew in Wednesday afternoon, checked into our hotel, and spent the day exploring this charming city. The last time us guys were in NOLA, we were doing Hurricane Katrina relief work, and it was a completely different city.
Come Thursday morning, we took the public trolley to the Audubon Zoo and camped out a few hours early. The ladies’ cruise ship docked earlier that morning, so we wanted to be there first to gather our bearings. We waited, and waited.. and waited some more. Through my telephoto lens, I eventually spotted them walking our way… with Jen unknowingly walking into a big surprise. When she set her eyes on Vince, she exclaimed, “What the…. what are you doing here?” They hugged, chatted, and eventually, she said, “Yes!” (special mention needs to go to Vince for using a Star Wars themed moleskine calendar book, with hand-punched spacing in the book for the engagement ring)
After taking a break from all the excitement, we grabbed lunch at a great little luncheonette called The Camellia Grill. Hearty food, entertaining staff, and a no-frills, “did-we-just-travel-back-in-time?” lunch experience were had by all. If you haven’t been there before, go. It’s what a diner should be, and we can say that because we’re all from New Jersey.
We returned to the Audubon Zoo, where Vince + Jen joined me for an impromptu engagement session. We climbed up trees, passed a swamp monster, spent a few minutes in the Hurricane Simulator (thank you Jen for obliging), all before the zoo closed its doors. We split up for our dinner plans, and reunited over a famous order of beignets at Cafe duMonde. We polished off our night at the phenomenal Pat O’Brien’s— my first ever experience with duelling pianos. The only downside to our day was when it ended.
Congratulations once again to our friends Vince + Jen! Thank you for allowing Dreamlite Photography to be a part of your surprise engagement.
Erny + James || The Water Club, NYC
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!)
