Oct
31
The couple that boxes together, stays together.
Initially when we met with Anna and talked about her and Johnny’s engagement session, we thought we might do something at a pizza joint. They met while she worked with him at a pizzeria. I imagined flour being tossed and pizza being made. They would have been great photos. When we started making plans this fall, they had come up with the idea of boxing, as they attend a boxing gym together. I absolutely ADORED this idea. Immediately I had an idea for a photo I wanted to create. As it turns out, Dave also immediately had an idea. They were both different and both exciting. I couldn’t wait.
First, Dave’s concept. Larz Anderson was perfect for it. Anna and Johnny appear to be at the top of a ridge, fighting to the finish. Love the angle and color of Dave’s vision.
My angle on Dave’s idea. Don’t mess with Anna.
My vision was to create something akin to a Sports Illustrated cover or a boxing poster. I wanted off-camera flash (something we almost never use, but every tool has its time and place) times 2. The goal was to turn the sky dark by underexposing it and flash Anna and Johnny, giving them a surreal prominence and power. I am so excited by the way these came out.
This one actually reminds of a scene from The Princess Bride (Anna I will lend it to you, don’t let me forget). The one in which the Man in Black is dueling with Inigo in the ruins.
Anna and Johnny chose Larz Anderson as the backdrop for their portraits for a couple of reasons, one of which was the Boston skyline views. Horsing around on the hills.
Another reason was because Johnny grew up in Brookline and had spent a lot of his younger years in the park. He knew it inside and out.
After we had played around enough, they changed into regular clothes for a few more traditional portraits. Together on the lawn.
One of Anna alone. So pretty and at ease.
Capturing the beginning of fall and one sweet kiss.
We made our way to this beautiful rain pavillion for a few more. Loving the interactions of these two.
And in the gorgeous scene.
Really, this session was so much fun. Anna and Johnny really got into the photos and shared their ideas. Plus how often do you get such a knock out couple knocking each other out? I would highly recommend checking out a few more images here.
Oct
29
When last I wrote about Jess and Dan’s wedding day, I shared the getting ready, a few portraits, and a teaser for the ceremony. If you haven’t checked those out, here’s a teaser from the portraits. A quick note about this image. This was Jess’ inspired idea. We loved it and so we all made the walk to Harvard Square from the Charles River. So glad we did.
And now for the rest of the good stuff. The ceremony and reception. Dan gazing at Jess.
And what a kiss! Check out how all the guests are cheering them on.
Right into their first dance. Literally. I mean they walked 2 steps and started dancing. How sweet is that.
A moment in time from the dance.
Observing it all.
Since it was an intimate wedding, every single person had a special connection to our couple. This made for some wonderful moments. Jess and a friend admiring each other’s fashion choices.
The guests also knew each other, for the most part, so they all really enjoyed catching up as well.
Oh, and we were told that Dan would only be on the dance floor once, during his first dance. "Dan doesn’t dance," we were informed. Well, you can imagine how surprised everyone was when they were able to drag him onto the dance floor. And I would venture to say he enjoyed himself. Loving how he is surrounded by the ladies.
And another one, just to prove it wasn’t short lived, our groom kicking up his heels with his bride. Nice moves, you two!
What a night! Huge thanks to Jess and Dan for including us in your intimate wedding. It was such a joy celebrating with you and your guests.
Many thanks to all of the professionals who helped make their wedding amazing:
Getting ready venue: the staff of The Charles Hotel
Ceremony and reception site: Annie Sarkis from the Rialto Restaurant
Planner, caterer and cake: Annie Sarkis from Rialto
Floral design: Hiroko Takeshita of Hanaya Floral Design
Invitations and save the dates: Paper Source
Hair: Jessica Diop from Aquinn Hair Studio
Gown designer: Amsale
Bridesmaids dresses: Amsale
Groom’s suit: Hugo Boss
Groomsman suit: Joseph Abboud
Can’t get enough? Me neither. Check out more from Jess and Dan’s engagement session, sneak peek, and slideshow.
Oct
24
An intimate wedding with their closest family and friends, amazing food and wine, and works of art surrounding them…. These were the elements that Jess and Dan sought when celebrating their wedding. When they discovered that one of their favorite restaurants Rialto had a private event space, they knew they had found their location. The space offered the intimacy they wanted as well as the good eats.
Because the restaurant is located in the Charles Hotel, it was only natural for Jess and Dan to get ready there as well.
Jess had the help of a few close friends as she prepped.
Loving this image Dave captured of Dan getting ready. A completely different take on it.
I took a little liberty and included this image of Dan’s niece and nephew with his getting ready photos, even though it happened during his 2nd getting ready. Aren’t they adorable?!
After both Jess and Dan were ready, we brought them outside to a secluded walkway near the hotel so they could see each other for the first time in private.
Dan awaiting Jess’ arrival.
Jess is full of spunk, and this photo totally captures her personality. She did, indeed, boogie down the path to go meet her groom. I’m surprised we were able to keep our camera’s straight as we were laughing pretty hard.
When they saw each other, it was all tenderness; the mood changed to one of joy and peace.
Of course, the benefits of seeing each other beforehand are many. One of the reasons Jess and Dan chose to do so was so they would have enough time for their portraits, and be able to attend cocktail hour. We definitely love having the time to play around with our couples before their ceremony. Relaxed, fun, beautiful portraits come out of that time. A few of my faves.
Classic beauty.
Smoky sensuality.
Fun.
Oh, and here’s a good time to talk about the structural art surrounding them. First of all, Jess chose this phenomenal couture wedding dress by Amsale. And she worked with her florist to create floral arrangements that had depth and dimension. You can see it here in her bouquet and later in the table arrangments.
We worked our way back to the hotel for a few touch ups and to hide Jess away in the restaurant so none of the guests would see her. While we waited for the ceremony, we captured a few of Jess alone.
The guests gathered in the ceremony room, and then the music changed. It was Jess’ entry music. The curtains were drawn. And ….
You will have to check back for the rest from Jess and Dan’s wedding day. They are not quite ready. But if you need another fix now, you can see a few from their engagement session.
Oct
05
Jess and Dan are so much fun to be around and we had a wonderful time photographing their engagement session, just before their wedding.
First and most importantly, they are completely comfortable with each other. They began their relationship as close friends, having met at work in the hot bed that all start-ups offer. After a bit, they discovered their fondness for each other had grown and changed. They realized a romance was brewing. After spending even a short time with Jess and Dan, you can tell they know each other top to bottom.
Secondly, they chose a great location for their engagement session- the locale where they first met and spent much of their time together, One Kendall Square in Cambridge, MA. So the engagement session was also a tour of their favorite haunts. And now I leave you to enjoy Dan and Jess!
At The Blue Room…
These two were so interactive. Telling us great stories and sharing ideas. Loving this ramp, a mix of old and new architecture.
Around the corner from the main square, a quiet funky little spot.
Then into the parking garage for views of the area, but enjoying the stairwell just as much. These two are too cool. Love the light, the sunglasses and the lines.
Their wedding was just last week and we had such a great time with everyone- an intimate celebration at Rialto! Check back soon for a sneak peek of the festivities.
Oct
10
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…
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.
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.
Ivan found a way to chat with the friends right next to him and the ones across the room. 
Jess hadn’t seen many of her childhood friends in a long time. She enjoyed the opportunity to catch up with her crew.
One of the best parts of the Downtown Harvard Club is the view. Check out the sunset.
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’ dad gave the one toast, and he too kept it brief. That didn’t keep him from getting in a few good laughs.
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.
And then it’s party time. Jess’ grandfather on the dance floor…
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.
And one last image from the night…
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.
Sep
29
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.
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!
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.
And then we captured a few images with the more typical cityscape in the background.
We headed into the lobby of the Harvard Club building for Jess and Ivan to rest their feet.
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.
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.
For the tea ceremony, Jess changed into a traditional Chinese QiPao.
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.
Still some traditions were followed faithfully. Jess was given this beautiful jade jewelry, along with the red envelopes she and Ivan received.
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.
Aug
26
This weekend, we snuck in an engagement session with Jess and Ivan, whose wedding is in just over a week. We wanted to make sure we had this chance to get together in a relaxed setting before the wedding. And also, to share the photos with them and get their feedback before the big day. The weather had been less than cooperative for our initial plans, but this day was perfect. As was the location.
With the Back Bay as our playground, we enjoyed the wealth of possibilities our fair city has to offer. Gotta love Boston!
We actually know Ivan and Jess pretty well already. Ivan and Dave had been roommates in college at UMass Amherst; as soon as we moved back to the Boston area, we got together with them. We instantly adored Jess.
And of course, playdates with Max and their pup Noodle were a must. Both dogs love the tennis ball and neither is agressive about having it. Excellent playmates.
Perhaps my favorite thing about heading out on a photographic double date with Ivan and Jess was pausing to watch them interact with each other. They laugh so much!!!
And my other favorite thing was watching them play with Noodle- who is totally absolutely adorable. Such a happy family.
And so cute, Noodle watching Jess and Ivan. Like he wants to join in.
All around a great morning! Thank you both- we had so much fun.
We really can’t wait for your wedding at the Harvard Club. It is going to be amazing. And we are totally going to take you up on your offer to hang out and dance for a bit after we are finished shooting!
If you want to see more, check out their slideshow.
