Taj Boston Rooftop Wedding Pictures :: Hanna + Steve

Did you miss me? Not to worry, you'll be bombarded with blog posts soon because...guess what? Yes - this weekend is the official start of the 2014 wedding season for Leah Haydock Photography. I've been lucky enough to photograph a handful of winter weddings but it all starts BIG time on Saturday when you'll find me photographing weddings and engagement shoots non-stop until my first weekend off sometime in July! :)

Anyhoo, let's get back to the reason we're here - Hanna & Steve's amazing wedding on the rooftop of the Taj Boston. I've had a blast getting to know Hanna (who proclaims herself allergic to romance), Steve (one of the nicest guys I've ever met) and their magnificent dog Lola over the last year.

Hanna and Steve got ready at the Taj Boston, one of my very favorite Boston wedding venues. I'll be back in August to photograph Toby & Jesse's wedding. I must also give a HUGE shout out to Courtney Caterino, Meetings & Special Events Manager at Taj Boston who was an absolute dream to work with making sure that everything ran smoothly and that Steve, Hanna and their guests had the most amazing experience. Wedding stationery from Cordially Yours Invitations in Newton, MA.  Hanna's stunning Lazaro gown was from Christina's Bridal in Andover, MA

Love this:

Hanna found her bracelet at IngenueB on Etsy:

If you haven't read my epic blog post on planning your wedding timeline then you really should make time to do so :) I work with most of my couples on their timeline and always recommend adding in extra time for hair and make up which often takes more time than initially anticipated!

Before we knew it it was time for Hanna to get into her amazing wedding dress with help from her sister Michelle and bridesmaids.

Meanwhile Audrey was hanging with Steve and the guys and the next two pictures are hers. Steve had the very important job of dressing Lola for her star turn as flower dog Steve's dad helping him into his suit:

Just as Hanna and Steve headed out to the Public Gardens for the first look and wedding pictures the heavens opened but we stuck it out for a few minutes before retreating back to the warmth of the Taj. Loving Steve's reaction seeing Hanna for the first time:

Hanna told me numerous times that she's "allergic to romance" and so I really wanted to find ways to show their closeness/happiness without making Hanna freak out ;) This was one of my favorites. The day after the wedding I posted a handful of sneak peeks on my facebook page and got the most awesome comment from Hanna:
Leah and Audrey, thank you SO SO SO very much for everything! I am no romantic sap but if I were, your photos would have made me cry. You guys were AWESOME! Everyone loved you both and are wishing they had you do their wedding! I don't even have the right words to show my gratitude...and judging from last night, that's a hard thing for me to do! I love the preview already and I can't wait to see the rest! - Your most unromantic bride, Hanna

Always happy to oblige a request for a formal posed picture and adored that Hanna was all "Yeah, sure, I'll sit on the floor in my amazing wedding dress!" Even Lola gave us her "fierce" face:

Relaxed, quick and painless yet totally mantel-worthy family pictures:

I'm not sure how but I seem to luck out with the most fabulous and fun wedding parties at every wedding. I guess my couples must just have excellent taste in friends:

And with that, we had a wedding ceremony to get to. The rooftop of the Taj boasts amazing views of Boston coupled with the stellar service and attention to detail you'd expect from the Taj team. Lola made her entrance as flower dog:

Occasionally couples ask me if having a first look takes away from the emotion of the ceremony. Just my opinion but I don't think having a first look detracts from your ceremony in the least! You get to talk, hug, kiss and calm your nerves before the ceremony and then you can be so much more present and in the moment. The emotion that happens during the ceremony comes from the incredibly important and personal vows you're making to each other in front of your closest friends and family - not because it's the first time you've checked out each others wedding outfits! Just look at how happy Steve was to see Hanna coming down the aisle on the arm of her father:

Hanna and Steve incorporated a tea ceremony into their wedding to honor their parents and grandparents. Their friend John conducted the ceremony and did an amazing job! Lola wasn't overly impressed and decided to take a nap (another of Audrey's pictures). 

One of the best things about doing a first look and taking all of your pictures ahead of time is that once you're pronounced "married!" you can just relax and enjoy the party, drink a glass of champagne, eat the delicious hors d'oeuvres and spend time with your friends and family:

The Taj Boston Rooftop was transformed into the most perfect setting for a wedding reception by the amazing Gregory and team at Flou-(e)r, the cherry blossoms towered over the tables and made the space feel magical:

Courtney made sure to steal Hanna and Steve away for just a moment so they could see the stunning rooftop reception before all of their guests entered. I know I've already mentioned how amazing the team at the Taj are but I'm going to repeat myself.  I'm at the very best Boston wedding venues on a weekly basis and each venue treats vendors in different ways. There are the venues that tell me not to use certain doorways or forbid me from drinking even a glass of water (seriously - this happens!) and then there's the Taj that understand that all of the vendors are there to work for our mutual clients. The Taj team go above and beyond to make it such a great experience for everyone involved.

The newlyweds are announced into the reception (these shots from the back are also Audrey's) and into their first dance (Madness by Muse in case you were wondering):

Hanna and Steve made a welcome speech thanking everyone for coming and then it was time for toasts from Maid of Honor Michelle and Best Men Adam and Jo. 

The beautiful gold and white wedding cake covered in orchids was by Taj Boston

Parent dances were next, Hanna danced with her father and Steve with his mom. Love the shot that Audrey got of Steve's dad watching the dances And with that the dancefloor was well and truly opened. Mike Paganelli of C Zone did an awesome job of keeping it packed! Hanna & Steve - I'm so happy for you both (well, all three with Lola!). You were both so relaxed and happy that it was an absolute pleasure to photograph your Taj Boston wedding. Your friends and families couldn't have been more welcoming and fun! Thank you! Wishing you a lifetime of health and happiness, love (but not too much romance) and laughter!

1 comment

  1. Beautiful photography Leah, and lovely wedding. I adore the image of the flower dog sleeping! Sooz.

    ReplyDelete