Pretty family

I really loved his bow tie!

The directional lighting here was awesome!

They are super adorable..

One of my faves!

We made our way down to the water and I loved this spot we found!

This might be my favorite from the whole day!

Gahh I love this one!

I love you guys! I’m so excited for October!

Xan and Matt, thank you so much for walking around DC with me. I loved getting to know you guys better and learning about your love. It was an honor to be there capturing it with you!  Enjoy some of my favorites!

Loved the series by this tree!

Seriously, how cute are they?!

LOVE!!! In fact, this is probably in my top 5 engagement photos I’ve ever taken!

Xan, you are beautiful!! I can’t wait for your wedding day!

This lighting situation was so unique; we were under a bridge and they are being lit only by the sun reflecting off the water! Interesting, right??

Hehe, I love laughter!

Loved the other side of the Jefferson! There were TONS of people on the other side, and almost no one where we were!

One of my favorites!!

We went around a little more and the light was getting PERFECT. This is one of my favorite series maybe EVER.

I LOVE THE ONE ON THE LEFT!

Adorable.

And here’s the last cherry blossom stop!

Gah. I love this one!

….and this one!

And I’ll end on my favorite one! It’s my desktop background right now!

Shannon and Matt, thank you SO MUCH for asking me to be a part of your day. I couldn’t have been happier to spend the day with you and your families in a celebration of your love! Take a look at some of my favorites!

We started the day at the Hilton Alexandria on King Street and Shannon’s room was awesome!

One of my favorite ring shots ever!

This hanger was a gift from Matt!

And a gift from her parents…

My second shooter, Rebekah, spent the morning with the guys and caught these photos of Matt reading Shannon’s letter. So sweet!

I was LOVING the look of the bridesmaids! Look at the pearls!!!

It’s always so exciting to see the dress go on!

You’re so gorgeous Shannon!! Also, those roses were from Matt too

Love the one on the left!

Lookin’ good there, Matt!

I LOVE first looks!!!

We did the first look on the balcony of Shannon’s room, so we stayed for a few extra portraits!

Gahh! I love the next two! See what I mean? Happy happy happy. (Duck Dynasty anyone?)

Too cute

Shannon has a great laugh..

HER EYES.

Love this one! Isn’t her dress AMAZING?!

Her bouquet was wrapped in pieces from her mom’s wedding dress!

Oh man, the bridal party was so much fun!

Boom! Models..

After pictures, we headed to the ceremony at the Ft. Belvoir Officer’s Club. It was SO beautiful! I’m so glad we had PERFECT weather for it!!

I was loving the light from this side..

Love how spring-y this feels!

Rebekah’s view!

After the ceremony, everyone headed inside for cocktail hour, followed by the reception in the Belvoir Room!

The Belvoir Room has an amazing view…

First Dance!

Some people started with the bubbles and it was really cool! I’m glad Rebekah got that shot on the left while I  got the one on the right!

Such sweet ladies!

Shannon’s dance with her dad was really fun!

Matt’s dance was a little slower and very sweet..

Special shout out here: Shannon’s grandparents have been married for 70 years!! 70!!! And I love them.

And then we went outside for a few more minutes for some more photos..

And of course the beautiful river!

Man they are gorgeous!

Favorite!

Another one of Rebekah’s! I love having another shooter!

And then we danced the night away!

I’m so excited for you guys! You’re such a great pair and I loved getting to know you! Enjoy the honeymoon!

Happy Thursday everyone!

Prep Location: Hilton Alexandria
Ceremony and Reception Venue: Ft Belvoir Officer’s Club
Makeup: Friend of Bride
Videography: eMotion Pictures

REMAINING CREDITS COMING SOON!!

I love all her colors and her green eyes!

Happy Monday everyone!

The speaker for the evening was Kim Forrest of Wedding Wire and she talked about wedding trends for this year; as a self described “wedding nerd”, Kim did such a great job telling us what was going to be happening in the industry this year; it was very informative and I learned a lot!

Take a look at AWP’s March Meetup!

The event was held at Fox Ventures, LLC, who specialize in making event decor. There is so much creativity in that building!!

I LOVED the menu cards by Regine from Chic Pear Designs.

Fox Ventures set up each table differently to showcase the variety of work they can do, so you’ll be seeing a huge range of decor. I was so IN LOVE with this first setup!

I loved the dark blue wood paired with the orange, green, and gold! Love love love!

This table had a totally different feel but I loved it too! You’ll have to see how it changed when it got dark!

The third table was SO different – a cement table top with white roses and candles… so pretty!

This 4th setup was really unique; the table was lit by some blue lights from underneath, and the white paper flowers added something really neat to the whole thing!

And this last table was smaller; it was a game table they made so as it got darker, the lights underneath showed off the Monopoly board!

After photographing tables, I went to the back for cocktail hour – I was impressed with everything! The appetizers from Roundz were AMAZING and the display was phenomenal!

A few examples of what Fox Venutures can make…

And here are some lovely faces!!!

Then we headed to dinner to entertain our taste buds (thanks again to the talents of Zachary Pope from Roundz) and listen to the wise words of Kim Forrest.

On the left is Tara, the awesome AWP President, and that’s Kim on the right!

Jeffrey Fox explaining how they make EVERYTHING there at Fox Ventures..

Zachary Pope from Roundz..

Oh. My. Gosh. These desserts were SERIOUSLY AMAZING. No joke – that chocolate ball? Ho. Ly. Cow. Courtesy of The Cake Courtesan. (Like the alliteration??)

I loved how dramatic this table became as it got darker.

Fox Ventures showing off 3-D Printer – everyone designed and then took home their own paperweight!

Our Fantastic Vendors:

Venue & Decor: Fox Ventures, LLC
Catering: Zachary Pope, Roundz Gourmet Market & Catering
Desserts: The Cake Courtesan
Paper Goods: Regine, Chic Pear Designs

I’m ready to

If you’ve been following wedding trends at all, you’ve probably have heard of a “first look”.  So today’s post is going to talk about what it is and why I always suggest a couple to at least think about adding it to their timeline. I should add that I firmly believe that this is not for everyone and I never try to push this on a client. I just feel that it’s important to know the pros and cons and weigh them accordingly. So here we go!

WHAT IS IT?
The moment a bride and groom first see each other on their wedding day is emotional and special. Their eyes connect, they look at each other with love and hope, and overwhelming joy. A first look as it’s referred to here, does not happen at the end of the aisle. In this case, it’s a time that the bride and groom share privately before the ceremony. (I know, that really rocks the boat, huh?) Usually this time is set aside for after everyone finishes getting ready, and I’d suggest adding an extra hour to your timeline for it (making sure you can also have  time for bridal party photos too!).

Michelle and Jeffrey, 2011

WHY SHOULD I CONSIDER A FIRST LOOK?
Excellent question, friend! There are many reasons why I think first looks are beneficial and incredibly memorable.

Timeline
The timeline is something that many people struggle with during the planning process. Imagine the list of family formals after your ceremony. The different family members, the combinations. After that you’ll do the bridal party, and finally, we’ll get to you and your amazing new spouse.  If you allotted 45 minutes for photos of you and your love, you’ll also have to add on the time for all those post-ceremony formals. All total, this could theoretically be up to an hour and a half plus any extra travel time! Your guests have been waiting for you since the ceremony ended; maybe they’re getting hungry or wondering where you are! Maybe YOU want to make it to cocktail hour yourself? So what’s the solution? Should you sacrifice your portrait time to get to your guests sooner? As a photographer, it’s hard to watch this happen. This is the only day you’ll have to get some professional photos of you in your wedding attire unless you schedule another session altogether. These are the photos you’ll put on your walls  or in frames or pass down to your kids! I would never suggest cheapening that experience. (Isn’t the day about you two anyways?) Not to mention, the day goes by in a blur; it’s busy and there are so many people around…wouldn’t you want some quality, no-pressure time on your day to cherish your newest commitments and just be together?

The first look would ease this stress in a couple different ways. One, the nature of weddings is that you’ll probably be running behind at some point. The first look provides a very important time cushion to work with! Two, the rule of thumb is that the more you can get done before the ceremony, the more relaxed your timeline can be after there ceremony. Phew! I’m all for relieving stress! The first look can eliminate a whole section of post-ceremony formals! We’d use the first look time to take photos of all your bridal party – bride+girls, groom+guys, and then everyone! (I want to add too, that usually bride+girls and groom+guys are done before the ceremony anyways, but I think it’s important to get those full group shots at the same time for a cohesive look AND as a timesaver!) This means that after the ceremony, formals would consist of just family before we moved on to your couple portraits. Keep in mind, it takes an average of two minutes per family photo! That really adds up! Third, taking time to do some portraits before the ceremony will mean that your photographer won’t be pressed into trying to get relaxed, comfortable, non-rushed portraits in a span of 15 minutes after the ceremony. I’ve had this happen before and though it’s doable, it’s more stressful and probably doesn’t yield the best results. Help your photog by allowing them enough time to excel! Now, I’m not necessarily suggesting that you should skimp on after ceremony portraits just because you’ve done some before hand – the BEST most ROMANTIC light happens later in the day and really gives an extra quality to your wedding photos! So, you may be wondering with that last statement, “how does it save me time if we we end up taking pictures afterwards anyway?” Well, I think it’s a time saver because of the quality of the time. Photos come out so differently when the couple is thinking about their guests and if they’ve stayed out too long and checking what time it is.  If you want your photos to not look rushed, then it’s a good idea to not feel rushed! In that same concept, there’s maybe not as much pressure to get 1000 awesome shots after the ceremony in the time allotted. You already have some in the bag! If you want to end early to make it to cocktail hour to be with your guests, you can and you would still have tons of photos!

In the photos below, consider the “timeline safety” reason: these are from Caroline and Shaun‘s first look. This was before the ceremony when the weather was fine. Later, right before the ceremony ended, it POURED and continued POURING until after dark. We wouldn’t have been able to take ANY photos outside. Instead, we got plenty of photos of them AND their bridal party! Crisis averted!

And plus, he had a really fun reaction

EMOTION
This is immediately the first thing people balk at. They want that RAW emotion when they’re revealed at the end of the aisle. Totally understandable. You both have dreamed of this moment! It’s the biggest “Ta-Dahh!!” of your life so far!  So, the big question is – if you see each other before the ceremony, will it take away the emotion from “the moment”?  In my experience, it doesn’t! But let’s explore the “emotion” thought and then revisit this question.  Take a look at the images below.

You see, to me, these photos are HUGE. I loved the view of Meredith because THIS is emotion! Look at her! Could she have thrown her arms around him at the end of the aisle? Could they hug w/out being interrupted or could he have whispered how gorgeous she looked or simply have taken a few minutes to take all of her in? Once the bride reaches the aisle, the preacher starts talking and all the thoughts running through his head are quieted, remaining there until a 1/2 hour LATER! I submit to you that a first look actually allows for MORE of that unfiltered emotion to come through.

A second aspect of this emotion thing is PRIVACY. Seriously, I’m talking to my guys here. You know that EVERYONE is going to look at you for your reaction. When she walks in, 300 eyes turn to YOU. IS HE GOING TO CRY?! Sheesh, nervous yet?  Like I said, this might not be for everyone, but imagine how sweet it would be to share that moment ALONE. Without all the extra eyes, no one to focus on but her. It’s just you and and her and your reaction is REAL and genuine; you can say what you want, you can twirl her and admire her dress, or just hold on to her! Here’s one of my favorite first looks:

See what I mean? Diana and Daniel probably took 7 or 8 minutes just soaking it all in. Just between the two of them. They cried, they laughed and they held on to each other like they would never let go. It was truly beautiful. And what was Daniel’s reaction when those doors did open? Everyone there can attest, the first look didn’t take away from that moment, either. He was truly moved, because this is still the moment you’ve built up! She still coming towards you about to pledge her life to you! And in fact, I’ve heard many times that the first look only strengthens that emotion; you’ve already shared a huge connection, like an unspoken bond, your confidence is strengthened because you’ve seen her and hugged her and been blown away – and you don’t have to share that with moment and process it with 150 guests staring at you! So because of this, it really helps to calms nerves for the guys too!

Finished Product
The third reason to consider is, well, the finished product! One, you will have some awesome emotion captured! Your photog’s hope is that those photos will be SO precious to you and they’ll bring back all that joy when you look at them. Practically though, you just end up with more photos! I once heard a stat that people who do first looks end up with 40% more photos! I don’t know if that’s true for me as a photographer, but I can tell you that having a first look DEFINITELY adds to the total number of photos. It’s like adding in an extra session on your day! In terms of the album, you’ll have TONS of options and more spreads! And who doesn’t want more spreads??

CONS
There are really only two cons that I can think of: One, it breaks tradition. Grandma might not be too happy with this one. And two, is if you’re really worried about walking around in your dress more than necessary or if you fear losing your perfected look. But there is always enough time to “refresh” before the ceremony if you need to! So…maybe that’s not really a con

SUMMARY
Having said all that, some people will still recoil at this idea. If that’s you, that’s awesome! You know that you want that aisle moment to be “it” and your photog will be thrilled to capture it. Either way, I hope this post has offered some insight into the issue. Have a great Wednesday everyone!!

Gillian and Matt’s relationship is so refreshing; their love so deep and true. I loved getting to walk around Great Falls Park in Maryland with them and learning more about them as a couple. It was not only a gorgeous day, but they are gorgeous people!  They believe in love, in loyalty and faithfulness. “You can’t predict what happens after you get married,” Gillian told me. “It’s trusting the Lord to help get you through the tough times.” Gillian and Matt have made the Lord the very center of their relationship and it’s the core of what holds them together. I was truly touched as she told me about how she sees more of how God loves by how Matt sees her, how they both seek to honor the Lord in their marriage, and how they have grown together in their faith.  Their joy is contagious and it was so wonderful to witness how they love and care for each other.   I absolutely adore them and I CANNOT wait for their wedding in June!! It’s going to be rather stupendous!

Take a look at some of my favorites of Gillian and Matt!

Yeah, this was like  2 minutes into the shoot. I LOVE THEM!

Gahhh, I love this one!!

Rockin’ it, Matt!

The Falls!

Gillian, you so are SO beautiful!!!

They are pretty sweet…

Love…

Matt did a super awesome job with the ring!

Models! They’re models!

One of my absolute FAVORITES!

Hehe, how CUTE are they?!

We did it! We found some green!

And I love this one to end on! Gillian and Matt, my heart celebrates with you guys and I can’t wait for your big day!!

My dad started golf in college. Sure, he’d played all the other sports growing up, even playing basketball and baseball at Hampden-Sydney College. But golf was new territory as a collegiate athlete. I’ll spare all the details, but he WORKED hard at his game. Hours upon hours by himself and hours upon hours with phenomenal teachers. He ended up on the PGA tour for three years before opening his own business (have I mentioned it before?? ) He also won the Virginia State Open 3 times (’84, ’86, ’88), he holds 15 course records and has 13 hole in ones. I could go on an on about his golf accomplishments like player of the year or Middle Atlantic Open Champion, but there’s something more important here. He’ll be the first to tell you that records get broken and names fade into history. And there’s something more lasting that my father’s done. He’s been a man of integrity, of incredible work ethic, of humility, of generosity, of loyalty and deep love. He can make friends with pretty much everyone and he has a face that just says, “Tell me about your life; I’m listening”. He has served his community and his family and I couldn’t be prouder of him. As I’ve grown up, he has truly become one of my very best friends. On the video, they asked him about his golf legacy. But I would submit that he has left a much bigger legacy with his family. He’s trained his daughters up in the way they should go, and when we have kids, we’ll pass that on to them. His legacy isn’t just birdies or titles; it’s how to live with right priorities, learning to love God more each day, and being honest, serving, and caring. Whatever we know about life, we learned from our parents. And that is a legacy worth celebrating. Love you, Dad.

Who’s missing from this picture? ME! THAT’S WHO!

Look at the curly hair! That’s where I get it from!

Best. Parents. Ever.

Look! It’s Bob Toski!!!!

Love my dad’s laugh

We are all so proud of you Dad!

I didn’t know how I would react to it since I didn’t know too much about it, but hey, everyone loves a good music movie, right?  The movie is about competitive collegiate a Capella, which I obviously know nothing about. So we watched the singing and the dancing and honestly, we actually really liked it! It wasn’t the best movie EVER IN THE WHOLE WIDE WORLD, but it was entertaining and there are some really quality voices! (Also, real instrument players seem a little less impressive after watching people make the same sounds with their mouths..) I think my favorite character was “Fat Amy”; if you like Flight of the Concords at all, you’ll like her!  The humor is very much the same, and she really made me laugh!

As for the music…well, Leta bought the soundtrack and I just can’t get it out of my head!!  In all honesty, I skip the last 5 songs on the CD because I don’t really want to listen to them and they didn’t really play a big part in the movie, BUT the rest of it is great! Here’s one of my favorite songs from the whole thing! Go ahead, you know you want to sing along