A Wedding at the Bronx Zoo

A Little Fairy Dust

Years ago, I introduced my clients, Scott & Jessica, because Scott was looking to cast the loveliest soprano to portray as his Bride-To-Be in his newly composed Opera. They fell in love fast and, five years later this September, I was the lucky lady who got to photograph their real wedding at the Bronx Zoo. They sang, they danced, and they radiated ineffable magic you can feel in these photos.

Long Island to the Bronx

The Groomsmen got ready in Jessica's childhood home in Great Neck, Long Island, surrounded by music and touching memories. My second shooter, Jacq, took the most lovely shots of the guys getting ready and warming up their voices for the surprise performance of "Make Our Garden Grow" that would happen during the ceremony.

The Loveliest Bride

Jessica is one of my favorite people to photograph and seeing her on her most special day was such a treat. She is always calm, serene, and in control when she is about to go on stage and her wedding day was no exception.

The First Look

I chose the Rainey Memorial Gates as the location for the "First Look." Built in 1934, and constructed of sculpted bronze in the Art Deco style, the gates feature stylized animal and plant life including the figure of a seated lion.

Scott was so moved seeing Jess that he shed a few tears.

Once we finished the "First Look" images, we made our way through the Zoo grounds capturing shots of the couple at various locations. Lots of people stopped to photograph them along the way and they randomly bumped into a lot of friends unrelated to the wedding. Jess and Scott were not shy or scared about getting a little dirty before the ceremony to capture their dream shots.

The Ceremony

After 5pm, the Zoo officially closes and the wedding team raced to set up the ceremony in time for the 6pm start. We rushed the wedding party back from the Carousel to Schiff Reception Hall and got to work photographing the ceremony. I love the classical style of the main building and all the little details carved into the stone.

Make Our Garden Grow

Jess and Scott surprised us with an impromptu performance of Bernstein's "Make Our Garden Grow" from the Opera, Candide.

Cocktails and Sea Lions

As the late summer sun set over the Zoo, guests mingled and listened to the music of renowned jazz musicians & sea lions.

The Reception

Schiff Family Hall was transformed into a jungle-themed dreamland. I made it my goal to capture as much ambient light as possible in tandem with my strobes. I'm really happy with the result. Maintaining the integrity of the colors in the room is a really big priority in event photography.