Manhattan Musings with Annamae Photo [RF Wedding of the Week]

As a native New Yorker, I’m the first to admit I’m partial to New York City nuptials—one of my sisters got married in a cute flower shop in Chelsea; another at a skytop venue overlooking Central Park; and yet another’s ceremony was inspired by The Cloisters, a medieval castle in Fort Tryon Park that the four of us spent most of our time at with our dad when we were little girls.

The options are endless when it comes to a Big Apple wedding, which is why I was completely smitten with husband and wife shooting duo Annamae and Keith’s (of Annamae Photo) Manhattan wedding coverage of bride and groom Avery and Ben.

All photos © Annamae Photo

“New York in itself is such a special place,” says Annamae of her wedding clients’ big city backdrop. “There is nothing quite like it in the world. We got a permit to have their ceremony in Central Park and found the most beautiful spot rested on a hill away from all the tourists. It was such a surreal feeling of it being so intimate for that short period of time. From there, we went everywhere—Times Square, Brooklyn, Top of the Rock, Grand Central Station and a bunch of other random spots in between.”

“Avery and Ben have such a joy for life,” she continues. “They are similar to my husband and I with their love for travel and the off-beaten path. They have been friends for a while now and long-time followers of our work. When we talked about their plans on eloping to NYC, we just had to be a part of it.”

To make the wedding even more special, the bride, a book lover, took her favorite Harry Potter volumes and incorporated the pages of the books into the bridesmaids’ bouquets. Avery walked down the aisle with one of her all-time favorite books, Alice in Wonderland. “It was so personal to her and I loved that,” says Annamae.

“Another favorite moment was when we discussed lunch and Avery and Ben both immediately said, ‘Shake Shack.’ We ended up at the one in Times Square, and the manager comped our whole order and served the bride and groom Champagne!”

The photo duo kept their gear light, so as not to spend an entire day lugging a bunch of equipment around the city. “I used my small Bowery Bag by Ona, Canon Mark III and Keith used a Canon Mark II,” Annamae says. “We switched lenses throughout the day—a Canon 35mmL f/1.4, Canon 50mmL f/1.4, and Canon 85mmL f/1.8.”

No wedding ever goes off without a hitch, and this one was no exception.

“Getting transportation in a wedding dress in one of the biggest cities in the world was a major challenge,” Annamae says. “We hit rush hour just when we were in need of a taxi, and if anyone knows anything about NYC and rush hour, your chances are slim to none in getting a taxi to stop for you. We gave up, took the subway and laughed along the way. Avery was such a trooper and that’s why I love her!”

See more of AnnaMae Photo’s weddings here.

To submit a rainy (or sunny) wedding you’ve shot, email Jacqueline Tobin.

Past Weddings of the Week:

 A Jolly Old Wedding in Middle England by Luis Holden 

Is This Real Life? Logan Cole Photographs Perfect Couple At Chateau in Normandy

Norway’s Etphotography Tackles Gambia