It was a bright and early morning at Wachusett Mountain Resort when I met up with Chelsea and Mike. As I approached the lodge, nearly blinded by the sunrise reflecting off the snow, I felt unbelievably excited. This was not only my first shoot for the 2013 season, but also the first time I’d been to the mountain all year. I pulled open the heavy door and entered the cozy lodge to the welcoming sounds of that certain *snap of buckling ski boots. Ahhh I felt home once more.

This very familiar setting is where I met Chelsea a few years ago when we were both on a snowboarding weekend in Vermont with Social Boston Sports. When she contacted me to ask if I would capture her wedding, I of course was so happy and said yes. After we talked more and she was telling me the ideas she had for an engagement shoot I was immediately stoked, yes yes yes!

With the fire roaring to warm their rosy cheeks and hot cocoa to satisfy their bellies, Chelsea & Mike celebrated their love.

Peace, Love & Marshmallow Hearts,

April K

I was thrilled when we decided to start out Emily & Bert’s engagement session in their Back Bay apartment.

Why?

Because I feel the more you incorporate your everyday-ness into your engagement photos {that you’ll have forever}, the fonder the memories will be down the road. “Oh remember that blanket” or “remember what fun it was living in that apartment… remember when we used to walk along the Charles and order out from our favorite restaurant…”  and it just opens the flood gate of memories from such a new and exciting time together.

My wish for each engagement session is for you to look at the memories years from today and be reminded of WHY you fell so deeply in love.

Emily and Bert certainly make a sweet couple, I am so looking forward to their wedding at the Boston Public Library in June of 2013.

Peace, Love & First Apartments,

April K

P.S. How clever and fitting is that Save the Date?!

I often times ask couples what they’ll be doing with engagement portraits, so that I can plan and visualize for whatever it is they’ll be using them for. Sometimes they’re used for save the dates {which I’ll need to leave room for text etc} and sometimes they’re used for a guest book or just because. I feel engagement pictures are such an important piece of the puzzle when you’re starting to preserve your families history.

The engagement period is when it all begins, when you decide to walk through life together and start planning your future together. I feel this time is precious and will be long gone, before you know it you’ll have 3 kids who are all off to college, and you’ll be left wondering what happend. Time moves quick, I don’t need to tell you that. Having photos from a time in your life when you were fresh, new and learning how to love one another is a great “go to” during your marriage. Chances are you have never been photographed professionally together, so why not take advantage of this precious time?

{Christine + Travis}

Beacon Hill’s old world charm and slanted streets make it the perfect location for a very Boston-esq engagement shoot. I was so happy when Christine contacted me to capture not only her wedding {which sadly I cannot shoot} but also her engagement portraits. She is such a kind hearted and energetic person and I was so happy to get to know Travis better. They’re a couple that just melts into one another and can tell they’ll be together forever.

Follow below for our walk through the cutest town around!

Peace, Love & Crooked Streets,

April K

Because I shoot mostly outdoors, the weather is something that toys with me a lot of the times. On the day of Erin and Ryan’s engagement shoot it had been pouring out all morning. I’m so glad we stuck to our guns and didn’t re-schedule because the rain let up and the dewy ground mixed with sunshine made for a fantastic backdrop for this nature inspired engagement shoot.

How could an engagement shoot not be fun with two athletes like Erin and Ryan? They whipped out their tandem bike and did laps up and down the road, paddled in a canoe, splashed around in the pond, climbed a boulder and ran through the woods. And this all happened within an hour! Talk about gettin’ it done.

Erin and Ryan are one of those couples that you KNOW are just made for each other. They melt into one another so seamlessly and of course are always on an adventure. I cannot wait to shoot their wedding next summer!

Peace, Love and A Bicycle Built for 2,

April K

What is my dream as a photographer? Besides my long list of goals… most importantly for me, is for my subjects to be comfortable to be themselves in front of me. Just to be together, not caring what I’m doing or thinking or what bench/wall/any object I’m climbing to get the perfect shot. My dream is to have each and every one of my clients to simply… act as if I’m not there! The goal for me is to capture each couple as they are, naturally, in real life… {just looking extra insanely good doing it!}.

Well Becky and Mark certainly had no troubles doing just that. These two are so much fun and completely and clearly adore each other. It was one of those shoots that I walked away feeling all toasty and tingly inside. Needless to say, I cannot wait to capture their wedding day! It’s going to be off the hook.

Peace, Love & Belly Laughs,

April K

Alyssa and Nick had a very adventurous engagement shoot around Fenway Park recently. We not only got to take a tour of the park, we had the chance to take some amazing pictures in places that “normal folk” usually wouldn’t be able to go. We clearly had a great time and I’m totally looking forward to seeing Alyssa and Nick on their wedding day, soon enough!

Peace, Love & Red Sox,

April K

Oh I just love being a Wedding Photographer, especially around Boston. There are so many places, landscapes, scenes and vibes and they’re all so unique. One day I can be shooting a posh city wedding and the next day I’ll be out in the wilderness or on some of the finest beaches on the east coast. I do feel very lucky.

Why else do I feel lucky?

To have awesome couples, not only sometimes, but all of the time. My girl Traci (who’s wedding I shot in June) passed along my name to her friend Maria who called me up and wanted to do an engagement shoot. I said absolutely, let’s do it. So I headed down to Hingham and met up with the beautiful Maria and her fiance Noah. They are such a great couple with lots of personality and spunk. I had a great time with them running in the sand and splashing in the ocean.

Peace, Love & Awesome Floppy Beach Hats,

April K

I really enjoyed spending the afternoon with Stephanie and Braemar during their Brookline engagement shoot. Engagement shoots are such a great way for the bride and groom to get comfortable in front of my camera and with me in general. As usual, it took us no time at all to warm up to one another.

I love learning about how my couples meet and how they fell in love. Stephanie and Brae met in a class they shared in College, shortly after they went on a date {Sushi, yum!} and they couldn’t keep their hands off each other ever since. It really amazes me that two people can have such a strong bond so instantaneously and be so connected even though they haven’t known each other {at that point} for very long.

Call it luck or call it fate, do you ever wonder “what if” I hadn’t taken that class? Or what if I hadn’t chosen that particular seat… would we still be together, would our love have found another route to take? {or am I the only one who has these thoughts?!}

Stephanie and Brian are such sweethearts, truly. As you probably know by now, I love the story of how each marriage is created; how did he catch your eye, how did she change your swagger.  Maybe you’d call that a “love invention”?! {haha}.  So their love invention started in Salem, since that is where Brian lived at the time. They would spend a lot of time getting to know each other by going to different restaurants, bars and just hanging at his place.

If you’ve ever been to Salem, MA you know what a cute town it is, right on the water, the perfect backdrop for making some art. We had so much fun, I received an email from Stephanie the next day saying “can we do that again?!”

The love between Stephanie and Brian is so evident and I’m so thrilled they hired me to be with them on their big day. Not only is it going to be so much fun, but when the love between two people is that powerful it makes the day so heavenly.

Peace, Love & Inventions of Love,

April K

We started our tour of the town at Rockefellas, where Stephanie + Brian would frequent {for good reason, this place rocks}

I love the way she looks at him…

…that is the best “thank god I found you” picture, ugh, love.

Hazel eyes, can’t get enough

So Brian, being the history buff that he is, took us on a little tour and dropped some serious knowledge. This gate and lighting + the historical facts… it was just awesome.

While we were walking around town, we came across this shed… that we couldn’t resist

And a little secret corridor we found walking back

When Marisa first called me about being the photographer on her wedding day I asked her a ton of questions like I do with all of my brides, “tell me everything”… As she went on to tell me some of the details I was quickly struck by her laid back, yet spunky attitude rather than the wedding itself {hey, I’m just being honest}. I love when this happens. I remember specifically writing in her file “book this girl, seems fun”. haha, yes, I did that.

Since Marisa wanted a beach engagement shoot we decided on the Crane Estate in Ipswich, MA. We had such a great time and as always, James {her man} was a great sport about it. See, usually guys aren’t down with engagement pictures, but I always seem to find a way to get the men to have fun! Love is Art and Art is Fun {it’s true}!  We started at the beach and then drove around the estate. We were driving awfully fast from location to location in order to beat the rain.  As soon as we wrapped up the session, the skies opened up and it poured for the rest of the evening. I think that’s a good omen for their wedding day!

Peace, Love & Art,

April K

Beach engagement shoots typically are windy… I love the wind blow hair look {I really do!}

I love the emotion…

Just a guy who loves his girl

I love this montage of beach-ness, so fresh!

I’m a sucker for romance and I love this picture, so much!

We drove over to the Crane Estate and when I saw this beautiful area of course I got all excited!

So we were looking at these finely manicured greens… Me: “how do you feel about taking your shoes off and running up that hill?” Marisa: “I’ll do anything” hahaha, so much fun!

and though I love a good time, I also love these quiet moments