Erika and Dennis’s Shaker Hills Wedding in Havard Ma.

We had a spectacular wedding day at Shaker Hills Country Club for Erika and Dennis’s outdoor ceremony!

Let’s hear about their big day from Erika and Dennis.

How did you two meet?

At work. I worked in Human Resources in a building away from the other buildings on Campus. I didn’t get many visitors unless people were angry about something or needed something from me. Dennis would come by and talk about good books or just come chat.

How did Dennis pop the question?

With a ring pop first, then with the real ring in front of a waterfall.

What was your favorite moment(s) from the wedding?

The first dance was really funny. Neither of us are good dancers and I kept telling Dennis to spin me. He was trying to keep me from tripping over my dress so he kept tensing up and keeping me from spinning. We were both laughing and anyone who heard us thought it was funny. Mostly everyone just saw Dennis tense up every now and then and us get completely off beat.

How long have you been together?

About 3 years

How would you describe your overall wedding experience?

The wedding was such a fun day, we had a great time. There weren’t really any stressful moments, we were both just enjoying the celebration with our loved ones!

What advice would you offer to other couples planning a wedding

Don’t sweat the small stuff, it all comes together in the end

What photography-related advice would you offer to a couple?

Bring a couple ideas of what you like & let the professionals take it from there. They were great and worked well with everyone

Tell me about your dress. Where did you find it, how did you choose it, how did you know it was the one?

My mom and I went to a bridal shop on a whim, not really expecting to find anything and I tried it on and it was perfect.

How was your experience taking photos/working with me on your wedding day?

Working with you Greg and with Leslie was fantastic! While anyone with a good camera and a good eye can get decent wedding photos, I believe it takes an artist to get the outstanding quality that I have seen in your work. You were both patient with us and I felt as though we really were able to get all the photos we wanted while having a great time in the process

Did you see each other before the wedding? If not, did you like waiting or would you have rather done it differently? Tell me why or why not!

Yes. The first look was fantastic. It was special in it’s own way as we were able to capture the moment with less people around. The first look gave us a chance to get most of the pictures done while there was plenty of daylight and gave us more time after the ceremony to enjoy our guests

Any tips on how to prepare for the wedding photos?

If you are more organized than I am, and had everyone ready for photos immediately after the first look it might be a little smoother, but I wasn’t stressed about any of it and it all worked out great. I would suggest having a bridesmaid or maid of honor in charge of cat herding so that you are stress free!

Any tips that you have about preparing your wedding party for the photos? What did you tell them, how did you get them to cooperate, what did you do or what would you have done differently?

I sent my bridal party the timeline for the day, including photos. I don’t think they read the whole thing. The grooms party didn’t read anything, they just showed up and stood where they were told.

Any tips on what to bring?

I’d add a couple things to my emergency kit for the wedding, but can’t think of anything different to bring for photos. I’d add eye drops and spare contacts. One of my eyes was irritated after the ceremony which was not super fun.

We love to hear about vendors you love.

DJ Steve Wolfe was amazing!! He was thoughtful, and open to any ideas. I had no idea what exactly I wanted other than the special dances and he was able to fill in all of the blanks with some really great music. He knew very well how to read the crowd and took suggestions through his website.

Shaker Hills was a fantastic venue and Kasee, the event manager was perfect! She was on top of everything. When I was disorganized or forgot things she was able to pull everything together anyway. She made the evening spectacular, I am so glad that we chose the venue and she was a huge part of us making that decision. She was an absolute pleasure to work with.

Did you find a store/site that had everything you were looking for?

Bella’s Bridal was an amazing dress shop. We did not have a great experience at David’s Bridal for the bridesmaids dresses, but they have a large selection. After getting the bridesmaid dresses, we brought them to an absolutely incredible seamstress in Shrewsbury and she took great care of us.

What was the first song you danced to as husband and wife? Father-daughter dance? Mother-son dance?

First Dance I Belong to You – Jacob Lee I kept telling Dennis I was going to spin and saying Ready? … NOW!! And he would tighten his grip and say No! You’ll trip on your dress! Haha we had fun with that first dance Father-Daughter – Drift Away by Dobie Gray Father-Stepfather – She Drives Me Crazy by Fine Young Cannibals Mother and Son – The Man You’ve Become