Jun 21 2017

Shanna & Aaron’s Modern NYC Wedding: Current at Chelsea Piers

Posted in Wedding Day,Weddings
Shanna & Aaron were married at The Current, one of the amazing water-side venues at Chelsea Piers along Manhattan’s west coast.  We started the day capturing them getting ready along with family and friends at Eventi Hotel.  The bridesmaids and Shanna’s mother helped her put on this amazing beaded Jenny Packham gown that had her looking like a vintage starlet, complete with perfect red lipstick!  To my delight, they were in a fabulous suite complete with a beautiful deck area that was big enough to shoot most of their wedding party groups.  Downstairs on the street and around the corner from the entrance to the hotel there were another few great spots that I was able to take advantage of before we loaded up and rode across town to the venue.  Once arrived, we did another round of portraits and groups with the water behind them, and then headed upstairs for their Ketubah signing.  Shanna and Aaron also added a special Japanese Sake ceremony, which involved them and their parents drinking from 3 different ceremonial cups of sake, and their Rabbi gave a lovely explanation of everything for both ceremonies. Meanwhile guests were arriving downstairs and taking their seats in the ceremony space, which overlooks the water and features huge windows overlooking the water.  I loved shooting this ceremony as the sun got lower and lower creating pretty amber light to once side of my view down the aisle while the happy couple exchanged vows.  After breaking the glass and sealing their marriage with a kiss, everyone moved into the long cocktail hour space with a view of the sunset deepening into a dusky blue sky and my open-air photobooth set up in one corner, ready for action.  Meanwhile the staff removed the Chuppah and brought arranged dinner tables to transform the ceremony space into a reception room complete with a large dance floor. Highlights of the evening included some delightful toasts from family, a very hip setlist from the DJ, Jay McElfresh, that got everyone moving on the dance floor, and an incredible looking non-wedding cake desert courtesy of Abigail Kirsch‘s top-notch catering.


Vendor Information:
Wedding Day-of Coordinator: Carly Mansucci of It’s My Party NYC
Wedding gown: Jenny Packham
Bride’s shoes: Stuart Weitzman
Makeup: Sariah
Invitation Design: Michelle Edgemont Design
Catering: Abigail Kirsch
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Jun 09 2017

Risa & Jared’s Engagement Portraits in Jersey City

Posted in Engagement Portraits

Risa and Jared are getting married this coming fall at The Roundhouse in Beacon, and for their engagement portraits they wanted to capture the neighborhood they live in by Grove Street in Jersey City.  As the shoot day approached we weren’t sure if it would rain or not, and though there was a fair amount of very light sprinkling, it didnt’ interfere with the shooting and we were able to keep basically dry just by walking between spots with umbrellas.  No big deal– plus the light on overcast days is super soft and pretty!  We got the views of manhattan from a few spots as well as the beautiful post office across the street from their apartment building, and made sure to take some shots with the adorable sneakers Jared proposed to Risa with!  Check out my favorites from the shoot and check back in October to see the wedding pictures!


Risa & Jared: Engagement Portraits in Jersey City from Sarah Tew Photography on Vimeo.

Posted in Engagement Portraits
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May 27 2017

Delara & Nikhil’s Engagement Portraits: Battery Park & a Ferrry Ride

Posted in Engagement Portraits

Delara and Nikhil are getting married this summer at Belle Haven Club in Greenwich, CT, and both of them have spent a lot of time in the financial district for work, so it made perfect sense to me when they mentioned meeting up in Battery Park area for their engagement session. The area has lots to offer– water views and landmarks, plus your usual city textures. For the 2nd half of their shoot we took a ferry ride across the river to Jersey City to get some shots with the NYC skyline. Then we headed back via the PATH train for a little variety, and finished with some sunset-time shots looking out from North Cove Yacht Harbor in Manhattan. Check out my favorites photographs from their shoot!

Posted in Engagement Portraits
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May 26 2017

Erin & Scott’s Hudson Valley Wedding at The Roundhouse

Posted in Wedding Day,Weddings
Erin & Scott planned their wonderful wedding at The Roundhouse at Beacon Falls, one of my favorite venues, what with it’s amazing waterfall, lovely windows and unique rustic industrial charm.  I shot Erin’s getting ready in the beautiful bridal suites upstairs over the Roundhouse’s restuarant overlooking the falls.  They have an adorable baby daughter, Abigail, whom I got to shoot with them at their engagement session, so I couldn’t wait to see them all together in their wedding finery.  The floral dress she wore was simply perfect with the bouquets, which featured some of the most beautiful blooms I’ve seen. We planned the first look with Scott to be downstairs in the lovely bar/lounge area, complete with a fireplace.  The nice thing about knowing it’s going to rain for sure is that we can prepare for it, so in that way we were quite lucky– none of the “will it or wont’ it?” and “should we try the ceremony outside and risk it” type worries that can create anxiety for a couple on their wedding day… and of course knowing the situation was indoors-only enables me to focus on making the best portraits I can in the spaces available.  After a quick round of sweet couple-only portraits there in the bar we all headed up to the main space for wedding party and family pictures.  Luckily for us, the Roundhouse is stunning and you can still get the beauty of the nature outside in the background of some indoor photographs there, thanks to the amazing floor to ceiling windows overlooking the water and trees just outside. Lighting a backlit wide group shot with windows in the background does pose it’s own challenge, reflection-wise, surely, but I think we nailed it with 2 gridded flashes on stands from 45 degrees on either side, and the wedding party and family groups were patient as we tweaked people’s positions to avoid unwanted shadows as much as possible, and I was happy with the resulting images.  I took Erin and Scott out down by the waterfall for a few quick pictures under my big clear umbrella, it then it was on to the ceremony!  Once again, the rain plan at The Roundhouse does not disappoint– the ceremony indoors is just as beautiful as it is when it’s outdoors there, and we all enjoyed Erin and Scott’s wonderful officiant’s account of their love story.  Guests were treated to a cocktail hour upstairs while the staff transformed the main space for the reception party, and the evening was off to a great start.  Over the next few hours we captured some very sweet and funny toasts, some spirited dancing (especially the “ring security” team– note their metal-detector wands, walkie talkies, sunglasses, and secret-service-like earpieces!  SO CUTE!), and at the end of the night I was able to take the happy couple outside for a shot under the umbrella with the rain.  Congratulations to Erin & Scott!  It was such an absolute pleasure being your photographer!

Vendor Credits:
Venue & Catering: The Roundhouse
Wedding Day-of Coordinator: Carrie Conklin
Wedding gown: Tara Keely
Hair & Makeup: Elise Cole
Bridesmaid dresses: Jenny Yoo
Officiant: Ngozi Amobi
Floral Design: Dark & Diamond
Music: 74 Events
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