Wedding Photography Blog
Kate + Erick // A Sweet Alice Studios Wedding at Diamond Mills in Saugerties, NY
I have been photographing weddings for over a decade (yes, I'm old; no, I don't look it #goodgenes), and I've seen a whole lot in the wedding industry between 2010 and today. Most of what I have witnessed has been lovely and given me the warm fuzzies, but one of the least cool things I have seen in the industry has been the lack of care that wedding photography clients have gotten from photography teams, in particular.
I think we all know the studio photographer stereotype: an egotistical individual that continually gets in the way, wants to do weird old-school poses, is rude to the family, gets stressed about the timeline, and creeps on the wedding party.
I deeply desire to turn that stereotype on its head.
It's my dream that the Sweet Alice Studios team of womxn wedding photographers embodies a new incredibly intentional and especially kind boutique team wedding photography experience for clients. More than taking your photos, we want to take care of YOU. Every Sweet Alice Studios team photographer has been personally chosen and vetted by me, not only for their ability to take gorgeous photographs, but also for their ability to treat you and all those around you as the beautiful souls that you are on your wedding day. For us, it's not about building our portfolios or gaining more Instagram followers - it's about the honor of documenting your story and supporting you throughout your journey. We consider it a joy and a privilege to photograph every single wedding that we are contracted for…
August Wedding in Cortlandt, NY // Tara + Stephen
When I think about Tara + Stephen’s wedding day, it’s all lace and smiles and laughter and comfort. It’s Tara smiling at Stephen to keep him comfortable. It’s Stephen responding to her offers of comfort with his sweet easygoingness.
It’s a beautiful August day, and it’s all kindness and ease…
The Barns at Wesleyan Hills Wedding // Kari Jo + Andrew
When choosing images for this blog post, I couldn’t stop smiling and tearing up.
Y’all, this day was just SO GOOD. Incredibly romantic, unbelievably authentic, beautifully intentional. It had everything precious included in it: ducks as ring bearers, a donut wall, the most meaningful chuppah. Not to mention the love between Kari Jo + Andrew, which felt almost tangible. Moving in their midst to photograph them felt like walking across clouds. Easy, soft, kind. I was completely taken with them…
West Hills Country Club Wedding in Middletown, NY // Anna + Brian
I believe one of the most generous things a wedding photographer can do is to treat every wedding as if it were brand new - because it really is, if we think about. Brand new to the couple. Brand new to the guests. Even though us wedding photographers capture dozens of weddings a year, that shouldn’t mean that we don’t capture every single one with heart eyes as if we had never seen a wedding before. To me, that is loving our clientfriends well; it is cherishing what they cherish, adoring what they adore, getting excited about what they are excited about….
The Roundhouse Wedding // Terasa + Fred
I take a lot of pride in the couples I have the privilege to serve. I find them to be consistently kind, consistently laid back, consistently adventurous - just all around consistently enjoyable.
And Terasa + Fred were exactly that, as per usual…. 💕
Rainy Wedding at West Hills Country Club in Middletown, NY // Erika + Aaron
When I think back on my journey with Erika + Aaron, all I can think of is: all joy and pure heart. Erika’s smile is contagious, and her sweet spirit is infectious. Aaron’s kindness feels like a warm hug whenever you’re around him. Being in their presence feels like a privilege. They are an excellent match….
Summer Wedding at Whitby Castle in Rye, NY // Christina + Jonny
The first time I met Christina + Jonny in person was at their engagement session - Christina clad in an adorable floral dress and Jonny smiling wide. They had their precious pup Murphy in tow, and the trio instantly had my heart…
Memorial Day Weekend Wedding at West Hills Country Club in Middletown, NY // Jess + Ricky
My wedding season typically begins in April with a few smaller events here and there, but then really kicks off in May, especially taking into account Memorial Day Weekend. While it’s nice to have the weekend off sometimes, I do love photographing weddings on this weekend, since everyone is already in a celebratory mood - it just feels even more exciting to add a wedding to the mix…
Krissy + Joey // A Warm May Microwedding at the Country Club at Otterkill in Campbell Hall, NY
Some days I have a lot of words for these blog posts, and some days I don’t. Sometimes I feel that words enhance the story, and sometimes I feel like they detract. And sometimes I think that pictures can just very obviously speak for themselves….
Whitby Castle Wedding in Rye, NY // Jamie + Fern
When I think about good days, Jamie + Fern’s wedding day is one of my favorites. I am consistently blessed with amazing clients, and Jamie + Fern were no exception. 💕
Like most weddings I photograph, I reminisce on their wedding day often. When I walked into the suite where Jamie was getting ready, and she said, “Erica, it’s RAINING,” I shrugged and said, “Yeah, it is,” because I knew rain never makes for bad pictures - it just adds a little bit more to the logistics. Truthfully, the overcast skies and slight drizzle gave the wedding a feeling of being enveloped; it was like the gray gathered us together and offered us the opportunity to put a magnifying glass on all of the love involved in the day.
Elopement in Rhinebeck, NY // Kristy + Justin
Kristy + Justin had the sweetest, smallest wedding day that was so perfectly theirs. From the little ceremony in a historic library to the most beautifully simple wedding bands to the pure, contented joy that they exhibited throughout our entire time together - it was so darling, and so THEM…
Queer Winter Elopement in Rhinebeck, NY // Ivonna + Brenna
Overcast winter days always remind me of this precious elopement: chilly, gray, and absolutely perfect.
The day before New Years Eve in 2018, I had the honor of capturing this incredible elopement in Rhinebeck, NY. While our time together was only 2 hours, the adventure we embarked upon felt like I was witnessing an entire lifetime of love curated…
Pinehills Golf Club Wedding // Emily + Micheal
What has always struck me about Emily and Micheal is how effortless they are with each other. Maybe it’s because they’ve been together for a long time; Maybe it’s because they are just a good pair…their comfort with each other creates a softness in the air around them. If you’re uneasy before you spend time with them, their comfort in each other can’t help but to reach to you. It will calm all your nerves, settle your heart palpitations, make you feel like things really aren’t as bad as you may have thought they were just 10 minutes prior…
Gina + Tony // A Perfect October Wedding at The Grandview in Poughkeepsie, NY
When I think about gorgeous October days, I think of Gina + Tony’s wedding day.
Perfect weather. Perfect people.
Just. Perfect.
Greek Orthodox Wedding in High Falls, NY // Maria + Derek
Maria + Derek were an absolute joy to serve. From the moment I met them on Facetime, I knew that our hearts were connected - I was almost even jealous that my associate photographer was able to photograph them instead of me (haha). But, two things I knew before they even signed a contract:
My associate photographer would take the best care of them ever.
They would take the best care of my associate photographer ever.
I was not wrong. The symbiosis was beautiful.
Planning a 2022 Wedding? READ THIS!
You've gotten engaged, and are planning for a 2022 wedding. First of all, congrats! 🎉 Second of all, I get it. The pandemic has taught us that nothing is secure, and so planning for 2022 makes a lot of sense. And, since you are planning a wedding for 2022, you can just sit back and relax now, right?
Nope.
I want to give you some kind guidance to start securing your vendors NOW. Here's why:
Hopefully, 2022 will be our first full and "normal" wedding season after the pandemic. However, for vendors, it is likely that the 2022 wedding season will be more packed than a traditional pre-pandemic wedding season. There are a few reasons why this may be likely to happen...
Fall Wedding at Mohonk Mountain House in New Paltz, NY // Nova + Paul
When I think of Nova + Paul, I think of the general warm feeling of nostalgia. That’s how good they are to spend time with.
They feel like nostalgia.
Karina + Nick // A Sweet Fall Wedding in Cold Spring, NY
When I think of Karina + Nick’s wedding day, all I hear is Karina’s kind voice. It feels like it envelopes that day in warmth and sweetness and purity. Karina is one of the most perfect souls I have ever met…
Smart Alice Wedding Education: 5 Tips to Help You Hire Your Wedding Photographer
In a world full of Pinterest checklists and advice from literally everywhere, it’s often easy to get overwhelmed and “list happy” when you are planning a wedding - especially when you are considering who to hire as your wedding photographer. Believe me, I know. Wanna know how? I hoarded checklists from The Knot and WeddingWire like it was my job when I was getting married in 2013. And, I was also the bride who gave my photographer a color-coded spreadsheet of my wedding day timeline. Who did I think I was? Amy Santiago…?
Love in the Time of COVID-19: Updated April 18, 2020
I sent the following email out to all of my current clients yesterday - March 16, 2020. Of course, all of this information is subject to change, but for now, this is where my sweet little business is at.