Deirdre + Michael’s spring Tokeneke Club wedding was the first wedding of 2022 and it was the perfect couple and the perfect wedding to start the year! We moved last year back to Pennsylvania, but a lot of my weddings/sessions are still in NY, CT & NJ. So we traveled to New York and Connecticut for Deirdre + Mike’s wedding and stayed with friends (Which is a great bonus now!)

Deirdre + Mike’s spring Tokeneke Club wedding weekend actually started on Friday night when they got married in a Catholic wedding ceremony at Corpus Christi Church in Port Chester, NY. Deirdre and her siblings grew up going to this church’s school and her mom even works there!

I love all parts of a wedding, but I really love when a couple really centers their wedding around their ceremony. It’s what the whole wedding is about, two people coming together and committing their lives to each other. So I really loved that Deirdre + Mike and their family and friends made the extra effort to make this such a big part of their wedding. (Plus I loved seeing them the night before the wedding! It was a great little warm-up to their wedding day!)

Ben was with me the whole weekend and even grabbed a camera a couple of times to capture perfect little moments like this.

Deirdre + Mike weren’t sure where exactly they were supposed to kiss during the ceremony (sometimes it’s different during a Catholic ceremony and not at the end) and they kissed a little early, before the father officially announced them as husband and wife. Haha

Now was the right time to kiss! I loved it, we got two shots at capturing their quick kiss.

Married!!

We took some quick portraits outside of the church and a big group picture, but the next day was the full wedding day with all the pictures!/

Everything about Deirdre + Mike’s wedding was just simple and beautiful.

I started with Ben and my 2nd photographer, Jill, at the house where Deirdre was getting ready. Everyone was calm and relaxed and really just took their time getting ready.

I don’t think there have ever been details that I don’t like, and Deirdre did not disappoint! Her florist provides some loose florals for me to play around with and add to the detail photos as well.

In line with everything else, Deirdre’s wedding dress was simple, but beautiful. She added a gold belt that was just the perfect little extra detail.

Guys don’t even understand how much work goes into even having a simple, I-woke-up-looking-perfect, with loose curls look! But Jessie and Erin made the work look effortless and Deirdre’s hair and makeup was stunning.

I am in love with Deirdre’s dress as much as I’m in love with her maid of honor’s dress. Deirdre got it on a MAJOR sale and bought it for Anna, basically hoping it would fit. It was perfect.

That moment when a bride sees herself all put together as a bride in the mirror.

Mike gave Deirdre the perfect rose gold necklace that went with her bracelet.

Deirdre wanted to do a first look with her father. I think her goal was to get him to cry.

I love this picture of the ring! *Chef’s kiss!* I knew I wanted to use the Maid of Honor’s dress as the background for the rings as soon as I saw it!

My second photographer, Jill, met Mike over at the Tokeneke Club to get some photos of him getting ready while he was with his groomsmen and family.

Mike opted for a custom navy suit and it was pretty perfect.

Usually when I mention details to a groom in our meeting before the wedding he’s not so sure what that all entails. But Mike knew he was going to want his sunglasses, cufflinks, and bowtie.

This is one of those times I had Ben pick up a camera because I could just picture this shot from up above and Jill and I were going to be on the ground. (I love having Ben as a 3rd photographer whenever I really need it.)

Deirdre wanted to walk towards Mike and then tell him when to turn around for their first look. I love her thumbs up!

Deirdre + Mike were meant to have their “ceremony” here, but unfortunately rain and wind came in and as you’ll see they had to move their ceremony inside. But I’m so glad we were able to do their first look, some portraits, and their family portraits here.

Tokeneke Club is an interesting venue in that it’s a circle, but it’s also on a beach. I loved the blue awnings in the front because as you’ll see they also went with their reception.

Deirdre + Mike had a small bridal party and it made it so easy to move around and take lots of bridal party pictures quickly.

Because the venue is a circle it provides unique angles in the architecture and I love all the crisp white lines.

Even though Deirdre + Mike were married the night before at the church, they still did a little “ceremony” for those that did not attend. Mike’s sister was able to “officiate” and put together another beautiful ceremony.

Married… again!

On the backside of the Tokeneke Club is the beach. It was an overcast day, but it made for some really beautiful and stunning pictures on the rock jetty.

And because they had a small bridal party we were able to get them all out on the jetty as well for some pictures. If it had been a large bridal party it would have taken forever.

One of my favorite features of the Tokeneke Club is on the ground floor there are large clear garage doors that they open up so you can still see the outside during coctail hour and the reception. It also allows for great airflow!

This feature also gave us the option to take some pictures after the ceremony when it was raining outside but Deirdre had put on her cathedral length veil and I wanted to get some more portraits (So picture me standing outside in the rain with Ben holding an umbrella over me. Maybe one of my favorite Team Ben & Cassady moment. Haha)

Veil pictures make me so happy!

Deirdre + Mike had a little bit of a longer cocktail hour and since they did all their pictures before the ceremony, we were able to have extra time to photograph the reception space.

I just always love when I can get a different angle. And from up above is such a great way to capture a wider shot.

(I may have stuck Ben up on the balcony again.)

Greenery is such a great way to add color in, but still look natural. And against white, it’s an amazing contrast color. I especially loved all the greenery that was hanging from the balcony.

As their card holder they had a personalized whiskey barrel!

Time to party! They love to dance and had a live band that brought it!

Apparently it is common for Mike’s family friends to do a human pyramid at weddings. Mike made it on top for a second before it all fell down.

We tried to get another big group shot! (Which meant I was standing on a chair on the balcony!)

Oh I love these two! I wish we lived closer so we could get hang out!

Deirdre + Mike,

I had an absolute blast photographing your spring Tokeneke Club wedding and being a part of it. You both are so kind and such a joy to be around. I wish you nothing but the best and so many happy years of marriage!

SPRING TOKENEKE CLUB WEDDING VENDORS:

THE DRESS | Carold Hannah

THE VEIL | Jasmine Veils on Etsy

THE SHOES | Michael Kors

BRIDESMAIDS’ DRESS | Mac Duggal from Lord & Taylor

HAIR | Simply Gorgeous by Erin

MAKEUP | Jessie Lynn

GROOM ATTIRE | Charles Tyritt

CHURCH | Corpus Christi Church

RECEPTION VENUE | Tokeneke Club

FLORIST | J Bella Favors (Jocelyn)

BAND | Silver Arrow Band

INVITATION SUITE | Perfectly Invited

VIDEOGRAPHER | Fantasy Flash

PHOTOGRAPHER | Cassady K Photography

2ND PHOTOGRAPHER | Jill Holewski

CHECK OUT DEIRDRE + MICHAEL’S ENGAGEMENT SESSION