Nov
30
It was a crisp fall day when Mollie married Matt. The sunshine brought out the blues, greens and stunning fall reds, golds and oranges, creating a beautiful backdrop for their celebration. There was also a warmth running throughout the day, the comfort of loved ones and special familial traditions. Mollie got ready at her grandmother’s house, as her mother had done before her. She and Matt wed in the same church as her parents had wed. And even some of the photography hearkened back to Mollie’s mom’s bridal portraits. Throughout the day, the family bonds shone through.
Dave and I started with Mollie as she was getting ready. And she actually started by helping her sister.
Her sister, of course, returned the favor. Putting on her beautiful long veil was no simple task.
Dave headed over to the gents who were arriving at the church, while I did a few portraits of Mollie. The warm wood panelling was a lovely accent to her photos.
As was this delicious light.
Dave arrived at the church and it was clear the fall was still bursting out.
A few moments with Matt, allowed for a series of portraits.
Mollie and her dad were ready to get the show on the road.
Loving this sweet moment of father and son, prior to the ceremony.
We also learned that the priest who presided over the ceremony was a cousin of Mollie’s. It added a personal element to the ceremony as he shared stories from the family’s history.
Loving this stolen moment between our bride and groom.
Perhaps my favorite part of the Catholic wedding ceremony is the moment when guests greet each other. It is such a warm way for everyone to connect.
And just a quick peek of what’s to come when I share from the second part of the day. All kinds of fun details and beautiful touches. These two lovebirds were inside a birdcage which collected cards. Sweetness.
Check back soon for more from the rest of Mollie and Matt’s beautiful fall wedding reception at the Crane Estate, including stunning portraits, inspiring details and one heck of a party. In the meantime, you can also check out the slideshow from their engagement session.
Nov
24
This one is just a quick post because we really wanted to give Jen and Brian a taste of what’s to come, basically whetting their Thanksgiving appetites for more. We hope you enjoy!
I promise there’s more to come soon with the story of the day and all the fun, including their super fabulous party at the Downtown Hyatt Regency. In the meantime, if you want more of Jen and Brian, definitely check out their engagement session.
Nov
21
For a couple that likes the changing seasons and the outdoors, it seemed only fitting that Amy and Alex would get married in the spring and capture the beauty of the fall for their e-session. While November seemed past prime time for colorful leaves, Dave was able to find some still gorgeous trees at Larz Anderson park. The backdrop of orange, gold and chestnut combined with the autumn sun was perfect to highlight the warmth and playfulness of Amy and Alex. I am sure these will make you smile.
Thank you both for a great session. We are looking forward to your Boston Harbor Hotel wedding this spring!
Still want more? Check out Amy and Alex’s slideshow.
Nov
18
A few years back, Brenna found herself in London for work. During her stint, she met Dan and they fell in love. When she started to plan their wedding though, she decided that Boston (where she was from and her family still lives) was the perfect location. Her stateside friends and family would easily be able to join in the celebration and she and Dan could introduce their English family and friends to a great town.
I started the day with Brenna in her bridal suite at the Boston Harbor Hotel. When I arrived, she was in the midst of having her make-up applied.
A final check before she put on her dress.
When I initially met with Brenna and her mom, I remembered Brenna talking about her wedding gown and how she was so excited about the dress. (I can’t help myself- when the groom’s not there, I always ask.) So I myself was looking forward to seeing what she picked, and I absolutely love this Monique Lhullier gown she chose.
The lace and the silhouette looked amazing on her, and she was completely at ease in this dress.
A classic beauty.
I would be remiss if I didn’t share a portrait of Dan. Such a cutie.
When Brenna was all set, she and her sister rode in a town car to St. Stephen’s Church.
Awaiting our arrival were two ushers.
The walk down the aisle can be a nervous one, but Brenna found great joy in seeing her friends.
Simple elegance of St. Stephen’s.
These two are absolutely and completely enamored with each other. They couldn’t help smiling and kissing and snuggling at every chance. It was a joy to observe because their smiles are truly infectious. Like this moment when Brenna is placing the ring on Dan’s finger.
Of course, there were a few tears from the guests.
After they sealed the deal with a kiss.
A few portraits at the church. We popped up to the balcony for some quiet moments.
One of my absolute favorites. This one feels like it should be on the front of a Going to the Chapel single. Plus you can see the red brick of the North End through the window.
More to come soon from their portraits at the Boston Harbor Hotel and the fun reception in Wharf Room.
Nov
15
Part Two: I left off the last entry (part one) and even with so many amazing moments to share, I hadn’t even reached the heart of the ceremony. Oh boy! So this one is going to be another lonnnnggggg post. But as I said before, it’s not my fault Lindsay and Alex had such a great day. Maybe I didn’t say it before, but I am not-so-secretly thrilled it was idyllic. Why? Because Lindsay and Alex are really lovely individuals- Alex is calm, courteous, thoughtful. Lindsay is joyous, warm, caring. And they put so much time and energy into all aspects of their wedding. Even with these two posts being long, I won’t be able to share everything I want to share. So I will do my best to just give you a glimpse of all that ensued.
We start back at the ceremony. I love this moment when Lindsay’s dad removes her veil.
Alex is Greek, so they chose to have their ceremony at the Greek Orthodox Cathedral and celebrate his traditions. The ceremony was all in Greek and on the long side. In the midst of it, Alex stole a peek at Lindsay.
The afternoon light coming in from the windows was lovely and warm.
And have I mentioned how much I love this church?! We’ve been there several times and each time I find something new to photograph and a new way to capture the ceremony. It is just so beautiful.
A fun moment. The ring bearer had walked right in front of them as they were circling the alter. He didn’t really want to move. Loving the smile on the priest’s face as he looks down at the little boy.
Putting on the crowns.
After the ceremony and portraits, Lindsay and Alex made their way out of the church. Dave captured of them on the stairs. Another new vantage point for us.
Dave and our associate Nikki went with Lindsay and Alex to capture a few portraits on Copley Square. They started at the Boston Public Library, a place I love, and Dave created this stunning portrait of Lindsay. During our premiere, she mentioned how much she enjoyed spinning in her dress. It shows!
Another at the BPL. Alex whispering something quite amusing in Lindsay’s ear.
The view from the library, looking back at the Copley Plaza, where they hosted their reception. These two look so great, and I am loving the moodiness of the image, as the sun was setting.
When Lindsay and Alex arrived at the hotel, they went up to their suite for a bite to eat and a moment of rest. I joined them and captured this image of Lindsay while her bridesmaids were working on her bustle.
Downstairs in the Oval Room, Dave spent a few moments documenting the amazing decor. Lindsay’s color pallette of burnt orange, creams, yellows, citrus orange and gold was absolutely stunning, especially against the blue and gold backdrop of the room. And Jessica of Jess’ Country Flowers interpretted her vision perfectly. We have tons more to share of this, but I thought I would save it for another post. So this is just a little tease of the beautiful space.
Lindsay and Alex entered to cheers and dancing and fun. The party got started right away.
I have to stop to celebrate their nephew (aka the ring bearer). He was absolutely adorable and was excited by all aspects of the wedding- from the ceremony to the band to the bouquets to Lindsay’s dress.
First dance.
That cake looked delish. Lindsay fed Alex. Alex fed Lindsay. Then Alex helped with a little touch up. So sweet.
Lindsay and her dad.
Alex with his mom.
The Greek dancing got underway. I LOVE Greek dancing. In the air.
Our bride and groom joining in the fun.
Guests danced in honor of Lindsay and Alex. Much merriment all around.
One of the new lead singer from the Flipside playing on the tambourine.
And a couple more of celebration. Lindsay and Alex took a quick break from the dancing to toast with friends in the Venetian Room. That is NOT water in their glasses, by the way.
And then back on the dance floor for more fun!
What a day! What a night! What a wonderful, fabulous, fun, beautiful wedding! Congrats, Lindsay and Alex.
So many outstanding professionals to thank for bringing their wedding together so perfectly. Every single one came through and exceded their expectations and dreams:
First of all, Lyndsay Picciano and her team at the Fairmont Copley Plaza provided exceptional service and the tastiest of meals.
Also, His Eminence Metropolitan Methodios, Rev. Fr. Nicholas Krommydas and Rev. Dr. Cleopas Strongylis for their guidance and for presiding over the ceremony at Boston‘s Greek Orthodox Cathedral.
For Lindsay and Alex’s looks:
Wedding gown: Eli Saab
Bridesmaid’s dresses: Jim Hjelm
Hair: Laura from Jesamondo Salon
Make-up: Lili from Jesamondo Salon
Groom’s and groomsmen’s attire: the Calvin Klein Tuxedo line from Men’s Wearhouse
For the look and feel of the day:
Floral design: Jessica Robinson from Jessica’s Country Flowers
Wedding cake: Ellen Bartlett of Cakes to Remember
Ceremony musicians: Bryan Hilliard and the Occasional Brass Trio
Greek musicians: George Makredes of the Makredes Duo
Reception band: Corin Ashley and the Flipside
Invitations, save the dates, programs, and more: Jillian Sullivan of Fizz Paperie (formerly J. Sullivan Designs)
Rentals: Debbie Hewitt of Festive Occasions
Cinematographers: Lisa Teneriello of Precious Moments Video
Lindsay and Alex, a special note of thanks. We had been looking forward to your wedding for quite a while and we had such an amazing time being a part of your celebration. Thank you so much for including us. We are so excited for you to start the next chapter of your life together.
For all our readers, I know you want more. I don’t blame you. And while there is more to come, in the form of a whole entry all about the details and to provide inspiration. For now, I would recommend checking out Lindsay and Alex’s engagement session, sneak peek, and PicFlick.
Nov
11
While working on Ariel and David’s wedding photos, I came across a series of David’s changing expressions when he was waiting for Ari to walk down the aisle to become his wife. First off, you may recall that these two saw each other before the ceremony. And still this moment was extraordinarily emotional. This was my experience on our wedding day and has been my experience observing several other grooms, but seeing David in this way, I knew instantly how I would describe this particular phenomen. David was truly a Sweet Mess (the nice version of Christian‘s ‘hot mess‘). And I gotta say I adore that about him.
While I think that term is particularly appropriate for gentlemen, Ari wasn’t far behind. From tears to laughter in moments. Beautiful.
To give you a sense of the scene around them, check out the view from their ceremony site at the Fruitlands Museum. They chose to celebrate their nuptials in a field, under a tree, overlooking the valley. And clearly they have done some good things in their lives, because karma was on their side. It had been raining the whole week before and then rained again the whole week after. But on their wedding day, the skies were perfect.
More laughter.
Ari and David added many personal touches. I especially liked that their unity candle was lit with flames from both parents; all of their guests also lit candles as part of the ceremony.
Happiness.
After a few portraits as the sun was setting, we returned to the tent for the reception. And they went right into their first dance. Loving the twirling skirt captured by my associate Rene. Last night, during their premiere, Ari and David shared that they had only spent about 10 minutes planning their dance. Really? I still don’t believe it. They completely owned it.
Ari’s sister gave such a nice toast with a sweet story. More laughter ensued.
Ariel’s dad enjoying dancing with his daughter.
And David with his mom. More sweetness.
And then there were the guests. Clearly enjoying the music.
This is just one of many fun photos of Ariel’s mom. She wore a smile literally every time I looked at her.
During one of the extra toasts.
Then at last, Ariel had a little free time to get down on the dance floor. Good times!
What an amazing day! Congrats and many thanks to Ariel and David for including us in your celebration.
And much gratitude to the team of pros who helped everything go so smoothly. First of all, Francie Dorman from Linnea Tangorra Wedding Planning, you did a wonderful job. It was great to work with you.
And the rest of the best:
Getting ready venue: Le Meridien Hotel
Ceremony and reception site: Lillian Lee from the Fruitlands Museum
Floral: Meredith McCarthy Floral Design and Tangorra Wedding Planning
Officiant: Rev. Sylvia Johnson
Caterer: Fireside Catering
DJ: Greg "Gates" Plowman from Entertainment Concepts
Invitations: Lilywillow Paper and Press and Gus and Ruby Letterpress
Hair: Melissa Gullotti
Make-up: Dani Wagener
Bride’s dress: a private label
Groom’s suit: Ralph Lauren
Want more of Ari and David? Definitely check out their engagement session, their sneak peek and their PicFlick.
Nov
09
And color too.
Last night, Alyssa and Slava came by for their wedding premiere. We had such a great time sharing their photos with them and hearing more of the stories behind their wedding day- stories like how the color palette of blue and yellow reflected Alyssa’s favorite colors and how their friend Tex enjoyed their wedding so much he suggested they have a wedding every week. It also became clear that these two look great from every angle and in every style. And so I am excited to share the photos from their ceremony and reception. Dave and Brian did such a fabulous day capturing the joy and spirit of the day.
The ketubah signing is the Jewish marriage contract and there’s a special ceremony for this that occurs before the chuppah ceremony. Alyssa and Slava were surrounded by their families and a couple of friends.
I am completely enamored with their ceremony. There was so much laughter and joy in it.
Check out the full view. A beautiful chuppah decorated with orchids and a runner with flower petals along the sides.
So sweet the way Slava holds her hand.
These two are so much fun. Honestly we were laughing non-stop last night. And you totally get that in this photo as they leave the ceremony for the reception. It’s play time.
Oh me, oh my. These gentlemen lifted Alyssa way up in the air during the hora. She almost fell off, but amazingly held onto the chair for a bit longer.
The feeling of joy when reaching the ground again, safely.
The Hotpockets (Alyssa and her two girlfriends sang together in high school and that’s the name of their group) dancing and singing their hearts out. Now if only they had taken the stage with Powerhouse….
Everyone took a break for a few toasts. Alyssa’s sister sharing her thoughts.
Which were highly amusing to Alyssa and Slava.
And then more partying. Actually to hear Dave tell it, the dancing was crazy fun. And to see the photos, I have to agree. These people know how to celebrate.
The groomsmen dancing up a storm.
The bridesmaids dancing up a storm.
The guests dancing up a storm.
The bride and groom dancing up a storm.
So much fun and you can absolutely feel all of the joyous energy.
During the slow songs, our associate Brian captured the next two beautiful images. And I love the way they tell a story when I look at them side by side.
The present.
What the future holds.
One last super sweet image. Dave took Alyssa and Slava aside during the reception so he could capture a portrait of them at night, and so they could enjoy a quiet, private moment to take it all in. Here they are amidst their ceremony site.
Special thanks to all of the pros who made their wedding so beautiful:
Wedding gown: Priscilla of Boston
Bridesmaids dresses: L’Elite
Groom’s suit: Saks Fifth Avenue
Hair: Kristy’s Hair Studio
Officiant: Rabbi David Meyer of Temple Emanu-el
Floral design: William Mizuta
Caterer: Toby Karlyn from Celebrations Gourmet
Cake: Ellen Bartlett of Cakes to Remember
DJ/Band: Alan James from Powerhouse
Invitations: Heleene Fink from Special Occassions
And huge thanks to their hosts for sharing this amazing location.
Last, but definitely not least, much gratitude to Alyssa, Slava and your wonderful families for sharing your wedding day with us.
If you would like to see more from Alyssa and Slava’s waterfront wedding, check out their engagement session, sneak peek and their slideshow.
Nov
06
I have a problem. And here’s the gist of it. Lindsay and Alex’s wedding was simply too beautiful. They are both stunning individuals, inside and out. Really, you won’t be able to resist falling in love with them. Their friends and family are great. The emotions were fun, crazy, sweet, joyful. And then wait til you see Lindsay’s decor choices. So I have a problem. It’s not my fault. But really, faced with so much awesomeness, I couldn’t choose just a few photos. So here we are and there are a lot of photos in Lindsay and Alex’s sneak peek. I guess it’s more of a part one than a sneak peek. And I beg your pardon and your indulgence as I couldn’t help myself. Enjoy.
I started the day with Lindsay at a fabulous apartment in Brookline. When I arrived the place was bustling. Lindsay was getting her hair done and the florist had just arrived with the personal flowers. Truly Lindsay was blown away. I do believe she had tears in her eyes. Her bouquet was just what she wanted.
That’s her dad. Yup, he’s bringing her dress to the bedroom for me to photograph it. But really I just like seeing him hold the dress.
Putting her gown on.
And her necklace. Love the softness of this one.
Oh my goodness. She takes my breath away.
Checking herself out and a few final touches by one of her bridesmaids.
Then she sees her dad.
On the way out.
Meanwhile, Dave and our associate Nikki met up with Alex and his boys at the Fairmont Copley Plaza (where we would end our evening). They dashed off to the Public Garden (where Alex would see Lindsay for the first time in her wedding dress).
While they were waiting for us, they popped into Cheers and Dave captured this portrait. Very masculine.
Not too long after, the ladies arrived.
Nikki captured Alex with his back to Lindsay so he wouldn’t see her before he was supposed to.
And then, he sees his bride.
And she sees him.
Sweetness.
We photographed several family portraits in the park and a few details. Dave really liked the softness of Lindsay’s dress next to the hard polished look of the stones.
Alex and the crew hopped into their limos. But Lindsay and her dad had a special vintage car and driver. No windows, just a clear view of the city.
Time for the ceremony. This little one was more than ready. He even walked down the aisle before it was actually his turn.
Did I mention that I love their families?
Alex getting ready to see Lindsay for the second first time.
The Greek Orthodox Cathedral is one of my favorite ceremony sites in Boston. It is simply gorgeous. Nikki captured this image from the balcony. You can totally get a sense of the beauty of the space.
But you can’t beat this moment. She looks so happy to be walking down the aisle.
I hope you enjoyed part one as much as I did. There are so many more great photos to come, from the ceremony, from Lindsay and Alex’s portraits, from the reception and all of their amazing details. In the meantime, you should definitely check out their engagement session along the Charles River.
Nov
02
During her speech, Ariel’s sister shared a story about a time when she was in elementary school and she brought someone super special to show and tell, because that someone was so wonderful she wanted to share. Ariel and David’s wedding was one of those things that’s so beautiful, I would bring it to Show and Tell, if I could. So today we have a virtual Show and Tell.
Ariel and David’s wedding day was filled with warmth, overwhelming emotions and so much love. Tears were spilling all over the place amidst huge infectious smiles. Such joy at every turn. The energy and the ease of the day balanced just so, allowing our bride and groom to feel relaxed and excited all at the same time.
I started with Ariel for a few details and getting ready photos.
One of the things I remember strongly from our first meeting was that Ariel had a vision for jewel tones to be incorporated into her wedding design. I had no idea this would play out in such fun ways. For instance, she wore emerald green shoes under her wedding dress. Love it.
Her sister/maid of honor helped her get into her dress.
The rest of the bridesmaids and her mom also assisted.
Meanwhile, my associate Rene was hanging with the boys, capturing their getting ready downstairs.
Apparently this handkerchief took awhile to fold just right, though it looks effortless here.
Ariel and David chose to see each before the ceremony, in part so that they had time for their portraits before the sun went down. I am so glad they did. They had a beautiful, private chance to take each other in. And then they had simply lovely light for their portraits.
On her way to her groom.
David waiting for her to approach.
The Fruitlands Museum, where Ariel and David, celebrated their wedding has absolutely beautiful grounds- gardens, forests, fields and varied historic buildings. We wanted to stay away from the ceremony site, so spent our time amidst the trees and the meadow.
And did I mention the funky tree sculptures? I wasn’t sure I was going to take any photos with them but then Ariel told me that her aunt had a connection to the artist. Honestly, this turns out to be one of my favorite images. It feels like this guy is protecting them or looking out for them in some fashion.
So loving this smile on Ariel’s face as we head to the ceremony. Time to get married!
Just a tease for now. More soon with photos from their beautiful ceremony overlooking the hills at sunset and their wonderfully fun party.
Want more from Ariel and David now? I highly recommend viewing their engagement photos. Beautiful!
