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September 29, 2012 | Posted in Blog, Life, Photography, Travel

Part 1: Our Gorgeous Ceremony in Riviera Maya (Photos)

The internet has brought many couples together in many ways, including us. Allen and I met 12 years ago in a chat room on AOL. We’ve been together ever since, and we both enjoy our common love for travel and food. When we got engaged, we knew we wanted to have a small, intimate wedding with our closest friends and family. Allen and I are not overly formal people, so we both agreed that it was important for our wedding to be fun and memorable, yet romantic. With all of that in mind, we decided on a destination wedding. Luckily for us, we came across the luxurious Grand Velas in Riviera Maya, Mexico, and we absolutely fell in love. This elegant and spectacular resort is situated along the beautiful white sand beaches in Riviera Maya. We thought the backdrop was absolutely breathtaking. and the award-winning hospitality and food made it the perfect spot to have our destination wedding.

The ceremony had to be one of my favorite parts. It was elegant and simple. From the beautiful gazebo overlooked the turquoise water, to the long awaited moment of “I do”. We even had to delay the start of the ceremony by an hour because of the unexpected downpour. But nothing can stop me from walking down the aisle with my dad because I was so ready to marry my best friend- Allen. Luckily the sun came out and everything worked out perfectly. It was the first time I have ever seen my husband got emotional as he recited his vow to me. The incredible views and scenery were the perfect backdrop for our fairy-tale like wedding.
(More photos will be coming up on my next post featuring my DIY detail & receptions).

All Wedding Photography By: Laura Ivanova Photography / Wedding Venue: Grand Velas Riviera Maya in Riviera Maya, Mexico / Wedding Planning: Elena Galicia of Grand Velas Riviera Maya / Floral Design: Maya Floral / Wedding Cinematography: Hollywood Cinema / Wedding Invitations + Stationery: The Bride / DJ: Mood Event Services / Table Runner + Headband: The Bride’s Sister, Merry / Travel Planning: Worldwide Group Travel & Events / Wedding Dress: Ronoche via Kleinfield / Bride’s Shoes: Bourne / Bride’s Makeup: Barbara Garcia of Grand Velas Riviera Maya / Groom’s Attire: Men’s Wearhouse

Sarah+Allen Wedding at Grand Velas Riviera Maya Resort

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January 20, 2012 | Posted in Blog, Life, Photography, Travel

Travel Themed NYC Engagement Shot by Laura Ivanova

Many of you know that I’m going to get marry at Riviera Maya, Mexico in May. Since I love photography so much, I was concerned about hiring a photographer down there or though the resort. After much debate and research on photographers, I went with the option hiring Laura Ivanova from the state and bring her down to Mexico with us. I asked myself after the wedding is over, what am I going to have left? My answer is our photos. Everything is going to fly by so quick so an investment in photography is a must for us.

Laura, is such amazing photographer to work with. I love the way she sees and captures us through her eyes. After seeing our NYC travel theme engagement photos, we couldn’t have been happier with our choice and the result. I’m looking forward to my wedding shoot with her. If you’re looking for a wedding photographer please check out her beautiful works on http://www.lauraivanovablog.com. I also want to thank my make-up artist Jina Yoon at JAC Beauty. She turned me into a model!

NYC Engagement Shots by Laura Ivanova

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September 5, 2011 | Posted in Blog, Food, Life, Travel

Cafe Henri – Reminiscent of a Parisian Cafe In New York City

My fiance and I were in the mood for a light brunch this weekend. We visited Cafe Henri, a charming French cafe in Long Island City. It has a very relaxed atmosphere with an etching of Henri, the owner’s dog on the glass window. The cafe feels very inviting and filled with details like artworks and vintage chandelier that is reminiscent of a Parisian cafe.

The brunch menu has a great selection of French comfort food and variety of sweet crepes. Many people said their Eggs Benedict was really good, so we ordered the eggs benedict with smoked salmon served alongside a salad. And what did we think? Three words: We love it! In addition to the Eggs Benedict, we also ordered the Les Escargot and French Onion Soup. They are flavorful and beautifully presented. The escargot came in a very flavorful garlic butter sauce that was so divine. Everything was fantastic and if you are looking for a light French meal then look no further. Go check out Cafe Henri.

Café Henri
1010 50th Ave
Long Island City, NY 11109
(718) 383-9315

Cafe Henri, French Brunch in NYC Cafe Henri entrance

Cafe Henri, French Brunch in NYC We started out with orange juice

Cafe Henri, French Brunch in NYC Allen didn’t know what to ordered yet

Cafe Henri, French Brunch in NYC The vintage chandelier look

Cafe Henri, French Brunch in NYC Interesting….

Cafe Henri, French Brunch in NYC Gratinee A Oignon – French Onion Soup

Cafe Henri, French Brunch in NYC Les Escargot – snails baked in garlic butter

Cafe Henri, French Brunch in NYC La Saumon Fume – smoked salmon, egg, salad, mayo, basil on baguette.

Cafe Henri, French Brunch in NYC He’s getting full

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April 6, 2011 | Posted in Blog, Photography

Beautiful Food & Lifestyle Photography By Brittany Carr Seely

One of the best things about working in the creative field is the people I meet along the way. Aside from doing web design I always get inspired by the talented people that I get to work with everyday. In this post I would like to introduce you to Brittany Carr’s work. She’s a New Jersey-based photographer who specializes in food and lifestyle photography. I am really fortunate to work with her over at Disney and for the past year and half. We’ve been working on various project together using her imaginative sense of photo style. So check out her work below and go to her portfolio at www.brittanycarrseely.com for more.

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February 10, 2011 | Posted in Blog, Life, Photography, Travel

Pontassieve, A Medieval Village in The Heart of Tuscany.

We departed from Florence to the Chanti wine region after the market. On our way there we had a stop-over at a really charming town called Pontassieve. It’s an old town in the Tuscany region, located east of Florence. We visited the church and the cave of Santa Brigida located in the village. It was a fun trip with beautiful scenery of Tuscany. Our guide was informative and told us the story of Santa Brigida who lives in the cave when her brother past away. She was so upset she only ate bread & water every day. The church was made and dedicated to her name. After leaving Pontassieve and passing along the olive trees on the hills we arrived at this mediaeval castle. My wine tasting tour will continue on my next post, stay tuned!

Note* : This is the 1st part of the Chanti wine tour we booked through Viator Travel

(Santa Brigida Church)