Alex and Vinnie’s destination wedding weekend in upstate New York was an absolute highlight of 2021 here at Mile Square Moments. My husband Matt joined me for the road trip – just 4.5 short hours from New Jersey. Alex and Vinnie invited us to join them for their welcome drinks the night before as guests. Honestly, by the time their wedding arrived, they all felt just like our friends! Seeing them and meeting all of their guests the night before the wedding was such a neat experience and by the end of the night, I couldn’t wait to wake up and photograph their gorgeous wedding at Tailwater Lodge!
The SWEETEST review a wedding photographer could ask for!
Seriously, give me two seconds to gush over this and I will share all the dreamy destination wedding photos from Alex and Vinnie. The feeling is so, so mutual. I loved working with these two and am beyond grateful I could share a part of their wedding day!
I am not even sure how to start this review because Devin was more than just a photographer, she helped with everything. She is also the coolest person I know and I hope we can stay in touch long after my wedding :). Everything from the calls prior to my wedding to her photo delivery were perfect. My engagement shoot was also included in the package and it was worth every penny. Her style is so romantic and she truly loves to bond with all of her couples. You can tell that she enjoys what she does and her work is impeccable.
I was a pretty low key bride, I didn’t want to take pictures for 2 hours and miss my cocktail hour and Devin was very cognizant of this. She still managed to get plenty of pictures (more than I imagined) due to her organization and the timeline she makes for her brides.
Devin also traveled 4.5 hours to my venue in Upstate New York and took the time to scope out the perfect places to take pictures so I wouldn’t have to worry about where I was headed on my wedding day. It was already planned out!! Devin was by far one of my favorite wedding vendors and you will not regret booking her. The pictures were amazing and all of my family couldn’t believe how well they turned out.
The worst part about choosing her is you will not be able to narrow it down to one picture to hang on your wall after you receive them because every single one is THAT GOOD. I will definitely be using her again in some form now that my wedding is over!!!!
Getting Ready Photos at Tailwater Lodge
Excitement was in the air as I arrived at the Tailwater Lodge Spa to meet Alex for photos as she and her wedding party got ready. I loved the sweet details she thought of for her photos: from her bride slippers to her “Mrs. Rodriguez” robe. Alex got ready with both her wedding party, her mother and her soon-to-be mother-in-law, and the space at Tailwater Lodge was perfect for it! Once she was all done up and ready to go, we met her father outside for a truly joyful first look. Have you ever seen bigger smiles?
Because Alex and Vinnie weren’t having a first look before the ceremony, we also seized the opportunity to take shots with her bridal party to save time after the ceremony. One thing I loved throughout the day was how much personality not only Alex and Vinnie brought into their photos – but also their family and friends! They really let themselves have fun with the photos and it shows.
Getting Ready with the Boys!
Meanwhile, getting ready with the boys was equally a joy! They started their day with beverages and bocce ball. After a round of games, they headed back to their suite to get ready. Once they were all done up, we took a few posed photos of Vinnie and then brought his groomsmen out to take their side of the wedding party photos. When couples opt out of a first look, we do as much as we can to save time in between the ceremony and reception! As Alex mentioned in her review, I knew these two didn’t want to miss cocktail hour!
Wedding Ceremony at Tailwater Lodge
The inside of Tailwater Lodge had a rustic charm. Alex and Vinnie’s wedding signage and decor added such a simple elegance to the space. One of the things Alex mentioned to me during our planning calls was that she couldn’t wait to see Vinnie’s face when she walked down the aisle. Both of their faces lit up the instant they saw each other. It was hard to hold back tears during their sweet wedding ceremony but some of my favorite photos are of their first kiss (check the bridesmaids’ faces in the background!).
Outdoor Wedding Photos
After the vows, we were ready to head back outside and get all of the wedding party together for photos. As I expected, the group had a lot of fun together! After, I took as many wedding couple portraits of just Alex and Vinnie as I could in a short period of time so they could join their guests for cocktail hour. I’m always happy to work under pressure (it comes with the job!), but the natural chemistry between the two of them made it so easy. They were happy to just be celebrating forever together!
Cocktail Hour & Sunset Photos
Tailwater Lodge had a table ready of their signature cocktail, and there was plenty of space both indoors and out for them to mingle with their guests. Once photos were done, Alex and Vinnie jumped right into their cocktail hour – they didn’t waste any time. Their family and friends are incredibly important to them (each of them has known at least one person in their wedding party for two decades!), so they really valued the time they were able to spend together. Another advantage to a destination wedding weekend!
A little later in the evening, we snuck out for just a few sunset photos. These might be my favorite from the entire day. As much as I love urban weddings, there are some views you just don’t get in the city! The sun setting over the trees at this upstate New York wedding venue was an incredible sight.
Tailwater Lodge Wedding Reception
I absolutely loved the way Alex and Vinnie truly made the Tailwater Lodge their own. With a stunning blush, white, and greenery color palette, and the rustic space of the venue, they created something truly their own. Like I did for my own wedding day, they created custom table “numbers” of important places in their relationship (like Las Vegas – where they met while on vacation!). These two travel often and there was no shortage of meaningful places.
The entire evening was filled with laughter and tears and I absolutely loved capturing their authentic reactions at every moment. From the speeches to their first dance, to the emotional dances with their parents, there was never a dull moment. After the cake cutting, the dance floor filled. Fun fact: Vinnie used to be a wedding DJ and both he and Alex were not afraid to go all out on the dance floor!
I just loved their greenery wall and neon “Mr and Mrs Rodriguez” sign. Again, Alex and Vinnie really let me have fun with the photos, and their bright personalities just shone through in every single moment. They are truly best friends!
An Incredible Destination Wedding Weekend!
I know I might say this every week, but I love getting to know each and every one of my couples personally. It really is one of my favorite parts of the job! Alex and Vinnie are truly incredible people and I can’t wait to stay in touch and watch them enjoy their next chapter together.
Vendor Squad
Mile Square Moments is a Hoboken wedding photographer. As we hope you can tell, we love getting to know each couple personally. We like to say, you might be a MSM couple if you love a night in binge-watching Netflix, but you also aren’t afraid of a little PDA in photos. Currently planning a wedding in Hoboken, NJ or beyond? Get in touch here to inquire about our photography packages. Prefer Instagram? We love sharing fun love stories on Instagram.
