I love the boots and the hats. These two are so much fun!

After getting soaked walking through the woods we headed off to the location of their first date.  Mint Bistro in Manchester, NH.
Yet they just kept playing into each others arms…

How fitting they would choose this place as it a fusion of culinary sophistication, modern charm, and tempting cocktails. So of course, we had to try them!

After we left the Bistro we took a walk a little further down Elm St. To hit up their favorite Irish Pub, The Shaskeen.
Who are we kidding here, it’s my favorite Irish Pub in Manchester to!

Yes, it most certainly is getting hot in here.

 I love watching these two together. They are everything from fun, fresh, and playful to passionate.

Beth and Dave the two of you are fantastic! It was a pleasure to spend the afternoon and evening with the both of you and I can not wait for your wedding this spring!
Congratulations to the both of you!!!

When I met Shae and Jeff a few months ago, I could instantly feel the love that they had for each other spread through the room and make any other couple sitting by envious. I throughly enjoyed getting to know the both of them and hearing their stories. Such a sweet and fun couple, they had me laughing all night.  Together they have such a fun and charismatic lifestyle that truly embraces each other and their families.

We planned their engagement shoot for the beach between Seabrook, NH and Salisbury, MA. Just a normal day at the beach doing their favorite things; walking, talking, playing scrabble and the day would not have been complete without their just as enthusiastic labrador Jackson joining us!

I do believe Jackson is stealing the show in the images below…

After playing on the beach we walked over to a sandy area and threw out a blanket. Shae popped out their favorite game, and they just sat and played for awhile.
To watch these two interact is pure joy.

 The two of you are so fun and refreshing to be around! I can not wait for your wedding next November!

To see the two of them together is a complete joy.
I would try to write something clever and unique about the two of them, but I don’t believe I could put it into words and truly do them justice.
(After all Peggy is an amazing writer…  You can see her blog Serendipity Smiles and the work she does for The Stepmom’s Toolbox.) So better to just show you my favorite moments from spending the afternoon on a walk with them!

The two of you are so perfect together! I’m so happy to now know you both and your family!

The induction into the Firefighter family was breathtaking to watch. Just beautiful and amazing.

I also loved the special surprise Kate had for her mom. In lieu of tossing flowers she had a special bouquet to give just to her. I’m loving the expressions.

I have to thank the amazing team of people who helped put everything together so beautifully and elegantly for Kate and Jon.

First of all I have to thank my amazing, talented and very patient friend and second shooter Jeff Newcum . He got so many magnificently dramatic moments of Jon and the guys getting ready. In all seriousness I specifically asked him to start he day hanging out the window in the pouring rain to get those rocking fire truck shots while driving to the ceremony.  I love those captures as well as those gorgeous details and extra moments. So thank you for your patience with my requests.

Kate and Jon it was truly an honor and pleasure to photograph your wedding!  I hope your days are filled with love and many wondrous surprises for the rest of your lives together!

May you always have
Walls for the winds
A roof for the rain
Tea beside the fire
Laughter to cheer you
Those you love near you
And all your heart might desire.

Rock on.

I was totally up for it! Take two things you love and mix em up. I had two things going through my head, one of my favorite movies I had watched before going to Vegas for the workshop,  The 300 inspired by Frank Millers Graphic Novel and of course wedding photography. To truly imagine what was going on in my head you can look inside the book by clicking here.

And with that the wheels were turning…

Here’s where the fun came in, creating an inspirational Bridal Theme and mashing it up with the visuals from the book and movie. When I mentioned my idea, I had someone tell me it couldn’t be done, that the movie was digitally created and blah, blah… and that was push number two.
I was about to create something sexy,dramatic and with rustic imagery so I assembled my rocking team! I scouted castles and countrysides all over New England and picked locations for the time of day. It took months of planning, creating, strategizing,  and finally it was my favorite part, Shoot time! While the weather did not cooperate for all of the shoot everybody was awesome and I’m so excited to share my results!

 Thank You, Thank You, Thank You… to the Amazing people and vendors who helped me with my project! Seriously, I had one idea and nothing to illustrate other than to articulate the following words – Rustic, Gritty, Sexy, Bold, Dramatic and earthy tones. These fantastic vendors read my mind I can not recommend them enough to work with!

To the lovely, fun, and amazing couple Shaunna and  Dan! I’m so happy you were so patient with my 2 days of playing Director!
Tiffany Hall of Tiffany Hall Beauty for the gorgeous Make-up and Styling. This woman is a true artist with skin as her palette!
Andrea Dahlberg who is a Phenomenal Seamstress who designed and created the bridal gown from an idea!
Alyssa from Apotheca Flowers who went above and beyond and created the most elaborate and rustic floral arrangements!
Wandee Ducharme of Hair We Are with the Amazing Braided Bridal Do!
and Crown and Plume for the feathers to match the flowers! (I have a little obsession with the color red and feathers!!!)

Always remember to be happy because you never know who’s falling in love with your smile.  ~ Author Unknown.
I can’t help but think of  this quote when I see these images of Jessica and John and their beautiful intimate and polished wedding.

 You may have recalled from their engagement session how much fun these two are when they laugh, dance, and just be themselves completely smitten with each other. Their exuberance for life and love is as contagious as Jessica’s big beautiful smile.
I was overwhelmed with the amount of Love and sheer Joy abounding all over this wedding!

How lucky is Jess to have a sister and best friend who happens to be one of the best make-up artists I’ve ever gotten to work with!

I love this image, almost ready to head out to the church but not without a hug filled with love from mom!

While the girls were busy getting Jessica ready, she had a very special note for John… I just love the laughter.

Her father was so proud. I love his expression seeing her ready to walk down the Aisle.

Truly a beautiful family moment!

I can’t help but notice the sweet tenderness in the way that these two interact. I love that the whole time you couldn’t stop smiling.
The two of you are so truly blessed!  I’m so happy for both of you!
Congratulations on your beautiful wedding and may you know nothing but happiness from this day forward!

Special thanks to everyone who made this wedding simply beautiful!

Phenomenal Make Artistry: Gina Cataldo of Sephora
Ceremony: Egan Chapel at Fairfield University
Celebrant: Rev. Father Charles H. Allen, S.J.
Reception: Roger Sherman Inn
Flowers: Kyle from Earth Garden
DJ: Gisela Marin & Edwin Zayas
Transportation: Gardellas Elite Limousine Service

Thank you to my friend Jane for the great shots of the guys and 2nd shooting!

Last year I had the extreme pleasure of spending the day with Michelle and Kevin as we traveled all over Tampa, Fl around their favorite eclectic hot spots. It was apparent in their Engagement shoot that these two with their high energy and creativity would choose not just any beachside wedding, but a rocking Polynesian Luau complete with South Pacific Island Belly and Warrior Dancers, Fire Twirlers,  and a full Luau show with their rocking reception in a Tiki Hut! What an amazing day it was!

What a gorgeous day it was to be on the beach celebrating Michelle and Kevin. Below is Michelle’s Uncle Hawk who travelled from very far away to give the traditional marriage blessing below with fresh burning sage, purifying the air and blessing them both with love and protection.

The next blessing below is the Shell Toss! Everyone grabbed a shell and made a wish for the happy couple and tossed the cell into the ocean to seal their wishes!

Yes, things were certainly heating up as the sun was going down. Bring on the Fire twirlers!

…and the belly dancers…and warrior dancers!

What wedding wouldn’t be complete without a surprise visit from a monkey to entertain the guests?

What a fantastic day! It was as exciting as it was entertaining and filled with friends, family, laughter and love!
Congratulations to both of you! I am so extremely happy for the two of you and being their to capture your memories of the first day of your new life together!
I wish you both a long life of Love and Happiness!

I have to give some thanks to the rocking team of people I got to work with!

Thank you to my awesome friends Tanya and Melissa for being such fantastic assistants!

Coordination and Decor: Sand Petal Weddings
Luau Reception: Gulf Drive Cafe and Tiki Hut
Flowers: Michelle’s Mom Sharon! Awesome Job!
DJ: Sand Petal Weddings
Cake: Sand Petal Weddings

Today we’re kicking it up a notch, or a few!
Matt and Janine contacted me awhile back and as we chat over a plummy bottle of Malbec, I knew instantly how much fun they were going to be!
Matt and Janine may be polar opposites on many levels, but Oh Wow! When the two of them are together sparks fly!

We started out their engagement shoot in a small park in Boston under the Zakim Bridge. There were two spots where the light was all warm and buttery and
I couldn’t resist all that yummy light streaming right across the two.

You may have noticed the Museum of Science in the Background a few images back.
How could we not include an image of their favorite place to go? In fact they are even members!

So we grabbed our tickets and ventured in! 1st Stop the Butterfly Garden!

Matt is fantastic with all the puzzles all over the wall, he kept hopping anxiously from one to the next – it was difficult to keep up with him until I suggested they have a seat!

Then we came around the corner and the Exhibit was all about LIGHT!!!
Did I just die and go to heaven? My inner geek squealed and it was time to play! Yes, they were just as excited as I was! Wicked Awesome, and it just got even better!
I can’t really tell who had more fun with this shoot. It might be a toss up, but I certainly loved it! We have lights, reflections, mirrors, shiny things, and a gorgeous couple.
They even indulged me and let me play for a few minutes in the Photography Exhibit!

Fun. Fun. Fun!

I love this sequence. I saw the red lights below and I could see it happening before me so I just stood back and let them do their own thing.

And then something Magical happened…

Matt and Janine, Congratulations!
The two of you are so incredibly much fun and complimentary to each other in every way!
I seriously can not wait until your wedding next month!

Today’s post is all about fun. Fun, love and beer! Yea!  What better way to spend your engagement than going to your favorite place!

Mark & Noel like many people didn’t want to just jump in front of my camera. Who would be nervous right?  I promised it would be fun!
I suggested perhaps they might feel better or more comfortable at their favorite place, so what better place than their favorite, The Red Hook Brewery in Portsmouth, NH.

Fun we had and yes, those are their mugs below. I loved the idea of a brewery tour so we got to learn all about yummy beer and take some really fun shots!

I couldn’t quite resist the shot below on the left… I’m pretty sure they didn’t even notice

And the tour begins…

After the tour we went out on the grounds and it was completely pouring! Since we had absolutely no luck with the weather we decided to get a few shots and then…

Off to play in the rain!!! Yes, it was pouring for our stroll through the park but again, it didn’t stop these two.

I love this tree, and the dropping rain saturating the colors of all the greenery in the park just set the mood!

What a fantastic day! I can not wait until your Spring wedding! The two of you are amazing together!
Cheers to the both of you.