The Farmhouse at Peoples Light Wedding | Carolyn and Nick | West Chester Wedding Photography

bride and groom run through the streets of west chester pennsylvaniaIt was supposed to rain…. like torrential downpours, all throughout West Chester and the Philadelphia Suburbs.  Carolyn, Nick, and I prepared for their summer wedding with umbrellas and boots, discovered covered areas for wedding portraits in downtown West Chester, and said a prayer or two.  As the morning of their wedding dawned, blue skies could be seen for miles.  To our amazement, the day was dry and overcast, and the rains came at the exact time the reception ended.

Honestly, rain on a wedding day isn’t the worst thing.  It’s inconvenient and bothersome, but there are plenty of ways to work around it!  And with the right attitude, it’s magical.  Carolyn and Nick brought their own blue skies with them.  Their joy was infectious, and I think Mother Nature caught it.

West Chester is one of my favorite places to shoot in general.  I’ve shot at Saint Agnes Parish before, and adore the high dark ceilings and moody stone steps.  There’s nothing quite like photographing a 20 person wedding party on a main street, but West Chester is one of the places to do it!  Motorists and pedestrians are only too happy to share in the festivities.

Carolyn and Nick celebrated with their friends and family at the Farmhouse at People’s Light and Theater.  The Farmhouse offers the perfect marriage of rustic charm and elegance.  Surrounded by fields and lush trees, there is never a shortage of photo locations.

Honestly, this blog post has taken me FOREVER because it has been so hard to narrow down photos.  The photos I take are more than just photos— they’re memories of time spent with people who are incredibly important to me.  There aren’t enough photos or words in the world to show my love for my couples!  Here’s a preview of this most wonderful day! Continue reading “The Farmhouse at Peoples Light Wedding | Carolyn and Nick | West Chester Wedding Photography”

The Farmhouse at Peoples Light Wedding | Jillian and Evan | Malvern Wedding Photography

As the night came to an end and I drove away from the twinkling cafe lights at People’s Light and theater, I remember thinking to myself, “That was just lovely and perfect.”  Jillian and Evan and their team worked incredibly hard to craft the perfect day, and it went off without a hitch.  Even the weather!  I am so incredibly lucky to worm with couples who are kind and loving and joyful.  Jillian and Evan are what made their day so memorable, and there wasn’t a dry eye to argue.

Jillian, oh sweet Jillian.  When you meet her, you just instantly adore her.  She’s basically everything I am not; graceful, poised, and soft spoken.  I envy some of her many qualities.  And her DRESS.  Let’s add brave, confident, and drop dead gorgeous to the list.  And then there is Evan.  I can’t imagine a groom smiling more on his wedding day.  From start to finish, there was a grin pasted on his face.  You could see just how excited he was to marry his soul mate.

After vows and rings were exchanged, we headed to one of my favorite venues, the Farmhouse at Peoples Light and Theater.  The ivory hues were accented with garlands of eucalyptus and lush, bold flowers.  Moving toasts, wild first dances, and the most insanely amazing dance choreographed to Grease (as in Lightning), and the real celebration began.

I couldn’t be happier or more honored to have been a part of Jillian and Evan’s beautiful day.  It was in a word…. perfect. Continue reading “The Farmhouse at Peoples Light Wedding | Jillian and Evan | Malvern Wedding Photography”

Desmond Hotel Wedding | Becky and Michael | Malvern PA

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All eyes were on Becky as she turned and started walking down the aisle in the Ballroom at the Desmond Hotel towards her groom, string quartet playing quietly in the background.  Michael grinned ear to ear, and for those watching, he and Becky seemed to be the only ones in the room.  They exchanged their vows, beamed down the aisle, and boogied the night away.

I can’t recall a more calm bride on her wedding day.  Becky was the picture of poise, her joy overflowing.  As she snuggled on the couch between her mom and sister, rain began to fall outside, which seems to be a daily trend during the summer of 2017.  They chatted about old memories and inside jokes until is a fury of tulle, they shuffled off to the Desmond to marry her husband.

The rains stopped just after the ceremony and allowed us some much desired time outdoors.  Despite the fact that the air felt like soup, Becky and Michael were nothing but smiles.  If there is one thing about these two that you should know, it’s that their laughs are infectious.  When one starts, it’s hard to know where the other one ends in terms of laughs.  And Micheal… he’s always watching Becky laugh.  It’s the cutest thing ever, and I’m sure he won’t appreciate me saying this 🙂

The party started off with a bang and featured a shout out to the Eagles, solo dance offs from the bride and groom, and a grand bubble exit.

Congratulations Becky and Michael!  Thank you for having me along for your day!

Continue reading “Desmond Hotel Wedding | Becky and Michael | Malvern PA”

Best Of Wedding Photography | 2016 Highlights

It’s  been a whirlwind of a year.  I cannot do it justice by attempting to put it into words.  As a world, 2016 was horribly tragic.  Sometimes I feel guilty having found so much joy in a year that for some was unbearable.  And yet I am reminded of how incredibly lucky I am that my dream job is centered around people’s happiest moments. It’s hard to focus on negativity when your days are filled with love.

The last couple of days I have been going through photos from this year (over 66,000) pulling some moments that spoke the loudest of my year.  Now, when you have 66k photos to pick from, it can be overwhelming to the point insanity.  To fully display an accurate depiction of my year, this blog post would span pages and pages of internet space, and so I have cut it down to just a fraction.  Usually my favorite moments have to do with details or emotion—- anything that creates a story.  And always. they are just photos that represent a bigger moment happening on the other side of my camera.

I am truly thankful for each and every person who has believed in me and dreamed along with  me.  I am especially thankful to Danielle Lutz, Elizabeth Mae Smith, Sarah Canning, Monica Mendoza, Nellie Morgan, and Anna Trayer for shooting along with me this year.

Cheers to 2017!

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Continue reading “Best Of Wedding Photography | 2016 Highlights”

West Chester Wedding Photography | People’s Light and Theater | Courtney and Jason

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I wish you all could be a fly on the wall as a bride gets ready.  The emotions in the room are electric, and extra hair spray is always required.  While bridesmaids and mothers and makeup gurus buzz about the room, the bride is most often still.  Whenever I steal a glance in her direction, I can instantly see it in her eyes that her thoughts are far far away.  She is thinking of the day, of course, but not in a black and white 24 hour format.  She is thinking of the day that starts the years that leads to the decades that eventually fills in a lifetime with love.  This is the only way I can describe the calm stillness.  Never for a second do I take for granted how privileged I am to be able to bear witness to these special moments.

Courtney is a testament to this type of bride.  There were times before she was in her dress that she was asking me how she could help.  All of her i’s were dotted and t’s were crossed after months of preparation, and she was ready to marry the love of her life.  After a quick flutter of tulle and lace and diamonds, Courtney was on her way to St. Agnes Church in downtown West Chester.

Jason and his guys only had a short walk through downtown to get to the church.  Past shops and restaurant in the midday summer heat, he led his guys on his last walk as an unmarried man.  His naturally calm demeanor was highlighted with the most genuine smile, which peaked and brimmed with a tear the first time he saw Courtney walk through the church doors.

This is love.

Love of two people, and love of two families.  As Courtney and Jason danced the night away (and trust me, they can dance), the constant love and support between their families was inspiring.  The windows at People’s Light and Theater rattled as the party continued well into the night.

Congratulations, dear Courtney and Jason.  Cheers to the lifetime of happiness you made possible when saying I Do. Continue reading “West Chester Wedding Photography | People’s Light and Theater | Courtney and Jason”