Hales Studio Blog

Tracy and Michaels Fall Vineyard Engagement Session

Mon, 14 May 2012 15:33:55 -0400

This past fall on a rainy day I met with Tracy and Michael at Haight-Brown Vineyard to do their engagement session! We had such a great time and they enjoyed snuggling under the umbrella they brought to stay dry in the rain. Here are a few of my favorites from the day! Its so much fun to shoot at a vineyard. There are so many great options for photos!

Aren’t these two just the cutest!

Stephanie and Jon's engagement shoot at Lyman Orchards

Fri, 11 May 2012 10:40:07 -0400

I met Stephanie and Jon at Lyman Orchards on a really really warm fall day for their engagement session. If you have never been to Lyman Orchards I would recommend it for a fun day of picking apples and apple cider donuts!

Here are a few of my favorites! I’m looking forward to their wedding in September at The Gershon Fox Room in Hartford, CT!

Raine's 1 year session!

Wed, 25 Apr 2012 15:13:49 -0400

You might remember this little guy from his newborn shoot! I went back to photograph him for his birthday! He has gotten SO big! I couldn’t believe it. I had such a great time! Here are a few of my favorites from the session.

Vanessa and Paul's Webb Barn Wedding, Wethersfield, CT

Mon, 23 Apr 2012 16:55:59 -0400

I’m so happy to blog this wedding! Vanessa and Paul’s wedding was featured on Wedding Chicks a few months ago and I wanted to share my favorites with you all! You can see the post from Wedding Chicks here!

It was such a great day for a wedding and we love shooting at The Webb Barn. Its such a fun location.

Vanessa got ready at Larissa Lake’s Studio on main street in Wethersfield.

Vanessa met Paul at The Cove in Wethersfield for their first look before the ceremony. It was such a great location! I loved how the barn fit into their theme perfectly!

Jared got these great picture of Vanessa seeing Paul for the first time.

Vanessa did all the flowers herself! They were so beautiful.

Aren’t these girls so cute! I loved this bench in the garden at The Webb Barn!

Paul bought all of the groomsmen these great vintage flasks!

I just love this picture Jared got!

Vanessa and Paul, thank you both for having us at your wedding! We wish you both the best!

Carrie and Tim's Wedding at The Riverview

Mon, 16 Apr 2012 16:45:40 -0400

Carrie and Tim got married on a very rainy day in September. We started out the day at Carries mom’s house in West Hartford while Jared met up with the guys in Simsbury.

Once I got to the house for some getting ready photos I was greeted by the lovely Dana Nastri of Dana Bartone and Company! Dana and her entire staff does such a great job! They did all the hair and makeup for the girls. They all looked so beautiful!

Carries shoes were so gorgeous! She wore them almost the entire night!

Flowers were done by Jane from Just for You

This wall was so great and went so well with the girl’s dresses.

Carries dress was a beautiful Vera Wang.

I just love this shot Jared got of the bridesmaids during the ceremony!

More gorgeous flower details!

After all of our bridal party photos and portraits we headed over to The Riverview in Simsbury for the reception!

This was only the beginning of the crazy party that went on at their reception! What a fun crowd.

Jared got this shot of Carrie and Tim being announced in!

Yes, that is grandpa on a chair with his hands in the air. This reception was SO MUCH FUN!

Oh and did I mention there was break dancing?

The gorgeous cake was done by The Riverview!

Carrie totally nailed Tim with the cake!

Jared got this shot of a guest jumping over Tim’s brother.

I got this one as it was happening.

He landed right in front of Jared for this crazy shot below.

This has to be one of my favorites reception pictures of all time!

Love this picture of Tim that Jared took. He was having such a great time at the reception.

Carrie and Tim’s DJ was NuImage and they did a fantastic job as you can see!

Carrie and Tim your wedding was so much fun! I’m so glad we were there to capture this special day for you!

Kelly and Ben's Rocky Neck State Park Wedding

Wed, 11 Apr 2012 11:05:37 -0400

Kelly and Ben got married at Rocky Neck State Park in East Lyme, CT. They decided to do a first look and take advantage of the gorgeous grounds at the state park before the ceremony. I had never been to Rocky Neck for a wedding and it was so beautiful! We loved the location and the reception venue was just gorgeous! Here is the lineup from the day.

Dress: Augusta Jones
Bridesmaids Dresses: Nordstrom’s
Florist: McQuades Florist in Mystic, Ct
Officiant: Ernest Adams of Nutmeg Justice of the Peace
Cake: Deb Lapointe of O My G’nache
Band: Orange Crush
Event Planning: Danielle Popyk of Planning by Popyk

Here are some of my favorites from the day!

Jared did a great job during the first look. I just love these ones.

Kelly’s two brothers walked her down the aisle. It was really sweet.

This is Jared’s great shot below of the first kiss!

The pavilion at Rocky Neck was so great. It fit so many people and was set up so beautifully. I just love the woodwork and stone!

This little guy was dancing all night long! He was having the best time.

He was so fun to photograph too!

Kelly and Ben congratulations on your wedding! We had such a great time celebrating with you both!

Hilary and Brent's wedding celebration, Shorehaven Golf Club, Norwalk, CT

Mon, 19 Mar 2012 13:53:03 -0400

9/10/11 was a very popular date! Hilary and Brent had previously tied the knot in the summer and were celebrating their marriage at the Shorehaven Golf Club in Norwalk. It was such a perfect day and fantastic weather! We started out with some getting ready shots in the hotel. I must say this was a first where the bride and groom helped each other get ready. They were already married so whats the big deal right? One of the most fun parts of the wedding was that their beloved dog Marley was the best man! How cute is that? As a fellow dog lover myself he was a great addition to the bridal party.

Here is the line up from the day:
Hair: Salon Enzo
Flowers: Fiore Fine Flowers
Dress: Dolly Couture
Bridesmaid’s Dresses: Dessy
Cupcakes: Palmer’s Bakery
Band: The Edge

Hilary’s dad gave a fantastic toast and there wasn’t a dry eye under the tent!

Hilary and Brent, we had a great time celebrating with you! Congratulations!

Amanda and Dan's Hartford City Hall and Bond Ballroom Wedding

Thu, 23 Feb 2012 13:10:23 -0500

Amanda and Dan got married Labor day weekend in September right after the hurricane hit and no one had power for 2 weeks. So it made things a little interesting for them the last few weeks before the wedding! It was such a beautiful day and they had the best time together!

Here are some of my favorites from the day.

Dan is a designer and came up with this save the date card idea. I thought it was so cute!

Jared got this great shot of Amanda and her mom sharing an emotional moment while getting ready.

Jared got this picture of Dan trying to cool off before the wedding. It was so hot in there!

Amanda’s family put together a flash mob! She and Dan were so surprised!

Amanda and Dan, thank you so much for having us at your wedding! We had such a great time!

Erin and Alex's Blue and Yellow Summer Wedding

Wed, 08 Feb 2012 14:48:00 -0500

Back in August we had the pleasure of photographing Erin and Alex’s lovely wedding at The Candlewood Inn. I just loved her flowers by Stylish Blooms! They were just gorgeous. All local flowers!

Here are a few of my favorites from the day!

I just love this picture of Erin’s dad seeing her for the first time.

Alex was so emotional during their first look. They were so cute together.

Jared got this great photo of them on the dock.

Jared took this great shot of the guys with their stylish sun glasses.

Erin and her sister just loved their grandfather. Such a sweet moment.

Jared’s picture below of a little champagne toast off the dock!

The sunset that night was just so gorgeous! Loved the colors.

Erin and Alex, thank you both so much having us at your wedding! Congratulations to you both!

Lane's Newborn Session, Del Rio, Texas

Fri, 20 Jan 2012 12:07:55 -0500

So I’m an aunt! Little Lane finally decided to come in late July, right in the middle of wedding season, in Del Rio Texas. Yes, late JULY in Del Rio, Texas which is right on the Mexican boarder! So as you can imagine it was really hot. We hit record highs the entire time I was there!

I took some time to head down there to meet this little guy and we had his very own portrait session. It was so great to meet him while he was so little. I’m so glad I could take the time to see him while he was small. Here are some of my favorites from our session.

Kate and TJ, congratulations to you both! I’m so glad I could capture these early days with Lane.

xoxo

Meghan and Scott's Wedding at The Webb Barn, Whetersfield, CT

Fri, 13 Jan 2012 17:41:35 -0500

Meghan and Scott got married on one of the hottest Saturday’s in July! I headed out to get some getting ready pictures at her parents house while Jared covered the guys getting ready. Here are my favorites from the day!

Meghan’s jewelry belonged to her grandmother and it was just beautiful!

Jared got these great photos of the guys.

I love the expression on her mother’s face as she’s seeing her look in the mirror.

Meghan’s mom was showing me an old family photo that she loved and how special it was to her.

I love these next few shots Jared got. Its great when you can shoot from behind the alter in the super sneaky spot at the church.

Another great shot by Jared of Scott’s parents.

Meghan had some really cute details!

Great idea for place cards!

Meghan’s sister was working on her speech before the reception started. I just love that you can see her notes scribbled on the paper.

Congratulations Meghan and Scott! Thanks so much for having us at your wedding! We had such a great time!

Lauren and Will's Wedding, Stratford, CT

Thu, 29 Dec 2011 12:11:33 -0500

As the year is coming to a close its hard to believe that just a few months ago we were in the middle of wedding season! Lauren and Will got married on one of the hottest days in July! We were melting while outside during their portraits. As I blog this I am typing with my fingerless gloves on! Oh to be hot right now…

Here are a few of my favorite images from the day! I hope you enjoy these and are keeping warm!

This is Lauren’s niece who was only a few months old. What a cutie!

Jared’s sneaky shot below.

We stopped at Booth Park for some portraits. It was so beautiful. If you’re in the area its worth checking out!

Jared got this great shot of their entrance into the reception.

There were some very emotional toasts that night!

There wasn’t a dry eye in the place, including mine!

Lauren and Will, thanks so much for having us at your wedding! We had a blast!

Shannon and Dan's West Hartford, CT EShoot

Fri, 16 Dec 2011 13:33:00 -0500

On a very hot day in July I met with Shannon and Dan at the West Hartford Reservoir for their engagement session. We instantly realized we had a lot in common and had such a great time chatting through the entire session. Shannon and Dan were so relaxed and easy to photograph. Here are a few from their shoot that I just love.

Emeline and Mike's Gershon Fox Room Wedding

Mon, 05 Dec 2011 14:59:17 -0500

Emeline is just one of the sweetest people ever! How she found us to photograph her wedding was so crazy! Emeline and Mike live in Del Rio, TX. My sister just so happens to live in Del Rio, TX. Emeline ran into my sister and was chatting about her wedding in Hartford, CT and how she needed a photographer. My sister told her to contact me and see if we were still available. We were and I am so glad that I got to meet this very special couple!

We had such a great time at their wedding! Here are some of our favorites from the day!

Jared got this great shot of Emeline with her dad before she walked down the aisle.

Emeline and Mike, thank you both so much for having us at your wedding! We wish you all the best for a lifetime of happiness!

Tarin and Joe's Wedding, Pearl River, NY

Fri, 18 Nov 2011 10:48:17 -0500

Tarin and Joe got married on a beautiful July day in Pearl River NY, Tarin’s home town. Of all the brides we’ve had this season Tarin was one of the cutest and sweetest girls! She was smiling the entire day and so was Joe! We had such a great time photographing their wedding!

Tarin is one of 9 siblings, yes 9!!! Her entire family had a blast dancing and you could tell they were a close bunch. Now on to some of the highlights from their wedding.

Jared got this great picture of Tarin arriving at the church with her dad.

Tarin and Joe, congratulations to you both and thanks so much for having us be a part of such a special day!

Christina and Vin's Wedding, Wallingford, CT

Mon, 24 Oct 2011 16:43:12 -0400

When I first met with Christina and Vin I just knew they were a great couple! I was so excited that they chose me to be a part of such a special day in their lives. I covered the girls getting ready while Jared spent some time with the guys. Then we met up at the ceremony and reception at The Tradition Gold Club in Wallingford.

I love this picture Jared got of Christina and her dad right before she walked down the aisle.

Love this detail of Vin’s dad’s car that Jared got below.

This was the craziest break dancing I’ve ever seen! Look at how high he got!

Congratulations Christina and Vin! We had a great time at your wedding!

Amanda and Matt's Wedding at Waters Edge

Wed, 19 Oct 2011 13:12:31 -0400

I’m so excited to share this wedding with you all! Amanda and Matt are such a great couple and I loved getting to know them through their engagement session and their wedding. Unfortunately for me they live in California so chances of getting together with them after the wedding are slim. You might recognize Matt from his TV debut as the Ginja Ninja on Wipeout. Oh and I can’t forget to mention that he WON!

Sara from Growing Tree Photography helped me out with this wedding. She did such a great job capturing so many wonderful moments during the day.

Dana Nastri and Catie Bane of Dana Bartone and Company did all the ladies hair and make up and they looked stunning! Mike Connelley kept everyone partying on the dance floor all night!

Here are some of my favorites from the day!

Sara’s picture of Matt below.

These guys were so fun and were always looking for a laugh! This is Sara’s picture below.

Another shot of Sara’s below of these crazy groomsmen.

Another shot of Sara’s below. I just love her perspective!

I love this shot of Sara’s below. Just beautiful.

This was the funniest cake cutting I’ve ever seen. Not only was the fork for Matt huge, but can you see the cake falling off the fork as Amanda is going to feed him? The reaction after was priceless.

Sara’s picture below.

Amanda and Matt, congratulations to you both! We had the best time at your wedding!

Kelly and Chad's Elizabeth Park Wedding

Mon, 26 Sep 2011 17:07:58 -0400

Kelly and Chad got married on a rainy overcast June afternoon at Elizabeth Park. I had no idea what to expect when I got to where Kelly was getting ready other than a few things she had mentioned to me in our meeting. Kelly did not want a typical wedding dress and felt a white dress just didn’t seem right. She found the perfect dress that came all the way from England, hoop skirt and all!

We headed out to Elizabeth Park for the ceremony.

Chad and his guys looked great with their hats on and they each had a great pocket watch that was a gift from Kelly and Chad!

I love this shot Jared got of Kelly so excited to walk down the rose garden path to meet Chad.

I just loved the rich color in her flowers, so different and beautiful.

We stopped at a cemetery near by for some quick pictures.

Even the cake topper fit the theme of the day!

Kelly and Chad, thanks so much for having us at your wedding! Congratulations to you both!

Sarah and Troy's Simsbury, CT Engagement Session

Mon, 19 Sep 2011 17:10:14 -0400

Earlier this summer I met Sarah and Troy on a great summer evening. We started out on the Bridge of Flowers in Simsbury where Troy actually proposed.

These two were so cute together! Troy had Sarah laughing the entire time. Here are some of my favorites for the night.

After we spent some time on the bridge we headed over to the oldest tree in Connecticut for some pictures. If you’ve never been there you need to check it out! Its amazing!

Sarah and Troy thanks so much for a fun time. I’m looking forward to your wedding in October!

Erin and Alex's Southbury Falls Engagment Session

Mon, 22 Aug 2011 15:37:37 -0400

When I first met Erin and Alex they told me of their love for biking! So what better way to show that off than during their engagement session. We headed to Southbury Falls State Park on what felt like the hottest day of the summer. We were all ready to jump in the falls when the session was over! Here are my favorites from the shoot.

Erin and Alex, thanks so much for a fun time!