Joyce and Andrew’s wonderfully talented florists posted about their flowers. You can see the details about the flowers that I didn’t know (for starters, the names of everything)
http://petalena.wordpress.com/2011/01/05/purple-green-and-silver-an-elegant-farm-wedding/

I was in awe of these flowers. One of my favorites of the entire season.

Joyce's bouquet

To see more of Joyce and Andrew’s wedding:
An overview: http://cirasphotography.com/blog/index.php/warren-center-wedding-joyce-and-andrew/
More details: http://cirasphotography.com/blog/index.php/warren-center-wedding-details/

It’s always so exciting and difficult to shoot a family member’s wedding. I am absolutely thrilled to contribute to my family in such a meaningful way, but I get particularly nervous. Just because we’re so kick ass doesn’t mean that we’re not humbled and scared at each wedding! Lisa, my cousin, has great taste and that made me even more nervous to be a part of the elegant, modern, and thoroughly thoughtful wedding she and Eric planned.

As always, the wedding went fabulously. I got to see all the behind the scenes stuff that I love at weddings- when Lisa put her dress on, it was just her, my aunt and me. (I may have forced myself in there a little bit, but the lighting was too good to be locked out!) And, I restrained from making comments about how ugly Lisa and I were as teenagers as I usually like to joke about (seriously. words can’t express how awkward we were) because she was drop dead stunning.

The wedding featured flowers from Winston Flowers (arguably the best florist in the Boston area), two wedding dresses (I mentioned Lisa has style, right?), the most delicious wedding cake ever (from someone who had never made a wedding cake before!), a hand-made veil, sparkly pink shoes!, and one of the most adoring grooms to ever walk the earth.

Thank you for letting us be a part of your wedding.

The stats:
Wedding Coordinator- Lisa MacVarish
Hairstylist – Kashmir
Makeup- Jen Opeka from Sarra
Dress Designer(s) – Priscilla for first dress, Sarah Seven for second dress
Veil Designer(s) – Lisa’s mom Anne
Officiant – Charles Worthington (good friend)
Florist – Ryan Zoeller from Winston Flowers
Caterer- Season to Taste, Sam is our day of chef and he is the best!
Cake – Diane from Cupcakory (normally known for her cupcakes, this was the first wedding cake she’d made!)
Bus (to bring folks back and forth from the hotel to the reception) – Local Motion
Wedding rings – Tiffany
Band/DJ – Michael Antonio, The Flashdance

Dress # 1- and yes, those are feathers around the midsection.

Those aforementioned feathers

Dress #2... wow!

These are the most beautiful shoes- Lisa found them in a magazine; they weren't even on the market yet. She hunted down the designer and got a pair!

The beautiful bouquet by Winston Flowers

LOVE this shot- Jesse snagged Lisa coming up to see Eric for the first look

The other view of Eric waiting for Lisa

Seeing each other- I love first looks!

Some cool portraits

I love the graphic element to this photo- not to mention that the grey dresses look perfect with the grey columns. Man was it cold, but everyone put their game faces on.

Very cute, but also huddled together for warmth.

I was so happy that there were still leaves on the trees! It looks so nice and fall, even though it felt like the dead of winter!

Not posed at all- I love how they're looking in opposite directions while holding hands!

Inside the Renaissance Boston Hotel. This is one of Eric & Lisa's favorites

Artists for Humanity

Lisa walked down to Johnny Cash's Ring of Fire. Awesome.

Isn't the room so unique?

The first dance, bathed in pink

They had all the guests at big long tables. It felt like everyone was sitting together, even though there were a lot of people.

The second dress!

Dancing the night away....

We have a new page (under pages, above) of commonly asked wedding photography questions! Check it out!

Oh, and just because I can’t post a blog without an image:

a unique take on a formal photo, courtesy of Jesse

Wouldn’t he like something with a bow on it for Valentine’s Day?

Well, I am in the middle of a full-on album-design fit, and I have completely neglected my blog. So here are a few photos to tide you over until I can come back

Lisa and Eric

Chris & Monica

Pam & her best friends

That magnificent event planner Sandy added a million little details to the day and made it her own! There were so many things I can’t even show them all here!! (Sandy, I know you’re reading, feel free to comment and tell us your fav things/any tips or tricks from the experience of an event planner). Oh yeah, Craig was there too. (jk Craig, you did a great job haha)

Oh, and did I mention Sandy wore the same dress I did to my wedding, and that Julia did to her September wedding? Maggie Sottero Grace is amazing. (and check out the head piece Sandy had made for the reception. How unique!)

Here are the stats:
Wedding Coordinator- Ann Messenger, Five Bridge Inn
Hairstylist – Jessica Leeds, ULTA Salons
Makeup- Ashley Silva, ULTA Salons
Dress Designer(s) – Maggie Sottero (Sandy); Belsoie (BMs); Flower Girl’s dress custom-made by MOH Patty
Veil Designer(s) – Occansey Designs (www.obridal.com)
Officiant – Ellen Anthony, cousin of the Groom
Florist – Audrey’s Flower Shop, Gloucester MA (www.audreysflowershop.com
Cake – Kara Kakes, Franklin MA (www.karakakes.com)
Band/DJ – Bruce Jacques, BJ Entertainment (www.brucejacques.com; bruce@brucejacques.com)

Invitations – Sandy’s design, printed & materials from CardsandPockets.com
Catering – Ralph’s Catering, www.ralphscatering.com
Photobooth – New England Photobooth, www.nephotobooth.com
Uplighting – Boston Uplights, www.bostonuplights.com

How cute is this hanger that says "Mrs. Barry"?

Sandy just won first place in an invitation contest- aren't these so unique?

Sandy wore one pair during the ceremony (the purple ones) and one for the reception. The purple ones are in honor of her mother, who sadly passed away from pancretic cancer. Purple is the color of pancreatic cancer awareness.

Guys getting ready is much different than the ladies!

I love Jesse's unique take on formals. This is how it often looks- the bride and groom surrounded by their excited friends and families!

Best. groomsmen. gift. ever. Look-alike bobble heads!

This is a real-life working farm. With two awesome llamas, one of which wanted to be in a bunch of photos! What a photo bomber!

Sandy had a locket of a picture of her mother on her bouquet

I can't express how much I love this photo of Sandy and her girls looking out onto the guests arriving for the ceremony. Such anticipation.

Sandy thought of every detail!

What's better together? PB and J, of course!

a custom drink for the new Mr and Mrs Barry!

Sandy splurged on uplighting and it makes such a difference in creating a vibe for the reception. I love that even the colors of the uplighting match the colors of the wedding!

See how the room has a feeling because of the uplighting?

They also laughed so hard they cried at the speeches!

craziest DJ ever.

A view of the Five Bridge Inn lit up at night.

I love this photo because everyone was thinking that Sandy’s mom was watching over Sandy and Craig’s Five Bridge Inn wedding, seeing a heart in the sky in this photo made everyone completely sure. See the heart?

Click here to see why I started the “Why I love this photo” feature..

If any of you are like me, you’ve seen the Academy-Award-winning classic ‘Save the Last Dance’ a time or two (I may be inflating the movie’s credentials, forgive me). In it, there may or may not be a line, “Ain’t no shame or blame in that, Derek.” (I say may or may not, because I really think a friend of mine created this line and that it doesn’t actually exist in the movie.) Nonethless, I use this phrase often, for things such as my inability to cook, overconsumption of chocolate, cutting people off in traffic. Really, it is an useful and fulfilling phrase.

This morning, I used my cat as a pacifier for my adorable, but easily bored model, Annabelle. Ain’t no shame or blame in that, Derek.

photo copyright mom Jen

Mandi and Jay have a great sense of stylet style that is both laid-back and classically elegant. I think the wedding really shows that. I personally am in love with Mandi’s wedding ensemble- that dress! that bird-cage veil! (but I couldn’t pull off the look myself at all!). And the vibe the band created at this chill daytime wedding was so comfortable for dancing or just socializing.

On the day of the wedding, the Wayside Inn was also hosting a Revolutionary War reenactment! I am serious about this! While the place was buzzing with people, Mandi and Jay took it in stride, even posing for a funny photos with the militia. Remember what I was saying about laid-back?

Because there were a ton of people, we went to off-the-beaten-path locations on the grounds, which is our favorite thing anyway. “Oh, reception place, you have a spot where everyone takes pictures? Thanks for telling us, we’ll head in the opposite direction.” Though, I must admit, we couldn’t completely resist the grist mill, which you can see behind them in a photo below. But that hill where we took the photos with the amazing light- absolute perfection.

Here are the details:
You might remember their Liberty Hotel Engagement Shoot
Where: Wayside Inn
Hairstylist – Invidia Salon and Spa
Makeup- Mandi did her own makeup!
Dress Designer(s) – Jessica McClintock
Veil Designer(s) – Jessica McClintock
Florist – Frugal Flower in Sudbury
Band/DJ – Musique Makers

I can't get over how amazing Mandi looked

Mandi was doing some light reading before the wedding. The Inn is said to be haunted!

Jesse got all these fabulous shot of Mandi right before she went down the aisle, while I was getting the processional inside. This is such a delicate moment. I'm in love with it.

Another great pre-ceremony shot. This is Mandi hiding so Jay can't see her while the others go down the aisle.

I love the sun flare here, how they live right in between the sun spots...

So, there was a civil war reenactment at the Wayside Inn the day of the wedding. They didn't know that when planning the wedding, but just decided to embrace it anyway! If the Civil War is the worst thing that happens on your wedding day, so be it...

Sometimes the lighting's so amazing, that it's cool to just look right into the camera.

How old-style New England gorgeous is this?!