I’ve been away for just over a week, teaching and learning alongside some of the most talented photographers in the industry (and my good friends). It’s been a great mid-season refresher, and such a treat getting to talk shop with my best buddies in a beautiful place. Of course, that means I haven’t been quite as on top of my blogging as I’d like, but I’m happy to finally share this mini Boston engagement session with you from just over two weeks ago.

I met up with Ellen and Crissy on a beautiful evening at the Boston Public Garden. They’re not super excited about being in front of the camera, so they opted for a mini session. I’m so pleased with the photos we got in a short half hour session!

We had some lovely light that evening, and I was so happy that these two were happy sitting and lying in the grass for their photos.

Their rings are gorgeous – I can’t wait to photograph them in a little more detail on the wedding day …

Thank you both for a lovely session, and for being so cute together! I can’t wait to see you at your wedding in September!

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A few weeks ago, on a sunny Friday afternoon, two of the most awesome people I’ve ever met got married at City Hall. Not only was this an elopement, but it was also a complete secret. Their closest family members had an idea that they might elope, but they had no idea when (or if) it would actually happen. I really love my job, and all of the weddings I photograph are special to me in many different ways, but being the sole witness to a marriage between two incredible people just can’t be beaten. It gives me goosebumps thinking back on it, and I always get extra nervous before the ceremony at elopements because I know that my photos are the only way that the couple’s closest relatives and friends will experience their wedding.

This post will be a little longer than most, to help me better show the story of their elopement, and of their intimate dinner celebration at Trade Restaurant a few weeks later.

While Jess was off getting her makeup done at MAC, I hung out at their apartment with Nik and their awesome doggies. Once Jess was back and dressed, we took the doggies out for a little walk around their neighborhood (the beautiful South End).

We took a couple of portraits too:

We took the T over to City hall, and arrived *just* in time for the ceremony.

City Hall elopement ceremonies are always short, but we had a great JP, and I loved the ceremony that he gave. Here are some of my favorite lines: “May you both have patience and confidence in your new life, so that each may be to the other a strength in need, a comfort in sorrow, and a companion in joy … And may you continually rediscover your love for one another as the greatest gift of all.”

A few favorite moments from that little blue room:

And an unprompted kiss on the way out of City Hall!

We headed to a nearby bar for a cocktail and spotted the Boston Police Commissioner (yes, we took a photo with him!) And Jess reminded herself why she shouldn’t try Nik’s extra dirty martinis …

After drinks, we headed over to the Christian Science Plaza, just a few blocks from Nik and Jess’ home. We spent a little time taking couples portraits:

These two are hotties!

Then we grabbed the doggies for some more photos.

Then, on Saturday June 1st, I met up with them all over again for the reception day. This was more like a typical wedding day for me, minus the ceremony, and with a much smaller crowd than usual. I’ve selected a few favorites from throughout the day, starting with Nik’s nephew Jack and Jess’ father during their Indian lunch:

While the guys were dining, the girls were at the fabulous Beaucage Salon on Newbury St for nail treatments, hair and makeup.

Later in the afternoon, we all met up at the Liberty Hotel where Nik and Jess had a gorgeous suite on the 10th floor reserved for the night. And that’s when disaster struck … After much fiddling and pulling and wrangling, the tiny and far too delicate zip on Jess’ gorgeous dress broke. Completely. And got stuck part way up with huge gapes top and bottom. Eek! Any normal bride would have lost her cool … not Jess. She seemed to think it was hilarious, and checked that I’d be getting photos of her sister Dana sewing it up (which she did expertly, I have to say!) This was a good time!

Family slowly trickled in, and eventually the dress malfunction had been fixed, and we all gathered in the main rom of the suite for some photos and Champagne. I have a rule that I don’t post “formals” on my blog. However I also believe that rules are meant to be occasionally broken, and I am kind of in love with this wonderfully awesome new family. So here’s a family formal.

And here’s the adorable Jack again, getting groomed to perfection by his dad, Nik’s brother:

I was challenged to get a photo of Nik’s dad smiling – I win! This is one of several!

Nik’s mom gave Jess a number of beautiful traditional Indian gifts, including the most beautiful jewelry. Love this one:

Around 6pm, we headed over to Trade Restaurant by the waterfront. The small function room there is gorgeous; it has great light, beautiful rustic/modern decor, and we also had the most fabulous server ever (a fellow Brit!)

Do you like these two? Something caught my eye here …

Love these of Jess and her parents. There was a whole lot of love in this room!

A couple more from cocktail hour …

Just before dinner, Nik’s sister-in-law read some of their City Hall ceremony, and Jess and Nik spoke about their relationship. They wanted their families to be able to share in what they had experienced, and it was quite beautiful.

And then there were toasts … and an awesome dinner! (I ate at the bar and happened to meet Trade’s chef/owner Jody Adams and her husband, also a photographer – that was pretty cool!)

At the end of the evening, Jess and Nik’s friends arrived for what they thought was “an engagement party”. HA! They were pretty surprised, emotional, and excited to discover that they’d walked into a wedding reception instead!

Thank you all so much for an incredible day. I told many of you who were there how lucky I felt to document the ceremony, and how much I loved getting to know you all last weekend. You have something very special, and it was a treat to be a little part of it. Hugs and love!

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Last week, I met up with Lysa and Jason for their Waltham engagement session. These two sweethearts met playing volleyball, and they are so playful with each other. They’re also smart, and incredibly sweet, and I loved spending my evening with them, taking photos in some of their favorite spots around Waltham. I also learnt a few things about gardening and dirt, and I hope one day to sample some of their delicious home grown veggies … maybe on the wedding day, guys?

We started off at their favorite pub, Watch City Brewing Company, to enjoy a little beverage and escape the scorching heat. Not only does this place have great brews on tap, it also has beautiful light!

We spent much of the session at various spots along the gorgeous Charles River. See what I mean about playful? Love this!

I couldn’t resist a couple of shots up against this gorgeous old brick warehouse building. The light was awesome.

So much cuteness – I can’t wait to see these two on the wedding day!

Jason was such a superstar – it was sweltering heat and he totally wore a brown sweater in order to coordinate his outfit perfectly with Lysa’s. That’s commitment right there!

Lysa has the most beautiful eyes … hey pretty lady!

One last teaser for these two from our final adventure up into the hills of Waltham (in fact, this was an industrial park – and it was just perfect for a gorgeous sunset silhouette shot). Thank you both for a super fun evening, and I can’t wait for your wedding in just under two months!

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For Jasmine and Brandon’s Boston engagement photos we met up a few nights ago at the ICA. They knew they wanted photos on the waterfront, but were open to my ideas for the rest of the session. I love having creative freedom, and the result is one of my favorite engagement sessions from recent times.

These two are crazy cute together, and while Brandon is sweet and gentle, Jasmine is one of the most raucously funny people I’ve ever met. She had me squawking with laughter all night. They’re also a pair of snappy dressers and I loved their perfectly complementary but not-quite-matching outfits. Also, check out the footwear style going on here!

I loved the bright teal against the orange seats at the back of the ICA – also, I think they might be arm wrestling here …

We had a little stroll along the harbor walk, then into the streets around South Station. Brandon and Jasmine gave me full creative control, so when I spotted something I liked we stopped for photos. It was pretty fun.

They’ve been together for nine years, and still they look at each other like this … perfect.

This is my new favorite building in Boston:

And one final photo right at sun down. Thank you both for a super crazy fun evening, for making me laugh so much, and for getting so stylish for your photos. I can’t wait for your wedding at the State Room in the fall!

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I’ve been away for ten days at a crazy intensive workshop – more on that soon – and while I was hoping to get a little work done while I was gone, I pretty much had to drop everything in order to focus my mind on the task at hand. I met up with Nidhi and Abe a little while before I left, and these two have been waiting so patiently for their engagement session teasers!

We met up on a gorgeous spring evening in the South End for their session, and one of my favorites sets of pictures actually came from our first stop on Union Park. The light was beautiful, there was a little breeze … it was perfect.

These two are crazy cute together. I loved how they interacted, and especially how sweetly they looked at each other:

After some photos in the South End, we headed over to Boston Public Garden. It was pretty busy out, but we found some lovely spots for photos, off the main drag:

Nidhi had brought along some sidewalk chalk and they created this super cute save the date sign. Such a great idea!

Our final stop of the evening was the MIT bridge for some near-sunset skyline shots. Thank you both for a lovely evening, and to Abe for driving us all around (such a gentleman!)

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Regular blog readers may remember this ridiculously cute couple from the early winter. Well, now that it’s all lovely out again, we thought we’d meet up for a mini springtime Jamaica Plain engagement session. We were blessed with the most gorgeous evening light for our stroll through the beautiful Arnold Arboretum. I often tell couples it’s more about the light than the location, but both were pretty damn great for this session.

Tommy and Kyle are super cute, stylish, and oh so entertaining. I was pleased to learn that they shared my love of vulgar British comedy.

I loved the light on the leaves of this tree that we spotted, so I played around with a portrait here. What do you think?

Our final spot was my favorite – right at sundown, with everything beautifully back-lit … sigh.

Thank you both for a great session! And if you’re looking for more Jamaica Plain engagement sessions, you can find them here.

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I’m excited to share these Warwick Country Club wedding photos with you from Libby and Tom’s celebration two weeks ago. We were blessed with an absolutely beautiful day in Rhode Island for their wedding, and it was such a treat being back outside photographing the ceremony which took place next to the water on Narragansett Bay. I’d forgotten how glorious outdoor ceremonies are!

I started my day with a few photos at the hair salon in Newport where the girls were getting hair and makeup done, then headed over to Libby’s parents’ home in Jamestown – I had plenty of time there to photograph all the little details … and to make friends with Libby’s super sweet kitty! The gorgeous flowers are by The Secret Garden out of Jamestown, RI.

Libby did her own makeup at her parents’ home while the girls were finishing up at the salon. She was so cool, calm and collected.

A few more pretty details:

Libby’s mom and sister helped het to get dressed. I love this little stool she stood on:

Her sweet kitty:

We held the first look in the back yard. There was one tiny patch of shade which we made very good use of!

I am sooo in love with these flowers. Just gorgeous.

Lots of couples stress about keeping the numbers even for the wedding party; I actually think it looks better in pictures when the guys and girls are mismatched. Tom chose to have just his two brothers stand with him, whereas Libby had a gaggle of girlfriends as well as her sister:

After some formals at home, we all headed up to Warwick Country Club to continue pictures. It’s such a pretty venue, and the waterside location could not be more perfect.

Such a beautiful day …

Libby’s father looked so proud walking his daughter down the aisle. We had some killer sunshine for the ceremony!

My fab assistant Erica took this next shot. I asked her to get a wide shot of the ceremony, showcasing the location, and she did me proud!

A funny moment during the ceremony:

Cocktail hour was held both inside the country club, and on the deck. Happy times:

The decor was simple and elegant, and I loved the pop of bright pink against the cream linens:

A sweet moment from the first dance:

A little stroll on the beach at sunset, after taking some more portraits:

And a few favorite reception shots:

Thank you Tom and Libby for sharing your beautiful wedding day with me! And a special thanks to your fantastic coordinator, Jamie of Eventfully Planned, who was an absolute joy to work with. I highly recommend her services to any couple getting married in Rhode Island!

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A little over a week ago, I met up with Anthony and Chad for their Provincetown engagement session. I was a little nervous heading down to P-town as it was my first time meeting these two (they booked me after a short phone meeting back in August). However, I was greeted with such a warm welcome (and the offer of a delicious glass of rosé – which I sensibly declined) when I arrived at Anthony and Chad’s beautiful P-town home, it was like meeting up with old friends.

We started the session in the back yard of their amazing pad. I was so impressed with their style, both on a personal level, and in the gorgeous decoration of their home. They were kind enough to give me a quick tour of the house, too, and I managed to steal some decor inspiration that we’ll soon be incorporating into our own place in JP. Thank you guys!

During our tour of their home, I spotted a photo of some beach huts on the stair wall. I mentioned to Anthony that I loved the photo, so we decided to head over to the same huts for a few photos. These two love peonies, but they’ll be out of season for their September wedding – so it seemed fitting to photograph at the peony hut.

Although they live in NYC during the week, Chad and Anthony’s wedding will take place at the Provincetwon Monument – so cool! That’s it in the next photo:

We spent a good chunk of the session at Race Point beach. I fell in love with the huge sand dunes and zingy spring colors. I think they’re perfect with these guys’ style.

A few more favorites from the beach:

We ended the session with cocktails at one of their favorite restaurants in Provincetwon, The Red Inn. Thank you both for a beautiful afternoon, and the incredibly warm welcome. I can’t wait to photograph your wedding!

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A couple of weeks ago I was delighted to be back at my favorite venue in all of New England, Belle Mer, for Nate and Michelle’s beautiful and sophisticated black tie wedding. Not only that, but I was excited to work with some of my very favorite colleagues for this wedding, including Jennie Kay Beauty, Mimosa Fresh Flower Design, DJ Seth Isaacs, amazing videographer McKenzie Miller, and the fabulous Reverend Victoria Burdick. It’s quite a treat when your clients trust all of your recommendations!

It was a funny old day in Rhode Island. We woke to thick fog, and the news that Boston had been pretty much shut down, thanks to the hunt for the second marathon bomber. We all agreed not to discuss the news all day, and I made a promise to myself not to fret about the weather – of course it would burn off into a beautiful afternoon, right? Ha. Anyway, apart from the crazy news and the thick fog, my day started as usual, with some getting ready photos on both sides. I was pretty excited about this photo of Michelle doing her makeup when I took it, and I love it now in black and white:

I love Michelle’s style – rocking sky-high black Louboutins and a perfectly fluttery Vera Wang gown. And although she and Nate chose not to have a wedding party, I loved that her closest friends (and one of their moms) were there watching her get ready:

Michelle must be channelling SJP in the photo above … and here’s that gorgeous Vera Wang stunner – ah!

Oh! And there’s a groom too – love this photo of Nate putting the final touches to his outfit. All while chilling out to Pink Floyd’s Pulse (that took me back!)

We held the first look just inside the entrance to Belle Mer. Both Michelle and Nate looked incredible, and it was a really cute first look to boot.

The wind was beginning to pick up at this point, but we decided to head out to our portrait spot on the rocks in Jamestown despite the ominous weather.

Nate had picked out this amazing spot in Jamestown, with huge dark rocks, crashing waves, and a sweet lighthouse (he proposed to Michelle at a lighthouse). I kind of liked this location even more with the crazy wind and rain that had set in by this point, although I won’t pretend we weren’t a little distressed about what the wind was doing to everyone’s hair … Jennie Kay, fabulous hair stylist: if you’re reading this, you should stop right now, or you might cry!

Champagne never tasted sweeter than right there on the bluff, getting pelted with rain and almost blown off into the sea … right? I LOVE that these guys just laughed and carried on.

Back inside, and after an inspection of the setup at Belle Mer … it was, of course, beautiful.

The ceremony was held inside, early evening. I had a hard time choosing photos because there were so many sweet moments (including Nate walking up the aisle with his father and grandfather) … but this little glance from father to daughter as he escorted her down the aisle was maybe my favorite. Thanks to my fab second shooter Leah for the shot of Nate on the left.

Victoria Burdick is such a wonderful officiant. The first time I worked with her, I thought she was a close friend of the couple, her knowledge of them was so intimate. This time I knew better, but her rich, emotional, and entertaining story of Nate and Michelle’s relationship was just as beautiful.

Love this moment during the ring exchange!

Michelle and Nate met at culinary school, and Nate is now a chef at TW Foods in Cambridge (if you haven’t been – go! And be sure to make a reservation. It’s a hidden gem!) So of course the food was going to be excellent:

The decor was fabulous too. DJ Seth Isaacs also offers uplighting, and I love the colors that were chosen for the evening. Red rocks!

Dinner was broken up with a number of toasts, and the first dance and parent dances.

I love how Nate is holding his mom here, during the mother son dance:

The party continued with a ton of dancing, Ben & Jerry’s ice cream, and a photobooth. Perfect!

Thank you both so much for an awesome day, and for braving the nasty weather for your portraits. I hope you’ve enjoyed these teasers – I’ll be sharing the full set in the next week or two, and can’t wait for you to see them! PS If you’d like to see McKenzie’s amazing wedding trailer, click right here. I love it! And finally, for more Belle Mer wedding photos, click here.

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It’s been a wonderfully busy few weeks around here with the start of wedding season, and I was lucky enough to photograph two weddings just two days apart last weekend. They were wildly different affairs, but there was something very fun that tied them together: the color red! A lot of couples shy away from this vibrant hue, so I was really excited to see it incorporated so beautifully in two very different ways.

Allison and Eric’s wedding was a relaxed daytime celebration at Hamilton Hall in Salem. These guys were referred to me by my awesome friend (and former wedding photographer) Jen in Seattle, and they became the first couple to try out a documentary style engagement session. Allison is quite possibly the most low-key bride I’ve ever met and when she told me she’d be wearing a red wedding dress I was pretty excited! I started my day bright and early at Hamilton Hall where the ladies were getting ready (a quick shout-out here to makeup artist Veronica Shin and hair stylist Jennifer Tawa who were, as always, phenomenal!)

Some fun red details to start – I also loved how Eric and Allison incorporated bikes throughout the day; cycling is their big passion.

The getting ready room is usually off-limits for guys, especially the groom, but there were no such restrictions for these guys, and I LOVED that Eric wandered in and out throughout the process, right up until Allison got dressed.

We held a little first look for Allison and Eric in the shaded courtyard at Hamilton Hall …

… there were some sweet moments, followed by lots of laughter!

Friends arriving for the ketubah signing:

Their ketubah was the most beautiful I’ve ever seen.

Some of my favorite moments from the ketubah signing:

One of things I really appreciate about Jewish weddings is that the bride and groom are escorted down the aisle by both parents. I think this is such a wonderful tradition, and I wish more non-Jewish couples would incorporate it. Allison’s parents Wendy and Scott look just as excited as she does:

Eric playing with his brand new wedding ring during the ceremony:

After the ceremony, I headed upstairs to the ballroom at Hamilton Hall to photograph the details. The flowers were absolutely gorgeous. And there were sweet peas!

Meanwhile, cocktail hour was in full swing downstairs:

When I was told that the reception would open with a hora, I wondered how it would work, as there wasn’t really a dance floor … and this is how it went down – so much fun!

The delicious food was catered by Capers. They not only create wonderful dishes, but they’re also an absolute joy to work with.

During lunch, both sisters and each parent gave a toast. Eric’s sister is quite the entertainer it turns out!

A couple more favorite moments from the relaxed reception:

After the wedding ended around 5pm, I headed out for a little portrait tour of Salem with the couple. At our first stop my awesome assistant spotted a woman with this kite – and then asked to borrow it for some photos. Hurray!

Thank you all for a wonderful day, and I hope you like these first few teaser photos! I’m excited to share your full set with you in a couple of weeks. And Allison, thank you for bucking tradition and wearing such a spectacular red dress, it was such a treat to photograph you!

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