Boho Chic Wedding at the Willowwood Arboretum
Emily and Max's wedding at the Willowwood Arboretum was about as picturesque as it gets. Tucked away an hour and a half outside New York City, it offers a beautiful backdrop for a summer wedding. I second shot this wedding for Ellen Ross of The Light + Color, and it is often nice to scale down a bit from being the lead photographer and focus on the details that might be missed, one of the many benefits of having two photographers at your wedding!
Emily and Max are super down to earth and classy people, and it showed in the decorations and wardrobe. Succulents with hand illustrated table cards and lots of warm wood and greenery tied everything together perfectly.
I love natural gardens and greenery and Willowwood does not disappoint. Emily and Max shared an intimate first look in one of the side gardens which offered them a bit of privacy and made for amazing photos. I love it when couples decide to do a first look as it gives them a moment to pause before the ceremony and greeting all their friends and family. It also provides a chance to reflect and connect with each other. It seems to help couples relieve any stress that may have built during the first part of the day. Finally, this creates one more opportunity to get photos of just the two of you, which puts less pressure on getting tons of portraits after the ceremony.
The weather was touch and go on the morning of the wedding, but at the last minute the clouds cleared a little and they were able to keep everything outdoors. I was fully on board with this decision and it paid off big time, giving Emily and Max the airy, outdoor ceremony of their dreams!