When I began planning our November wedding, I knew that photography was going to be one of the most important elements to me. Friends of mine had recently married and their pictures were absolutely stunning – but their photographer was a family member who had done the job at a discounted rate and her starting package was thousands above what I wanted to spend. Still, I needed to have wonderful photographs and set out to find the right people for the job.

After being introduced to Rich and Ashley at the Original Wedding Expo in January 2008, I knew they were the perfect fit. Everything about them spoke to what I wanted: their background in photojournalism, the style and variety of their products and of course, the quality of their photographs. I was also impressed by their personalities. They were approachable and didn’t try to oversell themselves (if you’ve ever been to a wedding expo, you know how annoying that can be). It was obvious to me that Rich and Ashley were passionate about what they do without being overbearing or stuffy. They seemed like people I would enjoy working with… and I was RIGHT!

Saying that my husband and I enjoyed working with Ashley and Rich is a gross understatement. Not only are they fun people, they made it comfortable for us to be in front of cameras. Our engagement session took place at Fort Stark in New Castle, NH and it started to POUR about a half an hour into it. Because we had all traveled more than an hour to get there, I asked if they would mind waiting it out with us. I was afraid they’d be worried about their gear getting wet, but Rich ran to his car and enthusiastically produced a rainbow colored golf umbrella for us to take cover under. We told jokes to pass the time and the wait was well worth it. Our engagement portraits still, almost two years later, take my breath away. That day, Pizzuti Studios truly captured who we are as a couple… our poses are natural and our smiles are genuine… and we got a great shot under the rainbow umbrella!

To any bride out there reading this, I cannot emphasize how important it is to contract with vendors who do everything in their power to make the wedding planning experience as stress-free as possible. Rich and Ashley are exceptional at this. My phone calls were answered (or returned promptly), my e-mails replied to within a couple of hours and my questions were always answered thoroughly. Every time we had a meeting scheduled, Pizzuti Studios traveled to us and worked around our time constraints. The flexibility they demonstrate for their clients is second to none and the quality of their service is invaluable.

Fast forward to our wedding ceremony at Hammond Castle in Gloucester, MA… I had literally dreamed of having my wedding there since I was 7-years-old and Ashley was almost as excited about the location as I was! My vision was simple, natural elegance and Pizzuti Studios ROCKED IT! They captured every single moment I hoped they would and more. The candid pictures they took of the ceremony exceeded my expectations. They got everything from my train getting stuck in one of the chairs while my father walked me down the aisle (hilarious if you knew me), to my fiancées expression the moment he first saw me, to our laughter at the phrase I had inscribed in his ring. The most impressive part? Our ceremony was lit only by candlelight in a windowless room of a stone castle. How they managed to pull it off without making it feel like a movie set is still a mystery to me. I suppose they’re just that good….

The pictures of our reception at The Tavern on The Harbor in Gloucester are no less impressive. In stark contrast to our ceremony, my husband and I wanted the reception to be a P-A-R-T-Y, and it was! Rich and Ashley were everywhere but somehow managed to stay completely out of everyone’s way. Our guests were commenting on them even as they danced the night away! “Your photographers are all over the place! You’re going to have some wonderful pictures! They’re getting something of everything!” And it was true. I have never regretted not contracting with a videographer – not for one minute. The pictures Pizzuti Studios provided us are far more depictive of our experience than any wedding video I’ve ever seen.

In short (after over a page of commentary), if you choose to work with Pizzuti Studios, you WILL NOT be disappointed. I highly recommend them for any of your photography needs. From family portraits to weddings to maternity photos, the essence of your experience will be captured naturally and you will have fun doing it! I cannot imagine having worked with anyone else for such an important life event.