Family portraits…?? Why, yes! Baby Carter is now part of their fun-loving family. A blond-headed ringer for dad, Carter was a little shy at first when we met mid-fall at the Arnold Arboretum in Jamaica Plain. But as soon as we found a good spot for pictures, he was off and running! He gave Rene quite the workout chasing after him to get good photos, but by the end we were all laughing and singing along with Carter.

It was great to catch up, and more importantly, we think Carter posed for some extra adorable images:

Amanda was our favorite pin-up bride for 2011. She was sexy, spunky, and a whole lot of fun to photograph!

This is my favorite cake shot of 2011. This picture was taken right after the bride proclaimed to her groom that, yes, she was eating the whole piece she was cutting…all by herself.

This cake topper was just too cute to leave out of our “favorites” for the year.

Our favorite ceremony location of 2011? This gorgeous beach setting in Connecticut.

Wedding dress choices are so subjective, but Lindsay was absolutely stunning in this Lusan Mondongus curve-hugging gown!

It’s hard not to love The State Room. It might win every year for favorite venue-with-a-view.

One of my absolute favorite portraits of the year – maybe of the last few years! Rene found the perfect light and Christine and Stan simply melted into it.

Our favorite royal wedding inspired wedding. The bride adored everything Kate & Wills, so she and her bridesmaids donned these little English-style fascinators for the reception.

This Newport, RI wedding wins hands down for favorite theme: the Roaring Twenties. This shot was taken at the rehearsal, to which the bride-to-be wore a flapper-style dress picked by her groom (we love that, guys!).

My personal fav for bridal portrait. This was not a posed picture; Rene caught Amy just a few seconds before she was poised to leave for her ceremony. The look of sheer joy and excitement on her face makes me smile every. single. time.

Brandy and Andrea are our favorite mix of old and new. They chose a very traditional old Boston landmark in which to celebrate a new (hopefully growing) type of wedding.

This first look photo wins as our favorite for many reasons. Notably,  just moments before she was to see her groom for the first time the bride proclaimed, “I know exactly what he’ll do when he sees me,” and demonstrated a silly smile and eyebrow-raising look. She was spot on!

Radhika and Jeremy are our favorite determined couple. Not only did they insist that the show would go on during a New England hurricane (?!?), but they were so focused on their love for each other during the day that the roof could have fallen down and it still would have been perfect.

So here’s to 2011! We know there will be many more favorite moments in 2012 and we look forward to being part of just a small few.

I promise, Kenny and Jenny were perfectly willing and cooperative models.

Now for their individual portraits…

If you want your own family photos to display in the New Year, don’t forget that we’re offering an end-of-year portrait special. Happy holidays to all!

Tom and Maria loved being able to use a variety of locations and backdrops to create different looks for their photos and were happy to meander anywhere in order to get them.

I just loved the thoughtful, personal touch of their favors
Balance Design Studio

And their cake topper was the cutest we’ve seen this year!

Maria and Tom were lucky enough to have some musical family members who helped make their wedding that little bit of extra special every bride and groom should experience. Congratulations, Maria & Tom! We hope the next part of your journey together is as wonderful as your wedding day!

Wedding Vendors:

Venue: The Harvard Club

Dress: Casablanca

Makeup: Kim Fosher

Photographer: René Tirado, Tirado Photography

The Alzheimer’s Association estimates that there are over 5.4 million people currently living with the disease. This means that most everyone reading this post knows someone who has or has had the disease. Because René falls into this category, he decided to volunteer to take photos of the annual Walk To End Alzheimer’s here in Boston on September 25, 2011.

The event has raised over $734,000 dollars so far! If you’d like to contribute, please visit one of the links above. This Thanksgiving, remember your health among the many blessings in your life!

Because they were incorporating many traditions and events into one day, we were concerned that after so many hours (we were scheduled for 12!!) they would get tired or start to have “photo face…” you know, that plastered on smile with blank, staring eyes … After all, when planning a wedding, the focus should be on the marriage, family, friends and not the photography. We always advise couples to plan for just enough time for their posed pictures, but to remember that the photographer is there to capture and document the events, not be the event.

So when we arrived early in the morning at Christine’s parents’ house where the bride was getting ready, we were nervous. But not Christine! She was happy and excited for her day.

As soon as she was dressed, Stan was scheduled to arrive with his groomsmen. They were following a Chinese wedding tradition where the groom comes to greet his bride by knocking on the door to gain entry. As the tradition goes, the groom must charm his way into the house, saying nice things and presenting gifts to the bridesmaids and parents:

After the fun of the knocking on the door, we all headed out to the Hampshire House where Christine and Stan were married in a Western ceremony:

After the ceremony we had plenty of time for posed portraits at the Hampshire House and around Beacon Hill. Christine and Stan were amazing to work with! They were up for anything in order to get great photos!

Next it was time for the Chinese Tea Ceremony with all the aunts and uncles:

More portraits in the Boston Public Garden with the entire wedding party. Christine looked absolutely beautiful, and all the little girls in the park were oohing and ahhing over her “princess” dress:

Finally on to China Pearl for the Chinese wedding banquet, complete with 12 courses (!), toasting all 19 tables, dancing and laughter, and, of course, double happiness for the gorgeous couple!

Wedding Vendors:

Venues: The Hampshire House & China Pearl

Dress: Sottero and Midgley

Flowers: Stephanie’s Floral Design

Photography: René Tirado, Tirado Photography

Throughout the planning process the couple remained low-key and calm, so on the big day we were a bit surprised to see all the bling they had chosen for their nuptials:

But we knew their dog, Brecken, would be an integral part. The couple owns a dog day care and training facility, so having Brecken participate in their special day was a fantastic personal touch. We didn’t know he would don a dapper tux though:

Once Brandy and Andee were both ready to go, we headed outside to Copley Square for some portraits. It was a beautiful day and the city was a bit a crowded, so mostly we took advantage of the gorgeous interior of the library. The architecture there is stunning and so varied, and René just loves working with couples to capture all the different looks for their photos.

While the ceremony was held outside in the courtyard, the reception was in the Popular Reading Room. The couple chose pink as their main color and took advantage of the library’s extensive book collection for the table settings:

The couple infused a few old traditions – like the feeding of the cake – with a more modern style. And it was a perfect mix for their special night! As Andee’s maid-of-honor said during her toast, with this wedding the couple was making history here in Boston. And we couldn’t have been more thrilled to have played a small part!Wedding Vendors:

Venue: Boston Public Library

Dresses: Reem Acra and Jenny Lee Bridal

DJ: Scott Arrington, Murray Hill Talent

Flowers: Mimosa

Photography: René Tirado, Tirado Photography

But not Liana and Ricky. No, this soon-to-be-married couple was getting ready for the biggest party of their lives, and they made sure every element was as elegant as the venue they’d chosen – the spectacular State Room, high above the Boston skyline!

Liana and Ricky’s wedding, though, wasn’t only about the glitz and glamour. This bride and groom were clearly surrounded by tons of love from their families, and by friends who might as well be family.

Before the wedding began, Joe (our second photographer) caught this picture of Ricky’s adorable nephew, Michael, helping him into his tux:

Across the North End in her parent’s house, Liana was all glammed up, gorgeous, and ready to go:Dad’s first reaction:

After their ceremony outside of St. Leonard’s Parish in the North End:

A few quiet minutes alone in the aptly named Great Room:

The toasts from the best man and maid of honor were highlights of the evening:

Liana and her dad had their traditional father-daughter dance, but it was Ricky who stole the show with a choreographed “dance off” with one of the bridesmaids. Clearly, everyone loved it!

A slightly more touching moment:

As we left for the night, Rene took one last picture of the couple alone. From this photo, you would never guess that such a wild party was going on behind them. But it was! Because everyone was busy celebrating the love shared between these two!

Wedding Vendors:

Venue: The State Room

Dress: Vera Wang with Lazaro belt

Bridesmaids dresses: Jim Hjelm

Band: Night Shift

Photographer: Tirado Photography

But senior photos were different. Finally, it was the opportunity to be creative and let your personality shine! When Kara called us this summer to inquire about portraits, she knew she wanted to do just that – show off her gorgeous smile and get outside of her small town in Western MA. We had a few stops and starts with the weather, but we eventually found a clear day and Kara rode into town to meet René in Beacon Hill.

Because the light was getting a bit low, Kara, her friend (along for the journey), and René ran down to the Hatch Shell near the water to use the Boston skyline as their backdrop:

I just love this picture! Kara looks so relaxed and comfortable in front of the camera:

Although no one can predict everything the year will hold, Kara, we know you’ll continue to be a shining light in whatever it is you choose!