Tara and Raymond’s winter wedding at Birch Hill Estates, NY was so much fun and filled with lots of personal, unique wedding details. Every element, from the carefully chosen date to the One Piece-inspired reception entrance and the sentimental family heirlooms, was a true reflection of their journey and personalities.

Tara and Raymond were the first to ever hire me for a photo shoot, so also capturing their wedding really meant the world to me!

bride and groom winter wedding portrait outdoors at Birch Hill Estates, NY

Tara & Raymond’s Unique Birch Hill Wedding

The couple chose January 27th as their big day, which was Tara’s grandparents’ wedding date. They would have been married 72 years that day. This was such a special detail and really set the tone for the day, which was all about subtle nods to their families. They also incorporated family heirlooms and a grandparent’s broach into their wedding details.

I loved how intentional the couple was about every detail. Their day is a great inspiration of many different ways you can include personal details and make your day unique!

fun wedding detail set up of bride and groom pikachu

Their entrance to the reception was epic—they strutted in with the coolest drums of liberation beats from One Piece, their anime fave. Talk about making an entrance, right?!

Tara’s dad gifted Raymond gold-plated cufflinks. Her dad is a chemist and did the gold-plating himself, making it THAT much more special.

And a moment that didn’t leave a dry eye in the room? During his speech, Tara’s dad read from “Why a Daughter Needs a Dad,” a book from her childhood.

dad reading his daughter, the bride, her childhood favorite book during his wedding speech

The Venue: Birch Hill Estates

Tara and Raymond celebrated their love at Birch Hill Estates, a wedding venue in New York. They had their ceremony at the Conservatory Ballroom and reception at the Columbia Ballroom.

The Conservatory Ballroom is a beautiful, classic, neutral-colored space with huge windows that let in the dreamiest light!

elegant wedding ceremony at the conservatory ballroom in birch hill estates

The Columbia Ballroom was so spacious and perfect for a party. Watching Tara and Raymond celebrate there was just magical!

elegant winter reception set up at the columbia ballroom in birch hill estates

Sweet Words from The Couple

“From the moment we booked Katarina for our engagement shoot in October 2021, we knew that we needed Katarina to be our photographer for our wedding in January 2024. Throughout the processes, Katarina was wonderful with communication, understanding our vision, and worked with us in making our dream wedding come true. Katarina went out of her way to discuss our comfort in being photographed and made us feel comfortable.

She would constantly check in with us throughout the shoot to ensure we were still in a positive mindset. Katarina and her second shooter Harley, were extremely positive the day before our wedding and spoke to us about any nerves we were having and spoke us through them. Katarina and Harley worked diligently on our detailed shots and went above and beyond to make their vision a reality. During the morning of the wedding, Katarina opened her space to get the best getting ready photos as Tara’s, the bride’s, the room could have been better for photos. Katarina made sure we were hydrated, warm (outside photos in January as per Tara’s request), and happy.

During the entire wedding, Katarina checked in with us to see if there were any specific moments we wanted to capture that we may have forgotten during our meeting. After the wedding, Katarina provided us with our “sneak peek” so quickly, within 2 days quickly!

Every person from my family and wedding party spoke so highly of how wonderful and patient Katarina was during our wedding. Everyone thought Katarina and Tara were long-time friends from childhood because of how personable and compassionate Katarina was throughout our entire wedding. Booking Katarina for our wedding was the best decision we made for our wedding and we would recommend her to anyone and everyone!”

Katarina Celine Photography | New York Wedding Photographer

If you and your partner are gearing up for your fairytale wedding in New York or anywhere in the world, you might be searching for the perfect wedding photographer to capture it. Whether you’re planning a romantic winter wedding, an intimate wedding day, or any other theme that paints the picture of your unique love story, I’d LOVE to capture your big day next!

You can learn more about me here! If I sound like the perfect fit for you, then inquire with me here. I can’t wait to hear from you. In the meantime, you can also check out more wedding planning tips and other stunning weddings like this one on the blog!

See more of this beautiful winter wedding at the Birch Hill Estates below!