When Heather met up with us for her planning meeting, we talked about all sorts of details regarding timing and portraits for her wedding at the Institute of Contemporary Art in Boston. But what she was most excited about was the dancing. She couldn’t wait for the party. She wanted to see all of her friends and family having a good time. And let me tell you, they did not disappoint. But before we get to the dancing party, a few formalities, with a less formal air.

Early on in the dinner reception, Heather’s dad welcomed guests and toasted the bride and groom and their future together.

His words and thoughts definitely connected with Heather.

Throughout dinner, the guests relaxed and got to know each other. Many were meeting each other for the first time. The long tables were perfect not only for the physical space of the ICA’s theater, but also for encouraging interactions. Conversations never lulled.

Being a theater, dramatic lighting was a must. The reception had an elegant chic feel to it.

Christian took a spin around to visit with his friends and family who had traveled from Italy to celebrate with he and Heather. There was much joy and merriment.

After the sun set, Dave stepped outside to take in the whole scene. On the left the theater’s long expansive window allowing a view into the dinner reception, and to the right Boston’s beautiful waterfront skyline.

And now for the party….

One of my fave’s of the night. I love the feeling Dave captured in this image- the intenisty, the connectedness, the energy….

From the abstract to the literal. These two were crazy fun on the dance floor; they had some serious moves.

Feeling the music.

A little showmanship and all about the fun.

I have to close with my favorite image from the night. For me, this one image tells Heather and Christian’s story. Actually watching them dance together, I got to see so much about how they work together- the give, the take- each completely in tune with the other. And so clearly enjoying being together. I can’t help smiling.

Everyone had a great time dancing under the stars. All in all a truly amazing evening.

And now my chance to say thank you to a truly fabulous team of professionals who created and assisted in making this vision a reality:

I absolutely have to thank Kim Stone and Billy Evers of Rafanelli Events and their amazing colleagues. What a night! Heather and Christian didn’t have a thing to worry about with you guys on the job. The whole event went perfectly. And the look of it all, the feel of it all…. Well, don’t worry, I will go on in another blog post, but for now I just have to say I loved the way you mixed a modern aesthetic with classic elements. You guys throw one hell of a party!

Also thank you to:
The ICA Staff, who took care of all aspects of the location including lighting
The crew from Wolfgang Puck for their amazing food and service
Cakes to Remember for the beautiful wedding cake

The look of the evening would not have been complete without the talent and assistance of:
Winston Floral
Be Our Guest
Signature Event Rentals
Party by Design
Peterson’s Party Center

The entertainment for the evening was out of this world. Huge kudos to DJ Kupah an DJ Kaz from Upside Entertainment.

And a special thank you to Matt Teuten of Matt Teuten Photography for the photo booth. What a hit!

A few final thank yous for helping the get the day started on the right foot:
Westin Waterfront Hotel
Vera Wang for Heather’s gorgeous white dress
Luis from Luz Beauty for the hair and make-up

Congrats again Heather and Christian! You guys make an amazing couple; it was such a joy documenting your celebration.

If you would like to see more from Heather and Christian’s Soiree, check out their sneak preview and their slideshow.

I began the day with Heather as she and her mom were getting ready at the Westin Boston Waterfront.

A little pampering and some fabulous music courtesy of Luiz (Luz Beauty) and his ipod got the party started on the right foot. Let me just say Heather was definitively the most easy-going bride. She was totally calm and relaxed during what can sometimes be a little bit of an anxious time. She sat back and assessed and enjoyed everything as it was happening. That said, this prep time was a lot of fun and we all wanted to start dancing right then and there. Okay so maybe some of us actually did.

Love the silhouette as Luiz plays with Heather’s hair.

Mom, who had finished just as I arrived, enjoyed the view as Heather finished up.

Then we all headed over the Institute of Contemporary Art, where the real festivities were set to take place.

And there we met up with Heather’s husband, Christian. I love how his face lights up when he looks at Heather.

Dave and I took a few portraits with our gorgeous couple in and around the ICA. The view of the Boston Harbor is so beautiful and we had a truly lovely evening.

And then the celebration really got underway. The cocktail hour was held outside on the back deck of the ICA.

The Rafanelli team put together some really fabulous touches for Heather and Christian, including their own personalized Italian sodas (appropriate given that Christian is from Italy, they met in Italy and were married in Italy) and photos in acrylic frames from their wedding ceremony.

And a quick peak of what’s to come. The dinner reception was in the ICA’s theater. Love the fabulous view and the setting sun. The colors of the sky perfectly matched the lighting, floral and linens for the event. Stunning work!

Check back soon for more from the Heather and Christian’s elegant and modern soiree. There will definitely be loads of details to share from the rest of the evening and you are not going to believe the dancing at this event. It was non-stop amazing fun.