I’m so excited to share Jes and Matt’s beautiful Manhattan engagement session on Merci New York. Aside from the fact that I’m still totally giddy over the below photo, {the perfect precursor to a gorgeous shoot by W Studios New York }, the bigger bonus is that Jes is a total blogger godsend. She shared so many amazing details with us, from Matt’s adorable proposal, to their awesome e-shoot inspiration, down to the darling details of their winery wedding day. To be quite honest, it’s almost as if she’s guest-blogging… So, with that in mind, take it away Jes!
The Bride Recaps the Engagement Shoot:
Matt and I wanted to veer away from the cliché NYC engagement shoot in Central Park, and it was our photographer Stephen’s suggestion to head over to the Meatpacking district. The Highline offers a unique mix of city bustle and serene surroundings, with lots of trees, plants, water views, and a Manhattan backdrop. We lucked out with a gorgeous, uncrowded day.
Stephen and his assistant Yuliya were extremely easy to work with, and the four of us truly had a fun time. We headed down to the iconic tree-lined cobblestone streets on the border of the Meatpacking District and West Village. We wanted the photos to capture the fun and loving nature of our relationship—walking down the cobblestone streets holding hands…. We never felt posed, as Stephen captured ‘who we are’ and the photos truly came across REAL.
As we were scoping out the next scene, we came across a brownstone residence with an amazing rustic barn-esque garage door. It was the perfect blend of Manhattanite meets country, which is what I would love my wedding to convey. I love the way that Stephen and Yuliya captured these photos— the texture of the brick and the doors and mon amour et moi. The colored front doors that we came across next were just too cool to pass up; and Stephen’s eye for lighting and surroundings is top notch. I think the photos came out perfectly: not too “eccentric” but still conveyed our quirky yet classic style. Romantic. Idyllic. Elegant. Real. Fun.
As the shoot was winding down, I had one other idea… since we are getting married on a vineyard, how about some shots with some wine! The four of us hopped into Chelsea Market and snapped a few photos in front of a wall of wine bottles—yes, it’s a tad ‘theme-y’—but I just had to do it! We are getting married on Bastille Day, after all!
Here are a few favorites from the shoot….
About the Engagement, From Jes:
Matt and I met through mutual friends, who were also a couple at the time. One could say that we were ‘set up’ and we hit it off immediately. And not long after first meeting, we had already made plans for weekends ahead. Our first official date happened at Jacques Brasserie, a local Upper East Side French Restaurant near Matt’s place. He will tell you that he knew I was “the one” almost immediately; I knew he was a keeper after I showed up for that first date, because he remembered that I love anything and everything French. That was February 4th, 2008.
I woke up on the morning of February 4th, 2010 with horrible food poisoning from the meal we had the night before, knowing I would have to cancel our planned dinner to celebrate our 2-year ‘dating’ Anniversary. Since Matt is a hopeless romantic, and he had made reservations to dine at Jacques, I…well… sucked it up. He had reserved the same corner booth where we had say 2 years ago to the day, nestled in the back of the restaurant. Just as Matt had planned, I looked at the wine list and coyly asked if we could order the bottle of Margaux that I’ve always wanted {it’s a bit pricey}. To my surprise, Matt ordered the bottle to which I quickly responded with a swift elbow to his side and a sharp: “What you are doing? I was joking! Save that for a special occasion!” In a moment that is still blurry to me, Matt stood up and went around the booth, knelt down on one knee and proposed: “I promise to give you the world, will you marry me?”
From the Principal Owner and Founder of W Studios New York:
I {Stephen Grande Jr} founded W Studios New York after many years of shooting weddings for top photography studios. One of my favorite experiences is to photograph a couple’s engagement session. It gives me more time to get to know the couple and their personalities, as well as how they act in front of a camera. The best part about having your own studio is being able to sit down and share a cup of coffee with them after a shoot instead of running off to my next appointment. In this day and age with all the automated technology nothing beats good customer service and face-time!
Photos courtesy of W Studios New York .
