Lisa hired me almost 2 years before her wedding, as she told me that photography was one the most important things to her. We did their engagement portrait session in August 2007 ( you can view a few of them, they are the first 3 images on my 'Portrait' in the galleries section of my website). Lisa works as a producer at ABC news and Evan is a florist in NYC, and they now feel like old friends as we spent the last 2 years talking on the phone and having lunch in NY this summer.. that's why I have the best job in the world.
They had about 125 people for their rehearsal dinner at the Landing at Bowens Wharf in Newport for a traditional lobster and roasted corn dinner, and a spectacular sunset view. My second photographer Carlton and I went back to are hotel to get a good nights sleep and charge our batteries (literally, as well as our electronic gear) to prepare us the 13 hour day we coming. We snuck into the recepetion site (Belle Mer) in the morning to do a little location scouting, then we walked next door the the Newport Hyatt where Lisa and Evan were getting ready. Lisa's dress looked like vintage 1930's with a retro neckline and exquisite beading done by Jenny Packham, and her 2 bridemaids wore flowy black bridemaids dresses by Jim Hjelm.The Hyatt isn't all that special inside, but does boast an impressive historic lighthouse on it's property where we ended up doing most of their formal portraits after the ceremony. Evan's background is Greek, and Lisa's is Italian (hey, pretty close on the map, and they met a mutual friend's wedding in Greece). Their ceremony was held at the quaint St. Spyridon Greek Orthodox church in downtown Newport with lots of gawking tourists.
After the ceremony, I told them to quickly get in their limo to avoid a spontaneous burst of a time-sucking receiving line (they seem to happen if the couple stands alone for more than 15 seconds after exiting a church, trust me). The weather was crisp with the perfect New England chill in the wind, wonderful to be outside next to the bay, the deep blue sky above and the old lighthouse. We even got the last 5 minutes of the sunset behind them as we photographed at the lighthouse, postcard perfect. 
We walked back to Belle Mer as it got dark, and we just got the last bit of light as guests sat around the gas flame pit with the Newport bridge lit up behind them.
A jazz trio played inside as guest sat around the fireplace, and I almost didn't notice the woman dressed as a tree (she played a tree so well that hardly anyone noticed until we started taking a frenzy of photos of her and got people to pose).
The bride and groom made their way down the stairs and surprised their guests by showing off their dance moves (they took ballroom dance lessons for a year). After getting lots of hugs, the group of 225 people formed a whirling vortex circle dance, a traditional greek dance (Syrto) where dollar bills are thrown at the couple, and the couple held a napkin between them as they danced.. they even did what I would say looked just like the Horah (raising the couple up on chairs),
so maybe Greeks and us Jews have more in common then I knew.. There was lots of every kind of dancing and rocking thanks to the great band Kahootz, and for dessert the couple had white and green cupcakes from Cappuchinos. Congratulation Lisa and Evan!
Congrats Lisa and Evan!View their little Italian, (who-are-you-calling-fat, buddy?) Greek Newport wedding Right heeeah
