Last, but certainly not least, of our fall season weddings to catch everyone up on was Liz and Matt’s wedding last December.   I actually forgot that it rained that day, Liz was such a happy bride that you would guess it had been 82 degrees and sunny!  I do remember hoping that the temperature would drop just a little bit to turn a rainy day into a white wedding but the snow held off until evening as everyone was heading home.  This was probably a better scenerio for Liz and Matt’s guests but a bummer for two photographers who have yet to shoot a wedding in the snow!

The ceremony took place at St. Bridget’s Catholic Church with a reception at the Omni Hotel in downtown Richmond on Saturday, December 5th.  My favorite detail was the monogrammed Chapstick party favor, Liz described herself and Matt as “obsessed with Chapstick” so it was a great giveaway to keep guests smoochable all winter long.

Here’s a slideshow with our favorites from the day and if you would like to visit the online gallery, click here.  Congrats to Liz and Matt on their wedding and… more!

Posted by Mel @ 6:49 pm, in Weddings | 1 comment | Permalink

What an amazing way to open spring season for us.  Liz and Dave were married at the Amber Grove Inn in Moseley, Virginia last Saturday under the clear, blue April sky.  Its been a long time since we have shot at Amber Grove but its always been one of our favorites places to shoot with its backdrop of green pastures, a big beautiful barn, and perky gardens behind the historic farmhouse.

Time and again Liz and Dave’s nearest and dearest toasted the authenticity of their love for each other.  For a long time I have claimed that photographs can lie, that its not so hard to bend the truth with a camera.  Believe these photographs.  Liz and Dave really are this in love and everyone around them really was this happy.   It really was this beautiful, this real.  While acting is one of many talents possessed between this couple, this was no act.

In celebration of Liz’s love of theater, the tables were arranged by classic plays with lines about love printed and tied to lanterns.  Soft shades of silver, peach and pink made for a soft, romantic color scheme:

Here’s a slideshow with our favs from the day and if you would like to be notified by email when their online gallery is available for viewing, click here.  Congrats to Liz and Dave and many thanks for inviting us to be part of it.  Your love for one another other reminded us of why we love doing what we do.

Posted by Mel @ 10:19 pm, in Weddings | No comments | Permalink

OK, I know its not exactly news… This shoot was from back in November but I am almost done updating our blog from my maternity hiatus (I promise).  And I better hurry up, I am excited to be shooting Baby Caroline again in a few short weeks and spring season has officially sprung!

Shooting for Caroline has always been a treat because she was born on my own birthday, we’ve got a special kinship.  And since my son was born just a year and a day after her, she is like a little preview of what we have in store a year from now.  As I watched her walk around exploring everything around her: picking up leaves, touching berries on bushes, and blowing the seeds off dandelions to make a wish I was in awe of how fast a tiny baby grows into a beautiful, curious little person.  She was trying out some new words too so I can’t wait to chat with her at our next session.

While we hadn’t set out to make Christmas card portraits, some opportunities presented themselves between a special velvet dress, holly berries coming into season and some magical light.  Its like she is exploring a minature Christmas tree in this small piece of evergreen.

We took full advantage of the fall atmosphere for a few pumpkin shots of the little pumpkin.  Its nice to tie the season to a baby’s growth and I enjoyed rolling around in the leaves a little and shooting up.

Here’s a slideshow of the session and if you would like to see the online gallery click here.  I can’t wait to see the whole family again soon!

Posted by Mel @ 3:49 pm, in Portraits, Wee Ones | No comments | Permalink

This was a wedding I was sad to miss!   I was concerned about doing a double header with Fiver still so young so the amazing Tasha Tolliver took the job in my place and did a fantastic job as always.  Sarah and Jonathan’s wedding took place on November 21st of last year in one of our favorite destinations in all of Virginia: the village of Irvington on the Chesapeake Bay.  Both the ceremony and reception were held at the beautiful Tide’s Inn overlooking the Bay, right across from where I learned to sail two summers ago.  The fall weather couldn’t have been more perfect and the ceremony overlooking the water took place just as the sun was setting.  The couple met on the docks before the ceremony before heading off to take family portraits while the sun was still up.

After the sun went down and the reception had ended, the couple had an after party arranged with a bonfire on the beach.  Guests ran off to their rooms following the exit to change into more comfortable clothing and hit the beach to roast marshmallows, drink beer, make smores and light up sparklers while enjoying the crisp fall air.  Sounds like a great way to end an evening to me!  Jonathan admitted that he actually hates smores, prompting an almost heated discussion between Sam and myself on the merit of the smore.  Here is our conclusion: smores are the best way to eat a marshmallow but not chocolate.  A chocolate fountain is the best way to eat Hershey’s chocolate but not a marshmallow.  So if you could combine a bonfire with a chocolate fountain, you could have the perfect marshmallow/chocolate experience.  I think we’re onto something.

Here’s a slideshow with Sam’s favorites of the day and if you would like to visit their online gallery, click here.  Congratulations to Sarah and Jonathan on such a beautiful wedding!  And thanks again, Tasha,  for doing such a beautiful job throughout last fall.  Just knowing that Sam was working with you made my maternity leave and our transition to parenthood so much easier!

Posted by Mel @ 8:59 pm, in Weddings | No comments | Permalink