When I was a little boy, I dreamed of gorgeous parties and girls in romantic dresses. Glittering candles would light up the ballroom of a five star hotel where guests waited anxiously for the bride and groom to make their entrance and to dance their first dance as husband and wife.
That dream came true this New Year's Eve at the incredible Four Seasons Hotel in Boston, Massachusetts. The wedding of Brian and Sarah took place with romance, excitement and anticipation against the magical backdrop of historic Boston frosted with snow. The Hearn family, gathered in a suite at the hotel each one of them looking beautiful, dashing and sophisticated, just like their daughter and sister, Sarah, the bride.
I had a chance to talk with Mr. Hearn, who reminisced about his family and their time in Boston as he looked out the window of the suite into a winter wonderland. He was so excited to see his second daughter married and to have each of his ten brothers and sisters with him to celebrate this First Night.
We made our way along with wedding party to the church in Wellesley where Brian and Sarah were married in a candle lit ceremony. My company's transportation services were in full gear and on high alert as we shuttled the guests, the wedding party and the parents from the hotel in the city on roads that were icy and covered with snow. I have to admit I was nervous for all of these people to be out and about with the weather as bad as it was. In the end, the timing, the service of my staff and the staff of the hotel, the church, everyone and everything was just flawless.
I was happy to have everyone back to the hotel safely so we could capture the romance in the formal portraits for the bride and groom. I have to say, the photo of Sarah and Brian in front of the chandelier at the hotel, is amazing, regal almost.
The ballroom at The Four Seasons glittered filled with candles, crystal and mercury glass. The flowers, modern and romantic at the same time came to life from the sketch that I had first presented to the bride and groom. Sarah, the bride attended culinary school in Paris, so it was no surprise that the menu served to her guests would be sophisticated and pure bliss to the palette. I had the salmon with baby root vegetables in cream sauce......magnifique! To finish the evening a personal friend of the bride made her cake. A mountain of cake, filled with creme' anglaise and covered with coconut shavings. As I stood close to the cake my senses were on overload and my mouth was literally watering from the heavenly scent of the cake.
So many people ask how I am able to do all of the things that I do. I don't know the answer, but do know that I would not be able to do it with out the help of my own staff and the staff of the fine hotels and resorts where I am lucky enough to work. With this wedding I added a little something extra with my Flip Video coverage of certain parts of the night. It is nearly impossible to view the night from behind the camera and flip phone, but in the end I am so glad that I captured the snow falling and special insights into the day.
My love of flowers continues to grow. I want each wedding to be unique, sumptous and to reflect the taste of the bride and the groom. Of course, I love white flowers, the headier the better. To come in from the cold to the warm candles and heavely scent of gardenia is an experience that I will never be able to do justice to with words.
In looking at the photos I love the mercury and silver and stark white of the vases that I chose. It immediately makes me think of winter and now will forever remind me of this very special New Year's Eve.
As midnight approached the waiters and butlers at the hotel passed out hats, tiaras and noise makers to all the guests, so perfect in white and silver. I have to specially thank my friend Lois, the mother of the bride when she so proudly had told me that she had gone out and gotten all of the favors for the celebration.....all in black, not so good for the color palette that I had been working on for the bride. No sweat for this professional mother of the bride, she happily returned all of them to get the silver and white that I was looking for. In the end, it makes for stunning photos so I am so happy that she did this for her daughter. Thank you Lois.
My assistant and I gathered all of the guests to the dance floor for the "countdown". They all looked so elegant in their eveing clothes and tuxedos, really a surreal look. Five, Four, Three, Two, One.....and the bride and groom kissed, champagne glasses in hand and love in their eyes. Bravo!
A very special thanks to the entire Hearn Family, you could not have been nicer or more gracious. Second to Sarah Kovel at The Four Seasons Hotel for her amazing attention to detail and natural grace. Third to my first cousin, one of my best friends and photography assistant, Misty. I love you, your work is amazing and I am happy to have you work with me on these most amazing weddings. Last but not least to my unflappable assistant Bethany, the rest of my floral and planning staff and my boys on the transport home front, Thank you, thank you.
Happy New Year everyone. Brian and Sarah, this night will be the most special for the rest of your lives. I will never be able to forget just how gorgeous you both were in the romance of the evening. Thank you for having me and my company be part of the memory.
