The Casual Gourmet works with hundreds of vendors on the Cape and we are always finding and working with new vendors. However, we have some of our favorites that throughout our 20 years in catering have help put together some of the most spectacular and creative events. We thought would profile some of them in an ongoing series.

To kick-off the series, we thought we would start with one of the best photographers around: Bello Photography.

Name: Bello Photography
Phone: 508.539.1039
Email: studio@bellophoto.com
Website: www.bellowphoto.com
Blog: www.bellophoto.net

The company is run by it’s two primary photographers – Andy Beet and Christine Ferullo - a husband and wife team who truly are masters of their craft. Not only are they phenomenal photographers, they are also fun people to work with (Just look at the self-portrait they sent us above!). To give you a taste of their zeal for life, here is the story behind the name ‘Bello Photography’

Our studio name, Bello, is a combination of our last names. We considered Feet Photography, but Bello has a nicer ring…don’t you think? Bello also means beautiful in Spanish. We fell in love in Spain and we think love is a beautiful thing!! We could photograph anything, but we absolutely LOVE shooting weddings!

With so many companies choosing to follow the format of ‘John Smith’ Photography, Bello’s name alone gives you a sense for the passion and creativity they bring to their work.

We work a lot with Bello so here is a sampling of their work from a wedding we did together earlier this year.

The wedding was a classic water front reception at Nauticus Marina with a gorgeous Sperry Sail Cloth Tent (Two other favorite vendors we will soon profile!). Take a look at some of Bello’s best shots below. They could not have done a better job capturing the elegance of the event.

It was one of the most memorable events of 2009: downpouring rains drenched the ‘Fiesta’- themed rehearsal dinner but parted for the wedding day itself; an incredibly personal and deeply spiritual wedding ceremony that began with a smudging ceremony; a predominantly vegetarian menu that celebrated local, seasonal produce; the infusion of hand-crafted details throughout the décor; and the dynamic venue itself.

During the cocktail hour, servers passed an assortment of hors d'oeuvres, including these Toasted Polenta Rounds with Olive Tapenade and Italian Tomato Salsa. The first course was served 'Soup & Salad' - a demitasse of chilled sugar snap pea and ginger soup paired with a roasted asparagus and chiogga beat salad. The buffet dinner featured Roasted Globe Artichokes with quinoa, leaf spinach and flageolet beans, along with an Heirloom Tomato Salad, Roasted Russian Banana Fingerling Potatoes and Wood Grilled Summer Vegetables. (All photos except top right courtesy of Lisa Rigby.)

The Overbrook House is part of the 20-acre organic Bay End Farm. The 1920s farmhouse has a traditional New England design and is located at the top of a secluded hill.  The expansive grounds that spill down from the house include large open fields, stone walls, meandering paths, an in-ground swimming pool and a charming old-fashioned dance hall nestled in the woods.

Clockwise from top left, the house on a hill, illuminated with tiki torches. The dance hall, hidden in the trees. A tablerunner made by the bride. Nicoline and Ryan take a path to the dancehall for their first dance. The cocktail hour took place under the canopy of old trees. (All photos courtesy of Lisa Rigby.)

We love that each couple who chooses Overbrook for their wedding puts their own unique stamp on the event by making different use of all the diverse elements on the property. While Nicoline and Ryan chose to hold their ceremony under an enormous oak tree by the house, have dinner under a tent in the big field, and finish the night with dessert and dancing in the hall, other clients have opted to have cocktails by the pool or host their smaller reception entirely in the dancehall.  Overbrook truly is a one-of-a-kind Cape Cod wedding venue.

Interested in Overbrook or a vegetarian wedding? Let us know! We’d be happy to talk with you!

I don’t mean over planning every single detail of the event. It is all about finding a way to express authentically who they are as a couple and allowing their guests to see and feel and share in the joy of the day. We specialize in non traditional weddings and Cape Cod is a destination wedding location, so perhaps here at the Casual Gourmet we have the opportunity to see more than our share of personal and unique touches.

Let me share with you a few stories of how couples I have worked with have spiced up their weddings with games, with gifts and by adding to (or even throwing out) tradition.

The Ceremony at Heritage where the bride and groom played Rock, Paper, Scissors. Click to enlarge.

Earlier this summer, I had a lovely couple who had a simple, but beautiful, wedding at Heritage Museums and Gardens in Sandwich. They were sweet and very in love and planned every detail of the wedding together. Having each written beautiful and meaningful vows they could not decide who should speak first, so right in front of all their friends and family, they played a little game of Rock, Paper and Scissors!

This is a perfect example of the couple taking ownership of their wedding. It was unique, fun and only worked because their family and friends instantly recognized how it fit the couple’s style of communication.

The next story took place back in 2003 with both the ceremony and reception at the groom’s family’s home on Pleasant Bay in Orleans. Everything about this wedding, from the ceremony under a driftwood arch, to the bouquet of wild flowers gathered by family members, to the dancing, the bride and groom made it their own very personal celebration!

To begin the festivities at the reception, guests were told to flip over their seating card where they found a picture of another guest. They then had to go find the person and introduce themselves, as this person would become important to them later in the evening. Pleasant chaos ensued as the guests laughingly found the person in their picture

Then reception started with the bride and groom toasting all their friends instead of vice versa.

After the buffet dinner was served, it was time for the first dance. The bride, having been a dance teacher, had made up a dance for her guests. The bride and groom gave a quick lesson, then told the guests that their partner would be the person they met earlier in the evening. Everyone of the 175 guests found their partner and danced the bride’s special dance in unison with the bride and groom leading the way.

The last story I have for you took place two years ago at the bride’s family’s home in Osterville. The bride and groom were some of the sweetest people I have ever met and they did not just want to thank their guests for coming but they also wanted to wish them good luck.

Could a line on the invitation or ceremony program could have taken care of this? Sure. But that would not have been very memorable.

The card with a lottery ticket and quote that we put under each salad plate. Click to Enlarge. (Photo by Bello Photography)

Instead, the couple had us put lottery scratch tickets under each salad plate with a great quote that said:

Where there is great love there are always miracles. -Will Cather

When we cleared the salad plates, you could hear the oooh and ahhs from the guests as they got a pleasant little surprise that said thank you and good luck!

These stories are just a few examples of the many couples who have taken the step from a great wedding to their perfect wedding. Make sure as you plan your wedding you make find a way to add your own personal touch to it — it’s that little extra that makes your day perfect!