Connor, at 2 1/2 was not particularly interested in ‘another lady with a camera’ but he played along just enough to make me look good.  And Jennie & Tom look amazing for hanging out with newborn Reilly for his first 32 days!

I love the one on the right — barefoot and silly faced!

And after I said we were ‘all done’ and heading back to the cars, this bit of magic happened.  It’s one of my favorite family photos ever!

 Thanks Jennie & family for being my first mini-session victims..er..volunteers.  It was a blast!

]]> http://melissakoren.com/2012/05/17/bishop-family-photos-09-24-11-family-photography-exeter-nh/feed/ 0 http://melissakoren.com/2012/05/16/reese-18-months-old-09-23-11-childrens-photography/ http://melissakoren.com/2012/05/16/reese-18-months-old-09-23-11-childrens-photography/#comments Wed, 16 May 2012 20:22:05 +0000 melissakoren http://melissakoren.com/?p=5627 If you’re a regular reader (thank you!) you might remember this sweet little girl from her many other appearances on the blog.  A lot of times I can tell what the toddler versions of my newborns will look like, but Reese is ever evolving and more and more gorgeous every time I see her.  Her 18 month shoot was no exception!

 She showed off her newly renovated sunshiney playroom.

 And then we went outside to see what we could see.

 12–36 months can be hard ages to shoot.  Kiddos have learned to walk, and explore, and really have no interest in being remotely confined or told what to do.  So in a stroke of genius, with the weather being perfect, we did a project!

 AYKM?!  I can’t think of a better way to capture this age!

 And because we were outside, we just picked up and hosed her off.

 Thanks you Reese, and your mommy & baba, for keeping me in the loop of your life.  I love seeing the beautiful young lady you are becoming!

And so very loved and adored by his mum & dad.

And predisposed to be a redsox fan! (I LOVE his name on the wall!)

AYKM?  With the pursed lips?! it’s TOO MUCH!

Boom. Boom. Fire Power!

you’re killin’ me smalls! <3

Thanks Owen, Melissa & Chris — and Rachel & Jason for sending them my way!

I arrived late afternoon to the  Elks at Bass Rocks, Gloucester, MA and found a room full of beautiful women, sisters & nieces, all getting ready.

 And one extremely proud mama/grandmother overseeing everyone.

 There are some stunning genes in this family I tell you!

 Kate looked radiant, their daughter Lorelei is too cute for words.

 The ceremony was outside on the main lawn.

The little ones anxiously waiting to fulfill their flower girl duty.

 Picture perfect!

 s.w.a.k.!

 Hurrah! We’re married!

 Family photos.

 AYKM? I’m so in love with both of these!

 Check out those heels. And Matt’s steely blue eyes.

 Party time.

 Another show stopping beauty!

 There was much to speak about at the kids’ table!

 And those cupcakes were DELICIOUS.

 Loving parent dances

 And way more dancing photos than I usually post — but this crew were such a hoot on the dance floor!

 um, not sure what barbie was doing that evening, but it looks like she had a good time, and someone caught it on film.…

Mr & Mrs!

 From the outside looking in.  The night was perfect from every aspect.

Kate & Matt — Thank you so much for finding me and being so sure I was the photographer for you.  I loved being apart of your event and meeting your amazing families.

]]> http://melissakoren.com/2012/05/12/kate-matt-married-09-17-2011-gloucester-ma-elks-at-bass-rocks-wedding-photography/feed/ 7 http://melissakoren.com/2012/05/01/mini-sessions-this-saturday/ http://melissakoren.com/2012/05/01/mini-sessions-this-saturday/#comments Tue, 01 May 2012 12:51:34 +0000 melissakoren http://melissakoren.com/?p=5759 |mini-sessions|

Saturday | May 5
 2 — 5pm

What’s a mini-session?
I like to call the mini-sessions “m|k|p lite”. A quick session so you can freshen up your walls (and social networking profiles) with new photos of anything you’d like. Kids, pets, family, love, just because, and why the heck not. You’re free to bring props, but there won’t be time for clothing changes.

Where’s a mini-session?
Founder’s Park, Exeter Public Library, Exeter, NH

On Chestnut Street in Exeter, just behind downtown. Rivers and rockwalls abound.

What time’s a mini-session?
Sessions begin every 1/2 hour starting at 2pm with the last sessions scheduled at 5pm.

What’s included?

• Session + Online Gallery + $25 Product Credit | 125
• Session + Online Gallery + high res image files | 175

How do I book?
First we confirm the time slot, then you make the $75 deposit, then, we take photos! Deposits are non-refundable but will be transferred to new mini-session in the instance of inclement weather.

Let’s do it!

YAY! Fill this out or shoot me an email at yourstory@melissakoren.com.

Include your top three choices for location/time and I’ll be back in touch to confirm and send along the deposit info.

Want to print out of this info (and maybe share with friends)?  Click here!

The afternoon started at the Silver Fountain Inn in Dover.  A beautiful inn that was perfect for all the pre-wedding action.  I arrived to the incomparable Joanne McDonough of Joya Beauty putting the finishing touches on her perfect canvas– Michelle.

I popped upstairs for a few shots of the guys getting ready too. This sweet little boy was a little nervous about his role, but he did wonderfully!

AYKM!?  Absolutely STUNNING!!

With everyone ready, it was time for the first look.  It was like a fun sliding puzzle getting Tim downstairs and hidden so Michelle could sneak upstairs and we could get Tim in place.  She came down the stairs and up behind him — he’s so excited and she left him speechless!

We got some great wedding party shots taken care of before it was off to the ceremony!

Michelle arrived at St. Mary Church in Dover in swanky style it added perfectly to the vintage feel of her look!

Married and off to the getaway car!

The car brought them right over to The Oaks in Somersworth, NH just in time for a few sunset ‘just married’ photos before the reception that was full of so many great details, fireworks, sparklers & just good old fashioned fun and celebration!

High Fives for a job well done!

 And a grand exit!  Off they go: Mr & Mrs!

You might notice the videographer in the last shot,  Andrew at  Pixel Perfection was a BLAST to work with.  To be honest, sometimes videographers get in the way and don’t try and work with the photographer but Andrew was great from start to finish.  You can See their highlight video here and I would absolutely give him a call if you’re wondering about video coverage of your event too.

Thank you Michelle & Tim for having such a fantastic event and letting me be a part of it!

So now it’s going up, out of order, and I’m going to have to find a way to be ok with that.

Well just look at him — who couldn’t be ok with it!?  9 months is my favorite age for babies, hands down.  So big, clapping, endless smiles and yet, not so much in the scurrying away from you.

 Oh sweet boy — you’re so handsome!

]]> http://melissakoren.com/2012/04/11/lochlin-9-months-old-09-04-11-exeter-nh-childrens-photographer/feed/ 0 http://melissakoren.com/2012/03/26/nicole-haven-married-09-10-2011-driftwood-inn-wedding-bailey-island-me/ http://melissakoren.com/2012/03/26/nicole-haven-married-09-10-2011-driftwood-inn-wedding-bailey-island-me/#comments Tue, 27 Mar 2012 00:27:03 +0000 melissakoren http://melissakoren.com/?p=5652 Perfection.

There’s no other way to describe Nicole & Haven’s wedding day.  The location, the weather, the people, the ambiance, the everything.  It was simply an affair to remember.

I found my way back over to the Driftwood early afternoon and met up with the girls getting ready.  They glossed and sprayed and laughed and cried.  From the next cabin over, Haven sent the most perfect gift and sweetest card ever.  Nicole’s hair was amazingly intricate, yet simple and and completely complimented her already natural beauty.  She saw her dad.  Everyone took their turns being overwhelmed and speechless.

The ceremony began and folks gathered around. Each and every one of them imparted happiness and longevity into their wedding bands before they said i.do.  And did they ever!

 Ring bearer!

We took a ride to the spot where they wanted to do formals, only to find there was another wedding literally about to happen in the EXACT spot!  There are a lot of ‘rules’ I’ll break, and places I’ll tread, but stepping on another bride’s day was NOT in the recipe for perfection.  Bailey Island, however, is full of perfect spots so we drove to the Land’s End and had our way with the edge of the world.

 The boys and girls came in separate cars.  The boys snuck beers into their car, and didn’t bring enough for the whole class.  So while I was ‘torturing’ them with their pictures, the girls were sneaking sips of the beer!

 Nicole had one request — a fun picture of each of her girls’ personalities. mission accomplished!

 Love love love these nautical boutonnieres!

 The reception was spectacular.  Full of class and whimsy, and opportunities for the guests to leave more than just their name in a guest book.   The wishing bottles hold secrets and whispers for Nicole & Haven to experience on anniversaries for years to come.  What a brilliant idea!

Nicole’s working towards her dream is to be a wedding planner.  She’s helped out here and there before and effortlessly did all the planning for her own event.  It looked like something straight from a magazine!  She’s started her own business and if you’re looking for a little extra help on, or before your wedding day, you should absolutely check her out at Nicole Mower Events!  Not to be outdone, Haven’s mom & family created ALLL the sweet treats, except the cake, which Haven had stayed up baking and decorating the night before as a surprise for Nicole!

DETAILS!

 Puppy kept a watchful eye on everything.

 BBQ in a wedding dress? Of course — when you have a custom bedazzled apron!

 Every time you catch a glimpse of them, even when they don’t know they’re being watched, they’re in love with each other.  they’re that genuine. its phenomenal.

 Desserts with a view!

 Fantastic scenery and grounds for the guests to mingle and enjoy the amazingness.

 Of all the places for the bouquet to land — it chose the lantern.  Crystal found a ride though and grabbed it down.  I think it might be cheating because she’s already engaged, and had already booked me to shoot her wedding before Nicole’s wedding day, but it can’t hurt to have reinforcements

 The evening went splendidly.  I was so SO honored to be a part of it.

These two sweet folks took a few minutes to write some kind words about me on weddingwire:

Melissa is so fantastic! Not only is she an amazing person with a great personality and sense of humor but she’s an incredible photographer. She became a fast friend to my husband and I and we feel very lucky! When I first met Melissa and saw her work it was obvious how passionate she is about this job and I was confident she would capture every special moment of my wedding. 

Melissa went out of her way to help me with everything! She helped my wedding party correctly tighten the corset in my dress (thank you), she helped me keep the event timeline running smoothly (photos, speeches, etc) since I did not have a DJ or a wedding coordinator. She also helped my husband and I by giving us instructions on how to begin the cake cutting! 
Also, I can’t remember what it was because the day FLEW by but I rememeber while we were getting ready she whipped out at least three magical items from her bag of tricks to help me and my wedding party. 
It has only been two weeks since my wedding so I can NOT wait to see the photos. I’ve only seen a couple of sneak peak photos and I’m dying for the rest! =)
I already have a cousin and an old high school classmate using Melissa for their upcoming weddings and I won’t stop reccomending her so book fast if you have an upcoming event! ?

I’m so excited to work with her friends and family and can’t wait til our paths cross again!

The wedding was to take place on Bailey Island, ME at the Driftwood Inn.  Being just over two hours from Exeter we made arrangements for me to stay over and I decided to turn the one night stay into two and briefly flirt with the idea of  ‘downtime’.  It was undoubtedly the best decision ever as Bailey Island is more beautiful than I could have imagined and having time to just sit and watch the day go by was phenomenal.  We contemplated never leaving.

But first — it was rehearsal dinner time!  A small get together with the wedding party and family first, where Nicole’s dad surprised her with gorgeous diamond earrings -

 And Haven’s dad gave a beautiful speech on life, love and the pursuit of happiness.  This group was beyond amazing in their love and support for  each other.

 Party Gifts!

 Just the beginning of the breathtaking views..

The dinner part of the rehearsal dinner was hosted for all the guests staying on the island, back at the Driftwood, and completely catered by Haven’s brothers!

 It was a hit!

 Build your own brownie sundae!? Ok, I will!

 I took my leave of them as they worked on getting the tent ready for the following day’s festivities!

Bride/Event Planner in Bride-Planner mode!

Before I left, I captured this.…  I’m not one to be all ‘oh i’m the best ever’ but, this may well be one of the most amazing photos I’ve EVER taken and the massive culmination of being in the right place at the right time and actually having the right know-how to make the shot happen.

It absolutely pales in comparison to the beauty of Nicole & Haven’s love & marriage though…

to be continued…

I’m sad to not take as much time as I normally would to wax poetically about how much I love and adore each and every one of my clients and their uniqueness. But trust me, you all hold amazingly special spots in my heart and I’m fully humbled that I wouldn’t be where I am without you. 

But I’d really like to bring my blog into the new year; so after a quick recap of the session, I’m going to let the photos tell the story — which is probably better than me rambling on anyway!

Kate’s mom Becky, is a teacher with Lochlin’s mom, Allison.  These two ladies take on probably the hardest of all tasks — teaching middle school.  And they do it with grace, style, and babies!

I was so happy to meet up with Becky & Ray and work some magic with sweet little Kate.  It gave me an opportunity to utilize my secret talent as the baby whisperer and I loved every second!  

I just visited Kate & her family again this past weekend for her six month shoot!  Hopefully I can get those on the blog before her first birthday

]]> http://melissakoren.com/2012/03/23/kate-10-days-old-09-09-11-massachusetts-newborn-photography/feed/ 0 http://melissakoren.com/2012/03/23/fisher-one-month-old-09-05-11-portsmouth-nh-family-photos/ http://melissakoren.com/2012/03/23/fisher-one-month-old-09-05-11-portsmouth-nh-family-photos/#comments Fri, 23 Mar 2012 13:13:44 +0000 melissakoren http://melissakoren.com/?p=5582 Elle + Joseph = Fisher.  And Fisher = delightful!

We spent a perfect Labor Day afternoon in Prescott Park capturing some moments celebrating their first four weeks as a family of three!  Loving, caring, endearing, sassy, fantastic, beautiful, handsome.…  the three of them are practically perfect in every way!

My favorite favorite!

 I hope all is well!

  A few photos, some great hugs, and some AMAZING pastries all made for a spectacular morning.  Thanks for the hospitality and the baby fix!

Vera immediately stole my heart with her big brown, eyes, long lashes & strawberry heart dress.  I loved spending the afternoon with her and her parents and I’m so excited to see them again in a few months - she’s about to make her flower girl debut in one of this spring’s weddings and I can only imagine how utterly adorable that is going to be.

Here are a few of my favorites from our session.  This first one is another that falls under the list of  ‘if i had a studio this would be all big on the wall’!

 Be well my friends!

Right off the bat were Tracie & Rob.  Rob is a music man (right here in river city! haha, ok sorry) .. and he and James (of Maggie + James = Jacob) do a lot of gigs around these here parts.  While I’ve never seen them perform, I’ve heard them both and they’re phenomenal.  I should get out and see them.  So should you.

What started as a l.o.v.e. shoot, ended up fitting in a few big announcements!  I bet you’ll be able to figure out what’s going on

We planned for Wagon Hill on a glorious afternoon.  I always forget how beautiful it is there (even though my engagement photos shot there too, haha).  Tracie’s parents were up visiting and so they came along as well.  It ended up being a fantastic family affair. Rob and Tracie are so crazy in love with each other, and definitely people you’d want around if something went awry — Tracie’s a nurse and Rob’s and EMT/Fireman.  I think doing good does the body good — because these two are gorgeous!

 The whole fam-damily!

You guessed it, right?  In December I photographed their intimate wedding, and as we speak — Tracie’s at the hospital readying to deliver their little girl Lila!  I can’t wait to meet her too! I have no doubt she’s destine for great things.

Thank you for our lovely adventures so far guys — here’s to many more!

The day started like any other late August day.  With the threat of a hurricane.  Irene was not exactly on the guest list! There was fear of bridge closures, power outages, and oh yeah — heavy wind and rain.  But that didn’t stop this hardy New England crew.  They battened down the hatches and got all gussied up for the big day!  Luckily, we timed the breaks of rain well and they had a good plan B for the ceremony.  The wedding party was full of color and personality and  Ballymeade Country Club is gorgeous inside and out!

From Sarah getting ready at her parents’ house, to the first look, to the Ferrari pins in place of boutonnieres, this wedding was full of touching details and dances resulting in a completely wonderous day that, as I predicted at their e.session, was overflowing with love.

And with that, some of my favorites! (I can’t tell you how hard it was to pick favorites!!)

 Rich & his son Jake — GQ and GQ Jr.

 The great canvas guest book they had made from one of their engagement photos!

 Hey — who’s that catching the bouquet? None other than Becca; Sarah’s sister, who’s now the next one engaged!!

 We finished off the night with a little serenade on the piano.

 And we all made it home safe, with no bridge closures

I’ve already seen this family once since the wedding and I hope to see them again and again over the years.  They’re absolutely spectacular people!