Posts Tagged ‘weddings’
I love first looks. There is something so intimate, so tender, so magical about a bride and groom seeing each other for the first time on their wedding day, quietly and (almost) alone. There is none of the pressure of standing in front of hundreds of friends and family, no particular time-line to get on with (so if the bride has to take a few minutes to bawl her eyes out and then get her makeup fixed, it’s okay!). But mostly there is the opportunity for them to hold their husband/wife-to-be and really soak in the beautiful enormity of what they are embarking on that day. In those moments nothing else exists. No details to finish up, no flowers, no color palettes, no menus, no guests lists, and…dare I say it?…no photographer…which is one of the things that I loved to watch most of all. There is no awareness of being in front of the camera at all. Everything – EVERYTHING – else melts away and it is just them and their love. It is very hard for me not to cry. Which, of course, is why I do. Every time.
When I first met Deb and Gary I was struck by the warmth and intense affection that they had for each other. It was truly wonderful to witness that again in their first look.
Deb and Gary worked closely together to design a wedding day that was so personal and full of details that really expressed them as a couple, from their artistic, quirky personalities to their cultural backgrounds and world views. They wanted their wedding, on a visual level, to reflect a kind of vintage/industrial feel (which they also incorporated into their engagement shoot, in downtown Buffalo), and we wanted to make sure we had plenty of time for portraits that captured that look.
Thing is, there are added practical benefits to first looks as well. Since the bride and groom have already seen each other, it opens up the opportunity to do couple (and even family!) portraits before the ceremony even starts. This is especially a plus for weddings with later ceremonies (which get increasingly tricky as the summer winds down). Since Deb and Gary’s ceremony and reception were in the same room at Pearl Street Brewery in Buffalo, and they wanted to glide seemlessly between the two, we took advantage of the time and light before the ceremony and rocked out portraits!
The tenderness that these two shared overflowed to their friends and family, whom they brought into every aspect of their day. I never get enough of watching two people be so incredibly happy!!! It is absolutely one of the best parts of my job. From their first look to the end of the night both Deb and Gary literally glowed. I love watching days like that unfold.
Anat & Josh | Rochester NY Wedding Photographer
July 27, 2010Weddings are, in a big way, about ceremony and tradition, traditions that have been around for a long time and that are shared by so many other couples and families. It makes me SO happy then when I see a couple really set out to take the traditions and rites that are at the foundation of their wedding day and really embrace them, claim them, mold them and make them their own. It’s powerful to watch traditions that are so time honored lived out in genuinely present and personal way. This is what Anat and Josh set out to do in their wedding, and they did it so elegantly, so almost effortlessly it took my breath away.
I could tell from the moment I first met these guys that they knew, they really KNEW who they were as a couple. When they decided they wanted to shoot part of their engagement session in an Olympic-sized pool (Yes! In the water!!) because Josh was a competitive swimmer, I knew their wedding was going to be a beautiful celebration of who they are. 
They share so much tenderness and love.
That tenderness and love made its way to every little detail of their day. Josh and Anat took their traditional Jewish wedding and filled the entire day with gorgeous details and really personal touches. Both their wedding and reception were held at the beautiful Rabbit Room at the Lower Mill in Honeoye Falls, and every last detail from Anat’s dress to the desserts was gentle and sophisticated, natural and warm, and complimented the atmosphere of love and laughter that these two share with their family and friends. Even the centerpieces were a touch from home, as Arena’s Florist worked with Anat’s own personal collection of vintage glass bottles.
But while Anat and Josh’s wedding was a stunning expression of their love and their relationship, the day was not just about them either. They were surrounded by a very warm and loving crowd of friends and family, and you could tell that their wedding was also a beautiful celebration of the people in their lives who are so close and dear to them.
There was so much warmth and affection that radiated from these families, and myself and Brandon Vick, who I had the pleasure of having as a second shooter, were touched. Thank you, Anat and Josh, for making me a part of your beautiful day!
Oh my…wait while I wipe away my tears…..Tammy, this is such a beautiful testament to what this wedding WAS to all of us. Your photo’s are certainly as beautiful. Thank you….for this wonderful site, as well as all you did on the wedding day to make Josh and Anat’s day so special, not only for them, but their families and friends. ~Mama Nellist~
just lovely!!! I am sucker for traditions as well and the first image just is filled with history.
These are awesome, T!
9.01.2010
Spider-man… wahhhh?!?!? AMAZing shots Tamm.
9.01.2010
I LOVE SEEING YOUR WORK ! Priceless image of the reveal, great way to describe it also. Well done !
9.03.2010
We love these images! You took our quirky, crazy, windy day and made the funniest, loveliest story, all complete with the Tammification that we so love! You rock