New Years Eve Wedding at The Taj Hotel, Boston, MA

I first met Jessica about a year ago on one of the most snowy days that I can remember. I probably would have cancelled the appointment before I drove two hours in the snow to meet with a potential bride. I am glad that I did. It was that meeting that started a client relationship that has now bridged into a friendship with many within this gorgeous bride's family. When Jessica told me that she and her fiance were planning to celebrate their wedding on New Year's Eve, I was thrilled at the opportunity to work with Jessica on the florals, decor and styling of this event. I am bummed that I did not take a chance to photograph Jessica and her handsome groom, Chris. They are a very good looking couple. I saw them just for fleeting moments through the day as my team and I worked on so many gorgeous details to not only the romantic snowy ceremony but also the lavish celebration which was to follow.

You can see from the photos below that her ceremony was something absolutely magical. For me the feel of the ceremony room at The Taj Boston was something from a Russian palace. So lovely with the creamy walls, lush drapes and absolutely stunning crystal chandeliers. LOVE, to see say the least. We were on our game that night. We had everything set up and just had to wait for the ceremony to be over before we could move the decor again to be enjoyed by the guests among the dinner table tops. As a special treat for the guests, fireworks went off just as the bride was saying her I dos. Not planned, but perfection, filling the windows of the ceremony room with joyous anticipation.We did it and it looked amazing, and we had time to spare again. I saw Jessica and Chris for just a moment as they made their way into the ballroom to celebrate with their guests. The look on her face said it all. You could tell that she was in love with her surroundings that we had so carefully planned.

She was like a vision of Jackie Kennedy on her first trip to France, regal, refined and elegant in a retro sort of way. I adored that she chose knock out earrings and skipped a necklace to show off her graceful profile and neck.

As they made their way into the ballroom, I knew that it was time to get some rest before the end of the evening surprise for the guests at midnight that came in the form of a fresh snow falling down on them as the New Year rang in. It was a scene from some sort of movie.

The whole family was so sweet and so effusive in their praise for the work that we had done, I was proud, but tired. 24 hours of work straight for CMP to produce this event. I was happy to retire to my soft and comfy bed within the hotel. I had a beautiful view of Newbury street and the drunken revelry that went on into the wee hours of the morning. I hear it all, I was too tired to sleep, to excited for my bride. Continually reflecting on the details to the day.

Congratulations to Jessica and Chris and of course to my now friends Diane and my favorite father of the bride EVA, Guido. Much love to you guys!!! My best always, CMP

Lucy and Logan | Boston Public Library Weddings | Summer Floral Designs

When I think about flowers for a wedding, I first off want to know what the bride is wearing and where she and her guests will celebrate. The dress, IN the setting of course defines the look. Lucy is a chic and stylish Back Bay Bostonian who lives blocks from The Boston Public Library, one of the city's great architectural treasures. Designed by the famous firm, McKim, Mead and White, this majestic building with loads of classical detailing is a national treasure.  Anyone who is lucky enough to celebrate within the hallowed halls should count themselves as lucky and part of history.

The main hall of the library serves as the area where guests are typically served dinner. Rows of hand carved tables flank the long room with militaristic precision and the graceful balance of proportion that is the very definition of the architecture of Mc Kim, Mead and White's. Of course when you in a setting such as this, you must have not only good, but great food. The Boston Public Library has made a special arrangement with the incredible catering firm of A Catered Affair to provide food and beverage service at the venue. I think about the different elements of the room when I am decorating them. There are classic sets of emerald shaded library lights which are on each of the tables. It would be a mistake not to use the elegant and oh so now color as an accent to the bright and sophisticated summer palette of colorful flowers that Lucy and I are planning for the wedding.

Linens and decorative elements are also a bit of a challenge in this historic place. We are planning to place a classic gold beaded charger at each of the place settings with perhaps a lovely green napkin. I think that these linen and decor rentals from my collections will look fantastic with the flowers, the catering team's crisp white china and the setting as a whole.

I can hardly wait to see the belle of the ball, Lucy in her stunning couture gown. I am not showing it here. Instead taking a cue from it , I have been inspired and designed what I think Lucy would wear on her wedding. I know that we are creating a very special setting for Lucy, her groom Logan and the entire clan of families that will be with them on the night of their wedding. When the guests move from the grand hall of the dining room up the grand stair case they will party to the sounds of a live band in a softly lit room. Lighting is key in this setting as it is filled with old world paintings and can be dark unless lit with a collection of LED lights......I always have to keep in mind, no candles at the BPL. No worries, we will give em' a wow with flowers and the lighting, they will never even stop to think about candles.

Congratulations Lucy and Logan. I am flattered to be involved, to consider you both friends and to share in this very special time of your lives.

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Boston Weddings launch party at The Boston Public Library

I don't go to many industry social events, I guess that I should, I always have fun. Believe it or not, sometimes I would rather just be home watching the Real Houswives. I get invited to all sorts of parties, I am flattered of course and try to make it to some of my favorites. Of course, Boston Magazine is always at the top of my social calendar list. The are the epitome of good taste and showcases from the bridal world here in Boston. There is always something new, fresh and exciting. When the most recent edition came to my office, I flipped right open to the page showing photos from the launch party of the magazine, which I was lucky enough to be invited to and to attend. It was an AMAZING night of bridal fashion, yummy food and catching up with some of my besties in the biz. How fun that I am pictured with Lauren Killian of Person + Killian Photography ! Loved seeing my friends DJ Raffi, Donna Garlough and Danielle of the magazine while I nibbled the BEST, the very BEST cake from my gal pal, Jenny from Jenny's wedding cakes.

I got to meet a lot of new people that night as we wound down with a final sip of champagne at The Fairmont Copley Plaza, which is right across the street from the Boston Public Library. My favorite introduction being to none other than the very talented Kelli Parker of à deux : bespoke bridal paper. It was nice to see you all that night. Even nicer to see on the glossy pages of Boston Weddings.

Praez does peacock inspired invitation with Chad Michael Peters

 

Peacock feathers like anything else can provide a inspiration to a party or a wedding celebration. Here my partners at Praez Occasions and I worked together to create this wonderful peacock inspired invitation to a wedding that is coming up in three weeks. You ask why are the invitations going out so close to the wedding? Well, a couple a weeks ago when my brides flew into town to meet with me and to discuss their wedding, we all decided that their original plan of having a wedding in Provincetown was crazy. It  is way too cold to head down to Provincetown to throw a destination wedding in February.

No worries for me, my dreamteam can pull off anything under anytime frame. We all bravely marched through zero degree weather through the streets of Boston until we got to one of my favorite new hip spots in the city to throw a party, The W Hotel. I saw the look on their faces right away and knew that this hotspot in the city would be where we would host the wedding.

So, when you change your plans, you gotta change a lot of other things too. No worries, given that this is a small wedding and everyone in the wedding party is already booked to come. I am so happy in the end that we made the changes that we did to throw the wedding in Boston. This peacock inspired wedding is going to be enchanting. Wait until you see what I have up my sleeve. 

A special thanks to my personal friends and business colleuges, Zeb and Rae at Praez Occasions, who hand delivered this amazing printed art to my doorstep. Once again we have worked together to bring world class to these invitations. My brides are lucky that you are part of the mix. We are going places and I am enjoying the ride. Cheers Ladies!!

CMP makes Boston Weddings

"Who doesn't like being greeted by a handsome red-coated doorman outside our own little Versailles ? I love that the hotel has many different venue options, from the stately wood panelled oak room, to the Oval room, with it's gorgeous trompe l'oeil cloud ceiling, to the absolute majesty of the Grand Ballroom. J'Adore."

 

There is nothing better then to hear that your work is being featured in an editorial for a bridal magazine. The newest issue of Boston Weddings is featuring the wedding that I designed. I was thrilled to also work with Lauren from Person and Killian for the producers of The Bachelor, on this project named "Hitched or Ditched". There was as much drama in the production of this wedding as there was in the episode which aired with the title " Cheater in Beantown". In the end I love the coverage and still think that Anissa, the bride was one of the prettiest to walk down a CMP aisle in a long time. Thank you Fairmont Copley, give Katie Copley a pat on the head for me.

Boston Bridal Bling

I have realized over the years that one of the reasons my clients continue to work with me is that not only can I come up with creative designs that are inspired by the bride's wishes but I can also put a pen to paper to show how all of the details will come together for the bride's big day.

I love my colored pencils, but it is impossible to represent white in sketches. I love, love the oh so chic idea of all white, modern, clean and embellished with crystal accents. Mounds and Mounds of gorgeous roses all in white, trimmed with candles and crystals complete this look. I am looking forward to taking the bride's favorite flower, the rose and creating custom lighting projections onto the almost room sized dance floor. There are so many fun details to look at with this wedding, I can hardly wait to finalize where we will have the reception and move on to the fun planning of the decor and of course to give you, my readers an inside scoop into the fabulous world of wedding planning and design.

CMP The Wedding Stylist at The Hampshire House Boston

I am so excited to be working this weekend in Boston as the wedding florist, stylist and photographer on the wonderful wedding of Erin and Suzanne. Boston to me has some of the most amazing architecture in the world and I am excited to use it as the backdrop to this gorgeous wedding. We will start the day early with formal portraits at nine a.m., followed by a lovely ceremony in the panelled walls of The Hampshire House's Ballroom.

I hope the day turns out to be as nice as it looks on the radar because our plan calls for formal portraits to be done in the famed Boston Common Gardens. I will be working with my oh so talented friend Nelly from Lumina Images to capture the day for these lovely ladies.

I just finished my rendering of how the floral details will look in the room. The fabrics are pretty neutral in shades of celadon and antique gold. I think that the bright pops of color and accents of pomegranates and champagne grapes are so appropriate for the season and will make the room fresh and romantic for the ladies. Stay tuned, I will have a ton of photos hot of the lense of my new Canon Seven D. Congrats Ladies.

The Perfect Storm makes Boston Weddings Magazine

 

Person + Killian photography is so excited to have the “ONE LAST SHOT” in Boston Magazines, Boston Weddings Fall/Winter 2009 issue. This is Person + Killian ‘s 3rd season being selected for the “LAST SHOT,” a photograph that depicts a funny story from a wedding and is a message to Boston Brides that if something happens at your wedding, the day can still be a success.

Even though the day was rainy and humid, the amazing Chad Michael Peters kept it all together. Nothing could take away from this spectacular event. The tent was filled with CMP flair. Everything from the event - the flowers, linens, décor and cake… - was simply unforgettable! 

“The rain started days before Elizabeth Murray and Paul Crage’s September ceremony-and didn’t stop. By the time they arrived at their Fairhaven, Massachusetts, reception site, the backyard tent was three inches deep in mud. Undaunted, Elizabeth hiked up her dress, pulled on galoshes, and proceeded to have the time of her life. Guests followed suit: Shoes came off and the dancing didn’t stop until police intervened at 2am.“A family friend slipped and tore her dress, went home changed into jeans and came right back.” Laughs the bride. The monogrammed, four-tiered cake, unfortunately didn’t share that verve. – Our planner told us right away it was drooping from the humidity.” Says Elizabeth, a registered nurse. “ But that seemed insignificant when the place was flooded and chairs were sinking into the ground. -Besides, the newlyweds were having too much fun to stop for dessert. After postponing the cutting ceremony, they ended up slicing the wilted confection late in the evening. Elizabeth swears it still tasted delicious: “ One guest even said she thought is was supposed to look like that!” BRIGID SWEENY

Chad Michael Peters makes Loaded Gun Boston

 

I have always been in love with Hollywood. The glamour, the suspense.....the handsome and hunky leading men. Just the idea of Hollywood here on the east coast is exciting, but to actually be involved as the director yells "ACTION" is the thrill of a lifetime. I had a nice time chatting with Sam Baltrusis, of Loaded Gun Boston, about the production of the new reality show "Hitched or Ditched." Sam has brought polish and class to the world of east coast celebrity and I love reading the daily buzz of Boston's own Hollywood happenings on his blog. I, alongside my good friend photographer Lauren Killian, got the chance to take part in the Boston episode of "Hitched or Ditched," which premieres on June 2. Sam was nice enough to publish an article about my experience on the show.Click here to read the story in Sam's own words.

CMP at the Boston Flower Market

I can remember first walking into the Boston Flower Market and thinking to myself, "this is what heaven must look like." There is no way that simply photos and words can be used to describe what it feels like to be surrounded by millions and millions of flowers, literally.  I feel so lucky to be able to work on some of my larger events at this famed Mecca in Boston's South End.

I feel really lucky to be able to work on my creative projects in multiple studio spaces. I have my studio here in Fairhaven, Mass but to work as a designer in a world class city is a dream come true. My space at the market, graciously provided by Berkley Wholesale florist allows me to expand the chad michael peters brand in Boston and allows me to readily serve the five star hotels, where of course, I love working.

When we are going to use our Boston space, my team and I start the day at the ungodly hour of four in the morning. Once there, we have the incredible staff of Berkley Wholesale Florist to help us with our pre-ordered stems. My CMP team gets to work, cleaning and prepping the flowers, while I puruse the markets and hand select the most amazing flowers, often the rarest in the world that will provide the couture edge that my flowers have become renound for.

There are more than 50 vendors within a two block radius that sell everything and anything that is floral related. I am always on the look out for the latest thing to incorporate into the world of wedding and party fashion. It is hard to stay focused when I want to grab literally everything in sight.

Although four in the morning is early, I look forward to the early morning drives, coffee in hand, my favorite tunes blaring as I drive up to the market. It is a thrill every time to walk, talk, laugh and joke among the many vendors who I am proud to say are also friends.

Hall of Fame Wedding

 

 

I have to admit, I had no idea who Jim Rice was. So when his daughter Carissa called and said that she was impressed with me answering my own phone and wanted to hire me to do her wedding, I smiled and planned a meeting with her mom and dad to get things under way. I had no idea that her dad was totally famous, especially here in Boston, and that he was about to be inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame. I am always impressed with great achievements but to be honest, I am way more excited about gorgeous diva gals and planning their weddings than I will ever be about baseball. I think that Carissa and her parents appreciate that.

We are having a great time planning the details for her summer 2010 wedding and have chosen the oh, so chic Liberty Hotel, one of the leading hotels of the world and a former Boston's jail house as the venue for the wedding.

Carissa and Andrew's ceremony will have the aisle defined by gorgeous mounds of rich summer color and lots of candles. They will be married against a display of mango-gold calla lilies which will look amazing displayed against a modern hedge of hydrangea and South American roses.

My team and I will turn the room over while the bride and groom enjoy cocktails with their guests. This is never an easy task, but with my "A" team and the nimble hands of the Liberty staff, I have every confidence that we will be able to turn Carissa's reception into the modern, sophisticated and chic event that she hopes it will be.

 

 

 

"The ultimate union of historic influence and contemporary design, this luxury hotel in Boston is inspired by a sophisticated interior decor that integrates with the architecture’s beautiful simplicity. Echoing the stone facade, reception desks are punctuated with a panel of granite warmed by a surrounding concentric panel of mahogany woods. Throughout the public areas, American colonial prints, enlarged and rendered in historic colors such as maroon, gray and purple, provide a fresh take on a traditional look, while bold geometric carpets in rich hues of purple and yellow are reminiscent of New England window panes and the friezes of traditional doors. Captivating in every sense of the word, The Liberty Hotel promises an unforgettable guest experience in a unique setting second to none. "

 

 

I have brought in Boston's best to help me with this event. I am so happy that I will have the incredible photography duo of Person and Killian Photography there to capture every amazing detail from behind their lens.

 

I am totally excited about creating a lounge around the dance floor. Some guests will be able to chill out, while others shake their booty on the dance floor. I will use sleek benches in deep red leather along with wooden cocktail tables to create a totally cozy, hip and romantic vibe.

 

We will be having both the ceremony and the reception in the main ballroom of the hotel. The carpet defines the color in this room as it does through out the rest of the hotel. It would be such a design mistake to move away from the historically bold color and pattern, so instead I have taken it to new levels in my design for Carissa's big day. We will be challenged to turn this room over while the bride and groom enjoy cocktails from the lofty perch high above the hotel lobby. With my "A" team on hand, I am sure that we will hit it right out of the park.

There are so many incredible details to the hotel, done in such an incredible way, that it is almost easy to be inspired. Every detail, every service standard has exceeded my expectations. My absolute favorite, to die for detail is the "Solitary Confinement" notes with keys that are left on the door when one wants to be alone. They take jail house and architectural detail and marry the two to perfection. If the hotel finds one of these missing, it will be framed in my office as a reminder of this awesome couple's wedding and a truly fantastic hotel.

If their standard is for me to "be captivated", then I am. We are in for a wedding that Boston will not soon forget. Congratulations Carissa and Andrew, I can hardly wait for your big day.

Person and Killian Photography

 

 

I have always been so inspired by the photography of Jill Person and Lauren Killian. Their amazing ability to capture light and emotion has moved me to tears in the many times that I have hired them to work on my weddings and events. Over the years, as our professional relationship has grown, so too has a deep friendship. It is my pleasure to announce that they have launched a fabulous new web site http://www.personkillian.com. For "Best of Boston" photography, check it out!