Photographing an AirBnB Elopement in the Catskills

When Kirsten reached out with questions about wedding photography in midsummer, she said she had a few special requests. She found Jonathan Ment Photography on Yelp, and had checked out some of my sample galleries at jonathanment.com

Was it too late to book for 2021? Could I serve as a witness?

Would I or could I photograph a wedding like a portrait session?

These questions aren’t exactly new to me. Short notice is never a problem – if the date is open. For Kirsten and Robert, a Friday morning was no problem!

Small weddings with brief ceremonies are a bit like portrait sessions, and of course portraits of the bride and groom are a key component.

Witness? Why of course, I’ve even blogged about it.

When I’m behind the lens at a small wedding, family reunion or other event, I become more than a piece of the background. Folks tend to engage with me more directly and that makes everyone feel more comfortable and relaxed.

When I’m the only other person on hand, after the couple and perhaps lone friend or family member, I really become part of the wedding. That’s how it was when I met Kirsten and Robert. They were visiting the Catskills – the Town of Catskill, in fact, from the foothills of the Adirondacks. I work as an Adirondacks wedding photographer, too. But I never mind when couples from the daks come to me.

After a bit of scheduled wrangling we established we would meet at Catskill Town Hall for the ceremony. With hair curler trouble and perhaps taking the long route from point A to point B they were delayed arriving, but they kept in touch – which was both considerate and appreciated.

As it turns out the good people at Town Hall were ready to handle the witness issue on their own, with office staff signing on the appropriate lines. BUT, we did have to wait for the courtroom to clear following an arraignment. By the time everyone was on site, we were about ready to proceed.

That’s the #lifeofaphotographer! The justice and his clerk were super, working with us to pick the clearest available background and steering clear for key moments.

For a casual civil ceremony, it was simply staged for the camera.

The big deed done, it was time for the real fun to begin.

Every AirBnB is one of a kind, but I’ve got to give it to these two. Situated right on the water in Smiths Landing, formerly Cementon, Kirsten and Robert’s honeymoon sweet flowed out to a riverfront deck and down a spiral staircase to an array of diverse backdrops.

We chatted and laughed and dodged cloudy skies to gather a collection of images that captured what they envisioned for their wedding album. At times it was like a treasure hunt, finding parts of the property they had seen in the rental listing.

We poured the Champagne, cut the cake and captured all the other things that make a wedding day special without ever feeling the press of time constraints or pressure of knowing guests were waiting.

That cake, by the way, was baked by a friend – and the slice they sent me home with was delicious!

I wish these two so many happy years together. Thanks for having me out to capture this micro wedding.

Special requests for wonderful people? Never a problem…

Thanks for reading,

Jonathan Ment, Photographer

You can also find, follow and like Jonathan Ment Photography on Facebook and at www.catskillsphotographer.com

And check out the broad-topic’d Ment Media Group “Business Blog.”

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