Wedding Photography at Southwood Property

This wedding. Holy cow. From beginning to end, a whirlwind of joy and adaptability and downright fun. Dan & Alisha brought an incredible vendor team together for their wedding day at Southwood Estate in Germantown, NY. With the help of their incredible planner Cathy from Cathy’s Elegant Events, every detail was thoughtfully considered which culminated in one of the most beautiful celebrations I have been able to witness and document.

Ceremony Preparations at the Estate

Alisha prepared for the ceremony in the estate with her ladies. It was all hands on deck as details were collected (note the BEAUTIFUL stationery from Josie at Ivory Isle!), dresses were steamed, and hair and makeup were completed. Despite the number of activities taking place and unrelenting rain collecting on estate grounds, there was a sense of peace grounding this group. Dan and his chosen men prepared for the ceremony in a guest house on site and after that, it was time for the first look on the covered porch. The joy at A&D’s first look was palpable. The anticipatory feelings from the previous hours came together in an overwhelming joy as they saw each other. Tears were shed. Laughs were shared. And many, many photos were captured. After taking some formal portraits with the wedding party and family members, we quickly prepared for the ceremony under the tent to protect everyone from the ongoing deluge. Spirits were surprisingly high considering the storm!

A Rainy Ceremony & Moments of Peace

Guests were greeted at the ceremony tent with a beautiful self-serve champagne table to grab a sip while they awaited the procession. Dan & Alisha shared their vows with each other in the presence of their dearest people while the sound of rain hit the tent above our heads. Despite the wet distractions, each and every person was glued to the two people they came to see. With the ceremony concluded, Dan & Alisha hurried up to their suite in the estate for a few quick portraits and to share some private moments together as husband and wife before the rest of the evening began. We could snoop on their guests migrating from the ceremony tent from their suite and it was so special to have that birds-eye view. Guests entered the reception space to a second self-serve champagne station with blueberries and raspberries. The tent was transformed into most tastefully appointed reception space with tables covered in organic patterns and wild-inspired florals from Meadow Wilds – it was perfect even with the mud.

A Thoughtfully-Appointed Reception and Energetic Dance Floor

As Dan & Alisha made their way toward the tent, the sky broke into a very welcomed pastel sunset with clouds lingering on the Catskills across the Hudson. We did some gorgeous evening portraits before getting them into cocktail hour with their guests where they were greeted with the most energetic welcome! From this moment, I could tell that this reception was going to be special, and special it was. This energy continued throughout the introductions, toasts, and carried through multiple hours of dancing and the atmosphere remained electric. Any typical group may have been discouraged by the amount of mud and moisture brought by the rain, but this group embraced the discomfort and threw an unforgettable party. The photos from the dance floor speak volumes to the incredible feeling facilitated by Mod Society.

This wedding is one I’ll cherish, even if I did ruin my boots for it.