Autumn is one of the most popular seasons for future brides to enjoy a lot of shopping for their wedding extravaganza! Once again, Westchester Magazine accommodated by hosting their annual Unveiled Bridal Event at the CV Rich Mansion, a grand Victorian estate with strolling gardens, elegant sun rooms, and a majestic ballroom. Even the thunderstorms couldn’t prevent enthusiastic brides from coming to see some of the area’s top wedding vendors so they could discuss their mutual vision of how to create the most enjoyable wedding experience possible. It was a joy to be the magazine’s photographers for the evening, capturing the models on the runway, sample the food and drinks, experience the buzz and energy of the evening, talk with brides and their moms, and to see lots of familiar faces once more.

Each year brides come from all over to attend Westchester Magazine’s “Unveiled” bridal event. This exclusive event is a fashion extravaganza where brides have opportunity to talk firsthand store owners and designers about choices in gowns, hair & makeup, jewelry, etc. This energetic event was held at the CV Rich Mansion in White Plains, NY. Some of the area’s top service providers were there to talk about photography (including our studio), music and entertainment, limo services, cakes and confectioneries, body care, and many other services that might interest a bride planning the perfect wedding. There were beautiful models to show off the latest in fashions for brides, as well as grooms.

Not only were we very glad to be represented there with our own booth (a big shout goes out to our friends Annie & Jason, a fantastic couple whose wedding we photographed two years ago, for manning our booth), but we got to photograph the fashion show and the excited brides as they enjoyed talking, sampling, and simply oooh’ing and ahhh’ing at everything. Westchester Magazine always throws a great event. And it was great meeting so many happy brides as well as vendors.

When Neiman Marcus of White Plains throws an event for their clients featuring items that aren’t normally seen on even their own high-end list for fashion and design, then you know the event is going to be special. Invited guests were treated to an evening of wine and fine dining. The unique look and flair of the event was complimented by the excellent staff of Cosmopolitan Management, who made sure everyone’s needs were cared for.  Once the guests took their places at the tables, lovely models – each conversant in her own wardrobe and accessories – showed off exclusive lines of luxurious furs, jewelry, dresses and shoes. It was truly evening to remember!

nm_cartier047 nm_cartier005 nm_cartier054 nm_cartier057

Neiman Marcus in White Plains, NY held a fabulous Cartier trunk show this week, and we were privileged to attend and photograph the event. Artfully presented hors d’oeuvres and martinis added to the smiles on the faces of the invited guests, who were delighted to come see and even try on signature jeweled accessories and watches.

The lights were up, and the runway was set for this exclusive show featuring Cartier jewels, as well as the incredibly gorgeous fashions from the Neiman Marcus store. We had a blast photographing the event and the lovely models, as well as getting to see some of our hardworking friends at Neiman Marcus. They really know how to put on a special event!

Westchester Magazine’s “Unveiled” bridal event for 2008 was a big hit for both brides and wedding vendors in the area as they met for an afternoon of fashion, fun, food, and festivity. Brides flooded into the doors of the CV Rich Mansion to sample cakes and food items, critique bridal gowns, sign up for gift registries, and to peruse through our photo albums, while stunning models lit up the runway to show off the latest in gowns for brides, bridesmaids, and mothers. The energy in the air was palpable. We met a number of excited brides and parents, whom we hope to hear from again very soon.

We were happy to visit with so many prestigious professionals, several of whom are personal friends as well as appreciated peers and colleagues:

• Debra Thompson – wedding & event planner
• Bloomingdales in White Plains, NY
• Perrone Brothers Entertainment – a fantastic band
  
• Caperberry Events – catering
  
• NY Prostyle – gorgeous hair and makeup design
• Diana Gould – amazing flowers and decor

Since we were busy photographing the event for Westchester Magazine, one of our most awesome couples, Annie & Jason (you’ll certainly recognize them from our AnnieCam posts) took care of our display table for us, lending their winning and extremely friendly personalities to the effort to tell brides about Ulysses Photography. We couldn’t have asked for more perfect surrugates to talk excitedly about what we do. THANK YOU, Annie & Jason!!!

You’ll be able to visit westchestermagazine.com to see many more photos, and our own gallery will follow shortly afterward. For now, here are a few scenes from a fantastic day at the “Unveiled” event.

Each year, Westchester Magazine hosts a fabulous and exclusive bridal & fashion event intended to raise the bar on excitement and education for all things wedding related. For their 2008 event, Ulysses Photography is not only one of the event sponsors, but we’ll also be there to photograph the show for the magazine.  So come out and join us!

As a bonus, all brides receive a complimentary one-year subscription to Westchester Weddings magazine.

For instructions and directions on how to attend, kindly reply online to westchestermagazine.com.  Click on “Bridal Registry” to sign up.  We hope to see you there!

Download the Unveiled invitation in PDF format.

(Click image for a larger version.)

When Canon USA offered me the opportunity to test some of their top-of-the-line camera gear, I was pumped to have the chance. We had a few exciting sessions coming up, which I knew would help put the camera and lenses through their paces with the way I like to shoot. But we also wanted to work into our schedule something unique and fun. After describing what we had in mind to Erica, the owner of Be Unique Boutique, we arranged to go to her shop for a bridal fashion session.

We needed a team that was completely on board with what we had in mind for the day, so we couldn’t have been more excited than to have Kimberly & Eric join us as models for the afternoon. Makeup and hair designs were by Mari Fandl (phone 845-591-8645), who we also absolutely LOVE and can’t say enough good things about. We were each ready to go!

Although it was a busy day for her shop, Erica helped us find a gorgeous gown to work with, and then we began our session.

It was a day for walking and window shopping, and Kimberly had brought a change of clothing and shoes. So once we left the shop, we decided to enjoy the afternoon with a walk down Main Street ourselves, taking advantage of this gorgeous day for shooting an incredible couple.

There are lots more photos from this fantastic session. You’ll find them in the “Client Proofs” section of our main website. Have a look, and please leave us a note here! We love hearing from you.

• Kimberly & Eric’s Engagement Session
• Photo of the Week, with Kimberly & Eric

One of Jenni’s most important tips to brides is: “Makeup is your friend – don’t be afraid of it!” As photographers, we know this is such a true statement. We know how beautiful you are, but a great makeup artist will help enhance that beauty even more so and help you look amazing in your pictures.

So when Marisa Verdi of Flawless Image Makeup offered to do makeovers for Jenni and our good friend Vivian, they were excited to see what she could do. She gave them a softer daytime look, as well as more dramatic looks for evenings or going out (or a special photography shoot!). It seemed to me that the options were endless! Marisa is extremely talented and did an incredible job – her art background really shined through. She is also a veritable encyclopedia for MAC makeup, and sent Jenni home with a long shopping list.

But it wasn’t all work and no play! After their makeovers, I had a chance to photograph three of the most beautiful women you’d ever want to see – that’s right, Marisa had a chance to style for us, too! I think they absolutely rocked it.

IMPORTANT TIP: Since makeup will often look much lighter in your photos, don’t be afraid to go much darker than you normally would for everyday. Notice how dark Jenni’s makeup looks up close when being applied, yet look how amazing it looks in the other pictures.

So, there’s your proof ladies. A great makeup artist is going to work well with your photographer for stunning results in your photos. Makeup really is your friend.

You can reach Marisa Verdi by calling 845.629.2398. Or become a fan of Marisa and Flawless Image Makeup on Facebook.

As photographers, we love visiting this sort of risk in bridal couture. If you’re looking for something similarly daring, let us know about it! We want to talk to you about your amazing photographic opportunities.

Portrait work is yet another facet of photography that gives us great joy. A good portrait has the power to say a lot about you, to project a statement about yourself and your image. So we were pleased and honored when Stacey Karesh, the Manager of Public Relations for Neiman Marcus Westchester, contacted us to request portraits for herself and for Beth Sharkey, the Vice President and General Manager. As both of them were beautiful, confident and accomplished women, they were winning subjects for our camera, and we genuinely enjoyed their photo sessions.

As many of our brides know, Neiman Marcus Westchester is a leader in the region when it comes to keeping the community up-to-date on contemporary fashion trends. With a broad selection of luxury merchandise and superior customer service to match, you won’t lack for anything when visiting this beautiful store. We look forward to working with them again in the future.

P.S. – A kind note of thanks to Lina, Stacey’s assistant, whose help with hot tea and water saved Jenni’s throat during her bout of laryngitis.

For everyone who has been eagerly awaiting the photos from the Hair Affair at the Ritz-Carlton Westchester, we have exciting news … we got the okay from Westchester Magazine, and the entire gallery is now online! To see the photos, go to our main website, and click on “Client Proofs.” We know you’re going to enjoy seeing all the smiling faces, and all the gorgeous models on the runway.

Jenni and I were invited by Westchester Magazine to photograph a fashion show at the brand new Ritz-Carlton, Westchester, in White Plains, NY. What a fabulous venue! With the emphasis on the latest in fashion and hair styling, there was an electric buzz in the air at this sold-out show as the 400+ attendees enjoyed the conversation, music, and hors d’oevres, and were even treated to a belly dancer’s performance.

Then it was time for the runway fashion show. It began with some of the upcoming season’s designs that will be seen at Neiman Marcus, and the show continued with some of the latest in hair and makeup by some of Westchester’s best salons. Since we had the chance to photograph several of these salon teams in the recent past, it was exciting to see them again before the show, and to see their models strutting their stuff on the runway.

A huge thanks goes out to Aimee and Meke and to Westchester Magazine. It was amazing to see how they and their team pulled this gala event together. We met some wonderful people, and Jenni and I were thrilled to have been invited.

If you attend, be sure to look for Ulysses and I – we’ll be photographing the entire event for Westchester Magazine. We can’t wait to see you!

VIP tickets are available by calling 914.345.0601 x149, or you can email pr@westchestermagazine.com.

During our recent trip to Paris – the fashion capital of the world – we were very interested to see how fashion impacts weddings, and we weren’t disappointed. As we walked the narrow streets and passed the boutique windows, we saw a lot that excited us: Fabrics, textures, laces, feathers, frills, nets, meshes… the possibilities were amazing and endless. We can’t wait to see if some of these ideas make it over to the gowns here in the States!

One of the most interesting trends lately is the inclusion of color as a design element in the bridal gown. Sometimes you’ll see color in the sash or trim. And in a bold move, some brides are actually foregoing the traditional white gown in favor of something even more eye-catching — entire gowns of soft pink, champagne, or chocolate, and even deeper colors like teal, purple, scarlet, indigo, black, etc. Amazing!! And we whole-heartedly applaud the idea!

Why are some of these trends happening? It’s simple: More and more brides are looking for ways to show their own individuality and their personalities even on a day that is usually based heavily on tradition. Some brides comment that they never want to forget the fun and beauty of their day, and they want their gown to be equally unforgettable. Others comment that they want to see less fluff and more fashion in their photos.

Top designers such as Vera Wang and others are leading the way in response to brides’ wishes for gowns that are not only beautiful, but also daring, trendy, and stunningly fashionable. Check out these fun-to-read articles and see if these choices appeal to you (cover your mother’s eyes if she’s afraid of gowns with color)

• Weddings: White – So Worn Out
• And the Bride Wore – Anything But White

So whatever your taste in gowns and/or colors, have a great time choosing your gown! And if your gown is one that you want to seriously show off in your photos, send us an email about it. Tell us WHY you love it (don’t worry, we’ll leave the surprise for the groom). We’re going to have a BLAST photographing you, your wedding, your bridal session, and your killer gown!

We want to hear from you. Let us know what you think about your gown, gowns in general, and fashion. Click the “Comments” link below to drop us a note.