Off for the Holidays

The last of the orders have been shipped out and I am finally ready to enjoy the Holidays! Yay! Beginning tomorrow, I will be out of the office and not return until - next year! :) Seriously, though, I'll be out until January 5, 2008.

This Christmas, I'll be in partly sunny and somewhat foggy California. I'm so excited that I'll get to catch up with friends and family whom I haven't seen in years. It's going to be awesome! Unfortunately, I won't have access to the internet. *gasp* (So no more blog posts unless I sneak away to a Starbucks or wi-fi shop). I'll still be taking lots of picture to show everyone when I return.


Now for a moment of fun: This weekend, as I ventured out into the overwhelming sea that is the Holiday Mall Madness, I saw the cutest pair of Christmas socks! I confess - I indulged my inner festive child and snatched them up! Red and white candy striped? Oooooh, yes! Dear Santa, 12 months is a long time... So true. I love them and I won't be taking them off until April! :)

Happy Holidays!

Dancing Feet

Hello everyone! These past two weeks, I've been busy getting some last minute Christmas orders sent out. Since it's my last full week at work, I am scurrying to make sure everything is finished - on time and out the door. :)

While editing at my computer, I've been staring out the window and enjoying the scenes of lovely snow falling - and then melting. I think our yard was covered in white for one whole day! Now I'm treated to such lovely sights as fog and overcast winter light. But since colors really pop in this weather, the gray skies aren't too dismal or sad. (By the way, winter light is gorgeous for pictures!)

I was going through some photos from earlier this year when I chanced upon a darling pair. This little girl who we'll call "E" was in her grandparent's kitchen. As she was watching her family cook lunch, her feet began to do a peculiar little dance. No one seemed to see it as they were busy preparing the food - I'm not even sure if "E" knew what her feet were doing. But her little dancing feet caught my eye. I quickly caught these two moments before she had to move out of the adults' way and find another spot.


I have more images of "E". (She has the cutest, pinchable cheeks. ^_^) But these little feet remind me of the free spirits children possess and the whimsy they bring to our lives. When was the last time your feet danced by themselves?

Here's to remembering that free spirit inside all of us that just wants to break out and dance! Invite them out to play and dance this Holiday season.

Cheers!
~Heather

Happy Holidays with Elf

You know the Holiday season is in full swing when you hear Country Christmas songs playing at your local grocery store. To ring in my Holidays, I've been blasting the Elf movie soundtrack. Lots of good tunes! It has all the classics with some sassy revamps. My current favorites are Pennies from Heaven, Baby It's Cold Outside, and Let It Snow.


It's no surprise that Elf also happens to be one of my favorite Christmas movies. Who wouldn't love a towering Will Ferrell in a bright green, elf costume - trying his hardest to spread Christmas cheer to all New Yorkians everywhere! It's a great movie to turn on and watch while wrapping presents, sharing a festive night with friends, or baking cookies with the family. Everyone needs a good Holiday laugh, right? I know I sure do. So lift those spirits and treat yourself to a night of great music and heartfelt fun with Elf. Happy Holidays!

~Heather
P.S. You can hear samples from the Elf soundtrack by clicking on the picture and scrolling down the page to the track list. :) Enjoy!

Cute Turkey Day Video

I had to share this with my bloggies. It's just a little bit of fun to go along with your Turkey Day feast. Enjoy!

Happy Turkey Day!

I just wanted to wish everyone a Happy Thanksgiving! Today, we are up in Eureka, Kansas on a beautifully sunny 28F morning. Ok, so it's totally freezing here. But we're quite content to stay indoors, enjoying the warm company of family for our holiday and eating lots of turkey and 'tofu-key'.

We're also counting our many blessings that we've had this year. We are so thankful for the response we've received from our clients who appreciate our vision and keep us in business. :) We realize that not everyone gets to do what they love for a living and we're totally blessed to be doing this.

So on this great Turkey Day, we give thanks, share in the company of family and friends and remember that life has as many yummy pumpkin pie moments as the sauerkraut ones! (But the best part is the late-night turkey sandwich!) Happy Holidays! :)

The BIG HOLIDAY NEWS Post!

The Holiday season is upon us - my most favorite time of the year - and I feel like celebrating! Starting today, I am offering double credit on all Collections booked between now and the 5th of February, 2008. During this time, all retainers are just $1000. This means that you could be saving thousands on current Collection prices. What an awesome way to kick off the Holidays, eh? If you have been thinking of booking, contact me to see if your wedding date is available.

I'd also like to announce our newest offering - Wedding Slideshows - and I'm including them with all of my Wedding Collections. I've been dying to unveil this for weeks and now I finally can! :) Each will be a short montage of your wedding day set to music and displayed on my blog. Your family and friends will be able to view it here or they can purchase DVD copies and digital downloads (ipod compatible, of course). I'm so excited about these shows. Please click the link above to see the one I made for my August couple.

Before I sign off, I have been receiving emails about the Destinations gallery photographs. I would like to let everyone know that all of my photographs in that gallery are available as Fine Art Prints. Each print is signed by me and offered in several different sizes - most can fit under the tree. ^.^ For more information about purchasing a Fine Art Print, please click here.

Whew! Is everyone feeling the Holiday cheer yet? I am. I'll be posting more fun things as the Holidays get into full swing. I might even share my awesome holiday recipe for Double Chocolate Fudge Mint Crunch Bars (which are actually quite moist and chewy). But this is my BIG HOLIDAY NEWS post. I hope you enjoyed it. Happy Holidays to everyone!

~Cheers! Heather

"Confessions of a Superhero" is a Hit!

I've been here in Austin for about a week now and all the while patiently waiting for "Confessions of a Superhero" to come out. Well, it's finally here! Today was the day that Jeremy and I headed into the heart of Austin to experience both it and the coolest theater ever - The Alamo Ritz!

We arrived a bit early because I was convinced we wouldn't find any parking on a Saturday. Of course, there just so happened to be a very empty parking garage about a block away. Since the theater wasn't open yet, we took the opportunity to walk around, taking in the street scene Austin has. It's historic. It's hip. It's cool and just a little quirky. It's Texas? Yeah. And it all adds up to some awesome vibes.

This was a fun sticker on a car parked out front of the Alamo theater. I'm thinking it either belonged to an employee or the theater has some very aggressive advertising. ^_^ (Good thing we parked in the garage :D *Just kidding*)

This area of the city is filled with restaurants and clubs with tons of character in old brick buildings. I'm just dying to do a photo shoot here. If you're in the Austin area, give me a holler and we can setup something fun! :)

In the walk up to the Alamo theater, they have these awesome red walls. Quick photo op while we wait. :)

Both of us still waiting ...oh the doors opened!

The inside of the Alamo Ritz is pretty sweet. Everything is strictly retro/cool. Old movie posters, bronze busts of Davy Crocket, old black-and-white photos of the Ritz in it's heyday - all greet you as you enter the lobby. They also show old movie clips remixed for pre-movie entertainment while you wait. Now here's the coolest thing about the Alamo theaters - they serve restaurant-quality food before and during the movie. They have small tables in front of the theater seats where waiters come and take your order. We had Robert. Hey Robert! (Jeremy recommends the Green Chile Mac n' Cheese.) Jeremy and I were in love with the whole experience. If you are ever in Austin or Texas, you must see a movie at an Alamo theater! Seriously.

Now it's time for our featured movie review!

I know that "Confessions of a Superhero" is only being shown in 4 cities (if you're in one, go see it! Seriously!) but it will come out on DVD. When it does, I highly recommend it to everyone - even if it's only a rent. Going into the movie, I wasn't exactly sure what to expect. I assumed they would have the stories of the four main actors and how they became character performers in Hollywood. Well yes, they did show their histories (and each has a very unique history - some with old hollywood ties and others that I won't spoil for you) but I also saw each person go through a change during the course of the film. I won't give too much away because the movie is all about the exploration of their stories and themselves: their motivation, their inspiration and their resolution. But I will say that this film is very well done and deserves all the praise it gets! The stories of these individuals become so real that you end up cheering for them by the end. I got to know each one more personally then I thought I would in a documentary film - which was very cool. Being a photographer whose purpose is to convey my clients stories and personalities through my images, I understand how difficult it can be to successfully portray the real person. "Confessions..." has done this. It also left with an interesting perspective on the whole newcomer/struggling actor trying to make it in Hollywood. It made me wonder - with so many hopefuls trying to make it and so few actually being found - is the process to stardom really worth it? Watch and find out! Seriously. :)

That's all for now from the Lone Star State!
~Heather

Confessions of a Superhero

Yes, this is a true documentary. At first I wasn't sure. But knowing that it is a true story makes it all the more intriguing to me. I was so excited to find out that it would be showing in one of the cities I would be visiting this month - Austin, TX! I'm definitely going to be attending the premiere. If you're in Austin or in another of the cities screening the movie, join me in checking out Confessions of a Superhero.

Screening in:
New York City - 11/2 - Pioneer Theater
Austin, TX - 11/2 - Alamo Drafthouse South Lamar
Los Angeles - 11/16 - Laemmie's Music Hall
Denver, CO - 11/21 - Starz Theater

Oh and the website is pretty cool too! www.therealsuperhero.com I'll be writing more about the film once I've gotten to see it all the way through. :)

Later y'all!
~Heather (from Austin)

Out of Office

I just wanted to let everyone know that I will be out of the office for the next three weeks. During this time, I can receive your calls and any emails sent through our website's contact form. I have quite the mobile little office. ^_^ I will be posting more very soon so keep checking back for the latest and greatest!

~Heather

Our Baby's 1st Week

Earlier this month our die-hard work horse of 3 years, well.... died. Our little Hyundai Accent had been with us since before we were married and had seen us through many long trips and several states of residency. Actually, it was doing rather well given that it was around 120,000 miles and we had originally bought it used (with problems that hadn't been divulged to us at the time of sale). We both knew that it was on its last legs since summer and that it would need more work than we were willing to put into it. Well, two weeks ago our little teal hatchback decided that it had had enough and promptly ejected its brakes. Yep, while Jeremy was still driving! (He managed to pull off of the road safely though ...whew!)

This sent us on a mad dash of researching and comparing countless cars and brands, all the while being under the clock. We wanted a car with good gas mileage, good pick-up and pep, lots of storage space but not a beast on the road. Finding a car like that should be easy, right? Right, no wait.... Wrong. I can't remember having so much trouble and confusion about choosing anything before. And dealing with car salesmen isn't exactly no-pressure happy fun. Let's just say that by the end of the week, both of us were about to throw in the towel and buy whatever car we came across on the next lot.

Thankfully, we didn't have to. One week ago, we walked in, drove around, thoroughly loved, and bought our new baby - a Nissan Versa Hatchback in Onyx Blue! We had the nicest salesmen walk us through everything - I'd totally recommend them to anyone in the Maryland area who's interested in test-driving a Nissan. Email me if you'd like to know their names. Jeremy loves how it drives and the power of the engine. I love the space of the hatchback for hauling our equipment. It's not that big on the outside but you'd be surprised how much you can pack inside of it. Plus, it's totally comfortable with 4 people in it. We're completely happy with our Versa and couldn't have asked for a better car. (Well, maybe next time we will add a sunroof. ^_^) You know I had to take at least one picture.
We've now become the safest drivers on the road - driving at least 10 miles under the speed limit in the slow lane. It's our first new car so I think we're entitled to being very protective, albeit very proud parents too.

There are some exciting things in the works at the moment. I can't say anything yet. But I will say we've been very busy. Also, I will be traveling on and off through the rest of the year so if you'd like to schedule a meeting or book your wedding with us, I would advise that you contact us soon to reserve an open date.

Enjoy the fall everyone! ~Heather

Embrace the Rainbow

Here is a little bit of happiness I wanted to share with you today. You may have heard this song from Apple's new iPOD Nano commercial (very neat little gizmo by the way). When I first heard it, I hunted down the full video to see if it was as cool as the little excerpt on TV. Yep, it was! I love how this video is so simple with its "rainbow" choreography when most videos tend to go hi-tech and special effects and all that jazz. This one just decided to have some fun. It makes me smile every time I see it/hear it. It's a little 'Retro meets Sesame Street'. But it will definitely put a smile on your face! Enjoy :)

Style Me Pretty

Now is the season when most brides begin the planning of their upcoming weddings. So I figured we could all use a little bit of design inspiration to go along with the planning. I recently came across style me pretty and found it inspiring to see just how creative brides were becoming in their wedding planning process. There are some really wonderful ideas throughout its pages thanks to the blog's creator - Abby Jean. Her sections cover: color palettes, food, fashion, paper goods, reception ideas, photography, and some very creative and chic 'how-to's. And I especially like the 'inspiration board' section. I did something similar when I was planning my own wedding and found it so helpful in figuring out all the little details and colors that I wanted to incorporate in our wedding. Plus, it gave me a great idea about how they would look in our photography. ^.^

So, if you are still in the process of planning your own wedding, why not head on over and find your own design inspiration.

Holiday Schedule

With Halloween candy and costumes starting to pop up, most of us probably aren't even thinking about Christmas. Well, I wanted to give everyone a heads about our Holiday ordering schedule so everyone can receive their albums and prints in time for the Holidays. Due to the custom nature of our albums, September 24th is the last day to place your album order for a Christmas delivery. This includes orders for Parent Albums and Coffee Table Books which make great Holiday gifts. Photographic prints and canvases ordered through November 20th will also arrive by Christmas. If you have any questions about ordering or need your albums before Christmas, contact us ASAP and we can work with you. ^_^

Finally... The Truth! (About Food)

Where are you going to be tonight at 8pm? At home - maybe flipping channels? May I suggest you check out the Discovery Health Channel's new series "The Truth About Food". I caught the first two episodes last night and if they were any indication of what's in store tonight, you'll find me on the couch with the TV flickering and notepad in hand - ready to get healthy! (Yeah, I take notes. ^_^) I'm the kind of person that's glued to the TV with Mysteries of Ancient Egypt on or those addictive house flipping shows. Any show that I can learn new things that I didn't know before - I'm so there! Hence this series is a welcome addition to my cool new shows to watch list.

I learned so much like - tomatoes cut down the amount your skin burns in the sun! That's totally awesome news for us with fair skin that usually end up looking like tomatoes in the summer sun. This led me to today's tomato run to a local stand for some lovely ripe ones! I'm not too sure if I could eat 11 lbs of raw fruits, veggies, and nuts every day - as was tried in the first experiment. Even so, they do give tips on how you can make small changes to your diet and still receive some benefits.

This show is a win-win no matter how you look at it. So tonight, skip that rerun of House (the season premiere is next Tuesday anyway) and check out The Truth About Food. And eat a tomato! ^_^

As a side note: I'm also the kind of person that will bake tons of chocolate chip cookies and triple fudge heavenly goodness and feed it to you on a bed of vanilla sundaes. I'm not a health nut, but I'd like to believe that eating even just a little bit healthier will balance out all the yummy indulgences in life. :)

As a side running-off-the-page note: I guess this is where I say check your local listings and times for this show. I'm on the east coast so if you're in another time zone, the show time could vary.

Fun with Animoto

I had to share this with everyone. I just read another blog post about Animoto.com - it's fun, its free and it makes your photos look fabulous! Simply supply 15 of your favorite photos, pick out some cool music from Animoto's selection or upload your own, then hit create. That's it! Now you have your very own hip and styling 30 second photo show - completely free and just that easy. If you don't like how it comes out, just hit the remix button and different effects are added to it. Animoto does offer a longer show option for $3.00 per show(with unlimited remixing) or $30.00 for a year of unlimited shows. I stuck with the free version and made this. ^_^ If you have time today, try making one yourself and post it in the comments. I'd love to see everyone's shows!

New Albums Revealed

I know I've been promising to show everyone our new sample albums since they first hit our doorstep. Well, here they are! They made their official debut last month at the DC Bridal Expo and we were very pleased with the response they got.

We are working with two amazing album companies who can custom create any size and shape album we design! Plus they have lots of cover options. They offer a huge variety of leathers, including suedes, custom glass tiles, photo insets, and my favorite - a sweet selection of metals. Below is a photo of our two albums together. The one in front is 14"x 11" with a natural suede covering. The one in back is 10"x 20" with a black leather spine and Titania metal cover.

Like our first Parent Album that we featured, these albums are Flush Mount. This means that the album pages are mounted on to thin yet firm boards. This protects your pages from warping over time thus extending the life of your album. It's such a brilliant idea!

Our albums are included in several of our Wedding Collections or they can be ordered anytime through our A La Carte items. Email me if you would like more information on pricing and options for your own custom album. If you are interested in viewing our Wedding Albums in person (which I highly recommend ^_^) please use our website's contact form or call us at 1.410.818.6748 to schedule your consultation. Thanks for stopping by! ~Cheers

Tagged! Part 2

It took me forever to get this done but here it is - 8 things about me.

1. I love pet fish. My dream home would have an aquarium-sized fish tank.
2. I was in a drama group for a few years in college. I fainted once when I sat up too fast to say my line.
3. Me and my friends in high school made a short movie called Attack of the Killer Roadkill. It was filmed at the Sleepy Hollow Campground.
4. I fell off of a 20ft tall slide when I was little and fractured my skull.
5. I lived in Alaska for a year when I was 4.
6. My favoritae book series is The Farseer Trilogy by Robin Hobb.
7. My middle name is Dusk.
8. I have an Associate Degree in Game Design and Development.

Tagged! Part 1

Have you ever wondered about what random facts you didn't know about Jeremy and I? Well wonder no more! Yesterday a blog comment appeared that said we had been "tagged". I was like, "Tagged? Tagged! All right! Jeremy we're tagged!" Let me explain. There is this phenomenon going around the photography worlds' blogs where photographers tag each other. When you're tagged, you have to give 8 facts about yourself that your blog readers probably wouldn't know about you - anything at all. It could be like, I lost my first tooth on the crazy wet and wild slide in my backyard while whistling La Bamba. (You can see I've thought this out before.) I saw some great people get tagged over the last month and so I thought it'd be awesome to be tagged. But I wasn't sure how the chain would get over to our side of the web. (I watch a lot of Californian photographers blogs). I guess they've decided to make the continental journey because low and behold, a Tag! hehe Thanks Jen. ^_^ Check out her fun blog at www.jlowephotos.com/blog.

So first, we are supposed to display the rules…

1. Post these rules before you give the facts.
2. List eight (8) random facts about yourself.
3. At the end of your post, choose (tag) 8 peoples, list their name and link to their page
4. Leave them a comment on their blog letting them know they’ve been tagged!

Since Jeremy and I were both named in the "tagging", I thought it would only be fair if we each gave 8 random facts about us. We'll try not to make this a marathon blog. :)

Heather's (8) Fun Facts:
(1). When I was very young, I got to meet Ms. Kathleen Turner on the movie set of "Peggy Sue Got Married". My family's 1956 Studebaker President was going to be used in the movie (whose seen was later taken out). But it still allowed me to talk to Ms. Turner in her trailer and sit on her lap. I don't actually remember much of it but I do remember her lap. lol... Oh I also remember almost falling out of the car as it was pulling out of the parking lot. The door swung open and my body dipped out, but my seatbelt (lap-style only) caught me and my dad pulled me back in.

(2). Growing up as a big Disney fan in a Disney family, my dad taught me to speak in a Mickey Mouse voice. But I can only say three words, " Look fellas - Beans!" This is a quote from the Mickey short, "Mickey and the Beanstalk" which I watched forever trying to get the voice down. I'm actually quite proud of it. Just give me a few tries before the real Mickey comes out. :D

(3). I am a Coloratura Soprano with a high and low range. From my late teen years through college, I trained to become an opera singer. I was actually double-majoring in vocal performance and photography in college, but it was during that time that photography really won me over.

(4.) When I was 4, I got the brilliant notion that instead of walking around a bookcase I should instead climb over it! I figured it would be faster. I think I got up to the third shelf before my weight unbalanced the bookcase and I along with it both fell backwards. I remember falling and then an adult holding back the bookcase from my leg. I didn't break any bones but my leg sure did ache for a while. I haven't climbed in bookcases since, but I do sometimes get the urge the break out of the rut and do things differently.

(5.) I love baking and creating sweets! But I rarely eat them. I'm known for my chocolate chip cookies and peppermint fudge crunch brownies. I'm also known for some terribly awful attempts at unusual concoctions that will not be named here. Poor Jeremy :) But that doesn't stop me from dreaming up new and yummy recipes to try out and give to everyone I know.

(6.) In eighth grade, I was both class president and leader of our school's cheer squad. We wore big white t-shirts that covered our thighs and bold blue leggings than went down to our ankles (school rules). We couldn't perform any type of hip action in our routines, only arm movements and marching-like leg action. But we were pioneering the first ever cheer squad at school. So we marched and arm-rotated like crazy to Wilson Phillips!

(7.) I am a gamer. I am also married to a gamer. My very first game that I ever beat was Disney's Ducktales on the NES. Since then, I have been known to play everything from Pokemon to Final Fantasy 8-12 to World of Warcraft and many others in between. I currently love Nintendo's Wii (super fun) and am getting a bit of a "Wii arm" :)

(8.) I'm a California girl. I was born and raised in the north right across the mountains from Napa Valley. I left there to live on the east coast when I was 7 but returned every summer there after. It rejuvenates me and keeps me grounded in a feeling you can only get when you know you've come home. I attribute much of my creativity in my photography to the people and places who inspired me as a little girl growing up in the tall golden grasses of the Napa Valley hillside. (Did I mention that Jeremy's a Northern California baby too? Good things come from California! :)

Wow this got a little long. We're going to have to make this a two-part entry! Sweet! While we wait for Jeremy to get his blog facts up, go enjoy our 8 top picks for cool photography blogs.

Our Super 8 Picks:
Jose Villa - Jose is an amazing photographer. We chose him to shoot our wedding and the images we got from that day are absolutely gorgeous. He's based in Southern California and he's built a reputation with the entertainment and Hollywood insiders there for his exclusive use of film in a digital world. If you haven't seen his work, please check him out.

Liana Lehman - We got to meet Liana at this year's WPPI convention. She's devoted herself to helping photographers be the best they can be in their businesses and in their photography. Her blog always has fun stories and tips to read plus she has great slide shows to keep you inspired. And who wouldn't love to read a blog with 'Bananas' in the title?

Jesh De Rox - Jesh is a philosopher, photographer, song writer and a really cool guy. He's far up north in Canada so I'm not sure how many people know about him. His real and genuine approach towards his couples inspired us to do the same. We definitely recommend checking him out! His work speaks for itself.

Anna Kuperberg - I stumbled upon Anna's work early this year. She is awesome! Another artist who is also a photographer, her work is gentle, fun and sincerely from her heart. Hers is definitely a style I can identify with. I'd love to be able to meet with her someday. She's also a dog fan and likes to include them in her weddings and portraits. If you're a pet lover and getting married, look her up!

Gene Higa - Destination Wedding Photographer Extraordinare! Another great guy we met at the WPPI. He's full of crazy energy that is infectious to everyone he meets. This is the guy you'd want to have around when you're spending 6 days in Thailand before your wedding. He's right there with you, doing all kinds of crazy things to get the shot. And he gets gorgeous shots! He's also gives back to the photography community and that makes him one awesome guy in our book!

Anne Ruthmann - This girl is a Midwest photographer based in Indiana. Her blog is full of awesome pics, great tidbits to read, and everything that makes Anne - Anne. Plus she has a scrolling chat box that she always replies to. ^_^ Another inspiring artist to keep an eye on.

Don't Box Me In! - OK this isn't exactly one person's blog. But I have found it to be so motivating to read. It showcases lots of super-talented photographers from all over the web and asks them tons of questions we're all dying to know. All photographers should read this blog. Plus brides-to-be can get some great advice for choosing a wedding photographer and what questions they should ask when they go to an interview. I believe a knowledgeable bride is a happy bride.

Jen and a few others have already tagged The Image is Found (i.e. Nate and Jaclyn Kaiser) but they are just too cool not to be mentioned! AMAZING photography from this husband + wife team and an AMAZING little girl named Gracie livens this blog up. It's a daily read as all kinds of things pop up on here: book recommendations, movies, the iphone, weddings, portraits, road trips, Gracie's newest TV show fav or best costume idea. This is one awesome family that just also happens to be one of the best photography teams anywhere! We can't wait to attend their next workshop. Please come out the east coast!

~Cheers!

Best Belated Birthday Blog (b)-Ever!

Yesterday was the birthday of someone I love, respect and admire. And someone who can be quite trying at times but is still willing to take out the trash in the rain. Yuckie! Yep, its my hubby Jeremy! Love yas! We got to take some time off yesterday to enjoy it. And despite his not being one to really celebrate birthdays, we still managed to have some fun!

Early that morning, I decided that he should have a birthday candle in everything he ate! So I started off the day with my super yummy cinnamon streusel birthday muffins.


But he woke up before I got them on a plate. I quickly stuck a candle into one and presented it to him. Well, the morel of the story is don't let a candle sit too long in a fresh-from-the-oven muffin or all the wax melts off of the candle and into the yummy muffin. (end of morel) (begin punchline) ...And that's how his birthday muffin became a holey one! :) (wakka~wakka~wakka) At least we got a pretty picture before the demolition.


The rest of the days' meals didn't really afford the use of candles, thus dashing my wonderful candle-filled birthday scheme: traditional birthday hash browns - too flat, chili - too soupy, and a super-frozen snickers ice cream cake - too hard! (He's not one for dry cake or gobs of frosting hence the genius idea of an ice cream cake was born) Now if only it wasn't such a terror to cut into. Maybe the candle could have been hammered into it's thick, chocolaty shell... but it probably wouldn't have been too good for the candle. At least he got one candle for the day. May he just wants to pretend he's turning one. lol

So, here's to my Jeremy! HAPPY BIRTHDAY! May you have many more filled with dancing squirrels and guitar-rocking! :)

Great Bridal Expo Wrap-Up

We had such a great time at this weekend's Great Bridal Expo in DC. It was so much fun meeting with so many couples and getting to talk with them. I get so inspired when I get to hang out with cool, fun people and there were a bunch of them there. I was surprised at how many grooms-to-be made it out there. But they were all great sports! :)

We also got to show our new canvas gallery wrap and some really hot albums. I tell ya, metal is so cool for an album cover! I'll be posting pics of them in a later post because you've really got to see these. But for now, I wanted to put up a little collage I made of our day there.

Note: these were shot with our mini point-and-shoot. It's super-cute but not exactly picture-perfect quality.

Thanks again to everyone who visited us at our booth and best wishes for your upcoming weddings! If you'd like more information about us, collection details or have any questions we didn't get to answer, please feel free to email us on our website's contact form or call us at 410.818.6748. ~Cheers!

The Great Bridal Expo

I wanted to be sure to give everyone a heads up about a cool event happening this weekend. This Sunday - August 19th - Jeremy and I will be attending The Great Bridal Expo in Washington D.C. If you're in the area, come on down to the Renaissance hotel and say hello. And while you're there, check out our new sample albums. We'll also be giving away a really cool product that is new for our clients this year. Click on the pretty star below to visit the show's main website and learn more. See you there!

Jo + Justynn's Wedding

"As soon as I saw her come out of the room with the dress on, I screamed, 'Jo'!" Her mother laughed as she told the story to those standing in the room. Jo's eyes sparkled brightly as she giggled. "When I saw her cry, I knew this was the dress for me." Jo sat down on the bed beside her mother, admiring the beautiful gown. They held each others hand tightly. You could see by the smiles on their faces just how happy and excited they were for the day ahead. It was time for Joanna - her daughter, the youngest and last child in the Prouty family, to become a bride.

Jo and Justynn's afternoon wedding took place in their neighbor's garden. A gorgeous blue sky stretched out over the guests heads as Justynn's grandfather offered a prayer of thanks and blessing for the young couple's union.

We love being able to shoot creative portraits with our couples. It's so nice to be able to take time in the middle of the wedding day and just have the couple be alone together (with their photographers that is ^_~). It's usually the first time they've been alone since becoming husband and wife and its a real treat to document that moment. We also get to have some fun!

Justynn was a real gentleman. He carried his new bride down the sidewalk from their ceremony site to Jo's parent's house, two doors away.

To Jo + Justynn, we wish we were with you now in Puerto Rico! lol Seriously, we were so glad that we ended up photographing your wedding. I can't say that I've ever met such a calm bride as you Jo! You were cool-headed and stress-free all day long, even when we marched you through the alfalfa field. May that calm and carefree spirit carry you through your lives together. And Justynn... you keep an eye out for all the bugs! :)