Rock Island Lake Club | NJ Wedding Photographer | Tom & Lauren

June 20, 2017June 20, 2017Leave a comment

Tom & Lauren’s wedding at The Rock Island Lake Club in Sparta, NJ, was such a beautiful celebration. Between the rolling fog, beautiful florals, and incredible venue, their wedding day was like something out of a fairytale. And we couldn’t have asked to photograph a sweeter couple! I had such a great time second shooting with my sweet friend Jen of Jennifer Larsen Photography.

Every detail of Tom & Lauren’s wedding was so perfectly planned out. Their color scheme was navy and blush (my favorite!), and they carried out the theme through the bridesmaids dresses, florals, and Lauren’s beautiful Jimmy Choo flats! The rainy weather cleared up for us right before the first look, but Tom & Lauren had brought navy and white umbrellas for their bridal party just to be safe — and they helped to make for some beautiful bridal party pictures!

Congratulations, Tom & Lauren! Enjoy some of my favorites from their wedding day, and be sure to check out Jen’s blog post here!

Perona Farms | NJ Wedding Photographer | Lori + Kevin

June 13, 2017June 13, 20172 Comments

A little rain couldn’t stop us from celebrating Lori & Kevin’s wedding at Perona Farms in Andover, NJ! I had such a wonderful time second shooting for my sweet friend Jen of Jennifer Larsen Photography, and I couldn’t be more excited to be sharing this beautiful wedding with you today! Lori & Kevin tied the knot underneath a beautiful floral arbor surrounded by so many loving family members and friends. Everything about their day from beginning to end was simply perfect…. I didn’t want to leave at the end of the night!

I loved getting to learn about Lori + Kevin’s love story. They are such a kind, relaxed, and fun loving couple! And can we talk about Perona Farms for a minute? Such an amazing venue! Some of my favorite photos from the day are the couple portraits that were taken in front of the barn and silos. So awesome!

Scroll down to see all of the pretty, and make sure to check out Jen’s blog post by clicking here!

Ballyowen Golf Club | NJ Wedding Photographer | Alyson + Andrew

May 5, 20175 Comments

Alyson + Andrew’s rustic wedding at The Ballyowen Golf Club was such an amazing celebration. They tied the knot overlooking the rolling hills of Northern NJ while surrounded by so many loving family members and friends. We couldn’t have asked for a more beautiful day!

The first time Alyson and Andrew met was in the Boston Seaport District through a mutual friend three years ago, and they’ve been inseparable ever since! They enjoy hiking together, visiting breweries, going on day trips to new cities, listening to country music, watching HGTV (a couple after my own heart!), and spending time with their sweet puppy, Lacey.

I loved the rustic country feel of their wedding. They incorporated mason jars, wood, lace, and burlap into their wedding decor which gave the venue such a cozy feel. Plus, their wedding colors were blush and navy…. and it doesn’t get much better than that 🙂

Congratulations, Alyson and Andrew! It was such a joy to be a part of your wedding day. Have a wonderful time in Turks and Caicos!

For Brides: 4 Tips for Choosing the Perfect Getting Ready Room

December 14, 2016December 14, 2016Leave a comment

The getting ready portion of the wedding day has always been one of my favorites to photograph! It’s usually the first time that I get to see my bride and groom since their engagement session, and I love to capture all of the excitement happening around me! Choosing the perfect getting ready room might not seem that important during the wedding planning process, BUT, it actually plays a major role. This is especially true when it comes to having beautiful photographs of you and your girls getting ready that match the overall vibe of your wedding day! Below are four of my favorite tips to help you choose the perfect getting ready room for your wedding day.

Lighting is Everything | Choose a spacious getting ready room with large windows and plenty of natural light. Lighting is the most essential element to creating those soft, airy, and beautiful portraits. Natural light will ensure that you and your girls look your absolute best in all of the getting ready photographs. Plus, your makeup artist will thank you for the window light as well!

Size | Choose a getting ready location with enough space to spread out. Photographers, videographers, hair + makeup artists, bridesmaids, and family members will all be in the getting ready room at some point on the morning of your wedding day. A suite will give you and your girls plenty of getting ready + storage space (YES to clutter free portraits!), and the professionals a little extra elbow room.

photographed by Tori Petrillo while second shooting for Christy Nicole Photography

Distance | The distance to your ceremony location from the getting ready venue shouldn’t exceed 15-20 minutes. Cutting down on travel time will help to decrease stress! If at all possible, consider getting ready in the bridal suite at the venue location itself. This will help to create a relaxed atmosphere through out the entire wedding day since travel is no longer a factor.

Overall Aesthetic | The getting ready venue should reflect the overall look and feel of your wedding day. For instance, getting ready in a hotel suite might not match the vibe of a rustic chic wedding. As I mentioned before, if possible, choose a getting ready location at the venue itself. Many venues have a bridal suite that will likely match the aesthetic of your wedding day. This will allow me as the photographer to tell the story of your wedding day seamlessly — especially when it comes to album design!

Click HERE to view Tori’s Wedding Gallery

Hamilton Farms Golf Club | A Christy Nicole Photography Wedding

November 14, 2016Leave a comment

I couldn’t have been more excited when Christy of Christy Nicole Photography (click HERE to visit her website) asked me to second shoot this dream wedding at The Hamilton Farms Golf Club with her! It was such a beautiful wedding day — one that I will definitely never forget. Thank you, Christy, for inviting me to come with you and photograph your sweet couple!

Katie + Matt’s wedding was nothing short of amazing. I was in awe at the beautiful venue, florals, & Katie’s incredible wedding dress! Katie + Matt are one of the sweetest most fun loving couples that I’ve ever met and it was such a joy to second shoot their wedding day. Enjoy some of my favorites!

The Barnyard & Carriage House | NJ Wedding | Jackie + Ken

October 25, 2016Leave a comment

Jackie + Ken’s rustic wedding at The Barnyard and Carriage House in Totowa, NJ was absolutely beautiful. They tied the knot last Saturday afternoon surrounded by so many loving family members and friends. I was in awe at how many personal details they included through out the day — everything from the beautiful centerpieces on the tables to Jackie’s hand dyed shoes and shawl (she is quite the crafter!). I just love how they made each detail their own. Their wedding truly was a reflection of who Jackie + Ken are and what they love!

Jackie + Ken met on Match.com! They knew they had something special together after their first date, and things moved quickly from there. They spent the summer of 2015 meeting each others’ families and friends, taking a road trip to Jackie’s college town/second home of Erie, PA for a friend’s wedding, exploring NYC, doing some home renovation projects on Jackie’s house, and sharing their faith. Jackie + Ken started playing a game where they took turns asking each other a Question of the Day (big or small, funny or serious), and realized how much they had in common. It didn’t take long for them to know that their relationship would end in marriage, and in October, Ken asked Jackie’s parents for their blessing. They agreed (of course!) and gave Ken a diamond from Jackie’s mom’s ring to have re-set for her engagement ring (and be passed down for many years to come). After he picked it up from the jeweler, it only took Ken 3 days to propose!

Congratulations, Jackie + Ken! It was such an honor to be a part of your wedding day. I couldn’t be more excited for you!

Thank you also to my sweet friend Kelly Pullman of Kelly Pullman Photography for being a fabulous second shooter!

The Logistics of a First Look

September 23, 2016Leave a comment

The more bridal consultations that I have, the more I find myself talking to my couples about what a first look is and what the process looks like. As a photographer, I see beautiful photos of first looks while scrolling on Instagram or flipping through the latest edition of The Knot — but I have to remember that one of the only reasons that I’m aware of what a first look is is because this is my job, haha! That being said, I don’t think that first looks are as widely known about in my area as I had originally thought. Today’s post is dedicated to what a first look is and what the logistics would look like on your wedding day!

After the bride & groom are dressed (but before the ceremony) the second photographer takes the groom to a location where he will see his bride for the first time. This location might be a park, the venue, or even the getting ready spot. The groom faces away from the direction of where the bride will be coming from and anxiously awaits for his bride to arrive! Once she does, she’ll either tap on her grooms shoulder or call out his name. From there, my second photographer and I will photograph each of your reactions (without any instruction from us)! The grooms reaction is always priceless when he sees his bride for the first time, and I just love capturing that. After you’ve enjoyed the special moment together, we’ll start taking posed bride + groom portraits! I ask my couples to schedule 45 minutes for the first look & the bridal portraits into their timeline.

Right after the bridal portraits, some couples choose to do family formals or bridal party portraits before the ceremony. Usually these happen in the same location and take anywhere from 45 minutes to 1 hour. After the ceremony, the bridal portraits, family formals and bridal party portraits are done, which means that you get to enjoy cocktail hour with your guests! I hope this helps to better explain how a first look would come together on your wedding day 🙂 Click HERE to read about five reasons why you should consider doing a first look!

	Tori Petrillo on Perona Farms \| NJ Wedding Phot…
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	Tori Petrillo on Ballyowen Golf Club \| NJ Weddi…

Tori Petrillo Photography

east coast wedding + portrait photographer

Category: Weddings