new york wedding photography ~ nicole and mark

First, let me explain, I had to combine this with a fitting post about the Atlantica, now known as Oceanbleu. For this is the way it should be. This was both a happy event on one hand and a sad event for us on the other hand. We just found out a few days prior through a phone call we received that Nicole and Mark’s wedding would be our last wedding at this venue out in Westhampton Beach. We have been working there steadily since 2001. It was way back then when we happened upon this beautiful wedding site. We were doing our very first wedding there and were accompanied by a good looking gentleman, named Rob. I thought at the time he was one of the bridesmaid’s boyfriends who happened out on the beach with us for the shoot. We were doing our usual laughing and clowning around with the couple and at the end as we walked back in towards the ballroom, he came over and said that Ginny, the owner, wanted us to come back the following Tuesday. We thought we were in trouble for something, anything, and I think I lost sleep for those few nights worrying about what we could have done wrong until Tuesday came and we met with her. As it turned out, Rob had been a plant, a spy, and must have reported back to her that he liked what he had seen and thus a relationship was formed. They became a part of our wedding family, like they had with so many, many couples. Over the years, bonds were formed with Ginny, Jenn, Todd, Nicole, Michael, Sarah, Jeff, Kristy, Lisa, Jessica, Chris, Carlos, Rob, and a whole slew of others, whose names are escaping me now and for that I am sorry. We knew the ebb and flow of how the wedding night would go like the back of our hands. If things needed to be stretched out, we stretched, if things needed to be sped up, we could do that too. They were the ones we turned to when our own daughter got engaged and we knew we wanted Todd to do the catering and Jenn to handle the details. Through the years we took photos of their son, Zane. SO it was with a heavy heart that we collected our things on Saturday night, photos, albums, etc. that we had given them over the years to show prospective clients. It was also fitting that a girl I had become so fond of through Facebook, although we had never met, would be that LAST wedding for us there.

Nicole, a friend of so many we had done, contacted us and booked it right over the phone. I would glance at her photos to familiarize myself with her and Mark’s face and we would share stories and laugh over many assorted posts. I told Mark that she might go down as the most excited bride I had ever had. The days leading up to her and Mark’s wedding was filled with Facebook chatter about how close her day was, the weather reports leading up to the day and how excited we were to meet them both. As Saturday drew near, I walked into that bridal suite to a room full of girls who couldn’t wait to meet us, like we were some kind of papparazzo, worthy of their praise. Nicole’s mom, was equally charming and warm. Rich took her gorgeous Marissa “mermaid” gown, and in an instant stood on a high chair and hung the gown from the chandelier! I was like what on earth are you doing, to which all Nicole’s girls squealed with delight, at the prospect of her gown swinging on the chandelier! It was his last day shooting there, and he wanted the photos to go out with a bang! Her shoes, were painted with two blue hearts by her girls, which was so cute…

We then took her and the girls and headed out to the beach.

It was a glorious day, with a big, blue sky and thick, white, puffy clouds. We laughed as they pranced around feet in the sand, joking with one another as best buddies from childhood and college often do.

Then we lead her back into hiding as she and Mark weren’t going to see each other beforehand, and then lead him and his brother, nephew and her two brothers outside as well.

They did their usual teasing of me which the guys always seem to enjoy, laughing at how I made them jump for photos and walk a hundred miles down the beach for the perfect picture “spot”.

We even found a chair and told Mark to sit in it among the vast grassy dunes as if he was the only one on the earth!

After a quick, but charming ceremony, we marched out again to savor the beautiful sunset that they were given.

The wedding party gleefully went along with all our crazy antics and proved to be a formidable wedding party.

It was like all the stars were aligning for our last shot at capturing this little slice of heaven that Atlantica offered to their couples.

I have to explain this photo, cause when I saw it, I went hysterical. This was one of those ideas, you know, well, maybe you don’t, LOL, I look around periodically on websites to check out what other photographers are up to and saw quite a few out west in the plains, doing a rendition of the old photo of the man and woman holding the pitchfork in their outer hands, I’m sure you know what I am referring to. Anyway, being that we have this tall dune grass, I said to Nicole and Mark, “hey go up there on the hill and act like you are that serious farm man and woman, although you don’t really have the pitch forks!” They, I am sure, thought I was nuts, and couldn’t keep the required straight face, but it was so cute. See the power I have over them, LOL……okay now I won’t have any power with anyone, LOL. So here it is, as I hysterically laugh while posting this, I might add…..[sorry guys, I just had to do it!]

As we walked back inside with our couple and Nicole, the bridal attendant, who we also had photographed here for her and Chris’ wedding in April, we couldn’t help but be a little sad. All the beach crowds were gone now as it was the end of the season except

for a few hardy souls sitting around the pool, but the ballroom had one more party to throw at least for us. It did not let us down. We had to laugh, there was so much fun in this room that night. The liquor flowed, the dancing was insane, the antics crazy, but the room was filled with love. A love for their best friends who had just tied the knot, ready to embarck on a new journey, a journey of togetherness bonded through marriage. There were toasts, and speeches galore, but just one glance into Nicole’s eyes, told you that it had been the day they had both dreamed about for a very long time. It had lived up to everything she had hoped for, as well it should. They are now on a fabulous honeymoon in the Turks and Caicos and as far as we were concerned, it was a fitting end to a fabulous reception hall. So, old girl, we bid you goodbye Atlantica, thanks for the memories and the friendships we forged …………….we are giving you and the piping plovers, your beach back…..

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Heather: I just looked at them pretty quickly since I have to rush off to work, but they're beautiful!!!!! Nicole was so worried about it raining, but what an absolutely perfect night. And the couple looked gorgeous! I can't wait to look through the entire album! October 7, 2009 7:58 am

Lauren: IM at a meeting and quickly logged on to check...I have to look at them and read later...but I LOVE them!!! THey came out great and Nicole looks absolutely BEAUTIFUL!!!! THank you soooo much for sharing! And world record time for gettting these up sooo quickly!!! October 7, 2009 9:20 am

Devon: You guys did such an amazing job at Mark and Nicole's wedding...I am one of the Maid of Honors (the taller one), and I am so happy that you were able to capture so many unforgettable moments. I've already texted her and left a voicemail for her while she's on the Honeymoon to let her know your pictures are posted and they are GREAT!!! She was so excited about having you guys there to take these bautiful pictures, and I know she will love them all as much as I do! Hope you guys can work my wedding one day... Thank you so much! October 10, 2009 4:06 pm

Nicole Bruun: I LOVE ALL OF MY PHOTOS ! ! ! ! ! ! Thank You sooooooooooooooooooooo MUCH...I am so thankful we had a beautiful day and I couldn't have picked better photographers. You both are the BEST. October 11, 2009 9:33 pm

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new york wedding photography ~ nicole and mark