As you might expect, since it’s June in Richmond, we’re in the thick of another busy wedding season.  You know Lindsay and I love everything about the wedding day and the events that lead up to it, but sometimes you do like a little bit of something unexpected.  When Mike called me up to say that he wanted me to be there when he popped the question to Emily, I was thrilled.  I’ve done this a few times before (I want more!!!) and there’s nothing quite like the thrill of his anxiety, followed by her elation, all wrapped up in one of the tenderest moments you’ll see between two people.   Mike could not stop smiling nor could Emily stop crying for a very long time.

Now, the funny part of this for me is the acting that Mike and I had to do to set it all up.  There were several phone calls, a studio meeting, and then of course the cat and mouse game on the big day as I stayed close, but not too close.  Mike was making sure he was giving all the right signs without giving away the game.  While I was playing “random duck photographer” he was playing Mr. “this is just a normal date in Byrd Park”.  So, I threw in a photograph of my “work” at the beginning.  Several duck photographs and what looked like a very cute conversation between them, he stood up and went to one knee.  Perfect.

Congratulations to you both, Mike and Emily.  Thank you for letting me be a witness to the beginning of a pretty special journey.  Enjoy!

This was a new one for us, definitely.  We met J.J. and Hillary at Michelle and Lamar’s wedding back in March.  You can imagine how thrilled we were to be asked by J.J. to be the “secret photographer” when he asked Hillary to be his wife.  After a little bit of subterfuge, using our babysitter and our daughter as decoy subjects, we got in position to capture the pivotal moment and family celebration that followed.  Come on people…I want more of these!