melissa + dave wedding at the village at boulder ridge

This past Saturday I had the pleasure of shooting my best friend Dominique's niece Melissa's (and Dave!) wedding at the Village at Boulder Ridge. We had a beautiful day, especially since the last few have been so crazy with the rain and thunderstorms! It was nice to have a sunny day for a change!
So Mike and I started off our day bright and early at Melissa's Mom's house to shoot some details and then meet up at the salon to get her getting her make up and hair done...

The room where Melissa got ready had this wall of cards on it, which struck me the instant I walked in and saw it...and so... I shot it!


I loved the vibrant red of the front doors, and so.... I shot it! But just the edge of the dress, just to change it up a bit

Deb helping Mel get ready for the big day


This shot strikes me as so tender, I love hand holding shots

I scoped out this incredibly lit little hallway nook at the top of the stairs while Mike and I were hanging in the hallway, while everyone got dressed... The light is just magical, I LOVED it

While I was shooting Mel, her step dad Len came out of his room to see what we were up to



Dave brought his motorcycle over for us to shoot them on, and so Mike and I had some fun shooting them!

I was really enjoying the motorcycle- I think it helped them relax as well since they were on something familiar!


There were some tats, in full effect!! I just FREAKED when we saw her... tats AND polka dots? Oh yeah she had on some crazy red heels on too! Very cool!

Mel was cuddling her niece after our shoot and I just could NOT stop shooting this cuddle fest

Mike and I had a good time shooting Dave and his guys, they were a hoot!

Dave's son Dave Jr. and daughter Vanessa as they headed down the aisle

Dave looked SO happy here, I loved it!

The ceremony was the hardest ceremony I have ever had to shoot. Dominique's Dad was supposed to be the officiant but passed away a few months back. It was the first family event that I was at where he would have been, and I felt empty and so sad. Here Dave shows what a supportive husband he is and wipes away Mel's tears.

After I shot this of Dominique I went and sat by her and shot from there. I knew how hard this was for her and her family

And then there were laughs, which we all needed!

Mel right after the ceremony- tell me she doesn't look super happy!

I love this one- Mel hugs her step dad Len and is framed by her Mom and Dad

Mel dancing with her Dad

Then they did a Mel and Len dance to a great song which I have not heard anyone dance to yet- Natalie Merchant's 'Thank You' Loved it!!

So this was my third wedding at the Village of Boulder Ridge and did I mention that it has a zip line and a rock climbing wall?? Yes it DOES!! This guy was afraid of heights and wanted to show his daughter how brave he was!

No one rocks a helmet like my girl Dodie! Just ask Rick!!

Not only is Ray a spectacular dancer but he is a visionary on the zip line! (You're technically not supposed to do that but he sure looks cool!!)

This sweet little moment with Dodie and her son Steven just gets me right there!

I also am a fan of Deb breakin' it DOWN in the crazy lights to Mustang Sally!

At the end of the night the DJ's fired off some crazy string stuff (thank you Mike for being so observant! This is something you would think the DJ's would tell the photographers is coming...right?) Good thing we are quick with our cameras!

My boy Mike shot this of me, I love it!!!


Congrats Mel & Dave!!!!

Make sure you check out my boy Mike's shots HERE

#29 enter more photography contests.....

....CHECK!!

OK, so I know it's longer than a week since I made my list, and I have checked off a few items on my 101 in 1001 to-do list (like #15 get a hard drive for robin; #7 set up Carla Mondays with Nikki) But. The one item on my list #29, enter more photography contests- I had actually done before creating this list and had actually forgotten about it.

See, I enter stuff a lot. And I NEVER win. Like NEVER.

Until now!!!!!

I heard about this new world wide wedding photography contest at wedcomp.com that just started up, I believe, where you can enter as many images as you want for only $10 per image in the following categories: Getting Ready; Ceremony; Portrait and Reception.

I had THREE images place!!!

A photo I shot while second shooting for the fantastic Steve Depino this past May won FIRST PLACE in the Reception category!

A very emotional shot of my girl Kate Boka garnered a fifth place nod in the getting ready category

while not to be outdone, a shot of her husband Mr. Geoff Boka checking the status of the rain scooted in at 23 in the Ceremony category!!!




My girl, the uber talented Miss Jacklyn Greenberg of JAG Studios snagged some international placement as well: she got 16th place in the Reception category and 22nd in the Portrait- GO CT, way to represent!!!!!

looking for a carnival!

Hey Everyone!

I need some help locating a carnival or mom and pop fair someplace in the state... does anyone know of any?? I have a shoot on Sunday and really want to shoot there.... any and all suggestions are appreciated!!!

thanks!

ali + antony engagement shoot at Buttonwood Farms

On Sunday afternoon Ali, Anthony and their two year old AJ met up with me for their very eventful e shoot!

Ali & Anthony's little guy AJ was checking me out, to make sure I was on the up and up!

AJ enjoyed sitting on his Daddy's shoulders for like, ONE second before he wanted to get down! Anthony is pretty tall, I can't say I blame him!!

So I thought that getting balloons for a two year old would be a good idea- a distraction of sorts but in the end would make for some fun shots! Well... see that little teeny dot in the background? No? Get your magnifying glass out! That's AJ BOOKING in the WAY back! Running around like... well, like a two year old! ;)

So after our eventful trip to the farm, we decided to make a pit stop at my studio for some lunch and some cold drinks... it was the right call! AJ had a blast running around my back yard and hanging with his Mom & Dad until his grandparents came to pick him up!

So Anthony & Ali were up for seeing what the state of Buttonwood was like at this point... I had thought that all of the fields were cut down but heard that the one main one was still up! So of we went!

We were fortunate enough to have caught the late afternoon light at just the right point....got a little flare? And I commenced my freak out!!

I love how the blue skies look here and mostly how Ali is throwing her head back laughing!

I still love the waist down shots.... hands and feet are just my thing



So it seemed to make perfect sense to shoot her ring on a sunflower, right? Ali found this little guy crawling on a leaf

I am loving the big open sky here

We braved the possibility of snakes at this wall for this shot!

There was this small field of flowers still up that we got to go in- again, kind of trying not to think about the thought that snakes were in there or not... I was in flip flops, big surprise! So I was a little scared...! But I think Anthony may have been a little more scared...;)




Ali & Anthony, I had such a great time with you guys and am really looking forward to your wedding in September!!!

jennifer + paul wedding at the old state house and hartford golf club

Saturday Mike and I shot Jen & Paul's wedding at the Old State House in Hartford and then the reception following at the Hartford Golf Club in West Hartford. It was a day PACKED with shooting opportunities- everything was so beautiful and everyone was so laid back.

**their slide show was just added at the bottom of this post- check it out!

I can get a little obsessed with water and wine glasses and the reflections in them... I just love them- and so does Mike- it becomes a little bit of a race with us to see who notices it first and then who shoots it first and then who is copying who...! ;) (i shot this before mike, by the way! :P )

It's never too early to start marketing to my next bride, right? Check out how big her eyes are looking at Jen's ring!! This is a spread in our guest book from our engagement shoot in Watch Hill

These cutie patootie little shoes were just too much

And then add the best little flower girls dresses and I am DONE! Jen has such great taste!!

Her shoes are so delicate and her dress? Well... let's just say it has POLKA DOTS!! Jen got her dress from The White Dress By The Shore and it was FABULOUS!!

OK, just a disclaimer, I was having a hard time NOT shooting these little ladies... and how could I not? Her glasses have to be the world's cutest

And 'sis' lends a helping hand here by doing up one of the other adorable little ladies

Jen was just so beautiful and radiant and elegant I just wanted to squeeze her all day! But that would have been the opposite of 'unobtrusive', no? ;)

I'm telling you, these little girls just kept giving me these little gems, all the live long day

And then here comes my boy Paulie... he is just wonderful! He's quick to laugh and quick to be emotional and real... you gotta just love that! Here he sees Jen for the first time coming down the aisle...

The flowers were fabulous, I gotta find out who the florist was!

Now the weather was just NUTS all day.. we had torrential downpours while we were at the salon and all we wanted was to have the ceremony on the lawn... I have to say I was a bit disappointed that it was going to be inside...UNTIL... I started shooting and was like WHAT??????

That great big chandelier is SO New England and elegant, I just loved it!

These windows were so great for the natural light that just flooded the room- and gave us great framing opportunities

And the big white columns? Did I mention those?

Jen & Paul look so happy

So the skies cleared up and we were all game to head to one of my favorite spots, Elizabeth Park in Hartford for our formals. I saw this little grove of trees by the rose garden and thought it would be perfect for these little ladies to hang while I shot... they are TOO MUCH!

Right when we got there this guy walks by with his Collie- and Jen and Paul just lit up- it was a very special sign for Jen, her family Collie was very ill and just passed away and this guy was so nice to let us catch some shots of Jen and his dog.

Little flower girls always add a surprising element to group pictures...!

Jen in Elizabeth Park's famous rose garden...it was like she belonged there, she looked so timeless and elegant

Jen got this fabulous headpiece from The White Dress By The Shore- it was so beautiful and fit the vintage feel of her dress perfectly

PINK POLKA DOTS!

I don't think I could make Jen look more vintage if I tried! Doesn't she look like she stepped back in time?



Paul & Jen get a good laugh during the best man's toast

I just love how Paulie snuggled in with his Mom- and not only during their dance- they are a very affectionate and outwardly loving family and it just melted my heart to see how his Dad was with him right before the ceremony (yes that was when I cried) and then how Paul and his Mom snuggled while other stuff was going on...just makes me have hope that my little guy and I won't ever stop snuggling even when he is towering over me!

This is indeed Paul's sister and her husband having a moment towards the end of the night! (thanks for the phone call...!!!;)

After the last song Paul and Jen thanked their friends and family for such a wonderful few days...



Paul & Jen- we had a great time spending the day with you and your families! Congratulations to you both- I am looking forward to the photo shoots we have lined up and hope you have a relaxing and fun honeymoon!!

Make sure you check out Mike's shots HERE!

In YO face, FOO!

This is what happens when people take your iPhone and snap sneaky
pictures of themselves and think all I'm gonna do is laugh quietly to
myself...HAH!!! Miz Amanda Harris!!

Hey Travis, did you check your camera?? LOL!!!