Ellen Zaslaw Photography

Spirited wedding at Celebrations

Ellen Zaslaw — Thu, 03 May 2012 05:44:31 +0000

Lawn wedding at a gracious Aurora home – Ithaca photographer

Ellen Zaslaw — Sun, 12 Feb 2012 04:05:04 +0000

Casey and Jamo had been a fixture for so long, many thought they were married already. But they decided finally to take their vows in Jamo’s home town, Aurora, in the gardens of dear friends. This informal, country-style wedding expressed the couple’s values in a variety of ways. The meal was a foodie’s delight (they are foodies), and it included, of all things, chicken provided by the Aurora Fire Department. Chicken provided by the fire department? Seriously?

In Jamo’s words:
“Seriously. …Fire departments… often hold chicken barbecues in the summer to raise money. We’re quite fond of the version made by the AFD, and thought it would work well with some of Pumpkin Hill [the caterer]‘s salads/etc, to help create the hybrid casual/rustic/elegant feel we were going for. Most of all, we liked the idea of some of our wedding spending going to help the fire department — we tried, when possible, to direct our spending and that of our guests to causes and entities we care about.”

Casey’s gown: Punk Rock Bride
Flowers came from a few places, but primarily Hometown Florist in King Ferry
Caterer: Pumpkin Hill Bistro
Wine: Thirsty Owl
Rentals: Auburn Party Rental
Deft DJ: Jamo himself!

Picturesque wedding photographs at the Fontainebleau Inn

Ellen Zaslaw — Wed, 06 Jul 2011 04:03:54 +0000

The weather could have gone either way. It had been raining earlier, more rain was threatening, and Terri and John Van Soest, the owners of the Fontainebleau Inn, waited until the last to decide whether to put the chairs outdoors for the ceremony. Groom Don was checking online weather reports practically by the minute, but finally they all took a leap of faith, and they were rewarded. The ceremony took place largely in sunshine.

Fiona and Don are an adventuresome couple. For picturesque backgrounds for portraits, they were willing to walk through spongy wet grass and muddy paths, Fiona in trailing gown and high heels, to the historic Lawrence Chapel and its cemetery. Afterwards, Fiona, undismayed, rinsed the mud off her gown and the wedding proceeded. They were going to be hiking in Austria on their honeymoon, but no hike would be quite like this one. I’d like to think our visit to the old graveyard was a way for Fiona and Don to say “till death do us part.”

I thank David Spellman for assisting me in photographing this wedding. He’s always an asset, that man.

Hair & Makeup: Satori Day Spa
Dress: Bella You, Rochester, NY
Florist: Ithaca Flower Shop
Music at ceremony and cocktail hour: Jeffrey Sherner
Catering: Word of Mouth Catering, Trumansburg
Cake: Sincredible Pastries
Bus: Swarthout Coaches
DJ: Michael Erb

A church wedding in Ithaca, reception at Dano’s on Seneca

Ellen Zaslaw — Mon, 04 Jul 2011 01:36:28 +0000

Lauren and John were married at Immaculate Conception Church in Ithaca on a sunny, sticky, sizzling, rainy, cloudy, clearing, chilly day. They celebrated later at Dano’s on Seneca Lake. The day’s weather was simply an advance on their wedding trip to England, where the weather is famously changeable. It didn’t begin to subdue the spirits of this adoring couple, euphoric to be married at last.

Hair: Satori Salon
Flowers: Plenty of Posies (from the Ithaca Farmers Market)
Gown: Reva Mivasagar
Milliner: Blair Nadeau
Tuxes: Hage Tailor Shop
Band: Mike Titlebaum Jazz
Cake maker: Sarah’s Patisserie
Bus company: FitzGerald Bros Finger Lake Winery Tours
My thanks to Peter Ozolins for assistance at the ceremony.

maternity and paternity portrait photography

Ellen Zaslaw — Sat, 04 Jun 2011 21:37:21 +0000

Though this photo shoot originated as an expectant father’s gift to his wife, envisioned as portraits of her, in the event the couple decided they wanted the first “family portraits” of the three of them, mom, dad, and baby Ella. Ella was traveling incognito at the time, but she would reveal herself very soon. We needed to go no farther than the couple’s back yard to find pleasing backgrounds for the session.

this wedding and portrait photographer loves landscapes too

Ellen Zaslaw — Sun, 09 Jan 2011 05:42:01 +0000

On a recent trip to California — the Bay Area and Big Sur — I shot these landscapes. A good landscape is always a terrific backdrop for a portrait, though I didn’t have any brides or grooms on hand to prove my point at the time. But just imagine!

brother and sister: portraits around Cornell

Ellen Zaslaw — Thu, 30 Dec 2010 02:09:48 +0000

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an engagement session at Stewart Park in Ithaca

Ellen Zaslaw — Sun, 11 Oct 2009 17:09:36 +0000

This couple wanted to be photographed in Stewart Park and even on a certain swing, the place where it all began, when a friendly outing to the park became much, much more.

a wedding at the Fontainebleau Inn in Alpine, New York

Ellen Zaslaw — Sat, 10 Oct 2009 14:36:34 +0000

That photographer is David Spellman, my alter ego. He flew in from California to shoot this wedding with me. The dear bride called us her “dream team.”

Venue: Fontainebleau Inn, Alpine

Catering: Word of Mouth, Trumansburg

Florist: Michaleen’s, Ithaca

Hair stylists: Resistance Salon, Ithaca

Ceremony and cocktail hour music: Cornucopia Ensembles, Ithaca

DJ: Michael E. Mobile Sound, Syracuse, New York

a wedding at a grandmother’s homestead in North Lansing, New York

Ellen Zaslaw — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 02:30:46 +0000

Catering: Hope’s Way, Ithaca

Florist: Creations by Carol, Lansing

Tent and furniture rentals: Auburn Party Rental, Auburn

Make-up artist: Blush Skin Boutique, Ithaca

Restroom trailer: Executive Coaches of New York

Musicians: Ryan Zawel and associates