Category: First Look Photos

I met Sarah and Kyle for the first time almost four years ago when I photographed his sister’s wedding.  His sister and I became fast friends so I had the opportunity to hear about their relationship through her.  I even knew when the proposal was coming 🙂  When I got the official call to photograph their wedding I was SO excited.  His family has come to mean so much to me that I couldn’t imagine anyone else capturing it.

 Sarah and Kyle have one of those amazingly special relationships where they don’t take themselves too seriously, love being with each other and having a good time!  I have never laughed so much going through photos (they have some real gems in their private collection 😉 …)  They did a first look right outside their first apartment together and then we head over to Milly’s Tavern where they took a few photos in the same two seats they met in many, MANY, years ago!  (They actually didn’t start dating until FIVE years later!) I loved how they tied so many special locations into their photos!

After a mini tour through their life together, we met up with the wedding party at Veterans Park for some more photo hi jinx and then over to Stark Park for the ceremony.

Absolutely everything about their day was perfect and I am so happy we were able to be a part of it!

Mike and I wish you many years of love and happiness!  Lets grab drinks next time you are in 603!

Thank you to the following vendors who played a part in making the day so spectacular!
Venue: Manchester Radisson
Flower: PJ’s Flowers
Videographer: iWed Films
DJ: Greg Kassapis, NRG Entertainment
Bakery: Jacques Pastries
I got a little teary eyed when Sarah’s Dad saw her for the first time!This may be one of my favorite first looks ever!That time the town park had a tent set up matching the wedding colors!  WOW!Sitting in the same two seats that started it all!Hello Mr and Mrs Welch!

When we got the call to photograph Briana and Jeffrey’s wedding we were over the moon excited!  We have been lucky enough to work with Jeffrey’s family before for his two older sister’s weddings, so we knew going into Briana and Jeffrey’s big day that we should expect nothing less than amazing.  They did not disappoint!

Briana and Jeff chose to do a first look at Benson’s Animal Park in Hudson.  When I say it was like a fairy tale (minus a few dog walkers ;-)) with blossoms and flower petals blowing in the breeze it is no exaggeration.  They couldn’t have had a more perfect day and the timing with all the blooms was absolutely perfect!

After spending some time at the park, everyone head over to Infant Jesus Church in Nashua to make it official and then over to The Crowne Plaza in Nashua for some family photos and reception fun.

Thank you both so much for choosing us to capture your special day.  We were truly honored to be there!

We are slightly disappointed that there are no more siblings in Jeffrey’s family to photograph.  Maybe some cousins 🙂

Becca & Mike XOXO

A special thank you to all of the amazing vendors we had the pleasure of working with as well!

Venue : Crowne Plaza, Nashua
DJ – Kibar from A Main Event (always a pleasure!)
Bakery – Jacques
Flowers – Flower Outlet and Fortin Gage
Videographer – Precious Moments

I LOVE this photo of the happy couple after saying their “I DO”s!!!

I wasn’t lying when I said it looked like a fairlytale!

As the mother of two boys, mother-son dances always get me!

What a way to kick off the 2015 wedding season!  I have been so excited for Amanda and DJ’s wedding since I did their engagement session last year.

To say it was windy the day of their wedding would be an understatement.  Mike and I almost got blown over bringing our gear into the barn!  Thankfully, The Barn at Gibbet Hill is beautiful inside and out and has a great enclosed deck so we were able to get some amazing photos without getting blown away.  The gorgeous pale pink dresses Amanda chose for her bridesmaids looked amazing against the red of the barn outside, so despite the wind, it all worked out perfectly.  Take that Mother Nature 🙂  AND once the wind slowed down a little, we were able to sneak out for a few photos to also capture some of the Barns amazing property.

I am so thankful to have been part of such an amazing, special day.  Thank you both for including us!

Thank you to the following vendors for also making the day so wonderful!

Venue : The Barn at Gibbet Hill, Groton Mass
DJ : Nu Image Entertainment
Bakery: Konditor Meister
Videographer: Tom Kochem

Isn’t it funny how people are connected?  I love to trace weddings back to the origin of their contact with us.  Danielle and Cory were recently married at the Rivermill in Dover, and as I always do,  I looked back at our connection.  Last year we photographed Cory’s friend Kurt’s wedding and before that we had photographed Cory’s sister Becky’s wedding and Becky came to us through a referral by my best friend who is her financial advisor.    This just always proves to me that word of mouth is the best advertising there is 🙂

Danielle and Cory have been together since high school, officially starting to date on 12/12.  That date was important to them so they made it their anniversary – Cory proposed on a subsequent 12/12 and they were married on 12/12 of 2014! He proposed at a tree farm, so for their first look photos we went up to Tonry Tree Farm in North Hampton.  They were very accommodating, and let us use the grounds for photos. We had a bit of a nervous moment as we all hit rush hour traffic on the way from the farm to Rivermill. Thankfully, we made it to the wedding in plenty of time!

Right after the ceremony, it started lightly snowing  making for the most beautiful photos!  After some time together outside, they came back in, and everyone hit the dance floor.  Their friends and family had a great time, allowing us to capture some happy moments together as they danced and celebrated.

Mike and I wish you every happiness, both now and in the years to come. XXOO – Becca & Mike.

A special thanks to the vendors that made their day a success:

Isn’t she gorgeous?!?

I am in love with her dress!

Just as we were leaving the tree farm we started to get some great colors in the sky!

Could the snowfall be anymore perfect?

Sharon and Craig were married on Veteran’s day in an intimate celebration at the Omni Mount Washington Resort.  The weather was unseasonably warm, making for perfect photo opportunities throughout the area.  The Omni Mount Washington resort is so scenic with the mountains in the background.  We also traveled to a favorite local waterfall and a small chapel near the hotel where thy had wanted to have their wedding ceremony there but it was closed for the season. Instead, we captured a number of photos at the chapel and waterfall including some with Sharon and Craig in fur coats bought as their gifts to one another for the big day! The two just looked at each other and giggled all day.  On the carriage ride after the ceremony, Craig gave Sharon a special gift of another ring to match her wedding band saying she’d get something even better on their 10 year anniversary.

Mike and I wish you every happiness, both now and in the years to come. XXOO – Becca & Mike.

A special thanks to the vendors that made their day a success:

Their first look moment, captured outside of the Omni.

Sharon and Craig, outside the Omni, in fur coats!

Sharon and Craig were married by Craig’s father.

You can tell by watching Bonnie and Tommy that they are more than a couple, but also really good friends.   They have an adorable son, Dylan, who was just the cutest ring bearer you could ever see, and they just enjoy being together … which made our job pretty easy.  Not to mention that Bonnie is a bombshell.  (Tommy’s not so bad either)

They had their ceremony and reception at the Red Lion Inn in Cohasset, Mass.  This was our first time working their and I love the amazing rustic barn atmosphere it has!  Definitely a “must consider” for those wanting a wedding with that special New England feel. Bonnie and Tommy used the space for their ceremony and reception, creating the perfect rustic wedding complete with sunflower bouquets and arrangements. Outside the Inn was also lovely with stone patios and wooded gardens. They had their first look right outside, and the grounds are so nice that there were so many photo opportunities right around the building!  We even still had some foliage left which was great!

After the first look and ceremony Bonnie and Tommy took to the dance floor with all their friends and family.  It was truly a great night for us to capture!

Mike and I wish you every happiness, both now and in the years to come. XXOO – Becca & Mike.

A special thanks to the vendors that made their day a success:

Capturing their first look outside the Inn.  Love Bonnie’s updo!

Check out her blue shoes!

We have worked with many of these bridesmaids before and were so happy to see them all again!

Bonnie’s parents renewed their vows at the start of the ceremony.

Isn’t it amazing when your work brings you together with a future spouse? We love stories like that. Juan is a barber by trade, and Amanda owns her own daycare center.  Years ago, Juan agreed to provide haircuts for some of the children at a local daycare center.  Amanda’s daughter attended that daycare center, allowing Amanda and Juan to meet.  Juan did some research, found Amanda’s number, and the rest was history. Fast forward to their wedding and they are surrounded by a large, happy, close family. (Soon to be +1 in a few months, as Amanda and Juan are expecting a little girl!)

The wedding ceremony seemed almost magical.  The flower girls carried lit candles down the aisle, and the wedding began right as the sun was setting.  The gazebo where they were married was strung with small, twinkle lights, seeming to illuminate the whole event by candlelight.  It was romantic and beautiful!

Have we mentioned how much we love working at The Granite Rose? This local business provides an amazing level of service to all their guests. We always feel like we’re with family whenever we work there! DJ Dave Nadeau from A Main Event is also one of our favorites. When we see this vendor on the list, we know everyone is going to have a great time at the reception!

The first look photos were taken at the Robert Frost Farm.

Their wedding day had the most amazing foliage.

A quick stop at Taylor Mill for more photos, then on to The Granite Rose.

The wedding ceremony took place as the sun was setting.  The flower girls carried candles down the aisle.

Mike and I wish you every happiness, both now and in the years to come. XXOO – Becca & Mike.

A special thanks to the vendors that made their day a success:

“Mike is always a gentleman. He puts me first and always makes sure that I am content. I love how happy he makes me. It’s the little things that make me fall in love with him more and more each day. I love to make him smile and laugh. He has a beautiful smile that makes me melt! I also love the way he looks at me. He is an amazing father to his daughter.” – Stephanie

“I love how caring Stephanie is. I love how she has become an amazing mother figure for my daughter Ava. I love how clumsy and silly she can be. Some days she can’t get out of her own way… it always makes us laugh. I love how easy it is for her to be herself around me. She’s beautiful and the best thing in my life. She makes me a better person.” – Mike

Stephanie and Mike have such an inspiring love story.  Their meeting, courtship, engagement and marriage is something that is breathtaking, not only because of the obvious love between them , but because of the unspoken love demonstrated for each other as they walk a hard path.  They met in 2009 while Stephanie was working at a local restaurant where Mike’s business cleaned the windows. Stephanie’s method of flirting was to throw pickles at the windows after Mike had finished cleaning them. The playful antics worked and Mike soon asked her out. They realized they were in love after attending a friend’s wedding together. Something about watching their friends exchange vows put into perspective the feelings they had for each other.

From there, they began building a life together that included Friday nights snuggling in front of great TV shows, Sunday drives to look for local open houses and late night ice cream dates. In 2013, at their favorite vacation spot on Martha’s Vineyard, Mike popped the question. They spent the next 14 months planning their dream ocean-side wedding.

On Sept 2, 2014, just one month before the wedding,  Stephanie took Mike to the hospital for severe stomach pain. They never imagined they would be rushed to a Boston hospital in the middle of the night. They waited on tests, scans, and biopsy results for two weeks until they got Mike’s diagnosis. On September 12, 2014 Mike was diagnosed with stage 4 Pancreatic Cancer and it had spread to his stomach.  Their world was turned upside down.

“I finally understood what true love meant…love meant that you care for another person’s happiness more than your own, no matter how painful the choices you face might be.” ― Nicholas Sparks, Dear John

“The course of true love never did run smooth.” -William Shakespeare

With all the chaos and Mike’s declining health, the wedding was uncertain, but they decided to move forward so they would have something happy to focus there attention on.  It was truly amazing to watch everyone pull together to give them the wedding of their dreams.  The staff at Union Bluff even dried the grass to make sure they could still have their ceremony outside in front of the ocean.

“The way is not in the sky. The way is in the heart.” -Buddha

Usually the word “newlyweds” makes you think of a honeymoon to a tropical island, purchasing a new home, or having a baby. That was no different for Stephanie and Mike, but they have put aside those plans as they work to fight this disease known as the “silent killer”.  Their honeymoon in Antigua was replaced with hospital visits, chemo treatments and recovering. They readily admit that they feel robbed of his life and robbed of their future. However, they hold each other a lot, they cry, and Stephanie tries to get Mike to smile at any chance she gets. Their amazing friends and family are also by their sides, supporting them through this journey.

Stephanie and Mike are doing their best, living each day in the moment and praying for a miracle. They have a fight ahead of them, but they will fight it together.

Mike has a beautiful 7-year-old daughter.

“Love is patient and kind…Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance…Three things will last forever—faith, hope, and love—and the greatest of these is love.” -1st Corinthians

They are two of the strongest people I have ever met and I was honored to document their day.  Please join me in continuing to pray for Mike’s healing and spreading the word to raise awareness about this horrible disease!  There is no cure and yearly the National Cancer Institute spends less than 2% of it’s budget on Pancreatic Cancer Research.  November is National Pancreatic Cancer month, wear purple to show your support and visit the PanCan website (http://www.pancan.org/) for more information on how you can help.

A special thanks to the vendors that helped make this day so special:

Kristen and Ryan introduced us to a true New England destination wedding location: Longlook Farm in Sanbornton, New Hampshire. The property and building can be rented for the weekend, offering a rustic, elegant wedding setting. It even comes with all sorts of vintage items that you are able to use to decorate (mason jars, votives, window panes, shutters, lights, sheer draping, draperies, grapevines, vases)! As you scroll through the photos, keep an eye out for the chalkboard signs. Kristen’s brother painted all of them.

We LOVED this venue and were so impressed with the work Kristen and Ryan did to personalize this location. We also loved the vintage feel of the dresses.  The bridesmaids wore ivory dresses, complementing the dress worn by Kristen.  Kristen also had her 2 brothers as “bridesmen”, and they looked dashing in their suits.

The wedding is always more than the decor, and this one was no exception. As Kristen was getting ready, she just kept saying “I just want to see him (Ryan)”. As soon as they were together for the first look photos, you could see all of their nerves just go away. They are one of those couples that are just so into each other that you could see them catching quiet, intimate moments even though they were surrounded by a room full of people.  They even scheduled into their timeline a few minutes after the ceremony to just be alone together to take it all in.

Mike and I wish you every happiness, both now and in the future. XXOO, Mike & Becca

A special thanks to the vendors that made their day a success:

The chalkboard signage was done by Kristen’s brother.

“first look” moments never get old to me.

On the lawn at Longlook Farm in Sanbornton, NH.

I may have gotten a little choked up when Ryan wiped away a tear for Kristen during the ceremony.

Look at the detail put into decorating the venue.  A perfect spot for couples that want a lot of DIY touches.

We were so thrilled when Lindsey and Shaun asked us to photograph their wedding.  They have been together for years and got married in one of the most beautiful wedding venues around – the Glen Arbor Golf Club in Bedford Hills, NY.  The facility is amazing, built to look like a historic mansion – but only 10 years old.  The staff was unbelievably accommodating, working hard to make sure the wedding went smoothly.

A few years ago, we photographed Lindsey’s sister’s wedding and loved working with the family.  They are all so close and her parents are just amazing people. What a pleasure it was to be called back to serve such a delightful family! The entire wedding day was filled with laughter, punctuated by heartfelt emotion and thanksgiving.  The expression on her father’s face during the first look photo, and as Lindsey walked down the aisle, was so poignant.  Even I got choked up.

Lindsey and Shaun love to clown around and laugh together.  You could really see how much they enjoy being together, just by watching them interact.  And they are the nicest people.  At one point, Lindsey hugged the florist because she was so excited about the flowers that had been put together.  (rightfully so, they were just gorgeous!)

Mike and I wish you every happiness, both now and in the future. XXOO, Mike & Becca

A special thanks to the vendors that made their day a success:

We love this series of Lindsey with her parents, especially the look on her father’s face seeing her for the first time, and her sister watching from the background!  Her father had refused to see the dress before this moment.

Another great photo of the bride and groom with family.  What a wonderful, big-hearted family they are.

So much laughter and fun at this wedding!

They way Lindsey’s Dad looked at her just before giving her away brought tears to my eyes!