Rachel & Kyle Married | May 2011 | Rochester, NY

Rachel would agree with me when I say that she is so outgoing that she is a joyful ball of energy that bounces off the floor and even the walls. Kyle on the other hand is cool, calm, and collected. He surveys the scene in front of him, observing every detail, making note of everything that's going on.  He occasionally looks over at Rachel endearingly as she dramatically tells a story or speaks her opinion.  She's able to express what he can't, and he's able to be the foundation for her to dance on. It's beautiful to see two couples complement each other so perfectly. That made their wedding that much more beautiful.

Did I mention there were baby goats at the reception?

Janice & Paul Married | May 2011 | New York City

Janice & Paul have a mission. They also have romance, commitment, love and all the other things that come with falling in love, but there's something bigger than just that between them.  In a time when we are told that love and marriage is the end all, be all, that if you find that one "soulmate" you will live happily ever after, it seemed to me that Janice & Paul were look for more.

Happiness, of course is something that we all want and rightly deserve, but if living happily ever after with the one is really the reason why we love and grow I daresay that we will be very disappointed.

Because with couples like Janice and Paul, you can tell something is different.  Because it says something about the couple when the wedding favors for their guests aren't actually gifts as much as the honor of donating to Reah, a non-profit that works to create viable and sustainable long-term projects inside North Korea.  It says that when it comes times to make bigger decisions, we will put other before ourselves. That happiness will take a back seat if it means making a difference in this world. And again, I daresay that to have a goal like that will never disappoint.

Weddings like this leave me with much more than great photos. It helps me focus on more than just making a living.

Special thanks to Annie Yu for being an awesome second photographer.

Preview: Karen & Paul's Wedding

\

Sunoak & John

I was talking with Sunoak, the bride, for a couple months and didn't know her fiance John was my friend John until a week before our initial meeting.  I haven't seen him or his brother (John's best man) for years, but was glad to see them both in suits and bow ties. If there's anybody that I know that can pull of a bow tie and brogues on his wedding day, it's John and his brother.

It was a beautiful wedding with the craziest dancing I've had the pleasure of shooting.

The rest of their engagement photos and wedding are here.

Diana & Khoa

What can I say about this amazing couple? I've known Diana since my days at NYU and I've known Khoa now for a couple of years.  They have both become good friends, and so when they asked me to photograph their wedding, I said yes without thinking twice.  It was 12 hour day of so many memorable moments. It was hard to choose, but here are my favorites from the day.

You can go here to see the rest of the photos from the day.

Congratulations to you both!