A friend of mine (also the best wedding consultant in the Central NY area) Tara Reimer from Terra Rosa referred Scott and Amanda to me (thanks Tara). It was kind of late in the season when they booked so we didn’t have a chance to do an engagement session. I basically showed up at the rehearsal dinner, met everyone for the first time and spent the next day and a half photographing the wedding. This is not something that is easy to do, especially considering that my work is mainly about capturing emotions and fleeting moments. Anyone that has followed my blog for the last few years or that looks back at previous posts can easily tell that it is important to me, and I enjoy connecting with my couples and their families. It really is an essential part of what I do, and why I do what I do. So yes, I was a little bit concerned but Tara assured me that they were a wonderful couple and I felt that I got to know them a little through our emails and phone conversations. Any apprehension I had was immediately put to rest the moment I looked into Scott and Amanda’s eyes. I could tell that they appreciated having me there, and I was instantly scooped up and welcomed into the family. It is kind of strange to be put into a large group of people and create the images you see here without knowing anyone and having just met everyone. I don’t think a lot of people would actually be able to do it. There are a lot of technical things, and compositional things involved in what I do but there isn’t anything more important than the socializing skills that are required. Then consider that most of my time is spent alone working behind a computer for hours on end and the extrovert thing gets even more complex. I think photographers in general love and embrace that interaction with people. I know I do, and it gives me the spark to keep going, forever looking forward to the next wedding, and the incredible people that I will meet and do this for. Oh, in case you haven’t noticed, photographers can also talk about anything or nothing for long periods of time. It gets even worse when we talk to each other. A friend may call and we will talk for hours. Both of us working the whole time, editing or post processing images while we gab away about what ever. It is even worse as a photo student because you have professors, other students, or someone you want to photograph that you talk to and talk to and talk to. One of my favorite assignments I ever had was for an independent credit course I took with Owen Butler at R.I.T.. He told us that we were not allowed to speak one word to anyone for an entire week. My roommate was in the class with me so we couldn’t even answer the telephone at our apartment. Plus the school for the deaf is in Rochester so everyone we met just assumed we were deaf. It was a very interesting and eye opening experience to say the least, and I recommend that everyone should try it. The rush of the world seems to slow down around you, and you can actually smell the flowers as you are forced to take time along the way.

Back to the wedding…okay so another thing that increased the comfort factor was that it was at Cornell University. After working there for ten years and also photographing numerous weddings there it is kind of like home for me. There are not many photographers that know the ins and outs of the place better than I do, and the people that work there are all very friendly and accommodating. A big shout out goes to Melissa Hill and her crew at the Statler Hotel for always doing such an amazing job. Add Tara to the mix and there is nothing to worry about. Tara dots every i and crosses every t in a totally non-stressful and very friendly way. She is detail oriented and well organized, and makes it easier for everyone to do a great job for the couple. After all, that is the most important thing.

The whole wedding party and I climbed to the top of the McGraw Tower for a special Chimes concert, and the rain held off long enough to give us some wonderful opportunities. The Cornell Chimes are the university’s oldest musical tradition, and one of the most frequently played set of bells on any American college campus. Housed in historic McGraw Tower, the 21-bells are played primarily by student chimes masters. All concerts are open to the public—you simply have to climb the tower’s 161 steps (it feels like a whole lot more than that though). The door to the tower opens five to ten minutes before a scheduled concert and closes before concert’s end. Your stair-climbing efforts will be rewarded with a spectacular view of Cornell and the surrounding community, and a musical performance like you’ve never seen before. One of the guys in the wedding party helped carry my bag for me and I can’t thank him enough.

Thank you Scott, Amanda, your families, and friends for everything. I wish you much love and happiness on your new journey together.

Wedding Planner: Terra Rosa Tara Reimer

Ceremony Reception: Statler Hotel Melissa Hill, event planning manager

Hair & Makeup: Makeup on Demand Kris Kellogg

Florist: Michaleen’s Michaleen

Cake: Bluewave Pastries Joanna Sacucci-Bryan

Band: Jay Sweeny

Ceremony Music: Myra Kovary

Cocktail Music: OXtet Jazz Trio Josh Oxford

Transportation: Finger Lakes Winery Tours Carol & Fitzlimo Mike Fitzgerald

Officiant: Rabbi Scott Glass

Ceremony Sound: Calf Audio Barny

Cornell Chimes Chimesmasters Ryan Fan

a good reason why your photographer should be at the rehearsal dinner

Courtney and Eddie

Amber and her Mom were first exposed to my photography and shooting style a couple of years ago at Courtney and Eddie’s wedding. They saw the huge slideshow presentation I did at the brunch for that wedding, and the rest of the images online. When it came time to choose a photographer for Amber’s wedding they were very familiar with me, and my work. When Amber first emailed me and mentioned that she was at Courtney’s wedding I did not hesitate and called her immediately. I don’t usually call everyone that emails me, but if you were at a wedding I shot and are now asking about your own wedding then I feel it is best to pick up the phone and talk about it. We kind of know each other a little bit already so why waste any time? Amber and her Mom agreed, booked me, and we never looked back. When I asked Amber about it later she said that Luis had just asked her to marry her and the first thing she had to do was book me as her photographer. She and her Mom were actually talking about me when the phone rang and I was on the other end. They were both so surprised to be on the phone talking together just minutes after sending the email. I want to thank both of you for placing your trust in me because I know how important photography is to you. Your faith in me, and the way you have treated me and welcomed me into your family has really meant a lot to me. This wedding will always rank up near the top as one of my favorites. From my very first conversation with Amber and her Mom, to the engagement session, and right on through all of the post-production work, I can honestly say it has been one of the most pleasurable experiences in my photography career.

Once again there were several professional photographers and other creative people that make their living in the design/art world at the wedding. Their presence is much different than the friend, or uncle with a camera type thing. They respect and appreciate what I am doing, see me making a gallant effort, and sometimes it leads into very interesting conversations. A lot of photographers are intimidated when other cameras are around, even more so when it is another professional holding the camera. I never realized this until I brought a camera to a cousins wedding and the photographer nearly went into shock because of it. I introduced myself and told him I do this for a living and would stay completely out of his way. I could tell by his reaction that he was quite uncomfortable. I have the complete opposite reaction when this happens to me. It may be because of my experience and/or confidence but having people like that present or in this case even working for another professional pushes me even harder because (like always) in the end I want them to be wowed over by the results. It can be a real challenge depending on the venue and a bunch of other factors, but overcoming those challenges is also very rewarding.

So where do I start…well how about the food? That is always a favorite subject of mine. THE FOOD WAS INCREDIBLE! They actually had a whole suckling pig at the cocktail hour, plus clams on a half shell, scallops, meats, anything you could imagine, and it was all sooooo good! It had to be hands down with out a doubt the biggest spread I have ever seen. Then we sat down and were served dinner. Yes, it was unbelievable! Even more impressive were the deserts. They were presented in a room full of Viennese Tables, and I mean a BIG room. OMG is an understatement for sure. There was everything and anything you could think of and more. My mouth is watering just thinking and writing about it. It really was amazing. The Tides Estate is an incredible place for a wedding and reception. I would highly recommend it. I have never seen anyone so attentive to the wedding couple and their guests as Mike (the maitre d) and all his staff were. They are really on top of the game, best in the business that I have seen so far. But honestly, put all the beauty and attentiveness that the place has to offer aside, and I would book it based on the food alone. Quite simply put, it doesn’t get any better.

The ceremony was beautiful as well. They did a sand ceremony with their families. Each member poured some sand (different colors for each side) into a large vase, which was topped off by Luis and Amber pouring in their sand individually, but together. It was really nice. Four of Ambers high school friends (Ines Thieme, C. Rapier Copeland, Guy Turner, and Nadine Zahr) flew in from different parts of the country and performed an amazing a cappella rendition of “You’re All I Need to Get By”. The Devonshire Players- a string troupe founded by Lakshmi Thorne (one of Amber’s bridesmaids) also performed and Lakshmi joined them for a solo during the ceremony. There was also a nice broom ceremony that I had never seen before. The bride and groom use the broom to clean the path in front of them and then jump over the broom together to start their new life as husband and wife. Everything was outside in the open air and right before sunset. Then we moved inside for the amazing feast, and a night full of dancing and fun all made possible by DJ extraordinaire William Otero (from Latinos Unidos)

I know that a lot of planning went into everything and I really want to tip my hat to Amber’s Mom Angela for the amazing job she did helping Amber pull everything together. Angela told me a few times along the way (this past year or so) that this is what she does. She plans things for a living. It couldn’t have been more evident that we were in the best of hands. There were so many major and minor details to deal with, and everything was perfect. A special highlight was the anniversary dance. I have seen these done before where they dismiss couples by how many years they have been married until it gets down to the couple that has been married the longest. What was so amazing about this one was that they had the couples submit a picture from their own wedding beforehand and all of the images ran in a slideshow that played in the background as the couples danced. It really was a lot of fun to see all of the different styles and eras of photography. It truly was a special touch and one I would hope to see repeated by any future brides reading this.

I know this wedding was very special to a lot of people. It was special to me as well. It was great to see Courtney and Eddie again, and wonderful to get to know these two incredible families and their friends. I am honored to have done this for you and hope that our paths cross many more times in the future. Amber and Luis I wish you much love and many blessings on your new journey together.

Please click here for their Slideshow

Special Mention of Vendors:
- El Punto Restaurant in Paterson, NJ (site of the rehearsal dinner)
- Tides Estate in North Haledon, NJ, esp. Tito Freire (our Banquet Manager), Mike (maitre d) and all his staff

-The Devonshire Players
- Flowers: Blooms of Wayne
- DJ: William Otero (Latinos Unidos)
- Videographer: Ambiance Video
- Crowne Plaza in Fairfield, NJ (a new favorite place of mine, and the site of the Sunday brunch) -provided free transportation to and from the wedding for all the guests staying there.

I had a great time with Laura and Peter in NYC for their engagement session and I am really looking forward to their wedding in July. We started out at The High Line, which is a 1.45-mile New York City elevated park, similar to the Promenade Plantée in Paris. It is built on a section of the former freight railroad of the West Side Line along the lower west side of Manhattan. We could have spent the entire day shooting there because it is filled with different textures, all sorts of artistic elements, and new, often unexpected views of the city and the Hudson River.

We finished up at the majestic Manhattan Bridge Arch & Plaza. The design of the massive arch was inspired by the Porte St-Denis arch in Paris (which also provided the inspiration for Paris’ more famous Arc de Triomphe). The horseshoe-shaped colonnade of pillars is based on a European model too: the Giovanni Bernini Colonnade at St. Peter’s in Vatican City, which itself dates to 1656. The gritty Manhattan Bridge entrance has quite the royal pedigree. I have always been amazed by the European appeal and familiarity of this incredible landmark and wanted to share what I found out about it.

I enjoyed our adventure together and the images we came up with. Hope you do too.

We discovered this stairway the night before the wedding

I like this image in color too but I felt that the B&W allows the viewer to focus more on them instead of the beautiful background

I like this image more each time I see it. Her expression may make this my favorite image of the day.

This wedding was so much fun for me! The love that Maureen and Justin showed for each other at their engagement session left no doubt in my mind that the wedding would be incredible. Communicating back and forth for all these months with them has been an absolute treat for me, and it saddens me to have this wedding in my past instead of my future. I wish we could redo it every couple of years because they and their families are such a pleasure to be around. I have been blessed with fabulous couples to work with, and I would like to say again that I appreciate all of you.

I notice a lot of emotional and behavior traits as I am editing the thousands of images I shoot. One thing that really stood out to me was that Maureen always kissed her Dad first, but then he was also the last person she kissed. I’m not sure what it was but there was something about Maureen’s Dad that made me feel like I had some kind of lifelong connection to him. Maybe it was his relationship with his daughter? It reminded me so much of the relationship I have with my daughter (who is much younger) including the first/last kiss thing. If I could get to the point in life that they are at, and maintain the kind of relationship they have, with my own children…well, I can’t think of anything else that would make me happier or to feel more complete.

Justin works for FOX TV, his dad is a professional photographer, and their cousin is a photographer for ESPN so there was a little added pressure to do an amazing job. It seems that more often than not there are professional photographers at the weddings I have been shooting. They have great gear like me, and it is actually fun for me to see them react to an image that they know I have captured. This wedding was a little more challenging than most though because it was on the Cornucopia Princess cruise liner, and also happened to be visited by a helicopter when we were by the Statue of Liberty. We toured the New York Harbor and enjoyed a spectacular sunset view of the fabulous New York City and New Jersey skylines. Sometimes I would almost forget that we were on a ship until I looked out the window and saw everything moving. I actually thought that I was pretty fortunate because I wasn’t the type of person that gets seasick. That would have been a disaster. Please make sure that your photographer can handle being on a boat before you book them for your cruise.

I was also very fortunate to have Jennifer Davis join us as a second shooter. I can’t say enough how impressed I am with the way Jen works and shoots. She captured so many incredible images, and she is very in tune with what needs to be done without my having to ask her. It should come as no surprise because she is a seasoned shooter with her own thriving photography business in NYC. Her presence made the day a whole lot more manageable and pleasurable for me. Thank you for everything Jen.

I have been asking my couples to write a little history about their relationship (if they want to) and any details they might want to mention. It has been fun for me to learn more about them and I am happy to share it here with everyone. Thank you Maureen, Justin, and your wonderful families and friends for welcoming us into your lives with open arms. It was a pleasure to do this for you and I hope that our relationships grow stronger as time passes. This is their story.

And so the love story begins…

It was the summer of 2004. Maureen had just gotten off tour and was looking for her next gig.  She saw a posting for an audition for a host of a children’s exercise series called, The Monkeydoos.  Maureen submitted her headshot and resume to Mazzarella Brothers productions in Bristol, Connecticut.  She was called in for a private audition in front of the cameras and the green screen.

Meanwhile, at the offices of Mazzarella Brothers productions, Justin (an editor/producer at the time) was sitting at his desk. The boss walked in and held up a few headshots for Justin to choose.  ”Which one do you like best?”  Justin pointed to Maureen’s picture and said, “I like her!”  And so she was hired.

In the summer of 2005, Maureen was doing a stage version of the show called Monkeydoos LIVE!  Maureen had to go up to Connecticut for several weekends that summer.  She was put up in a hotel with no car, or friends for miles.  Justin would come pick her up at the hotel and take her out to dinner and the movies so she wouldn’t be alone in the hotel.  In the mornings, before performances, he would pick her up with Dunkin Donuts coffee and breakfast.

It was the last performance of the summer and Maureen knew it would be a long time before she saw her new friend again. So she invited him to come to the city & she would take him out on the town.  Their first date was like something out of a movie.  He met her with a huge bouquet of flowers.  They went all around town that day.  Rowing on Central Park Lake, eating Ice cream sundaes at Serendipity, walking hand in hand across the Brooklyn Bridge.  They sat on a bench in Brooklyn Heights looking back at the city skyline and fireworks started to go off!!!!  It was the most romantic moment ever.

They fell fast and hard.  Justin & Maureen would commute every weekend back and forth to see each other. (Justin was living in New Haven, CT at the time).  The following June, Maureen & Justin had enough of the distance & moved in together.  And the rest is history…

When deciding on the venue for their BIG DAY, they both agreed it had to be unique & featuring the place where they fell in love:  The BIG APPLE!  They wanted it to be very glamorous and romantic like all those old movies taking place in NY. When they realized it was possible to have a wedding on a boat circling Manhattan at sunset, they new that was their first choice.  Their guests would get to see the Statue of Liberty, the Brooklyn Bridge, the Empire State Building…it was perfect!

AMAZING PHOTOGRAPHY:  Frank DiMeo & Jennifer Davis
Frank, I just want to say an extra special Thank you to you and Jennifer.  I know it was a crazy day at an unfamiliar venue and with lots of crazy surprises (um, maybe a helicopter).  So thank you so much for going with the flow & being so easygoing.  The day was a dream come true and these pictures we will cherish forever.  So Thank you from the bottom of our hearts!
Sincerely,
Maureen & Justin

Dress: Pronovias

Flowers: Fleurs- Kathy Sky Lacouture
Trumpeters: Fanfare Brass
String Quartet: Cappriccio Ensemble
Cantors: Bride’s friends - Broadway’s Eric LaJuan Summers, Catherine Remmert, Laura Kummer
Organist: Andrew Cyr
Catholic Cathedral: Our Lady of Grace Church Hoboken, NJ
Reception: Cornucopia Cruise Line aboard The Princess
DJ: Steve & Company
Helicopter: Surprise for Bride & Groom - Courtesy of Al Cerullo and Darren Cerullo

So Many people went into the planning and preparation to make this day a dream come true.  We would like to thank EVERYONE who helped out through the months of preparation.  THANK YOU!  WE LOVE YOU!

Can you tell that this is the first time Hall and everyone see Caroline as a beautiful bride

three brothers...sometimes images do say a 1000 words

This was the first time in the 1000 Islands for me so I was excited to be there for Caroline and Hall’s wedding. I have shot further north and east of the area, but never actually in it. The magnificent beauty that envelops you upon arrival is a wonder to behold. Every time I visit this part of New York I think about the quote that says to not focus so much energy on attaining the goal that we forget to enjoy the journey along the way. It also reminds me of a song I heard with my daughter the other day by Miley Cyrus called “The Climb”. There are few songs produced these days that can send shivers up my spine but this is definitely one of them (it could be because my daughter was singing along with her though). It is about living life in the moment and enjoying every minute of it. I was so moved by it that I am considering using it for a greatest hits wedding slideshow at the end of the year. I may have to do the slideshow just so I can use the song because it really is that incredible. The nice thing about traveling to this area is that yes, the trip can be a visual feast, but arriving at the destination is just as, if not more spectacular.

I had only talked on the phone with Caroline and Hall beforehand so showing up at the wedding was actually the first time I met them. I usually like to get to know my couples a little more before the wedding if possible, but they and their families immediately welcomed me with open arms and made me feel very comfortable. I knew at once that this was going to be a fun group and looked forward to what was ahead. We started with a rehearsal on site at the Antique Boat Museum. From there we went to the amazing Thousand Island Park Pavilion. This place sits way out on the water and is exposed on all four sides so it is pretty incredible. They had a lovely cocktail hour on the upper deck, followed by a fabulous sunset meal in the lower part of the pavilion that is right at water level.

The house where Caroline got ready for the wedding was also pretty amazing. It had incredible yellow and pink walls, and was filled with beautiful art work. I could have spent all day shooting them right there in a variety of locations. It was a lot of fun and produced some very rewarding images. The Antique Boat Museum was great to shoot at as well. It is located on the water, and looks right into the sunset. People pretty much just had to turn around for some stunning sunset images.

Caroline, Hall’s Mother, Eleanor Oster, and family friend Barbara Jean Blodgett did an unbelievable job orchestrating everything and I have to tip my hat to all of the vendors for doing what they do so well. Boo Wells for the contemporary and tasty hors d’oeuvres from Farm House Kitchen, Melissa Ringer Hardy for the delightfully delicious cupcakes from Bella’s Bistro, Lorrie McFarland from Party Rentals, The Dinosaur Bar b que for their infamous dinosaur bones (yum), and Nik Entertainment for such fabulous entertainment.

I asked Caroline for a few details and this is what she wrote,

Hi Frank,

Thanks for the great news - we are very excited to view our wedding photos as is our entire family.

some quick info -

both my family and halls family have roots in the 1000 islands. our families were introduced to the st. lawrence by our grandparents who purchased and built homes on Wellesley island and summerland island

when they were just married. both hall and myself have grown up spending our summers on the st. lawrence. we’re what one would call ”river rats”

The house with the bright yellow walls is my parents house situated right on the main shipping channel of the st. Lawrence. The channel is narrow in this part of the river with a seriously strong current and depths up to 150 feet. This is weher we love to swim!

the cupcakes were made by bellas in clayton and were placed on cake stands that I purchased and spray painted white with my mother and law.

all of the blue and white tissue paper flowers were homemade by myself, my mother in law; Eleanor Oster, and my good friend susan manrao (susan was one of my bridesmaids)

the meal was dinosaur bbq - a favorite of ours

the garland in my hair was made by my mother in law as were all of the boutonnières and my bouquet and my sister’s bouquet

all of the table settings were handmade by me out of a selection of local postcards

the flower arrangements were arranged by my mother in law and good family friend rhea in tin buckets that i found

we bought the flowers in bunches that were handpicked the day before by maria mix at her local watertown farm garden hill farm. Over the summer we made a couple trips out to marias flower farm to see how the flowers were blossoming and make the selections we wanted for the wedding.

our preacher david vanepps knew my mothers father the rev. graham hodges (since deceased) very well - infact daivid went into the ministry partly because he was inspired and influenced by my grandfathers sermons as a young boy.

my father rowed me into the ceremony in a st. lawrence skiff that he has had restored over the years by good family friend and boat-builder thom inglehart. the boat is a family heirloom and is

named deedee after my fathers mother. one of our favorite father - daughter activities is to row that skiff around the st. lawrence river for hours and hours. our reception was held in the skiff house of the

antique boat museum.

our rehearsal dinner was held in the pavilion on the main dock of thousand islands park. this spot has special meaning to me not only because it is beautiful and located on the st. lawrence river but

because i would dock there daily when i was a kayak instructor for the sailing camp with my kiddie kayakers.

my mother in law did all of the decorations for the rehearsal dinner

Thank you so very much to Caroline, Hall, and your families. It was a pleasure to get to know everyone a little and do this for you. I hope that you enjoy the images as much as I have enjoyed creating and working on them, and I wish you many blessings on your journey together.

I love how they were off to the side (together) for parts of the ceremony, it was so much more intimate

sometimes you have to go with the flow and take what they give you (:

singing to and dancing with your daughter and she looks back at you with this expression...a moment to cherish forever

brother of the groom + sister of the bride = fun dollar dance treasurers

I had a lot of fun with Nicole and Randy at their engagement session. We revisited some of my favorite shooting spots as a student at R.I.T. and I was shocked to see how much the area had changed. It was a pretty cold day but I could tell then that these two had a lot of warmth in their hearts. I had a feeling that their wedding was going to be special and it certainly lived up to my expectations. Their families instantly make you feel at home and like you have known them for a long time. They welcomed me with open arms and invited me into their lives. It is a wonderful feeling when people do this because I feel welcomed, their guard comes down, and it helps me to get closer to everyone.

I was also fortunate to have a couple excellent photographers join me for the wedding. I called my good friend Erich Camping and let him know that I was coming in town to do the wedding at Oak Hill Country Club. Erich offered to drop by and shoot together for a few hours (we do that for each other when ever we can) and as usual he showed his creative genius. It was also the first time that I met and worked with Mike Hanlon. Mike fit right in because like Erich and I, he has a passion for photography and it is evident in the way he works.  As always, the images on my blog are all shot by me but I did include some of theirs in the slideshow.

Oak Hill is a great venue for a wedding and their staff was incredibly professional and attentive. They really seemed to go the extra mile for the bride, her families, and her guests. Their food and the cake (yes they made the cake in house) were equally impressive. DJ Jimmy C was a big crowd favorite, and his video team seemed to do a great job as well. Sassafras Flowers did an outstanding job, and I loved how Table Toppers of Rochester handled the linens and chairs with exceptionally elegant style. To top things off Bully Hill Winery (a great winery to visit on the south west part of Keuka Lake) took one of the engagement images we created and used it as wine labels for the bottle of wine favors. All and all it was a very beautifully planned event. So much so that I think Nicole should consider going into the wedding planner business. She has a natural talent, a great personality, and I’m sure most brides would love to have her by their side.

Thank you Nicole, Randy, and your families for inviting me to record these precious memories for you. I wish you much love and happiness. Please Click here for your slideshow

The Guys doing their "Mr Anderson" pose from The Matrix

I still can't believe my camera and flash captured this in total darkness

The wedding attire was much different after the swim

Dads always play the best air guitar, but I like Tim's version too

This was the second wedding in two days on a back-to-back weekend for me. I don’t do dual wedding weekends very often and the only way I will do them is if both couples know about it beforehand, agree to it, and everything lines up perfectly. I contacted Elizabeth and Stephen to let them know that I had another couple that really wanted me to shoot a wedding for them on the day after theirs. We had been talking about the possibility of doing a day after session so I wasn’t sure if I could even do Becky and Tim’s wedding. I was really touched by Elizabeth’s extremely unselfish reply so I wanted to share it with you. She said, “Well, I definitely see where they are coming from! After the church, the photographer was the most important thing for us and when I saw your pictures, I remember telling Stephen, this is who’s doing our wedding! I am SOOOOOOOOOO glad we went with you! I’m so glad you’ll be shooting our wedding! I KNOW that our wedding photos are going to be super amazing!!! The wedding day is the most important one (obviously!). And I completely understand why this couple wants you so badly, so I feel like they should be able to have beautiful pictures too, and I don’t want to take that away from them. If I was in their situation I know how upset I would be, so, if it works out for that couple too, and Stephen and I can’t do the extra shoot, we will survive. I would not enjoy the day-after shoot knowing another couple really wanted you for their wedding day, but because I wanted a few extra hours, they didn’t get it. So I would honestly rather them have their day with you than me have a few extra hours.”

Isn’t she the greatest? So it was now doable, the only question was could I physically do it? I put my heart and soul into every wedding and sometimes it takes a couple of days to recover. I also shoot multi-day, huge Indian weddings that sometimes add up to over thirty hours in three or four consecutive days, but this was in different locations with different couples. Early in the season I really didn’t think I would be able to do it. I was asking myself after each wedding, “Could I do this again tomorrow?” and to be honest I wasn’t sure. So I increased my workouts and bought some extra memory cards so I could leave both weddings on cards until they were properly backed up. I also got stronger with each wedding and more resilient. This new strength and durability gave me the confidence to know I would be able to handle the challenge. I’m glad that everything worked out too because this was a beautiful wedding to shoot. It was directly across the lake from where I live, and Becky, Tim, and their families were a delight to work with.

Becky told me that her friend Dana Ayers (who is a professional singer, and teaches music) was going to sing at the reception. I don’t think many people were prepared for what was about to happen when Dana and harmonica player Joe Longwell got up on stage with the Rochester Brass & Electric Band (these guys were great too!). They did a super blues rendition of “Summertime” that absolutely blew my socks off! I mean I am a serious blues fan but Dana actually made the hair on my arms stand up. The place went bonkers afterwards so I’m sure a lot of other people felt the same way too. It was unbelievable, and still gives me chills just thinking about it!

The caterer was Jane Russell - from “Around the Corner Catering”, and the planner was Dawn Mattice from “One of A Kind Events”. I thought they did a fabulous job and loved the idea of having bottled water (the five gallon kind that you usually see in office coolers) readily available for the guests. This was a big hit with a lot of people and I would highly recommend it for all of my weddings! The tent was also decorated beautifully, and to quote Becky when I asked her whom to mention in my blog post, “And, just because I thought the hanging lanterns were so cool, I’ll mention that the rental company was called “Tailored Events Inc.”

Late that night, Becky, Tim and a bunch of their friends decided to do an impromptu jump into the lake. I so wish I could have joined them, but I was actually a little hesitant to walk out on the dock because it was so dark that I couldn’t even see my hand in front of my face. I was afraid I might walk right off the side of the dock with all of this expensive equipment around my neck. So I test fired my flash a couple of times to light the way. I was standing there taking the picture that is in this post. (Isn’t it amazing? I mean when I looked through the camera I couldn’t see anything. I just listened closely and fired at what sounded like opportune times) when suddenly I heard a splash that was kind of unrelated and then the swimmers yelling that that they thought someone had accidentally walked off the dock. I was the only one left on the dock at the time so I reached over and held him above water until the swimmers could come and help me pull him out. It was a pretty strange feeling to be in total darkness hanging on to a guy with one hand while still holding on to all of my gear in the other hand. The poor guy had a phone, camera, wallet, keys, and everything you could imagine in his pockets. I thought he was hurt at first because he didn’t respond immediately but I guess he was in shock. Thankfully, he was okay, and I think he only lost one of the electronic items.

Thank you so much Becky, Tim, your families, and friends for being so flexible and allowing me to do this with you. It was truly a pleasure to be with you on this beautiful day and night by the lake. I think of how nice that cool breeze felt coming off the lake and I am right there again with you enjoying every minute. I wish you much love and happiness on your journey together.

The cake topper was from Elizabeth's Grandparents wedding cake!

this is the golfing cake for Stephen

people often ask why i have two cameras. this was a fun way to show one reason why. his camera had just captured this image from on top of the glass rim. point and shoots can be painfully slow and i was able to record my image before theirs disappeared

a fraction of a second later i took this image with my other camera

i couldn't decide which dress shot i liked better so i thought i would let you decide

This was a fun wedding for me to shoot. It was close to home and it kicked off part two of a very hectic schedule with extensive travel. Most of the shooting schedule has come to an end so please look forward to several blog posts with some really great couples and awesome images. My shooting style and doing weddings every weekend in distant and different locations can and does take a lot out of me. It takes a huge effort to back everything up in multiple places, and get my gear and body ready in time to do the next one. I am very careful not to overextend myself but it doesn’t leave much, if any time to work on post-production or blogging. That is the nature of this business when you live and work in the North East. It all happens at once. Believe me, no one wishes more than I that I could get everyone their images the following week, but unfortunately it doesn’t work that way. Good dependent help is hard to find, and my ultimate goal is to deliver superior quality images to my couples and their families. I do outsource some things but there are other things that I feel have to be done by me to maintain my personal touch. Most of my couples understand this and appreciate what is involved. I like to think it is why they hired me in the first place. Elizabeth and Stephen are definitely in this category, and I would like to thank them and everyone who is waiting for something from me. I get the greatest emails from my couples all the time, and I must say that they are very much appreciated. They provide me with the fuel to do what I do, and are very dear to me. I wanted to include a little piece from one Elizabeth wrote recently. In it she says, “Thanks for getting back to me! I hope that you are holding up okay with all of the weddings and traveling! Stephen and I were just at a wedding in Chicago, and man is there a difference between you and the other guys! Thanks again for doing a fantastic job!” I really can’t say enough how much something like that means to me. To me it says that she saw how hard I worked for her at the wedding and she appreciates it. My couples are the best! They are so patient and understanding, especially when I know they can’t wait to see the images and can hardly wait to share them. I assure you it will be worth the wait, and thank you again for your patience and understanding.

This was my first wedding at the Double Tree Hotel in Rochester (i love their logo) and I have to say that I was impressed with their layout, presentation, and service. It really is a nice place for a wedding. Savoia Pastry Shoppe did a great job on the cake(s) and cookies. Yes, there were two cakes. One actually had the original cake topper from Elizabeth’s Grandparents wedding cake. Stephen is a great golfer (he won the 2006 NCAA Division III National Championship-Wow!) so the other cake was shaped like a sandpit and topped with a groom eagerly waiting to golf (with his golf bag over his shoulder and looking at his watch) while the wife looks on with her arms crossed. DJ David “Jickster” from 97 Rock, (the voice of the Buffalo Bills) was also a lot of fun to work with. Thanks to Rachel Gracie for joining me and helping out. But most of all a big thank you goes out to Elizabeth and Stephen. It has been a pleasure planning and exchanging emails with you over the past two years, and shooting your engagement session and the wedding together. I wish you much love and happiness and excitement on your journey together.

the love in Miah's expression makes this one of my all time favorite images

i love to pose artistic portraits, but this is what i mean by rewarding photojournalism

i can still hear Tommy's comment during his speech that caused this reaction, "thank you mom and dad for a wonderful life"

I have been looking forward to shooting Miah and Tommy’s wedding ever since their engagement session. So much so that I am actually sad that it has come and gone already. They are definitely one of the most incredibly friendly, attractive, and photographically knowledgeable/accommodating couples I have ever had the pleasure to have in front of my lens. Combine all of these factors and one could easily see why these two would be a dream couple for any photographer. There is however one other special thing these two have a lot of that trumps everything else and definitely pushes them over the top. That thing is LOVE! I could not help but notice it on the day of the wedding, it is after all the key emotion I am looking for, and what I do for a living. Still, I was amazed at the incredible amount of love that radiated from their images as I worked on the editing process. Believe it or not, this can actually make my job harder at times because there aren’t many images that end up on the editing room floor. Please don’t get me wrong, I am in no way complaining, but it can and does change the whole process. The final amount of images that gets delivered to them goes way up. Plus what I pick to share with you can be, and is different than what I was maybe planning to show. There are of course several artistic images that we did throughout the day, and I have included some of them here. However, I could not help but feel that I had to focus on showing some of the “real” moments that happened throughout the day. There are a ton of these moments as well so selecting a few to show on my blog is an unbelievably tough process.  As a photographer, these true photojournalistic moments are just as rewarding, if not more rewarding than the posed creative images.

Of course it rained… but we were not going to let that ruin the day. But, I mean it really rained. Like poured sideways from all directions kind of rain. We were stuck under a little veranda in the Delaware Park Rose Gardens because it was actually raining way too hard to run the few feet to the limo without getting completely drenched. We soon discovered that our temporary shelter wasn’t very good either because the rain was coming in from all directions. We circled Miah in an attempt to keep her dry. It turned out being an incredibly cozy experience so I had to get out my camera (yes in the pouring rain) and shoot everyone lovingly protecting Miah. It was so worth the effort too because I did record some incredible moments of this while the rest of the wedding party watched us in awe from their dry perch inside the limo. I had to include two images from this to share with you because one shows what I just described, and the other one is perhaps one of my favorite images ever. It is just a simple shot of Miah looking up at Tommy right after the rain broke (yes the sun did come out, even when it was pouring actually) and there is obviously so much love in her eyes and expression for him. To me that image says, “It doesn’t matter what is happening around us, because I love you so very much, and that is everything!”

I asked Miah if she could write up a little something about how they met. I remember them telling me about it on the engagement shoot but I couldn’t remember all of the details. I thought what she wrote was so great that I would just include it here. So this is their story.

Hi Frank!!!

I hope you have had a chance to rest up!  I think we are just finally getting back to normal.  We were so glad you stopped by on your way out and introduced us to your family!  Could your kids be any cuter?  It’s so nice as newlyweds to see couples and families like yours whose happiness just radiates from them!   

Well, I can definitely tell you our story.  Strange looking back on it now.  I can hardly believe we pulled it all off.  Well, in a nutshell, Tommy and I met online, sort of.  We both went to Canisius College in Buffalo at the same time.  He was a senior when I was a freshman.  We never met, even though we were both in sports, ran in some of the same circles and hung out at all the same watering holes.  The school was very small (5,000 or so) so everybody runs into each other all the time.  Anyway, as fate would have it, Tommy evaded me, graduated and began substitute teaching.  He heard one afternoon that they were looking for some movie extras for a movie that was being shot in Buffalo so he decided to see what it was all about.  He had a great day and met some kind people who helped get him going.  After landing a few small jobs, he decided teaching may not be it for him and packed his bags for California (3,000 miles away from me!).  There were several years of couch crashing, futon sleeping, fast food eating and bartending to make ends meet.  Then he started getting regular work and things got a little easier.  Funny I can remember watching specific episodes of Charmed and LAX that Tommy was in, but I didn’t know who he was then.

As, for us meeting, well that was all Tommy’s doing.  We were both on the computer all the time and both were members of our Canisius Alumni website and Canisius alumni groups on MySpace and Facebook etc. Apparently, Tommy was looking up people from Canisius to reconnect with etc (in August 2005) and when the page came up, my picture was the second one in.  Awe struck by my beauty, I’m sure, and intrigued by my scribbles about myself, he decided to email me.  Well, I got the email all right, but I didn’t recognize him.  I thought he must be some one that I knew, but I couldn’t remember.  I was too embarrassed to reply that I didn’t know who he was, so I just didn’t reply.  (The Don Juan headshot he had on there didn’t help - it looked like he tore it out of a magazine, so I figured he was totally scamming me).  Then another email came.  I was trying to remember him and figured I’d better ask some friends if he was legit.  Then came the instant messages.  Now I was starting to feel bad for the guy, so after 4 attempts to contact me (he says he was about to give up), I bit the bullet and replied back…..Just one moment can change everything.

At that point, I didn’t get that he liked me, only that he was connecting with old friends and classmates etc like dozens of people had with me before him.  I didn’t think much of it honestly.  But the conversation was so easy, and he made me laugh so hard, that IM’s turned to phone calls (really long phone calls) and it wasn’t long before he had won me over.  Plus he had 3 dogs (which my mom says is a sure sign of a good responsible man). What a nice way to meet someone, hours and weeks and months of just talking.  By my birthday at the end of September (only one month later), he says knew.  He sent me a birthday cake with a candle and told me to keep the candle but never told me why.  When he proposed 2 years later, he told me that he wanted me to keep the candle so we could use it to light the unity candle at our wedding.  I knew that he was coming home for Christmas, but that was months away!!!  I couldn’t wait!  By December, we were head over heels in love with someone we’d never met.  Crazy!!  The days took forever, and finally he pulled up to my cold snowy house where I was anxiously waiting on the porch looking like an Eskimo.  I ran down the driveway to meet him and totally kissed him first (something I will deny to my future grandchildren).  It was perfect, like we’d always been together.  His x-mas gift to me was a snow globe of a bride and groom dancing.  Wow!

There were a few trips back and forth and I was trying to find out if California was the place for me.  During one trip, Tommy took me to a great outdoor mall in Burbank where we walked into a little vintage clothing store.  Tommy had called me over to where he was standing and I couldn’t believe my eyes.  There on the end of a rack full of old letterman jackets was a Fredonia State Blue Devils jacket from 1970 (The year Tommy was born)!  A sign from my tiny little town, 3,000 miles away, that maybe I was finally in the right place.  By April 06, I had packed up everything and was moving to California!  I’m sure our families thought we were nuts, but they never said so.  Both our moms took me to the airport crying, my mom, because I was leaving, and him mom, because she knew Tommy wouldn’t be alone anymore!

Funny how we met, funnier that we never met sooner.  I guess fate had a plan and everything since has just fallen into place.  Now we have 5 dogs and a place at the beach and we couldn’t be happier.    

Quick notes:
We had 4 pregnant bridesmaids (50%) in the wedding,
7 kids from 2-8, (edit Frank-this was actually  the first wedding I shot that had two babysitters)
My dress was a Jim Hjelm Couture,
There have been 12 couples over three generations in Tommy’s family that have been married at the Church of the Assumption.
As far as Tommy’s acting goes, he has recently been on 24, Desperate Housewives, Bones, Prison Break and Criminal Minds.

We can’t thank you enough for all you have done for us.  Your pictures will be treasured more than you will ever know.  We hope you enjoy the rest of your very wet summer in NY and send our best wishes to you family.

Regards,
Miah & Thomas

These two are the greatest!

Whew, I think this may be the longest written post I have done yet. I hope you have enjoyed their story. Thank you so much Miah, Tommy, your families, and friends for everything. It was a pleasure and an honor to be able to do this for you. A Big thank you also to Yuliya Shevchenko at Yuka Photo Art Inc for shooting this with me. We have been following each other’s work for a while now and finally had a chance to work together.  She is incredibly talented and has an amazing post on her blog about the wedding, so please check it out. Thank you also to the Buffalo Launch Club, Harry’s Harbour Place Grille, (my wife and I actually had one of our first dates at Harry’s years ago when we went to hear my sister sing, but the place was called something else way back then),  Andrea Ball from Signature Events for doing an outstanding job coordinating and planning everything, and to DJ Dennis Fleig from CJ Sound and Kiss 98.5 for doing a fabulous job keeping everyone rocking. Last but not least, if you are looking for that tough to find Rolls Royce, or any other type of special limo then please give David a call at Advantage Limousine Service.

Thanks again Miah and Tommy, I wish you much love and happiness on your journey together!

Karl and Mara were sweethearts in high school but they had gone their separate ways by the time they were sophomores in college. I’m sure this is a story not unfamiliar to a lot of us. Unfortunately, attending different colleges so many miles apart has a way of doing that to relationships. They lost touch completely for over five years until they randomly bumped into each other on Broadway in Morningside Heights. Through this chance meeting they learned that they were both graduate students at Columbia. Karl’s brother was actually with Karl when they ran into Mara. In fact he had a great story to tell about it at the reception. Fate brought them back together after all of these years and now love will provide the happily ever after part. Aren’t true love stories the ultimate best?

It was a pleasure to be back in the Adirondack Mountains at a wonderful place called Old Forge for Mara and Karl’s wedding. We started the night before with a delicious meal and fun times for their rehearsal dinner at Five Corners Café. This place rocks big time! I would have bought one of their t-shirts if they had my size. The next day I met Mara and everyone early for the getting ready photos where she was staying at the North Woods Inn. Mara has three beautiful sisters and an incredible group of friends so she was surrounded by a bunch of awesome people. Two of the funniest people I met on the trip were her hair stylist Alex Budai and especially her makeup person Szilvia Varro. Szilvia (like Mara) has one of those magnetic personalities that make you want to smile every time you look at them. Probably because they always have a huge smile beaming right back at you. They make a great hair/makeup team and are the best to work with! We had a lot of fun together and they also did an amazing job. Mara brought them with her from New York City so they joined the reception later and had a great time. I hope we get to work together again and I would highly recommend them to any of my NYC brides that may be reading this. Definitely make it a point to check these two out!

The ceremony was at Saint Mary of the Snows Church in Otter Lake, N.Y. (my second church in a row with no address), which was also special because Karl’s parents were married there. Of course we had to deal with the rain, which seems to be an ongoing theme this year. I always tell my couples to embrace the rain, but it gets kind of tough week after week as a photographer to get completely drenched and try to keep your body and equipment functioning. Rain or shine, Mara looked absolutely stunning in her dress from Paris designers Amarilidine. Kate Russell of Mountain Greenery in Old Forge did a spectacular job on the flowers as well. Diane Connerty is the most amazing host at the North Woods Inn, and DJ: Cory Cobane made sure that everyone kept moving and grooving throughout the night.

I’m finding that more and more of my couples work in or are involved in the arts. Mara is the executive director of public relations and communications at Pratt Institute in Brooklyn, and she deals with photographers all the time. Karl is a senior field producer for MTV Networks in Manhattan, so he more than understands everything that is involved. It is an honor for me to be recognized by people who know and appreciate the arts. Thank you Mara, Karl, your friends and families for allowing me to share this special time with you. I wish you much love and happiness on your journey together.