Some weddings are so unique and fun they stand out above the rest. It’s not just the location, the food, the weather that makes the day but it is so often the people. Tommy and Megan are the kind of people that would rather not be in the spotlight, in fact I think I heard Megan mention she would have been fine  with and even smaller affair. Their wedding reflected their personality and instead of asking everyone to focus on them, they invited everyone to celebrate with them. Taking place at the Williamsburg Inn (in colonial Williamsburg, Virginia) the wedding was midday and guested were invited to a high tea reception afterwards. Since Tommy and Megan did a first look and took pictures before the wedding, the day flowed very smoothly.

So, how did these two Wheaton grads meet and get together? It all started back in speech class. Megan signed up with friends but was put in a different section then all of them – a class that had a lot of upperclassmen. Tommy was one of those upperclassmen and they started to get to know each other.

When you like someone and are trying to figure out if they like you, you pick up signs and read into every move… which is why (understandably, I might add) when Megan sent Tommy some cookies in the mail he was sure she was in to him. While that might have been true, Megan is an avid baker and loves to make treats and share them with all her friends. After packaging up enough for everyone, she had some left over so she thought of Tommy from her speech class. Tommy thought he was the only one getting cookies, but it didn’t matter since it was just the move he needed to start pursuing her more, and the rest is history.

This gorgeous vine covered walkway was are of the Williamsburg Inn, and the perfect spot for the first look and some photos afterwards. Don’t they look so classic?

TOM’s are a favorite of Tommy + Megan and they incorporated them into the wedding as the gift to their wedding party. The guys wore the burlap classics for the wedding and the girls were given the yellow linen shoes.

I achieved a rare thing by getting some of these guys to jump – I didn’t know that until afterwards, but I think it was worth it!

The back of the Inn was gorgeous and the perfect spot for some wedding party pictures – both the building and the golf course, where there was also croquet set out!

The ceremony took place over looking the golf course from behind the Inn and it was beautiful.

Megan’s brother was deployed and couldn’t make it for the wedding… he was however in an article in the New York times on the same day! The high tea reception was amazing, and the staff at the Williamsburg Inn not only did an awesome job, but they were so helpful to everyone. Here are a few details from the reception:

Megan’s nephew was adorable! In between the reception we went to the front of the Inn for a few last shots with the bikes…

I’m so happy for you guys, and was thrilled to be a part of the day! I hope you enjoyed all of the images and to see the full set head to their gallery. Leave Tommy + Megan a comment or let me know what you think about the wedding + images and help them earn a free enlargement.

There’s nothing like a wedding around a holiday. They combine for a great weekend and getaway for family and friends and this weekend was no exception. Yesterday Chris and Beth were married back in my hometown in Michigan and had beautiful church wedding followed by a fun at home reception. It was an event celebrated by many and I think they had the largest wedding I’ve ever photographed… was it 350 guests? It was also the first wedding in which I was able to photograph my sister playing the piano, and since Beth and her family have been friends for some years my parents were also in attendance and helped with the set up and grilling having pulled off my sister’s at home reception a few years ago. Everything came together beautifully and I’m so happy for Chris and Beth and look forward to sharing more of their wedding day soon. It’s time to go enjoy the 4th of July with my family here in Michigan – I see ladderball and lawn games in my future!

Light streamed through the old wooden barn and created the most gorgeous texture. Colleen and Tristan had just been married, and I went down the road with them to the old barn that has been in the family for years. They stopped and picked some wild raspberries, and took a minute to let everything sink it. We headed towards the hayloft and they climbed up into the hay, which was stacked high on top of each other so it slide down at first, until they reached a spot to sit…

I had a great time photographing Tristan + Colleen’s wedding, which was the perfect mix of backyard, country, bluegrass, homemade, strawberry shortcake, lawn games, wildflowers, and family + friends. It also was moving weekend for Matt and I, so while I was busy photographing the wedding he was busy transporting everything (with the help of some great friends) into our new place. We had been living in a temporary set up for a month until we could move in, which of course meant 2 moves, lots of packing and re-packing, and even more chaos. We spent all of yesterday unpacking, which of course takes forever so we have several more days of unpacking to go. I know there are a lot of other people moving so you know what I mean – but isn’t it so hard to figure out where to put everything? I feel like in each new place there is some piece of furniture that doesn’t fit quite right, or something that we really need to get – but might not use again. I sound like I’m complaining and I don’t want to since really I’m so happy to be at the end of the moving process. I’ll have to have you over to our new place (and by have you over I mean post some pics on the blog) once we’re set up!

One thing I like about having this blog is not only the opportunity for you to get to know me through my writing and images, but you get to know the people I photograph. I know for a fact that Joy has enjoyed reading the stories of other couples and seeing the images from engagement to wedding, so I’m excited that it’s time for me to share her and Andrew’s wedding!

From the time that I first talked with Joy, and then photographed her and Andrew for their engagement session, I could tell that I was photographing a couple that had something special. They are people that are genuine, real, and so in love. When I arrived in Richmond to document their wedding I was immediately welcomed by their family and friends and it was obvious to me why Andrew and Joy were the people they are. I can only say it was wonderful to be a part of this day and I have to admit I even cried a little behind my camera while I was photographing the speeches. So let’s start at the beginning with some of the gorgeous details…

The reception took place at James River Cellars Winery, in Richmond Virginia and to get there a vintage Rolls-Royce (I’m not actually sure that’s the car – correct me if I’m wrong) transported and Andrew and Joy in style. Joy’s dress was fabulous and the lace at the bottom was stunning. It’s oyster color was complemented by copper-gold heels she wore.

Birds were a decorating theme throughout the wedding and the cake topper was an adorable felted set. I’ve never seen a pear shaped ring that is more beautiful than Joy’s and I absolutely love it. Word on the street is that Andrew designed it – or at least picked it out for Joy. Either way kudos to you Andrew on a job well done.

I guess it’s at this point that I should tell not only the best story from Andrew and Joy’s wedding, but one of the best stories from any wedding. It goes something like this:

We arrived at the winery to take pictures, and I quickly saw a row a trees next to the driveway. Noticing the ivy on the trees and the gorgeous greens I suggested Andrew and Joy stand next to them. I’ll add that at this point we are right next to the winery building – not at all off the beaten path. Joy took her time, since you saw the shoes she wore, and gracefully took her place under the trees. Andrew joined her, and just as we were ready to start shooting, his uncle came over to us and said “that’s poison ivy you’re standing in.”

*gasp* (In my head I’m thinking not only did I just ruin their wedding, add to a more stressful day and successfully cripple them for their Italian honeymoon… but they’re going to hate me)

Joy and Andrew moved out of the ivy (not all of it was poison ivy – but some of it was) and seemed unscathed by the event. The reassured me that it would be okay and that they couldn’t tell if their was poison ivy in their either. We decided praying for them was the best decision and did the only thing we could do: move on. A few days later on their honeymoon, Joy commented on the preview post on my blog from their wedding and let me know they were poison ivy free and were enjoying their time in Rome!

That last one is so mysterious and romantic. To see the full story of Andrew and Joy’s wedding visit their proofing gallery, and watch the slideshow below. Joy has become a blog follower (along with a few family and friends I hear!) so it’s time to leave her and Andrew some love and let say hi or let them know what you liked about their wedding – I know they won’t have any problem getting a free 16×20 print!

This wedding shoot was pulled together to combine amazing flowers, creative letterpress, and modern photography. I showcased the flowers before by Sassafras in Rochester, New York, but you’ll see a few of the images again because I love them so much! It was fun to pull this together with Sarah + Margaret (who’s engagement session you just saw below) and they set most everything up and arranged for things to happen. Margaret created all of the signs that you see and we’re excited to give the one you see above away. Just leave a comment and the most convincing person will win! (how does that sound?) Erin + Ben were our lovely models and made looking good look really easy… thanks so much for being a part of the shoot!

Erin is gorgeous, hilarious, and super smart. She was kind enough to squeeze this in her busy doctor schedule.

Ben is a talented musician, soft spoken, and thankfully the kind of guy that agreed to be in photos with his wife! I’m counting it as an anniversary shoot for them.

more fun signs by Margaret – the above reads “til death do us part” and the bride + groom signs below are also up for grabs if you want to leave a comment for them!

oh yes, and there were horses… well we got lucky and their owners lent them to us for a few shots. thanks! I’ll leave you with this last dreamy shot and leave some comments if you want to win a set of signs!

It was the eve of Dawn’s birthday when David proposed. He gave her a present and inside was an engagement ring that he designed and Dawn said yes. They set about preparing for their wedding and their marriage, which if anything is an adventure. So, last month on a rainy spring day, I joined them in Arlington, Virginia for their wedding.

Some gorgeous florals took center stage at the reception, where a lot of the decorations were handmade by David and Dawn. Curly willow came from the mother of the bride’s backyard in Lancaster, Pennsylvania and stood as beautiful mini trees in the center of each table. Since David is a carpenter he made the centerpiece boxes that they stood in, and the gorgeous multi-tiered cupcake stand.

See that amazing cupcake stand? I think all of the kids, including the ring bearer below, were amazed by the display of dessert :)

After the wedding and reception, I headed into the district for some photos of David and Dawn with a true DC backdrop. It was steadily raining, so we brought out umbrellas and shot some romantic images… rain just tends to lend itself to a really interesting and romantic backdrop. (have you seen the new pride + prejudice?)

We had some fun with the umbrella as well of course, and I think they pulled it off perfectly… it’s always important to have fun when you’re taking pictures.

…and after all the pictures they were off on their honeymoon to Brazil!!  Thanks for braving the rain and I think the pictures are totally worth it. I’ve had such a good time getting to know you both and it’s a been a privilege to photograph your engagement + wedding. View the slideshow below to see a more complete overview of the day, and then check out the full gallery of images. Just register and then use D+D’s last name to enter their gallery. Comments left on this post will help them earn a free print, so leave them a note or let me know what you think!

Runners. There’s just something about them, something different. Their determination, dedication and hard work carries over to all other areas of their lives. Those are the qualities you definitely want to bring in to a marriage.

It didn’t take long for Michael and Kaity to meet and fall in love as they ran together in college. While they knew what it took to train and put in 100%, they also spent more and more time together outside of practice. They both ran in the marathon at nationals the year Kaity won, and Mike crossed the line and waited to be the first to congratulate her. It was fitting then, that on an afternoon run in the summer, Mike stopped to tie his shoe and came up with a ring to ask Kaity to marry him. That was just the beginning, and the planning for a day that at once seemed so far away ended up coming very quickly.

The wedding day was perfect as it only can be when you unite family and friends, especially with Ryan (Kaity’s brother) on leave from serving in Iraq. There was not lack of emotion, love, and excitement and I had a great time being a part of the day and documenting it. I’m excited to post the first of many slideshows for Mike + Kaity’s wedding, so make sure you make it to the bottom of the post to view it.

Kaity opened her gift from Michael, a monogrammed jewelry box, just before the wedding… now he just has to fill it up.

Bubble exits are so fun to photograph! I love the extra pops of color you get from all of the bubbles. After the ceremony we headed to the train station for some fun and iconic photos. It was close to the river as well so after putting on some boots I captured some images of Mike + Kaity in the gorgeous snowy scene.

To see the complete story head to their gallery for all of the photos from the day.  Use M+K’s last name as the password once you register on the site, and  leave a comment here to help them get a free 11×14 or 16×20 print (20 comments/40 comments). Congratulations again Mike + Kaity and thanks to everyone I had a great time being a part of the day.

After every wedding I’m exhausted from pouring every last bit of energy into photographing each inch of the day. I make it home and am ready to collapse in front of the tv with some sorbet (if I’m lucky to have it in the house) while I upload my memory cards. Despite this exhaustion, with out fail I get a second wind and start to look through the wedding photos. I start to sort and edit and see what new things I’ve captured. I can barely keep my hands from editing a few so I don’t even try to hold back. So, here is one of the images from David + Dawn’s wedding today. We had a great time getting photos in the district and trying to keep dry the whole time. It was a juggling act for me but one that I am used to – and you know it would take some pretty severe weather for me to miss photos like this. They had a great wedding that I’m looking forward to posting soon!

It’s a privilege to witness a wedding where the love is so real, so palpable, that it touches everyone involved. Steve and Blythe had such a wedding, and on a day where the focus was on them they turned the focus to God. What ensued was a fabulous celebration with all of their family and friends that joined Steve and Blythe together. Oh, and did I mention there was dancing?

I’ve known Steve for a few years through his time on the track team at Houghton, and his relationship with Blythe brought him down to Virginia at about the same time Matt and I moved. After our move Steve + Blythe’s wedding was the first I planned to shoot in Virginia and I am not only happy that I was able to document their wedding, but that they  help me get my start in a new state. My time in Williamsburg was wonderful, I felt totally welcomed and wish I could have spent some more time with everyone. Enjoy the photos from the day, which started at Blythe’s house where she got ready with her bridesmaids…

Blythe’s gorgeous Vera Wang dress was possibly the most complicated to get in to. I think it probably was easier when she tried it on before, but with the hair and makeup to worry about, she ended up kneeling on the floor to have it brought over her head.

Blythe was well taken care of by her bridesmaids the whole day. They were the kind of close friends that reminded me of my own!

She was a gorgeous bride and everyone was fighting back tears when she put all of the finishing touches on.

The ceremony took place and was

The wedding details were punctuated by the mix of flowers – most notably the thistle which took center stage in the bouquets. After the ceremony everything moved quickly over to the reception, which was held at the William & Mary Alumni House. Steve and Blythe had a signature entrance which I think everyone would agree was true to their personalities.

The reception was filled with tons of dancing. Seriously, if you knew Steve and Blythe you would know that dancing was high on the priority list… and I can relate to that. There was also great speeches from the best men and maid + matron of honor, and it was clear that Blythe and Steve have not only invested in their friendships, but care about investing in the lives of other people. After the speeches, celebration, dancing, and groomsmen dance :), the clock struck midnight and Steve and Blythe were off! There’s a lot more to the story so if you want to see all of the photos please visit their gallery and use their last name as the password once you register. Also, leave a comment to help them get a free 11×14 or 16×20 print (20 comments/40 comments). I have to admit I had such a good time getting to know everyone at the wedding and being a part of the day, so I hope you enjoy + looking forward to hear from you!

I have a lot to fill you in on since my last post was almost a week ago. I’ve had a lot of travel in these past few days, as well as excitement with Mike + Kaity’s wedding this past weekend in the Wappingers Falls area. You might have heard about – or lived through – the storm the northeast experienced as well, and the dramatization on the weather channel made me wonder if I would even make it up to the wedding. I sat in front of the tv Thursday night seeing report after report on precipitation, road conditions, and that you should cancel your travel plans if you haven’t already. I was sucked in, I admit it, and while the storm did drop a lot of snow thankfully the highways were perfectly safe to travel on and I arrived as scheduled.

Another wintery wedding. Mike + Kaity’s wedding day was fabulous and what made it so fun is that I know them so well. Both runners (like myself) they also graduated from Houghton and we share stories of meets, long runs, and the time spent together that comes from being a part of a team. It was fun to catch up with some old friends at their wedding and enjoy the reunion that so often comes along with the day. Can’t wait to show you more!