* Owen

I am very lucky to be in regular contact with many of my childhood friends. Gillian, a dear friend who now lives in California, and her husband Brian recently came to visit her family in New England and I had the pleasure of photographing their adorable little boy Owen, on his first birthday!

It was raining when I first arrived to Gillian's father's place in Cushing, so we stayed inside for a bit.

Owen is too cute!

How sweet are those cheeks?

The weather cleared, and we headed outside to explore the beautiful yard. Doesn't he look proud?

With mommy and daddy.

Grandpa pulled out his tractor!

I stayed for the first ceremonial "Happy Birthday" song. Owen wasn't too sure.

Brian was sure to get it all on video.

What an exhausting afternoon!


Thanks so much for having me visit your father's farm, Gillian! You and Brian are great parents and it was so special to spend the afternoon with your adorable son! Let's make this a tradition!

vendor tour: Puttin' on the Glitz

owner: Assiah Russell
address: 150 State Street, Portsmouth NH
website: www.puttinontheglitznh.com
phone: 603.436.5600

I first met Assiah last summer at Stefanie and Tom's wedding. Stefanie and her bridesmaids all wore Assiah's stunning jewels, each a beautiful combination of colors and sparkle. Assiah opened her darling Portsmouth shop three years ago seeing a need for women to have fun daily jewels with personality and pizazz not to be tucked away in a jewelry box. This upscale accessory store is a must-see on your wedding To Do list!

The tiny store, a jewel in itself, is located on State Street near Prescott Park.

The window display definitely caught my eye.

And inside, my mouth dropped. How small, yet how well stocked with stunning pieces.


The very glam, Assiah.

Assiah has such great taste and vision for her selections and display.






I met my mom June and stepfather Steve for a quick bite to eat, and to poke around the store.

Steve was trying very hard to get in the photos as mom tried on some necklaces. :)

We liked this one- casual and fun.

Looks nice, mom!

This cuff was a bit over the top (and weighed a ton!), but would be perfect for a formal night out!

I came home with something special to wear for my opening party. You'll just have to wait and see what it is!


Thank you, Assiah! We had such fun, and I'm looking forward to seeing you again in a few weeks!

cordially invited

Hundreds of invites were mailed this week to past and present clients, vendors, press contacts, friends and family announcing the official studio opening reception celebration on July 25th.

Thanks to the kindness, generosity and talent (!) of the following vendors, the evening will certainly be one to remember!

Aurora Provisions
Beautiful Days
Bei Capelli
Casco Bay Frames and Gallery
Debra Corey Designs
Flora Fauna
Harmon's & Barton's
Joya Beauty
Let Them Eat Cake
Maine Cakes & Cookies
music by Peter Miles
Old Port Wine Merchants
Puttin' on the Glitz
Signed, Sealed & Delivered
Simple Complexity Designs

If your invite did not make it to your mailbox, send me an email and let me know an updated addresses for you. It's an invite-only soireé and you have to be on the RSVP list for entrance.

* Joanna and Joel

ceremony: First Congregational Church South Portland, ME
reception: The Inn on Peaks Island
cruise: Casco Bay Lines Bay Mist
coordinator: Cityside Events (Kirby, Kelly & Erica)
ceremony musicians: Portland Symphony Orchestra quartet
band: Jim Ciampi Band
florist: Flora Fauna
nails, hair, make-up: Paradiso Salon and Spa Portland, ME
dress: Andrea's Bridal Portland, ME
bridesmaid dresses: J Crew

Joanna and Joel treated their friends and family to a true Maine experience for their wedding, with a cocktail cruise on Casco Bay and a tented reception at Peaks Island. As those from Maine say: if you don't like the weather, wait 20 minutes. This proved true as we dodged bouts of rain and heavy fog in between beautiful spots of sunshine.

View the slideshow **here.**

A group effort.

Joanna and Joel met at Gritty's, so it only seemed appropriate to swing by for a few pictures.

We stopped briefly at Portland Head Light before the fog rolled in.

Go time.

Hiding in the church. I love the anticipation in this photo, and the exit sign reminds me so much of a scene that should have been in the movie "Runaway Bride."

How cute are these ring bearers and flower girls?!

Married (by J)!

Joel made some great faces throughout the day...

As did Joanna (by J).

Sandy Beach on Peak's Island.


At sunset (by J).

Judy of Flora Fauna created a beautiful river of flowers, moss, rocks and candles on the head table.

Things got a little nutty late night (by J)!


It's been a pleasure working with you, Joanna and Joel, and getting to know your sweet families, too! I am so happy that you live in the area and we can continue to see one another! Let me know when your book club resumes, Joanna! Congrats!

* Jill and Moe

J recently photographed a wedding for emilie inc. associates at Church Landing in Meredith, New Hampshire. This particular image shows the very foggy, yet the peaceful lakeside setting.



If you didn't yet know, J is available to photograph weddings as are two other associates, Geneve and Wyndee!

* Lindsay and Tim

venue: Rockywold/Deephaven Camps Squam Lake, NH
coordinator: Kate Parker Weddings
florist: Kate Parker Weddings
hair: Lena Hartford, Hair That Moves
ceremony musicians: High Range
reception band: The Allnighters
rehearsal dinner dress: LuKa NYC
wedding dress: Lindsay's mother's wedding dress
bridesmaid dresses: Diane Von Furstenberg

New Yorkers Lindsay and Tim created the ultimate camp chic experience for their out of town guests, with thoughtful attention to every last detail. They combined their last names Bello and Martin to create Camp BelloMartin, the theme of the weekend for all stationery, totes, and even t-shirts, jackets and sweatpants!

View the rehearsal dinner square dance slideshow **here.**

View the wedding day slideshow **here.**

A camping guide for guests.

In the back of the guide was a facebook of all the guests, how they know the bride & groom, where they live, and what cabin they stayed in. Brilliant!

The great save-the-date, left, and letterpress wedding invite (that incorporates a map of the camp).

Their rehearsal was a traditional square dance. Love Tim's belt buckle.

Lindsay's friend Luka designed her rehearsal dinner dress, so we took a few fashion shots on the dock.

On the wedding day, as I was taking this:

J was shooting from a different angle, which gives the image a "Where's Waldo" feel of the ceremony procession.

The beautiful lakeside setting among the trees.

Married!

Lindsay and Tim's getaway transportation was a canoe, dragging empty SoBe cans behind it (Lindsay's father started the company).

They stopped for a quick twirl on a raft (by J).

Meanwhile, guests enjoyed cocktails back at the ceremony site.

The newlyweds.

I love how lush everything is in June in New England!

The bridal party, trying very hard to organize themselves. I prefer this chaotic picture to the posed formal. It cracks me up to look at each person's expression and body language.

How sweet is this little guy? Lindsay, by the way, made all the bow ties for the men in the bridal party.

The flowers were stunning, skillfully assembled by Kate Parker.



The reception hall.

Love the glowy lanterns. They give great style to an otherwise nice, but plain, camp dining hall.

The centerpieces were beta fish.

Or underwater flowers.

The first dance.


Getting down!


Later in the evening, Lindsay's dad sang with the band (he was very good!). Great glare capture by J.

And they danced around champagne bottles that were passed around and chugged! I've never seen that before (by J).

It was an incredible celebration, that lasted until the lights came back up.


Congratulations, Lindsay and Tim! I hope you had a blast in Turkey and Greece and can't wait to put together an album from your very fun weekend. Thank you for having us!! Hugs!

ps- Loved seeing your announcement in the New York Times!

* Jennifer and Matt

venue: Wentworth by the Sea Newcastle, NH
cake: Jacques Pastries Suncook, NH
gown: Andrea's Bridal Portland, ME
flowers: Violet Designs Newburyport, MA

Jen and Matt were planning a September lakeside wedding but an Oops! pregnancy pushed their wedding up a few months. Jen, now 5 months pregnant, looked radiant in her "tent dress" as she called it (don't worry, Jen, we'll take photos in your "real" dress for your anniversary!) despite the 90+ degree temps!

The gazebo is a beautiful spot for a garden ceremony (captured by J).

The blooming flowers and bushes were gorgeous, especially the azaleas (these are azaleas, right?), just before sunset.

J captured this fantastic moment of Jen and her mother starting the procession toward the aisle at the start of the ceremony. Beautiful.

Tee hee. Check out the flower girl's expression at the man who is trying to get her attention as she marches up the aisle.

And we cannot forget the ring bearer, equally as adorable.

Mr. and Mrs. sharing a smooch between slicing.

The flower girl took to the stage wiggling her hips. Wonder where she gets her rhythm? That's her mom in the background dancing.

Speaking of, Jen's playful expressions were certainly a trait passed down from her own mother...

Seen here pulling out "the sprinkler," a quick grab by J.


Many warm congratulations, Jen and Matt! We're both so happy for you both, and wish you a fantastic summer preparing for your new arrival! Please give me a call once he arrives, as I'd love to capture your love for your little luv, too!

addressing inspiration

Check out these cool, crafty wrap labels that my friends Cindy and Justin used on their wedding invitations! Cindy, not crazy about her penmanship or calligraphy, spotted a template on Martha Stewart for this modern look. I love it! And friend Meredith Purdue captured the image used as their customized photo stamp!

sold out

I am thrilled to report that the Roots Workshop has sold out! We have 14 amazing photographers coming from all over the U.S. (and even Canada!) to stay for a week on Cape Cod next month! It promises to be an exciting, fun experience of growth and enlightenment!