This was actually a post-wedding elopement in New York. Rachel and KJ got married in Montreal, but they wanted to do something where they actually live. NEW YORK CITY. And I was like heck ya. Let’s do this!
What’s a post-wedding elopement? Well, Rachel and KJ got married in Montreal but also knew they wanted to have some photos featuring their current home city of New York. NYC is an unreal city to photograph plus these two are gorgeous, so needless to say, I was all over this idea.
(Fun fact: One of my first ever travel gigs was photographing a couple who eloped to Paris, France. Since then I haven’t done as many elopements as I’d like and this session reminded me exactly why I’ve been craving more. Even if it takes place after your wedding, a shoot like this is the perfect way to create a day just for the two of you.)
Rachel and KJ treated me like a king from the moment I landed in NYC. I stayed with them at their place – which is right across the street from the “Friends” apartment! It was pretty cool to see a location so familiar from my high-school TV watching days, even though Rachel and KJ admitted it can sometimes get a bit tiring having to bypass all the tourists who come to see the building. It felt like a bit of payback then, when during the shoot we were those tourists stopping for photos on the streets and in front of the cafe.
I actually shot Rachel and KJ’s Montreal wedding just a few weeks prior to their NYC post-wedding elopement, and I gotta say, it was badass. It started with KJ riding a horse to the temple with hundreds of guests dancing along to live traditional Sikh music. After the Sikh ceremony in the morning, Rachel and KJ got ready a second time for a traditional western ceremony in Montreal’s Old Port. Rachel from La Petite Touche was responsible for planning the day and I truly don’t know how she pulled it off – two weddings in one day! It was unreal and I can’t wait to share those photos in another blog post (coming soon!).
Their wedding was gorgeous but after all the hustle and bustle, Rachel and KJ were craving a quieter day all to themselves. A quiet day with the hustle and bustle of NYC this time 😉 We started off in the West Village, hitting up one of their favourite spots for a quick sandwich: Sanpanino. We walked to a nearby park…one of those hidden in the middle of all the big buildings. We inhaled the food. KJ and I were hangry….haaaaangry. Tummies full we went down into the subway to head towards Central Park. After a little bit of walking around we had some drinks. Our day was just getting started hahah. We grabbed a taxi to Dumbo. After Dumbo we headed towards Soho/Lower Manhattan to grab another drink at Le Coucou. Are you typsy yet? We weren’t done. We just had to go to Grand Central Station. KJ and I were hungry again…so they took for some pizza at Roberta’s right next to the terminal. I can still taste the pizza now. Time to go home you say? Oh wait…there was one last stop. Times Square. I’ll never forget this day of shooting. Neither will me feet, my tummy and my liver.
I sent Rachel and KJ a questionnaire recently, and Rachel was kind enough to send back some answers for me. Here’s a little snippet from that exchange to give you an idea of her incredible personality and the sweet story of the events leading up to this couple’s wedding.
In one sentence, how did you meet? We magically crossed paths one day (i.e., it happened on Happn – a geolocation-based dating app!).
When and why did you move to New York? I [Rachel] moved to NY on Halloween day, approximately 2.5 years ago. I needed a break from Montreal after my parents passed away and NY was very much aligned with my professional and personal ambitions, so it was a no-brainer.
Why did you want to do a post-wedding shoot just a few weeks after your wedding in Montreal? We hesitated between NY and Montreal for the wedding. The photoshoot was a way for us to experience a little bit of a NY wedding and to have both – the big fun day with all our friends and family in Montreal and a private romantic moment in NYC. With NY being so special for us (and our home) it also meant a lot to us to have pictures with it.
Who has the smelliest feet in the relationship? KJ. Obviously…
What is the best thing about your partner mentally? He’s super laid back, smart, and open-minded.
What is the best thing about your partner physically? His skin tone and his smile 🙂
What is your favourite image(s) from our day in New York and why? Ugh… don’t make me choose only one. If I really have to choose one, it would be the simple one of us from the back walking in Brooklyn because it’s so us.
I hope you guys enjoy the photos! New York City is at the top of my list of all-time favourite places to shoot. Another iconic location where I got to follow a couple around was Venice Beach. A completely different feel, but another day I will never forget. Check it out here: Sanan and Ziad in Los Angeles.
