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.

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!

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!

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.

Ashley & Heath - Fort Mill Wedding

I'm so happy October is here! Words can't express. It's not because tomorrow's my birthday, although that's very nice. I just love everything about October... the crisp air, leaves changing color, pumpkins everywhere, all the "fall" smelling candles in stores. It's my favorite season finally!

I kicked it off with Ashley and Heath's wedding at the Dairy Barn in Ft. Mill. I've never shot there before, but after yesterday I can't wait to go back! It's the coolest venue. Totally up my alley. As you can imagine from the name, it's a historic barn that's been converted for weddings, receptions, etc. Ashley and Heath got married upstairs in the loft then had their reception downstairs immediately afterwards. The dancefloor was outside next to one of the old silos overlooking a horse pasture. Just magical!

The day started a little behind because my bride and her girls were stuck at the hotel... no one had enough gas in their car to get them from there to the Dairy Barn! Having nothing else to do until they arrived, I helped Ashley's mom set up for the wedding. The girls finally showed up and we got some fun 'getting ready' shots. All of the formal pics were done after the ceremony, and luckily Mother Nature kept the sun out just long enough for us to get what we needed.

Here's the proud Mama with nothing left to do but get ready herself!

The girls had a lot of fun together and will certainly have good stories to look back on from this day.

I love this shot! The sun was so overwhelming at sunset it was almost impossible to even see what I was doing. I'm happy with the results though.

LOVE the big silos around the barn. I gave this one an antiquey, magical feel.

The rest of the night was spent dancing under the stars. You can see the big silo in this dance photo (that's the flood light at the top.) Ashley actually climbed up all 100+ feet to throw her bouquet off. It was crazy and fun!

So on to the rest of my life... I'm five months along now. Baby Girl is doing well. We still don't have a name, but I hope to report on that soon with a decision. October is crazy busy. I'm still finishing up a September wedding and need to post photos from my most recent toddler shoot of 2 year old Landon (what a cutie!)

In the weeks to come... the fam is headed for a long weekend to the mountains of Pennsylvania next weekend. I can't wait! Ask my husband - I've been looking forward to this for months! We meet up with his whole family and all the kiddies get to play together all weekend. There's fall festivals left and right, and the leaves are just unbelievable this time of year up there. I can't wait to post pics for you.

I'll round out the last two weekends of the month with one wedding and FOUR portrait shoots (babies, engagements, bridal... you name it!) Call me crazy, but this is what I love so I do it anyway! See you soon (which means early November with all I have going on this month -ha ha!)