Sarah + Praveen’s wedding

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This summer turned out to be my season of Hindu/Christian weddings. First in July I had the beautiful wedding of Janine and Ajit and then in August came Sarah and Praveen. I was less nervous this time having shot the Hindu part before so I was able to relax and enjoy the ceremony–and to know that everything is repeated a few times at least so I’m sure to get the shot! It was a gorgeous day at Meadowlark Gardens, not a cloud in the sky. And the day started with a baarat! I hadn’t photographed that before and it was a blast. Praveen mounted a horse at the entrance to the park and rode in towards the Atrium with friend and family dancing beside him. I loved what a good time he was having and when he dismounted in front of the building and started dancing, it made for some very fun photos. The ceremony was on the back patio and while it was lovely, by midafternoon in the bright sun it was pretty hot. Kudos as always for Jonathan Newton, my second shooter who worked in the heat for the entire ceremony. I took my cues from the guests, many of whom watched much of the festivities from the air-conditioned atrium so I moved back and forth! One of my favorite photos of the day is a Newton shot–he went home with Praveen for the change from his Indian attire into a suit for the Christian ceremony and the guys stripped down and stuck their heads in the freezer. Did I mention it was hot during the ceremony?? Part two of the day began with Sarah and her father preceeded down the aisle with their flower girl who decided just before getting out of the building that she didn’t want to do it! It’s a sweet little photo of the ring bearer trying to console her and encourage her to continue. She made it with some help from mom and Sarah was positively radiant as she made her way to meet Praveen. This ceremony was shorter but quite emotional especially when friends of the couple serenaded them. And since I always follow the bride and groom for the recessional, I had to laugh when I was editing the photos and saw the bridal party recessional that Jonathan shot. I’ve included one of the photos here–the bridal party danced back up the aisle and I had no idea until I looked at the photos!!

Some of the people who helped Sarah and Praveen make their day spectacular:

Caterer – Fusions Cuisine: http://fusionscuisine.com

Venue – The Atrium at Meadowlark Botanical Gardens: http://www.nvrpa.org/park/meadowlark_botanical_gardens/content/the_atrium

Horse – Harmon’s Carriages: http://www.harmonscarriages.com/asia.htm

Indian Caterer – Tandoori Nights: http://indaez.com/catering

Cake – Cakes by Happy Eatery: http://www.happyeatery.com

Dress – Hannelore’s: http://www.hannelores.com

DJ – DCVibez: http://www.dcvibez.com

Decorator/Florist – Nivanjoli, Prabha Bhambri: http://www.nivanjoli.com

Lindsay + Dan’s wedding – August 21, 2010

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I was excited and a little nervous as I arrived at the iconic Mormon Temple in Kensington. I’ve driven by the building more times that I can count and even went into the Temple when it first opened. But it was the first time for me shooting a Mormon wedding. Well, actually, not shooting because no photography is allowed during the ceremony or sealing. So I waited outside with other non-Mormons for the couple to come out. The tricky part is that others are getting married at the same time and it’s hard to know who’s there for my bride and groom and who’s there for someone else. I had only met Lindsay once before when we did a walkthrough of the grounds but I wanted to make sure I didn’t miss the moment when they came through the tinted sliding doors. What I didn’t anticipate was that you could see people waiting reflected in the dark doors as the happy couple finally came out. We took photos around the grounds and then headed to the Pooks Hill Marriott for the reception. It was a small event (about 50 guests) but the room looked beautiful draped in white and filled with purple and white flowers. They served signature drinks of non-alcoholic strawberry daquiris and lemonade and had a very fun ice cream bar for dessert.

Making the day special for Lindsay and Dan were:

Decor, Draping, Lighting, Florals and Day Of  Coordinating –  Gala Events, Inc.
DJ Brian at Washington Talent Agency
Food and service the Bethesda Marriott

Photos I wish I’d taken!

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It is a pleasure and an honor to work with all of my second photographers. I only work with the best! And in every wedding, they take at least one photo I wish I had taken. A couple times this summer, two of my second shooters shot weddings for my company and in the case of  Liz and Peter’s wedding in Mercersburg, PA, it was Toni Sandys and Katherine Frey. Below are some of the photos they shot that I absolutely love.

Lesley + Michael’s wedding – July 24, 2010

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Lesley and Mike win the award for the hottest wedding I’ve ever photographed. And by hot I mean 105 degrees and an outdoor ceremony. The ceremony itself was surprisingly funny and made for many great moments but boy, was it hot. Did I mention the temperature?? All week long I watched the forecast as I always do and when the prediction was for sunny and 98 degrees, I started to prepare. Worked out a little extra. Made sure I packed several bottles of water I’d put in the freezer. The fact is, there’s no way to adequately prepare for being that hot. We made a slight adjustment and did their solo photos beforehand at Landsdowne where they were getting ready, thus minimizing the amount of time everyone would be outside. But Mike had to mop his brow a couple times which made some fun photos. It was a brief ceremony but sweet and full of laughs. I love the shots of Lesley right after the ceremony with her helpful bridesmaids with a fan up her dress. We waited for the temps to cool a bit before doing their couple shots in the vineyard itself and I love those portraits. Both were naturals in front of the camera and the light was perfect and the green of the vines just popped in the photos. The party was a lot of fun, starting off with a father-daughter dance that after a few slow minutes transitioned into Billy Idol’s “White Wedding.” Oddly, that’s not one I hear a lot at weddings! The night ended up beautifully with a sparkler send off and oh yes, a full moon. As always, thanks go out to the wonderful Jonathan Newton who shot with me and for some reason didn’t look nearly as overheated as I did.

And the people who helped Lesley and Mike’s day spectacular:

Bluemont Vineyard Coordinator, Beth Wright

Florist, Jennifer Morris  – J. Morris Flowers

Cake, Carolyn Taylor – Taylor Made Cakes

DJ, Daryle Maciocha DJ-DMAC

Violinists – Perfect Harmony

Officiant –Leora Motely

Hair/Makeup – K.C. Felton

Amy + Jude’s wedding – July 17, 2010

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I’m not sure I’ve seen a more nervous groom than Jude. We were the first ones at the church for his wedding to Amy. I’m glad he had the rings to twirl on his fingers to keep him occupied. I’m also glad that they decided to see each other before the ceremony. In a change from my usual first look, Amy snuck up on Jude as he waited outside the church. Once he saw Amy, he just beamed. And any trace of nervousness was gone. Their ceremony at the Unitarian Universalist Church of Arlington was flooded with light and as their friend conducted the ceremony, it was made much more personal by retelling the story of Amy and Jude’s courtship through the social groups at the church. And the significance of the little bears that Jude carried with him during the ceremony. Amy and Jude were very committed to having a green wedding. The flowers were delivered that morning from a local farm and I loved the flower seeds as guests for the gifts. Another whimsical touch was the crayons and paper for everyone (not just the kids) to draw and make notes for the couple. And the colors of purple and yellow made the room pop.

Matt + Paul’s wedding – July 11, 2010

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I was very excited to be shooting my first legal gay wedding in DC. Matt and Paul’s wedding was a beautiful and reverant day filled with music and family and friends. Unlike most of my weddings, I didn’t shoot any preparation photos before the ceremony so the first glimpse I got of the couple was as they entered the church arm and arm. Before the ceremony they snuck away into the balcony, framed by a huge stained glass window so they could watch their guests and make an entrance after the ceremony had started. They came down the aisle together, beaming and holding hands—that’s one of my favorite photos from the day. Paul’s love of music was evident as friends performed during the ceremony. As they were pronounced legally wed, they made their way back up the aisle and sang one last song as they faced their guests near the doors to the church. It was a really nice way to be able to acknowledge everyone who came to the church and to take in the moment. Their reception at the Washington Arts Club was a big cocktail party—none of those pesky formal photos to be taken, I just had fun shooting everyone talking and dancing and having a good time.

Katie Martin of Elegance and Simplicity Wedding and Event Designers, Inc. sent Matt and Paul my way and did all the planning and flowers for the event. As always, it was gorgeous and ran like clockwork!

Other vendors who made Matt and Paul’s day special:

Church: Augustana Lutheran church, Pastor John Kidd

Cake: Cakes by Design

Music: Interlude Swing Band

Reception: Washington Arts Club

Janine + Ajit’s wedding – July 10, 2010

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Where to start with Janine and Ajit’s wedding?? It was a day of many firsts for me. My first wedding at the Willard which was very exciting. What a gorgeous hotel. It was my first full Hindu ceremony and the first time I’ve shot two full ceremonies in one day. So it was a very long day but packed with wonderful photos. Janine was a vision both in traditional Indian dress and again in her white wedding gown. Ajit looked particularly regal in his Indian wedding garments. The setting of the Willard Room was dark and romantic for both ceremonies and the details of the Hindu ceremony were fascinating. It kept me on my toes as they circled the fire, had their hands and bodies tied together with string and had flower petals thrown at them. As interesting as all the symbolism was,  I really like the photos from the ceremony that were the little moments–a look exchanged between them or something funny that cracked them up. Among my favorite moments of the day came courtesy of Ajit. He teared up both times he saw Janine (yes, another first–two reveals!) and again as they were sharing their first dance at the reception. And I loved his toast to Janine quoting Winnie the Pooh. The dancing got pretty spirited with a mix of Indian music and good old dance tunes. And in  one more first, I was honored to have the incredible Michael Connor shoot with me for the first time. And it was his first as a second shooter! I had to include more photos than usual in this post since it essentially a double wedding!

The wedding was beautifully put together by Jen Stiebel of Soco Events and the other vendors who made it happen:

Reception and ceremony: The Willard Hotel

Hair: T Salon, Washington, DC

Makeup: Stacy Ferguson

Flowers and lighting: Da Vinci Florist

Wedding treats + cupcakes: June B Sweet

Video: Julie at Blue Sky Films

Maggie + Gareth’s wedding – June 19, 2010

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It’s so nice when there’s a perfect storm of beautiful church, gorgeous sunlight, lovely couple and fabulous reception. All I have to do is capture it! Maggie and Gareth’s wedding was such a nice combination of all of the above. And it was notable for another reason. It’s my first wedding ever in a church with a dog walking down the aisle. And I have to say that Journey, Maggie and Gareth’s beloved pooch was the best behaved dog ever. Not a peep out of him the entire ceremony. I met Journey when I did their engagement session in Georgetown and he was a very good subject them and didn’t disappoint on the wedding day either! He walked down the aisle to present the gifts and the priest asked for him to stay for the rest of the ceremony. I love the shots of Gareth petting him while listening to the service and then again as they walked him down the aisle. He made an appearance during the reception and how did I know that the couple’s first dance would be to a Journey tune? Just a lucky guess. We made a quick detour to their suite at the top of the hotel that had an amazing terrace and view of downtown DC. And I loved the bobblehead I found there, made especially for their nuptials. The first look at the reception room at the Ritz Carlton really took my breath away. It was elegant and romantic. And I now have a new favorite garter toss photo. I had to look twice at it when I edited the image–I assumed it was shot by my fabulous second shooter and sports photographer extraordinare Jonathan Newton. But I shot it! A pleasant surprise.

The vendors who made the day possible were:

Planner: Rebecca Dick, Wish Special Events

Venues: Ritz Carlton Hotel, Washington DC/Holy Trinity Church

Band: Round Midnight

Hair and Makeup: Red Door, Pentagon Row

Florist: Greenworks

Tara + Stephen’s wedding – June 12, 2010

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For the entire month of June it seemed like every Wednesday and Thursday it was sunny and beautiful with low humidity and by the time Friday and Saturday rolled around it was 95 degrees with 100 percent humidity. Which is another argument for getting married in the middle of the week but alas, people tend to want to do it on the weekend! Tara and Stephen’s wedding day was no exception. Hot, sunny, humid. But their calming water themed wedding made it not feel so bad. The day was full of meaningful touches. Tara’s veil was made from the wedding dress of her late mother. The church they were married in was built by Tara’s dad. Lucky for me it was a beautiful and light-filled sanctuary. As Tara and her father came through the massive wooden front door of the church, Stephen teared up. There’s nothing I like better at a wedding than a crying groom. I love the emotion! And every once in awhile he’s take Tara’s hand and kiss it. And through a good part of the ceremony, the bridesmaids were crying as well. For a whimsical touch, they had cupcakes for their guests waiting outside the church after the ceremony. We limoed to Old Town Alexandria for some waterfront photos and got caught in a little rain. Luckily it blew right over and by the time we got to Indigo Landing, the sun had returned and were were able to do shoreline shots there as well. It was a great reception with dancing under a tent overlooking the Potomac River and in the distance the bright lights of the city.

And the vendors who helped make it happen:

Florist: Occasional Flowers, Tonya Evans,

DJ: Norman Voss

Indigo Landing Restaurant

Hotel Monaco, Old Town Alexandria

Our Lady of Mercy Catholic Church, Potomac, Maryland

and a special shout out to the bride who did the centerpieces at the reception herself and did a wonderful job on carrying out the water theme!

Pamela + Joshua’s wedding – June 5, 2010

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Pam and Josh have my best “how they found me” story. In early March, 20o9 I was flying back from a reunion with my two best friends from high school. We had spent the weekend in Savannah and I was flying home via Atlanta. I’m was sitting in my seat–minding my own business when Pam and Josh sat down next to me. I can’t help but notice her gorgeous ring and she’s holding a couple of issues of Modern Bride. It was very convenient that I happened to be editing some of my recent weddings as I sat there. Josh saw the photos and started up a conversation. I gave them my business card and figured that was the end of that. Several months later, Pam emailed me to see if I remembered them (of course I did!) and she told me they were getting married on Fripp Island, SC where Josh had spent time growing up. So that’s the backstory for my first true destination wedding. I’ve done some more local overnighters but this was my first get on a plane and shoot wedding. Everything from the welcome dinner (a low country boil with live music) to the boys playing golf the morning of the wedding to the spotting of pelicans and deer and fortunately no alligators made for a really different experience for me. I spent the afternoon when I arrived on the island scouting locations to shoot on Saturday. Fripp is a neat combination of marshland and ocean front. I found this wonderful dock that looked like it went to nowhere and I knew I had to photograph someone there! It turned out to be Pam and it must have been over 90 degrees out by the time we got out there. Did I mention that SC in early June was hot, hot, hot and even more humid?? I had to put my cameras in the car for an hour before I could shoot because going into the steam heat from air-conditioning caused all my lenses to fog. Anyway, I could have shot at the marsh all day but I had other pictures to take and of course, Pam had a wedding to attend. The setting at the beach club was lovely and Pam’s attention to all the little details like the programs doubling as fans was a really nice touch. And a special shout out to Pam’s man of honor Matt. He did everything from steaming her wedding dress to making the trains run on time all day long!

So the guests are arriving and the sky is blue with just a few streaky white clouds until 6:25 when a front moved in and the skies turned gray. At 6:30 Pam walked down the aisle. There were a few drops but the rain held off and we were able to do beach photos, some of which ended up as my favorites from the day, even if they weren’t with a beautiful sunny sky like I had envisioned. It was a fun party with a lovely casual beach atmosphere and my only regret for the whole weekend is that I didn’t get more time to lay out by the pool (or on the beach) and read a book! Maybe next trip.

Some of the local vendors who made the day happen:

Kerry Hyatt at Fripp Island Golf and Beach Resort

Flowers: Bittys Flower Shop

Officiate: Liam Collins

Band – Skate Rink Jukebox

Violinist: Na You Yang