Riviera Waterfront Mansion Wedding Photos – Rachel & Nick

Riviera Waterfront Mansion wedding photos of groom carrying bride in front of white gazebo

As the quote goes, ‘The best things in life are worth waiting for.’ Thanks to the pandemic, Rachel and Nick had to jump through several hoops to reschedule their wedding. So when their big day finally arrived in April of last year, the day was all the more special. So before any other variants hit the news, let’s dive in and check out the Rachel and Nick’s Riviera Waterfront Mansion wedding photos in today’s blog post.

 

Meet Rachel and Nick

Riviera Waterfront Mansion wedding photos of groom holding bride's handFirst, let’s meet Rachel and Nick. These two met in college playing for the same volleyball team. Here is Rachel’s summation of how they feel in love: ‘Sometimes you meet people and you just instantly click. We met while playing for the volleyball teams at John Jay College in 2015. We ended our spring semester by getting waffles from the beloved Wafels & Dinges cart, but didn’t speak much until the fall semester when he randomly found my lost ID. However, there were always romantic feelings bubbling beneath the surface. Flash forward to New Years Day 2017 when I walked to Times Square where Nick was working in order to give him a New Year’s kiss. After a strong two-year friendship, we couldn’t deny that there was something more and started a relationship.’

 

The Proposal

Riviera Waterfront Mansion wedding photos of bride and groom walking and looking at each otherSo how did Nick finally pop the question to Rachel? ‘After a day of touring the Alcázar of Seville (for any Game of Thrones fans, this was the location used for the Water Gardens of Dorne) and enjoying tapas and sangria, we returned to our hotel. I went upstairs to have a bottle of wine opened and when I came back to our room, Nick had opened our balcony doors and was playing our song. Next thing I knew, he was down on his knee popping the question. Cue tears and asking if he was serious about 100 times (I really could not believe what was happening) before saying ‘yes’ to forever with the love of my life.’

 

Getting Ready & the Ceremony

Choir loft view of Parish of St. Barnabus the ApostleSuch a romantic love story would have to have a traditionally romantic ceremony, no? The day began at the Courtyard by Marriott in Farmingdale where the incoming light for the getting ready photos was glorious. The next stop would be Rachel and Nick’s family church, the Parish of St. Barnabus the Apostle in Bellmore, NY. As one could guess, Rachel and Nick decided to not see each other until the bride made her walk down the aisle. The church is beautiful, and comes complete with my favorite architectural feature — a choir loft. You can’t beat a good choir loft for the perfect ceremony wide shot.

 

First Look vs. Traditional Photography Timelines

Riviera Waterfront Mansion wedding photos of bridesmaids, bride and flower girl sitting on couchIn case you’re curious, here is how your photography timeline is affected if you decide to not see each other before you walk down the aisle. With a ‘first look,’ you have the opportunity to take all of your photos ahead of your ceremony: bride and groom portraits, bridal party portraits, and family portraits. This means you take care of all of your photographic ‘chores,’ so to speak, and can then simply enjoy your day pre-ceremony without having to sit and smile for the camera.

With a traditional timeline, you can take photos of the bride and her family, and the groom and his family ahead of time. All other photos, however, will need to be taken after the ceremony. In Rachel and Nick’s case, they left plenty of time in between the ceremony and the reception to take all of the necessary portraits. You should plan for 30 minutes for family photos, 30 minutes for bridal party photos, and 45 minutes to an hour for bride and groom photos in either timeline.

 

Rachel & Nick’s Riviera Waterfront Mansion Wedding Photos

Panoramic photo of bride and groom at the Riviera Waterfront MansionSince a few family members couldn’t go to the reception venue immediately after the ceremony, we took all of the family photos at the church. Next stop was the Riviera Waterfront Mansion for the bridal party photos and then the bride and groom portraits. The Riviera Waterfront Mansion is a one-stop shop for great photos. There is a precious gazebo, stunning view of South Oyster Bay, and a lovely little garden for any photographic needs. We were racing the clock since ominous clouds were starting to form overhead. This actually worked to our favor since it cut down on the harsh highlights and gave us a magnificent waterfront background that was free from glare.

 

The Reception

Riviera Waterfront Mansion wedding photos of bride and groom making reception entranceThe reception had plenty of activities to entertain the guests. There were some great speeches by the best man and made of honor, followed by a surprise performance by Rachel’s uncle. The evening ended with a dramatic bouquet toss from the balcony. (No lights were damaged in the act.) Finally, guests were welcomed to a dessert buffet where they could toast their own s’mores.

Rachel and Nick’s wedding was a fantastic evening many years in the planning. I would like to give a quick shout out to Samantha and the staff at the Riviera Waterfront Mansion who did a wonderful job taking care of the guests. Enjoy the images and I’ll have more photo adventures for you next week!

Want to see how it all began? Check out Rachel and Nick’s engagement photos at the Vanderbilt Museum and Planetarium here.

Want to see even more Riviera Waterfront Mansion wedding photos?  Check out Jessica and Dan’s big day at the mansion here.

 

Vendors

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Getting married soon? Drop me a line, and let’s chat about your photography needs.

If you would like to see more images from my wedding photojournalism portfolio, then please visit my website – KellyWilliamsPhotographer.com

Makeup artist apply blush to bride wearing white roabeLittle ring bearer standing with hands in pockets Groom putting on cufflinks in front of a window Father helping groom put on his jacket Mother helping groom put on bouttoniere Hand of groom opening container with cigars Bride and mother drinking from small bottlesBride wearing robe and looking over shoulder Bride and bridesmaids posing on top of bed Bride looking up at wedding dress hanging on window Woman looking to side with tears in her eyes Woman hugging bride with other women in background watching Mother watching bride hug auntMother helping bride zip up her dress Mother putting veil in bride's hair Bride in front of window adjusting her veil Bridesmaids wiping away tears and wearing grey dresses Bride walking up behind father with hand extended Bride wearing veil hugging fatherBride with hand up talking to father Groom in church looking to side Bride and father walking down church aisle Wide shot of bride and father walking down aisle Father hugging groom with bride on side Bride and groom at altar during church ceremonyChoir loft view of Parish of St. Barnabus the Apostle Bride and groom exchanging vows in church Little flower girl and female guests sitting in church pew Bride and groom exchanging rings in church Bride and groom walking down aisle after wedding ceremonyBride and groom kissing in front of bridal party in front of white gazebo Riviera Waterfront Mansion wedding photos of groomsmen holding each other Riviera Waterfront Mansion wedding photos of bride and groom in front of South Oyster Bay Riviera Waterfront Mansion wedding photos of bride and groom in front of South Oyster Bay Riviera Waterfront Mansion wedding photos of bride and groom in front of white gazeboGroom holding bride in front of white gazebo Riviera Waterfront Mansion wedding photos of groom standing in front of tree Riviera Waterfront Mansion wedding photos of bride and groom dancingRiviera Waterfront Mansion wedding photos of bride and groom in reception room Bride and groom dancing at first dance Couple watching bride and groom at wedding reception Couple dancing at Riviera Waterfront Mansion wedding Bride dancing with father at Riviera Waterfront Mansion weddingBride and bridesmaids hugging at Riviera Waterfront Mansion wedding Groom and mother dancing at Riviera Waterfront Mansion wedding Couple sitting at table enjoying reception at Riviera Waterfront Mansion wedding Father giving speech at Riviera Waterfront Mansion wedding Father giving speech to bride and groom at Riviera Waterfront Mansion wedding Speeches in front of bride and groom at Riviera Waterfront Mansion weddingGuests wearing funny hats at photoboth at Riviera Waterfront Mansion wedding Men dancing at Riviera Waterfront Mansion wedding Bride and female guests dancing at Riviera Waterfront Mansion wedding Bride and groom outdoors at night with dramatic lighting Bride and groom dancing in front of singer at Riviera Waterfront Mansion wedding Male guest dancing in front of singer at Riviera Waterfront Mansion weddingBride and groom cutting cake at Riviera Waterfront Mansion wedding Bride and groom kissing in front of wedding cake Bride throwing bouquet behind her at Riviera Waterfront Mansion wedding White bouquet caught on chandelier Female guest holding bridal bouquet Waitress holding flaming marshmallows

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