Hampton NH Engagament Pictures :: Fuller Gardens :: Cheryl + George

It's a cloudy day up here in Maine on our sort-of vacation (I say sort of as Paul has lots of conference calls and I have lots of editing) but we had an afternoon of golf and beers yesterday so it's all good. I'm finishing up part II of Amanda and Joe's wedding so I thought I'd share a little engagement shoot with you in the meantime.

I first "met" George and Cheryl over skype as I was on vacation in Florida, we had a great conversation about their 2012 wedding and I hung up thinking "I really like them." Luckily they liked me back (check out the awesome post on George's blog **here**) and so a few weeks ago we met up to take their engagement pictures at Fuller Gardens in Hampton, NH. As I drove there I felt extra nervous, because not only is George the groom but he's also a very talented wedding photographer himself!

We met at Fuller Gardens in Hampton, NH and caught the last hour before a torrential rainstorm arrived. It's absolutely beautiful and was a place that George and Cheryl visited on one of their early dates (after Cheryl had the usually non-drinking George over to visit and got him drunk on two glasses of red wine :)


We pootled around the gardens:


Interesting sculpture:



Fun fact: George & Cheryl have a cat called Leah. I was a little disappointed they didn't bring her to the shoot.


Cheryl kept telling me that she hates having her photo taken. I don't know why:





George & Cheryl - thank you for being so fun to hang out with! I hope you like this little preview! Your full gallery will be along shortly and I cannot wait until your wedding - are you sure you can't bring Leah the cat?

Four Seasons Boston Wedding + St Columbkille Church :: Amanda + Joseph

Aloha from my somewhat-vacation week in Maine. I was planning on posting this earlier this afternoon but Paul pried me away from my Mac and made me go play golf. But I'm back - a little pink from the sun, I maybe got a bogey or a birdie, and I definitely had a couple of afternoon beers ;)

Amanda and Joe have been wonderfully patient waiting to see their July wedding pictures so I have over 40 images to share with you today - all good things come to those who wait ;) Their Catholic church wedding ceremony was at St Columbkille in Brighton, MA and their wedding reception followed at the beautiful Four Seasons Boston. The wedding photographs from the Four Seasons will be up on Thursday so make sure to check back!

Anyhoo, Amanda and Joe both got ready at the Four Seasons but they chose not to see each other before the ceremony (all good as long as you allow LOTS of time before the ceremony and in between!). I'm sure you're here for the pictures so let's get started:




You don't think that would be the only shoe picture do you? Not when they're Kate Spade sandals. Stiletto heels. With peep toes. And bows. In gold glitter. Arrrrrgh - can't deal with the shoeliciousness.



You won't see it too much in this blog post but just wait until part II. Joe has the most amazing expressions of...just...wonder on his face. It's awesome. I loved his little note to "future wifey" Amanda :)


Mmmm - peony's - my favorite (Great job by Flowers and More in Walpole, MA):


As I arrived to take some hair and make up pictures Amanda had this "OMG - I'm actually getting married! This is my wedding day" kind of moment and burst out crying. Perfect timing :) but I will spare her the public tears and instead show you this one which I think is beautiful, look at those eyelashes!


If the guys are getting ready in the same location I like to pop over to see what they're up to:



I loved this little contemplative moment as her bridesmaids help with the veil! the dress! Amanda - you are beautiful!!!


So a "first look" is usually between the bride and groom but if you want to allow more time in your schedule (more time = more pictures = no more $$$ as Leah doesn't charge you an hourly rate = awesome coverage of your day) I've been doing more "parent first looks" where the bride (or it could be the groom!) take some time alone with their parents. Amanda walked down the amazing grand staircase of the Four Seasons so her parents could see her for the first time on her wedding day.

Amanda surprised her dad Tom with a hand embroidered handkerchief saying "To the man who first taught me about love, I'm the luckiest girl in the world to have you as my dad" and then Tom surprised her right back with a beautiful antique Rolls Royce to bring them to the church:





St Columbkille's is an impressive wedding ceremony venue:


And just as impressive was the array of emotion on Amanda and Joe's faces. I strongly believe that Joe was messing with me in the middle picture below ;)




Umm - happy much?

Just wait until part II and the wedding reception photographs at the Four Seasons Boston!!! Photobooth! Skype call with Amanda's best friend serving in Afganistan :) Milkshake shots! And more!!!

The like button above is good....but heading over to my official facebook page is better!!! Click on www.facebook.com/leahhaydockphotography and click "like" and you'll get an update when part II comes out AND you'll get to see some bonus pictures...promise :)

New England Aquarium Wedding :: Boston, MA :: Bridget + Matt

The New England Aquarium is an amazing wedding venue in Boston - you have the waterfront view during cocktail hour, a cute tent (made spectacular by Boston Uplights), yummy food and drink and best of all, you can talk to the penguins as you walk to the restroom. What's not to love?

Are you ready for part III of Bridget & Matt's wedding? It's pretty epic. So stop what you're doing. Go and grab a coffee/beer/wine and then settle in...
...and if you missed the getting ready pictures they're **here** and the wedding ceremony pictures at Trinity Church are **here**

We came out of Trinity (via a puddle reflection picture) did some relaxed family portraits and then headed over to the Aquarium via trolley (loving Matt's grandmother smiling on the trolley):



The image on the right made me laugh. A lot :)



Bridget and Matt walked into cocktail hour (yay for first looks and pictures before the ceremony so you can enjoy cocktail hour with your guests!) hand-in-hand:










Matt overcame his shark phobia to take some pictures inside the New England Aquarium:


There's usually always a moment during the wedding when the couple look at their hands and they're all "Wow, we're married!)


And then the reception really got started with amazing music from the band, Manhattan Touch








Bridget and Matt had some pretty awesome Boston vendors at their Aquarium wedding:

Wedding Ceremony: Trinity Church, Boston, MA (amazingly beautiful, just be aware of the very very very strict photography restrictions)

Wedding Venue: New England Aquarium (one of my favorite venues in Boston!)

Wedding Planner: Andria Medeiros from Infinite Events (Andria and her team were BRILLIANT! The best wedding coordinators and planners know that all vendors are working towards a common goal - the best possible wedding day for the couple - and they act accordingly. Andria was sending out updates on the Stanley Cup parade route to ensure everyone was on time and totally went above and beyond)

Wedding Dress: Priscilla of Boston

Bridesmaid Dresses: Jenny Yoo

Wedding Photographer: Leah Haydock Photography

Save the Dates: Cheree Berry (Bridget loved them!)

Invitations: Vera Wang

Beautiful beautiful make up: Dani Wagener

Lovely hair: Jana Rago

Gorgeous flowers: Milestones Flowers

Yummy Cake/cake table: Nothing bakes like a Parrott

Band: Manhattan Touch

And that's it ladies and gentlemen. I can't even begin to tell you how much I love this wedding and more specifically Bridget and Matt. Along with Renee (one of my awesome May brides), Bridget writes the most hilarious emails and I'm going to miss them :( they're littered with smiley faces and "lols" and use of the words "totes" which is most excellent. Bridget & Matt - wishing you both nothing but the best, lots of vino, crazy dancing, you two will totes have a happy marriage :)

Anyhoo - I'm in Maine on "vacation" (don't worry - the editing is still going full steam so I can catch up before all the September weddings) so I might have a little "beer on the dock" break for the next hour but there's LOTS more good stuff coming up this week..