Ashely & Patrick’s romance began in college, when they met at a roof deck party above their freshman dorm. A crush blossomed into love and the two have been inseparable ever since. If ever two people were a perfect match, these two are it.

They are both incredibly caring, funny, down-to-earth people who embrace life’s adventures and love with hearts wide open. Their July 5 wedding at the gorgeous Ocean Edge Resort was the perfect reflection of who they are.

Complete with an outdoor ceremony on the resort front lawn, a deliciously-popular candy bar featuring tons of sugary sweets, and a sparklers send off, their wedding was at the same time elegant and completely fun! Here are a few of our favorite images from their special day:

Lovely Ashley…

Clementine Floral put together Ashley’s gorgeous bouquet, featuring green hydrangeas and lisianthus mixed with white Calla lilies, peonies and a couple of orchids to tie it all together. Simple and stunning!

Pretty in pink & green….Ashley in her fabulous gown from L’elite, and her bridesmaids in their adorable Juliet silk chiffon dresses from J Crew Juliet silk chiffon dresses know how to work it!!

A loving exchange with Nana…What a beautiful moment! Wish I had a picture like this with my Grandma!

Tucked in a side room in the mansion was this adorable divan and over-sized mirror. It made for such a fun backdrop for a portrait of Ashley before the ceremony. Love it!!

Getting walked to the aisle by her Dad, Ashley is all smiles…

After being pronounced hubby & wife, Ashley & Patrick seal it with a kiss.

“We did it!!!” Can’t you just feel the joy?

Having fun with the family portraits…I especially love Ashley’s mom’s full on laugh! Go Susan!!

Ashley got these great Chinese umbrellas that were great for some fun photos! Thankfully, the rain held off and we didn’t need them for actual protection! I love this candid shot!

The guys…

Private time…

A little smoke break during the reception…Soprano style….hard core boys!! Grrrrrr…

Ashley gets down…

A perfect day ends with a perfect night and another great photo opportunity as Ashley & Patrick leave their party, ushered out with a sparkler serenade.

And here are just a few details from their fabulous day…

Thank you Laurel & the staff at Ocean Edge for keeping things running smoothly and making our job such a pleasure! Thank you too to Jack Leyden and the rest of the band Accent for keeping the crowd jumping. Thanks, as always, to the ladies at Clementine Floral for giving us such fun flowers to photograph. We particularly love the hydrangea balls…so fun and different!

And the biggest thanks goes out to Ashely & Patrick! Thank you for being so much fun to be around and for inspiring us with your love! You two are beautiful inside & out and we feel really fortunate to call you friends! You two couldn’t have looked happier than you did on your big day! We love you guys! xo Chris & Andy

After 5 successful seasons, we’re finding that many of our bello couples are starting to have babies and we thought this post might be something of interest. One of our bello family members, Sandee, has recently launched the coolest new business. And we’re not at all surprised because she is one of the coolest people!

Okay, so remember planning your wedding, all of the little details that went into it and how stressful it could be not really knowing where to begin with the planning? Where would be the ideal spot for you to say, “I do?” Who could put together flower arrangements that would make your heart sing? Band or DJ? Formal sit down dinner or buffet? And who would be able to capture the day in a way that would preserve your memories forever? (Well, that last one, at least should have been easy to figure out…hee hee…just kidding!)

If you found yourself overwhelmed by all of the choices and decisions that needed answering you could always call a wedding planner to help bring all of the pieces together and minimize the stress.

Fast forward a few years and now you’re thinking about starting a family, but you don’t know the first thing about having a baby or all of the very important decisions that come along with parenthood. So, who do you call? Ghostbusters! Whoops, 80s flashback…sorry!

Up until now, unless you had lots of friends who had paved the way for you, there wasn’t anyone to call…no one who had done all the legwork already — researching the best baby products, helping make decisions about what to put on your baby registry, gathering information on pregnancy-related health issues, sending out baby announcements and even getting down and dirty and putting your nursery together for you….all helping ease the stress that can sometimes accompany the happy news that 1+1 makes 3.

Well, now there is help out there and it comes in very nurturing and exceptionally organized form of baby planners Sandee Tisdale & Kristen Parkers, owners of Perfecting Expecting. Sandee & Kristen recently launched their new website and we’re just so happy and proud of them that we wanted to share. Check them out!

How much can a change in perspective really change? Everything? Just maybe!

I’m feeling inspired today and even a little philosophical. Maybe it’s just me getting older and feeling more profoundly that my time here is so fleeting. I want desperately to leave a positive footprint and there seems so little time to do so. Or, maybe it’s just that through Bello Andy & I have been blessed to be invited into the lives of some pretty amazing people who awe & inspire me. Whatever it is, love has secured a stronghold in my life and changed my perspective. The love, it’s always been there, though usually reserved for people close to me…family, friends, and of course Andy. And, my perspective has always been fairly positive, though, I admit, sometimes singed with moments of cynicism.

Lately, however, I find myself filled with much love and for people I don’t really know…that sounds a little trite. But, it’s true. I have always believed that if you put good things out there, good things will find their way back to you. Through Bello, I am finding this to be even more truthful than I had ever imagined.

Sometimes we put good things out there without realizing or even intending it. And when we do, we are richer for it. Here’s a funny example: When Andy first came to the US, it took him a while to adjust to new expressions and the overall American way of life. Driving, especially here on the Cape in the summer, particularly took some getting used to. One day, Andy was driving along and a car pulled up behind him, riding him hard and aggressively. It was the end of a long summer of similar experiences and Andy’s frustrated response was to give the driver the British equivalent of “the finger.” If you’re not familiar with this hand signal, it is made by making the peace sign in reverse, with your palm facing your face and the outside of your hand facing the unfortunate recipient. There is also usually some hand waiving involved; the amount of which directly relates to the annoyance of the person delivering the un-peace-like hand-waiving message.

Anyway, giving this sign to a person behind you, at least here in the US, looks very much like you’re saying “Peace,” which is exactly how the aggressive driver behind Andy interpreted the message. And an amazing thing happened. The aggressive driver smiled, waved and gave the peace sign back, immediately pulling back his car, with his aggression seeming to disappear. This, of course, had an equally calming effect on Andy. He then waived back, this time with genuinely friendly intentions. And, both men drove off, smiling and feeling better about their day.

The reason I tell this story is because today I had a really good day and I realized I had such a good day because I made other people feel good and in so doing they returned the favor by making me feel good. It all started with a really wonderful e-mail from Jeanne, the mother of a groom whose wedding we recently photographed. The goodness continued throughout the day, right up through a wonderful phone call I just finished with Catherine Howe, this amazing woman and jewelry designer who is not only uber talented, but who also has an amazing gift of connecting people and connecting with people.

All day long, everything I seemed to touch was infused with good feelings thanks to my interactions with others. I couldn’t help but marvel at this law of nature…this “pay it forward” law of goodness, which if we open ourselves up to can enrich us in unimaginable ways. I am feeling so blessed.

The day isn’t over yet….who might you touch with goodness?

Late last month, we got a call from Terri, an architect & photographer from Boston. She was interested in getting some information for her son, Ryan, who was getting married, although he hadn’t actually popped the question yet. The family was coming to the Cape, as part of their annual July 4th pilgrimage to the Wequassett Inn in Chatham.

Ryan, Terri told us, would be asking his girlfriend, Anette, to marry him while here on the Cape. In anticipation of a “yes” and since the couple lives in San Francisco and would only be here a short time, we had arranged to meet. Terri thought it would be fun to do a family portrait session while the whole family was together. Ryan’s two sister, Leigh & Randi, were also down on the Cape to celebrate the holiday and, fingers crossed, the engagement of their brother.

We checked in with Terri the day after the family arrived to see what happened with Ryan’s proposal, and….happy news….Anette said, “Yes.”

So, we got together at the Wequassett, where the family was staying, and where Anette & Ryan will say, “I do,” next summer. It was a perfect day….the sun was shining. It was hot, but not too hot…and everything fell into place perfectly. Terri, her husband, Alan, Ryan, Anette, Leigh and Randi were all so warm and welcoming and definitely up for some fun. We started slow, with some shots down on the beach to get everyone warmed up and then things got jumping. Here are some of our favorites from our time together:

One big happy family…

Happy feet…(Alan was the only party pooper who didn’t want to take off his shoes…but we still love him!)

A family that laughs together, stays together…

Sisterly love…

Alan & Terri share a giggle…We asked them to take a moment and just look at each other…normally this makes people smile. In Terri & Alan’s case, it made them crack up. Love it!

And here’s the happy couple. Say hello to Ryan & Anette. Do you think we’re going to have any trouble photographing these two? Uhhhh….NO! Gorgeous! And so sweet!!! We’re so excited for them and can’t wait till their wedding next September. Yeah!!!

We’ll hopefully be doing an engagement session with Anette & Ryan during their next visit back East, but we thought we’d grab a few photos of the happy couple basking in the glory of their very new engagement. If our few minutes with them during the family session are any indication…we’re going to have a lot of fun with these two!

One of the secrets to a good marriage is laughter…looks like these two are off to a good start:

Who would have thought a little friendly chicken fight could result in such a great portrait?

More family time…

Hmmm…think Anette is happy about her engagement? What a beautiful smile!!!

And to cap off a wonderful afternoon we asked the family to try something a little different and jump for joy….They didn’t hold back….Brilliant!!!

A different perspective….love it!!!

Thank you so much Terri, Alan, Ryan, Anette, Leigh and Randi for being so much fun and for making us feel instantly comfortable (as soon as Alan came out of the shower in just a towel, we knew we were going to have some fun with your family!)

Ryan & Anette a big congratulations to you both. We can’t wait to get to know you both better over the coming year and to be there with you when you pledge your love & your lives to one another with all of the people who care for you most, there supporting you and cheering you on! Savor every moment…this is a wonderful time!

With hugs and warmest wishes, Chris & Andy xo

Can I get a, “Whaaoooooooo!?” The results are in from the Cape Cod 2008 A-List survey and we came out on top, being named the Best Photographers on the Cape & Islands. You can see the results by clicking the following link: A List Results

* Funny side note…they list the category as Best Photographers in Cape Cod and the Islands….this sounds kind of snobby, but when you live on the Cape or come here often…it’s “on the Cape” not in Cape Cod…that just sounds so funny to me! Anyway…here’s the announcement that ran on the A-List website this morning. Unfortunately, it didn’t say anything about a swanky party…I think we may have been duped!

As flattering as it is to have won, what has really been humbling to us have been all of the amazingly supportive and generous comments we received during the voting period. Our Bello Family is a tight group and we feel TRULY blessed to be surrounded by such loving people! Indulge us as we share a few comments with you:

mbodi: “Christine and Andy take beautiful photos, but more importantly, they capture precious moments between two people that I’ve never seen shot through a lens before. To say they’re the best photographers on the Cape is an understatement. And aside from the fact that they are extremely talented photographers, they are warm, funny, and never make their clients feel like they’re working with a wedding vendor. They become close friends, because they’re just that awesome. You couldn’t ask for anything more!”

wendy17: “Christine and Andy are a pleasure to deal with, consummate professionals, with artistic souls. They have captured the essence of the relationship between my daughter and future son in law in stunning engagement photos that we will always treasure. I can’t wait for the weddidng - I only wish they had been around for my wedding 29 years ago!”

islandgrrl: “Bello photographed my brother’s wedding. One word…stunning. We still keep in touch with Bello…they are different. They are not just photographers, they become your friends. I love them!!!!”

si_foxcroft: “Christine and Andy did an amazing job as our photographers. You soon realise that as well as being two of the most talented people you’re likely to ever meet they’re also two of the nicest. We couldn’t have been happier to have them be a part of our wedding day…….. 5 stars doesn’t even come close. “

pndongan: “First off I must agree with every review so far and more importantly - 5 Stars does not even come close, “Amazing”, lets try 6 Stars and “Perfection”, now that is more like it. Christine and Andy made our Wedding memories last forever. They make the perfect couple that takes the best photographs but more importantly they become your friends as well as show each couple what a great marriage is all about. Bello photography is a professional operation that understands what makes a great photo. For every future occasion - Andy and Christine will be the first call we make.”

srevotskie: “I would give the gang at Bello ten stars if I could! Aside from taking absolutely breathtaking pictures, (I admit I’ve cried simply by looking at some of their shots!) Christine and Andy are extremely warm and welcoming. Even through a simple e-mail to confirm a date or time they make you feel valued and connected to their lives. They truly have a passion for what they do and it shows. I couldn’t imagine working with anyone else :)”

Seriously….could we be more blessed? I admit, I think I’ve read all of the comments at least a dozen times during the past month. Whenever I was feeling overwhelmed or bogged down by work, I’d just go to the site and read those comments and be reminded of why we do what we do. Knowing that our work touches people in that way….there are no words! Well, maybe two…. THANK YOU!!!!

THANK YOU to everyone who voted. The award is really yours and we thank you from the bottom of our hearts!!!

With big love, Chris & Andy xoxoxo

People often ask us, somewhat jokingly, if we only photograph gorgeous people. We certainly don’t limit our client base to head-turners, but for whatever reason, all of our clients do seem to be incredibly beautiful, both inside and out! Maybe it’s our name ~ Bello, which means beautiful in Spanish and Italian ~ that somehow draws them to us. Whatever it is, we’re certainly grateful to our bello clients who inspire us and definitely make us look good! The three sisters we photographed last week are no exception…

Earlier this year, we held our first-ever photography contest. We asked you, our faithful blog readers, to submit some fun and creative photos of plastic bags found in places they shouldn’t be. We admit, it’s not easy to take fun or creative photos of plastic bags, but we got some great images, and more importantly got people thinking about limiting their use of plastic bags. The idea for the contest evolved from our own personal annoyance about all of the plastic bags we saw blowing around the beach, along the highway, stuck in trees, etc.

Since we started thinking about all of this, we definitely have cut back on our use of plastic bags. We bought a bunch of reusable canvas bags for our grocery shopping and we try to reuse any leftover plastic bags we still have.

Another great outcome from the contest was that we got to meet Shaleen and her sisters, Alisha & Melissa, and their mom, Kathy. Shaleen was the winner of our photo contest and her prize was a free portrait session with us. We’re so glad Shaleen won! She & her sisters are such sweethearts and were totally up for anything when it came to letting our creativity run free. They also happen to be drop-dead gorgeous. I think we were really the winners of the contest….look how good they make us look!!! Bellisimo…

Shaleen~

Alisha~

And Melissa~

Sisterly love…

After warming up….and it didn’t take long with these 3 beauties, we headed to an old cemetery for some moody shots. The caretakers thought we were crazy! But, seriously, how cool is this shot?

Next, we jotted over to a nearby boatyard that had this killer red corrugated steel building (you know how we love our corrugated steel…and if it’s colored…yeaaaahhaaaa!). The best part about this session was that most of the photos look like nothing like what you’d expect to find on Cape Cod and we love that! And these girls….crazy beautiful! And even better, they’re not JUST pretty faces, they’re also incredibly bright! Shaleen is finishing up her senior year studying early childhood education; Alisha will start medical school in the fall; and Melissa is studying international relations, with a focus on human rights. They’re the total package!

Just across the parking lot from the red building was this killer dilapidated old storage shed. Can you say, “Score!!!” And how about that flare? Yup, we love that too! Do these 3 look like an ad for Abercrombie & Fitch or what?

Mom, Kathy, jumped in for a few shots. We can see why these three are such sweethearts! The love they all share is so evident and really nice to be around! The world could do with more people like them!

A little girlie giggle!

And how about this shot? They are just breathtaking! And no, we didn’t get them naked in the parking lot…just a little off the shoulder trick. But, it works, right?

A Cape Cod portrait session just wouldn’t seem complete without a visit to the beach…Charlie’s Angels’ style…

The light at sunset here on the Cape is so amazing. And the girls picked just the right colors to set it all off.

And we ended with a couple more shots of all of the ladies…

A great big thank you to Shaleen for taking the time to photograph plastic bags and send them to us for our contest. And kudos to you for rallying your friends and family to vote! You Rock!!! And a big warm, heart-felt thank you to Shaleen, Alisha, Melissa and Kathy for making the drive down to the Cape for our session together. We had such an amazing afternoon with all of you. You inspired and reminded us why we love what we do!!! We hope these photos remind you how special your relationships are with each other. I have two sisters myself and can’t imagine my life without them. There is no other relationship quite like the bond of sisterhood. Hold tightly to each other always!!! We love you guys! xoxo Chris & Andy

We had the nicest time the other day with Meaghan & Sean. Our engagement session began at Meaghan & Sean’s gorgeous new home in Scituate. We had planned to head over to the Boston Golf Club, where Sean is the resident golf pro, but it was one of those perfect summer afternoons and the course was a little too crowded…or so Sean said. We’re thinking he just didn’t want the guys at the club to see him smoochin’ up to his honey with the Bello paparazzi following their every move.

So, plan B began with a few shots on their back deck, then we headed into Scituate Center and the nearby lighthouse. It was a perfect day, ending with a really lovely dinner at Sean & Meaghan’s favorite restaurant, Riva. If you’re in the area, it’s worth a visit! The food was Mmmmmm good, the atmosphere totally relaxing and the company couldn’t have been better!

Here are a few of our favorite shots from the day…

Getting up close and personal…

Here’s as little collage from a sweet moment they shared….Love it!!!

They didn’t necessarily love this pizza place or have any real connection to it, but we thought it was a cool sign! And who doesn’t love pizza?

Just a stone’s throw from the pizza place was this great little field and a tiny brook. The funny thing is it was right off a main street and you probably wouldn’t give it a second look, but it made for a great backdrop for some sweet portraits of the happy couple!

Love the sun flare in this one. And the fact that Meaghan is just cracking up!

Across the street from Riva was this really cute liquor store. I can’t say I’ve ever described a liquor store that way before, but this one had adorable tables out front, flower boxes and really nice elegant looking window displays. Definitely not your typical corner “packy.”

If we’ve ever taken your photo before you know we love beat up old buildings. I can’t say why we love them exactly. I think it’s just the idea of putting two beautiful people, dressed really nicely, in front of something dilapidated and the juxtaposition created by having such opposites in one scene that we’re drawn to. That and I just like cool old stuff. So, there was this closed-up, run-down looking building on Main Street and we snapped a few photos there…of course! Here’s one of my favorites. I love the way Meaghan is looking at Sean and the security you can feel they find in each other just by the way they move together. We love these guys!!!! They are just such warm, loving, totally down to Earth people.

And to wrap up the session, we ended with a few shots by the lighthouse at sunset.

It was a perfect day!!! We’d like to send out a big THANK YOU to Meaghan & Sean for being so much fun, for trusting us so completely…even when we asked you to hike down into the swampy brook…and for just being such an absolute pleasure to be around! And, of course, thank you for dinner! We could have sat there for a few more hours just talking the night away!!! You guys are awesome and we can’t wait to be there with you later this summer when you say, “I do!!” Big hugs and lots of love, Chris & Andy xoxo

Finally, after about 5 weeks, the cacophony of the cicadas has finally subsided. We have endured many days where the air hung thick with the loud raucous mating calls of these strange looking red eyed bugs, whose life cycle seems almost pointless. Check out our earlier post to see what I mean! Now, life, and the sweet sound of summer, is finally back to normal! We can once again drive around town with the windows rolled down and hang out in the backyard without packing a tennis racket for protection. Oh, and Chris no longer squeals and runs for cover as she legs it for the car!

It seems the cicadas have had their fun, laid their eggs, and have recycled themselves back into the circle of life. Peace is restored!

Its amazing to watch them emerge from the nymph stage

What are you looking at?

However, it doesn’t work out for all of them. Imagine this, you spend 17 years underground in total darkness just waiting waiting for this 5 week period that your whole life depends upon, where you crawl out of the ground intent on singing, flying around like a hovercraft, singing happily, mating (of course) and then lay eggs, only to stumble at the first hurdle and your wings won’t grow and you become ant bait! Now that’s a bummer!

And these nymph shells are still hanging around over a month later!

But when it does work out. Bow-chica-bow-wow! More cicadas in 17 years.

Until then …

There is an essay I found several years ago that I have taped to the wall in our office. It’s a good reminder to live in the present. It ends with this thought for the day…

“Work like you don’t need the money. Love like you’ve never been hurt. And, dance like no one is watching.”

I couldn’t help but think of this when I saw this awesome video by Matt Harding, a CT native who not only dances like no one is watching, but then asks the world to join him! What an inspiration!

We don’t know Matt, but we love him!!! He at least appears to be the kind of person we aspire to be and someone we would love to sit and talk with for hours. He epitomizes the idea that it’s okay to color outside of the lines, to follow your own unique path (no matter where it leads) and to live and love without boundaries or fear. He is evidence that if you do those things, you will surely find your bliss! And maybe, in the process, you might even help change the world! Go Matt Go!!!! You rock!!!

In 2005, Matt’s dancing captured the world’s attention and the sponsorship of Stride Gum. The idea for this video was first hatched in 2003, when he created a website to keep his family & friends abreast of his travel ventures. “A few months into his trip, a travel buddy gave Matt an idea. They were standing around taking pictures in Hanoi, and his friend said ‘Hey, why don’t you stand over there and do that dance. I’ll record it.’ He was referring to a particular dance Matt does. It’s actually the only dance Matt does. He does it badly. Anyway, this turned out to be a very good idea.”

A couple of years later, someone found the video online and passed it to someone else, who passed it to someone else, and so on. Thanks to the generous (and very smart) folks at Stride Gum, there have been two subsequent trips since that first video went viral. This is his latest. If you’d like to learn more about this inspirational guy go to his website www.wherethehellismatt.com.

Hey Matt, if you & Melissa ever tie the knot….we want in!!!! Please give us a call! We just know that you two would have no trouble loving with your hearts WIDE OPEN and we’d be honored to be there recording that for you! Not to mention your first dance!!! Yeeeeehaaawww!

Our nephew, Calvin, turned three last week. It’s hard to believe, since it feels like just yesterday that we were there with my sister, Kim, and brother-in-law, Eric, as Cal made his way into this world. It has been such a joy watching Cal become his own sweet little person. He warms my heart and fills my life with such joy. Sometimes when we are talking, I just get lost in his eyes. He’s only 3, but I swear he is an old soul and I have no doubt, the world is a better place because he’s in it!

Here he is at his birthday party. Happy Birthday Bubba! Auntie & Uncle love you to bits!!!!

Cal gets a little help from mommy as he takes a whack at his Buzz Lightyear pinata (look at the concentration)

Horsing around with Uncle Andy…(this photo is courtesy of my dad….nice one pappa!!)

Pile on Pappa in the rented bouncy house. Poor Cal thought it was his to keep and was apparently pretty upset the next morning when he went outside and discovered someone had taken his Bouncy House away. Awww…..

Baby sister Sadie wonders what all the commotion is about…

I love this shot of 3 generations of Ferullos. Sadie & I have a little chat while my dad looks on. I imagine he’s thinking it wasn’t that long ago that his girls were that size.

Cal & Sadie’s new cousin, Michael, hangs out with his favorite Auntie Chris. Does life get any better than this, really?

Second cousin Sebbie was not quite as keen to have his picture taken….but we stole this quick shot while he was devouring a cookie. Check out those eyes!!!! He looks just like his mommy! Gorgeous!

Cal’s best friend, Maggie, puts on a cheeky grin, while Cal tries to claim back his seat in the playhouse. Maggie is the toughest, sweetest little cupcake ever. Poor thing had a shiner on her eye after falling down earlier in the day. Being the little miss independent that she is, she was completely unphased by her injury. I love this little munchkin! She’s going to be president one day!

Happy Birthday to you…..

A little help from his friend…

And here are just a few from a few days later, on Cal’s actual birthday. He decided to wear his Super Calvin outfit to celebrate the occasion! Who could blame him! Birthday are meant to be celebrated super style!

Look Auntie…I’m flying…

It was Cal’s b-day, but I couldn’t resist capturing a few shots of Sadie’s tubby time with mommy. I just love the way the light is pouring through the window in these. Is she gorgeous or what? It’s been a long road, but she’s doing so good now!

Mommy you’re funny…

And my personal favorite to wrap it up…