How Did I get Here? Part VI

So I know what you're thinking...how many more of these "How Did I get Here" series are there?  And where is here? When is it going to END?!  Hopefully very soon.  Not to worry, this is not the Rocky Series.  Although who can deny that theme song? You're singing it now...I know you are. After our friends Mr. and Mrs. Hokie got hitched, our other friends Mr. and Mrs. Miami got engaged and had a date set for May.  Mrs. Miami is my friend Renee, she has her own blog so her identity is no secret.  But I love nicknames, they're fun, and different and we all need a little mystery in our lives, right? Right.  Maybe they should be called Mr. and Mrs. Atlanta since that's where they are moving to, but more on that HERE.  But it's my blog and I do what I want to...daggum it.  Mr. and Mrs. Miami recruited me to be their photographer for their wedding and I was thrilled!  Mrs. Miami and I happen to be engaged at the same time, so we were able to help plan or rather vent about the frustrations of planning a wedding.  The day of the wedding finally came and Speed Racer and I packed the very VERY tiny car we were taking up to Maryland, and hit the road.  “If you want to know if you love someone, take a road trip. If you want to know if you can marry them, do it in a roadster.” ~Unknown  That pretty much sums that up.

We arrived in Maryland a little road weary, but ready to go.  The festivities began, starting with the rehearsal dinner.

The Lighthouse in the background is the lighthouse where they would be hitched the next day.  Luckily the weather held out, and we started the morning off bright and early.

This is Little Miss, she is Mr. and Mrs. Miami's gorgeous baby girl, and she got to be flower girl for the day.

They're friends with Mr. and Mrs. Hokie too.

Love, the purple shoes!

These parasols were adorable!  They were so much fun for everyone to play with, not to mention get out of the sun, and made for fantastic pictures.

Sorry Mr. Miami, but this is my favorite picture out of the entire day.  I love it.  I want to hang it on my wall.  Is that too weird?

So apparently in the Greek Tradition, if you put the names of your bridesmaids or single lady friends on the bottom of your shoes on your wedding day, and they wear off, then they will be getting married.  Kind of an alternate version of throwing the bouquet, at this point in the day (2 weeks before my wedding) I was still 50/50.

Photographer's Note:  I was on a moving dock in order to get this shot.  I had visions of my falling off and drowning with all the camera gear.  But it was worth it, I love this shot too.  I also want to hang it on my wall.

Thanks to Mr. and Mrs. Miami for letting me be a part of your big day, and helping me learn and grow as a photographer!    After a long day of shooting in the hot sun, Speed Racer and I, with Mr. and Mrs. Hokie in tow, headed back down south.

Post from the Past: Warnie and Olie

In December my brother Warnie and (my now sister-in-law) Olie got married.  It was a beautiful ceremony (I'm sure there will be a post later) and we had a great time.  But before that, I had the privilege of assisting my brother in his scheme to propose to this beautiful lady.  We had it all planned out, they were going to come up and stay with me before they headed to their college town the next day for a "museum exhibit."  While they were at the exhibit I would sneak down, and with the assistance of my lovely friend The Twin, set up the romantic scene.  It was fool proof.  Almost.  It was suppose to rain all day.  Warnie was thinking about calling things off, and trying to do it another time, but I could tell he was disappointed.  I mean guys have a lot of pressure with these things!  So I pulled a couple strings and told Warnie not to worry, it would be magical.  And it was.

The tent was the real saving grace.  Luckily my previous employer let me borrow it, even though I'm sure he thought I was crazy.  There was also a terrible wreck, so we thought we were going to be late.  But it all worked out.  Let me add that this was all Warnie's idea, I'm not taking any credit at all, I just set everything up.  But I was so excited to be a part of that moment.  His love and devotion for her is absolutely moving.  I am blessed to have Olie as my sister.  She makes me laugh, she puts up with my craziness, and she is one of the most caring people I know.  I really lucked out with both my sister-in-laws, which is great since I never had sisters.

Thank you Warnie and Olie for letting me be a part of that day, and then posting about it...without asking first.  I love you both very much.

How Did I get Here? Part V

So after a few portraits here and there, I got to try my hand at another wedding.  Our friends Mr. and Miss (at the time) Hokie were getting married and asked that I shoot the wedding.   I was so thrilled and honored that they wanted me as their photographer, I was so glad that my friends were using my skills (note: this is a blatant request for my other friends and family to use my photo skills.  Come on guys, weddings, births, birthdays, anniversaries, USE ME...ahem...please, I would love to be part of your lives in every way, and it's an excuse for me to visit).  I also got to give my two cents in some of the wedding planning, since Speed Racer was living with Mr. and Miss Hokie at the time.  It was lots of fun, the wedding was absolutely stunning.  Miss Hokie was beautiful, and now she's Mrs. Hokie. Mr and Mrs. Hokie:

After Mr. and Mrs. Hokie road off into the sunset, in a beautiful Ford F150, Speed Racer and I went to a bar with some of our friends.  I was sitting there, absolutely exhausted, listening to the stories and laughter from my friends, and I had an overwhelming sense of peace.  I could do this, I love how happy everyone is at weddings.  I love getting to know people.  I could do this, I wanted to be a photographer so badly.  It would be hard, but I'd get there.

How Did I get Here? Part III

Next up in our "How Did I get Here?" series, is the first wedding I ever shot.  My friend and adopted big sister, Stephanie contacted me when I was a Junior in college and asked if I could take some pictures at her wedding.  I was super nervous, not really sure what I should do, and had dreams of my camera crashing and all the pictures being destroyed.  But the wedding and the pictures turned out beautiful.

So here is a quick run down of things I learned at my first wedding.  These are good rules whether you're doing it for free for a friend/ family member, or whether it's someone you've just booked.

1. Make up a basic contract.  This just lets people know what you're offering and the time limits you're working with, that way they know what to expect.

2. Have a shot list.  This can be something you come up with and go over with the bride, or that you have the bride make.  Either way this list will insure that you get the photos that are most important to the happy couple.

3. Lots-o-Memory.  You can never have too much memory, that way you don't get to the middle of the ceremony and have to start deleting photos.

4. Take your time.  This is hardest for me to remember when I'm doing group shots.  Sure you don't want to have the posed photos take 2 hours while everyone is waiting at the reception.  But remember that this is a happy day and that most of the time, these people have been rushing to this point all morning.  Take your time and rearrange people until it looks right to you.

5.  Jump in there.  This sounds dumb to say, but don't be timid!  Sometimes when you're first starting out you don't want to get in the way of anyone and ruin the wedding, which is true, you want to be respectful.  But whether you're doing this for fun or for coinage, they picked you to be their photographer!  So have fun and jump in there to get the good shots.

Up and Away

As I woke up this morning and stumbled to my computer, grumbling something about coffee and the lack there of, my darling (also work at home) husband, Speed Racer was already at his lappy surfing the net.  After I finally settled for some tea instead (there's just something about starting the day off with a hot drink, what can I say?) I sat down determined to do some work.  As I sifted through the mass of emails in my inbox, my little gchat box popped up with a happy message from Speed Racer and the following link to LiveJournal.com, and as I looked, the following embarrassing phrase came out of my mouth, "OH MY GOD HOW CUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUTE!!"  (Please do click on the cute link to see the post, you won't be sorry).

Wildflowers Photography shot an engagement session with a couple named, Lynette and James based on the movie "UP."  And as the post states, most of us who have seen that movie cry every time, I know I do.  The movie especially reminds me of my Grandfather, Chief Bald Eagle, who has been striving to live without my Grandmother, Pretty Brown Eyes,  for several years now.  Chief Bald Eagle was and is a huge hiker, the man still walks three miles a day and is 85 years old.  He and Pretty Brown Eyes used to drive all over the U.S. including several trips to Canada and Alaska.  He always tells the story of how when they got married, he looked into those deep brown eyes and swore that he would carry her to the ends of the earth.  When they drove to the article circle, Pretty Browns Eyes swore that she had made it there.  Their love and devotion is inspiring, and I think that's what "UP" shows all of us, that you can find adventure in the small, "boring", little things that you enjoy most about your partner.

As I write this I realize that it has officially been 11 months and 4 days since I married Speed Racer and each day has been better than the last.  Sure, we have grand adventures planned as well, dreams that we carry in our coat pockets to keep us warm when everything else gets cold and hard.  But it's the little adventures, the "boring" moments that I cherish most: the moonlit drives on the back roads of our home, where we were sweethearts; the way our hands still migrate towards each other when we're out, how he sends me links that he knows I will gush over,  the warm silences when we walk together, and the sense that we have known that we were meant for each other since creation.  Belonging, is the best word I can use.

It's this belonging that helps us appreciate the little things, the little things that make our love so strong.  I know it's the little things that has kept Chief Bald Eagle in love with his Pretty Brown Eyes, so many years after she has gone.  I know it's the little things that keep me falling in love with my husband daily.  And I know that it's the little things that will keep Lynette and James together and in love.

Thanks to Wildflowers Photography and Lynette and James for sharing your story and photos with the world.  Thanks, also for letting me gush, for making my day, for making me a tad jealous not only of the photos but that I didn't think to do my engagement pictures in the "UP" theme.  And as for the readers, what are your "UP" stories?  What are your adventures, your "boring" moments that will make our hearts ache?  I want to hear each and every story, so please share.