Sand Castle Wedding

We are living in an age where Tinder swiping and “disposable dating” make it almost unthinkable that two people who meet as teenagers could end up together.  But there are couples, like Stephanie and Julian, whose teenage love lives well long beyond graduation (while most people look back tenderly on their high school sweethearts, Stephanie is lucky enough to look across the table at hers at breakfast every morning).

The couple decided to seal their long-term love story with a beautiful wedding at Sand Castle in Franklin Square, NY.  Now, they may have been together since they were high school students, but the way they looked at each other throughout the wedding, how they kissed and hugged convinced me that true love does last forever. 

Gorgeous Stephanie got ready at home, surrounded by family members. She looked drop dead beautiful in her heavily embroidered fitted dress and long veil, and when she walked into the imposing Washington Heights church holding her father’s arm and exuding buckets of confidence, Julian looked even more smitten than you would imagine (check out his photo watching his love walk towards him).

I enjoy photographing church weddings. It’s a great opportunity to capture stunning details and I always try my best to make the most of these unique events. This time, I was super lucky because the church gave us full access to take photos. Heaven.

After the beautiful ceremony, the guests moved to the reception venue and got the party started. Inspired by European chateaux, the Sand Castle offered a classical ambiance with a touch of opulence. Boasting Italian marble, mahogany details and brass accents, this venue, which is also famous for its award-winning cuisine, provided the perfect setting of exclusivity the couple was aiming for. 

Stephanie and Julian are proof that falling in love with someone you know as a teenager can actually be the best thing in the world.  It started when they both went on their high school trip to Italy and saw there was something more to their relationship. Growing together (literally) and experiencing so many first times as a couple must have been such an exciting journey. I have a feeling their life will be as great as their wedding day and their relationship will grow stronger every day.