New York City Wedding Photographer | Vintage Modern Southern California Wedding Photography » Maggie Harkov is an international modern wedding & lifestyle photographer based in New York City.

Wait no longer, folks!  She’s here!  As promised, the precious Madelyn Paige, the newest member of the Alix family and our newest baby niece is gracing the pages of maggieharkov.com with her adorable face. 

WARNING:  the pictures that follow contain some of the cutest faces you’ll ever see.  Don’t say I didn’t warn you…

While Mr. Hallmark and I were in California last week, we left our little one with Grandma and Grandpa Harkov.  Leaving her for the first time was a little traumatic for me, I’m not going to lie, but Mr. Hallmark was completely nonchalant about the matter.  I mean, it’s not like he made a detailed excel spreadsheet outlining her eating, bathroom, command, and walking schedule or anything.  I mean, we’re not those people.  Pfff!  Please!  We couldn’t even pretend to be OCD if we tried!  (Note. the. sarcasm.)  OK, so I know we’re a little crazy about our Sophie, but we look into those big brown eyes and just turn to mush.  (And I thought I’d be a tough mom one day…uh oh…)

Grandma & Grandpa Harkov were a tremendous help to us and despite our ambivalence to leave Sophie, we felt so assured knowing she was in such good hands running around in the country for a few days while we soaked up some California sun with the Jensen clan.

Sometimes I don’t believe how lucky I am.  I’ve been unbelievably blessed with a truly wonderful family and I married into an equally extraordinary family.  My second parents, as I like to call them, are truly amazing.  They aren’t my in-laws, they are my second parents.  I called them Mom & Dad the day Mr. Hallmark & I got married and it instantly felt right.  Having moved away from my entire immediate family of 23, the Harkov’s completely welcomed and embraced me into their family and are some of the most loving, kind, generous, and thoughtful people I’ve ever known, let alone had the privilege to call Mom & Dad.  They aren’t the biggest fans of having their picture taken, but I had to pay a small tribute to them.  Thanks Mom & Dad!  I love you guys!

Happy Friday!

LOVE this sweet moment…

After years of begging, and months of strategically placing different puppy breed and obedience training books around the apartment where I thought Mr. Hallmark might happen to stumble upon them, he finally agreed.  We could get a puppy. 

In typical Hallmark form, we wasted no time.  We immersed ourselves in everything puppy.  We took quizzes to help us pick the right breed, found a breeder we loved, read books, picked a vet, puppified the apartment so it would be safe and ready for its arrival, bought all the necessary supplies and drove up to Maryland, ready to find the perfect puppy for us. 

As newlyweds, what better gift to give one another than a puppy who would fill our home with fun, joy, and love? (i.e fur, late nights and early mornings, scratches on the hardwood floor, holes in our socks, and accidents on every square inch of our new apartment) and we were right.  Sophie has changed our lives for the better and we can’t imagine our lives without her now.

When we walked into our breeders home, all of the little 12 week old puppies came running over to us, except for one.  Crouched beneath the couch, with only her little head peaking out, Sophie looked out at us with her big baby brown eyes and we were hooked.  Moments later, while we were petting her brother, Sophie came over and crawled confidently into my lap and she never left.  This was our puppy. 

Sophie came into our New York City apartment and made it feel even more like home.  She has filled our lives with so much happiness and we are simply smitten with her.  We adore her enthusiasm.  We love how she runs to greet us when we’ve just come up from taking the garbage out like she hasn’t seen us in a month.  We love that she bolts through the front door when she & I come back from our walk, jumping up on the bed and licking his face with an incredible fervor to wake Mr. Hallmark from his slumber.  We love how she sits by the door waiting for him to come home.  We love how she knows when to just be calm and be there.  We. love. her.  She has the ability to make us smile and laugh constantly and has filled our home with an irreplaceable joy.  We simply adore her.  She’s our Sophie.

This one just cracks me up.  She fell asleep sitting up!

As my father reached for my hand and sounds of Nat King Cole’s voice filled the warm summer night air, my heart filled with an indescribable fullness.  As my daddy twirled me around the dance floor, tears streamed down my face onto my heavily blushed cheeks.  I was no longer his youngest little girl standing atop his big feet, trying to learn how to dance, but a young woman starting my own life with a man that would now fill the shoes he had filled for so many years of my life. 

My daddy is a man I adore with all my heart.  He is a man that loves and cares for his family and drops anything to just be there.  He is a man that adores the ground my mother walks on, that laughs so hard he cries, that listens like nothing else is more important, that gives of himself to charity and to people with less, that protected and shielded us from harm, that comforted and calmed us, that tells corny jokes, that lights up in the presence of his grandchildren, that allows others to feel immediately at ease, that gives all he has to give, and lives his life with incredible heart. 

My dad is my daddy and I will never forget all the sacrifices he made for our family.  I will never forget how he went to school and worked full time or how he worked while we were still fast asleep in order to provide for our family.  I’ll never forget dancing atop his feet in the living room as he taught me the polka, laughing the entire time.  I’ll never forget the way he flew across the country to help me move or the way his eyes filled with tears as I left to go away to school.  I’ll never forget the way he raised 5 daughters, the way he’d tell our friends we were “precious cargo” whenever they drove us somewhere or the way he gave written tests to new boyfriends.  I won’t forget how he told us the car was a “lethal weapon” before our first driving lesson or the way he always asked if we’d read the chapter, done the examples, had a clean piece of paper, sharpened pencil, and eraser before he’d help us with our math homework.  I’ll never forget how he’d try to make me laugh on the way to auditions or sing along as I warmed up in the car.  I’ll never forget the way he cared for his own parents or the way he looks at and loves my mom.  I’ll never forget his contagious laugh or the way he looked at me on our wedding day.  I’ll never forget any of it.  He is my daddy dear and I love him more than he’ll ever know.

Happy Father’s day, Dad, and to all the Dads out there!

One day Janet and Philip went out to get a cup of joe at Starbucks, and, in addition to a cup of warm frothy goodness, they got each other.  After nine years of dating, they finally got hitched and they couldn’t have looked more excited about it.

I have to say, one of the most amazing things about my job (besides the obvious part of sharing in one of the happiest days in a couple’s lives) is getting to observe who the couple is together and what they bring to one another.  Janet & Philip have this great energy together and after nine years, they look even more smitten than I imagine they did at 9 months.  I absolutely love the way Philip looks at Janet.  You completely see the love in his eyes for her and it’s the most beautiful thing to witness.

First looks are becoming the new trend today, and I can understand why.  Mr. Hallmark and I opted out of a first look, wanting the first time we saw each other to be when I walked down the aisle with my parents.  But, I have to admit, that the moment is no less special if you choose to have a first look.  In fact, a first look is one of the few moments the bride and groom have alone together all day.  The photographer is able to just stand back and capture the couple in one of the most intimate and emotional moments during the day.  A first look also allows for more photograph time without having to steal the bride and groom from the cocktail hour or reception for any formal shots that may be wanted and lets the happy pair just enjoy their party.  Yay for Janet & Philip!

From the moment Philip laid eyes on Janet during their first look, I turned to mush and was thankful Kleenex was nearby.  Their first dance, and their dances with their respective parents were all captured amongst some tears and had it not been for the hilarious Jose Reyes, who brought me on board to shoot with him, I might not have been able to see through my lenses! :)   A big thank you to Jose for continuing to teach me things and make me laugh every time I work with him, and to Janet & Philip for loving they way they do.

Here are a couple from their big day…