Our story starts at Mistral Restaurant, the location for our shoot. Their very chic private events space and wine room was the backdrop for the table.

Teresa had already prepped some of the floral before she arrived. In particular, the very time intensive work of attaching orchids to willow branches.

Some pieces had to be assembled on site. I was fascinated by these clear gelatinous balls that are nearly clear when you add water.

They allowed plants, such as these succulents, to appear as if they were floating in a glass vase.

So creative, this design used glass candelabras as containers for floral.

Teresa is very hands-on. She would look at the design from every angle and make adjustments to the flowers or the linens or the glassware, seeking perfection.

Even the tiniest details were thought of. These miniature flowers were strung around tall vases.

Pinks of all shades.

Love the burgundy calla lily on the square plate. (Idea for Valentine’s Day?)

Gorgeous. Gorgeous flowers.

Even the linens had a floral feel. And Teresa had two options so that she could see how the whole look came together- one lavender and one this deeper fuchsia color.

Another look as the pieces are coming together.

Sometimes it just takes four hands to get the flowers to cooperate.

And finally, everything is complete. Simply magical. Love the arch and how it frames the candles and softens the wall in the background.

Romantic glassware.

The vision. I couldn’t get over how beautiful this was. I know I would feel immensely special eating a meal at such a beautiful table.

And ultimately published in Grace Ormonde Wedding Style Magazine. Congrats to Teresa and the whole Mimosa team. Such an absolutely beautiful work of art!

Many professionals contributed products and services to bring this look together. Special thanks to all those involved:
Venue: Mistral, Boston, MA
Table and Floral Design, Glassware: Mimosa Fresh Flower Design, Boston, MA
Linens: Wildflower Linen, Buena Park, CA
China, Flatware and Chairs: Rentals Unlimited, Stoughton, MA
Vases: Tommy Wholesale, Boston, MA

Thank you to all of our colleagues!

First of all, there is romance. The Washburn Pavilion let in beautiful afternoon light and provided views of the Charles River as Becky and Neil exchanged their vows.

Their parents and friends were alternating between smiles and tears. And sometimes both.

Becky and Neil chose red, black and white for their colors- formal with a splash of fun. They also happen to be the colors of the Museum of Science, a very nice tie-in. The bridesmaids carried bouquets of red roses and wore red sashes.

Loving this moment just before the kiss. Such joy!

Then there is the fun- it’s a museum and a fun one! I mean, really, what could be better than a museum that has stairs that play music?

After the ceremony, we took a quick tour of the museum to capture some portraits of Becky and Neil in and among the exhibits. Our first stop was the dinosaurs, but on the way, I wanted to capture Becky and Neil in the midst of it all.

We just had to play around with this big ole dinosaur. This reminds of the TV show Land of the Lost.

And then of course, there was this super cool physics machine/toy and the sky at dusk.

When we returned, it was time for the reception. Becky and Neil kicked things off with their first dance. They were great. They took lessons and had the dance choreographed; they totally sold the dance with their energy and connection to each other.

Their guests were understandably mesmerized.

Becky’s maid of honor toasted the couple…

And brought tears to Becky’s eyes.

Enjoying a moment with her parents.

At their sweetheart table, they steal a kiss.

As Becky danced with her father, her mom watched on.

Becky had a very special treat for Neil. Becky had actually sung with the band they hired for their wedding a couple times.

So she decided to serenade Neil with a special song. How cool is that!

For us, the evening came to a close after her song. What a treat it was to be able to spend this day with Becky and Neil. To our newlyweds- you guys are fabulous and your friends and family are lovely. What a truly wonderful day it was! We are so grateful we could be there to document it for you.

Also, special thanks go out to all of the professionals who helped create an amazing day for Becky and Neil:
Getting ready site: Austin Horn from the Royal Sonesta Hotel, Cambridge
Ceremony and reception venue: Leigh-Ann French from the Museum of Science
Caterer: Keith Mahoney from Wolfgang Puck
Floral design: Darlene from Kaleidoscope Florals
Ceremony musicians: Kristine & Steven Kirby of Alla Breve Duo
Band: SirTunes (aka Pete Massa Band)

Definitely check out more from Becky and Neil- their engagement session, sneak preview, and wedding slideshow.

Becky and Neil started their day at the Royal Sonesta, where they each got ready. Dave spent most of his time with Neil and I got to hang with Becky and the ladies. I started off with a few details. Becky’s color theme was black and white formality with a splash of red to spice things up. She even had a red sash added to her wedding dress.

The white and ivory bouquet of roses and freesia for Becky; the red roses were for the bridesmaids.

Becky helped her dad (who also happened to be her officiant) with the boutonniere.

And as Becky did a few finishing touches, her bridesmaids watched on.

Meanwhile, Neil was getting gussied up himself.

One of my favorite parts of the day was actually the "transportation." As they had chosen to get ready at the Royal Sonesta which was literally around the corner from the Museum of Science, their wedding venue, they elected to walk. So fun.

It was a brilliantly gorgeous day, perfect for a stroll. Along the way, Becky was treated to honks and hollers of congratulations from passers by.

Not a bad view from the pavillion at the Museum of Science.

And we were ready for the ceremony to begin. Neil walked down the aisle with his mom and dad. I love how all three of them look so proud and so happy.

Becky soon followed, escorted by her mom and her brother.

She and her mom exchanged a kiss, with smiles from her brother, before she greeted Neil as her groom.

Want more from Becky and Neil? Check out their engagement session.

As Christina and Vincent were both getting ready at the Boston Harbor Hotel, we were able to spend time with both of them. Christina had already had her hair and make-up done at a salon near her mom’s house so the ladies came to the hotel to get into their dresses and complete a few finishing touches. The crew was very relaxed and pretty much just enjoyed the time together. Lots of laughter here.

One of the ways Christina and Vincent chose to share a bit of themselves was in the theme of their wedding- wine and chocolate. Sounds good, no? So they chose to incorporate deep reds and purples- burgundy, merlot, wine- into their color scheme. Check out the bridesmaids bouquets alongside their garnet dresses.

We had a little time before Christina was scheduled to meet Vincent for the first time so we captured a few portraits of Christina and a few details. She looked stunning in this halter style Vera Wang gown. So elegant.

And the veil with ribbon edges was a perfect match.

Dave popped into the room where Vincent was hanging with his boys and captured this portrait of Vincent waiting for his chance to see Christina.

Then it was time. Vincent was waiting in the Rotunda with his back to where Christina would enter. As she left her room, she gave her girls a high-five. Such a perfect moment.

As Christina approached Vincent, her mom and bridesmaids peeked around the corner to watch.

Vincent’s huge smile when he sees Christina.

Christina’s joyful tears when she sees Vincent.

Then they enjoy a few moments together amidst the architectural beauty of the Rotunda.

And that’s just the beginning. More to come soon from their beautiful Boston waterfront wedding.

Want to see more from Christina and Vincent? Check our their stormy engagement session in Beacon Hill.

For her own bouquet, held here by her bridesmaid during the ceremony, she chose white orchids with yellow centers.

Her bridesmaids’ bouquets were also a single flower type and color- all merlot calla lillies. They just feel like an flower for an evening event.

Together the ladies looked great- white on white for the bride and deep red with chocolate brown for the bridesmaids.

Corsages for the moms continued the look- deep red orchids.

To add to the elegance of the ceremony in the Borgia Room, white candles of varying heights and types were places on the mantle over the fireplace. They were surrounded by garnet roses and greenery.

;

For the reception table decor in Alexandra’s, multiple containers were used on each table. Each had a different single flower type in complimentary colors; all the containers were varing sizes. The monochromatic look came together in a sophisticated way.

Up close…

From a distance…

One of my favorite touches was this monogram. The bride and groom’s formal initials laid on a bed of flowers- roses, dahlias, lilies, orchids- with lights around the edges.

Congrats to Jeffrey from J Floral Art for creating such a stunning look for Amber and Tyler.

Having spent their courtship in London, it was only fitting that they import their rabbi, a former Bostonian himself who now lives in England, to perform the ceremony. Their close friendship with their officiant made for a very special and meaningful ceremony under the chuppah, with lots of personal stories and lots of smiles.

This picture totally makes me laugh. All eyes are on Darren, except for Erin’s mom, who can’t take her eyes off her daughter.

Fortunately, Darren said the right thing. He stomped on the glass and sealed the deal with a kiss. And Erin and Darren exited with absolute joy.

We then ventured upstairs to the Rotunda, my absolute favorite part of the hotel, for cocktail hour. Some guests enjoyed the views on the patio outdoors. Others mixed and mingled indoors. Many hadn’t seen each other in a long time. Family members reminisced and passed around old photos.

All were ushered downstairs for the reception to get underway in the Wharf Room. Erin and Darren kicked off the party with their first dance and guests soon followed suit.

As Erin danced with her father, her mom looked on.

Erin and Darren listened as toasts were given by their closest friends and Darren’s brother.

Fun, fun, fun. Following some of the formalities, a little Irish dancing. Which as it turns out is a lot like Jewish dancing only with different music. It is just as fun and crazy and enthusiastic. And for these two, it melted into the hora, which culminated in this men’s group dancing in a wild circle.

Our final photos of the evening were a few that Dave imagined and created. Focusing on their connection to Paris, we brought the Eiffel Tower into the mix.

With that, I have a few thank you’s and kudo’s.
First, special thanks to all of the professionals who made Erin and Darren’s day amazing:
Michael and his team at the Boston Harbor Hotel, the beautiful venue with the amazing staff
Teresa and her talented crew from Mimosa Style for their floral creations
DJ John Dudley for the reception entertainment
Lisa Husseni for the ceremony music
Vows and Anahit Alterations for helping Erin find and perfect her dress
David’s Bridal for the bridesmaids gowns
Jean Yves for the groom and groomsmen attire
Judy at Four Season’s Hair
Make-up by Caitlin Murphy

Erin and Darren, you two have been absolutely wonderful to work with through and through. I was going to title this entry Beauty and the Beast, as I thought "Beauty" aptly described Erin and "Beast" alluded to Darren’s life as a wrestler, but I couldn’t do it, because there really isn’t anything beast-like about either of you. Thank you so much for welcoming us into your day!

For anyone who would like to see more, you should definitely check out their slideshow.

I love his use of water, glass, and candles along with the fresh colors of pink, white and green for this summer collection.

Note the varied containers here that bring out the same colors as the larger arrangement.

For spring, David emphasized the lush growth that bursts out at that time of year. He highlighted the greens with pink, purple, and ivory flowers.

Winter always offers an opportunity for elegance. I appreciated his use of crystals with white tulips and calla lilies.

The green, orange, and burgundy of autumn are accentuated perfectly with gold candelabras and chargers.

The willow branches add a rustic touch to these elegant centerpieces.

David was also asked to speak to the brides and their guests about wedding planning and design.

I also want to give a huge thank you to Ashley and Nora from David’s team for all of the hard work and their help at the Ritz.Great work all around!