Allegro Photography » Weddings

Boston with a Twist

jo — Thu, 17 May 2012 15:28:04 +0000

Boston. A very Boston Wedding. That’s what Leilani and Adam were going for when they designed their wedding day. All of the special details pointed to their connection to the city, with perhaps a nod to Hawaii, where Leilani has family roots; and they added a splash some very personal choices. From their venue selection (ceremony at the Boston Public Library, portraits at the Public Garden and reception at the Museum of Science) to their invitation design to their absolutely delish cookie tower cake with Pez cake toppers, they celebrated the best that Boston and they as a couple have to offer.

Our groom getting ready at their home in the South End.

Our bride getting ready at a suite at the Westin Copley.

Orchids from Hawaiin shores….

Special lei’s for the groom, groomsmen, ring bearer and father of the bride.

Such a great entrance for a bride into the courtyard of the BPL.

Yup. It’s scary.

This little guy’s eyes are so expressive.

Celebrating with friends, part one.

So many fun kids!

There are so many more great images to come from their portraits in the park and their wild reception at the MOS, so definitely keep checking back.

Race to the Party

jo — Wed, 09 May 2012 22:16:07 +0000

Once the Museum of Science wedding ceremony and bride and groom portraits were complete, it was time to party. Given the nature of this particular wedding day- it being the Race to the Altar and all- there were news crews on the scene getting the scoop from our couples. When they made it past them, they ventured up to the Skyline Room and d’Arbeloff Suites for their celebration- complete with a grand entrance, dance music, food appropriate to the time of day, and cupcake cutting. They culminated their wedding with a Duck Boat Tour around Boston.

One of our grooms. He and his wife had flown in from Utah for the Boston Marathon. He runs with one natural leg and one prosthetic leg, with the aim of running a marathon in every state. He’s already done 15 marathons in 13 states. While here, they were thrilled to be chosen for a vow renewal ceremony during our wedding marathon.

A chance to say thanks with photos. This day could not have been as amazing as it was if it weren’t for the amazing staff and volunteers of the Museum of Science. As well as all of the professionals who donated their time and talents.

Wedding venue, ceremony site and wedding coordinator extraordinaire: Cheryl Pesakovic from the Museum of Science- Washburn Pavilion, Skyline Room or d’Arbeloff Suite/ Caterer: Wolfgang Puck / Photography: Allegro Photography / Floral Design: Edison from Madison Floral / DJ: Groove Events / Officiants: Elizabeth Gemelli, Helen Kerivan and Michael Backer/ Tours: Boston Duck Tours / Dresses: David’s Bridal / Tux rentals: Russo Tux & Limousine / Sponsors: American Express Travel and Kiss108 FM

Thus concludes the third and final installment of the Race to the Altar story.

After the Altar

jo — Fri, 04 May 2012 21:03:19 +0000

What we discovered on this magical spring day was just how much we love photographing at the Museum of Science. We were challenged by intensely bright light and not quite enough time with each couple, but our goal remained the same as it does for all of our weddings- give each couple a unique photographic look for their wedding. I always feel the portrait sessions show that better than any other part of the wedding. And so we attempted to create 23 different portraits for our clients with minimal time and with minimal location changes. Here are just a few of our favorites….

Two grooms and a view.

Love the symmetry.

I was a little bit enamored with this stunning tree in it’s April glory.

Okay, this is a detail, not a portrait, but it came during the portrait session. Blue shoes as the something blue are a hot trend for 2012.

Two ladies with the joy of family and friends supporting them.

Silhouette in the tent.

Thus concludes the part deux of the Race to the Altar.

Again, I must thank the people who made this day possible; there was one hell of a fabulous crew of professionals and volunteers.

Check out the Museum of Science wedding ceremonies. And coming up the receptions.

Race to the Altar

jo — Wed, 02 May 2012 13:19:19 +0000

On a fantastically lovely spring day, Friday the 13th of April 2012, twenty-three couples made vows of commitment. Each had eight guests, their own ceremony, their own portrait session, a reception and a trip with Boston Duck Tours. The Museum of Science was the setting and the city of Boston was their backdrop. The couples varied in age, race, religion, sexual orientation, number of children, place of residence, but all had two things in common, they loved the person that stood by them through this crazy wonderful day and all were part of the first ever Race to the Altar.

For Dave and I, it was a day to test our skills and creativity, a day for celebration and a day of mad fun. And yes, it was a bit exhausting. It was, after all, one typical wedding season condensed into one day. But it was worth it, because the stories we heard and the emotions we witnessed were nothing short of amazing. And so I share with you the Race to the Altar Wedding Ceremonies.

And so concludes the first installment of the Race to the Altar story.

Throughout, I must thank the people who made this day possible; there was one hell of a fabulous crew of professionals and volunteers.

Wedding venue, ceremony site and wedding coordinator extraordinaire: Cheryl Pesakovic and her team of volunteers from the Museum of Science- Washburn Pavilion, Skyline Room or d’Arbeloff Suite/ Caterer: Wolfgang Puck / Photography: Allegro Photography / Floral Design: Edison from Madison Floral / DJ: Groove Events / Officiants: Elizabeth Gemelli, Helen Kerivan and Michael Backer/ Tours: Boston Duck Tours / Dresses: David’s Bridal / Tux rentals: Russo Tux & Limousine / Sponsors: American Express Travel and Kiss108 FM

And huge congrats to all of our couples.

Coming up couples portraits and the reception.

Destination Inspiration

jo — Sun, 22 Apr 2012 14:42:16 +0000

When planning a destination wedding, it can be a challenge to bring all of the ideas you have together. With a unique location, inspiration is not the problem, but rather logistical details. Cassie and Dan had a beautiful vision for their wedding and selected the right team of people to bring it all together. Everything went off without a hitch, a pefect celebration on their much loved Martha’s Vineyard.

The pros:

Church: Old Whaling Church, Edgartown, Martha’s Vineyard/ Reception: Dr. Daniel Fisher House, Edgartown, MV / After party venue: The Boathouse, Edgartown, MA / Getting ready location: The Wheel House at the Kelley House / Event Planning: Judy Murray of MV Event Planning / Bride’s hair and makeup: Sea Spa, Edgartown / Cake: Kim Garrison, Something Sweet / Wedding Gown: Priscilla of Boston, Boston, Mass / Bridesmaids’ Dresses: Dessy Lela Rose Collection / Groom’s attire: Raymond Personal Tailor / Floral & Event Design: Donaroma’s Nursery / Entertainment (ceremony): Eric Johnson / Entertainment (reception): Jon Bates Band and John Alaimo, pianist / Wedding invitations: Goosefish Press, Boston, MA / Save the Dates: Vera Wang / Rehearsal dinner invites: Wedding Paper Divas

Getting ready- Dan at Cassie’s family home and Cassie at her hotel- offered an opportunity to capture details that set the tone for the day.

The letterpress invitations with island details and their unique wedding bands.

This gorgeous white blossom on Cassie’s dress.

And her rustic elegant purple bouquet.

At the family home, little touches like this windchime created a whimsical feel.

The groomsmen’s dress shirts ready and waiting.

All decked out, our groom with his purple rose boutonniere.

At the Old Whaling Church, guests were welcome by this Scottish bag piper.

And the interior was decked out in shades of purple flowers.

A view of the steeple.

And the tent at dusk on the lawn between the church and the Dr. Daniel Fisher House.

Inside, the reception details were ready and gorgeous. I adore this cake with it’s oversized purple flower.

Multiple centerpieces in shades of pink and purples.

Each table named after a favorite MV location.

Favors for the guests- olive oil and a scented candle.

Cocktail tables on the patio of the house were decorated with smaller arrangements.

The party kicked off by the band.

A scrumption dessert bar.

Ending the reception with a sparkler send off.

A beautiful celebration with rustic elegance and whimsy inspired by the island, envisioned by Cassie and Dan, and executed by an amazing team of professionals.

More from Cassie and Dan’s wedding? Check out their Fenway Park e-session, their Chappy Rehearsal Dinner, their Old Whaling Church ceremony, their Daniel Fisher House reception, their Edgartown Boathouse after party and their destination wedding slideshow.

Fairmont Festivities

jo — Thu, 19 Apr 2012 14:03:57 +0000

After enjoying the beautiful day in the Public Garden, Janette and Wes returned to the Fairmont Copley Plaza for relaxation followed by their wedding reception. And what a celebration it was… the bands’ tunes, Janette’s sisters speech with accompanying slideshow, and the dancing. Of course, I couldn’t stop with that, because we were also able to capture portraits at night on Copley Square and in front of the Boston Public Library. The final treat of the evening were streamers blown into the air drifting down on the couple. Really kind of amazing, actually. So step right into this fairy-tale wedding.

Their pup didn’t get to enjoy the festivities, but waited for them in their suite.

Family portrait.

This was potentially a dangerous cake moment. But fear not, all worked out just fine.

A new member of our team?

A steamy evening meant so crazy air and light.

Ahhhh….. Tiffany’s.

Congrats to Janette and Wes. Special thanks to all of the professionals who helped make their day amazing….

Location for getting ready: Fairmont Copley Plaza / Ceremony Venue: Lauren Lukason from the Trinity Church Boston / Reception Venue: Tracey Gavin from the Fairmont Copley Plaza / Hair Team & Make-up Artist: Mariolga Pantazopoulos / Gown Designer: Marchesa / Bridesmaids Dresses: Lazaro / Groom’s Attire: Brooks Brothers / Groomsmen’s Attire: Joseph A. Bank / Officiant: Reverend Pamela Foster / Cake: Ellen Bartlett from Cakes to Remember / Floral Design: Orly Khon from Tangerine Creations / Band: Brian Delac at Murray Hill Entertainment / Ceremony Musicians: Steven Organek / Videographer: Nathan Suher from Wedding Reels Video / Transportation/limo: Gideon and Beth from The Original Party Trolley Boston / Invitations: Alice Ng from By Alice Boutique / Save the Dates: Minted

Want more? Check out their back bay engagement session and their Trinity Church wedding ceremony.

Party All Night Long

jo — Tue, 10 Apr 2012 13:30:32 +0000

Cassie and Dan’s after party was completely in keeping with the spirit of their destination wedding weekend. It allowed for a more relaxed time to celebrate with their guests who had traveled to Martha’s Vineyard for their wedding. They chose the Edgartown Boathouse and hired out the upstairs so they could spread out and enjoy. The party (with an appropriate boating theme) included more fantastic food and drink, great views, and lots and lots of dancing.

Kicking off the after party with sparklers to send the bride and groom off from the wedding reception, followed by a lovely walk down main street before Cassie went back to her hotel room to change into a party frock.

And a taste of what it felt like in the club. Boating decor abounded.

Sliders=perfect midnight snack.

Fun and games and dancing and more dancing.

And we popped out for a quick photo under the moonlight to end the evening.

I can’t imagine a more perfect celebration weekend for Cassie and Dan. Sunday concluded the festivities with a brunch; we were lucky enough to attend as guests and really enjoyed spending more time with their families and friends- such a fantastic crew of people.

So if you want to see the whole suite of photos together. Check out their Fenway Park e-session, their Chappy Rehearsal Dinner, their Old Whaling Church ceremony, their Daniel Fisher House reception and their destination wedding slideshow.

Chappy Rehearsal Dinner

jo — Sat, 07 Apr 2012 15:09:42 +0000

When you have a destination wedding, as Cassie and Dan did, the rehearsal dinner becomes a true extension of the wedding celebration. For these two, it was about sharing what they love most about Martha’s Vineyard. They wanted a quintessential island feel and chose the Chappy Beach Club as the setting. In addition to a great selection of food (from raw oysters to ice cream by the scoop), they asked guests to come in their best Vineyard attire. And they even showcased old world sailors’ songs to get the guests really enthused. It was a fabulous evening all around.

If you want more from this amazing wedding weekend, check out their destination wedding slideshow and the stories on the blog (1 and 2). And don’t miss out on their Fenway Park engagement session.

Still to come, the after party.

Magical Night for Ayesha + Jon

jo — Mon, 05 Mar 2012 15:48:06 +0000

You really can’t go wrong when you get married at a Castle. So when Ayesha and Jon chose Searles for their backdrop, they knew they had found the perfect spot to celebrate their wedding ceremony and their reception.

The ceremony was held on the lawn to the left of the castle. Well actually the ceremony was held on the castle wall and the guests were seated on the lawn. They blended Ayesha’s South Asian traditions with Jon’s Christian ones, bringing together their two cultures in a beautiful way.

The bridesmaids entered first.

Followed by two of Ayesha and Jon’s adorable neices and nephews as flower girl and ring bearer. And then followed by Ayesha and her dad.

Especially love this shade of red accentuated by the creamy roses.

Groomsman watching the proceedings.

And back to the ceremony. Ayesha’s dad ties she and Jon (hidden behind her dad in this image) together. Love her dad’s quiet smile and her huge one!

Jon’s mom offers her own blessing. More wonderful smiles. Jon looks so happy and proud. And his mom his radiant.

A reading.

Jon puts Ayesha’s ring on her finger.

Sweet kiss.

And celebration.

After the ceremony, Ayesha changed into her western wedding dress. Jon got to see her for the first time, again.

After a few portraits and a little time alone, they joined their guests in the tent for their first dance.

A speech by Ayesha’s best brides’ man.

And because they met at Ohio State and had their fabulous peers at the wedding. We had to do at least one photo for their alma mater.

With such a beautiful setting and a lovely evening, we had to take advantage for one night photograph in front of the castle. Fortunately, Ayesha and Jon were very happy to oblige. I guess the kiss didn’t hurt our cause.

Such a great day and evening, filled with joy and color and magic. What else would you expect at a castle!

Special thanks to Ayesha and Jon for including us in your festivities. And to all of the pros who helped to make their day wonderful…

Ceremony and Reception Venue: Shaun and Scott from Searles Castle / Officiants: Sri Lankan Ceremony – Mr. Bogamuwa, Exchange of Vows – John Morse / Caterer: Shaun and Scott from Searles Castle / Cake: Jani from Jacques Pastries / Ceremony Floral Design: Susanne from Susanne’s Weddings / Lighting Design: Boston Uplights / Ceremony Musicians and Band/DJ: Chris D from NuImage Entertainment / Hair & Makeup: Brandon and Karla from Brandon Keith Salon / Bride & Bridesmaids Sarees brought in from overseas / Groom and Groomsmen’s Tuxedos: Lindsay from Men’s Wearhouse / Save the Dates: Wedding Paper Divas

If you would like to see more from Ayesha and Jon’s South Asian wedding, check out their Searles Castle Wedding sneak peek and their dog-friendly engagment session.

Jailhouse Rockin’ Party: Amanda & Greg

jo — Mon, 27 Feb 2012 17:18:37 +0000

Party! That’s what “part deux” of Amanda and Greg’s wedding is all about. From the cocktail hour on the Liberty Hotel‘s 5th floor catwalk to the dancing going down inside in the ballroom to our own faux-to booth, designed and created by the lovely bride, fun was had by all.

Before Amanda and Greg joined their guests, we had to capture just one image. Love the levels in the Liberty, a great chance to play around with creative portrait ideas.

Of course, we couldn’t and wouldn’t keep them away from their favorite peeps for long.

Family announcements and entrances.

Much applause for our bride and groom. And love the expression on the young man in the back.

First dance romance.

Sweetness, joined by friends and family on the dancefloor.

Hilarious. Greg with his not-so-little-anymore girl.

Let the fun begin.

Amanda selected amazingly cool props for our Faux-to Booth, and the guests rocked them.

Favorite from the end of the night. Our bride and her mom.

A big round of thanks to Amanda and Greg for including us in your super-fab day. And much gratitude to the team of pro’s who made the day absolutely perfect.

Wedding Venue: The Liberty Hotel / Hair + Make-up: Sara Faella + Sara’s Glam Squad / Bride’s Gown: Lazaro via Kleinfeld / Bride’s + Bridesmaids’ Earrings: TEJANI / Custom Gown Hanger: Suspended Moments by Dawn Hill Creations / Bridesmaid Dresses: Alvina Valenta via Here Comes the Bridesmaid / Junior Bridesmaid Dress: Bari Jay via Bridal Reflections / Groom’s Attire: Men’s Wearhouse / Floral Design: Winston Flowers / Furniture Rentals: Taylor Creative / Dance Floor + Linen Rentals: Rentals Unlimited / Lighting Design: Swank AV /Cake & Cupcakes: I Dream of Jeanne Cakes / Custom Cake Topper: Crystal Celebration / Ceremony Music: La Bella Musica / DJ: Seth Isaacs of Beat Train Productions / Officiant: Gary D. Fine / Invitation Design: Go Against the Grain / Invitation Printing: Lion in the Sun

Want more? Check out the slideshow from this Style Me Pretty featured wedding and their at-home engagement session.