Feb
04
The past two weekends were spent being inspired. We attended two bridal shows, the Baystate Bridal Show and the Great Brial Expo at the Boston Park Plaza Hotel. There were so many amazing people at each that I just had to share a little bit of the fun.
First of all, the stories I heard from brides and grooms were absolutely wonderful. This is the biggest reason I enjoy the shows. It gives me a chance to meet so many wonderful people and get a taste of their romantic stories- like the gentleman who proposed on a gondola in Venice, Italy.
Or the young man who asked his fiance to marry him while they were taking a road trip to Chicago, on their way to see her best friend and then to see her family for Thanksgiving; it was like a proposal and engagement party all in one.
Or the gent who swept his love off to Disney World for a get away, planned a fabulous dinner at the Grand Floridian. At the end of the evening, he snuck her out for a private cruise on the lagoon where a special dessert awaited them. Beneath that evening’s fireworks, he popped the question.
Yes, it’s true. I am a total romantic and a complete sucker for these stories, both grand and intimate. Love it! And I got a quite a fix at the shows.
Also at the shows, I got to meet some amazing vendors. I spent a good deal of time with a few of them. Namely, the wedding cake bakers. Yummmmmmmmmmmmm. Not only do these artists create a sweetness from the heavens, they make their cakes absolutely beautiful. So while I can’t share the taste, I thought I would share a few of the more creative cakes.
A few of my favorites from Konditor Meister…
Feels like something you would find in France. Love the script on the sides of the cake.
Perhaps Russian inspired like a Fabergé egg.
From the sea.
Springtime cake.
Autumn cake- love the rich colors; very unique.
Asian influence with bamboo.
And a couple from Ivy’s Fine Cakes…
Very sparkly – crystals galore.
Feels like a surprise from Tiffany’s.
Congrats to all of the wonderful couples and many thanks to these two vendors for sharing samples of their amazing work.
Nov
19
It’s time. That’s right, Angie and Mike are back. That means transformers and dancing, but first a bit more from the earlier part of the day.
These two have a million ways to smile.
Angie taking a moment with her dad.
I love this photo for lots of reasons. Partially because the couple on the right, Hilary and Scott, are a past bride and groom of ours; it was really fun to see them at Angie and Mike’s wedding. Also all of these guests are so engaged in what they are doing. And what they are doing is looking at photos. Angie spent hours and hours and hours putting together boxes of family photos. She printed them all in black and white, set each box (all were different) on a table for guests to enjoy. It was so much fun!
One such photo of Mike and his sister made the rounds because it was hilarious. A moment in history that I had never expected. Of course, that meant we had to re-enact the photo. Kind of reminds me of a recent Modern Family episode.
Mike’s transformative nature…??? According to his best man, it appears that Mike can go to dichotomous extremes. For one, he is not fond of hippies, but he himself is a vegan. In a similar vein, he was a self-confirmed bachelor, but found the love of his life and went in the other direction with full force, completely committing to Angie.
And then of course, there are the actual transformers. Every single speech alluded to his special collection of Transformers, a full wall in his man cave devoted to them. Dave, of course, took this as a sign that we needed to purchase a Transformer as a prop for their ring shot. (Dave was absolutely giddy as we were shopping in the toy aisle.)
Mike wasn’t the only kid who enjoyed himself at his wedding. The chocolate cupcakes were a huge hit with the youngin’s.
We took a break from the laughter to smile at the sweetness of Angie and Mike’s first dance.
And then more laughter and cheers ensued. Angie had a special surprise in store for Mike. At this point, he had no idea what was ahead for him. So he apparently needed to steel his nerves.
And what was in store for him? A fabulous dance number choreographed by Angie and her friends. A little background… Several months before their wedding, Angie and Mike had arranged a little dance-off competition for their wedding- Angie & her friends vs. Mike & his friends. It seems that Mike allowed things to fall by the way side, but in secret Angie was masterminding her routine. And not only was it a complete surprise to Mike, Angie put in a special tribute to her mom, selecting a song that Angie had won a talent competition with when she was in elementary school, a song her mom would know and appreciate.
Mike’s dance number? Maybe it wasn’t choreographed but it sure was cute.
And a little movie in celebration of Angie and Mike…
Special thanks go out to the professionals who made Angie and Mike’s day so amazing:
Venue: Fort Mason Officers Club at 1 Fort Mason
Catering: Eden B. at Organic Chef Catering
Floral Design: Lidia Sadoun at la fleuriste
Ceremony Musician: Guitarist Kenneth Schwartzman
Lighting: Hayley Bramble at Got Light
Dance Floor: Jeff Bickner- Bickner Dance Floor Rental
And of course, many many thanks to Angie and Mike for including us in your most wonderful day. We had such a great time with you guys- and kept laughing and smiling while working on the images. Thank you!
If you would like to see more from Angie and Mike, check out their engagement session, sneak preview, rehearsal dinner, and slideshow.
Nov
16
Angie and Mike are such a completely fun couple; their wedding day was all about enthusiasm, joy, wit and playfulness. We had a great time getting to know them during their engagement session and couldn’t wait to meet their family and friends. We were so lucky to be able to join them for their Bonfire and Burritos Fiesta/Rehearsal Dinner on Ocean Beach. What a great way to set the tone for the next day’s celebration!
When I arrived at Angie’s hotel room to photograph her getting ready, I felt right at home with her crew. They were so warm and welcoming the day before; and the wedding day was no different. Not to mention that they were great about taking care of Angie- getting her whatever she needed (aka champagne) as well as helping her finish up and getting Angie and her dress to the ceremony site.
While Angie’s stylist worked on her hair, Angie put on her own make-up. Multi-tasking at its best.
Did I mention champagne?
While the girls were hard at work (and play) over at the hotel, Mike and the boys arrived at the Fort Mason Officer’s Club with some necessities- a few decor items to complete the look for the welcome tables and beer.
The florist had already done her part for the ceremony. I absolutely love these bright orange ribbons with citrus orange and yellow orchids lining the aisle. So fresh and cheerful.
Mike still had lots to do to get things ready. He must have needed a quiet place to organize things- what better spot than the closet?!!
Angie’s flower girl was adorable- she looks like a purple fairy princess. She took to the part with ease and got some practice walking (okay so maybe she was running) on the lawn before the ceremony started.
This was such a funny moment. When our purple princess made it down the aisle, she wanted to stay with Mike as Angie entered. I don’t blame her, that’s the best view in the house.
Smiles all around as Angie walked down the aisle with her mom and dad.
Some smiles were accompanied by tears.
Angie and Mike chose to personalize their ceremony by having their dear friends as the officiants- one officiant for each of them.
I have to close with this wide view of their ceremony because it was simply gorgeous. Autumn in San Francisco is definitely the nicest time of year, and it absolutely does not get better than this. They had perfect weather- warm and sunny- and this stunning view of the San Francisco Bay.
Stay tuned for more- because I haven’t even touched on Mike’s transformative personality or Angie’s surprise dance number. These two will keep you smiling all day long!
Oct
13
Those were the words written on our Facebook page by the father of our bride after seeing the sneak peek. And I feel compelled to comply. After all, Shelley and Andreas’ wedding at the Wang was simply dazzling, and not only because of the beautiful space in which they got married, but also because there was so much joy in the day.
So allow me to continue where I left off….
Shelley made her entrance on the grand staircase of the Wang Theatre lobby.
It really is an enticing place, a perfect place for a wedding. You know something momentous is happening when you step into the Wang.
I love the expression on Shelley’s face as she listens. Makes my heart melt.
And then after the ceremony, Shelley and Andreas retreated for a bit of alone time. In the Jewish custom, this is the yichud. A time for the newlyweds to breathe and take in the moment. Shelley and Andreas enjoyed even the moments before they got to the room.
During the cocktail hour, we completed the formal portraits.
Getting to know Andreas and his relationship with his brothers, we had learned of their super-human strength. For your viewing pleasure, we have captured one of their amazing feats- Andreas sending his brothers through the air with a simple push.
Being based primarily in the north and on the west coast, Dave and I had never had the pleasure of witnessing this special tradition, that of the Second Line, which comes out of New Orleans. It is basically a parade that celebrates the bride and groom- there are handkerchiefs, umbrellas, and fun music.
The reception got underway with more special dances and speeches. There were tears and laughter aplenty.
Andreas with his mom.
Shelley with her dad.
Shelley had a pretty short list of things she wanted to make sure we captured beyond our usual, but the rings shot was definitely one of them. Because Shelley had centered her theme around Boston (her rehearsal dinner included a picnic in the park and a Duck Tour), she had guests sign an actual book, rather than a traditional guest book. We chose to use this as the backdrop for her ring shot.
Towards the end of the evening, we took Shelley and Andreas outside for a few nighttime portraits. Under the Wang’s marquee, the lights were lit, creating a perfect backdrop for this closing shot.
Shelley and Andreas’ wedding was spectacular and there are so many professionals to thank for all your help.
First Maria and Sean and their team at the Citi Performing Arts Center- thank you so much for taking care of everything so perfectly. We look forward to working with you again.
And to Danielle of Full Circle Events, we really appreciate your guidance.
For helping create the look, feel, taste and sound of the day, thanks go out to:
Paula at Gourmet Catering
Glynn and David from Sweet Tooth for the cake
Gay at Whole Foods who provided the floral
Juanita Barbour from Eyes on Me for the Shelley’s make-up
Sarah from Back Bay Hair Designs
Meagan and Ralph from the InterContinental Hotel
Dav El Car Service for the transportration
And last, but definitively not least, their fabulous officiant Deb.
But most of all, we want to thank Shelley, Andreas and both of your families. I am so glad we could be a part of this journey with you. What a joy it has been!
Now, I am sure you want more, more, more, so definitely check out their engagement session part 1, part 2 and slideshow, along with their sneak preview. And absolutely do not miss out on their wedding movie!
Apr
10
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.
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Mar
24
A few weeks back, I had the opporunity to document the work of David Tutera at the Ritz Carlton in Westchester. David was invited to create wedding reception table displays. He designed a suite of arrangements, from small to grand for each, that represented the four seasons.
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