The following bridal shoot was a collaboration between me and the following listed vendors, all of whom have donated their valuable time and resources to make this shoot a beautiful experience. Thank you also to our models Kendra and Tina (who are both real brides! Kendra will be married next year and Tina was recently married), and to my assistants Maria and Christina, for making it happen.

Makeup: Makeovers by Ligia – check out my interview with her at the end of this post!
Hair: Updos by Ann (updosbyann[at]verizon.net)
Florals: Bumble Bee Landing – a Shang Chen Photography preferred vendor
Venue: The Charles Hotel

Ligia applying makeup. Her work is meticulous

This is Kendra’s ring. It is custom-made in Boston’s jeweler’s building

Ann and Ligia placing finishing touches on Kendra

Loving the gorgeous light as Tina stretches out her veil – her dress was custom-made by a Parsons dressmaker

Bumble Bee Landing’s Dana’s work never ceases to wow everyone. She created two different bouquets that matched the brides’ style – modern glam for Tina and vintage for Kendra

The shoes are getting some love too. I was especially drawn to the fun ruffles on Tina’s shoes

Gorgeous!

Some up-close detail of Kendra

Kendra got her veil at an antique fair for $20! It was a perfect match to her Monique Lhuiller dress

Interview with Ligia, a Boston wedding makeup artist:

Q: How did you start getting into wedding makeup?
A: I started doing bridal makeup by working for a hair and makeup company, and after gaining substantial experience, I decided to go solo.

Q: What type of makeup do you prefer and what brands do you like to use?
A: I usually opt for brands that do the job efficiently and are long-lasting, and by efficiently I mean brands that do not give you that “cakey” feeling and that photograph well.  It’s very important to me that women are made up, they look good in person and in pictures as well.  Among my favorite lines are MAC and Bobbi Brown.

Q: How would you describe your makeup style? What is your philosophy when it comes to wedding makeup?
A: My makeup style is simple, yet non-traditional.  When it comes to a bride, she should look like herself, flawless and more polished.  This look can be achieved not only with neutral but with bold colors as well.  In spite of the traditional bridal trends, colors such as reds can be used, as long as there is a balance between the eyes and the lips.

Q: How far in advance should brides look to book their makeup artist, and would you recommend a trial?
A: I recommend that brides book their makeup artist three to four months in advance if their wedding is during the wedding peak season (May through August).  Booking a trial is essential, because it is during this session that the artist gets a sense of the bride’s personal style, and tailors for her a look that is duplicated on the day of the wedding.

Q: Do you ever do more than one wedding a day?
A: Occasionally, I do two weddings in one day, depending on the times of the events and the distance between the venues.

Q: Tell me what you love about working on makeup especially for brides, and why did you choose to specialize in weddings?
A: What I love mostly about doing makeup is the boost of confidence I give ordinary women, particularly the ones who wear very little or no makeup.   Sometimes a simple look can make someone not only look beautiful, but also feel beautiful.

A big thank you again to everyone who has made this possible. Go team!

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We first walked around the hotel for some photos. It was already dark and snowing so outside photos were pretty much out of the question at this point

This is at the bar at Henrietta’s Table

One of my favs from the night. How adorable are they?

Loved Amy’s headband and jewelry, her look was extremely classy and elegant

And Chris was looking rather dapper himself

Getting in close!

Under the red lights at Noir

They had stations all across the Regattabar, where the reception was held. Everything looked delicious!

And, no wedding is complete without friends. Here are just some of the friends who were there to celebrate. It was quite a fabulous and very camera-friendly crowd. Thank you all!

A toast to a wonderful and beautiful evening

Congratulations again! The Charles hotel is a place of many memories for myself, as I went there often during my Harvard days for recruiting events and dances! In addition, I had my second date with my first boyfriend at Henrietta’s Table, and Rialto is one of my favorite dining places in the area. Highly recommend it for a variety of excellent dining choices!

Vendors!
Venue: Regattabar, The Charles Hotel in Cambridge, MA
Venue coordinator: Alexis Davis
Shang’s assistant: Christina
Live music / jazz band: Yours Truly Productions