Weddings

I got it within 3 blocks of dropping off my luggage, putting on my sneakers and stepping out into the rainy Brooklyn evening –  I ♥ NY. I don’t know if it was the crowded sidewalk despite the warm May evening rain, the dogwood in bloom or the promise of a weekend spent capturing Natalie, Charles with their family & friends celebrating marriage NY-style. Whatever it was, I got IT – I ♥ NY and IT stuck. There are many different stories to share about Natalie and Charles – the way Natalie’s best friends, Lia and Matt, picked Charles out at the Cal law library as a good match for her, the spontaneous engagement in Egypt that included a late night rush to the local marketplace to search out an engagement ring that they negotiated down from $30 to $18 or how classically beautiful the two fit together, Natalie working with smart inner-city school kids to get the education they deserve or Charles commitment to a just marketplace as an Anti-trust lawyer BUT I’m going to talk about something completely different.

I want to tell you about Natalie & Charles extraordinary commitment to appreciate what is. The night before their wedding was the clincher. Imagine this – an open-top tour bus taking their friends and guests on a tour of NYC when out of nowhere a thunderstorm, drenching them and their guests Did it ruin the night? Nope. In fact it was Natalie and Charles positive attitude that transformed what could have been a disaster into an adventure. Come Rain or Shine is their sweet motto and I think it is not only in regards to the erratic NYC weather but to their lives as a whole.

You’re gonna love me like nobody’s loved me, Come rain or come shine.

Happy together, unhappy together And won’t that be fine.

Days may be cloudy or sunny, We’re in or we’re out of the money

But I’m with you always. I’m with you rain or shine.

I fell in Love with Audrey and Jason the first time I met them. They smile generously and are simultaneously easy going and clear about what they want. I fall in love with my clients often and have the incredible fortune of attracting clients that are vibrant and authentically happy and in love. Add to that gorgeous locations and event planners that are amazing and you pretty much can understand why I love my work! The first wedding I captured professionally was at Greens Restaurant. It’s been over a decade now and this job (if I can call it that given how much fun I have and how much I love it) continues to inspire and excite and challenge and delight me.  The details may be the same – capturing the full experience of love and beauty between amazing people in beautiful locations and my attention is in a completely different place. No longer am I concerned about missing the kiss or having a camera malfunction or taking breathtaking portraits, experience tells me all of that will be handled. NOW, my attention is on creating a great relationship with my clients. One that will contribute to their experience of joy and fun and love both on the greatest day of their lives and into their future. What an awesome way to earn a living.

And with that I offer you the beautiful photos of Audrey and Jason. With all my LOVE. Enjoy.

The proof of love is in the works. Where love exists, it works great things. ~Pope St. Gregory the Great

The proof of Christine and Rosario’s love is evident in the great beauty of their wedding day. Rosario’s family was in on the making of our glorious city. Having helped build the epically beautiful St. Peter and Paul Church and  The Historic Westin St. Francis, it is no surprise that Christine and Rosario fit so perfectly into the elegance and the grandeur. Given what a beautiful and smart woman Christine is and what a man’s man Rosario is the highlight of the day was his toast to his new wife. Once, twice, three times his voice cracked as he tried to express his love and appreciation. I still get chills when I remember it. Thank you for having us capture your wedding and the start of what no doubt will be a great thing. Enjoy.

The day after Megan and Ryan’s wedding, I lounged out at the beach with the couple and their friends. It was then that I had a chance to speak intimately with Megan about Ryan and her relationship. As a scholar of intimacy and love and commitment, I’m always curious about people’s experiences and knowing how articulate and self-aware Megan is I thought it would be valuable to hear how her devotion, love for Ryan grew.

Megan described the first time they met, how much she liked Ryan and how without giving him her number or email within a few hours of their leaving one another, Ryan texted her to check her email. In her in-box she found Ralph Waldo Emerson’s 1846 poem opening with – Give all to love;  Obey thy heart….

Megan says she just knew, at that moment and that the knowing was relaxed. Nothing dramatic about it. She never felt a moment of anxiety or uncertainty. Just an easy willingness to give all to love. And to have Ryan be the recipient. Beautiful. You can see it in her eyes in this first image. Just Beautiful. I’m so honored to have been witness to your love and your story, Megan and Ryan. Thank you!

Do you mind if I brag for just a moment? I hope not because it would be a disservice to whatever it is that gave me the amazing life I have if I didn’t for a moment say something to the effect of “OMG! THIS IS MY LIFE!!!” <here imagine me jumping up and down in total utter joy>. Here’s what I get to brag about today – Megan and Ryan. Megan and Ryan are down-right awesome. They are both smart, articulate, great looking, fun, loving and supportive of their family & friends AND somehow by the grace of God, they asked ME to come and capture their wedding in St. Lucia. Yup, this is my life. Not only am I attracting the ideal clients, I’m getting to capture them on Caribbean shores – barefoot!!

Enough about me! Enjoy Megan and Ryan’s Wedding Ceremony. Reception and Dancing to follow.

Where do I began to share with you about Megan and Ryan’s wedding weekend experience? Do I start with the extraordinary group of friends and family that traveled to St. Lucia to spend a long weekend celebrating Ryan & Megan with long afternoons under palapas drinking rum cocktails, the amazing grounds and staff at Windjammer Landing, the rehearsal dinner to die for, Ryan’s eloquent and funny and smart and sincerely loving toast to Megan?

I’ll start with what they have to say about falling in love with each other –

From Megan – I spotted a tall, handsome man across the room the night before Fuji and Jo Ben’s wedding; when I told Denton I thought Ryan was cute, he made a beeline over to my future husband to tell him he was in.  Over the course of the weekend, I slowly came to understand that he was more than just tall and handsome- he was also smart, funny, and interesting.  I lured him to stay in LA for another day, and our story truly began.

From Ryan – Somewhere on the long straight stretch between Venice High School and a curiously named auto-body shop, I realized I was falling for her. Though she was driving us eastward, with the windows down I could still smell the ocean on the sun-drenched Sunday morning air.

She was speaking of Massachusetts and France, of Cotton Mather and Edith Wharton, of Janis Joplin being the inspiration for Janice in the Electric Mayhem, something about a night spent talking with Ben Harper in a bar. “I used to live down there,” she seemed to say every few miles, until I lost track. Her hair, I kept thinking. Her eyes.

A few hours later we were sharing a Black and White milkshake as I silently planned my next trip back from Houston to LA.

The Persian poet Hāfez once wrote, “Ever since happiness heard your name, it has been running through the streets trying to find you.”

That autumn morning, and every morning since, we have been lucky enough to find each other.

Enjoy!

Who loves a contest?? I do. I always have and growing up my Grandma Cele would remind me all the time of our “Koolpe Family Luck” (my maiden name). SO, I’ve been a huge fan of contests since I won my first, a pumpkin carving contest when I was 6.  Now I have the fun luck to stage my own contests. We want to know which is your Favorite Bridal Party Photo. Pick your favorite and then scroll to the bottom to vote. The winning couple will receive a mounted 8″ x 12″ print from their wedding. Voting ends Tuesday April 2 at 10:30am. Go on ahead and VOTE!!!