Many of our clients know that Matt and I are not native to New England. Maybe it's because we didn't grow up here and we're more sensitive towards the regional nuances, but we've always been smitten with New England culture, accents, and big loving Italian families. Sharing in someones wedding day from the photographer's perspective is like being in their community for a day. It's a really interesting and fun experience that gives you a look into their families and friends. With these things in mind, you can imagine that Matt and I had a blast shooting Holli and Eric's wedding day. People greeted one another with bear hugs and a hearty kiss on the cheek, and laughter was never absent. Holli and Eric's love for one another was the perfect accompaniment to their joy filled day. Holli was beaming with excitement all day and Eric's face lit up like the sun whenever he laid eyes on his beautiful bride. We wish you two many years of happiness, Congratulations!
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!
Morgan + Peter = Married
You will not meet a couple that is better suited for one another than Morgan and Peter. We've absolutely loved getting to know these two, especially since they booked us to shoot their gorgeous Cape Cod wedding almost two years ago. You really get to know someone in that amount of time, and one of our favorite perks of this job is when clients become friends. It was in that process that we got to know them better, met their dog, had an engagement session with them, worked on some smaller photo projects with them and exchanged about a thousand e-mails. On their wedding day when Kendra's allergies were so bad that she had lost her voice completely (but felt fine) it was no big thing since the four of us had established a relationship throughout their engagement and knew everything was going to work out (p.s. Morgan gets bride of the year for trusting a miming photographer with large group portraits!) Their wedding day was everything they imagined it to be. Gorgeous weather, perfect beachy wedding details, happy guests, a rocking dance party and an overflowing love that surrounded them as they became a new family. So much love. Morgan and Peter, it's been a true joy being a part of your lives. We couldn't be happier for you!
Heather + Steven = Married
There is so much to love about Heather and Steven. If the above images haven't shown you just how good they are together, let me elaborate a bit. Heather and Steven met while in undergrad at Yale. They now live in Cambridge where Heather commutes to her Graduate program at Brown and Steven is at his Graduate program at Harvard. As Heather's sister and maid of honor pointed out in her toast on their wedding day, this alone is enough to make you feel a little jealous of them - let alone their stunning good looks. The thing about Heather and Steven however, is that they could not be more loving, caring or kind. They are the real deal. We enjoyed every moment of their wedding at St. Thomas More Chapel in New Haven (by far one of the most unique Catholic Church we've shot in!) followed by their old world charm reception at the New Haven Lawn Club and gorgeous florals by Candi's Floral Creations. As if the venues weren't exciting enough to photograph, it was really Heather and Steven's love that stole the show like a big cherry on a sundae. We left their wedding with a giant smiled wiped on our faces after witnessing the outpouring of love from their family and friends during their big day (Heather's Dad who doesn't consider himself a singer even sang her a Billy Joel song during the reception, and Steven and his mom's parent dance was so advanced and charming!) All in all, it was a beautiful day filled with beautiful love. What more could you ask for? Congrats you two! We hope you're having fun in Italy!
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!
Kristen + Jay = Engaged
One of the first things we noticed about Kristen and Jay was the way they listened to one another. When one of them is talking, the other is in complete rapture of what they are saying. The more we got to know them, we realized that it was a classic Southern Boy meets East Coast Girl love story. Jay is a true Southern Gentleman. He opens doors for others, speaks with care and is always smiling. Kristen is a charming East Coast Girl. She's witty and smart and knows how to make Jay laugh. They are perfect together. We enjoyed getting to know them better and hearing about their July wedding plans which we can't wait to be a part of. We spent part of their Engagement Session in Christopher Columbus Park on the Boston Wharf (don't you just love the arbor way?) and finished off in the North End where they had their first date, by Pizzeria Regina in fact. We just *had* to end the session by grabbing a slice with them. How could we not? It was then that we got to talk even more about their wedding and life plans together. What a lovely pair they are!
Marleah + Chris = Engaged
When we first met with Marleah and Chris and heard all about their plans for a laid back backyard wedding in Scituate - we were hooked. Clean, Vineyard Vines inspired design meets laid back summer day. Yes please! It came as no surprise to learn that they live in Nantucket and enjoy the little things like walks on the beach and playing with their cat and adorable chocolate lab, Fletcher. We met up with them in Scituate (with Fletcher of course!) and had a blast catching up on the latest wedding plans and generally getting to know the two of them even better. The shoot was fast and furious, but they jumped right in and clearly these two have got it going on in front of the camera. They are so happy together and their love for one another shines. We can't wait for their wedding in August - it's going to be an amazing day!
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The Summer Street Photobooth
Happy Friday friends! We're here today to talk about something we've had in the works for a long time - THE SUMMER STREET PHOTOBOOTH! Yeah. We're a little excited about it. We've been hunting for the perfect props and the most accessible set up to make having a photo booth at your wedding a breeze. Check out the vintage suitcase full of props!
Just in case there is any confusion, the suitcase is full of:
-Mustaches, glasses, bow ties and more on sticks including two different glass vases to hold the props
-Two different styles of an '&' to fit your wedding design aesthetic
-A chalkboard speech bubble (and chalk) for your guests to write well wishes or funny things
-Two lightweight wooden empty frames that can fit two heads
-Three feather boas
Basically, it's a one stop shop. You don't need to worry about talking with the caterer or florist about supplying photo booth prop holders (all included) or any last minute Etsy orders just days before the wedding because you forgot to order mustaches on a stick. We've got it all taken care of. We bring it, set it up, operate it, and tear it down all without you worrying who will be responsible for getting photos out to people afterward, paying too much for a photo booth company to set up their tiny point and shoot camera in an oversized booth, or trying to DIY your own photo booth which can have many accessibility and transportation issues on the day of the wedding. We wanted it to be SUPER easy and SUPER fun.
You know that we also couldn't just have a one size fits all backdrop option. Oh no. We have four.
First up: Gold Dots!
Secondly, The Summer Street Flag Bunting! (Recognize this one from any logo?)
Next, The Glittery Just Married Banner (Made by our dear friend Amy from Glass Confetti!)
And Finally, The Silver Tassle Bunting!
Annie and Kevin had The Summer Street Photobooth at their wedding a few weeks back, so we thought you might like to see some of the photos from their 'booth. Their guests LOVED the booth. Recognize anyone in there? :)
Pretty fun right? We've got lots of details about the technical requirements, booth operator options and more. If you're already a Summer Street couple, it's not too late to contact us for more info about adding the photobooth to your coverage, and if you're looking at hiring us for your wedding, know that it's an option for package customization!
Chris + Mark = Married
Oh Mark and Chris. They are so good together. They are the pair that finish each others sentences and have the relationship maturity of a couple who has been married for 50 years. We adore them. They said 'I Do' at one of our favorite Boston area venues, The Lyman Estate. You know that we're suckers for Historic New England properties (we got married at another Historic New England venue) but there is just something so special about weddings on these properties. It's as though you enter into a bygone era where parties on the green with food passing from inside to out is no big thing and people can mingle unhurried, enjoying the slow pace of an afternoon. Mark and Chris' wedding was no exception. Little details that reflected their relationship and interests (a scotch and whiskey bar!) were sprinkled throughout the grand estate. Youngsters enjoyed lawn games on the green while adults enjoyed the picture perfect weather outside and hugged the happy couple. We loved shooting in the lush greenhouse and grounds as Mark and Chris reveled in the newness of being married. Aren't the colors in the greenhouse amazing? Later on, the night continued with one of the most emotional mother-son dances we've *ever* seen (yes, Kendra cried) and then evolved into a hopping dance party. So much fun. We're so happy for you, Mark and Chris! Thank you for allowing us to share in your special day.
Katherine + Ian = Engaged
One of our favorite types of engagement sessions are with couples who are slightly shy. I wouldn't exactly call Katherine or Ian shy, but perhaps reserved is a better word. It can be a rather nerve racking thing to have your engagement photos taken especially if you're not used to being in front of the camera. You really don't know what to expect - so mix that in with meeting two new people - it can be a recipe for feeling nervous. We get it. In fact, most of our couples feel this way at the beginning of their engagement session. What we loved about Katherine and Ian, was that even though they both admitted to feeling slightly nervous, when they looked at each other, they were always laughing. It was so endearing. It was as though all of the feelings of being unsure about being in front of the camera, all of the feelings of feeling stranger's eyes watch them as they got their photos taken....all of those things disappeared when they looked at each other. It was just the two of them and the whole world faded away. Adorable. And just so you know, both Katherine and Ian said that it really wasn't as hard as they thought it would be. We say that it can't *not* go well with a love like theirs.
Annie + Kevin = Married
Annie and Kevin are so perfect together. When she is nervous, he is calm. When he is silly she is grounded. The best part about them though, is that when he laughs, she laughs. If there is one piece of marriage advice that we hear wedding after wedding from those who are toasting the happy couple, it's not to take life too seriously and have fun together. Annie and Kevin have this figured out. They have an infectious love that draws others in. People smile when they see Annie and Kevin together - what is more beautiful than that? We, for one didn't stop smiling throughout their entire wedding day. It was a 100% chance of rain all day long, but every time we went outside with them, it wasn't raining. We'll never know if it actually rained that day because even though things were wet, there was no rain. Because it was so foggy, I like to think that God sent a giant cloud to follow Annie and Kevin around so they wouldn't have to have rain on their wedding day. One of our favorite photos from their wedding was right before their ceremony. They decided that they did not want to see each other before the ceremony, but they wanted to hold hands in between a wall right outside of the church. We found just the right spot for the two of them to hold hands for a moment before we turned Kevin around and led Annie back to her girls and her father who was waiting to walk her down the aisle. The look on Kevin's face when he saw his beautiful bride walking down the aisle was priceless, and we loved how they kept stealing glances (and winking!) at one another throughout the ceremony. After the ceremony we whisked off to the Smith Barn at Brooksby Farm in Peabody Mass for their adorable reception. We were in heaven shooting with such a thick fog and lush grass in the apple orchards, and we even found a field with seeded dandelions (you know, the ones you blow and make a wish on?) which we thought was fitting since Annie has had a special place in her heart for dandelions since her childhood. The night continued on with a hopping dance floor and some non-stop photo booth action (more about that next week). Annie and Kevin, you two are so deserving of one another. We're so happy for you!
Guest Post with Prairie Fair: Sweet Spring
Hi Friends! Today we have something fun lined up for you. Our dearest Emily from Prairie Fair in Minnesota is here to share a guest post with us about flowers! She'll teach us through photos how to make a boutineer, a flower wreath and a bouquet! Perfect for those of you thinking about DIY-ing your own flowers, and also just in time for Mother's Day in case you're feeling inspired to make mom a little floral present. Since Emily is based in Minnesota, she had the amazingly talented Minneapolis Wedding Photographer Eric Lundgren take photos for this - so these photos were not taken by us. We think the whole thing is just perfect, and we hope you do to! Take it away, Emily!
Hello Dear Readers of Summer Street. My name is Emily, and while I’ve been lucky enough to have my Prairie Fair flower arrangements and styling appear on this beautiful blog several times this is my first experience writing to all of you! I couldn’t be more thrilled. The rapturously amazing Kendra is my oldest friend in the world; we met when we were three, went to the same elementary school, graduated high school together, simultaneously received degrees in dance from the University of Minnesota, and both went into the wedding industry as a complimentary occupation to our dance careers. As you can see, we’re fated friends. I’ve also had the pleasure of knowing Matt for years, and eating some of his baked goods and talking over the day is one of my favorite things to do. I’m so in love with the both of them.
One amazing part of our friendship is that Kendra, Matt, and I have been able to work together on several weddings and photoshoots over the years. Since we don’t live in the same city right now, we always try to find ways to continue our collaborations. With wedding season upon us and Mother’s Day fast approaching (I love you, Marmy!) it only seemed appropriate that Kendra and Matt would want me to share a little bit about those crowns to our wedding ensembles and heart-melters of moms everywhere…flowers.
But before I go any further, can I let you in on a little secret?…I love muscari. Loooooooove. To the moon and back twice times a million do I love them. When I see their beautiful bells opening in my mother’s garden at the base of the lilac tree and scattered amongst the tulips and daffodils I feel like I’ve found a fairy in an enchanted forest. Every spring this happens, this wonder and thrill, and every year I fall in love with them all over again.
I must admit, I can say this for so many flowers, well any time of the year truthfully, but especially in Spring. There’s no greater joy than being overwhelmed by the smell of lilacs on the bush as you walk passed during your post dinner stroll; there is perfection in the long necks of the narcissus and the softness of the snow crabs. I’m in heaven right now soaking up every scent, color, and delicate bloom. If tiny fragile lilies of the valley can push up through the snow and cold only to fade and do it all over again next year then there most certainly is hope and promise for me and for you.
In celebration of the season I made three pieces: a boutonniere or corsage that is both sweet and dramatic, a simple graceful hair wreath, and a lush bouquet that celebrates all the glories of fading cold and early warmth. 
For the bout I used a ranunculus, a double tulip, a sprig of veronica, and a begonia leaf that I cut from my indoor garden. For some subtle drama I wrapped them in a simple and slightly sheer black ribbon. Tis the season for twitterpation after all.
Hair wreaths are the epitome of beauty and femininity to me. I would wear one everyday if I could (made while wandering through a field of flowers ideally.) In fact after the shoot I wore this crown of my beloved muscari, ginestra, and veronica all day until my special boy kindly removed it from my sleeping head (in addition to the Pride & Prejudice playing computer perched on my lap.)
As for the Big Mama…well she is Spring incarnated: ranunculus, muscari, begonia, anemone, double tulips, and two varieties of lilac. (Truth be told I never ended up using begonia in the arrangement but threw in some veronica instead!)
Aside from perhaps the ranunculus and anemone, all of these flowers are abundant in gardens right now (even in your corner grocery store!) Gather some up and place them in a jar on the kitchen table for your mom, sister, friend, grandma, and especially for yourself! Or even better yet carry them, lyrical and radiant (just like you!), down your tulip lined wedding aisle.
I tied my bouquet with a gorgeous vintage ribbon that I purchased two summers ago while wandering through antique stores in Concord, Mass with Kendra. Heavenly.
So what is your secret? Do you love muscari too? Or the smell of freshly cut grass? Have you always dreamed of wearing a crown of flowers as you say “I do” or finishing your favorite book seated in the limbs of a blossoming cherry tree? Let’s share all the promise of dreams fulfilled, the inherent hope of budding branches and sweet smelling magnolia, because Spring is really here!
Love,
Emily
Christine + Jay = Married
There are some weddings that Matt and I leave with a big smile plastered across our face. Christine and Jay's stunning Boston wedding was one of them. Christine and Jay live on the wharf and wanted a wedding that reflected their urban neighborhood and chic taste. What better venue than The Seaport Hotel (which is right across the street from their home) to celebrate in style? When I arrived at their home for the getting ready portion of the day, the room was buzzing with a relaxed and exciting vibe. Christine was glowing with a radiant peace and her bridesmaids and parents were enjoying themselves. Matt's report of the guys getting ready was much in the same. Jay and his crew enjoyed some scotch and jokes before heading into the limo to the church. Christine and Jay were married at the same church that Christine's parents got married in so many years ago. One sweet little detail that we loved was Christine's request to replicate a photo of her mother and grandfather walking down the aisle to frame side by side after the wedding. The ceremony was filled with love and joy as they became husband and wife, and the party that followed was everything they hoped for. A buzzing cocktail hour filled with hugs, funny grand entrances by the bridal party, heart warming toasts from their siblings, a gorgeous cake and a hopping dance floor. Oh yeah, and did we mention a beautiful sunset with the Boston skyline in the background? That was everything *we* were hoping for. Christine and Jay, you two are so sweet together and we wish you many many years of happiness. Congratulations!