Dreamy Whitby Castle Wedding

When I think back to Juliana and Daniel’s wedding day, the first word that comes to mind is joy. Not because the weather was perfect (spoiler: it wasn’t!), but because these two radiated so much love that nothing else really mattered. Their celebration at Whitby Castle in Rye, NY was the kind of day you never forget — full of real moments, deep connection, and a little fairytale twist.

Juliana and Dan have one of those stories that starts way back — freshman year at Villanova University in 2010. They were just friends at first (Dan even went to some of Juliana’s sorority formals… strictly platonic!). Over the years, life took them to different cities, but they kept reconnecting with their mutual group of friends. Then one December morning in Grand Central, of all places, Juliana spotted Dan — yes, even with masks on. She convinced him to ditch his train and grab dinner with friends, and from that one spontaneous night, everything changed. A few months later, they were dating — and now here we are.

I first met them when Daniel found me on Google to shoot his surprise proposal in DUMBO. It was one of those shoots where you instantly click with a couple, and afterward, Juliana told me she couldn’t imagine anyone else photographing their wedding. That meant the world to me, and I couldn’t wait to be there for all of it — especially once I found out their reception would be at Whitby Castle.

There’s just something about Whitby Castle. It has this old-world charm, a vintage feel, and when you add in a couple like Juliana and Dan — it turns into something truly special. Even though their wedding was in mid-April (which usually means blooming trees and soft spring light), this particular weekend was more like late winter. Cold. Rainy. Not quite what they had in mind. But they didn’t let it get to them — especially Juliana, who was determined to take photos outside Whitby Castle, no matter what. And guess what? We got lucky. Right as we arrived at the castle, the rain paused just long enough for us to sneak outside. That little window gave us some of my favorite images from the whole day — including their private vows, with the castle behind them and just the softest mist in the air. The weather may have been unpredictable, but the vibe? Pure romance.

They got ready separately — Juliana at her childhood home, surrounded by her mom and bridesmaids, and Daniel at the Sheraton with his groomsmen. One really emotional moment happened when Juliana recreated a photo her mom had taken with her own mom on her wedding day. I loved seeing that kind of generational bond play out in such a meaningful way. Later, Dan read a letter from Juliana right before heading to the church — another emotional pause in a fast-moving day.

They skipped the first look, which made that church moment even more powerful. When the grand doors opened at the Church of the Resurrection and Dan saw Juliana for the first time, it was everything she’d been dreaming of. During the ceremony, they had this easy, playful way of exchanging little smiles and jokes — like no one else was in the room. It was so clear how deep their bond runs.

After the ceremony, we had a classic bubble exit (yes, it’s as fun as it sounds) and then made our way to Whitby Castle for the reception. The bridesmaids wore dark green satin dresses, all in different styles, and they looked so good — especially against the stone and greenery of the castle and the grounds. The color palette for the reception itself was white and champagne, really timeless and elegant, which worked beautifully with the romantic interiors of Whitby Castle.

We spent some time before the cocktail hour taking all the important family and bridal party photos (with plenty of layers and warm-up breaks!), and then stole the couple away for some portraits around the castle grounds. One of the funniest — and ultimately most magical — moments happened when I tried to get a photo of them wrapped in Juliana’s veil. The wind was wild, the veil kept flying off, and we all laughed a lot. And those shots turned out to be my favorite — full of movement and happiness and just… life.

The night kept unfolding with so much heart — emotional speeches, a sweet (and very low-key) cake cutting, and the couple sneaking out with me for a few night portraits under the glow of Whitby Castle’s uplights. It felt cinematic, quiet, and beautiful — like the perfect ending to a love story that’s still just beginning. Juliana and Daniel, thank you for choosing me to be part of such a special chapter. From that surprise proposal to dancing the night away at Whitby Castle, it was such an honor to witness it all. Rain and all, your day was unforgettable.

Juliana and Daniel’s wedding at Whitby Castle wouldn’t have been the same without the incredible team behind the scenes. Here’s a shoutout to the amazing vendors who helped bring their vision to life:

Photographer: Alina Delfino Photography
Videographer: Love Life Films
Venue: Whitby Castle
Dress Designer: Pronovias
Dress Boutique: Virginia’s Bridal
Hair & Makeup: Stephanie
Florist: Westchester Floral
Live Music: Heartbeat Dance Band

If you’re inspired by Juliana and Daniel’s dreamy wedding at Whitby Castle, let’s make your dream day just as unforgettable. As a New York wedding photographer, I’m here to capture every special moment. Reach out today to start planning your perfect wedding!

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Alina Delfino

Testimonials

Alina was so easy going and great to work with, I reached out only two weeks before our last minute wedding in New York, and she was able to travel and be there for us on our day. Although we weren’t able to meet in person before, she made me feel so comfortable while taking pictures. Her energy and directing made it so easy to feel like friends were taking our pictures. She was willing to walk through a wooded/wet area and all over the grounds of the venue to get a wide range of shots which was everything we had hoped for. She made the whole process such a breeze since day one. We are so grateful we get to cherish these photos for years to come and cannot thank her enough. If you’re looking for an amazing wedding photographer in New York who will make you feel comfortable and laugh the whole time during your pictures, she’s the one!

Phoebe Skulczyck

Wedding

Alina was amazing!!! She coordinated with us ahead of the shoot and she also recommended me great MUAS! She was able to recommend places that exactly suited our vide of our photoshoot and was in constant communication leading up to the shoot, even given us tips for NYC. Upon meeting her she was lovely! She made us feel comfortable, gave us ideas for poses and was so easy going and talkative. She picked out great locations for us and gave us our photos hours after the photoshoot. Would recommend her as a NYC engagement photographer 100 times over!

Alyshia Badial

Engagement

Alina is the best! Her communication leading up to our engagement session was perfect, and she made us feel at ease throughout the entire process. She by far exceeded our expectations. The pictures are STUNNING and it was a plus that she was able to get the edits back to us in a timely manner. Thank you again Alina. We cannot wait to have you for our wedding!

Meaghan Kelley

Engagement

We booked Alina for our wedding this past June, and the entire experience with her was absolutely phenomenal. She was professional, kind, organized and patient from our very first chat to the wedding day itself. Alina captured the most beautiful shots for us and we couldn’t be happier with the photos and service we received. The photos are STUNNING! Our guest even said they are magazine worthy. She took the time to capture photos of all our guests, families, and all the big and small moments. Absolute 10/10, zero complaints.

Cassandra Celestin

Wedding

We used Alina for our engagement shoot and wedding photography and I am so happy with our choice. Leading up to both events she gave us helpful advice and kept in communication so we were never left in the dark. On our wedding day she was timely, organized, and efficient. She did a great job organizing a large group and had a beautiful eye to be able to capture outdoor pictures in the winter! Alina was able to give us direction on how to pose and make us feel really comfortable in the moment, which is something we were worried about. She gave us our wedding photos back super quickly and the editing is amazing. She kept such a realistic but beautiful color to them and she truly made the whole day magical! We would 100% recommend Alina and her team.

Beth Hrehovcik

Wedding

Alina was AMAZING! She did the photography for our wedding and we couldn’t have been happier. She’s very professional, her work is flawless, she’s attentive, creative, and very easy to work with. We also got to work with her videography team and we’re so impressed how well they work together to produce our wedding video. I would highly recommend them both. Thank you for everything Alina!

Kristen Lettenberger

Wedding

Alina was a standout photographer. In the weeks leading up to our wedding, she sent us helpful tips and suggestions so that we were prompted to think about what we wanted from our photos (and communicate those wishes with her). Day-of, she directed us for a series of beautiful pictures in Central Park. I was nervous since I’ve never done a professional shoot before but had so much fun with Alina and Inga. At our reception, they blended into the guests so well that we did not notice being photographed throughout the night at all. I’ve been suggesting Alina to all of my friends getting married in the city and hope to use her again in the future for other events.

Eva-Maria Ghelardi

Wedding

We had the pleasure of working with Alina for our engagement photoshoot in New Jersey, and her professionalism, skills, and the incredible pictures she provided were truly remarkable. Without any hesitation, we immediately booked Alina for both our wedding photography and videography. Alina had a keen understanding of our vision and perfectly captured the essence of our special day. The highlight was the exceptional video created by Alek and Alina, which beautifully encapsulated every moment of our wedding. We are immensely grateful for capturing our cherished day.

Keith Devaney

Wedding

We had the pleasure of working with Alina for our wedding this past June in NYC. She was the absolute best! She walked us through the entire process and made it enjoyable and easy. Resulting, in the most stunning photos, magazine worthy! We loved working with her. Thank you so much Alina for being part of our very special day.

Bezaida De La Cruz

Wedding

I cannot recommend Alina enough! She is a visionary and such expert couple photographer in NYC, I would recommend her to anyone who needs pictures taken in NYC. She was so much fun to work with, and not to mention affordable. She has all of the best spots mapped out, and really made our first photoshoot quite the experience.

Cristina Fernandez

Engagement

Worked with Alina for engagement and wedding photos in New York. She was very punctual and easy to work with! My husband and I do not regularly take photos, but she made the process very easy and gave us great directions. In addition, she was very quick in sending our final photos. We usually had our final photos within the week. Would recommend.

Grace Shin

Wedding

Alina was amazing! Our engagement photos came out beautiful, just the way I envisioned them! It was our first time taking professional photos like this and Alina was so friendly and kind to assure us that everything will be fine. She asked for what I wanted in my photos & made sure that my photos came out exactly the way I wanted, that even means waking up at sunrise. Alina was very responsive so there were no miscommunications. Overall we had a positive & memorable experience of our engagement photos, definitely something we will treasure for a lifetime. 100000% highly recommend Alina for ALL your photography needs. I hope to have a chance to work with her again

Lyn N Guyen

Engagement

Alina was absolutely phenomenal to work with. From the first email to the final delivery of photos, Alina was responsive, courteous, enthusiastic and a pleasure. Alina is a great listener, super patient, and an excellent instructor. She makes you feel at ease and brings out your photogenic side. You should definitely work with Alina if you have the opportunity.

Lindsey Goldstein

Engagement

Me and my boyfriend did a couple’s shoot with Alina in the west village and it was amazing! She’s professional, quick, communicative, friendly and flexible (we postponed our shoot 1 day because it was supposed to rain)Neither of us had ever done a photoshoot before so didn’t know what to expect but she made us very comfortable. Had good suggestions for settings/poses but also encourages you to just interact with each other creating natural looking scenes in the photographs. Which is exactly what we wanted :) She came well prepared with locations and improvised if she saw another opportunity.Not only will you get good pictures you will also just have a great time!

Maaike Pull

Engagement

Alina is amazing! She photographed our wedding and not only did the photos turn out better than we could have imagined, but she is also exactly the kind of person you want for your wedding day. She is professional, organized, responsive, creative, and steady. We got caught in the rain and had to hide in the subway station for a few minutes and Alina turned it into an opportunity to get some of our favorite shots. Alina is super talented and gives just the right amount of direction to make sure things look great but are still relaxed and fun. Her second shooter was excellent too. Absolutely recommend.