Jan
24
If you loved all the varied uses of pinks from Maren and Steve’s "Special Touches," just wait til you see their flowers. All of the texture and softness and beauty. Plus, I am adding a bonus to spark your appetite with some of my favorite food images.
Part 2- Flowers and Food
First the flowers, pinks perfect for a summer wedding.
Loving the lushness of our bride’s bouquet. And check out our groom’s boutonniere.
The walk down the aisle was just perfect with these flower baskets hanging from the seats.
Sweet flower girl with her soft pink roses bouquet.
They brought the pails from the ceremony to place on the cocktail hour tables.
The dinner setting was just perfect. Some tables had tall centerpieces, some with petite centerpieces, all set off by the crystal chandeliers.
One of the tall centerpieces. The use of greens and whites add depth to the arrangement.
Along the fireplace, the bride’s and bridesmaids’ bouquets were placed in glass vases tied with pink ribbons.
And now for a few sweet, yummy morsels. Maren’s caterer- Blue Rocks Catering- was fantastic. The food both looked and tasted (what we were able to enjoy) amazing!
Oh and her beautiful cake. A perfect combination of the food and the flowers!
And one last favorite, which I think shows how perfectly her floral choices fit with the grounds of the Glen Manor House…
More thank you’s to their amazing team of experience professionals:
Ceremony and Reception Site: Katie Wilkinson from the Glen Manor House
Getting Ready location: Kate Jenkins of the Pelham Court Hotel
Caterer: Ingrid Martins of Blue Rocks Catering
Cake: Kate Repko from Cappuccino’s
Floral Design: Sayles Livingston of Sayles Livingston Flowers
DJ: Sidney Posey of DeeJays Etc.
Ceremony Musicians: Crystal Pascucci and Quartetto Vivo
Hair and Make-up: Wavelengths Salon & Spa
Wedding dress designer and salon: Simone Carvalli; Maria Spyridopolous of Sabella Couture
Bridesmaids Dresses and salon: Watters & Watters; Cheri Amor of Perfect Bridal
Groom’s attire: Jos. A. Bank
Groomsmen’s tuxes: Men’s Wearhouse & Tuxedo
Invitations, place cards, save the dates- aka the full design suite: Steve Reepmeyer
Want more? Check out their slideshow, PicFlick. Or on the blog, their engagement session, sneak preview, scoop and details: part 1.
Jan
11
Maren and Steve pulled together one of those stylish weddings that most brides dream of. Their ceremony and reception were held in a fairytale estate with beautiful grounds. So here’s a little inspiration from their special day.
Part 1- The Special Touches
First off, pinks were the order of the day- from mauve to pastel- subtle shades and hues of luscious pink. More on the flowers in a later post (also pretty in pink).
The full compliment of paper products- invitation, save the dates, name cards and more.
Bird cage for collecting cards.
Programs.
Maren’s shoes with a hint of turquoise. This was a beautiful accent color to the pinks, and only used in two spots. Her something blue.
Her purse also with turquoise. She added the little hummingbird pin, a nice touch of whimsy.
Now check out their venue. The Glen Manor House is nothing short of stunning.
Loving the period details throughout, reminiscent of a French country estate.
The view of the ceremony lawn from the back patio, where the cocktail hour was held.
The back patio. Maren and Steve bought all of the lounge furniture and pillows to ensure it would have just the feel they were going for.
Twinkling in the evening.
A beautiful celebration such as this simply can’t be pulled off without a team of experienced professionals. Special thanks to all:
Ceremony and Reception Site: Katie Wilkinson from the Glen Manor House
Getting Ready location: Kate Jenkins of the Pelham Court Hotel
Caterer: Ingrid Martins of Blue Rocks Catering
Cake: Kate Repko from Cappuccino’s
Floral Design: Sayles Livingston of Sayles Livingston Flowers
DJ: Sidney Posey of DeeJays Etc.
Ceremony Musicians: Crystal Pascucci and Quartetto Vivo
Hair and Make-up: Wavelengths Salon & Spa
Wedding dress designer and salon: Simone Carvalli; Maria Spyridopolous of Sabella Couture
Bridesmaids Dresses and salon: Watters & Watters; Cheri Amor of Perfect Bridal
Groom’s attire: Jos. A. Bank
Groomsmen’s tuxes: Men’s Wearhouse & Tuxedo
Invitations, place cards, save the dates- aka the full design suite: Steve Reepmeyer
Want more? Check out their slideshow, PicFlick. Or on the blog, their engagement session, sneak preview and scoop.
Aug
17
Brace yourself. This one’s a long one. I just couldn’t help myself. Too much fun. Too many beautiful spaces. Too many wonderful people. So there are a few more than usual.
Maren and Steve planned an absolutely stunning destination wedding at the Glen Manor House in Portsmouth, RI. Their guests traveled from far and farther to celebrate with them and were treated to a weekend getaway celebration. Care was given to the smallest of details (each guest had their own personalized itinerary) and thought to the feel of the whole event. Spaces were created for relaxation, for dancing, for socializing. More on all of that later in a details blog post. For now, I want you to be able to get a sense of what it was like to be a guest at this wonderful wedding. And the answer is nothing short of amazing.
As I skipped ahead to Maren’s entrance in my last blog, I thought I would take a step back because I love this moment before Steve enters. The anticipation gives me goosebumps.
The guests also couldn’t wait to see Steve’s reaction to Maren’s entrance.
The ceremony was full of smiles and tears. When Maren and Steve brought each mom a specially embroidered handkerchief and white rose, Steve’s mom already had tears on her cheeks. So Maren helped wipe them away. Steve’s love and understanding of his mom came out in his smile.
Gotta love the folks who bring out the laughter.
At the end of the ceremony, Maren and Steve had not one, but two kisses, and then this very tender look as they enjoyed their new husband and wife status.
Oh wait, make that 3 kisses.
We snuck away for a few portraits on the grounds.
Immediately it felt like Maren and Steve were meant to be on this estate. They were so at ease at the Glen and comfortable in the space. It fit like a glove.
A private toast before they joined their guests.
The cocktail hour was enjoyed on the back lawn and guests spread out to all of the outdoor spaces, really enjoying the property.
Steve and Maren were such excellent hosts. It seemed as if they had invited all of their nearest and dearest to their private country estate. They really took ownership of the celebration, graciously welcoming their guests.
Loving the playfulness that comes with children.
And the sweetness. I can just imagine the conversation, something along the lines of "You look like a princess" from one of the ladies. Followed by "So do you," from the other.
A quick portrait on the steps with the whole bridal party. The kids are simply too cute.
For that matter, so is Maren. This moment during their first dance is hilarious. Maren is perfectly in character.
Loved hearing the story of how they chose the first song. Steve had requirements, well really just one. He didn’t want a song that would make him cry. Something upbeat fit the bill and as he liked Dean Martin, "Ain’t that a Kick in the Head" seemed a perfect choice. It was all fun, no tears.
As it turns out, his mom had similar requirements. So Steve surprised her with his favorite song from his childhood, Elvis Presley’s "Teddy Bear." The crowd, and his mom, loved it.
Dinner was served.
And guests wandered in and out of the ballroom, the dining rooms, and the outdoor spaces on this perfectly lovely evening.
What it actually means to be married I think. Too funny.
Just as we were about to depart, Steve broke out the cigars. He was hanging out with his friends- the whole group of guys, and gals, enjoyed a celebratory smoke.
Oh, what a night! And day, for that matter. This was such a wonderfully joyful wedding. I am so glad we could be a part of it. Many, many thanks to Maren and Steve for including us.
Additional gratitude goes to all of the professionals who helped make their day so fabulous. Each and every person was amazingly talented and wonderful to work with. Honestly I think Maren said it best though. "I just want to invite them all to Thanksgiving dinner." Now if that isn’t high praise.
A very special shout out of thanks to Katie Wilkinson the manager of their ceremony and reception venue, the Glen Manor House. What a joy it was to work with you! Everything was impeccable.
Getting Ready location: Kate Jenkins of the Pelham Court Hotel
Caterer: Ingrid Martins of Blue Rocks Catering
Cake: Kate Repko from Cappuccino’s
Floral Design: Sayles Livingston of Sayles Livingston Flowers
DJ: Sidney Posey of DeeJays Etc.
Ceremony Musicians: Crystal Pascucci and Quartetto Vivo
Hair and Make-up: Wavelengths Salon & Spa
Wedding dress designer and salon: Simone Carvalli; Maria Spyridopolous of Sabella Couture
Bridesmaids Dresses and salon: Watters & Watters; Cheri Amor of Perfect Bridal
Groom’s attire: Jos. A. Bank
Groomsmen’s tuxes: Men’s Wearhouse & Tuxedo
And the knock your socks off invitations, place cards, save the dates- aka the full design suite put together for their wedding, by none other than our groom, a professional designer by trade, Steve Reepmeyer.
So honestly truthfully, I had such a hard time narrowing these down for the blog. I really hope you will check out their slideshow and their PicFlick. And if you haven’t yet seen their engagement session, definitely check that out.
Jun
15
Two of the most warm and caring individuals, Dara and Keith are the epitome of kindness and love for each other and their families. It was a joy watching them connect with everyone at their wedding. When we spoke to discuss the details, they highlighted so many people they wanted to capture photographs of (like Dara’s uncle) and moments they knew they were going to cherish (like Keith’s brother crying during the ceremony). Here’s just a taste of their beautiful day.
Dara got ready in the bridal suite at the Log Cabin in western Mass. She was surrounded by her dearest friends and closest family members. Two of her bridesmaids helped her tie the corsette laces of her wedding dress.
A moment to check out the dress and all of her personal details. Dara’s classic beauty and softness shine in this image.
Meanwhile the boys were all set so they took some time to enjoy the stunning mountain views.
Just before Dara walked down the aisle, the flower girl and ringbearer prepared to lead the way.
Keith was terrified that he was going to cry during the ceremony. Apparently he is known for this, having cried during his brother’s wedding. He was trying desparately to keep it together in preparation for Dara to walk down the aisle.
On the arm of her father.
Arriving to her groom.
Check out this amazing, stunning, spectacular, gorgeous, out of this world mountain view. And the temperature was perfect. An idyllic scene, no?
The gentle breeze caught Dara’s veil and the light made it glow during their vows. So pretty.
I absolutely love this image of Dara’s mom and dad during the ceremony. You can feel the love they have for each other and for Dara and Keith just by looking at their faces and body language.
Just as Dara and Keith started their departure after their kiss and being pronounced man and wife, their ringbearer realized he was on the wrong side of the aisle. For a young man, what other solution is there, really, but to dash across to the correct side? Too funny.
And at the end there were bubbles – have I mentioned that I love bubbles?
What an all out great day! Definitely check back soon for more from Dara and Keith’s spring wedding.
Dec
17
And she did it!
That’s right our fearless bride Courtney took a taste of fire for the first time on her wedding night. Her friends guided her. And her very supportive and understanding groom Brian cheered her on (not pictured here).
And now for a step back in time.
The getting ready is the first chance we get to check out our bride’s stylistic choices for the day. Not only did Courtney have a super cute dress and very stylish shoes (as featured in the sneak preview), she also had a birdcage veil. I love this. With the right dress, on the right person, it is the exact right touch. Courtney was just right.
Meanwhile the boys were hanging out next door. Already dressed and prepped, Brian had a bit of a wait. I think he just wanted to get upstairs to see his bride.
And pretty soon, he got his wish. She met him at the end of the aisle in the Topsfield Commons ballroom. They were both all smiles and warmth.
Our ringbearer performed his job with grace. So cute. (He took his job very seriously and insisted on getting this clean-cut hairstyle prior to the wedding. What a young gentleman!)
After the ceremony, Courtney and Brian went upstairs for their family portraits.
Before the portraits got underway, Brian embraced his father. After hearing the stories, I can honestly say I want to be like his dad when I am older. He’s got tons of energy and it’s clear his family honors, respects and adores him.
A few more from their first dance.
Did I mention all of their talents? In addition to fire eating, trapeze flying, videography, and graphic design, they can do one hell of a swing dance. Awesome lift!
Once they opened the dance floor, you couldn’t keep their guests off. And Greg from C-zone did a great job playing music to keep the dance floor jam packed all night long.
So maybe one guest wasn’t so into dancing.
Courtney took the opportunity to take a spin with various guests.
The romance of the evening definitely caught up with this couple.
I wanted to close with a few portraits from their day.
We took this one of Courtney after the family portraits.
Then once the party was underway, we brought Courtney and Brian downstairs for some alone time and a few more photos.
I love the feeling a privacy and intimacy in this image. They are clearly in their own world.
If you want to see more from Courtney and Brian’s amazing north shore wedding, definitely check out their PicFlick.
And a big thank you to all of the professionals who helped make their day so special:
Ceremony and Reception Venue and Catering: Kristi Martino from The Topsfield Commons
Gown Designer: Priscilla of Boston, special thanks to April Abbott
Bridesmaid Dresses: Baby Girl Boutique
Groom’s Tux: Frank’s Custom Tailoring
Groomsmen’s Tuxes: Men’s Wearhouse
Cake: Mary Bandereck
Floral Designer: Annette Rinaldi
Ceremony musician: Christian Cundari
DJ: Greg from C-Zone Music
Hair styling: Shag
Finally, a HUGE thank you to Courtney and Brian. You guys were and are amazing. Your trust and faith in us made the day so very enjoyable. And we absolutely love your adventurous spirits. We are so glad that we get to continue working with you on future projects.
Dec
06
Courtney and Brian are artists, both professional filmmakers and editors as well as graphic designers; plus Courtney is a trapeze artist. We were unbelievablely honored when they chose us to photograph their wedding day.
We wanted to make sure we captured their day in a way that spoke to their fun and creative nature as well as their individual personalities. Courtney is exuberant, energetic and courageous. And Brian is so, so sweet and supportive and genuine. They perfectly compliment each other. So today I share with you just a taste of what’s to come from their wedding at the Topsfield Commons. I hope you enjoy!
Courtney’s beautiful dancing dress and super cute shoes.
Hanging with the girls before the wedding.
Hanging with the boys…
A few portraits after the wedding. Tender sweetness.
A little background for this photo…. Courtney and Brian asked one of their dear friends to perform the ceremony at the wedding. She also happens to be a trapeze artist and a member of the circus arts community. During the ceremony, she handed Courtney and Brian each a clown nose with the wise thought that they never take themselves too seriously. They started not taking themselves too seriously immediately after the wedding and obliged us with a few emotional photos.
Another of Courtney and Brian’s talents’, swing dancing. They were awesome with aerials and all. (By the way, guys, we’d love to join you sometime. We haven’t been swing dancing in a very long time and totally miss it.)
Stealing a kiss during dinner.
After dinner and a bit of dancing and a few drinks, the circus crew went outside for a bite of dessert, aka fire. Okay so maybe it was more of a show than dessert, but it was so cool. This would be the "ringleader."
Several guests gave it a shot. And Brian used the tools of the trade to light his cigar.
Courtney was considering giving it a go. She had actually decided not to do it prior to the wedding- you know the whole don’t want to burn myself up and ruin the honeymoon idea- but then on the night of the wedding, she considered it. Here’s one of her attempts. Aaahhh, but did she go through with it? Check back to find out.
And I have to put a plug in for Courtney’s next trapeze show. It’s at the TSNY Beantown Boston area facility on Saturday, December 19 at 8 pm. We are so excited to finally be able to make it to one of her shows and it promises to be amazing. Come if you can!
Stay tuned for more photos.
Nov
02
Last night, we invited Andrea and Eric over for their wedding premiere. They had just returned from their amazing honeymoon in Greece- which sounded out of this world. We had a truly great evening hearing about the highlights from their trip- great food, stunning sunsets, and really friendly people- and reliving their wedding day with them through the photos. And now I am excited to share a few more with you.
I wanted to start with the portraits today because I felt like there were a few more fun ones I had to share from this part of the day. I love the old stone walls you find in New England. And The Harding Allen Estate definitely has some pretty ones.
The Estate has amazing gardens, complete with little hideways, pretty paths, a pergola, statues and this reflecting glass orb.
Catching the highlights from the setting sun and the resulting shadow.
The bustle on Andrea’s dress took a bit of time, but I love this image of her surrounded by the lace of her dress. And don’t her arms look amazing?
Off to the reception….
The speeches were great all around, but my personal favorite was the musical toast to Andrea, sung by her bridesmaids. They took the song "Agony" (which is actually a love song) from Into the Woods, the play Andrea and Eric were working on when they first met, and turned it into a tribute to Andrea. It was beautiful, witty, touching, perfect.
They were rewarded by a huge hug from Andrea and Eric.
Last night, we also learned a bit more about some of the preparation and thoughts that had gone into their planning. One of the things that stuck with me was that Andrea hadn’t planned on wearing a veil. But then when she tried it on, she just felt like a bride. I know exactly what she means. It didn’t feel real to me, when I was trying on dresses, unless I had a veil on. So then on Andrea’s wedding day, it became an important part of her look. I love the way Dave captured this image that shows off the veil in such a beautiful way.
And something a bit more amusing…
The young boys were outside playing with Eric’s brother’s dog. He was quite an athelete and the kids were highly entertained.
Back inside the dancing got kicked off by Andrea and Eric. If you haven’t checked out the PicFlick of them dancing, you should definitely do that. Here’s one of my absolute favorite still images from their first dance.
I love that Andrea took this moment to dance with her mom. They are clearly so close; it seemed only right that her mom should get a chance to dance with the bride.
And then the real party got underway. Some seriously crazy fun dancing, complete with handstands, kids on shoulders, two Conga lines, and even a dance routine led by one of Andrea’s bridesmaids. Good times were had!
The last dance slowed things down a bit, a chance for Andrea and Eric to embrace and take in the moment.
If you would like to see a larger set from their wedding, please enjoy this PicFlick…
Special thanks to all of the professionals who helped to make Andrea and Eric’s day so special:
To Grace and Leslie at The Harding Allen Estate, the grounds and service were amazing.
To Lisa at the Blessed Sacrament Parish, what a stunning New England Church!
Judy from Fulgere Salon and Spa, for Andrea’s hair and make-up
Andrea’s stunning wedding gown from Casablanca Bridal
The coordinated bridesmaid dresses from Jasmine Bridal
Eric and his groomsmen’s tux’s from Men’s Wearhouse, with special ties to match the ladies; gowns from The Tie Bar
Floral Design by Danielson Flowers
Revel Video captured the moments of their ceremony
Music was so important to Andrea and Eric and their musicians and DJ did an outstanding job fulfilling their dreams:
Arioso Chamber Players, lead by Brenda van der Merwe, and Elizabeth Noone, their organist provided the ceremony music
Roberta from Music Sensations kept the dancing going during their reception
For their invitations and paper products, friends Molly and Jon created the design. They also utilized a Rita Renning collection through Papyrus and created super cool save the date magnets through Magnet Street.
If you would like to see a few more of Andrea and Eric, definitely check out their engagement session, their sneak peek, and their slideshow.
Oct
16
We met Andrea and Eric at the Great Bridal Expo about a year and a half ago. They were memorable from the beginning. Out of all the stories I heard that day, their proposal story stood out- Eric popped the question on top of a mountain in Palm Springs- and I even wrote about it here on our blog.
Then we met with them for their consultation and their story continued to speak to me. They met while working on a production of Into the Woods. I love Into the Woods and find it absolutely fitting that their story began with fairy tales as the backdrop.
And after their engagement session in Marblehead, we couldn’t wait for their wedding. It was so much fun getting to know them. We were really looking forward to celebrating on their wedding day and couldn’t wait to meet their friends and family. We knew that they, too, would be fabulous.
When the big day arrived this fall, we had a lot to look forward to. We knew there would be lots of love and great stories. We knew there would be music and dancing. We knew we would be surrounded by beauty.
So allow me to share from the beginning…
Dave and I split up for the getting ready. I started the day with Andrea.
And Dave headed over to the church.
Nephews, brothers and co-ring bearers.
It was truly an emotional day. Andrea’s dad felt the significance, walking her down the aisle, and Andrea had a huge smile on her face when she saw Eric.
They had a traditional Catholic ceremony, sans mass, in this beautiful church in Worcester.
After the ceremony they were all smiles.
They hopped into their limo and dashed off to the Harding Allen Estate, where they were hosting their reception, and where we would take the portraits.
We captured a few candid moments in between the cocktail hour and the reception. I love this one of Eric getting used to the feel of the ring on his finger. The brides have the whole time of the engagement to get used to a ring on that finger, but this is always an adjustment for the grooms.
And one closing photo of Andrea; this was captured as her sister was working on her bustle and she is smiling at Eric who is watching. She looks absolutely beautiful.
If you would like a taste of what’s to come, check out the movie Dave created of their special dances.
Mar
16
I was so amazed this weekend and last at the Lord Thompson Manor. We love the venue, but this was the first time we had been there for their wedding showcase. What an extraordinary event! Jackie brought everything together beautifully.
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