New England | Brian Wedge Photography Blog

Archive for the 'New England' Category

Carolyn & Ryan: Belle Mer Wedding, Newport, RI

Published by brianwedge on July 1, 2010 in Brian Wedge Photography, Destination Weddings, New England, Weddings and inspiration. 1 Comment

Newport Rhode Island is a pretty spectacular place any time of the year, but on a recent summer Saturday in June, the stars aligned and Carolyn and Ryan were married on one of the most beautiful days in recent memory. Newport Harbor was buzzing with boats of all kinds, and we were lucky enough to be in the middle of it all… on Goat Island at the Belle Mer to document their wedding.

The Belle Mer is an amazing location: private, beautiful and easy!

Carolyn looked incredible in her wedding dress as she got ready in the Belle Mer’s oceanfront Island House.

Ryan gets his boutonniere.

Every detail was gorgeous… from their flowers, to their colors to their invitations.

Not to mention their beautiful rings.

Carolyn and her sister watch as the guests arrive.

From below, Carolyn and her AMAZING bridesmaids sneak a peek at the guests and Ryan as they prepare for the ceremony. ”Go Team Carolyn!”

Carolyn is escorted down the aisle by her parents.

Ryan sees Carolyn in her wedding dress for the very first time.

A dream location, overlooking Newport Harbor.

The ceremonial breaking of the glass!

The big kiss.

So happy to be together! Husband and wife for the first time!

A quiet moment immediately following the ceremony.

With the sun setting, Carolyn looks back at Ryan. Beautiful.

The schooner America sails past Newport Harbor.

A spectacular sunset.

One last photo before the sun went down.

The Belle Mer’s seaside Island House is truly gorgeous overlooking the sea.

The ceremony location just after sunset… as the reception rages on next door in the Island House.

Carolyn and Ryan went with cupcakes instead of wedding cake… which went along perfectly with their beautiful, carefree wedding.

And when I wrote “carefree” I meant “high energy fun” because these guys danced for at least 5 hours straight. They were so much fun to be around, it was hard to stop laughing and smiling. What a great night!

You can email Carolyn & Ryan directly about renting out their wedding party as entertainment… they were THAT good. The guy doing the limbo (while double fisting) had recently delivered one of the most sincere, emotional toasts I’ve ever heard. One hour later, he’s doing the limbo with the bridesmaids.

What a spectacular wedding! What incredible, wonderful people! I felt lucky to be there, and so happy to get to know all your incredible guests! Thank you!

************************************************************************

The COMPLETE photos are all online for you to view and order! To see them, just click to go to:

www.brianwedge.com

Click to visit our Facebook site HERE

************************************************************************

Vendors:

Ceremony and Reception Location: Belle Mer Island House, Goat Island, Newport, RI

Florist: Sayles Livingston

Cup Cakes: Sin Desserts

Stationer: Minted.com

Dress: Paloma Blanca

Groomsmen Ties: Vineyard Vines

Band: The Shine Band

Photographer: Brian Wedge Photography

Share and Enjoy:

Jane & Justin: Nonantum Resort Wedding, Kennebunkport, Maine

Published by brianwedge on June 16, 2010 in Brian Wedge Photography, Life on the coast, Maine, New England, Weddings and maine wedding. 1 Comment

When I woke to the crashing sounds of thunder, and flashes of lightning, I couldn’t help but worry for my wonderful clients Jane and Justin. Though WE are more than happy to photograph weddings in the middle of blizzards and even torrential rain, it’s a bit different when it is YOUR wedding and YOUR big day. As the rain fell all morning, we kept our fingers crossed that the weather would clear.

We arrived at the Nonantum Resort in Kennebunkport Maine just in time to see the sun tentatively peeking out from behind massive storm clouds, and with bated breath… we hoped that the good weather would hold just long enough for Jane and Justin to be married.

In classic form, our friend Tim “Superstar Coordinator” Ames and his amazing team at the Nonantum had everything perfectly prepared for an outdoor wedding… or if need be, an equally beautiful option inside.

With a little bit of luck, the rain held off, and the ceremony began…

The wedding party carried the chuppah to the oceanfront ceremony site.

Jane walked down the aisle with her dad.

Justin saw Jane for the very first time. She looked incredible, and his expression shows it!

Jane’s uncles watch intently, as Jane’s father “gives her away” to Justin.

The rainy weather was gone, just in time for an outside wedding at the Nonantum!

A seagull overseeing the ceremony from it’s perch atop the Nonantum Lighthouse (good eye J-bird!!)

Looking through the shoulders of the groomsmen and her groom, Jane looks so happy!

A common occurrence at a Nonantum wedding, President Bush made a brief appearance aboard his boat.

Trailed by the U.S. Secret Service.

The Big Kiss!!

After walking back down the aisle, they couldn’t help themselves for one more.

If you ever wanted to know the secret to keeping kids entertained during the group photos… just do this with them!

The first dance.

You’ll have to see the complete photos… but lets just say that the cake cutting was not as predictable as you would expect.

Tearing up the dance floor.

Ahhh… the chair dance. Justin wasn’t liking this one so much.

Jane gets a special dance from a friend.

An adorable moment on the dance floor, as Jane’s brother gets a smootch from his wife as their daughter looks on.

Another “adorable” moment…

All in all, we all had incredible luck as the severe weather passed through a few times throughout the day. The guests stayed dry, the party raged on into the wee hours of the night and we were very lucky to be there and document the beauty of their day. Thanks to everyone for being so welcoming and having us. We had a wonderful time!

********************************************************************

View the complete photos online here: www.brianwedge.com

********************************************************************

VENDORS:

Ceremony / Reception Site: The Nonantum Resort, Kennebunkport, ME (Tim Ames coordinating… one of the very best in the business!!)

Flowers: Minott’s Flowers

DJ: DJ Scott Elias (Mixxed Entertainment)

Cake: Anna Gershenson

Invitations: Wedding Paper Divas

Photography: Brian Wedge Photography

Share and Enjoy:

Growing…

Published by brianwedge on April 22, 2010 in Brian Wedge Photography, Destination Weddings, Life With Cancer, Maine, Massachusetts, New England, Photojournalism, Weddings, friends, fun, inspiration and livestrong. 4 Comments

THANK YOU for the emails and the calls making sure everything is going well. YES, things are going quite well; we’ve never been busier or happier, but I admit… the blog has taken a backseat as a result of all our adventures. We have been so swamped with work and creative projects for so long, that we decided to take the time recently to build some new creative alliances and “practice” our craft a bit. During the past few months we have pursued every opportunity to improve, learn and grow. Our time was not used in vain, as we’ve got lots of new photos to share… and stories to tell.

That being said, while we were traveling and shooting far away from the blogosphere, much occurred, and we will try to recap some of it here:

First up… my sister Lea and her husband Billy adopted an adorable baby boy! Henry is absolutely beautiful, and has a remarkably calm energy about him that is just amazing. Though we did miss the cranky-baby 2am diaper changes and feedings, we are quite certain that Henry is either high on baby formula… or just happy to be alive and have parents who adore and appreciate him so much.

Though we only stopped in for a few days during our return from Hawaii, one thing led to another… and of course an impromptu photo shoot occurred that resulted in baby Henry winding up in a salad bowl. Sorry Henry, but you just don’t know where creativity will lead you! Anyway, we wanted the whole world to know how proud we are to have him in our family!

And speaking of growing, I would be remiss if I didn’t mention that we won a few more awards for our photography and we wanted to thank the sponsors for their encouragement and recognition. First up, we managed to sneak out a few awards from the prestigious Wedding Photojournalist Association (WPJA.com) once again. There are some truly incredible photographers that compete in their contests… so we are honored that we had NINE winning images in the past year.

Here are the two latest winners:

This image is from Matt & Ashley’s Hurricane Wedding at The Newagen Inn in Boothbay Harbor, Maine. The photo is a fun grab shot of the bridesmaid being “blown away” in the wind. The great news is that the bridesmaid holding the umbrella (Christine) is engaged to be married & in June we will be in Massachusetts to document their wedding for them! There is no greater honor than to get the opportunity to support the friends of great clients like Matt & Ashley. Don’t worry… we PROMISE… the weather will be better!

Next, from Heidi & Ross’ wedding at The Sebasco Harbor Resort, we won 4th place for dancing… but the true story is that the dancing started about 8 hours earlier, and the award should really be for the consistency and longevity of the dancing. If I remember correctly, this is Heidi’s brother… who started dancing before the ceremony and in my mind is probably dancing wherever he is right now. Congrats!

Last up, our favorite social media guru / Innkeeper Jason Schlosser (from The Newagen Inn in Boothbay Harbor) held a photography contest and self selected our entry because we were out of the country at the time (thanks Jason!!). By popular vote, we were lucky enough to win the contest in 2008, and we never expected that we would again in 2009, but as luck would have it, we did! The prize for winning the contest was a 2 night stay at The Newagen Inn, along with dinner.

In honor of all our good fortune, our great clients, and most of all… our precious new nephew Henry, we’ve decided that we are going to donate our two night stay at The Newagen Inn to raise money for LIVESTRONG and their continued fight on behalf of survivors like my sister in their battle against cancer. More details about the raffle will be coming tomorrow: we’ve got a donation page all setup with LIVESTRONG, and Jason at The Newagen Inn is psyched to host the prizewinner.

So for now, thanks for all the support, love and emails. We love hearing from everyone… and rest assured, we are back!! Spread the word about the contest… more details right here tomorrow!

Share and Enjoy:

Lindsay and Josh: Mount Washington Resort Wedding, Bretton Woods, NH

Published by brianwedge on April 8, 2010 in Brian Wedge Photography, New England, Uncategorized, Weddings, friends and inspiration. 3 Comments

First off, our sincere apologies to all our blog readers for being offline. We been away on numerous, truly incredible photoshoots around the globe and are just now settling back in to our routine back in New England. We’ve got lots to report, and many amazing images to share, but we will save all that for tomorrow; today is all about sharing the wedding story of Lindsay and Josh, who were married on March 20th, at The Omni Mount Washington Resort in Bretton Woods, NH.

Josh and Lindsay were two of the nicest people we’ve ever been lucky enough to work with. They originally met while skiing together, so it was no surprise that they were drawn back to the mountains for their late winter celebration.

With plenty of snow still in the White Mountains they spent the day before their wedding skiing with family and friends, and then partied together until the wee hours of the morning at The Mount Washington Resort. With seemingly boundless energy, they were up early the next morning to prepare for the big day!

To say that Lindsay is beautiful, fun and low maintenance might be the understatement of the year. We met her in the hotel’s spa which is located about 3 stories under ground, and were impressed right away with her energy. After her hair and makeup were absolutely perfect, the last thing we ever expected was for her to forgo the numerous available elevators and just run up the 6 flights of stairs back to her room (while carrying bags, open champagne bottles and a plate of food). We’re in great shape and can run with the best of them… but Lindsay’s energy on her wedding day was electric. I think you can see some of it in the photo above as her bridesmaids look on: she’s radiant!

We later learned that Lindsay and Josh had met while freestyle skiing and quickly fell for each other. There were numerous thoughtful details that made their destination wedding so wonderful: from handmade “Welcome Gift Bags” for their guests, to Josh’s single rose that he sent to Lindsay’s room just before their ceremony… it was all beautiful to see.

Lindsay’s rings.

Descending the stairs to the ceremony!

Three adorable flower girls carried baskets of rose petals.

I know… what energy, right? (Don’t worry Lindsay, there are plenty of other more “refined” shots of you coming down the aisle… but I love this one, because this is truly YOU. So happy, so excited).

The Conservatory at The Mountain Washington Resort.

The big kiss.

So far we haven’t talked much about Josh, but it’s safe to say that if there was ever someone who might possibly keep up with Lindsay’s infectious enthusiasm… it would be Josh.

The bond is real. Their love is obvious. Two people made for one another. It really was beautiful to see.

Remember that infectious enthusiasm? Yeah, here it is (this is NOT me telling them to do this). Josh has either just won the Super Bowl or just married the girl of his dreams…

Surrounded by the snowcapped mountains that is their playground and inspiration… this shot is timeless.

Lindsay’s elegant rose bouquet… just exquisite.

Looking down “The Notch” from the Eastern porch of the Mount Washington Resort.

Lindsay, those binoculars are for checking out the White Mountains… not your man!

Josh couldn’t resist a smootch, and I don’t think Lindsay minded!

All laughs, all smiles.

At the reception, the table cards were actually made of birch branches with the guests names. The tables were all named for Lindsay and Josh’s favorite ski areas.

Their first dance.

A moment of joy between Lindsay and her dad.

Josh’s mom giving him a big hug during their dance together.

Guess who was the life of the party?

Captured only with available light just before the reception ended, this is a tender moment of Josh and Lindsay dancing slowly while the rest of their guests tear up the dance floor.

Lindsay and Josh: Thank you so much for sharing your beautiful wedding day with us! We loved capturing your story, documenting all the emotion and meeting your incredible families (and friends). We can’t wait to hear how your honeymoon in Costa Rica went, and if you hit any of our favorite surf spots! Congratulations on finding each other, it is so obvious to us that you were meant to be together!!

******************************************************************************

Want to see the Lindsay and Josh’s complete wedding photos? Just click here or go to www.brianwedge.com!

******************************************************************************

Share and Enjoy:

Stacey & Drew: Eisenhower House Wedding, Newport, RI

Published by brianwedge on October 28, 2009 in Brian Wedge Photography, Destination Weddings, Massachusetts, New England and Weddings. 2 Comments

StaceyDrew101609-0752-0002

Stacey contacted us by phone last year FULL of excitement and enthusiasm about our photography, her wedding, her fiance and seemingly everything in between. We quickly setup a time to meet, and when she and Drew arrived at our studio I could see that their energy was boundless. They simply popped out of their car smiling and laughing even though they had driven just 2 hours from Boston.

I remember noticing a few things right away: the first was Drew’s towering six foot nine inch height and the second was watching how quickly these two reached for each other’s hands, how close they sat on our big couch and finally how effortlessly they finished each other’s sentences. It was if they had known one another their whole lives.

StaceyDrew101609-0083-0003

When we arrived at Stacey’s Newport, Rhode Island hotel room the weather was pretty awful, and I was worried that Stacey may be concerned about it. There was a full gail blowing, it was raining and there was a raw cold in the air that’s typically reserved for winter. I knew Stacey was a rough and tumble fellow Bowdoin alum (Go U Bears!), but even so, the weather was pretty nasty and she was allowed to freak out on her wedding day. But when I opened the door and saw Stacey’s same big smile, and heard her first joke about the weather, I knew we were going to have a great time regardless of the storms outside.

StaceyDrew101609-0032-0006

It also didn’t take us long to learn that our very first observations had been correct: Stacey and Drew’s relationship is FILLED with laughter, inside jokes and a connection that’s as obvious as it is strong. Drew calls Stacey “Ace” and had sent a dozen roses to her room that morning along with the above note written on an Ace of Hearts card. Creative!

StaceyDrew101609-0072-0001

Stacey and Drew also get an award for being the first of our clients to give out personalized beer coozies at their snazzy Newport wedding. Good to know that they have their priorities straight… hysterical!

StaceyDrew101609-0102-0004

Though the rain had stopped, the wind and cold was impressive. We had arranged to do a few formal shots in front of the (warm) lobby fireplace, but Stacey came down and spotted another bride who was getting ready at the hotel having photos outside. Not to be outdone she quickly marshaled her family/bridesmaids and charged outside. It was FREEZING and incredibly windy. But it was hilarious and she was unstoppable.

StaceyDrew101609-0206-0007

Stacey arrives at St. Lucy’s Church in Middletown, RI with her dad beside her.

StaceyDrew101609-0214-0008

Stacey’s grandmother spots her for the first time. I think the enthusiasm is hereditary!

StaceyDrew101609-0439-0010

Drew’s eyes fill with tears as he listens to a reading.

StaceyDrew101609-0375-0011

Drew leans down to put Stacey’s ring on her finger.

StaceyDrew101609-0409-0015

The kiss!

StaceyDrew101609-0400-0014

Immediately after their kiss they just looked at each other and began giggling. Classic Drew & Stacey!

StaceyDrew101609-0459-0016

Stacey and Drew had each written a letter to each other and saved them to be read aloud for the first time during the ceremony. Not a dry eye in the church.

StaceyDrew101609-0463-0017

Stacey’s bridesmaids react to Drew’s letter being read.

StaceyDrew101609-0485-0018

Finally married, Drew & Stacey pile into the back of their Bentley and are whisked off to the reception.

StaceyDrew101609-0585-0019

And what a reception it was! Despite the wind and cold, they had an amazing, warm, colorful tent setup on the lawn of The Eisenhower House in Fort Adams State Park.

StaceyDrew101609-0614-0020

Drew struts his stuff during the first dance.

StaceyDrew101609-0629-0022

The bridesmaids surround Stacey’s dad as Drew dips his bride.

StaceyDrew101609-0771-0024

One of the most tender moments of the night was Drew leaning down to hug his mom after their dance together. It’s such a genuine, gentle, loving image.

StaceyDrew101609-0792-0025

Ok, enough of the sentimental stuff… these guys know how to party!

StaceyDrew101609-0857-0026

Stacey getting low.

StaceyDrew101609-0872-0027

Getting lower.

StaceyDrew101609-0893-0028

Rocking the beer coozy. Nothing says “elegant, Newport fancy wedding” like a gold beer coozy.

StaceyDrew101609-0898-0029

Then the sunglasses came out.

StaceyDrew101609-0933-0030

Then the mustaches came out (of course!?) Apparently groomsmen ‘staches are a tradition amongst Drew’s friends and they hooked Stacey up with a mustache that would put Tom Selleck’s to shame.

StaceyDrew101609-0937-0032

Classic look on Drew’s face as he reacts to his first kiss from his beautiful bride and her new ‘stache.

StaceyDrew101609-0830-0033

Then the lifts, spins and hernias!

StaceyDrew101609-0967-0035

Amidst all the craziness, all the props, all the dancing, all the horrible weather and the 200+ people… in the center of it all, there were Stacey and Drew lost in each other’s arms. Never far from each other, they were still laughing and still hugging like they were on the very first day I met them.

What an honor it was to be there to support you both and to document your celebration amongst family and friends! Thanks for being so welcoming! We had a blast at your wedding and hope you’re having fun on your honeymoon in Australia!

*********************************************************************

Click here to see Stacey & Drew’s complete wedding photos!

*********************************************************************

Vendors:

Ceremony: St. Lucy’s Church

Reception: Eisenhower House, Fort Adams State Park

Caterer: Plantation Catering

Limo: Newport Limousine

Flowers: Ray’s Flower Shop

Paper: Unique Simchas

Tent: Tents for Rent

Band: Flipside

Cake: Mad Hatter

Photography: Brian Wedge Photography

Share and Enjoy:

Quinn & Chris: The Colony Hotel Wedding, Kennebunkport, Maine

Published by brianwedge on September 22, 2009 in Brian Wedge Photography, New England, Weddings, fun, inspiration and maine wedding. 5 Comments

QuinnChris91209-0024-0001

I wouldn’t wish for it to rain on anyone’s wedding day… but when it does, something truly special happens. Quinn and Chris had a rainy wedding day, and that something “special” came in the form of family and friends who circled the proverbial wagons and hunkered down for an intimate ceremony in the tiny St. Ann’s Church by the sea, and an energized reception at The Colony Hotel in Kennebunkport, Maine. As an observer of numerous wedding celebrations, I was amazed once again by how the entire party were galvanized by the adverse weather. Strangers bonded under umbrellas, friends dodged raindrops together as they ran through puddle filled parking lots and families were linked forever through a day spent laughing and supporting the people they loved the most.

QuinnChris91209-0775-0002

Quinn & Chris couldn’t have been more relaxed about the weather. They had the right perspective: their wedding day was about more than about the clouds or sun… it was all about their union, in that special church Quinn had always loved beside the sea as witnessed by their family and friends.

QuinnChris91209-0037-0003

Their rings in the mail slot of the room where they would spend their wedding night.

QuinnChris91209-0043-0004

Beautiful details found throughout the day.

QuinnChris91209-0059-0005

Quinn’s grandmother reacts to seeing her for the first time.

QuinnChris91209-0112-0007

On the way to the church, Quinn and her dad hold hands in the back of the car.

QuinnChris91209-0140-0008

It was REALLY raining. Quinn’s ever present smile never faltered.

QuinnChris91209-0144-0009

Quinn & her dad walking down the aisle.

QuinnChris91209-0147-0010

St. Ann’s is an intimate and beautiful stone church right on the edge of the ocean.

QuinnChris91209-0174-0011

The timber frame construction at St. Ann’s is truly beautiful.

QuinnChris91209-0187-0012

The exchange of rings.

QuinnChris91209-0225-0013

Husband and Wife!!!

QuinnChris91209-0363-0014

At the end of the long isle, Quinn & Chris.

QuinnChris91209-0371-0015

Made entirely of large beams and stone, St. Ann’s was the perfect sanctuary on such a cold and rainy day.

QuinnChris91209-0397-0016

Beautiful design by “Let Them Eat Cake”

QuinnChris91209-0029-0027

A card left open on a table from Quinn to Chris reads “forever and ever.” A natural background for a photo of their rings.

QuinnChris91209-0741-0017

Back at the Colony Hotel, the floral designs by Blooms & Heirlooms were exquisite.

QuinnChris91209-0543-0018

My favorite moment: Quinn’s grandfather Moe, shares a hilarious and touching poem he wrote.

QuinnChris91209-0641-0019

The band “The Marsels” got the crowd going quickly.

QuinnChris91209-0653-0020

An impromptu twist contest broke out.

QuinnChris91209-0815-0024

The rain kept pouring… but Quinn & Chris wanted some shots outside.

QuinnChris91209-0788-0023

We went to the beach and Quinn just ditched her shoes, and walked around in the rain barefoot.

QuinnChris91209-0798-0025

Beautiful and timeless.

QuinnChris91209-0807-0026

A little rain wasn’t going to stop these two!

Quinn & Chris: What a wonderful celebration! Thank you for having us there! Your wedding was everything we love to photograph: real moments regardless of the wind and rain outside. Thanks for being so much fun… we loved documenting your big day!

*********************************************************************

Want to see the complete set of photos? Just go to www.brianwedge.com or click here.

*********************************************************************

Vendors:

Ceremony: St. Ann’s Episcopal Church, Kennebunkport, Maine

Reception: The Colony Hotel, Kennebunkport, Maine

Florist: Blooms and Heirlooms, Kennebunkport, Maine

Band: The Marsels, Boston, Massachusetts

Cake: Let Them Eat Cake, Kennebunkport, Maine

Dress: Monique Lhuillier / Bride’s Mother’s modified creation

Photography: Brian Wedge Photography

Share and Enjoy: