Litrato Photojournalism » Wedding Photojournalism at its finest

So excited to shoot Mary’s wedding this Saturday. It’s going to be a “platinum wedding” at the Four Seasons Hotel in Philadelphia.

Mary and Joe are an exemplary couple! Love working with them through out their wedding planning process. Their engagement session was a blast. I took them to Longwood Gardens and even Joe got that GQ moves at the end. LOL

Check them out…

Love this GQ pose of Joe and Vouge Mag pose by Mary. =)

Love this shot of them just spending happy moments together.

Stay-tuned for their wedding pictures here this week….

We are proud to announce that one of my winning wedding images was featured in the July/ August 2010 issue of the AMERICAN PHOTO MAGAZINE, one of the most prestigious Photography magazine in the world. It won first place in the Wedding Ceremony category in the  ”The Look of Love” contest sponsored by American Photo and Destination Wedding and Honeymoons magazines.

Buy a copy now to see the winning image, or give me $4.99 and will mail one to you….LOL just kidding – the magazine is available at Borders or Barnes and Noble Bookstores. Thanks again to all those who continue to support us.

Stay tune for Spain’s “La Fotografia Social” Magazine in September 2010 for a featured story on our wedding photography. I will make an announcement here in the blog when that one comes out in print and online.

Bride and Groom - Michele and Josh

One of the most fun couple I’ve ever worked with. Michele is full of life and despite the rain on her wedding day, all you can see in her face is her lovely smile. The couple met while Michele was attending Villanova University and Josh was attending St. Joseph University – two rival schools. Though both of their schools often get into a “holy war”, this couple found love with each other. Congrats to both Michele and Josh, and I wish you guys the best in your relationship!

Ceremony- St. Thomas of Villanova, Villanova, PA

Love the architecture of this church. Thanks to Father Dan Joyce, SJ and Father Francis Devlin, OSJ – both friends of their families, for being so accommodating during the ceremony.

Reception- Ballroom at The Ben, Philadelphia, PA

Amazing place for weddings! The staff is super nice and food prepared by Finley Catering is absolutely superb. Great job guys! But most of all the place is just a picture perfect place for an elegant wedding party!

To start out, here’s a picture from their engagement shoot – showing their St. Joe and Villanova Love.

Gorgeous bride getting ready for her big day…

It rained that whole morning, and I kept praying it will stop so we can have some outdoor photos at the Philadelphia Museum of Art. And my prayers were answered! Yay!

Despite the rain on her wedding day, Michele is still a happy bride…

While at the Art Museum, got to shoot at the Rocky Statue….one of the many the symbols of the city of Philadelphia.

The Ballroom at The Ben in Philadelphia, PA is one of the best picture-perfect reception venue in the city for an elegant wedding. I had so much fun photographing this place during Michele’s wedding.

Love this shot of Michele and Josh…very stylish, very magazine-like.

Stay tune for more images from Michele and Josh’s wedding to be available on www.pictage.com in a few weeks.

Bride and Groom- Kirsten and Ryan

I met Kirsten and Ryan back in 2009. Upon getting an inquiry from them about their date, my wife Bless and I drove up to Virginia, where the couple resides. We immediately clicked during our first meeting and right away I felt that I will be documenting their special day.

Their wedding ceremony was short but very solemn. Kirsten is Catholic and Ryan is Jewish, so they both have a Rabbi and a Catholic priest  officiating the matrimony. Father Larry Snyder, President of Catholic Charities USA, who is also Kirten’s boss did the Catholic blessing part while Rabbi Berris did the Jewish part.

Ceremony and Reception - Hotel Dupont, Wilmington, DE

I have to say, this place is absolutely amazing! Shooting here is like shooting inside a European castle..it’s so elegant and it’s so gorgeous. And the staff at Hotel Dupont did it again! They are the most friendly staff I’ve ever work with…most especially the wedding day coordinators. Kudos to you guys!

Florists- Belak Flowers, Wilmington, DE

They did an incredible job with Kirsten’s flowers! What’s more incredible are the centerpieces they set-up at the reception. If you are looking for elegance in your reception flowers, got to check out Belak Flowers of Wilmington.

Entertainment- JellyRoll Band

Kurt, president of this band, is a super nice guy, and he has the most amazing band out there! They basically sang old and new songs with superb performance. I felt like listening to the real Black Eyed Peas/ Micheal Jackson…etc  while they were singing. LOL

Videographer - Derek of Lavon Films

If you are looking for the cinematic style in videography, this is the guy to call. Check for your self his works on his website. Plus, he is a very nice guy too… =)

Here’s the card Ryan gave Kirsten on the morning of their wedding day. Just like a fairy tale come true…

Gorgeous Kirsten and her flowers…awesome arrangement by Barb of Belak Flowers of Wilmington.

Elegant setting for a fairy tale wedding…

On the morning of their wedding day, Ryan updates his FACEBOOK status…

Got to do the “1969 Beatles crossing Abbey Road” shot with the groomsmen….

Check out the European craftsmanship inside this ballroom….GORGEOUS! Shot by Bless.

Kirsten and Ryan, I wish you guys happiness in your marriage! WILL PRAY THAT YOU MAY BE BLESSED WITH A BEAUTIFUL FAMILY!

MORE IMAGES TO COME! Please visit www.pictage.com in a few weeks to see more images from Kirsten and Ryan’s wedding….

…who will be getting married today at Hotel Dupont in Wilmington, DE. I shot their engagement photos in Washington DC where the couple spend most of their time. They live in Virginia and work in DC. Can’t wait to shoot the wedding of this awesome couple!

iPhone lovers, move over…because this couple love their Blackberries. They said it’s very typical of Ryan and Kirsten to be seen with their blackberry 24/7….LOL

One of my favorites from their shoot. We got lucky seeing the sunset along the Potomac River in DC.

Bride and Groom - Kelly and Tim

First time I met this couple, we hit it off right away. They booked me more than a year before their wedding and during their engagement shoot I was really impressed with this couple’s sweetness for each other and for their dog, who they treat like their own child. That’s why I made sure I got lots of pictures of their dog during the wedding…even though every time she sees my camera she gets so scared. hehehe

Ceremony – St. Joan of Arc Catholic Church, Marlton, NJ

Reception- Adventure Aquarium in Camden, NJ

Staff at Adventure Aquarium in Camden, NJ are awesome! They were so helpful and made sure we got good access to the Shark Tunnel for pictures….one of my favorites! The food at the reception was also superb…good job guys for making Kelly’s wedding the best.

DJ and Entertainer – “The Dancing DJ”

Great DJ…he dances, he jumps around, and gets the party going…that’s what a DJ is supposed to be – the life of the party. This guy was really good! Here’s his number incase you want to check him out – (610) 265-1511

My wife Bless positioned herself on the choir loft where she captured this beautiful picture of Kelly walking down the aisle with her father.

Kelly’s dog is so cute…she’s just a little scared of my camera though, and I don’t understand why. =) So i shot this from far-away using a long lens.

This bridal party rocks!

One of my favorite places at the Adventure Aquarium – The Shark Tunnel. It’s very tough to shoot though since it’s really dark, and using strobes is very tricky otherwise it will show lots of reflection on the thick glass.  Ummm, I wonder what those sharks were thinking while seeing the photographer shooting picture of the bride and groom under that thick glass – the only thing that separates the humans from the sharks. =)

Bride and Groom - Michelle and Byron.

With only 60 guests, Michelle and Byron’s wedding maybe a small wedding, but it’s one of the most fun wedding I’ve ever shot. The couple are so relaxed on their wedding day. Both prepared at their beautiful home in Bear, DE with their four cats roaming around as they get dressed. It was so fun seeing this couple trying to hide form each other before their “first glimpse” moment – the first time Byron sees Michelle in her wedding dress. We did all the formals and their bride and groom portraits before the ceremony at Rockwood Park and Museum on a gorgeous Memorial Sunday. Ceremony was a mix of emotions and comedy, especially after Byron picked up Michelle on their first kiss as husband and wife. And last but not least, the party was a blast, and thanks to Don of D&J service, who got the crowd going!

Ceremony and Reception - Carriage House @ Rockwood Park and Museum in Wilmington, DE. This 150 estate is a perfect setting for a very romantic wedding on a warm Memorial day weekend. Here’s something about the place from their website:

“The mansion is a wonderful example of Rural Gothic architecture.  In the museum, you will find the rooms restored to the way they looked in 1895, the Gilded Age of the Victorian Era. The Museum reflects the way the Bringhurst Family, descendants of Shipley, lived in their early years at Rockwood.”

Caterers - The Greenery Caterers. One of the best caterers in Delaware! I love their watermelon designs at the cocktail hour…check out their website for their amazing menu. And not to mention their superb food. Great job guys at Michelle’s wedding!

DJ and Entertainment - Don of D&J DJ service. This guy is so fun. He works really well with other vendors and he gets the party going for the guests. Love his selections of music….Don is truly the life of the party.

Here are some images from yesterday’s wedding…

Michelle and her mom spend a laughing moment while putting on her dress. The wedding dress by the way was the original dress her mom wore on her wedding day.

Michelle and Byron have four lovely cats. And as they couple are getting ready for the wedding yesterday, these adorable cats get curious about all these wedding stuff laying around the house, including Michelle’s flower bouquet. Yummy!

Michelle says goodbye to her babies before she left for the ceremony. One of the cats gets a little curious too about what’s inside that wedding dress….LOL

Love these little cat figurines around their house…

What a gorgeous bride!

Mom can’t control the tears as her daughter says her vows to Byron.

Congrats to Michelle and Byron! I wish you guys a happy and blessed marriage! Have fun in Mexico!

The results for the ISPWP Spring 2010 wedding photography contest are out! And we are proud to announce that out of my 5 entries, 3 placed in three different categories. Below are the winning images:

“Emotional Impact” Category winner -

“Kids being Kinds” Category winner -

“Humor” Category winner -

To view all the winning images from other talented photographers from all over the world, click on this link – ISPWP CONTEST RESULTS.

Trying to catch up with my wedding photo blogging….The following are some of the weddings I’ve shot before we started the same-day blogging few weeks ago.

Bride and Groom: Jessica and LJ. Jessica and LJ both went to Rutgers University. The chose The Palace at Somerset Park for their wedding venue as to be close to their alma mater, where their relationship had flourished. LJ played for Rutgers football before he went to the Philadelphia Eagles then to the Baltimore Ravens. Their wedding was one of the best weddings I’ve ever shot. So relaxed, and so much fun!

Ceremony and Reception: The Palace at Somerset Park in Central New Jersey . This place is gorgeous! The staff is so accommodating and friendly. Hope to do a wedding here again.

Wedding Planner: Marie Danielle Vil-Young of À Votre Service Events™, LLC . Danielle and her team are one of the best in the NYC and NJ when it comes to wedding planning. On the day itself, Danielle was running around like crazy =) just to make sure everything that the bride needs is taken care of. She is very friendly and very professional.

Jessica’s wedding is just like a fairy tale. Everything, from her dress to the decors, everything was so beautiful!

One of my favorite shots of the day.

Everyone got so emotional during the first dance including the groom. It was tears of joy though for this lovely couple.

Wishing Jessica and LJ the best to come in their marriage! Congratulations!

Bride and Groom: Kristin and Chip

Ceremony: Grace Methodist Church, Wilmington , DE

Reception: Hartefeld National, Avondale , PA

Kristin and Chip’s wedding was a blast. Thank God for an amazing weather on their wedding day on Friday. I was pretty impressed on how fast the bridal party moved…everything was on time. Everyone was relaxed as the bride prepares…

Since they wanted to see each other before the wedding ceremony at Grace Methodist Church in Wilmington, I set up their “first glimpse” inside this magnificent church. It was so dramatic that Chip broke down into tears, as he sees Kristin in that gorgeous wedding dress for the first time.

I love it when they do these dramatic exit of the bride and groom. The bubbles add up to the uniqueness of this image…

Chip loves beer…so it’s just right to have a groom’s cake with his own “Beer Brand”. (Thanks to Joe of BBS Phography for the help at the reception)

Love the color of the bride’s maids’ dresses…

Wishing Chip and Kristin love and happiness in their marriage!

More images to come in a few weeks. Please make sure you go to www.pictage.com to view their images.