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/2012/04/21/michelle-tim-married-09-16-2011-dover-nh-wedding-photography/ http://melissakoren.com/2012/04/21/michelle-tim-married-09-16-2011-dover-nh-wedding-photography/#comments Sat, 21 Apr 2012 14:17:51 +0000 melissakoren http://melissakoren.com/?p=5712 After our adorable engagement session, I was quite sure Michelle & Tim were going to rock out all night long at their wedding.  And did they ever!

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!

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…

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!

Their wedding was held at the Massabesic Audubon Center in Auburn, NH.  It was like a big garden party — and squirrels were most certainly welcome.

 The center is full of great stuff to see and was the perfect place for this family wedding!

 Another first look!  Yahoo!!  Scott was SO nervous, it was adorable.

 And was left fully speechless when he saw his gorgeous bride who was completely overcome with emotion.

 He’s so tender with her beautiful spirit.

I wasn’t kidding when I said it was a garden wedding.  Only the garden is run by loads of professional and volunteer gardeners!

 smokin’!

 Never a dull moment with this troupe

 I love how fully Sara experiences everything.  Just as we finished up the first look and wedding party, her father arrived, and the emotions flooded back.  (one of my favorites from the day!)

 Meticulously dainty flower girls and a beaming groom.  I can’t reiterate enough how the first look doesn’t take away from that special moment of seeing your betrothed walk down the aisle.  They’d just seen each other not 5 minutes before and he’s still bowled over by her beauty and the reality of ‘this is it, we’re going to be married!’

 s.w.a.k! and a rose for their loving parents.

 they did it! p.s. — the bottom photo is another favorite — the way he looks at her melts my heart!

 We made the most of the grounds for photos throughout the day.  It was all so lush in it’s August splendor!

 love it!

 After a quick costume change while everyone settled into their seats, it was time for kind, love filled words, from whomever might like to speak.

 and perhaps a few embarrassing tales from those who know

And they danced like no one was watching.

 do you SEE this cake topper?  Custom made — orange tie and all?!  SO GOOD!

 It all started out innocently enough, then she smashed him, and laughed about it. So he grabbed her face to lay one on her, and instead, smeared his face ALL over hers.

 And it was GREEN.

 Willing to run for it, the flower girl landed the bouquet — and then sweetly passed out a flower to all the guests.

 A birthday pinata!

 And our last walk around the property.  Where this totally happened.

 ok, we might have had to use our magic imagination wand a little bit — but whatever, it’s HILARIOUS.

And right back to romantic.  These two give love a good name.

 *swoon*

What a magical way to spend a summer afternoon.   Thank you Sara & Scott for finding me, and to your other photographer for losing you (haha).  I hope you’re still being showered with love and happiness daily!

Sara took a moment to review me on WeddingWire and for that I am eternally grateful.

Well, let me begin by saying you will not find a better photographer in this price range in the whole New Hampshire area. Believe me, I looked. I was planning this wedding from overseas, so I spent hours googling photographers, looking at websites, reading reviews, etc. Well, let me tell you, if you are considering using Melissa, just stop! Stop looking for other photographers, I mean. Because, you found her. She was so much more than a photographer. She helped me get into my dress (who knew you were supposed to lace it from the top?) had food on hand in case I had forgotten to eat (which I did) and was just generally so supportive and kind. She was friendly, but also very efficient. She was so so nice, but knew how to get people around for the group photos without sounding overbearing or bossy. She was so unobtrusive, I barely even noticed she was there for the whole wedding! After getting through the group shots in much less time than I thought it would take, she melted into the background. But, looking through my amazing gallery of 600 pictures, she did not miss a THING. Looking through my pictures was like reliving the wonderment and beauty of the day, and seeing some bonus materials! You will be amazed at how many little moments she captured that you missed. So, please, stop looking. What you will get here is so much more than a photographer who takes great pictures. You will get someone who genuinely cares about you, and making your day wonderful. Melissa’s love of photography is clear to anyone who meets her. I never even once got the feeling that she was just doing this for the paycheck, and I have never been happier to pay someone for their services than I was with Melissa. I could probably go on longer, but I’ll stop it here. Seriously! Hire her! You will NOT regret it!

Thank you friends!

That’s what comes to mind when I think of Julia & Steve on their wedding day.

On a beautiful Saturday, smack dab in the middle of the dog days of summer, these two tied the knot.  After 20 + years of sharing their lives, it was time to ‘make it official’.

 Steve was a nervous wreck when I got to the church, but the second he saw Julia walking down the aisle, he became entranced and you could tell that at that moment, nothing else mattered.

 And Julia, looking BEAUTIFUL, met his gaze with a lifetime full of knowing and loving, and her own dose of nervousness.

 He put a ring on it!

 And then — it was time to kiss his BRIDE.  Talk about a build up of anticipation!  Sometimes the moments surrounding the kiss tell the greater story than the kiss every could.

Married at last!

 Then it was on to the party!  When I arrived at the Ramsdell-Rogers Function Facility in York, ME I was greeted with this fantastic cake.  On a stand that Steve made himself.  It was such a perfect addition to their celebration.  And the cake topper…

 HA!  That about sums it up I think!

I love the use of the hydrangeas in the cake and in the bouquet. And the little details of the locket and handkerchief.

These two are so in love.  While giddy and jovial and lighthearted, there were some moments of truly overwhelming emotion that left us all a little choked up.

Who better to toast you than your own son, who has of course, known you his whole life!  Not to be outdone Julia’s best friend Sue showered the newlyweds with kind words and affection.

 Probably my favorite shot of the day.

 the frosted kiss

 Still Crazy, After all these years <3

]]> http://melissakoren.com/2012/02/22/julia-steve-married-08-06-11-york-me-wedding-photographer/feed/ 2 http://melissakoren.com/2011/01/24/jessica-tim-married-09-18-10-stratham-nh-wedding-photographer/ http://melissakoren.com/2011/01/24/jessica-tim-married-09-18-10-stratham-nh-wedding-photographer/#comments Mon, 24 Jan 2011 14:24:47 +0000 melissakoren http://melissakoren.com/?p=3420 Jessica is beautiful.  She radiates positivity and you can’t meet her and not smile.  A lot.  When I arrived and found her getting ready I said her hair looked so cute (it was much different than during their engagement photos)  and then she told me that she had gotten it cut off the night before, after saying goodbye to Tim.  He loves her hair short so as a wedding gift/surprise she chopped it all off for him!  It was such a cool gesture and added another element of anticipation to the day.

The wedding and reception were held at Jessica’s parents house.  They had set up the chairs and her mum had worked all summer cultivating the plants and flowers to add to the aesthetics.  It was gorgeous.  The bridal party came out of the house and down the aisle but you couldn’t really see them until they were coming straight up towards the arbor.

And thats when Tim saw Jess, and started to well up with tears.  Which in turn caused me to well up with tears.

I think there were a lot of tears going around <3

See, Gorgeous!

Married, and quite pleased with themselves about it too.  Rightfully so.

And then they all danced down the aisle.  They all danced all night — but more on that later!

First it was time for some fun formals.

This crew makes flying look easy!

“ooo ooo ooo —  can we do a pyramid?”… “I don’t know, can you?”   I guess the answer is yes!

Then it was just the 3 of us.

These two are such a beautiful fit.

I loved the centerpieces, and that I could make their wedding date out of their table numbers

These two were toasted and roasted by their family with the utmost love and regard.

Just the simple act of holding hands and being in the moment with each other *sigh*

They infused themselves into ever detail and ever aspect of the wedding.  These film strip time line photos are too cute.

I love it when the couple makes their own toast.  Jess & Tim eloquently thanked everyone who had been with them through the journey that brought them to their wedding day.

this IS what love looks like.

Love and a few dance lessons

And then Jess & her dad had a lovely slow father daughter dance

That broke into some boogie woogie and brought the crowd to their feet!

I think Dad was relieved when it was over

Then Tim & his mother shared a lovely dance

I l.o.v.e. this photo

Remember what I said about the dancing?  This bunch danced all.night.long and they busted some serious moves

This was definitely a family affair!

When a sweet innocent cake feeding…

goes awry.…

Jess threatens revenge

So her dad steps in to keep Tim from being lonely

and then Jess steps in and Tim gets what’s coming to him!

She did try to run away, but he caught her and they made up

Just in time for the first lap dance/garter removal I’ve been witness to.

Too. freaking. funny.

A good old fashioned dollar dance

Soon after that it was the end of my time and they were stilllllllllllllllllll dancing!

And a good time was had by all.  Thank you so much for including me in that.

~melissakoren

I had been searching for a photographer for a few weeks when a neighbor referred us to Melissa. Being a “do-it yourself” bride, I was given a lot of advice on what I should pay, what I should look for, does she use a good digital camera…etc, etc. (I’m sure you get the picture-no pun intended.) My (now) husband and I met with her and immediately felt comfortable. She is fun and witty and knowledgeable about her field. Not to mention her prices are great if you’re on a budget like we were. Melissa made us WANT to get our pictures taken by her. We planned some engagement photos and had a really good time with her as we walked around. What I liked best about the session was that she was open for anything and took into account that they were OUR pictures. She wanted to make them mean something. And she did. We used them around our reception. On the day of our wedding though, she ROCKED, for lack of a better word. Not only did she take amazing pictures of everything and anything, she helped pin boutonnieres on the groomsmen and fathers, she preformed emergency surgery on my bustle when it kept dragging, and she made us laugh the whole time. Melissa is truly a great photographer because she knows the ins and outs of her trade and recognizes the importance of laughter and simplicity on a day you’ll remember for the rest of your life. We’ll be using her for years and years to come. We highly recommend her!  ~Jess and Tim

As I looked around their apartment I noticed this photo on the bookcase near the door.  What an amazing way to propose!

A few detail shots:

Their wedding was very 20’s themed and I loved the old windows and the trunk from her childhood that echoed the theme so well.

Finally she arrived, and the wait was well worth it — she looked stunning!

Then we hurried off to Fort Foster in Kittery, ME to meet Josh and commence their ocean side ceremony.  How dapper everyone looks!

Sam & her dad make their way down the path to meet up with Josh.

When they arrived at the gate it was opened and Sam & Josh were given their blessing by her father.

And they’re married!

Because of the time crunch in the beginning we did the formals in three parts, some quick shots of the great looking bridal party and some family before dinner, a few family after dinner, and then and adventure with Sam & Josh after the reception was over.

I said ok guys, Jump!  You’ve got to love her conviction though!

On the left is right after the ceremony, on the right is after the reception.  All the different nooks and crannies and trees made for great lighting all day!

It was really awesome to have a live band at this outdoor venue!

Sam’s gram (I think I’m remembering that correctly) made this amazing turretted castle cake!

And this cake topper couldn’t have been any more representative of how they interact with each other!

Well… except maybe when she throws cake at him

But here they are back at their first dance, so in love!

The pavilion at Fort Foster is a GREAT place for an event!

A dance with her daddy…

and an ever watchful mum.

Then some good ol’ letting loose!

A quick garter and bouquet toss off the balcony…

And the reception was done!  As I’d mentioned earlier I took this time to wander around the grounds with Sam & Josh and ensure that they had some time for photos of the two of them.  The more we explored, the more I was so thankful for our “happy accident” of not being able to take them right after the ceremony!

Samantha is exquisite and fearless.  Two qualities you don’t always find in the same place at the same time, but Josh certainly has hit the jackpot.

As much as I loved them together in the tree, when I asked Josh if he would mind stepping aside for a moment Sam positioned herself a big taller and left me with the most amazing shots!

And so it goes, the -

Wedding of Sam & Josh.

Thank you both for finding me and inviting me along for a glimpse of your lives.

~melissakoren

And Sam just posted a lovely review on weddingwire — thanks for taking the time Sam! Hope you’re well!

Melissa was nothing short of AMAZING! Even though I was running late on the day of the wedding, she had already photographed my dress and many other things before I got there to save time. She helped me calm down and kept her cool despite dealing with a very cranky and overtired bride (me). She even helped put on the groomsmen’s boutonnieres when we got to the venue. In our opinion (my husband and I), the best part and most fun part of the whole wedding was when she took us away to do our photos together.
Despite all this, the photos are incredible! Every time I look back at the pictures from the wedding, I see something new and think, “wow,” it’s like she was in ten places at the same time. I highly suggest Melissa to photograph your wedding.

I want that pebble rug.

Lisa’s mom made sure the planter boxes coordinated with the wedding, that’s advance planning!

I love the green & pink!

The ceremony took place at All Saints Parish Church in Haverhill, MA

And it was a tremendous church!  The sweet and precocious flower girl looked so wee bitty!

But Doug’s smile filled the church a thousand times over.

A smile precipitated by the stunning woman coming down the aisle to be his wife.

That’s right Lisa, make sure it gets all the way on!

no joke — tremendous!

Married & celebrating!

Then it was on to DiBurro’s Function Facility for a par-teh!

Green, or pink?!

Doug’s brother was full of expressions.

Speeches!

Hello bridal party!

best.speech.ever

…that must have been some good cake!

This is one of my favorite wedding games.  We played it at our wedding and it’s always a great time.

A family affair!

So good, so good, so good!

I love to see what my clients do with their photos

Oompah!

Followed by showers of money! Hoorah!

My favorite photos from the night!

Pink is my favorite color.…

Break it down. (I think from now on I shall only blog with song lyrics)

Can’t touch this.

The right stuff.

We are the champions..?

Ok ok enough of that.. bouquet toss!

..and garter. Interesting approach Doug…

I don’t always recommend to my clients that I stay the whole wedding.  I truly enjoy the receptions but sometimes if you’re looking to cut costs you can easily do with out a professional photographer for the last few hours of your reception.  However, when I am asked to stay I’m always overwhelmed by the last dance circle.  And this was a big one!

Lisa & Doug — thank you so much for inviting me to your beautiful wedding.  May you always remember the happiness you were surrounded with!

~MelissaKoren

I don’t have enough words to describe how happy I am with my wedding photos. Melissa did an AMAZING job. I was so suprised when I saw them. She was extremely unintrusive — I don’t even remember seeing her too much (although, it WAS a very overwhelming day), but she always seemed to pop out of nowhere whenever someone stepped on my bustle (which happened a LOT) to help fix it. She was so helpful before and during the wedding, through everything. When we had first met with photographers, we met with one that I loved her pictures, but she had absolutely no personality, and didn’t say boo when we met with her, and was kind of pricey to be able to get everything that we wanted. The second was much more in our budget, but came off to me like a used car salesman, and the pictures weren’t very good at all. (Why have an affordable all-inclusive package when the pictures look like crap?)…But Melissa was JUUUST right. She is very friendly and personable, and her pictures are amazing for a great price. We just got our pictures two days ago, and I am already trying to choose some for our album, and it is too hard when I love them all! I would HIGHLY recommend Melissa for yor wedding, and I think we will be calling her for pictures when we start our family! ~Lisa

]]> http://melissakoren.com/2011/01/08/lisa-doug-married-08-21-10/feed/ 0 http://melissakoren.com/2011/01/04/jenn-jason-married-part-ii-08-14-10/ http://melissakoren.com/2011/01/04/jenn-jason-married-part-ii-08-14-10/#comments Tue, 04 Jan 2011 16:28:47 +0000 melissakoren http://melissakoren.com/?p=3060 After a fantastic part I it was on to part II!

Do the bustle! doot da doot da doot doot doot doo da doot doot doot da doot.   And the bustle they did!

Embracing the rustic atmosphere at the  Stone Mountain Arts Center Jenn & Jason’s decor was birdhouse chic.  Such a great theme!

So many things I love about this photo!

The crew…

Who set up this photo with out them knowing what they were doing.  With friends like these…

I love the way he kisses her head.

Honestly I somehow skimmed over this when I was editing but when I went back for blog posting I fell in total love with it.

He effortlessly holds her bouquet in one hand and whisks her off the carriage safe in his arms and she straightens his boutonniere she’s mussed in the getting down.

Seamlessly from ceremony to rececption

So much emotion and interaction in this one shot.

I can’t help but think of the Last Supper when I see this.  Only, there’s a baby grand piano and, it’s the first supper!

They make me swoon.  It’s the only word to describe it.

Jenn & Jason’s wedding was definitely a family affair.  So many cute little ones about

And Jason’s dog was in attendance the whole time and so loved and well behaved!

That’s either a pinky promise or a shake of the fist if you dare to throw frosting at me…

Gentle & romantic.  Those two words pretty much sum up the whole event!

Loving parents

Jenn’s brother busted some serious moves on the dance floor all night.  Drew a crowd he did.

Swanky & Sassy.  Two words I’d absolutely use to describe them as a couple.

Well, I guess you can’t ALWAYS be gentle & romantic.

But that’s what is at the core of these two and where they always come back to.

Jenn & Jason — thank you for finding me and adopting me for the day.  I was honored to be part of your adventure and wish you all the luck in the future!

~MelissaKoren

I arrived at the Oxford House Inn a few minutes before Jenn & her crew got back from the hair salon looking divine.

As they had a few bites to eat I poked around in their beautiful suite and found details and gorgeousness galore!

LOVE the butons, love the lines!

Do not try this at home! She was protecting her hair, not trying to get out of the wedding

I love the fascinator!

Oh Jenn!

A few quick shots (individually) of the bride and groom on the stunning grounds at the Oxford House.

No, seriously picture perfect!

Two more very important details of the wedding.

This picture cracks me up.  Every time I look at it I think that Jason is asking the officiant wth is taking Jenn so long! (She wasn’t late, its just what it looks like!)

What Jason didn’t know was that that little detail from before, was his dog, who Jenn orchestrated as a surprise to walk down the aisle and be a part of the ceremony.  She said he would cry and sure enough <3

Trying to recompose himself he looked up as Jenn started coming down the aisle

And then he was beyond overwhelmed

The ceremony & reception were held at the Stone Mountain Arts Center a stunning and unique venue in Brownfield, ME

Happiness is!

Married!

So many great moments from this day I think I need to make this a two part party!

~til tomorrow

That’s right, 1pm on a Tuesday.  I don’t get many calls for Tuesday weddings.  I love them!

Michele & Stan had been together for 26 years before they decided to do the “legal thing”.  They had the opportunity to be the first couple married in the newly built Townsend, MA meeting hall — a beautiful space!

Michele’s 3 granddaughter’s danced down the aisle to “Girls just want to have fun” and did they ever!

Michele was escorted down the aisle by her 10 year old grandson.

So filled with emotions!

Michele’s younger grandson waiting to make his grand entrance with their rings. 

… It’s not always exciting being the flower girl!

Look at all those grandkids!  What a great family!!

Stan is quite the character but Michele doesn’t seem to mind.

I love this photo.  They really just wanted a quick shot or two after the ceremony and it was so hot outside they opted to stay in.  This simple piece of art adorned the wall in the lobby and it all just fell into place.

Then it was time to celebrate!

SOoooooo cute letting the kids take a taste of the cake before it was cut into!

Then sweet Stan retreated and Michele got nailed good with her piece of cake!

Stan and his mother <3

Two of their beautiful granddaughters

Edible arrangements for everyone! What a great centerpiece idea!

The bouquet toss — no one was injured in the catching of this bouquet — although it certainly looks like someone is about to get creamed!

The kids requested a special song for their parents to dance to — I love how their looking on.

The last dance of the evening was “Save a Horse, Ride a Cowboy” and Michele came in with her cowboy hat passing out 100 dollar (fake) bills and two stepping all across the floor while Stan watched his past, present and future.

What a great way to spend a Tuesday afternoon!  Thank you Michele & Stan for inviting me to capture your long awaited day.

~melissakoren

Hi Melissa,

Took a while to go through all those pictures! Wow! Doesn’t look like you missed anything.
Thanks so much for all your skill and attentiveness. We are glad we chose you.

Then it was off to the Player’s Ring building via trolley for their outdoor seaside ceremony.

Ali & her mom walked right off the trolley and down the aisle to meet a very handsome Andrew.  I think he looks a lot a lot like Peter Krause (six feet under & parenthood) and very handsomely awaits his bride to be.

Such and emotional time for the moms!  Each was presented with a white rose and a hug in the middle of the ceremony.  I really like that component.

With this ring I thee wed you may kiss the bride!

And they lived happily ever after!

Group shot!

Another beautiful afternoon in Portsmouth.

The only word to describe this kind of light is Yummy.     P.S. if you’ve not been over to Mombo yet (the old Strawbery Banke gift shop and owner of this door frame) you MUST go.  Another one of my couples bar tend there and the food is phenomenal.  Cozy and romantic!

Two of my most favorite photos, made infinitely better by the gorgeous bouquet created by Betsy @ the Flower Kiosk.  Her work is unique and stunning every time.  She was the florist for my wedding and as both a bride and vendor, she’s a treat to work with .

Ali you’re stunning, the dress is so spectacularly tailored to you and Andrey, your suit was the perfect complement to your duo. (photo on the right by Rob)

The Portsmouth Trolley was a great touch and really helpful in providing transportation for the guests.  They even put up a “just married” plaque for the two!

You may have caught a glimpse of the (Photo by Rob) caption in this post.  I very infrequently have a second shooter or assistant but it seems that having a day off from Prescott Park was not a good plan — in a freak accident I stepped backwards off a curb and pulled a bajillion tendons in the top of my foot.  The show must go on! But in the off chance I’d fallen and couldn’t get up and I asked Rob to come along and assist me with my bag & balance & since he was taking a photography class I tossed him a camera and sent him running for the long shots too.  He was a tremendous help (though I didn’t fall down once!) and captured some of my injured ninja skills!

They were lovely enough to leave me a wedding wire review:

If you are thinking of asking Melissa to take your wedding photos, do so immediately! You will not find a more talented and artistic photographer to illuminate your day. You will get so much more than pictures because this is not just a job to her, it is her passion. The photographs are works of art, and you get to be in them.

Not only is Melissa an amazing artist, but she is exceedingly professional. She corresponds with you often to make sure she captures exactly what you envision. Melissa is just wonderful to work with and you will feel so happy and lucky to get her. –Ali and Andrew 7/2/2010

Ali & Andrew, I wish you the best of luck in all you do! Thank you for the amazing review and for asking me to be your wedding photographer!

~melissakoren

]]> http://melissakoren.com/2010/12/29/ali-andrew-married/feed/ 0 http://melissakoren.com/2010/12/17/liz-jon-married-06-05-10/ http://melissakoren.com/2010/12/17/liz-jon-married-06-05-10/#comments Fri, 17 Dec 2010 14:14:39 +0000 melissakoren http://melissakoren.com/?p=2816 This post is heavy on photos. And heavy on love. And heavy on absofudginglutely awesome.

After everything we’d been through already including engagement photos last August, I knew that this Plymouth fabulousness extravaganza was going to be a blast.  Liz called me from the house they’d rented where I’d be staying the night and said it was fabulous.  When I got there I couldn’t agree more!

Each level held different wonders and nooks & crannies.  Like the one I found for the stunning dress.

Liz arrived home from the salon with some time to relax and so I headed over to the boys at the motel down the street.

Jon is demonstrating his best GQ shoe tying.  Meanwhile the ring bearer looks so nervous.  And his little white socks melt my heart!

Marylou’s Coffee is a staple but I’m not sure what Jon and his groomsman is doing.

A pep talk before the walk.

The things I learn — in the cup is a ‘manmosa’ none of those girly mimosas!

Then I headed back to the house to catch Liz kicking the stunning up a notch!

Getting in the dress was a multi person job —  There are so many people trying to get Liz in that dress you can’t even see Liz!

Here she comes, pinky first!

Dear Santa, for Christmas I could use a thesaurus because Liz is so gorgeous she renders my vocabulary useless!

Then  it was up the street to the church!

These two are so emotive they tell their own story <3

The get away vehicle!

And get away we did — to the same home where we’d gone for their engagement photos.  What a gorgeous crew!

History repeating itself. <3

The simple but jaw dropping hot pink hydrangea accented the wedding perfectly.

And one with camper, a little more conspicuously, but we couldn’t leave that memory out too!

Then we headed down to the beach (with out 300 stairs thank goodness)

Finally it was time to party!  More hot pink & sea theme.

Man & Wife! Booya! (really? booya? ok…)

The photo on the right makes me feel peaceful; and I’m just a bystander!

Speeches.

I can’t remember what happened but going through the photos it looks like Jon fed Liz and Liz said seeya so Jon had to feed himself too.…

But at least they kissed and made up!

Parent dances

And there goes Jon again — the ladies man for all ages.  On the left was probably the biggest hubub of the night.  After the parent dances Jon went over and got Evie, the woman who owns that sweet cottage, and gracefully glided with her across the dance floor.  We were all in tears.  Heck, I’m in tears again just typing about it!  Chivalry is not dead my dears, not dead at all.

I’m not sure how Liz has Mark’s tie around her waist and not around his neck, but she does!  And once the walk was over, the ring bearer perked right up and tried to compete for my job!

If I had to guess they’re singing Mazel tov!

But I’m pretty sure they’re not doing the hora…

Sorry Liz, I love you so much, I had to post this photo — so much concentration for the bouquet toss!

All this preparation…

And so little action.  And also? Jon? Did no one teach you the behind the head not looking technique!?

I call this one, Joe and the legs that go on forever.

What a spectacular wedding, thank you Liz & Jon (and Kate & Marcus and Melissa & Lonnie and Jenn & Hammy too) for making me a part of this wonder!

The wedding ended early evening and we went back to the cottage, gathered up a few things and headed down .. 150? steps to a beach bonfire after party.  Way make the most of your day!

I can’t wait to see what’s next from these two

~MelissaKoren

I arrived at the inn and met Nivea and her family in the bridal room.  You can tell how much her niece adores her, and those flowers are stunning!

The room we were in looks out over the gazebo area where the small and intimate wedding was being set up and the rest of the family was arriving.  Nivea was so content as she snuck a peak of what was going on outside.

Her soon to be husband, Matt, greeting his nieces and grandmother; the main reason that they’d moved up their civil ceremony.   Sadly, she was not going to be able to travel to (and my memory fails me but I want to say Guatemala) for their planned nuptials that happened in November.

Then it was time.  Matt’s smile is about to bust right off of his face <3

Their niece serenaded them with a gorgeous piece of music.

Often times the smaller the gathering, the more heightened the emotion — this was very true of this event.

Married!

This girl was a spit fire I tell you.  She had me laughing the whole time.

Matt & Nivea snuck inside for some quiet time and when I when to find them I saw them sharing a few last moments with the officiant.

Then it was back outside for some more love and photos

And while I do love the grounds at the Inn, I’m even more in love with the glowing staircase to the bar.  I remember the first time I went to eat there after it reopened thinking how awesome it would be to take a photo on those steps! check + mark!

The Inn has a small function room perfect for these intimate affairs.  And the simple yet romantic decorations were the perfect touch.

Hooray!

Matt & Nivea, thank you SO much for finding me on the interwebs and letting me share in a few brief moments of your history.  I truly enjoyed being a part of your day and hope your November celebrations were equally as amazing!

~MelissaKoren

Hi Melissa,  The pictures are amazing! I haven’t finished going through them yet, but I love them so far! Thank you so much for being part of our special day! You captured the feeling I wanted for the ceremony — small, intimate, romantic without being fussy — perfectly!

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