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This past week, it has felt like Forks, WA in Florida (which sort of makes me happy because I can pretend like I'm in Twilight. Don't judge me.) Rain, gray skies, more rain, chilly temperatures, more rain, wind, thunder and lightening. It has kind of made the days run together a little bit - one big, sloppy, puddle of a week.
So you could imagine our anxiety level when our beach wedding Saturday began creeping closer - no bueno.
But the weather was on our side, my friends. It actually was more like our BFF. Our partner-in-crime - any campy title you could possibly think of. When we rolled up to the beachfront, the skies were dramatic - a blend of blues and grays that made for an insanely gorgeous backdrop. The greenish-silvery waters were a perfect compliment to the horizon. The wind had died down to a reasonable, won't-knock-me-over level, and the chilliness in the air was tolerable. It was a beautiful day to get married on the sand.
Sami and Nick's wedding was intimate, laid back and filled with love - just like their relationship. Surrounded by their family and a few of their closest friends, they vowed to spend the rest of their lives side-by-side.
The couple opted for an amazing dinner at the fabulous Bonita Springs steakhouse, Chops over a formal reception. The atmosphere was relaxed, the food was incredible, and excitement for the newlyweds was shared between everyone. :)
Sami and Nick - we are so glad that we got to be a part of your special day - thanks for entrusting us to capture it for you. You know we absolutely love you guys and we can't wait to hang out soon! :)
Enjoy a few from their day!:
I wanted to document Bonita Beach when I first saw the unexpected weather conditions - just in case nobody believed me later. ;)
Sami made a gorgeous bride.
I love this moment. Sami and Nick chose to see each other before the ceremony (which was great, because we were able to get the photos done before the light became to dim). What Nick didn't know was that Sami had purchased a wedding dress. He was expecting to see her in a sundress, and instead she came around the corner in a beautiful strapless bridal gown. He was happily surprised, to say the least. :)
These two are outrageously easy to photograph. As if we would expect anything less after their awesome engagement session a couple of months ago. :)
The one on the right may be my favorite from the day. Or the one on the left. Ok. Both of them.
The next two = Cuteness squared.
LOVE.
I think this image illustrates their day perfectly. :)
The adorable ring bearer during a prayer - hands folded. :)
Adam (our brother-in-law) performed their ceremony. Nick, Ben and Adam have grown up together, so it was really cool that they both got to be a part of his day.
I love this one because you can see the guests, and you get an idea of how personal and intimate the whole ceremony was.
MARRIED! :)
A little peek at the dinner environment. ;)
Congrats you guys! <3
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sami & nick : married
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79
I've always considered myself a small town girl at heart.
Don't get me wrong - I love the city; fast pace, big lights, energy - I can definitely appreciate all of it. In fact, I could even see myself living in a big city (hello NYC!). But there's something about rural, mellow simplicity that draws me in. I'm sure it has a lot to do with the fact that I grew up in an everybody-knows-everybody type of town. ;) A place where "ya'll" is used frequently, and trucks come bigger, louder, and muddier. In this town, families have Sunday dinners together, and country isn't just a location - it's a way of life.
I ventured away from this town for awhile - getting a taste of what the rest of the world had to offer. But much to my surprise, I ended up back where my roots have always been planted. And at this point in my life, I really wouldn't have it any other way.
***
Erica and Grant's wedding reminded me of home. Comfort, laughter, and beautiful simplicity were all part of their big day, and it made the entire event incredibly enjoyable to be a part of.
Erica was a totally efficient, creative bride. She planned the details of her wedding to a tee, and her efforts translated into a gorgeous, rustic/vintage vision that permeated throughout the whole day. From handmade table linens, to a feather-embellished bouquet, the wedding was full of personal, innovative touches that made photographing it a breeze. ;)
In addition to the awesome elements of the wedding, Grant and Erica are so easy to be around. Their love is charming, and they are each other's ideal compliment. Erica is outgoing and expressive, and Grant is easygoing and reserved. The balance makes for an absolutely perfect match. And we couldn't have been more thrilled to spend time with them on the most special day of their lives. :)
Here's a peek at their amazing wedding (held in their own backyard!):
The cutest flowergirls EVER.
The ceremony was short and sweet - with tons of emotion-filled moments. :)
Married!!! :)
I need to take a moment and express how much I ADORE Erica and Grant for two reasons:
1. Their wedding was at 3:30, and they gave us from 3:45-5:00 for photos. Hello, perfect light!
2. Erica scoped out some awesome locations for us beforehand, so we were able to make the most of the time allotted. I know - she's fabulous, right? ;)
Below are 2 examples of her killer location-finding skills. Exhibit A: a rundown, vintage-looking house. Exhibit B: an old general store. Love it.
...annnnnnd this little shack that looked like it was actually made for us to take photos in front of (p.s. this is my favorite from the day :)).
Florida sunshine, I love you.
Erica and Grant, being all model-esque - they're naturals. ;)
Love these next two.
Erica was concerned that she didn't do a good "serious" face. Um, yeah right.
First dance.
Adorable. :)
Mr. and Mrs. ;)
I couldn't just tell you about all of those fantastic details - I have to show them to you. :) (*Florals by Oviedo Florist, cake by Bake me a Cake)
More to come soon! Grant and Erica, you guys are so fabulous! Thanks for letting us be a part of your amazing day! :)
**Don't forget about Love Through the Lens! We are already filling slots - contact us to book yours, and participate in this great cause! :)**
cora:
Love the pictures...great choices for the pictures! simple but elegant!
(11.22.09)
Kimberly:
Oh I love all the vintage looking photos and the sunny ones! Ya'll did an awesome job!
(11.23.09)
Erica and Grant:
LOOOOVE....you guys rock! :)
(11.23.09)
tina.morrow:
i love the simplicity of this wedding and the pics captured that in such a beautiful way!
(11.23.09)
Aunt Marge & Uncle Lou:
Dear Grant & Erica, Your Wedding pictures are absolutely
beautiful. Loved your back ground. I'm sure the wedding was
wonderful and we are so sorry we could not be there.
Love Aunt Margie & Uncle Lou
melissa:
Um....I love this all! If I weren't married yet, this whole post would be my inspiration pic. Amy and Ben- I think this is some of your best work yet! Awesome job!
(11.23.09)
kala Borders:
This is my Favorite wedding you guys have shot!it was beautiful!
(11.23.09)
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erica & grant : married
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73
October was sort of like a revolving door for me. Actually, October was sort of like a revolving door that I got stuck in. Round and round and round - dizzying myself with moving into a new house, shoots, editing, being a wife, daughter, friend; never really sure when to make my move and jump out of the spinning cycle. But I did it. I jumped. And though I made a rather clumsy exit - stumbling and hitting myself with the edge of the door - I'm out of the proverbial rotation of craziness. November should be calmer. But just in case, I'm keeping my distance from merry-go-rounds and those teacup rides at Disney World.
***
One exciting part of the blur of October was Matt and Jamie's wedding. Let me back track for 2.5; I've known Matt for a long time. Like, "we go way back" definitely applies here. We've been great friends for years, and I've always known him to be a truly fantastic, down-to-earth guy. He is easygoing, charming, and considerate. A couple of months ago, I met Jamie. Jamie is laid-back, charismatic, and thoughtful. She is his perfect balance. It's absolutely apparent (even to someone like me who has only spent little time with the two of them together) that there is no better match for either of them than the other. Their love is filled to the brim with emotion and affection; a relationship that is grounded on a firm foundation of adoration and respect.
Before the day of the wedding, I spoke to Matt on the phone and he told me, "I'm not stressed. I'm just ready." Before the ceremony began, Jamie echoed his words - "I'm not stressing at all." After seeing them together, I can understand their calm. When something feels that right, apprehension and tension just sort of fade away, and anticipation takes the spotlight. :)
Matt and Jamie were married on the rooftop of the Star Tower in downtown Orlando. This venue is amazing (in every sense of the word). It has quickly found a place on my "favorite venues" list - near the very top. The weather was gorgeous, the details were phenomenal (photos of the decor will be in my next post! :)), and of course, the bride and groom were adorable. Matt and Jamie are extremely close to their families and friends, so the atmosphere on their wedding day was a mixture of excitement, admiration, and support. Laughter and hugs were in abundance, and there was a happy energy flowing through the air that cannot be explained - only experienced. And we're so glad that we were able to! :)
Matt and Jamie - You're day was nothing short of perfect. I hope you have an incredible time in London and Rome; we could not be more jealous of your trip! ;) Thank you for being so fabulous in every way. See you guys when you get back!
Onto the photos:
Jamie's awesome Ralph Lauren heels...
...stunning Priscilla of Boston dress...
...and the bling. ;)
Matt specifically requested shots of Jamie getting ready since that would be the one thing he wouldn't get to experience with her. Super cute, right? I happily obliged. :) (Just FYI: Jamie is freaking gorgeous.)
Reading the card that Matt gave her before opening his gift. (P.s. it was a key necklace from Tiffany's. ;))
Putting on the dress, with a little sisterly assistance.
The gorgeous bouquet. Flowers and arrangements were created by Lee Forrest Design. (Ben and I used him for our wedding as well! He's insanely talented.)
Beautiful bride.
While I was with the girls, Ben was hanging out near Lake Eola with the guys. Good looking group, right? :)
LOVE this.
Jamie and her bridesmaids got ready in a suite at the Star Tower. The place was pretty much empty, and it provided some killer lighting. Check out the super chic bridesmaids' dresses and their individualized accessories and shoes. :)
I think quoting Tyra is appropriate here - "Fierce."
:)
Most photogenic couple of the year.
Matt got a little choked up when he saw Jamie walking down the aisle. The moment was so emotional that I had to force myself to get it together from behind my camera. I'm such a sucker for the sentimental.
I love being able to feel something through an image. It makes the shot so much more tangible.
MARRIED! :)
Matt and Jamie exited to Dirty Dancing's "The Time of My Life," and their bridal party busted out a few moves as they made their way down the aisle. :)
These next few portraits are some of my favorites to date. Matt and Jamie are so ridiculously easy to photograph - I barely had to give any direction. They're naturals. :)
This one is in the running for my favorite of the day. The beauty of shooting on a rooftop? Raw, golden sunshine. :)
LOVE.
Um, Vogue called and they want their models back.
First dance.
This next one happened by accident; my flash hadn't recycled before I clicked again, and this was the result. I love how it's a little grainy and dark.
A glimpse into the awesomeness of the reception. :)
More to come soon!
Ben:
This wedding was SICK!!! I loved getting to shoot on the rooftop as well!
(10.27.09)
Callie:
Aaaaaaaamazing pictures guys! Looks like this wedding was absolutely beautiful and you captured it wonderfully!
(10.27.09)
Kristin:
Heck yeah! THey are awesome!!! I loved looking at ALL of them!!
(10.27.09)
Ashley McCormick Photography:
Amy & Ben: I think this is your best wedding to date!! They are a gorgeous couple and you did an absolutely amazing job :) Maybe they'd be willing to model for all of us sometime?? They are fabulous!
(10.27.09)
tina.morrow:
beautiful pictures! beautiful couple. :)
(10.27.09)
Whitney F.:
Beautiful, gorgeous, amazing, the list goes on and on. You guys captured this wedding ins such a beautiful manner, the bride and groom were fantastic and you guys did such a great job (as usual)!
(10.27.09)
Amy:
Thank you all so much for your encouraging words! :)
(10.27.09)
Jim Todd:
Thank you both for such wonderful memories captured...Looking forward to seeing the rest...another great session...love to you
(10.30.09)
Jerry and Lori Miller:
Ben & Amy - You guys did a wonderful job. Lori and I are looking at the pics for the first time this morning. Lori was crying and she had to go call her friends to get them to the website. Awesome job - every picture. What a great couple of days and thanks for capturing it in a way that we can relive it over and over and over.
(11.01.09)
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jamie & matt : married - part 1
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72
This past Saturday, Alex and Chris were married at Nativity Catholic Church in Longwood, with a beautiful reception that followed at Timacuan Golf Club.
You may remember this fabulous couple from their recent engagement shoot at Kraft Azalea Park. In that post, I wrote - "It's so easy to capture two people who are as in love as they are." I can't reiterate that sentence enough. From sharing a silent moment of happiness during their ceremony, to letting loose on the dance floor together, Alex and Chris allow their adoration for one another to overflow into every interaction. Their love is genuine, relaxed, and completely unforced. It's beautifully sincere, which translates into honest, natural images.
Alex and Chris - we have absolutely loved every second of being around you guys. Thank you for allowing us to document your gorgeous day, and your gorgeous relationship! :)
Alex and Chris had a full Catholic Mass as part of their wedding ceremony. During the liturgy, they were able to sit together. I loved these little looks they gave each other throughout the service.
Lighting the unity candle.
One of my favorites. The priest asked everyone to extend their hands as he prayed for the blessing of Alex and Chris' marriage. I think it's so representative of the support and love Alex and Chris have from their friends and family.
I don't usually like to post formal family or bridal party shots, but the following 2 are a couple of my favorite group images to date. The guys and girls in Alex and Chris' wedding party were so amazing and easy to work with - each couple even chose their own pose in the second shot. They're naturals. :)
Two things I love about Alex; one, she wore flats to her wedding. Comfy and chic. Smart girl. Two, she had double the shoe cuteness - a classy white pair for the ceremony, and a fun, fabulous red pair for the reception.
Alex and Chris gave us plenty of time for portraits after the ceremony. Have I mentioned that I adore a couple who prioritizes photo time? Oh, I have? Well, not to be redundant, but I adore a couple who prioritizes photo time. :)
Love this.
A slightly different angle. :)
First dance. They are precious.
Father/daughter & mother/son dances. Alex and her father danced to "Butterfly Kisses," which is the same song my dad and I danced to at my wedding. I'm such a sap; it gets me every time.
Hands down - my favorite garter shot ever. That's skill, my friends.
Ladies, look closely. These are the faces of some guys who are eager to get hitched.
Near the end of the night. I just can't get over how adorable they are.
And did I mention that there was dancing? Oh - there was some serious dancing.
Becka @Studio222 Photography:
LOVE the candle shot during the ceremony. And the garter one made me laugh!
(10.22.09)
tina.morrow:
love these pics! beautiful lighting.
(10.24.09)
Shirley :
These might be my favorite wedding pictures you guys have taken. They are amazing. My favorites are her red shoes, the garter shot for sure! and the dancing-i can almost feel how much fun they were having so you did a perfect job capturing it.
(10.26.09)
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alex & chris : married
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67
Ben and I have the most incredible clients. No, really. I'm not just saying that. We have lucked out with some of the most laid back, photogenic, outgoing, down-to-earth, super-fan-tab-ulous clients. We don't like to talk about it too much because we're afraid we'll jinx ourselves (I'm knocking on wood and throwing salt over my shoulder simultaneously right now). But it's true. I don't know how it happens, but I'm pretty thrilled that it does.
Larissa and Justin are a perfect example of what this good luck streak looks like.
I won't get too detailed in this post because it's 1:00 in the morning and I don't trust my descriptive typing skills past 10:30. However, I will say this - Larissa and Justin's wedding was one of the most fabulous events I've ever had the pleasure of photographing. I even tweeted about it that night - and that makes it legit:
Ben and I were amazed at how easily the day progressed - no stress, no chaos, no tension. Just a lot of smiles, excitement, and love. Larissa and Justin have a ton of people that truly care about them, and it permeated the atmosphere with good, cheerful energy.
Icing on the delicious, raspberry-filled cake? Larissa and Justin are totally comfortable in front of the camera. We figured this out at their engagement session about a month ago, but it's usually a little different on the big day when emotions are running high. So as we were snapping some of them together after the ceremony, I started to guide them through some poses ('alright, let's have a kiss for this one'...'Larissa you look past me, Justin, right into the camera...') but they were 5 steps ahead of me! They went with the moment and allowed us to capture some of the most natural, romantic shots ever.
Enough rambling - onto the photos! Here's a handful of our favorites from the ceremony, and the post-ceremony session. More to come - including some reception images! :)
Isn't Larissa an insanely gorgeous bride?! She has a little bit of an old-Hollywood look - flawless. :)
Possibly my favorite moment at a wedding - the bride walking down the aisle.
I really like the following 2; the first is a sweet moment between Larissa and her father right before he gave her away. The second is during the ceremony - a nice angle of the venue, Casa Feliz (my favorite wedding venue to date!)
Easily in the running for my favorite of the day. I can literally feel Justin's adoration for Larissa radiating through this moment.
I definitely felt all creepy and paparazzi-like while I was taking this shot, but after seeing the result, I'm happy to hide out behind trees any day. :)
I love Justin's expression in the photo on the left.
I think I love Ben a little bit more because he captured these next two. I'm having photo-credit envy for a minute.
Like I said, they're naturals. :)
Probably my favorite from the day so far. The light was amaaaaazing. I wish I could bottle it up and carry it around with me to every shoot.
Eric Farewell:
KILLER light in that last one... WOW!! :)
Love all of these... I'd have to say it's a toss up between the last one, and your paparazzi shot... Good times :)
Shannon:
all these photos are gorgeous! the venue looks amazing, and my favorite shot was the paparazzi photo =)
(09.28.09)
Nicole:
Wow. Wow wow wow. I really need to stop looking at your blog because it is making me soooo sad that you cannot shoot my wedding. I so wish you could, you are absolutely amazing! WOW!
(09.30.09)
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larissa & justin : sneak peek!
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I love all of these pictures...my heart was overflowing with love for this couple...Nicks facefull of happiness and love was well captured...great job once again.
(12.07.09)Ohhh my gosh these pictures are beautiful! All of the love and happiness that was present at the wedding is defintely reflected in them! Lovely! :)
(12.07.09)ohhh the photos are gorgeous! Sami looks stunning & Nick looks so happy! Is there a way that Clint & I can see all of the photos? Like a password on your site or something like when you did ours?
(12.12.09)