We had the greatest time shooting Pattie and Alix's Engagement Photos at the Crane Estate in Ipswich, Mass. Not only are these two gorgeous, smart and successful - they are truly grounded individuals who know themselves and have hearts of gold. Spend five minutes watching these two and its clear that they have a gift. We met up with them at one of our favorite estates on the north shore which provided a stunning backdrop for their session. Between the rolling hills, sunken gardens, ripe foliage and cozy ear muffs Pattie wore for part of the session - I can't pick a favorite photo. I've just decided to love them all for different reasons, and I think you may have to do the same. It's clear that they are naturals in front of the camera so we can't wait to capture them again on their wedding day next June!
Sarah + Ben = Married
Oh this wedding was just the sweetest thing. Sarah and Ben were married on a sunny day in November at the Boston Temple where a sea of loving family and friends waited for them as they exited the temple as husband and wife. We couldn't stop smiling as we photographed their joyful exit into the world as a married couple and loved watching them beam with excitement. After some photos at the Temple, we stole them away to photograph their newlywed glow on the grounds of their reception at the Whittemore Robbins House in Arlington. The house is stunning as-is, but also sits right beside the Arlington Town Hall which has a beautiful garden so we were sure to grab some photos of them there, both together and apart. Doesn't Sarah have the most lovely bridal glow? I'm loving the series of her in the gardens after the ceremony where the content look on her face says it all. So pretty. Later, the celebration continued at the Robbins House with more family and friends who came to celebrate their union with cheesecake and lots of hugs. Ben and Sarah remained on cloud nine as the evening progressed and shared a quiet moment at the end of the reception in the grand ballroom with a sweet first dance. They had a beautiful day that made me feel like I was in a historical romance novel (those of you who know me know how much I must have enjoyed that). Congratulations Sarah and Ben! We wish you all the happiness in the world.
Stephanie + Tyler = Engaged
We met up with Stephanie, Tyler and their two adorable pups Leroy and Duncan right after Hurricane Sandy hit Boston, so we were all a little worried that the beautiful fall foliage and lush landscape of the Arnold Arboretum in Jamaica Plain would have been damaged. Fortunately, fall picked up right where it had left off and gave us a beautiful sunny sky and some great color on the trees. Stephanie and Tyler could not have been more perfect amidst the pretty scenery. While they are both extremely good looking, it's really their calm and compassionate spirits that make them so easy to be around. They truly have hearts of gold and its in working with couples like Stephanie and Tyler that Matt and I have to pinch ourselves that we actually get to work with such amazing people and do something we love so much. We simply can not wait for their Connecticut Vineyard Wedding next July - it's going to be amazing!
Pallavi + Juffin = Engaged
We met up with Pallavi and Juffin on a brisk November day with a shining sun and a cold wind. Pallavi braved part of the session in just a dress (with no coat or sweater) but luckily Juffin was there to keep her warm. Pallavi and Juffin are really cute together. Their positive energy exudes to all who come in contact with them and watching them together makes you feel like all is right with the world. They are college sweethearts who will tie the knot this December in India. They wanted to have some Engagement Photos taken of them in the city they met and fell in love - and we were happy to do just that. We took advantage of the nooks and crannies that the Boston waterfront has to offer and happily stumbled upon a steel sculpture by the water that provided a really cool architectural detail to their photos. I often think of the old brick buildings that Boston has to offer (which I love so much)- so it was fun to incorporate a more modern design flair into their photo (where that theme continued in a parking garage later in the session). Pallavi and Juffin: it was so wonderful to work with you. We're sure your wedding will be a fabulous day to be matched by your equally fabulous personalities. Congratulations!
Suzanne + Jerad = Engaged
Suzanne and Jerad are lovable people. Outgoing, laid back and full of love for life and each other (and The Bears, but we'll forgive them :). They will be celebrating their wedding in Costa Rica next year, so they wanted to have some photos of their life in Cambridge during their Engagement. We met up with them in both our neighborhoods to wander Harvard Square in the various nooks and crannies of Cambridge. Part of the reason we love our job so much is that we get to spend our time conversing with so many wonderful people from all walks of life. Suzanne and Jerad are perfect examples of this. Matt and I both agreed that we want to hang out with them again without cameras in our hands. Suzanne and Jerad, we loved spending time with you and are so happy for you both. Congratulations on your Engagement and best of luck with wedding planning!
Julia + Chris = Married
We loved photographing Julia and Chris' Wedding at The Linden Place in Bristol, Rhode Island. We have a thing for historic New England houses so that alone was enough to have us running around like kids with too much candy, but it was really the spirit of their wedding day that got us. Julia and Chris are both extremely intelligent, creative and well spoken people whom we admire. Their wedding was such a beautiful representation of them as a couple as well as their friends and family coming together as one big happy group. I started off with Julia and her best ladies at the salon where they all primped and prepped to look even more gorgeous than they already were; while Matt hung with Chris, his guys and the couple's adorable dog, Buster, as they prepped for the ceremony. Something we see more and more of is when brides have a 'First Look' with their fathers after they are all ready and dressed and before he walks her down the aisle. I'm a big fan. Julia and her dad decided to share this moment with just the two of them minutes before the ceremony started and I'm pretty sure it was more emotional than the First Looks we do with bride and grooms. Meanwhile, guests outside waited for their crisp outdoor ceremony to start with warm cups of apple cider. Once the ceremony started Chris' face lit up when he saw Julia for the first time and the two of them only had eyes for each other which made the rest of us swoon in their sweetness. After the ceremony we zipped down to the Bristol waterfront for a few photos of the newlyweds on the docks and on the streets. The evening continued with a warm and cozy reception by a *huge* fire and lots of dancing and desserts. I'm in love with the giant paper flower installation Julia "whipped together in an afternoon" (super bride?) and tried to convince Chris that they need it as their headboard now. The paper flowers and loving, energetic celebration were just two small manifestations of what a great job Julia and Chris did infusing their wedding day with their personalities. What a great day! Julia and Chris, we are so happy for you and have loved working with you. Congratulations!
Katie + Greg = Engaged
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 = Married
I could gush allllll day about this wedding. When Kelsey and Danny approached us about photographing their big day in Antigua, Guatemala - we were head over heels for their wedding vision and for them as a pair. Kelsey and I go back to our college days in Minnesota. We danced together and I always admired her photography skills (she's a talented photographer herself) and heart for helping people. Naturally, these two things left me Facebook stalking all of her travel photos to Guatemala when she used to visit with her dad for medical outreach work - which only deepened my admiration for her. Fast forward a few years when Kelsey and Danny met in Guatemala. They fell head over heels for one another and the rest is history. We'd never met Danny in person, but once their wedding planning arrived in full force and we started talking with them more - it was clear what a great match he was for Kelsey. Grounded, compassionate and a heart of gold; Danny is a keeper. Their wedding day started much like our local weddings do with the bride getting ready with her crew and the groom doing the same while Matt and I photograph them separately. The hotel they got ready in was crazy gorgeous so we took full advantage of the nooks and crannies for their attire details and found a quiet little spot for their adorable first look (can you even handle the blindfold? I die). After some additional portraits on the grounds of the hotel with their families, wedding party and the parrots (hello!) we wandered around the streets for a few photos where Kelsey and Danny were literally stopping traffic with excited on-lookers. We eventually made our way up to their ceremony and reception venue which was owned by the same hotel but was the outdoor art-museum portion of the property. The venue was up a large hill which overlooked the city and the three volcanoes that surround the town, so the view was breathtaking. After a few more portraits we all prepped for the ceremony and I had my breath taken away when I saw their entire ceremony space FILLED with candles. Overlooking the city with volcanoes and hills, it was such a beautiful space to begin with, but with the addition of candles, sunset and the calm, joyous energy of their multilingual Catholic Ceremony - it was a truly beautiful experience. After the ceremony the party got started on the right foot with a gorgeous candle-lit reception set-up draped with roses and pearls. Kelsey and Danny made a lasting impression with their grand entrance by wowing all 300 guests with the most amazing first dance I've EVER seen. I later learned that they made up the entire thing on the spot. I shouldn't have been so surprised given how talented of a dancer Kelsey is, but I've got to hand it to Danny too. Wowzers. So much fun. The evening continued with sweet words from their loved ones and went on to be an amazing dance party that lasted until 3:00am. The Guatemalans know how to party (and dance)! We loved every moment of working with these two and their wonderful families. Congratulations Kelsey and Danny! You guys are the best!
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!
Antigua, Guatemala
We thought we'd unveil our trip to Guatemala for Kelsey and Danny's Wedding over a few days on the blog, so today we're starting off with some personal travel photos from our fast and furious trip to Antigua, Guatemala. We arrived on Friday and had a portrait session with Kelsey and Danny, shot the Wedding on Saturday and flew back on Sunday so we had limited time to explore the city on our own (we couldn't really afford the time off during peak wedding season because it would slow the workflow down too much) but we had a fantastic trip with the time we did have as personal down time. Some highlights included wandering the streets to see the Spanish colonial ruins, (which were caused by a series of earthquakes in the 1700s) visiting the food market (aka - a maze) that boasted delicious looking fruits, vegetables, live chickens and other delicious things US customs would have never allowed us to bring home as souvenirs, and the fresh avocados (I may have ordered the same thing twice in three days because the avocados were so good). I couldn't help myself when I saw the barber shop donning the same name as our handsome Guatemalan groom. We left feeling excited to return someday to explore more and grateful for the opportunity to share in such an amazing country, culture and wedding. Tomorrow we'll be sharing Kelsey and Danny's Engagement Photos - stay tuned!