It’s been a privilege to photograph two weddings for this family – Melissa’s brother is Bill, whose wedding I photographed last year at the Searles Castle. The same sweetness and care for their family and friends was present at this wedding. And as Andrea (Melissa’s mother) has requested, I’ve looked for more photos of her smiling than crying for this blog post – regardless of the many tears shed, it was truly a joyous occasion. Thank you to Melissa’s family for hosting me and Karman again!

This is a mega wedding post to kick off the relaunch of shangchenphoto.com – now everything under one site! Did you notice the difference? Have fun and check out what else I’ve changed, and those who follow this blog using Google Reader, please redirect your RSS readers to shangchenphoto.com/feed/ as the old feed now no longer updates. Thank you! And thank you thank you to my super-smart friend Benson for making this process as painless as possible!

The bathtub photo as mentioned above

The entire upstairs of the Willowdale Estate is an intimate setting to which to get ready, it feels a lot like a country chic mansion. Melissa received this personalized hanger for her wedding dress as a gift

Karman gets credit for setting up the shoes for this awesome shoe shot!

Melissa carried her father’s handkerchief in her bouquet as one sweet way to remember him

Dana reading Melissa’s card

With his brother-in-law, best men, and brothers

With her maid of honor and sister-in-law

It was light and airy in the floor-to-ceiling room where we had the ceremony. Dana beamed as he saw Melissa escorted by her brother. We were also blessed by the presence of three grandparents

Family portraits – these candid ones are some of my favorites, especially the ones with the mothers

We went outside into the chilly spring air for some fun portraits of just Melissa and Dana

I really love how the wind caught her veil

We borrowed this sign from one of the rooms inside Willowdale (shhh!)

Loooove the dress

Some more mother-daughter love

Toasts

First dance

The details in Melissa and Dana’s wedding were extremely elegant with navy blue (Melissa’s favorite color) as the primary theme

Row 1: Escort cards, flower detail, personalized napkins
Row 2: Table numbers, favor, cake
Row 3: Andrea’s home-made Greek desserts wrapped with a personalized ribbon

Yes, Melissa is Greek! We have some more Greek dancing during the reception

They had a delicious ice cream bar! The ice cream came in these super cute jars. I love me some ice cream so here is a whole collage dedicated to the ice cream bar

Thank you, thank you, thank you! It has been nothing but wonderful to be your wedding photographer!

(below photos by Karman)

Vendors:

Second shooter: Karman Lee Photography
Venue and catering: Willowdale Estate
Videographer: Jeff Brouillet Films
Cake: Konditor Meister
Dress: Essense of Australia
Rings: DeScenza Diamonds
Tuxedo: Giblees
Florist: Flowers by Steve
Make-up and hair: Makeup by Maria, hair by Helen and Christina, at Daeva Salon in North Andover
DJ: Keith Sherman, Last Call Productions
Invitations / paper: Wedding Paper Divas
Officiant: Joe Spanos

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Remember, ongoing this month, check out my 2012 wedding photography giveaway! Share the love and tell all your friends!

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Monica and Andrey, UMass Club of Boston Wedding

Kat and Tim, Newport Naval Station Wedding

Mary and Jason, Henderson House Wedding

Diana and Greg, MIT Faculty Club Wedding

Luci and Owen, Harvard Faculty Club Wedding

Linda and Daniel, Cape Cod Provincetown Wedding

Rebecca and Naimish, Newport Oceancliff Wedding

Karina and Bryan, New Jersey Wedding

Nicole and Lino, Puerto Rico Destination Wedding

Nkem and Darin, Lowell Brewery Exchange Wedding

Kimberly and Bill, Searles Castle Wedding

Lauren and Pranay, Ipswich Crane Estate Wedding

Laura and Scott, Devens Common Center Wedding

Danielle and Peder, Cambridge Le Meridien Wedding

(and thanks for letting me crash in Boston this past week!)

Bena and Ruoshi, MIT Chapel Wedding

Agya and Salil, Boston Marriott Long Wharf Indian Wedding

Amy and George, Boston Intercontinental Hotel Wedding (to be blogged soon!)

Karen and Bryan, MIT Chapel Wedding

Sue and Ryan, Boston Public Library Wedding

Britt and Aaron, Harvard Faculty Club Wedding

Marjory and David, a Boston Copley Marriott Wedding that I just shot!

Sue and Ryan work in the creative industry, so of course, designed their elegant invitation suite that used iconic images inspired by the BPL

In the afternoon Sue got ready at her friend’s house in Winchester

I watched Sue wash her hair and hum “I’m gonna wash that man right outta my hair”. It was one of my personal favorite memories from the day

Most of the afternoon was spent with everyone in the room fawning over the flower girl. This was a quick moment I caught as she showed off her curls to her father

Apparently this was the same day as when President Obama was in town for a rally. I booked it over back to downtown Boston to get photos of Ryan and his groomsmen and his father in the courtyard while we still had daylight

An autumn wedding meant that I also was able to push myself with more creative off-camera lighting.  Thank you so much Christina for helping out!

The talented team at Table and Tulip was behind the gorgeous floral design of the wedding. Moss, tree stumps, and these really cool silver vases created a fresh look that felt like it was breathing

If you want an inspiring hall to study in, check out Bates Hall in the Boston Public Library. It’s one of my favorite places in Boston

The ladies arrive! They had these cute feather-accented shoe clips which coordinated with the headband that Sue wore

Did I mention it was very windy that day?

This is one of my favorite portraits of Sue. She looks like a goddess!

The following two were completely candid captures as she accompanied the flower girl down the stairs

Sue and Ryan chose the Abbey Room for their reception. The Abbey Room is well-known for its gorgeous murals. I was extremely pleased to see how ALPS provided uplighting and spotlights to show off the murals and wood paneling. Tip for brides-to-be: consider using uplighting to accent the beauty of your venue, especially if the venue’s own lighting is not adequate. The staff commented how this is the most well-lit they’ve seen the murals during a wedding!

Sue and Ryan had their ceremony in the Chavannes Gallery

We grabbed some quick portraits back in Bates Hall

Let’s get the party started! Sue and Ryan were all smiles for the rest of the evening, dancing their way into the night. At the end of the night, Sue ran around the room and high-fived her guests – so awesome

And yes, details! Check out the rings – you can make out a fingerprint on Ryan’s band. Too cool

The cake, provided by BPL’s in-house caterer, The Catered Affair, was decorated in these gorgeous leaves and then Table & Tulip adorned it with succulents… and smelled so good!

Top row: Escort cards, moss terraniums, detail of escort card setup
Row 2: Succulents, Sue’s gorgeous (and heavy) bouquet, my dinner
Bottom row: Escort card table – those are real blocks of fresh moss!

Mmm mmm, The Catered Affair sure had delicious food! They operate a restaurant inside the library during business hours

Thanks you two for such a great evening, and congratulations!!

Shang Chen’s assistant: Christina Lee Photography
Venue: The Boston Public Library
Catering, cake: The Catered Affair
Dress: Amy Kuschel
Hair and make-up: Salonika
Uplighting: ALPS
Florist: tabLe & tuLip
Suit: Jil Sander
DJ: DJ Spinelli
Rings: Lorinczi Jewelry

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I often like having the groom hold the bouquet sometimes. Creates great contrast against his black suit

yes, water fountains

Bam!

We cabbed it to the Boston Public Garden for some more beautiful sun-drenched photos

We needed a break! We stopped by the nearest Starbucks. The baristas were so excited for Karen and Bryan that they comped all our drinks!

The Chinese wedding banquet was held at Hei La Moon in Chinatown. I love this clothesline of old childhood photos

Instead of clinking glasses, Karen and Bryan required that guests who wished to see them kiss had to play chubby bunny and then say a well-wish with the marshmallows in their mouth!

Members of the family gave Karen and Bryan gifts of red envelopes and jewelry during the tea ceremony

A fabulous first dance!

Nom! We had cupcakes for dessert!

This is Alan – Karen’s cousin. I met him this past summer on my trip to Seattle as he is a mutual friend of my photog friend, Anna Wu!

Danny, May, and Scott, just some of my ex-co-workers =)

And instead of a traditional bouquet toss or garter toss, the guests played two massive games of rock,  paper, scissors

And everybody danced!

Including Bryan’s parents!

Joyce sneaked a quick pic of us two in Hei La Moon’s mirror =)

With the bride and groom!

Thank you loves for giving me such an honor to be there for you as a friend and photographer! There are a ton more photos online at my Facebook Fan Page

Shang’s assistant: yjliu PhotoArt
Wedding dress: Custom-made from Taiwan
Rings: Ben Moss, Titanium Kay
Flowers: Blooms by the Box
Hair and Make-up: Pyara
Reception dress: Mori Lee
Reception: Hei La Moon
Cupcakes: Lynndell’s Bakery
Tuxedo: Men’s Wearhouse

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First off, my favorite wedding party photo of the wedding. I can’t get over how cool this shot is

I spent the mid-morning getting ready with Karen and the ladies

So pretty! I’m glad we got to include the veil in some of the photos =)

Being both grad students at MIT, it was fitting to do the First Look right in Killian Court

Bryan is clearly very, very excited

Group hug!

When I landed from Chicago I could not believe it – there was a heat wave in Boston. It must have been 80 degrees that day. Boston knew I was coming

Thank you alls for having some fun!

The wedding ceremony was held at the super-cool MIT Chapel. Look at these cuties who prepped the aisle for Karen’s entrance!

Dr. Um of Citylife Church officiated the ceremony. Karen, Bryan, and I all attend Citylife but we go at different times so I almost never see them!

And they’re married! Stay tuned tomorrow for some freaking awesome portraits of them two! I’ll start with this one

Joyce assisted me throughout the day. Fun behind-the-scenes shot!

Shang’s assistant: yjliu PhotoArt
Wedding dress: Custom-made from Taiwan
Rings: Ben Moss, Titanium Kay
Flowers: Blooms by the Box
Hair and Make-up: Pyara

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This band of high schoolers was super-psyched to be able to entertain the guests during cocktail hour

Binita grabbed this great aerial shot on the right

And of guests checking out Agya and Salil’s custom guestbook designed by me!

I want to give a huuuge shout out to DJ Yogz – he’s one of my favorite DJs in Boston, and that’s saying a lot because I’ve seen many DJs. He knows how to get a crowd going and was in charge of all the sound and lighting considerations for this event

Details details! Agya’s mother oversaw most of the details for this gorgeous pink and green wedding, starting out with these amazing candelabras with rose arrangements

Changing the color of your linen really makes a huge impact in the room

More details:

Row 1: Detail shot of candelabra, flower arrangement, cake from Newton’s The Icing on the Cake
Row 2: Reception shot, escort cards
Row 3: The mandap was transformed to become a sweetheart table for Agya and Salil

Agya and Salil have changed outfits for the night. I love this joyous entrance

This man’s speech had the entire audience laughing. Did you know that Salil nearly burned Agya’s hair during his proposal with a candle?

Salil’s cousin and Agya’s sister presented dances

Laughter. What binds a couple together

Their first dance started off slow with a touch of romance… then it got lively!

@cookitforus asked me to show some photos of food. happy to oblige!

Dance dance dance! Everyone knows I love lively dancing!

I love you guys so much! Thank you so, so much for having me and for being nothing but beacons of inspiring joy!

Second shooter: Binita Patel Photography
Assistant: Emily Ku Photography
Lengha: Shehnaai Couture, New York, NY
Hair: Mario Russo Salon
Venue: Boston Marriott Long Wharf
Lighting and DJ:  Boston Sound and Light, DJ Yogz
Cake:  The Icing on the Cake
Catering: Masala Art, Dedham, MA; Gourmet India
Indian decor: Alankar
Videography: Franco, Groove Entertainment
Henna: Manisha Trivedi, Henna Cafe

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In what is known as a baraat, the groom’s side of the wedding danced through Columbus Park to meet the bride’s side of the family. Agya remained inside the hotel

Members of the family (parents, siblings, uncles and aunts) exchanged hugs and gifts in what is called a milni

I love this quick moment where Salil hugs Agya’s sister

Meanwhile, the inside of the Boston Marriott Long Wharf, the ballroom was transformed for the Hindu ceremony. Check out this mandap

In the first part of the ceremony, Salil has to cut a ribbon before he can enter the mandap

Too cute! Salil’s nieces both made it down the aisle

And Agya arrives!

Within a Hindu ceremony, many of the ceremonies involve the hands and feet. It’s a very tactile way of expressing the union of two people

And they’re married!

Stay tuned for all the amazing details, sights, and sounds of the reception!

Second shooter: Binita Patel Photography
Assistant: Emily Ku Photography
Lengha: Shehnaai Couture, New York, NY
Hair: Mario Russo Salon
Venue: Boston Marriott Long Wharf
Lighting and DJ:  Boston Sound and Light, DJ Yogz

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Binita Patel came along as my second shooter. We found Salil standing by himself in his hotel room, so Binita kindly helped him with tying something on his sherwani

It’s traditional to hide the bride’s name inside the groom’s mehndi. You probably can’t see it here, but it’s quite sweet

After Agya arrived, they quickly…. went on their smartphones to finish texting for the day. Then I had them put the phones away for the portraits =)

I just love the colors and the intricate detail of Agya’s lengha. She did her own makeup!

We walked around the waterfront area

This photo cracks me up. Salil began carrying one of his shoes because he said it was a little uncomfortable

Sweetest couple ever!

After lunch, Agya got ready in her suite at Boston’s Marriott Long Wharf

Gorgeous details

Agya’s friends gave her a lip stain, which was much more long-lasting than lipstick

There is nothing Agya can’t do – here she is styling her mother’s hair while her sister applies makeup

Where was Salil you ask? Well, there was a ceremony where he would get the pagdi placed on his head. They went all out and rented a boat to cruise around the Boston Harbor! All the people you see entering the boat are guests on the groom’s side

Binita joined the ceremony and captured these great moments

The bride’s side waited for the groom downstairs by Columbus Park

The groom arrives!

Stay tuned for the baraat, milni, and hindu ceremony!

Second shooter: Binita Patel Photography
Lengha: Shehnaai Couture, New York, NY
Hair: Mario Russo Salon
Venue: Boston Marriott Long Wharf

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So the sangeet is a joyous occasion in which the bride’s family presents various dances for the wedding guests to enjoy and also to welcome the groom’s side. The sangeet was held at the St. Michael Parish center in Bedford, MA

I’m opening with this image because this is just one beautiful couple. My jaw dropped when I saw Agya come in… that blue! That green!

Agya’s mother oversaw most of the details of the decor of the wedding, and there were plenty. Check out this flower pomander hanging from the ceiling

I just love color. Love!

Some of Salil’s cousins

Agya and Salil greeted every one of their wedding guests

Meanwhile some guests got mehndi applied

These two cuties are Salil’s nieces. Their parents featured them in a very special video message for the couple, it was definitely a highlight of the night

Agya’s sister (apparently a Harvard ’07 classmate of mine though our paths never crossed!) and parents

Some people sang

And more danced!

One major thing to remember about Agya and Salil is that they are SUPER-funny. And super-smart/talented/accomplished. So of course, their friends had to roast them a little

This is Agya’s roommates imitating a dance that Agya sometimes does

Stay tuned for the main wedding day, which includes a barat, a traditional hindu ceremony, and one crazy reception at the Long Wharf Marriott!

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