The Long Island Couple’s Elevated PA Destination Wedding Guide
Happy Anniversary to the incredible couples who made the journey from the shores of Long Island to the rolling hills of the Lehigh Valley this past year. There is a specific kind of magic that happens when you trade the familiar hum of the Long Island Expressway for the winding, tree-lined roads of Pennsylvania. We have spent this morning looking back at your galleries, and the sense of peace and expansive joy in every frame still takes our breath away.
For our Long Island couples, choosing a Lehigh Valley WEDDING isn’t just about a change of scenery; it is a conscious decision to lean into a more intentional, unhurried celebration. While we adore the coastal charm of the Island, there is an undisputed allure to the "destination" feel that Pennsylvania provides, offering a level of luxury and space that allows your vision to breathe.
The Allure of the Expansive Weekend
When you plan a wedding on Long Island, the logistics can often feel like a race against the clock and the traffic. By moving the celebration just a few hours north and west, our couples have discovered that they can host an entire weekend experience for the same investment as a traditional five-hour ballroom reception back home.
We often see our couples hosting welcome drinks at the SteelStacks or a refined rehearsal dinner at a vineyard like Folino Estate. It transforms the wedding from a single day into a legacy event. Your guests, many of whom are making the drive from Nassau or Suffolk County, treat it as a true getaway. They check into historic hotels or mountain resorts and immediately feel the shift in tempo.
A Family-Led Team: The Synergy of Legacy and Innovation
At Birds Of A Feather Photography, we operate differently because we are a family. When you hire us, you aren't just getting a lead photographer and a few hired-gun freelancers. You are getting a cohesive unit that has worked together for years. We provide an all-in-one experience that includes photography, videography, and social media content creation, all managed under one roof.
There is a unique power in our team dynamic. Tassia brings 15 years of seasoned, technical expertise. She has seen every possible lighting challenge, handled every timeline hiccup, and understands the weight of creating a visual legacy that will last for generations. Parallel to that, our younger team members bring a cutting-edge Gen Z perspective to our content creation.
This synergy is what sets us apart. We understand that while you want the timeless, "Vogue-style" portraits that will hang on your walls forever, you also want the quick-turn, high-energy vertical video content for your social channels that captures the "vibe" of the night as it happens. Because we are family, we communicate telepathically on-site. There are no competing egos between the photographer and the videographer; we move as one to ensure your experience is seamless and calm.
Refined Aesthetics Without the "Island" Price Tag
Let’s talk honestly about the investment. We know that Long Island weddings come with a specific premium. By choosing a destination wedding in the Lehigh Valley, our couples are often able to secure "bucket-list" venues that offer massive acreage, mountain views, and high-end amenities for a fraction of the cost of a Gold Coast estate.
Whether it’s the rustic sophistication of Olde Homestead or the resort-style luxury of Bear Creek, your dollar simply goes further here. For couples craving that “refined and rooted” feeling, we love pointing to venues like Glasbern Inn, Stroudsmoor Country Inn, Hotel Bethlehem, and The Lodge at Woodloch as Pennsylvania examples that pair elevated hospitality with a sense of place. This allows our couples to reinvest that budget into the things that matter, like an extra hour of photography, a curated floral installation, or a second-day brunch for their guests. It is about elevated living and celebrating without compromise.
The Art of the Quiet Moment
One of the things we hear most from our Long Island couples is how much they appreciate the "quiet" of the Pennsylvania landscape. Our style is rooted in that quietness. We lean toward a cinematic, authentic approach that favors real emotion over forced poses.
We want you to look back at your wedding photos and remember how it felt to stand in that field at sunset, away from the noise of the city. We look for the reflections in the glass, the gentle touch of a hand, and the way the light hits the veil. These are the details that tell the story of your beginning.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the Lehigh Valley a difficult commute for guests coming from Long Island?
Not at all. Most of our Long Island guests find the drive to be a straightforward 2.5 to 3-hour trip. Once they arrive in the Valley, everything is significantly more accessible than the typical congestion of the LIE. We recommend providing a shuttle from the main hotel block to the venue to make the experience completely stress-free for your guests.
How do you handle the content creation alongside traditional photography?
Our content creator works in tandem with the lead photographer. While Tassia is capturing the high-resolution, artistic shots, our content creator is capturing behind-the-scenes moments, "of-the-moment" trends, and raw video clips on mobile devices. Because we are a family team, we have a choreographed flow that ensures no one is ever in anyone else's shot. You get the best of both worlds: timeless art and modern social storytelling.
Can we do our engagement session on Long Island even if the wedding is in PA?
Absolutely. We love traveling back toward the coast for engagement sessions. It’s a wonderful way to bridge the two locations, capturing your "daily life" roots on the Island before we head to the mountains for your WEDDING.
What happens if it rains on our mountain wedding day?
With 15 years of experience, we are experts at the "Rain Plan." Many of our favorite venues, like Folino Estate or Bear Creek, have stunning indoor options with massive windows that still allow us to capture that airy, natural light feel regardless of the weather. We always come prepared with a calm attitude and a plan B that is just as beautiful as plan A.
The Birds Of A Feather Perspective
Choosing your wedding team is an exercise in trust. We believe that your wedding day shouldn't feel like a high-pressure photo shoot; it should feel like the best day of your life, documented by people who genuinely care about your story. Our 15 years of experience provides the foundation of trust, while our family-led structure provides the warmth and "calm presence" that our couples rave about. We aren't just there to take pictures; we are there to protect your peace, manage the energy of the room, and ensure that the legacy we are capturing is as beautiful and authentic as the love you share. We balance the sophistication of high-end editorial work with the heart of a family business, ensuring that every frame we deliver is a piece of art.
If you are newly engaged in the Lehigh Valley and are looking for vendors that you can trust- we would be honored to work with you! Our family team can only take on a limited number of weddings each year and we would love for yours to be one of them. Please reach out to me, Tassia- at Hello@birdsofafeatherphotography.com or visit our website at www.birdsofafeatherphotography.com.
