Crystal Plaza Wedding : Kristen & Cory : Livingston, NJ
A Wedding at the Crystal Plaza in Livingston, NJ
Kristen & Cory were married on a gorgeous summer afternoon at the Crystal Plaza, a distinctive venue in suburban NJ which just underwent major renovations. This was my first time in the building since it was updated and I was shocked to see the new ceremony space which is literally like standing inside a crystal. Running the length of the room along the ceiling is essentially an inverted runway which bathes the room in light. What used to be the ceremony space is now the largest bridal getting ready suite I've perhaps ever witnessed. There's no better place for a large bridal party to get ready.
One of the quintessential ingredients of a NJ or Long Island venue is the manicured outdoor garden space for photos and I'd say Crystal Plaza pulls this off in the least "marble columns" type of way. It's elegant and has many nooks and crannies that give photographers the ability to shoot it creatively in different ways. Sometimes you show up at these places and they're just the one option and angle - but that's absolutely not the case here.
Alongside my longtime videography colleagues "15 Minutes of Frame", we photographed Kristen in the glorious bridal suite as she put on her Justin Alexander gown and then met Cory for a first look. Before long, Chevy Chevis Entertainment was warming up the room with music and guests started to stream in.
Photos: Brian Hatton Photography
Venue: Crystal Plaza
Florist: Dalsimer Spitz & Peck
Hair: Marissa Molnar
Makeup: Jenielle Jensen
Video: 15 Minutes of Frame
Wedding Gown: Justin Alexander
Band: Chevy Chevis Entertainment
Park Chateau Wedding : Devin & Joseph : East Brunswick, NJ
Devin & Joseph were married this past June 2019 at the Park Chateau in New Jersey. Driving up to the Park Chateau is amazing - it's like the Taj Mahal/Disney World/Buckingham Palace of wedding venues and a lucky bride and groom have it all to themselves.
Florist: MDS Floral Design
Hair: Susan @ High Maintenance Salon
Makeup: Brittany Alfaro @ Makemeup Eva
Band: Soulsystems Orchestra
Wedding Dress: Mark Ingram Atelier
Rings: Goldtinker
Groom's Attire: Garmany
Liberty House Wedding : Maxi & Rory : Jersey City, NJ
Maxi & Rory were married July 28, 2018 with a ceremony and reception at Liberty House located in Liberty State Park of Jersey City, NJ. Is there a better way to cap off a summer wedding than with a firepit s'more cookout? I think not. Maxi & Rory got ready at the nearby Westin Jersey City before making their way to Liberty State Park for a first look. The weather kept us on our toes that day with one of those cloudless sky downpours... but thankfully everything calmed down by the time their ceremony was underway. Which, is a very good thing, considering there are hardly any more spectacular views of Manhattan than that from the back porch of The Liberty House, with its endless views of lower Manhattan. 
The Grove Wedding : Dora & Paul : Cedar Grove, NJ
Paul and Dora were married on November 11th, with a ceremony at the St. George Greek Orthodox Church in Clifton and a reception at the Grove in Cedar Grove, New Jersey.
It was a perfect fall day—my favorite time for shooting weddings—when I got to Dora’s parents’ home. It’s a big tradition in Greek weddings to zip up the dress and place the veil in her childhood bedroom, so I made sure to capture that moment. Greek weddings are always so colorful and include rituals that are beautiful both to witness and to photograph, so I always love being asked to do them.
When we got to the St. George Greek Orthodox Church in Clifton, the white church transported us to somewhere that felt far away. The gorgeous venue was illuminated by the afternoon sun, which only contributed to the feeling of majesty.
Just before the sun hit the horizon, I was able to whisk Paul and Dora away to Verona Park. This is the best possible time for outdoor photos, when the light is soft, flattering, warm and especially romantic. And in the autumn, the trees pick up the golden sunset. Even though we didn’t have a ton of time, these images were some of my favorites.
We arrived at the Grove, a venue I’d never had the pleasure of photographing before, and I immediately loved the spacious lobby and ballroom. There is nothing like a New Jersey cocktail hour, and the Grove was no exception. I would have been excited to have their cocktail hour as my own wedding reception!
Since there were many Greek family members in attendance at the reception, at the very first beat of a Greek song from the DJ, a circle of people spontaneously erupted upon the dance floor with great spirit. And toward the end of the night, I was highly entertained as people really started to let loose the closer we got to the final song. I had so many options for angles to cover this vibrant celebration thanks to the huge ballroom and staircase, and I enjoyed myself finding new ways to cover this party.
This wedding was also the inaugural event for our new photo booth offering. With a booth technician to keep things moving smoothly, Dora and Paul’s friends had a ton of fun with all the amazing props! It’s a great way to get silly pictures of your guests in addition to normal coverage—and for people to leave with their own prints in hand.
Dora & Paul, thank you for asking me to be part of your vivacious wedding. It’s so nice to work with such a warm couple, and I’m grateful that you were able to show me such beautiful locations.
My 2018 wedding season is already well underway, with weddings at the St. Regis and University Club coming up. I can’t wait to work with all the couples in this coming year. But first, I wanted to finish remembering last year’s—and Paul and Dora aren’t the last wedding. There’s still more to come!
Vendors
Florist - River Dell Flowers
Lotte New York Palace Wedding : Amanda & Frank : New York, NY
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Amanda and Frank were married on July 1st in a ceremony at the Church of the Most Blessed Sacrament in Franklin Lakes, N.J., with a reception following at Lotte New York Palace. I had been Amanda and Frank’s engagement photographer prior to the wedding, and loved their unique session at the Jane Hotel in the Meatpacking District. So, I knew this wedding was going to be just as amazing, and a true pleasure to photograph. At the beginning of the day, Amanda got ready at her parents’ home, while Frank was at the Sheraton Mahwah in New Jersey, just a short drive away from the church. Tropical decorations in the “elegant Cuban” theme filled the church. One of my favorite images of the whole day was when Amanda was waiting at the front door of her home and the vintage Rolls Royce rolled up. Some weddings lend themselves beautifully to black and white, and this wedding was one of them—I truly enjoyed how much the wedding came alive in these images. I loved how personal the ceremony was, with its roots reaching back all the way to how these two met in high school. Their principal from their high school days is now the priest at the church where they were married. That was just one of the many reasons they held the ceremony in New Jersey at Amanda’s home parish. The couple truly wanted to pay homage to their families and beginnings. Mother Nature kept us on our toes all day, with the rains coming and going. But, as the ceremony ended, the skies cleared for us and we made our way to New York City in a vintage Rolls Royce where we took photos in Central Park. From there, we headed to the New York Palace Hotel, where we went straight to the rooftop to take advantage of the expansive city views. I love working at the New York Palace because it offers the classic feel of a historic New York venue, with the balance of a modern-feeling hotel upstairs. I also love the feeling of the outdoor space and the grandeur of St. Patrick’s Cathedral towering over us right across the street. At the reception, the band, Cubanoson, lit up the dance floor immediately with clave, which set the tone for a really fun evening of toasts and dancing. The cake was also a highlight, made by Ron Ben Israel, who you may recognize from the Food Network show “Sweet Genius.” Many cakes are decorated with live flowers, but not many cakes are topped with a stunning bouquet of flowers made entirely from sugar—and made entirely by hand as well. To cap off the night of fun, we went to the historic and beautiful courtyard of the New York Palace and sent off the happy couple with sparklers. Frank & Amanda, I have loved being your photographer, not only for this wedding but for your engagement session. You two both truly know how to have fun, and I’ve loved being swept up in the excitement with you!
Vendors:
Cake: Ron Ben Israel
Planner: Polka Dot Events
Wedding Dress: Vera Wang
Bridesmaids Dresses: Monique Lhuillier
Groom's Attire: Ralph Lauren
Band: Cubanoson
