Julia’s Blogfest

Joe and Kuei-I came to me in April looking for a wedding photographer for their June 5 wedding!  There has only been one other wedding where I was booked with that short of a timeframe.  But they are just a super busy couple and waited until last minute to find a photographer –  no other reason than that!  I am so happy I was available because they were just so easy and laid back.  Here’s a lot of why I say that….

A couple days before their wedding their DJ bailed on them b/c his mother died so they had to scramble to find another DJ (which they did).  Moreover,  when I was chatting with them the day before about the logistics of their day, I could hear in Joe’s voice a bit of congestion and he informed me BOTH of them had been sick, in bed, with fevers that week.  Anything else?  Can you imagine?  All these people waiting to celebrate your most important day and you’re exhuasted with a fever and trying to call DJs around town to find someone to emcee the event?  GEEEEEZ.

So I arrive on Saturday and as always, get to the hotel a bit early.  When Kuei-I arrives a few minutes late, we start going into the hotel room and the key doesn’t work.  So one of her bridesmaids goes to the front desk to get help and they send up a very S L O W moving building engineer who then tries with his master key — and nothing.   So believe it or not he proceeds to say, “I need to go downstiars and work on this — go grab a cup of coffee and come back in about 15 minutes” to which I say ‘ Um….we don’t have 15 minutes — can’t you see she’s getting married and we are already running behind!!!”  No joke, he saunters down the hallwall to do whatever he needs to do — we wait…and then I run to the front desk to LIGHT A FIRE UNDER their YOU KNOW WHAT’s…..Long story short, 15 min does pass, Mr. Engineer comes back up and opens that darn door.  She is as calm as a clam.  Love that.  So while we did rush a bit to get her dressed, I at least, has some time to get some getting ready pix in the room.  The rest of the day was perfect and aside from the DC summer heat, no storms presented themselves so we were able to get portraits done at Glenview Mansion where they DID NOT get married.  We snuck on the grounds and snapped away!  PERFECT!

and Keui-I changed into a fabulous red dress towards the end of the reception…

A few months ago I met a FAB hairstylist at a wedding I shot.  Remona Soleimani is an AMAZING hairstylist.  The more I see her work, the further my jaw drops to the ground.  She asked me if I wanted to shoot a trunk show at Chevy Chase Bridal today and I was eager to check this out.  I had a great time today meeting the owner of the shop, his wonderful employees, Nour Kazoun of MadeupArt, Ashley Robinson of Charles Schwartz & Sons Jewerly and working with Remona again.  Our models are sisters and wore several differnt Simone Carvalli dresses.  All breathtakingly beautiful.  Check them out!

I am long overdue with blogging this beautiful couples extraordinary day on May 1 at the Chesapeake Bay Beach Club.  I had a ball spending the day with them and in the sun!  Props to my good friend and amazing 2nd for the day, Armin de Fiesta.  I was having major knee issues that week and he really saved me.

This wedding was the first of my spring season in late March.  The best part about this wedding was that Courtney was one of my good friends when I was 13!  I had met her thru my best friend from childhood and while we went to different schools, she and I would do sleepovers and occasionally hang out.  As most do, we lost touch after high school and thanks to facebook reconnected about 18 months go.  Gotta love facebook for that if nothing else!  Their wedding took place in the precious Clifton, VA — about 4 miles from my new home and it’s really just Mayberry.  There isn’t a single light in downtown Clifton — jsut a couple stop signs and a general store, a coffee shop and a few boutiques.  There are 2 restaurants and one of them was renovated and has become a very upscale restaurant called Trummers.  I am SO looking forward to having dinner there this summer.  I just grabbed this quote from their website: “Executive Chef Clayton Miller of Trummer’s On Main has been named one of Food & Wine magazine’s Best New Chefs of 2010.”  So cool for little Clifton!

Courtney and Brian exchanged vows at Trummer’s in front of about 100 guests in a non-traditional wedding setting.  No music or dancing, just a very beautiful, simple service in front of family and friends followed by great food and wine.  I was able to walk around Clifton with them for a while snapping some fun shots which also gave me new ideas for future sessions once I move out that way!

Courtney’s hair was styled TWICE (she changed twice) by her good friend and amazing wedding hairstylist Remona.  Here’s her website.  Remona is Engaged Magazine’s hair designer and preferred hair stylist.  I see why!

This was Brian’s reaction when I told him it was ready to go downstairs for the ceremony (kidding Court!!!)

This is Court’s 2nd dress for the ‘after party’.  How awesome is this? 

Look at this amazing gown!!! 

In 2 weeks, I will be heading to the Chesapeake Bay Beach Club for Georgette and Jason’s wedding.  I am so looking forward to it — for one, I love spring weddings and LOVE the Bay but these two are going to have a fun wedding on the water so I  KNOW I’ll have lots of opportunities for great shots.