Lindsey

I remember the day Lindsey was born. I was eight years old, playing baseball in the yard with my brother, and my mom came outside and said, “It’s a Girl! She had a girl and her name is Lindsey!” I jumped up and down. I now had TWO female cousins, which practically seemed like getting a string of pearls since the rest of my cousins were energetic and rowdy boys (God bless them). Lindsey will be graduating from high school this year so when she asked me to shoot her senior portraits, I was flattered. I love shooting senior sessions. I had the privilege of being in South Dakota a month or so ago, and while the wind blew it’s mighty force upon our time together, we made the best of it and explored the little nooks and crannies of the town I call home. Lindsey is clearly a natural in front of the camera, and I enjoyed spending time with my not-so-little anymore cousin. I love you Linds! You’re going to go far in this little thing called life.

Leah + Amy = Engaged

From the moment we met Amy and Leah, we knew we wanted to shoot their wedding. Their love is radiant. They have the ease and grace of couples who have been together for well over fifty years. They just work together. We had a blast doing their engagement session a few weeks back at the Arnold Arboretum Park. Fall was really at it’s prime (none of that snow stuff had happened yet) and the sun smiled happily on the session. They were clearly naturals in front of the camera, making our job a piece of cake! We can’t wait to shoot their wedding next October at the Barn at Gibbet Hill – it’s going to be beautiful!

Katie + John = Married

Katie and John, oh Katie and John. These two are so sweet together. They have completely stolen our hearts. Their Indian Summer October wedding day was quite literally full of sunshine and happiness. Fruitlands Museum out in Harvard, Mass provided a quintessential ‘New England in the Fall’ backdrop for them to exchange vows and celebrate with their closest family and friends. Their love for each other radiated into each detail they carefully planned throughout the day. I could go on, but I’ll keep the chatter to a minimum and let you see for yourself just how great Katie and John are together.

Liz + Jimmy = Married

Liz and Jimmy are high school sweethearts. At their reception, they had two large picture frames, one featuring a photo from their engagement session with us (awwww…) and the other, sweetly displaying a photo from when they were sixteen years old. Both sitting in the back of a pickup truck, shyly looking at the camera, unaware that moment would be displayed years later on one of the biggest days of their lives together. It was clear that they not only had a rich history together, but that their families and friends had watched them grow and develop together toward their wedding day. What a happy day they had. After getting ready at her mom’s house in Milton with her best friends and bridesmaids, Liz and her girls took a trolley to St. Agatha Church for the ceremony. Jimmy, nervous yet calm as a cucumber, welcomed his bride with a smile and a tear in his eye as she was escorted down the aisle by her grandfather. In Catholic Wedding ceremonies, often the couple will say their vows and exchange rings and kiss before the Priest has finished the ceremony. Immediately after Liz and Jimmy kissed, the biggest, most energetic applause roared from the audience. And it didn’t stop! People clapped for probably a minute straight. It was pure happiness. Once the crowd quieted down, the Priest exclaimed, “That was the best applause I have ever heard! And in church no less!” It was true. We were grinning from ear to ear. So were Liz and Jimmy. We also have to give a shout out to our dear friend, George from George Rivera Photography who joined Summer Street for the day to help capture their wedding. He is an amazing photographer and a super laid back person to work with. We loved seeing his artistic eye spruce up our style. The second photo of Jimmy was taken by George, and I think it’s my favorite Groom shot to date!

Ellie + Mike = Engaged

If our photo sessions were to win superlatives, Ellie and Mike’s Engagement Session would be ‘Most Pin-able’. Those of you who do Pinterest know exactly what I mean, and those of you who don’t? Let’s just say there is a LOT of goodness happening here and it’s cuter than a button! Ellie and Mike live out in Washington State and will be getting married next June in the Black Hills of South Dakota. We will be traveling to shoot their wedding and we just happened to catch them this fall while we were all visiting relatives in SoDak (as we affectionately call it) and were also able to pair up with their super talented Wedding Stylist and Day of Coordinator, Amy who whipped together the sweetest arrangement of Engagement Photo goodies. Seriously, we are in love with these two. They go together like Peanut Butter and Jelly. We had one small time frame during our time in SD that we were able to do this shoot, and God decided to bless us with a wind machine but Ellie and Mike (and Amy, hello flying props!) were troopers and WORKED it. Love this session. Just love it!

Marie + Mike = Married

This wedding. I'm telling you. GORGEOUS. Every inch of it! What's more, is that for these two, it was not about that, but their love managed to infuse every inch of their day making it beautiful from the inside out. From the beginning, one of the first things Marie and Mike were excited about in their wedding planning process was their ceremony. The solemnly grand backdrop of St. Mary's Dominican Friar's Church provided an elegant and sacred space to exchange vows. The excitement beamed on their faces as they exited the church and we took a stroll through Yale's campus capturing some portraits which were again GORGEOUS - but how could they not be when we had subjects as stunning as Marie and Mike? Their reception was held at the Union League Cafe and really felt like one large dinner party with french food, a four piece band and croquembouche - could it get any better?

Maggie + Louis = Married

Having been to a good number of weddings this year, we have observed that the events where the couple takes the time to infuse their personalities into the day always leads to the best guest (and couple!) experience. We love it when we leave a wedding and say, "that was an awesome day, and it was so them." That's exactly what happened at Maggie and Louis' Harvard Square Wedding. It was classy yet approachable....playful but collected...formal yet fun. Having had the pleasure of knowing Maggie and Louis first as friends and then as clients, we were able to shoot their day in a way we felt reflected their taste and personalities. They both got ready at the Mary Prentiss Inn (which has a soft spot in our hearts since we did the same for our wedding) and had a first look in the Harvard Law School Yard, just steps away from where Louis' Grad school building is, and of course on Maggie's alma mater grad school turf. After the first look, we made our way over to the Harvard Memorial Church for the signing of the the Ketubah and their ceremony where they had friends read some of their favorite passages in French and English - including reading the text from 'Aladdin's' A Whole New World. Best. Ceremony. Reading. Ever. Since the weather was practically perfect, we enjoyed our time through the Harvard campus and the square capturing some of the first moments the two of them had as husband and wife. The evening was completed with a first class dining experience at Upstairs on the Square which made a vibrant backdrop for a wedding party.

Christine + Jay = Engaged

When Christine and Jay wanted to have a Boston flair in their Engagement Photos we immediately started brainstorming and thought it would be fun to shoot in Charlestown and the North End - which are not always the first areas people think of for an engagement shoot - but both areas are SO completely Boston. For those of you who have walked the Freedom Trail, you may know that the distance between the North End and Bunker Hill is not too far, but it certainly involves a good 20 minutes and a varied trail of pavement, cobblestone and a steel bridge. So when Christine rocked the walk from Charlestown to the North End and back in heels, I was impressed. As it turns out, there is more than just tough feet to be admired about these two. They compliment each other so perfectly that they already have the ease of seeming like they've been married for years. No trip to the North End is complete without a Cannoli, so we were quite happy to see that Jay and Christine agreed with our philosophy. We can't wait for their 2012 wedding at the Seaport, it's going to be a blast!

Ly + Kieran = Married

It seems like we do so much gushing over here that by now you either think we are super excited all the time or that we're making up how great our client are. Fortunately for us (and you) neither are true. The truth is, we feel absolutely blown away by how much we love our job and our clients. Take Ly and Kieran's wedding. We had so much fun at their wedding that we decided that if we had to re-do our own wedding, we'd probably try to emulate the spirit of their wedding day. Ly and Kieran live in Ireland (she's American and he's Irish) and threw a spectacular celebration in Wolfeboro, New Hampshire with their closest family and friends - complete with 50% Irish Accented Guests. They rented a large vacation home on Lake Winnipesaukee and started their day off with a heartfelt Vietnamese Tea Ceremony. During the Tea Ceremony, the Groom and his family and friends enter the Bride's house with gifts and offerings. It was so sweet to watch Ly and her sister giggle with excitement as Kieran's family drew closer to the home. The couple serves Tea to their parents and grandparents and the bride's family presents their daughter to the groom. Ly admitted to not fully knowing what was going to happen during the Tea Ceremony, as did Kieran, making the service full of laughter and anticipation.

After the Tea Ceremony the wedding guests were invited to relax around the property until the Western Ceremony. We took full advantage of the time getting every little detail and taking a million photos of Ly's gorgeous dress and ensemble. The mood around the property was so laid back, people mingling, talking, listening to music and dipping their toes off the edge of the dock into the lake.  Their Western Ceremony was filled with more laughter and love, followed by some sunset portraits in a nearby field and a rocking tented reception with some of our favorite dancing photos of the season. Ly and Kieran, it has truly been a pleasure working with the two of you. We hope you're enjoying your African Honeymoon Adventure and hope we can cross paths across the pond!

Liz + Jimmy = Engaged

We met up with Liz and Jimmy at Marina Bay in Quincy last week to capture the last moments of their engagement before their wedding next weekend. We had a great time getting to know them a bit more and hear about their final planning details coming into line, as well as utilizing the varied landscape the area had to offer. A boardwalk, ship deck, park, gazebo, monument and twinkle lights in a one block radius? YES please! You may as well get comfy soaking in their cuteness because there is more Liz and Jimmy to come on the blog as their wedding quickly approaches.

Lauren + Neil = Married

Lauren and Neil were married on a Sunday. We love Sunday weddings because they are like big family reunions. People eat slower and talk more. They hug abundantly and laugh with gusto. We loved watching the way their guests cheered them on as they celebrated their first day as a married couple. They held their wedding ceremony and reception at the Crystal Lake Golf Club in Mapleville, RI - and it was an ideal venue. They had a ceremony in a tucked away wooded area and took a boat back to the reception site. Some people have getaway cars...Lauren and Neil had a getaway boat! After a few portraits with their beloved Dog, Morgan - they had a lovely reception with some of the cutest centerpieces and probably our favorite cake of the season. Lauren and Neil, it was such a pleasure capturing your day - we wish you many years of happiness together with Morgan and Batman (and maybe even some human babies too!) !

Jen + Ed = Married

Peanut butter and jelly, yin and yang, lobster and butter...some things are better together. Nothing else could describe just how good Jen and Ed are together. They delight each other, support each other and - as we got to witness on their wedding day - they love each other more than words. They had a beautiful wedding day on the coast of Nahant, where you could watch the sun set behind the Boston skyline. Matt was quite fond of their cupcakes, and I her dress. The day went off without a hitch thanks to Phebe from Making Me Planning and Event Firm. Congrats Jen and Ed, we were so happy to be a part of your day!

Michelle + Dave = Engaged

The last few months have been such a fun and busy blur that we realized that we haven't even blogged Michelle and Dave's engagement session from our shoot in July. Although it is really fun to see the weather change even from then until now..everything looks so lush and green! Michelle and Dave are getting married next weekend in California, and we had the distinct pleasure of shooting an engagement session for them here in Boston since they are currently living and working here. They are super laid back and adventurous. In fact, they met while skydiving! We loved getting to know these two and wish them the best next weekend as they exchange vows on the beach.

Bianca + Mike = Married

Bianca and Mike were married on a beautiful September afternoon at St. Vasilios Greek Orthodox church. The church was a magnificent space, and one of our favorite parts of their ceremony was when the Priest led them around the alter three (representing the trinity) times, signifying their first steps as a married couple. We also learned that Greeks view kissing as an essential part of greeting or congratulating each other. You can imagine my delight when almost each wedding guest got a kiss after the ceremony. Such happiness! After a fun filled Hummer-limo ride back to the reception we grabbed a few portraits, taking advantage of being in east Boston and seeing the full city skyline.  We have to take a moment to thank Kristen from Kristen Schueler Photography for adding her expert eye to their day!

Marisa + Andy = Married

One of our favorite things about shooting weddings is watching how each individual couple makes an event their own. In many ways, planning a wedding is the first big project a couple will undertake together. It's not just the brides party, and it's not just the grooms. It is something that represents both of them, and what makes them compliment each other so well. Marisa and Andy had a wedding that truly reflected themselves. From the unique wedding venue on the shore of Jamestown, RI to the beer they lovingly crafted months leading up to the wedding - there wasn't an element that wasn't personalized. They also had a Quaker ceremony, which is especially cool because it consists of the wedding guests contributing readings, poetry, music or on the moment toasts to the couple - instead of having an officiant lead the entire ceremony. All wedding guests sign the couple's marriage certificate, which is such a beautiful way to remember the day that everyone came together to watch them become husband and wife. We also have to give a big shout out to Jamie from Jamie Marland Photography for joining Summer Street for the day with her expert eye behind the lens. (We especially love the shoe shots, Jamie!) Congrats to Marisa and Andy - and thank you for trusting us to capture your wonderful day!