Jess & Joe – Mission Oak Grill Wedding | Newburyport, MA

There are so many beautiful seaside towns in New England, and Newburyport is definitely one of them! Jess & Joe were married in a church ceremony, followed by their reception at Mission Oak Grill. Full of history and charm, you can find lots of small shops, restaurants, and more. There are always fun events happening! It’s a beautiful place to get married too.

With many inns to use as getting ready spots, surrounded by some great intimate event venues, there are options for all couples. Most places are within walking distance of each other as well! We were able to take photos downtown, in the park and on the pier. Multiple locations give your portraits lots of variety, but it’s not always easy to get to more than one place. It’s very easy in Newburyport, as long as the weather is cooperating!

After the photos, we headed to the function room in the upstairs of Mission Oak Grill for their reception. One of my favorite details at the reception was the cake and cookie bar. Jess is a baker and made her own wedding cake! Personal touches are a great addition to any wedding day and I love seeing all the different things my clients create 🙂

Jenn & Rony – Mystic Aquarium Surprise Penguin Proposal

Surprise proposal photography is growing in popularity very quickly these days. Needless to say, my first one was pretty epic! Rony, a past co-worker and long time friend of mine was planning on proposing to his girlfriend Jenn. He had contacted me about it a few times, and we kept in touch as he started to plan. She loves penguins, so he knew that he wanted to incorporate them in some way. He found out that the Mystic Aquarium in Mystic, CT does hands-on penguin encounters. It couldn’t be more perfect!

Once he had the ring, we had our planning meeting to set everything up. I would join their tour group and capture their big moment as it unfolded. Luckily, Jenn had never met or seen me before so it was easy to blend in. At least as well as one can blend in with a giant camera bag and purple hair. It would have made it a lot more difficult if she had! The bonus to capturing their proposal during the penguin encounter, was that I got to participate in that too. It was so much fun and educational. I love animals, so getting to meet and pet a penguin up close was a great addition to an already awesome day.

After the encounter ended, each person got to take a picture with our new friend, BlueBlue. Rony and Jenn were last, and the trainer told them I was there from the marketing department to take some photos. She asked them how long they’d been together, and gave them some facts about penguins pairing up. It was then that Rony asked Jenn to marry him, and of course she said yes!

Thank you to the Mystic Aquarium for being so accommodating and helping us plan this special moment!

Lombardos Wedding | Elizabeth & Bochen

Elizabeth & Bochen’s wedding day began with their ceremony at St Bernadette Church, followed by wedding party photos at War Memorial Park in Bridgewater, and arriving at their reception at Lombardo’s in Randolph, MA.

One fun fact about me, is that I am intrigued by the traditions and customs of other cultures, and love to learn about them. Elizabeth & Bochen’s wedding day was a blending of two families, and two cultures. It was amazing to see everyone coming together to celebrate!

My other favorite part of the day were Elizabeth’s outfit changes. She started out in her stunning wedding gown, and transitioned into a beautiful, dark pink suit. Make sure to scroll all the way to the bottom to see it!

Cruiseport Gloucester Wedding | Tracey & James | Gloucester, Massachusetts

Tracey & James’ big day was my second of the weekend, with their ceremony and reception held at Cruiseport Gloucester. What an awesome way to wrap up the weekend before my birthday! Another upside to weddings at Cruiseport Gloucester is that it’s close to home, and on the beautiful Cape Ann of Massachusetts.

Tracey & James had such a sweet love story, as told by their family and friends. They met through an online video game, Tracey living in Boston and James living on the west coast. It was true love from the moment they got together in person, and decided to make it forever! James moved to Boston to be with Tracey, her son, and her parents. You could easily see how well they blended as a family and how much love they all shared!

New HLP Referral Program | Beverly Massachusetts Photographer

Who wants FREE MONEY!!

Ok, now that I have your attention, check out the new HLP Referral Program! I will be giving actual gift cards to anyone who refers a booking client for portraits or weddings, and the client gets one as well! Referrers and clients can also opt for credit toward their bookings. There’s no limit to the amount of referrals you can earn! I’m thinking Visa or Amazon gift cards, but I’m open to other suggestions as well.

Here’s how it works:

$25 gift card or $50 HLP credit for a completed portrait session
$50 gift card or $100 HLP credit for contracted wedding bookings

The fine print:
Gift cards for portraits will be issued to the referring party and client upon completion and delivery of the session. Gift cards for weddings will be issued referring party and client following a successful booking (signed contract and paid retainer). HLP Credits may be accrued with multiple referrals, and can be applied to final balances or prints and products.

Visit the contact page to send any questions or to start booking your session or event!

Cruiseport Gloucester Wedding, Gloucester, Massachusetts – Tara & Mike

Tara and Mike’s Cruiseport Gloucester wedding was the first of a double header wedding weekend, and my birthday weekend! The next day, I shot another wedding at Cruiseport Gloucester as well! Tara and Mike came to me through a referral from one of my 2015 brides. Juliana & Jim were in their wedding party, and Tara & Mike had been their honor attendants in their small wedding the year before. Referrals are wonderful because you get to see familiar faces and celebrate multiple events with the same families and friends. It definitely makes you feel like a friend, and not just another vendor.

The bride and groom both got ready at the Rockport Inn & Suites in Rockport, MA, with their ceremony at the Sacred Heart Church in Manchester By the Sea. After a stop at Stage Fort Park in Gloucester for portraits, we headed to Cruiseport Gloucester for their reception. I had a great time celebrating with Tara and Mike, and their family and friends!

Island Country Club Wedding – Marcie & Andrew | Stonington Maine

Marcie & Andrew’s wedding at the Island Country Club in Stonington, Maine was a bit of a special one since Andrew is my brother in law! They chose an intimate wedding day to blend their family together with their children, surrounded by close family and friends. Stonington Country Club is situated on the island of Stonington in Maine.

After the ceremony and reception, they wanted some beach photos. I was very pleasantly surprised when we arrived, and the beach was surrounded by what looked like an enchanted forest. It’s what fairy tale photos are made of! The light was fading fast, but we managed to get some amazing and fantastical portraits 🙂

If you’re looking for a beautiful vacation spot to get away from it all, this would be it, and not just because of the complete lack of cell service 😉 I’d love to visit again when I’m not on the job!

Hyatt Regency Boston Harbor Wedding – Boston, MA | Dawn & Ryan | Boston Wedding Photographer

I always enjoy trips into the city, but finding parking, and getting between multiple venues can be hectic and time consuming. At the Hyatt Regency Boston Harbor, you get the most amazing Boston city views without the stress of parking and transportation! The Hyatt Regency Boston Harbor is actually located at Boston Logan Airport, which makes things easy for family and friends traveling from far away. With multiple ballrooms and event spaces to choose from, they can accommodate all sizes of guest lists.

Dawn & Ryan both got ready in the rooms overlooking the city, had a wonderful outdoor ceremony right on the harbor, and the reception was held in the outdoor tent. Guests danced the night away to a live band, and ate a proper New England lobster dinner (except me, I hate seafood…I’m a bad Bostonian!).

Ipswich Country Club Wedding – Ipswich, MA | Jamie & John

I always love working local, and the Ipswich Country Club is no exception! Only a few minutes from where I live, the Ipswich Country Club is set inside a private community on beautiful grounds. If you’re looking for a place to have a private, intimate ceremony, look no further!

Jamie & John blended their family with John’s son, surrounded by family and friends on a beautiful spring day. I love the spring because all of the flowers and colors are starting to pop after a long, gray winter. It’s also just before the weather gets hot! After a sweet ceremony, we headed inside where the party never stopped. It’s always a good time when your bride and groom are both law enforcement and walk into their party handcuffed together 😉

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Boston College Church of St. Ignatius and Union Club of Boston Wedding | Boston, Massachusetts | Kerry & Ryan

Kerry & Ryan’s beautiful ceremony was held at the beautiful Church of St. Ignatius on the Boston College campus, followed by their reception at the Union Club of Boston overlooking the city. It was the perfect, elegant Boston wedding day! If you’re looking for a venue where you can have multiple spaces to change up the flow of your day, the Union Club is the place! I got quite the stair workout that day too 🙂 There are elevators of course if needed. They have many rooms for photos, as well as event spaces to keep your guests entertained!