UGHHHH Ok. We love Alexa & Nick. They are the talented video team behind Folded Crane Films. When they asked us to photograph their Waterloo Village wedding last August, we may or may not have screamed with joy. We had a magical time photographing their Asbury Park engagement session, and knew the wedding day would be just as amazing.

We had the pleasure of first getting to know these two while on a job together in 2019 (Shout out Alexandra & Albert!!) We knew immediately that they were super fun and easy to work with. Four years later, we’ve made some really amazing friends in these two! While shooting their wedding alongside videographer Amanda (and Christo!) of AKAM Productions, we knew it was going to be the best day ever!! Oh, and Julian from Posh DJs lit up the reception with everyone’s favorite nostalgic punk rock songs.

 The Details

Alexa’s simple and elegant dress was Justin Alexander from Bridal Suite Boutique. Nick wore a suit from Studio Suits and they both looked super sharp. The right mix of classy, upscale boho.

Some really sweet personal touches throughout the day began with Alexa and all her girls getting ready at her aunt’s salon, The Beauty Bar. Everyone felt comfortable and right at home. Meanwhile, Nick simultaneously got ready at the couple’s apartment with his guys. Their kitties Poppy & Sprout were present for his getting ready process. 🙂 He could also brew up some fancy espresso to start the day while home, and if you know Nick then you’ve probably gotten a 20-page long text about what kind of coffee/espresso machine to buy. (Nick, we say this with love!)

The ceremony was performed by Keith Shapiro, their teacher from high school who watched their budding love begin. Yes – they’ve been together THAT long. They used to pass each other loves notes in the form of folded paper cranes – hence the name of their business. How cute is that??

Invitations were made lovingly by Christine, Nick’s Cousin and all the pressed flower pieces were made by Madi, Alexa’s MoH & BFF! And finally, the ceremony processional singer/guitar player was Larry, a good friend & Nick’s old band mate.

The Vision

“Relaxed, organic & boho. We want to have a very chill party with all the people we care about.  For florals, I want to do a mix of dried flowers and living. Living for the bouquets – wild, unstructured pops of color (pink, orange, yellow, white)

Bridesmaid dresses will be mismatched colors – earthy, warm colors like rust and champagne. I want the whole thing to feel natural and organic. I don’t want anything to feel too staged but we also don’t like things too rustic. We like the idea of it feeling “homey” and comfortable. I just want to have FUN! While I love the idea of some formal portraits of the two of us, we also would love candid/wild/free/intimate vibe posing – like running, dancing, jumping on each other etc.”

A noteworthy and unique moment was their version of a unity ceremony, in which Nick and Alexa made pour-over coffee together. It was honestly perfect, and so very them. Additionally, a friend did a reading of an original poem he wrote during their ceremony. With so many special touches throughout the day, we were just honored to be there and document it all.

The night ended with the couple crowd-surfing to our favorite emo-punk songs (and Nick breaking his glasses, lol), a fireside night shot and (OF COURSE) Nick making Alexa a fancy latte. We expected nothing less.

Tell us about yourselves!

“Nick and I have known each other for years! We went through all the school systems together and always were “acquainted”. We became really good friends in high school and had the same friend group. We eventually started dating, went to prom together etc. We both went to film school together and have an awesome friend group who made a bunch of films together. We dated again in our junior year of college and have been together ever since! We have two kitties, Sprout & Poppy, who are literally our world haha. We love to hang home and watch movies/shows together with a glass of wine or some weird mushroom chocolate drink (that’s all Nick lol). We’re also always on the pursuit of the best bowl of ramen we can find!

We’re so excited to have everyone we care about in one place hanging out, dancing and eating! We are also really excited to have some GOOD photos of us for a change haha. We’re always behind the camera!

Can’t wait to work with you guys <3″

THE BEGINNING
2006-2021

“Two emo-wannabe kids going through the tumultuous middle school phase.
There’s never been a single moment, that either of us can remember, as the “first meeting”. As long as we can remember, we’ve always just known each other.

Alexa thought Nick was cute and super cool. She thought he was even COOLER when he dyed his hair black in 8th grade. Nick always thought Alexa was super cool, but he was too nervous to ever go up and talk to her.
Their paths crossed many times during those middle school years. From cooking to sewing to gym class and Lit. The universe always had a way of keeping them in each others lives and brought them closer together in the process.

However, it wouldn’t be until 5 years later that they’d grow close enough to give it a go.
During their senior year, Nick and Alexa were in the same English class with a huge group of their friends. After Nick slid in Alexa’s DMs (HA!) – they began exchanging mixtapes and little notes folded into origami paper cranes.
Just a few weeks later, Nick was asking Alexa to be his girlfriend – using Sinatra lyrics, of course. He even showed up at her house with a boom box overhead playing “I Melt With You” (a la Say Anything) to ask her to Prom!

They experienced some really important and meaningful milestones together in the next couple years and eventually reunited in college to study filmmaking together.
They spent next their college years on LOTS of film sets, attending (and winning) film festivals, traveling the world, eating too many pancakes, drinking lots of coffee and learning to navigate adulthood after college.

Alexa & Nick eventually started a business together, rented their first apartment and adopted two fur children, Sprout & Poppy!”

THE PROPOSAL
10.24.21

“What Alexa thought was as a surprise birthday party for her dad in Asbury Park – was really a super secret, elaborate plan for Nick to propose!

Alexa & Nick went down to Asbury with her dad and siblings thinking that the rest of the family would surprise her dad for dinner. The two of them broke off from the family for a few minutes to meet some film friends on the beach to get a “quick drone shot” for a film they had been working on. All of which was BEFORE they had met up with the rest of the family.

While filming the drone shot, Nick slowly flew the drone up to the boardwalk to reveal all of Alexa’s family members holding up signs that said “Will you marry me?”
Needless to say Alexa was VERY surprised and unbelievably grateful that their families were included in such an important moment in their lives.

Nick & Alexa are so excited to spend the rest of their lives together. There is nothing more exciting to them than building a home and family together. They can’t wait to celebrate their love together with their family & friends!”

******

Steve and I are so overjoyed to share this high-spirited and high energy wedding with all of you!

You can also view their wedding video by Amanda of AKAM Productions here:

 

 

VENDOR NOTES

Venue / Waterloo Village
Videographer / AKAM Productions – Amanda Kaminsky (and Christo Apostolou)
Florist / Brkfst in March – Hannah
DJ + String Duet / Posh DJs – Julian
Makeup Artist + Hair Stylist / The Beauty Bar
Officiant / Keith Shapiro (teacher from HS)
Dress / Justin Alexander from Bridal Suite Boutique
Suit / Studio Suits
Invitations / Christine McMillen (Nick’s Cousin)
Pressed Flower Pieces / Dainty_pa – Madi Baver (my MoH & BFF!)
Ceremony Singer/Guitar – Larry Flatley (Good friend & Nick’s old band mate)