Leslie & Andy | 06.14.08

What a great wedding!! You could not ask for a better day to be married outside. Everything was perfect!

One of the things I loved about this wedding was the fact that Leslie and Andy saw each other before the wedding. It gave us plenty of time to take photos before hand so they could go straight to the cocktail hour after the wedding. But even better was the fact that we got some amazing photos of their first meeting. (We're seeing this more and more often and it works really well if your reception is immediately following the ceremony.)

Leslie & Andy - Thank you for having us as your wedding photographers. It was a joy to work with you and your families and a real privilege to be invited into your lives.
We're looking forward to planning your album as I know it will be awesome!

THE SHOW!



A FEW FAVORITES!















Some really cool vendors we worked with:

The Cakery Bakery! - This place really is awesome (you need to book early!!)
Distinctive Designs Floral
Charles Glenn Band - one word: Amazing
Hair & Makeup - Michelle Hadley
Alison White - Simply Elegant Events

A note about Alison - Alison and her team are an amazing group of people. They are smart, hard working people that get things done. Alison also has a beautiful eye for design and coordination and it is always a privilege to work with her. Alison and I worked on the tablescapes feature for this issue of St. Louis Bride Magazine. (I'll post about that soon!)

Something everyone will agree is awesome...

Since my last post really proved what realm of dorkdom I sometimes reside in, I decided it was time to post about something we can all agree is awesome - people in love. Yes, even you somewhat bitter and jilted people can not resist the entrapments of a couple in love.

If you're not already looking for it, slow down and watch people the next time you're out. Whether it's the couple that has been together for 50 years or the giddy newlyweds giggling in the corner booth, watch how they express their care and compassion for each other. There is no way you can tell me that love isn't an awesome and beautiful characteristic of the human race.

So here's some recent photos of our engagement sessions. I personally think we've been kicking them up a notch lately. Great couples are an important factor - as is our personal understanding of how relationships work. You aren't going to find any engagement-ring-hand-on-the-shoulder-stand-up-stiff-Sears-portrait-studio shots in our shop. (Though Jen, our fab office assitant, made fun of us today because we had our engagement photos taken at Sears. She wasn't wrong for doing so... Our 9th anniversary is July 18th if you were wondering. ;) )

I met Bruce...

Warning: This post contains a bit of name dropping, side comments and my normal rambling.

Yesterday I was at the Four Seasons Hotel in St. Louis scouting out a location for a photo shoot in September. The hotel lobby is on the top floor so that you get a spectacular view of the St. Louis skyline and arch as you check in. It is absolutely amazing. I can not wait until I shoot a wedding there. I already have locations for portrait sessions picked out.

So while I'm waiting to see the property I take a seat on a beautiful leather couch and try to keep an eye out for Ashley Brewer, the conference services manager. Across from me sits a older gentleman in a ball cap with a set of iPod ear buds peaking over his shirt. Sensing I was a little anxious (I wasn't sure if I was waiting in the right place) he told me to enjoy the view and we chatted a little bit about the weather and the Girl From Ipanema that played softly from the speakers above us. His name was Bruce and he was from Santa Barbara. I explained that I was there scouting for a photo shoot. (Normal constant rambling from me.)

Before I could ask him what brought him to St. Louis, he introduced me to a man that just got off the elevator, "And this is John Stamos."

Suddenly there were a thousand thoughts going around in my head. "John Stamos, wait, I know that name. Can't be, it is, it is THE John Stamos." I shake hands with him and he quickly takes a seat to chat with Bruce while I start to wonder who Bruce really is. "Bruce, Bruce, he looks familiar, where is he from? John Stamos is touring with the Beach Boys this summer. No. Can't be. really? Who are you really sitting across from, try not to stare. Be polite. Don't ease drop. Or at least don't look like you're ease dropping. You never know who you'll meet in the lobby of a hotel. I love my job."

So yes ladies and gentleman, I got to talk to Bruce Johnston of the Beach Boys. I really wanted to pull out my camera and take a photo. But they were just going to breakfast and a person has a right to a somewhat normal life. I may play a paparazzi at my weddings, but I'm really a sweet hard working pro in real life. (Which reminds me, I probably need to post something someday about being invited into peoples lives to capture found images. Stalking people is never cool. It is much better to be invited in and become part of the fixtures. That's when people relax, open up and share.)

Maybe someday I'll get a press pass to a Beach Boys show and I'll be close to the stage with all the other photographers and I'll get a real photo of them. Hey, anything can happen - and I definitely have the skills to do the job well. ;)

Thank you for indulging me and reading this post. Recent work of amazing weddings soon to come.