06.30.08 - Personal intially speaking

So one of my big personal goals this year is to improve my house's appearance by accessorizing. I really love all the antique furniture John and I have collected over the years, both separately and together. But our walls and tables are still like blank canvases. Lately I've been seeing quite a few decorative initials filling out interesting spaces. Here is one that I found at Restoration Hardware, which is now displayed above my desk at home:

Here's a lovely signature brown and blue bag I got from my photographer friend Erika.

How cute are these napkins found at a recent wedding I photographed?

This was from a wedding I photographed a long time ago - clearly, the bride was ahead of the curve!

Have you seen this anywhere else? I am loving the trend!

06.27.08 - Weddings Kimberly + Michael: 05.25.08 - part 2

For those of you who have been waiting patiently, here is a blog post dedicated to just the details of Kimberly and Michael's wedding! With so many fabulous pieces of artistry I just couldn't possibly fit it all into one post. The gorgeous flowers, with their decidedly vintage Hamptons feel, blew everyone away. They were designed by Bruce Thompson Creative Services out of NYC.

The programs (left) were made using images from Kimberly's and Michael's engagement session. I love the ribbon touch and how they distributed them on the each chair. This unfussy centerpiece (right) echoed perfectly the simple elegance of the wedding.

Check out these adorable little placecards, custom made miniature versions of Kimberly and Michael.

The wedding was catered by an amazing chef named Cyril Renaud and his restaurant called Fleur de Sel

I love the flags on the top of the tent.

Donna D'Cruz is quite possibly the most fabulous DJ I have ever seen, with beauty and presence to spare. Be sure to note the matching pink crystal headphones to her gown!

Thank you, Michael and Kimberly, for allowing me to be part of your amazing day!

And finally: an inspiration board from this great wedding!

06.26.08 - Weddings Kimberly + Michael: 05.25.08 - part 1

When Kimberly first called me about her wedding, I sensed that she was very special. She possesses a gentle demenor, and in a kind voice she hopefully asked if I was available for a small, intimate home wedding in the Hamptons over Memorial Day weekend. After meeting her and Michael for their engagement session in New York City last fall, I felt so privileged to be a part of the wedding day for these two very special people. The wedding was held in Wainscott, NY on a beautiful clear day with a light shore breeze. Design and decor were expertly executed by Colin Cowie. This marked the first time I met Colin, and I found him as charming, fun, and witty in person as he is on television. A big special thanks goes out to Becca here from the studio and Kathi Littwin, both of whom helped me get lovely photographs in multiple places all at the same time. I'm going to be posting this wedding in two parts, one today of which tells the story of the day and one tomorrow which will focus on all of the amazing details!

06.25.08 - Kids kirstie

Now that the studio has been open for several years, we are starting to see clients we know and love welcome more and new additions to their families. Kirstie was one of our first clients at our current location, when she was pregnant with Baby #1. That was more than two years ago, and now here she is with Baby #2 on board!

This one is my absolute favorite!

Be sure to check back in a few days to see a spectacular memorial day wedding in the Hamptons!

06.22.08 - Kids julie

One of my favorite things in the whole world is when a past wedding client comes to see us with their newest addition. I photographed Nichole's and Josh's wedding back in the fall of 2005 and boy, did it rain on their wedding day! It was the kind of October rain that just keeps coming down without ever breaking. Not that this threw off Nichole's cool. I mean, every bride with a rainy wedding day should be even half as calm and collected as Nichole was. Her Zen attitude gave me the opportunity to quickly brainstorm some alternate locales. I had her and Josh head over to a little golf park on the edge of the country club where we were shooting.

They were completely willing to stand outside in the rain (albeit under a huge umbrella) - a gift to any photographer on a rainy day!

Now Nichole and Josh have a gift of their own, a beautiful new baby girl.

Don't those eyes make you melt?

06.20.08 - Weddings christina + marvin: 05.24.08

Saturday, Memorial Day weekend. The sun was shining, the flowers were blooming, and Christina and Marvin celebrated their wedding day here in Wilmington. It's a rare treat to be working near the studio, and at one of my favorite local locations, Winterthur Museum and Gardens (yes, the same place I wrote about in the post about Point-to-Point. Wintethur: it ain't just for horse racin'!). If you are ever traveling through the Wilmington area, I highly reccomend checking out this historic museum and its beautiful walking trails. Christina looked amazing with a beautiful style created by Claudia Seyler. I loved her bright, cheerful spring colors and floral arragements created expertly by Beautiful Blooms and wedding coordination by the fabulous Beka of Innove Event Design.

Since there was a bit of a gap between their ceremony and reception, and since Christina and Marvin wanted more of an urban feel to balance out their country-feel wedding, we decided to head over to the Wilmington train station. The result? Fun, fresh, citified photos in a lovely historic landmark.

This next photo was processed using the brand NEW Totally Rad Action Mix (a.k.a. TRA2 - The Revenge), which has this very cool action called Pool Party. Quick side note for the non-photogs reading this: TRA2 is a program that works in conjunction with Photoshop's layers to alter the original picture - kind of a special effects sort of thing. For instance, the Pool Party action gave this fun train shot a very vintage-y feel, which I absolutely love.

Check out this fun wall I found in the lower level of the train station:

An amazingly nice touch: Christina featured a photo of her grandmother, who had passed away, in a antique frame fastened to her bouquet.

Just look at how beautiful the gardens are at Winterthur ... perfect for a cocktail party before the reception!

I loved all of the wine-themed decor that Christina and Marvin chose.

Congratulations to a beautiful couple!

06.18.08 - Kids point to point

If the people of Wilmington, Delaware love one thing, it's tradition. Each year, the Sunday before Mother's Day, all traffic north of the city comes to a complete standstill. The reason for this? Point-to-Point Steeplechase. Part horse race, part spectacle, Point-to-Point is held adjacent to Winterthur Museum and Gardens. A full quarter of Wilmington's eighty thousand residents showed up in their finest sundresses and most elaborate hats to mix and mingle, to take in the grandiose parade of carriages, and of course, to get a little toasty. Since this year marked Point-to-Point's 30th anniversary, I decided to offer family portrait sessions to everyone who purchased a family package. Lucky for us, the famous Budwiser Clydesdales happened to be hanging out right in front of our booth.

It was a breezy but beautiful morning - 68 degrees and sunny! I set up a natural light photo booth to great results:

Could this be a future equestrian we have here?

Looks like these two really enjoyed the Winterthur Swiss Avalanche ice cream - a sweet cream flavor with itty bitty chocolate cows mixed in that Woodside Farm Creamery makes exclusively for the event. The perfect ending to a perfect day!

06.16.08 - News girls' night out

Attention, Wilmingtonians! Feel like nothing exciting ever happens downtown after work? That all changes TODAY June 19th, between 5:30 and 8:00 p.m. Join us at the Downtown Rivertowers for our first ever Girls Night Out event! I'm teaming up with my friends at One Brave Chick, Shop Mamie, Presto Gourmet, Flower by Yukie, Currie Day Spa and Toner Sound for a super-fun, super-fashionable event to support Delaware Boots on the Ground. Delaware Boots on the Ground is a fantastic non-profit organization that offers assistance to families with a parent serving in the military. Admission is free, and there's no need to RSVP, but be sure to bring a bunch of friends and little extra cash to be part of our amazing charity raffle. See you this Thursday! UPDATE: if you are not sure where the downtown river-towers are located, they are here. You can get directions by clicking here. To print this invitation for your complimentary glass of wine, simply click on 'link to this post' to have this appear as the only blog entry and press print on your computer.