Allie & Fiona | Wedding at the Hyatt in South Boston

This wedding! These two! Happiness abounds. We first met Fiona a few years back when she went through our Photography Mentorship program. We take a small number of individuals per year whom we mentor one-on-one to help them reach their photography goals. We loved getting to know Fiona during that time, and was excited to learn about Allie coming into her life shortly after that season. It wasn't long before they were engaged and planning a wedding in Boston. They share a love of rescue dogs, their own sweet pups topping the charts of their affection. It was only fitting that Lena and Flip play a part of their wedding day, and they made donations toward a local rescue as part of their wedding experience. Even their reception tables were named after dog breeds. Chuck had the honor of photographing their big day at the Hyatt Harborside on the East side of Boston (with the most beautiful view of the skyline!) and brought along the fabulous Vina to second shoot. Fiona is from Ireland, so many guests traveled across the world to share in their big day with them, as well as brought some serious Irish dance moves to the floor. Chuck reports that is was one of the most fun dance floors he's ever photographed. We couldn't be happier for these two and know that their future together will include much joy and a healthy dose of dog snuggles. Congratulations Allie and Fiona!!

2015 - In Review

2015 marks our fifth year documenting weddings full time. We've always said that you can enter a career by way of education or experience - and our path has been experience. Of course we are constantly pushing ourselves to take classes and workshops to learn more, but there are no professional photography degrees behind our team of photographers. In 1993, a professor at the University of Colorado - Anders Ericsson, wrote a paper about how 10,000 hours of experience will make someone an expert in their field. After five years, we've well passed the 10,000 mark, and while I wouldn't say we are experts, I can say this business has taught us far more than we ever thought possible about entrepreneurship, hard work, setting boundaries, weddings in every shape and form and dreaming big. This year brought us documenting weddings in 13 states, photographing past (and new!) clients growing families and a true welcome as Midwest Photographers in addition to our New England base. With over 300,000 images processed (I'm not exaggerating) by Matt, myself, Chuck and Abby not to mention our crew of phenomenal second photographers - Missy, Jenny, Devin and Mike - it was a year of living and loving big. With the volume of work it might seem like we're a well oiled machine with lots of minions to keep things running. And while we have our workflow down, each and every wedding and portrait shoot is handled in our humble little studio without elaborate outsourcing. It's a labor of love, and one we are honored to call our life's work.

Thank you for joining us this year. From the highest points in Maine to the shores of the Mississippi River, we've been honored to tell these stories with our cameras. We are eternally grateful for your support and look forward to another year documenting love.

*Previous years in review: 2011, 2012 (part I, II, III), 2013, and 2014*

Katie + Josh = Married

Early on in their wedding planning, Katie and Josh knew two things: 1. that they wanted to have their wedding at the New England Aquarium and 2. that they wanted their wedding to be a blast for all their guests. They managed to meet their goals and more with their exuberant wedding in the heart of Boston. When the skies decided to open up and rain down on the big day, it didn't dampen any spirits. That's what we love about these two. They are incredibly compassionate and laid back and share a deep appreciation for what's important in life. We were thrilled to have our gal Devin along as our second shooter for Katie and Josh's wedding. It's been wonderful working with you, Katie and Josh. We are so happy for you and know you'll share many happy years together! Congratulations!

Janine + Tom = Married

Janine and Tom met at a wedding and according to Janine "Tom was a groomsman. I called "dibs" on him prior to the wedding based on his facebook profile and when he walked into the reception hall wearing a cowboy hat and belt buckle I knew I was a goner! We consider that night the beginning of our relationship." Tom serves as an army ranger in the 75th ranger regiment based out of Fort Benning, GA. In the fall of 2013, Janine received the dreaded phone call. Tom had been critically injured by a suicide bomber. He lost his right eye and upper half of his nose, broke his right foot, had a collapsed lung, and shrapnel wounds all over his body. But according to Janine' "his brain & heart were untouched (the best parts!)." These two have been through so much together, and what they say is true: what doesn't kill you will only make you stronger. They celebrated their long awaited wedding a few weeks back at the Salem Cross Inn in West Brookfield, Mass where Chuck (and our talented second shooter, Vina!) captured their emotional and love-filled wedding day. It was a day filled with so much joy, as well as a solemn reminder to live each day to the fullest (as their memorial table for fallen service men and women reminded us). Janine and Tom, we can not imagine two more loving, genuine and giving people. You guys deserve one another, and that says a lot given the solid character and heart you each bring to the table. Congratulations on your marriage and we wish you so many years of love together!

Molly + Paul = Married

We have a soft spot in our hearts for weddings like Molly and Paul's. There is something so classic about New England weddings. Even with an elegant ballroom, the waterfront of the Danversport Yacht Club brings a laid back vibe to the day where the guests feel like they can kick of their shoes, sip champagne and get down on the dance floor. Molly and Paul definitely brought their dancing shoes as they both opted for wedding sneakers in lieu of a more traditional foot wear - and their guests followed suit with this approachable elegance. Matt and Chuck were the dream team that captured it all, but it's easy to see that they were handed a pretty fantastic deck of cards with this wedding. Molly and Paul's genuine hospitality and loving hearts were the cherry on top of an already beautiful ordeal and we couldn't be happier for them. Congratulations!

Betsy + Viktor = Married

Betsy and Viktor were married on the last day of spring on the most perfect June day. Their wedding was the epitome of all things lovely, which just confirms our theory that weddings are a direct reflection of the couple in honor. Betsy and Viktor are genuine, loving and honest folks. We feel very lucky to call them our clients. The Lyman Estate continues to be one of our favorite Boston venues with its grand stature and lush grounds, all the while retaining a certain humbleness that yields the best kind of hospitality.  Chuck was fortunate enough to photograph their wedding day and we think all the elements made for such a great set of photos for them to cherish. Congratulations Betsy and Viktor, we wish you all the happiness in the world!

Emily + Rob = Married

Emily and Rob are just the best. Smart, compassionate and full of class - these two are as good as it gets. They threw an elegantly laid-back wedding for their nearest and dearest to celebrate their first day as husband and wife. The Endicott Estate serves as a stunning backdrop for any event, but we felt like it was effortlessly suited for this wedding, fitting in somewhere between F Scott Fizgerald's, The Great Gatsby and a Jane Austen novel. (Maybe it was the slew of handsome men in tuxes or Emily's graceful bridal style that did us in?) It also says a lot about a couple when the groom asks his father to be his best man. We love everything these two are about, and feel so fortunate to have gotten the opportunity to document their wedding day. Emily and Rob, we wish you years of happiness together!

2014 - IN REVIEW

For those of you still hanging around at the end, let's start with a high-five for being able to process all those images. We are well aware that this little annual tradition of our images in a yearly review format is entirely too big. Believe it or not, this is a highly edited version of some of our favorite images for the year. I suppose that's what happens when we shoot more than 50 weddings in a year, not to mention even more portrait sessions. There is just so much LIFE and LOVE that we get to witness! It's such an honor, guys. Now you get to read our little acceptance speech of gratitude. First of all, none of these photos would be possible without the beautiful clients we get to have in our Summer Street family. Their lives and love are our constant inspiration, and without that we'd just be taking photos of pretty things with no substance. Next up, our team of dedicated photographers. Of course Matt and I started this whole crazy business, but we've picked up Chuck and Abby along the way as our sensationally talented Associate Photographers, and much of what you see above is their talented work as well. Next up we have the privilege of working with some of the finest in the industry as our second shooters and assistants for some weddings; Ashley, Katie, Deb, Bella, Dan, Olivia, Ellie, Jean and Vina - your talent behind the lens is clearly phenomenal and we're honored to call you peers. We are hybrid shooters (film and digital) so we have to thank our talented film lab, Richard Photo Lab, for their expert work in the dark room. This year we hand-trained a new talented digital editor as well. With the influx of a new market in the Midwest, Matt and I needed back-end support to help us deliver beautiful, consistent images to our clients in a timely manner, and we knew bringing an in-house editor to help us would be just the thing. Laura is now part of our team and has been an integral part of our back-end this year and helps all our images become what you see on our site. Talk about a talented group!

We have captured love in many places this year. From sandy beaches to historic estates. Ornate houses of worship and cathedrals in the woods. Childhood homes and mountain tops. All across New England and the prairies of the Midwest, we've gotten to step back and capture lives full of love. We've been able to tell their stories through photos that they will cherish for years to come. We are completely honored to call this work, and we toast to you all for supporting us along the way. Here's to 2015!

*In the mood for more photos? Previous years in review: 2011, 2012 (part I, II, III), 2013*

Juila + Andrew = Engaged

It's hard to believe that this session was just over a month ago, when it was *fall* and not suddenly winter! We were so grateful to get to spend some time with Julia and Andrew during their Boston Engagement Session at some of our favorite spots in Boston. Beacon Hill will always be one of the most beautiful places in our minds, so when these two decided to incorporate it into their session, along with the exact place they got engaged on Comm Ave, we were all in. It doesn't hurt that Julia and Andrew have to be some of the sweetest folks we've had the honor of photographing. We may sound like a broken record, but we are constantly blown away with the quality of people we get to work with. Talented, humble, personable, down to earth and just a whole lot of fun. That pretty much describes these two to a T. Julia and Andrew, we can't wait for next September. Your wedding is going to be such a great day!

Jacqueline + Matt = Married

Jacqueline and Matt were married on a beautiful September day. The kind that make tourists flock to visiting autumn in New England. It's no secret that Jacqueline and Matt are two of the most gracious, warm and charismatic souls out there, so having the stage set for a perfect wedding day was easy. Our talented friend Jean joined Summer Street for the day, so while Jean and Matt captured some getting ready photos, Matt (the groom) waited patiently to see his exquisite bride for the first time. After a darling first look and a few portraits of the two of them together, their wedding entourage joined them for some photos on the crest of Quincy where the entire skyline of Boston was visible. Despite the middle of the afternoon timeline, the light for their photos before the ceremony was divine, wasn't it? Their ceremony brought tears to everyone's eyes and the rest of the evening was a laid-back, classy time for all involved. Jacqueline and Matt, we are so happy for you and wish you nothing but the best in your new adventure. Congratulations!

Lindsay + Chris = Married

Lindsay and Chris' wedding was a dream. Between the ocean breezes, fantastic food, lively entertainment, heartfelt toasts and all around laid back fun, it was everything a Cape Cod wedding should be. It comes as no surprise since these two are some of the most relaxed, loving people ever. There are times that we *really* wish we were guests at a wedding instead of the photographers, and Lindsay and Chris' wedding was one of them. It doesn't hurt that we had so many past clients (now, friends) attending their wedding. Lindsay and Chris' friends are part of a large college alum group (Go Bulldogs!) whom we've had the honor of working with a few times. Lindsay and Chris also surprised their guests with a late night Good Humor Ice Cream truck, in which everyone thoroughly enjoyed. Special thanks to our friend Bella for second shooting with us, and Congratulations to Lindsay and Chris on the start of a beautiful marriage!

Molly + Jason = Married

Molly and Jason were married a few weeks back at the Seaport Hotel in Boston. We love weddings in every form, but there is something magical about the Boston Skyline twinkling it's city charm as the back ground for a wedding. Loving guests came from near and far to celebrate, as the couple currently resides in New York City, but call Massachusetts home. Molly and Jason are the total package. Charismatic, happy, graceful and humble; they are truly a joy to be around. Also, the song a couple chooses to share their first dance to says a lot about them. Molly and Jason chose "Kiss the Girl" from The Little Mermaid, which their band played live and left everyone smiling and laughing. That tells you how sweet and fun they are. Molly and Jason, it's been a true pleasure working with you and we are elated for your future together. Special thanks to our girl Katie for second shooting with Summer Street, and Congratulations to the Newlyweds!