vendor tour: Hair That Moves

business: Hair That Moves
owner: Lena Hartford
location: Berwick, Maine
phone number: 603.682.4465

For many brides planning from afar who might be unfamiliar with the local salons or for those who prefer the beauty process be done on site for their wedding, meet Lena of Hair That Moves. After working in a salon for 8 years, Lena sought an easier solution for her busy clients. Lena's mobile salon comes to you, anywhere in New England and beyond for wedding services, and everyday cuts and color. I have had the pleasure of working with Lena at several weddings and recommend her every chance I can. Together with Joanne McDonough of Joya Beauty, these two are a reliable duo for your wedding day beauty needs. It's a luxury worth splurging for, as great hair and make-up make a huge difference in your photographs.

I met up with Lena last night in Portland for a wedding hair trial.

We head up to the apartment.

Everything Lena needs fits in that big black case.

After a quick consultation (love the dog-eared magazine page, inspiration for this bridal do), Lena gets started.

Can't forget the wine! A perfect complement to an in-home "hair date."

How fun is this? Literally set up in the foyer of Tiffany's apartment (gal at left), her friend Kristen (in chair) settles in for some wedding prep and girl talk.

Lena puts Kristen's hair in curlers to add some volume.

And then begins the pinning process for the up-do.

Kristen brought her veil to check out with her finished hair.



Can you sense the calm? It was so relaxing and much less stressful than a harried salon.



It's coming together! A bridal style takes about 45 minutes on a wedding day.



Voila!

Lena and Kristen map out the schedule for the wedding day bridal party hair.

The thing I love most about Lena is her approachable demeanor. Brides are picky about their hair, and Lena often sees them during the most stressful time on a wedding day. She wants her clients to be happy and feel beautiful, and will do whatever it takes to achieve that.


As you can imagine, Lena books up quickly for this sought-after wedding day convenience. Be sure to call her early in your planning!

Thank you Lena, Tiffany and Kristen for allowing me to photograph the process. Best of luck with your weddings! I know you'll be beautiful!

* Kelly and Wyatt

venue: Inn by the Sea Cape Elizabeth, Maine
officiant: Daniel Forte
florist: Harmon's and Barton's Flowers Portland, Maine
dj: Jeff Erwin Music Man DJ Services
cake: Let Them Eat Cake Kennebunk, Maine
hair/make-up: Bei Capelli Scarborough, Maine
gown: Augusta Jones, Allegria Bridal Belmont, Massachusetts
invitations: Passion Paper
honeymoon: Bora Bora and Moorea
photographer: Emilie

Kelly and Wyatt met at Merrimack College. Kelly was the athletic trainer for Wyatt's lacrosse team. Once engaged, Kelly knew she would be married at Inn by the Sea as she had spotted it from a sailboat years before and announced that's where she would one day say I Do. They hired me ages ago to capture the daytime event and I had such fun traipsing the beautiful inn grounds and beach capturing the love.

On to the pictures...

Kelly's wedge shoes were perfectly functional for a grass ceremony, even if the bridal shop didn't dye them to match her dress like she had asked. Oops!

Getting dressed with her girls in one of the cottages at the inn.

Finding the right position for Kelly's hair orchid was quite a task.

Meanwhile, Wyatt was getting ready in his parent's cottage nearby.

Wyatt made this bamboo ceremony canopy, and had several offers from guests to buy it!

Beautiful sunshine during the afternoon ceremony, a small miracle for our summer so far in Maine.

We took a quick stroll down the boardwalk to the beach. Love their fingers in this shot.



Kelly has the brightest smile and biggest heart. I had such fun with her!

The tented reception featured bold hues.

The bling on a starfish.

Another amazing delight by Gayle Forte of Let Them Eat Cake.

Mr and Mrs.

Although I rarely see the bouquet or garter toss anymore, I was cracking up watching Wyatt get into "Foxy" before retrieving his wife's garter.

And this is where it ended up. :)

Fog rolled in and we raced over to the canopy for some moody portraits at the end of the event.



There are many more beautiful images from the day. View their slideshow below or click here to view in a separate window.


And lastly, check out their 10x10 flush album design.


Loved spending the day with you, Kelly and Wyatt! Let's get together when you get home from your honeymoon, as I definitely want to hear all about your trip!

* Katie and Sean

venue: Sebasco Harbor Resort Sebasco Estates, Maine
officiant: Earl Keirstead
florist: Flowers Etc. Brunswick, ME
cake: European Bakery Falmouth, ME
hair/make-up: Roaming Artists
reception band: Bonerama New Orleans
photographers: associates J and Whitney

Katie and Sean met at her sister's wedding 10 years ago, but nothing came of the meeting then. They met again while on a ski trip in New Hampshire in 2005 and have been together ever since. With their pooch Dexter (and the memory of their other beloved dog Mirna who recently passed), they treated friends and family to a sunny seaside ceremony at Sebasco Harbor Resort and a rocking reception with Bonerama, a funk band from New Orleans Sean has long followed at Jazzfest. J and Whitney did a fantastic job capturing the essence of the setting and the spirit of this fun occasion.

A birdhouse near the ceremony site. Appropriate, no?

Katie getting beautified.

A unique perspective of the preparations.

Another cool perspective of Katie's gown and shoes.

Classic Maine ceremony scene.

Katie and Sean performed a sand ceremony. Love the lingering bottles after the ceremony.

Mr. and Mrs.

Heading to the reception.

Reception details.

First dance as husband and wife.

Cheers!



The band gets everyone on their feet!




View the 10x10 flush album design below:


Happy Marriage, Katie and Sean! And big hugs to Katie's mom, a two-time breast cancer survivor. We send you all our love from emilie inc. and Pink Initiative, too!

* Kathryn and Christian

venue: The River Club Kennebunkport, Maine
caterer: Kitchen Chicks Catering
coordinator: Kate Parker Weddings
photographers: Emilie and Whitney

Often clients contact me with a sense of already having met me thanks to this blog. Such was the case when bride Kathryn called about her wedding a year and a half ago to check my availability. She eventually settled on a date I was already booked, but decided to have me cover her rehearsal dinner anyway. I loved that she still found a place for me in her wedding weekend and had a blast covering her pre-wedding night celebration. Kathryn and Christian live in NYC, but returned to Maine where Kathryn attended college and has vacationed with her family on Drakes Island her whole life. It was a perfect collaboration of city meets coastal in a casual chic evening in the boathouse.








Even tho this was just the rehearsal, it had many elements of a mini wedding.

The head table, complete with a photo collage boat atop the mantle.

Kathryn and I squealed as she walked toward me, as it was the first time we had actually met. These two are as warm and kind as they are gorgeous.

Guests lingered on the back deck for cocktails (great shot by Whit).





And then formed a line for a classic Maine lobster bake, complete with bibs.





After dinner there were toasts, and many of them.

They started out innocent enough...

But the toasts turned to a bit of a roast...

Complete with a question-and-answer session with responses given by raising the shoe of the person who best exemplifies the answer. Captured by Whit, you can see Kathryn's mother's expression during a question about whose mother will be the most imposing. All in good fun, of course.

The night wrapped up with some yummy desserts (left image by Whit).




Kathryn and Christian, photographing your rehearsal was a gentle tease of what I'm sure was an amazing wedding the following day. I hate that there are only so many Saturdays and I wasn't able to be there for the big day, but I look forward to photographing babies for you someday like you said! Happy congratulations (and I hope you aren't checking this from Italy! Enjoy it!). xo

* Sarah and Hawley engagement

Clients-turned-friends Sarah and Hawley live just around the corner from the studio in Portland and are to be wed next month. When I wanted to have a show & tell portrait training exercise with my new associate Whitney, this adorable pair excitedly volunteered for an impromptu engagement session on the Eastern Prom. I walked Whitney through different angles, lenses and portrait poses of a typical shoot and here are some of my favorites from her take.

Society for East End Arts studio tour Sunday

Join me at the studio on Sunday from 10a-4p for a cupcake and a little conversation as part of the Society for East End Arts annual open studios tour. There are 19 studios participating... get a sticker from visiting each one on your map and you might just win a prize! See you soon!

(click to enlarge map)

entreverge award winner

I won an electric guitar last night, my trophy from entreverge, for being recognized as a rockstar entrepreneur.

Seriously. How cool is that?!

entreverge is an innovative new model of business organizing that leverages the leadership of greater Portland’s business community to build supportive relationships around local businesses–with a scalable vision and a long-term commitment to the people, place and prosperity of Maine.

There were five recipients (emilie inc, Atayne Clothing, Pemaquid Communications, Topline Marketing and Turtle Love Committee), chosen from 52 applicants. The awards were presented last night after a crowded networking cocktail hour (300 people!) at the Port City Music Hall, followed by some fantastic live music. In addition to the sweet guitar and a pink lei (brilliant attention to my brand), the real prize is to come: face time with the advisory board (look at this amazing list of local success stories to choose from) and pro bono consulting services.

Check out the article in today's Portland Press Herald here.

I'm a little bit stunned to have been selected, and stoked for the introductions to come. Thank you, entreverge, for seeing growth potential in emilie inc!

* Megan and Evan

venue: Harpswell Inn Harpswell, Maine
officiant: Sylvia Stocker
caterer: Richard Moseley, Pot Luck Catering
dj: David Currier
cake: Tara Louise
photographer: associate Whitney

Megan and Evan met their freshman year at the University of Vermont, and started dating soon after. They were engaged at Orrs Island and returned from NYC, where they are living now, for an outdoor wedding at the Harpswell Inn. It was a classic New England summer day, complete with plenty of black flies to go around for all! Whitney did a fantastic job capturing the essence of the day.

Love this simple bedroom shot... especially the burned out lightbulb and drawn shade. Truly feels like we just happened upon this scene.

Megan.

Evan.

Oooh... no bubbles, celebratory kazoos for the ceremony!







From inside the tent.

Darling cake topper and lop-sided cake.

First dance.








Browse their 10x10 flush album design below:



So happy the rain stayed away for your celebration, Megan and Evan! Thanks so much for having emilie inc. capture your fantastic day!

* Suzanne and Michael

venue: Beachmere Inn Ogunquit, Maine
officiant: Rabbi Judy Epstein
caterer: Kelly Gendron Kitchen Chicks Catering
florist: Kate Henderson Katherine's Garden York, Maine
cake: Arie Kidder Custom Cakes
dj: Randy Barth
tent: Sperry Tents
hair: Lena Hartford Hair That Moves
dress: Vera Wang
invitations: Kate's Paperie
honeymoon: South Africa
photographer: associate J

After dreaming of marrying at the Beachmere as a little girl on vacation in Ogunquit from New York City, Suzanne finally tied the knot to her longtime boyfriend Michael.

In Suzanne's words, their story:
Mike and I met when we were 17-year-old freshman at NYU. He had a shaved head and an obsession with the Beatles. I was shocked to find out he was already a professional tap dancer who had worked with Gregory Hines and Savion Glover. I had hair down to my waist, pencil thin eyebrows and a nose ring and yet I think he figured out that I remained a suburban bookworm. We were friends for a year or so before we became a couple, officially, at 19. 10 years later and we're getting married (finally!). We really have grown up together.

The Beachmere is a special place for me, too, as it is the location of the first wedding I ever photographed- my cousin Jeff- back in 2001. It has changed a lot since then, but the impressive ocean backdrop along the infamous Marginal Way remains a perfect setting for a wedding.

On to the photos...

Clouds gave way to a bit of sunshine in the afternoon, but fog later enveloped the grounds.

Suzanne getting ready. Love her dress and gorgeous smile.

The handsome groom, Michael.

What a wonderful happy recessional up the lawn.



First dance.



Suzanne is very tight with her mom, Joanne.



The fog rolls in.




Please view their beautiful 10x10 flush album design:


J really enjoyed working with you all, meeting in Manhattan and with me at the studio during the course of your planning. Happy congratulations! Can't wait to hear about your honeymoon to South Africa!

* Baby Stella

Three years ago I photographed the wedding of Stella's mommy and daddy, Cara and Bobby, who were living in San Francisco but married in York, Maine. They have since moved back to the east coast near family and welcomed precious baby Stella six months ago. I spent a morning with them at their beautiful home in Salem, Massachusetts. Photographing the wee ones of my brides and grooms is the most tangible evidence of the love I document. I get giddy doing it and adore the honor of evolving into their photographer for life!


Stella and mommy.







Daddy was greeted with smiles when he came home for lunch.
















Enjoy every minute with your precious little girl, Cara and Bobby! It is such fun watching with you two as parents! xo

* Lisa and Steve

venue: Spruce Point Inn Boothbay Harbor, ME
coordinator: Becky Beam
officiant: Bill Meyers
florist: Judy Bourgeois Flora Fauna Designs
band: Tony Boffa Band
cake: Steve Watts Sweet Sensations
dress: Paloma Blanca Brides Against Breast Cancer

For the third weekend in a row, emilie inc. photographed at Spruce Point Inn! It was my turn this time, as J and Whitney had been there previous Saturdays. A blanket of clouds and occasional mist blanketed the inn for the duration of the day, sadly, so we weren't able to take advantage of the typical stellar sunset. Like Lisa, I adore SPI in the fog anyway. There was a cozy, romantic feel to the afternoon, peppered with shrieks of joy from Lisa.

In Lisa's words, their story:
Steve and Lisa met the summer before their senior year at Boston College. Lisa was a Research Assistant and worked for three different professors in the Psychology Department. Steve worked in the computer lab and often helped computer-illiterate individuals (like Lisa at the time) do things like burn important lab results on a CD.

Throughout the summer, Lisa would run into Steve at the lab and they would exchange small talk. It wasn't until August that Lisa decided that she really liked Steve and from then on, Steve didn't stand a chance! The two went on a few dates before they decided to be exclusive.

Two days after Steve and Lisa officially became a couple, the two realized that Lisa was to be Steve's Resident Assistant (RA) at college. As dating a resident was a slight "no-no" in the RA world, Lisa decided to take matters into her own hands. Instead of breaking things off, Lisa marched into RA Training, looked her boss in the eyes and said, "I have been dating a soon-to-be resident for two days and I am sorry but I don't plan to break-up with him!"

And the rest, as they say, is history!

On to the pictures...

Lisa catches her bridal reflection for the first time. Priceless (actually, I heard her mutter: "Gorgeous." Love it).

Ring pine cone props I spotted while walking the grounds. Appropriate, no?

Check out the sparkle on Lisa's heels.

Bold, bright flowers looked great against the men's gray suits.

If you haven't been, SPI is a complex comprised of a main inn, condos and rows of rooms- like this one- that overlook the water.

Laughter filled the suite as Lisa readied.

Groom Steve, left, and his brother.

Seriously, how adorable is Lisa's reaction to being pronounced husband and wife?

Married!

Down on the rocks.

Heading to the reception (I was impressed that Lisa kept those heels on all night!).

Mmmmmm.... seasonal splendor by Steve Watts.

Lisa met each and every guest with the same excited enthusiasm.

The Tony Boffa Band kept everyone out of their chairs and on the dance floor throughout the night until the very last dance.

Sweet dreams, Spruce Point Inn.


Please enjoy their beautiful album design below.



Congratulations, Lisa and Steve. I loved working with you and your families on your big day! Good luck with the move to Virginia this week! xo