Family….it’s something that’s super important to both Andy & me. Some of our favorite moments in life have been time spent with our families, especially since the addition of our nieces and nephews. We don’t have to be doing anything particularly exciting, it’s just in the being together where joy can be found.
I often think of my love of family when we get together with our special Bello families to document them together, chronicling the passage of time, the added inches, new milestones reached and teeth lost. It really is so cool that the work we do means getting to spend quality time with families and capturing for them what we hope will become treasured heirlooms, to be enjoyed by future generations.
Last month, we got together with a family who’s been in our lives for over ten years. The relationship first began with Dan & Michelle, when we photographed them at Woodneck Beach in Falmouth for their engagement session. The following year, we photographed their Boston wedding. And, nearly every year since we photographed their family, back at the beach where it all began. First there was just sweet Mackenzie, then her sister Cammie joined the party and since then Michelle & Dad added two crazy cute boys, Will & most recently Gavin.
Some years Michelle & Dan came on their own. Some years they came with Michelle’s side of the family, and other years it was with Dan’s side. We also photographed the wedding of Michelle’s sister, Holly, last summer here on the Cape.
It really does feel like we become part of the family with families like this…you know that Aunt & Uncle twice removed who you see once a year on the holidays and might or might not remember their names. But, still…it’s nice to watch the love grow & multiply for people we’ve grown to care a great deal about. It’s also pretty cool to know that when the kids are grown and have kids of their own, they’ll look back on the photos we’ve captured for them and remember fondly those silly summer afternoons spent on the beach…together with family.
Here are a few of our favorite moments with these sweet peeps….Mackie & Cammie hamming it up for the camera, while Will enjoys a ride on his daddy’s shoulders.
Gavin gets some snuggles from his beautiful momma, while Dan tries to wrangle his brood for a group photo. I swear these in between moments are where the good stuff really lives for us photographers.
Are they stinking cute or what? Love this wonderful wee family!
Michelle’s sweet brother & sister-in-law, Johnny & Jolaine, with their wee peanuts, Kinsley & Baby John. Such sweet moments for these parents an their kiddos…
OUr newlyweds, Holly & Paul. Such a perfect pair!
Sibling love and playing at the beach….doesn’t get much better than this!
Where the love all began….with these two sweet peeps, Papa John and Momma Susan. Still going strong and having fun all these many years later.
The ladies…..Can we talk about little Kinsley for a second? She was not really digging having her photo taken for most of the session, but was just loving this particular moment….Hysterical!
The lads…..
Gramps & Grams and all their wee ones, with the most spectacular sunset we’ve seen in a while…
These girls….I could munch their little yummy faces off. Love them!
Just because….SISTERS….be still my heart.
Paul & Holly…
TAAAA DAAAAAA!!! Sans two toddlers….Johnny & Jolaine. I love the suggestion of movement by the clouds….wispy and wonderful.
Thank you Michelle & Dan, Susan & John, Holly & Paul, Johnny & Jolaine and all your fabulous kiddos for such a fun evening catching up and see the progress a year has made on your wonderful families. Thank you so much for allowing us to keep recording this wonderful moments in your family’s life and for welcoming us back year after year with such genuine warmth and affection. We adore you all and hope these photos serve as happy reminders for many happy years to come!
With big love & hugs, Christine & Andy xoxo