Yes I would be shooting a day long wedding the day before (without her btw) and yes I would be getting in super late and getting up early to shoot the photos and then heading straight back to the airport. BUT how in the world could I PASS up the opportunity to spend the day not only with my very best friend, but her whole family, who to me mean as much to me as my own family, not to mention we would be back in my favorite beach town Cocoa Beach, where I spent soo many of my days when I was a Floridian!

Cocoa Beach Pier was the perfect setting, giving us shade from the high noon sun. Plus you just gotta love the old pillars and water breaking through! Um, anytime you want me to come on vacation to shoot your photos just say the word!!

Their beautiful day took place at Windows Off Washington and was stunning all the way! Beautiful sunlight, bright tables, and glowing glass. How can you go wrong! I loved the urban feel of the cityscapes we used and the gorgeous vintage feeling of her dress. The way it all came together was beautiful! Enjoy, and thank you Jade and Chris for allowing me to photograph your day!!

This wedding was a little different to because my husband Mark, actually was my second shooter. Normally the only person I bring to shoots with me is April, most of you know that. We are a team and when you book with us, you get us each time. This was a special case, and Alicia and Brandon were very understanding and welcomed Mark to their day. For me it was neat for him to see me do my wedding “thang”

The wedding was a bit later in the day, and the sun was absolutely beautiful. I just loved all the haze during the ceremony and the gorgeous sunsett-y photos we were able to get for their bridal portraits were awesome! Of course the party was hopping too, for Alicia I expected no less. Great day, thank you so much for letting me be part of it!

The ceremony was beautiful of course, and even though it began to get chilly during our photo time, they lighting was stunning. We drove all around the grounds of Our Lady of the Snows looking for the best trees, rocks, sun and views. It was a great time!

At the reception I was introduced to a new tradition where the bride and groom drink from the same maiden with two ups at each end. Whoever finishes their cup first wins. As you can see by the photos, Maureen won. There was also a slideshow of Maureen and Griffin and it was really neat to see how they grew up and then how their relationship blossomed to where it is now!! Thank you Maureen and Griffin for a beautiful day!

“This will probably be your first small town country wedding but we will make it your BEST!!!”

Andrea’s words were definitely true. This was probably the smallest town April and I had ever shot in. For instance we followed a two lane highway into the town and were stuck behind a tractor for about 15 minutes. Not something I expected.

Weddings were also done differently, but they were done the same way each time and the people of Carrollton have grown to love it. For one, the gorgeous salon Hollywood Images doubled as a really trendy clothing boutique and it was normal custom for the reception guest to eat dinner before the bride and groom even arrived. But hey, we like change so we rolled with it!

From the beautiful Catholic Church to the sweeping farmlands my “photographer senses” were screaming all day long! And just as promised it was one of the best small town weddings!

The story of how they met is not that different from any of us. Boy buys a girl a drink at a bar then takes her to Cardinals game where they end up on the jumbo-tron and she starts falling in love. What is extraordinary about Andrea and Shane is the way they laugh when they are together. They both scrunch their noses and smile as widely as possible. It wasn’t hard to see that they were made for each other.

They made it impossible not to snap a photo per second with their candids silly faces, their perfect poses, and of course their good looks didn’t hurt either. In fact at one point Shane teased that I would run out of film (an inside joke between he and Andrea that they shared with me)

We traipsed around the farm stopping anywhere we felt inspired. I knew Andrea would be really easy to photograph, but I was surprised at how well Shane handled the pressure! Before too long, it was like he was reading my mind and just before I would call out a direction, he was mentioning it to Andrea. No joke!

They were really great sports, and up for anything, even tackling each other. I am thinking I might have to post some outtakes from this session too, as there are just so many great photos even when the “cameras {weren’t rolling}”

Enjoy your photos!! Can’t wait to do your Bridal portraits!

When I met Lauren at the salon, she was bubbly and full of excitement. Her beautiful hair was swooped to the side and she was wearing her “Bride” kimono. She laughed with her sisters and friends as they talked about “shellacing” their hair back. At the nail salon, where they painted her nails in a pretty little french manicure, she told me she felt {like a duck}, calm on the surface, but frantically kicking under the water. Back at her apartment, there was a flurry of makeup and hairspray as sisters, friends, mother of the bride, and flower girls tried to get ready for the day.

Meanwhile, April was at the church scouting locations and setting us up for the day. When I arrived, Todd was as calm and laid back as I remembered him. He met me at the front with a warm smile and led me into the sanctuary. April started preparing him for the “first glance” while I awaited the “here comes the bride” text message. He followed us into the back of the room to “hide” while we waited at the curb for Lauren. Of course she was all smiles as she walked up to him, and she even pinched him flirtily on his bum! (They really are too cute for this blog post!) As guests began arriving, we had to take them away for some cute photos before the ceremony, they just couldn’t stop giggling and kissing!! I LOVE how IN LOVE they are!

The ceremony was really sweet and very personalized with readings and song. Not only were there family members from all over, including a special Skype from Lauren’s brother overseas, but the “Father” performing the ceremony was actually Lauren’s high school prom date! I mean really, how neat would that be! Lauren and Todd held hands throughout, and even sneaked a few kisses here and there, even before “You may kiss the bride”. When they finally were pronounce man and wife, Lauren leaned right in and gave him a kiss that we could all see meant “You, Todd, are the love of my life”.

Afterwards we headed down to Tower Grove park to get some really beautiful group shots and newlywed portraits! Lauren and Todd wanted fun casual pictures and with this group, a mix of long time friends and sisters, candids came easy! In fact, I may just have to do a whole post of “outtakes” to show you how much fun this day really was!

The reception was at the Randall Gallery and it was truly beautiful. There were fun and quirky sculptures, bright paintings, and plenty of space to gather in. I loved the mix of beautiful clean bright white and black that the gallery provided, with the personal table runners and color that Lauren and Todd added. Heartfelt toasts were given, dinner was served, a cupcake was cut, and the dance floor boomed. To end the night Lauren and Todd showed me to one of their favorite spots – Eclipse Rooftop Terrace. A perfect ending to a beautiful day.