Your Long Island Wedding Videographer & Photographer
Hey — I’m Dane
If you are planning a wedding on Long Island, you already know how incredible this place can be. From the waterfront estates of the South Shore to the lush gardens of the North Shore, Long Island has a way of making every wedding feel cinematic without even trying. As a Long Island wedding photographer, I have had the privilege of documenting love stories across some of the most stunning properties this region has to offer — and every single one has reminded me why I do this work.
My name is Dane Nelson. I am a Jamaican-born, New York-based wedding photographer and videographer, and I have built my entire approach around one idea: the moments that matter most are the ones you are not posing for. The quiet exhale before you walk down the aisle. The way your partner looks at you when they think the camera is not watching. The dancing that starts before the DJ officially opens the floor.
Those are the moments I am here to preserve. And on Long Island, with its stunning light, incredible venues, and couples who know how to celebrate, there is no shortage of them.
Why Long Island Is One of New York's Best Wedding Destinations
📸 A Note on My Style
I shoot documentary-style — meaning I blend into your day rather than direct it. You will barely notice I am there, but I will notice everything. My goal is for you to look back at your gallery and feel the day all over again, not just see how it looked. That is the difference between a photograph and a memory.
Couples from across the country and around the world choose Long Island for their wedding, and it is easy to understand why. Within an hour of New York City you have access to waterfront mansions, historic estates, botanical gardens, and Gothic castles — each with its own character, its own light, and its own story.
Long Island wedding photographers work in one of the most diverse and visually rich environments in the entire Northeast. The region's microclimates mean golden-hour light that changes dramatically from the South Shore bays to the North Shore Sound. The mix of architectural styles — from 1920s Gilded Age estates to contemporary glass-and-garden atriums — means no two venues ever produce the same gallery.
As someone who has shot across Nassau County, Suffolk County, and into Westchester, I can tell you that this region rewards photographers who pay attention. The light here is extraordinary. The venues are varied and visually generous. And the couples who choose Long Island for their wedding tend to care deeply about the details — which means they care deeply about their photographs.
Long Island Wedding Venues I Love to Photograph
Every venue has a personality. The best photographers learn how a space moves, where the light falls at 4pm versus 7pm, which corners produce magic and which require creative problem-solving. Below are three Long Island and greater New York venues I know intimately — and why each one is a photographer's dream.
Riviera Waterfront Mansion
Massapequa, Long Island, NY • South Shore
"Where the Great South Bay becomes your backdrop."
✨ What to Expect
Up to 350 guests — spacious and non-cramped
Exclusive venue hire — one wedding per day
Six hours of exclusive facility access
On-site catering and full event coordination
Family-owned since the 1940s — personal, attentive service
Built in 1926 and sitting on 1,200 feet of Great South Bay shoreline, the Riviera Waterfront Mansion is one of Long Island's most iconic waterfront wedding venues. The moment you arrive — whether you come by car along the bay road or by boat to the private dock — you understand why couples keep choosing this place. It is the kind of venue that does not need embellishment. The water does the work.For photography, the Riviera offers something that is surprisingly rare: consistent, beautiful natural light from morning through sunset.
The 300 feet of windows facing the bay mean that even indoor shots carry that luminous, sun-on-water quality. The grand ballroom's exposed beams and cathedral ceilings add warmth and texture to reception images. And the newly renovated bridal suite — with its private balcony overlooking the bay — is one of the finest getting-ready spaces on the South Shore. I could photograph a couple there for an hour and never run out of moments.The venue hosts only one wedding per day, which means the grounds are yours. No other couple competing for the dock at sunset. No crowded gardens during cocktail hour. Just you, your people, and 1,200 feet of shoreline.
📸 Best Photo Spots
Waterfront ceremony site with Great South Bay views
Private balcony of the bridal suite at golden hour
Grand ballroom — exposed beams and cathedral ceilings
The dock and shoreline at sunset (extraordinary light)
Manicured gardens along the water's edge
Whitby Castle
Rye, NY • Westchester (overlooking Long Island Sound)
"Gothic Revival grandeur on the shores of Long Island Sound."
Whitby Castle is not technically on Long Island — it sits across the Sound in Rye, Westchester — but it draws so heavily from Long Island wedding culture, and so many Long Island couples choose it, that no guide to this region would be complete without it. Designed in 1852 by the legendary American architect Alexander Jackson Davis, the castle was built with authentic stones imported from the original Whitby Abbey in England.
Standing on 126 acres with Long Island Sound stretching out below the cliffs, it is one of the most dramatic wedding venues in the entire Northeast.As a photographer, I am drawn to Whitby Castle for the same reason couples book it: everything is a frame. The Gothic arched windows. The rose marble flooring. The crystal chandeliers catching afternoon light in the grand ballroom.
The turrets and exterior stone walls that photograph like something from a European editorial. There is a willow tree near the main entrance that is genuinely one of my favourite trees to photograph a couple under in all of New York. The way the branches fall, the softness of the light filtering through — it makes every image feel like a painting.The stained glass chapel windows, the outdoor terrace with Sound views, the sweeping 126-acre grounds — every corner of this property rewards the photographer who takes time to walk it before the wedding begins. And I always do.
📸 Best Photo Spots
The willow tree near the main entrance — a standout spot
Gothic arched windows for interior ceremony frames
Rose marble ballroom floor — reflection photography
Exterior stone facade and turrets — editorial/castle imagery
Outdoor terrace overlooking Long Island Sound at dusk
📸 Best Photo Spots
The wooden bridge over the Koi pond — iconic ceremony approach
14,000 sq ft tropical atrium with natural overhead light
The island gazebo — surrounded by water and gardens
Rose Cottage bridal suite with abundant natural light
Swan Pond, vineyard rows, and seasonal flowering gardens
✨ What to Expect
Historic 1852 Gothic Revival — a true architectural landmark
126 acres of manicured grounds — never feels crowded
Up to 250 guests for dinner and reception
The Knot Best of Weddings 2025 recognised venue
Full-service in-house catering — one less thing to coordinate
Flowerfield Celebrations
St. James, Long Island, NY • North Shore
"A botanical paradise where every season tells a different story."
Flowerfield is the venue I recommend most often to couples who tell me they want something that feels unique — somewhere that does not look like every other Long Island wedding they have attended. Spread across 12 manicured acres in St. James on the North Shore, Flowerfield is part botanical garden, part tropical atrium, part elegant estate. It is the kind of place that photographs differently in every season and at every hour of the day.The 14,000 square foot atrium is unlike anything else on Long Island. Tropical plants reach the ceiling. A 2,500 square foot Koi pond reflects the light through floor-to-ceiling glass.
A rustic wooden bridge crosses the water. A grand piano sits in the corner. The getting-ready space — the recently renovated Rose Cottage — is one of the best I have worked in anywhere in New York. Natural light pours in, the space is beautiful and unhurried, and it sets the tone for the entire day.And then there is the island gazebo. To reach it, your guests cross a wooden bridge over the pond. When I photograph that moment — the couple walking across the bridge toward their ceremony, the water below, the gardens surrounding them — it never fails to produce something extraordinary. That one architectural decision, a bridge over a pond, creates a moment that no other venue on Long Island can replicate. Flowerfield hosts one wedding per day, which means the whole 12 acres is yours to move through freely. As a photographer, that freedom is everything.
✨ What to Expect
One wedding per day — the entire estate is yours
Year-round photography with seasonal blooms and changes
Versatile indoor/outdoor spaces for any weather
Considered one of Long Island's best getting-ready spaces
Full-service coordination and on-site catering available
What You Get When You Book a Long Island Wedding Photographer
Booking a wedding photographer is not just about hiring someone to take pictures. It is about inviting someone into one of the most important days of your life and trusting them to see it clearly, feel it honestly, and give it back to you in a way that makes you feel everything all over again.
Here is what I bring to every Long Island wedding I photograph:
Photography
Documentary-style storytelling
Candid and editorial imagery
Full-day coverage from getting-ready to last dance
Edited high-resolution gallery — delivered digitally
Colour-graded to a cinematic, timeless tone
Online gallery with download and sharing rights
Videography
Cinematic highlight film — a movie of your day
Full-length ceremony and reception footage
Seamless photo + video creative direction
Professional audio capture (vows, speeches, first dance)
Colour-graded to match your photography
Delivered as a high-resolution digital file
I offer both photography and videography as a unified service — meaning your photos and your film share the same creative eye, the same colour palette, and the same storytelling instinct. There is no creative disconnect between your gallery and your highlight film. It is one seamless experience, from the first image to the final frame.
Ready to Talk About Your Long Island Wedding?
I respond within 24 hours — by text or email, whichever you prefer.
Frequently Asked Questions — Long Island Wedding Photography
Do you travel to all areas of Long Island?
Yes — I photograph weddings across all of Long Island, including Nassau County and Suffolk County, as well as venues in the greater New York area including Westchester. I am based in New York and regularly shoot at venues across the South Shore, North Shore, and East End. Travel fees may apply for locations beyond a certain distance — ask when you reach out and I will give you a straightforward answer.
Do you shoot both photography and videography at Long Island weddings?
I do, and this is one of the things that sets my service apart for Long Island couples. Rather than hiring a photographer and videographer separately — who may have never worked together and have completely different creative visions — you get both services unified under one consistent eye. Your photos and your film will look and feel like they belong together because they were made that way.
How far in advance should I book a Long Island wedding photographer?
For most Long Island venues — especially popular ones like Flowerfield, Riviera Waterfront Mansion, and Whitby Castle — Saturday dates in peak season (May through October) book 12 to 18 months in advance. I limit the number of weddings I take each year to ensure I can give every couple my full attention, which means availability goes quickly. If you have a date in mind, reach out as soon as possible. My 2026 availability is already extremely limited.
What is your photography style?
Documentary and cinematic. I am not a photographer who stops the day to stage elaborate setups. I move through your wedding quietly, staying aware of the moments that are about to happen and positioning myself to capture them honestly. I do offer some guided portraits — first looks, family formals, a golden-hour session with just the two of you — but even those are kept natural and relaxed. My goal is for your gallery to feel like a film of your day, not a catalogue of poses.
What Long Island venues have you photographed at?
I have experience photographing at a wide range of Long Island and greater New York venues, including Riviera Waterfront Mansion in Massapequa, Whitby Castle in Rye, and Flowerfield Celebrations in St. James. Each venue has its own character, its own light, and its own rhythm — and I love getting to know a new space. If your venue is not one I have listed here, reach out and let us talk about it. Every property is an opportunity.
How much does a Long Island wedding photographer cost?
My wedding photography and videography packages start at $3,500. Every couple's day is different — the hours, the coverage needs, the distance, and whether you want photo only or the full photo-and-video experience all factor in. I am transparent about pricing from the very first conversation. Reach out and I will send you full details within 24 hours.
Let's Document Your Long Island Love Story
Every couple who finds their way to Long Island for their wedding — whether they grew up here, are marrying into a family that did, or simply fell in love with a venue the moment they walked through the door — deserves photographs and film that honour that choice.
I am a Long Island wedding photographer who understands what it means to tell a real story. Not the cleaned-up, perfectly posed version — the honest one. The one that makes you laugh and cry at the same time when you watch it back. The one your children and grandchildren will return to, because it feels true.
If that sounds like the photographer you are looking for, I would love to hear from you.
Check Your Date — 2026 Availability Is Going Fast
I respond to every enquiry within 24 hours.
Our wedding services start from $3500, we also offer elopement and engagement services
Before You Inquire…
Q: Do you travel?
Absolutely — I capture weddings across New York, the Caribbean, and worldwide.
Q: Do you offer both photo + video?
Yes — I specialize in hybrid storytelling for couples who want everything captured seamlessly.
Q: How do I secure my date?
Contract + deposit. That’s it.
If This Sounds Like You… Let’s Talk
Lets Capture Your Dream Day
I'm dedicated to ensuring you have an amazing experience, which is why I limit the number of weddings and elopements I take on each year. I love working with couples who appreciate the beauty of photography and videography as well as the special friendships, intimate moments, and endless adventures that weddings and elopements bring. If this resonates with you, please complete my contact form, and I'll reach out via text or email within 24 hours to schedule a meeting!
Availability for 2026 is extremely limited, so don't wait. Looking forward to connecting with you!