Settles Hill Banquets Wedding | Altamont NY | Hadley + Matthew

Some couples make my job especially easy because their connection is so natural, and Hadley and Matthew are definitely one of those couples.

I first met these two during their engagement session in Saratoga the summer before their wedding. I remember leaving that session thinking about how incredibly sweet they were together, so I had been looking forward to their wedding day ever since.

And they didn’t disappoint!

Hadley and Matt are constantly talking, laughing, and completely wrapped up in each other. I may have jokingly told Matt a few times during portraits that he had to stop talking to Hadley long enough for me to get the shot—but honestly, I love that about them. Their connection is genuine, and those little interactions are exactly what I want to capture.

A Beautiful Settles Hill Banquets Wedding

Hadley and Matt chose Settles Hill Banquets & Events for their wedding celebration, surrounded by their family, friends, and plenty of excitement.

The morning started with lots of emotions—and quite a few nerves!

Before Hadley saw Matt, though, there was someone else who needed a first look with the bride.

Her dad.

A First Look With Dad—and Lola!

Hadley’s first look with her dad was one of the sweetest moments of the day.

You could immediately see the emotion on his face when he saw his daughter as a bride for the first time. I absolutely love photographing these moments because there’s really nothing to direct or pose. I simply get to stand back and capture the reaction as it happens.

And Hadley’s family dog, Lola, wasn’t about to miss out!

Lola joined them for the moment and was VERY excited about everything happening around her. She was running around, checking everyone out, and making sure she was part of the action.

I always love when couples find ways to include their pets in their wedding day. They’re family too, and having Lola there made an already meaningful moment even sweeter.

Hadley + Matt’s Wedding First Look

Both Hadley and Matt were feeling the nerves that morning, which made me even happier that they had decided to do a first look.

This is one of the reasons I love first looks.

A wedding morning can feel like a whirlwind. There are people everywhere, a timeline to follow, and months—or sometimes years—of anticipation suddenly leading up to this one moment.

Then you finally see your person.

Almost immediately, everything seems to settle.

That was exactly what happened with Hadley and Matt. Once they saw each other, you could visibly see them relax.

And Matt had a surprise waiting for his bride.

He presented Hadley with a beautiful bouquet of flowers during their first look, adding another incredibly sweet moment to their day.

Seriously, Matt—way to set the bar!

Saving Their Wedding Portraits for the Perfect Light

One advantage of doing a first look is having the flexibility to complete many of the formal photographs before the ceremony.

We were able to photograph their wedding party earlier in the day while intentionally saving Hadley and Matt’s bride and groom portraits for later.

And I’m so glad we did.

During their reception, we slipped away for a little while as the sun dropped lower in the sky. The softer evening light gave us a beautiful opportunity to slow things down and create portraits of just the two of them.

I love stealing my couples away during a reception for sunset portraits whenever the timeline and weather allow.

After spending most of the day surrounded by family, friends, and a wedding party, those few minutes give newlyweds a chance to step away from everything and actually enjoy being married.

And, of course, it gives us some beautiful light!

Celebrating at Settles Hill Banquets & Events

Once the formalities were finished, it was time to celebrate!

Hadley and Matt chose both a beautiful wedding cake and a candy bar for dessert—which I’m pretty sure made every guest happy.

Music Man Entertainment kept everyone entertained throughout the reception while Hadley and Matt celebrated with the people who mean the most to them.

From the emotional first look with Hadley’s dad to Lola joining the festivities, Matt surprising Hadley with flowers, and those beautiful evening portraits, there were so many moments throughout this wedding that felt completely them.

Hadley and Matt, congratulations!

Thank you for trusting me to photograph such an important day. I hope years from now you can look through these images and immediately remember not only what your wedding looked like, but exactly how it felt.

Wishing you both so many years of happiness!

Planning a Settles Hill Banquets Wedding?

If you’re planning a Settles Hill Banquets wedding or getting married somewhere else in Albany, Altamont, or the Capital Region, I’d love to hear what you’re planning.

Whether you’re dreaming about a first look, sunset portraits, including your dog, or all of the little personal touches that make a wedding feel like your own, my goal is to document the big moments and all of those little moments happening in between.

#Happilyeverhartman

Hadley + Matthew’s Settles Hill Banquets Wedding Vendors

Venue: Settles Hill Banquets and Events
Floral: Allison Sangentti
Videography: Elevated Memories
Cake: Kathy Reedy
DJ: Mike Garassi, Music Man Entertainment