Oshila and Jared, Woodbridge, VA Wedding Photographer

Oshila and Jared were married at Harbour View in Woodbridge Virginia.  Oshila and I spoke quite a bit before her wedding, but we never actually met until the day of.  It meant a lot to me that she had confidence in my work without even meeting each other first. 

As soon as I arrived, I was welcomed by her, her sisters, mother and grandmother.  They were kind and welcoming.  After saying hello, I got to work on capturing Jared and Oshila's very special day.

Oshila's dress is one of my favorite dresses.  It's elegant yet simple allowing the bride to shine. 

Oshila's grandmother was so sweet to me.  At dinner she insisted many times that we have a meal and be taken care of.  She must have checked three times to make sure we ate.  She reminded me of my own grandmother.  Then as I left that evening she gave me a vase of flowers from the wedding.  It was hard to be gracious because I know that I am there to work but I could sense that it was important to her, a part of who she was.  The women in Oshila's family passed to each other a caring heart.  From Grandmother, to daughter to granddaughter. 

Here are some of my favorite portraits from Jared and Oshila's wedding.

Once we were done with the portraits, it was time for the party! 

Their cake was beautiful and kept with the theme of her dress, elegant simplicity.

Something that stood out to me at this wedding was Jared's parents, Tony and Cindy.  They were like a couple that just got married. They looked at each other with love and adoration, danced like it was their first and last dance.  You could see that their love has been lasting.  As I watched them, I wished the same everlasting love and admiration between Jared and Oshila.  I hope to one day see them at their children's wedding dancing just like these two.

The evening ended before we knew it but their life together has just begun.  Jared and Oshila, I wish you a successful journey through life and most importantly, your marriage.  Thank you for allowing me to capture such an important celebration of your love.

Vendors:

Venue: Harbour View, Woodbridge VA

Cake: Cakes by Linda

Disc Jockey: Sultan's DJ

Catering: Better Events Catering

Photographer: Reed's Photography



Heidi and Will, Stafford VA Wedding Photographer

With wedding and portrait season in full bloom, it is a very busy time of year! I choose daily, what on my ‘to do’ list, is most urgent. It seems as though as soon as I make the list each day, I know that it will not all get accomplished. The one thing that suffers most is my blog. I’ve decided in order to share with you more of the events and my thoughts during them, that I will highlight my favorite things about them and what had a memorable impact. At each event something moves me emotionally and I love the opportunity to share that with my clients and with you.

When I met Heidi, I must confess, I was a little intimated.  She was all business.  She arrived in her professional business attire and her glasses looking very gorgeous librarian.  Most clients show up looking for direction and not sure what to ask or say.  With Heidi, I was definitely at a job interview.  Most of the time when a client leaves a consultation, I have a pretty good intuition if they will book or not.  With Heidi, I had no idea.  She even told me she had another consultation right after ours.  A long time ago, these things may have gotten the best of me.  I may have lost a little sleep until I knew. As my faith has matured, I fully trust His will with every aspect of my life, including who I will work with.  A few weeks went by and I had not heard anything.  Then one day, the phone rings and it's Heidi ready to hire me to capture her wedding day!  Thank you Heidi and Will!

Enjoy a few images from their beautiful day at Potomac Point Winery and read on to see why I think this one was heaven sent!

 I look at Heidi and her smile and her joy and wonder why I was intimated.  She's was so kind and gracious and I'm so blessed to have photographed their wedding.

And now for the moment that melted my heart at this wedding.  Heidi's father welcomed their guest and gave a brief speech.  He said when his kids were little, he and his wife would pray for them every night; for their lives and their futures.  One night he said to his wife that they should start to pray for the future spouses of their children. How special, amazing and gracious that they began to say those prayers.  As I put my little girl to bed, we pray for her but my heart longs to hold her tight and never let her go.  Can you imagine the peace a parent could feel if, instead of clinging onto our children, we put them, their future and their future spouses in God's hands?!  I know that I could sleep much easier at night.  So I take away from this wedding a blessing; that Heidi's parents adore her, that they trust the Lord, and that I too can bless my daughter today by praying for her tomorrows.

 Vendors

Venue: Potomac Point Winery

Florist: Anthomanic

DJ: Richard Green Entertainment

Photographer: Reed's Photography

A special thank you to Karen of Red Chestnut Photography for second shooting with me at this event.

Alicia and Jeff, Outer Banks N.C Wedding Photographer

One night I had a dream, of a beautiful place I'd never been.  I could see the barrier reefs, the ocean, the sand and even a beautiful home that belonged to me.  I saw myself taking the portraits of a family walking along the oceanside.  The sunset was a warm  yellow, orange and pink.

The place in my dream felt so real.  In that moment, I was home. When I awoke, my soul wouldn't settle.  I had to find this place.  As I began to plan our summer vacation in 2010, I wanted to find a beach we had not been to before. During my online search, I saw it!  I found some information on the Outer Banks.  I know, I know... I've lived in Virginia for 13 years and never been to the Outer Banks.  Within days the trip was booked.  I was so excited.  I shared our plans with my parents, and was told by my mother, that we had visited there when I was little.  I didn't remember it at all.  As far as I knew the dream was my future, not my past.

Needless to say, we had an amazing vacation.  None of us wanted to come home.  That's when I started thinking, wouldn't it be awesome to photograph a wedding there! The more I thought about it, the more I wanted it.  How on earth was I going to get a lead for a wedding over five hours from where I lived? 

Nearly a year later, another photographer, Jessica Salay, from Oriole Photography was telling me she had a wedding at The Sanderling Resort in Duck N.C.  I tried to maintain my inner three year old desire to jump up and down and beg her to let me come.  I offered to 2nd shoot the wedding with her and she said yes.  She told me the pay and I bit my tongue that I would have done it for free!  It wasn't about the money, it was about the opportunity.  Of course, my husband may not have felt that way so I graciously thanked her for the pay check.

Enough talk, let's get to this amazing wedding.  The wedding of Alicia and Jeff on 05/28/11.

Alicia and her bridesmaids started out their day at the The Sanderling Resort and Spa.

I love photographing the wedding gown before the bride puts it on.  Most of the time I do this in the area the bride is getting ready.  I was hesitant, but I knew I had to take her dress out by the water.  You never know when you will have a shot like this again.

Alicia was beautiful! Her hair, gown and jewelry all came together perfectly.

So much thought went into the details of this wedding. Each bouquet had a jeweled accent of the bridesmaid's initial.





Before guest entered the beachfront there was a basket of parasols to shade them from the sun.  Upon exiting a basket of brushes to brush the sand off their feet.

As far as I was concerned, the wedding ROCKED!  What was in store was about to change my definition of rocked!  As if it could get any better..???? Oh yea, it did!

The details were endless!  My favorite decoration in the reception was the beautiful hanging umbrellas. 

The cake was gorgeous and surrounded by mini wedding cakes. 

Can I get a drumroll please..... and now for another one of my absolute favorite things about this event.....the band!!!!  I will make a confession.  Normally when I hear the wedding entertainment is a band, there is a tiny part of me that cringes inside.  I've seen some bad bands.  Never, have I seen a band like this.  They are Six Stylez!  The music was fantastic and the lighting...it all just makes me speechless.

And so the seed has been planted, I love shooting band photography! 

  A very special thank you and shout out to Jessica Salay of Oriole Photography for selecting me to 2nd shoot this wedding with her.

Who knows what's next....