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Katie + Tim’s Virginia wedding

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It was nice for once to not worry about the weather on a wedding Saturday. June 11 was very sunny and hot but Katie and Tim’s wedding was all inside so we didn’t have to deal with that variable. Katie got ready for the wedding at her parent’s house. I was thrilled to take advantage of their center staircase and nice big windows to make photos that were looked like home and were pretty too. I particularly liked the shots there of everyone getting Katie into her dress (and the expression on her face!), her dress reflected in the mirror and Katie coming down the stairs as Dad walks underneath. Off to St. John Neumann Church in Reston for a lovely Catholic ceremony followed by the reception at Westfields. I was honored again to have Ricky Carioti working as my second photographer and we had fun shooting portraits of the happy couple around the hotel. The highlight of the reception for me was the toast that Katie’s sister made as the Matron of Honor. Tears were flowing and it was just so touching to see how close the two were and how happy her sister was for her!

Making the day special for Katie + Tim were:

Wedding ceremony: St. John Neumann Catholic Church

Reception and caterer: Westfields Marriott

Florist: Twin Brook Floral Design

DJ: Akhil Handa

Cake Edibles Incredible in Reston

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Kat + Daniel’s Old Town wedding – May 29, 2011

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I was so thrilled to get the phone call from Kat that she wanted me to photograph her wedding to Daniel over Memorial Day weekend. But then came the snag. He was finishing up FBI training at Quantico and now was being posted in Philadelphia and all this was happening a couple months before the wedding. There were a couple weeks of waiting before he was officially told he could have the weekend off to get married. It was a beautiful (and a little hot) day in Old Town for their wedding at the Carlyle House and reception at Columbia Firehouse both within walking distance in Alexandria. I loved the fact that Kat’s mom, an excellent seamstress, made her veil and tailored her dress and made the flower girls pompom and the ring bearer’s flower pin. The flower girl even had navy blue nail and toenail polish to match the colors of the day! Their ceremony in the garden gazebo lovely and Kat was a little overcome with emotion before walking down the aisle but was all smiles by the time she saw Daniel. And I am absolutely in love with the photos from the time I spent with just the two of them between the wedding and the reception. The light was delicious! Even though the restaurant didn’t have a true dance floor the friends and family of the couple made the most of it. It was a pretty hilarious and wild bunch. Kat and Daniel met at the University of Alabama so a highlight of the evening was “Sweet Home Alabama” with appropriate fist pumping and yelling of “Roll Tide” after every chorus. One of my favorite dancing photos of the night was courtesy of my fabulous second shooter Jonathan Newton who went outside and shot from across the street, capturing the happy couple dancing in the picture window.

Working to make the day beautiful (beside the light of course!) were:

Wedding site: Carlyle House

Reception site: Columbia Firehouse restaurant

Flowers: Petal’s Edge Floral Design

Hair and makeup: Circe Salon and Spa

DJ: Rusty Belicek

Cake: Alexandria Pastry Shop

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Ashley + Michael’s wedding – St. Regis Hotel, Washington, DC – October 16, 2010

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Ashley + Michael’s wedding turned out to be a bit of a reunion for me. Michael had been a groomsman for Lindsay + Chris’ wedding a couple years ago and I was so pleased that he and Ashley chose me to be their photographer. It was great seeing familiar faces among the bridal party and the guests. And in a repeat of Lindsay + Chris’ wedding, I was again working with the fabulous Toni Sandys.

They were married at Emmanuel Episcopal Church in Alexandria, the same church that Ashley’s parents were married in. It’s really nice when there’s a sentimental attachment to the church and a family history. I particularly liked the photos of the two of them after the ceremony in the limo—in some the reflection of the church is visible in the car windows.

For the second time in two weeks I was at the St. Regis, a beautiful hotel with an elegant lobby just right for romantic photos! I really like the Vanity Fair-ish bridal party shots we did there. Thanks Lindsay for styling! I also got a chance to explore the hotel restaurant Adour, which has very cool round mirrors in its entryway and a see-through wine cellar which also made for some interesting and different couple portraits.

The reception was wonderfully romantic with large red roses at each place setting. After a funny toast by Ashley’s dad that pulled out her high school letterman’s jacket and her blankey (!) the party kicked into high gear and by the time Toni and I left, the dance floor was packed. We did manage to get Ashley and Michael outside for some night streets scenes in front of the hotel and a lovely dip photo in the driveway.

The vendors who made their day beautiful:

St. Regis Hotel

Music: Cherry Blossom Strings

Coordinator: Terri Eaves at Bash

Flowers: Multiflor

DJ: DJ D-Mac

Erika + Christian’s wedding – October 10, 2010

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It was a gorgeous day for a memorable wedding date. I spent 10-10-10 with Erika and Christian at their lovely wedding at Belle Haven Country Club in Alexandria. I got to spend more time with Erika than I do with most of my brides. We did a fabulous bridal portrait shoot about a month before the wedding at Oxon Hill Manor. I loved having time to focus on making really interesting portraits—something that I don’t always get time to do on the wedding date. Since the bridal gown was under wraps until Christian saw her at their first look on the big day, I wasn’t able to blog the photos until now. But I had a few I really liked so I’m including them here. And talk about bling! Take a look at Erika’s wedding band. Wow.

There were a few highlights of their wedding day in my mind. Before the ceremony, Erika’s mother had a prayer for her daughter than included the girls in the bridal party laying hands on her. Everyone was crying by the time it was over and of course, it made for some wonderful photos. I also loved Erika’s dance with all the important men in her life in lieu of the traditional father-daughter dance. Everyone kept cutting in until she ended up with her new husband! And one of my favorite photos was the late evening balcony shot of the two of them. I admit, I stole if from my friend Michael Connor and I believe in giving credit where it’s due. Holding the light behind them and shooting with me the whole day was the fabulous Ricky Carioti. And I got to work with one of my fav DJs Aaron who kept the party rocking!

Those who helped make the day special:

Hair and Makeup: CityGirl Salon De Belleza – Mara Fontanez

Flowers: Floral Specialties

Wedding and Reception: Belle Haven Country Club

Videographer: 5 Star Media Productions

DJ: Aaron at Chris Laich Music Services

Cake: Cheesecake Etc.

Stephanie + Martin’s wedding – October 9, 2010

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Stephanie and I never got a chance to meet in person before her wedding day. But she was very clear with me about what she wanted from her photos. She wanted me to do what I do and capture the day. The really good news for me is that she and Martin are an adorable couple and there were several unusual (at least for me) events during the day to make it even more interesting. I have shot at Ft. Belvoir before but don’t have a lot of military wedding experience so it was fun for me. They were married in the little gazebo in front of the club and even though the temperatures were in the 70s the fall colors of the flowers and the bridesmaid’s dresses reminded everyone that it was an October wedding. As the couple was introduced into the reception they came through an archway of swords. In order to enter the room they had to stop at the final crossed swords and kiss. What Stephanie didn’t know is that she was about to be swatted on the backside with one of those swords. And with that, she was welcomed as a military wife. After a very rocking reception, Stephanie and Martin expected to walk down the street to their hotel at the Officers’ Club. Instead they were surprised with a horse-drawn carriage. I was pleasantly surprised as well to see that it was lit all over with LED lights which made it much easier to photograph since it was dark outside. Those turned out to be some of my favorite photos of the day.

Some of the vendors who make the day special:

The Officers’ Club- www.belvoirmwr.com

Music and Video- www.directentertainment.com

a couple of engagements

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Just a quick post with a couple of recent engagements shoots.

First I spent some time with Sean and Marina at the Capitol, wandering around the Hill and appropriately for two lawyers in love, at the Supreme Court. I love shooting portraits there. You get all of the white marble Washington is famous for without the crowds or the hassle. Once we got there Marina changed into her killer pink heels. Love those!

The following week I got to hang out with Matt and Liz and their adorable puppy Buckley. We wandered around Old Town looking for beautiful early fall late afternoon light and was happy to find some. I particularly love the shadows on the brick wall we found and the b&w walking photo was shot as the light was fading but I thought it just had a nice slightly arty feel to it. In our roaming we found several fabulous historic houses that Liz found suitable for her future home. I hope I’ll get an invite to the housewarming party!

I’m looking forward to Sean + Marina’s wedding in April and Matt + Liz’s in May.

Rebecca + Kevin’s wedding – Oatlands Plantation

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I really needed Labor Day weekend to be beautiful, particularly for Rebecca and Kevin’s ceremony at Oatlands Plantation. I got my wish. Both Saturday and Sunday were in the 80s and sunny. It was exciting to finally get to Oatlands after scouting it earlier this summer for Jennifer & Ed’s wedding shot by Toni & Linda in July. There are so many gorgeous places for photos and I was not disappointed. Rebecca was a little nervous prior to the ceremony but her bridesmaids, especially sister Sarah kept her on track. She looked gorgeous and retro-glamorous with her elegant gown and the birdcage veil. Kevin seemed relaxed and calm although I didn’t see him much before the ceremony—he got to hang out with the wonderful Jonathan Newton who was shooting with me. I absolutely loved the special touches during the day—the refreshment station with lemonade, the place cards on a bed of flowers and the tent with chandeliers! Rebecca’s Greek heritage was evident in many parts of the day, from the crowning during the ceremony to the dinner offerings and of course, the Greek dancing at the reception. Kevin’s roots came out at the reception as well when the boys took the stage and somewhere during the night I’m sure I heard “Take Me Home, Country Roads.” One other thing we did which I had never done before was a little photo booth for the guests. I’m not posting those pix here but you can see them on the slide show—it was a big hit and some of the shots were pretty hysterical and I know Rebecca and Kevin got a big kick out of seeing them after the wedding.

Special props to Jessica Brown with Simply Chic Events. As always, she’s a pleasure to work with and she helps add those special touches that make a wedding so much fun to photograph!

Everyone who helped make the day beautiful:

Oatlands Plantation

Hair and Makeup: Loretta Jameson

Band: The Dickens

Food: Nicole at Windows Catering

Invitations and signs: Christina Barbour with Paperzest

Flowers by John Duffy at Yellow Door

Tent and draping: Fabrication Events

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

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.