Despite a lot of obstacles, Vanessa and Kenny’s wedding was one of the most emotional and raucous weddings I’ve ever seen.
I knew from their Park Slope engagement session that these two would be an ease to photograph. They play so well together and just light up, even with a camera right there. I guess that’s what happens when you’ve known each other forever.
Everything went down at the Liberty Warehouse in Brooklyn, an incredible venue right on the water with a fabulous view of the New York City skyline and the Statue of Liberty. Vanessa was getting her finishing touches when I arrived. I swear she could be a (very petite) model.
To help her with some height, Jimmy Choo added a few inches.
Kenny and the guys had a hell of a time with the bowtie. I’m pretty sure every set of hands possible attempted the knot.
The two shared their first look out on the sunny patio and we took some time to wander around the industrial space there.
As per Jewish culture, there was a tisch, bedeken, and a ketubah signing before the larger ceremony. Vanessa’s bedeken was a swirl of activity as the wind and the guests gathered around her with well wishes until Kenny was brought over for her veiling (and then carried off).
The ceremony site was beautiful. It made use of the incredible views and space in a quasi ceremony in the round. They used on old, family tallis for the “roof.”
Their first rabbi had canceled on them just three weeks before the wedding and they were left scrambling for a replacement. That was nothing compared to the other blow: Kenny’s father became very ill just days before the wedding and was skyped in from the hospital through much of the day.
Vanessa has the. best. laugh. It is an amazing full body, head back burst that you just can’t help but laugh with her.
Guests mingled on the patio and inside the first floor with plenty of food stations and breeze before heading up to the reception.
The reception area had been transformed by mercury glass, gold linens, taper candles, loose rose centerpieces, and Edison bulbs out the wazoo. Vanessa has seen the impact of hundreds of Edison bulbs on the Oscar’s and knew she had to have them at her fete.
Vanessa and Kenny entered the party and shared their first dance to “Thinking Out Loud” by Ed Sheeran.
And then things ramped up. Hard. The hora was crazy! It was a fun, frenzied mess of twirling bodies and hoisted chairs.
With more chairs on the floor, the rest of the reception went much the same way. The dancefloor was packed all night and guests were gleefully spinning, laughing, and going crazy. I’m pretty sure it was just what Vanessa and Kenny wanted. The Dane Wright Band was phenomenal!
It was a beautiful day despite the madness and I was so honored to be there to see it all.
‘Cause honey your soul could never grow old, it’s evergreen
And, baby, your smile’s forever in my mind and memory
I’m thinking ’bout how people fall in love in mysterious ways
Maybe it’s all part of a plan
Well, I’ll just keep on making the same mistakes
Hoping that you’ll understand
~ Ed Sheeran, “Thinking Out Loud”
