May
06
A few weeks ago, I had the pleasure of photographing the creative ladies of SD Events. Their team was growing and changing and that called for a new set of photos for this talented crew. So please allow me to introduce…
Tasha Bracken, the founder of SD Events, she not only has vision, but she is extraordinarily calm and organized. When I work with her, I know that my job will be that much easier because she has everything covered.
Next, please meet Ivy Finn. Ivy is the newest member of the team and is known for her unexpected ideas and her enthusiasm. She has created parties from fantistically fun bar and bat mitzvahs to sophisticated charity events.
And finally, Jessica Feroli. Jess is a talented event producer as well as keeping the office in tip-top shape. She loves all of the do-it-yourself projects that go along with event planning and brings her skills to the table with imagination.
The three hanging out in their studio.
If you are looking for a planner for your next event, I would highly recommend giving these ladies a call. They are based outside Boston and have worked around the world. They will wow you with their knowledge and inspired ideas!
Just to give you a taste of the excitement they can bring to an event, check out their studio. I love this space. It’s chic and modern and bold. Simply beautiful!
Feb
03
When I think back to Pamela and Albert’s wedding this summer, I am reminded of the music, and the food. But for this entry I think I will focus on the music. It was a lyrical day from beginning to end. And the music was always accompanied by intense emotion, both spiritual and later humorous.
When last I wrote, the bride and groom were just about to walk down the aisle. Here I begin with some of the music from their ceremony at the Boston Chinese Evangelical Church in Newton.
This little one was humming to her own tune.
And our bride and groom with heartfelt song.
One of their friends lead the group.
A quiet moment of prayer during the service.
After the ceremony, we had a few minutes for portraits and stopped by Boston’s Museum of Fine Arts. The MFA has some really lovely architectural elements.
Then off to Veronique for the reception. Food is a huge part of their lives, so Pamela and Albert treated their guests to a five course meal.
One of the most fun Chinese customs is for the bride to change dresses during the evening. Of course this meant more getting ready photographs for me.
Pamela looked lovely in each and everyone.
Then back in the reception, as the couple toasted their friends, they were serenaded. Here’s their reaction to the group.
And ending with the boys singing their hearts out!
What an absolutely enjoyable day. Congrats again to Pamela and Albert and much gratitude for including us.
Special thanks to the team of pros who helped with their beautiful wedding:
Tea Ceremony Venue: Jennifer Dzialo of the Hotel Commonwealth
Church Ceremony: Pastor Kenneth Kwong of the Boston Chinese Evangelical Church
Wedding Reception Site: Erica Phillips from Veronique, Longwood Events
Hair and make-up: Brenda Situ
Wedding gown designer: Priscilla of Boston
Bridesmaids dresses: Dessy
Groom’s tuxedo: Cour Carre
Groomsmen’s tuxes: Men’s Warehouse
Cake: Veronique, Longwood Events
Floral Design: Jenn Cahill of Tangled Web
Invitations and other printed materials: Rain Chan of H2 Cards
Want more from Pamela and Albert? Check out their engagement session, sneak preview, and slideshow.
Sep
03
We’re back and we’re so excited to share a sneak preview from Pamela and Albert’s wedding. I don’t want you to have to wait a moment longer, so I am going to dive right in.
Pamela and Albert started their day at the Hotel Commonwealth in Boston. Albert was hanging out in the lobby with the boys when we arrived.
While Pamela was hidden away, Albert and his groomsmen were set to the task of winning their way to her. That meant amongst other things- push-ups, poetry, marshmallow eating, complex math problems, and perhaps a wee bit of bribery.
Pamela was at another laptop in which she could see Albert, but his screen was covered so he couldn’t see her.
Eventually, Albert was allowed to see his bride. And their union was followed by the traditional Chinese tea ceremony.
We then headed off to the church, where Pamela changed into her Western wedding gown.
A little make-up touch up, though to be honest, she looked amazing. No one could take their eyes off her.
And now just a few of their beautiful details to inspire you.
First, Pamela’s bouquet. Loving the white dahlias.
And the flowers in her hair. She changed these to match her dresses throughout the evening. (Yup she changed dresses, part of the Chinese tradition. She looked fabulous in every one.)
And the shoes.
Meanwhile, Albert was waiting outside going over his speech.
Just before the Christian ceremony, Albert was allowed in to where Pamela was. They shared a prayer with their closest family and friends. The whole time, Albert kept his back to Pamela, mostly with his eyes closed just in case, so that he could see her in her white dress for the first time when she walked down the aisle.
More to come soon. The ceremony and their amazing 5 course dinner at Veronique. Oohhhh, I am getting hungry just thinking about it.
Aug
20
Since we moved to Boston, we have had a the distinct pleasure of getting to know many fabulous wedding professionals. One of those just happens to be Tasha Bracken, Cape Cod and Boston event planner extraordinaire and the woman behind SD Events. She has so many great ideas and the ingenuity to make them happen. A recent favorite would be chalk board tables for a fabulous mitzvah celebration. Plus, she is great to be around. I would totally want her at my event, if not working, then as a guest.
So when Tasha told us that she and Bill were celebrating their anniversary, I knew we had to do something special. They hadn’t had professional portraits taken since the wedding; we immediately thought, “portraits would be a great way to celebrate!” We met up with them at their home in Newton.
It was our first time meeting Bill, and let me just say, he is great! I think he and Dave could have hung out all day talking about the Red Sox. Such boys! And even more importantly, he is clearly still so sweet on his beautiful wife.
Here’s a few of the happy couple.
Breaking out with some totally fun goofiness….
Hanging out on the back porch.
Now into a section of "Favorite Things", aka the best parts of life, or that which Tasha and Bill love.
First off, Mariah, she totally posed for the camera. What a beauty!
And Elton, definitely more camera shy, glad Tasha was able to catch him. He’s so handsome.
His and hers cocktails; getting snuggly in the background.
Note the Red Sox attire. The couple that cheers together, stays together. 
Since it was an anniversary session and Tasha looks fabulous, we coaxed her into doing a few in her wedding gown. No surprise, it fit perfectly. Besides, what girl doesn’t want a chance to put on that beautiful white dress just one more time?!
Mariah came back for a repeat performance.
And one parting image… I love the juxtaposition of Bill in his Red Sox shirt with Tasha all gussied up in her wedding gown! Makes me smile.
We are so thankful to Tasha and Bill for inviting us into their home. We had a really great time with you both!
If you would like to see more, check out their slideshow.
May
27
Our studio opening celebrations were so much fun. We had a great mix of friends, clients and peers celebrate with us in our new space over the course of a couple of weeks. We were thrilled to have everyone over and just as excited to have completed hanging photographs in the main gallery.
For one of the parties, Abby Brennan of Peaches by Plums provided these amazing flowers.
I could not believe how beautiful they were and the aroma that filled the space was so sweet and inviting. I met Abby while visiting the Boston Park Plaza Hotel, where she works in the catering department. But floral and event design is her dream and passion. It certainly shows.
In order to make the event even more special, we decided to include a showing of our favorite images from the getting ready portion of the wedding day. The show was called "Anticipation." We plan on keeping it up for through the season. All of the photographes were black and white photojournalistic images; we used museum standard matting and simple black frames.
Through the rest of the gallery, we have hung our permanent collection. Some of our favorite photographs from weddings and portrait sessions. Below you see several canvas prints as well as a self-portrait metallic print.
I always love hosting a party because I really enjoy watching the people from different parts of my life intermingle.
Max missed out on all the partying, but he still gets to enjoy the space on a regular basis.
Our new space is between Watertown Square and Newton Corner, about 15 minutes from downtown Boston. Not only do we love the great space, but the location is absolutely perfect for us. We have found it relatively easy to get to Boston as well as points West, North and South. Hooray for convenience!
If you weren’t able to make it and would like to stop by, let us know. We would be happy to show you around.
Apr
21
Yesterday, Dave, Max, and I took a looonnnngggg walk to go see the Boston Marathon runners as they journeyed through Newton. Okay, I freely admit my our piddly 5 miles round trip is absolutely nothing compared to the 26.2 these folks ran. I was astounded by the diversity of people running, jogging, walking, rolling. And they were all so inspirational. Of course, I brought the camera with me to document a bit of the fun.
There were people of all ages, races, styles running. And some with great sense of humor- like this guy- and the guy who wore a hamburger and the girl who had pink bows on her shoes. Anything to keep yourself joyful as you run… And presumably these fun peeps brought joy to all those around them.
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Nov
09
Juliet celebrated her bat mitzvah on November 1 surrounded by her family and friends. I was able to join her for the reception at the Doubletree Hotel in Allston, MA. It was a smash success. The young guests played games and danced with exuberant joy throughout the day while the adults enjoyed each other’s company in the neighboring room. They came together to celebrate Juliet and this important milestone.
Juliet wore a smart skirt and jacket for the ceremony at her synagogue, but she changed into this gorgeous dress for her grand entrance at her party. Huge applause accompanied her walk in.
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Oct
24
Juliet’s bat mitzvah is just around the corner and we had a fabulous Rock Star Portrait Session with her. We are all amped up. Juliet is a natural in front of the camera. She’s spent lots of time on stage as an actor and singer so the attention was nothing new. And she joyfully tried anything we asked of her.
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