Sometimes you need a break from the standard fall family photos and delve into something that makes your heart happy. Taking moody photos in a cemetary was it for me. Fortunately, my best friend and her family were up for making my witchy heart art dreams come true. Hopefully in the future I get to do more of these! I know just the place;)
Since the world shut down, so did I…kind of.
After a mind altering wedding, I decided to back off shooting my own clients for weddings and focus more on working for other companies and doing family sessions. All of 2019, I worked for other companies and did my family sessions came home, went to work and spent what little time I had with my family. Then Covid happened and I was glad I didn’t have a ton of weddings to reschedule, and working from home made me realize how much time I spent away from my son. So I stopped shooting almost all together.
It’s been peaceful, I’m not going to lie. To have my weekends to myself and not have to stress about timelines or unhappy people. I miss the hustle and bustle and creative outlet sometimes but not enough to dive back in. In addition to wanting more family time, I am getting older and driving from the east end to my home on the south shore was not getting easier. My parents are getting older, and my own health issues were starting to make their presence known.
I have hashimotos, which prompted me to go gluten free after reading a few medical journals as well as speaking to my endocrinologist. I was able to get a lipedema diagnosis this year, and that has been a journey to get a resolution to. You see, I always knew I was fat. I tried every diet in the book from the time I was in fifth grade to no real avail. Weight Watchers, LA Weight Loss, Atkins, South Beach, Whole30, Keto, macros etc and so on. I was even on a GLP1 for over a year and only dropped 20 pounds which is significant but not the results others see. I was getting frustrated and had heard of lipedema before, but never really knew what to do about it.
Then I started following a person called Glitter and Lazers she was on the road to dealing with this same issue, and getting surgery for it. I had already done dry brushing and vibration plates and compression garments for as long as I could recall but what I didn’t have was an official diagnosis. I sought out a vascular surgeon, who took one look at me and said yes absolutely. I took that diagnosis and started going to a lymphatic masseuse and started looking into plastic surgeons.
I had two terrible interactions with doctors who claimed online that they dealt with lipedema but once in their office, they did not know what they were talking about. One told me I should get a gastric bypass…honey even if I didn’t eat more than 500 calories a day and no carbs I couldn’t lose this fat.
See the thing about lipedema is that it is a subcutaneous fat that is diet resistant. Nothing I could have done would have helped.
After those two consultations, I took a break thinking I was never going to find relief.
I started back up in June and found a doctor on Long Island who WAS ACTUALLY A SPECIALIST. HUZZAH!! He didn’t look at me like a grotesque thing standing in front of him (although I was mortified to be in my underwear) but he said he could help.
I went to a physiologist to get a back up diagnosis, submitted every receipt I could, and my insurance approved the surgery! I screamed joy when I opened that letter. It was like confirming everything I know about myself and that I wasn’t wrong and that I had tried everything. The validation was everything I needed in that moment.
The first surgery is happening the day before Halloween. I’m nervous about the surgery and scared that the results aren’t going to be dramatic, but this is the first of many and the doctor I am using has a very good reputation within the lipedema community so I trust him.
My friend wants me to take before and after photos but I simply do not think I care enough to do that.
There are so many venues on Long Island, I’m quite sure I have not seen them all. But I do love Three Village Inn. It’s quaint and cute and wonderfully intimate.
They have cottages on the grounds that couples can stay in for their wedding and get ready in so they aren’t burdened with renting limousines to get to and fro.
Sarah and Adam both chose to get ready at the cottages, as well as have a first look so we had plenty of time for romantics in different locations. With the help of my second shooter Connie we made the most of what little October light we had.
Sarah you are the sweetest, and also a complete rock star. This lovely lady broke her toe and STILL rocked a pair of heels.
I love the ceremony of a ketubah, and this was one of the most emotional ones I’ve had the pleasure of documenting.
Family pictures! I always hope these grace familial walls for generations, hung next to their own childrens and grandchildrens.
It is possible to have a ceremony at night, we just bring it with us!
Married!!
Like I said, we had a lot of time to do romantics around the property. Sarah brought along this gorgeous red pashima to cuddle up in. It was October after all and evenings got crisp quick. Sarah’s mom also rented a golf cart to transport them around (I did mention the broken toe right?) but they are also avid golfers!
Oh man, the horah. As a photographer you either get in it or miss it! And the chair lift, haha Sarah they won’t drop you!
There were endearing and funny speeches, lots of dancing and celebrating. And then it was over in a flash! I hope these images help you relive it.
Happy anniversary!!
Bridgeview Yacht Club is one of my favorite venues to work at, the staff really treats you like a part of the team which makes the whole process so much less stressful on all of us!
Lisa and Ryan got married on a gorgeous fall day, just enough warmth in the air to take photos outside, with that delicious golden light right during their first look.
Lisa and Ryan were completely go with the flow, no matter what happened. There is a saying I’ve seen around the net recently “If it all goes to hell, if you married your best friend, then it all went perfectly” . I love that, because it’s truly the crux of what everyone is there for.
I simply could not stop shooting in that gorgeous light, both from the sun and from these two looking at each other!
I posted so many teasers just from their first look, I couldn’t help myself! Can you look at that sun light?!
Check out Bridgeview if you’re looking for a venue!
x
Congrats Lisa and Ryan! Thank you so much for having me part of your day!
Lydia and Elan surrounded themselves with their closest family and friends to seal their relationship in a beautiful elopement/wedding ceremony.
Everything about the day was highly personal to them, and beautifully done.
Elan made the chuppah under which they took their vows.
They walked each other down the aisle and their children stood up for them as witness.
Everything about their wedding was unique to them and simply lovely (as are they).
I love the adorable way they stole glances at each other, and gravitate towards each other throughout the day. The way Lydia looks at Elan during the ceremony, you wouldn’t guess that they have been together for 9 years…it’s the sweetest thing that keeps their relationship looking fresh.
Thank you for choosing me as your wedding photographer at Allegria in Long Beach!
Warmth.
Welcoming.
Sweet.
All adjectives that describe Helen and Chris and every soul that surrounds them.
Not only do they look like old timey movie stars but they are laid back and go with the flow types, but fun and lively. Those two things don’t seem like they would go together but they do and it’s true about both of them.
From the calm but fun morning, to the energy filled family portraits and the off the wall dance party that happened during the reception, it had me feeling all the feels.
Helen stayed at an adorable AirBnB in Long Beach, which is where she and her glam squad, (some top notch makeup and hair persons who also happen to be amazing friends) started the day. There was much discussion of bolder brows and bigger hair (which, yes OF COURSE) and then we were on our way to the venue for the first look, family portraits, ceremony and of course the reception!
At weddings, I always get caught up in listening to the speeches that their friends and family give. It gives such an intimate and funny insight into who these people are that makes photographing their wedding so much more special.
Helen’s father gave a speech that highlighted how she and Chris met which essentially summed up to two souls who were like magnets and just came together.
Chris’ father gave a speech about how they became engaged, which was both hilarious and touching and showed how much these two families were excited to become one.
I actually follow Helen (and she me) on Instagram and being able to have that window into her day to day life made me feel as if I was photographing the wedding of a dear friend. Thank you Helen and Chris for allowing me to document your day!
Lisa and Ryan’s wedding is coming up soon!
So I just had to get their adorable mini engagement session on the blog before their wedding at Bridgeview Yacht Club.
Ryan is a quiet guy, he seems to be constantly taking everything in while Lisa is outgoing and sweet. Well, they’re both sweet. And you can feel it when you see the images of Ryan taking Lisa in his arms and just encapsulating her. He steps back and let’s her shine ❤
I’m fairly easy to reach through email, so when clients email me I email them back as soon as I can (whereas with phone I have to wait for quiet time because of dogs/children and excessively loud cat). So Lisa had been emailing me back and forth about her wedding, their timeline and general wedding nervousness.
I offered to have Lisa and Ryan come out to one of my mini session dates to do a short, simple getting to know you, engagement shoot so they would have an idea of what it’s like to get photographed. It’s always nerve wracking leading up to getting photographed. Clients are never sure if they are supposed to know what to do off the bat (you don’t) or what they’re going to look like once the photos are processed.
I totally understand! I’m getting family photos done soon and am already panic stricken over what to wear and what it’ll look like.
So Lisa and Ryan came to the session and we just talked and got to know each other throughout the shoot and came out of it with beautiful portraits!
I’m so excited to be a part of their wedding!
To say this day was hot would be doing the temperature that day and the cooperation of the wedding party a severe disservice. To say it felt like we were on the sun would be more accurate. It was approximately 110 degrees and even though we were all melting everyone was in it to have fun and be there for the lovely Senefa and Steven!
I love it when I walk into a bridal prep and the music is blasting and everyone is happy and loud and having a blast. That’s exactly what was happening, everyone was laughing, cheering, dancing and singing while getting ready. The energy was just amazing 🙂
After prep we headed over to the Watermill which has become a favorite venue of mine, they are always so accommodating even to the vendors in my experience and it just makes the day go so smoothly!
We went from the hotel to the venue and started doing all the portraits we could before the ceremony and without Steven seeing Senefa.
During the short ceremony (I did mention it was a million degrees) they exchanged personal vows and jumped the broom.
We managed to find a sliver of shade and do all the bridal party photos as fast as possible before people started melting and popped S&S in for some alone time and portraits without all the beautiful chaos that had surrounded them until that point and give them a few moments to soak in being married!
Then the reception. This was a nonstop party with some of the craziest dance moves I’ve witnessed, and there was actually a dance battle! I’m so glad I was there to capture the fun! Also the amazing details all Disney themed were so cute and unique! I loved that the escort cards coincided with the silhouette of 2 Disney characters for each table.
Congratulations S&S! You two are cool customers 😉
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