We met Susan when we were her wedding photographers a few years ago. Since then, she has tried a few times to organize an event to raise money for Louie’s Legacy Animal Rescue. Her efforts have paid off and we are thrilled to announce the Blue Gala! We will of course be helping out as the gala’s official photographers.

According to the ASPCA, each year approximately 5-7 million companion animals enter the shelter system nationwide. Unfortunately, 3-4 million of these animals are euthanized due to illness, temperament and not enough room at the shelter. The mission at Louie’s Legacy is to give as many of these animals as possible a second chance at life. They saved nearly 1,000 animals in 2011 and are on track to significantly raise that number in 2012.

The gala will also launch the Tommy Monahan Educational Program, a program aimed at helping people understand the plight of shelter animals and how we can save them. Who is Tommy Monahan you may ask? Tommy Monahan was a Staten Islander with a love for animals. When he was only 9 years old, he gave up his life trying to save them. In December 2007, the home Tommy lived in caught on fire. The rest of the family escaped, but Tommy was trying to get his dog Sophie and his lizard to safety when the fumes overtook him. He did not survive, nor did his beloved pets. This new program was named in his honor.

On behalf of Louie’s Legacy, we invite you to put on your best BLUE “upscale chic outfit” and join them for a Valentine’s Day celebration. There will be a cocktail party with open bar, raffles, silent auction and music. Click here to purchase tickets.

If you are able to make the event, make sure you say “hi” to us so that we can get a photo of you in your blue outfit! We will be donating all proceeds from print sales to the Louie’s Legacy Animal Rescue.

What a great way to start the new year – we just got word that we made Momentville’s 2012 Hot List!  Meaning that of all the wedding photographers in New York, we were among the top in reviews.  To all of our past brides & grooms, thanks so much for your trust in us.  To all of our future happy couples-to-be, we look forward to capturing the fun and unforgettable memories of your wedding day!

Let us all spread the merry around as if we are experiencing the holiday season though the eyes of a child.  Enjoy all the the holiday decorations, fanfare, great food, and time with  friends & family as much as a 2-year-old does.  Imagine doing it all on on a sunny, beautiful beach if that helps.

We hope you have a great holiday season and a Funico-tastic new year!

A few last things for the happy couple before they leave for the church.  Laura reads the card that Alex gave her while her husband-to-be and his boys pose for a nice photo.

Laura & Alex got married at St. Ignatius Loyola on the Upper East Side.  We’re on the Upper East Side and had never been to this magnificent church.  Look at this – absolutely stunning!

As we head up together in the limo, Laura told us that she had gone to Catholic School at St. Ignatius Loyola as well.  How wonderful to walk as a woman on your wedding day into the church that you had known so well as a child!

After being newly married, a moment to reflect and enjoy…

before heading out to the cheers of the crowd.

Now, off to the Yale Club to celebrate…

and to dance as husband-and-wife.

Laura & Alex’s close friends & family made speeches to toast the happy couple.  Juan’s speech in particular touched us since we know him so well.  His words were straight from the heart and he talked to Laura as if there was noone else in the room – a loving father telling his daughter that she could always come to him.

The Maid of Honor spoke and brought tears to Laura’s eyes…

and the Best Man’s words brought hoots of laughter.

With their only son, Alex’s Mom and Dad celebrated on this important day for their family.

More fun and partying before…

some final portraits in the beautiful Yale Club…

and on its roof.  Look at that view!

Congrats to the newly-minted Mr. & Mrs. Campbell!  May every day be as joyful for you as your wedding day!

Gorgeous couple, heartwarming speeches (including a very emotional one from the groom) and fun times by the fire pit…what a wedding!  Congrats again to the new Mr. & Mrs. Globerman – here’s to a lifetime of loving, laughing and sharing!

Here are some more pics from Amy & Andy’s celebration.  After looking at these photos, I’m sure you’ll agree that Amy and I have one other thing in common – we have great taste in wedding photographers!

Below is a sneak peek of photos. The day started with the groom and his boys coming to pick up Corinne with bouquets in hand, followed by some fun picture taking in Long Island City and Five Pointz, and then to the Coral House in Baldwin to get married. Actually, I skipped a stop. While Corrine got her makeup retouched, Alan & his groomsmen took a 10-minute break in the “rent-a-massage-chairs.” What an ingenious (and hilarious!) way to pass the time. To Corrine & Alan – thanks again for inviting us to be part of your celebration!

Below is a sneak peek of images from the wedding.  Fun wedding with games to prove how much John wants to marry Lu, a funky first dance, a casino cocktail hour and a hip hop singing groom – what a day to remember for their friends & family!  It started to pour during their formal portrait session, but with a bit of speedy photo-taking and adjusting for the weather, voila, the newlyweds can still have pictures that capture the country club’s beautiful grounds.  Congrats again to the new Mr. & Mrs. John Hong!

After a week of rain, Karina & Ryan were ready get out into the park and have some fun taking photos. Our first stop was at the Conservatory Water in Central Park. It’s often called the Central Park Boat Pond since it’s full of radio controlled sailboats.

The pond holds a special place in our hearts because it’s also where we got engaged. If you’re in the area, we highly recommend getting something to eat at Knish Nosh right by the pond. Little outdoor cafe with the best stuffed cabbage we’ve ever had! Nothing like a little stuffed cabbage and beer while enjoying such a great view. If you go though, go early since the cafe gets very busy when the weather is nice and they usually sell out of the stuffed cabbage by early afternoon.

This first photo of Karina & Ryan has an old-fashioned look & feel but a few high tech tricks were used to get the final product. We actually took 5 pictures and combined them into one image. First, a high speed flash sync was used to balance the sunlight while still getting a pleasing out-of- focus background. Notice that their heads are in focus while the rest of the photo is out of focus. Then, several other photos were taken quickly after the first picture. All the images were then merged together to capture the dark areas in the trees while still showing the details in the bright sky. The final product is called a High Dynamic Range (HDR) photograph.

We also ventured off the beaten path to capture a section of Central Park that was exploding in green colors after a week of rain.  What a wonderful spot with long grass and wonderful sunlight coming though the trees! Do you feel like you are spying on their moment in their secret little oasis?

To Karina & Ryan – we had a great time taking photos of you and showing you a few hidden treasures in Central Park.  Looking forward to being a part of your wedding at the Waterside Restaurant in New Jersey next year!

And what a memorable couple they are.  Not only are they unbelievably handsome, they’re 2 of the nicest guys you’ll ever meet.

Of course, this wonderful couple would also have a fun wedding party to match.  We know this wedding party better than most since we also photographed the weddings of 2 of the people in the pictures below.  You know what they say – birds of a feather flock together and this is certainly true here since all 3 couples have been so great.

Danny & David’s ceremony was one of the most touching we’ve seen.  Beautiful and with straight-from-the-heart vows that caused a lot of tears to fall.

Their wedding reception at the Manor in New Jersey started off with a bang.  David used to be a choreographer, so their first dance was full of eye-popping moves.

The couple’s friends & family were also not shy about using the dance floor.  We did “dancing group portraits” with them so that they could get a few posed shots with their friends in a fun way.

Some lovely toasts to honor and to entertain…

…and then back to more flipping, jumping and floor-thumping dancing.  The Manor actually raised the room’s chandelier to accommodate the rockin’ party!

Many congrats again to David & Danny.  Here’s to a lifetime of loving & laughing! See you in September at Danny’s nephew’s wedding (and many thanks for recommending us)!