Valley Rock Inn Wedding : Emily & Brendan : Sloatsburg, NY
Emily and Brendan got married on a crisp, clear day in mid-August at Valley Rock Inn — my third time shooting there, and it keeps earning the trip up.
Valley Rock is a strange, wonderful thing to describe. Walled in on all four sides, you step through the gate and the outside world just goes away — leafy green, hydrangeas everywhere, rustic and sleek weaved together in a perfect type of synergy. The cocktail hour space is an old ivy-trimmed garden patio, stone walls on every side, with a reflecting pool at its center. It's one of my favorite cocktail hour settings, period.
Emily's family is from Los Angeles, and there was something fitting about the venue as a landing spot for them — it's about as close as upstate New York gets to a slice of California.
The morning started separately, each side getting ready in their own guest house on the property. Emily's dad had his moment in the mirror — the kind you can't direct, just be ready for.
I'm always trying to get atmosphere and emotion into the same frame rather than treating them as two separate jobs — the light, the setting, and the actual feeling of the moment, all doing work at once. Valley Rock just hands you that chance over and over. First look was tucked against an old stone outbuilding on the property, ferns and dappled light, and it set the tone for the rest of the portraits — genuinely happy, not posed-happy. The ceremony ran under a rose-covered arch with Brendan's brother officiating, which is not a role you see filled by family very often, and it changed the whole feel of the vows.
Wedding party portraits happened poolside, reflecting pool fountains going the whole time, the old stone wall behind everyone catching the last of the afternoon light. Cocktail hour moved into that garden I mentioned — string lights just starting to come on as the sky did its thing.
Reception was under a sailcloth tent strung with bistro lights, dinner tables dressed simply — white roses, daisies, burlap runners, the kind of florals that don't try to compete with the room. Ignition had the floor moving from the first song, sunset landed right on schedule, and the night went the way these nights go: dancing, a cake cutting, more dancing.
Congratulations, Emily and Brendan.
Vendor Credits:
Venue: Valley Rock Inn
Planning: WedWell (Claire Letourneau)
Florals: Anthony and Sage Event Design
Music: Ignition / Hank Lane Music
Cake: Lulu Cake Boutique
Photo Booth: Oh Snap Smile
Tent: Sperry Tents
Hair: Hair by Arden
Makeup: Yuby Leoce
Transportation: Ramstar Transportation
Photography: Brian Hatton Photography
Valley Rock Inn Wedding : Alyssa & Matt: Sloatsburg, NY
An Autumn wedding at Valley Rock Inn located less than an hour from NYC in Sloatsburg, NY.
When you step through the barn doors onto the grounds of Valley Rock Inn, you are instantly transported into a luxe oasis of beautifully manicured landscaping, picturesque guest houses and a stunning tent all nestled under towering mature trees. It would be amazing to book a single suite much less the entire property for a wedding. Alyssa & Matt did just this, employing the help of Daniela and her team at Vision Event Co to produce a truly wonderful weekend to celebrate their union with friends and family.
We could not have been at a more peak moment of Fall as trees were exploding with bright vivid colors framing many of the images. The pastel, fading colors of hydrangeas lining walkways became the theme of the day with this visual element becoming a part of many design details. As getting ready drew to a close we moved into their first look making use of the many interesting textures and colors on site, all accented by the glorious Fall light.
This wedding had an all star cast of vendors which made everything go off without a hitch. I was so happy to work with my long time colleagues at McKenzie Miller Films who filmed this wedding beautifully and unobtrusively.
Planning: Vision Event Co
Photography: Brian Hatton
Cinema: McKenzie Miller Films
Entertainment: Element Music NYC
Florist: Maple Field Floral
Hair & Makeup: NB Beauty & Co
Tent: Sperry Tents
Lighting: Fabrico Productions
Valley Rock Inn : Rehearsal Dinner : Sloatsburg, NY
It’s not often that I post images from a rehearsal dinner, but this one was nicer than my own wedding LOL. I love being present at a rehearsal dinner because I get a chance to establish a rapport with key players before diving in to some of the most important photos taken in a person’s life. Maple Field Floral made Valley Rock Inn look just stunning for both the pre-wedding event and the big day. These pictures essentially took themselves.
