Welcome to the Blog!
I’ve had the privilege to be part of so many incredible days and here you’ll find a collection of them as well as some tips and suggestions for making your best day ever come true — with a few personal posts sprinkled in every now and then too! Take a look around and find inspiration for your best day!
location guides
Travel Inspired Connecticut Vineyard Wedding
Every detail of their celebration at Saltwater Farm Vineyard in Mystic, Connecticut was crafted with so much love (and talent). Now seems like a great time to mention that Amanda made every single one of the wooden flower arrangements you will see below. The vibrant pops of color and beautiful display of both of their personalities was evident throughout.
The guest book? A custom globe. Escort cards and guest gift? Gorgeous colorful luggage tags. Have I mentioned just how much I really love guest gifts with a purpose that are sure to be used and serve as a reminder for years to come? Every table “number” had the beautiful cityscape of Paris engraved on the wooden base of a city name - a great spin on finding a place to sit. From their Destination Engagement Session in Portsmouth in New Hampshire I knew I was going to want lots of time and beautiful ways to style Amanda’s ring. My favorite is that Amanda loves details as much as I do, so I arrived to an entire box of extra florals, an Eiffel Tower heirloom souvenir and several macaroons from Sift Bake Shop in Mystic (and knowing their love for macarons and the significant roll they played in their engagement, these were well utilized!). Amanda and I had been chatting throughout their planning process about the fabric choices, food decisions, etc. and I walked into this wedding knowing a lot about their day and being prepared for helping to craft a visual narrative reflective of their incredible relationship and that really makes all the difference.
Harkness Eolia Mansion Sunset Engagement
From the moment we first met up for their sunset Engagement Session, I could tell that Alana and Bobby are just the kind of people full of the best energy - easygoing, silly, fun, and so dang in love. I also got a sense for this on our first phone call, but it’s always fun to meet in person and get a real sense for their personalities and relationship. These two make conversation easy and hanging out with them was like reconnecting with old friends as we chatted about all of the plans for their wedding day.
Connecticut Birthday Sail Celebration
Birthday celebrations after going through a global pandemic feel a little bit different. We’ve always had good reason to surround ourselves by those closest to us - our village - but after over a year of staying away from family and friends for the safety of all, coming together just feels a little bit sweeter, am I right?
When Becky and I first talked, I immediately got a sense for her beautiful and fun personality. You know when you meet someone and you leave the conversation thinking DANG, this person is just so full of light, I feel a little bit brighter? That’s Becky through-and-through. She’s genuine, kind, and loves her people. Throughout the pandemic, living in the urban area of Stamford, Connecticut, she would purchase a ticket frequently to sail on one of the Public Schooner Sails and hit the water leaving the city and building and confinement behind just for a couple of hours. Everything she told me indicated that the water is her place for calm and she joked that she thinks she’ll own a boat before she owns a house. And I love that, #priorities. Her dream was to gather her friends and family for a sail together to celebrate her 30th birthday. Having grown up sailing, I appreciated knowing that Becky feels a calling to the water and I couldn’t wait to help her celebrate and capture so many amazing memories after such a long year.
Classic & Quaint New England Engagement Photos
When Ally and Colin were dating they used to walk in the Stony Creek area, and if you haven’t had a chance to visit the Branford Trolley Trail I suggest you add it to your list! Connecticut has so many unique coastal areas to experience and this is definitely a new favorite of mine. They had sent me a lot of information before our time together (they know how much I love details!) and this level of preparation always helps for us to make the most of our time together, especially when visiting a new place for photos. After stopping at a few of the landmarks on the trail and seeing the scenery, we finished our time together in the downtown area - which has much more of a small seaside village vibe than a downtown, it’s perfection - and the light at sunset was, dare I say it, completely dreamy. They even indulged my request for a few photos on the swings, and I’m loving all of the different vibes we achieved in the course of a little over an hour: elegant and poised, playful and fun, and a romantic sunset walk on the beach.
Fairfield, Connecticut Spring Wedding Celebration
Much like so many other couples who had planned their original wedding and full celebration for 2020, Alyssa & Alex were faced with planning and adjusting in the middle of a global pandemic. They had decided last year to be married with an intimate backyard gathering surrounded only by a few people, and they delayed their larger gathering another year and waited to really celebrate at the Burr Homestead in Fairfield, Connecticut. As I had the privilege of photographing both unique celebrations, you can checkout their 2020 intimate backyard wedding here.
Manhattan, New York City Proposal
It still feels a little surreal that this downtown New York City Manhattan rooftop proposal happened (so I can’t even imagine how it feels to be Carmine and Courtney). Everything about this day was perfect. The view from the top of Carmine’s sister’s apartment building on 34th street has a view to the Hudson River and the day was *so* clear and gorgeous - we really could not have asked for better weather. So many people came together to make this day magical for them and to watch a tight knit community at work, as an outsider looking in, is incredibly powerful.
I had never chatted with Carmine or Courtney and was enlisted (with Carmine’s blessing, of course) to photograph this occasion for them through friends of friends of friends - you know how the story goes, and the world feels a little smaller with every connection and the stars align? I love those moments and connections. Well, Carmine’s sister worked hard to keep this all a secret and sectioned off the most beautiful corner of the rooftop, with a great view of the building where they both work, and even taped a dollar bill to the ground and setup champagne for a little post-proposal celebration. The meaning behind the dollar you may ask? Well, Courtney has apparently found a dollar before most significant occasions or occurrences in her life, SO Carmine’s adorable request was to have a dollar strategically placed that she would walk up to it and likely know that something was going on. And it worked. Courtney said after that as soon as she saw the dollar she knew she was about to be engaged.
I love that Carmine crafted the cutest most intimate proposal but also surprised Courtney with a huge celebration of friends and family after she said, “YES!” Courtney kept asking questions about the plans for the day in complete disbelief and shock at all of the surprises and celebrations he had planned.
Evening Engagement Session Stamford, Connecticut
Aside from Taylor and Andrew being two of the sweetest humans (I mean it, they were an absolute blast to hang out with) it turns out Stamford is a place I’ll be going back to often because it’s so cute. Views of the water and Long Island Sound, great restaurants and bakeries, swings, a play area with sand for the kids, gorgeous parks and modern architecture - and, bonus, from everything I saw it’s a superrrrr clean city. This downtown area was quiet and serene and it really turned out to be such a perfect evening. The sunset colors even showed off for us and we concluded the night dancing on the dock with a pink-sky-backdrop as Taylor twirled around in the most beautiful floral dress.
Brooklyn Bridge Sunrise Couple's Photos
After being in Manhattan this weekend to photograph a surprise proposal (she said “YES!”) I was reminiscing back to this weekend in Brooklyn and couldn’t wait to put the finishing touches on this gallery to share with you all. It’s been a long time dream of mine to make it to the Brooklynn Bridge at sunrise for a photo session, and the stars aligned and it felt like a dream to be on the bridge photographing this gorgeous couple in the first light on a spring Saturday morning.
There are a few different spots in Brooklyn that are all easily accessible and close together in the DUMBO area, and with a little pre-planning we decided to begin at sunrise on the Brooklyn Bridge (total dream) and head to Washington Street for the iconic cobblestone New York City streets, make our way to Jane’s Carousel (which my daughter Jane *loved*), and then finished our time together right on the water with the gorgeous New York cityscape for a backdrop. The morning light was so soft and perfect and Jess and Peter were absolute naturals at being in front of the camera - every request was met with enthusiasm and I’m just so grateful for sweet couple’s that allow me the honor of photographing a piece of their story. Peter used to live and work across the river in New York City and Jess has fond memories of time throughout her life on the the Brooklyn Bridge, including a photo of her and her mom when she was younger on the bridge. It’s amazing to think how photographs freeze these moments in time and we carry them with us, and that I was able to add to their memories of this gorgeous bridge and the part it will play in their story.
Classic NYC Central Park Couple's Portraits
I must say, every day since this session I’ve had a moment after waking up back in Connecticut that I think, “I wish I was waking up to sunrise in Central Park.”
Central Park is a classic piece of the New York City experience and there is just something about NYC with the springtime glow, a gorgeous couple in love (getting married this Fall and I cannot wait to be there to photograph their wedding day - eeeeeek!) and exploring this stunning park perfectly placed in Manhattan.
Wedding Website Information To Include
If I’ve ever had the pleasure of connecting with you to chat about your wedding it probably took all of 0.001 seconds for you to realize that I’m a details-loving-gal. I try to reign this in a bit during initial conversations with couples, because the process of moving from being engaged to married and the intricacies of wedding planning are meant to be experienced in phases — and it’s so overwhelming to have all of the questions at once. However! While I may not be a planner, and you don’t have to share everything with me (or your respective photographer) right away, I know that your guests appreciate the details just as much as vendors do, and one of the best ways to share them is through a wedding website!
Simply Ohana - Family & Event Gourmet Food
I first “met” Stephanie on a phone call about 6 years ago when I was booking a limousine with Joshua’s Limousine for my own wedding. Over the years we’ve gotten to know each other and I’ve had the privilege of photographing her beautiful family and collaborating with Joshua’s Limousine for this coastal wedding styled shoot in Mystic, Connecticut.
Fast forward a bit to today and I think we can all agree that life has changed significantly in the last year and a half and the way we buy food and interact with local businesses and shops has also been drastically affected due to living in the world of a global pandemic. COVID-19 changed everything. Though much of these transitions have been traumatic and the lives of sos many rocked, we have also admired the resiliency of humanity, the loyalty of friendships, the kindness of strangers, and the importance of hard work, communication, and the ability to adapt. Many of these shifts in the world aligned just right for Stephanie to begin a company that focuses on the creation of gourmet food items and luxury service - a journey that really started with the chocolate dipped strawberry and has expanded from there. So today I’m excited to be introducing you to the Southeastern Connecticut business, Simply Ohana.
Behind every small business is a story of the person who had a vision and worked hard to have it come to life, and Stephanie’s story is particularly significant and moving and gives so much meaning to the heart she brings to her endeavor. Read on for her story…
Charming Snowy Winter Connecticut Engagement Photos
Sitting at my desk watching the snow fall in April - got to love New England - and it reminded me that I haven’t had a chance to blog Nicole and Dan’s cozy winter engagement photos at Heavitree of Griswold B&B. From a few warm indoor photos with tons of historical character, cozying up on a couch together with gorgeous exposed beams, fireplaces and a taproom, to some outdoor moments with gorgeous rock walls, a red barn and a Christmas tree farm backdrop of Geers Tree Farm, this session was filled with all of the reasons I love New England and the moments it inspires in love stories.
7 Ways To Elevate The Guest Experience At Your Wedding
Your wedding is absolutely your special day, but it’s also a chance to create a memorable and meaningful event for your friends and family. After all, they're taking time out of their busy schedules to celebrate with you — why not thank them for showing up by giving them a guest experience they'll never forget? Fortunately, there are tons of thoughtful ways you can elevate the guest experience at your wedding that can help make your big day feel special for everyone. Read on to learn all about the top seven tips for crafting a unique and unforgettable wedding experience for all of your favorite people.
Important Considerations When Hiring Your Wedding DJ
I’m thrilled to be sharing these tips and tricks from Jeff and Amy, owners and masterminds behind Mystic River Entertainment, offering entertainment services throughout New England. Jeff and Amy are two of the sweetest souls and their passion for music, party planning, and helping others is apparent in every conversation I’ve had with them. Best part? These two are dang good at throwing an awesome party with thoughtful music choices and their skill for creating a warm and positive environment for your guests is incredible - I’ve been to a lot of weddings, and I can confidently tell you that the DJ you select will directly influence the way your guests remember the party. SO. Without further ado, take it away Jeff!
Elegant Fall Garden Party Connecticut Wedding
Despite the many speed bumps and hurdles these two faced while planning, they crafted a day that focused on the safety of their loved ones, amidst a global pandemic, and a day that was representative of their relationship. They chose to have a First Look under a willow tree that provided for gorgeous soft light and a romantic aesthetic with the addition of Charlotte’s plush bouquet with pops of maroon and plum, followed by portraits around the gardens. Their “I Do’s” were exchanged at the most stunning ceremony site where the sun shone through the orchard trees and incorporated incredible architecture and florals. The cocktail hour was the perfect prelude to the rest of the evening full of celebrations. Guests had the opportunity to mingle and move about and explore the different elements which had been carefully designed with hightop tables, several elegant and cozy seating areas, and various games to encourage social distancing - all while eating from individual charcuterie cones (their Catering team, A Thyme to Cook, really knocked it out of the park along with so many other vendors).
Charlotte and Rob are two of the most thoughtful and genuinely sweet and caring people I’ve ever met. They incorporated countless details in their plans emphasizing their concern for both the safety and overall experience of their guests. Even their loved ones who were no longer able to celebrate in person with them due to COVID-19 were a focal point, with an honored place live streaming at their ceremony - they may have even had a better view of their vows and first kiss than the guests in attendance! Speaking of all things thoughtful, they had previously sent out a toast for everyone to enjoy with them at home. Capturing them say hello to everyone celebrating remotely after the ceremony was one of my favorite moments.
Rhode Island Ocean House Sunset Beach Engagement
Every time I photograph a new couple, especially those first few moments after meeting, it’s uncomfortable. It’s 10000% normal to not feel instantly at ease being photographed and generally it takes a little while to feel like you can be yourself in front of the camera - I know, even as a photographer I freak out a bit when I’m on the other side. These are all emotions I’m ready for and prepped to guide my couples through to make for a positive and enjoyable experience. But truly, watching Chris and Sarah interact over the course of our time together was beautiful. There were moments when they were focused on each other that I felt like, and *really* hoped, that they had actually forgotten I was there. Chris looks at Sarah in a way that tells the whole world he knows exactly the gift he has in his arms - he’s so full of joy and contentment. And Sarah, well she lights up an entire beach with her smile and her calming and joyful demeanor brings an undeniable peace.
These are the moments and stories I live to photograph.
Classic New England Church & Backyard Wedding
Working with Kelly and Stephen to document this day amidst a global pandemic had it’s ups and downs in planning, but I think after everything we can say that their wedding plans worked out exactly as they were supposed to.
We held to their original plan of a church ceremony in Branford, but the reception that followed took place at Kelly’s childhood home. Now, her home is not in just any neighborhood - it’s one of those neighborhoods they make shows about. All the kids grew up together, the parents are all friends, it seems the neighbors collectively raised each other’s children (giving a whole new meaning and depth to the phrase “it takes a village”), the group even had their favorite song that brought everyone out on the dance floor at once. I don’t know all of the details of the many years of friendships that have developed in this neighborhood, but I do know from experiencing the level of community on display for just one night, this is they type of community and we should all be fighting for these days. It was so beautiful to watch Kelly and Stephen have all of their closest people celebrating with them in a place with such history for them.