Erin Covey Creative Blog

I already knew I was in for a perfect day.  When you grew up with the bride and know the family, everything is that much more special.  The bluest sky you’ve ever seen embraced the afternoon.  Warm smiles and beautiful people were just a bonus.  Some of my favorites…

The day included a boat ride for the bridal party, can’t go wrong there!

Yes, they’re both stunning!

Fun fact: the groom had this idea to go to a little spot he loves by the water.  I must say, I love it too and was thrilled he had suggestions.  These two photos are just gorgeous, I especially like that they found a few moments for themselves!

I love all of their dancing shots! On the left, some flare from my strobes to kick up the dramatics…on the right, just love the expressions…

The reception was an epic time and the details were all gorgeous!

Church: Saint Anthony’s Church: Inlet, NY

Venue: Covewood Lodge: Big Moose, NY

Flowers: Chester’s

Catering: Dinosaur BBQ

Dress: Toni’s Alterations

Eileen and Mike, you two are spectacular! Thank you for an amazing day, much love to you both!

It’s possible she won’t remember.  After spending the day with Eileen, her friends, and family during their Adirondack wedding, I heard so many stories about how giving she is.  My story is no doubt one among a thousand random acts of Eileen kindness.

This beauty and I went to high school together.  Eileen was just one of those people who excelled at everything.  Honors classes? Check.  Active in sports? Check.  A ton of friends? Check.  We actually went to prom with our dates together.  But the one memory that will stick with me forever? In study hall she used to knit.  Yes, knit! And she was quite good.  I saw her knitting one day and randomly said how cool I thought it was that she knew how.

What did I get for Christmas that year? Perfectly hand crafted mittens, navy with light flecks of blue and red in them.  I know this because I still have them saved among my cherished items.  At 17, it was one of the sweetest things anyone had ever gifted me.

At 32, I can honestly say it still is.

I was beyond thrilled to shoot this beautiful girl’s big day! Years later, she still does everything.  Amazing details of her wedding provided proof of that…

We started at the elegantly rustic Covewood Lodge.

Part two comes later! Eileen – thank you for the honor! You are as lovely as ever!

He knew she was expecting it, so Cody waited.  And waited some more.  Andrea anticipates everything, so Codey had to hold out long enough so she would be truly surprised when the moment came.  The moment to ask for her hand in forever.  While vacationing on the shore, that moment arrived and all went as planned…except that tiny hiccup when someone rammed into their car that night.  But in true form, they just shook their head and brushed it off.  Looking back, they laugh.  They know that together, nothing seems as bad as it is.  Together they will shrug and laugh at life’s surprises for the rest of their lives.

These two are fabulous so it was hard to pick my favorites during a recent morning in Ilion, NY!

They picked out some amazing fields in Herkimer County…where colorful wildflowers dot the sloping landscape.

And my favorite…them just enjoying each other!

Thanks you two for the good times and the laughs!

She met him at a summer camp and immediately knew this was no summer fling.  Sure there were counselors all over but there was something special about Christian.  Lisa wrote in her journal that he was it.  He was the man she was to marry.

When you spend time with them, you realize quickly there was never any doubt.  They are in sync and in love…and I’m head-to-toe honored I will be shooting their impending nuptials.  They are a perfect mix of selflessness, kindness and class.  In short, I adore them!  Here are some of my favorites during a recent trip to Philadelphia for their engagement shoot…

We did the first location at the main transportation station since they have been a long distance couple.  I love the grandeur of the pillars in the above photo.  Below – some fun with light…in one of the train hubs.  Special shout out to the workers there who were closing the stairway but let us linger to shoot!

We then headed to South Street’s Magic Gardens for the next location, and it was perfect! Beautiful mosaics were the backdrop to this gorgeous couple.  This was Lisa’s pick for the shoot and it could not have made my heart any warmer.  There were endless possibilities…

Finally…when in Philly, do what is expected… Eat cheesesteaks! I had never tasted an original Philly cheesesteak so when Christian offered to walk down to one of the famous steak places…you know I was on it! It was as delicious as I imagined in my head all of these years…

Lisa and Christian – Thank you from the whole of my heart.  You two are spectacular! Much love to you both and will see you next year!

xoxo

The view was gorgeous. I’m talking about the couple… and the venue! The Waterview did it up nice in Monroe, CT.  The details were perfect and the day surrounded by the warmth of friends, family and beautiful sunshine reflecting off the water.  Some of my favorites during the day…

The portraits of the two of them together all came out fabulous.  They are so natural and in love, it really made my job super easy! The one of Katie on the right….FIERCE!

A couple after my chubby little heart…they rolled out this stunning cake…and as if that weren’t enough, they set up an entire dessert spread! The make your own ice cream sundae table could be the best. Idea. Ever…I’m just saying…

Spectacular flower bouquets by Stop and Shop.

Reception candids! These are always some of my favorites because it’s what unfolds when the bride and groom are busy elsewhere and when they see the photos they’re always surprised! When you add children, always some special and fun moments! Love!

I have a little photographic fun with the super reflective floors…

Katie and Kevin, thank you for the honor! The day was as perfect as you!! Good luck and much love to ya! xoxo

With a bright blue sky overhead, warm sunshine, and love in the air, it was a perfect day for wedded bliss.  I had the honor and pleasure of photographing Katie & Kevin’s wedding in Connecticut on a recent glorious Saturday.  At every turn, relatives and friends were smiling and laughing.  Katie was absolutely breathtaking.  I loved all of the details of this wedding, including the gorgeous ceremony and reception site.  A few of my favorites from this perfect day…

The girls did their hair at Shear Image in Newtown.  The ladies did a great job, the girls looked fab!

Back at the Waterview I shot some last minute makeup preparations and then ran upstairs to check in with the guys…

After that, the girls were pretty much ready to roll! GORGEOUS!

Bride and bridesmaid dresses by David’s Bridal. Tomorrow, the wedding!

They met in grad school.  And maybe, that’s all we need to know.  Because when I asked Katie how she met Keith, she just beams.  And when I look over at Keith, he has this shy smile.  It was clear hanging out with them that they are over the moon for each other.

It’s in the in between moments you just feel their connectivity… It’s when I describe a pose, he grabs her hand.  It’s when I take them to a new location, she grabs ahold of his arm.  All of their little moments added up to a loving and really fun engagement session at the train station in Utica, NY.  Some of my favorites…

I also have to mention their incredible patience.  A train roared through our engagement session like 1,355 times and they smiled through it all!

They are just too adorable.  They are so free spirited and fun…I am SO looking forward to their wedding! (Love Keith’s look on the right bottom picture…gorgeous!)

We stopped by Utica College, the place where their forever began…

To Katie and Keith – thank you for the honor! This next year will fly by and I’ll see you soon!

xoxo

It started off as a secret surprise.  I wanted a way to thank brides for allowing me to capture their day.  I wanted something better than the “award them with a free print” idea.  (you know I’m not one for conventional) As I’ve mentioned before, I always try to do business as if *I* was the bride.  What would I want as a thank you? Well… damn, I’d want a secret surprise!

So I would take a little video if the wedding day had some downtime.  I would throw the camera to my assistant if she had down time.  What’s funny is that brides almost never knew what I was up to.  And it never failed…after I sent the bride their wedding images I would secretly put in the video recap on one of the disks.  (The soundtrack is always the bride and groom’s first dance.)  And then I would wait…it was like Christmas when I would get the inevitable e-mail…

It would start off… “OMG I FOUND THE VIDEO!!!”

And I kind of got hooked.  On the video surprise.  Until it really wasn’t a surprise anymore.  Because word got out.  I did it more and more, driven by the awesome feedback from brides.  And this year I vowed to do it at every single wedding…

Check out some of my various videos here

Even though it’s no longer a surprise (usually), I still really, REALLY enjoy doing them…

Kathy & Willie

Katie & Kevin

I’ve slowly been putting them up on my website.   Here is the latest one from my most recent wedding.

I hope you like watching them as much as I enjoy making them!

The day was exquisite.  There was sunshine and flowers.  There were belly laughs, hugs, and tears.  Best of all the wedding had a backdrop of central New York’s finest landscapes.  Some of my favorites from the day:

Yes, she is stunning.  I mean, LOOK at her! The entire bridal party was personable and fun…and may I say, incredibly photogenic?

Leaving the altar and facing the world… These two just could not be more beautiful…

There was a moment when we were about to do some couple’s formal photos and they were just looking at each other…

The ceremony and reception took place at the phenomenal John Joseph Inn.

The grounds were spectacular (understatement of the year)

During a little break in the action I saw the groom’s sister wander off.  I love this shot of them in their own world, just enjoying the place…

A few words about Georgiana’s sister’s speech.  It was heartfelt and lovely.  There was not a dry eye seen among any of the ladies in the room…

I will end with one of my favorite highlights of the evening.  The groom’s cousin, who does a mean Jim Morrison impression, grabbed the mic and the audience’s attention by doing some get-off-your-feet-and-dance Door’s songs.  Every time I hear “Break on Through” I will think of him.  He was THAT good…a natural on the mic and in front of the camera…

A sure sign of a magnificent wedding is when everyone lingers after the last song is played.  People stayed, talked, laughed, hugged.  It was a perfect day.  For a perfect couple.

Georgiana and Jesse, thank you so much for the honor.

This wasn’t your typical show-up-and-have-some-fun wedding.  It was a take-a-deep-breath-you’re-in-for-the-night-of-your-life wedding.  There was spontaneous applause, guests flying in from another continent, beautifully kind people, and even…wait for it…a rousing tribute to the Doors’ Jim Morrison.  Wait.  Wait.  I’m getting ahead of myself.  Let’s start with the couple at the center of all of this.

Georgiana and Jesse.  They are beautiful inside and out.  They are kind.  Personable.  They look as if they just stepped out of a magazine…and so did their wedding…

The ceremony and reception took place at the lovely John Joseph Inn in Groton, NY.  The Innkeeper could not have been nicer.  The staff was on top of everything.  Above all, there were so many places to shoot all of these great details…I could shoot here all day!

The bride’s fantastic dress – by Romona Keveza – had a removable skirt that made the gown cocktail-reception-dance ready in a matter of seconds!

Makeup by the incredibly talented Viola Artistry out of Syracuse, NY.  (violapx@aol.com)

Everyone loved her work…and Viola is just a lovely person! (I had to get in the bathtub for the shot below and literally climb over makeup.  Viola didn’t bat an eye, just smiled and kept on working! Love her!)

Georgiana is simply stunning.  At all angles!

While the girls finished their last minute touch ups, the men were looking incredibly dapper downstairs…

I ran back upstairs and the bride…was exquisite! The paparazzi in the room approved…

And then…that spontaneous applause I told you about!

I have never seen a lovelier bunch of ladies!

Tomorrow, part 2!