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Martha & Michael :: Castle Hill, Newport RI

March 1st, 2012 | Fashion and Editiorial, Spotted on the Web, Weddings

Classic elegance in Newport at Castle Hill was an EASY style to design for Martha and Mike.. and the bonus of an amazing color palette landed them as a BEAUTIFUL 4 page Feature Wedding in Bliss Celebrations Guide magazine, released last week! How could Bliss resist this sweetness!?! Take a peak and look for Bliss on stands now! {PS we’ve got some in studio too!}

The rain had already started as I drove to Newport to capture pre-bridal…but there were little openings in the sky giving us hope that perhaps it would all clear up..

Q. What was your favorite moment or aspect of the day?

Martha. When the weather parted for the outdoor ceremony. Walking down the aisle with my dad. Getting texts from Mike before the ceremony. Dancing ALL night long.

Q. Finish this sentence: “One thing I learned from my wedding planning…”

Martha. Sweat the small stuff. Details count.

ok.. so Mike.. Mike’s excitement throughout the day was the best thing to watch!! & capture! .. I can only imagine how giddy he was when Martha said yes to his surprise proposal… “Mike proposed to me on December 28, 2010. I had no idea he was going to propose but I had always hoped it would be before the year ended. We had just spent the Christmas holiday with my family in Newport and we decided to take a small trip to Mohegan Sun for a couple days- rest and relaxation. After an amazing day and the gym and spa, we headed to the black jack table. As we were playing an older woman behind us dropped a glass and it shattered. Mike yelled out “Mazel Tov!” and he and the woman chuckled and exchanged a few “How did you know I was Jewish?” laughs. After blackjack we went to dinner at Bar Americain (Bobby Flay). Mike is well aware of my love for food (I am now a chef in Hartford) so he knew this was a good restaurant pick. We were seated at a large round table and just after we ordered and tasted our first sip of wine, Mike says, :Martha, can I ask you a question…” to which I respond, “yes”. He then said, “Will you marry me?”. I must have looked stunned because he said, “I am serious, I have a ring!”. He showed me the ring under the table and I almost died. I forgot to respond (despite having prepared my response for about 6 months) and just hugged him! He of course said, “so…well…what do you think?” and I of course said “YES!!!!!”.

After a few minutes of kissing and hugging and smiling/laughing, it just so happened that the Jewish woman that broke the glass walked by (note the casino is quite large so this chance walk by was a surprise) and said to Mike “The mazel tov gave me luck! I just won $1000!”. Mike then said, “it brought me luck too! I just got engaged!!”. We all toasted and had a drink together. It was awesome.”

Q. The Flowers

Martha. Stoneblossom Floral Design {Stoneblossom has a lovely feature on this event too!}
Bride- all white roases with feather whisps in bouquet
Groomsmen- orange gardne roses with chocolate fiddlehead
Bridesmaids- white and subtle orange rose bouquets

Center pieces (amazing!): pewter vases on long tuscan head table with tall mercury candles scattered throughout table. Vases will filled with large arrangements of ivory and orange (lots of macora orchids…my favorite). Round tables were either decorated with all ivory or all orange. FLowers were set in beautiful mercury and pewter vases. Candles throughout.

Q. The Bride Wore.

Martha. Jim Hjelm: ivory V neck dress (lace and satin) with an open back
Kate Spade: ivory peep toe heels
Veil for ceremony
Feather fascinator in hair for reception

Q. Entertainment

Martha. Lisa Love Experience (voted Best Band in Boston 2011): this band truly made the wedding. ALL of our guests danced all night, including my 92 year old great aunt who had 15 stitches in her foot!

Q. What made your event UNIQUE

Martha. We only invited our closest friends and family and therefore were able to keep our #s under 100. This was the perfect size for our wedding. The setting, the band and the food were all amazing. The fact that the rain stopped four our ceremony to be held outside was a miracle. I made 300 french macarons from scratch{Martha by the way is a chef!!} that were on the dessert table for all of our guests, late night snack of McDonalds and orange soda.

Q. Lastly, if there was 1 magazine you could dream of being featured in, what magazine would that be and why?

Martha. Bliss Magazine (love the layout and how they feature weddings)

..well that dream feature certainly came true! Congratulations Martha & Mike!!

Vendor List

Rabbi: Lev Baesh
Stoneblossom
NE Invitations
Bridal Finery
Alagria Salon (Mariana and Kelly)
The Lisa Love Experience

.. a fun note from Martha! “We absolutely adore Kristin and did from the day we met her. Kristin really fit the bill for us in many ways- super creative, down to earth, young and fun, smart (helped us make the decision to have our wedding outside, despite the “chance of showers”!) and caring. She took time to get to know us and what we wanted for our wedding- well beyond just being the photographer. If it weren’t for Kristin we would not have met so many other fabulous vendors that helped us on our day.”

Thank you Martha.. xoxo I’ll miss the planning with you this season!!!

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Nicole & Aaron :: Belle Mer, Newport RI

February 28th, 2012 | Fashion and Editiorial, Weddings

Well it was no surprise when Nicole & Aaron’s wedding was picked up as a Feature in Bliss Celebrations Magazines latest issue, released this past week! {It’s such a sweet layout too LOVED IT! .. I’ll post teasers later this week!} ..and what was the inspiration behind this fashion forward wedding that made it such an easy Feature?! …nicole wrote ” Well, Aaron and I decided on yellow and grey for colors pretty early on. But I think the real inspiration for the whole look of the wedding came from a casual day shopping in Santa Monica. I wandered into a little boutique that sells Missoni Home. There were these fabulous throw pillows in their iconic zig zag pattern….and I fell in love. I went home and googled chevron stripes and the rest is history:) We also have some moroccan lanterns at home and decided we wanted to tie those in as well.”

As Nicole is a Fashion Buyer it’s only fitting that she be such a fashionable bride.. and what DID she wear?!

Nicole. Vera Wang wedding gown, Jovani{party dress}, Badgley Mischka shoes, Erin Cole Couture {belt} and amazing earrings BHLDN.

Q. The Flowers..

Nicole. The flowers {Flowers by Semia} turned out being one of our favorite parts of the day! It all started when they took my bouquet to me as I was getting ready…..Semia created a Glamelia bouquet for me (she wires single petals together to create the look of one huge flower….and she even incorporated the billy balls into it by placing them in the middle! I was in love. Semia and her team also built an arch at the ceremony site using branches and orchids…it was perfect. But the real wow…that was the reception. She took my breath away! The slate garden centerpieces were so creative and really popped against the white of Belle Mer. She used so many different kinds of yellow flowers…they were so awesome and unique. For the place card table, she used 6 large cylinder vases in different heights and used huge bouquets of different yellow flowers at the top. Stunning!!!! I loved loved loved my flowers.

Q. Finish this sentence: “One thing I learned from my wedding planning…”

Nicole. “…is that there are so many great places to gain inspiration and get ideas. There is no excuse for a cookie cutter wedding nowadays. You truly can create an event that is unique to YOU as a couple”

Q. The Wedding Cake

Nicole. The wedding cake was amazing. Maureen at Something Different Cake Couture made the perfect cake based on our colors and decor. We spoke multiple times throughout the planning process and she changed her design a few times based on decisions we had made regarding decor. She created a 3 tier square cake…white with grey chevron stripes on the bottom tier. She found a square white pedestal stand to add to the modern look, and even worked with Semia to tie in the flowers. The result was a work of art that really added to the whole look of the reception. And of course…it was DELICIOUS!

Q. The Reception

Nicole. The reception turned out exactly how Aaron and I wanted..it was a huge party. People didnt leave the dancefloor all night…and everytime I stopped to look around (which I made sure I did throughout the night) everyone was smiling and laughing.
The decor was also exactly as we planned. From the moroccan lanterns to the chevron striped throw pillows in the lounge area….PDR Events and Belle Mer pulled everything together so perfectly!  We had so much fun!! DJ Michael Mancini – RI Star DJ Michael did a great job keeping everyone on the dance floor. I knew the night was a success when I realized I was dancing with my 81 year old grandmother to Rump Shaker and the entire dancefloor was full.

Q. What was your favorite moment or aspect of the day?

Nicole. As we were saying our vows, the sun broke through the light fog….it was a moment we will never forget.

Q. What made your event UNIQUE

Nicole. Well….we did have a dancing panda at our wedding. Thats pretty unique:)

Vendor List.

Belle Mer, Newport, RI
Pamela D’Orsi Ryan at PDR Events
New England Invitations
Flowers by Semia
Something Different Cake Couture
DJ Michael Mancini
Golden Scroll Soloists
Pixelimpress on Etsy {menu/escort cards}
Scribe
Spectrum Makeup
Mystique Salon

a note from Nicole…

“Kristin and Jared,
Thank you so much for being there to capture our day! Your style is so natural…yet you somehow take these beautiful moments and make them even more beautiful! Throughout the past year, as I was following your blog, I would often times find myself smiling while looking at the photos. I didnt personally know the people in them, but I could tell they were so happy and in love. Nothing looks posed…ever. You are so talented it was such a pleasure meeting you and getting to work with you!”

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Aubrey & Joe :: Oceancliff Resort Newport, RI

February 23rd, 2012 | Weddings

Love this piece of perfect advise from Aubrey ” …no matter how much you plan, you need to roll with the punches and have fun because you will never plan for everything! I am the most OCD perfectionist on the face of the planet and literally planned every last detail of my wedding…and then a hurricane came. All I could was laugh and enjoy my “hurricane wedding”!” Given the insane weather and all the weddings cancelled and venues closed .. Aubrey was one of the coolest, most calm .. and glamourous brides.. and I’m beyond thrilled that we were there to capture it all!!

For those wondering who designed this STUNNING gown it’s …. “A Monique Lhuillier corset and skirt entitled “Magical” with a floor length Italian silk and satin veil, a crystal pin in her hair from Bridal Finery and ivory peeptoe Jimmy Choos. Diamond chandelier earrings and a diamond and platinum bracelet.”

Considering there was a Hurricane going on Aubrey really couldn’t have been more calm .. and so graceful!! Even when asked to be interviewed by a CNN TV crew waiting outside the hotel … now there’s a first! While many weddings and venues were closed and cancelled due to the coast guard closing down Newport.. Aubrey was one of the lucky few who STILL married!! YAY! Nothing was stopping this couple from getting hitched lol!

Q. What made your event UNIQUE

Aubrey. As much as I hate to say it, the most unique thing about the wedding is the fact that it took place during a hurricane at oceanside resort. It is a minor miracle that it even took place, but a huge miracle that almost all of our guests still came and had fun!

Aside from that, our wedding had a lot of different moving parts, all personal to us and our guests. We really wanted the wedding to be “us” and to convey and sense of family and home, but still be fabulous.

We started this off by putting a diamond and platinum brooch of my grbamdother’s on my bouquet. Then inside the ceremony, we had a guestbook that included pictures of us with our every one of our guests over the years. We included engagement pictures scattered throughout the rooms at OceanCliff. Our sweetheart linen was made out of my grandmother’s wedding gown. Our table names were an ode to our profession, all legal terms, as we are both lawyers. We had frames made for all of our guests for their photobooth pictures and finally, in an ode to our Italian heritage we finished dessert with mini canollis and our guests took home Italian wedding cookies.

Q. The Flowers

Aubrey. Every one of our guests commented that the flowers were the most phenomenal part of the wedding. Our flowers were from Flowers by Semia. The flowers followed along with our two color schemes. Semia made two full gorgeous pieces in the reds, pinks and purples for the church, complete with feathers coming out of the top, which were phenomenally gorgeous. The bridesmaids carried bouquets of the same color scheme and then groomsmen had boutonnieres to match. I carried a huge (and heavy!) bouquet full of ivory colored flowers.

Once we entered the rooms outside the ballroom at OceanCliff, there were flowers everywhere in the aubergine color scheme! We had glass vases with flowers engulfed in water and crystals at the bottom, along with floating candles. The placecard table was truly spectacular with dozens of vases full of one type of flower engulfing the entire table. In fact, our wedding planner commented that she could barely get the placecards on, there were so many gorgeous flowers!

Finally, in the ballroom, Semia had three types of flowers arrangements, both highs and lows, all dripping with crystals and absolutely stunning in the ivories and blushes with very little greenery.

Q. The Wedding Cake

Aubrey. The wedding cake was done by Ana Parzych in Connecticut and is being featured in a book being made about her cakes.
The cake was inspired by the wedding flowers and the bride’s dress. It consisted of 5 round tiers plus the top tier, which was gluten free for the bride. The fondant cake covering was ivory tinted to match the bride’s dress, and the decoration on the sides was a mix of two techniques, fondant flowers/buds appliques, vines and leaves, and also some very delicate piped scrolls and vines; which was also inspired by the bride’s dress. The fondant flowers appliques were painted with gold pearl dust (pearl color with a subtle gold sheen). Some of the piped details will have a minimal touch of gold.
The cake was covered on top and the bottom in sugar flowers made to match the table centerpieces. Garden roses, dahlias, freesias, hydrangeas, etc. in mostly creams and some blush colors; full blown, semi-open, and buds.

For flavors, the cake consisted of: Dark chocolate cake with 2 layers of Dulce de leche and 1 layer of Bittersweet Ganache and White Tahitian Vanilla with 2 layers of Strawberry Mousseline and 2 layers of Vanilla Mousse-line.

Q. Rentals / Linens / Lighting

Aubrey. Our most special and gorgeous linen was for the sweetheart table, which was made out of the bride’s deceased grandmother’s wedding gown, which she wore back in the 1930s. It came out absolutely stunning! We are looking forward to using it at all family weddings. It was made by Inez Dunne.

We got all of our remaining rental items from Rentals Unlimited and Ormonde Productions. From Rentals Unlimited, for the cocktail hour, we chose amethyst twilight satin for the bars and the high and low cocktail tables. For the ballroom, we chose gold colored crushed taffeta linens for all the guest tables, complimented by shell bengaline napkins. For the table settings, we selected gold beaded glass chargers, which contained our round menus outlined in gold with gold embossed writing, as well as gold rimmed water goblets and a gold rimmed bread and butter dish. Finally, we changed the darker colored seat covers to a shell bengaline.
Ormonde Productions did the uplighting for the event. The lighting started off as an amber glow during dinner and then changed to a fun fuchsia color during dancing. They also draped the back wall of OceanCliff and lit that, giving the whole room an amazing look.

Q. What was your favorite moment or aspect of the day?

Aubrey. Probably our first dance, because even though we are not great dancers, it was fun to just have that moment- looking at each other, looking at everything around us that was so beautiful, seeing all of our friends and family- it was awesome. It was an intimate moment and only the two of us knew how that moment felt after all the planning, the hurricane, etc.

Q. What was your inspiration behind your wedding? Can be anything from a color palette to a location, from a memory to a dress/bouquet/shoes…anything! What motivated you and most influenced your decisions?

Aubrey. Once I picked my dress, I knew exactly what kind of a wedding I wanted to have. The dress was glamorous, yet elegant and that is what we planned the rest of the decor around. I thought that I needed a day/ night that was worthy of wearing Monique to!

…and in the end.. Aubrey & Joe’s wedding was ended an hour early as the Coast Guard came in and closed the Hotel at 11pm evacuating guests.. what an exciting day!!

Vendor List

Pamela D’Orsi Ryan, PDR Events
Flowers by Semia
Rentals Unlimited
Lighting and Draping- Ormonde Productions
Matty B. Productions & Marchelle Jacques
Newport Wedding Trolley
R.I. Photobooths
Souvenir Avanti
Ana Parzych Custom Cakes
Infinity Video Productions
Monique Lhuillier, Kleinfeld Bridal
Glory Revelry Invitation Studios
Creative Custom Card Boxes

A note from the bride.. ” Kristin was phenomenal. She is a super talented photographer as evidenced by our gorgeous engagement photos and the wedding photos I have received. On top of that, she is extremely responsive, available to give advice, etc. I highly, highly recommend her. She actually managed to get outside pictures of us right before a hurricane and remained cool, calm and collected throughout the entire thing. She was worth ten times what we paid her.”

aww THANK YOU AUBREY!!! .. I’ll see you this saturday for your Album Design Session!! Can’t WAIT! xoxo – kristin s.

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Rebecca & Arthur :: Oceancliff Resort, Newport RI

February 20th, 2012 | Weddings

You may recall Rebecca’s recent feature on Style Me Pretty .. but I HAD to post for myself too! I adored her style and the day was just a breeze to shoot with their personalities and NUMEROUS details.. enjoy!

Just a quick NOTE here…you see this lovely little stylist  pop up in several blog entries over the years & she herself will be featured on the blog in the coming weeks too,as we captured Jennifer G’s wedding back in May ’11 as well!!

Q. What made your event UNIQUE

Rebecca. Our goal was to throw a fun and beautiful celebration that truly represented us as a couple and most importantly, fit within our budget. Artie and I were paying for the wedding ourselves and while Artie wanted nothing more than to give me the wedding of my dreams, we both agreed we wanted to start our life together on the right foot by making smart financial decisions. Most people we have spoken to have been surprised at how many ways we were able to save money by combining an element of DIY with help of professionals to create a more affordable version of what we were trying to achieve. A perfect example are our menus. They were round black menus with white script. Initially, I reached out to someone in the wedding industry to help me but when I received the pricing, I realized I would need to find another route. I went online and found a calligrapher who was willing to design a sample and then help me digitize the file. From there, I sent the file to an online printer which was very affordable. Only problem was that they couldn’t do a round cut within my budget so I ordered a regular cut and then purchased a circle cutter. Sure, it cost me hours of sleep but I actually loved the DIY projects and it made the process that much more memorable. When else will I see my now husband helping me with arts and crafts?

We also put a lot of time and effort into our dessert and candy bar. Artie and I both have a big sweet tooth so we wanted to have items we loved and could share with everyone. One of our favorite dessert places in New York City is Momofuku Milk Bar, so we ordered their famous truffles. We also love cupcakes and cookies so we had a huge display of various flavors. Design wise, I wanted to keep the set up to look modern so we found mirrors and lucite trays which we thought would be an interesting touch.

Q. Finish this sentence: “One thing I learned from my wedding planning…”

Rebecca. go with your gut. If you meet a vendor you like, go with it and trust them. And, likewise, if you meet one you have a bad feeling about, find someone else!

Q. What was your inspiration behind your wedding? Can be anything from a color palette to a location, from a memory to a dress/bouquet/shoes…anything! What motivated you and most influenced your decisions?

Rebecca. I scanned dozens of bridal magazines looking for inspiration but ended up finding my inspiration in a bit of an odd place – a dressing room! While I was bridesmaid dress shopping at Jcrew, one thing that really caught my eye was the room we were sitting in. It was was warm and traditional like our venue but also felt modern.

I took photos of the dressing room and used the images as my inspiration. We didn’t follow the exact look but looked to the decor as guidance. The dressing room brought in crystal and gold to make a modern feel. Similarly, we brought in black, white and pewter to complement the warmer tones of the venue.

Q. What was your favorite moment or aspect of the day?

Rebecca. Since our wedding, Artie and I have spoken a lot about the special day and what really stuck out in our minds as the best moment. One thing that we both agreed was really special was seeing our families come together on the dance floor and let loose. Neither of us had ever seen our fathers really dance and not only did we see them tear up the dance floor, we saw them dancing with a huge smile on their face. It was amazing and such a great memory.

Vendor List

OceanCliff Hotel, Newport, Rhode Island

Robert Charles Wedding Films

Stoneblossom Floral & Event Design

Victor from PartyTime

Momofuko (New York) , Cupcake Charlie , Fatulli’s

Sukado Trio

Rentals Unlimited

From Rebecca.. “Kristin Spencer was our absolute favorite vendor to work with and one I’d recommend to anyone looking for not only a talented photographer but one that can put you at ease. Both my husband and I are very type-A New Yorkers and  Kristin was always very responsive and treated us as if we were her only client. Pretty amazing because I’m pretty sure she has hundreds and hundreds of brides. Kristin was also way more than a photographer–she guided us through the entire process providing vendor selections and even an ear when we needed to vent :) When we hit a bump in our planning, Kristin was our first contact because she is a true wedding professional and could provide great guidance. Thanks, Kristin!!”

Thank you Rebecca.. I LOVED LOVED LOVED being a part of the entire adventure of planning and the day of! Congratulations to you and Artie!!! xox Kristin S.

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Kimberly & Christopher :: Belle Mer Newport, RI

February 18th, 2012 | Weddings

What was the inspiration for this chic Belle Mer event {7.15.11}  ”My inspiration mainly came from the Belle Mer itself. The all white modern chic rooms and cascading chiffon drapery overlooking the water and Newport Bridge made it easy for me to know exactly what I wanted…” and from this this elegant white event came together while planning from Russia!

Q. How they met

Kimberly. We were lucky enough to meet over 10 years ago at ice hockey camp! Both of us were 14 years old!

Q. The Proposal

Kimberly. Chris was playing professional ice hockey in Russia this past fall. I had to wait 2 months until I could move with him and finally in late September we were reunited. Three days later he surprised me with a beautiful ring and an intimate proposal after his hockey practice! It was just us, and it was perfect.

Q. Finish this sentence: “One thing I learned from my wedding planning…”

Kmiberly. Our priest gave us the most valuable advice from the beginning: your wedding is one day, your marriage is forever. I was also advised from the beginning to take in every moment from the planning, to the Bridal Shower, to the wedding day and I am so thankful for that advice because it all goes by so fast!

Q. The Bride Wore

Kimberly. Gown – Romona Keveza,Veil – Priscilla of Boston Veil – *35 years old, worn previously by her Mother! Pearl and diamond drop earrings from Long’s Jewelers – Borrowed from her Groom’s mother (now mother-in-law!)

Q. The Floral Designs

Kimberly. Stoneblossom’s was the first floral company I found online and I instantly fell in love with Joyce Holland’s work! And she literally surpassed all my expectations. I told her at our first meeting I knew I wanted all white flowers, a mix of high and low centerpieces, candlelight throughout the dining room and a breathtaking wishing tree at the entrance. I didn’t know anything about flowers but she took me through each and every detail and went above and beyond at the ceremony and at the Belle Mer.

The high centerpieces were an abundant mix of gorgeous and lush spheres of hydrangea’s and roses with draping crystals within fabulous tall vases. The low centerpieces were designed with a beautiful arrangement of hydrangea’s and gorgeous summer roses. On the tables lining the cocktail area, a trio of Stoneblossom’s tall candleholders of three assorted heights were designed with floating candlelight.

I had 2 beautiful large floral arrangements elevated in beautiful vases with all shades of white flowers at the church alter and afterwards they were brought to the Belle Mer and placed at our head table. All my pew flowers, also white and ivory were wrapped in ivory satin ribbon and later used on top of the cocktail tables. I felt strongly that no flowers were being thrown out and I was amazed that I was able to re-use everyone of them!

For the Belle Mer entrance I had always dreamed of having an all white large Wishing Tree, drenched in crystals and diamonds. Instead of a traditional guest book, we had the guests write us a wedding and life Wish, to then hang on our manzanita tree! (We are going to wait until our First Wedding anniversary to read the wishes!)

Vendor List

Belle Mer – Longwood Events
Stoneblossom
Mike Amado, Entertainment Specialists
Fresh Focus Productions
Charlie’s Cupcakes, Newport, RI
Caitlin Murphy, Stylist, Boston, MA
Viking Trolleys of Newport
41 North, Newport, RI
Hyatt Hotel, Newport, RI

Kimberly.. “I just feel so blessed to have had such amazing vendors throughout our wedding day! We had the most incredible day and it truly surpassed our expectations!”

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Kristen & Douglas :: Cohasset Country Club, Cohasset Ma

February 16th, 2012 | Weddings

Oh another BEAUTIFUL summer wedding with the talented Donna Kim, The Perfect Details! Phenomenal tent decor.. beautiful contrasting Fuchsia & Navy theme.. take a peak!

Vendor List.

Ormonde Productions

Floral Design Gayle S. Dignam
Cohasset Golf Club
Dave Navola – DJ
Donna Kim, Perfect Details

Dessert Works


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Kara & Sergio :: The Renaissance Providence, RI

February 14th, 2012 | Weddings

For Kara’s love of “BLING” I selected her as our 2nd {Double FEATURE Day} Valentine’s Day blog entry .. themes of Peacock Blue/Gold/Gem Colors, Peacock Feathers, ”Bling” … oh la la {remember Krista & Dan’s post last week?  This is Krista’s sister!} .. not to mention we have a Donna Kim, The Perfect Details, day going on here featuring 2 of HER incredible clients events!

Q. What made your event UNIQUE

Kara. My Wedding Vendors: Each brought their specific talent to the whole design element of the wedding.
I tried to incorporate as well both of our specific heritages. Sergio is 100% italian, parents from Italy. My mom is Italian but my dad is Lebanese. I tried to incorporate some italian customs and lebanese customs. From the music to the food. The Overall Decor of the Wedding: Flowers, Lighting, Lots of little details everywhere.

Q. The Bride Wore

Kara. Dress-Monique Lhuillier
Veil- Elie Saab
Shoes- Jimmy Choo
Brial Hair Piece and earings-Bridal Finery, East Greenwich RI
Bracelet- L’elite Bridal Boutique

Q. Finish this sentence: “One thing I learned from my wedding planning…”

Kara. Start Early. Do not save everything for the last minute. I tried to do a little at a time. I would HIGHLY recommend having a wedding coordinator if possible! Donna Kim and her Perfect Details team truly helped me more than they can imagine! It is imperative to stay ORGANIZED!!!! AND REMEMBER MOST IMPORTANTLY……HAVE FUN!!!!! :)

Q. What was your inspiration behind your wedding?

Kara. Flipping through magazines such as Grace Ormonde, Bliss Celebrations, The Knot,etc…. I would just see so many gorgeous weddings and be like WOW, I want mine to have that “wow” factor. I love sparkle and “bling”, so I would say that definitely influenced a lot of my decisions.

Q. What was your favorite moment or aspect of the day?

Kara. Walking down the aisle and seeing Sergio for the first time. I will never forget that look on his face for as long as I live. I know that he feels the same about me as well! We would also have to say, walking into the room for the first time that night and being introduced as husband and wife! We both were at a loss of words! It was the most incredible feeling to be surrounded by all the people you love in the world and realizing that they are all here to celebrate you! We were also at a loss of words for just how gorgeous the room looked! It truly took our breath away!!!

Vendor List.

From Kara…”Kristin and Jared,

We honestly do not know how to thank you for everything you did for us on our wedding day! You both were AMAZING!!! You make taking pictures FUN!!!! You made us feel at ease!!!! You are both the epitome of what wedding photographers should be! So professional and easy to get along with!!! We LOVED hanging out with both of you! You truly captured every moment of the most important day in our lives, and we are beyond grateful! We will HIGHLY recommend you to all our friends and family! We were so LUCKY to have you both be a part of our special day!

Again Thank You!
Love Always,
Kara and Sergio XOXO”

Kara … I feel lucky to have been with you to see your excitement unfold through this process!! You and Krista need another sister lol  XOXO – Kristin S.

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Robin & Shane :: Belle Mer, Newport RI

February 14th, 2012 | Weddings

We’re showing DOUBLE the LOVE today in honor of Valentine’s Day!! Twice the blogging, twice the beauty.. twice the FUN!! When trying to pin-point 2 events for a Valentine’s Day double feature.. Robin & Shane were the 1st to pop in my head remembering their PINK event!! We can’t have Valentine’s Day without some splashes of pinks, reds, and maybe cotton candy too??

Q. HOW WE MET

Robin. Shane and I met back in 2001 in Orlando, FL while working at the Virgin Megastore in downtown Disney World. He was actually my manager! He says that the minute the elevator doors opened and I was standing there, he thought I was “stellar” and knew right then and there I was the one. I saw him and it was like a magnet…I felt this pull that I had never felt before, and I was just inexplicably drawn to him. I knew instantly that I would know him forever in some way, little did I know how true that would become.

One day the phone at my register started to ring, I picked up and it was Shane. He was so nervous and he asked if I’d like to hang out sometime. I said sure, and we went to Universal Orlando’s Citywalk. From that point on, we became instant friends, hanging out nearly every night for weeks before we started dating…we pretty much haven’t been apart since :)

Q. Colors / Themes of the day

Robin. We really wanted to keep the look classic, timeless, and romantic, but also glamorous and fun! These colors really helped to accomplish that. We kept the ceremony area all black and white, and in the cocktail area started to incorporate little hints of pink here and there. The reception area was full of different shades of pink.

When I first met Shane, I felt like he was in color and everyone around him was in black and white…this is how I wanted our reception area to feel…that until that point, everything was black and white….and then the curtains are drawn, and color is everywhere…like the happiness and love I felt in my heart was refected outward.

The wedding was obviously a reflection of the two of us, but it was also about all of our family and friends who have been there for us throughout the years…it was truly our love letter to them, and we really tried to incorporate them in everything and make them feel just as special as we did. We knew it was probably the only time in our lives where we would have just about everyone we loved in one place and we wanted them to know how incredibly thankful we were that they were there to share our special day.

Q. What made your event UNIQUE

Robin. The ability to infuse our sense of humor and personality into everything we did. We really wanted to balance that classic, timeless wedding with our unique spin on things and truly feel like that’s exactly what we were able to do!:)
We kept things lighthearted with fun personalized photobooth props that we had made by some amazing sellers on Etsy….a “Team Kelley” sign, glamourous glitter lips for the girls (lol) and mustaches and top hats for the guys! Our signaure drink was a super fun and delicious Pink Cotton Candy Cosmo :) We included our beloved guinea pigs on a page of our ceremony program. Our napkins and wish cards had phrases we came up with that meant something to us…bride groom chairs said “Ever After” which tied in the whole Disney element to our relationship, and is also what’s engraved inside our wedding bands.
We brought along “80′s style” sunglasses on our Tour of Newport and posed for “album cover” shots on Bellevue ave which were super fun! We loved the contrast of the playfulness against such a historic street and this was a tribute to Robin’s obsession with all things 80′s and the place that we first met-a record store! Stopping in other unique locations like a pumpkin patch and a graveyard (to tie in our love for Halloween and all things fall!) really made our pictures and the experience very “us” and are some of our favorite memories from the day. We ended the night with an amazing sparkler send-off with all of our family and friends.

Q. The Honeymoon??

Robin. We had our honeymoon at Disney World since that’s where we first met and later got engaged…there was never another option in our mind but to come full circle to the place where it all began and where we shared so many wonderful memories.

Q. Entertainment

Robin. John Bellagamba of Rhythm Productions was truly the best DJ ever! We knew the minute we met him that he was the perfect choice, and he kept the party going all night. He honored all of our requests, made an insane mix of all the music we loved most, and stayed away from typical cheesy wedding songs…most importantly he kept everyone having FUN and kept the dance floor packed. Everyone raved about the music and how awesome he was! We agree! :)

Q. The Proposal

Robin. Shane wanted to propose at Disney but was afraid that if he surprised me with a trip there, that it would be too obvious he may propose and I would assume that’s what the trip was about. He and my mom came up with the idea that she would surprise the both of us with a trip to Disney, and then I would think he knew nothing about it and therefore wouldn’t assume he was planning anything. SNEAKY.

In the 8 years that we had been together, we had taken small weekend trips, but had never had a chance to really get away…and I was so excited to be heading back to Disney. It’s always been a magical place for us because it’s where we met, and so I was thrilled to have the chance to go back to where it all began!

We were having a great time in Orlando seeing old friends, visiting the parks, and reminiscing about days gone by. The day of 09/09/09 arrives, and we go to the Magic Kingdom. We had a blast going on all of our favorite rides, and later in the day Shane told me that he was taking me out to dinner somewhere but that it was a surprise; we head back to the hotel to get ready for dinner.

The evening arrives and I still have no idea where we’re going…we’re waiting outside of our hotel for the Disney buses, and the one for the Magic Kingdom pulls up…Shane motions that we should grab that one and off we go.

After arriving at the Magic Kingdom, we start walking up toward Cinderella’s Castle and Shane says that we’re here! And I still have no idea what he’s talking about…come to find out there’s a restaurant inside the castle and he had made reservations for dinner there! I didn’t realize there was a restaurant inside the castle, and was super excited to be able to be eating there.

After meeting Cinderella and taking pictures with her, we’re seated at our table. It’s right by the window overlooking the entire park. We finish our dinner, and fireworks start going off right outside our window. I’m completely distracted by them, but notice out of the corner of my eye that Shane keeps looking around. I asked him what he was looking at, and he played it off like he was just looking around the restaurant and I didn’t think too much of it…and then…

I look over and our waitress is standing at our table with a plate that has a silver cover on it…she lifts the cover off and says “Your prince wanted you to have this”. The plate is completely covered in rose petals, there’s a glass slipper with our names, the date, and “loved happily ever after” inscribed on it, and right in the middle of the plate sits a Tiffany’s blue box tied with a white ribbon…I start crying my eyes out…a photographer starts snapping pictures…Shane gets down on one knee….YES! A dream come true.

Vendor List

Flowers by Semia
Rhythm Productions/John Bellagamba
The Perfect Details/Donna Kim
Fresh Focus Productions
Ormonde Productions
Christina Squier
RI Photobooths
Rev. Charles Cavalconte
Confectionery Designs
Viking Tours/Newport Trolley
Rentals Unlimited

Q. What was your favorite moment or aspect of the day?

Robin. The moment when we were announced as Mr. and Mrs. Shane Kelley and we were walking down the stairs into the reception area-being surrounded by all of that love was the most overwhelming and beautiful feeling.

“Kristin and Jared,

Our wedding pictures are absolutely stunning and we fall more in love with them every day. They’re candid and full of life, and we are honored to have seen the world through your lens. You two are extraordinarily talented, and we know there is nobody else who could’ve captured our personalities and hearts on film the way that you did. We were able to be ourselves and feel comfortable because of the down-to-earth and fun nature that you both have, and that allowed the pure joy of our wedding day to shine through in every picture. Thank you, thank you, thank you a million times over-not only for the photos, but also for your kindness and friendship.
XOXO
Robin and Shane”

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Kristin & Elliott :: Seaport Hotel Boston, Ma

February 12th, 2012 | Weddings

It was August 20, 2011 that it all became official but it started with a chance encounter.. like so many but here’s the cute story of how Kristin & Elliott met…”We met in the way that I think every single girl in a city thinks of potentially meeting the love of her life… in a chance meeting on the subway. We rode the same line and got on and off at the same stops. Except our meeting was dragged out over a period of about 2 months. I saw Elliott on the train and thought he was a pretty good looking guy. My friends suggested I keep an eye out for him, which I did. Turns out a similar situation was unfolding on his end. Then, all in one day, we actually TALKED on the train on our morning commute AND ran into each other at the local starbucks. It was after that (and a few more weeks of awkward train conversation) that we finally got up the nerve to go on a real date. Four years later we moved from Boston to Chicago (where the subway is much more crazy) and got married!

…oh there’s Amy!!! Love shooting events where we get to see past brides .. and in this case the flower girls we’d shot before too {at Amy’s wedding!}

Q. Finish this sentence: “One thing I learned from my wedding planning…”
Kristin. …was why people hire wedding planners.” I don’t think either of us realized how much actually goes into planning a wedding. The number of vendors that are required, the number of details that must be thought of, and the massive amount of information that must be tracked in order to actually confirm and put the day together could easily be a full time job. Thankfully, we had Tina at the Seaport to go above and beyond and really keep me sane. The other thing I learned and would tell people is that with all of those details it’s really easy to get lost in little things and lose the big picture – that all of the planning is to get you MARRIED! In the end, if that happens and your guests have fun, I think the event was successful!
Q. What was your favorite moment or aspect of the day?
Kristin. Before I left for Boston the week before the wedding, one of my coworkers gave me one “wedding” suggestion. She told me to step back from the reception with Elliott for one moment and look around the room. She told me to do this simply to appreciate the fact that everyone we loved was in one place for the sole reason that we asked them to come, and that we should really take that in. She said that if they looked like they were having fun, that was even better. I did this during one of the most stressful moments of the reception, in between family members asking me questions and a staff members repeatedly making sure I had eaten something (something that was VERY appreciated by the way). When Elliott and I stepped away to just watch, we saw the dance floor PACKED, our family laughing and 205 people who had literally come from all over the world just because we asked them to. On top of that, Elliott and I were finally MARRIED! That was the best part of the day. Side note: I promptly tripped over an uplight after this sentimental moment, but we’ll leave that out during the editing process. Luckily only 3 people saw, and one was you, Ms. Spencer. ;-)
Q. Colors / Themes of the day
Kristin. Our primary color was navy, but we used accents of various shades of blue and purple. We relied on Semia’s gorgeous flowers to pull the colors together, which was did beautifully, and Patrick Lally’s uplighting to illuminate the ballroom. We could not have been happier with the appearance. We didn’t really have any “themes” for the day, and really just wanted elegant (but not overstated) beauty to be what people thought of when they left the wedding. We have gotten lots of compliments on the flowers and lighting, so we think all of our vendors and coordinators did an amazing job.
Vendor List.
and lastly.. another one of the notes, from Kristin & Elliott,  I love so much to find YAY! “Working with you, Kristin and Jared, was more than we could have expected. I had actually worked with you before during my friend’s wedding two years ago, so I knew you were talented and easy to work with, but to get to work with you as the bride was more than I could have hoped for. I think it’s safe to say that you rose above and beyond when you were pinning and re-tying the bustle on my dress 5 minutes before our first dance when my new husband had no idea how to fix the ties that had come loose and my sister was already in a different area of the hall preparing for entrances. You literally saved the dance. Then again, after working with you just for that day, I can tell that’s just how you are! The quality of your work is outstanding – that’s apparent just from looking at your website – and, in my opinion, this talent coupled with your demeanor makes you nothing short of spectacular. Thank you for capturing each moment of a day that literally goes by in a blur.”
Thank you both for inviting us to capture your day! xoxo

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Damaris & Bill :: Botanical Gardens, Providence RI

February 10th, 2012 | Weddings

On September 26, 2011 a bet one girl {yankees fan} made with one boy {red sox fan}was finally settled… I always love asking couples ” how they met” …and the stories that then stem from their on how their relationships become real & official. While these two may have met in college it was that date in October 2004 that sealed their fate! Damaris shares..Their love was literally sealed in October 2004 when she made a bet that changed their fate forever. Being from New Jersey she was a fan of the NY Yankees and him being from Rhode Island was a fan of the Boston Red Sox. If you recall, the Yankees were winning and she was sure they were going to win. She made a bet, she told him if the Red Sox win “I promise to marry you”. Again, she didn’t think the Red Sox had a chance. He handed the phone to his grandma a big Red Sox fan so she can hear the bet I was making. She again repeated to his Grandmother “I said if the Red Sox win I will marry your grandson”. I will leave the rest to you to figure out…

And so 7 years later they married!

Q. Reception Style.

Damaris. A Spanish Garden Theme wedding was the foundation our reception theme. As guests approched the reception a spanish adorned place card table welcomed guestg to partake in the festivities by finding their tables on a Mexican Talavera tile. Names and table numbers were scripted on the tiles.

A mixeture of round and square tables were set in the reception area using black chivary chairs and aubergine bridal satin linen for the square tables and florence burgundy for the round tables. Center pieces were meticulously adorned in sultry, deep red florals of various garden roses in three vintage gold mercury glasses. This sexy and glamorous look was complete with mix match black and mirror colored candelabras and candle light.

Q. The Bride wore?

Damaris. A form fitting, sweet heart neckline gown in Ivory Silk Satin and Organza by Marisa which featured two eye catching organza flowers on the left side of the dress – perfect for a September Spanish Garden Theme Wedding

Sweet note from Damaris… “I can honestly say on my Wedding day I felt like a true celebrity thanks to the talent and professionalism of Kristin + Jared Spencer. Kristin’s ability to capture unique photos on window displays and through her sun roof – to shoot our convertible car ride, to the wedding, was amazing. Her eye for perfection and creativity is something you can’t find in an average photographer. Kristin Spencer is a true champion and a leader in Wedding photography.

I’m so glad they were part of our special day…thank you Kristin! We will be forever be thankful for these amazing photographs which we’ll cherish for many years to come!” – awe!! I LOVE YOU Damaris!! Let’s do it all over again this year?! xoxo Kristin S.

Vendor List.

Roger Williams Botanical Gardens
Blackstone Caterers
Confectionary Designs
Rentals Unlimited
Studio 539 Flowers
Entertainment Specialist: World Premier Band
Flamenco Boston
Richard Carbotti Perfect Surroundings
Amy’s Apples
David Bettencourt Videography
Bridal Finery
Frank Camera

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