Blog | Marie Labbancz Photography

Stephanie + Charles 08-31-08 (Part 1)

September 25, 2008 Weddings

I’ve always lusted over the beautiful vineyard weddings I see in the portfolios of all those California wedding photographers. In my nearly 10 years of photographing weddings I have never photographed a vineyard wedding. I’m based in the “garden state” of New Jersey and there are not many vineyards. Stephanie and Charles gave me my first opportunity to photograph their beautiful vineyard wedding at Baiting Hallow Farm Vineyard located in the north fork of Long Island, NY. This area of Long Island is one of the up and coming wine regions in the US with it off shore breezes. Fashionista alert, Stephanie had my first bird cage veil of the year. LOVE THEM! We had great fun walking around the grounds of the vineyard for some pre ceremony pictures. We waited until after the ceremony for vineyard pictures when the “sun” was kinder. Check back for those pictures in part 2.

Stephanie and Charles see each other for the first time on their wedding day.

Stephanie and her brothers were “best friends”. They were her “brides men” in her wedding party.

Loved this claw foot tub.

Beautiful Bouquets!

September 22, 2008 As seen in..., On the side...

I had a great time last week photographing some incredible bouquets for the always wonderful Donna O’Brien of Beautiful Blooms. These floral wonders are going to be featured in an upcoming issue of Ines Del Mar Weddings Magazine. I really do love my editorial shots! Check them out for some great trend setting ideas!

Alyssa + James 08-30-08

September 19, 2008 Weddings

I must say, this was one happy bride. Alyssa was smiling ear to ear and it was contagious! She was smiling with her mom, smiling with her dad and smiling all the way down the aisle of Saint Gabriel’s Church in Saddle River, NJ. She said she and James were planning their wedding for 2 years and he couldn’t stop smiling either. I thought the location of their couples portraits were very unique. Instead of going to a park or to their reception site at The Stony Hill Inn in Hackensack, NJ, the couple went to the town of Ridgewood, NJ. Well, the pictures are just amazing. I got to photograph my first movie marquis picture. As we traveled through the main street of Ridgewood there it was on the Warner Theater “Congratulations Alyssa and James”!!! What a perfect movie to be showing at the theater but “Momma Mia”!!! (You know how I love billboards.) I should have known they had a strong Ridgewood connection. Alyssa’s fathers lighting store has been a mainstay in Ridgewood for nearly 100 years. Her mom made a special request that we take a picture of the couple in front of dads’ store. Keep smiling you two!

Cherry Valley Country Club Wedding of Maureen + Spence 08-23-08

September 17, 2008 Weddings

I wanted to share a few of the great details of Maureen and Spence’s wedding reception at The Cherry Valley Country Club in Princeton, NJ. The grooms cake has my award of the year (so far) as my favorite grooms cake! It was made by Pink Cake Box and it was amazing. Spence was president of his class at Princeton so Princeton is very dear to his heart. What better cake than the cutest Princeton Tiger. Maureen combined the tiger with the American flag because Spence is also a Navy Seal. Great cake! I also loved their pink wedding cake by Annie B’s of Philadelphia. I do allot of Princeton alumni weddings and one tradition is to photograph a group picture of all the alumni at the wedding. It is usually 20-30 people. Check out the Alumni picture at their wedding. Talk about a VERY popular couple! The music of the Sid Miller Dance Band was amazing. They made Maureen and Spence “dancing fools” all night long.

Princeton University Wedding of Maureen + Spence 08-23-08

September 15, 2008 Weddings

I love my Princeton weddings. I do at least 2 or 3 each year and they are always picture perfect. The campus is a wonderful setting as it guarantees my perfect pictures no mater the weather. It has arches to cover you if it rains and beautiful over grown trees to shade you if it’s sunny. Maureen and Spence met while attending Princeton University for their undergraduate studies and they have been a “pair” ever since. It was only fitting that they want to return to the beautiful Princeton Campus to take their vows. Presently they are both in Harvard finishing their graduate studies in Business. Prior to their ceremony, the couple walked around the campus for some pictures in their favorite spots. It was a fun and relaxed time prior to the formal ceremony at the beautiful Princeton Chapel. The bridal party was made up of many of their friends from Princeton. Maureen’s 2 brothers were groomsman and they are both currently attending Princeton. Seems like a family tradition! Check out the beautiful bouquets by Le Fleur of Princeton. Maureen wore a striking Reem Acra ball gown which was very fitting for the grandeur of the chapel. Making the day flow so smoothly was Melody Appel of Innove Events of Philadelphia. Stay tuned for part 2 for all the beautiful details of their reception.

Can’t you just hear Maureen saying “Oh Spence!”

Look at the length of the aisle at Princeton Chapel!