Are you a socially conscious couple in New York that gives back to your community? Then you are eligible to win free wedding photography from Corey Torpie!

Queens-based, documentary-style wedding photographer Corey Torpie knows that couples entrust her to capture the fleeting and real emotions they experience on a wedding day. But not every couple has room in their budget for a highly skilled photographer with eight years of professional experience. And that’s why it’s so awesome that Corey Torpie believes in giving back by offering “one free wedding a year to couples who work professionally to enrich their communities.”

Chris + Lindsay

Lindsey works as a teacher in the Buffalo Public City School system, and Chris works in the world of nonprofits. They are awesome. They make a difference in people's lives every day. They take every opportunity to share their happiness with others, and Corey is thrilled to be able to share with you their eclectic, rainy day, swing dancing, happy hilltop wedding. The wedding took place in Oswego, New York.

Corey wants to celebrate couples who are doing good in this world by gifting them beautiful wedding photography: “This project is meant to bring high quality wedding photography to couples with tight budgets who give back to their community. It’s put me in touch with a lot of really great, community-minded couples who are passionate about making the world a better place. It doesn’t get any better than that!”

Claire + Chul

Claire and Chul met while working at the Urban Homesteading Assistance Board (UHAB), where they still worked when they got married. Claire and Chul both volunteer as youth mentors. Claire volunteered for the Jewish Big Brothers and Sisters for about the last year and a half, and Chul volunteered for the Asian Professional Exchange (APEX) for a little over five years.

UHAB is a nonprofit organization that fights for affordable housing here in New York by supporting and creating low-income housing cooperatives. The organization has been around for nearly 40 years, originating in the 70s at a time of mass landlord abandonment, which left the city with many distressed properties occupied predominantly by low-income communities.

From the couple: “We're an interracial and interfaith couple (Chul: Korean American raised Christian in the Pacific Northwest; Claire: Moroccan Jewish, born in Israel but raised in Canada), so there will likely be a confluence of traditions, quite possibly involving a rabbi (still in discussion) and almost certainly involving a huppah (which we both think is a really cool cultural accessory).”

Corey believes that authentic storytelling is more important than wedding trends. She says, “I view my role as a photographer as creating a historic document for a family, and I’m much more interested in photographing my couples having an amazing time with their family and friends, rather than than making them look ‘cool’. Being yourself is the actual coolest thing anyhow.”

Rebecca + Meeka

When Meeka and Rebecca first got in touch with Corey, all they had was a date and their excitement about getting married. Their plan was to keep it humble, celebrating with the family and friends they had begun to share over four years of dating. Both Rebecca and Meeka work professionally to give back to their community in amazing ways. Meeka is a social worker, and Rebecca a college counselor.

There may have been tropical storm-level downpours the entire day, but it did not stop the full-on group effort from creating a gorgeous day. And then there was the partying. Lots of it.

Are you starting to think that you + your sweetie + Corey Torpie = magic? Corey says, “My ideal couple recognizes that their wedding is all about each other and their communities. And they want to celebrate the heck out of true love.” Corey approaches every wedding with focused attention and gratitude. “Being present at a couple’s wedding is such a huge honor. My favorite part of what I do is building a relationship with my couples before the wedding day. Photographing a wedding is a true collaborative process between myself and my couples with trust as a foundation.”

If you think you are the perfect candidate for Corey’s gifted wedding to a socially conscious pair, read on!

To be eligible, one person in the couple (or both) should work in a position that positively impacts their community (ie. teacher, nonprofit etc.). This project is meant to bring high quality wedding photography to couples with tight budgets, who give back to their community.

Qualifying weddings should be creative with their budget. Preference is given to small weddings and culturally traditional weddings with budgets under $10k. Please include details when getting in touch!

When emailing corey.torpie@gmail.co, be sure to put "One Free Wedding" in the subject line.