An Eclectic Wedding Day

Industrial Weds Fantasy at Revolution Mills Studios

Randy helped create a fantasy wedding for a couple that was looking for something unique.  Starting with holding the wedding at Revolution Mills Studios the bride set the tone for her special day.  She also purchased some elements of her arrangements to use on the reception table.  Randy was enthusiastic with her interest in doing something different and worked to create a modern fantasy from the industrial nature of the space and some of the components the bride brought to the look.  

The Sunday Times is where you find the real news.

I will unashamedly admit I was perusing the “Weddings & Celebrations” section of the Sunday NYT, and found this enlightening nugget…

Normally, I chose one of the briefer announcements to read in order to devote some attention away from the people who have their photos and sappy multi-page stories about how he’s an investment banker and she’s a feminist from *gasp* Barnard.

In particular, this story was just so romantic because, among other details, they met when they were working on Bush’s ‘04 reelection campaign. And, well, I just didn’t realize that more than one person in the whole of Massachusetts was working on Bush’s ‘04 reelection campaign. Kidding aside, here’s what got me:

Mr. Vasey, 29, owns two Five Guys Burgers and Fries franchises, one in Swampscott, Mass., the other in Gloucester, Mass.

There’s a Five Guys in Massachusetts! Why this news was buried in a pictureless, word-limited wedding announcement deep in the dark crevasses of the Sunday Times, I’ll never know.

Also from this week’s wedding announcements, I learned a new word: dramaturgy. As in, “The bride is getting a degree in dramaturgy. She will be keeping her last name, but not her bank account.”

Feelings at a Wedding

This was the first wedding I’d been to since my wife died. Or perhaps should I say that it was the first wedding between young people, as I’d been to another involving one of my ex-business partners, who like me had been widowed.  That was different, as it showed me a lot of hope for the future.  It was also a nice touch, that the groom was having the same best man fifty years later.

But this one was a full wedding, with both a civil and a church ceremony.  They do it that way in Holland.

As to the wedding itself, everything went well and except for a few small glitches, it seemed to go smoothly.  But then what wedding goes absolutely perfectly.  If they did Robert Altman’s film wouldn’t be so funny!

But it was the details that brought me to tears.  Just words, but many times in the past at a wedding, my wife and I would smile at each other and repeat our vows and perhaps sometimes joke at some inappropriateness or funny memory.  Not that I can seem to remember much of our marriage at all.  Perhaps having only a couple of photos or videos doesn’t help.  I’ve still got her wedding dress though and perhaps one day, it’ll fit a granddaughter.

Those memories made me sad and I was pleased that I’d hidden away at the back of the church.

Jennifer & Andy

What a total love fest of a day for this amazing couple! You could feel the Universe rejoicing along with so many friends and family who traveled from all across the United States to to celebrate this union. We began with first look photos at Gasworks Park, then on to the ceremony at University Presbyterian Church, and finished with a rollicking reception on the Skansonia. Lots of personal touches expressed this couples love of nature, travel, adventure and fun…especially when Jennifer surprised her groom with a Bollywood Dance! Photographed by Toni and Audrey, wedding planning by SK Wedding and Event Design.

Weddings at River House Inn

Planning a wedding?

River House on the New River is justly famous for wedding weekends in the North Carolina mountains. Friends and family members are ensconced in guest rooms and nearby cabins. Rehearsal dinners, special brunches and recreational activities culminate in the ceremony held under the giant sycamore tree at the river’s edge. Once the I “do”s are said, the champagne corks pop and the party begins.   After toasts and hors d’oeuvre, the wedding party and guests make their way into the white tent on the banks of the river or up to the main house for the reception.    The River House staff will take care of the bride and groom and their families, planning, advising, tending to all the details.    Part of our expertise involves networking, connecting the bride and groom to photographers, floral artists, wedding officiants, and musicians.   (We will even prepare the best North Carolina pulled pork–A High Country Bar-B-Que–for a more casual rehearsal dinner.)   Innkeeper Gayle Winston makes an awesome Chocolate Bourbon groom’s cake. It is often presented on a 3- to 6-foot board and marched through the dining room with sparklers aglow. Truly a showstopper!   Gayle’s Orange Walnut wedding cake with Grand Marnier Buttercream is not just beautiful but delicious.   River House has hosted and catered weddings of all sizes – up to 400 guests – but no fewer than two. Your wedding guests will enjoy all of the many attractions in the Blue Ridge Mountains near the River House. We are near West Jefferson, Boone and the Blue Ridge Parkway. Read more about nearby North Carolina and Virginia attractions.

For more info visit: http://riverhousenc.com/ 

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Trash the Dress

So, you’ve spent a nice chunk of change on your wedding dress. You’ve painstakingly kept it pristine and dirt free until the big day, and you may even have had it professionally dry cleaned afterwards. But now what are you going to do with it?

Well, you could do what most of us do, and store it away. You could save it for your offspring. You could sell it on eBay. Or you could completely trash it – soak it in water, cover it in mud, even attack it with scissors. And you could hire a professional photographer to take pictures of you doing it!

“Trash the Dress” for the Fearless Bride is elegant clothing in an unexpected environment shot in a fashion or glamour style. The unexpected locations may include things like the beach, a pool, fields, abandoned buildings, a theme park, train tracks or other rustic locations where a wedding dress would not normally be seen. Originally started by John Michael Copper, the father of “very different wedding photography” in 2001 and it was made popular by online sites dedicated to Trash the Dress photography.

Why would a bride even consider doing something like this, you ask? Well, there are a few reasons… Many fearless brides realize they will never wear this dress again and look at this as an opportunity to take the dress out and have fun taking photos they could not take on the day of the wedding because they didn’t want to chance getting the dress dirty.

Some brides see their Trash the Dress session as a declaration that they are 100% committed to their marriage and will never need the dress again. For others the motivation is the fantastic vogue style photography that they will cherish for many years even when the gown no longer fits.

Of course, there are many brides who love the Trash the Dress photos but are not sure they want to ruin their gowns. The good news is that there are many great options for Trash the Dress sessions that will not actually destroy your wedding dress. Trash the Dress sessions can range anywhere from getting a bit of sand on the dress at the beach to shredding the dress with scissors.

If you love the idea of a Trash the Dress session but are a little leery about actually destroying your dress, talk to your photographer. They will be able to suggest plenty of options that will give you amazing photographs and will result in your dress simply needing a quick trip to the dry cleaners.

While Trash the Dress sessions often feature brides, more and more couples are choosing to do Trash the Dress sessions together. A couple’s Trash the Dress session results in beautiful post-wedding photographs to complete your wedding album.

There has also been some amazing Trash the Dress sessions done with couples celebrating a 1st, 5th or 10th anniversary who want to celebrate their years together with a special photo session.

Luvs it! I am the bride who would rock the pale pink short dress down the aisle. I would sooooooooooooooooooo do this!

Photo Credits: Ash Imagery; Jeremy Clay; John Michael Cooper

Sophia + Jason {Wedding}

Really laid back and awesome couple that I photographed last friday, 10.2.09 with Pat Furey.  The place was gorgeous as well!  Of course being a 2nd shooter, it led to lots of horseplay and jokes! :]

Ultimate Bling!

This was only a precipice of how windy the day was!

They actually bought live butterflies to be released right before the first kiss!

We guarded that box of butterflies like there was no tomorrow!

Poor guy grew really attached to those butterflies..

At my sniping post.. hehe!  70-200!

Jason’s family is a riot!

Thanks for the good times!