Click here for the FULL wedding!

From Joe and Britney of Turn Loose the Art… Really cool people have great weddings even when everything goes wrong. After booking their original wedding venue in Brooklyn and later walking by and seeing it under construction, Rachel and Brian had to scramble to find a new place near their wedding date. They ended up at Battery Gardens Restaurant and both agree that it was a blessing and their wedding was so much better at venue #2. While finishing portraits in Battery Park, the skies opened up and rain began a torrential path down to the ground. Rachel took it in stride and exclaimed she never intended to run in her heels, but it’s good to know she could. Anything else was a cakewalk after that. They wed indoors and watched the clouds break into a beautiful sunny glow towards the end of their ceremony, then enjoyed a reception filled with dancing and great food.

Photography: Turn Loose the Art / Flowers: Carmine of Flowers by Emil / Event Planning: Christine Viola of Exquisite Affairs Productions Inc. / Cake: Sweet Melissa’s Patisserie / Photo Booth: NYC Photobooth / Makeup: Niquay Fa of Makeup Niquay Fa (917-584-1562) / Venue: Battery Gardens

© Style Me Pretty : The Ultimate Wedding Blog, 2012. | Permalink | 7 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: Battery Gardens, Christin Viola, Exquisite Affairs Productions Inc., Flowers by Emil, Makeup Niquay Fa, New York, New York City, Niquay Fa, NYC Photobooth, Sweet Melissa's Patisserie, Turn Loose The Art
Post categories: New York City Weddings, New York Weddings, Traditional Elegance

Click here to see the entire gallery of images!

From the Bride… I wasn’t one of those women who had their perfect wedding already planned in her head so, needless to say, I was at a loss after Rob proposed.  When Rob and I started planning our wedding, we knew we didn’t want to spend endless months obsessing over it.  We agreed to move forward with things that felt like “us.”  After looking into different venues and locations we decided that The Crescent Beach Club was the best fit.  Although we were originally dead set against a catering hall, The Crescent Beach Club had a relaxed yet elegant vibe that we were immediately drawn to.  We especially loved the idea that our cocktail hour would be on the beach overlooking the Long Island Sound. The beach has significance to us as a couple so it made sense that it be a part of the wedding.

When a Saturday night in June opened up at Crescent Beach we couldn’t pass it up.  We decided to dive right in to wedding planning craziness.  We booked in March which meant we had three months to do everything. We didn’t choose colors or have a particular theme or motif in mind when we started planning.  Not knowing where to begin, we tried to narrow our focus to the necessities of any great party: good food, good music and a beautiful setting.  We made a second visit to the Crescent Beach for a tasting and the food was outstanding! We appreciated the setting even more this time so we were ready to think about music.

Rob and I are passionate about music and listen to everything from indie rock to old school hip hop.  We were getting discouraged after meeting with a couple of DJ’s that were not at all what we had in mind. Rob and I wanted to create a cocktail party type atmosphere for our guests so that everyone could mingle and talk without having to shout over the music.  When we met Drew Burrows of Beat Train Productions, we knew we had our DJ.  We shared similar tastes in music and Drew’s understated style was exactly what we were looking for.

Hiring an amazing photographer was also very important to me.  I wanted to see timeless, natural images when I looked at my wedding album.  I knew we had to be totally comfortable with whoever was with us that day.  Joe and Britney from Turn Loose the Art were the first photographers we met and we immediately felt a genuine connection with them.  From the start they were incredibly warm, responsive and professional.  They showed us samples of their work and we were amazed… we had our photographer.

Our day started at Our Lady of Lourdes RC Church in Massapequa Park.  We had a traditional Catholic ceremony to honor our parents.  I can’t describe the feeling of looking at Rob and my family and friends in this magnificent church and to know our union is fully supported by everyone.  I was overwhelmed with joy. A wonderful addition to our day was to have Father Thomas Ahern marry us.  Father Tom married Rob’s brother and cousin and has performed other ceremonies for my husband’s family in the past. His presence made the ceremony so touching and personal.

After our ceremony, we went to the Massapequa Park Preserve to take pictures.  Our photographers, Joe and Britney, not only kept the day moving smoothly but they kept us laughing, relaxed and in the moment. It was a calming time during a crazy, hectic day.  It gave us time alone to enjoy our newly married status. We were so comfortable with Joe and Britney that it did not feel like a “photo shoot.”  I think they got some of the most amazing, natural shots of the day while we were in the preserve.

The reception turned out to be all we had hoped for and more.  Everything (including the amazing weather) came together exactly the way we envisioned.  Our vendors helped make the day so memorable and we truly had a blast!  Throughout our planning, whenever we were getting stressed out, I reminded myself that we would be surrounded by people who loved and that is what would make the day perfect…and it was!  It was the happiest day of my life.

Wedding Photography: Turn Loose The Art / Wedding Venue: Crescent Beach Club / Wedding Dress: Priscilla of Boston / Groom’s Attire: Ralph Lauren / Entertainment: Drew Burrows of Beat Train Productions / Floral Design: Flowers by Burton

© Style Me Pretty : The Ultimate Wedding Blog, 2011. | Permalink | 5 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: Bayville, Beach Weddings, Beat Train Productions, Crescent Beach Club, Flowers by Burton, New York Weddings, Priscilla of Boston, Ralph Lauren, Turn Loose The Art
Post categories: Casual Elegance, New York Weddings

Click here to see the entire gallery of images!

From Turn Loose the Art… When asked what Andrew likes best about Sam, he said she’s always there when he needs her. She said she loves how close he is to his family. With those things in mind, they designed a perfect NY wedding in May and lucked out with the rain holding off, beautiful blustery clouds, and then later even a clear and sunny sky! A ’61 Bel Air provided the perfect getaway car to cruise on down to the beach for photos.

Andrew, a volunteer firefighter for their village, arranged for Truck No. 8 to hang out front of the church after their wedding ceremony. Sam, a tiny bit afraid of heights, went up in the bucket with him for a few iconic photos.

They’re not the kind of couple that wanted a venue laden with marble floors. They instead organized a cocktail style dinner with food stations and a free-flowing seating idea. Wildflowers spilled out of small vases and jars that Sam’s grandfather spent the last year collecting at garage sales.

Wedding Photography: Turn Loose The Art / Wedding Venue: George Washington Manor / Bride’s Attire: James Clifford + BHLDN / Flowers: Colonial Flower & Gift Shop / Entertainment: Charles Henry

© Style Me Pretty : The Ultimate Wedding Blog, 2011. | Permalink | 14 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: BHLDN, Charles Henry, Colonial Flower & Gift Shop, George Washington Manor, James Clifford, New York Weddings, Turn Loose The Art, wildflowers
Post categories: Casual Elegance, New York Weddings

So amazing, right? Check out the amazing Highlight Film from Couture Motion!

Jonathan | Francine from Couture Motion on Vimeo.

From Turn Loose The Art … Francine and Jon really just wanted an amazing party. They had a killer venue on the edge of the Jersey Shore with a patio available for guests, lots of great details that made their day unique, and a dance mentality. In addition to little touches like cigars for guests lounging near the fireplace and drink stirrers with messages, they also had a custom cake from The Cake Boss of Carlo’s Bakery.

Adrienne, their wedding planner extraordinaire, was on top of everything from helping to organize family to making sure the ceremony went off without a hitch. Our guests happily joined in the cocktail-style reception with tray passed mini entrees and signature drinks.

Venue: Avenue *Le Club / Wedding Planning: Adrienne Colosimo of Bespoke Affairs / Bridal Gown: Amsale for Christos / Groom’s Tux: Alabaster & Chess / Cupcakes: Carlo’s Bakery / Wedding Invitations: Hornbill Hill / Cinematography: Couture Motion / Floral Design: Flowerful Events / Entertainment: DJ Unique / Hotel: Bungalow / Photography: Turn Loose The Art

© Style Me Pretty : The Ultimate Wedding Blog, 2011. | Permalink | 28 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: Alabaster & Chess, Amsale, Avenue *Le Club, Beach Wedding, Bespoke Affairs, Bungalow, Butterfly, Cake Boss, Candy Bar, Carlos Bakery, Casual Elegance, Christos, Color Palette Purple, contemporary, Couture Motion, Cupcakes, DJ Unique, Flowerful Events, Hornbill Hill, Jersey Shore, Jewish, Long Branch, New Jersey, Turn Loose The Art, Wedding Photography
Post categories: Contemporary, Little Black Book Blog

see the FULL wedding here!

Kerri and Jeff planned their wedding in the exact opposite way all their friends did. They found a unique venue, a four-story townhouse at the edge of the West Village and Meatpacking District in NYC. They planned their timeline around an evening ceremony, with guest looking down from the balcony surrounding the entire townhouse. Later in the evening the ceremony space became the dance floor, DJ-ed by a club dj rather than the typical wedding entertainment. Also, rather than a traditional sit-down meal for dinner, they provided tray-passed tapas and mini meals throughout the evening. As an homage to Halloween, they provided opera-style masks for their guests to wear during the reception. One other very cool thing? Bono of U2 fame ran into them at the Standard as they were leaving to walk over to 632 on Hudson!

Photographer: Turn Loose the Art / Event Designer & Catering: Marcey Brownstein / Hotel: The Standard / Venue: 632 on Hudson

© Style Me Pretty : The Ultimate Wedding Blog, 2011. | Permalink | 13 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: 632 on Hudson, Marcey Brownstein, The Standard, Turn Loose The Art
Post categories: New York City Weddings, New York Weddings, Real Weddings, Traditional Elegance

from the super creative and beautiful bride …. Kathleen …
It was very important to us that we incorporate our personalities into the wedding. From our invitations, to our quilt guest book we wanted every detail to match who we are as a couple.  Being a huge fan of photography, our pictures were an aspect of the wedding that meant so much to us. We knew it would be those pictures that would serve as that tangible memory of our most special day. We were SO lucky to have found Joe and Britney at Turn Loose The Art.  Not only are they masters of their art, they are absolutely wonderful and fun people!

Britney & Joe have lots more gorgeous shots from the day on their blog! Definitely take a look: Turn Loose The Art: Kathleen & Chris

Share all their joy in this highlight from Pat Ingravallo from Golden Moments Video!

Kathleen & Christopher from Pat Ingravallo (Golden Moments) on Vimeo.

. . .

When we first got engaged it was a no-brainer that we would be married on Long Island surrounded by our closest friends and family. Port Jefferson has always been a special place to us. Not only do we love it’s old world charm, it’s where we had many of our first dates. We knew the church on the big hill would be the perfect place to promise the deepest parts of our being to one another.

Chris and I both love all things old, vintage, and rustic, so we immediately knew we wanted to bring as much of that into our wedding as possible. As much as we would have loved to have our celebration outdoors we were worried about New York’s random weather so we opted for the Hamlet Willow Creek in Mt. Siani. It was breathtaking and had many of the elements we were looking for.

We knew that our bridal party would consist of family members who are very near and dear to our hearts. Our main concern for our bridesmaids and groomsmen was that they each felt comfortable. Their own style dress and shoe, and Nike Air Force Ones helped us accomplish that goal! Chris was the star of the night with his break dancing performances. The smiles and laughter from our friends and family were truly captivating and lit up the entire room. We received so many compliments from our guests who said they have never seen a bride and groom have so much fun on their wedding day. It was the best thing anyone has ever said to us.

Wedding Gown: Priscilla of Boston / Church: Infant Jesus / Venue: Hamlet Willow Creek / Makeup: Makeup by Oksana / Flowers: Roots Florist / Stationery: Rachel Jasper Designs

© Style Me Pretty : The Ultimate Wedding Blog, 2010. | Permalink | 17 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: Golden Moment NY, Hamlet Willow Creek, Infant Jesus, Long Island, Makeup by Oksana, Mt. Sinai, New York Weddings, Port Jefferson, Rachel Jasper Designs, Roots Florist, Turn Loose The Art
Post categories: Little Black Book Blog, Traditional Elegance, Wedding Photography

{click here to see the full wedding}

Jordyn and Dan planned a lovely little spring wedding overlooking the Hudson Valley in Garrison, NY. The Inn at the Garrison was a beautiful setting, surrounded by quaint stone arches and gazebos. Dan will tell you Jordyn did all the work, and Jordyn will say her mom did all the work, but her mom says it was all Jordyn’s vision.

The whole bridal party wore J Crew, with the guys in tan suits and yellow printed ties and the women wearing silver dresses and yellow heels. The yellow-silver-lavender color scheme suited the spring wedding perfectly, showing up in little touches like the escort tags and printed wine bottle labels by the Tie That Binds. Unique touches like table numbers of antique bells and mosaics mixed with different floral collections on each table tied together the reception.

Photography: Turn Loose the Art / Cinematography: Jeff Zorilla / Flowers: Lee Vazquez Floral Design / Venue: The Garrison / Invitations, Stationery: Tie That Binds / Dress: Jim Hjelm / Makeup: Lo & Co / Music: The DJ Solution

© Style Me Pretty : The Ultimate Wedding Blog, 2010. | Permalink | 35 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: Hudson Valley, Lo & Co, New York Weddings, The DJ Solution, The Garrison, Tie That Binds, Turn Loose The Art
Post categories: Hudson Valley Weddings, New York Weddings, Traditional Elegance

So we’re kicking it off today … the first of our Holiday Hiatus from full real-wedding posts on the LBB blog. Instead, we’re going to be sharing as many of these award-winning beauties and favorite flicks that we can possibly squeeze in … and still get our shopping and baking and wrapping and decorating and partying with our kids done!!

We REALLY hope you enjoy!!!

Britney and Joe at Turn Loose The Art received OUR first place award for response time! As soon as we sent the request out ~ we got these fantastic images from them.

Pretty terrific, huh?!?

Here are the links to their blog posts about these winners:

Award Winning Photographer – I’m a Top 30

ISPWP Wins are in!

A 1st Place win with WPJA!

ISPWP Fall Image Contest: Turn Loose The Art places again!

Latest ISPWP wins!

* * *

Happy Holidays ~ Britney & Joe!

© Style Me Pretty : The Ultimate Wedding Blog, 2009. | Permalink | 3 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: Turn Loose The Art
Post categories: Little Black Book Blog, Wedding Photography