Frank DiMeo Photography

The best thing for me is when I instantly know that I have captured something truly special. It is like having a jolt of energy surge through my veins. This image is one of those times. Beth doesn’t have any make-up on and her hair isn’t done but none of that matters because this is about a father seeing his daughter in her wedding dress for the first time and realizing that she is getting married. His love and admiration is written all over his face and reflected back to him in her face. Is there anything more beautiful? To record something like this is magical for me.

This is Katie and Chirag. A past bride and groom, (not married to each other.) How could this not be a fun reception with these two in the house?

This was done with an incredibly high ISO and no flash in a very dim part of the room because I didn’t want to wake her up. The capabilities of the new cameras are phenomenal

Beth and Marco’s wedding was extra special to me because it was the first time that I had three brides (and grooms) at the same wedding. It all started in 2007 when I photographed Katie & Matt’s wedding in Saratoga Springs. Beth was in that wedding and when her friends Anita & Chirag announced that they were getting married she told them that I was the guy they had to get. Their 2008 wedding was a four-day Indian extravaganza on Long Island that is without a doubt the biggest event I ever shot. Of course, Beth was in that wedding too, and I told her then that I was looking forward to shooting her wedding. Three years and three weddings later have created some wonderful friendships with the most amazing people. I treasure these friendships and hope to stay connected to them forever.

I did Beth and Marco’s engagement session and knew that Katie and Anita were going to be in Beth’s wedding and I was looking forward to seeing them again for the longest time. I also knew that Katie’s Mom Carol (whom I absolutely love) was going to be there as well. So I was really excited about being together with everyone again. The sad thing about this type of gathering is that it comes and goes before we have a chance to really appreciate it. It always seems like the wedding is so far off in the future, with so much to plan for, and then suddenly it is over and behind us.

I came into town Friday night and joined Beth, Anita, Chirag, and a bunch of family members for pizza at her Mom’s house. On Saturday everyone met for an early rehearsal at the incredible Bethesda Episcopal Church. Then I scouted the area for interesting places to shoot on the wedding day and discovered the amazing Adelphi Hotel. This place is a rare surviving High Victorian Inn in the heart of Saratoga Springs from the end of the 19th century. Built when Saratoga Springs reigned as America’s “Queen of the Spa’s.” The Hotel was constructed in 1877 during the heyday of the national rage for “taking the waters” at Saratoga. Please check this place out if you are ever in Saratoga. The décor is breath taking and it is worth the visit just to see the artwork on the walls. Thank you to the Adelphi for opening their doors to us, and thanks to Beth’s sister Julie for making arrangements and getting us the okay to shoot there. I could have easily been there the whole day, and thank Julie again for keeping us on schedule.

Next, I met Beth and her dad for a dress rehearsal at the Arthur Murray Dance Studio. This was another first for me, and something I would highly recommend to everyone that has access to a dance studio. Leslie Valencia is the owner/operator of the studio and it is obvious that this is her passion and her life. I was very impressed with her and the studio. She is like a ray of sunshine that lights up a room and puts a smile on every face in it. Beth and her Dad had so much fun (me too), and did such a great job. Please see the caption below the image of them dancing because it was a very special moment and one that I was proud to be a part of. Thank you Leslie, you are the best!

Before we knew what happened it was time to be at Limoncello Ristorante for the rehearsal dinner. What a fabulous place this is.   Limoncello Ristorante is an upscale Northern Italian trattoria in a beautiful romantic setting. Every meal is prepared with a passion and served with a flair for an out of the ordinary dining experience. The food is delicious, and the staff is the most friendly and accommodating people you could ask for. Apparently everyone in Saratoga is incredibly friendly. Or at least everyone I have met so far at the three weddings I have done there is. So much so that it is worth mentioning here that this is a very welcoming place. I wish I could move there and be there all the time.

So, we spent a lot of time together before the wedding even started. That is always the best way to do it though. As a result, Beth and Marco have such a range of photos with all of their friends, and I am so glad that I was able to do this for them. It also gives Marco a glimpse into a lot of the behind the scenes things that went on. We started out the big day with me hanging out with all the girls as they prepared for the ceremony (yes, this is such a tough part of the day). It is always a lot of fun and very exciting for me to watch someone’s little girl be transformed into a beautiful bride. A princess if you will, just like in the fairy tales. It is magic and I feel blessed to be able to record this for people. Then I checked in on Marco and the guys for a few quick photos and rejoined the women just before it was time to go. The ceremony of course was spectacular, and then we ran around like crazy trying to do as many wonderful photos as possible before the reception.

The reception was at Longfellows Hotel and Conference Center, which again had amazing food and a great staff. This is a huge place with lots of wedding experience, and they definitely know what they are doing. So I’m working and working, and working (I shot all this alone with no second shooter or assistant) and then it comes time to eat. So I look to see where I am sitting and well, Beth made my night. She had me seated right next to my favorite, Katie’s Mom Carol. It gives me a nice feeling to even write about it. I feel like I have known this woman forever now, and it was such a pleasure for me to sit with her for a little while and catch up on things. Thanks Carol for always making me, and everyone around you feel so great. You really are special to so many of us.

When you shoot something so intense like this there is always the chance that you could forget something. I really try to be extra careful about everything but sometimes it happens. That is why I always ask people to remind me of anything that is important to them because I would rather shot it several times than not at all. Afterwards I was so disappointed because I never got together with my three brides for a photograph of the four of us. How often does something like that happen and what a missed opportunity it was. I hope we get the chance in the future to take that photograph. It would have been very special to me, and one that would definitely be up in my office, and on my blog.

Well Beth, Marco, Katie, Anita, Chirag, Matt, Carol, your friends, and families, thank you so much for allowing me to be a part of this special weekend. I hope everyone enjoys the images as much as I enjoyed creating them and working on them. I wish you guys much love and happiness on your journey together, and I’m looking forward to doing a big group photo with my three brides, their husbands, and their kids in a few years.