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!

A Rambunctious Renewal of Vows

Last Saturday, I photographed Heather and Rob renewing their vows after 10 years in front of their friends, family, and two adorable kids.

I always love renewals. Partly because they tend to be more laid back and relaxed affairs, which this one definitely was. 

But also because it's great to see people deciding they still want to be together. There are no practical reasons to renew your vows. It doesn't get you a better deal on insurance, or make filing your taxes easier, or get your great aunt to stop pestering you about settling down.

You only do it because you love each other and want to make sure everyone knows. And, I guess, because it's a good excuse to throw a sick party.

Destination: Florida... MA.

I haven't done a ton of destination weddings, but I jump at the chance whenever I get the opportunity. They always turn into fun, extended trips and often produce some of my favorite photos. I've been to Montana, North Carolina, and this past Fourth of July, I went to Florida.

The town in northwest Massachusetts, that is.

I was there to photograph a wedding for a good friend's sister. It was also a chance to give my girlfriend some second shooter experience. (She's previously filmed wedding videos with me, but this was her first run at photos - she knocked it out of the park.)

And, this was my first army wedding! Besides the dapper uniforms, army weddings come with a bunch of great traditions, and it's great to see the bonds between servicemen.

Heather and I were exhausted, but we took advantage of the local sights on Sunday. It took us something like five hours to drive the 30 miles from Florida to Interstate 91. It's an interesting part of Massachusetts that I've never really explored before: The scenic Deerfield River, a handful of Native American-themed tourist traps, Glacial Potholes, and the awesome Bridge of Flowers.

Good way to spend the Fourth, I reckon.