Alexis & Olva’s City Hall Wedding Portraits in Astoria | NYC Wedding Photographer

Celebrating Their Marriage in the Neighborhood They Call Home

There is something really special about wedding portraits that feel deeply connected to a couple’s everyday life together.

After getting married at City Hall, Alexis and Olva wanted portraits that captured not only the excitement of becoming newlyweds, but also this chapter of life they are building together in Astoria. The two of them live together in Queens, both work as software engineers, and are huge cat lovers. Every part of the session felt personal to who they are as a couple, which always makes photos feel even more meaningful.

Alexis wore a beautiful tea-length white dress paired with a cozy white sweater that gave the entire look such a timeless New York feel. Olva wore a suit with one especially important detail: a cat pin attached to his jacket so their cat could symbolically be included in the day too. It was such a small but thoughtful detail that perfectly reflected their relationship and life together.

Portraits in Astoria Park & Around Queens

We started the session in Astoria Park, which was the perfect backdrop for relaxed wedding portraits. Even though they were initially worried about not being comfortable in front of the camera, that quickly changed when they realized it was all about just being them. The two of them were incredibly playful and affectionate together from the beginning. A lot of the session was spent laughing, wandering through the park, and simply enjoying the excitement of finally being married.

One of my favorite things about smaller wedding portrait sessions like this is how relaxed they tend to feel. There is no rush or pressure from a full wedding timeline. Couples can really settle into the moment and enjoy being together while I document it naturally.

Alexis and Olva were constantly giggling together throughout the session, which made photographing them feel effortless. We explored different corners of the park together before eventually making our way toward the subway station near their apartment.

Including NYC Details That Felt Personal to Them

The subway photos ended up being some of my favorites from the entire session because they felt so distinctly New York while also reflecting their real everyday life together.

I always love when couples include locations that are genuinely meaningful instead of focusing only on traditionally “pretty” spots. Years from now, these images will remind them not just of getting married, but of the neighborhood they called home during this season of life.

We took photos inside the station, walking along the streets nearby, and throughout Astoria as the afternoon continued. The entire session felt playful, intimate, and completely authentic to who they are together.

One of the things I love most about NYC wedding photography is that the city allows couples to tell their story in such personal ways. Whether that means iconic skyline views or quiet neighborhood corners, the best photos usually come from locations that already hold meaning. Alexis and Olva’s gallery captured exactly that feeling. Their wedding portraits were not about creating something overly formal or elaborate. They were about documenting two people completely comfortable with each other, celebrating a huge milestone in the middle of the life they have already built together.