Mar
08
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.
For her own bouquet, held here by her bridesmaid during the ceremony, she chose white orchids with yellow centers.
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.
Together the ladies looked great- white on white for the bride and deep red with chocolate brown for the bridesmaids.
Corsages for the moms continued the look- deep red orchids.
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.
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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…
From a distance…
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.
Congrats to Jeffrey from J Floral Art for creating such a stunning look for Amber and Tyler.
Mar
03
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.
I love the fireplace as the central focus point for the space and the wedding.
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.
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.
Each place setting had a special gift awaiting the guest.
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.
Champagne toasts followed the meal.
The reception space was gorgeous. I especially loved this mural behind the band, so beautifully lit.
And for a greater sense of the room, from our bride and groom’s perspective.
Through a doorway.
From the band’s perspective.
And the wedding dinner wouldn’t have been complete without a few tasty treats to cap off the day.
First a platter of desserts.
And then this stunning cake- wrapped in white chocolate sheets and decorated with dark chocolate swirls and roses. Amazingly elegant.
To add a sense of whimsy to the day, an adorable super hero cat groom’s cake.
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
Jan
30
Jackie and Scott’s fabulous New Year’s Eve wedding at the Boston Intercontinental Hotel was an absolute blast. The perfect way to kick off the next year and the next decade. We finished off our last entry with the church ceremony. The newlyweds hopped into the limo with their entourage and started the party. Truly, the limo was hopping with dance music and laughter. We made it to the hotel and were all set for a fun portrait session.
All of the family and friends who were needed for portraits hung out together during cocktail hour. The boys had a good time messing with Scott.
A few of Jackie and Scott enjoying their newlywed status. So sweet together.
Before the guests came into the ballroom, we wanted to capture the magic created by Winston Flowers for Jackie and Scott. The winter theme was gorgeous. Jackie had given Ryan and Pam a few guidelines as to what she was looking for, but they totally exceded her expectations with all of the special details- from orchids dripping from the tall arrangements to silver globes and varied candle styles and heights.
At our planning meeting before the wedding, there had been some discussion about the song they would choose for their first dance. And while I watched them dance, I knew the song actually didn’t matter. They were so in the moment, so with each other; their dance was only about them.
Toasts soon followed and the best man got everyone’s attention with jokes and surprises galore.
Stealing a kiss after the cake cutting.
The dance floor was soon mobbed and guests enjoyed all of the hoopla of the night. I love the way this photo Dave created captures the energy on the dance floor.
A bit of romance. I am a complete sucker for couples who get into the specialness of a wedding.
New Year’s Eve in Boston is not known to be the warmest of times. In fact it snowed earlier in the day, but this crew could not be stopped. They wanted a photo outside by the waterfront and the holiday decorations. So we took the party on the road; everyone had such a good time.
Did I say party? Yes. Definitely. Dancing like you wouldn’t believe. Dancing with smiles.
Dancing with hats.
Dancing that turned into kissing at midnight!
What a truly amazingly fun evening! And from what I hear the party continued well into 2010, with everyone hanging out ’til dawn.
Huge congratulations to Jackie and Scott, and to your family! And also many, many thanks for including us in your wonderful celebration. We adore you guys.
Also much gratitude to all of the professionals who contributed to this wonderful New Year’s Eve wedding:
Reception Site: Paul Melino and Ralph Black and their team at the Boston Intercontinental Hotel
Ceremony Site: Father Farrell of Our Lady of Assumption
Hair: Bobby Pinkham and Marie of Skin for All Seasons
Make-up: Jessica Russo from Bobbi Brown
Bride’s gown: Vera Wang Boston
Bridesmaids’ dresses: Vera Wang Boston
Groom and groomsmen’s tuxes: Men’s Wearhouse
Cake: Ellen Bartlett from Cakes to Remember
Floral Design and decor: Ryan Zoeller and Pam Boudreau from Winston Flowers
Lighting design: Paul from Boston Uplights
DJ: Peter Accolla from Nulmage Entertainment
Invitations: Arabella Papers
Save the dates: Mark Harris Stationers
Want to see more from Jackie and Scott’s New Year’s Eve wedding? Check out their slideshow and their PicFlic on facebook.
Jan
16
When Jackie and Scott chose to get married on New Year’s Eve 2010, they selected a night that would symbolize all of the things that weddings are meant to be- a tribute to their history, the start of something new, a celebration of family and love and joy. Really I can’t think of a more perfect way to start the next decade than a wedding. And they had one hell of a good time at their party. But I am getting ahead of myself.
So let’s begin with 2009, the last day of the 00′s decade. We had snow that day; it is Boston after all. So our New Year’s Eve was freshly painted with white. A scene setting image from the ballroom at the Intercontinental Hotel, where Jackie was getting ready and would later celebrate with family and friends.
Then up to her amazing suite to put on her dress. I captured a few of the details. First the shoes…
And then her Vera Wang dress. Absolutely loved the style and it looked amazing on Jackie. The lines like a sunburst from the side are quite flattering.
When Jackie was all set, we headed off to the church. She looked fabulous; even had the perfect wool coat to keep her warm.
Meanwhile, Scott was already at the church, preparing for the ceremony to begin.
Jackie was accompanied into the church. Note all of the fabulous candles and the beautiful display at the front of the church. Winston Flowers created the decor and winter theme for Jackie’s wedding and they did an absolutely phenomenal job- they brought the look together with lights, candles, greens, whites, silvers, and blues in all sorts of textures. Amazing!
Jackie and Scott had a Catholic ceremony at her family church north of Boston. I love the way Winston decorated the church interior. As you entered, you walked through an archway of greens dripping with crystals in fabulous glass vases. You felt like you were walking into a magical space.
Jackie and Scott were so cute during the ceremony; they found lots to enjoy and smile about.
Happy Newlyweds!
I have to leave with one little teaser image of what’s to come. Jackie had one wish for her wedding decor and she honestly didn’t think she was going to be able to get it. She wanted an escort card table of acrylic. She had seen a picture of one during her planning and totally fell in love with it. When she told Ryan and Pam of Winston Flowers, they made her dream come true. And wow!!!
Definitely check back as we party all night long with Jackie and Scott, bid a fond farewell to 2009 and say hello to 2010. More amazing photos to come!
Dec
18
Stylish. Fun. So sweet on each other. Leah and Dave are a joy to be around and were so much fun to photograph on their wedding day.
A few of my favorite bits from the day:
Dave purchased his tux. He knew it would be tailored perfectly if he owned it and he wanted to look his absolute best for Leah. He even spent some time ironing earlier in the day.
Leah gave Dave a special cologne and Dave gave Leah a special perfume as a wedding gift. They had learned that emotion tied to scents are uniquely suited to bring back memories; they selected new scents for their special day so they had another way to recall their joy. I love this.
They wanted the first time they saw each other to be private and intimate. It was so beautiful.
Leah didn’t even blink at the cold, and it was cold. She looked totally relaxed for all of their portraits, and there were lots. She’s one tough lady.
Dave and his twin brother Mark took a moment before the ceremony. I don’t know what they said to each other, but I loved watching their closeness.
The look on Leah’s dad’s face when he was giving her away.
When Emily (wife of Dave’s brother Mark) and Steve (husband of Dave’s sister Lauren) had a special welcome for Leah as the newest in-law.
Oh boy, I have a lot of favorites. I could go on all night. But perhaps I should get to some photos….
So here’s the rest of their story. Starting with the ceremony.
I love this photo of Dave waiting for Leah to walk down the aisle, with Mark watching him. Dave has already seen Leah on their wedding day, in her wedding dress. And there is definitely something different and equally special about this moment. You can see it in his eyes.
Their ceremony was held under the stars in the pavilion on the grounds of Wine and Roses in Lodi, California. The candles, lanterns and flowers added so much romance to the space.
Leah’s parents enjoyed the ceremony…
As did Leah.
It was also filled with emotion.
Dave’s dad found the newlyweds after the ceremony for a congratulatory hug.
Leah and Dave’s reception was in the ballroom, a beautiful warm lodge-like space. They sat a sweetheart table in front the fireplace and enjoyed a toast to their new status.
First dance.
I mentioned this toast by Emily and Steve. Emily not only welcomed Leah to the family, but also shared advice on living with one half of a pair of twins. Emily is married to Dave’s twin and so she knows all about it.
Then the party got underway.
Some guests were caught up in the romance of the day.
Others got into the dancing frenzy with Dave.
The dance floor was never empty, to be sure.
What a great night, all around! And for those who can’t get enough, a little PicFlick….
If you want to see more from Leah and Dave’s stunning wedding at Wine and Roses, definitely check out their slideshow.
And a big thank you to all of the professionals who helped make their day so special.
Event planners: Emily Mattos and Kristen Jensen from Sugar Rush Events
Ceremony and Reception Venue and Catering: Wine and Roses
Gown Designer: Reem Acra
Make-up artist: Mina Drake
Cake: River City Cake Company
Floral Designer, lighting and room decor: The Big Bang
Rentals: Stuart Rental Company
Ceremony musician: guitarist Davis Ramsey
DJ: Music By Brian
But the greatest thanks go out to Leah and Dave. We have so loved getting to know you both and are thrilled that we could be a part of your celebration. And so much gratitude to your wonderful families. We love you all!
Dec
14
I am always excited when I talk to a groom and he is as into the wedding details as the bride. That doesn’t happen very often mind you, and that’s fine; I just think it is so cute when the gents get excited about the whole shebang. So when I had my preconsultation phone conversation with Dave and Leah, I was amazed. Leah knew all of the details, to be sure, and she was on top of all the organization, but Dave was right there alongside her. And they each had their own projects. Dave even gave us a special tour of his favorite spots at Wine and Roses, their wedding venue. Together, they made their wedding day so special and memorable for each other and for their guests.
Just to give you a taste of their amazing style and their joyous day, here’s a sneak peek of all the fun before the ceremony….
First a few details.
Leah got ready in the bride’s changing room, above the Garden Ballroom. She was surrounded by her mom and her bridesmaids. Love the matching track suits- and the super cute "bridesmaid" tees.
Then she donned her glimmering dress.
Definitely star appeal in this number. So much sparkle.
Leah is stunning.
Dave got ready in his twin brother, Mark‘s, room. Mark made sure that Dave looked very dapper.
Check him out! What a handsome fellow.
Once they were both all set. They met up in a secret location to see each other for the first time on their wedding day. The privacy of their special locale made the moment even better.
Leah took a step back to get a good look at her groom. Big smiles all around.
Enjoying their alone time.
After we finished all of the portraits, the whole group went back to Leah’s getting ready room to relax, freshen up and warm up.
The boys clowning around…
Before the ceremony… I love the way Dave looks at Leah. Could he be sweeter?
Of course, this is just the beginning. Definitely check back for photos from their beautiful ceremony and their awesome party.
Nov
30
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.
Love the light.
Making sure everything is just right.
We had a little time before the ceremony so we took the opportunity to take some portraits of Amber. She was simply striking.
She looked so glamorous; we had to capture her amazing fashion and style.
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”.
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.
Tyler with the bouquet in one hand and the new ring on the other. Definitely a married man. Welcome to the club, Tyler!
Such a touching and romantic first dance…
The night just got better and better as Tyler surprised Amber by serenading her with a red rose in hand.
Amber’s reaction.
Then a passionate embrace.
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.
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.
Jun
15
Welcome home, Lisa and Scott!
They just returned from what looks like an amazing honeymoon in Paris and Morocco. Gotta love Facebook, cause it allowed me to see pix from their grand adventures. Now, I can’t wait to hear the stories. For now, I will focus on sharing the photos from their beautiful wedding at the Hyatt Regency in Boston.
In my last post, we saw images from the getting ready to the portraits in the Public Gardens through their tea ceremony and western ceremony. Everything was perfect. The music throughout their celebration set the right tone. We went from classical string quartet to jazz to Lion Dance drummers to an all round great band and then DJ. Clearly music was important to Scott and Lisa and it definitely brought another layer of magic to their day.
The Lion Dancers kicked off the reception. It was so much fun. The colors and movement are certainly a site to see. They definitely brought smiles of joy and excitement when they entered the ballroom.
Dinner followed their entrance. And Scott steals a quiet moment with Lisa. So sweet!
Their first dance…
The speeches were awesome. I already knew Scott and Lisa were perfect together, but then I learned why their friends thought so as well. Turns out they both dream big. When Scott was in elementary school and all of his friends wanted to be a fireman, he had aspirations of being a CEO. Too cute! Lisa had similarly lofty goals. And each of them is making their dent on the world now, Scott just graduated and will be a praciticing doctor. Congrats, Scott! And Lisa is a lawyer helping people with their estate planning. The other piece that impressed me is how much they both value their friends. You can totally see how they all adore each other. And both Lisa and Scott have known their best friends since they were in grade school.
Then there was even more fun. The cake cutting and, even more importantly, the tasting.
The horah- this was one of the events Lisa was really looking forward to. Looks like it was a blast.
And then lots more partying. Don’t worry all these peeps are doctors, so if they drop Scott, they can take care of him.
Sneaking a few more romantic moments at the end of the evening….
What an all around amazing day! We are so grateful that we could be a part of it. Lisa and Scott, thank you so much for choosing us.
And a huge thank you to all the professionals who added their expertise and talent to create such a fabulous event:
Jennifer Nicholson and the incomparable crew at the Hyatt Regency in Boston
Teresa Fung of Mimosa for her floral design
Paul Therrien of Boston Uplights
Montilio’s for the wedding cake
Greg Capozzi and the talented jazz musicians of CZONE
Christopher Vuk and the exceptional string ensemble of Boston String Ensemble
The Gund Kowk Chinese Lion Dance Troupe
Also want to note the fabulous folks who helped with Lisa and Scott’s look for the day:
Hair: Lypor Leung
Make-up: Katrina Hess
Lisa’s Wedding Dress: Kenneth Poole
Bridesmaids’ dresses: BCBG
Groom and groomsmen’s attire: Joseph Abboud
And a shout out to those who helped with all of the paper products:
Invitations: Cartier
Save the Dates: Etsy.com
All other stationary: lots of hard work by DIYers Scott and Lisa
If you want to see more from Scott and Lisa’s Boston wedding, check out their engagement session, sneak preview and slideshow.
