I love when a wedding has a cohesive theme. Casey and Greg really took it to a whole new level at their vino inspired wedding at the Marriott Long Wharf in Boston.
Casey is from Massachusetts and met Greg down in Florida at UCF where they went to college together. I was so impressed at the level of planning Casey did for what was essentially a destination wedding. Everything was perfect. To make sure that the day was as stress free as possible we padded the schedule with plenty of time for photographs. She also brought in my favorite videographer, Elena Coyne from Luxury Wedding Films. To assist me that day, I had my fantastic second shooters, Shawn Black and Jenn Alton, on deck. With this amazing team by my side I knew everything would go down as smooth as a fine pinot noir.
With the advent of Pinterest, Brides and Grooms have so many creative ideas to pick from. Unfortunately, they don’t detail how much work goes into getting the particular shot. Before the wedding, Casey showed me a few of her favorite Pinterest finds that she wanted to do at her own wedding. Since she mentioned them in advance, we were able to have all the elements necessary to properly execute them. She loved the idea of doing a big reveal with her dad. Seeing a dad see his baby girl all dressed up for her wedding really is a sight to behold. I am so glad we did this! When it came to Greg, Casey didn’t want him to see her in her wedding dress before the ceremony. Instead she wanted them to just exchange letters. So we set up a “big concealed reveal” instead of my typical “big reveal” for them. We blindfolded Greg and had him stand with his back to the door of the bridal suite where Casey was waiting. Greg’s sweet words brought her to tears. Casey’s tears were later returned during their ceremony. As Greg read his vows he got completely choked up. The last shot Casey really wanted was a photo of their first kiss shot taken from behind the couple, instead of the traditional angle in front of them. This makes it so that all their guests are in the photo as well. I explained to Casey that to get this shot, I’d have to come up on the stage with them and be RIGHT behind them. Greg and Casey were down for it, as was their officiant, so we made it happen. Knowing exactly what Casey wanted in advance made it possible.
For their reception, the wine theme was palpable almost everywhere: from the vibrant red uplighting to the place card holders made from wine corks. Even their “guest book” was a set of wine bottles for them to open on certain anniversaries that they encouraged guests to sign with permanent gold sharpie pens. Instead of table numbers, the tables were identified by names of wines like bordeaux or chardonnay. Their wedding favors were wine glasses filled with delish Lindor truffles. Casey and Greg ended their spectacular night with goodbyes from friends and family accompanied by a shower of red rose petals as they exited the Marriott Long Wharf. Awaiting them was a fantastic antique car. With the breathtaking clock tower behind them, Casey’s beaded and lace gown, Greg’s tux, the love between them, and the sweet ride, it felt like something right out of a romantic old Hollywood movie.
The icing on the proverbial wedding cake came when Jenn helped me create this incredible silhouette shot of their wedding rings. Jenn noticed the fabulous silhouette created by the glass in front of the red up-lit bar. I used some dental wax, my tiny steady hands, and a good dose of luck, to get the rings to all sit on top of one another for the shot. I was thrilled with the end result.
WOW!!!!