A Bittersweet Celebration

I can't say Nancy and Jeff's wedding went off without a hitch - suffice it to say it was not a universally happy day. However, thanks to the resilience of the couple and their guests, and some heroic work by their maid of honor (and fill-in best man), it was still an incredible, intimate day.

I don't often get into the details of a couple's backstory, but I'll make an exception here. Nancy and Jeff dated in high school, but went their own ways, had families of their own, and only reconnected recently, decades later, through Facebook.

It's clear that they are deeply in love, and take the "in good times and bad" very seriously.

This is my last wedding of the year, and number 70 in my career (but more on that soon). I'm so glad I got to wrap up my year with this amazing couple.

A Windy Wedding

Kamila and Kedar's wedding got off to a chilly start - literally, the weather was not cooperative. But they powered through, and the day made for plenty of beautiful photos.

From there, we moved inside for some posed photos, a few polish traditions, a very tasty dinner...

And dancing. Don't. Forget. Dancing.

A quick one but a lot of fun.

Seaside in October

(I'm in Minnesota this week, so here's a closer look at one of my weddings from my very busy weekend back in October.)

Stephanie and Brendan told me that their biggest priority at their wedding was to have fun. Mission accomplished.

After some prep in a local hotel, we moved to Lighthouse Point Park for everything else. It's a beautiful location, and we got loads of photos with the lighthouse and the ocean providing scenic backdrops.

Thankfully, the rain held out just long enough for us to get through the ceremony. Don Gentile was the Justice of the Peace. My favorite part was his use of pieces of Justice Anthony Kennedy's gay marriage majority decision in the ceremony. I wont be surprised if I see Justice Kennedy's touching remarks showing up at many weddings going forward.

Marriage is sacred to those who live by their religions and offers unique fulfillment to those who find meaning in the secular realm. Its dynamic allows two people to find a life that could not be found alone, for a marriage becomes greater than just the two persons. Rising from the most basic human needs, marriage is essential to our most profound hopes and aspirations.

From there, we moved inside and out of the weather for some toasts, a delicious BBQ buffet dinner, carousel rides... 

...and dancing.

Lots and lots of dancing! It was a blast, and a great start to a very busy weekend for me.

Love in Disguise

Today I second shot for Kat Loughery at a wedding in Simsbury, CT. Second shooting isn't something I have done a ton of, but I'm trying to do it more often. It's a lot of fun to see how other people work and what I can learn from them.

Jessica and Jordan's wedding was a special treat - not only because Kat and her other second shooters were fun to work with, but also because it was a costume wedding.

When I was first getting started as a professional photographer, I missed a chance to do a Jedi wedding. I feel like I've made up for it after today.

Happy Halloween, everyone!

Dancing in the Dark

I knew going in that John and Eileen's wedding would be technically challenging. Clark Chapel at the Pomfret School is beautiful, but no one would ever accuse it of having too many windows. Likewise, their reception was at Bullard Tavern in Old Sturbridge Village. Again, beautiful location, but the 1830's were not known for their bright electric lights.

But technical challenges just need a technical solution, and we came prepared with loads more lighting equipment than usual. (Indeed, more than we ended up needing - apparently the 1830's were fairly well lit.) With a little help from my second shooter Margit in holding and positioning lights, we were able to capture everything we wanted.

Sturbridge Village was especially a treat - I'm pretty sure I haven't been there since a field trip in the fifth grade. Getting to walk around and take some photos in the empty park was a lot of fun.

Bullard Tavern has an interesting layout for weddings, with separate dining and dancing rooms. I like it - two intimate and very different locations for the price of one.

I can't wait to edit the rest of these images, and I expect I'll be bringing more lights to future shoots as well, no matter what century they're in.

Three Weddings and an Engagement

What.

A.

Weekend.

Clearly, I've got loads of editing to do. I'm going to write up each of these at length soon, but for now, I'm loving these sneak peeks! I hope you are too.

I Wanna Dance With Somebody

Shantelle and Al's families are full of big personalities, and when they celebrate, they don't do it halfway.

We met them in Rhode Island for prep photos. The guys, as usual, had it easier, but the girls were on schedule and a really fun group to hang out with.

From there we headed to Blissful Meadows in Massachusetts for the ceremony and reception.

Their ceremony was right up my alley - short, personal, and funny. It was also hot, but considering there was an 80% chance of rain forcast, and we had beautiful blue skies, no one complained too much. I especially liked one detail of their wedding: five white roses, for loved ones who had passed away, carried down the aisle by their flower girls. Or, I should say, flower grandmas.

Then there was the reception. The DJ's practically had to herd people back to their tables for dinner, or else everyone would have just kept on dancing. It's a ton of fun when a wedding has so much energy that it literally shakes the building.

Parabéns no seu casamento, Shantelle and Al!

Kim and Mike Tee Off

It's a testament to the quality of the couple and their friends and family when a wedding goes quickly. It means I'm having tons of fun, things are running smoothly, and everyone's having a good time. 

Kim and Mike's wedding flew by.

Prep was a blast, everyone calm and relaxed. And the full Catholic ceremony that followed was bubbling with barely contained enthusiasm.

So you can imagine what a blast the reception was.

It was my first time at the Connecticut National Golf Club, a surprisingly roomy space in Putnam, CT with a phenomenal staff (Thanks, Jen!) and beautiful grounds. Which you reach by golf cart. Swanky.

It was a fabulous night of dancing, great music, games, and tons and tons of great photos. And maybe the most energetic group of grandparents and great aunts and uncles I've ever seen.

Congratulations, Mike and Kim!