I’ve never been to Fire Island before, but I got on the 11am ferry to begin photographing with Bryce and Julie at 12:30. My second photographer, Drea, and I wandered the streets checking out spots for photos and this town feels like a little slice of heaven (of course, pre-labor day is probably much different)). Cars are not allowed on the island, and baby deer roam the street which feels a little magical.
The first thing Julie asked me when I arrived was if I felt relaxed. I think it’s impossible to not feel relaxed when you’re just two blocks from ocean, even when you’re about to photograph a 10 hour wedding. Bryce spent the morning getting ready with his groomsmen, and we all headed out to their first look on the docks.
Julie and Bryce’s Ketubah was hand painted to illustrate their first home together in Brooklyn, and their ceremony was held on the beach overlooking the ocean. It’s rare that I get to photograph true beach weddings, but I love them so much. The sounds and smells of the ocean, and even the bystanders only add. The canopy of their chuppah was pieces of Julie’s mother’s wedding dress, and they chose to get married on Fire Island because it was a place that Bryce spent his summers growing up – this chuppah truly represented home to them.
Beach towns always bring the most perfect sunsets, and this is just a fact. Without skyscrapers to block the sun, sunsets last forever. We popped out towards the end of cocktail hour for some end of the night photos and it truly did not disappoint. This was another instance where, even in the midst of the sun rapidly disappearing behind the horizon, Julie asked us to pause and take in the sunset. I’m a person whose mind goes 200 miles per minute, and my brain had spent the last five minutes absolutely focused on how to get the best photos, so I truly appreciated this moment asking us to pause and be present.
venue: macguires bayfront / coordinator: cassidy coordinates / gown: francesca’s bridal / shoes: stuart weitzman / bryce’s suit: indochino / julie’s hair: gypsy hair lounge / julie’s makeup: em katz beauty / floral: carolyn morin flowers / bakery: rachel’s bakery / band: crossing midnight entertainment / ketubah: jerise fogel
