Archive for September, 2006

Tanya & Craig’s Wedding

Published by Ulysses on September 26, 2006 in Weddings. 7 Comments

Finally! Tanya & Craig’s wedding had arrived, and we were thrilled to be there. Tanya’s mother met us as the door and greeted us with warm hugs and smiles, which told us right away about how enjoyable the day was going to be.

Tanya was absolutely stunning in her gown by Atelier Aimee that perfectly complemented her figure. She was scheduled to meet Craig at the church, where they would spend some time alone before the ceremony for a little romance and a few pictures. Craig had never seen Tanya in this way before, and his reactions were priceless. Everything went perfectly, and the quiet and emotive private moments seemed to put them at ease for the rest of the day. Even though he’d already seen her, Craig’s eyes still filled with tears as he watched Tanya walk down the aisle. After a horse-drawn carriage ride, we spent more time with them for an awesome afternoon of photographs. You’ll enjoy the preview of photos in the slideshow below. Simply click the “PLAY” button to begin the show.

We can’t say enough about the outstanding services of the caterer, McKinney & Doyle. Their table settings, the quality of the food, and the attentiveness of the staff were of excellent quality, and we would love to work with them again in the future (thanks go out to Tanya & Craig, and the staff of M&D for the excellent meal). The lovely floral arrangements were the work of Parrino’s Greenhouse Garden. The limosine drivers from Anna’s Limousine Service provided excellent care and even stayed the day to serve as a shuttle service from the reception site at the top of the hill down to the parking lot near the horse farm. The romantic carriage ride was provided by Loon Meadow Farm. And the entertaining sounds of Paul Lacano and the Cocktail Shakers ranged from jazz to swing to rock & roll, ensuring the dance floor was always busy. Make sure you check out the respective web pages of each of the above excellent vendors if in need of their services.

To Tanya & Craig: Jenni and I want to give you each a huge thanks for putting so much trust in us and allowing us to have such an important role in your beautiful day. We truly felt like family, and this makes weddings a real joy for us.

UPDATE: Tanya & Craig’s complete gallery is now available in the “Client Proofs” area of our main website. If you see any favorites from the slideshow or gallery, let us know by clicking on the “Comments” link below this blog!

Raves From Lauren’s Mom

Published by Ulysses on September 20, 2006 in Raves and Weddings. 2 Comments

We love receiving and sharing kind words such as those we received from Lauren’s mom. Read on!

HI!! We just received the prints from the wedding and they are gorgeous!! I am still amazed at how you both allowed us to enjoy each moment of the day.

From the minute we first saw our daughter dressed in her wedding gown through the entire ceremony and reception, you both seemed to be enjoying the day as well; and this made us all so comfortable …we hardly noticed you taking pictures.

I distributed many of your business cards after the wedding because I was so pleased with every detail and so impressed with how your pleasant and happy attitude would not allow any of us to feel rushed or stressed in any way. My florist delivered an arrangement to our home the next day on her way to another wedding and I gave her a handful of your cards.

AND of course the pictures at end of the day on the Long Island Sound were unbelieveable!!!! WOW! Thank you so very much for making our daughter’s wedding so memorable! You are both wonderful artists!

Liz and Ken

We wish we had even more time with not only Lauren & Justin, but also their families (see Lauren & Justin’s wedding blog entry here). They each made the day such a pleasure for us. And knowing they were so pleased with our shooting style is the cherry on top of the cake.

Evelyn & Michael’s Wedding

Published by Ulysses on September 19, 2006 in Weddings. 4 Comments

Evelyn and Michael are among our most avid blog readers, and we honestly couldn’t wait for their wedding day to arrive. Photos were extremely important to them, so they dedicated LOTS of private time for photos not only before the ceremony, but also afterwards so we could take advantage of the view of New York City across the river from the Hyatt Regency of Jersey City. We absolutely loved the contemporary feel of their photo sessions. As if on cue, the setting sunlight reflected off some surrounding buildings to cast a golden glow on their faces during their ceremony vows. Just fantastic! We were deeply touched by their displays of love and emotion throughout the day.

Their wedding day was a feast for the eyes. Evelyn herself looked incredible in her gown by Melissa Sweet. Evelyn’s mother prepared all the flowers and did an amazing job, and the scent of the floral arrangements filled the air. While the music and sounds of OUO Entertainment filled the reception ballroom, Evelyn and Michael made their way to each of their guests and family, many having traveled from Korea and China to attend the festive occasion. The evening ended with Evelyn and Michael kissing underneath a burst of sparklers waved by their friends on the 9th floor veranda.

To preview their photos and see just a taste of why we enjoyed this wedding so much, click the “PLAY” button to begin the brief slideshow below.



Evelyn and Michael, we were so honored to be chosen as your wedding photographers! Jenni and I had such a wonderful time with both of you. After hearing so many kind as well as humorous words from your friends and family, we can’t help but add our own praise for the two of you. Seeing the tender care you have for one another is truly inspiring.

Their complete online gallery of photos will be available in the “Client Proofs” section of our main website upon their return from the honeymoon. For now, enjoy the slideshow above; there are LOTS more beautiful pictures to come. And please, feel free to leave your own words for Evelyn and Michael by clicking on the “comments” button below.

It all happens so quickly!

Published by Ulysses on September 16, 2006 in Photography and Weddings. 0 Comments

We’re always amazed at how rapidly things can change during the course of shooting a wedding, particularly with regard to the quickly changing expressions in faces and eyes and smiles. You never know what’s going to happen, so you always have to be ready for the shot! We usually shoot in series because we love the unfolding story that takes places over the course of mere moments.

Take Jesyca & Bill’s recent wedding, for example. Bill was saying his vows, and Jesyca was clearly wrapped up in the moment. I couldn’t hear what Bill said that caused this series of reactions from Jes, but it was awesome. This all happened in about two seconds or less. :-)
Whether very subtle or very obvious, we love it when we see the animation and expression in the eyes and faces of our couples, making the photography such a joy. (click image to see a larger version)

My Parents’ 50th Anniversary

Published by Ulysses on September 15, 2006 in Family and Travel. 2 Comments

Even though I’ve been in New York for many years, in many ways I’m still a southern boy at heart. My parents raised me, my brother, and my three sisters in an area just west of New Orleans. I’ve been back to visit on occasion, but this visit was different. It was to celebrate with my parents their 50th wedding anniversary.

The celebration was a bit belated partly due to Hurricane Katrina, which obviously changed the lives of everyone living in the Gulf region, and which put a temporary hold on our travel plans. The other reason was that three of us “kids” are now married and scattered across the continent with families of our own. It took a lot of coordination to bring everyone to get together for this occasion, but we were finally able to do it. In fact, one of my sisters and her husband surprised my parents by driving from an assignment in Mexico, so that we could all be together.

My mom and dad got married at an early age… dad was an athelete of 18, and my mom was an advanced school student of 16. They moved in with my mom’s parents, who already had a large family. There was minimal electricity in the house, not enough room, and other conveniences were at a premium. But my mom’s parents loved their new son in-law, and he helped expand the house. Since he knew some electrical work (learned from his own dad), he helped rewire their home and bring their place into the 20th century.

Clearly, my mom and dad didn’t always have things easy. But they stuck together even though they were only kids who hardly knew anything about life. As each new baby was born to them, they learned a lot more about life than they expected. And through it all, they gave so much back to us — a good work ethic, an honest concern for others, a sense of spirituality and who we are as people, and a desire to always do the best we could with whatever was given in to our hands at any point in our lives. We’ve each done that. And now some 50 years later, even though my dad has been through strokes and a broken hip, and my mom has suffered severe health issues of her own, I think my parents are perhaps more deeply happy than ever.

For this occasion we were all together again, along with our mates. My brother and his wife brought their two sons, the youngest one meeting his grandparents for the first time and who has the name “Ulysses” as his middle name (my father is also named Ulysses… I’m a “Jr.”). My mom cooked meals for us that I haven’t tasted in years. Mmm-mmm-MMMM!!! And we stayed up late talking about what they’d been through together, and how they were able to help their community post-Katrina. And sometimes, as families do, we all just talked about nothing at all. It was awesome. I appreciated every minute of it.

Here’s something else that struck me: My parents in many respects are the same two people today that they were when the top image in this blog was taken. The same two kids. Maybe that ought to be so obvious. But as a photographer today, I can now see the young kids inside of them that I never really knew when I was a kid myself living under their roof. That’s family. That’s love. And that’s what it meant to me to go home. I have so much to be thankful for, when it comes to my parents and family.

Jenni and I have a lot to be thankful for as wedding photographers. We know that what we do for others will only grow in value over time.

Marie & Sal’s Wedding

Published by Ulysses on September 12, 2006 in Weddings. 0 Comments

Anticipation for Marie & Sal’s wedding was running very high on this beautiful day. After double-checking with his best man, Sam, to make sure they had the wedding rings, we went outside to check on the arrangements for the outdoor ceremony and to take a few pictures of the handsome groom. Meanwhile, Marie had arrived in the limo with her father and her bridesmaids. Her father had designed and created her wedding gown, and Marie looked positively radiant.

Following a beautiful ceremony filled with a range of joyful emotions, the reception started off with Marie and Sal delighting their guests with a waltz as their first dance. What a beautiful job they did, too! They were amazing on the floor together. We could tell that everyone had a wonderful time, especially Marie and Sal. Their intense love for one another showed every time they looked at one another. We were so glad to be a part of their day. (Marie & Sal, thanks so much for the delicious meal!)

Here is a preview of some of their wedding photos. Simply click the PLAY button to begin:



Upon their return from the honeymoon, Marie and Sal’s complete gallery of wedding photos will be available in the Client Proofs section of our main website. Enjoy! And feel free to leave comments here about your favorite pictures or your thoughts on their day. :-)

Maureen & Andy’s Wedding

Published by Ulysses on September 5, 2006 in Weddings. 1 Comment

We were positively blown away by so many aspects of Maureen and Andy’s wedding. They could not have asked for a more breathtaking view than that offered at the Onteora Mountain House. Never a couple to completely give in to tradition, Maureen and Andy chose to spend some time together before their outdoor ceremony. It was such a welcome time for them to catch their breath before the arrival of all their friends, and for us to produce unforgettable photos. We also got to steal away with them for an even more romantic sunset interlude during the reception, while they enjoyed holding one another close as they took in the scenic vistas of the NY Catskills.

Maureen’s flowers were provided by Sara Gast Floral Designs, whose arrangements were both lovely and colorful. The music of Dave Leonard of JTD Productions Inc kept everyone on the dance floor with classics, as well as new favorites.

Maureen and Andy, we could not have asked for a better time with you. Everything worked out so beautifully. Thank you for your generosity, not only in giving us the time to create beautiful pictures for you, but also for the care you gave us during the rest of the day (thank you for the excellent meal… it was a perfect annniversary celebration for Jenni and myself!) We just love you guys and your families. We felt like friends and honored guests. We can’t wait to show you your incredible photos. You were both so great!

For now, here is a brief slideshow preview of a few pictures we captured through the day. Just click on the PLAY button to begin.



The rest of the gallery will be available very soon in the Client Proofs area of our main website. We’d love to hear from you, so please leave a comment here by clicking on the “Comment” button below!

Jesyca & Bill’s Wedding

Published by Ulysses on September 2, 2006 in Weddings. 2 Comments

Jesyca and Bill have such a good time together that we knew their wedding day would easily live up to everyone’s expectations! We were greeted by Jesyca with warm hugs, and her excitement was infectious. After she and her bridesmaids got dressed, we went out for some photos. Moments later, two sensational 1959 Cadillacs rolled up to the house to take Jesyca and her girls to Bill’s father’s home for the outdoor ceremony. It was a friendly and very laid-back affair, where everyone had nothing but the most enjoyable time in honor of this beautiful couple.

After the ceremony, we were happy to spend some precious private time with Jesyca and Bill, along with the Caddies, for some fun and romantic portrait work. Jesyca looked *amazing* in her tea-length wedding gown, and Bill was a fantastic leading man for our celebrity session. Click either of the images to see larger versions. We can’t wait to show Jesyca and Bill the rest of the photos.


Catering was provided by Woodstock Moveable Feast (thank you, Jesyca & Bill for a very tasty meal!).

The complete gallery will be made available very soon. Keep your eye on our main website in the “Client Proofs” area, where you’ll see their wedding gallery listed. And please, leave a comment here on the blog for Jesyca & Bill. We want this to be an interactive experience for everyone who attended.