Massachusetts Weddings

Pink + White Cape Cod Wedding

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Beach Weddings

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Bohemian

From the beautiful Bride… Tim and I met in first year at the University of Western Ontario, but didn’t wind up re-connecting until several years after we had graduated and were living back in Toronto. At the time, he was in medical school, and I was working in television but pursuing my degree in education to become a teacher. With one quick “add” and a cute message or two (or 100!) later, Facebook can be credited with starting something that was meant to be all along. What followed were 6 amazing years of adventure, friendship, laughter and love that brought us to some of the most beautiful beaches in the world. Amongst those beaches were those of Cape Cod, a place Tim and his family had been visiting every summer since he and his brother were babies. Being on the Cape, every August, quickly became our tradition too. We longed for our runs on the beach, catamaran adventures with family friends from New Jersey, dinners at The Ebb Tide, and (several) ice cream cones from the Cape Cod Creamery in South Yarmouth!

When we pictured our wedding celebrations, this was the first (and only) place that came to mind. It has always felt refreshingly familiar, charming, and comfortable to us. We knew we would love to share our love for the Cape with our most favourite people in the world. We also knew that we wanted our celebrations to be simple, authentic, organic and intimately ours: a beautiful mélange of all things classic and a little bit bohemian. As our dear friend so perfectly quoted the British scientist Richard Dawkins at our reception, “Love is both an art and a science”. This, quite serendipitously, became the overarching theme for our wedding.

Having our ceremony and reception at Wychmere Beach Club was out of a Cape Cod dream; everything from the picturesque Wychmere Harbor that served as the backdrop for our magical lawn ceremony, to the beautiful views from the Ocean Room which complemented our laid-back, family-style, New England “Glam” bake dinner. We had trolleys from Cape Destinations transport guests from their various accommodations, this was a perfect opportunity for guests to experience a tour of the area in style! As the second trolley pulled in, the misty rain stopped and we were able to keep things outside on the Hydrangea lawn. We had the pleasure of having Kathleen Geagan officiate our ceremony. We had met with Kathleen at her home the previous summer and instantly formed a beautiful connection with her. She has the warmest spirit and loveliest presence and really brought a level of intimacy to the ceremony that day that we will never forget. We chose not to have a wedding party, but instead asked each of our handsome brothers to stand with us during the ceremony. The ceremony, itself, was filled with beautiful, happy, tears and included an incredibly creative and personal poem written by one of our dear friends. He so cleverly surprised us with a mash-up of our story as told through the lyrics of some of our most favourite songs! The second surprise, one that I had coordinated for Tim, was having his grandmother read a passage from the beautiful children’s book “All the World” by Liz Garton Scanton- a book I had given him one year for his birthday. The ceremony concluded with Tim and I reading each other our personal vows and a dockside first dance to Sam Smith’s acoustic version of “Latch”.

My art teacher self really embraced the DIY projects- everything from the illustrated map of our favourite Cape spots for the French letter style invitation to the various chalkboard signage. I am so lucky to be surrounded by incredibly talented friends and family. My mom, an amazing sewer, made the burlap table runners and also created my “something blue” garter- a piece of her wedding dress lace sewed together with a baby blue ribbon.

The flower vases were ones that I had collected and purchased leading up to the wedding (most of them were on sale from Indigo!) and the beautiful flowers came from New England Gardens. A lovely group of some of my most favourite women helped me transform the flowers into a whimsical reality. We made an event out of it on the rainy Saturday! I painted the watercolour escort cards taking inspiration from a tutorial that I had seen online by Ginny Au and Holly Hollon. In an effort to do add a meaningful touch to each place setting, we put miniature glass bottles filled with Cape Cod sand and a little piece of paper inside asking guests to “make a wish” and then toss it into the ocean before leaving that weekend. This was something I had loved to do as a child and have continued to love doing well into my adult years, friends and family loved that

We were so lucky to work with the ever so talented Melissa Robotti. Her and her second photographer, Erin McGinn, were an absolute dream. What lovely women! We truly felt we had known them forever and so enjoyed, and appreciated, their creativity and willingness to take us around that afternoon to some incredibly beautiful spots in Harwich. They really captured the essence, spirit, and beauty of the day. Some of the moments captured on film are so raw that we have a hard time looking at them! I had never seen Tim cry in all of our years together. We are so grateful to the Melissa and Erin for helping us relive these incredible memories.

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Ivy & Aster

Through the Forest

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Pink and white will always be a winning combo in our book, and this Wychmere Beach Club affair? Well, it’s won our hearts with every pastel image. With luxurious Designers Touch flowers throughout, Elegant Aura Events ensured every detail was lovely. From the lock and key ceremony to the picture perfect scenery, Zev Fisher Photography captured every oceanside moment here!

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Beach Weddings

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This Firefighter Pulled Off the Proposal of a Lifetime!

From Elegant Aura Events…Cecilia & Patrick came to us with a wedding date and nothing else. They wanted an intimate wedding, near the beach, in a light modern space. With just over three months to plan everything, and them traveling to China for a month, we successfully managed to make it happen.

Their pink and white wedding took place at the classic Wychmere Beach Club on Cape Cod. Cecilia and Patrick exchanged vows on the beach in front of thirty-two of their closest friends and family. They incorporated a sand ceremony, a rose ceremony, and a lock and key ceremony into their celebration.

The cocktail hour took place on the balcony of the Ocean Room with a string trio playing classical music in the background. Summer New England style hors d’oeuvres were passed, like scallops, shrimp and crab salad.

For dinner, guests were invited into the Ocean Room where they were treated to a four-course meal that continued the New England style of food. The bride and groom changed for their first dance and dinner, wearing more classic, modern attire.

After dinner the bride changed into a Chinese Qipao dress, and tossed a bouquet to all the single ladies. Dancing continued well into the night, and then everyone ends up on the beach for a sparkly send off.

Valentine’s is still half a week away, but around these parts we’re already in the full romantic spirit. And thanks to one Boston firefighter who planned the cutest proposal EVER, we’re spending our morning swept up and teary eyed in the captures straight from First Mate Photo. What started as a gorgeous party put together by Lauren Wells Events and Pollen Floral Design, ended in a “Will you marry me?” when the ultimate party crasher came in through the window. Spoiler alert: she said yes!

From The Bride…A month earlier I was sitting on my best friend’s stoop and she said we ought to have a party and I would help her co-host, little did I know I was helping her to plan the proposal! Hours before our guests are set to arrive, she confirms the time, and Mike tells me he has been detailed over to another fire house, one that I know does not relieve early. So he will be late to the party.

I go on up to Katherine’s always beautiful home, and wow! There are three women who have designed and adorned the house with my favorite colors – pink and gold. Her mantle is arranged with beautiful peonies, there is even a pink instant camera, pink quartz! Heaven! We both agreed to hire a caterer and there she is in the kitchen, making the teeniest and cutest miniature versions of the things – like hummus cups in shot glasses.

She asks me to go downstairs to put a sign on the door that it’s open and to come on up. My brother and his fiancee arrive! My high school friends! And my girlfriend who came from her honeymoon! There are 14 people in her apartment hugging each other hello, drinking and noshing when all of a sudden we learn there has been a kitchen fire upstairs.

Then a few big bangs on our door and enters a handsome, massive imposing firefighter with blue steely eyes. He is so serious! My god I was intimidated. I see his cover/hat and it’s the same ladder as Mike’s, and I ask, “Do you know Mike?”

“Y’know, Woody?” in his big Boston accent, he says he’s been detailed out. Then, my brother grabs me to come into a the office, off the main room. I hear, “Everything alright boys?” and there is my man, coming through the white curtains in his full bunker gear. Mike takes a small wooden box from his coat and gets down on one knee. His voice is trembling and he says, “You are my best friend, will you make me the happiest man, will you marry me?” I just keep nodding my head, saying yes and I give him a huge hug! And I put out my right hand – the wrong hand! Ha!

The first person I turn to see after Mike and my brother is his mum, his father, brother and sister and my parents and then holy smokes, my college friend from NYC. The most important people in my life.

And here it is, I met him when I was 16 and immediately knew then that there was something special about him. He is my soul mate, my love and my home. He grounds me, makes me the best version of myself – confident, daring and smart, and allows me to be myself, vulnerabilities and all.

I am so lucky to keep the company of such wonderful, generous and loving people who make magic! They brought me to the moon that night on a bed of stars.

Photography: First Mate Photography Co. | Event Design & Styling: Lauren Wells Events | Floral Design: Pollen Floral Design | Venue: Back Bay

Vintage Inspired Backyard Wedding

There are about a million (and one) reasons why I’m loving this intimate affair from Shannon Grant… Maybe it’s the pink Beach Plum Floral Design buds crafted by the Bride herself, or the seaside portraits, or how Linda Lee worked her magic and transformed a backyard into an intimate dance party. What’s for certain is that every single image will make your heart swell with love, more here!

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Tented

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Elegant Summer Wedding at the Commander’s Mansion

From the beautiful Bride… Mike and I met years ago and remained friends over the years until we bumped into each other after both ending other relationships. It started from there! He proposed at Castle Island in South Boston on a rainy morning taking the dogs for a walk. It was rather funny because we were moving during this particular weekend and the day he proposed was the last day we had to move the remaining items out of our rental property and he insisted on going for a walk (in the rain!). Come to find out, it is where his parents got engaged and it was a very special spot for him.

Just before he proposed he said “let’s have this lady take a photo of us” and handed this stranger his phone, when I turned out he was on his knee. Lucky us, the stranger photographed and video taped the entire proposal. As we drove home of course we were all smiles and unknown to me, he had arranged for our families to meet us after!

My vision for the wedding day was to have a relaxed, comfortable, and fun environment for our guests to enjoy. I wanted people to take their shoes off and have fun! We tried to incorporate our laid-back, fun personalities in the small details such as having peanut butter and jelly sandwiches served late night and s’mores over a campfire.

We made our table numbers from ocean rocks from my families beach house (Saquish), the sand in the mason jars was from a variety of our favorite places (Humarock beach, Saquish & the British Virgin Islands). All of the antique decor was right out of my grandmother’s endless collection including her vintage lace doilies on the accent tables and our sweetheart table.

My mother who is a sentimental heart, without me knowing, wrote a note on the bottom of my boots. She also wrote Mike a note and pinned the note and a photograph of me as a child behind his tie. She also gave me my Equestrian show pin that I have had since I was a very little girl which we pinned onto my bouquet.

One funny thing… after our ceremony I jumped into our driver’s car with some of my bridal party and rushed him to drive off. In the process of wanting to scoot out without bumping into guests, we left Mike behind! He luckily caught a ride to the formal photographs with a friend. Oops!

A piece of advice I’d give to brides planning their wedding day is: take a moment to sit back and soak it in. Our wedding was in my grandparents back-yard so at one point during the evening when the dancing began, I walked into the house and went upstairs to the room I had spent many nights sleeping in as a young girl and looked out the window at all of our family and friends. It was an emotional moment to watch everyone smiling and enjoying themselves. It was a moment of silence to take it all in. I will never forget that moment.

Owning my own floral design company, I have made hundreds of bridal bouquets. The night before my wedding (at 3:00 AM!) my business partner and some of my best friends were helping me with all the floral designs. When I realized I was actually making my very own bridal bouquet, we all started crying, uncontrollably. It was a special moment to make my very own bridal bouquet.

From Shannon Grant Photography…From the minute I met Jill over coffee to discuss her wedding, I was hooked. Her upbeat, sweet personality and the excitement she had for her upcoming wedding was infectious! Not only did I want to shoot this wedding, but I wanted to be her BFF. (Jill, call me! Haha)

After we did their wonderful Engagement Session, I got to meet Mike and just literally fell in love with them as a couple. Their connection is so carefree and strong, it’s one of those love stories that inspires you just by being a witness to it.

The wedding day was just beautiful. Lots of heartfelt moments along with stunning floral design (obviously!). My favorite parts were crying along with the family as Jill walked up the aisle escorted by her two brothers, when Jill’s cousin sang and played guitar to kick off the Reception, and they gave Jill’s Grandfather a Birthday Cake to include him more in the festivities. A laid back group of people with hearts of gold. Loved this one!

Photography: Shannon Grant Photography | Event Planning: Linda Lee | Floral Design: Beach Plum Floral | Rentals: New England Country Rentals

An elegant wedding amidst the beauty of an old mansion, complete with a gorgeous lace gown; is there anything prettier? Held at Boston’s Commander’s Mansion, this celebration had some fun surprises (penguin cake topper!) and with Anne Skidmore behind the lens, we don’t miss out on any special moments. These photos are the perfect example of why that creative elegance will never go out of style.

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Estate Weddings

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Romantic & Natural Cape Cod Wedding

From Anne Skidmore Photography… There were so many elements to David & Ceridwen’s day that we loved. All the sweet details, a Boston wedding, the Commanders Mansion, a ceremony with sweet readings and music, a penguin theme, friends and family from around the world, and a simply stunning bride with her handsome groom were just a few! September 7th, 2013 was a lovely fall day and it graced us with a slight overcast, which for us, as photographers, creates beautiful even light to work with. Ceridwen and her bridesmaids dressed for the big day at the Commander’s Sheraton in the heart of Cambridge. At the Commanders Mansion, Ceridwen slipped into her classic lace wedding gown in the bridal suite, while Dave and his groomsmen straightened their bow ties in the gentlemen’s parlor. Dave and Ceridwen wanted to connect before the ceremony, but they didn’t want to see each other. Thus, we found a room where they could hold hands, however, a door stood between them. They talked to each other with their hands held tight, and calmed each others nerves. With a sweet and simple goodbye it was time to head to the ceremony in the mansion’s courtyard. Ceridwen’s mother and father walked her down the aisle, and Dave struggled to fight back his tears seeing her for the first time. We even caught him wiping a few of them away. There were several readings by family and friends, and a beautiful song by one of Ceridwen’s bridesmaid. The newlyweds sealed it with a kiss and walked down the cheering aisle. We walked all around the grounds for stunning portraits, and then it was celebration time! Live music, toasts, cake cutting, dancing, delicious food, and a couple of final dusk portraits filled the night. Thank you David and Ceridwen! And before we sign off, we want to quote a reading that Ceridwen’s stepfather read during the ceremony. We were smitten by it.

An excerpt from “Your Personal Penguin” by Sandra Boyton:
I want to be Your Personal Penguin/I want to walk right by your side/I want to be Your Personal Penguin/I want to travel with you far and wide
Wherever you go, I’ll go there too/Here and there and ev’rywhere/And always with you/I want to be Your Personal Penguin/Imagine me, Your Personal Penguin/I want to be Your Personal Penguin/From now on.

Hyatt Regency Cambridge

If you’re anything like I was as a newly engaged bride-to-be, researching venues is a full-time job! But for you lucky New England couples, the search just may be over. Enter the Hyatt Regency Cambridge. Overlooking the Charles River and featuring breathtaking Boston skyline views, this spot is a must see.

If a city wedding is your cup of tea, it just doesn’t get much prettier than the Hyatt Regency Cambridge. Boasting incredible 180-degree panoramic city views from the floor-to-ceiling windows in the 16th floor Charles View Ballroom, there’s nothing not to like. Prefer an outdoor spot to say I do? They’ve got you covered with the Riverside Pavilion which can accommodate up to 150 guests in a gorgeous white tent with French windows, stunning chandeliers and a beautiful garden patio. No matter your style or taste as a couple, the Hyatt Regency Cambridge can make your wedding dreams a reality.

I’ll admit, I’m a little bit jealous of you New England couples right now! And now’s the time to book your big day at the Hyatt Regency Cambridge, because you can enjoy free honeymoon nights at any Hyatt Hotels and Resorts location worldwide! From incredible tropical resorts to exciting city hotels in 45 countries around the globe, you can choose your perfect destination for your first trip as a married couple. Simply book and hold your wedding at a participating Hyatt hotel by December 31, 2015 and you’ll earn Hyatt Gold Passport® bonus points redeemable for free nights with no blackout dates at Hyatt Hotels & Resorts worldwide.

Sponsored-Post

A storybook day at Chatham Bars Inn is romantic enough, especially when Jen Huang is behind the lens. Lauren James ensured this Capeside affair went off in the prettiest way possible, and those Hatch Creative Studio blooms are sure to stop us in our tracks. We couldn’t possibly pack the prettiness into one post, so we’re dedicating the day to Jen Huang… Can’t wait? Join us in the gallery.

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Hotels + Resorts Weddings Outdoor Weddings

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Al Fresco Classic Weddings

From Jen Huang… Marcel and Jamie met each other 10 years before they began dating. Marcel and her brother were fraternity brothers and quickly became great friends. The timing always seemed off, as they were living in separate cities and only saw each other a few times a year. All of that changed in August 2011, when Marcel visited Justin and Jamie for a weekend with friends at the Jersey Shore. It wasn’t long after that Marcel was faced with having to ask Jamie’s older and notoriously protective brother for his blessing of their budding relationship. Two years later he relocated to Philadelphia and, again, asked her brother for her hand in marriage. He proposal a few days before the July 4th holiday having arranged for close friends and family to join them “down the shore” that evening where it all began for an engagement celebration.

Jamie has been in the wedding industry since 2006. She began her career at The Ritz-Carlton, Philadelphia in Event Management where she remained for 8 years. Most recently Jamie opened her own wedding and event planning company in Philadelphia, Lauren James Events. With a career like hers, it comes as no surprise that every detail for Jamie’s wedding day was planned down to the smallest detail, with the exception of the venue, long before Marcel came into her life. She always knew she wanted a destination, tented wedding where she could build her dream from the ground up. Bringing all of their friends and family together for a getaway weekend would be the perfect way to celebrate. Luckily for her, Marcel is from Rhode Island and she’s always loved New England’s natural beauty. When she told Marcel she wanted to get married in New England he suggested Cape Cod. This felt like the perfect fit for their guests living on the east coast. Knowing that guests would be traveling far, Jamie and Marcel wanted to ensure that their destination selection was a place where most guests had not been and a place that offered much to explore and enjoy on their free time. Cape Cod had it all. When visiting the Cape, they chose a few venues to look at. After seeing Chatham Bars Inn there was no doubt that this was their wedding spot. Jamie and Marcel could picture their guests enjoying cocktails on the hotel terrace, catching up over lunch in the Beach House, and relaxing down by the ocean. When Jamie found Barb from Hatch Creative Studio she knew she was the one who could bring her visions to life.

Jamie loves weaving decorations with fashion to coordinate the perfect room for the audience. Much of her design inspiration stems from Anthropologie. For her cape-side wedding she gravitated towards a rustic feel to compliment the historic Inn with natural woods and soft colors to emulate the quiet Cape Cod beaches awash with driftwood. Style and decor was of high importance as the first impression would set the tone for all that was to come. Having been set on her menu early on her focus was on bringing the food to life and utilizing the stations as a focal point for decor. Guest’s arrived to a garden party for cocktails hour on a croquet lawn and entered through perfectly styled, distressed doors where they were greeted with the night’s specialty cocktail, a Moscow Mule served in a copper mug, Marcel’s favorite. The Bellini bar, which is the bride’s favorite drink, was perfectly vibrant and colorful with fresh fruit purees. The food stations and Bellini bar were displayed on wooden ladders and tables completed with hand painted signage custom-made to each station. Wanting to represent both Jamie and Marcel, a custom food station was created with New England Lobster Rolls and Philadelphia Cheesesteaks. Place cards hung off of lace twine on picture frames in the center of the lawn. Even with a large guest count Jamie sought to create a warm, intimate feel for her guests with the use of low tablescapes and romantic candlelight. Her dream was always to have her first dance under a tent, lit by bistro lights, to create a dreamy, whimsical setting. Mix-matched farm tables, chairs and vintage plates added to the fanciful nature of the setting. Water goblets offered a pop of color to each place setting, custom napkins displayed the night’s dinner menu and colorful tassels were draped above the dance floor and on the band’s backdrop.

Chatham Bars Inn and the Cape location had everything to offer for a four-day weekend filled with events. Most events could be hosted on property from the Thursday night rehearsal dinner lobster bake in the Boat House, to the private ferry trip to Nantucket for a luncheon at the White Elephant on Friday afternoon, to the welcome party Friday night in the Beach House, the pre-wedding festivities were not to be missed. On Saturday, their wedding ceremony took place under a floral chuppah with the blessings of a rabbi and a priest. Jamie’s sister in law in a black dress and brother in a Navy suit lead the bridesmaids and groomsmen and stood by the couple as they wed. (Jamie’s twin nieces and baby sister very nearly stole the show as they dutifully tossed petals to line the aisle for Jamie and her Father.) The ceremony was followed by cocktails, dinner, and dancing to The Elements. Jamie then slipped out of her Vera Wang and into an Alice and Olivia dress for the after party. The couple closed out the night with an after party with DJ Chris Devine. Brunch Sunday morning was hosted in the Boat House, where guests reminisced and bid farewell to the ocean view and wished Jamie and Marcel Mazel Tov!

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Vera Wang

Spring 2015

Fall 2014

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Elegant Cape Cod Wedding

When longtime sweethearts wed, pretty things happen. Think a seaside ceremony filled with Sayles Livingston peonies and a Jenny Packham gown, but it doesn’t stop there. Ocean blue dresses sway while gathered around a tuscan table for champagne toasts, while Radiance Of Wilson Stevens tunes serenade. Join me in the gallery for more dreamy details.

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Beach Weddings Hotels + Resorts Weddings

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Casual Classic Weddings

From The Bride…Peter and I lived on the same floor our freshman year at University. We quickly became friends and spent tons of time together over the next four years, but never dated. He always had a girlfriend, or I had a boyfriend. After college we both moved to NYC independent of one another. Living in New York became even better friends, until finally after 7 years, the timing for “us” was right. We went on our first official date and have been inseparable ever since.

I grew up vacationing down the Cape with my family, and once we started dating, Peter became part of our annual trip. Cape Cod is my favorite place in the world (with some of my favorite food in the world!), and I could never imagine getting married anywhere else. We knew we wanted something that was traditional and showcased the beauty of the Cape, but nothing overly nautical. As soon as we visited Chatham Bars Inn (CBI), we knew it was the spot. It has such old Cape charm and the view is just stunning. Not to mention it’s a place we can come back to for years to come.

The weekend was rainy, but thankfully the weather broke a few hours before the guests arrived. The ceremony took place in the sand at the beach at CBI. It was such a beautiful place to say our vows, surrounded by our friends and family with a backdrop of the harbor filled with small sail boats and lobster boats. The groom’s sister Katherine Shaw acted as our officiant. We walked down the aisle on beautiful oriental carpets provided by Heirloom Rugs and were married under a gorgeous, natural wood chuppah.

We followed-up the cocktail hour with a reception at the Beach House Grill at CBI where everyone ate a delicious dinner and my dad, my sister, and my brother-in-law all gave amazing speeches. We loved our massive Tuscan style head table – our entire wedding party and their dates – covered in stunning pink, orange, ivory and dusty green arrangements by Sayles Livingston Designs. Dinner was followed by lots of photo booth pictures, dancing to the wonderful Radiance of Wilson Stevens Productions, and about a million celebratory cigars handed out by my father-in-law.

All of our guests received our favorite saltwater taffy from Cabot’s Candy in Provincetown and munched on a late night snack of our favorite food (miniature) lobster rolls. Thanks to Steven Davis of Kravis Events who coordinated our day. It was a magical night and we would do it all over again if we could!

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Jenny Packham

Bridal 2016 Catwalk

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Nautical Inspired Cape Cod Wedding

We’ve met this lovely bride before. She happens to be one of four Donna Morgan fashionistas who tied the knot last year and, let me tell you, loves… it was spectacular. Think pretty, pretty nautical details joining forces with perfectly pink florals from Designer’s Touch, the fabulous Wychmere Beach Club and, of course, some Donna Morgan lovely. See it all captured by Angela Greenlaw right here.

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Spring Weddings

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Beach Weddings

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Nautical

From The Bride… My husband is from Boston and grew up going to Cape Cod. I spent my first summer there a couple of years ago with he and his family and absolutely fell in love with it! After looking at several places we found Wychmere Beach Club. It matched our vision perfectly. Edmund and I wanted a day filled with fun and laughter with our families, much more of a large celebration of our love! My most favorite part of the day was walking down the aisle and seeing my soon-to-be husband there smiling at me. I’ve never felt more in love in that very moment. It was absolutely magical!

Our inspiration was laid-back nautical. We wanted our family and friends to really feel at home and enjoy all the Cape has to offer. For a day that was supposed to be freezing and raining it was sunny and warm! It couldn’t have been more perfect!

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Pronovias

ATELIER PRONOVIAS

PRONOVIAS

Dancing Lights, Cruise Collection

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Seaside Art Gallery Wedding in Rockport

The details that make up this Rockport Art Association wedding from Arielle Doneson are certainly romantic New England charm at it’s best. Richly hued rose bouquets sculpted by the Bride herself, sparkling Ivanka Trump heels, and a stunning Anjolique gown to signify the celebration. That’s only the beginning, you can find the rest right here in the gallery!

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Museum

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Bridal Party Styling with Style My Bridal + A Giveaway!

From Arielle Doneson…Billie and Greg’s Rockport Art Association wedding was the perfect blend of Billie (an amazing Artist and Graphic Designer,) and Greg (a Restaurateur). Their intimate gathering in the picturesque seaside town of Rockport was like an artsy New England postcard. Celebrating at the Rockport Art Association allowed the guests to appreciate art as they appreciated Billie & Greg’s heartfelt ceremony. The ladies wore shades of blush which harmonized beautifully with the bride-designed and created florals in shades of reds and pinks. They were such a lovely way to tie in the warmth of early Fall without falling victim to the colors of Thanksgiving. Shot on Medium Format Fuji film.

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Flower Girls

Joanna August

Babes of the Nile

Ceremony

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Ivanka Trump

Empire

Metropolis Sol & Metropolis Lune

Liberté Collection

Tassel Moderne

Les Petites

Montmartre

Patras

Mixed Cut

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You can’t wait for your besties to stand beside you on your big day, but styling their look, well… that’s another story. Because that vision you’ve been dreaming of? You just don’t have the time to put it all together. Enter Style My Bridal, professional bridesmaid stylists that take all of the guess work out of choosing that perfect gown + accessories with custom suggestions based on your vision.

We’ve all been there: you’ve pinned about a million images of dreamy bridesmaids, but when you try to find time in your busy schedule to search for those perfect dresses, it’s almost impossible. That’s why Style My Bridal is so genius. Your personalist stylist will curate a custom look book just for you, and you can choose the vision that is right for you and the ones you love. And don’t worry about scheduling all of your besties for a day of bridesmaid dress shopping – Style My Bridal will send your dresses directly to YOU, so you can have a fun girls’ day right in the comfort of your own home. And when you make that final decision, just purchase the dresses + accessories from Style My Bridal. It’s a one-stop shop of bridal party awesomeness.

So what are you waiting for, loves? Run, don’t walk, to Style My Bridal and click “Get Started” to start working with your personal stylist. Get started in the month of January and get 15% off your dress purchase by April 1, 2015 by mentioning SMP! (Offer valid for new clients only.)

And don’t forget – you can donate any and all bridesmaid dresses to Style My Bridal for Belle of the Ball to receive $15 off your future dress purchase. Click here for drop-off locations.

Style My Bridal and Bari Jay Fashions present a New Year ‘Maid of Style Giveaway. Enter to win up to 5 bridesmaid dresses to outfit your bridal party! Just click here to enter. Good luck, lovelies!

Sunday Brunch Wedding in Cambridge

This is one delicious affair I would’ve loved to attend. Morning vows followed by mimosas is as good as it gets, and for this Cambridge couple their West Bridge brunch was the perfect “I Do”. A sweet beginning snapped by Lucy Cuneo, their day was filled with freshly picked blooms by Celebrated Flower and classic J. Crew apparel. Catch the entire relaxed and refined celebration here.

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Rustic Elegance at Willowdale Estate

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Eatery

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Casual

From the Bride… As soon as we started talking about what our wedding would look and feel like, we decided we wanted something low-key, unique, casual, and intimate. We selected the first Sunday afternoon in June, which turned out to be a gorgeous early summer day, which was perfect for our wildflower arrangements. The venue we chose was West Bridge Restaurant in Cambridge. It has a fun and funky industrial-like vibe, and we utilized the space to the fullest with a non-traditional chuppah draped over the non-traditional Edison bulb chandelier. The ceremony was brief, officiated by a family friend, with just our siblings sharing readings.

After the ceremony guests had the chance to eat delicious food, have summery drinks, and just hang out and enjoy the day. The meal was served family-style with farm-to-table entrees. Dessert consisted of warm chocolate chip cookies, homemade ice cream, and rhubarb tarts. Part of the planning fun was spending hours on Spotify picking songs that were both meaningful and celebratory. It was the perfect beginning to our happily-ever-after!

Photography: Lucy Cuneo Photography | Floral Design: Celebrated Flower | Attire: J.Crew | Restaurant: West Bridge

New England is filled to the gills with venues that radiate rustic charm, there’s no doubt about that. But one of my absolute faves, which happens to be a hop, skip and jump away—hands down, Willowdale Estate. So today’s gem from Erin McGinn is quite a treat. From the Bride’s gorgeous woven bun to the burgundy dotted blooms from Dogwood Floral Design, this stunning gallery will surely put a little pep in your Monday step.

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Romantic Martha’s Vineyard Wedding

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Estate Weddings

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Rustic

From the beautiful Bride…I had always envisioned getting married on the water, so when Andrew and I got engaged I assumed we’d get married at a beach destination down the Cape or in Newport or Maine. We came across Willowdale Estate on The Knot (I had never heard of it before) but since it was on the way to a couple other venues we were interested in, we figured it was worth a shot. When we got there we were so impressed – it had just the right balance of rustic charm and elegance. The grounds and garden courtyard are gorgeous, and the estate itself with its craftsman style is just so unique and so New England. Plus my dad grew up in Newburyport right down the road, and every year my extended family goes there for a big family reunion – so that area certainly has special meaning for my family. It’s hard to explain but Willowdale just felt very “us.” While I needed a little convincing to get over my beachside vision, but Andrew knew instantly this was the perfect place for us to get married – and now I whole-heartedly agree.

Our theme for the wedding is “Rustic Romance” – essentially rustic touches (like kraft paper, burlap, white pumpkins) with romantic colors and textures (lots of lace, ivory, soft peach, blush and greenery). In terms of inspiration, I got most of my ideas from Pinterest and Style Me Pretty. I also have about 30 wedding magazines. My mom was a huge help with all of the DIY projects – she is a retired art teacher and did all the calligraphy on the invitations, escort cards, table numbers, and chalkboard signage. I’m big on details so little things like designing a wedding logo with our initials, stamping it on all of our gift/welcome bag hangtags, and using the same font on all of our printed materials/signage is one of my favorite small touches that I think tied everything together.

My favorite part of our wedding day was the ceremony. It was held in Willowdale Estate’s outdoor courtyard, with the stone exterior of the estate as the backdrop. We were incredibly fortunate with the weather – it was a gorgeous 80 degree late September day, the sun was shining, the flowers were still in bloom – Indian Summer could not have hit at a more perfect time! Leading up to the ceremony I thought I would be a ball of nerves (so many eyes looking at us, what if I tripped?!) but seeing all of our family and friends, all in one place and celebrating us – it made me the happiest I’ve ever been. We designed the the ceremony to be short, sweet, and personal – and laughed the entire time.

The reception was just as I envisioned it would be – a warm autumn evening beneath a beautiful sperry cloth tent adorned with long farm tables and lit by strings of twinkle lights – and the best dance party I’ve ever been to.

Willowdale Estate will always hold a special place in my heart. It is such a magical, quaint, and unique place to get married. We would not have changed a thing about our day.

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Badgley Mischka

Spring 2014 Bridal

2014 Bridesmaids

Spring 2014 Accessories

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Romona Keveza

Romona Keveza Luxe Bridal

Romona Keveza Luxe Bridal Fall 2016

Romona Keveza Bridal Fall 2017

Romona Keveza Collection Bridal Spring 2017

Romona Keveza Collection Bridal Fall 2019

ROMONA New York

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I love it when a Bride embraces color for her big day. From the handmade Chuppah, to Thea Kennedy illustrated invites, to Krishana Collins beautiful bouquets, every detail planned by this Allen Farm couple was custom. Brighter Lights Media captured the cheerful film below, while Our Labor Of Love snapped up a gallery complete with a beautiful Gabriella’s Marchesa gown that’ll make you swoon.

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Rustic Berkshire Backyard Wedding

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Rustic Weddings

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Romantic

From the Bride… We met 7 years ago on a Birthright trip to Israel during college. We met on the first day and were inseparable ever since. We were long distance for over a year and then started our lives together in NYC. The year we were engaged was super crazy, in addition to planning the wedding we were both also working full-time and getting our MBAs, we joke that if we made it through that year we can make it through anything.

I grew up spending my summers on Martha’s Vineyard and always dreamed of getting married there. My husband proposed at Gay Head lighthouse making the island even more special to us. Planning the wedding I wanted to make a weekend of events for our guests. We had guests traveling from all over the world and we wanted them to get a real feel for what Martha’s Vineyard is all about. We kicked off the weekend with a BBQ at my parent’s house. We had the Rehearsal Dinner at Seafood Shanty which turned into an impromptu dance party! We also had a goodbye brunch at my parent’s house (catered by Morning Glory Farms) which was the perfect way to end the weekend.

Leading up to the wedding I was a planning and crafting machine and was probably Etsy’s biggest customer that year. I took the process very serious and obsessed over every napkin and toothpick. The weekend of the wedding I was completely zen and at peace, it was like I got all of the nervous energy out during the planning and I was able to really enjoy the weekend and take it all in. I slept so soundly the night before the wedding and woke my maid of honor up by blasting “Let’s get married” on my Iphone.

I was not the type of bride to be able to plan my wedding around one color or theme, I was feeling overwhelmed until I decided to plan the wedding like I would decorate my apartment. With ikat, stripes, pops of color, cobalt blue, cool grays, florals, chevron and metallic. I used pattern and texture as the jumping off point which really helped to focus me.

It is hard to pick just one favorite part of the day but a few stick out. Our first look at the Sculpture Garden at the Field Gallery because growing up my parents made us go to the Sculpture Garden every summer to take photos posed as the sculptures. We have a lifetime worth of awkward family photos. After we got engaged I made my husband stop the car so we could take a photo there, it really turned out to be a special place. We had our first look here and it was one of my favorite moments of the day, it was so intimate and meant so much to be able to steal a few private minutes for just the two of us.

One of the highlights of the wedding was the surprise dance my husband and wedding party performed, I was shocked! They had a choreographed routine to Justin Timberlake that blew my mind. It really helped set the tone for a night full of dancing and every time I hear the song it makes me smile. We used Sultans of Swing and were so impressed with our band, the crowd loved them so much that my maid of honor booked them for her wedding just a few days after ours.

For place cards we used photos of all of our guests printed by Social Print Studio and secured on a table by crystals. My husband thought I was crazy for taking this project on but it turned out to be one of my favorites. The months leading up to the wedding were so stressful and full of wedding related details, it was fun to take some time out of the process and look through old photos and remember what the day was all about. It really reminded me how many amazing friends and family members we have in our life, this was our way of honoring them.

My mom made our Chuppah, it is probably one of the most special and personal details of the wedding. It is a quilt with photos of our parents and grandparents at their weddings. It was so special to look up during the wedding and see our family. My mom is an amazingly talented quilter and sells her work on Etsy. We decorated the chuppah with beautiful pink and orange blooms. It felt like we were in a secret garden.

Our photographers, Our Labor Of Love, was an easy decision. I had been following their work for years and knew I wanted them. I was so happy to find out that this LA based team was familiar with Martha’s Vineyard and it was great to work with a photographer that I not only loved, but that also knew the area. Our videographer, Brighter Lights Media, turned out to be one of our favorite vendors. They were so easy to work with and went out of their way to get to know us instead of just treating us like every other client. I continue to recommend them to all of my friends.

After two years spent roaming the globe searching for the perfect place to say ‘I Do’, this couple realized home is where the heart is. Their riverside cottage proved to be ideal and Charlotte Jenks Lewis was there to snap every detail. Filled with incredibly sweet details, from the intimate rehearsal dinner to the the homespun newlywed meal at Prairie Whale, you’ll want more of their perfect ending right here!

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Rustic Berkshire Backyard Rehearsal Dinner

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Backyard Eatery

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Rustic

From The Bride…I was never the girl who dreamed about and planned details of her wedding well in advance. When Alex proposed, the idea of spending our lives together felt exciting enough. I was happy to savor our engagement and was in no rush to plan our wedding. It took us two years – and batting around many different ideas about location, venues and guest list – before we finally came up with an idea that felt right to both of us. We had recently purchased a little cottage alongside a river in the woods in the Berkshires and decided that, of all the places we had looked at from Maui, to British Columbia, to New Orleans, there was nowhere we would prefer to have our ceremony than right in our own backyard and no place we would rather have our reception than at our favorite restaurant owned by our dear friends. In order to keep it intimate and not to get lost in the ‘event’ of it, we opted to have just our immediate families and a few close friends with the idea of hosting a larger party with our extended families and all of our friends later on.

We focused in on a few things that we knew were important to us and let the rest flow from there. We knew we wanted the ceremony to be outdoors, to include dogs and kids, and to be short and personal. We wanted amazing food and drinks and we wanted our reception to feel like a great big, celebratory dinner party rather than a scripted evening. We wanted it to feel authentic, not too fussy or contrived, casual but elegant. We vetoed some of the more traditional wedding aspects that didn’t feel significant to us like a bridal party, a color theme, planned speeches etc. With the help of our very generous friends and family, we were able to create everything ourselves. The jewelry was all vintage. My wedding ring was a gift from my MIL that had been in her family. We made the animals on the tables. We made them from dollar store plastic animals and gold spray paint.

For the ceremony, instead of a wedding party we invited all the kids (and dogs!) in attendance to be in our procession. We let them choose whatever they wanted to wear – one even wore a superman outfit! – and created enough ‘jobs’ so they all had something important to do. My brother, who had known both of us longer than we had known each other, married us and Alex’s brother read a passage during the ceremony. It was incredibly sweet and personal and made for a lot of wet cheeks!

We kept the décor simple. At the ceremony we relied primarily on the natural beauty of our yard creating an ‘alter’ between two towering pines and adding just a couple of flowering jasmine plants and some glass globes with candles suspended above our heads by invisible wire. At the reception we recycled the rehearsal dinner flowers and placed them around the restaurant. We added some whimsy with our place settings – miniature plastic animals from the dollar store that we spray painted gold. The kids had their own table that we covered with kraft paper and crayons and we turned a back room into a kids screening room with movies and pillows. There were also lawn games outside for cocktail hour.

Having our reception at our friends restaurant was incredible! We were already close with the entire restaurant staff so doing it there added to the familial feeling of both the planning and of the evening. One of our best friends is the pastry chef and she made the most stunning and delicious cake for us. We had been talking about this cake since our engagement and it could not have turned out more perfectly! Everyone at the restaurant went above and beyond for us. I can honestly say that I had some of the best food I have ever had at our wedding!

The two people involved in our wedding that we did not know were our DJ and our photographer and both turned out to be amazing and truly contributed to the vibe of the evening. The DJ spun vintage records on old school turntables and got the music just right. We found the photographer after searching through blogs. After seeing her name on three of the stories we liked, we knew we wanted her and thankfully she agreed to do it. Given that these images are the only tangible thing that would last, we really wanted to have someone super talented to take the photos and we couldn’t be happier with the results.

While everything was magical, I loved the dinner and toasts the most. Everything was very informal – there were no speeches planned and whomever wanted to got up and spoke. There was lots of laughter and tears. I don’t think I will ever forget the feeling of pure happiness sitting next to my favorite person – now my husband – surrounded by so many that we love so dearly celebrating with us and supporting us in this new chapter of our lives. And when Alex told me the next morning that everything turned out more perfect than he could have imagined, I knew our two year wait from engagement to ceremony was well worth it.

When your wedding is this fabulous, you can only imagine what the rehearsal dinner will entail. An evening with Fire Roasted Catering complete with local ingredients and perfectly mixed cocktails proved to be the perfect prep for this happy couple. Charlotte Jenks Lewis Photography was behind the lens and snapped up a gallery filled with backyard delights here.

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Backyard Outdoor Weddings

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Rustic

From the Bride… For our rehearsal dinner, we chose to have a BBQ in our backyard. We hired a local catering company that specialized in fire roasted cooking with only using local ingredients. The challenge for them was that about half the party were vegetarians and half hearty meat eaters. Alex really wanted a pig roast so we combined that with lots of amazing vegetable dishes all cooked over a fire pit in our backyard over the course of about 6 hours. A friend, a professional chef who has hosts a lot of large group dinners, made all of the drinks for both our rehearsal dinner and our ceremony and another friend, a landscape architect, picked wildflowers from her garden and made casual arrangements for the tables. We rented rustic wooden tables and set them up to create one long table under the trees. The food was abundant and delicious. People swam and the kids climbed the trees. When the sun went down, we turned the cooking fire into a bonfire and had s’mores and sipped whiskey. It was perfect!

Photography: Charlotte Jenks Lewis Photography | Caterer: Fire Roasted Catering

Chic Boston Wedding at MIT Chapel

As a resident New Englander, this effortlessly fabulous wedding captured by M. Davidson-Schapiro is filled with tons of Bostonian gems. Crafting a modern city wedding, these college sweetheards dubbed their day as “Beantown Big Day”, and with florals by Back Bay Florist filling the MIT Chapel, you better bet that their vision made for a pretty fabulous reality. See it all right here!

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Spring Weddings

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Eatery Religious Institution

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Fall Wedding at the Estate At Moraine Farm

From Michelle of M. Davidson-Schapiro Photography…Working with Mareena and Reggie was an absolute dream. From the first emails we exchanged, their vision and personalities were clear. For their engagement photos, they chose to focus not only on their love story, but also on the love they have for their relatively new home, Boston. This idea translated well to their modern city wedding, dubbed Beantown Big Day in invites and on their wedding website, that started at the MIT chapel and headed across the river to Petit Robert Central downtown to get the party started. What a party! I could go on and on about Mareena and Reggie and how wonderful they are, but who better to tell their story than the bride herself?

From The Bride… Reggie and I met my freshman year at Florida A&M University. He was a junior, newly minted frat guy, and I was a newcomer on the FAMU yard. We were friends for 7 months before we started dating; the friendship stage was largely due to me playing hard to get, according to Reggie.

We became a solid unit over the four years we dated, mainly because in the very beginning of our relationship we agreed to allow our relationship to grow at its own pace, without any outside pressure. Being older than me, Reggie decided to pursue his master’s degree in Tallahassee, which allowed us to stay together and keep building our relationship. After four years together, it was time for me to graduate and go off to graduate school in Boston, and it was then that Reggie asked me to marry him. Since day one, Reggie has always made our relationship a priority, and never shied away from stepping up to the plate to be the man that I want, so saying ‘yes’ was an absolute no brainer. I knew I found ‘my one’.

As fiancés, we moved to Boston so I could start my doctoral program in nuclear engineering at MIT. Needless to say, we both had a lot on our plate, me getting oriented in my new school setting and Reggie working tirelessly to get his marketing start-up, Ghost Note Agency, off the ground. We decided to wait to get married until I passed my doctoral qualifying exam. Secretly, as the bride, I wasn’t looking forward to the wedding planning process, but once I passed my exam, Reggie and I agreed we would plan the wedding as a team. Really, I would be the captain and Reggie would be the coach, providing me the much-needed pep talks and context for those more stressful moments.

Going into the planning, we firmly decided that we would have the wedding we wanted. Neither of us are high maintenance, so we wanted a wedding that felt effortlessly fabulous, and focused on sharing this special occasion with those who are dearest to us. We knew we wanted to party, and highlight the big city personality of Boston, and we focused our planning on those elements at each step. Luckily our ‘effortlessly fabulous’ wedding aesthetic lent to our desire to keep a responsible budget. Since we are both in our mid-twenties, and currently building our lives, we wanted to be as clever as possible in achieving the looks that we wanted without breaking the bank.

Our wedding took place at the MIT Chapel, a cylindrical chapel with floor-to-ceiling brick, marble flooring, and an altar that is to die for. The simplistic elegance of the chapel blew us away, and was the perfect backdrop for our lifelong vows to one other. Following the wedding ceremony, guest made their way in true urban fashion, via cabs and Uber, to the cocktail hour and reception in downtown Boston at Petit Robert Central. During the planning stage, we knew the vibe of reception was an important part. We wanted it to feel like an epic club night with friends, so we knew the drinks had to be flowing and the music needed to be just right. This vision really motivated us in choosing Petit Robert Central as our reception spot. They had multiple rooms to choose from with pre-existing décor that made our planning process much easier. We chose the Provencal Room within Petit Robert Central, which offered us the ‘lounge vibe’, complete with a wall-length black leather couch, wood flooring, and a magnificent dark wood built-in bar from which the drinks were flowing!

When we got to the door of the reception, the love in the room was immediate. Everyone was so happy to see us happy and it truly was a special moment in our lives. Our DJ immediately got the party started and we danced like it was we were undergrads again and like our grandparents weren’t in the room. We laughed, we joked, and on that day everything was right with the world. We had the wedding we wanted to have. Everything was perfect, and we are happy we did it our way.

With a groom-to-be in the States and his future bride finishing school in Ireland, this couple knows dedication – traveling abroad over 25 times while dating. But it all became worth it one beautiful fall day, with Linnea Tangorra taking that love and creating a celebration that shined. Untamed Heart Photography caught every kiss, and this gallery just about makes my heart burst.

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Estate Weddings

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Multicultural Wedding at the Crane Estate

From The Groom, Imran… We met four and a half years ago on St. Patrick’s Day through a mutual friend (Steve, Mandy’s best friend from college and Imran’s friend from law school) in Santa Monica. Mandy had just gotten into veterinary school in Ireland the week before we met, but we hit it off and never stopped making it work. We tried to sit down one day and figure out how many flights we’ve taken between the two of us, to be together over the four years that Mandy was away at vet school in Ireland. It has to be at least over 25. I proposed to Mandy last summer at Boston Logan International Airport when she came back for the summer after starting her final year of rotations in Dublin. We bought our first place in Waltham at the end of that summer before Mandy headed back to Dublin to finish vet school. Mandy moved back to Boston for good after finishing vet school in May and is nearly one third of the way done with her internship at Angell Animal Medical Center. We treasure the time we have together because that is something that has been limited for a majority of our relationship and couldn’t be more excited for the big day!

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For membership information, click here

Wedding Dresses

Vera Wang

Spring 2015

Fall 2014

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I love it when a couple incorporates their heritage throughout their wedding day. Accenting the natural beauty of the Crane Estate, this cultural affair was seamlessly planned by True Event and captured by Leila Brewster with no shortage of Petal Floral Design blooms. Capers Catering kept guests energized while The Beat Train Productions serenaded into the night. More right here!

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Estate Weddings Outdoor Weddings Tented

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