Every wedding begins in an empty space. Unadorned, unfilled, undeveloped. The clock ticks, the time gets closer, and one by one, people trickle in, trying to find their place. To ready themselves, to steady themselves, and to move from being in the day to becoming part of the day. The groom arrives. The bride arrives. The procession begins. And time and time again, I’m reminded just what it is about weddings.

Watching Diane and Matt was all joy. A charming day, filled with unassuming smiles, laughter, and hugs, it was just the type of wedding that leaves a smile in your heart. A day that begins in that undefined space, starting off empty and ending full. Full of warmth, full of happiness, and full of memories.

It was a big, bold day, full of heart. M and K were two people fully committed to the event from top to bottom, and you could just feel it. Something in the air that stayed with them all the way through, from the streets of Tribeca to a gorgeous rooftop ceremony and a full night of dancing. Big smiles, big energy, big excitement, and a beautiful wedding. Outstanding.

There’s something distinct and powerful about standing at the edge of Manhattan and peering into the distance. Watching Laura and Matt on this perfect night set against the Statue of Liberty, draped in the last vestiges of light reminded me of the power of romance and the wonder of it all.

Both of them are possessed of unassuming smiles that underscore a true sense of joy, and it made for a simple day with an elegant grace. I couldn’t have been happier than to have been there, along for the ride. This was something special.

Mercurial, unpredictable, and ever elusive, to photograph weddings in New York is to be intimately familiar with the weather. And this was no exception. It was a nail-biter of a week ending on a prediction for rain, and to be sure, as we traveled up the West Side Highway, the clouds were there. Fortunately, the day had kinder intentions.

The sun broke through as the ceremony began, soaking the gorgeous, green grounds in a brilliant light. Wave Hill had never looked better, as if the skies had parted for Kira and Philip and this wonderful wedding day.

To watch the two of them together is to see two people, relaxed and happy with the type of deep appreciation for one another that lodges itself in your brain so firmly, you could almost forget how stunning it all looked. Almost. But for all the memories of joy and fun and smiles and hugs, and for all of the wonderful decor, what really stuck in my mind came after I left the event.

As I walked off the grounds and up the street to my car, the music cut through the pristine sky. I smiled, hearing the sound of celebration, telling me a story of a lovely day and lively night. It told me about a party resisting completion and a clear sky on a warm summer night that made it all feel right. But, more than anything, it told me about what a wedding should be. Not just a day of celebration, but a day of heartfelt emotions that linger into the future like music drifting into the air. Because, though a wedding may take place over a day, the memories stay with us forever.

Planning: Just About Married
Design: Glorimundi