Wedding Inspiration // Tattooed Brides, Vintage Motorcycle, + Studded Cake

Wedding Inspiration // Tattooed Brides, Vintage Motorcycle, + Studded Cake

...a car drove by and its male driver slowed to honk his horn to harass us ... Thankfully, I had these two badass women in front of the camera. They coolly looked toward the car, and with the greatest of ease, extended their middle fingers as high as they could ... These two women were the perfect embodiment of what I wanted to represent. Be aggressively yourself.

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21 Wedding and Engagement Gifts Hand-Picked by Vessel Brooklyn

21 Wedding and Engagement Gifts Hand-Picked by Vessel Brooklyn

Everyone can agree that no two people (and no two relationships) are alike. Yet so often we fall into a cookie-cutter trap when selecting gifts for the ones we love. The best gifts say something about both the giver and the recipient and the bonds and memories shared between them. If you’re looking for a gift, ask yourself: what makes this person unique? When thinking about the time you have spent together, what are the first images that pop into your head? When you really tap into these specifics and use them as your springboard, you will end up with a gift that is thoughtful, creative, and one-of-a-kind.

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Real Couples // Spanning A Decade and Thousands of Miles: Soundarya and Anand

Real Couples // Spanning A Decade and Thousands of Miles: Soundarya and Anand

Far too often, we are asked to let go off things. But maybe, it is not always a good idea, not in all cases at least! Ours is one of those stories that proves otherwise. Our story spans a decade—a decade of funny, good, bad, and hard times, plenty of roadblocks, and inconveniences. We met each other 10 years ago back in 2007, in college in India, thanks to our friends who set us up. I was a freshman, and Anand was already in his junior year, and we had the most beautiful time in college, holding hands and taking long walks in the valleys, motorbike rides in the woods, watching sunrises on the beaches, sharing memories with friends and going to parties. Two years just flew by, and Anand graduated from college and decided to do his Master’s in the U.S. Living on two different sides of the globe didn’t make it easy, but we became the experts and ‘know-alls’ of video conferencing apps and international calling cards. After three long years, I moved to the U.S. in 2012 to New York to get my Master’s, and I fell in love all over again. However, this time it was with New York City, which I now call my second love. Anand was living in Boston by then. Living in the same country made things a lot easier for our relationship. We had our shares of fights and break-ups, but in the end, we "always found our way back to each other." I recently moved to Philly for a job, so we are still in a long-distance, although a shorter distance, relationship, and we are still counting up those air miles/burning up the highway, and we are happy.

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Real Couples // Lin-Manuel Miranda-Assisted Engagement: Leah + Rachel

Real Couples // Lin-Manuel Miranda-Assisted Engagement: Leah + Rachel

Leah is a theater director in New York City. Rachel is a history teacher. What better place to get engaged than the set of Hamilton with the assistance of Lin-Manuel Miranda?! Yes, that actually happened. These two are the quintessential New York City couple. For our engagement session, we started at their place in Bedford-Stuyvesant and then headed out to the New York Transit Museum (which is my favorite place in NYC), ending in their old neighborhood of Prospect Heights, where they lived together for years.

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Wedding Inspiration // 7 Hairstyles for Brides with Short Hair

Wedding Inspiration // 7 Hairstyles for Brides with Short Hair

My lovely mother HATES my short hair. From the moment the ring was put on my finger, she asked, "But will you grow your hair out?" In her defense, she commented that all bridal magazines really only show long bridal hairstyles, and she was right! As I began to try and show my mother how my short hair could be done, I realized there wasn't a ton of inspiration out there. 

Because of this, I decided to create a "Short Hair / Don't Care" shoot to show brides with short hair how they can still have amazing hairstyles for their big day! The results were fantastic and now my only trouble is deciding which style I'll go with for my own wedding!

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Real Couples // Surprise Proposal: Tomasz + Jessica

Real Couples // Surprise Proposal: Tomasz + Jessica

Today we’re sharing a surprise proposal at the one and only Metropolitan Museum of Art. It took place last March, on our sweet couple’s fifth dating anniversary inside the Temple of Dendur. It was a perfect location for a classic NYC proposal because it was as picturesque as much as it was unique and exciting. And spacious! Having lots of space to walk around and get different angles is always so important when capturing a proposal! Associate Photographer Emily Tuttle captured our couple from the moment they entered the temple until that special moment when he got down on one knee and she said yes. It was unforgettable in every way, as these two were lucky enough to be surrounded by masterpieces, works of art, and plenty of onlookers, too! We’re honored to share this perfect NYC surprise proposal with you all today. Enjoy this recap and, if you’re looking for a Proposal Photographer in NYC, contact us so we can start planning!

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Woke Wednesday // Meet New York Photographer Amy Anaiz

Woke Wednesday // Meet New York Photographer Amy Anaiz

Liz: So what does your business look like today, nine years later?

Amy: Prosperous.

Liz: That's great to hear. And reassuring to all of us who are younger in our businesses.

Amy: I've had opportunities that I never would have imagined nine years ago. I moved here with 2K in my bank account with a hope and a dream. I had no apartment; I slept on my aunt's couch for months, but slowly I've made a way. Nine years later, I live in a brownstone and make enough money to support myself, my family, and then some... So that makes me proud of myself.

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Real Couples // High Line Engagement: Nina + George

Real Couples // High Line Engagement: Nina + George

Samantha had us meet her at the High Line at the perfect time: just before the morning crowd and runners. She and her assistant put us at ease because we were both anxious about having our photos taken, and they reassured us that we were going to be 'natural' rather than posed. We were anxious about how the morning would pan out, but to our pleasant surprise and relief we had the most amazing time walking the High Line with Samantha and her assistant. A year later I still remember how we both felt at the end of that photo shoot—relaxed and completely at ease and completely in love! We are so glad we picked Samantha to do our engagement shoot. She is an incredibly talented photographer who is creative and someone who I would highly recommend to anyone. We cherish her photographs and displayed them at our wedding, and they grace the walls in our home.

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Real Couples // College Sweethearts: Elena + Frandy

Real Couples // College Sweethearts: Elena + Frandy

"We have been together for five years. We met in college on an Alternative Spring Break trip to Alabama to work with Habitat For Humanity. We spent the week helping to rebuild a house, and during the process we developed a connection. In the summer of 2016 we got married, and since we were college sweethearts we decided to have our wedding on the campus. It was a beautiful day that we will remember always."

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What is Documentary-Style Wedding Photography? // 10 Awesome Candid Wedding Moments by Corey Torpie

What is Documentary-Style Wedding Photography? // 10 Awesome Candid Wedding Moments by Corey Torpie

Queens-based wedding photographer Corey Torpie is the real deal. She studied photojournalism in school and has been honing the craft of documentary-style photography for eight years as a professional photographer while teaching courses in the darkroom. And there’s something really different about the images she creates — something captivating about the subtle moments she seems to capture so effortlessly. And those moments are like segues into an unfolding story, one that the viewer can begin to imagine without even knowing the couples in the photos.

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Real Couples // City Hall Elopement: Natalie + Lucie

Real Couples // City Hall Elopement: Natalie + Lucie

Natalie and Lucie were visiting from London and got in touch with me before their trip because they knew that while here on holiday they wanted to tie the knot. I was not only their photographer, but also their witness at City Hall. They told me they both love architecture, so after their ceremony at City Hall in Manhattan, we went over to Brooklyn and took photos in DUMBO with the Brooklyn Bridge as an awesome backdrop, as well as the rest of the fun feel of the neighborhood. The colorful murals were perfect for their white outfits to pop against! They wanted intimate and romantic mixed with fun, and I think we accomplished that well!

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6 Ways to Reduce Anxiety & Stay Present on Your Wedding Day

6 Ways to Reduce Anxiety & Stay Present on Your Wedding Day

Dear Quyn,

Our wedding is just around the corner, and everything’s starting to pile up! We’re nervous, stressed, and, worst of all, worried that all of this anxiety is going to show up in our photos. How do we stay sane throughout all of this?

Help,

Bundle of Nerves

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Real Couples // New York Elopement: Katie + Sylvester

Real Couples // New York Elopement: Katie + Sylvester

Online two years ago, they both swiped right, despite no written profile. They went out for a quick glass of wine on their first date, but Katie had made dinner plans (as an escape option), not that she really needed them as they got on very well and had quite a bit in common. She was headed to the Cayman Islands for the holidays, and then they lost touch a bit as Sylvester’s matches disappeared! Sylvester remembered what Katie did and found her on LinkedIn; she accepted his request to connect, but she was headed away again skiing in the French alps! He wondered who this jet-setting woman was… Date two was again just a drink (as Katie “conveniently” had dinner plans, again), but Sylvester persevered, and they had a lovely third date at Beauty & Essex on the Lower East Side, followed by ‘pint-size’ glasses of red wine in a nearby hotel lobby. They discovered a photo booth in the basement where they had their first kiss (yes we have the photos still) and the rest is history!

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Real Couples // Surprise Proposal & Wedding in One Day: Andrew + Judah

Real Couples // Surprise Proposal & Wedding in One Day: Andrew + Judah

In the middle of October, Andrew posted an ad looking for a photographer to assist in a surprise proposal to his boyfriend of 4 years, Judah. They moved from Louisiana about a year ago, and he wanted to propose to Judah at one of their favorite places. Both of their families flew to New York on the 5th (per Andrew's directions without Judah having any idea) to surprise Judah at the proposal. 

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My Feminist Wedding // Making Our Own Wedding Rings

My Feminist Wedding // Making Our Own Wedding Rings

Searching for wedding rings can be exhausting. There are seemingly millions of options — and you don’t want to choose something flippantly because it is something you plan to wear for the rest of your life. It should be special. It should mean something. You should love your ring, right? After all, the wedding ring symbolizes your never-ending, unbroken devotion to your chosen life partner. It’s a big deal.

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Woke Wednesday // Meet New York Photographer Amber Marlow

Woke Wednesday // Meet New York Photographer Amber Marlow

Amber Marlow is a New York City wedding photographer who opens up in this interview about her challenging upbringing and the journey that followed to find ease with her racial identity and a sense of self worth.

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Real Couples // Long-Distance Lovers: Remy + Mohan

Real Couples // Long-Distance Lovers: Remy + Mohan

Throughout our relationship we have had to deal with long distance and being far apart for months at a time. After we lived in Shanghai, I moved to Amsterdam, and Remy moved to New York City for university. It is not easy doing long distance but we have managed to make it work over time. We've been together now for six years, and I think what makes our relationship so special is that we've become accustomed to traveling to see each other and love traveling together to new places.

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