I thought this was pretty cool so I decided to share it with everyone.

 

{Rochelle Park,NJ} – January 23, 2012 – WeddingWire, the nation's leading wedding Marketplace, is excited to announce Patrick Sweeney Photography has been selected to receive the prestigious WeddingWire Bride’s Choice Awards™ 2012 for Photography! 

 

The esteemed annual awards program recognizes the top local wedding vendors from the WeddingWire Network who demonstrate excellence in quality, service, responsiveness and professionalism within the wedding industry. While many industry awards are selected by the organization, Patrick Sweeney Photography was selected based on its stellar reviews from past newlywed clients. 

 

Patrick Sweeney Photography is recognized as part of the top five percent of wedding professionals in the WeddingWire local vendor community, comprised of over 200,000 wedding professionals throughout the United States and Canada. The Bride’s Choice Award recognizes  the best local wedding vendors across 20 service categories, from wedding venues to wedding photographers, based on their overall professional achievements throughout the past year. 

 

“WeddingWire is thrilled to honor the success of the top-rated wedding professionals within the WeddingWire Community,” said Timothy Chi, CEO, WeddingWire. “Since the launch of the Bride’s Choice Awards™ program four years ago, thousands of outstanding wedding professionals have been recognized by the bridal community for their supreme service and dedication to the wedding industry. It is with great pleasure that we congratulate Patrick Sweeney Photography for their continued professionalism and commitment to enriching the wedding planning experience for engaged couples.”

 

We are happy to announce that Patrick Sweeney Photography is one of the very best Photographers within the WeddingWire Network, which includes leading wedding planning sites WeddingWire, Project Wedding, Brides.com, Martha Stewart Weddings, and Weddingbee. We would like to thank our past clients for taking the time to review our business on WeddingWire. Thanks to their positive feedback we were able  to receive the WeddingWire Bride’s Choice Awards™ for 2012. 

 

For more information, please visit our WeddingWire Storefront today at http://www.weddingwire.com/biz/patrick-sweeney-photography-rochelle-park/6d66047b76f01a6a.html. 

 

To learn more about the Bride's Choice Awards™, please visit www.WeddingWire.com. 

 

About WeddingWire, Inc.

WeddingWire™, the nation's leading marketplace serving the $70 billion wedding industry, is the only online wedding planning resource designed to empower both engaged couples and wedding professionals. For engaged couples, WeddingWire offers the ability to search, compare and book over 200,000 reviewed wedding vendors, from wedding venues to wedding photographers. WeddingWire also offers a comprehensive suite of online planning tools for weddings, including wedding websites and wedding checklists, all at no charge. For wedding professionals, WeddingWire is the only all-in-one marketing platform for businesses online and on-the-go. WeddingWire offers one simple solution to build a professional network, improve search visibility, manage social media and reach mobile consumers. Businesses that advertise with WeddingWire appear on WeddingWire.com, ProjectWedding.com and other leading sites, including MarthaStewartWeddings.com (NYSE: MSO), Brides.com and Weddingbee.com. 

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Thanks again to everyone that has every given us a review.

This is our badge that Wedding Wire sent us to show off with.

So than you again for all your wonderful reviews.

 

I want to thank all of my past couples that have taken their time to write a review about us online after their experience with us.  Because of you guys we were voted Brides Choice at www.weddingwire.com 

We are excited to announce Patrick Sweeney Photography has won the Bride's Choice Awards™ 2012. This prestigious award is determined by reviews from your past clients and recognizes the top 5 percent of local Wedding Professionals from the WeddingWire Network. 

How are the winners determined? 
The WeddingWire Bride's Choice Awards ™ recognizes the top local wedding professionals from the WeddingWire Network that demonstrate excellence in quality, service, responsiveness and professionalism. Unlike other awards in which winners are selected by the organization, the WeddingWire Bride’s Choice Awards™ are awarded solely based on the reviews from over 1.2 million newlyweds. Awards are determined by a combination of four factors: Overall rating (quality), total number of reviews (quantity), review performance from 2011 (recency), and consistency of reviews from year to year (consistency). This year's recipients represent the top 5% of WeddingWire's vendor community, across all service categories and all regions throughout the US and Canada. 

Thank you to all my couples again for your great reviews.  You can read our reviews right here at weddingwire.com

Here is the link

http://www.weddingwire.com/reviews/patrick-sweeney-photography-rochelle-park/6d66047b76f01a6a.html

So feel free to read them or even give us a review as well.

Thanks again to all my brides and grooms, you make it so enjoyable for me to do what I do.  

About a month before Amy and Chuck got married, I did their engagement session in their backyard, frontyard and pretty much around their house.  I have to say it was so much fun trying to find some spots to use for some engagement photos around someones house.  Finding the light was a bit tough because of all the trees and so many shadows but it worked out really well.  The only bad part about the day was that Amy was still sick and Chuck was just getting sick.  

The day off the wedding, all was well.  Everyone was feeling good and feeling fine and ready to have some fun.  Down at the Doubletree hotel in Tinton falls was where things were happening!  Remember just a few seconds ago I said it was interesting to find the right light around the house for some pictures.  I was wishing I was back there at this time.  The lighting couldn't of been in a worse spot as we started to take pictures.  There was only one place to take photos down there for the family and bridal party photos.  It worked out well though.  We made it happen.  

We set Amy and Chuck up for their first look just outside the ceremony room with their families and bridal party looking on in the background.  You could tell Chuck was a bit nervous but the minute he knew his bride to be was walking down the hall and ready to come up behind him and tap him on the shoulder.  It all went away.  He relaxed and the reaction was just priceless as he saw his future bride standing before him as his family and friends cheered on.

We moved the family and bridal party out back to do their photos and once they were done, I had some time for Amy and Chuck.  The light was moving a bit so I had more places to play with out back.  Not more places but different angles which was a bonus.  Once their photos were done, it was time to move inside and get these two married.  I had some good angles to move around and behind the couple as the ceremony was going on.  You never really get those shots unless it is an outdoor wedding.  This was indoors and I was able to get some good shots.  

Once the ceremony was over, it was time to move into their cocktail hour and reception.  Since all the photos were done because of the preshoot Amy and Chuck and their bridal party were able to enjoy their party without any problems.  

The night went on and I actually ran into a couple that I photographed their wedding in 2005.  That was pretty awesome to see a couple I haven't seen in years.  The night went smooth and before you knew it, it was over.  This wedding went just way to fast.  

Thanks to Amy and Chuck for letting me be part of their special day.  

I did the blog a bit different this time.  I posted and added photos in different spots.  Just to break it up a bit.

 

2011 has come and gone, but the memories will last a lifetime.  I have had many people tell me in the past year that they wanted to do a family photo.  Most had then set something up and had to cancel.  Most excuses are the following.  Something else came up and we couldn't make it, or we couldn't get everyone together.  They would just take it with their own camera because it's not worth the money.  I will stop right there and I hope nobody is offended by this post but I am going to just tell you the way it is.

Your excuses stink!  Something else came up?  What you had friends want to go out to dinner with you so you figured you would forget about a family portrait?  Ok fine that's an excuse and you are sticking to it.  You couldn't get everyone together?  What you don't get together at all during the year?  The entire family is NEVER together?  How about holidays?  You can't take an hour or two out of your busy time to get a photo taken?  You want to take it with your camera?  Why so it can stay on your computer and nobody will ever see it?  What will you do if your computer crashes and you lose everything?  Then what?  The memories are gone.  Never again can you get them back. You might say there will be other times.  Well that OTHER time may never come.  You are probably reading this and thinking, Wow he sounds upset or angry.  I am.  Today 4 years ago, my very own father passed away.  In 5 weeks it will be 4 years that my mom passed away.  That's right. They passed away 5 weeks apart.  4 years earlier at my parents 50th wedding anniversary, I brought a background and I brought studio lights and we took our family photo.  I look at it every day.  It's not on my computer, it's not on the back of my camera, it is on my wall.  Yes that so called paper photo is hanging on my wall where I can enjoy the memories of my family.   

Something for you to think about. You might be thinking I will take the photo myself and that is just perfect.  But will you get them printed?  Will you blow it up to a 16x20 or will you just get a 4x6 that will sit in a drawer somewhere?  It's your choice.  You might think it's to much, but think of it this way.  Different photographers charge different prices.  When all is said and done, you might spend anywhere from $120 to $500 for a 16x20 wall photo.  You might be saying, way to much.  Way to much for a memory?  Ok but if you are a woman, you can go get your hair done for $80. You figure you might as well get a mani/pedi too while you are there so tack on another $30.  On your way home go shopping for a bottle of wine that is about  $20,  That bottle you plan on taking to a friends house because you are going out to dinner with some friends that will probably cost you another  $80 and you will stop off in the grocery store and buy a few scratch off lottery tickets for $5.  Your gas to get your hair done, and then out for dinner and to your friends house and back home probably just cost you about $10 if not more.  Well while you were out getting all that done, your husband went to get the car washed because he was driving when you guys went out and wanted his new car to look clean.  $20    Who knows what your kids were doing in that hour or so.  Texting and using up minutes on their cell phone.  Buying the newest hottest video game for $50 and your daughter might of been getting her hair and nails done as well.

Now in that hour or so you could of had a family portrait done.  Look at all the money you just spent.  On what?  Your hair is going to look like crap in about 3 days, your nails will start being chipped.  You lost on the lottery ticket.  The bottle of wine was gone in minutes.  The car is dirty again, your son is tired of the newest video game a week later.  You have to refill the gas tank again.   Last but not least, the food is gone the minute you swallow it and go to the bathroom.  

You spent all that money on something you will never see again.  You could of had a portrait hanging on your wall for a lifetime.   Most people see it as just paper with an image on it.  Don't wait until you lose someone close to you to find out it's not just a piece of paper.  it is a memory.  One that can be shared by you, your family now and your family that you may never know.   

I hope I struck a nerve in the people that are reading this.  Most people think I have time, I can always do it.  My parents are young, my children are children.  Life doesn't work that way.  It's not fair to anyone.   It doesn't care how old or how young you are. Horrible things happen to good people.  One last thought before I end this post.

If you don't do it for yourself, do it for the others in your family.  Don't wait until it's to late.

 

 

 

Yes I am back to doing slideshows.  Things have been so busy and it's wonderful.  So now I am finally getting caught up on things and can go back to displaying some great slideshows

This is Jayne & Roger and their wedding was back in September.

 

Where to begin with this crazy couple?  If you have been following my blog you know from reading about this couple that they are way to much fun, always smiling and laughing and if you try to get a serious photo out of them, it really can take a very very long time.

Christina and Baggy (that's right I called him Baggy) are just a ball of laughs.  When people say," oh they are perfect together", they really really are.  

Now me and Christina's dad are from the same part of town so to speak.  He was a bit older but we were from the same town.  So we hit it off great from the day he came out here to the house to meet me.  Well since I got to their house before the bride and anyone was there.  We just hung out talking about the old days and this school and that person and what happened to this person.  It always makes things easier when you know people, even if you really never met.  Which we didn't until the first time they came out to see me.

Christina on her way back from getting her hair and makeup done, and some of her bridal party started showing up.  I found out that her one bridesmaid was in Disney the same time I was.  I mean exactly the same time I was.  We were at the Halloween party the same night.  It was kind of spooky.  Not the halloween party.

It was off to the church.  Away we go on this beautiful day.  St Francis in Ridgefield Park was the lucky location for this couple.  I really enjoy the outside of this church so much.  You will see why later.

Once the ceremony was over the love birds let some love birds go.  The Doves went flying around as the friends and family looking on let white balloons go as well.

Now remember just a few moments ago I said how much I like the church.  Well you will soon see why.

I can place the couple anywhere and get a pretty cool shot.

I just really like this church as a background or as a foreground for couples or indivduals or even groups.

I had to take advantage of the light that I had, I knew by the time we got to The Tides Estate that there wouldn't be any light.  Day light savings time took effect that day.  Or is it the other way around?  Well you get the idea, it's November.  We were losing light early.

It didn't matter.  We got some amazing photos in total darkness.  Again letting the couple be themselves and having their own moment as they check out their rings.  Sure enough I was able to focus fast enough and get the shot.

 

Then into the walkway with a little help from my friends the path lights and a video light, I was able to get some more cool photos.

I had my night shots, and now it was time to move inside and use the beautiful lobby of The Tides.  If you have never been there it really is impressive.  It is one of the best places to take photos inside.  Not every day is beautiful and enough light, but by being at The Tides, it really didn't matter.

Christina and Baggy could of taken their photos in a junk yard it would of been fun.  It really didn't matter the surroundings.  I said it before, I will say it again.  They are so much fun it didn't matter where we were.

They didn't have a huge bridal party that you are used to seeing with my posts.  It didn't matter.  Not only were Christina and Baggy fun, their bridal party was as well.

It was time to go inside and enjoy the wedding reception.  I could of photographed them for hours more.  I wouldn't torture them like that though.  The party kicked into high gear as Ralph from Premier Entertainment had everyone on the dance floor most of the night.  The only time people were not on the dance floor was when the dancefloor had entertainment going on itself.

NOW it's a party! 

Once the entertainment had left it was time for cutting of the cake and before you know it, it was time to say good night.  I want everyone to come back and check out this blog post again at a later time.  I have more photos to show you, it's not so much the bride and groom but the amazing details of the wedding day.  The florist did an amazing job on everything.  From the flowers to the box for the envelopes.  Stay tuned for more pictures of that.  for now you can check out her website. Flowers by Joan

Thanks to Christina and her family and Baggy and his family for letting me be part of their special day.  Thank you to Ralph from Premier Entertaiment for introducing me to this fun couple.  

Sometimes you never know what can fall into your lap. On Oct 12th I had a sister of one of my past brides come out and book me for her wedding for Oct 28th.  Uh THIS YEAR!!  Summer had planned her entire wedding in just a few short weeks.  You never would of known it the way everything was just perfect.  No little issues with anything.  She timed it so perfect that her sister Joy gave birth 4 days later.  That is how perfect it was.  It was so perfect that the next day the 29th it was a major snow storm!  Just look back at my last blog post of Jennifer & Brad.

The skies were blue and it really was just a beautiful day outside.  It was a bit cool but it was the end of October after all.  It's always great when you can take some photos outside in October and not have anyone freeze.

Summer doesn't look cold at all.  She is just like her name!  HOT!!  Summer get it? Don't make me explain it.

Once we set out for the chuch it was time for the kids to do their thing.  Little nieces and nephews and even their own child were a huge part of the bridal party.  

Ok so she wasn't that happy to be pushed down the aisle but the little man kept his cool and got her there.  He did his job just perfect.

The next shot is one of my favorites, Summer and Hector's son was the ring bearer and well he had some issues walking down alone, but he was with it.  He was watching everyone and he knew there were lots of eyes on him.  I mean how many times does a brides son and father get to walk the bride down the aisle?

He was looking right at me.  I guess he got used to me at the house and was saying to himself, oh the camera guy again.

Once the ceremony was over and the family photos finished at the church, it was time to go take some photos of the bridal party and the couple.  It was a bit wet from past rains but we still managed to find a great spot at Packanack Lake.  We have been there a few times this year. You can always go back and check out Ro and Anthony's blog post and see us there and see the difference between August and October and the colors.

The colors are just amazing and the reflection is just perfect.  You know me and my reflections.

I took this while waiting for all the bridal party to get there.  Poor Joy had to walk a bit for this one.  Remember she is giving birth just 4 days later.

The bridal party just popped with the rest of the colors on this bridge.

After a few bridal party shots, the ladies started to get a little chilly so I sent them packing back to the cars where it was warm.  I had some time and Summer and Hector were feeling fine so I did some shots of them on the way towards the car.

We worked our way back over the bridge and got full use out of it that is for sure.  Here you have the lake in the background with the yellow and orange colors behind them.  So big deal I almost fell in the lake.  

Some of my favorite shots are just catching a couple doing their own thing.  Hector made me look good on this one, by helping Summer with her dress walking over the bridge.  Such the gentlemen.  

It was time to move over to Victor's Chateau.  I have never been there before.  I forgot what it used to be called.  I walked in the place and took a look at the spiral staircase and was like oh I can have to much fun in this place.

I went traditional with the one shot and then I saw a mirror on the wall and was thinking how can I use this to my advantage.

It was just perfect what I say in the mirror.  I had a vision in my head and it was better on the back of the camera.

The night went on and like any other wedding, people danced, drank and ate. I didn't see anyone NOT having a good time.  From the very beginning Summer and Hector knew they had to move fast and get their wedding together fast.  They did it, and they didn't have any hiccups at all.  Even if they did, it was still there day.  It could of been the next day in the snow or things could of been forgotten or lost and it still wouldn't of mattered.  Their day was going to be and was.....perfect!

Snow?  Really Snow?  The first snow storm since the Civil War in October?  Well if anyone can handle it, Jennifer and Brad can.  You just read about their engagement session in Central Park on such a beautiful day.  Here we are a few weeks later in a snow storm.

It took almost 2 hours for us to get to the Brownstone which should take 20 minutes.  As usual there are a million things going on at the Brownstone on any given day.  They guys weren't there yet but Jennifer was getting ready in one of the bridal suites with Lauren doing her make up.  For you NJ housewive fans, Lauren is the daughter of Caroline who started her own business and as she told me will be opening hopefully the first week in December.  We used to have some fun laughs when she worked there.  OH the stories I could tell. I'll save it for the book hahaha.

Well as the guys were pulling up, I was doing my own thing with my video guy Pete up in the bridal suite with Jennifer and the girls.  It was a bit crowded up there but still so many things we could do while other things were going on.  This suite is on the 3rd floor which not many people know about.  So it has a bedroom and everything. It is a little appartment actually which works wonders in a time like this.  

One of my favorites of Jennifer of the day, hers as well and as I found out, her moms too.  Who knew we all liked the same photo.

While I was laying on the floor and getting up from this shot, my video guy Pete was helping me up.  I must be getting old.  Before I got to my feet I caught a glimpse of his angle and I was like wow, that is really cool.  So I went back to my knees and on the floor and got this!

Two for the price of one, how lucky is Brad?

The Brownstone is one of those places that if you want to have something there and they don't have the room, they will find the room.  They are amazing like that.  Probably one of the smallest places you will ever see a wedding ceremony go on, but they make it work and not only do they make it work, but I mean how beautiful is the setting?

Now one of the things you have to do when you don't do a preshoot and everything in one location is MOVE FAST!  I had less then a half hour to do family, bridal party and bride and groom, oh did I mention there were a million things going on and no place to really shoot there?  If you ever worked at the Brownstone, you find a way.  If you have never worked there it can be very stressful.  Not a problem.  I have been there many times before and I knew how to make it work.  While waiting for everyone to clear out of the ceremony room and go to cocktail hour, I took the bride and groom to an empty spot and started shooting.  

Now of course this stairway there are always people going up and down it. We couldn't stay there long.  I was able to pop off some really cool shots though.  From down the stairs and then up the stairs.  My idea was if I go up the stairs and someone was walking down it, they would see what I was doing and want to look, and thats exactly what happened, so I was able to stop traffic on the stairs for a few moments and get the shots I wanted.

Once we had the family we flew by with them so they could enjoy the cocktail hour.  So now I had the bridal party and had to find a place fo them.  It was a good size bridal party but we had limited space since it was snowing!!  WE forgot all about that didn't we? Yes so I couldn't bring them outside at all.  Not a problem. I had such a workout going up and down the stairs all day long hahaha.

I needed the workout, I am getting fat again.  

Now once the bridal party was over it was time to go back and just concentrate on Jennifer and Brad again.  

Even thought they couldn't go outside, it didn't mean I wasn't going too.  I thought the lighting was so amazing by the window so I just sat Jennifer down and had Brad next to her, nothing special, nothing to crazy.

I have been meaning to try a shot with the bride for some time now and just always forgot, you also need a flowing type of dress to do it in as well.  Well I don't know how I remembered but I did and one shot doesn't do it justice, you have to do a few in sequence to really make it work.  Its just the bride lifting her dress and swinging side to side with it.

Well it was time for Jennifer and Brad to join their cocktail hour and rock the night away.  Dan the Man had everyone on the dancefloor all night long,  Had one of the best renditions of Paradise by the Dashboard lights going on for a while among other things.  The night just flew right by.  Before you knew it dinner was being served.  I wanted to get some more photos of Jen and Brad.  I knew I had plenty but I was feeling robbed myself.  We had so much fun in Central Park and the snow really had me  cornered.  I couldn't go outside.  i was asked not to take the couple out.  Most times I would just do it anyway if the couple really wanted to. I was asked not to, so I didn't.  They know I would of had them making snow angels in the parking lot.  We couldn't really go anywhere but downstairs in another room that wasn't being used.  So I looked around down there to see what I could find.  A mirror!  You know me and reflections!

Just look at the way Brad looks at his wife!  You can't pose that!  You can't ask for it to happen, it just does!

One last shot as Dan the Man was yelling down to me saying 5 minutes to cake!  I thought it would be a nice shot to end the album with.  A simple kiss on the stairs. Again this is the type of dress that I can poof out and get a really cool shot of the bride sitting down too.

I really can't tell you how much fun I had with Jennifer and Brad.  The snow didn't stop us from having a blast at their wedding, it didn't stop me from getting good shots and it sure isn't going to stop them from starting their life together!  They will have a great story to tell their kids, grandkids and whoever wants to listen one day.  it snowed on our wedding day which was before halloween, first time since the Civil War.    I was just so happy to be part of it!

Thanks guys!

Ok I know I have been behind with my blog posts.  I am sorry for those of you who actually come to my blog.  I can't believe how busy things have been.  This time of year is just crazy trying to get albums done for the holidays and holiday portrait sessions and wedding season is still alive and kicking even into November.

Well I feel a little strange posting this engagement session since Jennifer and Brad just got married as well.  Maybe I will post them back to back.

Let me start by telling you that I had never met either Jennifer or Brad before their engagement session.  I dealt with Jennifers mom the entire time.  I friended Jennifer on facebook and that was pretty much it.  As it got closer to their engagement session I stalked, uh I mean I checked out her photos on her facebook page to see what kind of couple that they were.  I really had no idea since I never met either of them before or even had a conversation with them.  Well I have to tell you, it was a dream engagement session.  They were into all sorts of crazy fun stuff and did not care who was watching.

As you can tell, everyone was pretty much watching.

For those of you wonder, YES that is Central Park.  I did an engagement session there about a year ago, maybe longer and I really was so excited that Jennifer and Brad wanted to go there for theirs.  SO many things I wanted to do from the last one but it was more about running around NYC then it was central park.  (Ironically as I write this blog post, I have a wedding tomorrow and will be in Central Park)  

What was so awesome about Jen and Brad was that they fell into their own element.  I put them in a spot and told them to do a certain thing and well, things just happened.  I was just really there directing a little and pushing the button.

Every now and then I would just say ok "Look at me"  

Now I didn't have to use all the surroundings of the park, I would just point to a rock and say go sit over there and again, they would have their own moment and I would work around it. Like I wasn't even there.  Ok some of the time it was hard to notice because I was hovering over them like a hawk in some shots.  I got to play with all of my lenses on this day.  Earlier on in the day I was taking a shot and I noticed Jens eyes just popped!  So that gave me an idea when I did a shot of them laying down.   I just stood above them on a rock and just wanted a hint of Brad and Jen just looking up.  It wasn't what I visualized.  it was better!!

Look at those eyes! WOW!  Some of my favorite shots of the day were my sneaky ones.  What I mean about my sneaky ones are pretty much this.  I would tell them to stand somewhere and say something along the lines of wait until this group passes or wait, I have to change a battery or a card and they would just do their own thing while waiting.  Capturing those shots were awesome.  Because it didn't matter that there was a camera on them or not.  LIke I have said before, they just did their own thing.  

Jennifer was some trooper I will tell you.  I mean she walked around with these boots on and the heel had to be 4 inches or higher.  She was walking through central park, climbing rocks.  Hiking up mountains it seemed.  My feet were hurting in sneakers and she was wearing these boots.  

Now just by looking at Jennifer and Brad, the first thing that pops in your head is wow, that is a good looking couple.  That never hurts during a photo session, but what makes it better is other people watching them and checking them out.  Another one of my favorite shots of the day was a simple shot of them walking.

Check everyone out around them, checking THEM out.  

The guy smiling as they walk by him, the guy behind them in between them, the other woman on the side of the bridge just took a picture of them and my favorite of them all, the guy with his arm around his girlfriend turning to check Jen out.  These are such fun shots.

After we roamed around the park a bit, we found a nice little rock climbing wall.  Ok I am kidding.  I wouldn't make Jen do that.  Or would I??

Ok I did have them climb a few boulders and it was in a good spot and I took a bunch of shots and just made some crazy comment to get a reaction from them.  For those of you who know me, and have experienced it, you know what I am talking about.  Sometimes i get some funny reactions and sometimes I get this.

It's not always about pushing the button for a good photo.  You have to figure out how to get the right expression.  Expression is everything.  Well almost everything, but it is a huge part of getting a good shot.  Not that I needed to help them in any way.

The most difficult part of the day I think was getting them to take a serious shot.  We were just having way to much fun and it took awhile but I got one of those shots I was looking for.

Can these two actually take a bad photo?

One shot that I knew I wanted because Jennifer's eyes just pop so much was something I saw on a billboard and magazine and who knows where else I saw it. You have seen shots like this all over.  It reminds me of an ad in a magzine for who knows what.  

While walking out of the park we wanted to stop at Stawberry Fields.  Any time you pass by this area they are either filming some sort of movie or documentary.  Film students are there.  Most of the time you will just see people there to take the pictures of them with the "Imagine"  People sit, and stand, some cry and kneel or just take pictures alone or with someone.  I wanted something totally different.  I wanted a shot that I could work with that would have meanting.  So as we waited our turn I told them to sit a cerain way and now lay down.  I had people whispering behind me and just wondering what I was doing.  

All I could really say was, "Now just imagine the beginning of the rest of your lives together starting in a few short weeks"

Imagine they did!

Kim and Dan are that type of couple that you never know what to expect from them.  You expect something serious from them and they get the giggles and just start laughing for no reason at all.  They have their own world between the two of them.  This was a good thing since I never knew what I was going to get when I was ready to press that button.

We had a beautiful waterfront for photos and for a wedding.  I did my first look right outside the hotel on the water.  While Kimberly was getting her final touch ups done, I decided to shoot the groom.

He knows he is cool.  He just needed a photo to prove it to himself.  

I was wondering just how cool he would be when his beautiful wife to be showed up.  

That was the reaction I was hoping for!  Just look at his face.  First looks are awesome, I will say that over and over and over again.  Reactions are what makes these photos.  It's not the skyline, it's not the surroundings, it's the reactions!

From where we were, The Chart house was about a good half mile away. Well we all started walking there.  It also made for some interesting and fun shots along the way.

I wish I had more time, I would of made them take a ride just to get some great shots of them on a ferry with people looking on and the skyline in the background.  It would of been fun.  I think they actually thought about it for a second or two, but everyone was waiting to do family photos.  So it wasn't the best idea to try and do that now.

Once the family photos were over it was time for the ceremony to take place.  Out back on the deck at The Chart House with a beautiful view of the city with their friends and family watching on and Kimberly's students playing the music.  It was just a perfect setting.

Once the vows were done, it was time to move upstairs and start the party!  I wanted to of course do night shots.  I meant the skyline is just beautiful.  They wanted a view and they got one!  The night was just perfect.  The moon above the city.  The bright lights of the city. Falling in love even more.

Like the song lyrics go, "When you get lost between the moon and New York City, the best that you can do, is fall in love!"

 

This was one of those weddings that was already set up for me with a phone call. I got a call from Chris saying, "Pat, are you available on 10-2-11?" Put us in the book. Chris is a DJ that I have worked for before. Him and his family own Memory Markers DJ. I also did Chris's sisters wedding a few years ago as well. Some other family members on his sisters husbands side. It is a confusing thing so don't rack your brains thinking about it. So in the book I put his date. I can't even remember when it was, when he called but it was well over a year before the wedding day. Now sure enough, here was the big day and it was party time. My usual photographers that I work with had to photograph another wedding that day, so I got to work with another photographer friend of mine Maggie Mcgill. Maggie went to shoot the groom and his family and I went with the bride. Uh come on. the bride is much better looking. Why would I want to go to the grooms house?

 

Now Teresa was already dressed and ready to go when I got there. This NEVER happens. Ok maybe once in a blue moon. It was the rest of the crew that had to get ready. So this gave me time to take some fun photos of Teresa and all that fun stuff. I was so excited. The bride was ready and i got to take pictures before I was even suppose to be at the house. Wow. I had no idea what to do first I was so excited. I did know I wanted to play with a really big mirror that was in the living room. That was pretty much a gimmie. You know me and my mirrors and reflections.

 

So it was off to the church where I met up with Maggie and this was actually the first time we worked together. So we had to get our cameras synched up and we had to get our game plan going. I gave her the fun stuff to do. She was so excited to shoot from the balcony as the bride walked down the aisle. Now one thing I don't do is show my other photographers work. Whoever is shooting with me, I wont put their photos up usually. I believe it is their work. If for some reason I do show their work on here or facebook I will give them credit for the photo. I don't want to mislead anybody in thinking it's my photo that I took, when someone else took it. So it is just easier for me not to post it. Well this is one of those times where I am putting up a shot of the 2nd shooter. We were short on time and we had to move fast so the couple and bridal party could get to the cocktail hour. These things do happen when you are either running late or not enough time in between the church and reception. Sometimes it's traffic getting to a location. It could be anything. Ok well I sent Maggie in with the wolves! I let her photograph the guys while I photographed the women. Sorry Maggie. No I am not. She can hold her own. She's tough! Here is one of her shots with the guys.

The reception was at The Primavera in Stirling. I have not been there in a few years. I had forgotten what nice grounds they had to take photos. I am not a big gazebo fan. To be honest, I can't stand them. They are a waste of space to me. Now if you make something that looks like one and design it in concrete and not those crazy wooden ones, that is another story. I can use that to my advantage. Just like in Maggie's photo of the guys and the bride. You can stand on the outside of it and have some fun with it. I like this so called gazebo that they had there. I really don't know what to call it but I like it. They have another one that I use all the time at The Valley Regency as well and I get a lot of use out of it.

 

It really makes for a good prop too. The couple can lean against it or I can just make the groom go in the background and lean against it and shoot the better half of the couple (the bride) I know all you guys are getting upset now. I say this to all my grooms that come in to see me. "Guys, you are a prop the day of the wedding" They just nod their heads and understand hahaha. This is not true! Even though I do tell them that, It's not true. Because if not for the groom, the wedding would not go on. I mean how crazy would it look with just one person dressed in white saying I do, and exchanging rings with nobody. Who would she kiss? Nah you need the prop. Uh groom!

The night went on and John from Memory Makers had everyone dancing the night away. Chris's dad, Guy sang a few songs to the bride and groom.  He did this at his daughters wedding as well.  

 

The night pretty much flew by. I started saying good-bye to everyone I knew there with about a half hour to go in the wedding and before you knew it, John was ready for the last song of the night.  Wow that went fast.  I also knew a lot of people there which is always an added bonus.  

Thanks guys for letting me be part of your special day.  I hope you enjoy the photos as much as I enjoyed taking them.