Rebecca and Michael - Paradise Point

what a gorgeous day! but then again, it's san diego. i have to keep reminding myself that the temperature is not going to soar up to 95 at any given moment. still, every day, especially every day I get to shoot outside, i'm grateful for the magnificant weather.

this was my third outdoor wedding in san diego, shot as 2nd for kristie, of Photography by Kristie, who had travelled in from phoenix. it was really cool working with her. actually, it's been really interesting working with a few different photographers now to really get to see people's different styles. working as 2nd always carries the benefits of low stress. i get to shoot and soak everything in without all of the extra added pressure.

rebecca and michael are a truly fun couple. they and all of the their friends had great senses of humor and the guys were cracking me up before the wedding. stress levels seemed low or non existent- they'd already been together for years. but, the years hadn't diminished the affection that was evident between the two.

they also turned out to be quite adventurous. as soon as the reception ended we raced out to sunset cliffs for a "trash the dress" session. i was SO excited to really hit the beach for the first time. but i should've cued in when kristie changed into shorts and flipflops- this city girl just thought, "what's the big deal with getting a little sand in your shoes"? well, guess what.. there's this thing called a tide and it came crashing in not too long after we hit the sand. some of those waves looked a heck of lot higher than my head. all i could think of was my poor east-coast camera and how it probably never imagined itself being subjected to sand, salt and periodic drownings. one good dousing and i climbed up onto the steps and shot from dry ground. our happy couple was oblivious to it all. we snapped away. despite my non-beach-appropriate attire, it was really fun and i can't wait until i have the chance to do it again!

mental note to self. the ocean is not like a lake. bring flip flops, shorts, a towel and a plastic bag for gear next time.

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!