Kelly was introduced to me by one of my favorite Los Angeles-based wedding planners, Emma Petievich early in the Spring of this year. I already had a wedding scheduled in Michigan for the same weekend as Kelly and Justin’s, but any wedding that Emma is a part of, I knew it would be worth the effort to fly back from Michigan the next day! I am so glad that I did! I had not yet met Justin until that Sunday, but he was as easy going and as friendly a groom as I have ever met! Kelly and Justin were a great couple to photograph! They are genuinely in love and it was evident from the moment I photographed their “first look” with one another before the ceremony! I can’t make a couple appear in love, I can’t paint emotion on their faces no matter how well I know photoshop! When a bride and groom are in love, you know it! I can see it behind my camera and finding magical moments to photograph can either be very difficult to find, or as in Kelly and Justin’s, as simple as looking through the camera.

I was joined by my good friend Michael Andrews who assisted me mainly throughout the day, but also picked up a camera and provided some awesome photographs over my shoulder. You can see some of his work intertwined with mine in the highlight slideshow at the bottom of this post. We began our day photographing Kelly and Justin getting ready at the The Westin Pasadena. The remainder of the day took place at the Los Angeles River Center and Gardens. The venue was previously the Lawry’s California Center and is a hidden jewel, just minutes from downtown Los Angeles. It is sequestered behind thick, ivy covered walls and is an ideal spot for a wedding, filled with beds of roses, agapanthus, and daylilies soaking up the sun. This day couldn’t have been more perfect for a wedding! The decor was unique and splendid, only as Emma can create! At one point in the evening, during a short break, taking in the beauty of the day, I sat back with gratitude for the honor and opportunity to photograph such a beautiful wedding!

I love the results of the photos we captured! You can see some of my favorites of the day above and below (as well as the highlight slideshow at the bottom of the post)! Of course, the celebration was a success because of the great vendors Kelly and Justin chose to make this special day happen. Here is a list of the all-star cast:

Jim Hjelm Dress: Lili Bridal
Cake: Takes the Cake Pasadena, CA
Catering: Huntington Caterering Pasadena, CA
Celebrant: Jerry Petievich (Emma’s Dad & Bride’s Cousin)
Ceremony Musicians: Elegant Music, Eric Zimmerman
Floral: Bobbe Vagel, BOVA Designs
Hair/Makeup: Frankie, 323-770-2200
Videographer: Dream Team Entertainment

The entirety of the wedding day took place at Orchard Lake CC, one of my favorite country clubs in Southeastern Michigan! The country club is located on serene and picturesque Orchard Lake, a truly beautiful setting! I have had the good fortune of photographing several weddings here in the last few years. Search my blog to find previous weddings.  Kim and John’s wedding now joins the list of many memorable celebrations here at Orchard Lake CC.

This day, however, was met with a bit of questionable weather, not uncommon in Michigan at the end of May! I don’t like to say unfortunate, because weather does not make or break a wedding day in my opinion. Good weather or bad, it just adds to the story and the backdrop of the actual wedding day story. I like to call it “character!” The day is suppose to be about the unveiling of a love story, concluding (or rather “beginning”) with the story of how two people in love – and their families – celebrate their union in marriage. I can happily attest that this was the case with Kim and John! With rain coming and going, skies cloudy and gray, adjustments made for the outdoor ceremony to take place underneath a tent, the nuptials were, indeed, the focus and triumphal joy of the day! Not a frown or sense of dismay was seen or felt on the faces of this beautiful couple because of the questionable weather, nor did it deter the celebratory mood of their family and friends! Enjoy some of my favorite photos above and below. Please scroll to the bottom of this post to see several more photos that I’ve included in a highlight slide show set to music.

Before ending this post, I must give kudos to my vendor partners who all helped make this day a success!

Venue and Caterer: Orchard Lake Country Club
Event Coordinator, Floral and Decor: Emerald City Designs (Nicole Beaudoin, planner)
Bridal Gown: Roma Sposa (Birmingham, MI)
Video: Fifth and Main Productions (Royal Oak, MI)
Band: Simone Vitale Band
Celebrant: Sherry Mullins (A Joyful Celebration)
Cake: Sweet and Savory (Oxford, MI)
Custom Printing: Very Truly Yours (A. Kelly Cash)
Makeup: Linda Bateynah
Hair: Mallory

Afton and Danny wanted to utilize The Monastery to help create a tranquil, yet festive, wedding celebration for those they love the most in the world: their family and closest friends, and just importantly, their three precious dogs. Even though the day was seemingly carefree and relaxed, wedding planner (and property manager of The Monastery) Lexi Mclane, made sure everything went perfectly. A good portion of the time was spent with their guests enjoying the peaceful setting, family members from each side getting to know one another, relatives from across the country reuniting, nieces and nephews exploring the unique grounds, and the dogs having ample room to play. Local pianist, Patrik Maiani, lended his talents on the baby grand piano with music that carried throughout the home and terrace. When the time seemed right, everyone was gathered near one of the ancient olive trees and local minister, Nino Maiani, performed the wedding ceremony. Afterward, guests gathered at a wonderfully decorated long table for a several course meal, provided by Chef Robin Goldstein, and multiple heart-felt toasts were given for the newly-weds.

Floral arrangements were created by Padaro Floral
Afton’s hair and makeup were provided by Team Hair & Makeup

Enjoy some of my favorite photos below and scroll to the bottom of this post to see the entire highlight slideshow set to music. Enjoy!

When my good friend and Event Planner, Carolyn Hefner of The China Closet, called me to photograph a birthday party, I didn’t hesitate! When I meet a potential client who has hired Carolyn, I know they are serious about having an incredible event! I have photographed a few spectacular birthday parties for Carolyn’s clients in my career, so I knew that this was going to special! Alan’s party took place at a really cool place called Stage 3. It is an actual photography and production studio with a huge sound stage area for photographing large products like automobiles! What an awesome setup for parties as well! It provided for a perfect background to project graphics, videos, and colorful lights to enhance the festive environment! The theme of Alan’s party was centered around the two cities he lives in, Detroit and Las Vegas. A club scene on one side with a DJ, video and dancing, and Las Vegas on the other side, complete with the famous Vegas sign, showgirls and gaming! Alan and his Cranbrook High School friends had a ton to do! I personally felt right at home, having lived in both great cities myself! Alan, without a doubt, will never forget this incredible birthday celebration!

Check out some of my favorite photos and scroll to the bottom of the post to see even more photos in a highlight slide show!

One thing about making Las Vegas your home is you forget how fun of a town it really is! Now that we are no longer living there, it has been great continuing to book a few weddings each year there! For one, it gives me a chance to visit my parents, who live in nearby Summerlin, but it also allows for me to see the town from a different perspective! It is now a destination location for me which has given me a fresh appreciation! My clients can benefit from my having had the experience of knowing the town and having photographed several weddings there. Now, however, they also benefit from me having a renewed energy coming back to this completely unique environment that is so different from anywhere else in the country! There is truly no other place in the USA like Vegas, especially in regard to photographing a wedding!

That’s why I was so happy that Melanie and Brad found me and commissioned me to photograph their wedding this past month! They truly had a great plan for a uniquely Vegas affair! Not only was it held in one of Vegas’ more famous venues, Caesar’s Palace, but they had a great turnout from their family and friends who traveled mostly from Edmonton and other parts of Canada! Most everything took place at Caesar’s Palace: getting ready photos inside their hotel suites, the ceremony took place at the Venus Gardens, and the reception took place at Spago’s Restaurant. Between the ceremony and reception, we were able to take a ride out to the famous Las Vegas sign for a few portraits and back to Caesar’s for additional fun photos around various fountains on the property. To top it all off, what Vegas party would be complete, without Elvis? Sure enough, the emcee and resident crooner himself (a look a like, actually!) entertained the guests during dinner and dancing! Enjoy some of my favorite photos above and below. To see the highlight slideshow with even more great photos, scroll down to the bottom. Oh yah, could not resist selecting an Elvis song for the show! Enjoy!

The photos on this slide show are my favorites from this past year’s wedding season.  I photographed 30 wonderful weddings in 2010, all of which provided opportunities for capturing documentary moments.  Not every wedding is represented on the slide show, however.  This year, I decided to be very discriminating in the selection of photos that made my favorites list, unlike previous years where I made sure to have at least one photo represented from each wedding. The photos that were chosen, best represent my ultimate objective when photographing a wedding: finding powerful, meaningful and artistic documentary imagery that transcends time.

In all of the photographs I capture in the wedding day, I seek to find the following three elements: an interesting composition, great light, and wonderful expressions.  The images on this slide show are those captured that, I believe, have a fourth element, which is what makes them so special.  It’s difficult to describe what makes up the fourth element, but it is that “something” that draws you into the photo, a story that is either conveyed concretely or, perhaps, not so concretely, but lingers as a mystery that causes you to stop, stare, and wonder.  The photographers that I admire the most are those who are masters in finding these moments. In years to come, I hope to continue mastering my ability to find imagery that has “the fourth element.”

That is what pushes me each year to be better than the last. I am a wedding photographer today, because I am passionate about finding these moments: that split-second where there is a combination of elements colliding simultaneously as if in concert with one another.  Most of the images are pre-composed.  I see the unique setting and possible composition in front of me. The natural, available lighting is there for an exquisite photograph. I see the people nearby and anticipate the possibility of a unique moment developing.  Suddenly, the person or people step into the frame of my camera at the perfect millisecond…the camera clicks…and a moment is cemented forever.  I hope you enjoy what I consider my favorite wedding stories of 2010.  Please share your feedback.

There is one image that I would like to provide some background history.  It is the very first photograph you will see in the slide show.  This bride is my hero, not only for 2010, but for the entire span of my wedding photography career – which dates back to 1992.  The bride’s name is Terry. When this photograph was captured, Terry was suffering from stage-four, breast cancer.  If you already watched the slide show, my hope is that you didn’t even notice that Terry was missing her hair, which was due to the results of her chemotherapy treatment.  Rather, you were locked in the beauty in her reflection.  In Terry’s reflection – you see her beautiful eye.  The eyes are the windows of our souls.  Our soul is the true essence of who we are and Terry’s soul has now passed on to her next life.  She passed away just before Christmas in 2010. Terry will always be loved and remembered by me.  I am truly honored that she selected me to photograph her wedding and invited me into her world.  My heart goes out to Terry’s husband, Chip, and the loved ones she’s left behind.

I had not met Emma and Evan in person prior to their wedding day. We were contacted by Evan’s mother, Rose, who had been referred to me by a local vendor. My wife received the call and after hearing her name, asked if her daughter was a figure skater. Sure enough, Evan’s sister Brianne was a wonderful figure skater we had known almost ten years ago in Holland, Michigan. My own daughter, who was just beginning to take a serious interest in skating at the time, was a big fan of Brianne and was one of her early inspirations in her young skating career. So, it is definitely a small world!

It’s not very often that I get to photograph a January wedding in Michigan! Most bride and grooms prefer Michigan’s warmer months, though I have had my fare share of December weddings over the years. Emma and Evan’s wedding was the first Friday of the New Year. Exactly one week prior – New Year’s Eve – a wedding you can see in my blog post, the weather was fairly balmy! The temperature hit the 50′s and we had a little rain! Unusual for this time of year! Well, Emma and Evan’s big day was Michigan was not unusual for January! Not only did the mercury not quite reach the freezing mark on the thermometer, but the snow decided to fall as well! In it’s own, kind-of-Michigan way, it was quite beautiful!

I began photographing Emma getting ready at Weber’s Inn in Ann Arbor. We had planned in advance to photograph a few portraits of the couple at the historic University of Michigan Law Quad and a couple of wedding party photos in front of the State Street Theater, before arriving at First Baptist Church for the ceremony, another historic icon of the Ann Arbor area. After a beautiful and emotional ceremony, we were shuttled back by limousine to Weber’s to celebrate the couple’s reception. From beginning to end, it was a beautiful wedding, filled with love, laughter and emotion! Enjoy some of my favorites of the day above and below. Be sure to scroll down to the bottom of the post to view a highlight slide show set to music!

I met Leann and Michael this past summer, about five months before their wedding. Every so often, I meet clients who you can tell are a perfect fit. They are in-sync with one another about everything, including what they are looking for in a wedding photographer! This was the case with Leann and Michael. They were happy to be meeting with me, they were excited about their wedding, but mostly, they just seemed happy being together! Those are a great combination of qualities that tip me off to knowing that a great wedding is on the horizon and these are great people to have as my clients! From that meeting to the end of the wedding day, I was right. I feel very fortunate to have been a part of their New Year’s Eve wedding! It also gave me a chance to end 2010 working with Carolyn Hefner of the China Closet, the top wedding coordinator in Michigan and my wonderful friend!

The wedding day definitely required two photographers. Rudy Ortega, a photographer that has worked with me now for several years, was assigned to photograph Michael and the groomsmen before the ceremony, and I photographed Leann and her side. We all began the day at The Henry Hotel, the former Dearborn Ritz Carlton for all of the getting ready photos. From there, we traveled to downtown Detroit for the ceremony at the Cathedral of the Most Blessed Sacrament. It is interesting how I end up with clients using the same churches and venues one given year, and then I don’t photograph a wedding there for another two or three years. That was the case this year with the Cathedral of the Most Blessed Sacrament. I can’t remember the last year I had been there, but Leann and Michael’s wedding became my third ceremony at that church this year! It definitely felt like I was in familiar territory!

After the ceremony, the wedding convened at the historic Lovett Hall in Greenfield Village. This venue is such a great place to have a wedding reception! It is a huge, ornate ballroom with beautiful chandeliers and columns, a hard wood floor and dripping with history! It also gave me a chance to work with the Henry Ford Museum’s wedding coordinator, Christina Dodge, my friend from other Henry Ford weddings of the past! One of the benefits a couple receives is the use of the village for additional portraits. Leann and Michael jumped into their own horse-drawn carriage and my team and the video team followed behind in another. After the romantic photos – it was time to get inside and let the partying begin! The photo above is of the couple dancing in the open ballroom without any guests. We were able to sneak into the room so that Leann and Michael could see the ballroom before the guests were seated. You can see how beautiful it is decorated by the extraordinarily talented Ralph Bellisario of Bellisario Florists.  Finally, the guests were seated, and the band, Scoot Magoo, MC’d the introductions and kept the party dancing the whole night long. I had never worked with this band prior, but I was very impressed! They were perfect for a New Year’s Eve celebration! They were not the typical wedding band at all. There music was polished and fresh and they performed as if they were giving a concert. I loved them just as did the guests! If you are looking for something a little different, definitely check these guys out!

Finally, midnight came, the party favors in place and the first kisses were given to bring in the New Year! It was a very memorable wedding celebration to say the least! Check out some of my favorites from the day above and below as well as scroll down to the bottom to check out the highlight slideshow set to music.