Claire & Matan’s Wedding – Hyatt Regency Cambridge

I basically didn’t blog most of my weddings from last year… but there are some that I just HAVE to share!  It may take me a while, but I’m going to try to post a few of last year’s weddings, along with this year’s weddings.  We’ll see how it goes!  For now, allow me to introduce you to Claire & Matan…

Claire & Matan are just beautiful people.  They’re gorgeous, clearly, but they’re also really beautiful people from the inside out, where it really counts.  They’re lives are committed to helping people – him by working in foreign policy and her working in humanitarian aid.  They’ve travelled the world putting their education and skills to work to make other people’s lives better, and I think that’s pretty awesome!  It’s been so lovely working with them and getting to know them over the course of the last two years as they planned their wedding, shot their engagement session and the big day, and now we’ve designed their wedding album.  But being at their wedding and hearing their friends and family speak of them, that’s when you really see how wonderful, and how loved they really are.  I’m so so glad I have been able to be a part of their celebration and the beginning of their life together!

We shot their engagement session on rainy summer day in Rockport, but they absolutely made it work!

Rainy Rockport Engagement Session

Rainy Rockport Engagement Session

Rainy Rockport Engagement Session

Rainy Rockport Engagement Session

Their wedding at the Hyatt Regency in Cambridge was the exact opposite – HOT and SUNNY!  But once again, they made it work and everything turned out great!!

Summer Wedding at the Hyatt Regency Cambridge

Photo below by my fabulous second shooter, Allana Taranto

Summer Wedding at the Hyatt Regency Cambridge

Quite possibly my favorite First Look ever!

Summer Wedding at the Hyatt Regency Cambridge

Summer Wedding at the Hyatt Regency Cambridge

Summer Wedding at the Hyatt Regency Cambridge

Photo below by my wonderful Assistant, CoCo Boardman

Summer Wedding at the Hyatt Regency Cambridge

Summer Wedding at the Hyatt Regency Cambridge

A few sunny portraits along the River

Summer Wedding at the Hyatt Regency Cambridge

Summer Wedding at the Hyatt Regency Cambridge

Another great shot by Allana

Summer Wedding at the Hyatt Regency Cambridge

Allana had the brilliant idea of putting them in this tree, and I LOVE how it turned out!!

Summer Wedding at the Hyatt Regency Cambridge

Summer Wedding at the Hyatt Regency Cambridge

A shot from my widelux in black & white film

Cambridge Wedding - Widelux

Then it was back to the Hyatt for the festivities!

Summer Wedding at the Hyatt Regency Cambridge

My favorite shot of Claire and her father!

Summer Wedding at the Hyatt Regency Cambridge

Widelux film shot of the ceremony

Cambridge Wedding - Widelux

Their vows were so lovely, even I was crying at this point!

Summer Wedding at the Hyatt Regency Cambridge

Allana’s view

Summer Wedding at the Hyatt Regency Cambridge

They literally danced their way out!!  Talk about excited :)

Summer Wedding at the Hyatt Regency Cambridge

Loved this shot of Claire’s friend and her husband :)

Summer Wedding at the Hyatt Regency Cambridge

Allana’s shots from the first dance, the Hora, and the toasts

Summer Wedding at the Hyatt Regency Cambridge

Summer Wedding at the Hyatt Regency Cambridge

LOVE this one Allana!!!!

Summer Wedding at the Hyatt Regency Cambridge

Dance floor by CoCo

Summer Wedding at the Hyatt Regency Cambridge

Their dance floor was definitely a BLAST!!

Summer Wedding at the Hyatt Regency Cambridge

Summer Wedding at the Hyatt Regency Cambridge

Summer Wedding at the Hyatt Regency Cambridge

Claire & Matan!  Thank you so much for inviting me into this happy day in your lives, and for making all of the months of work leading up to and away from the day such a pleasure!!!

*To view more of my favorites from this wedding & engagement session, check out the album on Facebook!

Jessica & Albert’s Wedding!

I love Jessica & Albert! Not only are they such a fun couple who love God with all their hearts, but Jessica is my all-time favorite blog-stalker! I mean, at least, she’s the one who leaves the most comments… If there are more of you stalkers out there – drop a comment and let me know you’re there!! ;) Seriously though, these two are awesome! We had a ton of fun at their engagement session, so I was really looking forward to their wedding day.

Jessica & Albert both got ready at Le Meridien Cambridge. Jessica was bright-eyed and ready for me as soon I got there :)


love the shoes


Can we talk about how cool the bed spreads are at Le Meridien??? It was originally The Hotel @ MIT – so everything’s all math-tastic :)


Making sure everything is in order


Albert & his parents, getting ready next door (shot by my assistant, Marie)


and killing time in the hallway with some of his groomsmen


Jessica’s sister and Maid of Honor, Joyce, helping with the jewelry


And looking on while Jessica reads a card from Albert


I loved this moment after Jessica put her dress on. She’d forgotten to put lotion on first, and so her Mom and Joyce did it for her. It was priceless.


And this is what’s great about having an assistant around. I usually bring assistants who are photo students, hoping to learn about wedding photography. I let them shoot when they have time, and then go over the images with them later. Well, Marie, captured this awesome shot of the same moment from across the room. I love it!


I love how these 3 shots go together! Jessica is looking down at her dress, while her Mom & Joyce are looking at her. Their expressions are so great!


Another thing I love about Jessica & Albert is that they did a First Look on their wedding day. A First Look is when the Bride & Groom see each other for the first time
before the ceremony. I usually set it up so that they can have an intimate moment “alone” to see one another, and to talk and enjoy that moment together without everyone else around. It’s so great because you get reactions that you just can’t get during the ceremony because they can’t really talk to one another during the ceremony. Plus, it gives us a chance to get portraits out of the way beforehand instead of afterwards when you’d rather be enjoying your reception! Anyway, here are the images… Oh, the expressions on Albert’s face! excitement, joy, tears, laughter – priceless!


We didn’t do a ton of portraits of the two of them that day. They really wanted their wedding to focus on the people in their lives, and we’re planning a Trash The Dress session for later this summer anyway where we can just focus on them. Here are some of my favorites from our time together, though…


After the First Look, we were off to
Harvard Memorial Church for the family portraits and the ceremony. Here’s Jessica praying before the wedding.


the big entrance


Albert’s parents during a moment of prayer


I have to admit, that this next shot was an accident. I was holding my flash next to me, forgetting that I still had it attached to the camera and when I took the picture it went off right next to the lens – and this is the result! Sometimes, accidents are fun!


At the end of the ceremony, Jessica’s Dad got up to give some announcements, but ended up giving a beautiful speech as well! He had everyone in tears (including me)


but coming down the aisle, they were all smiles!


After the ceremony, we got ALL of the guests together on the stairs outside the church for a big group shot!


I had everyone cheer for Jessica & Albert – and here’s the result. My favorite is Jessica’s Dad, in the front. Love it!


Then it was off to the reception at the
Hyatt Regency Cambridge


I love it when couples use the engagement photos at the wedding!


Jessica getting caught in the wind outside


And playing with the kids. Any surprise she’s a Sunday School Teacher?? I don’t know, it looks like she’s kinda uncomfortable with the little ones. I don’t think they like her much either… ;)


Most hilarious cake-cutting EVER! Albert gave her a humungous bite of cake – poor Jessica looked like she was going to choke! But, she stuffed his face too :)


Now, the reception was really like none I’ve ever seen. The majority of the reception was given over to Jessica & Albert’s friends and family. There were skits, songs, videos, and hilarious performances honoring (and roasting) the couple. It was so cool to see what their friends think of them, and how they feel about them, and to laugh along with them! They are SO loved!

And can I just say, that I can’t think of them now without singing “Chi-Pang, Chi-Pang” to myself in my head (to the tune of She Bangs)… maybe you had to be there…


Mixed in with the skits were some toasts by the wedding party. Once again, Jessica’s Dad had us all crying…


And then there was their one kiss of the day – at least that we all got to see ;) They do NOT like PDA (public displays of affection) and it took a room full of their friends banging their glasses and cheering to get them to kiss in public, but it worked! I am a bit proud of myself for capturing this. If I’d been a split second later, I would have missed it!


It was a really great day, and such a wonderful celebration of this beautiful couple!

Jessica & Albert – thank you again for having me! It’s been so great getting to know you and spending time with you over the last few months! I can’t wait for our TTD!!!