claire & bobby-wedding

first off…i have to say that claire & bobby’s wedding was most likely the most fun one i have ever photographed. and that is saying something…esp as i did it with a sprained ankle!

they got married at tower hill botanical gardens in boylston, ma–which is pretty much the most awesome and beautiful venue i think i’ve ever been to. (i know i am prone to hyperbole, but…all my superlatives in this post are warranted. i promise.) the weather was PERFECT…not too hot, not too cold…the sun shined its golden light down on the ceremony…there was a lovely mountain vista for the cocktail hour backdrop…and the orangerie, where the dinner and dancing were held, is just freaking rad.

the flowers were really beautiful. claire liked monochromatic bouquets, but she loved lots of colours…so they compromised and made several differently coloured monochromatic bouquets. the bridesmaids even had jewelry to match their respective bouquets.

(please note chandler in the background…)

when i suggested that claire plop on the bed for some fun portraits…in her GIANT POUFFY white dress…she didn’t blink. and for that, i love her.

the requisite father-daughter moment before he walked her down the aisle…

that lady in the green dress is bobby’s mom going, “yesssss!” as she walked up the aisle and for that…i love her, too.

i love the look on bobby’s face as he watches his bride approach him.

this picture doesn’t show it…but during the ceremony…claire was cracking up…trying not to lose it. you see, the lovely lady in the photo above…the one in the grey dress…? her name is christine…she’s a friend of claire’s, and she was the officiant. claire & bobby were not content to do things the “regular” way (in case the 29 year old male flowergirl did not tip you off…) they asked christine to use the ceremony from the princess bride. so she did. in a perfectly normal voice she proclaimed that “marriage. marriage is what brings us together today. marriage…that blessed event…that dream within a dream…” everyone laughed and laughed before the ceremony took a more serious turn and they vowed to love each other always. (also, they had a secret vow…they said, “i vow our secret vow.” i, for one, was very curious. not that, y’know, it’s any of my business.

right after the kiss

as i said above…i had to shoot this one w/ a sprained ankle. i gave them strict instructions, “after they say you may kiss the bride and pronounce you wife and husband (again…no “normal” verbiage for these two), you have to walk REALLY slow so i have time to get back and catch you guys coming up the aisle!” i also instructed them to stand for what felt like an uncomfortably long time after being pronounced married before starting. they followed my instructions to a t.

like mother, like son…bobby showing off his new ring.

which, by the way, is awesome. (nb: those are tiny oranges…their fingers aren’t THAT big!)

bobby is, by trade, an improv comedian. he is also a puppetmaster (that might not be the right term, but i like it better than puppeteer. it sounds more sinister and awesome.); he made personalised puppets for every single member of the wedding party and requested a representative group photo.

this hottie is mel accompanied by puppet mel. (recognise the glasses?)

these girls got some AIR! check out catherine (katherine? kathryn?) on the end…white girls CAN jump.

so, for that matter, can 29 year old male flowergirls.

this is what happens when, because you have a sprained ankle and are slightly less mobile, you ask one of the groomsmen to hold your 2nd camera…fortuitously enough, the one groomsman who is a bit into photography and was not intimidated by the big lens. i would like you to know that neither the bride or me had any idea this had happened…it was like unwrapping a very…special…present when i got home. is “unwrapping” too unfortunate a term to use?

first dance

bobby’s “salad” (those are meatballs w/ pretzel stick handles.)

(i had to take advantage of the dramatic lighting and incredible foliage…claire and bobby didn’t seem to mind when i asked them to leave their party for a few minutes and come make out in the back hallway.)

these girls were crazy nuts awesome on the dance floor!

claire & bobby…i love you. i love everything about how you approached your wedding planning…you made it beautiful, funny, and personal. i love that you combined last names so that you were forging a new family in every way. (though, i still think i would have voted for hacksmith or smackney…) thank you for including me in the festivities and for making sure i was ok…and asking if i was having fun! i think you are the first couple who has worried whether i was having a good time doing my job!

lots of love,

gimpy gwyn

to view more photos from their wedding, please click here.