January 2012

Cassie & Dan: Destination Home

For Cassie and Dan’s wedding, location was everything. And rarely is the setting of the wedding so personal and meaningful, especially when it is a destination wedding. You see, Dan is from Martha’s Vineyard and Cassie’s family has a place on the island, so they have both basically grown up on its beaches. Of course, they also met there. Though they now live in Boston, their ties to this beautiful place are deep and unbreakable. It was truly the perfect location for their wedding. And now a peek at their magical day…

Dan got ready at Cassie’s parents’ house with the rest of the groomsmen, and their two pups. Tank smiles for the camera with Dan prepping in the background.

marthas-vineyard-wedding-edgartown-old-whaling-church- english bull dog part of the groom's getting ready party

Cassie and her girls were at a hotel in town. The place had that special beach house quality to it. So when her flowers arrived, I thought it would be perfect to use the surroundings to show them off. Love the whimsy in her bouquet.

marthas-vineyard-wedding-edgartown-old-whaling-church- bridal bouquet with purple pink roses and fiddle heads

Upstairs the ladies prepped and primped.

marthas-vineyard-wedding-edgartown-old-whaling-church- flower girl getting ready

Cassie checking our her hair and make-up.

marthas-vineyard-wedding-edgartown-old-whaling-church- bride checks out her hairstyle in mirror

The ladies hopped on board the trolley to go see the guys and do a couple of portraits. One of the most beautiful locations for a first look ever.

marthas-vineyard-wedding-edgartown-old-whaling-church-1

He’s already smiling and he hasn’t even seen her yet.

marthas-vineyard-wedding-edgartown-old-whaling-church- bride approaches groom for first look

And then his smile gets even bigger.

marthas-vineyard-wedding-edgartown-old-whaling-church- groom gets a look at his stunning bride for first time on wedding day

Loving everything about this spot. All the way down to the grasses.

marthas-vineyard-wedding-edgartown-old-whaling-church- bride and groom stealing a kiss in the grasses before the ceremony

Everyone hopped back on the trolley to go to the Old Whaling Church, where they would celebrate their wedding. The views were beautiful. Loving the beach umbrella in this image.

marthas-vineyard-wedding-edgartown-old-whaling-church- view on the way to the ceremony

More sweetness from our couple.

marthas-vineyard-wedding-edgartown-old-whaling-church- a kiss in the trolley

Just before they make their way onto the stage.

marthas-vineyard-wedding-edgartown-old-whaling-church- groomsmen prepare for their entrance

Cassie with her dad… two perspectives.

marthas-vineyard-wedding-edgartown-old-whaling-church- bride walks down the aisle with her father

marthas-vineyard-wedding-edgartown-old-whaling-church- bride walks down the aisle with her dad

Such a pretty spot. Absolutely fits with the look and feel of Edgartown.

marthas-vineyard-wedding-edgartown-old-whaling-church- bride and groom on stage for ceremony

Happily married!

marthas-vineyard-wedding-edgartown-old-whaling-church- happily married recessional

So this is just the beginning, because I have so much more to share from Cassie and Dan’s beautiful wedding- the reception at the Dr. Daniel Fisher House, the after-party in a private club by the water, and even the rehearsal dinner on Chappy. Check back soon.

Amanda & Ed: Classic Elegance

Amanda and Ed are both scientists, but they do not fit the mold the word conjures up. Of course, I never saw either of them in their lab jackets, but still… As a couple, they are sweet, romantic, in tune with each other. As individuals, they are intelligent, creative, talented. Their wedding day brought together their style, their love of family, and their connection to Boston.

Talented? Case in point. Ed carved this traditional Welsh lovespoon himself; it’s all from one piece of wood. Typically this is given earlier in the relationship, but Ed’s gift on their wedding morning couldn’t have been more sweet or more appreciated. We included the engagement ring in the photo, another very special gift.

fairmont-copley-plaza-wedding-old-south-church- engagement ring shot with wedding gift

And the wedding ringshot on the Globe.

fairmont-copley-plaza-wedding-old-south-church- ring shot on days boston globe newspaper

And now to Ed, during his getting ready at the Copley Plaza. Did I mention his sense of humor?

fairmont-copley-plaza-wedding-old-south-church- groom spiffying up for bride

The gents took the stairs down to the Oak Room, for a toast before the ceremony.

fairmont-copley-plaza-wedding-old-south-church- groom and groomsmen head off to church from hotel

fairmont-copley-plaza-wedding-old-south-church- groom and groomsmen drinking a beer in oak room before ceremony

A good opportunity for a portrait of our dashing groom.

fairmont-copley-plaza-wedding-old-south-church- groom in the oak room

Meanwhile, the ladies were still getting ready. Dani Wagener provided her expertise for Amanda’s make-up.

fairmont-copley-plaza-wedding-old-south-church- bride with make-up being put on by dani wagener

Love this photo of Amanda’s wedding dress in her hotel room; mysterious and romantic.

fairmont-copley-plaza-wedding-old-south-church- brides wedding dress in window of hotel room

Such intricate and beautiful detailing.

fairmont-copley-plaza-wedding-old-south-church- back of bride in her wedding gown with glam belt

Amanda is a classic beauty; she chose to keep her personal style natural, simple, elegant. It was perfect for her.

fairmont-copley-plaza-wedding-old-south-church- bride at window sill looking out at copley square

The ladies also enjoyed a toast before the ceremony.

fairmont-copley-plaza-wedding-old-south-church- a toast with the bridesmaids before the ceremony

So pretty.

fairmont-copley-plaza-wedding-old-south-church- beautiful bridal portrait

Her church is across the square and she can see it from the window. Getting ready for her big day, she looks out.

fairmont-copley-plaza-wedding-old-south-church- bride with veil silhouette

The ceremony in the Gordon Chapel of the Old South Church had a very intimate feel. I also especially liked the Gothic look of the space as it reminded of Duke, where Amanda went to school (about 10 years after me).

fairmont-copley-plaza-wedding-old-south-church- bride and groom during ceremony

They included readings by friends.

fairmont-copley-plaza-wedding-old-south-church- speaker reading during ceremony

This little gal really wanted to be with the bride.

fairmont-copley-plaza-wedding-old-south-church- little girl guest tries to run away down the aisle

Afterwards we took portraits in and around the church and on the square lawn. A casual bridal party shot.

fairmont-copley-plaza-wedding-old-south-church- fun bridal party shot outside

A classic bride and groom (aka husband and wife) portrait.

fairmont-copley-plaza-wedding-old-south-church- bride and groom portrait

When we finished up there, I hopped in a cab with Amanda and Ed to take photos at the Public Gardens. Love this moment in the taxi. Definitely one of my favorite photos of the year.

fairmont-copley-plaza-wedding-old-south-church-1

More to come for sure… there were tons of amazing portraits at the Garden and a great party with their wonderful families, so check back soon.

Ayesha + Jon at Searles Castle

From our engagement session, I already knew a bit about how Ayesha and Jon were as a couple, and as parents to their pup Lucy. They are easy-going and each has a calming presence, but they also like to play and laugh. They are generally just really nice to be around. On their wedding day, we got to see another side of them. They were all of those things and more; they were gracious, warm hosts and even took care of us (totally not necessary but very much appreciated).

The day was hot, really steamy kind of hot, but night came and brought a bit of relief. Fortunately they also chose an absolutely gorgeous venue, which lifted sticky spirits and added to the whimsy and romance of the day.

We started with Ayesha as she was getting ready at the hotel. I had my first chance to see a woman dressed in a Sari. For South Asian brides (Indian, Pakistani, Sri Lankan, etc), this is the customary wedding attire. Can I just say- it is one stunning dress! Oh and it takes about 20-30 minutes to put on with the help of a professional.

searles-castle-wedding-nh-indian-christian- getting ready at hotel for bride

Ayesha’s bridesmaids also got to wear these beautiful garments, though modified so they were a bit easier to put on.

searles-castle-wedding-nh-indian-christian- bride and bridesmaids in sari getting ready

The boys had it easy- tuxes. Still they look awfully good on this crew.

searles-castle-wedding-nh-indian-christian- groom and groomsmen in tuxes for first look

I especially love the contrast and vibrancy of the reds.

searles-castle-wedding-nh-indian-christian- bride in white sari and bridesmaids in red saris

Having chosen to see each other before the ceremony, Ayesha and Jon had their first look amongst the castle walls.

searles-castle-wedding-nh-indian-christian- groom awaits bride for first look

Big smile from Jon when Ayesha told him he could turn around and see her.

searles-castle-wedding-nh-indian-christian- groom's first look of bride on wedding day

Equally huge smile from Ayesha.

searles-castle-wedding-nh-indian-christian- bride in white sari sees groom for first time

The girls hanging and enjoying the day.

searles-castle-wedding-nh-indian-christian- bride with bridesmaids

I love the way these two hold hands, so sweet.

searles-castle-wedding-nh-indian-christian- bride and groom holding hands

Yup, pretty stunning here.

searles-castle-wedding-nh-indian-christian- bride and groom with catsle walls as backdrop

Too bad, ladies, he’s taken.

searles-castle-wedding-nh-indian-christian- dashing groom

Melts my heart.

searles-castle-wedding-nh-indian-christian- bride and groom portraits

We went back up to the main house to get ready for the ceremony. The light was beautiful and so was our bride.

searles-castle-wedding-nh-indian-christian- bride moment of contemplation before ceremony

A quiet moment before things really get underway.

searles-castle-wedding-nh-indian-christian-1

More to come from the outdoor ceremony and the tented reception.

Amanda & Greg = Style & Wit

You may have already read about Amanda and Greg’s wedding on Style Me Pretty, but I wanted to share a few more of my favorite images and a bit more of their story here for our readers. And of course you can check out the story (and leave comments, etc) there as well.

Let me start by saying that Amanda and Greg are awesome. He was pretty laid back about all of the wedding stuff; she had definite ideas. And her ideas were amazing! Amanda is a lady all sewn up with style- from head to toe, truly. Her dress, her shoes, her hair, her make-up, her jewelry= stunning. The decor, the location, the food= fantastic. Throughout the planning, Greg provided the witty commentary that was needed to balance Amanda’s perfect vision.

When we were able to finally meet in person at their engagement session (virtual conversation up until then due to their living out of state), I knew their wedding was going to be an absolute blast. And it really was. These two set the stage for an incredible party; their friends and family obliged with energetic dancing and celebratory spirit. And it was a great way for us to conclude our 2011 wedding season. So let’s get to sharing some pics….

Amanda checking out the work of her make-up artist, natural beauty shining through.

liberty-hotel-wedding-ceremony-fall- bride getting ready reflection

Having chosen to see each other beforehand, Greg and Amanda enjoyed a first look on one of the catwalks at the Liberty. Greg’s big smile.

liberty-hotel-wedding-ceremony-fall- bride and groom first look

And a beautiful silhouette, kiss, and pretty fall views from the hotel.

liberty-hotel-wedding-ceremony-fall- bride and groom kiss after first look with city view through architectural detail- beautiful fall day

A fun bridal party pic. The Liberty Hotel is an old jail and as such still has some of the prison character.

liberty-hotel-wedding-ceremony-fall- bride and groom and bridal party with jail theme at old prison

Couple portraits. One of my favorites is always the moment before the kiss.

liberty-hotel-wedding-ceremony-fall- bride and groom portraits - moment between kiss and no kiss

A few of Greg.

liberty-hotel-wedding-ceremony-fall- groom in the jailhouse

liberty-hotel-wedding-ceremony-fall- groom portrait with red brick background

Did I not say she had amazing style? I totally love her dress by Lazaro.

liberty-hotel-wedding-ceremony-fall- bride in beautiful lazaro gown with groom at wedding venue

Ruffly fun for this bridal portrait.

liberty-hotel-wedding-ceremony-fall- bride wrapped in ruffles

Amanda went to hide away before her guests arrived, but Greg got to check out the ceremony space. He was pretty excited about the day!

liberty-hotel-wedding-ceremony-fall-1

The ceremony included all sorts of personal touches, with only ladies standing up for the Bride and a family ceremony for the groom’s daughter, Olivia. It was truly special. Here, Olivia walks down the aisle in her role as junior bridesmaid.

liberty-hotel-wedding-ceremony-fall- flower girl daughter of groom walks down the aisle

Amanda’s entrance.

liberty-hotel-wedding-ceremony-fall- bride as about to walk down asile with parents and beautiful lazaro wedding dress

LOVE, LOVE, LOVE this photo captured by Dave. Everyone is so happy and Amanda is absolutely glowing as her Dad kisses her.

liberty-hotel-wedding-ceremony-fall- father of bride gives big kiss to the bride

Of course, it doesn’t stop there. She can’t stop smiling at her groom.

liberty-hotel-wedding-ceremony-fall- bride gazes at her groom with huge smiles for husband

Sealed with a kiss.

liberty-hotel-wedding-ceremony-fall husband and wife kiss

Such a beautiful beginning to their lives together as husband and wife. And in their next entry, it’s all about the party! Get ready for some real fun.

Eleni & Johnnie: Part 2

I pick up where I left off with Eleni and Johnnie’s joyous wedding. We had just finished our portrait session at the Greek Orthodox Cathedral, so Eleni and Johnnie climbed into their vintage limo to head to Cambridge for their reception.

charles-hotel-wedding-greek-dancing- bride and groom in vintage limo

At the Charles Hotel, we had a little extra time for portraits. (We had originally planned to take portraits at the pedestrian bridge over the Charles River, but it was covered in scaffolding. So bummed about that, but really glad the hotel has a pretty awesome lobby.) The lighting and the art at the hotel is mysterious and rich, lending to some amazingly unique images. Here, blending reality with a dreamlike quality- kind of like a wedding day, actually.

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Meanwhile the guests enjoyed an outdoor cocktail hour. One of my favorite things about the Charles Hotel as a venue is this courtyard.

charles-hotel-wedding-greek-dancing- cocktail hour in cambridge square under the stars

Inside the romantic scene was being set with candles,

charles-hotel-wedding-greek-dancing- candles to add romantic vibe to reception

Warm lighting and vibrant colorful floral arrangements,

charles-hotel-wedding-greek-dancing- colorful flowers- blue hydranga, yellow celosi pink orchids yellow cymbidium

And this decadent, sparkly wedding cake.

charles-hotel-wedding-greek-dancing- multi-tiered fondant wedding cake with jewels and fondant flowers

Eleni and Johnnie made their grand entrance.

charles-hotel-wedding-greek-dancing- bride and groom enter to cheers

Right into their first dance.

charles-hotel-wedding-greek-dancing- bride and grooms first dance

As is the Greek custom, their family and friends showered them with money.

charles-hotel-wedding-greek-dancing- greek family throw money on bride and groom

Ultimately they were joined on the dance floor by everyone. I especially enjoyed their nephews dancing crazily beside them.

charles-hotel-wedding-greek-dancing- ring bearers dance next to bride and groom

And the party begins….

charles-hotel-wedding-greek-dancing- bride and groom enjoy dance in mid circle at reception

charles-hotel-wedding-greek-dancing- guests crazy dancing, fun party

After the DJ got things heated up, the Greek band led the Greek dancing.

charles-hotel-wedding-greek-dancing- live greek band clarinetist plays a tune


charles-hotel-wedding-greek-dancing- father of the bride leads the dance with bride next in line

A highlight for all… the men’s dance. Hilarious. I am not 100% sure what it is about, but the boys have to get down on their knees,

charles-hotel-wedding-greek-dancing- groom on ground with men during boys greek dance

On their backs,

charles-hotel-wedding-greek-dancing- men dancing during boys greek dancing- on the ground

and drink. Too much fun!

charles-hotel-wedding-greek-dancing- father of bride leads the toasting and passes out the ouzo

And I’ll drink to that.

Huge congrats to Eleni and Johnnie and their families. What an amazing celebration. We are so glad we could document it for you.

Additional thanks to all of the pro’s who help make it a fantastic day:

Ceremony Officiant and Venue: V. Rev. Dr. Cleopas Strongylis of Annunciation Greek Orthodox Cathedral

Reception venue and planner: Sarah Chatigny of the Charles Hotel

Caterer: Henrietta’s Table at the Charles Hotel

Cake: Danny Angelopolus at the Charles Hotel

Brides wedding gown: Monique Lhullier from L’elite Bridal Salon

Bridesmaids dresses: Melissa at Allegria Bridal with Jim Hjelm and Lazaro gowns

Groom and groomsmens tuxes: Russo’s Tux

Bride’s hair: Maria Iannessa from Bella Capelli

Bride’s make-up: Eddie Fee

Floral and lighting design: Donna Fucaloro of Pepperberry Flowers

DJ: Kostas Flathras of Hellenic Sound Productions

Ceremony Musicians: Lindsey McChord of Longly School of Music

Videographer: Jesse Barack of Mass Videography

Invitations and other printed materials: Lynne Johnson of The Inviting Company

If you still want more, check out their engagement session, Part 1, and their PicFlick.

Eleni & Johnnie: Part 1

We knew that Eleni and Johnnie’s wedding was going to be fantastic long before the actual day arrived. First there was our initial consult and the way Johnnie looks at Eleni. And at that first meeting, he shared how much he wanted to just get married so they could start their life as a family.

Then there was their engagement session, which was loads of fun. The North End was Johnnie’s stomping ground, and where they had their first date. We saw more of the neighborhood than we ever had before. And then during our pre-wedding meeting, we asked them what they were most looking forward to and they both reiterated, “We can’t wait to be married!”

So we knew the day would be extraordinarily special, focused on their love and we knew based on how much fun these two are, that their friends and family would surely be a blast as well. We were not disappointed.

We started at Eleni’s parents home for her getting ready photos and family portraits.

greek-wedding-orthodox-cathedral-charles-hotel- bride gets ready at parents home

Gotta love her dress, but this image is also about the home that she grew up in- the chandelier, the china cabinet and other family heirlooms.

greek-wedding-orthodox-cathedral-charles-hotel- brides dress hanging before ceremony, chandelier

Dave popped outside to get a photo of all the boys in the family. Eleni couldn’t resist sneaking in. Only one little guy noticed. Then Dave headed off to Johnnie’s mom’s house for their family photos.

greek-wedding-orthodox-cathedral-charles-hotel- bride sneaks into boys photo and portrait

Meanwhile, Eleni was helped into her beautiful dress by her mom and her sisters.

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I took a few portraits of Eleni in her parents bedroom. The window light was gorgeous. But I also love all of the family details. In this image, I was able to capture her mother watching as well as her parents wedding photo on the wall, a layered story.

greek-wedding-orthodox-cathedral-charles-hotel- bridal portraits with mom in mirror and parents wedding photo in background

And the boys helped her make her way down the stairs.

greek-wedding-orthodox-cathedral-charles-hotel-bride walks down stairs with help of groomsmen

On the way out, she kicked the glass of water down the stairs. Then she hopped into her vintage limo.

greek-wedding-orthodox-cathedral-charles-hotel- brides chariot aka limo awaits

Meanwhile, Dave and the boys had made it to the Greek Orthodox Cathedral. Johnnie can totally pull off the Godfather look; he has the perfect smile.

greek-wedding-orthodox-cathedral-charles-hotel- grooms cool portrait godfather esque outside church

But his true nature comes out as he waits in the back of the church. He must be thinking, “When can we start already?!”

greek-wedding-orthodox-cathedral-charles-hotel- groom waits for ceremony in back of church

And then the festivities began in earnest. The boys made their way out to the sanctuary. And as his niece was walking down the aisle, his sister waved her on enthusiastically.

greek-wedding-orthodox-cathedral-charles-hotel- bridesmaid sister of groom waves to daughter to help her down the aisle

greek-wedding-orthodox-cathedral-charles-hotel- flower girl walks down the aisle

Eleni waited outside the doors with her parents.

greek-wedding-orthodox-cathedral-charles-hotel- bride waits outside sanctuary to walk down aisle to groom

From the moment she entered, she and Johnnie were all smiles. And he kept stealing glances at his beautiful bride.

greek-wedding-orthodox-cathedral-charles-hotel- groom smiles broadly at his bride during ceremony

greek-wedding-orthodox-cathedral-charles-hotel- candles during greek ceremony

greek-wedding-orthodox-cathedral-charles-hotel- bride and groom super close during ceremony

Just before the kiss, Johnnie’s smile grows even bigger.

greek-wedding-orthodox-cathedral-charles-hotel- grooms smile before the kiss of his new wife

And what a kiss it was!

greek-wedding-orthodox-cathedral-charles-hotel- bride and groom kiss at end of ceremony

Portraits followed… here’s one quick glimpse of what is to come following the ceremony.

greek-wedding-orthodox-cathedral-charles-hotel- bride and groom kiss outside church

And the Charles Hotel reception follows that with some seriously fun and funny Greek dancing!

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