I absolutely loved shooting Sami and Ben’s wedding at The Foundry in Long Island City! The chic industrial space is incredibly versatile and proved to be the perfect venue for a couple whose vision for their wedding day was centered around creating an unforgettable celebration for their family and friends.

Hosting a wedding in the city may seem like it should be a production, but Sami and Ben’s laid-back, generous warmth and the all-inclusive Foundry made the day a breeze. Sami and Ben didn’t opt for a traditional wedding party, deciding instead to invite their friends to The Foundry to get ready together. While the men, including Ben, wore blue suits, the women weren’t given any direction on what to wear, and the group portraits we took showcased a diversity of styles tied together with a loose and natural elegance.

While we shot family and couple portraits in the Foundry’s lounge and main space, Sami & Ben met in the outside courtyard for their first look. Sami’s custom Lakum dress in champagne/blush had clean lines and intricate, subtle detail that popped against the simple styling of her long dark hair. Both she and Ben, in his handsome blue suit, looked radiant in the light of an early spring afternoon.

The details of the day seemed to cohere around the drama of early spring’s colors—yellow, green, and white–from the spare sculptural table arrangements picking up the green and yellow of the Foundry’s velvet sofas, to the gleaming yellow-green pools of olive oil laid out during the cocktail hour. 

During the ceremony, a floor to ceiling spray of  Ivie Joy florals encircled the wall of windows where Sami and Ben made their vows, and ran along with the balcony seating, transforming the industrial space into something closer to a secret garden.

The Foundry proved that hosting a wedding in the city doesn’t have to mean compromising on space or comfort. From the ceremony to cocktail hour, to dinner under the stars, and back inside again for dancing, the easy flow of the space meant that Ben and Sami could just be present to celebrate with the people they loved! This city wedding was intimate, sophisticated and a pleasure to shoot! Congratulations, Sami and Ben!