Wedding photography blog

With any of these lovely small wedding venues, New York City ceremonies and receptions take on an intimate, friendly vibe no matter the size of your wedding guest list.  While the trends of expansive barn wedding venues and spacious outdoor sites can make it seem like small venues do not exist, there is definitely an equal number of cozy restaurants, private clubs, and historical buildings that are a great fit for weddings of less than 150+ guests. Some New York City wedding venues may be able to accommodate parties that are larger than your guest list, but there are spaces within said locations that are smaller and more fitting for intimate weddings.  Without further ado, Grand Lens Photography presents 7 favorite locations for intimate weddings in New York City.

​The Foundry is a 19th Century building that has been meticulously restored to showcase its industrial character and stunning proportions.  Adaptable for many uses and available to rent for weddings.  The Albra Room is a brand new 1,000 square foot raw space designed for smaller scale private events of up to 70 guests. Rental of The Albra Room includes 12 hours for set-up, event and breakdown, use of it's fully equipped 400 square foot kitchen and two staff members for the duration of the event. 

​Manhattan Penthouse on 5th Avenue is a beautiful, elegant, airy space for wedding ceremonies and receptions on 5th Avenue just off Union Square hub. They offer exclusive use of the entire 8,000 square foot penthouse floor. Their foods are superior and the menu is large and eclectic. Their walls are mainly windows – giant Palladian windows with sweeping views of iconic real estate giving our space a feeling of endless dimensions. How great to be surrounded by family and friends, with the city wrapped around you! How great to be served cuisine that surprises many with its taste, elegance, and generosity! The folks at the Penthouse believe they excel in several areas: wiews, decor, cuisine, services, executives, location, value, and fun.

​A Wedding at Deity is housed in a NYC landmarked, but non-traditional and affordable venue located in Downtown Brooklyn. This unique setting is designed, owned and operated by a married pair. In fact, the first Deity Wedding was the marriage of its creators in 2007. Their romantic space provides full-service access for your ceremony, cocktail hour, and dinner followed by a reception with DJ at a great value. The space is a unique, Gilded Age-inspired 5,000 square feet. Exposed brick throughout our three main rooms. Deity’s owners with the help of local Brooklyn artists designed and built the one of a kind venue. Some of the features include an Art Deco facade with tree branch iron gate entrance with custom stained glass artwork and a full bar. Luxurious, velvet banquette seating is under the branches of an indoor tree of life.  The upstairs ceremony & dining room, reached by a secret door offers a chiffon light curtain backdrop for your cozy ceremony and head table. Finally, to cap off the night, a dramatically arched stairwell down where you might find the bootleggers. Which is now the spacious entertaining floor for the music and “Charleston” portion of the Big Day. Complete with a stunning Wedding Cake feature area.

​Dating from 1909, the same year the Queensboro Bridge was built, the Metropolitan Building was first an electrical parts factory. Seventy years later it was long vacant and in a sad state of disrepair. In 1980, Eleanor Ambos, who had a successful antique furniture rental business in Manhattan, bought the building for storage and to accommodate a variety of artisans to set up their studios and work rooms. It quickly transformed into a venue for photo shoots and films. It is truly a unique space that inspires the imagination. There are three main rooms on the 2nd floor and two small sitting rooms. It is roughly 6,000 square feet. Two of the main rooms are pale grey with white trim and the large main room is green with white trim. One of the sitting rooms is blue and the other is near the restrooms and has wallpaper. The floors are hand painted. The ceilings are 12 feet and the windows are 8 feet tall. The third floor is our props floor. Photo shoots and film shoots usually happen on this floor. The ceilings are 12 feet tall and the windows are 8 feet. They do allow the fourth floor for brides to get ready in the Red Room. The fourth floor is 9,000 square feet of open space. There are two permanent structures but they are very open. One they have turn into a small library area and the other is a lounge. There are 8 foot tall windows on all four sides and a large skylight in the center of the space. The ceilings are 12 foot tall. There is a stage in one corner surrounded by a dance floor and on the opposite side is a bar area.

Wythe Hotel hosts many receptions for small, intimate weddings. They can accommodate up to 70 guests for a wedding in their Outdoor Garden in warmer months. Our lower pricing in winter months also allows small groups to celebrate in the Main Hall. The historical character and charm of this 100-year old waterfront factory building provides a unique backdrop for any size wedding. We offer seven versatile event spaces in Brooklyn, with the capability to host intimate dinners for 12 to wedding receptions for 350 guests. We are excited to welcome your friends and family to our Brooklyn Events Venue for your beautiful wedding or any other form of gatherings and celebrations. The garden is available from April to November.

​Built in 1905, the Boathouse in Prospect Park was one of the first buildings in New York City to be declared an historic landmark. Home to Brooklyn’s most elegant affairs, the Boathouse offers a breathtaking natural setting and a stately backdrop for your special occasion. This Beaux Arts style building overlooks the scenic Lullwater and Lullwater Bridge, and features exclusive catering from Purslane, the team behind well-loved Brooklyn restaurants Rucola, June, and Metta.

​MyMoon is a magical wedding venue in the heart of New York City's liveliest neighborhood. Since opening in 2005, MyMoon has earned a reputation as one of the top wedding venues in NYC. Soaring 25 feet, the Grand Room flows seamlessly to our a spacious courtyard, perfect for celebrating in the open air in a lush garden setting. The décor stays true to its industrial origins with vintage romantic touches.  Held in the private garden, your intimate ceremony in the open air is followed by cocktails in the courtyard.  Afterward, gather in the grand hall for an inspired dinner of contemporary Spanish flavors catered in-house.  Dancing takes place underneath the lofted ceilings, surrounded by original brick walls. The crew at MyMoon cater to each couple individually to make it intimate and memorable. MyMoon offers an outdoor ceremony in the garden with indoor capabilities. The couple's suite and indoor dining area are air-conditioned and comfortably seat120 guests with a maximum capacity of 166 guests. The prime location in the heart of Williamsburg just 5 minutes from the Bedford L stop, provides easy access to all boroughs and area airports. For your out-of-town guests, multiple hotels of varying price ranges are within walking distance, affording your guests an abundance of entertainment during their stay. From start to finish, MyMoon makes planning and budgeting simple and streamlined by prioritizing complete service.

Whether it’s 80 people or 800, you will find a wedding venue that will certainly meet your needs. If you need a hand in planning your wedding, click the link below to contact us today for assistance and free quote for wedding photography.

Kimberly and Samuel

Getting ready, portraits, and reception seaside in New Haven, Connecticut. 

Lighthouse Point Park

September 2018

We met Kim for the first time at a wedding expo in Uniondale, Long Island in January.  She attended the show with her mother and sister, who Kim appointed as her maid of honor.  Following the show, Kim gave us a call introducing us to her fiancé, Sam.  During our conversation with this amazing couple, we knew we would be a great fit and working together would be a breeze. 

During a time with constant cold rainy days, their wedding day turned out to be warm and so bright, allowing us to capture the most gorgeous of sunsets and the memorable expressions of family and friends riding the park's carousel. 

Thank you, Kim and Sam, for being so great and allowing Grand Lens Photography to be a part of your special day.  Documenting it for you was as much of a treat as the amazingly warm weather.

Here are our favorite photos of their wedding:

Fall is on its way here and we could not be more thrilled! There is a plethora of benefits to getting married in the fall. There is the gorgeous foliage, the frequently temperate weather, seasonally-inspired decor, and possible off-season discounts to take advantage of. It is the perfect time to tie the knot! Here are Grand Lens Photography's 5 fall wedding tips to consider while planning your special day!

​Autumn is known for being a bit brisker than the preceding summer months.  However, depending on where you live, you may experience weather that is warmer than normal. In the U.S., average autumn temperatures range from 72° in sunny Florida to a chilly 27° in Alaska. In New York, October is the ideal time of year to have an outdoor wedding. This time of year is not too hot or too cold. Whatever your wedding date may be, it is always a safe idea to keep an eye on weather predictions and inform your guests if they should bring a sweater, jacket, etc. Also, if your autumn wedding is going to be outdoors, have a contingency plan in place just in case it rains or if winter decides to arrive early. It is rather difficult to get swept up in the wedding magic while you're freezing, so you may want to consider providing heaters, blankets, or umbrellas if there's a chance the weather is going to be unruly. 

If you prefer a deeper and darker color scheme for the day, then fall is your season. Do a Google image search for "Fall Weddings" and you will notice an abundance of deep reds, oranges, and browns. Although this color palette mimics the changing of the leaves and provides natural warmth to any style of décor, do not be limited by the "fall foliage" feel. For a stronger modernized fall color palette, consider using gold or copper for extra glitz and glam, deep plum, and emerald green for elegance or neutral shades like champagne, cream, and slate grey. Nature and the color scheme will accent and complement each other remarkably well. Take advantage of fall's natural beauty by incorporating fall specific nature aspects into your big day. Consider using items like twigs, leaves, apples, fruits, cranberries, or even pine cones in your table centerpieces and bouquets. These things not only drive home the fall theme but also add loads of color and texture for little to no money! Who doesn't want to save money? 

​Another reason to love fall is it is the start of the holiday season! From Halloween to Thanksgiving, there is no shortage of reasons to celebrate during this time of year. Black Friday and Cyber Monday do not count as holidays. Sorry. Whether you host your wedding on a holiday weekend is up to you, but in general, it is a beneficial plan to steer clear of major holidays, such as Thanksgiving. With that said, it could be fun to have your wedding on Veteran's Day weekend when some of your guests may have the following Monday off work. Fall is also the start of football season, with NFL games on Sundays and college football on Saturdays. If you have a diehard Bills fan in your wedding party, they may be largely disappointed if your big day was the same day as the big game. 

When you purchase what is in season, you get food and flowers at the peak of their supply when costs are normally lower. Furthermore, when they are locally grown, they do not need to be shipped halfway around the world. Not only do you save money, you also reduce your carbon footprint, which is a win-win. The prominent trend in fall wedding food is comfort food -- Both sweet and savory. We have noticed that caterers become moderately creative with fall wedding menus. You can begin dinner with a creamy soup in a hollowed-out mini pumpkin. A harvest salad featuring roasted butternut squash, dried cranberries, and goat cheese would present an excellent next course. There have been full-on Thanksgivingesque wedding buffets with all the fixings such as turkey and stuffing with mashed potatoes and gravy. For dessert, you may want to consider a hot cocoa or coffee bar with cinnamon-sugar doughnuts, mulled apple cider with cinnamon stick stirrers, or a dessert table with seasonal fruit pies.

​Unlike the transition of the leaves, the sun remains forever predictable. Since the sun sets earlier in the fall, you will probably need to push forward all of your wedding events. For example, you may need to arrange your 5:30 PM ceremony to 4:30 PM instead.  Your day will start earlier, as well as your reception. Check with your photographer on what would be the best time to do a "golden hour" photo session since that will also likely be earlier than normal. If you are not keeping track of it, you could miss out on precious golden hour minutes. You can simply check on the internet to find out what time the sun will set and that should provide you with the information you need to keep the darkness from sneaking up on you.

Fall weddings have continued to pick up steam and autumn can officially be crowned ruler of the four seasons for weddings. Whether you are seeking lower rates or cooler weather, maybe everyone has finally had enough of wiping away their perspiration during the wedding vows, couples are planning for October and November to tie the knot. So prepare your social media feeds for tons of wedding photos with beautiful foliage in the background.

While we are extreme fanatics for first looks during a wedding day, we understand that some couples prefer to wait until the altar to see each other.  Nevertheless, there are various ways to connect pre-ceremony without having to break tradition!  There are a couple of reasons you might want to consider one of these first look alternatives.  First, your wedding day goes by faster than you can say “I do,” so any time you are able to spend alone becomes exceptionally cherished.  An alternative to a first look gives you the opportunity to take a deep breath and enjoy each other’s company, even if you are not seeing one another’s face. 

The second reason is in regards to your wedding photos.  Arranging a first look provides your photographer with a chance to capture more portraits of you together without interrupting a definite wedding day timeline.  Whether you decide to do a standard first look or one of these first look alternatives, those photos will truly become several of your all-time favorites due to the intimacy, emotion, and excitement you will come to appreciate every time you view them!  Without further ado, here are 3 of Grand Lens Photography's "first look" alternatives.

​A first look does not have to be with your soon-to-be spouse.  You can avoid “bad luck” and the superstition of the groom seeing the bride in her dress before the ceremony by allowing someone else to see you first in all of your bridal glory.  Some of the usual touching moments occur when a parent sees his or her daughter (or son, for that matter) in their wedding apparel for the first time.  You could also surprise a grandparent or your siblings, too— whomever you feel close to that you would like a little time with before the ceremony.

​You and your fiancé can be alone together without actually seeing each other.   One popular way to do this is to hold hands through a doorway, around walls, bookcases, shelves, or other corner spaces, or even around a staircase (depending on its design).  This is mainly nice for more religious or spiritual brides and grooms who want to share a moment of prayer together preceding the ceremony.  A similar way would be to be back to back.  You are standing back to back with each other rather than having a type of partition between you.  This involves strategic planning ahead of time.

​There are a few ways to navigate this first look alternative.  One possible scenario is that the groom’s buddies blindfold him and the bridesmaids bring him to the bride.   Another possible scenario is, the bride and groom are both blindfolded and brought to each other beforehand, wearing their getting-ready clothes other than their formal wear.  Do a test run with the blindfold you plan to use to ensure it is thick enough so you can't sneak a peek through the fabric—that would completely ruin the anticipation, surprise, and enjoyment of the moment, not to mention bring bad luck (if you believe in the superstition, of course).

​Planning a wedding is no simple or swift task.  It is full of numerous details and decisions.  One thing to remember is, this is your day.  It is the day you marry your best friend.  Your family and close friends will witness your two lives coming together to make the ultimate promise to one another.  Be sure to create a day that is a resemblance of the both of you as a couple.  Design it differently.  Make it unique but most importantly, ensure that you determine the day that is true and special to you.

Congratulations! You're engaged! Once you get over the hysteria of your new fiancée status, the wedding planning begins. Your first act as a newly engaged couple might be to take your engagement photos. Grand Lens Photography shares 5 things to consider before taking your engagement photos.

In the real estate business, the location of a house can make or break the way a couple feels about a new home. We believe this to also be true for photography. It can just as easily influence the way couples feel about their photographs. While we know that the truly essential element of a beautiful photograph is gorgeous light, we also know that it is our job to find great light anywhere. What we have found when scheduling portrait sessions is that as long as we have control over what time of day we are shooting, we can make our clients extra happy by allowing them to take ownership in their session and have a say about the location of their shoot. The more input they have, the more invested they feel. The more personal it feels to them, the more meaningful the photos will be. Now, we rarely work with couples who know precisely where they want to do their engagement session. They are not sitting around dreaming of their location; they have only been dreaming of lovely photos. Today, Grand Lens Photography will assist you in choosing a location for your photo session.

We encounter so many engaged couples who both anticipate and dread their engagement photos. Couples look forward to a special portrait session that celebrating an exciting time in their lives. However, at the same time, they dread their engagement session because they worry that they will appear awkward in the photographs. Fortunately, we believe you can easily overcome the nerves that come with being in front of the camera by utilizing a few of our suggestions. For all our camera shy friends out there, Grand Lens Photography shares these tips with you!

We truly believe that hiring your wedding photographer is one of the most crucial decisions that you will make during your wedding planning process. You are assembling not only one of the most emotional and important days of your life, but also planning a beautiful and entertaining event that is full of meaningful features. The way that day is documented, and the person you hire to do so, surely matters! We have previously shared suggestions for how to choose a wedding photographer and some questions to ask yourself before you start the search to help you with the process of finding just the right photographer. But along with HOW to choose a wedding photographer, we also often hear engaged couples ask WHEN they should hire their wedding photographer.
As with other various circumstances, the answer is "it depends." The wedding planning timeline at the bottom of this post suggests booking your photographer by 10 months before your wedding and we think this is a great recommendation. When looking for a wedding photographer, it is important to consider their photographic style and cost, but also ensure that you get along well with your photographer—you are going to be spending a lot of time with him or her on your wedding day! However, every couple's situation is different. To be on the safe side, Grand Lens Photography provides three questions to consider as you decide on who your wedding photographer will be.

Wedding photographers have had numerous conversations with clients about what they HIGHLY advise do not on their wedding day. We want to give our clients the world, but at the same time we do not know too many other people who attend as many weddings as we do, so we learn a few things. So, Grand Lens Photography decided to share a few insights in this article.

An engagement session is an excellent way to grow comfortable in front of a camera with your wedding photographer. You will avoid all of the jitters, learn how your photographer operates, and your photographer will receive a solid idea of your comfort level and your best angles, which results in excellent pictures on your wedding day. However, the abundant common reason to capture engagement photos is for your save-the-dates. That is why we admire when couples show off their personalities with creatively themed shoots. What suitable way to introduce your guests to the two of you as a couple?  Grand Lens Photography offers 5 different photo ideas to improve your engagement session.

Are you thinking about having a photographer capture your proposal? Do not leave your special moment to chance! Follow these 6 tips Grand Lens Photography has shared with you to ensure that your photographer is adequately prepared and equipped to capture your once in a lifetime memory!

Specific moments during a bride's wedding day are certainly worth capturing on film. However, we believe achieving a charming photo of the bride and her bridal party rests on the same level as the first kiss, the first dance, and tossing the bouquet. The special relationship a bride has with her bridesmaids is one to be treasured and a beautiful image that preserves those bonds will be something to reminisce forever. Grand Lens Photography shares a few entertaining photo ideas to include in your voluminous wedding gallery.

Whether you are tying the knot by the sea or dancing as newlyweds under the stars, your wedding is one beautiful photo op after the next.  Grand Lens Photography shares a few trends that will ensure you have every moment of your magical day on film.

Wedding preparation is exciting and complete with challenging obstacles. Couples have time-sensitive decisions and investments to secure, from determining the absolute location to agreeing on which vendors to arrange for your wedding day team. These professionals will be part of countless special memories from your wedding day. One of your most important vendor choices is who will capture those powerful moments of your wedding. A friend or relative may own a DSLR camera, however, you should hire a professional photographer to ensure the day is documented properly. Before you book your wedding photographer, schedule an engagement session with your to get a feel of how they operate. This simple guide will help you decide who the perfect engagement and wedding photographer is for you and your future spouse. To help ensure that you will discover an excellent fit when you select your photographer, Grand Lens Photography shares five areas of consideration for you to rate and then compare.

Your wedding images only increase in value as time goes by, which is why our products are made to stand the test of time. Despite the transition to social media, we still acknowledge generating valuable prints and other palpable products. Grand Lens Photography shares these items that are certain to be treasured for years to come.

Attaining a suitable photographer is much smoother these days, whether by searching the internet, asking friends and family for personal recommendations or looking through magazines for advertisements that catch your attention. Any savvy, reputable photographer has a website showcasing his or her photographic style and these galleries are an amazing place to narrow your search to those you want to interview. The advantage of hiring a photographer close to home is that you can schedule an in-person consultation to plan your wedding. Additionally, it makes ordering photo albums and prints after the wedding incomparably convenient. By hiring a local photographer, you have the ability to work together on your engagement photos before the wedding, which will allow you to develop a solid “working” relationship that would not be possible with a destination photographer. Grand Lens Photography shares 3 questions you should ask your photographer before committing to them.

Weddings are a collection of exceptional moments caught on camera by a professional wedding photographer. However, your honeymoon is also an imperative element of your newly wedded experience, yet the couples are responsible for documenting this experience themselves. Grand Lens Photography shares few reasons why hiring a professional photographer to photograph your honeymoon is an efficient way to capture this wonderful and romantic trip of a lifetime