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new england families, COUPLEs, and landscapes

A New Year’s Eve Elopement in Boston

Couples

March 5, 2025

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Hi there! Welcome to the KSP blog, a journal about photography, business, and pursuing your passion. Stay a while and say hello!

Hi, I'm KRISTEN.

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I love a true elopement. Just the two of you and whoever is marrying you. Doing things your way, and without distraction.

When Olivia and Chris first contacted me about photographing their Boston elopement, I didn’t think I was going to be able to take on the job, and I was disappointed. The couple had made a last-minute decision to hire a photographer for their New Year’s Eve marriage, and by that time I had already relocated to Nantucket, where I would be spending the holidays with family and staying through the New Year. Reluctantly, I told them I wasn’t available, offered to share recommendations for other photographers they could try, and asked for a little more detail on the timing and location of their plans so I could pass along that information. But something was nagging at me after I sent that email. It was already clear that letting this one go wasn’t going to be easy.

A New Year’s Eve Elopement in Boston| by Boston Photographer Kristen Swain

A man and women stand facing each other, smiling, with their foreheads touching, illuminated by the sunlight behind them
And man in a dark suit and tie is leaning into his bride, foreheads touching. She is wearing a white wait-length jacket and holding a bouquet of tight white peonies, her sandy-brown hair spilling over her shoulders.
A bride and groom stand side by side, smiling. He is a dark-haired man wearing a navy suit and blue tie, she is wearing a white cropped jacket and matching white mini skirt, legs bare, holding a bouquet of white peonies.
A bride and groom embrace and are kissing while standing on the Garden Foot Bridge in Boston's Public Garden. Her arms are wrapped around his neck, hands holding a bouquet of white peonies, while one are of his is around her waist, the other is holding a leash of their black labradoodle who is looking up at them both.

Olivia’s response: “It will just be my fiancé and me. We are eloping secretly the morning of the 31st and just want a couple pictures in and around our home to capture the moment. … Very simple.” With those words, this elopement went from one I couldn’t photograph to one I couldn’t miss. It really was a true elopement (secret! no guests!), and the couple was approaching the moment with a cool and relaxed attitude that I found beautiful, inspiring, and refreshing. Not only that, but my clients’ wish for simplicity, combined with the fact that their elopement was taking place in the morning, meant that I didn’t have to choose: I could spend the morning with these two lovebirds and be back on Nantucket with my own loves (Tim and the boys) in time for NYE dinner and a pre-midnight bedtime. 🙂

A New Year’s Eve Elopement in Boston| by Boston Photographer Kristen Swain

The bride, wearing a white two-piece mini skirt suit and holding a bouquet of white peonies, sandy-brown hair spilling over her shoulders, is standing by her mom wearing a dark navy coat with gold buttons. Both are smiling, the mom's arm is around her daughter's waist.
A bride and groom smile down at their black labradoodle dog while embraced in a hug, standing on the Garden Foot Bridge in Boston's Public Garden.
And man and women are illuminated by the sun in a loving embrace, her face is hidden by her hair and her hands are on either side of his jawline, while his hands are holding her waist on either side, eyes closed.
A bridge and groom are outside sitting side by side. She is kissing her husband's cheek and he is smiling. His hand is resting on her knee and one of her hands is holding her bouquet of white peonies while the other is wrapped around this forearm.
A bridge and groom are outside sitting side by side, their temples touching and both are smiling. His hand is resting on her knee and one of her hands is holding her bouquet of white peonies while the other is wrapped around this forearm.
A bride and groom are sitting on a bench with a pond visible behind them and their black labradoodle pup standing beside them. She is wearing a white two pieces suit with a mini skirt, and holding a bouquet of white peonies, resting her head on her husbands shoulder and smiling. He is clutching the dog leash with one hand and resting his other on her thigh, smiling.
A bride and groom are sitting on a bench with a pond visible behind them They are both reaching down to pet their black labradoodle who is looking up at them. She is wearing a white two pieces suit with a mini skirt, and holding a bouquet of white peonies, resting her head on her husbands shoulder and smiling. He is wearing a navy suit with a blue tie.
A bridge and groom are outside sitting side by side. The tip of her nose is touching his cheekbone and she is mid-laugh as she is leaning into him. One of her hands is holding her bouquet of white peonies while the other is wrapped around this forearm. He is smiling with one hand resting on her knee.
A bride and groom stand side by on a small set of steps kissing. He is a dark-haired man wearing a navy suit and blue tie, she is wearing a white cropped jacket and matching white mini skirt, legs bare, holding a bouquet of white peonies.
A man and a women are standing on cement steps, only their waist down is visible. The man is wearing a dark navy suit and brown dress shoes, while the woman is wearing an ivory mini skirt and heels. Between them standing on the top step is a black labradoole bathed in sunlight.
A man wearing a navy suit with a blue tie is leaning in to kiss a women in a cream jacket and long sandy-brown hair.
A man in a dark suit jacket is facing his bride, arms around her waist. We can only see his back, and she is facing him with her arms draped around his neck, holding a bouquet of white peonies.
A bride and groom are leaning into one another mid-laugh with big smiles. He has dark hair and is wearing a dark suit jacket, she is wearing a white cropped jacket holding a small bouquet of white peonies.
A black labradoodle dog is standing on a cement bench and sniffing a bouquet of white peony flowers that are being held in front of his nose.
A black labradoodle pup is licking his lips while his owner, wearing a fawn colored coat holding a small bouquet of white peonies is sitting beside him leaning over to kiss his face. Her eyes are closed and her sandy-brown hair is cascading over her shoulder.

We met up bright and early on New Year’s Eve morning at the Public Garden in Beacon Hill (you wouldn’t believe how quiet this usually-packed tourist attraction is on a freezing winter morning!), and strolled our way back to their new home, where we stopped for a few more photos before heading out to their City Hall ceremony. Along the way, we bonded over spoiling our dogs, leaving our law degrees on the table, and our shared experience of feeling like Boston outsiders in the immediate aftermath of our respective moves from NYC.

A New Year’s Eve Elopement in Boston| by Boston Photographer Kristen Swain

A bride and groom are standing side by side - she is leaning into him, wearing a fawn colored coat and holding a bouquet of white peonies, while he is wearing a navy suit jacket and blue tie, with one hand in his pocket.
Street view of a gorgeous brownstones on a corner in Beacon Hill Boston off of Beacon Street.
A man in a dark suit is sitting at the bottom of a staircase in his home, arms resting on his knees with his finger interlaced. He is smiling and looking over at a smiling women leaning on the stair railing wearing a cream mini skirt and sleeveless blouse.
A dark-haired man in a navy suit and blue tie is leaning against the shutters of a window with his hands in his pockets, smiling down at a smiling women who is clutching his arm and leaning her head on his shoulder.
A man and a woman are standing in the spooning position. The man is wearing a dark suit with his arm resting on the women's waist. The woman is barefoot and clutching the mans hand, while her other arm is resting at her side with her hands clutching a pair of Jimmy Choo slingback heels, dangling from her fingers.
A man in a dark navy suit and blue tie is sitting on a chair, with his wife sitting on the air of the chair, legs crossed, one are draped around her husbands shoulders. Their temples are touching and both are smiling.
A woman is smiling, teary-eyed, up at a dark-haired man standing in front of her.
A dark-haired man in a navy suit is holding out one hand and grabbing something from it. A woman is standing in front of him, her hair is hiding her face falling over her shoulder.
A dark-haired man in a navy suit is facing a smiling women with sandy-brown hair wearing an ivory jacket. his hands are on her waist and her hand is resting on his bicep.
A man and a women are in the process of exchanging vows and he is holding her hand, putting the wedding ring on her finger.
A dark-haired man in a navy suit and a sandy-brown haired woman in an ivory skirt suit are in a tight embrace - her arms are wrapped around his neck and his arms are wrapped around her back and waist.
A dark-haired man in a dark jacket is kissing a woman in a cream jacket. His hands are on her waist and one of her hands is resting on his bicep.
A man in a navy suit is standing on a cement ledge and holding up his new bride in a kiss and embrace. She is wearing an ivory skirt suit, arms wrapped around his neck and legs bent at the knees, wearing neutral colored sneakers.
A woman in a fawn colored coat and neutral color sneakers is walking hand-in-hand with her husband, in a dark navy overcoat and suit pants. Her sandy-brown hair is blowing back in the wind.
A man and a women are walking up a long staircase, almost at the top, hand-in-hand.

Being a weekday, the State House grounds were open, along with the sunny courtyard and marble staircase that flank the side entrance (a recent discovery for me!), so we ended our time together there.

This elopement was gorgeously intimate and simple, allowing the deep and potent beauty of unconditional love to make the statement. More of these, please. 🙂

A New Year’s Eve Elopement in Boston| by Boston Photographer Kristen Swain

A woman in a fawn colored coat is holding hands with a man in a dark navy coat and dress pants as they walk along a brick pathway.
A sandy-brown haired woman wearing neutral-colored sneakers and a cream skirt and matching jacket has her arms wrapped around the neck of a man as they kiss at the bottom of a staircase outside. He is wearing a dark suit and has his arms wrapped around her waist.
A man and women are standing on the balcony of an old office building in front of an orante marble railing, smiling at one another.
A woman is clutching a man's arm and resting her head on his shoulder, smiling. He is resting his cheek on the top of her head, eyes closed, savoring the moment.

A New Year’s Eve Elopement in Boston| by Boston Family Photographer Kristen Swain

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