kelly + vince elope to boston

all photos by the amazing emily sterne

at long last: photos!

my dear friends eloped to boston two months ago and married each other in the public garden. it was ridiculously sane. his friend robbie performed the ceremony, and i carried rings and teetered on heels like it was my job. (it was.)

however, since i am the original bridesmaidzilla (see also: starting wedding blog when planning sister's wedding), it couldn't be too hard to complicate a simple elopement. right?

i thought: kelly and vince both love art and photography... we had to find a photographer to document this! yes! and posted an incredibly last-minute note to see if anyone wanted to join the adventure in exchange for a post on the experience. and that's how we found emily sterne, who I must tell you is a treasure. (thank you, thank you, thank you, emily! your time and your beautiful images are the best gift i could have hoped for for my friends.)

from the beginning, emily was gracious, generous, flexible, and patient -- but what i hadn't expected was how genuinely excited and moved she was to take part, and how much *fun* we all had.

in a way i don't want to tell too much of that day, you can see how wonderful it all was from emily's photos. everything was simple and straightforward -- flowers from the copley square farmers' market, the public garden "reserved" at 4:30, pick out a spot to meet, have a best friend as minister for the day (MA allows), and then -- dress up, look gorgeous, and change your life. it makes me teary thinking about it even now, how profound and good the minutes in these photos were.

it has taken me a long time to post this maybe because it was so uncomplicated, and i just haven't known how to say how much i feel about it -- it was such a private, beautiful thing. these are my beloved friends, and i was so honored and overwhelmed with gratitude to them, to share a part of this new beginning. i brim with cliche, and wish i could do it more justice. the photos tell the story. :)

for those of you dying for more details, let me know what questions you have. and if you are looking for a truly wonderful, sane, lovely, talented boston photographer, emily sterne has my highest recommendation -- and my deepest thanks for taking a risk and volunteering her time on an otherwise normal july day. you can see more info on her site emilysterne.com.

thank you emily! and thank you kelly + vince, for inviting me into these photos -- am sending all my love.









please see emily's blog for more photos from the shoot!

hello strangers + sneak peek!

photo by emily sterne

hello everyone -- how goes?

here is where i try to distract you by posting an illicit sneak peek at the boston elopement photos (which i am in love with -- can't wait to show you more!)

ehm.... it has been a dog's age. i owe you one. a few, really.

relaxationworks: bath + body love

sweet love extra thick whipped body frosting

melt my heart solid lotion in rich vanilla bean

mmm. gift ideas for self or others at boston-based (yay!) relaxationworks. the sweet love frosting is gardenia and spice scent and sounds like the perfect antidote for new england winter-dry skin (or pretty much any time of year in vegas).

solid lotion hearts literally melt with the warmth of your hand, and because it's solid can travel with you *on* the plane (ziploc bag recommended!). plus 20% of their proceeds go to children's friends and services, a rhode island charity. can i resist a heart-melting pun? no. no i can't.

not only are products handmade (and many vegan), relaxationworks takes custom orders for fragrances, and everything in the store looks soooo soothing. perfect for your stressed-out bride, a shower gift, or as multiples for moms and the bridal party -- more treats at relaxationworks.etsy.com

p.s. -- check out their link to a fun boston-area etsy blog! bostonhandmade.blogspot.com

boston two-fer: amyjjewelry and gartersbykristi

boston T token necklace*


boston red sox "keepsake and toss" wedding garter set

two guesses as to where i am this weekend -- my old stomping grounds! am in town for the boston "ahts" festival and posting from afah.

i've actually purchased a garter from gartersbykristi -- to be specific, a university of florida gator garter keepsake and toss, because *that's how much i love my sister.* while the USPS intervened and delayed them (i have had *terrrrrible* luck with our postal friends of late -- where's my new yorker subscription, yo?), when the garters did arrive they were impeccably made and quite lovely, as florida gator garters go.

quick story -- a friend from NY (rabid yankee fan) married a guy from boston, whose four brothers were his groomsmen. she was laid back and told them they could wear whatever they wanted. so they show up to her wedding in red sox ties. not only that, but there were two cakes at the wedding (to keep the peace??) -- one red sox, one yankees -- and when the red sox cake ran out before the groom's mother had a piece, she went without cake entirely rather than eat one with blue pinstripe frosting. ah, i love this town. guess once you've gone and gotten baseball cakes, figure people will wear their colors.

more at amyjjewelry.etsy.com (made in boston!) and at gartersbykristi.etsy.com -- go sox!

* i miss these -- the charlie card is dumb. wasn't charlie *trapped* on the T and could never leave?