Andrea and Alex tied the knot on a gorgeous day last fall, with a beautiful Greek Orthodox ceremony at St. Athanasius The Great in Arlington, a quick stop for pictures in Post Office Square, then an elegant reception at the downtown Harvard Club.  Bringing these two families together meant a party that was part Italian, part Greek, and all fun! Plus Andrea and Alex treated us all to a musical performance- I do love to see a woman in a bridal gown wielding a bass – so cool.

I am excited to kick off 2012 by posting a wedding that is very close to my heart.  Paul and I go waay back, and there’s so much I could say about the quality of person that Paul is, but let it be enough for me to say that Missy is no dummy and has chosen herself a Good Man. Their wedding celebration, nicknamed “The Thing,” was held at the Port City Music Hall in Portland, Maine, and was full of humor, music, lifelong friends, and family.  If I tried to tell you about all the details, it would fall flat since you don’t know the story of why it was funny that the guests played “Here Comes the Bride” on kazoos… or why Steve Murphy was the perfect person in all the world to have performed this ceremony.   Or the distances that this rag-tag group of musicians came, physically and metaphorically, to transform the reception into a musical act that was twenty years in the making.  Or why Paul’s sisters toasted him with “Don’t Stop Believin’” – and how Paul can actually hit all those notes that Steve Perry can hit (and play a mean air guitar as well).  And on and on…  Suffice it to say that it was my extreme honor and privilege to document this occasion (and happily there is no evidence of my own turn back on the stage for a cameo appearance).

After a quick first look with Jonathan at home, it was off to the MIT chapel… such a serene and beautiful place to have a wedding ceremony.  A reception at Upstairs on the Square provided a zany contrast in design to the austere beauty of the chapel, and after a fantastic dinner upstairs, the party went back down to the main floor where Denise LaCarubba from DJ Deja spun an amazing dance party!  Thank you, Kathleen and Jonathan, for including me in your day-  I wish you all the best!

*I was thrilled to see that Danielle and Ben had had some prints from their City Hall wedding printed and framed, and that they were proudly on display alongside the photos from their ‘other’ wedding (the bigger affair in Mexico) in their dining room.  I always encourage my clients to think about ways they want to enjoy their photos into the future, and framing a few choice prints is a great way to go.

Rachel and Jeff were married in Provincetown at a time of year that is somewhat well known by the locals, as I learned from Rachel’s dad’s toast, to be somewhat, well, temperamental, meteorologically speaking.  This day proved to be one of those days when the skies remained grey and undecided, but the sea sure knew what it wanted to do!  I was treated to quite a ride over on the ferry- 4-foot swells every few seconds, an hour-long roller coaster ride like no other.  They handed out garbage bags.  Which got used.  Not by me, but let’s just suffice it to say that I felt like I had the full experience just the same.

See that little sign in the window that says “ROUGH SEAS TODAY?” Well I just want to pass along that when they set that jaunty little sign in the window, please take their word for it, and if you have an option about whether to make the journey or not, definitely reconsider!

But I digress.  Despite the grey day, Rachel and Jeff’s colorful (and DIY’d) decorations made a visual splash that was unique and so perfectly suited to their personalities.  The Surf Club, a landmark on the pier, was the backdrop for a beautiful celebration full of love, laughter, and dancing. Rachel and Jeff were utterly in love and the happiness of the occasion spread to every last guest in attendance. All in all I don’t think one person noticed that the weather outside was not exactly what you dream of for a wedding day.  How could they?  They were all having way too much fun.