Ashley and Jamie are beautiful souls. They are gentle, well-spoken, heart-felt and magnificent. Truly. It has been an extreme honor getting to know them during this time of their lives and we are happy to call them new friends. From the beginning of their wedding planning they wanted a wedding day experience that represented their values and taste as well as an enjoyable weekend getaway for their guests. In fact, I think their day could be categorized as part of the "The Slow Wedding Movement" (you know, as compared to The Slow Food Movement" and yes, I just made that up.) They selected The 1768 Hubbell Homestad in Bennington, Vermont as the backdrop to their big day and choose to have a Quaker Ceremony on a high hill overlooking the mountains where guests are asked to bring their thoughts, text, poems and encouragement to contribute as part of the ceremony. It was beautiful. I cried. Three times in fact. After the ceremony we took full advantage of the stunning grounds at the Homestead to grab some photos of Ashley and Jamie as freshly coined husband and wife. They were beaming in their newlywed glow, which made our job a cinch. The evening continued down at the Homestead under a clear night sky and more happy toasts to the couple. We enjoyed watching *all* of the wedding guests boogie down (especially the 50+ crowd) and drove the 3 hour drive back to Boston with a full heart and smile on our face. Ashley and Jamie, we couldn't be more grateful for you in our lives. Congratulations!!
Janet + John = Married
What do you get when you combine a stunning New England mansion, a sea of happy faces, an adorable Golden Retriever named Pudgey, a steadfast and happy groom and an beautiful bride? I'll tell you. Janet and John's wedding. Photographing Janet and John's big day was a true delight. I started with the ladies at The Lenox Hotel in Boston (she got ready in the room Judy Garland called her favorite...swoon) and loved watching the excitement buzz around as Janet primped and prepped for the ceremony. Matt went with the guys as they enjoyed a glass of beer, casually got their suits and ties on and hung out with Pudgey. Their ceremony was on the lawn of the mansion at Elm Bank which is part of the Massachusetts Horticultural Society, and it was STUNNING. Guests cheers as John entered the ceremony space, leaving him gleaming with happiness as Janet floated down the aisle to her groom. We took advantage of the manicured lawn and flower gardens for their portraits (with Pudgey in tow of course) and watched as guests danced the night away in the carriage house. Janet and John; we are so happy for you both and wish you a lifetime of happiness together. It was an honor being a part of your day! Congratulations!
Melissa + Jonathan = Married
Oh are we ever excited to share this wedding with you. Melissa and Jonathan are Graphic Designers living in Brooklyn (talented ones at that, they did our website!) who tied the knot on her father's New Hampshire farm in June. You guys. If the photos above don't give you a little glimpse into just how good their wedding was - well, I don't know what will. Weddings like Melissa and Jonathan's take a *lot* of work and we couldn't have been more thrilled to capture it. Melissa and Jonathan worked for months preparing their graphic design details, wedding design and aesthetic vision into the day which included many DIY projects like painting silverware handles and making hundreds of yards of fabric bunting just to name a few. They brought the incredibly talented Natalie Bowen Designs to create flawless florals for the big day and had Phebe from Making Me Planning and Event Firm on hand to pull the entire event together as the Day-of Coordinator. In addition to all of the beautiful aesthetic, the food from SoLo was literally the best wedding food we've ever had and the exuberant music from Raya Brass Band gave the event a cinematic experience that was filled to the brim with happiness. While all of those things are *more* than enough to make an amazing celebration, it's all for nothing without love; and Melissa and Jonathan had plenty to share. Their love for one another is so grounded yet radiant. Their wedding day was like happiness on steroids! We feel incredibly grateful to have had the opportunity to work with these two and feel lucky to call them new friends. Congratulations you two! Have a blast on your European Honeymoon Adventure!
Ellie + Mike = Married
You guys. THIS wedding. Let's start at the beginning. Ellie is the big sister I never had. Her younger sister and I have been best of friends since high school, hence much of our high school years were advised and entertained by Ellie. She is an extremely talented actress, singer and dancer (a triple threat, if you will) with an exuberant personality that draws people in. Anyone who knows her would say that she is joyously infectious. Having known Ellie all my life (my older step-brothers were even next door neighbors with her and her family) it was with a big bear hug that I greeted her boyfriend Mike when meeting him for the first time. If he was good enough for Ellie - well then, he was going to be a part of the family whether he liked it or not. Mike is everything I would have hoped for Ellie and more. As their relationship grew and they decided to get married, we were able to spend more time with Mike to get to know him. They are like yin and yang - so different but they balance each other out so perfectly. He is a super smart food scientist with a laid back personality and a permanent smile mounted on his face. We just love him. As their wedding day approached and we made our way across the country to shoot their wedding in the Black Hills of South Dakota - we were bursting with anticipation knowing what a labor of love their wedding was. They say that you are the average of the five people you spend the most time with, and let me tell you, the set up involved with their entirely DIY wedding decor and the talent that was involved in the actual day itself blew us out of the water. The entire day was OOZING with talent and love. One of our favorite moments was when Ellie and Mike surprised their guests by singing Ingrid Michaelson's 'You and I" during their ceremony complete with a ukelele and a wedding party chorus. I'm getting goosebumps just thinking about how happy it was. Ellie and Mike: we are so so happy for you and we couldn't have been more honored to be your wedding photographers. Thank you for trusting your photo vision to us, much love and Congratulations!