Michelle Hayes PhotographyMichelle Hayes Photography

I Love NYC – City Hall Wedding New York {Michelle Hayes Photography}

Michelle — Sun, 30 Dec 2012 23:02:31 +0000

Sophia + Alessandro – Bronx Zoo Wedding

Michelle — Tue, 06 Nov 2012 22:26:53 +0000

Dreamy setting for portraits….(Brooklyn Wedding Michelle Hayes Photography)

Michelle — Tue, 25 Sep 2012 02:55:53 +0000

Michelle Hayes Photography Fashion-Inspired Portraits New York City

Michelle — Sat, 14 Jul 2012 21:08:44 +0000

Michelle Hayes Portrait Photography New York City

Michelle — Sat, 23 Jun 2012 01:01:48 +0000

Gramercy Park Hotel – NYC Wedding Venue

Michelle — Fri, 22 Jun 2012 16:07:41 +0000

I had the opportunity to tour the NYC Gramercy Park Hotel the other day and I just had to share this gem of a hotel. If you are having an intimate wedding this would be the perfect NYC venue, not to say that you can’t have a bigger wedding because the roof terrace can hold up to 120 people for the ceremony, but this is not your average hotel venue.

The location is tucked away in the Gramercy neighborhood off a quiet street that leads to the infamously private Gramercy Park, where only the surrounding tenants are allowed to access. The hotel itself is considered a luxury boutique hotel with charm and old-world sophistication. The interiors are beautifully designed with one-of -a-kind pieces of furniture and amazing original works by artists Andy Warhol, Jean-Michel Basquiat, Damien Hirst, Fernando Botero, Richard Prince and others all around the hotel. I could not stop taking pictures because everything around me was so visually pleasing from the rich wall colors, the velvet headboards & drapery, the inviting furniture, and the beautiful curated black and white photographs in the various suites.

Like I said the rooftop terrace can hold up to 120 for the ceremony but you can configure the whole top floor to accomodate more for cocktail parties, or the reception part of your wedding. The various spaces on the top floor range from chic garden setting to comfy library with working fireplace all with stunning views of Manhattan and the beautiful Gramercy Park below. There’s even a retractable glass ceiling over the terrace for those amazing NYC nights.

If you are searching for a unique, luxurious venue for your wedding or reception you should definitely go check out the Gramercy Park Hotel. Go have brunch on the rooftop terrace or have a drink with friends in the Rose or Jade bars. Either way you will not be disappointed!

Boudoir Inspiration – La Dolce Vita

Michelle — Wed, 20 Jun 2012 00:01:58 +0000

“What should I wear?” Is the number one question I get when I start to talk to a women about doing her boudoir session. Everyone usually wants to know what other women have worn or if there is one particular style that looks good. But honestly, figuring out what to wear is going to be so personal. It makes a huge difference when a woman wears something that they are comfortable in and know it flatters their own body because then she isn’t fussing or worrying about how her body looks like. A boudoir session is really about feeling and looking amazing during the session and this can only come through if you are 100% comfortable in your own skin.

How do I get comfortable in my own skin?

Start with identifying something that you LOVE about your body and then play around with styles that enhance that feature. Then go out and find the best version of that style in an amazing color that will compliment you.

Do you love your waist? Try a corset. Do you love your cleavage? Try a beautiful lace demi cup bra.

Also, it doesn’t have to be lingerie. Experiment with different looks that are inspired by lingerie like this beautiful lace body suit Penelope Cruz is wearing. I know she is gorgeous and she probably doesn’t have to stand in the mirror looking for one part of her body that she loves, but this suit compliments her womanly curves perfectly. Is it a swimsuit, a bodysuit, or an under garment? Who cares! It’s gorgeous and she is totally rocking it!

La Dolce Vita by mehayes10 featuring agate earrings

Rosamosario $638 - net-a-porter.com

BURAK UYAN peep toe heels $602 - stylebop.com

Dean Harris agate earrings $725 - barneys.com

Astley Clarke pink ring $180 - astleyclarke.com

Napoleon Perdis lip makeup $20 - nordstrom.com

Shimmer makeup $20 - stilacosmetics.com

Laura Mercier lip gloss $24 - macys.com

Glam shoot inspiration – Femme Moderne

Michelle — Sat, 16 Jun 2012 19:14:30 +0000

Looking to do a boudoir or fashion inspired shoot but don’t know what to wear? Here’s a Glam session inspiration board with the beautiful Penelope Cruz.

All you need is a little strapless dress, killer heels, some bling, smokey eyes and sexy messy hair. Channel your inner femme fatale with this look.

Glam session inspiration – Penelope by Michelle Hayes Photography

River Island party dress £50 - riverisland.com

Dsquared leather shoes $459 - dsquared2.com

Ranjana Khan beaded jewelry $69 - thelimited.com

Amrita Singh 18k jewelry $100 - amritasingh.com

Essie nail polish $8 - zappos.com

Jessica + James NYC City Hall Wedding

Michelle — Fri, 08 Jun 2012 15:53:09 +0000

Jessica + James managed to plan their wedding in less than a month and even managed to get some family members to come over from the UKin that short amount of time. Now that’s some amazing planning! We had a great day shooting around the Highline and even managed to let an art gallery in Chelsea let us take a few pics inside.

Be sure to check out the other posts in my New York City Hall Wedding blog series…

You can find out the step-by-step process on how to actually get married at CIty Hall in NYC inside this post

then you can get some inspirations on what to where in my blog post Escape to NYC – City Hall Wedding Inspiration

Feel free to contact me if you have any questions regarding the process of getting married at NYC City Hall or if you would like to book me for your City Hall wedding.

City Hall Wedding Inspiration – Escape To NYC

Michelle — Thu, 31 May 2012 15:42:10 +0000

Here’s a little inspiration for all of you getting married at NYC City Hall. Remember to have fun with what you wear and don’t be afraid to let your personalities come through! This is about as non-traditional as you can get for a ceremony so why not wear WHATEVER YOU WANT?

If you want something unique and special you’ll want one of those amazing clutches by my friend Kristine’s Rauwolf collection. They are little works of art that you can carry around on your wedding day. Don’t they just ooze NYC sophistication with their deco style?

1. Christian Louboutin Bianca Jade Pumps 2. Rauwolf Black Faceted Clutch 3. Red Scoop Neck BodyCon dress 4. Melissa Sweet Tavi dress 5. Free People Battenburg Lace Dress

If you want more inspiration for what to wear to your City Hall wedding head over to my Pinterest boards, which I’m constantly adding to.

And if you want information on how to get married at City Hall here in NYC check out this previous blog post which gives you the step-by-step process. Still have burning questions about City Hall wedding’s? Email me and I’d be happy to help you out.

info@michelelhayesphotos.com

Michelle Hayes Boudoir Photography New York City

Michelle — Mon, 28 May 2012 07:55:07 +0000

How to get married at NYC’s City Hall

Michelle — Thu, 24 May 2012 15:23:21 +0000

I love City Hall weddings. They are just so intimate and fun. I have enjoyed every single one of my city hall weddings. Shooting a friend’s civil ceremony is how I got started in this crazy business.

While I was still working in the fashion industry a co-worker asked me to photograph her city hall wedding. I must have been talking a lot about my photography classes at the time because I was not advertising that I shoot weddings. But, I accepted and went down to the old city clerks office to document their union before their gorgeous wedding in Germany. Little did I know I would be invited to shoot that wedding as well!

The City Clerks office has since moved to a different building and has gone through a make over, a re-branding if you will. It kind of resembles a hotel lobby with sleek moss colored couches to lounge on during the various stages of the process. In the past few years I’ve seen the popularity of getting married at City Hall increase. This is not just for people eloping to NYC from different countries. The majority of my city hall couples are locals who want an intimate wedding, some great pics around the city, and then a lunch or dinner party to celebrate afterwords. Simple yet very memorable. If you’re a no-fuss kinda couple this may be the route for you. It’s still a wedding and you will still go through the same emotions if it had been a big traditional ceremony. I promise. The tears still flow after the rings are exchanged and the kiss still seals the deal witnessed by those dear and near to you.

So here’s the low down on how to get married in City Hall. There are a few steps involved. I’ve searched all around for articles on how to get married at city hall and non of them recommended getting a photographer. What? It’s still a wedding people. All the emotions, the environment, and you and your peeps still need to be documented.

Step 1:

Get a license! – You can’t do anything until you go down to the city clerks office and fill out the forms. You can fill it out online here, but you still need to go down and pick it up. This MUST be done at least 24 hours before you plan to get married. The city clerks office is open from Monday to Friday from 8:30am to 3:45pm, but go early as it can get crowded especially on Fridays. Yes, 3:45. Make a note. Once you have the license it is valid for 60 days.

Step 2:

Pick up marriage license. The Manhattan Marriage Bureau is located at: 141 Worth Street. You will need a valid I.D. (passport or driver’s license will do). The fee is $35. That is a crazy good deal for sealing the deal! You can barely get a complete meal with a drink for $35 in Manhattan! You will also need a witness. You can use any friend/family member and they must have proper I.D. as well. But, if it’s just the two of you then you can use your photographer as a witness! Added bonus of hiring a photographer!

Step 3: Getting Married Part!

Once you get to the city clerks office you check in at the front desk with your witness. They will hand you a number and then you wait to be called. This is where everyone signs the papers to make it legit. Then you check in to have the ceremony. You can either have your ceremony at the city clerks office or you may arrange a civil or religious marriage ceremony outside of the offices in any location you wish within the State of New York. If you chose at the city clerks office they will assign you a officiant. You are moved to another waiting lounging area where the officiant will call you and your guests to one of the two “chapels”. They are private rooms which actually holds a good amount of people. Four minutes later you leave with a ring on your finger and a marriage certificate.

That’s it! Done. Married.

With my City Hall package I offer a creative portrait session around Manhattan after the ceremony. This can be done at a few locations of your choice and usually lasts about 1 to 1 1/2 hours. I’ve had sessions at Central Park, Chelsea, Meatpacking District, The Highline, Brooklyn Bridge, South Street Seaport, etc. It really depends on the look and feel you want for your pictures. This portrait session can include your family and friends or it can be just the two of you. Tip: If you do want to include your party and there are more than 5 people (including the photographer) you may want to look into renting transportation to get everyone around town. Multiple taxi’s might take a long time to flag down which will cut into your picture taking time.

What to wear to your city hall wedding?

Whatever you want! This is where you can have a lot of fun. I’ve seen people wearing every thing from jeans to full on white wedding gowns. The majority of my city hall brides have opted for a chic short dress with some killer heals, but you can put your own spin on it. One bride added white gloves and a awesome patent yellow heels to her black and white dress for a more retro look (see last pic below). I’ve even seen beautiful vintage dresses with fascinators. People’s personal styles seem to come out more when it’s a City Hall wedding probably because it’s a non-traditional ceremony. If the idea of a big strapless wedding gown makes you itch you might want to consider going this route. As for the guys, well usually the grooms have all worn a nice suit, tie optional. But, just try kept it along the same level of sophistication as your bride.

If you have any questions about how to get married at City Hall feel free to contact me. I have a fairly good idea of what goes down at City Hall and I’d be happy to help you plan your day! info@michellehayesphotos.com

Bev & Yin – NYC Wedding in Central Park

Michelle — Sat, 19 May 2012 22:59:57 +0000

Bev & Yin got married in the beautiful Conservatory Gardens in Central Park. It was the perfect venue for their intimate NYC wedding. After the ceremony we all got on a NYC tour bus for a quick tour of lower Manhattan ending at Battery Park for their reception. What a perfect way to give your guests a welcome to NYC surprise!

Michelle Hayes Photography Fashion-Inspired Portraits New York City

Michelle — Wed, 09 May 2012 03:20:19 +0000

Michelle Hayes Boudoir Photography New York City

Michelle — Wed, 09 May 2012 03:19:26 +0000