A Boston Wedding at The Fairmont Copley Plaza Hotel | Rita & Sami
Rita & Sami’s Boston hotel wedding at Fairmont Copley Plaza Hotel was a really fun mix of glamorous, luxury and raucous, wild party. The Fairmont Copley is one of the most iconic Boston hotels so I was excited to photograph my first wedding there. I was not disappointed - what a place!
Rita & Sami’s Boston hotel wedding at Fairmont Copley Plaza Hotel was a really fun mix of glamorous, luxury and raucous, wild party. The Fairmont Copley is one of the most iconic Boston hotels so I was excited to photograph my first wedding there. I was not disappointed - what a place!
Rita and Sami first reached out to me to photograph their engagement photos only as they had plans to get married in their home country of Lebanon (where they met!). I had so much fun getting to know them during their Boston engagement session, so when their plans changed and they decided to get married in Boston I was thrilled!
When chatting with them about their wedding reception plans, they told me that they were letting their friends roast them instead of doing more traditional wedding toasts. I loved this idea but was a little bit nervous for them not knowing their friends. It turned out to be SO much fun. As a documentary style wedding photographer I live for situations like this that lead to big emotion, laughs, and authentic reactions. It was so obvious that Rita and Sami are absolutely beloved by their friends and family and the people they selected as their “roasters” did an amazing job (see below for all of the fun reaction photos).
My favorite part of the night was when the amazingly talented Young Love & The Thrills started playing and everyone took to the dance floor (literally the tables cleared!). It was such a fun party and continued early into the morning as is Lebanese tradition.
Congratulations to Rita and Sami!
Rita & Sami’s Wedding Vendors
photography: Kayla Rice Photography // venue name: Fairmont Copley Plaza Hotel, Boston, MA // planning/catering/bar: Jessica Cooper/Fairmont Copley Plaza Hotel // florals: Flou-er // hair stylist: Elias Saba // makeup artist: Face Design by Denise // cake/dessert: Dessert Works // band/dj/ceremony music: Young Love and the Thrills
Romantic Microwedding at The Mount (Lenox, MA)
Taylor and Sam’s romantic summer microwedding in the Berkshires was such a memorable day and introduced me to one of my favorite New England venues - The Mount.
Taylor and Sam’s summer microwedding in the Berkshires was such a memorable day and introduced me to one of my favorite venues - The Mount. This venue was one of the most unique, beautiful places that I’ve ever had the privilege of working at and it is now at the top of my list of my favorite New England venues (blog post on those to come!).
The Mount in Lenox, Massachusetts was once the home of celebrated author Edith Wharton. The historic estate was designed and built by Wharton in 1902.
The property includes over 50 acres of meticulously landscaped grounds and has lots of gorgeous options for ceremony and portrait spaces. Taylor and Sam chose to have their first look in the intimate Italian Garden, their ceremony in the Versailles-inspired French Garden, and their dinner in the linden tree-lined walkway between the two gardens known as the Lime Walk. They also used several rooms and spaces inside the house itself for getting ready and portraits.
My favorite part of their day was the intimate dinner they had at long tables surrounded by twinkly lights set up between the rows of trees in the Lime Walk (see below for photos of the details!). I photographed Taylor & Sam’s wedding day primarily with my digital cameras but was testing out my grandfather’s old Konica Minolta film camera for fun so I threw in a handful of film shots as well for them. See if you can spot them!
The Mount is a great option both for couples that are having smaller, intimate microweddings like Taylor and Sam’s and for those who are having a larger celebration with room for up to 250 guests. The space allows for so much flexibility! If you’re looking for a unique and historic wedding venue in a beautiful location like the Berkshires, I highly recommend that you check out The Mount!
Taylor & Sam’s Wedding Vendors
photography: Kayla Rice Photography // venue name: The Mount, Edith Wharton's Home, Lenox, MA // planning/catering/bar: Mezze Events // florals: Carolyn Valenti Flowers // hair stylist: Good Vibes Beauty Co // makeup artist: Liz O’Malley Makeup
Jessica & Timothy's Wedding at Captain Lawrence Brewing
Jessica & Timothy had their summer wedding at Captain Lawrence Brewing in Elmsford, NY. Faith and family are both incredibly important to the couple and they featured both things beautifully throughout their day.
Jessica & Timothy had their summer wedding at Captain Lawrence Brewing in Elmsford, NY. I was familiar with Captain Lawrence from when I lived in New York and was excited to take a little trip down memory lane and visit my old stomping grounds for their big day! Faith and family are both incredibly important to the couple and they featured both things beautifully throughout their day.
Take a look at some of my favorite images from their wedding day! Congratulations to Jessica & Timothy!
Vendors:
Venue/Catering/Bar: Captain Lawrence Brewing Co.
Photographer: Kayla Rice Photography
Second Photographer: Jen Voce-Nelson
Hair & Makeup: White Collections
Rentals & Photo Booth: Y Design & Event Decor
Dessert: Duck Donuts
7 Reasons to Consider a Documentary-Style Wedding Photographer
Documentary wedding photography captures the genuine emotions and candid moments of a wedding day, focusing on storytelling through images. This style, also known as “wedding photojournalism”, emphasizes the unfolding events and interactions among guests, rather than posed or staged photographs. By documenting the day as it naturally unfolds, a photographer provides a raw and authentic representation of the celebration, allowing couples to relive their experiences through the lens of real moments. This approach not only highlights the beauty of the day but also the unique personalities and relationships that come together to make it memorable.
Here are 7 great reasons why you should consider hiring a documentary-style photographer for your wedding!
Documentary wedding photography captures the genuine emotions and candid moments of a wedding day, focusing on storytelling through images. This style, also known as “wedding photojournalism”, emphasizes the unfolding events and interactions among guests, rather than posed or staged photographs. By documenting the day as it naturally unfolds, a photographer provides a raw and authentic representation of the celebration, allowing couples to relive their experiences through the lens of real moments. This approach not only highlights the beauty of the day but also the unique personalities and relationships that come together to make it memorable.
Here are 7 great reasons why you should consider hiring a documentary-style photographer for your wedding!
Authenticity
There’s no need to pose or perform for the camera! Documentary photography captures real, unscripted moments - like when a bride and her bridesmaids stood up to belt out a song mid-dinner, or when a groom and his groomsmen all piled into a tiny bathroom to use the one available mirror to tie their ties. I aim to capture photos that are authentic to you and let you forget about the camera.
2. Personality
I help couples forget the camera is there, letting them fully be themselves and helping their unique personalities shine through. When it comes to portraits, I utilize movement and prompts to help guide you instead of stiff poses. Couple portraits don’t have to be posed!
3. Laid Back Atmosphere
There’s no need to spend your day posing for the camera! Your wedding day shouldn’t feel like a photoshoot. Instead, I let you enjoy the day with friends and family, capturing candid moments as they unfold.
4. Timeless Look
Whether an image is edited in color or black and white, my true-to-life editing style guarantees that your wedding photos will never look outdated. I do not and will never use trendy presets.
5. Non-Intrusive Presence
Like a fly on the wall, I do my best to move around unnoticed while I’m capturing all of those candid moments. You and your guests can enjoy the celebration without the camera grabbing the attention.
6. Expecting the Unexpected
I’m always on the lookout for fun, weird, and unexpected moments - like when a big gust of wind swept a bride and her mother’s hair into their faces as they walked down the aisle, or when a very surprised grandma got unexpectedly pushed out on to the dance floor in her dinner chair. I’ll capture these moments as they happen. No shot list needed!
7. Storytelling Approach
From small meaningful details to big emotional moments, your wedding photos will be a narrative of your celebration. I don’t photograph weddings to create the perfect Instagram grid. I do it because I love telling your unique story. When you look back at your wedding photos, I want you to be reminded of how you felt in each moment.
Simone & Shawn's Intimate Wedding at the Four Seasons One Dalton
Simone and Shawn originally booked me for their Fall 2024 wedding at the beautiful Four Seasons One Dalton, but less than a month after booking I got an email from them telling me that plans had changed! The couple found out that they were expecting a baby so they decided to adjust their plans to have a much more intimate wedding with their closest family in May.
Simone and Shawn originally booked me for their Fall 2024 wedding at the beautiful Four Seasons One Dalton, but less than a month after booking I got an email from them telling me that plans had changed! The couple found out that they were expecting a baby so they decided to adjust their plans to have a much more intimate wedding with their closest family in May 2024. Luckily, I was available for their new date!
I got to know Simone and Shawn a bit better in March with an engagement session at their favorite neighborhood bar, park, and at their apartment. It’s really nice to be able to meet a couple in person before their wedding day so that we can get to know each other and have a “test run” for our wedding day portrait session. Typically I’ll meet couples through an engagement session, but a meetup can also be done at an in-person planning meeting, or a venue site visit.
Simone and Shawn were originally drawn to my work because of my documentary style. They wanted the photos from their more intimate wedding to feature candids of them with their close friends and family prominently.
On their wedding day, the couple got ready separately with family and friends, and then saw each other for the first time that day with a first look on the hotel’s balcony overlooking the neighboring Christian Science church and plaza. The first look was followed by some more portraits in the plaza with family. After portraits, the couple had a ketubah signing with their families followed by a wedding ceremony with some Jewish elements integrated (such as the chuppah and the breaking of the glass) which was officiated by a close friend. Simone and Shawn wanted to use their wedding photos as a pregnancy announcement, so we incorporated their ultrasound photo into some of their portraits which I thought was beautiful!
After the ceremony, the guests gathered in a small ballroom for a cocktail hour where dancing spontaneously began. Cocktail hour was followed by a dinner enjoyed at one long table with a beautiful toast given by the bride's father.
Congratulations to Simone & Shawn who welcomed their baby boy in October!
Vendors
Venue/Catering/Bar: Four Seasons One Dalton
Photographer: Kayla Rice Photography
Floral: Table & Tulip
Hair & Makeup: Charlotte Phinney
Ceremony/Reception Musician: RD King
Arti & Jay's Hindu Wedding Ceremony at New England Botanic Garden at Tower Hill
Arti & Jay chose an absolutely beautiful venue, New England Botanic Garden at Tower Hill, for their intimate wedding ceremony with their families. The venue is picturesque year round but especially so in the spring with the flowering trees in bloom and fields of tulips filling the gardens with color. The colorful backdrop was a perfect one to compliment the vibrant colors of their Hindu wedding attire.
Arti & Jay chose an absolutely beautiful venue, New England Botanic Garden at Tower Hill, for their intimate wedding ceremony with their families. The venue is picturesque year round but especially so in the spring with the flowering trees in bloom and fields of tulips filling the gardens with color. The colorful backdrop was a perfect one to compliment the vibrant colors of their Hindu wedding attire.
Arti and Jay’s love story is straight out of a rom-com. The couple met spontaneously at the airport and connected while talking nonstop throughout their flight. When they met they were living in different cities but stayed in touch and ended up re-connecting years later when the stars aligned for them to live near one another.
One of the botanical garden’s greenhouses served as the ceremony space on their wedding day. The lush greens of the space made for a gorgeous backdrop making the colorful reds and golds in their outfits pop.
The couple’s small family-only wedding was a traditional Hindu ceremony and featured some beautiful Hindu traditions such as exchanging garlands (symbolizing the partners welcoming each other into their families), Saptapadi (when the newlyweds have their garments tied together and walk together to signify their friendship), and the Mangal Fera (the bride and groom walk around the fire four times, each time signifies something different; duty, prosperity, love, and spiritual liberation). The family members in attendance were each given parts to play throughout the ceremony. The way Arti & Jay involved each member of their family beautifully showed how much they all meant to them.
Congratulations, Arti & Jay!
