Elegant New York Wedding at Whitby Castle by Jess Palatucci

September 8, 2022

I have been dying to step outside of my comfort zone in Pennsylvania and do more destination weddings. It is where my passion lies and is what sets my heart on fire. Don’t get me wrong, PA will always have a piece of my heart but getting to travel is also something that I enjoy doing. After speaking with Alexandra and Paul about their wedding plans, I immediately knew I had to work with them. Their creative vision for their wedding day as well as their wedding venue checked all the boxes and I was ready! Their elegant New York wedding at Whitby Castle was one I will continue to rave about for years. The details came together so perfectly to have one of the most beautiful weddings I have ever had the honor of capturing!

Whitby Castle // New York Wedding Venue

Whitby Castle is a 126-acre event space that takes your wedding day to the next level. The elegance throughout the entire property is truly pristine and one of a kind. You are surrounded by manicured lawns, stunning views of the Long Island Sound, and a large ballroom to fit all of your wedding guests. If you are looking for pure and utter elegance that will elevate your entire wedding day, then I would highly recommend checking out Whitby Castle.

Getting Ready & First Looks

It was a beautiful day to capture Alexandra and Pauls’s wedding. We first started off the day at Paul and Alexandra’s hotel where they were getting ready. The hotel was the Delamar in Greenwich Harbor. We spent that morning with all of the brides, bridesmaids, groom, and groomsmen getting ready. Of course, Alexandra and Paul were in separate suites anticipating the moment they would soon see each other. Typically once we arrive, we will start with detail photos which of course were just as beautiful as you could imagine. It’s important that during the getting ready process that we stick to a schedule, hence why a wedding timeline is so important. If you want to know why this is so important, click here!

We spent the morning having the ladies enjoy a glass of champagne while in their matching robes and really soaking in the moment. It wasn’t long until it was time for Alexandra to slip into her dress. We made sure to take a few portraits of Alexandra and her bridesmaids and really soak in this morning with everyone. Alexandra also decided to do a first look with her dad which made this morning all the more special. Tears, smiles and laughs were exchanged and made this such a memorable moment for the both of them.

Elegant New York Wedding at Whitby Castle

It wasn’t long until it was time to make our stride to their church ceremony at the Church of the Resurrection. The interior design of the church was absolutely to die for, I loved every minute of it. Make sure that if you are having a church ceremony that you communicate with your photographer if there are any restrictions. Sometimes church ceremonies will require photographers to stand a certain amount of distance away from the altar, so just make sure you ask that prior to your wedding day! The ceremony, while brief was still beautiful and really moved everyone who attended.

As Alexandra and Paul said their vows and had their first kiss, it was a euphoric moment. They had been waiting for this moment for so long and it finally was here – woohoo! They exited the church with confetti flying in the air as their wedding guests cheer them on. Some of my favorite moments, I swear.

Portraits & Reception

Alexandra and Paul exited the ceremony in a vintage getaway car that would take them from the church to their reception. Naturally, we had to take some portraits of them in the car. I mean it’s not every day you get to have a getaway car, right?! We made sure to take a lot of photos with Alexandra’s cathedral-length veil which added all the drama. Shortly after, we made our way to the reception at Whitby Castle. We took a few portraits outside in the beautiful sunny weather while the rest of the wedding guests enjoy cocktail hour.

The reception came and let’s just say that these guests knew how to par-tayyyyy. The reception was held in one of Whitby Castle’s grand ballrooms and it was breathtaking. Alexandra and Paul made their grand entrance as husband and wife and also did their first dance. The night was spent having tons of drinks, dancing on the dance floor, and also included an outfit change for Alexandra. Her dress was sparkling and made it a lot easier for her to dance the night away. A dress change is always a good backup plan just in case you get hot or uncomfortable while dancing!

Alexandra and Paul’s wedding night ended with a sparkler grand exit surrounded by all of their wedding guests. The night sky was clear and all you could hear was the cheering of everyone around them as they took this next step in their journey together. It truly was such a sweet moment to witness and was the perfect way to end their wedding day.

Cheers to Alexandra and Paul on such a beautiful and sparkling day!

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