Kelly & Larry, October 27, 2007

Kelly and Larry had the honor of being my last clients of the 2007 wedding season! Last, perhaps, but not least...you see, at the end of last year, I had a drawing of sorts, where couples getting married in the 2007 season could submit their love stories for the opportunity to receive my services and some products free of charge, and Kelly and Larry were chosen! So, it was a beautiful fall day filled with lots of good friends, loving families and a generous photographer who had the honor to capture and create from all that love and good energy throughout the day! Kelly was all nerves before the ceremony and it was so cute to watch her bridesmaids dote over her during the preparation - I've never seen such a ballet of bridesmaids such as these women! There was dressing, manicuring of nails, and other fine-detailing happening all at once! Larry was calm and collected and all smiles watching Kelly being escorted down the aisle during the ceremony. Family and friends gathered for the reception at DeNunzio's Italian Chophouse at the Arnold Palmer Airport in Latrobe where the food was delicious and the love plentiful. What you will see in the slide show are some of my favorite images from the creative session - we went to St. Vincent's College and took photos in the grotto. I've chosen to portray the images of Kelly and Larry differently - Kelly's are eye-popping and contemporary, and Larry's are subdued and sophisticated. But I have to tell you, the hundreds of photos from throughout the day are beautiful and special and I know you both are going to love them when you see them! Kelly and Larry, I'm so glad I could do this for you. I hope you will enjoy the teaser of images here and I hope you will BE INSPIRED! Best, Joanne

Ashley & Jeff, October 06, 2007

Ashley and Jeff's wedding was held outdoors in the picture-perfect setting at Lakeview Resort and Spa in Morgantown, West Virginia where the staff did a wonderful job of making Ashley and Jeff's day so special. The day was warm, the sun was bright and emotions were plentiful for this fairytale setting... A horse-drawn carriage carried Ashley and her father to the ceremony site and then whisked Ashley and Jeff away afterwards. The sun streamed through the trees throughout the ceremony and then provided perfect backdrops for all the photos. It is the perfect kind of October day that everyone dreams of having on their wedding day! I have many favorite images from the day, but one of my favorite of the favorites was of Jeff's groomsmen leaning out to see Jeff's reaction when Ashley walked down to meet him. And I loved, loved, LOVED the way Ashley and Jeff were lost in each others presence throughout the ceremony - their eyes never left one another. This is EXACTLY what I tell my couples to do...live your moments; allow me to capture them. When you do this for me I am able to create some of the most beautiful images from these memorable moments. It is such a gift for all of us! Ashley and Jeff were adorned beautifully in their chosen wedding attire! I loved the chocolate brown tuxes and Ashley's flowers were a beautiful color combination of light and dark orange, perfect for the time of year. They chose beautiful fall colors for their attendants and the setting at the reception was beautifully adorned with the the many colors of fall. The cookie table was incredible - I don't think I've seen one overflowing with so many beautiful and brightly colored cookies; ever! It was great. It was just an all-around perfect day. It was so much fun to be with you on your day! Enjoy the slide show - the images I captured and created for you are beautiful! I am certain you are going to love them ALL! Best, Joanne

Jessica & Shaun, September 29, 2007

Jessica & Shaun's wedding was perfect in every way...weather, love, fun...it was a great day for a beautiful couple! What a great day for a wedding for these two Purdue graduates! The day began as most do, with preparation at Jessica's parents home then progressed to the ceremony at the beautiful St. Paul Cathedral in Oakland. And their reception was held at the beautiful Twentieth Century Club where I've photographed on a number of occasions. It has always been a delightful place for me to photograph at, as the staff are so helpful and the venue so elegant. And, Marco and Jenny Giordani of Cana Videography were on hand to record the footage for Jessica and Shaun - I so enjoyed working with you again and I cannot wait to see the results! Jessica and Shaun elected to stay in the Oakland area due to the time element, and it is always a great location for photographs! The pillars, the stairs...all the majestic backdrops of beautiful buildings coupled with sweet and beautiful couples always make for elegant and dramatic images that memorialize any couples wedding memories. This day was no exception and I had a wonderful time with Jessica, Shaun and their families and friends. I know that everyone is anxiously awaiting this slide show, so without further adieu...ENJOY!

Susan & Rick, September 15, 2007

This season I've been really fortunate to have a series of weddings held in beautiful outdoor garden settings with some of the most incredibly spectacular light I've ever worked with! When one is a photographer, the quality of light means everything to us, and when it is as it has been this late Summer, early Fall season...warm, glowing, dramatic, inviting...it is nothing less than a beautiful gift from Nature and truly exciting to photograph in! This is how it was for Susan and Rick's wedding in the gardens of the Clayton Frick Mansion; it was simply perfect light! Honestly, as I was photographing the group photo session after the ceremony, the sky was like a painting! You'll see a glimpse of it in the image of Susan and Rick in the greenhouse doorway. The day began as a relaxing morning of preparation at Susan's parent's home, however there were a few bumps in the road, literally, that delayed the start of the ceremony quite a bit! Traffic was some of the worst that particular weekend and I thought that Susan might have to attend her own ceremony in her bridal robe rather than her bridal gown holding a clump of flowers from the Frick gardens! But, everything came together without a hitch and the ceremony was as beautiful as ever. Susan was simply stunning in her gown and Rick?...smiles the whole way! My only complaint? That I didn't have more time with Susan and Rick to photograph them. Because of the delays at the start of the ceremony our time to photograph was cut to the quick - I had very little time to do what I needed and love to do, but I worked quickly and conscientiously so I could get them to their celebration at the Grand Hall at the Priory reasonably on time. Not to fear though...I did a great job and the photos I created are absolutely beautiful - I think you'll be able to see that in the slide show below. You'll also get to see Molly, Susan's sister's daughter having fun during the ceremony - she is a doll and had a blast doing what children do best! And, I think some of you will recognize a couple of the world-famous Clarks in the slide show too! ENJOY!!...especially the light... Best, Joanne