Brittany has always been the type of girl to do things differently.  Beautiful, kind, and a true leader, people are naturally drawn to her.  When it came time to plan her wedding day to the love of her life, Aaron, Brittany imagined a true fairly tale.  Grand old architecture, green rolling hills, and a quaint cafe on every  corner filled her mind as she began to plan their wedding in Florence, Italy.

When Brittany asked me if I would be willing to fly to this gorgeous country to capture her wedding day, I didn’t hesitate. YES!  I love to travel and have a special place in my heart for Florence.  My husband and I had the opportunity to visit on our honeymoon and I fell in love with the history and architecture of this very romantic city. I couldn’t contain my excitement as I counted down the days to their June wedding.

The sun seemed to glisten across the cobblestone streets on June 20th.  The day was finally here and Brittany and Aaron seemed to carry a child like anticipation as they prepared to see each other for the first time.  In the lovely gardens that could be seen from their private balcony, Aaron slowly turned around to see his beautiful bride walking towards him.  Breath taken away, he wrapped Brittany in his arms, so excited to make this girl he met back in the first grade his wife.

After their emotional first look, we explored the most beautiful parts of Florence together.  We captured pretty portraits of Brittany and Aaron strolling in the Piazza della Signoria, among the statues of Loggia dei Lanzi, and of course, in front of the Ponte Vecchio.  At noon, they were married in the famous Red Room in the Palazzo Vecchio with their closest family and friends around them.  They celebrated afterwards at Alle Murate, laughing as they enjoyed a true five course Italian meal.

Brittany and Aaron, it was a true honor to capture your incredible Florence Italy wedding.  Thank you so much for including me in such a special day in your lives. Enjoy my favorite memories from your day below.

Brittany and Aaron got ready at the Hotel Monna Lisa.

Brittany’s lace dress was absolutely gorgeous!

This watercolor post card of the Duomo provided the perfect opportunity to showcase Brittany’s details and lovely location.

I love when my brides are organized!  Brittany laid out her something borrowed, blue, old and new, along with her sweet gifts for her parents. 🙂

Aaron spent the morning getting ready and watching the sun rise from his private balcony.

LOVE this sweet moment between mother and daughter.

Brittany…you are BREATHTAKING!

The first look. 🙂

After Brittany and Aaron saw each other for the first time, we took a taxi down the the Ponte Vecchio for some pretty sunrise portraits.

We basically had the entire city to ourselves!  It was such an amazing experience.

LOVE.

Brittany and Aaron were married in the Red Room in the Palazzo Vecchio. Princes and Princesses have been married here.

Walking down the aisle.  You can imagine how much I loved this room! 🙂

Making it official!

HAPPILY MARRIED!

After the ceremony, the happy couple and their family headed to Alle Murate for a delicious reception dinner.

The Alle Murate actually holds the world’s most ancient documented portraits of Dante.

Good food, a little dancing, and lots of laughter made for the perfect way to end Brittany and Aaron’s gorgeous Florence, Italy wedding celebration.

Thank you so much Brittany and Aaron for giving me the honor of capturing your beautiful wedding day!  I wish you all the happiness in the world in the many years to come.

I am in LOVE.  Stop the press, head over heels in L-O-V-E with Rent the Runway.  Last week, my husband Matt and I got in front of the camera for the first time together since our wedding photos.  The month before the shoot, I felt like a little girl the night before Christmas, giddy and so so excited.  I even had dreams about the photo session.  I know…I’m weird.   I wanted to look great for the photos and that meant picking it up on my weekly runs and choosing something incredible to wear.  Not wanting to break the bank on a dress I would probably only wear a couple of times, I turned to Rent the Runway.  Rent the Runway is a website that will actually rent you high end, designer apparel and accessories for a lot less then what it would cost you in stores.  They will even send you TWO sizes of the same dress to make sure it fits properly and throw in an additional look for only $25!  I told you they are amazing.

For my three year anniversary photo shoot with Matt in Martha’s Vineyard, I fell in love with the Catherine Deane Godiva Gown.  It looked great with Matt’s new navy jacket/khaki combination from J Crew and I am so happy with how the photos turned out!  A big thank you to Sidney Morgan for capturing our playful relationship so perfectly!

If you are looking to dress up your engagement/anniversary photos without breaking the bank, I would highly suggest checking out Rent the Runway!  If you live in the NYC area, make an appointment at their showroom on 163 Varick Street to try on a couple of looks before.  A personal stylist will help you choose a couple of pretty looks for your photos!  Just make sure to reserve your favorites at least a month in advance as the popular styles book up fast.  Have you had a great experience with Rent the Runway?  Feel free to share it in the comment box below!

It is an amazing feeling when you meet someone and just know.  Jeanna and Andrew found each other in high school, at their first job to be in fact!  They both knew there was something special about the other.  Over the next eight years they grew in their relationship, laughing often while making memories they would never forget.  This past May they made a very special one as Andrew got down on one knee at the W Hotel in Hoboken and asked Jeanna to be his wife!  Jeanna happily agreed and these two high school sweethearts are planning on tying the knot next July.

A few weeks ago, I had the pleasure of photographing Jeanna and Andrew’s beautiful Hoboken engagement session.  Enjoy a few of my favorites from their pretty sun-filled day below!

Andrew actually attended Stevens Institute of Technology in Hoboken.  He and Jeanna share many happy memories in this fun city.

Jeanna, you really are SO GORGEOUS!

There is nothing I love more then old cobblestone streets and a sweet embrace.

We just happened to stumble upon this spot on the hill right in front of the W Hotel where Andrew proposed!

LOVE.

After a walk down by the water, Andrew and Jeanna showed me around Andrew’s old campus.

Jeanna and Andrew, thank you for spending the afternoon with me!  I had such a blast getting to know you and I can’t wait for your beautiful wedding next July. 🙂

Italy holds a special place in my heart.  Marrying a Rizzuto and honeymooning in Florence, Capri, and Rome might have something to do with my love for this amazing country…but I think it is something more.  This June I was given the opportunity to photograph my very first INTERNATIONAL WEDDING in Florence, Italy! Before capturing Brittany and Aaron’s incredible day, I spent a week exploring Venice, Verona, Lake Garda and Florence with my mom!  The memories we made on this trip are so special to me and I can’t wait to share a few of them with you!   I invite you to grab an espresso and join me on this Italian journey.  Andiamo!

This is our hotel room in Venice.  Each morning my mom and I would sit on the balcony, snack on fresh fruit, and sip our espresso.

Relaxing devotional time.

My favorite part of the trip?  The GELATO!  The vanilla was the best.  🙂

In Venice my mom and I took a gondola ride where we were serenaded as we explored the tiny canals.

The Grand Canal.

This house in Venice reminded me of a Brooklyn brownstone!

Lovely Venetian mask.

To end our evenings in Venice, my mom and I would sit at an outdoor cafe and enjoy the live music.

Our second stop on the trip…Verona!

While there, we had to check out Juliet’s balcony.

Love notes.

You are beautiful mom!

While in Verona, we took a bus up to Riva Del Garda for the day.  It was BREATHTAKING!

After a few minutes on the beach, I swam out to the floating platform and soaked in the sun for hours.  It is one of my favorite memories of the entire trip.

Wild honeysuckle.

Welcome to Florence!

The sunrises were incredible…

…along with the architecture!

David.

Pretty Ponte Vecchio.

The morning before the wedding I hiked up to the Piazzale Michelangelo to capture a few photos of this incredible city.  It took four hours but it was worth it!

A big thanks to Brittany and Aaron for giving me the opportunity to go on this Italian adventure and to my mom for coming with me!  Stay tuned for a lovely Florence wedding, coming to the blog soon!

It was a warm June day, the perfect day for a wedding.  Behind the old train cars in the Madison Hotel, Erin got ready with her four best friends by her side.  She had been waiting for this day for what seemed like a lifetime.  After Matt’s sweet proposal on Island Beach State Park last Labor Day, Erin and Matt began planning an evening that would truly reflect them.  Pale greens with pretty pops of pink and white created the perfect palette for their summer wedding.  With friends and family cheering them on outside an emotional and extremely heartfelt ceremony, Erin and Matt headed into their future together with ear to ear smiles and so much love in their hearts.

I feel so blessed to have had the opportunity to capture Erin and Matt’s gorgeous wedding day.  These two are some of the kindest people I have ever met, putting their love for each other and their family above all else.  I am excited to share a few of my favorite images from their special day below.  ENJOY!

Erin and Matt got ready for their wedding day at the Madison Hotel.

This old train car made the perfect place to showcase Erin’s lovely dress.

A big thanks to Mekina Saylor for second shooting and to Stefania Marin for assisting!  I just love this photo Mekina captured of Erin putting on her jewelry through her veil.

Love the engraved wedding band bags Erin had made for the ceremony.

Matt’s reaction to Erin’s walk down the aisle was so special.  It was obvious from the way he was fighting back tears that he thought she looked truly beautiful.

HAPPILY MARRIED!

After the ceremony, we headed to Fairleigh Dickinson University for a few pretty portraits.  The weather was beautiful, just like Erin and Matt and their amazing bridal party!

Erin, you are SO GORGEOUS!

LOVE.

I used to live in Madison and ran by this hotel everyday!  It was such a joy to photograph Erin and Matt’s wedding here.

Erin and Matt’s dances were particularly emotional.  It was hard for Mekina and me to hold back tears!

What a fun crowd!  Erin and Matt’s guests were dancing all night long.

This was my last photo of the evening.  Not realizing I was there, Matt grabbed his beautiful bride and kissed her.  In that moment it was obvious how truly happy they were together, and it filled my heart with so much joy.  Moments like this are why I believe I have the best job in the entire world.  🙂

Want to see more of Erin and Matt’s Madison Hotel wedding? Check out this AMAZING video by John of JMA Visuals. If you are a bride looking for a videographer for your wedding next year, I would highly recommend reaching out to him! Not only is John incredibly talented, he is also a pleasure to be around. Thank you again John for capturing Erin and Matt’s wedding day so beautifully!