We capture a lot of Family Portraits on Martha’s Vineyard this time of year. One of the first and most obvious questions we hear from parents is “what should we all wear?” It’s understandable, we all want to look our best, and Family Photos are a special occasion to get everyone together. Plus, like any professional photograph, you want to love the results! Fear not, with a few simple strategies–how to properly coordinate colors and patterns, keep it comfy and true to your individual style–you’ll have your brood outfitted appropriately in no time.

Here’s our tips for choosing your Family Portrait wardrobe wisely. Keep in mind these considerations are just as effective when organizing a DIY family photo shoot too. And if you’re still looking for some professional shots this season get in touch, we’d love to help you work our magic with your family!

Dress for the location. First and foremost you want your family dressed comfortably and appropriately for the place you’ll be taking your photos. Consider the ground you’ll be walking on. If you’re planning a beach shoot your family should be in shoes that can get sandy and can easily be taken off for some shoreline fun. And heels don’t make any sense here. Select shoes that your family can easily walk in and are tried and true. New shoes, especially on kids, can be a gamble and may result in cranky children, something we want to avoid, avoid, avoid on Family Portrait Day!

Dress for the weather. This might sound obvious but really think about the temperature and time of day you’re taking the photo. The Vineyard cools down very quickly in the evening and locations near the water can come with a chilly breeze. If you’re taking photos later in the day be sure to plan for sweaters or jackets as part of your family’s outfit and bring them along to the shoot. Our three favorite words when it comes to wardrobe selection are layers, layers, and layers.

Choose props and accessories wisely. Hats can look great on kids and can make for some extra cute shots, big bows and headbands too! Be mindful that it could be windy by the water so you’ll want something to tie back long hair if necessary (we always carry extra ties too). Don’t try to force your child into clothing or accessories they’re weary of or uncomfortable in. That goes for you as well. Everyone photographs best when they feel like themselves! If you have a favorite top or go–to outfit that you consider a second skin don’t be afraid to wear it.  

Select lightweight, breathable fabrics. When you’re posing you want to be able to move freely and comfortably cycle through both standing and sitting. This is hard to do when clothes are too tight and provide limited mobility. Plus its summer on Martha’s Vineyard so casual comfort and casual is what it’s all about!

Coordinate, but don’t try too hard to match. There’s an important line to maintain between properly coordinating your family’s clothes and being ‘matchy matchy.’ You want to complement each other’s outfits by choosing colors that work well together, but not dressing identically so everyone blends in as one. We like to provide our family portrait clients with some sample color palettes as a guide if they’re looking for inspiration.

A classic, nautical palette that compliments the natural backdrop of the Island is a combination of blues and whites. Don your family in different shades of blue–think navy, sky and royal, along with white and khaki or denim. If you’re looking for something bolder and brighter a la Lily Pulitzer, work off of a palette of coral, and bright blue or teal, and pink. And of course Nantucket red, it’s Martha’s Vineyard after all! You can pair that with whites and denims and light pastels like muted yellows and mint green, for a more understated look with color.

Don’t be afraid to dress your family in prints, as long as they complement one another, and avoid styles that are too bold or flashy. Choose smaller patterns that won’t distract from the subject matter. Also avoid wearing branded clothing with words or logos, as again these styles can draw attention away from the subject.

If you’re on Martha’s Vineyard and need some last minute staples check out Basics in downtown Oak Bluffs for simple, stylish pieces for the whole family–and yes, we have Vineyard Vines too. If you’re still undecided about what to wear, pack a second outfit to bring to the session, and do the same for any small children that might get messy.

For even more tips on preparing for the perfect Family Portrait click here. Just remember the point of family portraits is to document authentic family connections that will provide lasting memories, while having fun in the meantime! Remember to be yourself and good photos will follow.

It’s finally here! The season we’ve all been waiting for, well most of us anyway. Some Islanders actually get discouraged this time of year but I absolutely love it. I wait all year for summer and thrive off of the faster tempo of the Island. There’s an energy in the air that you can’t find anywhere else. On top of that loving feeling, I get to reconnect with summer friends and get outside in the beautiful weather and take advantage of this dynamic place. There’s nothing more electric than a Vineyard summer.

Each year I’m bombarded with news of the latest parties, events and activities. I want to do it all but time is precious, so I’ve drilled down my summer bucket list of the absolute can’t-miss things to do on Martha’s Vineyard this summer. Prepare yourself for fresh food, unique Island experiences and a whole lot of time outdoors–fingers crossed for a season of perfect days.

Maker’s Table series from Farm. Field. Sea. Take your pick from a variety of “dynamic dining adventures” that highlight the Island’s best resources and the talents of local chefs, farmers, shellfish cultivators, fishers, educators, authors, musicians, and visual artists during this summer’s Maker’s Table series, a new initiative from Farm. Field. Sea. Known for offering the summer’s most unique and authentic Island experiences Farm. Field. Sea. has organized several pop-up events that are thoughtfully curated around delicious food and inspiring activities at secret locations around the Island.

Kayak and Stand Up Paddle Board adventures. I love all things water and try to get my exercise outdoors whenever I can, after all I’ve waited all year for this weather! A great outlet is Felix Neck Wildlife Sanctuary in Edgartown, where they offer self guided kayak and stand up paddleboard quest by day or moonrise kayak tours by night on Sengekontacket Pond. See nesting shorebirds feed and frolic, explore the salt marsh and search for pond wildlife, or witness the sun set, the stars twinkle, and the moon rise from the water. Check out their full line up of summer events.

Load up on local goodies and eat your veggies at the Farmer’s Market. Nothing beats a trip to the West Tisbury Farmer’s Market where you can pick up a variety of local produce and food products all in one place. Every Wednesday and Saturday from 9am–12pm our local farmers and food purveyors set up shop at the Grange Hall in West Tisbury to deliver you a true taste of the Vineyard, plus live music too! Be sure to bring reusable bags and try a little bit of everything.

Explore Polly Hill Arboretum. Polly Hill in West Tisbury is one of my favorite places because of its diverse landscape and gorgeous gardens– I often want to go there just to relax. I always learn about a new plant or species every time I go, it’s a living breathing museum. You’ll find rare trees and shrubs from around the world set among stone walls, meadows, and fields, including Polly’s famous North Tisbury azaleas, the national stewartia collection, camellias, hollies, rhododendrons, crabapples, conifers, magnolias, and many more. Pack a picnic and a good book and escape to a place of absolute serenity for the afternoon.

Oyster tours in Vineyard Sound. Experience the magic of our local briny bivalves first hand from the guys of Cottage City Oysters. Purveyors Dan and Greg Martino will introduce you to their nursery and you’ll see the harvest process in action. Complete with a tasting of the Island’s best oysters and a shucking demonstration so you can go home and impress your friends.

Dine overlooking the Aquinnah Cliffs. Even if you’ve ventured up to the Cliffs before there’s nothing quite like dining at the Aquinnah Shop restaurant, and taking in the view over a relaxing meal. Located at the Gay Head Cliffs in Aquinnah, it’s one of the oldest restaurants on the Vineyard with some of the best outdoor dining on-Island. They serve dinner Friday, Saturday, and Sunday and offer lunch and breakfast too.

Be mesmerized by Built on Stilts. Now in it’s 22nd year, the Built on Stilts festival is an annual showcase of some of the most talented dancers on-Island, and guest performers from all over. Each year the festival takes over the Union Chapel in Oak Bluffs and amazes spectators of all ages. And the best part–there’s no tickets or reservations required, all shows are free to the public and audiences may come and go as they please, so there’s no reason to not check it out. Look for it this summer, happening August 9–11 and 18–21.

Pop Up Dinners at the Beach Plum. Another magical place to enjoy dinner is the Beach Plum Inn in Chilmark. Their picturesque patio looks out over Menemsha harbor and is home to some of the most spectacular sunsets you’ll ever see. This summer chef John Thurgood is hosting a series of pop up dinners celebrating the bounty of the Island with local guest chefs throughout the season. Be sure to mark your calendars and prepare for the finest food around.

Go take a hike. I recently partnered with Sheriff’s Meadow to help them launch their TrailsMV app, an iOS app that helps hikers and outdoor enthusiasts better navigate over 100 Martha’s Vineyard trails and conservation properties, it’s a great tool to help you from getting lost in the Island’s more out-of-the way locales. Be sure to download the app and discover some of the Island’s most scenic locations. Our favorites include Menemsha Hills Reservation and Cedar Tree Neck Sanctuary. Is there anywhere more beautiful than this?

Take a tour of Thimble Farm, with Island Grown Initiative. Since 2011 Island Grown Initiative has operated Thimble Farm as their Farm Hub, an education resources site for farmers and growers, offering demonstration aquaponic and hydroponic greenhouse production, workshops and trainings, a community garden, and an orchard. Tour the Vineyard Haven farm every Tuesday and Thursday and check out the impressive farm and learn more about the work of this incredible organization. And their farm stand is open everyday (but Wednesday) from 9am to 3pm.

 

Generally speaking peas still get a bad rep. Like Brussels Sprouts, some people never warmed up to them, or are burned by childhood memories of their parents trying to force feed them green vegetables. Not on Martha’s Vineyard. Here peas are celebrated and admired, especially among the youth of our community.

This month we’re helping Island Grown Schools (IGS) highlight peas as their Harvest of the Month (HOM). It’s the perfect crop to represent the essence of the HOM program and the value and importance of better connecting kids to their locally available produce. I like to consider peas a gateway vegetable. If you can get your kids to take part in the growing process, and feast on peas (especially easy with the sugar snap variety), you can get them hooked on vegetables all together.

I recently attended a grand tasting event (so to speak) at the West Tisbury School. 

Throughout the month IGS hosts several “taste tests” where they serve the Harvest of the Month as an ingredient in the local school cafeterias, to encourage students to taste it in a new or creative way and understand its flavor potential. 

The farm-to-school movement at the West Tisbury School is an especially impressive program, and Jenny DeVivo, West Tisbury School cafeteria director and rockstar head chef (she used to be a traveling recording artist so that title is two-fold) always makes it fun and interactive.

Morning Glory Farm offers another clever way to encourage participation in pea harvesting with their annual pea contest. Each year the Island’s largest operating farm hosts a “First Peas to the Table” contest inspired by Thomas Jefferson. In the 18th century Jefferson led a contest among his neighbors at Monticello garden every spring to see who could be the first to grow a cup of shelling peas, and the tradition continues on Martha’s Vineyard today.

Now in its fifth year at Morning Glory, the first person to bring a measured cup of mature shelled peas receives a Morning Glory Farm gift certificate, a voucher for a free trip to the salad bar and a delicious risotto prepared by chef Meg Athearn from the winning peas, plus bragging rights of course.

The winner is also crowned, sashed and photographed for Morning Glory’s archives–and posterity–and left to bask in the glory of their delicious achievement! This year Katie Ruppel took the prize.

What’s not to love about peas? Peas are my favorite vegetable to grow in my garden, and are one of the first things I plant once the ground thaws. They get me excited for spring, and the potential of the new season, plus they’re delicious and packed with vitamin K, A, C and fiber, folate, thiamine, protein and iron. They’re easy to throw in salad raw, or simply sautéed with garlic, ginger and sesame oil. Sugar snap peas provide a welcome crunch in rice or stir fry, and shelled peas make a good addition to pasta and risotto.

Tis the season for potlucks, BBQs, and beach picnics, so don’t forget about the powerful pea next time you’re preparing your menus. Try this easy Pea Pesto Salad recipe, prepared by Harvest of the Month chef Gabrielle Chronister, for a fresh, savory side to celebrate the season’s palatable peas.

Pea Pesto Potato Salad

Ingredients:

1 cup green peas (fresh and blanched for 1 minute or frozen and thawed)

1 cup fresh basil

2 ½ tbl nutritional yeast

1 tbl fresh lemon juice

1 medium garlic clove, chopped

1 tsp kosher salt

¼ tsp fresh ground black pepper

1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil

1 tbl extra virgin olive oil

1 ½ lbs baby or new potatoes (quartered or sliced in half if small)

Directions:

Place potatoes and ½ tsp of kosher salt in a medium pot and cover with cold water. Bring to a boil and reduce to simmer 10-15 minutes until fork tender. Drain potatoes and set aside.

While potatoes are cooking, place remainder of ingredients except olive oil, in a food processor and pulse ingredients until everything is combined and evenly ground. With the machine running, slowly pour olive oil into the mixture and blend until smooth and creamy.

Combine the potatoes with the pesto in a serving dish, making sure all potatoes are coated in pesto. Salt if needed. Top with more nutritional yeast and fresh torn basil. Serve with a dollop of sour cream or plain Greek yogurt. Enjoy!

 

Martha’s Vineyard is a popular destination for some of the most elaborate and intimate of affairs, and we’re lucky to be a part of many of them. On any given weekend there could be dozens of weddings happening on-Island, with vendors buzzing about in preparation, and guests traveling in from afar just for the occasion. All of this activity can make for a lot of extra waste, but if you’re careful in the planning process you can seriously reduce what ends up in the garbage.

Planning a green wedding on Martha’s Vineyard, or anywhere else for that matter, just takes asking around and giving some special consideration to the decisions you make for the event. And green weddings can still be just as elegant and chic! Here’s ten ways you can be sure to pull off a beautiful, fun-filled celebration that reflects more kindly on the environment.

Plan an outdoor event during the day. Martha’s Vineyard is home to beautiful beaches, rolling hills and gorgeous wooded areas that make for the perfect backdrop to any occasion. Allow the sun to provide the lighting and reduce your need for electricity in the process. If you’re planning a wedding think about having the ceremony and location in the same place so you can reduce your carbon footprint without the extra transportation.

Ask your caterer about composting. The amount of food wasted every day is staggering, and much of it is unnecessary. According to Island Grown Initiative (IGI) an estimated 11 million pounds of food waste are generated on Martha’s Vineyard each year. Here we ship our trash off-Island where it travels approximately 40 miles before being landfilled or incinerated, using fossil fuels to power the trip (and the return trip). Be sure to ask your caterer about composting the prep, scraps, and leftovers from your event. Many caterers like Kitchen Porch Catering will do this anyway. You can also hire IGI to do it for you as part of their Food Waste Collection initiative. Contact Aaron Lowe at (508) 687-9062 or at foodrescue@igimv.org more more details.
 

Rent or reuse your plates and glassware. Be sure to avoid disposable items at all cost. Many vendors like Big Sky Tents, offer full linen, china and glassware rentals. If you’re renting ask your vendor about eliminating or reducing the plastic wrap they’re usually packaged in. You can also purchase mason jars to be used as drinking glasses or jamming jars after the fact (they make great containers for canning beach plums). Another option is to sell or donate them to a friend planning an event at a later date. Sites like Wedding Recycle and Bravo Bride make it easy for you to buy and sell wedding decor products online.

When it comes to beverages consider a keg or large jugs of wine to eliminate extra bottles and cans. And if you need to serve straws purchase stainless steel ones that you can use as favors. Reusable water bottles make great gifts too!

Use local vendors. Martha’s Vineyard may be small but there’s vendors here for just about everything you need to pull off the perfect event. Try to reduce the amount of people and automobiles that have to be brought in from off-Island. And if you’re looking for gifts for your guests or bridal party opt for locally made items like Martha’s Vineyard Sea Salt and Chilmark Chocolates that are made right here with extra love.

Repurpose your formal wear. There’s a ton of websites where you can shop for used wedding dresses and formal wear like NearlyNewlwed and Tradesy. Ask around in your family to see if there’s a dress you can alter to make yours, and consider allowing your bridesmaids to wear a dress they already own. Shop your closet for things like shoes and accessories, not everything needs to be fresh. If you decide to go new consider re-selling your clothes after the fact so they can be used again.

Ask for organic or locally grown flowers or consider decorating with potted plants. If you’re having fresh cut flowers delivered ask that they be transported in buckets to eliminate plastic waste. Have a friend or family member with a garden on Martha’s Vineyard? Consider asking them to grow them for you as a wedding present. After the event donate your flowers to the hospital or local nursing homes that would especially appreciate the arrangements. You can even ask your caterer about using them for an event the next day.

If you’re using potted plants plan to repurpose them throughout the entire weekend of events, including the rehearsal, wedding, or a Sunday brunch. Then give them away as a favor for repotting (the gift that keeps on giving!), or reuse them at home as a lovely and sentimental addition to your home.

Send e-vites or use recycled paper. It’s still pretty common place to send physical wedding invitations, but you can be mindful of the material they’re printed on. IGI’s Food Equity and Recovery Director Sophie Abrams Mazza recommends plantable wedding invitations that can grow flowers and herbs when you plant them–beautiful, creative and eco-friendly! When it comes to save the dates and RSVPs go digital.

Shop thrift stores and secondhand shops. You can find some really cool and unique pieces second hand. Shop around for previously used items that can be used for your decor and tablescaping, like glasses, jars, vases and baskets. On Martha’s Vineyard be sure to check out Chicken Alley Thrift store and the dozens of estate sales and yard sales happening each weekend. You can mix and match pieces for the perfect rustic chic look!

Express yourself. When talking to all of your vendors simply mention your commitment to going green and ask what they can help you do about it, whether it’s reducing the packaging of their items or repurposing the items they’re assisting you with. Martha’s Vineyard is a very eco-friendly community and vendors here are happy to help you make it happen–not only is it the right thing to do but it can often eliminate extra work in the process too.

For additional assistance with planning a sustainable wedding or special event contact KG Events and Design, a certified  Green Event Company on Martha’s Vineyard. 

A “surprise proposal” seems a bit redundant, after all most people don’t expect to be proposed to when it happens, and that’s the idea after all. But the kind of surprise proposals I get most excited about are the ones that take it a step further, and hire me as a photographer to stake out the proposal location and secretly capture the big ask.

There’s something covert about the whole operation, it requires some stealth action on my part, and reminds me of my early days as a photojournalist for Greenpeace, working behind the scenes to snap quickly and efficiently without being seen. Life as a proposal photographer on Martha’s Vineyard is a bit more casual of course, and I often find myself crouched down in a patch of beach plums or quietly lying on my stomach in the sand (sometimes with my arch enemy, poison ivy lurking nearby) waiting for the perfect shot.

Recently, I’ve been contacted by more and more couples to photograph secret proposals and I think it’s a brilliant idea. The raw and honest emotion and excitement that follows the big question make for some of the most endearing moments I capture all year! 

For the couples we work with it’s a time they’ll never forget, and a story that will be told again and again. Having stunning proposal photos is the perfect way to relive the special occasion, plus they provide a meaningful memento to mark the very beginning of the couple’s next chapter together.

Earlier this month I had the pleasure of assisting a client with a surprise proposal to his girlfriend on the beach. It was followed by a thoughtfully executed visit by two alpacas–which he had also secretly organized, given her affection for the friendly farm animals. Not only was I able to capture the initial shock and joy of the proposal, but the second surprise made for even more emotional photos–it’s not everyday you see an alpaca on the beach.

I’ve photographed secret proposals at some of my favorite portrait locations, including South Beach in Edgartown and further up-Island at a private beach in Chilmark, and each one has been a truly touching affair. Many have been followed by a second reveal, like an unexpected after party of friends and family to join in the celebration, making it that much more meaningful.

If you’re planning a secret wedding proposal ask yourself what types of environments and landscapes are important to your partner? Is there a place on Martha’s Vineyard that holds a significant meaning? Or maybe there’s a personal spot that’s totally out of the ordinary–we’ve even seen couples get engaged at the famous Jaws bridge! Wherever and however you’re thinking about proposing I can help you pull off a surprise proposal that you and your partner will be talking about for years.

Need some more inspiration? Check out some of the featured proposal stories on howheasked.com by The Knot.