Nicole + Mike have always been two of our biggest fans. And now we’re two of the biggest fans of their trio of gorgeous children! When you have a set of two-year-old twins along with an infant for an autumn beach outing, you know you’re in for a real treat! These photos have great importance to Nicole + Mike, and in their own words, here’s why:

Once our third child was born, Mike and I knew that we wanted to capture this very special time in our lives when all three of our children were still babies. We wanted to be sure that the portraits would capture the true feeling of our family and each of individual children’s little personalities. We knew from our wedding photos that Ulysses and Jenni would be a perfect match! We needed a studio that would be as concerned about the comfort of our children and the success of the session as we were. We also knew that we wanted art, not cute photos. We wanted this time in our family to be a permanent memory on our walls so that as our children grow we can always remember where we began. When we received the photos we were thrilled! They went directly from the box to the walls, where they will stay for years to come, just as planned!

We loved seeing this amazing twosome (now a fivesome… or a cinquesome?) again.

More with Nicole + Mike.

As soon as we met Amanda + Tony, we knew their photos would excite us and give us plenty of reasons to cheer. The cheering is still ongoing because now the the lovely blog, Sparkle & Hay, is taken by their charm and the whimsy of a session in a rowboat not even in the water. We couldn’t have wanted more from this beautiful couple. Check out the article now, and please leave a comment for them!

More with Amanda + Tony.

Although it was our first time meeting them face to face, it felt as if we’d known Amanda + William for quite some time. Meeting at the beach gave us a chance to watch a glorious sunset, followed by an equally majestic view of a thunderstorm headed out to sea. As we lazily walked along the shore, we were able to produce some beautiful images for them. A perfect evening. We can’t wait to photograph their winter wedding at Fox Hollow!

More with Amanda + Will.

When Stacey was little, she seems to remember thinking to herself: “Someday I’ll need an amusement park.” It was like Alen came in on a white merry-go-round horse and built a park just for her! He’s been working in construction on Coney Island and Luna Park, so it was the perfect place to go with this chic couple from Brooklyn. Since we had the entire place to ourselves, sometimes they could simply be kids again and reveal their whimsical sense of humor, and other times we saw their warm romantic side. Either way, it was their simple enjoyment of being together that made this session such a joy to photograph. We had a beautiful evening with them and can’t wait for their wedding at The Eagle’s Nest.

If you’re looking for the perfect combination of luxury and style for your wedding or romantic getaway, you need look no further than the brand new B Ocean Fort Lauderdale. This remarkable hotel offers premium beachfront views of the Atlantic Ocean and sandy coastline from each of its rooms. The Penthouse floor is where you’ll find the Infinity Ballroom, a contemporary reception space with floor-to-ceiling windows providing a spectacular panoramic look at Fort Lauderdale’s shore and waterfront properties. For those as infatuated with the Florida beaches and sunshine as we are, you’ll certainly love being pampered, wined & dined, and refreshed at the fabulous B Ocean. If your wedding is being hosted there, or if you’d like to experience one of our Lifestyle photo sessions on the beaches of Ft. Lauderdale, be sure to contact us!

Ulysses and I will be making a visit to beautiful Vero Beach, Florida in November. It’s the perfect location for portraits, so we’d love to see you while we’re there! We’re available for maternity, baby and family portraits. Also, for those married couples who would like to have a fun fashion session back in their wedding clothes, be sure to contact us – we have TONS of great ideas.

We’ll be taking a limited number of sessions, so please contact us ASAP for more information and an appointment!

For all you brides who are having trouble convincing your moms to allow you to be adventurous with your dress, and all of you who are nervous about getting that gorgeous gown wet, dirty, or otherwise contaminated… Lauren’s mom (Lauren is our famous tubing bride) left this comment for us on TrashTheDress.com:

To Jenni, Ulysses, and everyone else: I took Lauren’s gown to the dry cleaners (it smelled a little fishy) and when it was completely dry they cleaned it and it came out fine!!! So….my advice to all you brides is HAVE A GREAT TIME, ENJOY LIFE AND HAVE FUN!!
Lauren’s mom,
LIZ

A new website called Trash The Dress (the name alone cracks us up!) regularly hosts images from photographers around the globe who are producing some awesome images for their couples. Many of these photographers are our friends and colleagues. So you can imagine our excitement at having our images shown there, as well. Check out the story and enjoy the looks on the couples’ faces! It’s about more than simply having fun trashing the dress; you can end up with some of the most beautiful and heart-stopping images of your entire album. Some couples make a second album with this unbelievable session.

We’re so happy to have several upcoming wedding and engagement sessions like this. If you (or anyone you know) enjoy this concept for your own wedding or bridal photos — or even a photo session some weeks after the wedding — contact us ASAP, and we’d be happy to explore more ideas with you. We’ve got a ton of them!

Here are some images from one of our past “Morning After” sessions with Nicole & Mike. Click any of the thumbnails below to see larger versions. Enjoy!

The image above comes from the day’s end of an amazing couple’s wedding, which received a write-up in the WPPI Newsletter back in November 2006. It may not be your “traditional” wedding photograph, and that’s probably one reason Lauren & Justin chose it as one of their dynamic favorites for their wedding album! All will be made clear once you’ve read the story and seen the rest of their images:

WPPI Newsletter Article, November 2006: Ocean Bride

Their story is a perfect example of the sort of beauty we LOVE to create when we have complete freedom and time to experiment. The results are SO worth it when our couples want to take some gentle risks (photographically) along with us.

From our first moments on Lauren & Justin’s wedding day, it kept getting better and better. We arrived at Giorgio’s Restaurant, one of the catering facilities of Long Island’s beautiful North Shore. Justin arrived with his entourage of energetic groomsmen, and they quickly got ready for what promised to be an exciting day. The couple wanted to spend time together first seeing one another before the ceremony and to take some romantic pictures in a private photo session. So, after spending some fun time with Lauren and her bridesmaids, we escorted her out to meet Justin. It was just as beautiful as we knew it would be.

After they were pronounced as man and wife, Lauren & Justin strutted back down the aisle, completely pleased with themselves and Lauren repeating to Justin, “We’re married!”

The highlight of the day for us personally was when we were able to secretly steal away with Lauren & Justin for a very special set of photos that they had been planning for almost a year. Lauren had one of the most beautiful gowns we’ve seen this year (and as is the growing trend, it was NOT WHITE — we were so excited for her and will be blogging more about non-white gowns in a later blog entry!!). And she wanted to to go out into the Long Island Sound for some really romantic and really WET portraits with her groom. A little crowd gathered around us as we started shooting. It was awesome! They couldn’t believe their eyes as they saw Lauren & Justin going out into the water, lying on the shore, and simply having a blast with it all.

As we started to walk back towards the car, a man with a Waverunner and tubes asked if they wanted to get on the tubes. We thought they were going to simply pose for a final shot or two, but when he asked if they wanted to go OUT, they said “yes”. And away they went!!! UNBELIEVABLE! What a fantastic way to end the day!! Tubing together into the sunset!!

Lauren & Justin, thank you so much for the way you’ve trusted your “crazy photographers” from Day One. The day exceeded even our own expectations. And we’re so proud of the way you guys were able to accomplish everything that you’d planned with your day. Thank you for your kindness and the tasty meal. We had a wonderful time with your family and friends.

Their online gallery will be made available upon their return from the honeymoon. Stay tuned to our main website in the “Boutique” area. Enjoy the pictures above by clicking on them to see larger versions. And feel free to add your own comments to this blog by clicking the “Comments” link immediately below.

Jenni and I enjoyed a beautiful wedding day in Brooklyn. We found Mary Ann at the Akwaaba Mansion, a lovely bed & breakfast, where she was getting the final touches of her makeup applied. The warmth of the room and the friendliness of her bridesmaids set the perfect tone for photography of her preparations. She was absolutely breathtaking in her elegant gown and shoes, both by Vera Wang. Her flowers were designed and arranged by Benjeil’s sister and added a beautiful splash of color that complemented the colors of the wedding. (Click the picture to the left to see a larger version).

When they told us they were having their wedding on the beach, we knew that we absolutely needed to be Nicole and Mike’s photographers. Everyone was excited about this one. They were married at the Ocean Place Resort & Spa, on the Jersey Shore. One small problem, though — it stormed on their wedding day! But their spirits simply would not be taken down by this rainy turn of events. Everything, including beach decor, was brought indoors, and their family and friends were all just as happy as they would have been on a sunny day. The music was provided by the excellent services of Master Disc Jockey Entertainment, who alternated recorded cuts of music with the live vocals of Kate Bradshaw. After cooling their dancing feet outside on the moist sands of the beach, Nicole and Mike lit some sparklers, watched them go out, and then called it a night.

But it wasn’t over. The next morning we joined them on the sunlit beach under an incredibly blue sky for a “Morning After” session of photography (please email us if you want to know more about this type of session). They each wore their wedding attire again, and we all went for a stroll down the shore. The rising temperatures meant we needed to cool down, so what better way to do that than to invite them to jump into the ocean! Our awesome day of photography ended with each of us — cameras and all — in the Atlantic Ocean! What a fantastic way to say ‘good morning’ after your wedding day. Many thanks to Nicki and Mike for allowing us to share two incredible days with them and for getting completely soaked with us!

More with Nicole + Mike.