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

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. Image 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, sing, fly, mate, and lay eggs to find out you stumble at the first hurdle and your wings won’t grow! 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 …

“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!

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…

Lauren & Ed said, “I do,” at the breathtaking, almost European-like, Gate of Heaven Parish in South Boston, then headed to the Hyatt Harborside for their reception. The hotel has a permanent tent on the back of the property, with sides that come off, so guests feel like their outside. And the views…well let’s just say the hotel lays claim to some of the most incredible views of the city.

The day itself was picture perfect, complete with summer temperatures, the most incredible sunset and crazy love! Guests spent most of the afternoon milling around outside, dancing underneath a moon-lit sky. It was the kind of wedding day we women fantasize about! Here are a few of our favorite images from the day…

The dress…like the puffy clouds that blanketed the sky through much of the day…

The hotel rooms were really nicely decorated with a mid century feel to them. A sofa in the suite made a funky backdrop for Lauren’s killer shoes. (It’s funny, I’m not someone who tends to buy a lot of shoes or at least not very swanky ones…I usually just find one pair per season that I love and wear the heck out of them. But, I love photographing beautiful shoes. They are like pieces of art to me.)

Here’s a little collage of Lauren getting ready….she is just stunning! The shot of her putting on her shoe is my favorite! I just love the lines of her body…

A little pre-ceremony toast by the guys. Ed’s dad was his best man. How much do we love that? LOVE IT!!!

Here comes the bride… (Check out all of the digital cameras…wouldn’t it be fun to see each person’s unique perspective!?)

Seriously, is that an incredible cathedral ceiling or what?

Dad provides the rings. He was so nervous for the better part of the day, up until he gave his speech, then he seemed to relax. So sweet!!!

Hey girls…

Does this look like a model shot or what? She is just ridiculously gorgeous!

A quick kiss before heading off to the reception…

On the drive between the church and the hotel, we had Lauren & Ed’s limo driver stop at this old abandoned building. With its corrugated steel siding, it has such great character. Not exactly what you think of when you think of wedding photography, but that’s how we roll! The limo driver thought we were crazy for stopping there, but Ed & Lauren were totally up for it! You guys rock!!!!

How awesome was the light coming through the hotel reception area…pretty awesome! Add a little sepia toning, a fabulously-reflective marble floor, and an amazing couple and voila…a scene that oozes romance!

Lauren’s adorable niece gets a little game of chase from her auntie. Check out her bib…”I (heart) my auntie”….Awww…

Love at it’s finest…

And here’s just a few details from their incredible day…

We’d like to give a shout out to the very accommodating staff at the Hyatt. Thank you for taking such good care of us. Thank you to Father Robert Casey for allowing us to get some up close shots from behind the altar. We appreciate your flexibility and Lauren & Ed will no doubt be very grateful when they see the images we were able to get for them! A big heart-felt thank you to Lauren & Ed’s families - Dan & Jeanne, Mike & Jeff, Jim, Jeanne and Amy - you all made us feel so welcomed on such an important day in your families’ lives. We almost didn’t get to be there with you and we appreciate the sacrifices you made to have us there! Truly!!! We had so much fun getting to know all of you and consider you part of our Bello family!

And, our biggest thanks go out to Lauren & Ed, who inspire us to love with hearts wide open. You two are incredible and we feel truly honored to call you friends! Thank you for having such unwaivering faith in us and for reminding us, so completely, why we love what we do! We love you guys! xoxoxo Chris & Andy

This sweet, funny, lovable pair will tie the knot later this summer here on Cape Cod. But, they thought it might be fun to shoot their engagement session where their story began. So, we left the sandy shores of Cape Cod for an afternoon in Worcester. Not known for being the prettiest town in Massachusetts, but the Holy Cross campus is a beautiful oasis of ivy, brick and fabulous architecture.

We had such a blast photographing these two and can’t wait to hang out again! Here are a few of our favorites from our time together…

Being photographed can be an intimidating thing for some people, but Larry and Emily quickly found their groove in front of the camera. Being in a familiar setting certainly helps, but all that practicing we heard Larry did in preparation for our session didn’t hurt either…..I mean seriously…does he look like a movie star or what? And “happy eyes” Emily…well, she’s just a natural!

This was the first time they had returned to their college in 4 years, and the stories Larry had about his days as an RA were brilliant!! We’d never been to Holy Cross before, but had such a good time…there was so much to photograph. And, the ivy! It was everywhere and was the most gorgeous color green! Such a fabulous backdrop for photos!

And how gorgeous do these two look here?

Does it get any cuter than this?

Ain’t love grand!

A little smoochin’ …

And snugglin’…

Bling, bling!

And I just love Emily’s body language in this one. Carefree and sassy at the same time!

Larry and Emily have personalities that just make you smile when you are around them. I can’t help but smile every time I look at this image.

Thanks Larry and Emily for being such fabulous models, for showing us around your college and sharing old stories, and especially for just being you! You guys are such warm, sweet, fun people! We had a great day with you and can’t wait to be there with you on your wedding day!!! We already know it’s going to be a fun-filled love fest! You guys are awesome! Chris & Andy

I have to admit, the feelings stirred by this nomination, and more importantly the support we’ve received as a result, are something we could never have predicted when we first started Bello five years ago.

After sending out a global e-mail last night to as many of our Bello family and friends whose e-mail addresses we could gather, we were shocked and humbled by the immediate response! Within just a few seconds of sending out the e-mail there were already a few comments posted on the site. And, the things that you said…what can we say to that?

Reading the comments of love and support has just been amazing! We LOVE what we do and for Andy & me to be able to share our passion together is reward enough. But, seeing how our work touches others…it’s just the coolest thing ever!!!

So a great big THANK YOU to all of you who have already voted and for those of you who are hearing this for the first time, if you like our work and have had positive experiences with us, we shamelessly ask you to spread the love and give us your vote….We hear there is a swanky party for the winners! Can I hear another “Whaaaaaa Whooooo!!”?

To check out the contest, click the A-List link and once on the site, hit the yellow VOTE button underneath Bello Photography. We’ll be sure to keep you posted on the results. Voting ends July 4th, so spread the word!

THANK YOU!! THANK YOU!!! THANK YOU!!!! It doesn’t quite seem enough those two simple words, but they are packed with more feeling that you can know.

To my dad….Thank you for always being there for me. From as far back as my little league days, when you used to stand behind home plate, cheering me on and urging me to, “Just Swing Chrissy! Just swing! You can do it, honey,” you have always been there for me, believing in me and encouraging me to spread my wings and fly! Your faith and support means more to me than you could ever know! I love you dad and hope today and all of your tomorrows find you lavished with oodles of love and happiness! I can think of no one more deserving!

You’re the best!!! And I love you to pieces!!!

xoxo Chris

Meet Mike…

Unfortunately, we haven’t been back to England to see Andy’s family in 3 years…crazy, I know!!! We’re hoping to head over later this summer for a long-overdue visit. But, because we haven’t been back since before we went digital (crazy to imagine that) we don’t have any really great pictures of Andy’s dad, Bob, or Daddy B, as I affectionately like to call him. But, we dug this old one out of the photo albums. Happy Father’s Day Daddy B. We love you! You are in our thoughts today and always and we look forward to seeing you and the rest of the Beet gang very soon! With much love, xoxo

Kate & Patrick’s ceremony was held at the lovely St. Mary’s in Barnstable Village. We hadn’t done a wedding there before, but are looking forward to working there again. What a sweet church and the garden out back was fabulous for photos. The party continued at the fabulous Hyannisport Club.

Here are a few of our favorite images from the day:

How cute is Kate’s sister’s dog? Even she has wedding attire! Love it!

Here Kate looks fierce in her killer dress from L’Elite in Boston…Stunning!

I just love the story of anticipation and new beginnings this next one tells.

And how adorable is Patrick in this shot with his Vineyard Vines Dicky Bow? Too cute!

Pat & his guys…

Pat and his girls…

Kate gives her make up a quick check as she waits for the ceremony to start.

We love this church…inside and out..it’s so quaint and the organ pipes make for a beautiful backdrop.

And then it hits you….that moment when you realize you and your best friend are partners for life…

I swear there is something that changes in the eyes of people who are just married. As corny as it may sound, there really is a feeling of peace, love and joy that is just so visible. Getting to see that on a regular basis is truly an honor and a wonderful reminder to hold onto those feelings and live every day with the passion of newlyweds.

And here are just a few details from the day.

We’d like to extend a big thank you to Scott, Rose Ann, and the rest of the crew over at the Hyannisport Club for once again making our job such a pleasure and for always taking care of us! You all Rock!! Thanks to Lisa at Delicious Desserts for giving us lots to drool over, to Karen at Lilacs for giving us plenty of gorgeous flowers to photograph and to Reverend Steve Smith for letting us sneak behind the altar to get some fabulous shots! We couldn’t do what we do without all of you!

But, the biggest thanks goes out to Patrick & Kate for inviting us into your lives and letting us be a part of such a special day! You two are such sweet, loving people and a perfect match! We hope you enjoy this little taste of what’s yet to come! xo Christine & Andy

A few weeks ago, we started noticing these strange nickel-size holes all over our front lawn. Some friends told us it was likely the Cape cicadas, otherwise known as Brood XIV Magicicada septendecim.

Large, ugly creatures with big beady red eyes and clear inch-long wings, cicadas look somewhat like locust or grasshoppers, but are taxonomically closer to shrimp, spiders and millipedes. The Cape cicadas last came out in swarms 17 years ago, before we moved here. Covering houses, cars and buildings for a few weeks during the month of June, they mated, laid their eggs and died off, while their offspring hatched from the trees where they were laid and promptly headed back underground.

I had hoped this was all just some kind of urban myth, that Andy was actually making the holes to freak me out and there was no such thing as swarming cicadas here on the Cape. Then the noise started. About a week ago, we noticed this loud humming sort of buzzing sound that reminded us of our vacation last year in the Nicaraguan jungle. And it hit us, the cicada are really coming!

This morning, I went outside to check the mail, and resting on our front porch in the shade, while its new adult shell hardened, was an adult cicada covered in fine powdery pollen. I hate bugs, so this was a big deal for me. I grabbed my 105mm macro lens, got down close and took a few quick pictures, before scurrying off like a scared dog.

Meet the cicada:

I very cowardly slid a quarter in next to it to give you perspective on how big they are.

Keep your veils handy ladies as they could be useful in the next couple of weeks if these buggars really swarm like they say they do. I’m still holding on to hope that it won’t be as bad as some are predicting.

In Massachusetts, cicada typically don’t emerge any further north than the Cape. For some reason, Mashpee and Sandwich have been local hot spots for cicada citings….our house in particular has loads of holes strewn across the lawn. For the record, they’re reportedly harmless. They don’t bite or sting and really just live to love!

The cicada life cycle is a true wonder of nature. For 17 years the immature cicada live underground, sucking on tree roots. Then, towards the end of their life, when the ground warms up to about 64 degrees, the light brown colored nymphs emerge from the depths of darkness, shed their shells (and inhibitions) and go out in search of a mate or two…or two thousand.

Cicadas only live as adults for about three weeks, during which time they sing and shag like crazy. They lay hundreds of eggs on trees - proud markings of their zealous love-making. And when they can’t shag anymore, the adults die off, littering the ground with their spent corpses. And several weeks later, the fruits of their labor hatch from their eggs and a new generation makes its way back underground for a long hibernation.

Kind of a crazy life, but definitely something worth celebrating, since it’s unique to this area and happens only a handful of times in our lifetime.

Stay tuned for more cicada updates as I have a feeling this is just the beginning of their emergence. We’ll try and record their buzzing noise too. It really is quite loud. Andy is definitely the nature freak in our family, but I have to admit, even I think this is pretty cool! Creepy, but cool!

If you spot any cicadas in the next couple of weeks and can muster the courage to get close enough for a photo, please feel free to e-mail us your pics and we will happily put them on our blog to share.

Viva La Cicada!

Is he delicious or what?

Way to go Deb!!! Like Kimmy, you inspire me and I am so proud of you!!!! Michael is blessed to have you and Ritchie to guide him on his journey! We love you guys!!! xoxo

Shaleen is the photographer behind the fabulous image below (Image #4). For her efforts (both behind the lens and in rallying the troops to cast their votes) Shaleen has won a complimentary Bello portrait session here on Cape Cod. Yeaaah!!!

A great big thank you to Shaleen and all of our kickin’ photographers for taking the time to get out there and shoot plastic! Thank you too to everyone who voted! You all ROCK!

This was such a fun contest for us! I don’t think I’ll ever look at a plastic bag the same way again! Stay tuned as we hope to sponsor another contest in the not-so-distant future. So, keep your cameras handy!

Happy shooting!

On Wednesday, we had the pleasure of photographing Pam & Erik, two former college cheerleaders who “flipped” for each other and haven’t been able to let go since. They flew in from Tennessee to spend a few days getting things squared away for their wedding, which will take place here on the Cape later this summer.

If ever there was a couple to epitomize the expression, “opposites attract,” these two are it…at least physically speaking. Erik is a big guy…a very big guy. Pam is pint size. Pam is super energetic and outgoing. Erik is more low key. She is from the north; he is from the south. But, it is these differences, coupled with their love for each other, their dedication to family and to helping others (they’re both going to be doctors) and their silly, carefree way that make them a perfect fit!

We met at Pam’s family’s gorgeous 17th century home, where the wedding will take place. We did a few shots over looking the pond and Pam & Erik even showed us some of their stunts. Then, we headed to nearby railroad tracks for something a little different…and sexy….hold tight for this one! Here are some of our favorites from the day:

This one was really just a happy accident, a stolen moment before we were ready to start. I love the swing…it just screams, “kids and summer,” to me. And these two really are just big kids.

Cozying up under Pam’s tree, planted by her parents the year she was born. So sweet!

Seriously….could they be any sweeter or sexier together?

I just LOVE this shot Andy got!!! I just love the way the light is reflecting off Pam’s sweater onto Erik’s face and also the lines of their bodies and the expressions on their faces. Even the way Pam’s hair is hanging looks perfect to me.

Showing us their moves…I think I’d squash Andy if by some miracle he could somehow hoist me over his head like that! And they made it look so easy!!!

Cuddling by the pond…

At the end of their road, their neighbors own this really cool farm, with horses, and chickens and everything…not the Cape Cod most people think of when they come here. But, it’s very cool nonetheless! We just loved all of the fresh new green leaves on the trees and the way the light filtered through. And with the old farm tools scattered around. It just felt so romantic, and like taking a step back in time. That sounds cheesy, I know, but it really did.

And here’s where things heated up! Seriously, is she stunning or what?

Somebody call Vogue, they’re missing two of their models!

Heading off into the sunset…

Thank you Pam & Erik for being such a blast, for keeping us laughing and completely inspired! We were already excited for your wedding…now we can’t wait!!! And to Pam’s mom, Wendy, it was so nice to meet you! Thank you for the tour of your family’s beautiful home! The love that has been shared there hangs from every beam!

Big hugs, Chris & Andy

Like a lot of people, they mentioned being nervous about having their photos taken. And, while Andy definitely knows how to work BOTH sides of the camera, I tend to be a bit photogenically challenged, so I completely get the whole photo-nerves thing. We thought it might help if we took them somewhere that felt a little familiar. So, we headed over to a tiny air strip not far from where we live. Matt & McCall completely rocked it and in addition to having a lot of fun together, we also got some amazing shots. Here are a few of our favorites from our time together:

We loved this old tin hangar and decided to play on the concept of flying…We all had a hard time not completely cracking up while doing this, especially since we made them do it a few times…okay several times. Check out the vertical lift!

After aerobics, we decided to take things down a notch and the mood got a bit more tender….

The planes were so cool…next time we’re going for a ride!

I think this one belongs to Snoopy.

Luckily the rain held off until we finished our session, but the cloud-filled sky definitely provided a dramatic backdrop.

A little smoochin’…

Behind the old hangar we found this great rusted wall…totally love it!

Are they adorable or what? To us, these photos really capture their personalities…Oh, and seriously, have you ever seen eyes like McCalls? They matched her sweater and were completely mesmerizing!!

They really wanted to get some quintessential Cape Cod photos in too, so we headed to the beach to get some sand between our toes.

And ended with a walk off into the horizon. I just love the fisherman in the background and the flatness to the sky. We really do live in such a beautiful corner of the world.

We’d like to give a shout out to the guys over at the Cape Cod Flying Service for letting us hang out by the planes. To McCall & Matt we extend a great big thank you for being so much fun, and for making our job not only easy, but also a total joy! You guys are so sweet and we can’t wait to be there with you when you say, “I do!” We’ll see you in a couple of months and look forward to meeting all of your friends and family! Big hugs, C & A

“Hello Christine and Andy,

Thank you for your kind e-mail, what a treat to hear from you! I am infatuated with your stellar work. I was introduced to your phenominal work and website by Sandee, who is a total doll, as you know.

I appreciate you taking the photo of my bridesmaid rings and including them on your blog. I have updated my website’s loading page and Products page with a cropped down image of the photo and provided both your company’s name and website for the credit. Hopefully this helps point some new clients your way!

Someday, I would love to have you both photograph my wedding. Your work is truly sensational!

Thank you again,
Catherine”

Now, when you go to her website, the first thing you see is our image. Is that cool and totally flattering or what? We’re so honored! Thanks Catherine…You ROCK!

We left the sandy shores of Cape Cod early Saturday afternoon and headed to the Boston Harbor Hotel for their ceremony & reception. What a fabulous location, with views of the harbor and a great city park out the front door. A highlight of the celebration was an emotional video by Black Tie Video featuring interviews with Sandee & Matt, mixed with photos from their childhood and footage from the start of the wedding day. The video was shown just before Matt & Sandee were introduced into their reception. Looking around watching people’s reactions was such a treat! Even the hotel staff members were grinning from ear to ear. Great job Mike!!!

Here are some of our favorite moments from their special day!

Matt shows off his wedding gift from Sandee…a sweet Rolex! Nice one Sandee!!! And Matt didn’t do too bad either, getting Sandee some gorgeous diamond earrings. According to Sandee, she told Matt that he had to get her diamond earrings because he makes fun of her driving….apparently, she gets too distracted by her engagement ring! Something tells me Matt may now be equally distracted.

Sandee gets cheeky and shows off her bling while her bridesmaids show off their Beadiful Jewelry wedding gifts. Designed by Catherine Howe, Sandee had these gorgeous rings and matching earrings made for her bridemaids. So sweet!

Is she beautiful or what?!!

Getting a little help from her friends…

Matt prepares to see Sandee for the first time…You think he’s excited?

And here’s Sandee’s reaction to seeing Matt…

There were a lot of happy tears, especially from Sandee, but this is my favorite weepy photo taken during their ceremony….Can’t you just feel the love?

And here’s some portraits we shot of the happy couple:

A couple of fun street shots…

Is her dress gorgeous or what? Love the way the wind is taking it in this one…

Here they hide in the doorway before being introduced as their guests watch the video. I think one of their cousins spotted them just before this photo was snapped. What a great moment!!!

And here are just a few details from the day:

Thank you to Nicole from the BHH for keeping us on track and helping to make sure everything ran perfectly! Thank you too to Janet Finnocciaro and her sister-in-law, Carolyn, from Fino Flowers in Melrose for giving us so many beautiful arrangements to photograph! Big props go out to Priscilla Bridal for Sandee’s Spankin’ dress and to our good friend, Julianne Mahoney, of Flair Bridesmaids Boutique for making Sandee’s sister and friends look so sassy!

But, our biggest, heart-felt thanks go out to Sandee & Matt. Thank you two for inviting us to share in such a special day in your lives and for welcoming us with such open arms and open hearts! We hope to be there hanging out with you on that park bench 60 years from now reminiscing about your amazing wedding day and all the years in between!! We love you guys! xoxo Chris & Andy

I’ve always felt too guilty just throwing them out after emptying the contents I bring home from the supermarket. So, I stuff them under the sink and we reuse them when we can. Lately, though it’s not just the bags under our sink that drives us crazy. Driving down the highway or walking through the city it’s hard not to notice those little polluters covering the ground like a rustling plastic blanket or snagging like forlorn ghosts on bare tree branches.

One day at the beach last summer, we noticed a few bags stuck in the tall beach grass, and even one in the water, floating like a drunken jellyfish. So, we took a few photos. And then we thought, hey, let’s post these on our blog, thinking to ourselves, “I wonder if these bug anyone else as much as they bug us?” And then, when it seemed we weren’t the only ones annoyed by plastic bags popping up in places they shouldn’t be, we decided to hold a “Down With Plastic Bags.”

We asked you, our faithful blog readers, to submit photos of plastic bags you saw in places where they shouldn’t be. We admit, we didn’t get quite the response we had hoped for, but a few of you did submit some images and we wanted to give you props for your efforts, so, we thought we’d post the photos we received.

Here’s where we need your help again…

We’re asking you to take a minute to vote on your favorite photo using the comments section below. The entry that receives the most unique votes will receive a complimentary Bello portrait session here on the Cape. Don’t worry, we won’t make the winner pose with plastic bags!

So, please let us know what you think. Voting will end on Saturday, May 24th and we’ll announce the winner on Memorial Day. Only one vote per computer will be counted, so no cheekiness please!

Reusable bags rock! They hold way more stuff! Check out these cool sites: Reusable Bags and One Bag At A Time.

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ENTRY #6

ENTRY #7

“The day has finally come! Our sweet tiny Sadie Abigail was finally released from the hospital 10 weeks, 5 days, 12 hours and a few minutes after she came into this world. She is now 6lbs 12oz and is just utterly divine. Her big brother Cal came around after he declared that he, “Needed to be alone for a while,” and headed upstairs quietly to absorb all that was upon him. It’s almost surreal to have her here now but we are so ready to enter this new exciting phase of our lives.

We will be laying low for a while due to her weakened immune system but when she’s ready we hope to reconnect with each of you. We say this with all sincerity, we could not have gotten through this without all the love and support you’ve provided.

With much love,

Kim, Eric, Cal and sweet Sadie

Xo”

Here’s a little collage we put together using photos Kim & Eric sent us from Sadie’s trip home. Pretty great photos, don’t you think! I’m not sure we could have done any better!! Enjoy! And thank you all for your love and support! I am convinced that all of that love being spread really helped get her home early, and most importantly, safely! So, thank you!

YEAAAAHHHH!!!!!!!!!!

Thank you to everyone for your loving well wishes…I’m sure they’ve helped get her home so quickly! And for those of you new to the blog, Sadie is my niece, who was born Feb 22, 3 months early at just 2.5 pounds. She has had a bumpy road, filled with weeks in intensive care, being hooked up to oxygen & feeding machines, several blood transfusions, a spinal tap and painful eye exams to check for retinopathy. But, today, she is 6 pounds 12 ounces. She is free of all machines. She is heading home in the loving arms of her family. And all is right with the world!

We recently had the pleasure of spending the day with Ashely & Patrick in Boston’s North End. Patrick is a huge Red Sox fan, and we had initially planned to shoot our engagement session around Fenway Park, but with it being Marathon weekend, we decided to hit the other side of the city and started out at Christopher Columbus Park. These two claimed to be a little nervous, but in no time at all they were looking like pros in front of the camera, letting down their guard and really having some fun with it!

Here are some of our favorites from our time together:

Walking through the narrow streets of the North End…If there had been laundry hanging between the buildings and an orange, white and green flag instead of the ol’ red, white & blue, I would have sworn we were in Italy!

This is my favorite shot from the session. We saw this sweet little old man, who reminded me of my grandfather…tennis balls on his walker and everything, and I had to get this shot of them walking past with the old boy watching them as they went by. Seriously, check out the Members Only jacket…that’s only going to mean something if you were old enough to remember the 80s! Classic!

Dancing in the streets…awwww, are they cute or what? Okay, okay, I admit it…we asked them to do that. But, tell me they don’t look like they’re loving it!

We found this killer blue garage door to use as a backdrop. It surprised us a couple of times and opened…which actually helped get some great reactions…

You don’t find many cobblestone streets here on the Cape, so we had to take advantage while in Boston…

A great big thank you to Ashely & Patrick for being so much fun and for being open to try anything. You guys ROCK and we can’t wait to be there with you on your special day. We have a feeling there is going to be a lot of love circling around you both and you can’t find a more perfect backdrop than than for great photos! xo Chris & Andy