Sarah Greig Photography

DIY Wedding Table Names–New York, NY

admin — Fri, 14 Jun 2013 07:16:39 +0000

I love a good hot glue gun. I’ve always been pretty crafty–just ask my mom who indulged my many artistic phases while growing up with endless trips to Joann Fabrics and Michael’s. I had bins of materials to create string bracelets, spin art, clay beads, puffy paint shirts, and ribbon belts. I even had a full eucalyptus wreath creation area in our basement (wire, dried flowers, the works). I mean, wouldn’t all 12 year olds name eucalyptus wreath making (with hot glue of course) as a favorite pastime? It should come as no shock that when I got married, I loved planning all of the tiny details, from the ribbon that was wrapped around our menus to the custom stickers on our favor boxes. I went so far overboard making our (too large) table name signs that our florist had to anchor them in their own vase filled with sand just so they would stand up. Lesson learned.

My cousin is getting married this weekend (read: huge Irish family goes crazy on the dance floor doing both “the worm” and the Haymaker’s Jig simultaneously) and she was feeling a bit overwhelmed by all of the small details…details that I love to plan! I shot their engagement photos last fall and made a lovely guestbook for the reception, but I also promised her that we could take care of their table names and bar signs in one evening at Casa Greig. A quick trip to the local Paper Source (she really had to twist my arm to go) and a survey of my craft bin (it now lives under my bed), and we were in business. We created 22 fun table name cards that are personal to the bride and groom and reflect their wedding colors, navy and green. They were simple to make in the assembly line of happy bride and eager bridesmaids, and two bottles of wine also helped our efforts.

DIY Table Name Cards- Makes 25
Ingredients: 2 bottles of wine, 2 packets navy scallop notecards, 2 packets green square edge notecards, 1 Seamless Web dinner delivery, 1 packet of Paper Source labels (download their template to run through your printer in your ink color of choice), grosgrain ribbon of your choice, decorative paper for card backing (optional–ours here is from the amazing Linda & Harriett), 2 glue sticks, 2 pairs of scissors, 1 roll of double-sided tape.

Directions:
1) Measure and cut decorative paper to fit larger A6 (green here) notecards.
2) Glue decorative paper to one side of the A6 cards (here we used two complementary paper designs and divided them up half and half).
3) Center the smaller scalloped baby (navy here) on the blank side of the A6 card and glue it down.
4) Download the “large paper label” template from the Paper Source website. Type in your names, change the font accordingly, and print (we chose navy ink here)
5) Carefully center and stick the labels on top of the scalloped paper.
6) Add ribbon if you like (use double sided tape to attach any ribbon)- we used it for a bar sign and to make the Bride and Groom’s table name a little jazzier.
7) Make complimentary bar signs with signature drink, menu, etc. Matching details throughout a reception look great!
8) High five your craft team and toast your creativity with (another) glass of wine.

Framing Summer–New York, NY

admin — Wed, 29 May 2013 20:43:00 +0000

Though summer doesn’t officially arrive for a few weeks, it’s now safe to break out your white jeans from winter hibernation and brighten up your wardrobe. It’s also a great time to brighten up your walls in a fun new way. This spring, I’ve been blogging a bit more about ways to get your photos off of your computer and up onto your walls. I find inspiration all over NYC, but this wall in the Lilly Pulitzer store (could there be any better welcome to summer than Lilly’s tropical prints and cute wedges?) recently caught my eye.

It’s a great idea to take a snippet of a punchy, colorful pattern and frame it on a bright wall. This stairwell collage is planned to fit the architecture, but is not completely precise–it’s casual but chic. Using the same frames pulls the entire look together. I also love that it is arranged on a staircase, which can often be a neglected space for art. This idea would also translate well for photographic details, fabrics, wallpaper, or wrapping paper. It would also look equally as great in a nursery or down a long hallway.

Have you seen any inspirational ideas lately? Do share! Happy Wednesday.

(photos courtesy of my trusty iPhone)

Fine Art Friday–Colonia, Uruguay

admin — Fri, 24 May 2013 04:07:57 +0000

Heading south today for Fine Art Friday…to Colonia del Sacramento, just across the Rio de la Plata from Buenos Aires, Argentina. This historic 17th century town is a dreamy day trip for someone who loves old buildings (that’s me!). Filled with texture, charm, and wild bougainvilla at every corner, my camera worked overtime during this visit. Just imagine the stories that these buildings could tell us.

Here’s to finding beauty in the simple things on this long weekend. Happy Friday!

Something Blue–New York, NY

admin — Wed, 22 May 2013 04:11:40 +0000

Here’s a little inspiration for all of you summer brides! Stay tuned for more photographs of Meghan and Mike’s amazing Boston wedding; but in the meantime, check out the bride’s gorgeous bracelet, which was a creative way to have her “something blue” on the wedding day. There are a lot of wedding day traditions, but one of my favorites is the “something old, something new, something borrowed, and something blue.” The history about this saying is interesting, as it dates back to Queen Victoria’s time and is originally derived from a poem.

On my wedding day, I followed tradition with:
Something old–a pearl necklace–small, golden pearls– that belonged to my maternal great-grandmother
Something new–my veil/shoes/dress, any could have qualified!
Something borrowed–my underwear (no joke–don’t ask, but I had a last minute see-through-the-dress crisis and my friend Amy came to the rescue. But fear not, the underwear, though borrowed, was brand new and straight out of the package!)
Something blue–a piece of the light blue satin ribbon that had originally been woven throughout my mom’s 1971 wedding dress. She let me cut a piece of it and I had it sewn onto the inside bottom hem of my dress. I am still sad that I forgot to have my photographer take a photo of this…I may dig it out of storage to photograph some day.

Past, present and future brides–what did you use/or do you plan to use for your “something blue”?

Boston Strong–One Month Later

admin — Wed, 15 May 2013 18:56:10 +0000

One month ago today, the unthinkable happened on Patriot’s Day in Boston. I don’t have any wise words today, just some images of the memorial in Copley Square. Sneakers, hats, flags, and words from near and far. I was up there two weeks after the bombings to photograph a wedding–it was nice to be up there for a happy event–but not easy to forget how raw the tragedy of April 15th was to the entire community.

While taking these photos, I looked up at the Boston Public Library. It’s a building that I know well–I even taught Tufts undergrads about the history of the building. But one inscription jumped out at me–FOUNDED THROUGH THE MUNIFICENCE AND PUBLIC SPIRIT OF CITIZENS. That spirit is certainly alive and well. Thinking of you today, Boston.

The Mom Moments–Big and Small–New York, NY

admin — Sun, 12 May 2013 05:02:34 +0000

This year I’m celebrating my 3rd mother’s day, and my mom is celebrating her 39th. Last year I posted some favorite mom images from my portfolio, but this year I’ve been thinking a lot about moments. My mom has so much incredible wisdom to share from her years of raising four wonderful (obviously!) children, but one thing that I’ve realized over the last two years is that the joy of being a mom is as much about the small moments as it is about the big ones. Of course I remember the excitement of watching my daughter roll over for the first time, the pride of her taking her first wobbly steps, and the thrill of hearing her stumble through an entire first sentence. But the memories that I love the most are the little ones: watching her crack herself up while balancing my sunglasses on her tiny nose, feeling her little arms wrap around my neck and squeeze me closely among some gorgeous cherry blossoms at our neighborhood park, and my true favorite–listening to her fast little feet running down our hallway toward me when I get home from work (accompanied by squealing). And of course, photos often help to cement these moments–here are a few big and small.




Thank you mom…no really, thank you a million–you’re the best. I don’t know how you ever handled all four of us…I always imagined that it must have been hard; but now that I am a mom of one, I am truly in awe! And thank you CMG, for letting me share these tiny and grand moments as you grow up before my eyes. Happy Mother’s Day…what would you like to say to your mom today? Big Moment with Mom. Photograph by Brea McDonald Photography Small moment. Mother’s Day, 2012. My amazing mom with the fab four (tall to small!) Small moment. Photograph by Kate Martin

Baby Louella Grace–Upper West Side, New York, NY

admin — Wed, 08 May 2013 02:21:39 +0000

Australian. British. American. Sweet. Easy going. Beautiful. Just a few words to describe this international wonder that I recently had the pleasure of photographing. I was so excited to meet Baby Louella (8 days old here) as I had watched her grow in her mom’s tummy all winter and spring. L finally made her appearance two weeks after her due date (proving her easy going personality), and she was equally as relaxed during our photo shoot!

Her family, on an extended stay in NYC from Sydney, Australia, was so wonderful to work with–they even made me a delicious Australian coffee during our session…and I’m sure they were the ones who could use the caffeine! Their apartment has amazing views of downtown, Central Park, and the new Freedom Tower, and we were able to take advantage of great natural light from the huge windows. Baby L’s older brother is a friend of my daughter’s, and I’ve always known he would make a great subject. He was a doll and added lots of pizazz to our photos–he even took out his own camera and starting snapping away! D, M, M, and L, it was a pleasure to photograph your family of four! I can’t wait to see you all soon in the neighborhood.

Spring Friday–New York, NY

admin — Fri, 03 May 2013 15:08:07 +0000

Whew! I’m SO happy that May has arrived. April was a doozy–the kind of month where just looking at my Google calendar filled me with trepidation, and the cold weather did not help! I’m fresh off of shooting an amazing wedding in Boston (stay tuned for photos), and a few adorable newborn shoots, but have finally been able to stop and smell the flowers this week–literally. Central Park is aglow in color, from cherry blossoms to rainbow tulips and deep pink magnolias. Here are some iPhone snaps from the week–I’ve had fun playing around with instagram and its filters a bit.

Happy spring Friday–take some time this weekend to stop and notice the beauty around you!

The Setting–Riverside Park, New York, NY

admin — Thu, 25 Apr 2013 14:58:58 +0000

I’ve always seen the world in frames or snippets. Even as I’m sitting on the subway, I’m often looking at my surroundings and composing a photograph in my head. New York City has so many wonderful pockets of inspiration, whether the bold red doors of a fire station, thin stripes of silver metal on a garage, or a particularly ornate design on a park bench. When I see these, I immediately imagine how I would use them in a wedding shoot or a portrait session. Here is a good example–I’ve always loved these elaborate stairs in our neighborhood. Though they are part of a memorial in Riverside Park, they evoke feelings of Ancient Greece. I finally brought my camera the other day and sent my toddler up and down (thanks to our fourth floor walk-up apartment, she is pretty good with stairs) to play with some angles. Here are a few.

If you are an artist, photographer, or creative type, where do you spot inspiration? Please share!

Fine Art Friday–Red, White, and Blue

admin — Fri, 19 Apr 2013 17:53:50 +0000

I’m feeling the need for a little Patriotism on this Friday…let’s be honest, it has been a tough week. I don’t even live in Boston, but my heart is with you all. When we moved from Boston to New York six years ago, we chose our current neighborhood because it “felt a little like Boston.” But I regularly miss the spirit, the attitude, the accents, the traditions, and the unapologetic pride of being part of that solid community. This week you have truly shown what camaraderie is and how to pull together in the face of tragedy. So here is my take on our nation’s colors–all photographs were taken in New England. Happy Friday, and here’s to a better next week.

Top: Barn, Portsmouth, NH Middle: Great Point Lighthouse, Nantucket, MA Bottom: Coatue, Nantucket, MA