Bri & Tyler's Montauk Engagement Session

Bri & Tyler’s Engagement Session | Montauk NY | The Hamptons Destination Weddings | Apollo Fields Wedding Photographers

    An early evening summer breeze coming off the Atlantic reminds the Montauk locals of the sun and the salt on their skin, but that same breeze that warms a beach bum’s heart can chill a Texan to the bone. A kind memory of home to Bri is a reminder to Tyler just how far he is from his, but come October 2020 their families will join to celebrate their love in a half-homegrown, half-destination wedding.

    Many would consider it a luxury to grow up in a destination wedding town, embracing the lifestyle and culture that seems as light as a day on the beach.  Others might say that the summer months that bring tourists and city slickers who clog the one road, two-lane streets like the sidewalks in Manhattan are killing their vibes.  The reality is that the sun shines no matter what and despite the traffic we are all going to enjoy our drink of choice on the beach for one reason or another.

For Bri, hosting her wedding in Montauk will be like having her own personal welcoming parade of family and neighbors, smiling faces lining either side of the aisle like a beach version of the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade.  While Tyler and his family, although no strangers to coastal waters, will mostly likely be dipping their toes into the Atlantic a bit more timidly than they do in the Gulf of Mexico. The thing about the locations of weddings is—whether a new or familiar experience—the love in the room is all the same.

Weddings offer us wonderful opportunities to connect with groups of people we might not speak to in our daily lives.  Too often our occupations and locations restrict us to familiar routines that can limit our world experience, but when love is the accepted common ground all conversations and connections are possible.  There is simply no space for judgment when love is in the air.  Breathe it in, take it in, and clink glasses with someone you might otherwise not meet.

Heather and I are so lucky to share these spaces in places all over the world, snapping photos and writing down all of the emotions that we see.  I’ve said before that our emotions are our secrets until we share them with someone, but on wedding days most people wear them as proudly as their finest suit or most elegant dress.  Restraining the contents of our hearts would be like putting those garments back in the closet and throwing on the wrinkled clothes that adorn the floor.  Instead we see tears trickle down cheeks like rain down window panes and eyes well up like dams that are about to burst.

A forum to express the version of ourselves that is too often buttoned up and hidden away is one of the many reasons that make our jobs more than an occupation or service.  According to our tax documents we are wedding photographers, but according to ourselves we are photojournalists who never settle for the surface, always scanning the room for people to show us the best version of themselves.  

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Enjoy these pics from Bri & Tyler’s Montauk Engagement Session:

Hi! We’re Terrence & Heather…

…we are the husband-and-wife duo of Apollo Fields! Thanks for checking out Bri & Tyler’s engagement photos. We are so stoked to shoot their 2020 Wedding at Gosman’s Dock in Montauk!

Running a Business with Your S.O.

Running A Business With Your Significant-Other | Husband and Wife Photographers | Destination Weddings Lifestyle Blog | Apollo Fields

I woke to the sound of a sweeping rain over Montauk Lake, spraying the French doors of our friend’s guest bedroom like the ocean smashing against a cluster of coastal rocks.  White caps shifted about the marina like tiny crowns of the sea as the wind buoyed the boats with a sort of smooth violence. Emerging from beneath the clean and warm white sheets of the bed posed a difficult task as Heather and I have been traveling up and down the eastern seaboard the past few days, but such is the hustle of the life of wedding photographers.  

Since this past Friday, Heather and I have spent over 20 hours in the car together.  As much as I love her, anyone who’s traveled that much with their significant other can imagine the frustrations that might arise.  Now imagine that your significant other is also your business partner.  Those 20 hours now sound like they could be that much more tense—and they absolutely can be. Yet as tired and frustrated as I have been (and still am) I wouldn’t have it any other way.

The sounds in our car during a road trip vary from Kendrick to talk radio, from laughter to earnestness, and business to barking dogs.  The mood shifts from conversation-to-conversation, state-to-state, and from day to night. Long road trips with a significant other are common litmus tests to see if the relationship is the real deal; but a long road trip for a professional and romantic partnership is an endless loop of perfecting the way you communicate.  Heather and I’s flare-ups range from disagreeing on something as trivial as choosing where to eat or when to stop, and something as serious as our next big business move.  But the most important thing is to keep the conversation going.

Ironically, sometimes the best way to do that is to embrace a silence.  So often we are quick to fill a void in time with mindless chatter, a podcast, or background tunes and we forget that our seemingly restless minds just wants us and our senses to shut the fuck up.  Silence can be a great teacher, and giving the space for the tensions of our relationships to dissipate into the air can prove to be much more productive than spewing whatever our egos or inner selves are dying to say.  Sometimes in a disagreement—no one person is right—and sometimes you both are. Taking the time to share a few moments of silence together has helped us more times than I can count.

This morning was one of those mornings when you wake up after you’ve traveled so much that you forget where you are.  The constant waves of rain gently splashing against the doors gave me a sense of ease amidst the chaos, reminding me that there’s always beauty to be found in any given situation.  Sometimes we don’t realize how fast we’re moving until we stop for a moment to look at how far we’ve come; then after we wipe the sweat from our brow, rest a little, and take a deep breath, we can go back to bouncing up and down in the tide, moving naturally with the wind through time with a sort of smooth violence.  

– Terrence

Naomi & Johnny's Wedding at The Pines at Genesee in Golden, CO

    Long Distance Relationships Can Work | Johnny and Naomi’s Wedding in Golden, CO | The Pines at Genesee Weddings | Apollo Fields

    Many take the idea of having a long distance relationship as a futile effort at romance, but Johnny and Naomi have proven that nothing can stand in the way of love and communication.  For the past several years, they have each been stationed at Air Force bases in different states, only managing to see each other once or twice a month. Yet the irony of their relationship is that the distance between them brought them closer together.

    Johnny and Naomi’s first date was actually on Johnny’s birthday five years ago at Indiana University in Bloomington, Indiana.  That’s a lot of expectation to place on a Tinder date—but obviously his gamble paid off. They met up for coffee, spoke about their respective trips to Israel, and took a short walk to Naomi’s favorite waterfall.  Their conversation was natural and fluid and Naomi thought the date went really well until Johnny said at the end, “we’ll keep in touch,” which was not exactly the most reassuring of phrases to conclude a romantic evening.  Naomi would later learn that phrases like these were just quirks of his personality.

    Over the next few years, as distance became an issue, the small moments they did share obviously became more valuable.  In the pre-wedding questionnaires we gave to them, they both spoke about times where they were about to spend an extended amount of time apart, and each of them said or did something that made them realize they really loved one another.  For Naomi, it was when Johnny returned from summer break one year and asked if she “wanted to spend every night together,” knowing that in the near future he would be shipped off to Air Force training. For Johnny, it was when Naomi was training for ROTC and began getting very nervous.  She was so stressed that she started talking to her socks, and it was then that Johnny knew that they each represented a calming presence to each other. It was because of these timing restrictions that they learned to express their appreciation of one another.

    Naomi and Johnny like to joke about a time they went canoeing when Naomi would just put her paddle in the water to make them go in a zigzag or circle pattern rather than floating in a straight line.  I like to think about that story as an analogy to their relationship as they maneuvered through the difficulties of long distance dating with attention and appreciation for one another. They say that they almost hit a boat of fisherman—just like I’m sure there were points in their relationship that seemed like they thought they were going to crash.  But because of their effort, trust and honest communication, they were able to carve out time for one another and laugh as they floated through time like they floated down that river.

    Working as a wedding professional, I’ve learned that there’s no such thing as a “perfect relationship,” where every moment of every day is like the song “So Happy Together” by The Turtles is playing in the background.  Like every other great thing in life, a solid relationship requires work, and more often that not the path of our canoe is going to zigzag or go in circles. The important thing is having a partner that can work towards a shared goal and laugh while doing it.  If you can manage to find a partner like Johnny and Naomi have in one another, then you can embrace every adventure and hardship with an equal hand; where the serenity of a mountain lake with a beer in your hand is that much more sweet, and the sunshine reflecting off a field of yellow flowers is that much more bright.  Distance is only an obstacle for your relationship, but with the right amount of effort and love, it can be conquered and wind up bringing you closer together.

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Hey, it’s us!

We’re Heather & Terrence— the husband-and-wife team behind Apollo Fields. Feel free to reach out and say hi or sign up for our newsletter below!

The Vendor Team:

Photography: Apollo Fields
Getting-Ready Venue: The Dove Inn
Ceremony Venue:  Pines at Genesee
Party Planner / Day-Of Coordinator:  Vivian Weinress
Officiants: Rev John Witkop & Debbie Kintish
Florist:  Fleur de Liz
DJ / Band:  Drake Dawson "DJ Drake" 
Dress : Allure Bridal | Purchased at The Bridal Boutique
Veil was made by "the Button the Needle and the Wardrobe" (alterations), everything else is Etsy!
Suit: Dillards
Rings : Goodman & Sons in Virginia | Engagement ring was Johnny's grandmothers
Hair and Makeup: Prodigy Salon
Invitations and Save The Dates:  My Big Day Designs

Maybe It's Just The Coffee Talking... Busy Season at Apollo Fields

Busy Season as a Destination Wedding Photographer | Behind The Lens With Apollo Fields | NYC and CO Wedding Photography

Busy season:  

This is the feast to my mid-winter famine, when the sun is shining and I seem to wear nothing but little black dresses and yoga pants.  It is the constant buzz of start-times and deadlines, the tick-tick-tick of my shutter as me and my camera search for that exact tear-jerker moment, and it is the click-clicking while I edit on cars, trains, and planes because there ain’t no rest for the wicked.  

Busy season is when I feel most alive and maybe it’s just the coffee talking but there’s nothing I love more than being in the swirling energy of my couples, their vibrant wedding parties, and their nutty families.  I am there for the chaos and the calm and I’m taking the same collective deep breath as everyone else right when the ceremony begins.  

Oftentimes, I am right in the nucleus of it all.  I am a stranger in sacred circles and I hope I never take that for granted.  Few jobs allow such an outsider into their sanctuaries but the acceptance I feel as I stand under altars, mandaps, and chuppahs is a reminder that it is possible to put our differences aside without compromising who we are.  Some of my favorite moments are when I am surrounded by practices that I do not understand, yet somehow the camera grants me permission to be included anyway.  

I am there breathing in the same incense as you with the same tackiness of sandalwood in the back of my throat.  I feel the heat of your fires and I have the same resonate hum in my core when2 the ceremonial gong is struck.  I am right there to hear the crunch of the breaking glass when the wedding is made official. I may not always understand the language—but I always see the connection between humans as I am shooting.  

My job is to find those generational bonds that keep us together and give you the photos that tell that greater narrative.  Somehow you have made it this far and that story is worth telling.  Busy season challenges me as an artist and a business owner, but how damn lucky am I to get to do this over and over again?  The memory cards are filling up and we’re busy trekking around the country into cities and mountains and oceans and none of it is lost on me.  

Thanks to everyone who helps to keep this crazy dream of mine alive,
Heather

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Anet & Ian's Engagement Photos on a Farm

Anet and Ian’s engagement photos | hunterdon county wedding photographers | apollo fields | New York wedding photography | farm wedding photographers | wedding writer

There’s something about looking out into a field from the wooden porch of a farm that makes you want to take a deep, full breath.  Maybe it’s the way that twilight seems to color the evening sky a little longer than it does in the city. Maybe it’s the smell of dinner from the stove that sweeps through the house and makes the screen door squeak.  Or maybe—it’s just the company that we find ourselves in.

Heather and I plan to create such a life on a farm together one day...but it looks like Anet and Ian are going to beat us to the punch!  We can’t wait to photograph their wedding next May at The Farmhouse at the Grand Colonial in Hunterdon County, New Jersey because we love being on farms with wandering animals, freshly cut grass, and seasonal vegetables.  And if it’s up to Heather, we’ll being feeding our horse, Limbo, through the kitchen window from the palms of our hands one day. 

Funny enough, Heather met Anet over 10 years ago in the—you guessed it—horse world.  As an equestrian novice, I’ve learned that the bond between a rider and their horse should never be underestimated; and apparently neither can the social ties between horse people.  It’s one of the everybody seems to know everybody kind of communities; a blast to be a part of and an absolute mystery to the rest of us.  In the years to come I hope to be integrated into the community through meeting people like Anet and Ian, who is also apparently a pretty deft hand at polo.  (I, on the other hand used to think that the players hit the ball with the small end of the mallet. facepalm.)

For us, one of the most alluring aspects of the living on a farm is learning to utilize fresh produce all-year round. Whether you’re storing, preserving, pickling or crunching into a spear of asparagus fresh out of the soil, there ain’t nothing quite like biting into some really fresh, homemade food.  Despite the fact that both Anet and Ian are afraid of birds, they’re also excited to start a farm and get some chickens—and we’re excited for them!  (We miss our little Colorado flock!) Anet and Ian’s plan after their wedding is to begin their family farm in the hills of Ireland and we couldn’t be happier for them.  As long as they share their vegetables.  

    Shooting weddings on farms feels like we’re part of a family or something.  Like we can hear the dinner bell and remember to hide the grass stains on our knees.  It’s the comfort of a shared table, the waves of chatter, and the clanking of glasses and silverware.  It’s the raucous bursts of laughter. There’s so much warmth in my thoughts when I think of farm life that it makes photographing weddings on farms one of my favorite things to do.  It may be because of the fresh food and long summer evenings—or maybe—it’s just the company we find ourselves in.

Happiness in the Workplace: The Life of a Wedding Photographer

Apollo fields | Denver wedding photographer | New York wedding photographer | Wedding photos | Engagement photos | wedding writer

Most people don’t enjoy their jobs.  Whether it’s the fluorescent lighting or the no windows casino approach to work environments, the tired early morning commute or the death by a thousand cliches like “happy wife, happy life,” working in the 21st century is at best and worst a dull sort of suffering.  The intermittent good days make the job not quite bad enough to quit, and the benefits of a stable job outweigh childish millennial pursuits like happiness in the workplace.  Lucky for us, we don’t have that problem.

Heather called me yesterday after her 4th wedding of the weekend (!!), and I could hear her smiling through the phone.  She was beaming about being in the center of a 30-minute horah (Jewish wedding dance celebration) and reflecting upon how grateful she is to have an occupation that lands her in the middle of these powerful cultural traditions.  Despite having no ties to any sort of religion ourselves, more often than not, we are educated on and included into these intimate spiritual circles rather than being forced to the perimeters and relegated to the role of outsiders.  Take that “multicultural day” at the office!

This wedding season, Heather has already shot weddings in Pennsylvania, New York, New Jersey, Colorado, soon to be Maine, and at the tail end of the season, Cape Cod, Massachusetts.  Travel is part of our jobs and we’ve learned that there is love to be photographed everywhere! In the past, we’ve photographed weddings from the Dominican Republic to Quebec City, Canada, and we’re excited to the places our jobs will bring us in the future.  Our ever-changing workspace keeps our eyes fresh and the hundreds of miles of open road keep our hearts for adventure well-fed.

That being said, the life of wedding photographers can be stressful and inconsistent.  We don’t have work until we book it ourselves, making security and stability in our profession an autonomous responsibility of discipline and dedication.  We don’t have windows in our office either, but that’s because the sun is on our shoulders; and we can’t hear cliches because we’re too busy dancing to the live band.  Sure, it can be hard to keep the energy level high as the season wanes on, but every time it begins to fade there is a tear-jerking moment to bring us right back into the fold.  I would trade the dynamic difficulties of our job for the static grinding of the human will that permeates office culture a hundred times over—because at the end of our workday—we’re growing towards love rather than withering towards retirement.

Casey & Thomas's Foothills Wedding in Longmont, Colorado

Casey & Thomas’s Wedding in Longmont, CO | Laid-Back Colorado Wedding Planning | Sentimental DIY Weddings | Apollo Fields Wedding Photography

It is always interesting to read the answers that our couples come up with to our pre-wedding questionnaire. It gives us a glimpse into their past and allows us to begin to picture what their wedding day might look like. After reading Casey and Thomas’s, I noticed that in every one of their answers there was a different, important aspect that goes into a healthy relationship, and I knew right then that their special day was going to go off with only one hitch (getting hitched, that is!).  

After briefly dating in high school, Casey and Thomas reacquainted when Thomas was driving through Chicago about five years ago. They wound up meeting up for burgers and talking a lot and well, “the rest is history.” What this glimpse taught us about them was that they are steady, confident individuals who are comfortable meeting up with a friend from the past, but more importantly, it provided them the opportunity for serendipity to open their hearts to a long-lasting relationship.

After their romance had been rekindled, they dated long distance for six months, establishing a trust and system of communication that would later serve as the basis of their loving relationship (Isn’t it ironic how we can grow closer the farther we move apart?).

Yet an example of perhaps the most integral part of any relationship occurred when Casey received a large gift on her birthday from Thomas at her office.  She had no idea what it was, but when she tore back the wrapping to reveal an original print of a photographer she mentioned once (time to step up your games, fellas!), she was floored.  Being present enough to listen and conscientious enough to act is a level of thoughtfulness that every relationship can benefit from.

    And I know that surprises aren’t for everyone, but Casey said she had NO idea that Thomas was going to propose.  I think I can speak for the married couples out there who must remember the nerves that coursed through their veins when the question was popped—kind of like the first time you went in for a kiss—and the immense relief that rested upon the lips of your partner on the other side.  A healthy dose of vulnerability can go a long way, and continuing to surprise your S.O. with acts of love will never get old.  

    Before I let Casey and Thomas’s beautiful relationship turn into a dating column on our website, let me finish with what they said they were most looking forward to on their wedding day: “looking out and seeing all of my favorite people together.”  It’s a simple enough answer, but the fact that they designed the itinerary of their day to maximize their time with those who traveled to the celebration of the union of their love showed their commitment to their communities.  Sometimes we can get caught up in all of the details that we forget that the assembly of all of our friends and family on our wedding day might never happen again—but Casey and Thomas did not.

    Now I can only imagine that Casey and Thomas are probably laying on their backs on a mountaintop near Telluride, gazing up at the broad sky of stars, thinking of all of the things, big and small, that they will experience together, because they place value in every single one of them. Cheers to you, Casey and Thomas, and congratulations!

Enjoy Casey & Thomas’s Sneak Peeks:

The Vendor Team:

Colorado Wedding Photography: Apollo Fields
Longmont Wedding Venue: Altona Grange
Wedding Dress: BHLDN | Jenny Yoo
Hair: Carbon Salon
Ethical Wedding Bands: Brilliant Earth
Wildflower Wedding Invitations: Paper Culture

Kat & Brett’s Engagement Session in Golden Gate Canyon

Kat & Brett’s Engagement Session | Golden Gate Canyon State Park | Colorado Engagement Photography | Jeep Wrangler Engagements | Cannonball Brewery Beer Photos | Apollo Fields

    The crunch of pine needles under your hiking boots.  The kind nods of strangers walking by. The mountain wind that sings aspens into a dance also fills your lungs with movement.  The comfort of adventuring in Colorado where the unknown trail feels like a well worn couch. Sink your soul into nature and the wild woodland sounds will lull you to sleep.  A community of one in the safe outdoors—or better yet—bring a friend or two and set the trail ablaze with laughter and conversation. Expand your community, bring people together, and fill your heart with trust.

    Hiking Golden Gate Canyon State Park with Kat and Brett for their outdoor engagement session felt just like this.  Light with laughter and steeped in love.  It made me miss living in Colorado, but it made me grateful for the communities we’re helping bring together.  “Talking with a friend about friends you meet and I’m so glad we met,” Kat said in a text yesterday, and I couldn’t agree more.  We cross paths with strangers and acquaintances on city sidewalks, hiking trails in the woods, and in line at supermarkets—and it is up to us to decide who we should invite into our lives.

    Kat and I met working at Oasis Brewing Company together and I still love to use that space as our hub for connecting when we’re back in town.  Firstly, because beer; secondly, because of the honest and kind-hearted eyes of Morianne and Erik Smith that welcome me back into that building; and thirdly, because the beautifully decorated rustic modern space is a comfortable and conducive atmosphere for meetups of all sizes.  By purposefully perpetuating relationships out of this space (I’m not forgetting you Kael and Kelly), Heather and I hope to cultivate long-lasting friendships that never end at the bottom of the glass.

When we met up at the brewery this past Monday, we held a meeting with Matt and Julie, a couple potential (now actual!) clients, followed by an open invitation to all of our friends in the area.  The turnout exceeded our expectations, including climbing buddies, fellow industry professionals, old friends, horse barn neighbors, and even a couple, Meghan and Armand, whose wedding we shot in the summer of 2018.  Meghan and Armand were the real MVPs of the meetup as they beamed with happiness, recounting to Matt and Julie just how positive their experience with us was. Funny thing is, the meeting of these two couples was unintentional if not downright serendipitous, because we didn’t tell most of our friends that we were coming early to meet with Matt and Julie.  Yet because we choose to cultivate relationships with our couples and with people in spaces that mean something to us, we continue to connect and create communities.  

    It’s that same feeling that washes over us when we take our puppers on a walk in the woods.  It’s a community of one turning into a community of many, linked by trust and adventure. We’ve only known Kat and Brett, Erik and Morianne, Kael and Kelly, and now Meghan and Armand for a year or two, but as we hike forward towards the future, we aim to bring the Matt and Julie’s into our community one couple at a time.    

Photography: Heather for Apollo Fields
Writing: Terrence for Apollo Fields
Colorado Location: Golden Gate Canyon State Park
Dress: Madewell
Beer: Cannonball Creek Brewery

Our First Colorado Wedding Weekend of 2019

Colorado Outdoor Wedding Photographer | Apollo Fields | Long Island Wedding Photographer | Golden, CO | Longmont, CO | Altona Grange Hall | The Pines at Genesee | Clear Creek |

Wow. What a weekend. Two weddings, an engagement shoot, a maternity session and all of the friends, outdoors, and craft beer in between.  Back when I was bartending in New York City in my mid-twenties, my older regulars would always say, “your twenties are great—but just wait for your thirties,” and I never quite believed them because my life was dope AF.  But now as we come back to New York after this epic extended weekend of professionalism mixed with genuine connections and long-lasting friendships, I’m beginning to understand what they were talking about.

    At Apollo Fields we like to be as connected to our couples as much as possible.  That means spending time with them and their families, laughing through the embarrassing stories, and working through the inevitable bumps in the road that hosting a wedding brings. At Naomi and Johnny’s outdoor wedding in Colorado this past weekend at the Pines at Genesee, we saw some familiar faces (Naomi’s cousin is Dylan Kintish, whose wedding to Alli Bell we shot in the August 2017) and embraced new ones.  We’ve sort of become their family photographers and we’re loving every second of it!  Every wedding we shoot we get a little better at inserting ourselves into these wonderful intimate circles that envelope our couple’s lives; and every wedding we shoot our storytelling ability gets that much stronger, especially as we develop these long-lasting relationships with our couples and their families.

    Speaking of lasting relationships, we captured these maternity shots of Lindsey and her husband, Jeff, who got married in November 2017 at Grant-Humphrey’s Mansion. It humbles us to know that our previous couples trust us to continue to document the most pivotal moments of their lives. In the coming weeks, once Lindsay and Jeff’s baby is born, Heather will also be their newborn photographer and storyteller, and it’s these deeper connections that enrich our hearts long after we hear the couple say, “I Do.”    

    Another wonderful couple of ours, Casey and Thomas, had an outdoor wedding in Colorado at Altona Grange Hall in Longmont this weekend.  Our trusted photography associate, Sara, captured their destination wedding beautifully, telling us of their community-centric approach.  Casey and Thomas held a two-hour cocktail hour to offer more time to connect with their guests who traveled a long way to enjoy their special day.  They even gave a personal heartfelt toast to express their gratitude to all who made the trip. We love when our couples explore the customizations of wedding planning and cater to their values rather than outdated traditions.  

    Then there was this engagement session in Golden Gate Canyon State Park with our dear friends, Kat and Brett.  I developed a great relationship with Kat while bartending at Oasis Brewing Company in Denver, but it was this session that made me realize our friendship is in for the long haul.  Kat and Brett are goofy but professional, serious but light-hearted, and celebrate their rough edges with a self-deprecating elegance. Documenting these intimate moments brought us all closer together as we helped them conquer the shyness that freezes most couples when they pose in front of the lens.  “We couldn’t imagine anyone else taking these photos,” Kat said.  Funny thing is, I couldn’t imagine anyone else taking them either.  It made me think, who else should document these intimate moments in your life other than people who make you feel most comfortable, most yourself, and most happy?  I don’t mean to toot our own horns (OK, maybe I do), but this entire trip set in cement what Apollo Fields is all about.

    At Apollo Fields, we connect with our couples. We embrace the raw and the genuine. We don’t settle for anything other than what your soul carries. We don’t just want to be a part of your wedding day, we want to be part of your lives.

So if my twenties were about exploring the world to find myself, then my thirties are about finding who I want to spend my life with.  And I gotta admit—after this trip—our lives are looking pretty damned good.

Lindsey's Maternity Session in Wheat Ridge, CO

Lindsey’s Maternity Session in Wheat Ridge, CO | Colorado Maternity Photos | Apollo Fields Wedding Photography

This sweet session gave me all the feels! Lindsey and Jeff were one of my 2017 couples who had an amazing wedding at the Grant-Humphreys Mansion in Denver. It has been so fun capturing their relationship through their engagement session, wedding, and now maternity photos as they prepare to meet their sweet little girl in just a few weeks!

I love specializing in weddings and it has been great for my business to be able to really focus and hone in my skills; however, there is something so amazing about getting to follow my couples through the years as they begin to grow their own families. I love switching things up by taking on these sweet maternity sessions whenever the opportunities arise. Lindsey and Jeff have such a caring way about them that is such a joy to photograph.

We got to spend the afternoon in Anderson Park in Wheat Ridge soaking in the light and some of the first sunshine that Colorado had seen in days after a stretch of cold and gray days. CO boasts “300 days of sunshine” but last week was not part of that count apparently. When we landed in Denver on Thursday, we were excited to hit the ground running with sessions but the freezing rain with no mountain visibility forced us to rearrange our plans a bit. Lindsey and I were checking in all day for this session because the skies were doing some wonky things and the weather reports were all over the place threatening to storm. But we decided to go for it anyway and look at the amazing light we got! We struck gold and I’m so excited to share these sweet photos.

It was such a privilege to capture this time for Lindsey and Jeff as they prepare to meet their little babe at the end of the month (hopefully she comes on time because then I’ll also be back in town to do her newborn pics)!

Heather is a Colorado & New York based wedding photographer who loves to follow her couples through their milestones after their weddings. Reach out to set up your own session or chat about your upcoming wedding!

We Just Landed in CO for a Rad Wedding Weekend!

Wedding Photography Lifestyle and Travel Blog | Destination Wedding Photographers in Colorado and NYC | Terrence and Heather Huie | Apollo Fields Weddings

Well it’s finally here.  Wedding season.

We’re so pumped that we feel like Vince Vaughn and Owen Wilson in Wedding Crashers—well except the fact that we’re actually invited to the weddings we’re attending!  

I like to say we are invited because that’s how we feel about the relationship with our couples, how each of them welcome us into their lives and give us the responsibility and privilege of documenting some of their life’s most precious moments. Of course, we take great pride in the professional service that we provide, but it’s the families and friends that we meet along the way that make us grateful to no end.  Jes and Emma got our season off to a heart melting start a couple weeks ago, but we just landed in Colorado to officially kick it off with a bang!

Aaand it’s snowing...in May.  Well it’s actually not all that unheard of in Colorado this time of year, but we planned to hit the ground running and make our way to Boulder to meet up with one of our couples, Kelly and Alec, for an outdoor engagement session today but mother nature had other ideas (usually we are all for weather but this is all gray, freezing rain, no mountain views, and no light whatsoever).  So we’ll be rescheduling that for later this trip! Kelly and Alec are a wonderfully thoughtful couple who got engaged on a picturesque bridge in Amsterdam and will be hosting their outdoor wedding in Boulder this August at Wedgewood! (Let’s hope it doesn’t snow :) ) Shout out to our close friends, Matt and Kerry, who will be hosting us while we make the most of our time in one of our favorite places!

Tomorrow we head back down to Denver to begin the wedding weekend for Naomi and Johnny.  Their rehearsal dinner is at New Terrain Brewing Company (hell yeah!) in Golden and we can’t wait.  We just shot their engagement session in Norfolk, Virginia at a gorgeous trail head and brewery (finding a theme? :)) a couple months back and we’re so excited to meet their friends and family.  If they’re anything like Naomi and Johnny we’re in for a heartfelt weekend.  On Saturday, they’re hosting their wedding at The Pines at Genesee, a gorgeous outdoor wedding venue in Golden that we’re very familiar with.  We can’t wait!

The same night, Casey and Thomas are getting married at Altona Grange Hall up in Longmont and we’re so excited for them!  Our awesome associate, Sarah, is covering their wedding while we kick some ass in Golden and I know she’s going to do a killer job as always. They are a couple who dated in high school, lost touch, then eventually serendipitously reconnected in Chicago five years later.  It’s funny how love seems to find us in the strangest ways. Here’s to the mysterious machinations that bring us all together!

Finally, we finish the trip with our dear friends Kat and Brett.  Kat and I met working together at Oasis Brewing Company where we immediately connected over our unique blend of dark humor and entrepreneurial professionalism.  I’m stoked to shoot their outdoor engagement session in Golden Gate Canyon State Park and look forward to sharing a laugh or twelve while we catch up over a beer (okay—there’s definitely a theme here).

All we ask as your wedding photojournalists is to show us your true selves.  Unapologetic and unflinching, embrace the relationships that you’ve all deemed worthy to invest your life into.  After all, these people are your partners, your secret-keepers, and your livelihood. Open your eyes and hearts and we will be there to capture it all.    

Our Travel Dates:

Thursday, May 9: Boulder
Friday, May 10: Golden
Saturday, May 11: Longmont + Golden
Sunday, May 12: Arvada
Monday, May 13: Denver
Tuesday, May 14: Arvada >> FLY BACK TO NYC

We have a lot of weddings and shoots, but since we like to work hard + play hard, we are loosely planning on having a meetup Monday evening at Oasis Brewery to see some of our favorite faces. All are welcome, as usual :)

XO,
Terrence & Heather

Wedding “I-Dos” and Don’ts: The Inside Scoop

Wedding Planning Tips from Photographers Who Have Shot Over 100 Weddings— The Inside Scoop on How To Prioritize Your Timeline and Budget

Wedding “I-Dos” and Don’ts:

Things You Should Know For Your Wedding Day

Some people have been thinking about saying “I Do” since they were marrying their stuffed animals in a fort underneath their coffee table; while others, well not so much. Whether or not you have a Monica-sized binder of wedding ideas, rest assured that your wedding day is going to be a wonderful experience. It’s a day where you’re doted upon like royalty as friends and family deliver their support, love, mimosas and/or whiskey and everything in between.  There will inevitably be stresses, but if you safeguard the experience of your wedding day by heeding a few of our industry tips, you and your significant other will live happily ever after.

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I Do…

Host Cocktail Hour Before the Ceremony

This one may be controversial as it goes against the tradition of not seeing the bride before the ceremony, but everyone knows the feeling of sitting through a wedding ceremony when cocktail hour starts to creep into your mind. By welcoming guests with hors d'oeuvres and beverages upon arrival, you’re able to ease your guests into the day, creating happy bellies and heads to fully enjoy your wedding ceremony. Yes, you may run the risk of your irresponsible relative or friend loading up on a few drinks, but as long as you keep it short they won’t have much of a chance; or better yet, save the hard liquor for after the ceremony.

You will find that you create a much more relaxed, welcoming atmosphere where people can be themselves, especially for those guests who arrive late. We initially thought of this for our wedding because we wanted to create the vibe of a dinner party, knowing how critical it is from a hospitality standpoint to make someone feel welcome as soon as they enter an event. We felt more like gracious-hosts than guests-of-honor, and encourage couples to create their own timelines to reflect their personalities as well.

Take The Edge Off With A Little Bubbly Before The Ceremony

I Don’t…

Schedule Your Itinerary Down to the Minute

With all of the moving parts of a wedding day, it makes sense to want to be hyper-organized when it comes to your itinerary. The thing that most couples don’t realize is that while you may be organized, that doesn’t mean the rest of your guests and event staff will be up to the task.  It is all too often that we get a four-page timeline that goes something like, “6:47PM Welcome Toast, 6:51PM Blessing By Bride’s Father,” and we know how impossible it is to adhere to that tight of a schedule. So when you’re charting out your day, keep in mind that you have to account for things like: wrangling your uncle’s four cranky kids when taking family formals, finding a chair for grandma to sit on, the changes in location when the weatherman was wrong yet again, and how the staff forgot to set up for your special seating arrangement sign.

I’m not trying to say all of these things will go wrong -- but I am saying that something inevitably will -- and when it does, your perfectly laid plans will start to stress you out because you’re quickly 4 minutes, then 7 minutes, and then 10 minutes behind schedule. Our advice is to treat your itinerary like a guideline, not a schedule, that way you have a structure to follow, but you can still be flexible to accommodate for the many variables of your wedding day. Figure out what actually needs a concrete time and let everything else bend with the breeze. For us, those were our guests arrival time and when the DJ would begin playing music—everything else—had some room to breathe. One of our favorite 2017 brides put it best when she said:

“Our wedding (and life) was rough around the edges, but straight from the heart.”

— Alli Bell

Roll With The Punches And You’re Guaranteed To Have A Good Time

I Do…

Have a Backup Location for the Ceremony

Most venues accommodate for this, but you would be surprised how many weddings we’ve been to that when the weather got cranky, everyone stood around staring at each other wondering what to do. It is super important that when you book your venue, you know where the backup ceremony location is and that you’re happy with it.

We could tell you some war stories about shooting in torrential rains, subzero temps, nor’easter floods, sideways hail, and hotter-than-hell sun because there either: (A) was no backup plan, or (B) the bride simply would not get married anywhere else. I have literally watched a group of 200+ guests get pelted by hail while the couple is standing at the altar pretending like shit isn’t hitting the fan.

Maybe we’re superstitious, but we tend to believe that the more content you are with your backup location, the less likely it is that you will actually need to use it! Similar to the itinerary advice, you have to gauge your expectations to the many variables of the day, and this is especially true for the weather. Be realistic and aware about the seasonal weather patterns of your locations, friends! (i.e. it is probably going to be crazy-humid in NYC in August / you can expect a wet day in Seattle in May / and it’s not unheard of to have a September blizzard in CO.)

We’ll Be There, Come Hail Or High Water

I Don’t…

Spend Big on the Cake

Yes, we all want to mush cake on our significant other’s face to get back at them for beating us at Scrabble (is it just me?). And yes, we all want to seize the opportunity of having a tiered custom cake made to our specific wishes and desires—but think for a minute—can you specifically remember any cake you had at a wedding?  According to WeddingWire, the average couple spends about $500 on their wedding cakes. I’m not saying that the bakeries are over-charging because they really aren’t, but maybe your wedding isn’t the time to live out your Cake Boss fantasies. This is a great place to trim the fat (literally) and reallocate some of those funds to some real memory-makers.

Chances are you’re going to be too busy tearing up the dance floor to actually tear into the cake with grandma over a cup of decaf coffee anyway. So instead of shelling out for something that will most likely wind up in the trash (we see it ALL the time), go for a dessert that your guests can enjoy on the fly, like an assortment of cookies, brownies, cupcakes, or try thinking of a fun and healthier option! (We had a caramel apple bar with slices of apple on sticks and melted chocolate and caramel for dipping.)

Cupcakes Are A Great Money-Saving Alternative To A Traditional Cake

I Do…

Take a Few Minutes for Yourselves

The other side of being treated like royalty on your wedding day is that everyone wants a piece of your time. As wedding photographers, we’re almost part-paparazzi part-security in how we snap pictures of a couple as we shuffle them along through gauntlets of friends and family. The flow of the day can quickly feel like you’re being shuttled from one place to another without stopping to enjoy the day that you spent so much time and money planning.

As hospitality professionals, Heather and I recognize when this is happening and always encourage a couple to take a moment to duck out in a room to take a few breaths and steal a few kisses.  Everyone who has gotten married will tell you how “the day goes too fast,” so slow it down by finding some quiet time to take it all in. Go to the bathroom, drink some water— it sounds obvious, but you might be surprised at how even the most basic of needs can fall by the wayside on your big day. According to The Knot, the average wedding celebration clocks in only around 5 hours (although it feels like five minutes). What good is having a wedding if you don’t thoroughly enjoy it!?

Sneak Away For Sunset

I Don’t…

Stress About Wedding Favors

Have you ever taken a wedding favor and thought, “this is amazing, I can’t wait to use it?” Us neither. Yet we’ve heard so many couples talk about how difficult it was to choose something to give as favors to their guests. Some ideas can get expensive very quickly, so what are some ideas that are inexpensive but not “cheap,” and won’t go directly into the trash?

We like to suggest things that are edible (especially if it’s good for soaking up booze), like specialized cookies or popcorn you can make at home, or something that is eco-friendly like wildflower seeds. The average wedding produces about 400lbs of trash and 63 tons of CO2 according to the Green Bride Guide, so we love the idea of doing something to give back to Mother Nature in lieu of a crappy present.

Another great option is to donate some money to a charity of your choice and tastefully let your guests know which organization you went with. The reality is, like wedding cake, odds are people aren’t going to remember it, so direct your stress and your funds to something that actually adds to yours and your guests’ experience! Take it from a Pro Event Coordinator with The Pines at Genesee:

“Less can definitely be more, people don’t miss what they don’t know isn’t there!!”

— Erika Norcross

Eco-Friendly Flower Favors

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Hi and Welcome!!

We are Heather & Terrence Huie— the husband-and-wife team behind Apollo Fields. We are a photojournalist duo who have worked weddings big and small all over the United States as well as International Destination Weddings. As vendors who have also been through the process of planning and executing a wedding ourselves, we have a unique perspective on the good, the bad, and the ugly that can happen on your “big day”. What works for us certainly won’t work for everyone, our hope is that our inside scoop can help you and your fiancé prioritize your wedding timeline and budget in a way that actually serves you (and your guests).

Andrea's Author Photographs for Her Memoir

Author Photoshoot and Headshots | Mommy-and-Me Pics | Ramsey, NJ | Apollo Fields Wedding Photography

“Who Are You Calling A Widow?”
By Andrea Perez

One of my favorite things about being a wedding photographer is getting to keep up with my couples-turned-friends after their weddings and capturing their milestones years afterwards. We were lucky enough to travel down to Punta Cana in 2017 to photograph Andrea and Arash’s Destination Wedding and we’ve kept up with them ever since.

Andrea is an extra-special person— she is a loving mother and a caring wife, she has one of the strongest relationships with her sister and family that I have ever seen, she is a fun and loyal friend, and she is also a military widow. She has an extraordinary story to tell and is working towards self-publishing her memoir, Who Are You Calling A Widow? I encourage everyone to follow along as she gets closer to releasing her book because her words are important, relatable, and full of compassion and perspective.

We were able to get together a few weeks ago for a sushi dinner at Andrea and Arash’s house and I could have stayed up all night just chatting with Andrea! She’s a great listener and such a valuable friend and I’m so lucky to get to live close to her again. Andrea needed an author headshot for the book so it was a great excuse to spend some time together again this past weekend. She brought her adorable daughter Kayla with her and we were able to keep the photos really fun and capture some mommy-and-me pics, too!

Enjoy some highlights from their shoot and subscribe below to be the first to know when ‘Who Are You Calling A Widow?’ is released!

Photography: Heather Huie for Apollo Fields

Heather is the co-owner of Apollo Fields along with her husband, Terrence. She does the photography and he handles the journalism parts of the business and together, they travel all over for weddings near and far! They love keeping up with their past couples and consider themselves lucky to have jobs where their clients become friends. They still have a few openings left for the 2019 wedding season and are excited to be booking into 2020 as well— contact them now to check their availability and book your own event!

Shea's First Birthday Party

Shea’s First Birthday Party | Babylon, NY | Long Island Photography

Our dear friends Jen and Jon have kept a baby alive for an entire year and for that, we celebrate! Haha, all jokes aside, we adore this family and couldn’t be more excited to ring in Shea’s first birthday with their friends and family.

I love bringing my camera along to non-work related things because it is a great excuse to snap away for fun and not always associate shooting with pressure-filled gigs. I really do love what I do and it has been so fun to watch this little guy growing up in the photos over the months. I’ve been snapping pics of these guys for years now (their engagement, wedding, newborns, etc) and I couldn’t be more excited to share some shots from their awesome birthday party today!

Shea’s Party Pics:

Photography: Apollo Fields

Emma & Jes' Wolf Lake Wedding in Wurtsboro, NY

Emma & Jes | Wolf Lake, Wurtsboro NY | Upstate New York Wedding Photography | Apollo Fields Wedding Photographer

There are certain weddings — certain couples — that I just feel called to. I can’t always explain it but things will fall into place exactly the way that they are meant to and this wedding was a perfect example of that. My sister went to elementary school with Emma’s brother and those couple degrees of separation were enough for our paths to cross at the right place and right time.

Call it a little slice of fate, or perhaps even faith, considering that one of the ways that Jes reconciles decisions is to pray to her father in heaven, flip a coin, and let destiny do the work. This is ultimately what led Jes and Emma to connecting, when a flip of a coin swayed Jes into taking a night shift (they are both nurses) and they were able to get to know one another and exchange numbers. Fast forward to wedding planning and Jes also flipped a coin to help them decide whether or not to get married in March or June, and it landed on March (which was great for me since my Junes are usually booked solid).

They decided to have an intimate wedding at Emma’s mothers lake house, “Moondance”, which is an adorable and eclectic little home tucked into the woods of Wolf Lake with beautiful water views. Her mom, Sandy, was such a gracious host and her hospitality was tangible. The home was buzzing with everyone getting ready when I walked in and it was such a warm welcome.

Being back up in Wurtsboro was trippy— it’s where my family lived for years when we were younger and driving those same roads, past our old house, and walking through the same woods brings up memories that have faded so far into the back of my mind that even I forgot they were there. I walked around the Bashakill to get “into my zone”, a little pre-wedding day ritual that I always do, and just breathed in the experience of working and creating art in places that I thought were left in childhood.

The timing of Jes and Emma’s wedding couldn’t have been better and I loved getting to know this awesome couple. One of my favorite sentiments from Emma was when she told me that, “Jes says she fell in love with me the minute she saw me. Walking down the hall at work, just being a nurse. . We have so much fun together, she really is my best friend”. Their first formal date was when they got dressed up and went to see the Polar Express in IMAX and went for all-you-can-eat-sushi afterwards.

Their engagement also gave me all the feels. First of all, Jes made their rings. FROM SCRATCH. As in, she took a jewelry making class and then spent twelve hours perfecting Emma’s engagement ring six months before proposing. Out of all of the weddings I’ve ever shot, this was a first for me. And they weren’t rinky dinky DIY rings, these were the real deal (see pics, they are stunning). Jes is clearly the kind of person that goes the mile and does things right.

When I was chatting with them about the proposal, Emma said the sweetest thing. She was talking about how she had no idea that it was happening until halfway through the video Jes made and had an OMG-this-is-really-happening epiphany! But in the most raw and honest way, Emma said to me, “We didn’t need forever to figure out this was the real deal. This was it, Jes was it”.

I love how Emma describes Jes: “Anything you can do I can do better” should be Jes’s theme song. She has high standards for herself, and is constantly trying to be better especially as things that may usually be considered masculine- firefighting, fixing cars, Jes takes a lot of pride in being a woman who can keep up with the men. I also loved photographing Jes for this same reason, she exudes a lot of masculine strength but has a soft and feminine gaze behind her eyes. It makes for very powerful photographs and I love when my couples are so uniquely themselves that they can pull qualities from both genders and just totally be themselves.

Jes described Emma in such a great way, too: Emma would be Evelyn Johnson McCawley from the movie Pearl Harbor. A nurse, someone with a lot of love to give, fierce loyalty, beautiful, and when shit gets real she knows how to buckle down and get the job done, especially if the job at hand involves serving and taking care of others. This I can promise you, is true, because when the day was winding down I was able to join them for dinner, an amazing spread of homemade food with some of Jes’ mother Rosie’s DELICIOUS Mexican cuisine. I wanted to drink the green sauce, and in fact I think I might have. If I remember correctly it was tomatillo and I want to do shots of this stuff (I wouldn’t be mad if a jar of it randomly got sent to my house, wink wink).

Jes and Emma have dreams of building a tiny house on top of a mountain or on a body of water and I have no doubt that this badass duo will. “We want to travel the world as much as possible. Eventually we want to become as self sufficient as possible and to decrease our carbon foot print- growing our own food, solar panels, and just doing more with less in general”. I’m so excited to share these sneak peeks and some of their story and cannot wait to see what these awesome women do next!

Jes & Emma’s Intimate Wedding Highlight Photos:

Heather loves photographing intimate weddings, please reach out to see if she is available on your date!

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Photography: Heather Huie for Apollo Fields

Location: Wolf Lake, Wurtsboro NY

Zach & Susan's Gold Hill Inn Wedding in Boulder, CO

Zach & Susan's Gold Hill Inn Wedding in Boulder, CO | Colorado Weddings | Apollo Fields

I loved Zach and Susan’s wedding for a lot of reasons, but I think my favorite part about it was how much it truly reflected their lifestyles and relationship. They are both super down-to-earth, laid back, outdoorsy, and family oriented people and their wedding really let all of these aspects shine. I loved when we first chatted for a FaceTime meetup, we had to set up a specific time for them to be on wifi since they are living off the grid on a little hobby farm in the mountains of Colorado. We really clicked about their no-frills lifestyle and what it means to move towards a sustainable and eco-friendly homestead.

I want to share some of their couples questionnaire because I think it says so much about their personalities:

How Did You Two Meet?: We met the way people meet these days. And then we met in-person at the Pizza Bar 66 in Lyons, then took our dogs for a walk in Meadow Park.

When Did You Know It Was Right?: We had a very quick and easy bond. It just felt right. We expressed our love for one another about a month after starting to date. We were on our first hut trip together, over Thanksgiving break.

What Are Some Of Your Favorite Things To Do Together?: ski, hike, camp, travel, all manner of outdoor activities

What Are You Most Looking Forward To On Your Wedding Day?: I (Zach) think we are most looking forward to celebrating with friends and family after all the official business is over. Although the Gold Hill Inn will be very special, I think we're most looking forward to having everyone back to our home for the cookout/campfire/campout at our house.

Who Popped The Question? And how!?: I (Zach) popped the question in May. I was planning to do so for a while. We took a dive trip to Belize and I proposed to Susan on the first night. We went for a walk around the small island and I proposed to her on a dock just past sunset.

Any Big Plans For The Future?: A kid together, lots of travel and adventure and an active outdoor lifestyle. Hopefully one day moving back to the Western Slope or perhaps the Pacific Northwest.

What Makes You Two Unique?: We're both in our late 30's and have our shit together. That said, we recognize the life is worth living and not only for going through the motions that responsibility dictates. We like to work hard and play hard. This isn't particularly unique, but it's what makes us such a good match.

Individually, Susan is "wicked smart", compassionate, upbeat, positive and emotionally intuitive. I am straightforward, earnest, open, honest, loyal and driven.

Something Silly Or Quirky About You Two?: Susan is a small animal vet. As such, we have lots of animals and a hobby farm. And as such, I also have a small side business as a pet photographer. On our farm, we have 8 dogs (6 inside & 2 working dogs), 4 barn cats, 9 goats, and about 30 chickens. Two of our dogs will be in the ceremony (one one each side).

Enjoy their photos from their Gold Hill Inn wedding & their reception at their hobby farm:

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Colorado Wedding Venue: Gold Hill Inn, Boulder, CO

Colorado Photography: Heather Huie for Apollo Fields

Krista's Central Park Maternity Session in NYC

Krista & Kevin’s Maternity Photos | Central Park, NYC | Bethesda Fountain, New York City | Apollo Fields Wedding Photography

I was so excited to work with Krista and Kevin again (I shot their engagement photos in Central Park a few years ago) because this time we were meeting up to do their maternity session! I don’t take on too many maternity shots because it really is its own niche and I think specializing is awesome; however, I love being able to capture the lifetime milestones — especially for couple’s who I’ve worked with in the past for engagements and weddings.

It was great to catch up with this fun couple in New York and hear all about what they have been up to the last few years. Krista is from Finland, Kevin is American, and they live in NYC together. They are such a fun and dynamic couple and I love capturing their relationship. They are 33 weeks along and expecting a daughter in May which is a really exciting time for them! It is their first baby and they are getting excited with only a few more weeks left.

Maternity photos are one of those things that a lot of women sort of snark at, but I think when they are done by a professional photographer with good lighting can be absolutely stunning. I love these images for so many reasons, but I think that they really honor womanhood and this sacred transition of becoming a mother. I see these photos and I see strength and beauty, and a glowing mama-to-be.

I had an awesome time heading back into Central Park with them to capture this milestone! It was a beautiful Sunday and the city starts to come back to life after its winter hibernation. Spring in NYC is unlike anything else and this session was a little taste of that. We were also lucky to get an AMAZING golden hour and the light was just so dreamy! I could have shot them until dark because they are such a sweet and gorgeous couple to work with. I’m so excited for them to have these photos to look back on and remember this special time and I can’t wait for them to welcome their daughter in just a few more weeks.

Maternity Photography: Heather Huie for Apollo Fields

Talent: Krista Lanning

Location: Bethesda Fountain, Central Park NYC

Why It Is Important To Shoot Romantics During Golden Hour

Why It Is Important To Shoot Romantics During Golden Hour

Michael & Kia's Wedding | Hudson Gardens Event Center Wedding | Apollo Fields Wedding Photography

Kia and Mike had a beautiful summer wedding at Hudson Gardens in Littleton, CO. I’ve shot a few weddings at this venue and it gets a great golden hour in the back of the property as the sun begins to set. I wanted to show off their romantics because I think these pics are a great example of why it is so important to build in couple’s portraits during golden hour away from your wedding guests.

Why Do These Need To Be Private?

I feel so strongly about taking time WITHOUT any guests, family, friends, wedding party, etc during golden hour to do photos. Why? Because the rest of your whole day can be a blur of people swarming around you. Vendors prepping, planners circling around you, guests hugging you, your weird uncle who won’t stop talking to you, your bestie who can’t be denied the selfie, etc. These can all be fun parts of the day and honestly, most of the socializing is great and a reason to opt for having a bigger wedding celebration.

But it is important not to lose sight of WHY you’re getting married. You are committing your life to your partner and this is a beautiful thing! This is what it is all about and you should absolutely take some time to be alone together. As your photographer in this moment, I’d rather be able to set this moment with you guys and then throw on a long lens and let you have your privacy. Talk together. Hug. Dance. Kiss, make out, or just be. It’s all fair game and I promise to be more of a person holding space with you than an awkward third wheel.

Why Golden Hour?

Well, first of all… what the heck is this “golden hour” you speak of so much? Let’s backtrack a bit. Golden hour is that time before sunset when the sun gets closer to the horizon. The light becomes more dynamic first, then if the weather and clouds cooperate, you’ll get a “fire hour”. This is that gorgeous, warm, amazing gold light that floods through the leaves and across water. This is the stuff of photographer’s dreams. It’s my catnip.

After the sun tucks itself behind the horizon line, the light will get very soft and flattering. Everything seems to calm for a moment (yet another reason for a private moment) and it is such great light for portraits. After this, “blue hour” will begin to creep in. The temperature of the light ‘cools’ off, which means it shifts from the warmer yellows and golds towards more blues and icy tones. Blue hour is also great to shoot in, and can be a fun opportunity to push creative boundaries a bit.

As a photographer and synesthetic, I am super — super — light sensitive. It’s really easy for me to understand that light has a temperature, a shape, an energy, and a tangible quality to it. Some lights to me feel like the ocean, some feel like flannel, some feel like strawberry short cake. It’s weird and I don’t expect my couples to totally understand this, but the good news is that you don’t HAVE to understand it! That’s what I’m hired to do, let me do my light thing and you’ll get beautiful photos my friends.

Why Is The Light So Important?

All of this is to say that the TIMING of your couple’s portraits is extremely important to achieve that beautiful, epic dreamy lighting. Golden hour is rapidly changing, and the good stuff only lasts a few minutes so this is why it is important to have a photographer who really knows light. For me, it’s THE most important technical part of getting amazing shots (I think the number one most important part is making sure you and your partner feel comfortable, are having fun, and walk away with an amazing experience).

The good news is, we can take as much or as little time to do these portraits as you would like. In a perfect world, we’ll have some time set aside in the timeline of the day that works around whenever the sun is setting in your location and date of your wedding and we can go out for 20 minutes to really enjoy the landscape and you can really connect with your partner before the energy of the reception really revs up.

How Do I Build This Into My Timeline?

The easiest answer is: Let’s take a look at what your timeline is looking like and when/where the sun will be setting for your wedding. I like to work backwards here and have just a little bit of flexibility. Remember, sunset is LATE in the summer, so you might already be into your special dances and everything when golden hour happens. On the contrary, winter weddings are often dark by the ceremony. Let’s figure out together how to carve this into your day without it becoming a hassle.

So we’ll figure out when sunset is and then think about the direction of the light and the layout of the venue. Oftentimes, I’ll have one eye on shooting the wedding and my other eye on the light. When it is “just right” I’ll come and snag you guys! It’s the one time during the wedding that when I say “GO”, we really need to go! Haha, but it is without a doubt one of my favorite parts of shooting weddings and oftentimes, my favorite pictures of the whole day. (Think album covers, people) Yes, yes!!!

Colorado Wedding Photography: Heather Huie with Apollo Fields

Littleton Wedding Venue: Hudson Gardens

Jenny & Tara's Colorado Springs Wedding

Jenny & Tara's Colorado Springs Wedding | LGBTQ Weddings | CO Wedding Photographer | Same Sex Weddings | Apollo Fields Wedding Photography

Jenny and Tara are an adventurous, loving Colorado couple who are so much fun to work with! I just have a blast with this dynamic couple and their awesome kiddos and super-cute pup. They first got in front of my camera at their epic engagement session at Pikes Peak and I was so excited to shoot their wedding!

I met this cool couple after Jenny reached out when she saw her friend, Lindsey’s wedding pics. They went to nursing school together and she got in contact with me when she was looking for a wedding photographer. We immediately clicked and after a fun coffee date with the two of them, I knew we’d have a blast. My favorite part about their relationship is how Tara is straightforward and witty and Jenny is upbeat and warm, it’s a great combination! When we first met up, I remember saying to them, “So tell me a little about your relationship!” And Tara squarely replied, “How do we book you?” Haha! It was great.

Their wedding was a perfect combination of their personalities— lots of fun, goofing around, being silly, but also some serious heartfelt moments and a few tears. I love this about weddings, we can have fun and still honor the gravity of what it means to commit your life to your partner. Good stuff :)

La Floret is a great venue with SO MUCH GOOD LIGHT! The dramatic trees make such a great forest setting and it really does feel like a retreat. There is some cool architecture including an old Santa Fe styled chapel that is almost hidden in the back of the property. It was a total dream to photograph in because it was a great chance to get some quality private moments with Jenny and Tara without all of the hussle of cocktail hour. They were even down to do a little off roading through this valley in the back when the sun was beginning to set.

I’m so stoked about this wedding and this awesome couple! I love how much fun they had celebrating their relationship and balancing having their kids being a part of the day. One of my favorite parts was when their daughter began to tear up in the ceremony, it was such a heartfelt moment as she watched the union of her mothers become official. Gosh, I could tear up now thinking about it! Anyway, big hugs to this epic couple and thanks for having us there to capture your love.