Olivia & Jed’s MASS MoCA Wedding

Olivia & Jed’s MASS MoCA wedding was colorful, stunning and so much fun! I love how this Berkshires venue juxtaposes the natural beauty of the surrounding mountains with the industrial chic of its large contemporary art museum. Everywhere you turn at MASS MoCA there is another art installation that could be used as a backdrop for portraits. At this time of year – August – it was wrapped in an abundance of lush green too.

Olivia and Jed’s wedding party consisted of loving friends, cousins and siblings. The Brooklyn-based couple incorporated colorful flowers, an emotional Jewish ceremony, and delicious farm to table food catered by Mezze Catering. The long rectangular tables were perfectly placed alongside a 140-foot-long mural in eye-popping reds, pinks and oranges. Green Apple Weddings event planners used their impeccable style to create a room that would feel unique and inviting. Along with the planners, the floral designer, Hybl Fannin Design, made some jaw-dropping arrangements including a bright bouquet of dahlias, roses and lavender.

I used color film for many of the portraits of the couple and their flowers. You may see the borders that frame some of my film shots below. The medium format film images have a classic look and grain to it, which makes sense with images at this historic venue. I love to offer wedding film photography for all of my couples. I had so much fun photographing this Berkshires wedding alongside the awesome modern art. Olivia even got ready at a quaint little house down the street where she and the women in her bridal party had their portraits made. Olivia & Jed’s MASS MoCA wedding was one of my favorite Berkshires weddings to date!

MASS MoCA Wedding on film

MASS MoCA Wedding

Berkshires Wedding Photographer

Berkshires Wedding

Wedding Film Photography

I love to photograph weddings on film, because wedding film photography has a classic, textured and dreamy look to it that nothing can beat. In an article I read last week in The New York Times: “In the Digital Age, Wedding Film Photography Has a Resurgence: Across the country, more couples are seeking out film photographers to shoot their weddings.”
Yes! It’s so nice to see this trend and to have film photography validated by the New York Times. Here are some favorite wedding film images I photographed in the past 15 years. As you can see, the colors can be vibrant or muted, depending on the film stock, or development. The grain of the film is visible. Digital images do not have grain instead they have pixelation when enlarged. In the accidentally blurry portrait of Crissy in her hotel room, you can really see the pretty grain.

Dana and Stu’s first look photographed on film.

Hotel on Rivington - Karen Wise Wedding Film Photography

Details at the Hotel on Rivington, in the Lower East Side of Manhattan.

Karen Wise Photography - Brooklyn Wedding

Close up of pink peonies decorating the chuppah, photographed on film.

Lisa's bouquet of spring flowers, shot on film.

Lisa’s bouquet of spring flowers at the BBG

Groom’s procession on a boat to the Lake Palace, Udaipur.

Henna / Mehndi Day in Udaipur, India.

Portrait of Alexis at the Brooklyn Winery

Karen Wise Photography - Wedding Film Portrait Tribeca

Tribeca Rooftop Wedding

Karen Wise Photography - Bouquet India House

Bouquet photographed on Film.

Karen Wise - Brooklyn Wedding Photographer

Anli and Ken at the Brooklyn Botanic Garden.

Karen Wise Brooklyn Botanic Garden Wedding in Spring

Spring bouquet at the BBG, designed by Saipua, photographed on film by Karen Wise.

A wedding in Malibu, CA.

A wedding in Malibu.

Wedding Portraits at The William Vale

I loved photographing Jaime and James’ elopement at Brooklyn City Hall and their wedding portraits at the William Vale.

First of all, how perfectly matched are they? Their names are practically the same. Similarly, their love for their puppy Boba Fett was evident. Boba was included in two of their portrait sessions. You can see how much he loved his owners in the pictures.

Jaime and James got married on Court Street in Brooklyn on a chilly October day. They proceeded to The William Vale hotel in Williamsburg for their portrait session and to relax in their luxurious room with 180 degree views. James surprised Jaime by upgrading their room to the Vale Garden suite which has a private, terraced 1,600 square foot balcony with prime views of the city! Congratulations Jaime and James.

William Vale Wedding

Wedding at The William Vale

William Vale Wedding

Manhatta Restaurant Wedding: Katie and Zach

I photographed Katie and Zach’s Manhatta Restaurant wedding on a sunny day last fall. The air was cool and the sun shone brightly. Their first reveal took place at the historic Beekman Hotel. They traveled to First Presbyterian Church on 5th Avenue and we had the opportunity to make beautiful family portraits in the garden.

Manhatta Restaurant is where they hosted their 100 guests for the reception. The restaurant is situated on the 60th floor and has incredible views from all sides! Upon the couple’s arrival at Manhatta, we documented their lively cocktail hour and extended family portraits. Katie was bustled in the Bay room. She and her husband had a moment to relax and take in the incredible southern views of the city river.

Dinner, toasts and dancing took place in the Whitman Ballroom. This ballroom faces west but also has views of the Hudson River and buildings to the north. Designs by Ahn created the florals for this Manhatta Restaurant wedding which incorporated warm peaches, pinks, whites and dark berries.

I highly recommend this luminous and breathtaking venue for a small, medium or large sized wedding reception! You may see more of my recent New York weddings here.

Elegant Wedding at Tribeca Rooftop

I loved photographing Karenna and Dillon’s elegant wedding at Tribeca Rooftop.

K + D were a sweet and cool couple with a chic and relaxed wedding vibe. Karenna wore a stunning Anthropologie x Jenny Yoo wedding gown with plunging neckline and open back. Bouquets of dahlias and roses complimented the wedding party gowns. Petals of peach, yellow, lavender and ivory decorated the chuppah. The talented New York City based floral designer, Dear Bayard, did an amazing job.

Whitehall Events helped to plan and coordinate the couple’s August 2022 wedding, which had been postponed twice due to Covid. I loved photographing their 2021 micro wedding in a Princeton backyard garden, as well as their elegant wedding at Tribeca Rooftop. What a fun couple and day!

Tribeca Rooftop Wedding

Tribeca Rooftop

Photographer: Karen Wise Photography,

Venue: Tribeca Rooftop + Tribeca 360,

Planner: Whitehall Events,

Floral Design: Dear Bayard,

Bridal Gown: Anthropologie Weddings x Jenny Yoo

Wedding Party Gowns: Jenny Yoo

Brooklyn B’Mitzvahs

Here are some photos from my favorite Brooklyn B’Mitzvahs! As a Brooklyn event photographer, I feel lucky to witness such happy occasions.

As we kick off the new year, I want to take a moment to express my gratitude to all of the amazing couples and families I worked with in 2022! It was awesome documenting your special occasions, which included your weddings, brooklyn b’mitzvahs, proposals, and family sessions. I’m honored that you chose me to document these intimate moments!

As I get ready to photograph b’mitzvahs this spring, I am inspired by the joy and energy captured in these images. Here are some faves from Sydney’s bat mitzvah in Park Slope, Asher’s bar mitzvah at the Williamsburg Hotel, Samara’s garden bat and Toby’s bar in Industry City.

Click here to see more family portraits shot for my Brooklyn Stoop Portraits project.

Bat Mitzvah

Bat Mitzvah

Mitzvah

Congregation Beth Elohim

Industry City Bar Mitzvah

Brooklyn Botanic Garden Wedding in the Summer

I really love to photograph a Brooklyn Botanic Garden wedding in the summer. The trees are lush in the summer, and a deep, verdant green. The roses are in bloom, and even when it rains it’s gorgeous, as on Sam + Spencer’s wedding day.

The BBG offers so many outdoor options for wedding photography portraits. The fountain, the rose garden, and the Japanese garden and gazebo lend themselves to awesome pictures. Sam and Spencer didn’t let a little rain bring them down; they had an awesome event with so much dancing and celebration!

Photographer// @karenwisephoto⁠⁠
Planning// DM Events and Design⁠
Venue// Brooklyn Botanic⁠
Gown// Oscar de la Renta⁠
Stylist// @staciestylist⁠
Maid of honor gown// Marchesa⁠
Floral Design// Debbie’s Floral Design⁠
Hair and Makeup// @_hairbysam_a_⁠
Video// NST Pictures⁠
Album Design// Queensberry Albums, NZ

The Liberty Warehouse Wedding

If you’re looking for a unique place in New York to hold your wedding, you may consider The Liberty Warehouse in Brooklyn. While the word “warehouse” might make you question the venue, The Liberty Warehouse is a beautiful and stylish location that’s perfect for weddings. I’ve photographed a couple of weddings at here and even attended a great event as as guest. This brief guide covers the benefits of this choosing this chic location for your wedding, and how to find the right photographer for the job.

Why Book the Liberty Warehouse

It’s Historic

Built in the 1850s as part of the Red Hook shipping yards, The Liberty Warehouse is full of history and life. This building is no longer used for storage and has since been updated and renovated to function entirely as an event space. With room for over 400 dinner guests and up to 1000 guests for cocktail parties, The Liberty Warehouse offers a unique mix of historical appeal and modern conveniences. The style is both rustic and contemporary, with the original brick walls and the nearby pier making perfect backdrops for photoshoots.

Great Views

A large part of the warehouse’s iconic status as a wedding venue comes from the incredible views it offers. From the waterfront patios, guests will be able to see Manhattan from a unique perspective. Red Hook is one of the few spots in NYC where you can see the Statue of Liberty from the front as she faces toward France. If you or any of your guests have never had a chance to see the statue from this angle, your wedding night will be all the more memorable.

What to Look for in a Wedding Photographer

Expert Lighting

The mix of natural and artificial lighting at The Liberty Warehouse makes for some incredible photo opportunities. However, without the right experience of shooting in cavernous spaces, taking pictures here can be difficult. You want a wedding photographer who knows their way around the venue, who can work in large spaces with high ceilings, and can make the most of the natural lighting and even bring their own lighting setup.

The Liberty Warehouse Wedding Photographer

Dynamic Skills

Your wedding day will include many different types of moments—happy, joyous, hilarious, serious, emotional, energetic and everything in between—and you need a photographer with experience capturing the full range of emotions and scenes. You want someone who can render the beauty of the ceremony as skillfully as they can capture the energy on The Liberty Warehouse’s massive dance floor.

Park Slope Family Photographer

Are you thinking about hiring a Park Slope Family Photographer this spring?

Karen Wise is a local wedding and family photographer whose studio is situated in Park Slope, just one block away from Prospect Park. Wise, the photographer behind Brooklyn Stoop Portraits, photographs families in the park as well as on their stoops.

How the Brooklyn Stoop Portraits project was started: Brooklyn Stoop Portraits began in April 2020, when Covid-19 forced us to stay home and shelter in place.
My 2020 wedding shoots were postponed. In a motion to connect with friends and neighbors, I decided to photograph families who lived near me (Park Slope), from a safe distance, on their stoops. These family sessions broadened to engagement, maternity, newborn and elopements and expanded into new neighborhoods too.

Home is where we all continue to feel safest this year, so let’s document and celebrate milestones as we stay close to our loved ones. To schedule your 30 min family session, please call or email me. I look forward to capturing this unique time in your family’s life and bringing some much needed joy.

Book A Wedding or Family Session!