Hudson Valley Wedding Photographer | Hudson Valley New York | Hudson Valley Weddings

Kathryn Cooper Weddings: Creative Hudson Valley wedding photographer with a vibrant, joyful, candid photojournalist style.

Here’s what to know about Hudson Valley weddings–and what sets me apart as an experienced Hudson Valley wedding photographer (plus other recommended Hudson Valley wedding vendors!)

About Kathryn Cooper Weddings–and my work as a Hudson Valley wedding photographer

This is delightfully different wedding photography

I’m so glad you’re here to see my work as a Hudson Valley, New York wedding photographer, and to hear all the awesome reasons (and ways) to get married here.

An experienced wedding photographer who lives in the HV and has photographed in dozens of countries worldwide, my style can be described as colorful, creative, and candid photojournalism.

A few things to know about me:

• I’ve lived in the Hudson Valley, New York for about 30 years–so, most of my life, but also have a home in California (where I was born). I’ve also lived in Asia, Europe, the Caribbean, and different parts of the USA
  
  
• Though I’m based in small-town New York State, I’ve traveled throughout over 55 countries, and on every continent except Antarctica. That means I bring ideas from all over the world to your shoot, so you get unique photos, not cheesy, trite images. Go big and bold with your photos, that’s what I say!
  
  
• My photography style can be described as vibrant, candid, creative, and one-of-a-kind. There are so many words that can be used to describe similar styles, and some of those are natural/true-to-color/vibrant, documentary/candid/photojournalism, and creative/unique/artistic. My couples have used all those words to describe my style, but most of all they comment that I catch moments and emotions they had missed, but love reliving through my images. They also love the totally unique, customized portraits I deliver that are on the more creative/wacky side, such as night shots with colored lights, trips to wacky museums or gardens, the different lighting techniques I use, and more. Location-wise, I may be a Hudson Valley wedding photographer, but style-wise, there’s so much more than meets the eye!
  
  
• I’m a destination wedding photographer who just happens to have grown up in Upstate New York, but have photographed worldwide. I’ve captured weddings and celebrations in 20 states and quite a few countries, such as India, the Dominican Republic, Nicaragua, Switzerland, Myanmar, and more!
  
  
• Working with me in person is not complicated! In fact, my couples say it’s both enjoyable and stress-free. Being in front of the camera can be nerve-wracking, but as a candid photojournalist here in beautiful New York, we get to have fun at local botanical gardens, beautiful museums, farms, ice cream shops, historical mansions…you name it. It’s about being yourselves, not staring into my camera.
  
  
• I spend weeks prepping for and hand-editing each photo from you wedding, and do it from beginning to end by myself to ensure you’re getting the most amazing final product. This means I’ll get on Zoom with you multiple times if you like, recommend little-known Hudson Valley locations for your elopement, and meticulously go through each and every photo prior to delivery. I care a LOT, and I don’t outsource this vital work.
  
  
• When you hire Kathryn Cooper Weddings, you always get me. I don’t hire others to shoot in my place, ever.
  
  
• I’m dorky, but I’m FUN! My job is to make sure you have fun, because those make for the most delightful photos. Just don’t ask me to dance. I love catching dancing photos all night long, but cannot dance to save anyone’s life.
  
  
  For photography of everything from proposals to multi-day weddings, you can contact me via my online contact form here, or directly via email: info@KathrynCooperWeddings.com.
  

I’ve listed much more below about HVNY wedding venues, being an LGBTQ+ inclusive wedding vendor, where the Hudson Valley actually is, and more.

About the Hudson Valley, NY

Once considered “that place north of NYC,” the Hudson Valley is now a highly desirable, and darn beautiful, gathering of epic views, amazing hiking trails, quaint towns, Amish villages, breweries, presidential mansions, and so much more. Heck, the wedding prices and house prices also reflect that. Anywho.

The Hudson Valley–which stretches from Westchester and Rockland all the way up through Albany and Rennsalaer, encompasses not just the expected barns and farms, but wineries, skyscrapers, concert halls, gardens, castles, museums, award-winning ice cream shops, rock climbing paths, mountains, historical districts, and so much more.

In addition to being a destination and New York wedding photographer since I photograph all over NY State, I also am a Catskills wedding photographer. Now, technically Catskill Park is mostly outside of the Hudson Valley (as shown on this map from HudsonRiverValley.com), but many areas and towns in the HV call themselves the Catskills, since the greater area overlaps quite a bit. Others would argue that Westchester, Rockland, Albany, and Rensselaer are not the real Hudson Valley. Some would argue we’re Upstate NY. Others would scoff at that.

But this is about wedding photography in the Hudson Valley, no? And I’m welcoming to all–no reason to quarrel.

In 2022 alone, I photographed about a dozen weddings in the Catskills, so I absolutely include this gorgeous mountain region in the Hudson Valley.

In case you’re wondering, this is me: a full-time photographer based right here in New York. Sometimes I appear to be an awkward 25 years of age in photos, but rest assured I am a much, much older awkward person in front of the camera. I started my first photography business, Kathryn Cooper Photography, back in 2008.

As a commercial photographer, event photographer, and wedding photographer in New York’s Hudson Valley, I know of so many diverse spots, and spots that are so very different from NYC wedding venues. Hudson Valley wedding venues range from the expected barn wedding venues, to industrial chic, to wineries, to historical, to garden, and so much more.

I’ve listed examples below, and have a shortlist of 14 Unique Wedding Venues in the Hudson Valley that I love.

A Welcoming Space | LGBTQS2 Wedding Photography + Vendors

My network of trusted vendors and I are also LGBTQS2 wedding vendors and allies, and though this shouldn’t have to be said in 2022, my clients (about 25% of whom identify as part of the LGBTQ+ community) know I offer a safe place for all, and can recommend LGBTQ+ wedding venues and vendors who are also equality minded. Representation and diversity, and being welcoming to ALL is very important within my business.

Looking for a Wedding Venue in the Hudson Valley? This Part of New York Has It All

Castle wedding venues. Brewery weddings. Woodsy celebrations in the mountains. Posh rooftop venues. The Hudson Valley has a shocking number of wedding venues, from Rockland wedding venues just north of New Jersey, to Catskills full-weekend wedding venues, to Westchester mansions, and so much more.

Hudson Valley, New York Wedding Venues – A Sampling
This is just a quick sample list to give readers an idea of all the diversity that Hudson Valley has to offer in venues. There are dozens, if not 50+, in each category. (Now you know why so many Brooklynites and couples from NYC travel to the Hudson Valley to get married!)

Industrial Wedding Venues: Senate Garage and the Factoria at Charles Point

Castles: Lyndhurst Castle and Whitby Castle

Winery Wedding Venues: Red Maple Vineyard and Magnanini Winery

Barns: Hudson Valley Weddings at the Hill and Roxbury Barn & Estate (see my list of Hudson Valley barn wedding venues here)

Mansions: The Briarcliff Manor and Mohonk Mountain House

Private Estates: A Private Estate and Arrow Park

Gardens: Boscobel Gardens and Locust Grove Estate

Wedding Venues with Views: Lambs Hill and The Grandview

Golf Courses/Country Clubs: The Garrison and The Links at Union Vale

Summer Camp Wedding Venues with Onsite Accommodation: Full Moon Resort and Gather Greene

Unique Wedding Venues: A Christmas Tree Farm like Emmerich Tree Farm; a renovated 1920s music hall in Woodstock like The Colony; an outdoor sculpture park like Storm King Arts Center; a Bear Mountain Inn wedding at a carousel

Because I’ve photographed so many weddings all around the Hudson Valley, I have a list of favorite vendors, ranging from DJ to florals, that I love working with. Feel free to reach out with any questions!

So Much More Than Weddings:
Hudson Valley Elopements, Proposals, Engagements, and More

While wedding venues here in the Hudson Valley are great, the main reason I love being a Hudson Valley wedding photographer is the rich beauty of the landscape. Photographing Hudson Valley elopements, engagement sessions, and proposals are truly the best here, because I can bring folks to places they didn’t know existed so close to bustling New York City.

I’ve traveled worldwide, yet some of my favorite places to photograph are right here in the gorgeous Hudson Valley–no joke. It took decades of me living here to realize that I was so darn lucky to grow up here.

From state parks to legendary castles, and epic waterfalls to boating on the Hudson River–well, being a Hudson Valley wedding photographer is hard to beat. You can see why~

Kathryn Cooper Weddings: Hudson Valley Wedding Venues | Hudson Valley New York Wedding Photographer | Hudson Valley Wedding Vendors + Recommendations