Monique & Tom, Old Town Alexandria

Monique and Tom have been together for almost 15 years and i think their relationship just got sweeter with time. i don't think i've seen so many cute glances, little touches and sneaky kisses pass between a couple during their wedding day as did between these two. they were giggling like two kids that had just met.

the ceremony was held outside at the Campagna Center in old town Alexandria. as a blessing to the photographers, the clouds rolled in just enough to create some fantastic light. the ceremony ended, everyone went inside and then it just hailed and hailed! it was hard to hear it over the drink chatter and reggae coming from the dance floor. everyone really seemed to have a blast.

no "good luck" needed for this couple- look at them! behold the cuteness! i just know they're going to have a happy life together. and what a way to kick it off.. they're headed to thailand!

Jenny & Rich - Woodend, MD

yay! back to woodend! this is the first time i've had the chance to shoot at a venue a 2nd time. it makes things sooo much easier and fun, because you can look back at older shots and do some creative planning. this was also my first double-header weekend, and oye, was i feeling it. it didn't help that the first of the double header involved an actual header resulting in torn tendons in the ol' ankle and four hours of icky sleep. reason number 1001 MK rocks- she got up early (even though the day already started at 8am when we were out til 2am shooting the night before..) and picked up an ankle brace for me. combined with these sexy little numbers and strong cup of coffee, i was good to go.

jennifer and rich are a special couple for many reasons. they're two of the most intelligent people i've ever met. they were also just easy-going and sweet- they made for a really unique and perfect pair. i wish i remember exactly how it was put at the ceremony, but someone had said something to the effect that they had never met another couple so much on the same page with each other. their conversations are free flowing and never ending, ranging from silly to politics without skipping a beat. they were so comfortable with each other, they really were two halves of the same whole.

no wedding or couple can really be summed up in a single word (though always seem to try), but classy and comfortable certainly come to mind. the whole wedding day was just that.. a classy, tasteful yet a fun and comfortable affair shared with family and good friends. i wish them the best of everything.

Julie & Mitch

this was a truly DC wedding! don't get me wrong, virginia and maryland are beautiful too, but i get really excited when i get shoot closer to home- especially when i get to see the 'everyday' from a totally different perspective and get to go inside places i probably would not amble to on my own. it's even better when it's via party bus and there's no "where do i park?" logistics and with a couple as great as julie and mitch.

the day started for me getting ready with the boys at the Capitol Hill Suites, in you guessed it, Capitol Hill. right across the street was St. Joseph's Church. you can't get more convenient than that. after some good natured horsing around and a few heinies to calm the nerves, the boys walked across the street to await the lovely Julie. the church was pretty and the ceremony was quite touching.

after the ceremony we jumped on the party bus and headed around the Mall. that was cooooool. i wanna go again! the weather was a bit iffy, but it held out and we got some great shots in front of the capitol and around the WWII memorial. julie also gets a special award for being a trooper and doing some serious walking in her fancy shoes for photo purposes. way to sacrifice the body for art!

the reception was held as the DAR Constitution Hall. amazing! i haven't been in anything quite so exquisite and just so very DC. it was a lovely place for a reception and views were incredible.

i believe this was what was going through my mind when i stepped out of the reception hall and caught sight of the washington monument and had a ... let's call it.. "let's make this wedding about me" moment. first, let me say, we pride ourselves in really trying to blend into the background. but, as apparently it can happen.. i fell in front of about 150 people in the middle of a giant rotunda. let me tell you what kind of sound it makes when someone carrying two giant cameras wipes out on a marble floor in an acoustically favorable environment. i couldn't have screamed "hey, everyone look at me!" any more efficiently had tried. i prayed to the calgon gods, but nope, nuthin.

the rest of evening was spectacular. they hired a band and there was plenty of dancing. the little red headed cuties came out and put on quite a show on the dance floor. all in all, "gorgeous" would be the word I would use to describe the entire day.

Robin & Chris

what a beautiful day for a beutiful couple in my new favorite place to shoot in DC!

robin and chris couldn't have picked a better spot. the grass was green and the trees thick and lush at Woodend. in typical dc form, the 40 degree weather finally gave way to summer heat overnight, but the shade provided by the trees was lovely. it was SO nice to be outside. the summer season has officially begun.

everything was really top notch and the day really flowed smoothly. the girls were all gorgeous, and i loved the green dresses (i'm going to be wearing the same bridesmaid dress in my mom's wedding in a few weeks!) and the orange flowers were the perfect accent. and the cake! well, i always like the cake.

and a note to you brides and wedding planners out there. photographers love bubbles. especially this one. i've been bubble-free for far too long. bring 'em on!

Denise and Jeff - Mt. Vernon, VA

lovely. everything about this day was absolutely lovely. denise was gorgeous and jeff absolutely handsome. they made a very striking couple. the ceremony was very sweet, and ended with our newlyweds covered by petals tossed by friends and family. after the celebration outside, a '52 bentley (complete with a gray poupon wielding driver) rolled up to greet and whisk them away to Mt. Vernon.



The Mt. Vernon Inn was quite the place hold a reception. to say it's an historic locale is a bit of an understatement. i hadn't been there since i was 7 on a school field trip. every room was beautifully restored and maintained. numerous paintings adorned the walls. the main hall gave way to a large patio out back, and denise's dad kicked off the evening outside playing his harmonica. little did we know he was a professional musician who once played in the Rascals. how cool is that??



dancing and celebrating dominated the rest of the evening. i'm not sure there was a single person sitting. everyone seemed to have a really great time.



up next for our newlyweds.. mexico! i hope you two have a wonderful time and many great years to come.

Laura and Jonathan - DC Arts Club

i live and work in dc and am sadly finding out how little i really know and appreciate what's around me. fortunately, there are really cool couples like laura and jonathan who know what's what who can take me places.

they picked the DC Arts Club and it was amazing. it is housed in a grand old victorian with plenty of rooms and winding hallways to get lost in. but fear not, because there's art on every wall to keep you entertained. the interior was incredible, with all original woodwork, crown moulding, hardwood floors and great windows with a view. the room where laura got ready may have been my favorite to date. threatening rain chased us inside, but from a photographer's standpoint, i was actually quite pleased. the colors were rich and the tighter quarters gave the ceremony a really cozy, personal feel.

they hired a great band to play the reception and a dance instructor to teach everyone the ballroom basics. whether the guests got the steps down or not, it was alot of fun. actually, it was quite entertaining to follow those that didn't.

overall, it was just really well done and great event. elegant, stylish yet down to earth. very much like our newlyweds. best wishes to both of you!

Jamie & Joshua - Mountain Branch, MD

spring has sprung. with the change in seasons the outdoor weddings have begun! i was really excited to be able to shoot this as 2nd with James, from BePhotography out of baltimore. we'd been trying to get together for a few months, but schedules just didn't allow until today. and what a day it was! winter lasted waaaay too long this year (ok, every year as far as i'm concerned), but it took a nice turn just in time.

i started off the day with jamie and her entourage. the girls were all great friends and it was obvious the fun hadn't just started that morning, but was more of a continuation of a celebration that had started a day or two before. they laughed and chatted away as they helped jamie into her lovely dress. once ready to go, there was a white stretch limo outside waiting.

the ceremony and reception were held at Mountain Branch Golf Club just outside of baltimore, overlooking trees and green as far as the eye could see. i can't tell you how nice it was to be outside! the sun started to dip down as the ceremony took place giving everything a nice glow. and even while we were outside with the sky as the limit, the ceremony had a small, intimate feel to it. really, it could have been underwater and joshua would not have noticed- he couldn't take his eyes off of jamie the entire time.

jamie and joshua were announced to the tune of rocky, and hit the dance floor with boxing gloves. it set the pace for a really fun evening. there was more laughter at this celebration than i can recall at any other event. and man, these folks could dance! the floor was packed. and it stayed packed untill the final bell when joshua carried jamie out over his shoulder and they finally turned out the lights. safe to say everyone had a blast, and it was quite a way to kick off the next stage of this obviously smokin' relationship.

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