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.

We started the day at the Boston Harbor Hotel and ran into Darren in the lobby first thing. Erin needed a little more time to finish getting ready before they got to see each other, but I honestly don’t think he wanted to wait a moment longer. We did not delay. We went right up to see Erin and capture her preparation.

The emotions on a wedding day are really what make it so rewarding to photograph. Erin and Darren’s wedding day was simply filled with great moments and expressions through and through. Here’s a series of my favorites, all from "first sights".

Erin’s mom takes her in- all decked out with the dress, the veil, the shoes- her completed look.

Erin and Darren had their first meeting outside the Boston Harbor Hotel, on Rowes Wharf. Darren stood with his back to Erin until she was ready. She told him to turn around and his eyes lit up.

Of course, this was also the first time she got to see him.

Body language says a lot, too. So sweet.

After they had a chance to enjoy the moment, we all hopped in their car (thank you to our fabulous driver Erika) and headed over to the Boston Public Gardens for a few photos. Erin had visions of willow trees and the swan boats and all the beautiful flowers, and I don’t blame her. What a stunning landscape! Still, those photos are definitively rivaled by the simplicity of this one that shows off Erin’s classic beauty.

We finished our portrait tour back at the waterfront with a few around the hotel. Dave and I had spotted this mirrored sculpture nearby on a prior to visit to the hotel. We knew we wanted to play there. Erin and Darren were amenable. So chic.

Then the day really got underway. The ketubah signing and bedeken ceremony took place in the board room. And they were officially married by Jewish law.

Followed by the ceremony under the chuppah in the Wharf Room. But for now, I leave you with just this one little hint of what’s to come.

Soon to follow… the ceremony, the party, and all of their special details.