Downtown

Intimate Beacon Hill Wedding

We get to see all kinds of weddings, for sure, from the most minimal- a couple at city hall- to the most extravagant- a bride and groom with huge numbers of guests in grand venues- and everything in between. And we enjoy them all; the beauty in each truely comes down to the people involved. When Meagan contacted me, I was very excited. You see, Meagan was referred to us by her friend Leigh-Ann, who also happens to be our friend and a wedding industry peer so we knew Meagan would be fantastic to work with. She and Chris and their wonderful families did not disappoint. And their intimate wedding was absolutely beautiful.

Meagan and Chris had been engaged for awhile, but hadn’t gotten very far into the wedding planning, until this spring, that is. At which point, they decided not to mess around and scheduled the date for early June. They planned a small ceremony at her parent’s home in Beacon Hill, with portraits to follow in the Public Garden, and then dinner at a favorite restaurant. The whole feel of the evening was warm, loving, bright.

Meagan arrived at the ceremony on foot. Calm, at ease, and joyful.

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She entered the living room where their guests were gathered. Some stood, some made themselves comfortable on the couches and chairs.

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I found myself completely caught up in the meaning of the ceremony, truly listening and feeling the impact of the moment.

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meagan-chris-beacon-hill-boston-wedding- massachusetts groom

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The kiss and the applause.

meagan-chris-beacon-hill-boston-wedding- the kiss and applause in mass

And the hugs and the tears. Pretty much everyone was in tears.

meagan-chris-beacon-hill-boston-wedding- hugging the bride and tears of joy

Meagan definitely thought about the details and they seemed to match her sophisticated taste to a tee. Her J.Crew wedding dress was modern and chic; her bouquet of cream roses with touches of whites and greens was the perfect accent.

meagan-chris-beacon-hill-boston-wedding- brides bouquet cream roses- greens and whites

Following the ceremony, we took a few portraits in the condo.

I love the moment just before the kiss.

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Snuggling up by the window.

meagan-chris-beacon-hill-boston-wedding- bride and groom window portrait

Then we ventured down to the Boston Public Garden.

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meagan-chris-beacon-hill-boston-wedding- bride and groom in the public gardens - reflection

The big tree in the back and the way Meagan casually holds her dress gives this one an old world romantic feel.

meagan-chris-beacon-hill-boston-wedding- boston public garden bride and groom portraits

I am thinking these tourists definitely got their money’s worth from their Duck Boat adventure.

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We went back up to the flat to hang out for a bit before dinner.

meagan-chris-beacon-hill-boston-wedding- bride with friends

meagan-chris-beacon-hill-boston-wedding- bride and groom reading a card and gifts

The yummy looking cake. Mmm…. I think I am getting hungry.

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Then over to the Beacon Hill Hotel & Bistro for dinner.

meagan-chris-beacon-hill-boston-wedding- beacon hill bistro dinner reception

And some more photos?!

meagan-chris-beacon-hill-boston-wedding- iphone camera wedding photography

Many thanks to Meagan and Chris. What a joy it was to work with you and be a part of your celebration!

If you want to see more, check out their slideshow.

Bands and the Band

The sparkles and sounds of Amber and Tyler’s wedding fit together perfectly with the taste and scents from the food and floral. From top to bottom and with all five senses, Amber created a feeling of city elegance.

Tyler chose Amber’s engagement ring with help from Amber’s mom, who also happens to be a jeweler. When they were ready to select their wedding bands, her mom was happy to help the couple find a perfect match.

at_westin_st_francis_hotel_wedding- rings from family jewelry store- los altos hills ca

Amber’s complete look- from head to toe- in style. Earrings, veil, hair, wedding dress, bouquet and rings… Beautiful.

at_westin_st_francis_hotel_wedding-sf-wedding- brides complete look- wedding dress- jewelry- flowers- veil- prior to ceremony in san fran, ca

A closer look at her birdcage veil, styled with jewels and feathers, and her teardrop diamond earrings.

at_westin_st_francis_hotel_wedding-sf-wedding- close up of brides look- birdcage veil with feathers- tear drop earrings

After the ceremony, the veil was removed, but the feathered and jeweled comb for her hair stayed to add a sense of whimsy. Also check out Tyler’s distinguised black-tie tux with the singular white rose boutonniere.

at_westin_st_francis_hotel_wedding-sf-wedding- grooms look- distinguished black tie with white rose boutonniere- bride's hair without veil

The sounds that filled the air that evening can only be attributed to Keith Johnson and the AM Radio. They kept the dancing going and the guests entertained.

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Actually Tyler also helped with the entertainment. He sang one special song just for Amber.

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Though he knew the song, he wasn’t taking any chances.

at_westin_st_francis_hotel_wedding- groom gets help with words - just in case- when serenades his bride during reception in Alexandra's- san fran, ca

I can’t think of anything more romantic. He even had a single red rose for his new wife. She rewarded him with a sweet kiss.

at_westin_st_francis_hotel_wedding- sf-wedding-delighted, bride thanks groom with kiss- bay area ca

With the nerves set aside, it was time to party. Dancing to the great band was no problem for our groom!

at_westin_st_francis_hotel_wedding- sf-wedding- groom dancing to great band at union square hotel wedding- fall in sf ca

And that completes the details from Amber and Tyler’s stunning wedding. If you would like to see the more from their wedding, I would recommend checking out their slideshow.

The pros involved in this wedding were amazing. Another round of thanks to:
Ceremony Venue: Borgia Room at The Westin St. Francis
Reception Venue: Alexandra’s at The Westin St. Francis
Hair: Antonio Cabral
Make-up: Aida Morano from Aida’s Custom Cosmetics
Gown Designer: Romona Keveza
Bridesmaid dresses: Siri
Groom’s tux: Canali
Groomsmen’s tuxes: Selix Rentals
Cake: Shinmin from I Dream of Cake
Floral Design: Jeffrey from J Floral Art
Band: Keith Johnson and AM Radio
Ceremony Musician: Amber’s stepfather, Carl Weimer
Invitations: William Arthur

Fashionable Floral

You’ve probably already noted that Amber and Tyler‘s wedding at the historic Westin St. Francis Hotel above Union Square was all about city sophistication and classic style. She continued the look and theme with her floral design; limiting the type and color of flowers highlighted the texture and gave the whole look a cohesive feel.

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

at-westin-st-francis-wedding-floral- brides bouquets of white orchids held during ceremony by bridesmaid

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.

at-westin-st-francis-wedding-floral- bridesmaid's red calla lillies bouquet held during wedding ceremony in san fancisco

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

at-westin-st-francis-wedding-floral- bride and bridesmaids with their flowers- her's white orchids, theirs burgundy or purple calla lillies

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

at-westin-st-francis-wedding-floral- mom of the groom's corsage with red orchids match personal flowers for this fall san fran wedding

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.

at-westin-st-francis-wedding-floral- candlelit mantle- with votives red roses and greenery- floating candles- san fran hotel wedding;

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…

at-westin-st-francis-wedding-floral- sf wedding centerpieces- multiple arrangements of red flowers- different types in different containers- orchids, calla lillies

From a distance…

at-westin-st-francis-wedding-floral- tall red orchid floral arrangements during reception in sf, cali

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.

at-westin-st-francis-wedding-floral- bride and groom's monogram on a bed of red flowers- gerbera daisies and roses- at reception by union square, california

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

Setting the Scene- Westin St. Francis Wedding

Sophistication. Elegance. Cosmopolitan. All words that describe Amber and Tyler’s chic San Francisco wedding at the Westin St. Francis in Union Square. Selecting the location was key to creating the feel they were looking for. The hotel’s history, decor and architecture all added to the beauty of their day.

The ceremony took place in this fabulous space, the Borgia Room. I am enchanted by the wood panelling and the gorgeous ceiling. The chandeliers are not too shabby either.

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at-westin-st-francis-wedding- ornate ceremony site in san francsico, ca- borgia room

I love the fireplace as the central focus point for the space and the wedding.

at-westin-st-francis-wedding- fireplace backdrop in sf california ceremony space- borgia room

Even the hallways are magnificent at the St. Francis Hotel. They made for an excellent portrait location on a day when going outdoors just wasn’t possible.

at-westin-st-francis-wedding- hotel wedding in sf, cali- chandeliers and mirrors

As the guests made their way to the reception in Alexandra’s, they were treated to more elegant touches. The seat assignments were listed on this scroll.

at-westin-st-francis-wedding- seating assignments scroll for san fran wedding

Each place setting had a special gift awaiting the guest.

at-westin-st-francis-wedding- gifts for guests at table assignments in northern cali

A Surf and Turf dinner soon arrived- quality to match any restaurant in San Francisco. And if you have tasted the food in San Francisco, you know that is truly high praise.

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Champagne toasts followed the meal.

at-westin-st-francis-wedding- bride and groom champagne toast- sf reception

The reception space was gorgeous. I especially loved this mural behind the band, so beautifully lit.

at-westin-st-francis-wedding- band shell and speeches with mural backdrop- art decor elegance- alexandra's

And for a greater sense of the room, from our bride and groom’s perspective.

at-westin-st-francis-wedding- full space at top of hotel in sf union square- alexandra's

Through a doorway.

at-westin-st-francis-wedding- union square ballroom- alexandra's

From the band’s perspective.

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And the wedding dinner wouldn’t have been complete without a few tasty treats to cap off the day.

First a platter of desserts.

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And then this stunning cake- wrapped in white chocolate sheets and decorated with dark chocolate swirls and roses. Amazingly elegant.

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To add a sense of whimsy to the day, an adorable super hero cat groom’s cake.

at-westin-st-francis-wedding- sf couple groom's cake- union square hotel- i dream of cake - north beach

More details and inspiration from Amber and Tyler’s wedding to follow soon. If you would like to see more from their day now, check out their story and their slideshow.

The pros:
Ceremony Venue: Borgia Room at The Westin St. Francis
Reception Venue: Alexandra’s at The Westin St. Francis
Hair: Antonio Cabral
Make-up: Aida Morano from Aida’s Custom Cosmetics
Gown Designer: Romona Keveza
Bridesmaid dresses: Siri
Groom’s tux: Canali
Groomsmen’s tuxes: Selix Rentals
Cake: Shinmin from I Dream of Cake
Floral Design: Jeffrey from J Floral Art
Band: Keith Johnson and AM Radio
Ceremony Musician: Amber’s stepfather, Carl Weimer
Invitations: William Arthur

 

Glamour Above Union Square

Twelve years ago, Tyler met Amber. He knew she was the one. And last month they were married.

For their the quintessential San Francisco wedding, Amber and Tyler chose the venerable Westin St. Francis Hotel which was built before the 1906 Earthquake. This historic Union Square hotel has hosted presidents and movie stars alike. It was the perfect backdrop for Amber and Tyler’s elegant city wedding.

For this wedding, I teamed up with our associate, Christine, and we started the day with Amber as she was completing the final touches to her look.

I set up a few photos of the shoes and the dress.

amber_tyler_sf_wedding-westin st francis getting ready dress with shoes

Love the light.

amber_tyler_sf_wedding- brides wedding dresses buttons at the sf wedding

Making sure everything is just right.

amber_tyler_sf_wedding- bride with birdcage veil looks in mirror at westin st francis san francisco ca

We had a little time before the ceremony so we took the opportunity to take some portraits of Amber. She was simply striking.

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She looked so glamorous; we had to capture her amazing fashion and style.

amber_tyler_sf_wedding- cali bride with shoes and gowns and bouquets at westin st francis

Then off to the ceremony, where Amber and Tyler said their "I do’s." and then this image which comes from the end of the ceremony would be the “We did’s”.

amber_tyler_sf_wedding- the westin st francis borgia room for wedding of bride and groom- califorina

The portraits are often the first alone time our couples have on their wedding day. We were happy to step back and let them enjoy the moment.

amber_tyler_sf_wedding- bride and groom portraits at westin st francis in san fran ca

Tyler with the bouquet in one hand and the new ring on the other. Definitely a married man. Welcome to the club, Tyler!

amber_tyler_sf_wedding- groom with brides bouquet at westin st francis in san francisco, california

Such a touching and romantic first dance…

amber_tyler_sf_wedding- bride and groom's first dance at the westin st francis in california

The night just got better and better as Tyler surprised Amber by serenading her with a red rose in hand.

amber_tyler_sf_wedding- groom serenades bride during wedding reception at the westin st francis

Amber’s reaction.

amber_tyler_sf_wedding- bride tears up during wedding reception in Alexandra's room at the top of the westin st francis tower

Then a passionate embrace.

amber_tyler_sf_wedding- bride and groom hug after emotional moments at westin st francis alexandra's in the tower

I have many favorite images from the day, but this is Jo’s favorite. It pretty much sums up their passion, their tenderness, their class, their glamorous hollywood style, and the feel of the whole wedding.

amber_tyler_sf_wedding- hollywood glamour at the westin st francis reception- bride and grooms portraits

Thank you, Amber and Tyler, for inviting Christine and I into your most amazing day. We are so glad we could be a part of it.

Also many thanks to the pros who helped Amber and Tyler make their wedding a beautiful reality!

The team at the Westin was fabulous! It was wonderful to work with you.
Ceremony Venue: Borgia Room at The Westin St. Francis
Reception Venue: Alexandra’s at The Westin St. Francis

Hair: Antonio Cabral
Make-up: Aida Morano from Aida’s Custom Cosmetics
Gown Designer: Romona Keveza
Bridesmaid dresses: Siri
Groom’s tux: Canali
Groomsmen’s tuxes: Selix Rentals
Cake: Shinmin from I Dream of Cake
Floral Design: Jeffrey from J Floral Art
Band: Keith Johnson and AM Radio
Ceremony Musician: Amber’s stepfather, Carl Weimer
Invitations: William Arthur

If you would like to see more from Amber and Tyler’s city soiree, definitely check out their slideshow.

Happiness at the Harvard Club

When last I wrote about Jess and Ivan’s wedding, I spoke all about how chill they were and how they most looked forward to socializing with their friends and family. So when we shared the photos with them for their premiere, it was no suprise that they were most interested in seeing the faces of all their loved ones. They would point out, "Oh, there’s so and so" or "that’s my cousin…" or "that’s your neighbor from the time you were two…" Or "he was there when Ivan proposed in Ireland." Well you get the point. Their special day was all about the people.

Of course, the wedding day planning all started with the two of them and their desire to share their lives together. So I will pick up with the ceremony…

jess-ivan-boston-harvard-club-wedding-bride enters to meet her groom during ceremony at harvard club

They pretty much kept all of the traditional events of the day short and sweet. And the ceremony was also very streamlined. They did, however, include the kiss.

jess-ivan-boston-harvard-club-wedding- bride and groom kiss at harvard club in downtown boston ma

Because they elected to see each other before the tea ceremony and the western ceremony, we also took their formal portraits before the ceremony and they were able to attend cocktail hour.

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Ivan found a way to chat with the friends right next to him and the ones across the room. :)

jess-ivan-boston-harvard-club-wedding- groom during cocktail hour

Jess hadn’t seen many of her childhood friends in a long time. She enjoyed the opportunity to catch up with her crew.

jess-ivan-boston-harvard-club-wedding-bride during cocktail hour in mass

One of the best parts of the Downtown Harvard Club is the view. Check out the sunset.

jess-ivan-boston-harvard-club-wedding sunset view during cocktail hour

I love it when a bride and groom are surrounded by their friends and family as they take the dance floor for the first dance. Though it seems for this moment, Jess and Ivan were in a world all to themselves…

jess-ivan-boston-harvard-club-wedding- bride and groom kiss during first dance

Jess’ dad gave the one toast, and he too kept it brief. That didn’t keep him from getting in a few good laughs.

jess-ivan-boston-harvard-club-wedding- bride's father's toast during reception

I plan to share more details from their day later, but I couldn’t resist sharing this cake. It’s AMAZING!!! They wanted to honor Ivan’s chinese heritage so they had Konditor Meister decorate it with the double happiness. The swirls are like the clasps, frogs, that are the "buttons" on a Chinese dress.

jess-ivan-boston-harvard-club-wedding- wedding cakes with chinese double happiness

And then it’s party time. Jess’ grandfather on the dance floor…

jess-ivan-boston-harvard-club-wedding- grandfather gets down

I am not sure if it was a special request or if the DJ just knew our boy Ivan. But Ivan is a HUGE Red Sox fan so when the DJ played Papelbon’s special song, Ivan and his friends thoroughly enjoyed themselves doing the Riverdance.

jess-ivan-boston-harvard-club-wedding- groom does can can during special baseball song

And one last image from the night…

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And their slideshow….

Special thanks to:

Tania and all of the folks at the Downtown Harvard Club- Tania is an amazing coordinator; she helped with Jess getting ready, provided the forgotten hairspray, and was always in the background guiding the day.

Also for taking care of all the special details:
Wedding cake: Konditor Meister
Floral: Nellie’s Wildflowers
Entertainment: Entertainment Specialists
Officiant: Justice of the Peace Helen Kerivan

Many, many thanks to Ivan and Jess. I am so, so glad you asked us to photograph your wedding. It was so much fun and such a special way to celebrate with you two.

Love & Fidelity

Jess and Ivan’s wedding was definitely a relaxed affair. It was all about kicking back with friends and family and enjoying a good meal with good drinks. Jess kept everything very low-key. No bridal party, simple portraits, and lots of time to see everyone. In fact, Ivan said his favorite part was shmoozing with everyone during the reception.

We started our day with Jess as she was getting ready in her suite at the Langham Hotel. We had suggested that she and Ivan choose someone to help out with putting on the dress and other such details since she didn’t have any bridesmaids. They chose Ivan’s cousin Rebecca, who was absolutely amazing. She was such a pro. I know Ivan and Jess were grateful to her and so were we.

Like I said, Jess was very relaxed. When we arrived, she was all set, except for the dress, which we had asked her to wait to put on. So she was basically chilling out, while we took a few photos of the dress (as seen in the mirror behind her) and the shoes and other details.

jess_ivan- bride gets ready for her wedding - hotel langham

Dave coordinated with Ivan so that he was waiting for Jess to arrive at Post Office Square to see her for the first time. I brought Jess down. Ivan had his back to her until she told him she was ready. And then he got his first look at his gorgeous bride. Joyful!

jess_ivan- groom sees bride for first time at post office square- boston

Since the wedding was at the downtown Boston Harvard Club and they were staying just a few blocks away, we chose to walk the streets for our portrait session. And as it happens in many financial districts, there was a Fidelity Investments office. And as it happens, Ivan and Jess met while working at Fidelity. So, of course, we had to have a photo of our happy couple with Fidelity in the background. It kind of reminds me of an advertisement for financial planning or some such thing. "Start your Happily Ever After off on the right foot with Fidelity…" We won’t go into the meaning of Jess and Ivan walking the opposite direction of the One Way sign, one detail I enjoy a lot.

 bride and groom take portraits around downtown boston before harvard club wedding

And then we captured a few images with the more typical cityscape in the background.

jess_ivan- bride and groom with city backdrop before harvard club wedding

We headed into the lobby of the Harvard Club building for Jess and Ivan to rest their feet.

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Jess’ mom and dad arrived and Jess’ mom caught her first glimpse of Jess through the window; Jess looked stunning in her wedding gown- no wonder her mom was so excited.

jess_ivan- mother of the bride sees her for first time in boston mass

When the rest of their family members arrived, we all went to the top floor, where the Harvard Club resides. We took the family formals in the Shawmut Room. I love this space because of the beautiful mural on the back wall and the windows opposite it. It was a perfect spot for these pictures. However, I love this photo because of how much Jess and her mom are enjoying themselves.

jess_ivan- bride and MOB enjoy a moment before the ceremony at the harvard club- boston mass

For the tea ceremony, Jess changed into a traditional Chinese QiPao.

jess_ivan- tea ceremony at harvard club- boston massachusetts

Ivan’s parents were just as enthusiastic and fun as Jess’ and no one stood too much on protocal. It was all about celebrating this fabulous couple.

ivan and jess with parents duirng tea ceremony at the harvard club

Still some traditions were followed faithfully. Jess was given this beautiful jade jewelry, along with the red envelopes she and Ivan received.

jess_ivan- bride received customary jade jewelry during tea ceremony at harvard club in boston ma

Still to come, the Western ceremony, the cocktail hour as the sun set, and the fabulous party. In the meantime, if you want more right now, you can check out their engagement session.

And I just had to share one more photo to give you a taste of what their guests enjoyed when they ventured to the 38th floor- this gorgeous view of Boston.

jess_ivan- view from harvard club wedding reception- boston ma

Allegro Gets Gilded

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We are so excited because we were just invited to be a part of Gilded Boston‘s bridal show- the Gilded Bride- at the Algonquin Club in the Back Bay in Boston. This event was designed specifically with the stylish bride-to-be in mind and will be a happy alternative to larger bridal expos. We will be photographing the event as well as sharing our work. It is this Sunday, April 26 from Noon to 5 pm. You receive a $5 discount when you pre-register online. We hope to see you there!

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Site Visit: Boston Park Plaza

Oh me, oh my. The Boston Park Plaza Hotel is simply fabulous! Last week, I met up with Abby Brennan, their wedding coordinator, and blogger extraordinaire of Peaches by Plum.

boston_park_plaza- boston city view of john hancock buliding

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