It was nearly a year ago that we got our first e-mail from Rachel & Brian inquiring about our services for their Cape Cod wedding. It was pretty standard in that she provided us with general information about the dates they were considering and possible locations…they were still in the early stages of planning. But, the thing that really stood out was the personal note Rachel wrote in the comments box.

It read, “Hi! I adore you guys (I’ve been stalking your blog for ages now). Your work is beautiful, but you two just seem really fun too! Brian and I live in Annapolis, MD, but I grew up spending summers on the Cape. Cape Cod is my “happy place” and means so much to me. This weekend (Thanksgiving day, to be exact), Brian surprised me by flying up to the Cape (I thought he’d be in PA with his family, while I was on CC with mine) and proposed on Millway Beach in Barnstable, near our family house. We couldn’t be more excited! You are quite literally the first vendors of any type I am contacting. I wanted to see if you have any availability for Sept. of 2011. We haven’t nailed down a date or location yet, but I knew I loved your work and wanted to find out about possible dates and costs, etc. Sorry for sending the longest message ever, but I look forward to hearing back from you… Thanks so much! Rachel (& Brian)”

Immediately, I felt a warm, fuzzy feeling for this super sweet and flatteringly enthusiastic couple. We try to respond quickly to all inquiries, but with Rachel’s, I wrote back instantly. Being that excited about possibly working with us will get you everywhere with me…I’m shameless that way.

Rachel & I exchanged about six e-mails within just a couple of hours and like that….she had me at “Hello!”

Over the months that followed, Rachel & I wrote each other….a lot. Her messages were always filled with such love & goodness; just seeing her name in my inbox would put a smile on my face.

It’s amazing to me how Bello is about so much more than just taking pretty photos. The relationships we build with our fabulous couples & families not only make what we do infinitely more enjoyable for us…and hopefully for them, but ultimately it is because of these deep & often lasting relationships that our work elicits the kind of reaction Rachel expressed in her first message to us.

Unfortunately for us, Rachel & Brian live in Maryland, so we didn’t actually get to meet them in person until the week of their wedding. Right away, it was like getting together with old friends and we just knew that we were going to have a great time watching them say and celebrate two very big little words….”I do!”

As it should have been for this wonderful couple, it was a picture perfect day here on beautiful Cape Cod. Rachel was stunning. Brian was dapper. And love radiated all around them! Their wedding was over 7 years in the making and friends & family were visibly excited. Here are a few of our favorite moments from their very special day…

Like me, Rachel is mad for life’s little details….including this super cute hanger she got online. Loved this perspective from the window of the house Rachel & Brian rented for them and some friends to stay in the week of the wedding.

Shannon from Wedding Tresses works her magic on Rachel…who was beaming like this all day long!

I’m not sure what it is that I like so much about this next shot of Brian, except that it just feels so much like him…cool, calm & collected.

Some of Brian’s friends enjoy their time together while getting ready for the ceremony…

Rachel chose these super cute teal dangling earring to be her something blue. They also happened to match her teal & green wedding color scheme. Is she radiant or what?!!

Brian’s brother, Matt (left), and good friend, Pat, get ready….

Rachel heads out to see Brian for their “first look” moment…

Brian waits…Is he adorable or what?!

Love this next shot of Rachel….her body language and the excited/nervous look on her face as she peeks around the corner to see her soon-to-be hubby.

The first look….oh, how the love it did flow!

Same moment from another perspective…can you tell which one was taken by me and which was taken by Andy??

The look of love….

Again, another perspective from roughly the same time…

The gang’s all here! Rachel & Brian rented the Windmill House in Yarmouthport for them & some of their friends to stay in during the week of the wedding. It made for the perfect backdrop for photos. We absolutely LOVED this fun group of friends. They were up for anything and made our jobs an absolute blast! Thanks guys…you rock!

Besties…Brian’s brother, Matt, with Rachel’s MOH, Kim. And on the right, Sara….stand-in officiant extraordinaire with Brian’s good friend, Pat.

A close of up some of the gals (Val & Lauren) & their heart-shaped glasses…so fun & fabulous.

All of the girls…such beautiful ladies inside & out!

The guys with their main man, Brian.

Brian’s super sweet niece, Olivia, performed her flower girl duties like a champ. Love the expressions of the guests as they watch her make her way down the aisle. And, can we talk about the adorable banner Rachel & her ridiculously talented mom, Linda, made? AMAZING!

Brian’s good friend Matt (aka Hunter) was a great sport when it came to his role as adult ring bearer. Rachel’s  mom, Linda, hand made the super-sized pillow for him to carry. Again, love the guests reactions as Matt makes his way down the aisle, most especially the beaming smile on the face of Rachel’s super sweet Nana (in the back). She almost didn’t make it to the wedding because she wasn’t feeling well, but the love she obviously had for her granddaughter carried her through. Sadly, Nana passed away just a couple of weeks after the wedding. Our hearts go out to Rachel, her mom Linda and the whole family. (hugs!)

Love this next moment….can’t you feel the joy as Rachel recites her vows and Brian takes it all in? Lovely!

This next one really tugs at my heart-strings. It is such a beautifully emotional moment, standing in front of the person you love most in the world, pledging your heart and a lifetime of commitment to them, while your family & friends watch in support. Sometimes the emotions bubble to the surface in the most wonderful way! LOVE!

Rachel has a pretty nifty party trick…she can saber a champagne bottle. She showed off her skills at the end of the ceremony, sealing the deal and kicking off the celebration! Sooo fun!

We did it!

Some of Rachel & Brian’s fabulous details, including the bridesmaids’ beautiful bouquets by Petals by the Sea. The invitations were custom designed by Rachel with the help of Jessica Zwirble of Poundcake Press. And once again, mom, Linda, hit a home run with her hand-made bean bags for the cornhole board Brian built.

Following the ceremony, we took Rachel & Brian to the beach for a couple of quick photos just as the sun was setting. It was heavenly. Oh, and I’m a sucker for succulents in wedding flowers. Love, love, love!

Love is…being willing to walk in swampy beach grass barefoot for a photo!

Banded together…forever!

As they were heading out of the grass, Rachel let out a resounding “Whooo hooo!” Funny how that happens soon after the ceremony is over. It suddenly hits you….”I’m married and you & me are going to be together forever!” Yup, that’s Whoooo hooo worthy!

In the lifeguard chair for a couple of shots. Do you think Rachel & Brian are happy? Oh, yeah!

Bellisima….

Absolutely love the light in this next shot and the way Rachel & Brian are looking at each other. Delicious!

More deliciousness….

I realized while culling through the images looking for special ones for the blog that Rachel & Brian were looking at each other like this quite a lot. Maybe it’s having been together for so long or maybe it’s just being filled with such love & joy. Whatever the reason, there is something very sweet and very tender in their exchange and we just love that!

Some fabulous reception details…including the hand-made table runners by the fabulous Linda, the matching place card board and Hunter’s special pillow. Rachel & Brian didn’t opt for a traditional wedding cake, instead they got this super cute mini cake (love the pedestal and little banners made from the wedding fabric) for them to cut and then had the most scrumdelicious ice cream cupcakes (yes, you heard right…ice cream cupcakes…talk about a brilliant idea) from Stone Cold Creamery. The guests gobbled them up. Okay…I admit it, we indulged in one ourselves. Mmmmmmmm good!

The wedding was held in the backyard of Rachel’s aunt’s & uncle’s Yarmouthport home. We just loved the way Undercover Tent worked the family pool into the reception area. It was very pretty & provided a dramatic feel to the space. Fortunately, no one fell in.

Matt gives a very sweet, heartfelt and funny speech. Love Rachel & Brian’s reaction.

They also had a Cape Cod Photobooth for guests to take photos and put in a scrapbook. It was a big hit with the guests (and Rachel & Brian!). We also had fun pulling back the curtain for a sneak peek at folks enjoying themselves…

Thank you to all of the wonderful vendors who always make our work not feel like work…especially Sarah at The Casual Gourmet for taking such good care of us. A special thank you to Gordon Ryan for pitching in and giving us a hand when we really needed it! Thank you Ryan…you rock!

Rachel & Brian…what can we say to you? Your wedding was everything we knew it would be and more! We absolutely loved finally meeting you both in person and getting to know you, your wonderful families and friends. Thank you for entrusting us with documenting such an important time in your lives, especially having made that decision without having met us. Being there with you, sharing in your wedding, was such a treat and we hope these photos and the others soon to follow help keep the memories alive for many MANY happy years to come! Thank you too for being so much fun to photograph….”not photogenic.”???? You’re crazy!!! We adore you both and Rachel…I hope we still keep exchanging wonderful, love-filled e-mail! With big love & hugs, Chris & Andy xoxo

Earlier this summer, John & Julia took the weekend off from the Big Apple and headed to the sandy shores of Cape Cod for their super fun bello love session. And, boy was it a LOVE session. Andy & I were literally giddy with excitement over how Julia & John were together. They really are such amazing people…so sweet, tender, kind, joyful, and totally in love.

Normally, it can take our couples a while to warm up to the idea of being photographed, to let down their guard and just have fun with it. But, not Julia & John. They opened up immediately and gave us front row seats to who they are and how much they love each other. It was heavenly! Click HERE for a look.

When the session was over, we began counting down the days till their wedding, as we knew it was going to be something special. And indeed it was. Julia put a lot of care & thought into all of the details of the day and it all came together brilliantly. And, John…John was just itching to celebrate.

It’s always hard trying to summarize a fabulous day in just a few photos, but here are some of our favorite details and moments of love & fun…

Hope you’re wearing shades, because this bling shot is blinding…

John’s beautiful niece Brooke…

Julia is stunning and moves with such grace & elegance. Just love these next few moments as she slips into her gorgeous Selia Yang dress, then checks herself out in the bathroom mirror….swoooon!

And, can we talk about her fabulous hair, styled by the super talented Stacey Kuehn.

Julia gets some positive feedback from her beautiful friends, Helen (left) and Kristen (right).

The flowers by Lilac Florals were beautiful…though not quite as much as flower girl extraordinaire, Ashleigh, John’s other niece.

John’s best man, Michael, tying his tie…

The happy groom….John’s dad passed away several years ago from ALS and he wears this bracelet in memory of his dad.

Michael shares some snuggle time with his super cute daughter.

A little arm wrestling to pass the time…

Julia gave John this super cool watch as a wedding present.

Like a lot of our couples this year, Julia & John opted to see each other before the ceremony, so they could enjoy their cocktail hour with their family & friends….and also to help settle their nerves. Love this moment just before and just after seeing each other for the first time…

Can’t you just feel the love???

The guys do a little first look documenting with their phones…

Julia & her girls & John and his guys…

The gang’s all here…

We had a good chunk of time to do some photos with just Julia & John on their own, which was something we’d been looking forward to since their love session earlier this summer. And here’s why….

It really was THE perfect late September afternoon. The weather was spectacular and all felt right with the world…love the way Julia’s legs look in this next shot as we walk to the next location…tres sexy!

Delicious fall light…Mmmmmm, good!

Love, love, love…

Down to the water for some more snuggling in the yummy late day fall light…

These two laugh a lot together….and we love that!

They also do sexy really well too…

This next one is how I think of Julia & John when I think of them together…comfortable, sexy and always fun!

Bellisima…

Like John’s father, Julia’s dad also passed away a few years ago. So, she asked her Uncle Mehdie, her dad’s best friend, to stand in and walk her down the aisle. Mehdie looked proud as punch!

One more quick glance at his beautiful niece as they head down the aisle…love this perspective Andy caught of guests watching and documenting the moment…

The look of love….dreamy!

When Julia is really happy her whole face lights up and she scrunches her super cute nose…it’s hard to not smile when you see her do it!

Guests relishing the moment as well..

As do her girls…

Sand ceremonies have become a popular way for couples getting married here on the Cape’s sandy shores to mark the symbolism of two lives joining to become one….

After the ceremony, we stole Julia & John for a couple more quick photos….there’s something nice about having just a few minutes after the ceremony, now that the marriage is official. The joy is somehow more visible…don’t you think?

Mmmmmmmm….glorious love!

I’m a total sucker for love in all it’s glorious forms and this next shot just screams happy love to me!

Some more fabulous details. Julia & John selected all white arrangements for the table and brought in fabric and up-lighting to line the back wall and give the room more color, which changed from warm auburn during dinner to cooler pinks & blues later in the night. It’s amazing how adding colored lighting really changes the whole look & feel of a space…and it’s so fun to photograph.

Mingling during cocktail hour…

John & his beautiful momma, Jerri, during their first dance…..love the mother/son & father/daughter dances. They always get me.

Hey now….

Celebrate good times, come on!

This next one pretty much sums up the day…

Big thanks to Julia & John’s family & friends for being so much fun. Thanks too to all of the vendors who made our job not only easy, but also a pleasure. And, a special thanks to the fabulous Matt Grazier, for being such a good friend and for being there when we needed him. We love you Matty! And to Julia & John…hopefully by now there is no doubt about how crazy we are about you two and how much we loved being a part of your amazing wedding. You two are wonderful and we look forward to watching where life takes you as your share the adventure together! With big love & hugs, Chris & Andy xoxo

Andy & I were looking forward to Leigh & Zach’s Mandarin Oriental wedding all year long. So, when August 20th finally rolled around, we were like two kids on Christmas morning….giddy with excitement.

The reason we were so excited is because we have a very special relationship with Leigh & her family. We love them! I mean….LOVE them. So much so that the word adoption has been tossed around. Our affection for this family isn’t because they are as passionate about photography as we are or that they are crazy supportive of us…although we do love those things about them. What really made us fall for this family is the way they love….big, live-out-loud, fun-with-a-capital-F, You-Complete-Me kind of love. The kind of love that is hard to ignore and makes you pine to be a part of it. And, for that kind of love, we are big time suckers.

We first met Leigh & her family three years ago, when Leigh’s mom, Terri, contacted us to do a family portrait session. She also mentioned that she’d love for us to photograph her son, Ryan’s, wedding…even though he hadn’t yet proposed to his gorgeous & unsuspecting girlfriend, Anette. Ryan literally proposed the day before we met them and the two of them were thrown head-first into full-on wedding planning.

We had a blast at the family session…like I said, this family knows how to have fun together. And, since then, we’ve photographed them every July 4th, when the kids all flock home for the family’s annual summer holiday on Cape Cod. It’s a pilgrimage we look forward to every year.

And, Ryan & Anette’s wedding….it was one of those celebrations you just don’t want to end. Click HERE for a look.

Getting to photograph another wedding with this wonderful family was an absolute delight! Unlike Ryan & Anette’s seaside ceremony & celebration, Leigh & Zach, opted for something in the city…only fitting since that’s where they met.

These two lovebirds met in grad school at MIT. And, ironically, their first date was actually at Ryan & Anette’s wedding. Apparently, Leigh’s date cancelled last minute and she asked Zach to join her in his absence. We didn’t know then that it was their first date, but we could see there was something special between them and although no one asked, we quietly approved.

If ever there was a perfect match, Leigh & Zach are it. Click HERE to see where our love story with them began. Having had such a great time with them at their MIT-inspired love session, we just knew their wedding was going to be something special…and it didn’t disappoint. It was really hard to narrow down our favorites to just a few…I mean really hard. But, here goes…

Some fun details…Terri has a knack for putting together some really creative gift boxes. Leigh & Zach’s boxes contained some fun surprises, including some yummy looking Boston Bah chocolate bars and Red Sox playing cards (these guys are serious fans).

For all her goofy silliness, Leigh can be downright gorgeous when she wants to be. It’s her crazy-beautiful eyes that really get ya!

Our handsome groom and a little bling…

Love the sweet & somewhat nervous look on Zach’s face as he’s about to see Leigh for the first time. Leigh’s dad, Alan, and brother, Ryan, along with Zach’s super sweet dad, Stephen, watch as Leigh makes her way to the first-look spot, with her beautiful momma, Terri, at her side.

Oh, the anticipation…

Love these two together!!!

A sweet kiss…

Zach’s crazy cute mom, Alice, was beaming all day long…..LOVE this photo of her.

Leigh gets a smooch from her cousins & flower girls, Frankie & Reese.

These guys are very much about family. In addition to Frankie & Reese, the bridal party included Leigh’s youngest sister, Randi, Anette & Ryan.

Zach’s dad, Stephen, was his best man. Here they are together, with Ryan & Alan. Taaaa da….

The girls getting goofy…

The ceremony took place after the family photos, in the Mandarin Oriental’s outdoor courtyard…an absolutely stunning setting to say, “I do!” In this next one, Leigh’s parents look proud as punch to be walking their little girl down to the man of her dreams…Love the expressions of family & friends too!

The ceremony was performed by two close friends of Leigh’s family and during the ceremony, they asked Leigh & Zach to turn and face their family & friends and take in all the love around them…it was a really lovely moment!

Even Leigh’s nephew, Dillon, (aka Dill Pickle) approved.

After the ceremony, we took Leigh & Zach off for a little alone time…and a few more photos. Here they steal a kiss in front of the Boston Public Library.

Are they cute, or what?!

Love this spot in the city…

As pretty as the above moments were, this next one is a fun favorite…love all the stuff going on around them! City gritty and fun! Hey lady, how’s your lunch?

While heading back to the hotel, Leigh & Zach were hot & thirsty, so what to do….stop for a couple of beers maybe?

Yup! These two are really into good food & good beer, so we decided to make a quick stop at the swanky Charlesmark Hotel. This ended up being all of our favorite part of the photo portion of the day, as it was totally them.

Love this candid moment of Leigh as Zach dashed off for a minute…

A sweet smooch and a complimentary bottle of champagne, courtesy of the seriously cool hotel manager, who was really welcoming to us and very accommodating.

In a funny coincidence, a couple of classmates of Zach & Leigh’s passed by the hotel while we were there. Go MIT!!

With plenty more partying to do, we wrapped up and headed back to the Mandarin so Leigh & Zach could join their cocktail hour…Salud!

Terri is an architect and a fabulous photographer. She’s crazy creative and we were totally gaga for the details, colors, and really structural table arrangements she helped pick for Leigh & Zach’s wedding. And, can we talk about the ridiculously beautiful custom linens. LOVE!

Now that’s some sushi…

More fabulous details! Love the gray & purples!

Befitting this fun couple, Leigh & Zach’s first dance was a fabulous choreographed number that had their friends & family on their feet!

For their speech, Ryan & Randi did a little performance entitled “Leigh in Her Own Words: A Year of Facebook Status Updates.” It was brilliant!

Opting for a lighthearted spin on the traditional wedding cake, Leigh & Zach has these super cute cupcakes & whimsical cake topper made by Amanda Oakleaf Cakes in Winthrop.

It seems appropriate to end this post where things began for Leigh & Zach…at MIT, of course!

We’re sad it’s over, but Leigh & Zach, we hope these photos help keep your fabulous wedding day memories alive for many happy years to come! We love you guys and had so much fun with you, your families and friends. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts for inviting us to share such a special day with you! Big love & kisses, Christine & Andy xoxo

College is a time for learning, exploring interests and sometimes for finding love. Such was the case for Carolyn & Andrew, who met while attending Williams College in beautiful Western Mass.

They were both members of the college crew team, and although Andrew admitted to having feelings for Carolyn for some time, love didn’t float to the surface until Carolyn’s senior year. Andrew was a year older and had already graduated, but came back to Williams for an alumni rowing event.

“I had a crush on Carolyn, but since I didn’t think she was interested, I was able to act like myself around her rather than be nervously trying to impress…and I guess it worked out,” he told us.

It sure did…Carolyn & Andrew said, “I do!” a few weeks ago at the beautiful and historic Highfield Hall in Falmouth. We hadn’t seen the happy couple since their love session last September. Click HERE for a peek at that session.

Carolyn warned us prior to their love session that she really didn’t like being photographed. Happily, they were very excited about the photos we’d captured for them and so we were really looking forward to getting them back in front of our cameras at their wedding.

In the months before the wedding, we’d heard that Carolyn had been working out and getting super fit. Now, we thought she looked pretty fabulous before, but she looked absolutely radiant on her wedding day (If she didn’t live in NY, I’d hire her as my personal trainer so she could whip my butt in shape). More than just shedding a few pounds, Carolyn seemed to have completely shed her inhibitions about being photographed.

While I’d like to think it was because we earned their confidence with the photos we captured for them at their love session, really I think they just got carried away by all of the love and happy energy swirling around. Whatever the reason, Carolyn & Andrew gave us lots of love and goodness to capture and we’re so excited to share some of our favorite images from their picture-perfect day…

Carolyn got ready at her parents’ Falmouth home and I was drooling over the light in her parents’ bedroom…that and her mom’s vintage suitcases, which she’d inherited from her grandmother. They made for the perfect accompaniment to our stunning bride and her equally stunning La Reine dress…

Carolyn’s mom, Joanne, helps Carolyn’s gal pal, also Joanne, tie the bow on her sash, while one of the family pooches seems a little sad about not being included in the day’s festivities. Awww, poor guy!

Some special details…

Love these two photos of Carolyn’s parents each getting ready…Carolyn’s dad, Paul, is known for his signature bow ties.

Carolyn’s uncle had lovingly restored this 1937 Studebaker, and, it is stunning in every detail. He generously offered to let Carolyn & Andrew use it for the day, and he even played the role of chauffeur for the special occasion. Love this moment as Carolyn hops in for the drive to Highfield Hall.

Seriously, I am obsessed with these suitcases. And, can we talk about our happy groom?

Love the light and moodiness in this next one as Andrew watches his mom, Laurie, help put on the boutonniere of Andrew’s best man, Morgan.

Good fellas…

What a joyful greeting Andrew gets from some of his & Carolyn’s friends before the start of the ceremony. LOVE it!

Friends gather…

The joy was seriously contagious!

Carolyn’s dad, Paul, looks proud as punch as he gets ready to walk his baby girl down the aisle.

Love, family, friends + a big old tree = the perfect setting to say, “I do!”

The beaming bride…

Carolyn’s parents and grandparent react to the announcement of the new Mr. & Mrs.

Carolyn’s girls workin’ their sage green Ann Taylor dresses. Lovely!

The look of love…

Dreamy…

After a few photos on the porch, we headed inside to take advantage of Highfield’s crazy beautiful, floor to ceiling antique mirror….be still my heart!

This next one is definitely contender for favorite of the day…I love the way the light is spilling across them, i love the beautiful stained glass window, and i just love the way they are tenderly holding each others hands…love, love love!

Our happy couple…

Fun…

Time for a toast…

It was such a beautiful day…actually one of the hottest days of the summer….so guests were outside a lot. Here’s a fun moment during cocktail hour as some friends get their photo taken by another friend. Real smiles make my heart sing!

Some of the drool-inducing appetizers served by the fabulous Casual Gourmet.

More cocktail hour fun…

Carolyn & her crew team friends do a little rowing re-enactment.

They say life is in the details, and Carolyn & Andrew’s details were beautiful….something tells me that may be a metaphor for their life!

The beautiful floral arrangements were courtesy of the talented Joan Doyle of N. Falmouth.

If ever there was a perfect setting for one of Casual Gourmet’s beautiful wedding cakes, this was surely it!

Get down on it, girl!

Andrew & his mom share a dance, while Carolyn gets a big smooch from her Grandpa following their special dance….having lost my Grandpa recently, and my mom before my own wedding, these moments really tug at my heartstrings!

Carolyn’s too-cool cousins strike a pose….hey now!

Carolyn gets jiggy with her former roommates, one of whom (far right) flew all the way from India for the wedding.

A great big thank you to all of the fabulous vendors who made our jobs not only easy, but super fun. Thank you too to Carolyn & Andrew’s family and friends for welcoming us with open hearts. But, our biggest thanks go to Carolyn & Andrew! Thank you both so much for trusting us to document a day as important as your wedding. Thank you for giving pieces of yourselves to us in every photo. We hope these serve as happy reminders of your incredible wedding day for many, many years to come! With love & hugs, Christine & Andy xoxo

Love can find you in the most unexpected ways and at the most unexpected times. Such was the case for Nora & Josh, who grew up in different states, went to different colleges, had different friends and worked in different fields. But, two years ago, a chance meeting on a tiny island in the Caribbean led a path straight to love.

Ironically, the chance meeting didn’t actually involve Nora & Josh. Instead, Josh met Nora’s dad, Phil, and her older brother, Matt, while out to dinner.

Nora’s parents have a vacation home in Aruba and Josh had gone there with his family for vacation over the Passover holiday. Josh & his family were attending a Passover seder at a temple on the island when Nora’s dad & brother walked in. Seeing Josh & his brother, Dan, laughing & having a good time, Phil asked if it would be okay if he & his son joined them at their table, hoping Matt would have someone to talk to. Little did he know that he was getting more than just a dinner companion for his son. As it turned out, he also got a husband for his daughter.

After a wonderful evening of talking & laughing, Phil told Josh about his daughter, Nora. Emails & phone numbers were exchanged. Curious, Josh sent Nora an e-mail. But, it wasn’t until Matt gave his seal of approval that Nora was convinced to return the message. And, boy is she glad she did. After a few months of e-mailing, they arranged to meet in person, and it was love at first sight.

Nearly two years to the day after that first face-to-face meeting, Nora & Josh, joined by family & friends, said, “I do!” at the beautiful Black Rock Country Club in Hingham. We were so excited to get to be there with them, sharing in the celebration and documenting all of the love & joy that surrounded them. Here are a few of our favorite moments from the wedding…

As we arrived at the club, we spotted this mother turkey with a couple of poults (aka baby turkeys). The little ones took off when they saw me heading into the woods, but not before I caught this quick shot of momma.

Nora was so cute all day…just beaming in a way that said, “I’m-so-excited-to-be-marrying-my-best-friend!” Here she is slipping into her gaga gorgeous Pronovias gown, with her favorite perfume and some serious wedding bling!

Beautiful Nora….

Some of Josh’s wedding day details…

Josh gets a hand from little brother Dan…

We love when our couples want to see each other before the ceremony, for a bunch of reasons, and the visible anticipation you get with the big reveal is definitely one of them!

Black rock….where two became one.

Love is…..this!

Nora’s proud momma, Michelle, looks on with delight as we get some photos of Nora & Josh….is she cute or what?

Seriously…how’s that for a beautiful bride? I’m crazy for Nora’s dress!!! loooove it!

Hey handsome…how you doin’?

love & fun all rolled into one!

I just love when we’re photographing our couples and they look into our cameras and you can see all of the love they feel for their partner so clearly visible in their eyes….warms my heart, it does!

We knew we were going to have some fun at this wedding after we spent an afternoon with Nora & Josh last September during their love session (aka e-session). These two know how to laugh & joke together…as you can see here as Josh pretends to photograph Nora.

Can you feel it? The love & joy?

Love…as delicate and resilient as tall grass…it bends & bows, but if you care for it, it’ll stay firmly rooted.

Josh, Nora & their posse of friends & family.

We were totally diggin’ the scenery at Black Rock. Now a golf course and private community, it used to be an old quarry, so there was lots of fabulous exposed rock and this sweet little area…so pretty!

Josh’s little brother, Dan, and Nora’s sister, Erica…who had me in stitches all day long! Love this girl!

The guys…including Josh’s bro, Dan, (on Josh’s right) and Nora’s brother, Matt (on Josh’s left)

Love this candid moment of the girls & guys while in between posed shots…

Now the girls’ turn…We have to give a special shout out to Nora’s friend, Brooke, (far left) who aside from being lovely in every way, is also a talented photographer and she is the one who found us and convinced Nora to hire us. Brooke was working with Martin, the dad of our former bride, Pam, who apparently told Brooke about us and Brooke passed our info along to Nora. Oh, how we love when our past couples & their families spread the bello love! Thanks Martin! And, thanks Brooke!!! You both rock!!!

smooches….

and more smooches…

Love this next one…

Petals & sand and love, “Oh, my!”

Beaming….

Ruffle delight….

Just married….

Because we did their portraits before the ceremony, we had time to capture some great candids during cocktail hour…looooove when we get to do this!

The clubhouse…

laughter + lamb = a party…

Gorgeous centerpieces by the talented folks at Clifford’s Flowers made the ballroom shine!

Besides saying, “I do!” the thing I think Josh & Nora were most excited about was this masterful cake by TLC celebrity Cake Boss, Buddy Valastro of Carlos Bakery. We didn’t get to try the cake, but it looked amazing…the flowers were so real looking, but all totally edible.

First dance….full of joy & laughter, the way it often is between these two lovebirds!

Erica’s speech, though somewhat controversial, was in this photographer’s humble opinion…HY-sterical (one of the funniest I’ve ever heard). As funny as it was, it was also love-filled and definitely got folks ready to party!

Love these different expressions as they listen to the speech…check out the guy in the back in the white and the woman in the middle….priceless!

Nora & Josh’s day really was the stuff dreams are made of….and to think we all got here thanks to a chance dinner meeting on a tiny island about 2000 miles from home. Yay for finding love in the most unexpected places!

Thank you to all of the vendors who made our job such a pleasure, and special thanks to Josh & Nora’s families and wonderful friends for making us feel so welcomed. But, our biggest thanks go to Josh & Nora for the trust you put in us and for being such fun, warm, wonderful people! We can just picture you two, still vacationing in Aruba when your in your 80s…reminiscing about all of the love & laughter you experienced along the way! We hope these photos serve as happy reminders of your incredible wedding day for generations yet to come! With big love & hugs, Christine & Andy xoxo