My love of L.L.Bean is well documented.  If you have met with me you likely know about my giant L.L.Bean tote collection or how I like to visit the L.L.Bean flagship store just to walk around!  So when the book Guaranteed to Last arrived at my house I was giddy:)  I have been flipping through this book for the past few days and digging in deeper on certain parts.  While reading it became clear to me how my love of L.L.Bean fits in perfectly with my photography business – we are both trying to create the same thing – a product that stands the test of time.

When I photograph a wedding I know that I am not only with this family for the day but a little part of me is going to be with them for much longer.  Years later they will show their kids and grandkids the images I made on that day.  What I want out of my images is for them to stand the test of time.   Timeless but not stodgy, beautifully composed but not staged, true photojournalistic images of your wedding day that is my goal.  Images that are guaranteed to last.  Thank you L.L.Bean for the reminder:)

xo,

audra

Meet Alison!

Alison came on board last year as my assistant on wedding days.  My focus at your wedding is capturing authentic images of your wedding day.   Alison’s job at your wedding day is to make sure I have what I need to get that done:)  From organizing group formals,  setting up reception lighting or just holding the brides lipstick Alison has become my wedding right-arm.  Alison’s experience in event planning, her SUPER organized nature and her LOVE of weddings has made her an indispensable part of my services.

Last year not only did she take care of my needs but she also took great care of our couples.  Alison has provided day of coordination, plannings services and vendor research for  several of my couples.   She has even played the role of superhero running back to retrieve a forgotten veil – saved the day!

Alison will be with me for the 2012 wedding season – I can’t wait for you to meet her!

xo,

audra

See the full spread on page 23 of the digital edition of Real Maine Weddings here.

I made sure to include these beautiful work on my Pintrest board on winter weddings.
Are you on Pintrest?  If so you can find me here.

xo,

audra

A few of my favorite flower experts…

• Flora and Fauna (Judy did my own bouquet!)
• Broadturn Farm Flower Design – local flowers and bouquets – strait from a farm in Maine:)
• Kennebec Flower Farms

I couldn’t resist adding an image of my own bouquet – thank you EmilieInc for the image:)

Happy Weekend!

xo,

audra

My sister Jen and I right after my hair was done.  It had already been a great day and it was only 8:30 in the morning:)

Matt and I were married in the middle of our second floor renovation project.  It was supposed to be done by then but we had some hiccups with windows and such and they just couldn’t get the inside done.  I love this picture because it shows exactly where we were in our life’s on the day of our wedding.  The fact that the insulation matched my wedding colors didn’t hurt either:)

Oh man, this picture gets me every time!  This is Matt and his best friend as they arrive at the church.  She did a lovely reading for us during the ceremony and it was wonderful to see through images what was going on for Matt while the ladies were getting ready:)

I had waited all of my adult life to dance with my father at our wedding and it was everything I had hoped it would be.   I didn’t pick the song until a day or two before the wedding, it just wasn’t coming to me and then I realized it doesn’t have to be a sentimental father daughter song – it just has to mean something to us.  So we danced to Try Not To Look So Pretty by Dwight Yoakam.  It was a song about love and loss but we had sung it a hundered times at family reunions.  My dad and I sang along (as did the guests) and I LOVED my dance with my dad.

This is so my mother, in action, bowling in her dress, having fun and enjoying it!  When my mother started talking about her dress for the wedding I told  her it didn’t matter what color as long as she could bowl in it.  I believe, although I  wasn’t htere, that my mother was the first person to bowl!

Happy Friday!
xo,

audra

They chose the Tewksbury Country Club to host their loved ones for an evening of food, toasts and dancing.  The weather was perfect and Brian and Amanda happily sailed through with lots of hugs and smiles and a perfect first dance:)  The rubber chicken from Brian’s family even made it to the days events:)

Wedding Team
Ceremony: St. Monica’s Parish
Venue: Tewksbury Country Club
Photographer: Audra Bayette
Baker: Andover Cakes
Invitations: Paper Potpourri
Florist: Ford Flowers
Hair/Makeup: Family Friend
Dress: Madeline’s Daughter
DJ: Bill Vhalos
Transportation: Black Tie Limo
Videographer: TT Productions

Amanda and Brian!  How fun was your wedding!  I hope you honeymoon was equal parts relaxing and action packed and that your life together is as sweet as your wedding:)

xo,

audra

Today is Five Picture Friday and I thought I would bring you a sneak peek of Amanda and Brian’s wedding from last weekend!  It was a perfect fall weekend with no snow (thankfully!), fun friends and beautiful backdrops!

They are off honeymooning for another week so full post will launch then!

Enjoy!

Have a great weekend!

xo,

audra

Today I want to share with you the wedding album of Jessica and DJ.

Jessica and DJ had a beautiful wedding in early June at Castleton in Windham, NH.   The focus of their album was on the understated elegance of the day and their focus on family. Keeping that in mind, the album was designed with several black and white spreads.   Not only is black and white a classic look but it also removes the distractions of color from an image and helps you focus on the emotions and the interactions of the people!

xo,

audra

Elizabeth and Tony met at the University of California seven years ago while they were both working in the science field.  Tony, having moved to San Diego to be closer to his brother, worked in the same building as Elizabeth and frequently “borrowed” things from her lab:)  They bonded over their common east coast heritage and soon were exploring the city together.  Three years later they moved back to New England and it was here that they choose to take their next big step.  As Elizabeth says ” who knows where the future will take us!”

Elizabeth and Tony gathered 40 of their closest family and friends for an intimate ceremony.  I think the minister said it best when he said  “Some people have a marriage so they can have a wedding, Tony and Elizabeth are having a wedding so they can have a marriage”. That sentiment was carried through the entire day, it was a thrill to be a part of it!

Tony and Elizabeth’s Wedding Team

Ceremony and Venue: Nashoba Valley Winery
Photographer: Audra Bayette
Cake: Bakers Best
Florist: Petal Impression
Hair and Makeup: Moodz Salon and Spa
Music: Greg Bedard
String Quartet: Music Makers

Tony and Elizabeth, I hope you enjoyed your “mini-moon”!!

xo,

Audra

And party they did!  Between touching toasts, emotion filled first dances and time in the Photobooth Maria and Rocco celebrated the night away with all of their family and friends.  The dance floor was packed and the love that everyone has for Maria and Rocco could be felt in every beat.

I have known Maria for a few years know and I was so very happy to be a part of their wedding and tickled to show you this collection of images from their wedding!

Ceremony: First Congregational-Christian Church New Gloucester
Venue: Pineland Farms
Photographer: Audra Bayette, Photographer
Caterer: Black Tie Catering
Florist: Sarah Gorstein
Music: Plaid Daddy
Cake Artist: Family Friend

Waiting for Plaid Daddy to start!

And then they started and for the remainder of the night there was a solid wall of people on the dance floor.  At two times in the the night I found myself pinned against speakers waiting for the wall of people to move out just a bit so I could sneak out :)

Maria and Rocco chose to have the SnapShot Studio photobooth at the wedding.  Having the photobooth gave them an extra set of images from their wedding day!   Props are optional but fun is required:)

If there was a fire code about how many people you could put in the photobooth I am sure we are breaking it here:)

Maria and Rocco!  If the honeymoon was half as much fun as your wedding then I KNOW you had a great time!

xo,

audra