Bruce Plotkin Photography

While I’ve recently shared with you the great little story of how Jordana and Brad met, along with some photos from their engagement session, and also some pictures of Brad’s adorable niece Molly (the creation of Brad’s sister Andrea and her husband Joe, whose wedding I photographed eight years ago-still with me?), I now present to you: Jordana and Brad’s wedding day, which took place a couple of weeks ago in Westchester.

A rather typical blustery April day, lots of sunshine, but winds whipping around the sound, we managed to take the bridal party outside for a few photos and then returned inside for the family pictures and the beautiful ceremony by the water. Adding to the special nature of the day for both Jordana, Brad and me, one of the officiants was their good friend Diana, soon to be a rabbi, and whose wedding I also photographed. Particularly significant in that it was Diana’s first time officiating at a wedding, and amazing job that she did, standing alongside her mom Donna, whose extraordinary voice graced the ceremony as well. In fact it was a day surrounded by some of my favorite people, brides and grooms whose weddings I’ve previously photographed or the parents of couples who I’ve worked with or both. What could be more fun.

And the total pleasure of having the opportunity to photograph Jordana and Brad’s wonderful wedding day, a non-stop celebration of love and laughter and family. Thanks to both of them for including me. Looking forward to sharing many more memorable events with all of you.

Those of us that had the wonderful opportunity to attend sleep-away summer camp as kids often might have wished that the experience had never ended, frequently being the first time away from home and sometimes even giving us the chance to establish life-long friendships. Well, for a few lucky souls the camp experience has indeed never come to an end. Ashley and Dan are a case in point and in fact they’ve managed to turn “camping” into their life’s work. You see, for a number of years they’ve both worked for camps on a year-round basis, for summer camps from the Poconos to New Hampshire.

They met at a camp fair in Westchester (NY). They were both recruiting for their respective camps. They talked for only a few minutes, but then two months later at the Tri-State Camp Conference in Atlantic City (how fun does that sound?!) they really got to talk, at which point Ashley suggested to Dan that he ask her out sometime, which of course he did-later that night. She knew Dan was the one the first time she was at his place and saw the inside of his refrigerator. He had it filled with ginger ale…she had mentioned to him that she has a very sensitive stomach on one of their first dates, so he went out and stocked it, just in case. The rest is history, and camping.

We met on their wedding day at the very chic Bryant Park Hotel, where Ashley and the girls were getting ready. From there we strolled across the street to Bryant Park, which was just starting to really come into bloom, for photos of the two of them and their outrageously fun bridal party. While my original vision might have been to get the entire group on the little carousel in the park, at the risk of making a lot of little kids in line cry, we opted for some great moments with just Ashley and Dan. From there off to the ceremony and reception, all of which took place at The Lighthouse at Chelsea Piers, overlooking the Hudson River. It was a beautiful early Spring day, if just a bit windy. Ashley, glowing in her gorgeous Monique Lhuillier gown, her sister Hayley, with her own wedding planned for next year, flawlessly functioning not only as maid of honor, but as wedding planner extraordinaire, and Dan with his ever-present charm and cool.

As the sun set over the Hudson and Ashley and Dan exchanged their vows, I couldn’t help but think that this was truly a match made in heaven, in this case “camping heaven”. Congratulations Ashley and Dan.