I Do: Sarah & Adam in Tewksbury, Mass.

Who: Sarah and Adam
What: An elegant evening ceremony followed by a wild night of dancing and drinks into the wee hours of the next morning.
Where: The grand and gracious Tewksbury Country Club.
When: Friday, June 6, 2008 (yes, I realize I am blogging out of order)
How: Makeup by Melissa McFadyen (email me for information, hair at the trendy J. Christopher Haircutters in Andover (MA), ceremony officiated by the couple's longtime family friend and seriously awesome DJing by a friend of the groom's who owns and operates Urban Kinetiks.
Why: Sarah and Adam first met at the age of seven on the shores on Lake Winnipasawkee where their families were vacationing together. Childhood companions, they became summer loves and began dating on-and-off in high school, but without driver's licenses, it was difficult to bridge the divide between their respective Massachusetts's hometowns when they weren't at the lake. Finally, after graduating from college, they began seriously dating and on Friday, June 6, they were married: Just like it was always meant to be.

Sarah had told me in an email before the wedding "We have always considered each other's family as part of our own" but I never could have anticipated the outpouring of joy and love that enveloped the couple on their wedding day. From Sarah's lifelong girlfriends stacked two-to-a-seat as they supported her at the salon to Adam's high school buddies crammed into all corners of the hotel room (some wearing matching t-shirts commemorating the day) as they kept him loose and laughing before the ceremony to the parents of the bride and groom working the wood until after midnight on the dance floor, I was honored to not just be photographing a wedding, but writing the next story in this family's (singular) story.

Sarah getting her makeup done at the salon. I loved the makeup artist's bracelet- it fit perfectly.

Looking through the lens at my brides all day, I start seeing similarities between them and the images we so often see in the media. I was struck by Sarah's likeness to a particular star in this image, though luckily Sarah is much more together (and luckier at love).

Love this image of the line of girls leaving the salon with Sarah and her dress leading the way.

Sarah waiting to get her dress on. I was struck by how calm and confident she was. I guess after two or so decades, you just know.

Final touch-ups.

The bridal suite at the country club had this tall window and Sarah had requested some shots of herself silhouetted within its frames.

Adam's brother and best man gives him a reassuring pat on the back right before Sarah began walking down the aisle. A favorite for certain.

Sarah and her father emerge. Through my long lens, I was able to see the most tender moments between the two. So she could keep her eyes on Adam, her father kept whispering, "Step. Step. Step" everytime she needed to step down the stairs. I also love the guests with their cameras at far left.

The ceremony was held on a charming stone bridge that ran perpendicular to the patio where the guests sat about 200 feet back. It was a challenge during the very short ceremony (under five minutes) to position myself in a way that didn't obstruct the guests' view but the result was beautiful.

A quick look.

The long-awaited first kiss.

And that brief moment directly after, where the couple realizes the magnitude of the moment.

While it is certainly beautiful, the average eye might not see anything extraordinary in this image of the couple walking back down the aisle. But I do. It's common for grooms to fidget with their new wedding ring, as Adam does here. Only problem is that in this case, it's on the wrong hand! During the exchange, Adam held out his right hand and in the moment, Sarah slid it right on there.

Sarah and Adam couldn't keep their eyes off each other.

See.

I usually do not give these sort of treatments to my images, but something about this photo spoke to me in aged sepia. I love that it could be from 1908 or 2008 or 2108.

The beautiful bride. Check out those blues!

Some details from the reception.

In lieu of a traditional favor, Sarah and Adam made a donation on behalf of their guests to cancer research. Beautiful inside and out.





Sharing a laugh during the best man's toast.

This dance floor rocked! And you know there is always that one guy (or gal) who just seems to be every where on the floor. That one who will twirl the groom's mom and then serenade the bride and then breakdance. Here, this was that guy and while he someone sneaked into many of the images from the reception, this is my favorite.

Sarah looked so stunning that none of us noticed she never put on her wedding jewelry. Luckily, she was already wearing diamond studs, so it wasn't like her lobes got too lonely. But about halfway through the reception, she realized the absence of those special accouterments and went upstairs to add them so we could take a few final portraits.


Thank you Jess and Greg for connecting me to Sarah and Adam. Cannot wait to see you all at Leah and Darrell's this weekend!!!