We Are For Each Other: NYC Wedding Photography Notes

Candid wedding and engagement photography in New York

“We Are For Each Other” was the name of a wedding and engagement photography portfolio run in New York City in 2011 and 2012 by photographer Dese’Rae L. Stage. Its tagline described the work as “not your ordinary” wedding photography, and the pictures lean toward colour, humour and unposed moments rather than stiff, formal portraits. This site is an informational archive about that work. It does not take bookings and is not operated by the original photographer.

What the portfolio covered

The archived galleries and blog posts describe a mix of assignments:

  • Engagement sessions in city neighbourhoods, such as a Chinatown walk that incorporated the spot where a couple first met, and a sunny session in the Silver Lake area of Los Angeles.
  • Small weddings and elopements in New York, including a private French-language ceremony followed by a day of sightseeing around the city.
  • Destination weddings, such as a green wedding at a lakeside science centre in Vermont.

About the photographer

Stage worked across several fields, including live music, headshots and portraits. The archive describes a career that grew out of an early interest in poetry and psychology, a mentorship in 2011 with a well-known stock photography agency, and a personal photo project about suicide-attempt survivors. You can read more on the photographer profile and the Live Through This project page.

Explore the archive

Why look at an archive like this

Photography portfolios from the early 2010s capture a particular moment in wedding style, when many couples were turning away from heavily staged images toward relaxed, story-driven coverage. They also show how independent photographers used blogs to introduce themselves, share sessions and build a regional reputation.