Celeste & Aaron’s wedding album

Ok, so it’s time to blog about Celeste and Aaron’s wedding and share all of the fabulous details.  I’m including spreads from their custom-designed album because it really tells their story best ~

wedding album

I mentioned in previous posts, that they were married just outside of Philadelphia, Pa., during the snow storm of the decade. It was just one week before Christmas and the snowy skies really complimented this lovely wedding. Celeste, her sister and mom ventured out into the snow for early-morning hair appointments. Celeste’s gown emanated with ’40s Hollywood glamor and her sister-in-law made the feathered head piece and bird cage veil to really pull the look together.

custom-designed

The wedding was at noon at The Church of the Good Samaritan in Paoli. Aaron and his best man entered the sanctuary after twelve rings of the church bells. The ringing of the bells added some excitement, signifying the beginning of the ceremony. I really like the photo in the lower right corner after Celeste and her father walked by, with Aaron waiting at the altar.

ceremony scenes

The sermon was adapted from a 1920s prayer book and was one of the most beautiful messages I’ve heard at a wedding.

in the chapel

I was able to get behind the organ for some sweet moments between the happy couple. I also like photos of people singing and couldn’t resist the opportunity during a hymn.

kiss and pronouncement

This was a great kiss. I love how Celeste put her hand on Aaron’s cheek. After the ceremony, they signed a book that contains records from every couple married in the church.

family portraits

Celeste and Aaron decided to have their portraits taken before the ceremony so that they could go straight to their reception from the church. This is something I recommend for couples who are comfortable seeing one another before the ceremony. There is less pressure on the couple, so their photos are much more relaxed and natural. Plus, there is a sense of relief after the portrait sessions are complete because the couple is that much closer to the reception.

in the snow

Our outdoor photo session was a cold one, but it was so worth it! The snow was falling steadily and the pastor of the church let us borrow a small crate that Celeste could stand on to keep her shoes out of the snow. They wore coats to match their attire, because it was important to them to have some photos taken outside. The light was lovely in this small courtyard at the church.

toasts and menu

Their afternoon reception was held at Flemmings Steakhouse and Wine Bar with several courses of sumptuous wine and food pairings. They didn’t opt for the typical sit down dinner and cake. Instead, this setting encouraged more mingling amongst the guests and a more jovial atmosphere.

Reception

Celeste and Aaron took a few moments to dance to the music provided by a jazz trio. Later, Aaron got out his video camera to capture a few sentiments from family and friends. Also, note the photo at the lower right of Celeste and her twin sister who is expecting her first child any day now. The baby was kicking and Celeste’s reaction was priceless.

Mr. and Mrs.

Cheers to the newlyweds! Many blessings to you and your marriage.

Celeste and Aaron’s wedding slideshow

Here’s a slideshow for newlyweds Celeste and Aaron! They were married last Saturday in Paoli, Pa., just northwest of Philadelphia. Congratulations on your first week of wedded bliss! I’ll recap this beautiful wedding in a blog soon. For now, enjoy the slideshow!

Christmas portraits ~ Merry Christmas

Over the last few weeks I’ve worked with some great families and friends on family portraits in front of the Christmas tree. This season’s portraits included a couple of really well behaved kids and babies and a few furry friends.

Children's portrait

Dog by the Christmas tree

Dog with reindeer antlers and santa cap

Family portrait

I love Christmas tree portraits. The glowing Christmas trees are so sentimental—trimmed with the family’s collection of ornaments over the years. And people just seem to glow with warm feelings about the holiday to come. Merry Christmas to all and thanks to all my clients for a wonderful 2009!

Christmas family portrait

Sneak Peek of Celeste and Aaron’s Philadelphia wedding

I’ve had the pleasure of knowing Celeste for several years now and when Aaron came into her life, it was so exciting to see their romance develop. As a dear friend of mine, I was thrilled for Celeste when Aaron proposed and could not wait until their wedding. They were just married this Saturday in Philadelphia, during the record snow storm and it was amazing! It was a beautiful wedding and they had a full day of fluffy, white snow flakes – which is just what they were going for with their winter wedding. Below are a few of my favorites from their day. More to come soon!

In the sanctuary

HDR of the ceremony

Kissing in the snow

Let it snow

Dancing at the reception

Self portraits

My portrait on the bio section of this Web site was pretty outdated for a long time. I haven’t had curly hair for about two years, so I finally got around to taking some self portraits to remedy that. And while I’ve found self portraits to be tedious in the past, I actually enjoyed the process this time around. It became a challenge to get it just right, and before I knew it, I was tired from running back and forth from the camera. I’m a perfectionist, so my tendency to scrutinize over the smallest of details was unrestricted as I was on my own with no worries about sticking to a certain schedule.

Time is something I can never get enough of when I’m behind the lens. I’ll always find something I want to change or improve, but when I’m working with or for someone else, I always respect the given schedule.

Anyhow, here are a few favorites that I think best represent me:

Self portrait

Close-up

Part of my goal as a photographer is to bring out the essence of a person in their portrait. As I pressed the shutter button to initiate the self timer, I tried to remember that as I made my way in front of the lens.

Being myself

Having some fun

Going back and forth from the camera made me acutely aware of the pressure that can be felt by trying to look natural. I just tried to relax with my eyes closed and wait until the last beep before I “posed” for the camera.

Bashful

My favorite