Amy Rizzuto Photography » The Official Blog

The night was a clear one, the night that Maria and Nick met.  It was Memorial Day, 2009, and fate brought them both to the same party on that beautiful evening. Maria and Nick found each other locked in  one-on-one conversation for hours under, as Maria remembers it,  the “drizzly night sky”.  Though they were just sitting in plastic chairs in the driveway, it felt perfect.  Early in the conversation Maria thought, “Wow, I could listen to that voice for the rest of my life.” She then promptly scolded herself for thinking something so crazy. Nick confessed to her many weeks later that he caught her eyes the second he walked into that party and knew right then and there that they were meant to be.

It was only 6 weeks later that Nick told Maria how much he cared for her.  They spent an incredible day in NYC…walking around the Metropolitan Museum of Art, enjoying a fancy dinner with wine, and strolling together in Central Park under the gleaming moonlight.  It was under that soft light that Nick officially asked Maria to be his girlfriend.

Fast forward to 2012.  Maria and Nick were discussing their anniversary plans.  Nick suggested heading back into the city to recreate their special day from three years ago.  Maria quickly agreed, suspecting nothing.  When they arrived to the same beautiful fountain where Nick asked Maria to be his girlfriend, he got down on one knee in front of hundreds of people and asked her to marry him!  Maria happily agreed, hugging Nick close as he slipped the sparkly diamond ring on her finger. This sweet couple is tying the knot in October and I couldn’t be more excited for them!  Check out a few of my favorite photos from their Central Park/West Village engagement session below.

We began Maria and Nick’s Central Park engagement session at the east side entrance on 72nd street.  Spring was in the air, making the park come alive with some of the most beautiful flowers I have ever seen!

Nick and Maria actually grew up in neighboring towns, exactly one mile apart!  They worked in the same shopping mall (Nick’s store was directly above Maria’s) and then down the street from each other as Maria was managing a restaurant and Nick was working in a physical therapy clinic.  Some of Maria’s patients were Nick’s customers and they used to tell her all the time about their super sweet physical therapy assistant.  Maria and Nick were only steps away from each other for years and they never met, that is, until the timing was perfect.

Maria is a writer now, winning many awards for her brilliant talent!

Maria and Nick so perfectly compliment each other.  They spend their days laughing and smiling, simply just enjoying one another’s company.

This is just steps away from the spot where Nick proposed to Maria!  The Bethesda Fountain brings back so many happy memories for this couple.

LOVE.

Maria and Nick were up for anything, even climbing this magnolia tree!

I just love how romantic these photographs feel.

After Central Park, we headed down to the West Village for a few pretty photographs at dusk.

To happiness.

As the twinkling lights of the city began to appear, Maria and Nick strolled down the cobblestone streets, hand in hand.

Maria and Nick, thank you both so much for a wonderful day in Central Park and the West Village!  It was a true pleasure learning more about your love story and I am so excited for your wedding this October. Until then…happy planning!

The sun was especially warm for a spring day in April.  Watching the brilliant beams glisten as the waves rolled over the smooth stones in the sand reminded Erin of another day just like this.  It was Labor Day weekend and she was down at Island Beach State Park with Matt.  They had been together for almost three years now and Erin couldn’t believe how fast the time had flown by.  Walking hand in hand on the beach she smiled as she thought about how quickly they had fallen in love and how much Matt’s constant support had meant to her these past few years.  She couldn’t imagine life without him.  Little did Erin know just how much Matt was feeling the same way.  Reaching the perfect location, Matt got down on one knee and pulled out a stunning diamond ring he had picked out just for Erin.  He told Erin how much he loved her and asked her to marry him!  As Erin began to process the excitement of the moment, she threw her arms around Matt as she exclaimed YES!   This adorable couple is tying the knot June 8th at the Madison Hotel and they couldn’t be happier!

Erin and Matt, I had so much fun capturing your engagement session in Long Branch, NJ this Sunday.  The weather was absolutely beautiful and it was a true joy to spend the afternoon with you.  Enjoy a few of my favorite photographs from our time together below!

Erin’s ring is SO GORGEOUS!  It was sparkling all day in the sun.

Erin and Matt were naturals in front of the camera, laughing and playing fondly as we made our way from the pier to the beach.

LOVE.

Erin loves wine and Matt actually brews and bottles his own beer!  They packed a picnic with their favorites and enjoyed them on the beach together.

As the sun set, it cast a dreamy, golden haze over the water.  This is, by far, my favorite type of light as it is so soft and romantic!

Loving this dress Erin!  You look INCREDIBLE!

The best photographs show the true joy and authentic emotion of the couples inside of them.  I believe this one does just that for Erin and Matt.

Thank you Erin and Matt for sharing an amazing afternoon with me on the water.  It was such a pleasure to spend more time with you and I am already counting down the days to your beautiful wedding this June!

 

April is beautiful in New York City.  The flowers budding slowly on the trees, the warm spring breeze,  and the sweet songs of the birds that can be heard over the busy city streets if you listen just close enough…it really is the perfect time of year.  This Sunday, Kelly and Mark decided to take advantage of the pretty weather and go for a stroll over the Brooklyn Bridge.  The views were incredible all around them, but Kelly couldn’t take her eyes off one thing…the stunning two-caret diamond ring Mark had given her the night before!  In a suite filled with hundreds of candles, Mark got down on one knee and asked Kelly to marry him.  To top off this lovely proposal, he also surprised her with an engagement session the next day!   Being as Mark and Kelly are from London, they wanted to find a spot that overlooked the Manhattan skyline.  We headed to DUMBO for some breathtaking views, cobblestone streets, and adorable brownstones.  Check out a few of my favorite photographs from their Brooklyn engagement session below!

We started Kelly and Mark’s engagement session at Jane’s Carousel in Brooklyn Bridge Park!

Every girl needs a pair of Christian Louboutin’s.

Kelly and Mark were still on cloud nine from their proposal the night before!  It was truly a joy to be around this happy couple.

Mark’s love for Kelly is obvious!  It is easy to tell he absolutely adores her.

Kelly actually works in the wedding industry!  She is the proud owner of Princess Patisserie and creates fabulous wedding cakes for her brides.

Mark and Kelly’s relationship is so full of LIFE!  It is a breath of fresh air to be around them.

Love this photograph with the Manhattan Bridge in the background.

Kelly and Mark have already started planning their wedding!  They dream of an intimate ceremony in Florence, Italy.

Kelly, you are so BEAUTIFUL!

Just as our session was about to end, the sun appeared from behind the clouds creating this gorgeous light!

I left this adorable couple to soak in a gorgeous NYC sunset…just the two of them.  Thank you Mark and Kelly for sharing such a special time in your lives with me.  It was a true honor to capture your surprise proposal and lovely Brooklyn engagement session.  I wish you both the best of luck as you start to plan your wedding and your lives together!  Enjoy every moment.

There is just something so amazing about the California sun.  Descending slowly over the Pacific ocean it practically engulfs you, hugging you with a soft golden haze. As the waves roll over one another, the light dances across the water, casting thousands of tiny beads glistening in a sea of blue and foamy white.  Feet buried deep in the warm sand, it might be one of the most magical places in the world.

A huge smile spread across my face as Liz and Ben waved at me from the front lawn of the Four Seasons Resort.  They are two of my closest friends and I couldn’t have been happier to see them.  Originally high school sweethearts from North Carolina, Liz and Ben made the move to Los Angeles almost a year ago.  I am photographing their wedding this May, and I can’t wait to see two people so perfect for each other and completely in love commit to spend their lives together!

Liz and Ben, thank you so much for creating the opportunity to hang out with me while I am out on the west coast!  I had so much fun capturing your Santa Barbara engagement session and I can’t wait to share a few of my favorite photographs from our afternoon on the beach.  Enjoy these pretty pictures of you in your new HOME!

Ben and Liz are getting married on a cliff overlooking the gorgeous mountains in Greenville, South Carolina!  I am already so excited for their incredible day.

This sweet couple first started dating as sophomores in high school.  Ben saw Liz riding her bike through his neighborhood and he was immediately smitten.

Ben was a great pitcher for the baseball team at Gardner-Webb University.  He still loves throwing the ball on the beach with Liz.

Liz, your ring is GORGEOUS!

Congratulations again Ben and Liz!  Your relationship is so inspiring and I couldn’t be happier for two of my favorite people on the west coast.  I LOVE YOU!

The best kind of love comes from a strong friendship.  It starts as a tiny bud and then blossoms more beautifully than ever imagined.  Tony and Kelly met in college, at Elon University in North Carolina.  They immediately became friends and stayed friends all four years.  It wasn’t until a few months before graduation that Tony and Kelly realized they both wanted more.  Their relationship began to bloom, right before Tony moved 2,776 miles away to attend UC Berkley in California.

It has been almost two years, and Tony and Kelly are closer than ever!  Even though Tony is physically in California and Kelly in North Carolina, they are still thinking about each other this Valentine’s Day.  In a sweet act to show how much he cares, Tony has written Kelly a surprise love note and has been so kind to allow me to share it on the blog!  Kelly, you are one lucky girl.  Happy Valentine’s Day.

From Tony:

Kelly,

I could say all the usual things like “I love the way you smile” and “I love how you are always there for me,” and those things would all be true. But what sets you apart and truly makes me love you more than anything are these unique things:

I love how hard you work in order to be the very best in all that you do.
I love how much you care about others.
I love waking up to your texts in the morning.
I love that you refuse to let me brush my teeth in peace.
I love that you and I can laugh about stupid little jokes until our whole bodies hurt.
I love our nightly phone calls.
I love how you make me a better person.
But most of all, I love that you are my best friend.

Happy Valentine’s Day.

Tony is actually my brother in law! (Can you tell the resemblance to my husband Matt in the post below?)  Matt and I had the pleasure of spending a week with Tony and Kelly over Christmas.  Here are a few of my favorite photographs we captured on our day in New York City.

I love this one of Tony and Kelly laughing together in Bryant Park.  They look so happy together and their love truly shines out of the photograph.

Thank you Tony for sharing such a beautiful surprise on the blog today.  I hope you and Kelly both have a wonderful Valentine’s Day!