A New York City Hall Wedding

Many of you know weddings have been my staple work for the past two decades. Since then so much has changed, film to digital, trends, colors. It used to be lavender, now it’s muted greens and creams. Food. It used to be plated chicken, now it’s vegan delights, multi-cultural fusion cuisine, charcuterie boards and creative buffets. It used to be fluffy sleeves, and then minimalist slip-like dresses and now it’s back to fluffy sleeves (thank goodness)! It used to be dad walking the bride down the aisle, and now it’s anyone walking anyone down the aisle. It used to be an aisle, now it’s wherever you want. A forest trail, a beach path lined with seashells, and even no aisle, like City Hall in NYC.

Speaking of, I had the honor of photographing a lovely wedding last month at New York City Hall on Worth Street. It started with me standing outside (I didn’t go in at my recommendation because they wanted their friend there so he took the phone pictures.) Soon I ran into their wedding guests. They had confetti and champagne. I instantly loved them.

This couple did a re-enactment of the groom’s parents, right on Broadway drinking Coke in a bottle. They also went to Madison Square Park for some memories of their proposal and stunning posed pictures.

I love the no-fuss, authentic, exuberant energy of City Hall weddings. To be honest, I too eloped (in Provincetown) and know how very special it is to keep it simple. There’s nothing simple in New York though. The buildings are breathtaking, especially 141 Worth Street, the doors and entryway make an over-the-top New York experience. New York never fails to be magnificent, the architecture and energy is just too beautiful to ever let that happen.

I don’t just photograph weddings

The pictures on my website often feature photoshopped and iconic images with muted colors, but a big portion of my work is the opposite. I photograph parties all night long. And there are so many parties in New York, my work is never ending. These pictures reflect the colors and personalities of the guests, and any desaturating of these pictures would result in muddled pastels. So we’re going with the color in all its beauty. A lot of these pictures are from cocktail parties, and those are the most tricky. People standing holding drinks and talking. The key to good photos are as follows. If they’re laughing, engaged, or smiling, take a candid. If they see me and are self-conscious, quickly ask for a picture, grab it before they feel frozen, and leave quickly so as not to disrupt the vibe or their conversation.

And when I say events, I put them in a different category than weddings. These are parties, fundraisers and galas, family get-togethers, birthdays, you name it.

Want to see more event pictures? visit www.elizabethsolaka.com/events