New York Wedding Photographer – Ulysses Photography Blog » artistic. unobtrusive. fashionable. fun.

When we arrived at the Saratoga Hotel, we found Michelle, her friends and her mother opening gifts and a card from Rob. The excitement and emotion in the room was just wonderful to be a part of. There were tears of happiness and joy in Michelle’s room, while the guys were enjoying their own close-knit brand of fun and humor in Rob’s room.

Michelle and Rob saw one another for the first time that day during a private session that was designed to allow them to simply enjoy one another’s company, to hold one another closely, and to spend some intimate time together without anything else interfering. The pictures that came from that session were very moving, and we know they’ll enjoy seeing them, along with all their other wedding pictures. Here is a preview to share with all of you, just a teaser for what is to come (click image to see a larger version):

We always enjoy revisiting beautiful venues that we’ve shot before, and the fabulous Hall of Springs in Saratoga Springs is absolutely one of the more enjoyable for us. This venue had special meaning for Michelle and Rob because this is where they got engaged. Not only is there the grandeur of the hall itself, with its massive columns, but the catering provided by Glen Sanders Mansion along with their friendly staff is first-rate (thank you, Michelle and Rob, for the delicious meal provided.) Music entertainment by DJ Mike Garrasi of Music Man Entertainment kept their fun-loving friends on the floor. It was a great party!

Michelle and Rob’s wedding gallery will be available very soon, so continue checking our main website in the Client Proofs area. Michelle and Rob, thank you for choosing us. We had an incredible time with you!

With our summer heat wave seeming to be behind us, we were welcomed today with a perfect day for shooting the variety of pictures that we enjoy so much. Sarah and Greg greated us with hugs, and we caught up on how their wedding plans were going. With Sarah dressed in a cute and colorful dress, and Greg in comfortable shirt and shorts, they were both ready for a completely new experience for them – modeling for their pro photographers! And they did an awesome job.

We had a great time with this warm and fun-loving couple. The time really flew by for us. We were so thankful for their trust they showed in us, and this quality is going to make hanging out with them on their wedding day that much more enjoyable.

Their online gallery will be available very soon at our main website in the Client Proofs area. (Click the pictures above to see larger versions)

When Sal found our studio during an Internet search, he couldn’t wait for Marie to get home so that he could tell her about us. I can’t tell you how glad we are that they chose us for their wedding photography, because Marie and Sal are an energetic, vivacious couple who have a love for life and for one another. Even with a busy schedule, they decided to take a day off from work and drove a couple of hours so that we could get together for their engagement session. The time we spent with them was incredibly rewarding.

We got to see just how much fun they have when they’re together. Not only are they a very romantic couple, but they also have a mutual passion for physical fitness. They even demonstrated their awesome technique for us when we joked, “okay, get down and give us some push-ups!” To our surprise, down they went, counting off a few while even having teasing fun with one another. Too much fun! We thoroughly enjoyed ourselves. Marie and Sal are obviously made for one another, and we can’t wait to have another photo session with them on their wedding day.

Marie & Sal’s e-session gallery will be available very soon in the “Client Proof” area of our main website. Keep your eyes open for it. We know you’re going to enjoy it.

(Click on either image for a larger version.)

We’ve actually known Jaime for many years. We first got to meet her at my brother’s wedding, and we knew then that she was someone special. Years later, when we found ourselves excitedly talking about our photography, little did we know that she was already seeing someone and would soon be engaged. We could hardly wait to join them when she and Brett commissioned us as their wedding photographers! (click picture for larger version)

The night before the wedding, the forecast called for 80% chance of T-storms; by morning, that estimate had dropped to only 30%. And the actual day of the wedding, there was hardly a drop of real rain. With the bad weather all but behind them, they were really very easy-going and care-free about the day.

Jaime and her girls were having a great time during their prep. Then we followed Jaime’s limo to the park where she would see Brett for the first time that day. We walked toward a lookout point over the Atlantic Ocean and captured some beautiful pictures. The ceremony was attended by all their family and closest friends, many of whom were wearing tears of joy for this special couple. The reception was lively, with plenty of tunes to get everyone onto the floor regardless of their favorite musical era. We especially enjoyed hearing from their friends little tidbits about how Jaime & Brett had gotten together and developed as a couple. Little things like this made shooting their wedding that much more precious to us. Thank you, Jaime & Brett, for allowing us to share in your day. We can’t wait until you get back so we can show your pictures.

Their online gallery will be made available around the time of their return from the honeymoon. Keep your eyes on the Client Proofs area of our main website! While you wait, feel free to post your thoughts and well wishes for Jaime & Brett by clicking on the “Comment” link below this blog entry.

UPDATE: By the way, if you haven’t seen some of their engagement pictures from earlier this year, you’ll probably enjoy clicking this link to watch a brief slideshow (PC only, sorry not for Macs).

We first had the pleasure of meeting Meghan and Lou after Meghan’s brother attended another one of our weddings early last year. We knew immediately that we would enjoy working with this fun and warm couple. Since they’re both in school in Boston, we got together for a wonderful beach engagement session in MA last summer, and finally their wedding day came along last Saturday.

Surrounded by their large families and lots of friends, they had a beautiful wedding ceremony, where we all got to hear the moving story of how they first met. These two are such romantics!! Afterward, we headed to another location for some relaxed formals. Their large wedding party was so much fun, and we were able to create some great pictures with them. By the time we were done, they all felt like celebrities. We were then able to spend some private time with Meghan and Lou for some creative portraits, like the one you see here (click to enlarge).

At their reception in Park Ridge, NJ, everyone enjoyed the music by the JK Band and danced the night away. Meg and Lou, thank you so much for a great day and evening!! If you would like to see some more pictures from their day, check out our slideshow preview here. The rest of the proofs will be available on our main site, in the Client Proofs area, once Meghan and Lou return from their honeymoon. Click the “comment” link below this blog entry to tell Meghan and Lou about how much you enjoyed their day or to comment on their pictures! 🙂

When we arrived at the beautiful home of Marianne’s sister, set in the middle of a scenic spread of land, we knew the wedding day was going to be amazing. We found Brian hard at work helping set up for the big event… chairs for guests, flowers in the pool for decor, and other little details. Marianne was upstairs in the house, very relaxed and extremely happy that the bad weather had pulled away the night before.

When she finished applying her own makeup and got dressed with the assistance of her mother, sister and close friends, we were simply blown away by how beautiful she looked in her gown and shoes, both by Vera Wang. She was stunning, and we were able to take a few moments to get some portraits by the light of the large windows in the room. Her father came in to see her for the first time, and there wasn’t a dry eye in the room as all watched his reaction of joyful tears when he saw his little girl, now a lovely bride.

The brief ceremony was attended by approximately 100 of their closest friends. Immediately afterwards, they gathered poolside for cocktails while Marianne and Brian dedicated some time for us to spend with them alone for some romantic and fun portraits out on the lawn. They were both in a playful mood — and who wouldn’t be!? It was such a fantastic and easy-going day. Once we were done shooting, it was wonderful to see the warm hugs and laughter as Marianne and Brian joined their friends.

Dinner was served underneath a very comfortable tented space and was catered by the excellent services of The Fridge at Pound Ridge. With a warm and personable staff, they took care of the needs of everyone, including Jenni and myself. The food and incredible and couldn’t have been more enjoyable (thank you, Marianne & Brian, for the meal and for making us feel so at home on this lovely day. We just love you guys!). The jazzy music was provided by the clubby style of Andy Schneider and two of his associates. I particularly enjoyed their freestyle jam sessions. With the such a relaxed and worry-free day, Marianne and Brian could enjoy a wedding that was absolutely perfect.

Their online gallery of photos will be ready for viewing when they return from the honeymoon. Until then, enjoy the photo above (click it to see a larger version). If you are on a PC, you can also click this link to take a look at their slideshow preview. Feel free to leave your thoughts on the day or the pictures by clicking the “Comment” link at the bottom of this blog entry.

Carol called us a few months ago with a most intriguing request: She and Byron would be traveling to their homeland of Hong Kong for a reception with family and friends, but they wanted to take wedding portraits here in New York so that they’d have wonderful pictures to bring with them to Hong Kong. We were incredibly excited, and here’s why: Imagine the thrill of dressing up for a wedding complete with gorgeous gown, beautiful hair, lovely makeup, knock-out jewelry, killer shoes, and a sharp tuxedo — all so you can spend a few hours with Ulysses & Jenni for a fun-filled session resulting in awesome portraits. We literally could not wait for the big day to arrive.

Carol and Byron were every bit as adorable as we knew they would be. To show how important this session was to them, they not only brought along complete wedding attire for the session, but they also each brought a more casual but fashionable change of clothing for a more laid-back look. That’s right. Session “A”, and session “B”. They also employed a driving service to bring them from Manhattan to a cozy little town of our choosing, where we could take advantage of breathtaking views of the Hudson River and walk the streets lined with shops and tourists.

Carol was without a doubt a most beautiful bride, and Byron was the perfect gentleman and compliment to her. As people would pass by, they would take second and third glances at the joyous couple, and they would often give their “congratulations” while continuing to watch the photo session in progress. Whether it was dogs and their owners passing by, the ice cream lady watching from her cart, shop owners looking outside their doors, or other couples passing by, everyone who saw them was very happy for this special pair. Carol and Byron had no problem being themselves even when surrounded by onlookers, and in fact enjoyed every single minute of their celebrity status. So did we!

For the “B” portion of our photo session, we took a short trip to a park with incredible views of the Hudson and surrounding valley. A small beach gave us opportunity to enjoy the setting sun while Carol and Byron cooled their feet in the water that lapped up onto the sand.

I don’t think any of us wanted the session to end. Even though they extended their time with us, we were each surprised by how quickly it all went. Carol & Byron, we are so glad you found us! You are beautiful people, and we can’t wait for you to see your gallery of photos. We just love you guys, and we’re going to miss photographing you. 🙂

Check back at our main website, where you’ll soon find their complete gallery of images. Feel free to leave your thoughts on this blog by clicking the “Comment” link at the bottom of this blog entry.