As we near the end of a month long blog series created to help couples plan and prepare for the wedding day, I thought it would be lovely to hear from past DZP couples!! Today we're hearing from the PROS, couples who have planned and executed beautiful wedding days. They are sharing their best tips for those who are in the planning stages and they have some great advice to share!! Read on to gather your own nuggets of wisdom to apply to your wedding planning and wedding day. Take it away DZP pros!!
Read MoreAward Winning Boston Wedding Photographer
Award Winning Boston Wedding Photographer serving Boston, Cape Cod, Newport and New England. Celebrated for her empathetic understanding, meticulous organization and impeccable time management, Deborah brings a distinctive collaborative approach to her craft.
Plan The Perfect Reception
The Reception is your time to let loose and celebrate!! It is important to thoughtfully plan out this part of the day and your DJ, caterer and venue coordinator will help walk you through how to best plan for the evening. As you bring together details with your team, there are several things to keep in mind as you map out the night’s festivities. In today's DZP Planning Series I'm sharing my favorite tips to help you plan the perfect reception.
Read MoreLaguna Gloria Austin Family Portraits
I relish any opportunity to visit Texas so when my dear friend Amy asked if I'd travel west to photograph their darling family I jumped at the chance!! On a very foggy afternoon we headed into Austin to visit beautiful Laguna Gloria. It's an eclectic mix of Texas charm and Mediterranean flair -- I had to keep reminding myself we weren't on the Italian coast!! I could have stayed in their lovely gardens all day, filled with Spanish moss, ferns and palm trees. We roamed the property and spent a glorious time together. What's more romantic than a floral crown, a flowy pink dress and Spanish moss?! Extra exciting bonus? I did a hybrid of film & digital for their session!!
Hybrid Session : Canon 5d Mark III | Canon EOS-1V | Portra 400 & Fuji 400 | Processed & Scanned by The Find Lab
Dress : Anthropolgie | Floral Crown : The Flower Studio | Venue : Laguna Gloria
Read MoreDress To Impress : A Style Guide from The Black Tux
In the seventh installment of the DZP Planning Series, I'm sharing a great resource to help your guests dress to impress at your wedding!! Have you ever received an invitation to a wedding and thought "I have no idea what to wear?" Well today you're in luck because the folks at The Black Tux have put together an amazing resource to help you (and your guests) plan their outfits for the big event!! Beach-y and casual to black tie, this resource will help you plan your outfits perfectly!! With outfits ideas inspired for both men and woman, be sure to PIN this resource for future reference this wedding season!!
Read MoreMake An Impact With Your Wedding Flowers
It's no secret that I love flowers -- they bring me so much joy!! If I could live in a house made of flowers, I probably would ;). While my love of all things floral may skew my opinions in some ways (bigger is always better!!), what remains true is that your wedding florals will make a huge impact throughout your day. Your florals will be one of the most photographed items on the wedding day and included in almost all of your images. Careful thought and attention should be paid to the style, look and feel of your flower choices. In today's installment of the DZP Wedding Planning series I share practical tips on how to make an impact with your wedding flowers!!
Read MoreHow To Plan Stress Free Family Formals
In the fourth post of the DZP Wedding Planning Series, we'll be chatting about to plan stress free family formals. The success of family formals on the wedding day is in the planning. Often, the idea of photographing grouping after grouping can seem overwhelming, to you, your family and your photographer. While it may seem like this is an easy and quick part of the wedding day -- when you are working with larger groups of people things can quickly become confusing, complicated and down right stressful. Today I'll be sharing my best tips on how to make this time with your loved ones, easy, stress free and enjoyable.
Read MorePreparing For the Morning Of The Wedding
In the fourth post of the DZP Wedding Planning Series, I am sharing how to prepare for the morning of your wedding day and make the most of this precious time with your loved ones!! Months of planning and preparation have lead to this moment -- getting ready on your wedding day!! There will be lot swirling around you : people, questions and attention. Often it can be overwhelming and a lot to take in. Read on to learn how to reduce stress and enjoy every minute as you get ready for your wedding!!
Read MoreMaking The Most of Your Wedding Party Portraits
In the third post of the DZP Wedding Planning series, I am sharing how to make the most of your wedding party portraits. Your wedding party portraits are a fun and exciting time to share with your best friends and loved ones. You’ll celebrate and honor those who have supported you over the years, first as individuals and now as a couple. Some choose a large wedding party while others simply pick a best friend or sibling to stand with them. Regardless of your wedding party size, I want this to be an incredibly fun time with your loved ones. Read on to learn how to make the most of this time with your loved ones.
Read MoreWintry Boston Engagement Session in Copley Square
On an early January morning I met Alyssa & Younes in Copley Square for their engagement session. Since they live abroad, we had a small window of time when they would be visiting the states -- we crossed our fingers for a sunny day and we were met with a beautiful and seasonally *warm* weather.
Alyssa and Younes were a delight -- it was so much fun having the opportunity to get to know them both and witness the beautiful friendship they share together. Alyssa and Younes will wed in July in the Copley Square area so we had a wonderful time exploring this quintessential part of town. Enjoy some of my favorites from their lovely Copley Square engagement session!!
Hybrid Session : Canon 5d Mark III | Film Canon EOS-1V | Shot on Kodak Max 400 | Processed & Scanned by The Find Lab
Read MoreIs A First Look For You?
In today's post, the second the DZP Planning series, we're talking all about the First Look. What is a First Look? Is right for your wedding day? How do you plan for a First Look? I'll be answering those questions and more -- let's get started.
The First Look is a period of the day where the Bride & Groom see each other for the first time before the ceremony. This is an intentional period of time set aside just for the couple. Often this is the first and last time you’ll be alone together on an otherwise very busy day. It’s an opportunity for you to express all this day means to you in a safe and private atmosphere.
With the hustle and bustle of the wedding day underway, the Ceremony does not provide much room to share heartfelt emotions. Often, the Groom may be standing in front of the aisle with all eyes on him watching for his reaction. That’s a lot of pressure and can often lead to a nervous face and stiff body language; not exactly the emotional response a Bride may have envisioned. Couples typically feel more at ease to share their feelings together for the first time alone rather than in front of all of their guests; a First Look provides the room and space to do just that.
Read MoreHow To Plan The Perfect Wedding Timeline
Today, in the first of the DZP Planning series, I am sharing my favorite tips on how to create the perfect wedding day timeline.
So how do you go about creating a timeline that gives you time with your guests, eliminates stress and allow you to truly enjoy the day? Two words : advanced planning. Creating the perfect wedding day timeline isn't hard work but it does require prior thought to ensure that everything throughout the day flows smoothly.
If there was one thing I request again and again from my couples it is more time. In order to create images that are reflective of the day, that feel authentic, natural and reflective of my signature style, I need time. For example, if I only have 45 minutes on the day to photograph the family formals, couple portraits and images with the wedding party -- everyone will be stressed. I'll be forced to eliminate certain images and ultimately it creates a poor experience for you and your loved ones.
So how much time do you need to plan for on the wedding day? Below I have shared an ideal wedding day timeline based on a couple choosing to have a First Look. This timeline does not account for travel time or unique scenarios and is based on 8 hours of coverage. Some weddings will be better suited for 9 or even 10 hours of coverage. Some couples will choose to forgo a First Look for a more traditional experience. In addition to the ideal timeline, use the timing tips shared at the bottom of this post to help you plan out your perfect wedding day timeline.
Read MoreIntroducing the Wedding Planing Series
Welcome to January and the official start of 2017!! It's hard to believe that another year has come and gone. To kick off 2017, I'm re-introducing my wedding planning series here on the blog!! For the month of January I will be sharing some of my favorite tips, resources and advice for planning a stress free wedding day!!
Over the next 30 days I'll be covering topics such as :
How To Plan The Perfect Wedding Timeline
Is A First Look For You?
Making The Most Of Your Wedding Party Portraits
Preparing For The Morning Of Your Wedding
How To Plan For Stress Free Family Formals
Make An Impact With Your Wedding Flowers
Plan the Perfect Reception
Tips from the Pros
You're Married, Now What?
If you're planning a wedding, I hope that this series will be a great resource for you. I'd love to know : what are your biggest questions surrounding the wedding day? And if you're married : what is the best tip you can give to couples who are in the midst of planning? I look forward to sharing this series with you!!
Read MoreThe Best of 2016 : Weddings
It's here!! The finale to the Best of 2016 series -- WEDDINGS!! This is one of my favorite posts to share each year and there is SO much pretty to share with you today!! 2016 was one for the books, it was an incredible year filled with amazing people and beautiful celebrations. Again and again I was reminded of how special it is to be invited into one of the most important day of a couple's life together and to preserve that day for years to come.
2016 saw celebrations of all kinds and sizes. Estate weddings, chic urban weddings, outdoor ceremonies and gothic styled churches, large wedding parties and small. Each wedding was uniquely different.
Enjoy some of my faves!!
Read MoreThe Best of 2016 : Engagements
Today continues the the Best of 2016 series with my favorite engagement images from the past year. I kicked off 2016 with Sarah & Greg's epic Lake Winnipesaukee engagement session and ended the year with Kirsten & Paul's sunrise session at Crane Beach. From Boston to the North Shore, the city to the coast, 2016 was filled with beautiful places and amazing couples celebrating this precious time in life!!
Read MoreThe Best of 2016 : Portraits
Yesterday I kicked off the Best of 2016 series with my favorite floral designs of the year. Today I'm continuing the series with my favorite portrait images of 2016!! My portrait work has slowly evolved over the years as past clients have begun to grow their families and celebrate anniversaries. What started as something I did on the side of weddings, has developed into an integral part of my business.
Having the opportunity to be invited into the homes and lives of my clients to capture the big and small moments of life is an incredible honor and I deeply value the relationships that have been cultivated as a result. My portrait work has become something incredibly meaningful to me and I hope it has brought great joy to the clients who have trusted me to capture their lives.
Enjoy some of my favorite portrait images of 2016!!
Read MoreThe Best of 2016 : Florals & Bouquets
Today kicks of my favorite series of the year, The Best Of!! Each year I share the best of engagements, portraits & weddings through a series of blog posts highlighting the amazing celebrations, couples and families I've had the honor of working with over the past year.
Florals always seem to be an integral part of my work. I love the romance, softness and delicate nature of flowers. It's no secret that I love floral design. I've even had the opportunity to take several floral workshops over this past year (fun = designing your very own floral crown!). I especially love when clients share my love of blooms -- nothing makes my heart pitter patter more than a glorious oversized wedding bouquet ;)!!
To celebrate my love of all things beautiful and flowery, today I will be kicking of the 2016 Best of series with the Best of Florals & Bouquets. I'll be sharing links below of the amazing creatives I've had the opportunity to work with as well, in case you're in search of a talented floral designer!! Now on to all the pretty!!