Wednesday, December 31, 2008

Nicky & Dave - Florence, Italy Wedding


That's how long I have left until my due date. I went to the OB today, and this little girl is already 5lb 2oz. Our daughter was 5lb 4oz. at birth, so her sister is definitely going to be bigger! As a result, I'm hoping for a January baby instead of the targeted date of February 7th.

So I finished up Nicky and Dave's Italy proofs. They are as gorgeous as ever and I'm really proud of the results. I posted a lot a few posts back, so I'll just add a few more here.

I'm now working on Karen and John's December wedding at St. Mary's uptown and am trying to finish it before my final "pre maternity leave" wedding on January 17th. I have confident clients, don't I! Only three weeks before my due date, but no worries, I have an awesome photographer assisting me and ready to take over should I not make it :)

I'll do my best to post the results of all that I'm working on before the little babe arrives, but ultimately Mother Nature will dictate. Happy 2009!






Thursday, December 4, 2008

Is it really December?


Ok, so I haven't posted in over a month so I figure I'm due. I got a kick of energy tonight and updated the site as well, so check it out for some new photos on the various pages. We moved this past weekend and are finally in the new house which I'm very excited about. It was very emotional to leave our last house, as our toddler daughter's entire life has happened there and we have many fond memories as a result. But now that we're in the new house the excitement we feel has replaced the sadness from just a few days ago. Just a few more boxes to unpack and we'll be set!

So... Italy was FABULOUS as you can imagine. Nicky and Dave's wedding went off without a hitch. (Well, that's not entirely true - my American battery recharger blew a fuse at the hotel and killed the charger permenantly, so my kind husband had to go on a whirlwind cab ride after the ceremony to find me some fresh batteries. I'm so thankful he was there!) Anyway, the wedding was held at a beautiful castle on a hill in Florence called Castello di Vincigliata which is located in the Fiesole village of the city. It is literally hundreds of years old. Guests flew in from all over Europe and Australia to attend. My husband and I spent our first three days in Florence for the wedding, then the next four in Rome.

We discovered quickly that the rest of the world is so more exotic than we Americans when it comes to weddings. They dress to the nines for occasions like weddings, which is evident is some of my photos. Everyone wears hats! It's lovely! Dave's mum and sisters were so smokin' hot that Japanese tourists started taking their picture when they left the hotel earlier in the day to come to the castle! Isn't that a hoot!

Anyway, the wedding was fabulous and this couple is simply blissful for one another. It was so obvious that neither really cared about anything else at all than simply being married to one another. So in love! I love it when I get to capture couples as perfectly fit together as Nicky and Dave are. Here are several images from the big day. This is more than I normally show, but with such an awesome location and gorgeous couple can you really blame me?

Getting ready...



The dress was Italian made, of course.


So here are a few pics of the venue: Castello di Vincigliata








I love all the hats!


Here is our beautiful bride arriving in a vintage Fiat 500 being greeted by her father.


Dave and his groomsmen are awaiting the start of the ceremony in the courtyard.


The processional through the courtyard.


Our happy couple during their sunset ceremony.




They were a funny bunch! Very lighthearted and up for fun all evening long!


Dave's sisters taking a self portrait on the terrace. I love this one.


These are some beautiful shots of Florence from the castle as the sun went down.

Dave and Nicky enjoy a peaceful moment while listening to their opera singer at the start of the reception. She sang in the ceremony room and echoed throughout the entire castle.

The speeches were more than anyone could handle. I was even tearing up.


Nicky and Dave passing through the courtyard later in the evening. The entire castle had this magical glow.

View of Florence after dark.

Monday, November 3, 2008

When in Rome...

So in about 72 hours I'll be heading to Italy with my husband for 8 days! I'm shooting a colleague's wedding at a castle in Florence, then spending the following week in Rome on vacation. I've never been to either, so I'm really excited to go!

I will do my best to NOT check email during this time, so please have patience if you send me something. I'll reply the week of the 16th.

In a mad dash to finish all of my work before Italy, moving, baby, etc. I'm happy to post a few pics from my recent 3 month session with "Baby Drew" as my 2 year old affectionately calls him (or any other baby boy she sees.) I took Drew's newborn pics when he was born in July. The little man is growing up quickly!

















Friday, October 24, 2008

Europe anyone?


Ok, so this may be my last post for a while. Life is just insane! We sold our house on Sunday and have until December to pack and move (right down the street to our new house.) In the meantime I'm shooting one wedding, two engagements, a baby, a family, and a bridal portrait in a 10 day span... while working full time. Oh, and the big kicker? We planned an 8 day trip to Italy back in May before we were expecting and before our house ever went on the market!

I can't complain because I bring everything upon myself, but it's a lot to pack, move, work, work some more, and take a trip to Europe in the middle of it all. I mean, I can't wait to get there and look forward to sharing pictures with you of all the beautiful things we'll see (especially Nicky's wedding at a castle in Florence) but I can only do so much! So here are some last "new pics" until I return from Italy. These are from the engagement I did last weekend for Lauren and Brock. They're natives, but call NYC home these days. They were home for a Clemson football weekend and really wanted to get their engagement pics done in time for the holidays so I said, "why not?" Hope you like them!







Thursday, October 16, 2008

Nikki & Travis - Cornelius Wedding

So I woke up at 5am today for no reason. Well, not "no" reason. I love sleeping with the windows open this time of year, but by 4 or 5am my allergies are in full swing, so I wake up! What's a girl to do? I guess work... so I hopped on the computer and finished up Travis and Nicki's wedding AND Landon's two year old pics. I should wake up early more often!

Ok, so first are some of my favorite images from Nicky and Travis' wedding last month. They got married in Lake Norman then had their reception in the University area. You'll see an unusually strong resemblence of Nicky's Dad to President Bush. It's almost comical! Poor guy is probably stopped everyday and asked "Do you know who you look like?..." I personally wouldn't be too overly annoyed, as I'm part of the 30% of America that is still a W fan and refuses to drink the Kool-Aid :)

This is our beautiful bride getting ready. She was really calm.


These flower girls had a ball entertaining all the bridesmaids before the big show. They sang, they danced, they pretended to play the piano. Watch out Hollywood!


They're actually happy coming down the aisle! Most little girls get shy and then cry before they're 1/2 way down.


I like this one of Travis. He looks so serious.


Phew! Ceremony's over. The wedding party exited first then hid to give congratulations and hugs.


I'm really into the vintage postcard look right now. You'll see these effects in a lot of my finished images.


I really do hate posed photography, but fun shots like these I enjoy. Don't get me started on posed portraits inside a church... it's just not my thing!


I did this shot at a wedding in 2007, but twisted the finished look at little this time. I think it says so much. I love it!


The first dance. Giddy as can be!


Daddy's little girl.


"Y..... M-C-A!"


So now on to little Landon. He turned two this week and his parents wanted some images to capture the preciousness that is "two" (and trust me, it's precious; our Ava is almost 2 and 1/2 and every day I wish I could just freeze her in time right where she is!)
Anyway, Landon wasn't really in the mood to be photographed, but he was ready to explore all over his grandparents' backyard. We looked at statues, bugs, rocks, fish, bubbles, chairs, balls, bees, squirrels, and birds. I chased him around for an hour and still somehow managed to get some cute shots! Here are some of my faves.