Archive for August, 2016
There are certain parts of a city that, when you visit, you say to yourself “that is what this town is about”. When you think about The Jefferson Hotel from either the native or the tourist point of view it’s hard not to feel like you’re in the place where modern Richmond started. The grand staircases, the statue of Thomas Jefferson, the gorgeous beaux-arts exterior – I never get tired of walking through it to approach that stunning rotunda to begin shooting the reception. Sure, I know that “Portland East” (or “Austin North” depending on who you ask) as RVA is getting the reputation for is rapidly becoming known for its future as much as its past, all it takes is a five minute drive to see that the River City has strong roots from its past centuries. It was also great to be back in the sanctuary of St. Benedicts, a Richmond gem that we just don’t see often en0ugh.
As for Mary and Anthony, well, they brought their own classic charm to these two classic venues. It was lovely to watch their personalities unfold as the day went on. You can definitely see how the anxieties of the wedding day slowly slip away and the truly fun nature of this couple comes out. Thank you to the Needhams and the Georges for your lovely and happy families. You are the reason we still love every Saturday.
Enjoy.
Ahh, Charlottesville. Or, rather I should say…Ahh, the vineyards of Charlottesville. Wine and vines. Grapes and sunshine. We’ll take all of it. It’s certainly enough that we got to hang with the Faidleys and the Sanos. Mike and Lauren were fantastic to work with, as we knew they would be. But add in the hillsides and valleys, the breweries and the breeze…it’s kind of a perfect combination. Veritas is never a bad idea either as it has one of the best reception halls in our personal opinion, and not just for a vineyard. Oh, and if you’re in to the varied and wonderful personalities that are on display for a wedding day, you can’t get much better than this one.
A heartfelt thank you to the people who made this day a lovely one for the Faidley and Sano families – Joyne Cordova of BRIDEface Richmond, Erinn Paris and Paris Cake Company, Sarah Stuart of American Beauty Salon, Dress by Mark Zunino Bridal, Bridesmaids attire by Weddington Way, and Carissa and Yael of The Gilded Thimble.
Yeah, sure. Blue skies and oceans. Palm trees. Bright and beautiful colors and people. We have that for you. That’s the easy part when you’re invited to cover a wedding weekend in Puerto Rico. And to Iris and Maria, two incredible planners working with us at the Condado Vanderbilt hotel, I’m pretty jealous that you see this every weekend. But to the point…Tiffani and Scott didn’t get here by any direct means. Sitting down with them a few months before the wedding day, I asked “How did you meet?”. I’ve gotten so many different answers to that question over the years. But this answer turned my head…
“At Everest Base Camp”
“Excuse me?”
“I forgot to bring extra socks and Scott let me borrow his.”
*jaw drop and record skips*
What followed was a truly wonderful love story, the kind that you’d expect when it starts at 18,000 feet and doesn’t involve an airplane. And what’s going on below is just the tiniest little sample of one of the best four days of our professional careers. Starting in the evening of the rehearsal dinner near Santurce market, to the hotel for the wedding night, and closing out with a day-after session in the streets of Old San Juan.
And while you’re in the browsing mood, go over to the Jet Fete blog to see a details-focused take on the wedding day. Enjoy!
If you remember back to the earlier blog post when Kate and Justin had their ceremony, you may recall it was a intimate and elegant affair, an early Spring evening that was lovely but brief in the classic and historic Commonwealth Club. Flash forward now to the fullness of Summer and you’ll see quite a few things have changed. Friends and family alike joined the fun this time as it was all party, all the time. And as is typical of Rockett’s Landing there was no shortage of beautiful views and stunning sunsets. Lindsay and I took full advantage of those views and the relaxed mood of the evening to spend a little extra time with the couple, while still enjoying a full night of music and dancing.
Kate and Justin, I’m sad that our little months long adventure had to end, but thank you for making us a part of it. Anytime you two are throwing a party, we want to be a part of it.
Enjoy.
It doesn’t get much more Richmond than this. Rebecca and Jacob chose two of the most iconic locations in the entire city to host their ceremony and reception. The Byrd Theatre is a fixture in the hearts and memories of so many Richmonders, growing up with it’s 1920’s architecture and brilliant organ to go along with cult classic showings and well-curated film festivals. And while I don’t tend to think of a wedding ceremony as a high drama event, there’s definitely a circumstance to it that lends itself to the theater. I loved Rebecca’s and Jacob’s approach to using the space, keeping it straight forward and allowing the beauty of it take center stage.
When I met with these two for the first time we all knew that the day wouldn’t be complete without a little stroll through Carytown (one of their favorite spots as a couple) to take advantage of their personalized marquee at The Byrd and the energy of all the Saturday shoppers milling about. Seriously, what’s not to love about it.
And even the least travelled Virginian has heard of or visited the nationally recognized Virginia Museum of Fine Arts. The Marble Hall, the sculpture garden, the brilliant exterior design…it’s a photographer’s dream and certainly a lovely destination for a wedding reception. Lindsay and I always consider it an honor to be invited to each and every wedding, and this is no exception, but it’s also great to be able to incorporate so many loved aspects of our hometown in the process.
Congratulations to Rebecca and Jacob, their families, and the dozens of unnamed extras who had no idea they’d be part of this wedding day 🙂 Enjoy.
(Special thanks as well to The Byrd Theatre, The Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, Vogue Flowers, Shyndigz, Emme St James, Seven Hills Studio, and Aaron Ellerbrock of Brideface)
