XV Beacon Hotel Boston Wedding Photography

BOSTON BEACON HILL SAINT CECILIA PARISH WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHER

When in third grade, I was anxious about a school field trip to the John Hancock tower, having been told we would be visiting “all the way to the top”. In my overactive, visual imagination, this translated to us kids all going right to the tippity-top-roof, primed for a quick wind to take us over the edge. For someone not crazy about heights, that was a big no. But like most assumptions, a trip to Hancock’s actual roof wasn’t in the cards, with our visit instead taking us to the glassed-in upper observatory floor with great views of the Boston skyline: a spectacular sight I’m glad I didn’t miss.

Who knew years later I’d be standing on the roof of another Boston building, the XV Beacon Hotel — not nearly as high as John Hancock, of course — but high enough for someone more comfortable closer to the ground. After enjoying A + J’s beautiful afternoon wedding ceremony at Saint Cecilia Parish with Father John Unni, we returned for their reception at Mooo…. Restaurant’s cozy Wine Cellar, located in the lower level of the Beacon Hotel. But first, we enjoyed some portrait time on the roof of the hotel, with wonderful views of the city in all directions. And the bonus: there’s an even better view to be had when you climb a 20 foot ladder straight up to a crow’s nest high above everyone else. Gulp. In all honesty, if I wasn’t there photographing a wedding, it’s unlikely I would have climbed that ladder. But, putting that third grade mindset aside, I’m so glad I did make the climb — not just because it made for a precious photograph — but because it captured a fleeting a moment I know this couple will always remember long after I climbed down… their wedding day set against the backdrop of Boston. And in taking the picture, how satisfying it was to come a strange kind of full circle, with a nod to the Hancock building watching us from across the way.

Thank you A+J for sharing your wedding day with me and for being so thoughtful and welcoming to work with!