Warmer days with friends at Westward Orchards in Harvard, MA
Lately, with the 2+ feet of snow on the ground surrounding me, I've been daydreaming... reminiscing about the incredibly beautiful spring, summer, and fall we had this year. And with that reminiscing comes memories of the many days my second shooter and best bud Lexi and I spent at our dear friend Kerri's home in Harvard, MA. Kerri (a talented photographer!) and her husband Chris own a farm, Westward Orchards, and live in a house that Chris built on a beautiful plot of land nearby. It's the kind of place you'd die to grow up in... open land, rolling meadows, and forest to explore. Lexi and I often visited Kerri's on our way back from weddings for a day filled with the kind of stuff that rejuvenates your soul... fresh produce and apple cider donuts from the farm store, frisbee with their two dogs, Peanut and Lucy, hilarious shenanigans and games with their kids, Ella and Cooper, chats about photography and life, and just soaking up that beautiful sunshine and, in the fall, the crisp, sweet air. At night, the stars in the sky were literally dazzling. It's amazing how many stars you can see only 50 minutes from Boston. Visits to Kerri's house and farm are some of my sweetest memories. It felt like a little piece of Heaven.
Strangely enough for 3 photographers, we rarely had our cameras out during our many visits. But one mid-September day, I kept my camera out all day. I'm so glad I did, so that now, on this cold day, wrapped up in a blanket with a sweater and hot coco, I can relive the days where the sun was warm enough to run around without a shirt on (Cooper!), but gentle enough to wear a light sweater comfortably. This is a long picture post, but it has a whole lot of my heart in it, so I hope you take the time to look through and feel the warm on your skin.
Steve + Nicole // Fall Wedding at the Searles Castle in Windham, NH
The story of how Nicole and Steve found me is a pretty crazy one. Dani, one of my beautiful brides from earlier this year, is close friends with Nicole, and when Nicole got engaged, she gave her my name. Turns out, Nicole worked for the same small team at Harvard Medical School that I had done my first co-op for while I was at Northeastern! I instantly loved Nicole and Steve after meeting with them and Nicole's sweet parents, and I was thrilled when they booked me. Then, when the team at HMS was looking for someone to come in for a few hours a week, Nicole mentioned my name to my old boss, and they called me up. I ended up working with Nicole for several months, and we became good friends. So, when her big day came, it felt extra special that I got to be there capturing it.
It was an incredibly beautiful day. The Searles Castle one of the most beautiful venues I've ever photographed a wedding at. Take note ladies - beautiful bridal suites make for gorgeous photos! ;) It was a chilly November day, but Nicole and Steve were total troopers, braving the cold for the ceremony and for portraits afterward. Everyone there radiated love and excitement. These two are just made for each other, and I'm so so glad I got to capture their wedding day! Congratulations Nicole and Steve! Here's to many years of love and happiness! Thanks to Lexi Mire for second shooting!
