Samantha & Shane
I knew that Samantha and Shane were going to turn out to be some of the most down to earth people when Samantha greeted me at the door of her family home in Brooklyn wearing Jordan’s with her white bridal robe. She was prepping gift boxes for her entire wedding party while her grandmother was cooking pulled pork so that everybody could have a sandwich on the way to the ceremony. I could immediately tell that this was a warm, loving home. Memorabilia and cozy decorations were everywhere, such as the wedding invitation hung on the wall. It felt like having a glimpse into Samantha’s childhood.
Part of her wedding party were her two sisters, one older and one younger. As they put on their dresses and helped their sister transform into a bride I overheard the kind of loving bickering that could only be had between sisters, “I literally told you not to come in yet I’m still getting ready!”. When Samantha was ready she had a grand reveal for her parents, whose faces shown with pride, disbelief, and overwhelming joy that their little girl was getting married today when they saw how beautiful Samantha looked.
The party bus pulled up to the house filled with the groom’s side of the family. When Shane turned around to see Samantha for the first time I could tell he couldn’t believe how beautiful she looked. He glowed looking at her as she pranced around to show him her dress.
The guests, family, and couple then loaded onto the party bus. In minutes most everybody had a Truly or beer in one hand and a pulled pork sandwich in the other.
The bus drove us to the Moxy Hotel in Brooklyn, where the ceremony took place in a private courtyard. There was not a single dry eye during the vows, and I’m not exaggerating for dramatic effect. Shane said (paraphrasing), “I was afraid I’d never find someone I would love as much as my dad loved my mom, but when I met you I knew I had nothing to worry about”. From the emotional reaction from Shane’s family, I could tell his words rang true. His household was one of love and big hearts.
We ended the day with portraits at Brooklyn Bridge Park and a reception at Vetro Restaurant and Lounge, where the happy couples showed us that they really are the life of the party!
