My second wedding of 2014 was a beautiful, emotional roller-coaster of a wedding, with a Jewish focus and some Quaker elements mixed in.  It was held at one of my new favorite venues in Boston, Artists for Humanity Epicenter, the home of an amazing organization that helps under-privileged young people find paid employment in the arts.  The couple, D and S, have asked that I don’t share their names, however I’m thrilled to share some of my favorite images from their wedding, and to tell you about some of the highlights of their wedding day.

I started late morning at their suite in the fabulous Marriott Residence Inn in the Seaport District, where D and S were getting ready together.  I’ve had a few couples do this, and it makes so much sense to me; if your soon-to-be husband is also your best friend, why wouldn’t you want to share the fun of getting ready on your wedding morning with him?  I know, tradition plays a big part in many wedding days, but there’s something very special about getting ready with the person you’re about to marry.  I hope that it becomes more common over the next few years.  It certainly makes for great photos!  One of my favorites of the day is the sixth image above, with S in the foreground, putting on his tie, and D behind him, getting her veil from the closet.

Once they were both dressed and ready, we headed out to the ICA area for some couples’ portraits.  I really appreciated having an hour to wander the streets and look for great light and beautiful backdrops.  We stopped at the Old Northern Ave Bridge for some photos and made some passers-by very happy!  We then meandered along the Harborwalk towards the ICA, stopping a couple of times for photos.  D and S asked for a few photos on the steps at the back of the ICA as they’ve spent a lot of time there together – I love when we can add a little meaning into the portraits by going somewhere special, even if it’s not the most glamorous spot.  These photos were some of my favorites.

After portraits we grabbed a cab over to Artists for Humanity Epicenter for the wedding.  Celebrations started upstairs with the ketubah signing, and some shots of Scotch (perfect!) then everyone headed down to the main level for the ceremony.  D and S entered the ceremony together, hand in hand.  Although it was based around a Jewish ceremony, they added some thoughtful Quaker elements, my favorite of which was the open platform for well-wishers to say a few words to the couple.  A number of guests stood and told stories, shared words of advice, and generally created one of the most beautiful and memorable ceremonies I’ve witnessed.  I loved the casual feel – two kids hopped up onto the bride and groom’s laps while their mom was sharing words of wisdom; it was beautiful.

After cocktails (and lots of hugging!) upstairs the reception opened back in the main room downstairs with the hora.  Perfect!  During dinner there were a ton of really great toasts, sprinkled with both belly laughs and tears, then the dance floor opened up with great tunes by Greg Lanzillotta of Beat Train Productions.  The rest of the night was spent partying under the beautiful fairy lights that hung above the space.  Thank you D and S for inviting me to document your beautiful and heartfelt celebration.  I absolutely loved your Artists for Humanity Epicenter wedding, and hope to return to this awesome venue soon!