I adore Lindsay from Readyluck, and if you don’t know why yet, you’re about to find out. Beyond the amazing (really, amazing Lindsay) photographs she takes at every single event she captures, she is just the sweetest, which this bride can, and did, attest to. When you’re marrying the love of your life, you shouldn’t have to worry about a single thing. Lindsay makes sure of that, all the while capturing memories in the best way possible.
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From the beautiful bride… Neither of us is from New York City, but it is our home together so we didn’t want to get married anywhere else. The Farm Museum was the first and only venue we visited. We wanted something cozy, friendly, and outdoors, and loved the concept of a farm wedding in the city (it is the only working farm in NYC). We are both animal lovers, which made the Farm an appealing choice. (All of our guests loved hanging out with the alpacas.) Plus, our first apartment together was in Queens, so the borough holds a special place in our hearts. Our family and friends were gracious enough to travel here, so we created a New York experience for them spanning the entire Labor Day weekend and several boroughs, including a Yankees/Orioles game and Welcome Party at Doug’s office the night before the wedding. The wedding goes by so quickly, so I’m glad that we had the extra time over the weekend to spend with them.
We had lots of inspiration since we were lucky enough to have been invited by our friends and family to some amazing weddings over the years. We picked out the things that that we liked from these weddings and melded them together in a way that suited us. We incorporated some traditional things into the day, like toasts and a first dance, and chose to ignore others, like a wedding party and a cake cutting.
It was important to us that our guests have a great time and feel loved, especially since many of them had traveled to be with us that weekend. So we wanted a fun, casual atmosphere. We started serving drinks before the ceremony and walked around and chatted with our guests. This helped calm our nerves as well as create a relaxed atmosphere. Since I wanted to spend the entire night dancing, we went right into a dance set after our first dance (a wonderful suggestion from our DJ) rather than waiting until after dinner. We were doing a “soul train” line before the buffet even opened and it was magical.
Doug and I wanted everything to reflect our personalities, so we brought in elements from our respective hometowns (Baltimore, Maryland and Coventry, Rhode Island). We served Utz potato chips before the ceremony and had several cases of Natty Boh and Naragansett beer on hand. Our dogs are a huge part of our lives, but they weren’t allowed at the Farm, so we incorporated them in other ways. We used their images in the Invitations and on the custom pint glasses (which Doug designed) that we gave away as favors. We also included them in our “First Look” photos, which were done near the hotel before we hopped on the yellow school bus that took us, as well as our guests, to the Farm.
My mother grew most of the flowers that we used to decorate the reception. She spent the year before the wedding collecting vases, pots, etc. at antique stores and Goodwills. The rest of the flowers, including the flowers for my bouquet and Doug’s boutonniere were picked on the Farm the day of the wedding. (Jeanne, my mother’s best friend, made the most beautiful bouquet for me hours before the ceremony, as well as Doug’s boutonniere.) My mother and an amazing group of people, including a family friend, my aunt and my best friend’s mother, spent the day decorating the barn for the reception. Doug and a group of our friends set up the outdoor lighting and decorations. At the end of the reception, my mother gave away the table decorations to our guests.
The few minutes that Doug and I had alone before the ceremony were awesome. We were standing in the barn/reception space. It was very surreal; seeing the tables set up beautifully, the late afternoon sun reflecting off the glasses and silverware. The entrance song, “The Luckiest” by Ben Folds, was just about over. We looked at each other (between sips from our cans of Natty Boh), smiled, and walked out. I thought I would be terrified walking the length of the field from the barn to the ceremony spot, but instead I was thrilled and completely happy. Our friends and family stood and clapped and cheered as we made our way to them. They were giving off so much love that it was impossible to be nervous.
We danced our First Dance to Adele’s One and Only. We danced for a few seconds by ourselves and then invited our guests onto the dance floor to join us. I will never forget the feeling created by all of those couples, and even a few trios, sharing that experience with us. The love in the room was palpable.
Lindsay was terrific. A close friend of mine hired Lindsay to photograph her wedding, which took place a few months before ours. When she emailed me the link to Lindsay’s portfolio I knew immediately that she was the right person for us too. Doug and I wanted someone who shot in a photojournalistic style and would be able capture the spirit of our event without a bunch of staged shots. I was nervous about being the subject of so many photos, but Lindsay made me feel completely at ease. I never once felt like having my photo taken was an intrusion or annoyance. She blended seamlessly with out guests and was delightful to work with. She went above the call of duty and even carried our oldest dog, along with her cameras, to the “First Look” when he decided he didn’t feel like walking.
We loved her sense of adventure and desire to try things that were outside the box. She brought a Polaroid, which resulted in some awesome and unique photos. Doug and I are creative and adventurous, so we were totally on board and appreciative.
When we saw the photos for the first time after the wedding, I was speechless. They were spectacular and perfectly captured the love and spirit of the day. I felt like I was back at the Farm surrounded by all of my favorite people. Every time I want to conjure that feeling, I have the photos as a guide.
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Photography: Lindsay of Readyluck | Dress: Jill Andrews Gowns | Venue: Queens County Farm Museum | Music: DJ Gary Hoffmann | Officiant: Roberta Koepfer | Food: A. Jeff Riley Bon Soir Caterers | Flowers: Queens County Farm
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