This was my first XV Beacon Mooo Restaurant wedding and what a fantastic day it was! I absolutely loved my time in Teresa’s suite in the morning; she and her family and friends are the sweetest, and there was a ton of emotion when her dad joined the girls. The ceremony was in such a cool spot, and included both family and Jewish traditions (Jason’s family is Jewish).

After the ceremony, we took portraits on the rooftop at XV Beacon, then headed over to the Seaport (Fan Pier to be exact) for some fun wedding party and couples photos.

Thanks to my second shooter Adam Glanzman for covering cocktail hour and details for us (he did an awesome job and several of the photos included here are his). Dinner was absolutely delicious – as you’d expect at a restaurant wedding! – and I loved that we got to choose our own dinners from Mooo’s menu. 🙂

I was curious how the party would be in such an intimate space, but the dancing was out of control, in the best possible way! And they even squeezed in a hora – perfect. Thank you both so much for a wonderful day, and to Teresa for telling us a little more in her own words …

How/why did you choose your wedding venue, Mooo Restaurant?

We originally wanted to have our wedding outside, but the weather in August is so unpredictable. We wanted to find a venue where we could have both our ceremony and reception in the same place. We wanted to get married in front of our closest family and friends (about 50 people) and Mooo Restaurant has a gorgeous wine cellar where we could exchange our vows in front of this special group of people. We then opened up the restaurant for a cocktail party and dinner reception for a larger group of about 80 people so everyone we love could celebrate with us one way or another that evening. The restaurant fit everything we needed and wanted.

Why did you choose Kate to be your wedding photographer?

We interviewed a number of photographers and the process was exhausting. The instant we met Kate we knew she was ‘the one’. She was easy to work with and fun to talk to. A friend of the bride’s hired Kate for her wedding and Teresa had fallen in love with all the photos on Kate’s website before even meeting Kate in-person!

What were some of your favorite wedding day moments?

Ceremony: We decided not to do a first look, so when Teresa walked down the aisle it was a special moment for both the bride and the groom. As Teresa walked down the aisle arm-in-arm with her father, Kate captured Jason’s eyes glistening with tears. Both of our younger sisters married us, which was another very special part of the day — having our sisters up there with us with such large roles was really amazing. When it was time to exchange vows, Teresa said “I do” a few lines too early (she couldn’t wait another moment to say “I do”!) and the whole room erupted in laughter.

Reception: Some families decided to come celebrate our special day instead of celebrating their own anniversaries or birthdays. Family friends of the groom’s were celebrating their 25th birthday on the same day as our wedding. They had originally planned to celebrate their anniversary in New York, but canceled their trip to spend their anniversary celebrating us. The bride and groom surprised the couple with a special cake and presented it during the speeches portion of the wedding as a surprise. The bride’s aunt turned 75 the day of the wedding but decided to fly all the way to Boston from California to spend her birthday with us. The bride and groom surprised her with a second special cake and the entire room sang her “Happy Birthday”. We were so happy to be newlyweds, but the night was much more special celebrating others who sacrificed their own celebratory weekends to be with us.

What were some of your favorite details?

The wine cellar (our ceremony site) was a really special place to get married. It had high, vaulted ceilings and 100-year old bottles of wine. The ambiance of the dinner reception was so romantic — the lights were dimmed, candles were glowing… it was magical! We also designed our own menus, table numbers, and gift card box.

Did any of your vendors go above and beyond for you?

The service at Mooo Restaurant was the best we had ever experienced. They made sure that the bride and groom were well fed and thirst quenched. When our guests asked for something, they came out immediately with it. Our friends and family are still raving about their service (and food!) to this day!

Anything else you’d like to share, or any tips for couples currently planning their wedding?

Two pieces of advice. (1) We had a small wedding – about 80 of closest family and friends. We originally planned for a 150-200 person wedding. We are so glad we went with a smaller guest count. It allowed us to spend precious time (and dance!) with every guest and we didn’t have to worry about pleasing or meeting 200 people. (2) Don’t sweat the small details/stuff. At the end of the day, your guests will only really remember the food and music. Don’t focus too much time or stress over menu designs, table card designs, etc. — your guests won’t remember those details.

What’s up next for you as a couple?

We just bought our first home in May! We are also expecting a baby girl in early August and are busy setting up our new home and nursery before her big debut!