Melissa and Michael had SUCH a cool wedding! First of all, it was Serbian and they incorporated all kinds of customs and traditions. Second, they’re two of my favorites. Third, everyone was so happy the entire day. Fourth, … it goes on. 
Enjoy a few until next week.
I’m naturally drawn to happy-go-lucky songs, so this one here is a little bit of a change for Creative Juices. I don’t know that it’s sad per se, but it definitely has hints of darkness. I’m not so much into the video, but I love the melody. Check it out!
1. Panera breakfast sandwiches. I didn’t have time to eat breakfast before last week’s wedding, so I picked up something I thought would get me through most of the day. So good! Why haven’t I tried these before?? The bacon, egg and cheese was delish, and it totally held me until dinner.
2. Hello perfume by Harvey Prince. I’m not a huge perfume girl. I mean, I wear it, but I don’t have a “signature scent.” Then I got Hello in a recent Birchbox. I think I’m sold! It’s citrus-y, but in a grown-up way. So much easier than going to the perfume counters at the mall to find a new favorite and walking away with a headache.
3. My car, Nancy. She might not start on the first try and her stereo might be dead, but Nancy got me all the way to Oxford and back this week. All 177,000 miles of her.
4. McDonald’s hot fudge sundae. Evidently I’m on an eating out kick. There’s not much to say about this one except that it’s the best $1.30 I can spend!
5. My office color scheme + this print. My office colors were set and then I found chairs that I LOVED. The only problem? They didn’t fit the scheme. But I loved them so much, I decided to throw caution to the wind and get them! I know, I live dangerously. I had to tweak the colors a little, and after I had decided on the accents, I found this Be Yourself print in every one of the colors I had picked. The green will be more mint, but it’s pretty close. And I’m totally getting the print.
I just love these two. Ashley and Dan are so friendly and so welcoming … their wedding was obviously a good time! Enjoy some of my favorites, and then stay tuned for the full post next week!
Oh you guys, this is too good not to share. And who doesn’t need a little pick-me-up on Monday morning?
Nathan and I decided we’d be all Martha Stewart (OK, I decided that) and decorate our front porch for fall. We bought the mums, we bought the pumpkins … we were feeling pretty good about ourselves until we went outside the next day and saw bite marks all over our pumpkins!
Naive me thought that if we ignored it maybe it would go away. Haha, I don’t know where that logic came from but sure enough, a couple days later this happened:
And then Nathan caught the culprit red handed! But the culprit didn’t really seem to care.
Ridiculous. I have a feeling this wouldn’t happen to Martha Stewart.
She had noticed him in the locker-filled hallways before they officially met. It was study hall when they first spoke to each other.
“Greg was very polite and shook my hand when he introduced himself,” Melissa said.
In her vows, Melissa repeated the words she wrote on the senior picture she gave to him. “I hope we’re together for a long time.” She couldn’t have known then what her wedding day would look like, but she did know she had found a good one.
Melissa and Greg, your devotion and loyalty to each other is an inspiration to me. I hope you find much happiness in your new marriage!
Melissa practiced her vows while she got her hair done. It was so sweet.
The ceremony and reception were held at Chagrin Valley Athletic Club. The grounds are small, but there’s lots of great nooks and crannies to shoot portraits. You’ll see soon …
I was slightly obsessed with Melissa’s bouquet. You’ll see it lots more in this post.
Melissa and Greg did a first look to allow more time for portraits and more time with their guests after the ceremony.
Love this one.
It was threatening rain all day, but right before the ceremony, the sun came out!
To see more from Melissa and Greg’s wedding, click here to view a SLIDESHOW or watch it here:
Ceremony and Reception: Chagrin Valley Athletic Club
Florist: DIY! (dahlias supplied by Hensbury Farm)
Hair and Makeup: Accents
Cake: White Flower Bakery
DJ/Lighting: Tony Strieter, Bello Sano Entertainment
Paper Goods: Vista Print and Paper Source
Bride’s Dress: Maggie Sottero
Bridesmaids’ Dresses: Jessica Howard Evenings
Groom’s Suit: Kenneth Cole
I definitely don’t have everything figured out when it comes to running a business, but one thing I do feel fairly OK about is my calendar. Before I went out on my own, when I was still working with Amanda Donaho Photography, I researched, scoured the Internet and read everything I possibly could about photography. I started following photography blogs and to this day, I still read blogs for the first 15 minutes of my morning.
I’ve always been drawn to lists and keeping record of what I do, so when I saw Katelyn James’ blogging schedule, I knew I had to try it. As soon as I started booking weddings, I went to Target and picked up a Real Simple flexible planning calendar, which is basically a fancy way of saying that you get stickers with the calendar. I assigned each of those sticker colors a task on my list: blogs, meetings, shoots, admin tasks.
For the last year, all my photography “to dos” have lived on that calendar, while I’ve also kept a shorter-term to do list on a regular, old piece of paper. I found that the calendar was great for big, black-and-white things, but when I had 15 task items from a wedding, I had nowhere to keep track of each one. Enter regular, old piece of paper.
Once I had booked half of the 2013 season, I decided it was time to make the trek to Target and get another calendar. Only one problem: I couldn’t find my beloved calendar anywhere! I’ve checked the Internet and everything and it’s nowhere to be found. Sad.
So, new solution: The Simplified binder by Emily Ley. While I’ve had my schedule pretty well figured out this year, my client organization needed some help. I’ve kept contracts, lists, etc., in file folders in my desk, but workflows and receipts stayed in folders on my computer. While I was trying to be green with the whole computer thing, I’ve learned that if each client’s workflow isn’t at the tip of my fingers, I don’t think to open it and update it. I needed a simpler solution.
In 2013, I’ll keep everything in my binder. My calendar and also all my client documents. And because the sticker thing worked so well, I created my own stickers with washi tape.
I still need to figure out a better system for the day-to-day to do lists. I keep a schedule on my iCal, but I get a lot of satisfaction crossing stuff out, so I’m looking for something hard copy. Maybe a planner? What’s worked for you? Any recommendations?
The warm, salty, ocean air blew my hair as I licked my bigger-than-normal ice cream cone. My family and I were walking around the main Sea Pines hub in Hilton Head when I saw it. 212. It was printed on a door up a long flight of stairs. How did I spot that out of all the hustle and bustle happening around me? I pointed it out to my aunt, and we marveled over it for a minute. I thought about taking a picture but decided against it, sure I would see it again.
That’s the thing about 212. My family sees it all the time. On clocks, on mailboxes, in restaurants. In likely and unlikely places. When we’re looking for it and not looking for it.
Two-twelve was the number of my grandma’s childhood house and something my grandpa always pointed out to her throughout their marriage. She never understood why he latched onto that seemingly random number, but after he died, she started noticing it everywhere. Just like he did. Then my cousin started seeing it, and soon we were all drawn to 212 in different ways. For me, 212 always catches me off guard. So much so that I think it can’t be coincidence.
A couple weeks ago, on a particularly stressful day, I walked to the post office with three identical packages. They were going to three family members in three different states. The postman weighed the first two packages at $1.95 each, but the second one? This one’s going to be two-twelve, he said. Two-twelve. Not two dollars and twelve cents. Two-twelve. And it was going to my cousin who noticed 212 more than any of us. It definitely made me catch my breath.
Walking home, I willed myself to remember to text her the story. Of course I forgot as soon as I walked in the house, but happened to remember a couple hours later. I sent her a quick text … only to receive one back that said, you sent that at 2:12.
Maybe we’re noticing 212 now more than ever because we’re conditioned to see it. Or maybe it’s more than a coincidence. Either way, 212 reminds us of him. Of each other. Of the fact that life is more important than work and material things. It reminds us that life is precious and that there’s only one to be lived. I like to think that my grandpa’s reminding me of that when I need it most.
Jamie and Tom came to me via my sweet friend Maggie, who, long story short, had a free session. After moving across the country —TWICE! —with her new husband, she knew she wouldn’t be able to use the session anytime soon, so she passed it along to her newly engaged cousin … Jamie! Got that?
These are the people in my life—really generous and so, so nice. And Jamie and Tom are extensions of that. They were up for anything. Running? Check. Wading in the water? Check. Being picked up? Check. You know I love when clients do the slightly crazy things I ask of them with no hesitation. It makes for fun photos, and these? These are some of my favorites ever.
Enjoy this cute couple and this glorious, warm light.
My favorites! You guys are awesome! And that light! Gah!
Seriously!
To see more from Jamie and Tom’s engagement session, click here to view a SLIDESHOW or watch it here:
They met because of a friend. She was in school in Pittsburgh and he was in town. They met. They hung out. And then they didn’t see each other for a year and a half.
“The very first time I met him, he gave me his jacket,” Colleen remembered. “He was a keeper from the beginning.”
Six years after they met, and four and a half years after they became inseparable, Colleen and Mike tied the knot. She says her favorite thing about him is that he makes her laugh, even when she’s not in the mood to crack a smile, and as an observer, I can totally see that. Mike is this happy-go-lucky guy who is really, really good at getting his new wife to smile. The way he looks at you, Colleen … you’re right about him being a keeper.
Both Colleen and Mike are really into golf, as is Colleen’s family, so they decided to have their ceremony at the Golf Improvement Center in Medina. How’s that for unique??
Colleen did a first look with her dad. It was so sweet!
That little ring bearer is the cutest ever! Oh and those linen suits with Sperry’s? Awesome!
So everything was great, we got all our pictures done outside, and then? Then it began to pour just as guests were arriving! Everyone milled around in the store while we waiting for the monsoon to clear. Luckily it only lasted about half an hour and the outside ceremony went off without a hitch.
So many details! Thanks to my second shooter, Emily, for that photo above.
They even had a bagpiper. So cool!
My favorite up there on the left.
I can’t take credit for this photo idea. It was all Emily’s brain child! See why she’s awesome?
Haha, I love it.
Fairlawn Country Club is gorgeous!
Who wouldn’t want a margarita bar at their wedding?!
You two are great. Here’s to a long and happy marriage!
To see more from Colleen and Mike’s wedding, click here to view a SLIDESHOW or watch it here:
Oh, I just love this post!!! I love your color scheme and McDonalds does have the best sundaes (esp for the price!) And big props to your car
I just sold my first car, and no matter how much that car (Audrey was her name) made me crazy I sure did love her. Now I just have to figure out how to not be afraid of my husbands manual car (I can drive it, but only against my will lol).
Ahhh, my husband has a manual car too, and I’m terrified of it!
Thanks so much for featuring my print! I would love to send it to you- you gave my shop so many referrals! If you would like, you can email me your info to leesaralou@gmail.com. Thanks!