I’m sure this is a question on the mind of every recently married bride. A well respected photographer that I admire (read: blog stalk), Anne Ruthmann, gave such an eloquent explanation to this question, that I believe really covers what most of us wedding photographers go through. I won’t transcribe it here, rather I’d like to send you to her blog to read it. But please do give it a once over, especially brides. It’s such an accurate depiction of how a lot of photographers (myself included) struggle with the balance of artistic perfection vs business decision, as it pertains to turn around times.
Yearly Archives: 2008
My husband is loyal and he loves me. Suzie & Bill’s wedding is one of the many reasons I’m sure of this. See, Bill works with my husband, Marc and when Marc found out that Bill proposed to Suzie, he urged Bill to contact me. As their wedding planning progressed, apparently Marc repeatedly reminded Bill that he needed a photographer and that photographer was me. I had no idea how much of a natural marketer my hubby had become until Bill actually DID email me and set up a time to meet. Needless to say, they booked and I have Marc to thank for the introduction. 
Thanks babe!
Suzie & Bill are one of the funniest couples I’ve ever had the pleasure of working with. I had so much fun hanging out with them for their engagement session over the summer. Bill will do just about anything to make his bride smile, which you can imagine includes LOTS of goofy face making! Oh but when he achieves his goal and Suzie’s face lights up in laughter, you can almost see the pride spilling from his ears. It’s as if his sole purpose in life is to make Suzie laugh and I am certain that he rocks at this job.
Without further ado…some photos….
Suzie and her bridesmaids started the day off at Evolution Salon for hair and makeup.
A few details…
I think this is one of my fav ring shots EVER!
Getting a bride into her gown is quite an assembly line sometimes.
Suzie had a corset back gown, which I always love, despite the time consuming lace up. LOL
Some bridal portraits…
This girl has an electrifying smile, doesn’t she?!
Blossom Boutique did an extraordinary job on the flowers.
I heart big windows. Teehee.
The ceremony was held at St. Joseph’s Church in Downingtown.
I love moments like these, when they think nobody’s looking. The prime time to capture moments like these during a Catholic ceremony, is while the guests are receiving the Eucharist.
We took the bridal party photos at Springton Manor Farm, which was an awesome spot that happened to be on our way to the reception.
The groomsman all the way on the right of this photo kept asking me if I was SURE that everyone was in the photo. It was so funny, because no matter how I insisted that I was using a really wide angle lens, I finally had to show him the picture for him to believe me!
Oh how I adore this tree.
We could not escape without at least one funny face on the blog. LOL
I heart this photo. 
OMG I loved this tree too.
Chillaxin’
Bill had an ear-2-ear smile almost the entire day.
ummm….oops! We saw the sign a little too late.
The reception was held at Bill’s family farm, in their completely renovated barn, deemed the Posnerosa. Bill’s family renovated the barn and have been hosting only family events, however the possibility of opening it to the public has been a topic of discussion.
All in favor? I say Aye! They’ve done an amazing job with the place and Bill is so proud of their accomplishment. He told me on more than one occasion how he just couldn’t wait for me to see the place. I was so pumped to find that it was even more fascinating than he had described.
A few reception details…
The cake was so beautifully simple! Love it!
They really went all out on the fall theme and did an outstanding job on the decor!
The obligatory bling shot.
Suzie & Bill’s intro into their reception came with a sensational spin.
The first dance.
See? He lives to make her laugh. 
OMG the garter and bouquet toss was hysterical!! They blindfolded the guy who caught the garter and without his knowing it, replaced his gorgeous girlfriend with a furry legged fella! Oh the laughter that ensued when he discovered their dirty little trick. GREAT entertainment.
Bill’s neice, Taylor, was having a grand time dancing with her uncle.
A fun time was had by all, thanks to the musical mastery of DJ Pam Moore. I suspect she was behind the garter debauchery. 
She rocked the house!
Thanks so much guys for the laughter, the entertainment and for trusting me with your wedding memories. Special shoutout to Tessie, for tagging along with me on another fun-filled wedding adventure. We are becoming quite the team! Thanks, girl!
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One of the hardest parts about being a wedding photographer is when your friends get engaged. Especially when they ask you to be THEIR photographer. Of course you’re flattered and honored, but part of you secretly conducts an inner struggle against the part of you that would love to only be a guest. Then of course there’s the part of you that doesn’t want to give the reins to another photographer, fearful that no matter how great they are….they’re just not good enough for your friends. Because of course we want the best for our friends and family, even if it means we have to make a sacrifice.
Within hours of getting engaged, my friend Christine asked me to be her photographer. This brought a whole lot of emotions to the forefront….excitement, doubt, fear, love, joy, etc. I was afraid maybe I wouldn’t live up to their standards…I was excited that they thought of me to ask…I was super excited that they were finally tying the knot! I wondered how I would balance being a friend and a professional. I wondered how my husband would feel, being a guest while I was working. I discussed all of these feelings with her, because we’re open like that. We came to an awesome compromise…I would work up until the reception, at which point I would become a “guest” and pass the reins to my super amazing assistant, Tessie, who is a terrific photographer in her own right. This seemed to be the perfect solution but proved to be somewhat useless LOL because I don’t know how NOT to be a photographer. I couldn’t abandon my camera the entire night, but I did manage to get some drinking, er, dancing in.
Christine and Jason are dear friends of ours. I’ve said this before. They are genuinely awesome people and role models for how a relationship should be. They give and take so eloquently. They are somehow able to lead separate lives while still being completely entwined together. (Ahem, case in point…a 9 hour Black Friday shopping trip with yours truly didn’t even ruffle Jason’s feathers!) Their “fights” are even cute. It’s kind of sickening, actually. LOL All kidding aside, we love them and it was truly my pleasure to be the one to not only preserve their memories, but also help create some with them too.
A few details…
Christine’s dress was beautifully simple, which reflects her day-to-day style.
I’m a sucker for the shoe shots so I posted two cuz I couldn’t decide!
I adore black magic roses! They really add dimension to a bouquet of all red roses.
Christine started the day at her parents’ house for hair and makeup.
Oh the beautifying process us women endure. Men – be appreciative. 
Christine and I took a trip to MAC weeks before her wedding, where we both spent entirely too much money and learned how to do our own makeup. She did an awesome job though! (and we’ve become quite the addicts ever since LOL)
We had to sort of bustle her veil for the trek up to the University & Whist Club.
Finishing touches…
The very excited and anxious bride. I can’t believe she even sat still for these photos, as anxious as she was to see Jason!
Gawgeous!
Classic Glamour and Beauty. I heart this photo. 
J&C opted to meet before the ceremony in order to knock out most of their photos beforehand. I LOVE doing a first look! I don’t think they could have waited until the ceremony anyway…they were both so anxious to see each other!
Jason waited at the bottom of the staircase as Christine came down the stairs and threw her arms around him.
Such sweet moments!
A quick portrait on our way outside…
Look how incredibly handsome he is!! I love the all black tux with the red tie. Really pops in photos!
I see how it is, Jason. I’m just the hired hand…go ahead and stick your nose up at me. It’s ok. J/k! Tessie grabbed this shot of me adjusting Jason’s bout. I think I end up doing this at every wedding LOL.
Again….LOVE the black and red.
Freakin awesome shot of Jason that Tessie got.
A little American Gothic…(that they could barely keep straight faces for!)
All smiles. 
I suppose a fire escape is not your ordinary spot for wedding photos, but you know me…finding inspiration in strange places! I love how it turned out!
As we were waiting for the ceremony to start, I stopped to chat with some of our friends as they were arriving. Happened to get a nice pic of this pretty lady and her hubby. Some of you may recognize Christy as the other fabulous photographer who shoots with me at some weddings. Her and Tessie rock and they are my two main assistant shooters.
The ceremony was BE-A-UTIFUL! Love the arch, and normally I’m not such a fan of arches.
It was so stinkin cute how he was lookin at her during the ceremony.
I cried. I admit it. I’m a sap. Couldn’t help it. It just happened. Out of nowhere the eyes started tearing up….dammit! Thank God for hiding behind the camera!
Jason’s Uncle Fritz performed the ceremony, making it very personal and unique.
Being that Christine speaks fluent German (and teaches it and translates it for a living) they incorporated some into the ceremony. I guess only they will know what in the world was so funny! I could barely keep from laughing at how hard THEY were laughing!
The New Mr. & Mrs. !!
A couple first dance shots…
Ok ok…YES. I danced. I love dancing. I was very torn between holding a camera and shaking my booty. It was quite the dilemma! Thankfully Tessie rocks and could totally hold her own so I did put the camera down for a bit. (even though I was supposed to abandon it for the rest of the evening!) Here’s proof. I even changed into a dress! Happy?
Matt & Derek rocked out. 
As did Jason.
And well…Chris & Matt had fun. Let’s just put it that way. This is the LEAST incriminating photo of these two….I’ll leave it at that. hehe
and for kicks…here’s a shot of me and Marc. (aka M&M) and yes…in case you’re wondering – cuz I KNOW you are – I had kicked back just a few Amaretto Sours by this point and was quite happy. 
I can’t even believe you guys are finally married! It’s so awesome! Thank you so much for entrusting Tessie and I with your memories and for including us in your day. Oh and thanks for playing Sexyback for me at the reception.
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Abby & Rob were married at the Mendenhall Inn, in Pennsylvania, on an unfortunately wet and rainy day. The rain couldn’t stop these two love birds from being completely enamored with each other though. It was a rare occurrence that you would catch either of them NOT smiling. Rain or shine, they were getting married and that’s all that mattered to them. No sir, even rain itself could not rain on their parade!
All finished! Off to the Mendenhall Inn!
Normally I only post one ring shot but I had a wee bit too much fun shooting theirs,
so I couldn’t choose which to show! 
Abby’s dress had gorgeous gold detailing.
Most brides wear long, dangling earrings, but Abby had these simple and beautiful pearl & peridot post earrings, which forced me to be a bit creative. I thought it would be interesting to thread them through the holes on her shoe buckle! I love how it turned out!
I think this is my new fav shoe shot!
Pearls with a modern twist. Pun intended.
Abby’s corset back gown had a hidden zipper just to the left of the corset. GENIUS!! Ladies, keep this in mind if you love the look of the corset gown but hate the time involved!
I love capturing wonderful candid portraits of the bride, while they are preoccupied with the various stages (hair, makeup, getting dressed) of preparation on their wedding day.
We made use of the yummy window light for some bridal portraits.
I skipped on over – okay, you got me, I didn’t literally skip! – to Rob’s room, down the hall, to catch a few candids of him putting on the finishing touches before seeing his bride.
I had to keep reminding Rob NOT to look at my smile every time I pointed the camera his way. LOL He was just so happy and wanted his pictures to show it! He was so calm, collected and excited to marry Abby!
All smiles, All day!
Is this not the most amazing hydrangea you’ve ever seen?! Such a luscious green color! Oh and they smelled sooooo good. Yukie did an amazing job, as always.
These two are so cute and cuddly, I just wanna pinch their cheeks! Ok, maybe not really…but they ARE cute and cuddly, aren’t they?!
We made due under the overhang until the rain slowed to a light drizzle. Abby & Rob were such troopers to go out and shoot in it for a few mins.
Such awesome natural expressions here…
First kiss as Mr. & Mrs.!
Ohhh the cake was so preeeetty!
How freakin’ awesome are Mr. & Mrs. Potato Head?!
…complete with a classic newlywed sign!
First dance…
I told ya….allllll smiles. 
I just love this shot that my assistant, Patience, got during the blessing!
There’s always ONE guy at every wedding with the crazy dance moves. LOL
Abby’s Dad and Stepmom were a well-oiled dancing machine! They were so graceful on the dance floor. Truth be told, I did take a couple minutes and just WATCH them glide around the dance floor because it was so fascinating.
I was packing up my gear when I saw this guy on the table across the room and couldn’t help but to run over and catch this before I left. Interesting ending to the night! 
Thanks Abby & Rob for allowing us into your families for a day! Thanks also go to Patience for helping out and assisting me on such short notice!
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I LOVE doing engagement sessions. I think it’s my favorite part of the entire process I go through with my wedding clients. I love learning about people and hearing their stories and in doing that, it gives me a glimpse into who they really are, which allows me to take even better photos of them. Engagement sessions give me this amazing opportunity to get to know my clients better and on the reverse side of the coin…gives them a chance to get to know me as well.
So when it came time for Adrienne & John’s engagement session, I know it would be fun! These guys have such a quirky sense of humor so I knew laughter would be in abundance. Which is great, because then I don’t have to tell any bad jokes to extract smiles for photos. We roamed around the University of Delaware, stopping at places meaningful to them while seeking out good spots of light or a scenic destination. We ended at the lab where John has been working, finishing up his PhD.
Without any further ado, here are a handful of favorites.
We started off at the Blue & Gold Club.
So sweet, so sweet.
Oh how I love when my clients bring their pooches. This is Beans! Oddly enough, I have another client with a Boston Terrier named Bean too! lol (Please note the distinction though- S vs no S at the end.)
Awwwww….Beans loves his daddy! (and I thought I was bad for doggie kisses!)
OMG these guys are so natural in front of a camera! Love it!
I loved the light in this spot.
Just a little bit of sun flare here….sun flare and I go way back.
Oh yeah…she was soooo gonna karate chop him to bits….
…IF he hadn’t done this first. She was being nice and letting him win,
she could totally take him.
Awww….love this moment. and the fisheye. Fisheye is my BFF lens.
Not exactly sure what was happening here….maybe leftovers from the karate match?
John did an awesome job on her ring from Blue Nile.
It’s kinda mandatory to go for a kiss under the Memorial Hall kissing arches.
Yeah so I suggested maybe they touch their foreheads together and John totally took it to another level. He was sucking info from her brain apparently. Man he’s multi-talented!
I just adore this shot! Blue skies, Memorial Hall, UD on the walkway…it should be on the cover of the UD tuition catalog or something. LOL
Adrienne shouted out “Can we hug the poles?!!” Well I’m certainly not going to stop you, my dear. Poles are lonely – they need love too! All the work they do, holding up the building and nobody ever thanks them for it, they’re just taken for granted…..ok I’ll stop now.
This is in John’s lab in the DuPont building. John explained everything in perfect detail to me about what the box is for and……I forget. LOL Sorry John. But it made for a perfect picture of their personalities!
We were on our way out of the building and I had this goofy idea in the stairwell. I find opportunity in the strangest of places, I tell ya. I love it though!
Thanks so much, guys for hanging out with me and brightening my day! It was so much fun and I’m really looking forward to the wedding next July!
PS – Sorry for the different photo sizes in the last several posts…I’m kind of experimenting with a good size to post. If anybody has an opinion on it, feel free to leave it in the comments! Thanks!
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