Josie & Rob's Intimate PA Wedding

A day to be remembered

When thinking about where to begin to recap Josie and Rob's intimate wedding, I am at a loss because the entire day was truly a dream. From mine and Josies first call, we instantly clicked and I knew we would be a great match (arguably, I've never been more right in my life).

Their lives together started as friendship, through a game of Ninja, and eventually blossomed into their beautiful relationship today. The foundation they build their relationship on has withstood many trials and tribulations and I truly believe that their deep love, trust, and mutual respect is a huge reason this day was so perfect. Both Rob and Josie were beaming from ear to ear the entire day. When taking Rob's portraits before the ceremony he was SO excited- his joy was bursting out of him and overflowing into everyone else. During this time he couldn't stop gushing about Josie, how much he loved her, and how valued she made him feel. This was essentially the mood for the entire day- just joy and love all around.

To top it off, this day was simply stunning and the Venue, The Duke Sculpture Garden, was a perfect match for Josie and Rob's intimate wedding. My friend and fellow NYC photographer, Stacey from Stine Creative, tagged along with me and acted as the best unofficial second shooter a girl could ask for!

The Best Support System

Before we really dig into this amazing day, I definitely think that Rob and Josie's amazing support system deserves a MAJOR shoutout. Their families and friends truly made their day so much more enjoyable and they were some of the best cheerleaders a couple could ask for on their wedding day. They hyped them up and took so much pressure and stress of their shoulders!

The Ceremony

I should probably start this with a disclosure- I cry during pretty much every wedding ceremony and after I got married myself I became even more of a sop. I just love seeing people in love and will never apologize for it!

Now that is out of the way, let me just say, I cried a LOT. From Rob seeing Josie for the first time, to the vows, and the pure joy throughout, it was happy tear worthy from start to finish. The intimate ceremony was a beautiful blend of Hindu and Catholic/Christian tradition, showing that people can come along from all different backgrounds and walks of life and celebrate love in anyway they like.

The laughs, smiles, and love in their eyes was such a beautiful thing to witness. As a photographer, this is truly all I could hope for my couples at their wedding! The stunning venue, impeccable decor and details, and love from everyone else is always the icing on the (wedding) cake 😉

Their ceremony featured the South Indian traditional Saptapadi- their garments were tied together, and holding hands they took 7 steps making a full circle, each step representing the 7 promises of marriage and signifying their friendship. After their 7th step, they lit the unity candle in the middle of the table- symbolizing the joining of their two families and the merging of two individuals. It was the perfect way to incorporate two vastly different cultures and build new traditions with their blended family- where each culture is celebrated, respected, and loved.

Rob adorned Josie with a Necklace Called the Mangala Sutra, the two of them wrote their own vows to give to each other, and they exchanged traditional floral garlands. Throughout the ceremony their joy, and the joy of everyone witnessing, was so special to be a part of and get to document as their photographer! Truly, the recaps here do not do justice to the beauty I witnessed, and doesn't even cover everything!

After the ceremony, before the most EPIC outfit change, we took a few bride and groom portraits in their ceremony attire!

White Dress First Look

As we all know, I am a BIG fan of first looks! Well, Josie and Rob got the BEST of both worlds. After the ceremony, Josie changed into a remarkable hand made white dress with a cape...yes a freaking CAPE! Both dresses captured the day perfectly and the white dress was the best dress match for a venue that I have ever seen. It was so much fantasy, fairytale goodness. And I come on- his reaction?! Perfection.

Below is also a PRIME example of why having a second shooter is such a great add-on. I was inside the tower photographing Josie walking up and her reaction and Stacey was photographing from outside of the tower. The two of them really wanted to do the first look at this specific spot, which was much more feasible having Stacey there. Without having a second shooter this would've been much more difficult and I probably would've recommended rethinking the specific location so I could get both of their reactions by myself! The presence of a second shooter made it so much easier to give the couple exactly what they wanted, which is always so helpful and appreciated!

Bride & Groom Portraits

I may have gone a little overboard with the Bride and Groom portraits- but between these two sweet, beautiful people and the stunning grounds at the Duke Sculpture Garden, how could I resist?! We laughed a lot, took some quiet moments, and Josie and Rob got to enjoy a little time just the two of them (well, minus Stacey and I). I feel like we were able to incorporate their personalities and partnership perfectly in their portraits, which ultimately adds to their beauty and timelessness.

Reception

Josie and Rob didn't need or want much photography coverage at their reception- which is totally fine and completely normal! They really only wanted photos of the first dance, but I ended up staying a little bit longer to photographs Josie's brother giving his speech. The event space was stunning, the decor was perfect, and so much love was in the air!

Down to the Last Detail

It was the perfect day. This is the perfect example on why I love being an elopement and wedding photographer so much. I feel so very lucky to be able to document days like this for other people.