Archive for the ‘Weddings’ Category

Abbey & Zach: Perfection from A to Z

August 24, 2010

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I know that this was only my first wedding of the year (late start to the season this year!) but seriously, it’s already one of my favorites! Abbey & Zach could not be more beautiful, fun, and a joy to photograph! I apologize in advance for the HUGE LONG POST WITH TONS OF PHOTOS but there is simply no way to narrow them down – I love too many of them!

We started the day at Abbey’s parents’ house for getting ready shots.  Uh, excuse me?  This bathroom could be a movie set!  The lighting was incredible and it is surrounded by mirrors.  I love the shot of her and her mother here – the duality of the pose, the mirrors….you can see each of them in each other’s mirror.hall03

So many great locations in this house to shoot details, too.  When visiting the week before, I loved this library at the top of the stairs for hanging her dress.

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L-O-V-E my new 100 2.8 macro!  It’s SO good, next time I need to wipe off the finger prints! ;o)

hallsneaks_0002Abbey’s emotions ran wide on her special day but she managed to always look gorgeous.  Here she is opening Zach’s wedding present…and now a bride!hall02015hall061210_0327

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Mike Warren for Shari Zellers Photography

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Close up on right, Mike Warren for Shari Zellers Photography

We headed outside and all around the neighborhood for our pre-ceremony shots.  Abbey’s mom got permission for us to shoot in this adorable park next door.hallsneaks_0026hall05067hall061210_1198hallsneaks_0005hallsneaks_0007

Heading to the church!  hallsneaks_0009

St. Ann’s is an amazing Catholic church I’d seen driving by many times but it’s even more amazing inside.  I loved the architecture and of course the lighting!  (How many churches have uplights built into the floor?!) Any way, it makes for some great shots.  While it has nothing to do with the church, I got a shot that is sometimes tough to do  – I love Zach’s expression as he sees Abbey for the first time!090hall061210_0610hallsneaks_0027hallsneaks_0011102hall061210_0666103hall061210_0670

The wedding party is ready to, ahem, PARTAY! Let’s get outta here and head to Primrose Cottage!119hall061210_0733

Lucky for me, Abbey & Zach wanted plenty of romantics – we still worked fast so they could have fun at the reception though! A few shots outside at night right after the cake cutting is always a good time to sneak away for five minutes, too. ;o)

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Not a whole lotta dance floor but they made the most of it with their first dance!hall09

Did I say these two love to dance?  Look at ‘em!189hall061210_0941hallsneaks_0018

The toasts had me cracking up.  I have not laughed that hard in a long time! What is it with men and the size of their wine glasses????hall07

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Mike Warren for Shari Zellers Photography

At the end of the night, they took off in my favorite limo (and the one Steven and I will drive off in 5 weeks!!!) from A Lovely View of Heaven!  Mike’s shot from the front of the car is amazing with the video light behind them!

Thank you guys so much for allowing me to have fun with you on your big day!  I am so loving everything!

If you want to see more, you can check out their slideshow below and their gallery, too!

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200 Peachtree – A Vision From the Past, A Peek Into the Future!

April 3, 2010

Picture 1I am a native Atlantan, so visiting 200 Peachtree this week on Tuesday was not just a job, it was like stepping into a time machine for me.

When Allison Schultz, the Social Sales Manager of the new 200 Peachtree, contacted me for a photo opportunity, she told me they would be giving tours to the local Atlanta FROG chapter (Facility Rental Operators Group) of the site, I was there in a heartbeat. What I didn’t know was where the construction was in the process!  I arrived on Tuesday with my gear, as always prepared to shoot whatever, and Allison had me don a hard hat for my personal tour.  OH!  It’s still under construction!

My first view of the soon to be Grand Atrium:200ptree033010_0002

Oh wow!  Still under construction and at a mind-boggling pace, the first event is to be held here on June 5th!  Allison showed me all around and explained the enhancements and preservation going on here simultaneously.  They are preserving the marble floor and filling in damaged areas and patching areas that used to have counters for products.  The plywood on the floor is to help preserve what is not damaged while construction continues.

To be able to see the progress of this space and soon-to-be-venue was an incredible opportunity.  Here I was standing in a very historical place – a building 83 years old this year, it used to be the old “Macy’s” department store of Atlanta and many “firsts” were noted in between it’s walls.  Macy’s finally closed their doors here in 2003 and it has been waiting since then for new life.  The “deconstruction” began just over a year ago, January of 2009, and now the reconstruction is at a blindly rapid pace as the crews work overtime to meet their deadlines.

As the focal points of the Grand Atrium, the 14 foot chandeliers will lend a regal sophistication to this space usually reserved for palaces!  The chandeliers originally hung in the Herald Square Macy’s in New York. They were removed and stored during WWII to conserve energy and then restored and hung in the Atlanta Macy’s store in 1985.  I cannot WAIT to see these beauties lit up!  I’m imagining all sorts of shots by the twinkle of their crystal light…vertgrand

Of course, I quickly became obsessed with the golden stained glass windows.  I am hoping that there will be SOME access to getting up close to them since I’ve already envisioned amazing silhouettes in front of them.

And then we ascended to the second level.  The escalators -which were the first ever escalators in a retail building – are not functioning while construction is going on so it was quite eerie (and VERY dusty) holding on to a still escalator covered in plastic (and dust). vertcolumns As we climbed levels, Allison tells about the restoration and duplication of the signature balcony railing.  They will keep the original railing and have it recreated to contain the other two sides of the balcony as well.  While shooting this section, I began to feel a deja vu…200ptree033010_0012

It’s not like I’ve actually been on the Titanic of course, but remembering the scene from the James Cameron movie where you see the railing of the ship in “life” and then the frame morphs into the shot of the railing under water, I felt sort of like that was what I was looking at – a land version of the Titanic being raised from the depths of history.   Here is one of the signature medallions up close.  Perhaps the last time I will see it before it undergoes restoration.200ptree033010_0014

This is the [restricted] view from the side balcony where the signature railing will be replicated and added.200ptree033010_0063

Now it was time for the tours to begin!  Put on your hard hats!200ptree033010_0028200ptree033010_0071

I toured several more times that day – so that I could even answer questions from the group!  vertbw200ptree033010_0072200ptree033010_0048200ptree033010_0057

It was also fun looking at all the interior design boards that mocked up the look and texture of the new spaces. This venue will have a bridal suite that is to die for!200ptree033010_0024

This will be THE premier venue of Atlanta and a shining star of sustainability, too.  They will be able to host a 1,000 person seated dinner!  It is HUGE – with three spaces and thousands of square feet to accommodate the largest of events, I’m sure I’ll be recommending 200 Peachtree to many of my clients and friends looking for an event space on a grand scale.  Definitely contact Allison Schultz for more information.  I can’t wait until my next visit to see what progress has been made!

You can click HERE to see my whole album from the tours that day!

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Claire & Steve: A Holiday Celebration of Love

February 1, 2010

065lipson112109_0544Our last wedding of ‘09 was an incredible holiday celebration. The wedding of Claire & Steve was especially special (LOL) to me because I had met Claire while teaching photography at the Atlanta Scrapbook Connection.  While I haven’t had time to scrapbook in a million years (it seems), I enjoyed teaching there so much because I got to share my love of taking photos with people who were our next generation of historians!  Claire called me when she & Steve were engaged and I was so honored to be their photographer!

Here are some of the “little” details of Claire’s accessories I love so much.  My friend, Marlene Hawthrone-Thomas did such a nice simple shot of her adorable ballet flats!  This rhinestone tie was on the back of Claire’s custom made “belt” of her dress.  Just a little bit ‘o sparkle to wink at you from behind. ;)

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I love this one of Claire as they were helping her dress.  This room in her parents’ house had some beautiful light!  We also were able to shoot all the pre-ceremony photos on their property which is pretty amazing.

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Their grand formal room for some formal portraits of Claire and the garden path (love the gate!) made for some excellent backdrops!  We also had just the right amount of light that day and the temperature was perfect!lipson02

And Steve let me capture a few of him, too. ;)   My favorites though are with the guys bellied up to the bar in the “man cave”!

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lipson03Then, we got really emotional.  I love it when couples do a first look because I get to capture their expressions in a more intimate way than during a ceremony.  I always allow them to chose whether to see each other or not but if we are going to have full darkness after their ceremony (which is often the case in the winter time), then a first look is a good idea also if you want day-light images together.  I usually allow the groom to give his bride his bouquet, which is actually the original tradition!lipson04056lipson112109_0501lipson112109_0511

After pre-ceremony formals, we headed over to their venue, 103 West!  This is another favorite location and wonderfully appointed for a red-black-white color scheme!  Claire and Steve spent just a few more minutes with me capturing some romantic images so they could enjoy as much of their cocktail hour after the ceremony with their guests.  Despite the beautiful red couch, I still like these in sepia as something about the curtains gives this a retro feel (20’s?).lipson11

Then, we were off to marry this fun couple.  This was my first wedding ceremony at 103 West so it was so nice seeing the ballroom in perspective for ceremony seating.  It’s perfect for an indoor, winter wedding!068lipson112109_1133072lipson112109_0636lipson05With my good friend, Reverend Rick Prigmore, at the helm, I knew we were in for a special treat.  (He is actually going to be marrying me & Steven this fall, too!). There was emotion, tears, and laughter – my kind of ceremony!lipso06

After the ceremony, the guests were invited downstairs to the ballroom for the reception portion of our event.  The Rupert’s Orchestra was really incredible at providing the entertainment.  lipson08171lipson112109_1190

When it came time for cake cutting, I learned that Steve’s groom’s cake was a surprise. It was a surprise to me, TOO!  I’ve never seen a “sushi” cake!  Apparently Steve is a huge sushi fan (so am I!) and Claire had a cake made for him that had bits of “sushi” to eat on top of it!  Complete with chopsticks -adorable!lipson07

Of course, we love our new Photobooth we bring for every wedding now!  I think our clients really love this and we think it’s da bomb!164lipson112109_1225

Tons of fun and a wonderful atmosphere.  Being at Claire & Steve’s wedding was so emotional for me.  It was my first wedding to shoot after being newly engaged. I’ve always gotten emotional at weddings but this one was so special.  I could really feel the love of all the guests and family and it just made me anticipate what is was going to be like for me and Steven in the next year at our wedding.  For a wonderful ending to the night, Claire and Steve had a last dance -  with bubbles and love coming from their friends!  Another great shot by Marlene, catching the colors with available light.181lipson112109_1011Thank you guys so much and congratulations!!!!!

See the entire beautiful day in the slideshow below!

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Behind the Scenes: Going the Extra Mile

January 21, 2010

I thought I’d start something new this year! Sharing with you the stories behind the images.  Not necessarily boring technique descriptions or technical aspects (unless it makes for really fun exciting reading as part of the adventure;o) Nope!  Just the why, how, and what the heck behind some of the photos I’ve taken.  The images I’m talking about are cool in and of themselves – but what you don’t see is what led up to the creation.  I thought this just might give folks some insight to “the day in the life of a wedding photographer”and what I do to get that shot!laurensbridal0550

I have taken this journey.  I went down this road before today and saw something cool that I want to share.  I am in the driver’s seat and I open the passenger door.  I invite her in and say, “Come with me!  This is gonna be great and you’re gonna love it!”.  I’m excited.  She gets excited, too and jumps in the car with me.  I take off and she goes along for the ride.

This is sometimes how I view the creative process with my clients.  I use the metaphor of “taking a ride with me to a cool place” because in a sense, I am the driver and they are the passenger and they are not really sure where we are going.  They have to trust and have a sense of adventure!

With this image from Lauren’s bridal session – ok, one of my all-time favorites here – I wanna chat about “Going the Extra Mile”. And guess what?  I’m not just talking about ME going the extra mile.  While that does have a LOT to do with this image, you will hopefully see that Lauren went the extra mile, too. By going along with my vision, trusting me, and letting go just a teeny, tiny bit, she got an amazing image to treasure forever.

When Lauren first met with me, I had no idea that this image would happen.  I found out that her wedding would take place at Stone Mountain and still didn’t think about this.  It wasn’t until they booked me for the wedding and added the bridal session that  I started brainstorming on what I could do that would be exciting and dramatic.  I grew up going to Stone Mountain all the time. Been to numerous Easter Sunrise Services up on top of the mountain so I had “seen” some great possibilities there before, just doing casual images for myself.  At some point, I became obsessed with the idea of shooting Lauren up on top of Stone Mountain during her bridal session.

Guess what?  I was told it had been done before. Uh, really?  I’ve never seen the images I have in my head taken up there!  I didn’t let it stop me.  Sometimes, people can tell you, “It’s been done” and you can get discouraged and quit. Well, I was determined to do something different since in all my years of shooting bridal sessions, I hadn’t seen “my image”.

So, I began to do what we call location scouting.  Her bridal session was scheduled for March 18th – weather permitting.  March can be volitale here in Georgia so it’s touch and go with how nice it might be.  Alicia and I went to the park one day in February to check out locations around the mountain park and to also go up top on the SkyRide.  Well, we found some cool areas around the bottom of the mountain, (practically got frostbite walking aroud shooting each other!) but the SkyRide was closed for another month for maintenance!  *sigh*  Ok, we’ll try again later…

A few shots Alicia took of me on rock formations around the parking lot.  Yes, that’s ice I’m navigating there!!!!!milevert

So, suddenly a few weeks later, I’m coming up on the bridal session day so I head over to the park on the Saturday before her session and the line to get on the SkyRide was over an hour long!!!!  I was unable to wait that long so again…. I decide to come back.  The next day I have available is the DAY BEFORE her session!  When I get to Stone Mountain, that March 17th ( I remember I was concentrating so hard on getting there, I completely forgot to wear green which I always do on St. Patty’s), it was pretty chilly. The good news was, the line was short and I was on the Sky Ride and up on top of the mountain in no time at all.  However, it was FREEZING up on top of the mountain!  Windy, extreme cold and I got really worried that I would be really pushing my luck with Lauren the next day.  I even planned to bring a faux fur coat and blankets – just in case.

The next day, it was magic.  Or was it?  Depends on your beliefs!  The moment Lauren had her dress zipped up, the sun came out and it was WARM!  We had amazing light and when we wrapped up our “lower” session, I told her my idea of going up on top of the mountian.  I told her it was time to head over and take the SkyRide up to the top.  We got in line – me, my mom, Lauren and her two best friends – when the operator told us that the last car would be coming down in 20 minutes.  20 MINUTES?!?!?!  Luckily, I had been up there the day before and scouted out four areas to pose her and shoot. We headed to each location in a circle with my mom keeping me on track for time – 5 minutes in each location!  “TIME!”  Otherwise, it’s a pretty long walk down that mountain!

The shot of Lauren above was taken in the last five minutes.  It was the last location chosen.  Yes, the clouds were like that – the only “effects” is a slight glow to the overall image and a tiny bit of digital fill flash on her.   She is barefoot – no coat or blanket needed!  It’s a little windy up there so I just had her hold her dress out to the side and then release it.  She is beautiful, a godess.  It was THE SHOT.  Lauren took my offer and went along for the ride with me. I’m so glad she did.

Posted in Behind the Scenes, Bridal Sessions, Weddings | 1 Comment »

Connie & Mike: At Last…

December 21, 2009

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Ah….”At Last” – one of my favorite songs by Etta James and particularly appropriate for this lovely couple. I say that because Connie & Mike met with me soooooo long ago – almost a year and a half before their wedding!  So, this has been a fun and wonderful journey leading up to their elegant wedding day.004dunn102409_1103

And a really classy way to start off the day, hhmmm mmmm, Jimmy Choo’s!  I fell in love with Connie’s shoes the moment I laid eyes on them.  *sigh* She’s safe, her feet are much, much tinier than mine! ;o)  Connie & Mike chose to have their reception at the Ritz Carlton downtown so this is where I met her to take the getting ready shots.  I’ve been to the Ritz many times before but believe it or not, after 10+ years, this would be my first reception there!  Here’s Connie looking spectacular and being so calm on this blustery day.  We had some record low temperatures this October and she braved the chilly air for some beautiful portraits in front of their church, Peachtree Christian.040dunn102409__0361

Mike is dashing here in the door way of the church.  But just before we got to snap these portraits, I spent a few minutes with the boys.dunn6

I chose to post these two based on their similar expressions! The ring bearer is so cute I could just squeeeeeze him!  This is Mike opening his wedding present from Connie – a Tag Hauer watch. NICE!dunn5

Peachtree Christian is  one of my favorite churches in Atlanta for weddings with some of the most beautiful stained glass seen in the United States.  It really reminds me of European cathedrals. Obviously the movie makers like it, too since it has been the location of at least two movies I know of.057dunn102409__0466

Connie & Mike told me that they knew the moment they had found the right church to be married in:  Mike had proposed to Connie in Italy (gosh, I wish I could remember the cathedral) and one of their favorite places was the cathedral with the sky blue ceiling with stars.  The ceiling of Peachtree Christian reminded them of their trip and that sealed the deal!068dunn102409__0534

At Peachtree Christian, you can put your lens right up to the tiny space between the sanctuary doors and get this “crevice shot” below.  The only way you can shoot on the floor there!dunn1

We got lucky that there was just a blush of light left to get some photos of the two of them in front of the church.  I like that twilight since the lights and the stained glass show up brilliantly!dunn10

To whisk them away back to the Ritz, Mike had arranged for a vintage Bentley!  The red carpet treatment awaits couples with this sophisticated transport.  I love a bride looking out at her new husband. ;o)dunn7

Back at the Ritz, we had planned a whirlwind tour of the common areas of the hotel.  Newly redecorated, the Ritz offered us some glitzy settings and I was dying to try out my new video lights to enhance the ambiance.  No flash used in these shots!dunn3112dunn102409__0456dunn4

The Ballroom that was set for their reception was glowing with tall candle tapers and luscious red roses in silver.  So glamorous and warm, this was perfect to nestle their rings right in her bouquet.dunn8

I was told that a very special token would be at the reception on display. In fact, we even made arrangements for my mom, Bea, to shoot some images of this letter from President & Mrs. Obama!

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You might say, this is Connie & Mike’s Inaugural Dance!  First dance as husband and wife, they waltzed around the dance floor like seasoned pros.  I just love the expression on Connie’s face as she glides with Mike.

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And there were some funny expressions, too!  During the toasts, I think every single person had something to say to crack them up!  LOL, for sure!  Can’t you almost hear them here? ;o)143dunn102409_0825

Their cake was a coconut masterpiece!  The little flower girl admired it, too.dunn2

This was the ring bearer’s tribute to Michael Jackson!  That little guy can dance, I tell ya!  RIP Michael.168dunn102409_0893170dunn102409_0898

As they exited the Ritz amongst flower petals thrown by their friends, the Bentley awaited them again – for another adventure!179dunn102409_1089

We had made arrangements to go out for about an hour around the city after their reception to take shots in the night lights all around Atlanta. What we did not arrange for was warmer weather!  What happened to our mild October weather Atlanta?  BRRRRRRRRR.  Again!  You can’t tell from this photo, but we are ALL freezing to death!  Each shot was taken in a matter of seconds before moving on and getting warm again!  This is behind the Ritz – the back of the Wachovia building lobby.184dunn102409__0708dunn9

Connie and Mike, thank you so much for letting me capture your day – and night!  Here is a slideshow to see more of their amazing wedding day!

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Dorianne & Sakarin – Wedding Weekend Adventure!

December 13, 2009

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Right away I knew Dorianne & Sakarin were going to be an interesting couple to work with for their wedding.  So many non-traditional elements were planned and ethnic traditions from Sakarin’s Thai heritage that I was so excited to be chosen to photograph their wedding weekend!  As we began planning from our very first meeting, it was one surprise after another!

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The day began with getting ready at the Georgian Terrace where they had chosen a two-story apartment for their hotel room and their reception.  This was a unique space I wasn’t even aware of and found out when she first met with me.  Here she is getting gorgeous hair & make up by The Moore Agency.  Dorianne had also gone against the grain with a baby blue wedding dress!  My first NON-white wedding dress ever.

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The one thing that no one counted on was that their wedding day would set a record in Atlanta for freezing rain and waaaay below normal temperatures.  Freezing just doesn’t happen in Atlanta in October so usually you are safe planning an outdoor wedding as it’s also a pretty dry month for us, too.  However, Mother Nature has a pretty bad sense of humor and we ended up walking the grounds of the Atlanta Botanical Gardens with an umbrella!  016koon101709_0268koondouble4koondouble5

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We had moments where the rain held off enough for some quick portraits.  It was still too cold to have the ceremony outside though, and we just didn’t want to chance the rain again (which did come) on all of their family and friends.  So, we ushered everyone into the common area of the green house for the ceremony with my good friend, Reverend Rick Prigmore.

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Dorianne’s daughter, Fiona, participated in a sand ceremony joining the three of them as a new, tightly woven family.  After pronouncing them husband and wife and a few family photos, we headed back to the Georgian for a family-style Thai meal!  The rain eventually stopped and left us some amazing clouds over the city.  But notice that flag – the wind was incredible that day!165koon101709_1006098koon101709_0991101koon101709_1004

A lot of my friends know that I love ethnic wedding traditions and I’m fascinated with the different ceremonies and rituals for getting married in other cultures.  I have photographed wedding ceremonies for over 12 different nationalities!  Now, I get to experience a new one with Sakarin’s Thai family.  Here I watched and captured the family as they tied strings around the wrists of both Dorianne & Sakarin and each person was to give them some advice while tying the strings.koondouble6116koon101709_0787121koon101709_0821

They still had some of the usual traditions we see – toasts and cake cutting!koondouble7141koon101709_0909koondouble8

After cutting the cake, we headed to the roof top of the Georgian to take some shots against the city lights – and NEARLY FROZE TO DEATH – all of us!  BRRRRRR!!!!!!  I mean that was some mean wind I tell ya!  Both Dorianne & Sakarin had to hold her veil to keep it from blowing off!167koon101709_0408

Back inside (thank you!) for some shots around the Georgian.  161koon101709_0435

And you can see more of their whole wedding day in this cool slideshow!

Dorianne & Sakarin’s Day After Session – Barnsley Gardens

The day after their wedding, we headed up to north Georgia to the beautiful grounds of Barnsley Gardens.  When Dorianne first saw my wedding of Anna & John at Barnsley, she knew that was where she wanted their Day After Session. It was SUCH a good thing they scheduled this with me as the next day was absolutely the opposite and more typical of Georgia in October. While still a little chilly in the shade, the sun was shining and the sky was a gorgeous blue bringing to life all the beautiful colors of the mountains! koon101709_1298koon101709_1389koondouble1koon101709_1302 For me, the grounds of Barnsley Gardens is a photographer’s dream – a playground of different scenery. From rustic and natural to gothic and ethereal – it’s just one amazing location after another!koon101709_1333-(1)koon101709_1455koon101709_1496 These two know how to have fun!  And they were just at this for so long, two days in a row and loved every minute of it.koondouble9 Thanks guys for a fabulous, fun weekend! Now YOU have fun watching their second slide show from Barnsley here:

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Anne & Chris: Rainy Day+Love=Magic

October 16, 2009

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“It’s like rain on your wedding day…”

As if that’s supposed to be the worst thing that can happen? Sure it can dampen things a bit especially if you’ve planned to have an outdoor wedding.  But the rain did not stop Anne & Chris from having a beautiful day together – the day they became husband and wife.  In fact, I have to say it was magical!

Anne & Chris were married September 20th at Flint Hill in Norcross.  It had been just over three years since my last wedding there and I’d not had a wedding there get rained out.  So most of my wedding images from FH are all outside and perfectly sunny.  This little turn of weather forced us inside for the ceremony but the huge antebellum front porch gave us plenty of cover for portraits with families.  For the most part, we were good to go for all the formals!

Anne had some gorgeous beading on her gown and I really loved her clutch!  So retro and chic!

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There has been some remodeling at FH since my last visit.  I really love how they’ve redecorated the bridal room.  This antique vanity dresser was just begging for a portrait- rainy or not!byers5036byers092009_0313-(1)

OK, the little flower girls almost stole the show!  Keepin’ an eye on things here while staying dry inside…byers092009_0267

Now see how they’re sneaking a peek with Anne while Chris is out for his portraits!byers6byers092009_0364

Well, it did rain mighty hard once we got to ceremony time.  However, FH has a lovely ballroom for just such conditions.  Quite a lot of light coming in with windows on two sides so it’s really beautiful!  Here are the flower girls stealing the show again…;)byers092009_0352

and Anne’s entrance escorted by her mother.

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They performed a sand ceremony, blending the two colors of sand to symbolize their union – a ceremony  we are seeing more often lately.  Sealed with a kiss!byers3

After formals, the rain stopped just enough for us to go out in front of the home for some romantics.  I LOVE how their photos under the twinkling arbor turned out!  So dreamy!byers4byers092009_0356

The sky during twilight was a brilliant blue and just the right contrast for this scenic shot.

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The two newlyweds had a beautiful first dance and then had all their friends join them to really jam and have some fun. There was no stopping this group!  And I have to say I very much approved of their musical selections – I have some of those 80’s songs on 45 vinyl!!!!  Thanks to Scott Mikell from Spectrum Entertainment for giving us some awesome tunes (and for playing my Violent Femmes!!!)
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After a beautiful day (yes, despite the downpours!) and a funtastic evening, Anne & Chris made their way through the bubbles and into the night!

Thank you Anne & Chris for letting us capture your incredible day!  Check out this slide show of their whole day!

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Brand New Site, Brand New Blog – Again!!!!

October 10, 2009

Once again, I have a new blog.  New technology and information has always been something that I don’t immediately embrace.  Not because I don’t think it’s cool or fun but rather, it’s daunting to me!  But when I put my mind to it, I try to catch up!  This new blog like my new site has HUGE photos!  I’m lovin’ that!   I want to thank my good friend, Hilarye Schoyt of Fotographa, for giving me the encouragement I needed (and a teeny bit of hand holding) to get this new blog GOING!  So, a new post!

Atlantan Brides: An Evening of Bridal Luxury

What an amazing opportunity!  The magazine, Atlantan Brides, offers a unique event for brides every year – The Evening of Bridal Luxury.  This is not your typical bridal show!  I was so honored to be asked to participate and to my surprise, it’s a team effort!   We were assigned to teams to display your services to the brides in the form of a table-scape in the ballroom of the chic Hotel Palomar.  My teammates were some wonderful people (LADIES;) – some I have worked with and some I had not.  Our team was assigned the theme of “Contemporary Elegance”.  For our consultant, we had the lovely Jeannine Kennedy of Favor Events.  Our AMAZING florist was my friend, Monique Escudie, of Blossoms Atlanta.  The stationary & menu cards for our settings were by Stephanie Wilson of Signatures by Stephanie.  And of course, I was the team’s photographer – providing a framed image of our “bride” and for the favors on the table, I supplied a set of tiny, black satin photo albums that also served as our escort cards!

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Monique gave us a stunning style sheet and we immediately agreed to use her ideas.  Our team was the first to put in their linen order!  This design was really very much “me”. I loved the black, white, and silver with a punch of color in only the flowers.  It made an enormous impact and we had tons of compliments!  At one point, I think five brides were taking photos of our table at the same time!  The details were so unique, right down to these glass globe ornaments inside of which she floated individual blossoms of different flowers.luxedouble1

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Ahhh, and the bling of course.  Our table definitely had the bling goin’ on.  From the brooch on the satin chair ties to the rhinestone buckle belly bands on the invitations, our table certainly glittered magically!atlantaneol092709_0023luxe2

There were other amazing table-scapes there, too of course.  Another stunning table by JWilbur of EventScapes Atlanta.atlantaneol092709_0089luxewinter

A dramatic and gothic, yet shabby-chic look by Michelle Gainey of Lemiga Events and her team.luxecobaltatlantaneol092709_0163

The “Eco” table was by Ashley Baber’s team.atlantaneol092709_0116luxeeco

This vision in high key whites and plum was reaching for the sky!atlantaneol092709_0147luxeyplum

Last but not least, the colorful, whimsical table – fun!atlantaneol092709_0132atlantaneol092709_0145atlantaneol092709_0142The Event Design Group really went all out decking the halls of the Hotel Palomar.  The food was beautifully displayed on buffets lit from within.luxetreesatlantaneol092709_0214luxfood1

Finally, a fashion show! These were my two favorite dresses – yah, I know – night and day from each other!  I just thought the pink dress was magnificent since you don’t often see real couture at bridal shows.  The black and white dress just really caught my eye with the cute detail “flounce” at the back.  fash2fash1

It was a wonderful event and I am really looking forward to next year!!!!

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