Shang Chen Photography, jetsetting wedding photographer of dynamic couples » Boston wedding photography

Russell and Joel, Married! | Turner Hill Wedding Photography

Shang — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 13:00:34 +0000

This wedding is well worth the wait. I’m so excited to present the marriage of Russell and Joel at the charming Tuner Hill Mansion in Ipswich on the Massachusetts north shore. This wedding was full of romance, personal touches, elegance. Not to mention, it was a perfect wedding – I love it when my clients consider day of coordination or have a wedding planner, it just makes my job that much easier. Russell and Joel were laid back and just happy to get married in the presence of their family and friends, and I iterate to everyone, that is really what a wedding is all about.

First off, though this was a winter wedding, we could not have asked for better weather during the day. I left Chicago during a snowstorm, and the week after this wedding, it snowed in Boston

Russell and Joel got ready together, just the two of them. It was so nice getting to observe them quietly and soak in the day

They both wore Hermes ties. Joel’s cufflinks were from Tiffany & Co (as are their wedding rings), and Russell’s were a graduation gift from his mother

This is one of my favorite moments of the day. Russell is better at tying ties than Joel is, so he got up on a chair behind him

How awesome is the light? They are so happy

So very dashing

Lawyers read. A lot

Even in the winter, the grounds of Turner Hill had some evergreens which I was happy to include in the portraits

I love this red door

We actually shot in some similar spots as Russell and Joel’s engagement session, which also took place at Turner Hill. With the engagement session down, they knew exactly what to expect from me on the day of the wedding. This is why unless there are mountains to move, I shoot engagement sessions for all my clients

Wintery elements were included in the bouquets and the flower girl basket

The ringbearer is Joel’s nephew. He is having a grand time with his mother and grandmother

Russell and Joel told me to look out for the flower girl and ringbearer as they came down aisle. I loved how the flower girl ended her entrance by sitting next to her little brother, who was also quite a well-dressed little man

The honorable Judge Hall officiated the ceremony. Russell clerked for Judge Hall early in his legal career

A very happy moment right after the first kiss

The guests enjoyed cocktail hour and milled about the mansion (which was featured in the Martin Scorsese film, Shutter Island). The staff at Turner Hill told me that some of the drapery and curtains were left behind as a gift

Everyone got a huge kick out of the cake topper – bobble heads made in the likeness of the grooms!

The toasts were very heartfelt and personal, you can really tell how much everyone cared for Russell and Joel

Russell’s father is unfortunately no longer with us. Russell’s younger brother mentioned in his speech how proud their father would have been of Joel. We all got a little teary-eyed

Grandma joins the dance floor!

Many thanks to my second shooter, Ze Liang Photography, for capturing some of these moments

There was a wonderful candy buffet. The talented Linda of Lemon Drop Team pulled it together late in the wedding planning phase and it features wonderful paper design by Yuling Designs!

I really like this ring shot

And a fun shot to end the night

Thank you Russell and Joel for the wonderful honor of having me, I am over the moon happy for you guys!

And a big hug and love goes to Linda, who I’m so happy to finally get to work with. She is awesome guys! If you need someone to manage your wedding day to perfection, drop what you’re doing and call her now!

The vendors:

Photography by Shang Chen Photography. Second shooter: Ze Liang Photography
Venue: Turner Hill Mansion and Golf Club, Ipswich, MA
Catering: Vinwood Caterers
Day of Coordination: Linda Lee, Lemon Drop Team, MA (Shang Chen Photography preferred)
Rings: Tiffany & Co., Nicole Vellucci at Forever Diamond, Boston, MA
Suits: Brooks Brothers
Ties: Hermes
Florist: Flowers by Darlene, Salem, MA
Invitations and menu design: Goosefish Press, Boston, MA
Candy buffet design: Yuling Designs (Shang Chen Photography preferred)
Cake: Jenny’s Wedding Cakes, Amesbury, MA
Officiant: Judge Hall
DJ: MCO Productions

Shang is a jetsetting wedding photographer for dynamic couples. She captures imagery that pops with color, personality, and energy. Shang never gets tired of heartfelt and thoughtful wedding toasts and looks forward to capturing more in 2012!
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Nicole and Jonathan, Married! | Wedding at the State Room

Shang — Tue, 11 Oct 2011 16:39:07 +0000

“It’s happening”. With those two words, Nicole and Jonathan began preparations for their big day in downtown Boston. Things could not have worked out more perfectly. The rain stayed away, leaving warm temperatures and humidity. The dress and veil, my goodness, are just indescribable once they’re on Nicole.

One of the first things we did was deliver a gift from Nicole to Jonathan. He beamed as he opened it

Nicole’s style is quintessentially classic with a bit of a vintage twist

Glittery Jimmy Choos and a Priscilla of Boston dress with beautiful lace. All getting ready was at the Boston Harbor Hotel

Nicole’s amazing (AMAZING) bridesmaids and mother were there with her as she dressed

So. Beautiful

We played a little music in the background… looks like the bridesmaids were having a lot of fun!

Amie in the meantime got Jonathan as he was getting ready. He was just as well accessorized as Nicole was

I have to say something about this First Look. Nicole walked in front of Jonathan and told him to open his eyes. We had been building up anticipation for Jonathan the entire time. When Nicole crossed the street, a trolley full of Boston tourists cheered, and Jonathan asked Amie, “is that for Nicole?” to which she replied in the affirmative. When Jonathan finally opened his eyes, the reaction was unreal. He gasped at her beauty. She held back tears as the day had finally come. There was so much love

We walked around the Boston Harbor Hotel for some more relaxed and natural portraits

Veils are awesome, just saying

Tender moments are my favorite

Then the bridal party joined for some super fun and modern photos!

Beautiful flowers were all done by John laRoche for BlueGuava

The champagne colored Jenny Yoo dresses for the bridesmaids added a super elegant touch

There’s something about Brits… just something

The detail on the right – little signages at cocktail hour that showed the music that was being played – some of Nicole and Jonathan’s favorite bands

The State Room offers spectacular views of Boston’s waterfront and North End district

The staff at The State Room was a pleasure to work with. Professional, communicative, the wedding ran on time and the execution was flawless

There was a display of wedding photos from the families as guests entered the ceremony. Jonathan’s ring is inscribed with the wedding date. Tall vases with floating candles lined the aisle

My favorite part of the wedding was the wedding ceremony. So many beautiful moments… Jonathan’s sisters cried

Nicole’s brother played a song from The Beatles… and there was not a dry eye in the room

So much romance

Nicole and Jonathan weaved Jonathan’s British background into all the food – there were signature drinks such as “Cheeky Brit” and British post-dinner snacks

Soft, elegant, and romantic were the rest of the reception details

Beat Train Productions had the dance floor hopping

Thank you Nicole and Jonathan for letting me so intimately and personally into your love story – one of strength, admiration, compatibility, kindness, and consideration. Thank you also to the families and friends of Nicole and Jonathan for such a wonderful day

Some more behind the scenes photos by Amie and a photo of Beat Train Productions

The vendors:

Photography by Shang Chen Photography
Assisted by Amie Fedora Photography
Wedding venue: The State Room, Boston, MA
Catering by: The State Room / Longwood Events
Bride’s dress: Priscilla of Boston
Groom’s tux: Theory
Bridesmaid dresses: Jenny Yoo
Florist: John laRoche for blueGuava, Boston, MA
DJ: Beat Train Productions (a Shang Chen Photography favorite)
Make-up: Faces Boston by Louise Martino, Boston, MA
Hair: Priscilla Collins from Avanti
Cake: I Dream of Jeanne Cakes
Rings: Deena Jewelers, New York, NY
Invitations / paper: Goosefish Press
Officiant: Elly Jackson

Oct 22 – 28 – Barcelona, Spain
November 4 – 6 – Boston
Winter holidays – Indiana
January 12 – 15 – Boston

Shang is a wedding photographer known for imagery that pops with color, personality, and energy. Shang highly recommends First Looks – intimate, private, and emotional, a beautiful way to start any wedding
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Jill and Than, Married! | Wedding at Dartmouth’s Oceanfront

Shang — Mon, 26 Sep 2011 14:02:58 +0000

Poor Jill, I’ve been teasing her these past few weeks with only a few sneak peeks. However, I am truly and genuinely excited to present this wedding, it has been one of the most pleasurable weddings to photograph all year. Sure, it really doesn’t hurt that we had perfect weather, but more than that, I loved all the ways that Jill and Than chose to personalize their wedding, their love and commitment to each other, the laid back nature of the wedding, the on-time coordination by the very awesome CN Planners, everything just came together really well. This was my first time visiting the ocean side city of Dartmouth. Jill and Than chose a very personal location to get married. For years, Than’s parents have owned a home in the small community of Nonquitt. Within the same area is a gorgeous forested area that overlooks a tranquil beach. On 9/10/11, the most popular wedding date of the year, I arrived to azure-blue skies plunging into opal-kissed water. Golden rays of sunshine streamed through emerald trees. And two wonderful, kind human beings who couldn’t wait to dance the night away, on the rocks, for their first look. Once again, it was tough for me to narrow things down, so please enjoy this extra long blog!

All of the bridesmaid dresses were different. And just my luck, we were able to hang them all together =)

Jill and Than’s save the dates were custom-made vintage postcards showing off the location of their wedding

This was one of the best moments of getting ready – Jill’s friends’ reactions as they saw her in her dress for the first time

Comfortable flats – very appropriate for a beachside wedding, and azure jewelry that reminds Jill of seaglass

Jill was just radiant and all smiles

Her toenails were her something blue =)

This was a jawdropping location for the first look

This image leaves me breathless

The wedding party was also superfun!

Look at how beautiful all the bridesmaid dresses came together

Fresh, unique, and local, Jill used flowers that could be found locally. I just love the way they were gathered

The light continued to be so beautiful. I had plenty, plenty of time of portraits with Jill and Than

You know how couples in love begin to resemble each other? Jill and Than have the same beautiful smiles.

These photographs may look calm, but every now and then Than would jump up and down in glee that they’re getting married. It was pretty cute

I love trees and romance. Favorite

We also drove back to Than’s parents’ house – the wraparound porch was so peaceful. As I mentioned on my Facebook fan page, the soft filtered effect you see in this image was created by a real-life filter – I shot through an object to achieve the look

Jill decorated the ceremony aisle with potted peppers – so unique, love it! You can also see in the middle two photos that they had a fun golf cart decorated for the occasion

Kids often steal the show, don’t they? The boy is Than’s godson, whose family flew in from England to attend the wedding (Than is British). The flower girl was also a true sweetheart, I think they really like holding each others’ hands =)

Pure joy

After some quick family photos they sped away on their golf cart

The reception was held in a tent outside Nonquitt’s “casino” which is a community gathering place. The boat you see on the left was Than’s pride and joy – it is a boatload of beer!

Tom’s Market Catering from Newport, RI provided all the delicious food you’ll see featured this wedding. And oh my everything looked just so good

The wedding reception decor continued with the wildflowers as centerpieces. Jill and Than served signature cocktails. They used their childhood photos as table numbers. Each guest got a glass tumbler emblazoned with the sailboat motif from the wedding design. And dessert? A whoopie pie display!

Oh, the food!!!! I loved LOVED all the stations that Jill and Than chose for their wedding. Top left – Jill’s favorite, thanksgiving turkey will stuffing! Middle row, custom pasta station. Bottom row left, check it out, stuffed quahogs, possibly the most delicious new thing I’ve tasted. For dessert there was also an ice cream bar

Did I mention that everyone loved to dance? HECK YEAH!

Amie caught Than jumping for joy in the top right photo below

A wonderful night

It was an absolute pleasure collaborating with Cindy and Nadine of CN Planners as well! When you have so many details, people spread over multiple locations, wedding coordination or even full wedding planning will really seriously be a lifesaver. And as you can tell from the photos, these two are full of laughter and fun!

Thank you Jill and Than so much for the honor to see you two so happy and so well matched, I felt like we connected from the moment we met over a year ago. Thank you honestly for being so open and tender with the way you two are in love with each other. Your laid back attitude, and all the wonderful ways in which you made your wedding your own, is exactly what a wedding should be about!

The wedding vendors:

Photography by Shang Chen Photography, assisted by Amie Fedora Photography
Venue: Nonquitt, Dartmouth, MA
Catering: Tom’s Marketing Catering, Newport RI
Wedding coordination: CN Planners (Shang Chen Photography preferred)
Dress: A Jasmine Bridal bridesmaid dress, purchased at Precious Memories, Malden, MA
Bridesmaid dresses: J.Crew, H&M
Groom’s suit: Brooks Brothers
Rings: Sarah Morse Jewelry Design, Dartmouth, MA
Florist: Eva’s Garden, Dartmouth, MA
Hair and make-up: Personal friend
DJ: Paul Natale, Murray Hill Talent
Save the Date: ItsMeIC on Etsy
Paper: Wedding Paper Divas
Officiant: Rev. John Finley IV
Whoopie pies: Beach Plum Cafe, South Dartmouth, MA
Ice cream: Salvadore’s Ice Cream, South Dartmouth, MA

Oct 8 – 10 – San Francisco / Bay Area
Oct 22 – 28 – Barcelona, Spain
November 4 – 6 – Boston
Winter holidays – Indiana
January 12 – 15 – Boston

Shang is a wedding photographer known for imagery that pops with color, personality, and energy. Shang misses the fresh seafood of Boston
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Shreya and Anoop, Married! | Indian Wedding at Boston Marriott Cambridge

Shang — Wed, 14 Sep 2011 12:00:02 +0000

I’d like to call this the wedding that beat Hurricane Irene. As dire warnings poured in through all news services that Irene was going to be crazy, Shreya and Anoop kept their spirits up and threw a fantastic Indian celebration for their families and friends. We were very lucky that the hurricane did not arrive until Sunday, but the rains did move the majority of the photos as well as the baraat indoors on their wedding day. However, I was able to beat the clouds with the First Look and the portraits outside! Also, I’ve had the absolute pleasure having Johnny Arguedas on board as the second shooter for this wedding, you’ll see me note which images are his. Johnny is a seasoned photojournalistic wedding photographer in the Boston area and whose flair for dramatic lighting, knack for being at the right place at the right time, makes him a super awesome peer with whom I’ve had the honor to work. Thank you so much for joining me!

I’m obsessed with the bracelets Indian brides wear. I think they are so fabulous

Shreya, just drop dead gorgeous

Meanwhile Johnny got this smashing portrait of Anoop

We headed out for the First Look. Johnny’s view – the beautiful creamy bokeh is from the 85mm f/1.4G. It’s officially on my wishlist

My view

We wandered around the hotel area for portraits. You wouldn’t expect some of these locations – they look ordinary, but provided just the right backdrop for what I had envisioned. You’ll see a little bit more behind the scenes in the video below :D

I really like how the mehndi makes the jewelry pop

I wonder what he said to make her smile :D

Then we found the wall. This wall is awesome

Johnny killed it with this portrait of Anoop

Some more modern, casual portraits

The rain began to fall and I had to go look for the wedding party. Johnny took Shreya and Anoop aside for one last shot. This is seriously one of my favorite images out of his camera from this day!

Major props to the wedding party for your patience and flexibility with the weather!

We then went inside for the baraat. It was wildly crowded and I think it was a miracle that two photographers and two videographers did not trip over each other. These two are Johnny’s images

This one is one of my personal favorites from my camera. I love how much emotion is captured in this shot

Details from the baraat and Hindu wedding ceremony, as well as little elephant-shaped candle escort favors for all the guests!

On the mandap, Anoop awaits his bride

This was one of my favorite ceremonies during this Hindu ceremony – Shreya’s brother twisted Anoop’s ear to remind him to take care of his bride… or else

Shreya told me to look out for this awesome display – it has wedding photographs of every married couple who were at the wedding, thanking them for setting a great example for Shreya and Anoop to follow

So many weddings in the Boston area are in ballrooms, and though I bring in extra lighting for my photographs, to add that extra modern, unique touch that will for sure wow your guests, we have the ever-amazing DJ Yogz and the team at Boston Sound and Light Company providing gorgeous uplighting. The ballroom was truly transformed into something else! The top photo shows off the ballroom, the bottom shows a piece of the mandap transformed as a beautifully lit backdrop for the sweetheart table

Floral centerpieces utilized beautiful delicate yellow flowers and floating candles. Custom striped lavender linen lined the tables. Appropriate as they are doctors, Shreya and Anoop made a donation to the American Cancer Society on behalf of the guests

Shreya changed into a different and equally beautiful sari for the reception

I really like the extra pop of color with the flowers in her hair

Then the party got started! Look at how awesome the uplighting makes for a backdrop

And can they dance!

A dance-off between Anoop and his younger brother, who claimed in his toast that Anoops beat him in everything. I don’t know, I think this is a toss-up!

I heard a loud bang and turned to find a confetti bomb go off and Shreya and Anoop hoisted on the chairs. Too cool!

One more of the mandap

Major, major props to Yogz and D-Extreme for keeping the dance floor hopping. These two TVs were added to the DJ booth and showed off my same day edit!

This was the last gig Amy and I had for the summer. I wanted to kidnap her and have her with me forever

Shreya, Anoop, it has been so much fun to be part of your wedding festivities. May you continue to bless other people with your talent and caring hearts

Want to see more? Check out the highlights video from the team at Binita Patel Cinematography

Shreya & Anoop Wedding Highlights Video

The vendors:

Second shooter: Arguedas Photography
Assistant: Amy Bao Photography
Venue: Boston Marriott Cambridge
Catering: Bollywood Grill
Rings: Seyfriend Jewelers, Ann Arbor, MI
Hair: Sasha at Pyara Salon, Cambridge, MI
Wedding coordination: Tanvi Rana, Pink Lotus Events
DJ: DJ Yogz (Shang Chen Photography preferred)
Uplighting: Boston Sound and Light Company
Invitations / paper: Indianweddingcards.com
Yogi: Jayant Sane
Mandap and Indian decor: Alankar Decors
Videography: Binita Patel Cinematography

Sept 23 – 25 – Boston
Oct 8 – 10 – San Francisco / Bay Area
Oct 22 – 28 – Barcelona, Spain
November 4 – 6 – Boston
Winter holidays – Indiana
January 12 – 15 – Boston

Shang is a wedding photographer known for imagery that pops with color, personality, and energy. With an international background, Shang particularly loves multicultural celebrations
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Joanne and Chris, Married! | DeCordova Sculpture Museum Wedding, the Portraits

Shang — Fri, 26 Aug 2011 14:34:04 +0000

And now for the grand finale, the portraits from Joanne and Chris’s wedding. We photographed the majority of these prior to the ceremony which was going to occur at sunset. It was so wonderful meeting all their fun friends and having a blast throughout. Be sure not to miss part 1 and part 2 of this wedding as well.

We began with some portraits of Chris

After Joanne got into her dress at DeCordova, I took lots and lots of photos of her. I don’t think I need to mention just how gorgeous she is

This was a special moment – I asked her to think about what Chris is going to be like during the First Look

Some more of her wedding dress ruffles

Yummy backlight!

We then wandered around the grounds for photos of just the bride and groom

My. Favorite.

I don’t show a lot of family portraits, but I do them! Yes indeed! I’m pretty proud of this photo because Joanne told me that her parents don’t often smile in photos

After the ceremony, there was a spectacular sunset. I can’t take credit for this photo – Amy took this one – and after reviewing my angle and hers, I think she’s got me beat =)

I asked the security guard to turn this cool sculpture on at night

Thank you, thank you Joanne and Chris for being such expressive and warm people and for giving me the honor to be there for you!

The vendors:

Shang’s Assistant: Amy Bao
Venue: DeCordova Sculpture Park and Museum, Lincoln, MA
Catering and cupcakes: Different Tastes, Boston, MA
Joanne’s Dress: Jon’s Bridal by Suzanne
Bridesmaid Dresses: After Six Bridesmaid
Rings: Springers Jeweler’s, Maine
Chris’s Suit: Pronto Uomo
Florist: Hillside Florist, Woburn, MA
Hair: Di Re Hair, Ltd., Waltham, MA
DJ: Boston Music Works, Woburn, MA
Invitations and Paper: DIY

August 31 – Return to Chicago
Sept 8 – 12 – Boston
Sept 23 – 25 – Boston
Oct 8 – 10 – San Francisco / Bay Area
Oct 22 – 28 – Barcelona, Spain
November 4 – 6 – Boston

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Joanne and Chris, Married! | DeCordova Sculpture Museum Wedding, the Details

Shang — Thu, 25 Aug 2011 19:01:55 +0000

Fresh, fun, modern, green, and sustainable! The DeCordova Sculpture Park and Museum wedding of Joanne and Chris was not short on these super-creative and personal details. What details are important? Well, it varies from wedding to wedding, but I often ask the bride and groom what is important for me to focus on. Given how long people take to plan weddings, I want to make sure that all the hard work does not go to waste. It could be jewelry, it could be invitations you spent a lot of time slaving over, or something else, the important thing to me is that they mean something to the client. Detail shots take time! This is why I typically arrive with up to 2 hours to spare in the getting ready segment to capture these, and I also take a part of cocktail hour to head to the reception site first to photograph the setups before the guests arrive. Be sure to also check out part 1 of the wedding – the photjournalistic shots – if you haven’t had the chance!

There are two things I love in dresses (I know, personal taste, still) – lace and ruffles. Joanne’s dress had so many ruffles, loove!

She wore sky-high apple green shoes through the entire day. I really don’t know how she managed but it was pretty amazing

Amy helped set up the next shot with the bridesmaid shoes =)

The journal that Joanne gave to Chris

Joanne DIYed all the paper for this wedding, I’m super impressed. The graphics are super fun, modern, and the postage matches the mood

The jewelry Joanne wore. The purple ring on the left actually belongs I believe to Chris’s great-grandmother

If you notice, Joanne’s rings have 3 parts – the top is her engagement ring, followed by a golden band, then another platinum band. Chris’s band is also designed to reflect those colors

Chalk boards for the escort card table and bar

Lemonade cooled guests as they waited for the ceremony. The ceremony program

I have seen this once before at another wedding and I love this idea of a tree where guests leave their fingerprints. A great addition to your newlywed home! Be sure to leave a piece of paper for people to practice and wet towelettes to clean those inked hands

The wedding reception was held at the Dewey Gallery inside the DeCordova Sculpture Museum

One of the top highlights of the wedding details – cactus escort cards! Every guest had a small potted cactus with their name that they could take home

The fresh theme carried into the centerpieces with baby’s breath and potted rosemary. A sprig of rosemary also lay on every menu at the place setting. Table numbers were painted onto rustic tiles

“I love my caterer because I got to have pizza as one of my entrees!” exclaimed Joanne to me during the wedding. Guests had a delicious choice between filet, pizza, and fish

The cupcakes were awesome – I sampled a carrot cake cupcake. The top and bottom tiers also had these super-fancy sugar toppers that added to the modern setting of the day

Coming tomorrow – the gorgeous, gorgeous portraits from the day!

The vendors:

August 31 – Return to Chicago
Sept 8 – 12 – Boston
Sept 23 – 25 – Boston
Oct 8 – 10 – San Francisco / Bay Area
Oct 22 – 28 – Barcelona, Spain

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Joanne and Chris, Married! | DeCordova Sculpture Museum Wedding, the Photojournalism

Shang — Thu, 25 Aug 2011 14:37:57 +0000

To say that Joanne and Chris’s wedding at the DeCordova Sculpture Museum in Lincoln, MA was amazing is an understatement. The day was beautiful, the venue had amazing light, and even with the little snafus in between that inevitably come with a wedding, as I reviewed my images I was just thrilled with what came out. This wedding reflected much of what I stand for – genuine and expressive emotion, lots of energy, laid-back bride and groom, fun guests, and of course, personalized and cool style with color that pops! Therefore, I have chosen to publish this wedding in three blog posts to showcase the different ways in which I photograph a day – photojournalism, details, and portraiture. I place emphasis on all of them because I see myself as a storyteller photographer, which means that my goal is to document the day such that when one looks at the images one is taken back to relive the memories, emotions, the beauty. I believe in portraiture because I want my couples to feel as beautiful and fabulous as they are in my eyes, and I believe in capturing all the details because together, it makes the wedding experience complete.

First up, is the photojournalism. With the exception of the champagne toast and the First Look, none of these are staged, posed, or directed in any way. To me, photojournalism is about being in the right place at the right time and not interrupting the flow of the day.

Joanne and Chris exchanged gifts while getting ready. This is a journal that Joanne had secretly kept during their engagement documenting many thoughts and happenings

Joanne’s maid of honor delivered it to Chris

Joanne’s reaction upon hearing how much Chris loved it

Not to be beat, Chris also had a great gift of his own for Joanne. Coincidentally, it also included a journal

Last-minute decoration

We then drove to the museum where Joanne got dressed in her beautiful gown

Since the ceremony was going to occur around sunset, we had all the portraits done beforehand to allow plenty of time to relax and have fun. So while the First Look is often directed by me, I love, LOVE it because the emotions are so genuine

This is my favorite photo, taken by my intern Amy!

A quick touch-up before the ceremony

Joanne’s colors were green with black and white accents

Joanne told me that her must-have moment is the moment they realize they’re married. I got two of them

During cocktail hour, guests were able to “sign” a tree guestbook with fingerprints

Joanne and Chris had an awesome Red Sox-like entrance planned. It ended with them high-fiving all their wedding party members

All the speeches were quite funny recounting Joanne and Chris’s courtship

Cupcakes. Delish

The dance floor hopped all night thanks to Boston Music Works

The bouquet toss was intense!

You know a dance floor is fun if at the end of the night I join in – which I did =)

Not the end of this wedding – more to come, stay tuned!

The vendors:

August 31 – Return to Chicago
Sept 8 – 12 – Boston
Sept 23 – 25 – Boston
Oct 8 – 10 – San Francisco / Bay Area
Oct 22 – 28 – Barcelona, Spain

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Lisa and Jeff, Married! | Seaport Hotel Boston Wedding

Shang — Tue, 16 Aug 2011 17:00:51 +0000

Modern, colorful, and fun! How lucky am I to have the honor of photographing Lisa and Jeff’s wedding? So very lucky. I had so much fun… in fact, so much fun, I put my gear down at the end of the night and stayed a little to dance a little more. One of their toasts said it best – Lisa and Jeff are some of the nicest, most considerate people you will ever meet. During their cocktail hour and dinner, I saw them continue to greet, welcome, and spend a significant amount of time with all their loved ones and guests. In addition, Lisa and Jeff really love to travel. They’re off on a very awesome honeymoon in Asia right now. You’ll parts of that incorporated in their wedding decor as well

As I arrived, Lisa already had her makeup and hair done by the ever-talented and awesome Carolina and her team at From Hair to Eternity – my absolute favorite – I ran into them while exiting the elevator. I also RAVE RAVE RAVE about Lisa’s dress, because it fit her SO well and had a fun layer of crinoline underneath

Style note aside, ladies, trust me, make your alterations count, splurge if you have to, because it will make your dress become a part of YOU so that people tell you how beautiful YOU looked and not how beautiful your dress was. Great alterations can really add oomph to an ordinary dress – I’d much rather splurge on alterations than on a designer dress that did not fit

I loved Lisa’s bright colors. From her electric blue pumps and red toenails to the bright green spidermums and pink roses in her bouquet. Just perfect

I really like the image below on the right – Lisa getting excited it is her wedding day

I also went over to Jeff’s room to get some portraits of him

We had a super-sweet First Look

They gave me so much time for portraits of the two of them – we had a really fun 45 minutes within the grounds of Seaport Hotel!

Happy. So happy. I LOVE the pop of color her shoes provide

It was very windy that day. I used the wind to my advantage with Lisa’s veil whenever I could

I have a personal soft spot for modern weddings – especially in downtown Boston, a modern wedding makes a lot more sense given the architecture and the spaces we have. I love clean lines, bright lighting, and architectural detail. The Wintergarden Atrium at the Seaport Hotel is the perfect setting for a modern wedding ceremony

Which leads to one of the most well-lit indoor ceremonies I’ve ever photographed =)

Having your bridesmaids wear shoes in the same shade? A stylish DO!

This was a unique part to Lisa and Jeff’s wedding – they wrote letters to each other which they placed in a box with a wine that would be really delicious on their 5th anniversary – which is when they will open the box and read the letters

The atrium also gave me the unique advantage of being able to photograph everyone who came to the wedding

This wedding party was FUN and super-laidback. Thank you all for being such great sports!

Lisa and her twin brothers

This jumping picture was a special request – pretty unique!

As guests entered cocktail hour, they were able to pick up their escort cards – which were luggage tags! The table was decorated with postcards and little suitcases to highlight Lisa and Jeff’s love of travel

The very modern Lighthouse Ballroom at Seaport Hotel had these crazy cool lights that change color. They were blue to keep with Lisa’s colors – later in the night you’ll also see bright green uplighting on the walls

Once Lisa and Jeff stepped on the dance floor, the party really got started!

There was also a delicious candy buffet for guests to take some treats home

It took a while to pull them outside for some great night shots in front of the World Trade Center. The Seaport Hotel actually had 3 weddings that day and the staff did a great job ensuring no wedding saw each other, but it meant I couldn’t photograph this location during the day. It doesn’t matter though, I think this night photo trumps any daytime photo I could have done =)

Thank you soooo much guys for such a fun time, Lisa and Jeff! Keep busting those serious dance moves, you two rock!

Vendors:

Shang’s assistant: Amie Fedora Photography
Venue: Seaport Hotel Boston (amazing staff! I normally don’t comment on staff but I can say they are top notch and went above and beyond and made my job SO much easier, and the food is great too!)
Makeup and hair: Carolina Velasco from From Hair to Eternity (Shang Chen Photography preferred vendor)
Bride’s dress: Mary’s Bridal, purchased at Bride-N-Belle, Medford, MA
Bridesmaid dresses: David’s Bridal
Cake: Konditor Meister
Tuxedo: Men’s Wearhouse
Florist: Jody Roffi, My Personal Florist
Ceremony musicians: Arezzo String Trio
DJ: Brendan from Murray Hill Talent
Invitations / paper: ExclusivelyWeddings.com

August 19 – 22 – Jamaica
August 23 – 24 – NYC
August 31 – Return to Chicago
Sept 8 – 12 – Boston
Sept 23 – 25 – Boston
Oct 8 – 10 – San Francisco / Bay Area
Oct 22 – 28 – Barcelona, Spain

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Kind words, another installation

Shang — Fri, 12 Aug 2011 12:00:16 +0000

It is always with great honor and privilege that I get to hear what my clients have to say from my work via their reviews, I appreciate it so much!!! It is exactly due to these reviews that people who have never met me, who do not share any mutual friends who have been past clients of mine, have the reassurance to email me and inquire about working with me. In fact, half of my 2011 clients never met me in person before signing the contract (we did try to have a video chat though!) because I was living in Chicago. With these distances and unique communication challenges in mind, it has always been my intention to remain true and genuine and consistent to who I am online and offline. The words you are reading now… this is how I talk! [insert smiling face] I hope these snippets show a deeper side to how I work. You can see the reviews in full of my wedding work on my WeddingWire page. Past installations of kind words: here, here, and here.

“As someone said: ‘your photographer will be with you all day, often within a couple of feet of you. Pick someone that you’re excited about having that close.’ Jackpot. Throughout the whole day, Shang was so much fun to hang out with. She got along with everyone instantly, helped keep everyone laughing, and constantly kept coming up with great ideas for shots. She dealt tactfully yet firmly with relatives who were getting uptight and groomsmen who were dragging their feet – taking the burden off of me! The pre-wedding work was a piece of cake. Skype chats, Google Docs, etc…she, my fiance, and I all lived in different states and I never felt that the distance impeded our communication! The entire ‘business’ end of the operation was flawless and staggeringly professional. She’s done her homework and runs a tight ship.” – Marisa

“During the wedding, her process was almost transparent. Nothing felt forced. All went according to plan. She was organized. Customer service was excellent. She is a professional and an artist. Her pictures are contemporary, modern, tasteful, and classy, truly timeless. The final product did not look like experimental art student photography. The pictures are easily accessible to the widest possible audience and generation gaps. Within the wedding photography genre, which can be as formulaic as the associated rituals, she has a style that does not overpower her subjects. She showcases the feeling of love and romance in lots of subtle shades & light, and the pictures were spontaneous, animated and angled.” – Joel

“During the entire process of working with Shang, from the first meeting, to the contract, to the engagement shoot, to the wedding, to the album design, it was extraordinarily clear how seasoned Shang is as a wedding photographer. Our officiant remarked that he’d NEVER seen such ‘invisible’ photographers during a wedding ceremony; we didn’t even notice them there, yet the photos are incredible. How she manages to already be so.. mature? experienced? advanced?… in this business at such a young age is really remarkable. From poses to schedule of the wedding to space to walking us through different parts of the wedding day, I always felt like I was in good, confident hands. And the photos prove it to be true. Which brings me to… THE PHOTOS. Oh, the photos. The photos! Sigh. These speak for themselves on Shang’s website and blog, but oh my – we were just blown away by the result. We stressed to Shang the first time we met her how important it was to us to capture the emotion of the occasion above anything else, and she delivered. I can’t stop looking at how gorgeous our album is (granted, I got it today, but still…) and how it really expresses all the love, beauty, joy, and happiness we felt on such a special day. Stop thinking about it. Just hire her.” – Franny

“Just like my husband, and just like my wedding dress, I just knew when I first met Shang that she was the one I wanted to photograph the most important day of my life… The day of the wedding Shang did all my detail shots (dress, rings, shoes, jewlrey), and some “getting ready” shots while we at the hotel, before we headed off to the church. During the ceremony I didn’t even see Shang who was quietly capturing some of the most special moments of my life. We jetted off after the ceremony for more amazing photos at the country club where our reception was held. My family and wedding party were amazed how quickly and efficiently Shang worked to get all the family and wedding party shots, before she took my husband and I off for some more intimate pictures. It’s hard to not go on and on about how great Shang is both personally and professionally.” – Tricia

“Trust – you really need to trust the person handling photos for one of the most important days of your life, and from the beginning Shang proved to be reliable, trustworthy, and professional. She uses a 2nd photographer, carries back-up equipment, and left us feeling completely confident and at ease that she would capture every important moment on our wedding day (and she did exactly that!). She even created a document where we were able to list specific pictures we wanted to be sure to have taken on the big day, and if needed, a list of pictures to stay away from (to avoid any weird moments with divorced parents for example)… She has a way of making everyone feel so comfortable and relaxed that her pictures don’t look staged. Shang has an eye for locating the most amazing backgrounds, and overall we just couldn’t be happier with all of our pictures.”

Thank you all so very much for trusting Shang Chen Photography with your wedding photos!

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Russell and Joel, Engaged! | Turner Hill and Crane Beach Engagement Photography

Shang — Mon, 08 Aug 2011 12:08:40 +0000

Photographing the engagement session for Russell and Joel was reminiscent of a lazy summer day trip. The two Boston-based lawyers met online and their first date was at one of my favorite restaurants in the South End – Aquitaine! Ever since, the two have been traveling and eating, and I’m so excited they will be my first 2012 wedding! They are getting married in January at the gorgeous Turner Hill Mansion. Given that it will be quite cold and leafless during their wedding, we wanted to take advantage of the current gorgeous summer weather to photograph at the grounds of Turner Hill!

Is it bright? Is it fun? I’m photographing it!

They are so sweet

We got into the following after we did some more traditional portraits looking up. Too sweet!

We had amazing, amazing weather and light this day. Everything was just golden

A drive later and we were at Crane Beach! On the way we saw so many beautiful houses and estates, Joel and Russell began dreaming of having a house here as well. Imagine how often you could go to the beach

Each of them picked and personalized their engagement ring

Boom

Thank you Amy Bao for assisting!

Random fact – this blog went online at 8:08AM on August 8. Just sayin’ :P

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