She walked down the aisle to meet her future husband, her best friend and confidant from high school, and she cried. Big, fat, happy tears. Of joy. Of love. Of hope. Of expectation. And as she made her way towards him the smile that lit up his face said it all. No words were spoken but we all knew that he thought she was the most beautiful girl in the world.

Matt and Elissa got married last weekend on a day that predicted nasty weather but turned out to be warm and sunny. It was a day filled with so many tears of joy and smiles of happiness. And it was a night of laughter and love.

I can’t even begin to try to articulate how much I absolutely adore these two! Elissa has become a good friend and fellow bride of mine through this process and it’s clients like her that make me realize how much I love what I do! LOVE YOU TWO!!!

I was the awkward, gangly age of 11 years old, probably weighing 50lbs soaking wet. In that bizarre in between phase of not a girl, not yet a woman. It was our annual church Christmas production and I, just like every other year, got chosen for the lead part. The lead part was supposed to be played by a boy but the “casting board” (see: my mother and 3 of her best friends) thought that I would best play the part. His name was Max, the Christmas archangel. Or something like that. So they decided to switch it to Maxine. They dressed me in an ill-fitting ivory silk robe and tied wings on my back. And then they made me sing and dance and act, in front of an audience of what felt like 13,000 people but was probably more like 300. Because of the….*ahem*….developing stage I was in, the way those wings tied across the front of my chest made this wanna-boy, hated-being-a-girl, look like she had “developed” well past the age of 11.

My opening line was “Welcome everyone! Maxine is my name and people are my game”. Dumbest opening line ever. EVER.

The problem came with watching the video back later. It had something to do with those old school VHS tapes, the lighting and the shadows in the hall we were in. I don’t know what it was because, frankly, I’ve tried blocking it from my memory. All I know is that when watching the video back it looked like a topless angel was the star of the production. An 11 year old topless angel. Named Maxine. Who opened the show with a line that included “people are my game”. Had my name been “Sarah” then maybe there would have been a little bit of saving grace, but in 1995, “Maxine” totally sounded like a stripper name. And the video seemed to live up to that stereotype of the name. Worst. Christmas. Play. Ever.

And from then on I was always afraid to be on camera. Any dream I may have ever had of becoming an actress was quickly squashed by the reality of my experience as Maxine.

This morning, as I frantically dug through my closet for something to wear, subconsciously steering clear from anything ivory or silk, I was reminded of my Christmas play fiasco that has now become a long standing punchline of family jokes.

Today at 1PMEST I have the honor of hosting Showit Live. Showit is the company through whom I have built my website and I can’t say enough good things about this company! Throughout the week, various “Showiteers” host Showit Live and speak on a variety of topics related to photography, business, and branding. Today I have the distinct privilege of not only hosting it, but of being interviewed by my intern, Katrina (more on that to come). If you are around this afternoon and are just getting into photography or thinking about starting a business, you may want to tune in. Katrina will be interviewing me on why I got into photography, how I started the business, my biggest mistakes, greatest success stories, etc. There will also be live Q&A. You can watch the broadcast here and I really hope to see some familiar faces in the chatroom!

And, for the record, Maxine will not be making an appearance.

Sweet and slowly. He gave his mom one last kiss before he went out to the altar to promise forever to another woman. Basking in the moment and anxiously waiting for those doors to reveal the most beautiful girl he’s ever seen.

Sweet and slowly. She walked down the aisle on the arm of her father, holding back the tears, but not concealing the joy she felt in her heart. Basking in the warmth of the love shared by her closest family and friends.

Sweet and slowly. He kissed the side of her neck, taking his time and whispering sweet nothings into her ear. Basking in the glow that surrounded them and permanently inscripting every feeling and sight in his minds eye knowing that although this day would soon pass, the love they shared would last a lifetime.

Last Saturday we had the incredible privilege of shooting Jenn and Dan’s wedding at the Wadsworth Mansion at Long Hill Estate, and what a gorgeous wedding it was! The sun was shining all day with clear blue skies and a cool breeze in the air. It was a day beyond perfection and one that we won’t soon forget.

Vendors-
Photography: No Eye Has Seen Photography
Venue: Wadsworth Mansion
Florist: Koko Flowers
Makeup: Danielle Santagata
Hair: Renee Russo
Cake: Mozzicato’s Bakery
Dress: Plumed Serpent Bridal
Band: Sound Image Band
Uplighting: Mike Tierney, Audio Media Solutions
Videography: Felix Roman Films
Planner and Catering: CT wedding group

While I was at Jenn and Dan’s house with the ladies, Rachel made her way over to the hotel that the guys were getting ready at.

For Abigail and David love found each other one quaint Sunday morning in, no better place, than their church. In a pew, to be exact. I imagine it as an antique wooden pew, the kind that graces many quintessential New England churches. And it was in that pew one Sunday morning when Abby’s friend told her to save a spot for her other friend, that she would meet the man that would one day become her husband. 7 months, and many pew-sittings later, Abby and Dave began to date. From the start of their relationship, God has been the center, and as they get married He continues to be the center. I love all of my clients but there is something about the clients who have this aspect in their lives and relationship that compel me to automatically respect them that much more.

Abby and Dave chose Rachel to be their photographer for their Ocean House wedding in September and, although I’m just a tad jealous that Rachel will get to shoot this perfectly preppy New England wedding, I have no doubt that it will be an incredible, incredible day!

Both Rachel and I met up with Abi and Dave a couple weekends ago on a chilly Spring evening in Central park for their Engagement session, just one block away from where they live.

When I began planning our wedding I knew that, first and foremost, I wanted it to reflect Adam and I. For some couples, that’s easy. For us…well, we are about as opposite as they come. My personal preference would have been to have glitter fall from the ceiling at any given point while Adam would have loved a wedding where we exchanged I do’s and went to Chick-fil-a for dinner. But it was important to me to find a way to capitalize on our common ground. Ultimately, your wedding day should be a reflection of you and your relationship. It should be a day that you could see yourself and your fiancé thoroughly enjoying. And it should be a day that you look back on proudly, not because of all your crazy Pinterest ideas that played out, but because it was a day that screamed “US” and everyone important to you was there to enjoy and celebrate that.

With that in mind, here are my…

1. Dream
You’ve likely been thinking about this day for as long as you can remember. Take some time to sit down with your soon-to-be Mr. and dream big. Maybe you want a Mariachi Band, maybe you can’t imagine a wedding without an incredible Venetian table. Whatever it is, dream and dream big. Logistics and budgets can be dealt with later. For now…enjoy the moment and think about what elements would be in your absolute dream wedding. And then…

2. Make. A. Budget.
This was, by far, the thing I was looking forward to the least. I mean, who of us loves sitting around and talking about how we will spend the equivalent of a down payment on a house on one day? But on the other hand this is the ONE DAY you will have everyone you love, together in one place, to celebrate the fact that you found your one and only. So suck it up. Sit down together, with your parents if they are contributing, and determine an overall budget and start breaking it up into categories (food, flowers, photography, attire, etc). Use this wedding budget Google Doc to help keep track of it all. And then, most of all, determine to stick to that budget.

3. Get organized!
Whether that means heading to your local Barnes & Noble and picking up a planner, or using the online tools that we recommend, determine early on that you will get organized and stay organized!

4. Make a list of what you have in common
Are you both foodies? Do you both love the outdoors? Is your favorite date night playing staying home and board games? Maybe you both have an affinity for navy stripes (me too!!). Find the common ground between the two of you and let that set the stage for your wedding.

5. Start a Pinterest board
I know what you’re thinking. You are probably like “DUH! I have one! I’ve been pinning to it for 2 years!”. Start another one. Let this one be the one that has pins of the things you will actually be doing on your wedding day. Make it a secret board and share it with the key players in your wedding (Mom, MOH, and…of course…your photographer). When you begin seeing all the things on one board you will see how the day looks and feels. Does it all flow together? It’s here that you’ll realize that the glitter and roses centerpieces maybe don’t go with mason jars and a bonfire. Make sure that everything from the programs to the menus, ties to centerpieces all have one cohesive look. This will also make it much more likely for you to get published in a magazine or online blog if you are interested in doing so.

6. Make an inspiration board.
I did this in photoshop, but there are plenty of applications online for you to do this. Try Polyvore, or maybe even create another secret Pinterest board for your inspiration. This board should capture the aesthetic of the wedding with no more than 10 images. Let these images define the vibe, the look and the feel of your wedding. Every decision you make for your wedding will be run through the filter of your inspiration board to make sure it corresponds well.

7. Decide, Rethink, Decide, Rethink
So there was this one time that I saw a picture of a couple during their first dance and glitter was falling from the ceiling. Glitter, I tell you. And instantly I was like … GLITTERRRRRRR!!!! YES!!! I want glitter to fall from the ceiling too!!! But before I made that happen I sat on the decision for a bit. Well, really only a day, because the look I saw on Adam’s face when I proposed the idea was more than enough to clue me in to the reality that glitter was not, in fact, a good idea. Beside, we are hoping to do everything under the open sky, so there technically isn’t a ceiling.

Before you make any big decisions or purchases for your wedding, stop and sit on it for a week or so. Those ribbons will still be there a week later. And so will the vats of glitter that you intend on dumping over yourself (and your guests!) during your first dance. No, but seriously, I would love you forever if you are a bride of mine and do that. You will instantly be promoted to my all-time favorite bride. Even if your guests hate me (and you!) because for it.

8. Determine what everyone’s 3 things are
Remember this blog post? Go read it again. Then send it to your Mom. And your soon to be Mother in law. Then come back and thank me.

9. Relax
This should be an enjoyable process. Before Adam and I got engaged I told him I was so nervous that once we got engaged we’d fight a ton over wedding decisions and that I’d constantly be at odds with him and my parents. I told him I didn’t want to stress or cry over anything. I can honestly say that both Adam and my Mom have been super easy to work with and I have not shed a single tear over wedding stress or decisions. Our marriage mentors told me that this should be a non-negotiable and the wedding planning process is supposed to be 100% enjoyable. he was the first one I’ve ever heard say that and I felt like he gave me permission to just enjoy it. And also gave me something to work towards, knowing I SHOULD go into it with a goal of not being stressed and not shedding any tears. Word to the wise: VOW to make that your story. You won’t regret it.

10. Work on your relationship
I know, I know. This isn’t technically part of “wedding planning”. But you know what, way more important than wedding planning is MARRIAGE PLANNING. A recent study determined that the average couple spends as much as 10 hours a week planning their wedding, but only 3 hours in total working on their relationship and planning what they want their marriage to look like. Your marriage should be way more beautiful than your wedding and where you put your time is where you’ll reap the benefits. Take some time for each other between now and your wedding sit down and talk about what you envision your marriage looking like. Decide on going through a few books together (I recommend this, this and this to start with). Go on a marriage retreat. And go on dates. Plenty and plenty of dates. Preferably every week.

In the last few years, thank God, tradition has been broken ever so slightly and a lot of brides are getting creative and/or relaxing when it comes to choosing dresses for their girls. For starters, the pressure is officially off to do floor length satin gowns that they will never wear again. The floor length satin has now been replaced with knee length frocks that they could wear more than once. I think I just heard all the past and future bridesmaids of the world sing the Hallelujah chorus, in perfect unison. It’s not uncommon for the bride to choose a color or color palette and let her girls choose their own dress within those parameters. By doing this, each girl ends up loving her dress! It’s also become popular now to stray from the typical brands of Jenny Yoo, Alfred Angelo and David’s Bridal and exchange that for classy and chic dresses from places like J. Crew, Ann Taylor, and Anthropologie. But before I get into my recommendations for bridesmaid dresses, let’s take a short look back on WHY you need to reconsider your choices…

This would be the Beverly Hills version of Jersey Shore.

In light of all the bridesmaid dress tragedies that have happened over the years (remember “Bo Peep” from 27 dresses?), I figured I’d make a list of chic, cute, and overall WIN dresses for bridesmaids of today.

1. J.Crew
One of the things I love most about J. Crew is that their clothes are effortlessly chic and stylish. This extends into their bridal line with their gorgeous and simple gowns and bridesmaids dresses. The also have some fun colors that you usually can’t find at the more common wedding stores.

2. Ann Taylor
Ann Taylor is clean, classic, and simple. If you are looking to find something that isn’t gonna make Aunt Betty fall out of her chair, but still makes your girls happy, Ann Taylor is the place to go. And their one shoulder dresses are TO DIE FOR!

3. Anthropologie
One of the things I love most about Anthro’s dresses is that you are guaranteed to find something that is a bit quirky and fun. If you are really looking to break away from tradition while still keeping things fun and simple, Anthro is your store.

4. Two Birds Bridesmaids
These are actually the dresses we are using for my wedding because my girls are all different shapes, sizes and heights and I, honest to God, have never seen this dress look bad on anyone! They can tie it any way they want so the fabric ad colors are consistent but the style of the dress is customized to suit their individual bodies. TBB has a few different options now but I still prefer the classic, long option.

Jenn and Dan, it was SO GREAT hanging out with you over fancy sods and ricotta crostinis. Can’t wait for your wedding next week!

As we rounded the corner near Bow Bridge in Central Park, my first site was these gorgeous cherry blossoms and I knew we had to start the shoot there.

Recently Liz and Ryan, who are huge advocates for fantastic marriages, announced that they would be hosting a FREE online webinar called “Amazing life together“. Some of my dear friends, and favorite people in the world, are speaking at this webinar and while Adam and I fully intend on watching it together (though in separate locations), I decided it was too good to not pass along to our clients and blog readers. So, my friends, I HIGHLY encourage you to carve out some time this Friday and Saturday to sit back with the love of your life and watch this webinar. I can absolutely assure you that the people speaking at it are all incredible individuals with marriages that I respect greatly. The kind of couples who, when you pass them on the street or go over their house for dinner, you say to yourself “I want to have a relationship with that much love”. And these couples live it…not just in the spotlight, but behind closed doors as well. So sign up, sit down with your sweetheart, grab some popcorn and make a date night/weekend out of it. I promise, you won’t regret it!!

Here’s the schedule for the weekend:

Friday, April 26
6-7PM (EDT) – Liz & Ryan, Live a more amazing life TOGETHER (part 1)
7-8PM – Lara & Ari, Love never fails
8-9PM – Ashley & Jeremy, Putting love first in the midst of big dreams
9-10PM – Katelyn & Michael, Turning points – making big decisions together

Saturday, April 27
10-11AM (EDT) – Liz & Ryan, Live a more amazing life together (part 2)
11-12PM – Justin & Mary, Building time for each other
12-1PM – Karen + Isaac, Immeasurably more, cultivating a fully alive marriage

I can’t say this enough…sign up, sign up, sign up!!!

When we jumped into the wedding planning boat, I knew that I would have to take any organizational skill I ever had and pump it up on steroids. We had 4 months to plan and execute a wedding, and I knew going into it that it would be one with a ton of projects and stuff to do. So I spent two entire days in January creating and managing documents that would help us stay on track.

I created a google docs account and from there began saving (and sharing) every document that had anything to do with organization for our wedding. It’s been fantastic because I can update it anytime, as can Adam while he is in Colorado, my parents while they are out shopping, and we all have the google doc app on our phone. It’s fabulous. And it totally tickles my organizational funny bone. So as a little bonus for all you DIY brides out there, and ones who don’t prefer the old fashioned binder and checklists, here are some of the Google docs I found to be extremely helpful. Some are straight from Google and others are one created or heavily modified by me.

1. The Budget Planner
This has been a lifesaver for me! I started with the figuring out what our entire wedding budget was and breaking it down into sections. This really keeps things in perspective. I also love that I could add or take away any lines in order to customizes it for our wedding…since most weddings don’t have “s’mores bar” listed as a budget item.

2. The To-do List
This is our personal to-do list so by clicking it you are going to get a good glimpse into OUR wedding planning process, complete with who has been on time with everything and who is late on all their dates. Not naming any names…but they are clearly marked in there. To copy this to-do list, open it, click file, and then click ‘Make a copy”….then customize away

3. The Seating Chart
This seating chart is easy and fantastic. We are actually using a different method because we are doing family style tables so, instead, I have a huge piece of poster board with our tables and then we are using this method for figuring out who is sitting where. Both ideas are great though, depending on your personal preference.

4. The guest list
I WISH I had used this template. Instead, this is the one area I’ve fallen short in because I have 3 word documents, papers laying all around and a google doc….all noting who was on first and second round of invites, who has RSVP’d, who hasn’t, who got an invite and who didn’t. Super confusing. Admittedly, I failed in this area. Use the Google doc above so that you don’t’ make the same mistake.

Have any of you used Google Docs for planning your wedding? If so, which ones? Would you mind sharing them in the comment box below?

My mom has long been excited about planning my bridal shower. Maybe it’s because she never thought I’d actually get married, who knows. But she was dead set on me not knowing anything except the time and location until I got there. She and my sister got on Pinterest and started putting together details for an italian themed shower, complete with olive oil favors and LOTS OF ITALIAN FOOD.

Thanks to my good friend, Tiffany Farley, I have a few photos to share with you from my shower.

For all past and current brides, what was your favorite part of your bridal shower? The gifts? The decor? The laughs? The food? Chime in…I’m curious!