Wedding Season is coming to a close which means that Engagement Season is revving up! We met up with Katie and Greg on Duxbury beach a few weeks back to capture them on the beach Katie spent summers on. They live in Texas and will be tying the knot next July in Vermont. When they approached us about shooting their wedding we were already booked but they wanted to do an Engagement Session with us anyway, which is a win-win for us! It's always hard hearing all of the great things people have planned for their weddings and then turning them away because we're already booked. In cases like this, we get the awesome opportunity to work with great people like Katie and Greg and also pass along some referrals of photographer friends who we know still have their date open. Katie and Greg flew up to New England to work on wedding plans for the week and were able to squeeze us into their busy schedule for an afternoon at the beach. We had a great time hearing about their life together in Texas and could tell right away that their relaxed and happy attitude towards life and each other made them a perfect match. While we're bummed not to get to work with you, Katie and Greg, we had a great time during your Engagement Session and know you'll have an awesome wedding! Congratulations on your engagement and enjoy the wedding planning process!
Kelsey + Danny = Engaged
***Special Note: Our hearts go out to all of the Guatemalan families who have lost loved ones and homes during the earthquake yesterday. While we feel gratitude that the earthquake did not happen while we were shooting Kelsey and Danny's Wedding in Guatemala it does not lessen the tragedy of so many lives and communities broken.***
Where to begin? Today we're sharing the second part of Kelsey and Danny's Wedding Story - their Engagement Session! We arrived in Guatemala the day before Kelsey and Danny were to say 'I do' and hit the ground running. After arriving at the gorgeous hotel they had chosen for their guests to experience during their stay in Guatemala, we packed up our gear and met up with Kelsey and Danny to capture their last day as an engaged couple on the streets of Antigua. Immediately, we were reminded of how great Kelsey and Danny are (both together and apart) and wasted no time getting them in their photo groove as we excitedly took advantage of the photographers delight that is Antigua. Every building is a different vibrant color so one you mix in the lush green plants, historic ruins and a stunning bride and groom t0-be who are ALSO rock stars in front of the camera you get two photographers with huge grins wiped across our faces feeling like they have died and gone to heaven. Seriously. If you liked these, just wait for their wedding photos tomorrow. We'll be back with part III and many more juicy details!
Holiday Mini Sessions
Looking for a fun and easy way to have a FABULOUS Holiday Card this year? I know what that's like. Usually I'm scrambling to find a decent photo of Matt and I from the year earlier and I'll be the first to admit that the tripod method does. not. work. We thought it would be a fun and convenient way for those of you who have wanted a family/pet/couple/newlywed/engagement photos to get to work with us for slightly less than our normal rates AND get some stellar Holiday Cards to start you out right.
E-mail us at hello@summerstreetphotography.com or though our Contact Form to reserve your spot and for all the juicy details including shoot location and rain date, Holiday Card details, suggestions for what to wear and more. We hope to see you there!
Corey + Brandy = A Proposal
We just had to share this one with you. Brandy and Corey live in Texas and had planned a Boston Vacation in September to enjoy the city, take in some Red Sox Games and unknown to Brandy - get engaged. Corey contacted us before their arrival to set up the plan, which was about the sweetest thing any guy can do after buying a ring and making a plan for a perfect proposal. It was clear that he was excited and ready to ask Brandy to marry him. We worked together to find a location in the Boston Public Garden where he would ask her, and instead of getting to specific (since they had never been there) we simply decided to 'meet' them by the Make Way for Duckings statues in the garden. When we approached them and casually walked by, giving Corey a nod, he was reading Brandy the Make Way for Ducklings book (he's a keeper). We chose a time that would be quieter in the Garden and followed Corey around until he found the spot. Brandy was totally clueless at this point what was going on, and that she was about to get paparazzi-ed. We watched as Corey's foot started tapping a million miles a minute as he locked eyes with Brandy and talked with her....all the while fumbling a bit towards his pocket for the ring. After a few minutes he sweetly got down on one knee and asked Brandy to be his wife. We snapped away, and after a few minutes we approached them as planned to grab a few photos of them as a freshly engaged couple. They were so sweet together and we loved learning about their upcoming journey to move to Germany for Corey's job. What an exciting and happy time! Congrats Corey and Brandy, we wish you nothing but the best!
Shannon + Mike = Engaged
Shannon and Mike have an ease about them. They have a natural spark together that feels like they've been married for years. She is sweet and smart. He's a history buff with a love of the outdoors. They work perfectly together, and we're super excited to shoot their downtown Boston city wedding next June. Since they live in South Boston (or Southie as the locals call it) we decided that meeting in their neck of the woods would be a great way to capture their life as it is now. We started at Telegraph Hill which has an amazing skyline and harbor views, then ventured down to the waterfront while planes landed overhead. To end the evening on a perfect note, they invited us up to their top floor deck which had an amazing view of the city. We watched the sunset and snapped a few of them in front of the sun dipping behind the city lights. The evening left us excited for more time with Shannon and Mike. We have the best clients!
Annette + Jason = Engaged
We had a great time with Annette and Jason during their engagement session a few weeks back. They are down to earth, sophisticated and so sweet together. Choosing a location for their photos that was meaningful for Annette and Jason was easy - their neighborhood! They live in one of Minneapolis' most charming areas; Linden Hills, which boasts amazing eateries, great coffee shops and the highlight of the area: Lake Harriet. Their loveable pup, Nola came along for the session too which we had fun with. Doesn't Annette sparkle when she's looking at Jason? We just love these two and can't wait for their Saint Paul wedding this fall!
Kristen + Brian = Engaged
We met up with Kristen and Brian last month to capture their engagement in the heart of Boston. They are both fun loving, laid back people who enjoy life and adventures together. They are living in Rhode Island but both have a soft spot for the city and enjoy going to comedy shows and spending time at Fenway together. They are also both school teachers and when we passed the sweetest little "bookstore" alley we had to take some photos there since Kristen teaches English. We also loved the glowing lights under the theater that provided asymmetrical interest to their already stunning good looks (I mean seriously, how photogenic are these two!?) We had a great time getting to know them better and can't wait for their wedding next summer!
Caitlin + Dave = Engaged
From the moment we met Caitlin and Dave, two things were very clear; Caitlin had a heart of gold, and Dave was crazy about Caitlin. They had a calm and confident vibe between the two of them that showed their relationship maturity and vigor to finally be husband and wife. They were centered, sure and ready to tie the knot. We took an immediate liking to them and were pumped when they told us they wanted us to photograph their upcoming September wedding. When we met up with them last month to shoot their Engagement session in one of our favorite Massachusetts towns (Concord!) we got to know them even better. We discovered that Dave is a talented musician and that Caitlin should probably become a wedding planner when their wedding is said and done because this girl is or-ga-nized. We loved watching their photo jitter nerves melt away as they found their vibe in front of the camera. Aren't they sweet? I just love the last photo of them. Pure happiness.
Jessica + Jon = Engaged
You know what it's like when you're just humming along, minding your own business and you see a couple that are so perfect together it almost hurts? Maybe you're waiting in line at the grocery store, and he opens the door for her and she sweetly smiles and holds his hand throughout the store - or maybe you're on a walk and you see them strolling by with no cares to be had, gazing into each others eyes and admiring the scenery. It's like they have rose colored glasses on and nothing could be better than being in the presence of the other. Well, Jessica and Jon *are* these people. Their love is something to be coveted, and it's immediately obvious how much they care about each other from the moment you talk with them. We've truly enjoyed getting to know these two, and had a great time exploring the Minute Man National Park in Concord, MA with them for their Engagement Session. Clearly, they needed no warm up time in front of the camera, and while we listened to their August wedding plans unfold, we couldn't be more thrilled to be a part of their upcoming wedding day. You'll be seeing more of them soon since their wedding is just around the corner so for now we'll just say that this is a small taste of the goodness that is to come.
Liz + Josh = Engaged
One week before Liz and Josh's engagement session, they were hanging out in Liz's parents kitchen when Josh scooped up her up off the ground, stepped on a dog toy and slipped down to the ground breaking Liz's fall and landing hard on his wrist. In the process, he unfortunately tore a handful of ligaments in his hand and Liz ended up with some battle wounds as well. While the situation was unfortunate, we also can't help but smile at Josh's heroic act to protect Liz. We thought about waiting to shoot their engagement session until after his wrist was healed, but in the end we worked around it for the shoot and even incorporated it into the shoot as his badge of honor. We completely adore these two and had a blast shooting around their neighborhood, the beautiful Beacon Hill. At the end of the session we even got to go up to their rooftop to take some photos of the sun setting in the Boston skyline. Even with a view as breathtaking as a city sunset, Liz and Josh pretty much stole the scene. They are so perfect together!
Ashley + Jamie = Engaged
There is so much to love about Ashley and Jamie. For starters, we had to do almost no "posing assistance" with them. From the beginning of their session they were calm, collected and confident in front of the camera - making our job a cinch. Most people take some time getting into their element, especially since the nature of this work is quite intimate. Not Ashley and Jamie - they were excited and open about being themselves right from the start. Their natural ease with one another was just the beginning. Ashley is gentle and warm with a spunk for life and Jamie's centered and sweet personality compliments her perfectly. They also don't take things too seriously either - it was fun to watch them interact and be a little goofy with one another. Oh, and there's the fact that we're pretty much in love with the photos from their session. They have a 'summertime and the living is easy' vibe going on - which was all due to the elements that make a photo session a success: an un-fussy backdrop, nice light and two people who are crazy about each other. We couldn't be more thrilled to be shooting their wedding in Vermont this September - it's going to be a GOOD one!
Meaghan + Joe = Engaged
Meet Meaghan and Joe. They are tying the knot in September at one of our favorite wedding venues, The Willowdale Estate. From the moment we started talking with them, it was clear that they would be really great people to work with and thus we really wanted to shoot their wedding. They are super laid back with an eye for detail and have the type of love that radiates when you're around them. We were smitten. When we met up with them at The Historic Wayside Inn in Sudbury, MA for their engagement session all of our first impressions of how great they are were exceeded. They are everything they exude and more: relaxed, fun, kind hearted and full of laughter. We enjoyed the beautiful weather and abundance of natural landscape on their shoot and we're so excited to see them in just a few months for their gorgeous wedding!
Melissa + Matt = Engaged
Melissa and Matt are our kind of people. They enjoy the little things in life like nature, laughter and love. They have super laid back personalities and are all about making life FUN. When planning their engagement session, we knew that we needed to find locations that would suit their personalities. Matt and I have a running list of locations that we'd like to shoot engagement sessions in that are just waiting for the right couple, and when Melissa and Matt asked us for suggestions, we knew just where we should go. They love the outdoors and feel most comfortable in nature, (Matt's an excellent fishermen!) so we started the session at the Lyman Estate and then hopped down the street to the most colorful and fun graffiti wall in downtown Waltham - which is a perfect capture of Melissa's bubbly personality. Needless to say, we had a blast getting to know these two even better and can't wait for their wedding in September. They are contemplating using one of their engagement photos as a temporary stick on tattoo for their guests as wedding favors, and our vote is definitely for one of the photos with the colored bubbles raining down on them. Which one would you choose?
Janet + John = Engaged
The first day of June seems like a perfectly fitting day to share Janet and John's Engagement Session in Larz Anderson Park with you. We met up with Janet, John and their sweet dog Pudgey (cutest name ever, right?) a few weeks back to capture their Engagement at their favorite park and the place John proposed. The park is a beautiful place to shoot with it's old stone structures, quaint little pond and bounty of lush green landscape. Janet and John were naturals in front of the camera, so they made our job easy. We love the way Johns eyes light up when he looks at Janet and the way she always seems to be laughing when he talks to her. Pudgey kind of stole the show during some parts of the shoot with his sweet demeanor and love of sticks. We can't wait for Janet and John's wedding in August at Elm Bank at the Massachusetts Horticultural Society, it's going to be stunning!
Jenn + Keith = Engaged
Jenn and Keith had us at hello. Literally from their very first inquiry they were overflowing with love, joy and excitement for their wedding. Clearly this the cherry on top of a pretty pie for us. Without a doubt, working with great people who we get to call friends is one of the best perks of our job as photographers. After they "said yes to the photographer" so to speak, we knew it was going to be a blast working with them. Jenn and I e-mail back and forth a lot, and she always leaves me smiling, even on the computer! We of course remembered how sweet and loving Keith was from our initial meeting, but it was during their Engagement Session that we learned just how good they are together. They choose two locations that were dear to them; The Longfellow House in Cambridge and the Rosebud Diner in Somerville. Jenn, in her super organized manner, had coordinating outfits for each location and had been reading our blog close enough to remember how much I love French Macarons and gifted me some at the beginning of their session (Wheee!!). After a few minutes of shooting Jenn revealed that they were "just a little bit nervous" for their session. This is where Keith really shined. Every time she whispered to him that she was nervous, he wrapped her up in his arms and made her laugh. Laugh! When one is nervous laughter doesn't come naturally. Soon they were swept up into their own rhythm and our job was a breeze. We truly think these photos represent what Jenn and Keith are all about : love, joy and excitement!