The magic of weddings is both greater and simpler than I ever imagined. Several hundred weddings in and over ten years through, I’ve come to see it’s not just the love, the romance, the ritual, or even the people. It’s beyond the beauty. Beyond the thing itself.

No matter how many times I step out the door and enter the day, and no matter how many weather reports I read or how much gear I prepare, each and every time, I step out into the unknown. I step into an intersection of chance and hope and the gracious beauty of letting go. A serendipity inevitably more magical and powerful than I could ever predict and for exactly that reason. Lindsey and Will’s wedding was just this. A collision of energy and life. Of friendships and joy. It was the type of day that lingers into the next and the next, imprinting itself into your future. It was pure human expression.

Event planning by Jove Meyer.

So often, as photographers, we have a job that dwells on the perfect day. If you take all the perfect things with the perfect moments and perfect perfection of it all, it must add up to something more.

But what of a human day? A day of people and hugs and hearts felt and selfies taken, and the simple smiles, and the presence of mind to be there? Sometimes, you feel like it’s lost in swirl of it all, but, in reality, what could be more perfect? Days of people being who they are with friends and family who are exactly what they are, everyday of your life, but there, together, for you.

Watching Pam and Josh and a dance floor packed to the hilt, I was reminded of what it is that makes a wedding a wedding. Not the perfect, but a special place in time and space of the most ordinary things making the most extraordinary days. That’s a wedding.

Planning by Kate O’Donnell of Green Apple Weddings.

When you hear about a couple who knew they were meant for each other from the very first date, it’s hard not to melt just a little bit. Watching Tracy and Tyler share their vows in front of a few of their closest friends made for the type of private moment that sears itself in your mind, reminding you, or at very least, me, of why weddings matter in the first place. Couldn’t have asked for more, but the Brooklyn backdrop that came with the package, sealed the deal. What a day.

Making the rounds through SoHo as the light cut through the streets, I was reminded of what makes New York such a special place. Equal parts grit and beauty, it’s the type of place where life is never lived at anything less than its fullest, and this was no exception. Casey’s smile and Gerardo’s warmth made for a magical day that lived and breathed the feel of the City. Intimate, honest, and raw.

As the breeze drifted by and the smell of the grass wafted through the air of the Hudson Valley, you knew this was something special. Bianca and Alex, holding each other minutes after the ceremony in a perfect embrace, tears streaming, reminding you that this is what weddings are for. Love, passion, the celebration of friends, good times, and great, great days.

Venue: Hudson Valley Weddings at The Hill
Event design: Pickles and Pies

In all my years doing this, I’ve never seen a wedding where a couple poured so much of their hearts and talent into the creation and design of the wedding. Kasia didn’t just look amazing in the dress. She designed and made the dress. Nick, an artist in his own right, created many of the design elements, including the wedding bands themselves. Set in the large, industrial space at Dye Works Gallery, the whole wedding was nothing short of stunning. It bled with care, possessed of a relaxed and intimate energy that simply inhabited every part of the day.

Some days are just plain good days. The weather is perfect, the light is right, and everything comes together. And that’s how the day was. Breezy and briny, with just a trace of wind in the air, we walked through the Fort Tilden area, exploring abandoned buildings, hidden paths, and the beautiful beach. Not a bad way to go at all.

The New York wedding is a very special sort of creature. Traversing space and place, history and the present, it brings together people, cultures, character and tradition into one very unique sort of mix. It’s hard not to love a couple who puts as much into their day as Angela and Angus. Perfectly suited for the temperament of the City, they brought their own unique style with smiles, charm, and a simple joy of being present. It was a pleasure to be there for the ride.

When I close my eyes, I see big, bold smiles. A day full of big, bold, beautiful smiles in an intimate reception at the top of the Nomad Hotel. I see New York’s wonderful skyline in the background, and I feel the night’s cool breeze blowing through a warm and heartfelt reception. That’s the thing about this city. There’s always a bit of magic in the air, and you could feel it all throughout at Rachael and David’s wedding.

Event Planning: Diana Tsao Events