YOUNG LOVE : LIZ + BEN

Liz and Ben were young.  When they fell in love that is.  As sophomores in high school, they were drawn to each other in a way that could not be explained.  Ben saw Liz first, riding around their neighborhood before the start of the school year.  He was immediately smitten with Liz, the girl with the long blonde hair and a smile that could knock you off your feet.   Liz was equally attracted to Ben's boyish charm, and soon they were an item.  

College came and life took these high school sweethearts on separate paths.  Ben ventured to Gardner-Webb University to play baseball while Liz attended Clemson, following her dream of becoming a nurse.   For a while, Liz and Ben went separate ways giving both of them a chance to experience life and discover more about themselves.  As their college years came to a close, Liz and Ben found their way back to each other, picking up their love story as more confident versions of themselves.  

I am happy to say that Liz and Ben are two of my closest friends.  Matt and I were lucky enough to spend last weekend with them, exploring New York City and enjoying the company of this wonderful couple.  I captured these photos during our trip to Roosevelt Island and I am so excited to share them with you!  

Some things never change.  Ben is still just as smitten with Liz as he was in high school!

Liz, you are truly a beautiful person, inside and out.  Your smile brings sunshine to every life you touch. 

STOP IT!  You guys are just TOO CUTE!

We arrived on Roosevelt Island right as the sun started to set.  The light made for beautiful pictures.

I am absolutely in LOVE with this photo!  The dreamy feeling the 85mm creates is simply stunning. 

Liz and Ben, you are two of the kindest, most considerate people I know.  Thank you for your friendship.  Your joy for life makes this world a more beautiful place.

ONE YEAR : FILLED WITH LOVE

One year ago today, I married my best friend.  Happy anniversary Matt.  My only hope is that each year will be filled with as much sunshine and love as this one was.  

Mr. and Mrs. Rizzuto!

A special thanks goes out to Alisha Silver for capturing our day so beautifully.  

CITY LOVE : FETTE SAU

Not every great restaurant is located right in the center of Manhattan.  Sometimes you have to travel over the bridge to Brooklyn to experience mouth watering deliciousness.  One of my favorites has to be Fette Sau.  Located in the heart of Williamsburg, Fette Sau has been rated the best BBQ joint in NYC since 2009.  

The entrance of Fette Sau is lined with old wooden picnic tables and the walls are creatively painted with many different cuts of meat.  The menu is loaded with great pork ribs, tender pulled pork and beef, potato salad and BBQ baked beans.  Just thinking about it makes my mouth water!!  My favorite part?  The Cheerwine to wash everything down!  Next time you are in the area, try it out.  I guarantee you will love it!

THE JOY OF NEW FRIENDS : ASHLEY + GRIFF

I was looking for a girl with long blonde hair, she was looking for brown hair with waves.  Our mutual friend Mekina was running late and was quickly texting descriptions of Ashley to me while simultaneously sending Ashley my features.  We spotted each other in Fette Sau at the same time, phones in hand, and laughed.   We had been set up...on a married couples date.

Mekina knew Matt and I would hit it off with Ashley and Griff.  For starters, we all grew up in the south.  Within the first few minutes we realized the amount of friends we had in common couldn't be counted on one hand.  We all love BBQ, washed down with Cheerwine of course.   Ashley and Griff just celebrated their three year wedding anniversary and Matt and I are getting ready to celebrate our first.  If that wasn't enough, Matt and Griff both played baseball in college, Matt at Gardner-Webb and Griff at Harvard.  Most importantly, Ashley and Griff are just good people, warm and caring, with a true heart for others.

In a big city like New York, it is truly a joy when you come across people like Ashley and Griff.  I snapped a few photos of these two as we made our way to the Subway.  I especially love how Ashley links on to Griff's hand, ever so subtly letting him know she cares.

To top it all off, Ashley and Griff have an INCREDIBLE love story!  I hope I will have the pleasure of sharing it with you someday soon!

SNEAK PEEK : HINDU WEDDING IN JERSEY CITY : NIMALI + MAYOOR

I am so excited to share this sneak peek of Nimali and Mayoor's Hindu wedding from last Saturday!  This beautiful couple pledged to spend their lives together at the Hyatt Regency in Jersey City, NJ with the stunning Manhattan skyline as the backdrop to their day.   I was blessed to be invited to second shoot for Studio Nine Photography by Jonathan Rubin out of Philadelphia, PA.  Click here to see their AMAZING work. I will be posting more of Namali and Mayoor's wedding soon...stay tuned!

Namali and Mayoor started their day together with a quiet stroll by the Hudson River.  

The ceremony was held outdoors, with the beautiful New York City skyline in the background.  Namali and Mayoor couldn't have asked for a more perfect day.

I was absolutely amazed by the many rituals of the traditional Hindu wedding.  As Mayoor pledged to take care of his wife, Namali's father accepted this promise by pouring water on his hands.  This is called the paani graham.

Namali and Mayoor's true love and respect for each other was constantly visible throughout the ceremony.  I am really looking forward to sharing their full wedding story soon!  HAPPY WEDNESDAY!

OFFICIALLY OFFICIAL

A feeling of pride and appreciation washed over me as I carefully opened the legal looking document that arrived in the mail, addressed to me.  I reflected back to how I felt a few months ago at the thought of owning my own business, hoping for the best but unsure of where to begin.  Thanks to God's grace and a lot of support from family and friends, it is now officially official.   I am legally the business owner of Amy Rizzuto Photography, LLC and I couldn't be more excited!  Thank you to everyone who has encouraged me to go after my dream.  To you, I am forever grateful.

KINDNESS

"No act of kindness, no matter how small, is ever wasted.  Thursday night I came home to this beautiful bouquet of flowers from my sweet husband.  Even sweeter than the smell of the yellow roses was the note nestled on top.  It read, "I love you!  Congrats on your recent success my little photographer!!  Love, Matthew"

As I took in the words, an overwhelming feeling of love and appreciation came over me as I realized how truly blessed I am to have such a supportive husband.  I love you Matt.  Thank you for constantly encouraging me on this exciting adventure!