I’ve been looking forward to this wedding for a year. I met Caitlin and Matt after I took too many photos of them as guests at their friends’ wedding. There’s always *that* couple or person at every wedding who are so full of life that I find my camera chasing after them.

Caitlin and Matt grew up in the same town, met when they were kids, and dated as teenagers. Their moms are best friends. It was so much fun to see these two families — who are obviously close and have so much history — combine into one family.

From Dani Wagener and Lotus Designs to Boston Uplights and The Marsels, so many Boston creatives helped Caitlin and Matt realize their vision of a “night in the city” wedding at the Cathedral of the Holy Cross and the Boston Public Library. I’ve listed credits and details at the end of this post.

These photographs are a Rigby & Ward collaboration.

Photography: Rigby & Ward | Getting Ready: Fairmont Copley Plaza | Ceremony: Cathedral of the Holy Cross | Reception: Boston Public Library | Bride’s dress: Pnina Tornai | Bridesmaid dresses: Monique Lhuillier | Shoes: Stuart Weitzman | Groom and Groomsmen’s suits: Calvin Klein | Makeup: Dani Wagener | Floral design: Lotus Designs | Videographer: LensCAP Productions | Band: The Marsels | Uplighting: Boston Uplights | Groom’s cake: Sweet Tooth Boston | Catering: The Catered Affair at the Boston Public Library

Alana and Justin were married on January 7th — my first wedding of the year. Who would have guessed that the first weekend in January would be so beautiful and mild that it rivaled a June day?

Alana and Justin make their home in San Francisco but traveled to Boston to have their wedding reception at the house where Alana grew up. Surrounded by 200 family members and friends, they married at St. Cecilia’s Church, followed by a small tea ceremony with Justin’s parents. Alana’s parents’ backyard was turned into a winter wonderland reception with a large tent, sparkly lights, icicle ornaments, and wintry white flowers. The Boston Common Band played at their reception. Catering by The Silent Chef in Scituate.

You can view more photos from Alana and Justin’s wedding — including winter wedding details — here.

I often think about who my couples are — their likes, interests, and who they are as people. It’s so important to visualize and know your clients. What kind of music do they listen to? What do they read? What kinds of movies do they watch? What kinds of things do they value?

When you’re photographing someone’s wedding, you can get close to them. Getting to know so many couples over the past few years, I’ve noticed that my clients have a few things in common.

They are creative.

People who work with me enjoy visuals and art and are generally creative people. Even my clients who are engineers and scientists are creative. They cook and sew and garden and play piano. They bake bread, dance, make their own beer, or are photography buffs. They are interested and interesting, and pay attention to aesthetics. If you were to ask them what’s more important — living in a marble mansion or residing in a humble space and surrounded by art — they would probably choose the latter.

They are kind and trusting.

As a wedding photographer I am constantly struck by how kind people can be. When I’m driving in Boston traffic, it’s easy to think that most people are jerks. Sometimes I go grocery shopping and have such a negative experience battling carts that I come home convinced that civilization as we knew it has ended. But when I work with my clients and their families, I am so often struck by how much they trust me, and how kind and thoughtful they are. I can honestly say that I have never encountered a bride- or groom-zilla. I thought maybe I was imagining things but then a wedding planner told me that I have the nicest clients. I also realize that I’m lucky to have a job that allows me to know people in this way.

They share their feelings.

I like people who show their emotions. I’m an emotional person. I get angry, happy and sad very quickly. I sometimes cry at the weddings I’m photographing (the vows kill me). For better or worse, it’s hard for me to hide my feelings.

I don’t want to photograph indifference, and the couples I work with are not cold or detached models. I don’t want to do that kind of photography, and documenting something that’s highly personal is a big part of why I got involved with weddings. Since I’m photographing people on such an emotional day, feelings are often on the surface, and even when they’re not, I’m constantly trying to read them. Are they joyful, anxious, or a mix? Are they relaxed enough to let me get closer? Is this person self assured in front of the camera, or do they need a little confidence building?

I also have selfish reasons for enjoying people who share their emotions: It helps me take amazing photographs. If someone lets go and shares their feelings then I can capture more of their humanity. The people who view those photographs later on — including the subjects — will more deeply relate to the images.

While my wedding couples have much in common, I’m also struck by how different every wedding, every couple, and every person I photograph is. Even though I’ve photographed dozens of Christian ceremonies, tens of non-religious couples, and multiple weddings at the same venues, every day I photograph is different. People will often ask “Have you photographed at this venue before?” or “Have you photographed our kind of ceremony?” and I think “Yes but that doesn’t matter because your wedding will be different. You’re you.” Thank goodness for the differences. Because that’s what keeps life — and photography — interesting.

Here are just a few photos from Caitlin and Matt’s winter wedding in Boston. Their ceremony took place at the Cathedral of the Holy Cross and they held their reception at the Boston Public Library. To view more previews, click here. Their full wedding story is coming soon.

Kristin and Jason were recently married at the prettiest town hall in greater Boston: Arlington Town Hall. What’s unique about Arlington Town Hall is that they can host wedding receptions. A few notes about their wedding… their insanely cool wedding cake was designed by Wildflour. Kristin’s shoes were from Betsey Johnson. Veronica of Blue Ivy Events coordinated their wedding day, and Nate of White Label Wedding DJs was their DJ. Bow Street Flowers designed their floral arrangements, which included blue roses flown in from Europe.

What can I say except thank you. When you take someone’s photograph, you take a little bit of that person. The person being photographed is giving you something. Thank you to all of the 42 couples I worked with in 2011. Thank you for sharing some of your most important moments, and for sharing part of yourselves with me and with the world.