I relish any opportunity to visit Texas so when my dear friend Amy asked if I'd travel west to photograph their darling family I jumped at the chance!! On a very foggy afternoon we headed into Austin to visit beautiful Laguna Gloria. It's an eclectic mix of Texas charm and Mediterranean flair -- I had to keep reminding myself we weren't on the Italian coast!! I could have stayed in their lovely gardens all day, filled with Spanish moss, ferns and palm trees. We roamed the property and spent a glorious time together. What's more romantic than a floral crown, a flowy pink dress and Spanish moss?! Extra exciting bonus? I did a hybrid of film & digital for their session!!
Hybrid Session : Canon 5d Mark III | Canon EOS-1V | Portra 400 & Fuji 400 | Processed & Scanned by The Find Lab
Dress : Anthropolgie | Floral Crown : The Flower Studio | Venue : Laguna Gloria
Read MoreIn the seventh installment of the DZP Planning Series, I'm sharing a great resource to help your guests dress to impress at your wedding!! Have you ever received an invitation to a wedding and thought "I have no idea what to wear?" Well today you're in luck because the folks at The Black Tux have put together an amazing resource to help you (and your guests) plan their outfits for the big event!! Beach-y and casual to black tie, this resource will help you plan your outfits perfectly!! With outfits ideas inspired for both men and woman, be sure to PIN this resource for future reference this wedding season!!
Read MoreIt's no secret that I love flowers -- they bring me so much joy!! If I could live in a house made of flowers, I probably would ;). While my love of all things floral may skew my opinions in some ways (bigger is always better!!), what remains true is that your wedding florals will make a huge impact throughout your day. Your florals will be one of the most photographed items on the wedding day and included in almost all of your images. Careful thought and attention should be paid to the style, look and feel of your flower choices. In today's installment of the DZP Wedding Planning series I share practical tips on how to make an impact with your wedding flowers!!
Read MoreIn the fourth post of the DZP Wedding Planning Series, we'll be chatting about to plan stress free family formals. The success of family formals on the wedding day is in the planning. Often, the idea of photographing grouping after grouping can seem overwhelming, to you, your family and your photographer. While it may seem like this is an easy and quick part of the wedding day -- when you are working with larger groups of people things can quickly become confusing, complicated and down right stressful. Today I'll be sharing my best tips on how to make this time with your loved ones, easy, stress free and enjoyable.
Read MoreIn the fourth post of the DZP Wedding Planning Series, I am sharing how to prepare for the morning of your wedding day and make the most of this precious time with your loved ones!! Months of planning and preparation have lead to this moment -- getting ready on your wedding day!! There will be lot swirling around you : people, questions and attention. Often it can be overwhelming and a lot to take in. Read on to learn how to reduce stress and enjoy every minute as you get ready for your wedding!!
Read MoreIn the third post of the DZP Wedding Planning series, I am sharing how to make the most of your wedding party portraits. Your wedding party portraits are a fun and exciting time to share with your best friends and loved ones. You’ll celebrate and honor those who have supported you over the years, first as individuals and now as a couple. Some choose a large wedding party while others simply pick a best friend or sibling to stand with them. Regardless of your wedding party size, I want this to be an incredibly fun time with your loved ones. Read on to learn how to make the most of this time with your loved ones.
Read MoreOn an early January morning I met Alyssa & Younes in Copley Square for their engagement session. Since they live abroad, we had a small window of time when they would be visiting the states -- we crossed our fingers for a sunny day and we were met with a beautiful and seasonally *warm* weather.
Alyssa and Younes were a delight -- it was so much fun having the opportunity to get to know them both and witness the beautiful friendship they share together. Alyssa and Younes will wed in July in the Copley Square area so we had a wonderful time exploring this quintessential part of town. Enjoy some of my favorites from their lovely Copley Square engagement session!!
Hybrid Session : Canon 5d Mark III | Film Canon EOS-1V | Shot on Kodak Max 400 | Processed & Scanned by The Find Lab
Read MoreIn today's post, the second the DZP Planning series, we're talking all about the First Look. What is a First Look? Is right for your wedding day? How do you plan for a First Look? I'll be answering those questions and more -- let's get started.
The First Look is a period of the day where the Bride & Groom see each other for the first time before the ceremony. This is an intentional period of time set aside just for the couple. Often this is the first and last time you’ll be alone together on an otherwise very busy day. It’s an opportunity for you to express all this day means to you in a safe and private atmosphere.
With the hustle and bustle of the wedding day underway, the Ceremony does not provide much room to share heartfelt emotions. Often, the Groom may be standing in front of the aisle with all eyes on him watching for his reaction. That’s a lot of pressure and can often lead to a nervous face and stiff body language; not exactly the emotional response a Bride may have envisioned. Couples typically feel more at ease to share their feelings together for the first time alone rather than in front of all of their guests; a First Look provides the room and space to do just that.
Read MoreToday, in the first of the DZP Planning series, I am sharing my favorite tips on how to create the perfect wedding day timeline.
So how do you go about creating a timeline that gives you time with your guests, eliminates stress and allow you to truly enjoy the day? Two words : advanced planning. Creating the perfect wedding day timeline isn't hard work but it does require prior thought to ensure that everything throughout the day flows smoothly.
If there was one thing I request again and again from my couples it is more time. In order to create images that are reflective of the day, that feel authentic, natural and reflective of my signature style, I need time. For example, if I only have 45 minutes on the day to photograph the family formals, couple portraits and images with the wedding party -- everyone will be stressed. I'll be forced to eliminate certain images and ultimately it creates a poor experience for you and your loved ones.
So how much time do you need to plan for on the wedding day? Below I have shared an ideal wedding day timeline based on a couple choosing to have a First Look. This timeline does not account for travel time or unique scenarios and is based on 8 hours of coverage. Some weddings will be better suited for 9 or even 10 hours of coverage. Some couples will choose to forgo a First Look for a more traditional experience. In addition to the ideal timeline, use the timing tips shared at the bottom of this post to help you plan out your perfect wedding day timeline.
Read MoreWelcome to January and the official start of 2017!! It's hard to believe that another year has come and gone. To kick off 2017, I'm re-introducing my wedding planning series here on the blog!! For the month of January I will be sharing some of my favorite tips, resources and advice for planning a stress free wedding day!!
Over the next 30 days I'll be covering topics such as :
How To Plan The Perfect Wedding Timeline
Is A First Look For You?
Making The Most Of Your Wedding Party Portraits
Preparing For The Morning Of Your Wedding
How To Plan For Stress Free Family Formals
Make An Impact With Your Wedding Flowers
Plan the Perfect Reception
Tips from the Pros
You're Married, Now What?
If you're planning a wedding, I hope that this series will be a great resource for you. I'd love to know : what are your biggest questions surrounding the wedding day? And if you're married : what is the best tip you can give to couples who are in the midst of planning? I look forward to sharing this series with you!!
Read MoreIt's here!! The finale to the Best of 2016 series -- WEDDINGS!! This is one of my favorite posts to share each year and there is SO much pretty to share with you today!! 2016 was one for the books, it was an incredible year filled with amazing people and beautiful celebrations. Again and again I was reminded of how special it is to be invited into one of the most important day of a couple's life together and to preserve that day for years to come.
2016 saw celebrations of all kinds and sizes. Estate weddings, chic urban weddings, outdoor ceremonies and gothic styled churches, large wedding parties and small. Each wedding was uniquely different.
Enjoy some of my faves!!
Read MoreToday continues the the Best of 2016 series with my favorite engagement images from the past year. I kicked off 2016 with Sarah & Greg's epic Lake Winnipesaukee engagement session and ended the year with Kirsten & Paul's sunrise session at Crane Beach. From Boston to the North Shore, the city to the coast, 2016 was filled with beautiful places and amazing couples celebrating this precious time in life!!
Read MoreYesterday I kicked off the Best of 2016 series with my favorite floral designs of the year. Today I'm continuing the series with my favorite portrait images of 2016!! My portrait work has slowly evolved over the years as past clients have begun to grow their families and celebrate anniversaries. What started as something I did on the side of weddings, has developed into an integral part of my business.
Having the opportunity to be invited into the homes and lives of my clients to capture the big and small moments of life is an incredible honor and I deeply value the relationships that have been cultivated as a result. My portrait work has become something incredibly meaningful to me and I hope it has brought great joy to the clients who have trusted me to capture their lives.
Enjoy some of my favorite portrait images of 2016!!
Read MoreToday kicks of my favorite series of the year, The Best Of!! Each year I share the best of engagements, portraits & weddings through a series of blog posts highlighting the amazing celebrations, couples and families I've had the honor of working with over the past year.
Florals always seem to be an integral part of my work. I love the romance, softness and delicate nature of flowers. It's no secret that I love floral design. I've even had the opportunity to take several floral workshops over this past year (fun = designing your very own floral crown!). I especially love when clients share my love of blooms -- nothing makes my heart pitter patter more than a glorious oversized wedding bouquet ;)!!
To celebrate my love of all things beautiful and flowery, today I will be kicking of the 2016 Best of series with the Best of Florals & Bouquets. I'll be sharing links below of the amazing creatives I've had the opportunity to work with as well, in case you're in search of a talented floral designer!! Now on to all the pretty!!
Read MoreDiana and Ankur welcomed their darling baby girl Olivia into the world earlier this year. Being the Holidays and the start of a new year just around the corner, they wanted to celebrate their family of three with a portrait session in their home.
On a chilly December afternoon we snuggled up in Olivia's nursery, a beautiful ode to all things pink, grey and cream. Olivia bounced in her crib, snuggled in her father's arms and giggled at the silly sounds Mom would make to get her to smile. It was lovely time and I feel so thankful to have had the opportunity to meet and photograph this beautiful family.
At home sessions are some of my favorite to photograph. Clean, bring space where my clients can feel comfortable and relaxed. They are a mix of lifestyle and posed portraiture. But most important they focus on the deep connection my clients have to each other. And when I can capture that on my camera -- well that's the good stuff.
Thank you Diana & Ankur for welcoming me to your home!! Gosh those baby cheeks, they are the best!! Enjoy some of my favorite images!!
Read MoreI'm excited to announce the newest addition to the DZP Heirloom offerings: The Heirloom Folio!! Bound in beautiful linen, these print folios are the perfect way to display your favorite images from your wedding day or portrait session!!
Heirloom folios include 2, 3, or 4 matted 5x7 prints bound in a linen folio. Each print is created using the highest quality archival inks and matted with museum quality mat board to ensure long lasting life without fading or discoloration.
Heirloom folios make great gifts and can be easily shared and enjoyed with loved ones. Display on your coffee table or on the book shelf.
As you know I'm a firm believer that your images are not meant to sit on a computer or be stored in a device. In today's ever increasingly digital world, tangible heirlooms have become more important than ever. Your images should be thoughtfully curated and displayed in frames, folios or albums in your home, to be enjoyed and cherished for years to come.
Read MoreBoston means a lot of Kate and Don and they knew that they wanted the city to play a central focus on their wedding day. They chose beautiful St Joseph's Church in Kate's old neighborhood to host their ceremony and the chic Bostonian Hotel in the heart of the city to host their reception. With a view overlooking Quincy Market & Faneuil Hall, it was the perfect backdrop for their very Boston winter wedding.
The day was accented with thoughtful touches like pinecones in Kate's bouquet and gold accents at the reception. A bag piper played as Kate was escorted down the aisle by her father. The wedding party wore shawls and fur stoles. All in all it was the perfect winter wedding.
Kate & Don are two of the sweetest people you will ever meet. They both have smiles that can light up a room and have a way of making you feel like life long friends. Throughout the night friends and loved ones shared some of their favorite memories of this darling couple, but what they continued to come back to again and again is the generous and loving spirit Kate & Don have.
Kate & Don thank you for allowing us to be a part of your beautiful day!! Enjoy some of my favorite images!!
Read MoreThis past summer I had the honor of photographing Molly & Andrew's estate wedding at the Glen Manor House tucked away on the shores of the Sakonnet River. It was a glorious summer day, the perfect backdrop for their blush and cream inspired wedding theme. Molly stunned in her Pronovias gown from Madeleine's Daughter while Andrew and his groomsmen looked handsome and dapper in their light grey suits.
Molly & Andrew chose the Signature Album bound in a light linen fabric, a perfect compliment their summer wedding. I hope that their album is something they can share with family and loved ones for years to come!!
Take a peak inside their album!!
Read MoreThese two brave souls met me on a cold early fall morning for their engagement session at Crane Beach in Ipswich. Crane Beach is one of my favorite places on earth and it was joy to share this special spot with Kirsten & Paul!! We met just as the sun was rising above the horizon and were greeted by an empty beach -- the ocean was still, the sand was smooth, it was a peaceful start to a beautiful engagement session!! Enjoy some of my favorites!!
*I'm secretly-not-so-secretly THRILLED to incorporate several film frames into this blog post -- can you spot which images are film??! Developed and scanned by the Find Film Lab. Photographed with Canon EOS 1V 35mm on Portra 400
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