Carolyn & Chad's Wedding! Sat. August 30, 2008 i do
**The pixelation is fixed, thanks for your patience! I've also added in some processing info for ya'll:)**
Carolyn and I have been friends for about ten years now. When I look back on the past decade (whoa, that makes ten years sound longer, doesn't it??), I am shocked and amazed at how much I've grown up and changed. When Carolyn and I met, I was so lost with my life. I had just left the first college I attended, and was coping with the fact that I would not be one of those people who went away to school, fell in love with it, and graduated in four years. At this point, I had completed a year and a half, and the only thing I knew for sure is that there was no way I wanted to return after Christmas break. So I didn't.
I spent that semester at community college, repairing my desiccated transcript and working as a waitress in a crappy little restaurant in the mall called Spinnakers. I would say that it was one of the lowest points in my life, only surpassed at that moment by the preceding months of misery at college.
Enter Carolyn.
Carolyn (along with maid of honor Allison) was working as a hostess at the same restaurant as what was probably her first job in high school. She and Allison were about three years younger than me, which now seems like nothing but at the time seemed like a different lifetime. I have no idea why we all became friends, but I do know that these two girls made a very difficult time in my life more fun, more exciting, and just better in general! I worked at that restaurant for about a year and then ultimately transferred to NC State, where I completed my degree happily, all the while working for a local photographer and figuring out my occupational path.
Over those years, I went from 19-23 and Carolyn and Allison eventually graduated from high school and went to college as well. We stayed in touch during that time, and always managed to have a blast on breaks, summers, and weekends. So many of my good memories from those years have these girls in them!
So when I was creating my 101 in 1001 list, "Shoot Carolyn D's Wedding" (#98) was sure to make the list! I knew somehow that she would be the first to get married--the question was, to whom?! When Carolyn first told me about Chad, she had her doubts about whether they would become serious or not. But it wasn't long before the conversations changed from "maybe he's the one" to "when will he ask??". I knew then that the wedding would not be far away! Chad is an amazing person--a real gentleman. He is considerate and makes sure that everyone around him is comfortable. He is an awesome cook, a stellar fisherman, and probably a great boat captain as well--his true love (second to Carolyn, of course). I was so happy for these guys,and so excited to be part of the wedding.
I wish I 'd had time to scan in some of the old photos of the three of us, but I have been out of town and still am--I won't be home till Tuesday. I'll try to add them to this post later! For now, Congratulations to Carolyn & Chad, and enjoy the photos! Leave a little love in the comments for these guys--they deserve it!
I surprised Carolyn and showed up at the hair salon for a shot or two:
The hair looked so great on all the girls, but check out Allison's earring! One of the other bridesmaids, Krissy makes custom jewelry for weddings! You can check her site out at Designs by Krissy and contact her to make something custom for your girls!
I love this one:
Check out the bling! That pearl ring was her something borrowed:
Image X: GREAT NEWS! Wed. August 27, 2008 photographers
As many of you know, my Image X Workshop in New Orleans in October has been sold out for quite some time. Because of high demand, I have decided to open up 10 EXTRA SEATS!!! The seats are going to be allotted in the form of a lottery, so anyone who is interested in snagging a spot will have an equal chance at getting one.
Just so you know, this is the last full day workshop I'll be doing in the states probably for the next year. I'm speaking at WPPI, but just for 2 hours. This is the only opportunity to spend the whole day and see how I work from start to finish!
If you'd like to become eligible to purchase one of 10 open seats for my Image X workshop please email info@imagexworkshop.com with the subject line "Jessica Claire Workshop Lottery". In addition you can choose a second workshop from our line up of incredible speakers.
My class is going to be pretty shooting/processing heavy, but I'm going to run it in the form of a conversation, not so much a lecture. I believe that the best learning comes from interacting and asking questions, so I'd like to see my group as an open forum of conversation where I can share the things I have learned, and we can all learn from each other at the same time!
Since you can pick another photographer to spend your other day with, I would personally recommend Chenin Boutwell who has one or two seats open or Victor Sizemore.
You also have the option to attend our bonus workshop with Jerry Ghionis and be a part of our incredible Tuesday night Mardi Gras event!!!
Please visit Image X Workshop for more information about the event.
Sheenah & Chris Say "I do" Mon. August 25, 2008 i do
Chris & Sheenah's wedding was a rare and wonderful thing--a MONDAY wedding! This couple and all of their guests are Canadian, so this was a destination wedding for their group. And really, where better to take your friends than So. Cal? It's beautiful, the beach is great, the St. Regis is a fabulous hotel, and it's fun!
Of course, any smart couple knows that to plan a wedding far away, you need an organized, stylish point of contact in your location. Sheenah & Chris chose someone I've been wanting to work with for a long time, and she was even more amazing than I had hoped. Her name is Sheryal Rozzelle and if you need a coordinator in Santa Barbara or LA, she's absolutely unbelievable. She added so many special and unexpected touches to the day, it was just a pleasure working with her.
Anyway, I didn't actually meet Sheenah & Chris until about a month or two before their wedding, way after they had already booked me. The second I met them, I was so impressed with how interesting and funny and fun they were! At that point, I started to get really excited for their wedding, which was only enhanced by Sheenah's comment that the wedding was going to be "like diddy's white party". How great is that?
The day finally came, and I was not disappointed. Check it out!
I love these wonder woman/goddess-style Manolo's:
And a beautiful, ethereal dress:
This bouquet was all white hydrangea with a little lace wrapped around the bottom. Square Root is a top-notch florist in my area, and I always know that when they're doing the flowers, there will be LOTS of great details to shoot!
Nicole did the makeup not only for Sheenah but for all the girls. They looked stunning! She recently started her own business, so if you need a great hair & makeup person, check her out. Don't try to get her in the morning though, because i'm saving to have her come over and do my makeup every day :)
I stopped over where the boys were supposed to be getting ready, and found them relaxing and snacking. Chris also wanted an in-depth retelling of the worst bad beat story ever. I only wish they'd stuck around a few extra days after the wedding to get a game in!
Chris cleaning up for the big day:
I arrived back at the girls room in plenty of time to shoot the girls getting all ready to go!
So pretty!
The ceremony was at another little location in Laguna Beach. I loved all the parasols, they were great for blocking the sun (and great for photos!):
First kiss:
I like to try to hop in the limo with the bridal party when I can. Fun times!
The reception was at Club 19 at the St. Regis. This is a PERFECT spot for a small wedding (they had about 30 people). I love how everyone dined outside and it was just a perfect night:
A little local favor:
Of course we had to go shoot down at the beach! On the way:
How adorable are they?!
We made it down just in time for some beautiful light:
My favorite:
Black and white after the sun dropped--yummy!
I knew all those candles that Square Root used were going to look so beautiful after the sun went down:
An emotional toast from Sheenah's sister:
Father/Daughter dance:
The umbrellas made for some sweet dance moves too! I think they were actually dancing to the song "Umbrella" at this time:
A sweet moment:
Check out the gallery below for some more shots! Sheenah & Chris, thank you so much for being your fabulous selves! I loved getting to know you, and can't wait to see you in Canada for Rodeo Week!
Congratulations Carolyn & Chad! Sun. August 24, 2008 i do
Yesterday, my beautiful friend Carolyn married Chad on an absolutely spectacular North Carolina day! I can't blog this wedding until I get back to California on Tuesday night, but I know it's going to be a great wedding to blog because they are just so darn cute! Congratulations guys, see ya tomorrow :)
Hillary & Peter's Day After! Tue. August 19, 2008 we did
This post has been awhile coming! You might remember Hillary & Peter's Boston wedding from a few weeks ago. Well, before we knew that it was going to be rained out, it was originally going to be held in this beautiful park right across the street from the hotel where it ultimately took place. None of us were very upset about the rainy wedding day, because we also knew we'd have lots of time the next day to play around and even make a trip down to the beach!
Here are a few of my favorite shots from the day after their wedding:
The light after all that rain was so crisp and beautiful!
This is a tree we were actually INSIDE, if that makes any sense? These branches were all the way around us!
I LOVE LOVE LOVE this shot. Wait till you see where she was on the way to...
One of the most perfect settings for a portrait I've ever seen. Wish I'd had the 200 2.0 here!
Did I mention the light?
Later that evening we headed down to the beach. Hillary wore the most fantastic pink dress for a few:
My fave pink dress shot:
Look at this color!
It's so different than the California beaches:
The place where they stayed was all whitewashed and really simple and stunning. Hillary put the wedding dress back on for a few more:
Favorite:
This was the sneak peek one:
We sure lucked out with that gorgeous sky:
And a gorgeous couple:
Last, but certainly not least:
Hillary & Peter, thanks for your patience! Everyone else, Hillary's bridal photos coming sometime next week!
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