in this very digital age, it feels so good so give something real, something beautiful, and something you can actually hold in your hand as a document of your momentous, yet very short day (just a day…does it seem fair that a wedding is just ONE day after all of the planning and love that goes into it!).

these boxes, wrapped in fine linens or imported silk,  remind me of my grandmother’s paper mache box that was tucked in the back shelf of her closet. it was filled with her most treasured mementos. wedding photographs, dress lace, a curl of my fathers black baby hair in a time stained envelope, my grandfather’s World War II medals….handkerchiefs. i would go through them with my little fingers….and she would smile as she told the story of each one.

and another goody came in today….and i keep taking back out of the box to look at it….

i just LOVE this storyboard I designed for Natacha and Chris (and their sweet pup). printed on linen based Fuji paper, backed with a sturdy core, and then finished with a protective spray,  this 16 x 24 print will last for 100 years (or more!).

it’s photos like this that keep me warm…

more from Rachel and Dan’s wedding coming to the blog this weekend…

i thought i would end the year off with a post showing what i love to do more than anything. and i can’t think of a better bride to conclude my blogging for 2011. Kate and Jason’s wedding day was simply the best way to end my regular wedding season….the colors were vibrant, the temperature was perfect, and their family and friends made the day so warm and so inviting for all.

Kate’s sister, Madeline,  is an amazing, amazing make up artist. How lucky can a girl get!

The ceremony was at the gorgeous Red Barn on Overlook Farm. I have never seen a venue cater to a couple more elegantly, and they location is STUNNING.

I couldn’t have asked for a more fun wedding party….

Kate and Jason

The Reception:

some of my favorite bouquet shots EVER…love the girls in the background.

Kate is a ballerina (could you already tell?), so the reception was FILLED with amazing dancers and people not shy at all about showing their skills. Even the moms got in on the fun.

daily mantra:

i no longer believed in the idea of soul mates, or love at first sight. but i was beginning to believe that a very few times in your life, if you were lucky, you might meet someone who was exactly right for you. Not because he was perfect, or because you were, but because your combined flaws were arranged in a way that allowed two separate beings to hinge together.

daily mantra: what a wonderful thought it is that some of the best days of our lives haven’t happened yet….

albums can be a long process, and there is nothing better than having them coming in right before the holidays.

Nicole is just one of those girls that makes everything better in the whole world. You get this instantly upon meeting her…and her fun and loving nature is one of the reasons she was surrounded with so many family and friends on her wedding day. It was great to see this couple tie the knot, and start there very happy life together.

Catholic ceremonies are a bit long, and the ring bearer thought he would catch his nap.

The wedding party was an amazing mix of friends and family.

With such a fun bunch you can see why the reception photos are so animated:

Nicole.and.Garrett

my sweet and simple collection comes with all of the images from your session (in this case it was almost 100 5×7 prints!), a custom created box, wallets, 8 x 10′s, and a beautiful canvas.

for my brides, i really try to go all out to find products that really fit who they are and what their wedding was all about. silk, linen, or hand-embossed leather boxes filled with every fully edited pictures from their wedding day, hand designed cd cases and cd’s for those who order the Complete Digital Collection for Weddings. . . I seek out artists all over the world to create these products to accompany my photographs. while these items do take longer than your typical cookie cutter objects, the memories inside them, and the boxes themselves, last a lifetime.

…for those of us who LOVE details, this house is just filled with wonder. i could spend all day just walking around and touching the books, the knobs of the doors, and feeling the cracks of the wood. Lynsey’s family and several friends stayed at the home for a few days before the wedding, and it must have been so great to have everyone together and in one place.

i loved how every dress in the bridal party was completely different but still accented perfectly. i swear, she should be a wedding planner!

i kind of love it when my brides smile that big.

ian.and.lynsey

daily mantra: beautiful things don’t just happen. if you want something marvelous, you’ve got to make someone marvelous.

daily mantra: love isn’t the person you can see yourself with, its the person you can’t see yourself without.

as promised, i am releasing the new 2012/2013 wedding prices today. remember if you have already booked, then you are locked into the old pricing. if you have inquired or met with me about a wedding date and NOT paid a deposit, then you have NOT locked in the previous pricing.

i am really excited to present my new pricing for this coming season. after years of designing complicated packages, and custom arrangements, i have finally come up with a system to let everyone choose exactly what they want in their wedding packages. as you can see, there are HUGE savings for committing to items upon booking.

deposit:

the deposit will be half of the basic package + half of the cost of your custom add options.

example:

referral program: i am instituting a referral credit program starting today. if you refer me to anyone who books a wedding in 2012/2013, you will receive a $200 print credit towards the purchase of prints. if you refer more than one client, than you will get another $200 print credit, if you refer another client, you get another $200 print credit, if you do it AGAIN, you get another $200 print credit. all credits MUST be used within your gallery ordering time frame. you can even split the print credit with your friends who book so everyone wins! this is major. huge. awesome.

other chances to save: i know not everyone has the money to commit to the items they want to add early on. therefore, you can still receive a savings of %15  off the after booking price if you decide on those custom options. as long as you add the options on or before the 30 day mark before your wedding, you will receive the discount. this discount does NOT apply to the basic package…just custom options.