Jenifer Lyn Photography » Wife, Mother, and Wedding Photographer Extraordinaire

I have been very fortunate in my career to photograph in many beautiful locations, but one of my all time favorite outdoor places to photograph is at the Boston Public Gardens within the Boston Common. Now, you need a permit from the city to take professional portrait photographs within the Common, but once you have that, you are all set. And any time of year in the Common yields amazing places to take portraits. I’ve photographed various couples here for engagement sessions over the years, but was never lucky enough to be booked to photograph a wedding here. Until this year!

Terri and Clem have both been married once, so this time they wanted a small, intimate ceremony with their children and spouses, officiated by a close friend. The closeness of the whole group really was amazing to be a small part of for the time I was able to.

While we were taking part in the ceremony, a bunch of tourists came by and formed a group around to watch. It was really interesting to see how a small, intimate event like this wedding brought people to take time out of their day to just stand and watch. One small group in particular kept moving around to get better pictures of the event. As a photographer, I often have to work around friends and family during a wedding to get the images I want to. However, I’ve never had to work around complete strangers! It was an interesting dynamic. Since the group was taking pictures of his close friends, the Officiant’s husband was a great sport and offered in turn to take a group picture of them. Here he is – a true first ever for me during a wedding!

One of the coolest things about photographing this wedding when I did was that the city of Boston had decorated the statue of George Washington to prove he is a big Bruins fan.

Here is one last image from the day of the whole group together (including President Washington!).

Huge thanks to Terri and Clem for allowing me to be a part of their very special day.

I’ve known Drew, his brother and sister-in-law for over 10 years now (wow, I kind of feel on this side of old having just typed that out loud…) and Pam for a few years, too. So when they asked me to photograph their wedding, I was beyond excited. Not to mention, I’m already well acquainted with the “Drew” family, having photographed his brother Tim and Amanda’s wedding the year before. I LOVE it when I have the good fortune to photograph family and friends that I’ve already worked with/know well. By the second (or third!) time, they are used to my style and I am used to their inside family/friend jokes, so things just mesh very well.

The Wayside Inn is a small Inn with a TON of history to it. I had never been there before we did the site walkthrough, but it is so beautiful there. While you are there, you actually feel yourself slowing down – taking in the surroundings, contemplating who had been there before you.

Pam and Drew both got ready in one of the Inn’s rooms (different rooms – far enough away to not be seen). I just loved how the Inn kept the decor true to the period in which it was built. And love, love, LOVED how she had her hair done.

She chose to ride over to the Martha-Mary chapel on a horse and carriage. I just LOVE this interaction between Pam and her dad:

The Martha-Mary chapel is a small chapel built by Henry Ford. However small it may be, though, it is big on beauty. I love the simple lines and decor. But then again, I have a soft spot for churches.

We did a couple formal images in front of the chapel:

And then we went to the Grist Mill for some more:

I just have to take a moment to share a “behind-the-scenes”-type image just to show you how these two were SUCH great sports about the formals. What you can’t really tell in the images so far is that it was raining off and on all day. And as luck would have it, it rained the hardest while we were attempting to take formals. But they were NOT going to let the rain stop us!! Here they are trudging through the muddy paths to get back from the Mill. You two were seriously SO great about it!!!

To finish off the post, I wanted to end with this image of Pam with Pam the Horse. It was fate!

You’ll notice by the title that I called this Part One. Pam and Drew had another celebration later last year at the Museum of Science. I will post that one in a few weeks. BIG thanks again to you for sharing your day with me – I had so much fun!!!!!

When I met with Kathleen and Adam for the first time about their wedding, they said they LOVE my style, but that what truly set me apart from all the other photographers in their mind was my logo. My logo?! They then asked (well, Adam did) why I chose the blue/brown for my colors. My answer? Because I like them – together. That’s it. No secret society of color blocking. I just like them. He then reminded me that they are the same colors that Tufts University uses for their school. Which he went to. (Score big for me!) I must say, though, that I am VERY glad they chose me – they are an amazingly wonderful couple – so down to earth and genuinely nice. And you can totally tell how important friends and family are to them based on their wedding.

So onto their images. And yes, these are from last year, when I didn’t have time to blog every wedding I did. I think I just like to go back and review and relive the wonderful WARM moments!

Just before the ceremony began, we quickly realized that Kathleen and Adam were both hiding out from being seen within a few feet of each other. So we thought it would be a cool idea to take this photograph of the girls and the guys – neither of which can see the other!

SO the umbrellas were originally there to keep the hot sun off of everyone, however, they were found to be needed for the rain that decided to come down. It stayed a light drizzle for the ceremony, thankfully, then stopped for the formals. By the time we got to the reception, it was POURING! They definitely lucked out. (If you look closely, you can see that SOMEone managed to catch me in the photo. I avoid that at all costs, but it was unavoidable this time.)

I just now realized I failed to mention the fact that they were married on the beach at the Surf and Sand in South Yarmouth on Cape Cod. Even though the venue is small, they had a lot of great little places to take formal photographs.

On part of weddings that I LOVE to photograph is the details. Couples take so much time selecting the small and large parts of the wedding that make it uniquely theirs and I love to make sure they are all captured for them to reflect on later. Here are a couple:

The final image for today is actually one of the last photos I took before the night was done. I just love how the lights in back of them look and how it captures THEM. Intimately, together, alone, taking a moment to enjoy themselves together before the last dance.

It’s actually almost been a year now, but never to late to thank Kathleen and Adam (again!) for choosing me to share their day with them.

If you are looking for an amazingly beautiful wedding venue with gorgeous views, then look no further than The International (golf course and resort) in Bolton, MA. The drive out to the site is a long one, but well worth the time it takes to get there. The surrounding scenery reminds you to slow down and appreciate all the little things in life. Upon arriving, you  immediately see the beautifully manicured grounds amidst the forestry. Every area, green, parking lot, room – you name it – is impeccably well taken care of. I suppose it isn’t surprising, given that the resort was (until recently) open to members only.

I’m certain that any time of year would be perfect for hosting your wedding here, but it is especially beautiful in fall. The colorful trees make for a gorgeous backdrop. One of the options for your ceremony is to have it on the hill overlooking the driving range.

If you choose to have your ceremony on the driving range, the staff coordinates multiple golf carts that take the guests (and then the bridal party, when it’s time) over to the ceremony site and then back to the ballroom for the reception.

The ceremony site is large enough for a super big party. I’m guessing you could easily fit 300 people there (I just don’t know if they have enough chairs!). And because there is no real space constraint, it’s perfect for large bridal parties.

One of the best aspects of the International is their many MANY places you can go to take photographs with the bride and groom. I was fortunate to work with a GREAT couple and we took a golf cart to several different places around the course. There are just way too many to show here, but here are a few:

The ballroom for the reception is just beautiful. It is decorated with nice neutral colors, accented with large golden curtains over the massive windows that overlook the greens. The decor itself is beautiful, but what makes it great is that you can coordinate any color scheme and not worry about clashing with existing decorations.

All in all, The International is seriously one of the nicest locations for a wedding in the area. I would put it in my top 2 for favorite places to photograph a wedding. So if you like outdoor locations and are looking for something out of the ordinary, yet absolutely beautiful, this is the place for you.

Are you getting married between March  and April this year?!

I found this yesterday and HAD to share….WCVB Boston is looking for couples getting married this spring to be featured on Chronicle. From the video, it says they are looking for couples getting married on a Friday between March and April. She provides an email address for you to contact at the end, so keep an ear out for that.

Good luck to all who enter and Happy Friday!!

Since a post just isn’t a post without an image, I thought I’d share one of my favorites:

This past winter here in eastern Massachusetts, we have been hit time and time again with crazy snow storms. Not a single one has provided us with less than 8 inches of snow, and most them have come in around a foot or more!! If you know me, you know I’m not a fan of the cold, however, there is something almost magical about all the sparkle and newness freshly fallen snow brings to the earth. It’s almost peaceful. Well, it would be if it weren’t so darn cold!

So I took some time after a couple of the snowfalls to go out and capture a few images of just how pretty it can be in the snow. As I was doing so, though, I realized how much I like winter white weddings. I have only been fortunate enough to photograph on during a snow storm. I know that sounds absolutely horrid to most people, but seriously, it was the MOST beautiful scenery to go with the beauty of the bride and her white gown – oh yah, the groom, too. I then wonder why more people don’t opt for something like that. I mean, we DO live in New England and we are guaranteed snow each winter. Why not take advantage of that and plan your wedding accordingly? With the money you’ll most likely save by booking a venue during the off season here, you can splurge for the horse-drawn carriage and cute faux fur (gotta be nice to the little animals) hooded cloak and matching hand muff. Then we can walk around your venue taking gorgeous winter photographs and they will be like NO other wedding! Your friends certainly won’t have that (well, maybe friends who get married after you, since they’ll LOVE it so much!). Just a suggestion…

And if you opt for any of that, and choose a winter wedding in the snow – I would LOVE to be a part of your day to photograph it. I had a blast the one time I was able to “play” in the snow with one of the couples who hired me, and I would love to do it again! Next year, of course – I’m done with the snow this year!!!!!!!

Here are a few of the images I took a few weeks ago. B-E-A-U-tiful, no?! But I am SO ready for spring—Puxatawney Phil(yah, he has his own website), PLEASE be right!!!!!

I just want to point out that this one was taken after snow storm #2. Since then, the snow has completely covered the top of this entire hedge row! I’m doubting whether we will ever see them again!

For years I’ve been searching for a way to give back to a charity that means something to me. I knew the charity immediately – Susan G. Komen for the Cure. Both of my grandmothers were diagnosed with breast cancer and as I get older, the number of people I know who have been impacted by this condition grows yearly. It hit home when someone very close to me found out her younger sister had been diagnosed. It was then I decided I needed to take action, not just keep saying”wanna do someday”.

After months of brainstorming – coming up with ideas and turning them down, I think I’ve landed on a solution that benefits the charity as well as couples working with Jenifer Lyn Photography. Starting today, couples who receive my price list will have the option of making their collection “Pink’T”. Certain proceeds from this collection option will be donated directly to the Susan G. Komen for the Cure.

I think this is a very exciting option for couples to choose, one that will allow them and me to help a charity that is such an important one. In return for choosing to have your collection “Pink’T”, you will receive a keepsake from me that can be proudly displayed at your reception for all your guests to see. What a great way to give back while hiring your photographer (which you were going to do anyway!). For more information, or to hire me for your wedding day, please fill out the contact form on my website, or up above here on my blog.

Together, we can help the fight against breast cancer! In memory of two very important women in my life whom I miss terribly, I’d like to introduce you to my Gram and Babci (Polish for grandmother, for those who don’t know), looking beautiful as ever on their wedding days. (Copyright belongs to their respective photographers who I would love to credit, however I cannot locate their names):

As I may have mentioned a time or two, I love, love, LOVE weddings. So I subscribe to various magazines and websites to keep up with the current trends (or so I tell my husband – I really just like looking at the dresses, flowers, venues, etc.). In my daily reading, I noticed that many sites have come out with their take on the trends for 2011 – and I decided I wanted to share them with you. I think a lot of them are cool and I’d love to see quite a few of them at some of the weddings we do this year.

The first one I received was from OneWed‘s bridal blog, called the Savvy Scoop. (If you haven’t been on OneWed or their blog, you should definitely check them out- OneWed is always posting contests on there where you can win great stuff for your wedding). I read their list about 2 weeks ago when they posted it, but in going back to find it, it seems they’ve posted a series of write-ups on trends for everything from dresses to hairstyles. It’s definitely worth a look, if you are stuck for ideas. The initial post, Top 10 Wedding Trends for 2011 – Hot Off the Press, is a great rundown of upcoming trends. My favorites are #1, 2, 4 & 5. I truly hope there is a return of the big ball gown and sophisticated elegance – two of my favorite parts of a wedding. Of course I’m also in favor of an outdoor wedding, but that’s not always easy to accomplish in Massachusetts!

Another resourceful bridal site to check is the Knot.com. There is a ton of information listed on there by location, though I have to say it seems like there may be too much to offer on that site sometimes. I think I’d get overwhelmed if I were trying to find resources on there. Sometimes too much isn’t good. HOWEVER, they’re 11 Wedding Trends for 2011 post really resonated with me. I was won over with the very first one: Prohibition-Era Elegance. LOVE it! I’m a huge fan of vintage dresses, styles, hairdos, etc. I would be thrilled to shoot a wedding (or MANY) with a theme like this. (Note: as I just went back to reread the article, I realized I wasn’t logged in and found that it was going to force me to log in or create a sign in before I could proceed. Not sure I like that much, but just know it’s coming if you want to read the article.) They do have some useful stuff on there, so maybe you’ll find more help after logging in.

There are TONS of other useful resources for 2011 trends, a simple Google search returned an amazing number. Interestingly, many are pointing to a return to vintage style and incorporating personalized DIY aspects to some of the finer details. Reading all this has me greatly excited for the many weddings we have in store for this year!

And since no post on a photographer’s blog is complete without an image, here’s one of my favorites from 2010.  Happy planning everyone!

So here we are! Final post in the Formals Quartet series. I view this not really as a topic of its own, but a culmination of everything I mentioned earlier. All the decisions you made about style and number really boil down to how much time you want to allot for formals. Of course it is entirely up to you, but there are a few things I think you should consider.

Cocktail Hour

Should you take formals during the cocktail hour? While it is customary to use the cocktail hour time for taking formals, some couples decide they want to spend all or part of the cocktail hour partying with their friends. If that describes you, then I suggest you set the cocktail hour to begin a little later than normal – giving time between the ceremony and cocktail hour for the formals. Your guests will wait  - and if you put the time on the invitations beforehand, they’ll know exactly what to expect and will plan accordingly.

I actually just had a conversation with a woman about this very topic (it’s amazing the wedding conversations that I get to have as soon as people learn that I’m a wedding photographer!). Her daughter and son-in-law are adamant  about attending the entire cocktail hour and only planned 20 minutes for formals between the ceremony and the start of the party. My initial thought was – that does not give their photographer much time at all to take formals. I’ve found that it is really difficult (but not impossible) to pull off a lengthy list of images in that amount of time. But I listened to the rest of the story with intrigue…she then told me that since the groom is buying his tux and of course, the bride bought her gown, they are opting to do one-on-one formals when they return from their honeymoon. After hearing that, I see they planned ahead well and really talked over their options with their photographer.

See Each Other Beforehand

Another time/timing thought to consider is if you are willing to see each other before the ceremony. I’ve done quite a few weddings where we did the formals before the ceremony began. I know what you may be thinking: “I really want to see the look on his face when he sees me for the first time in my dress coming down that aisle.” I totally appreciate that. That is exactly what I thought about my wedding day, too. But consider this for a moment, if you would. We could set up a very intimate one-on-one reveal between the two of you. He waits for you in a special place. You appear looking beautiful as ever. And you get a very personal “first look” between just the two of you. Well, and me and my second shooter and our cameras…but you get the idea. Couples who have done it have all told me they were glad they did because it gave us a lot of time to take a great number of formals with everyone. Plus they get to enjoy their cocktail hour.

Length

How much time do you need? Well, that depends on how many photographs you want. I typically suggest an hour of dedicated (uninterrupted) time for formals. Of course, all of the other factors I mentioned in earlier posts can impact how long formals will take. As a photographer (again, MY point of view), I would love to have more time than that to spend with the couple – it allows for more fun and relaxed portraits in something other than the typical poses. But if you just cannot give it, then realize your decision will impact the number of people, number of portraits, style and types of formals your photographer will be able to get for you.

I had to put this one in here – LOVE this image of Steve and Roz at the Madison Surf Club in CT. They were real troopers in holding still while we slowed down the shutter to get the little moon in the image. Special thanks to Ken Shing-Law for the idea and help with execution (and for shooting with me that day!).

Plan B

This isn’t necessarily about “time” like the title suggests, but having a Plan B, while no one actually WANTS to have to use it, is really important. This is New England, after all. And the possibility of rain (or snow – YIKES!) is a real possibility. I can always help devise a plan B that day, if we need one, but it’s really better for you if you come up with one beforehand.

This is a good example of a quick plan B we put together on a very cold November day – put the jackets on the ladies!

I sincerely hope this series on formals helps you make the decisions for your wedding day easier so you get what you want.

I thought I’d stay local to me for the next venue review, since we really had an amazingly great time at the wedding we did there. The Four Points Sheraton in Norwood, MA is such a great place to have a wedding reception. Their ballroom is called the Tiffany Ballroom – seriously, how can you resist a ballroom named after the best jewelry store known to man?! (Ok, so I don’t know if they named it after the jewelry store or not, but I’m gonna stick with that belief!). Taken from their site, since they do an amazing job of describing details I couldn’t possibly know:

With lofty ceilings adorned with alabaster chandeliers, mahogany and granite bars, spacious hardwood dance floors, and French doors leading to a private outdoor garden terrace, the impressive Tiffany Ballroom comfortably seats parties up to 450 with dancing. Stylish lobbies and foyers serve as your private cocktail area, where our professional staff graciously welcomes your guests.

The Tiffany Ballroom is all that they say it is. It is really beautifully decorated to accommodate any color scheme you as a bride could choose. The layout of the room allows for an intimate feel for all guests, even with a wedding of 300+ family and friends in attendance.

I was really impressed with the cocktail hour area outside the ballroom, which allowed guests to mingle with wonderful passed hors d’oeuvres and drinks from the bar. Of course, I only saw that portion in passing as we whisked the bride, groom and wedding party off to take the formal images. Since they were married in a church in Scituate, we had done all of the family formals and many of the bridal party formals at the Scituate Lighthouse (what a great location for that!).  But we wanted a few formals outside at the waterfall out front and a few around the hotel with just the bride and groom. When scouting possible locations, I came across this red sofa that I just LOVED. We did a few fun shots here:

The decor of the hotel and ballroom is just beautiful. And the staff was great to work with when it came time to organize the events of the day. The coordinator of the day communicated well with me and made sure I knew when to be certain places for the events of the reception. The dance floor was a great size for dancing – it was not small at all. In fact, the wedding I shot there was 300+ people and though most of them were dancing for almost the whole night, the floor was never over-packed.

One more feature I really like about the hotel is most likely not included in the wedding package. On site they have a bar/restaurant called Bistro. It is quite possibly the most perfect location to take your party after the official party is over, especially if many of your guests have decided to stay the night in the hotel anyway. The couple I was working with were so fun and wonderful that they invited us to join them for the after party in the bar, so we did! It was truly an amazingly fun time.

So if you are looking for a great, fun, elegant venue in the Norwood, MA area, I would honestly suggest the Four Points Sheraton and their lovely Tiffany Ballroom.