McKenzie and Jeff both hail from the Albany, NY area.  But it took a friendship connection and a country concert at Mohegan Sun to bring them together in CT.

Their wedding was only DAYS after Hurricane Sandy finished wreaking her havoc on the northeast.  In fact, in anticipation of the storm, McKenzie and Jeff went to great lengths to get family members into CT prior to Sandy’s arrival.  And, then….. they waited….. Hoping that the storm would not hamper their wedding plans.  It was a COLD and windy day, but the wedding went off beautifully!  The Candlewood Inn had gone to great lengths to prepare the property…. one would never have known….

McKenzie and Jeff both got ready at the Marriott in Danbury before heading to the windy dock at the Inn for their first look.  We only snagged a few pictures before the rain forced us in for the remaining family photos.

The ceremony was very personal – as it always the case when performed by Celebrant, Mary Coburn.  Mary included a memorial candle for McKenzie’s mom who has passed.  Having been a witness to some of the more private moments of the day, I can say that McKenzie’s mom’s presence was very much a part of making the day so special – far beyond just that of the candle.  I am particularly sensitive and moved when someone is missing a parent at the wedding as I have been there, too.

After the ceremony, the brave newlyweds were willing to go outside for a quick shot under the tree by the lake.  It is BY FAR one of my favorite images from their wedding….  I am still somewhat amazed that it is not a blurry photo as I was literally shaking and shivering laying on the cold and wet ground with the breeze blowing across the open area by the water.  If we thought it was cold earlier, this was probably the coldest I have ever been during a wedding.  I might still be thawing out!

The reception was AWESOME….  Sam from Atmosphere productions was in charge of the party.   Combine Sam’s ability to read a crowd and mix music along with McKenzie and Jeff’s fun and crazy network of friends and family = a party!

Best of luck McKenzie and Jeff.  Thanks so much for having Dorian and I be a part of your wedding celebration.  We were touched by all of the special moments and honored to be a part.

Celebrant – Mary Coburn

Hair was done by Dawn’s Pizzazz. of Danbury

The music was done by Atmosphere Productions of West Hartford

The bride’s dress came from The Bridal Gallery by Yvonne in upstate NY – a beautiful design by Maggie Sottero

The cake was made by Candlewood Inn.

Flowers – Jo Hansen of Bethel, CT

Jeff left McKenzie a surprise note on the bottom of her shoes after he scuffed them for her.  Loved this sweet little detail!  Way to go Jeff!

Jeff and his mom….

Coldest first look EVER!!!! 

THESE I love!

And this ended up being one of my favorite shots, too.  This window faces the lake.  Gorgeous!

My favorite part of Melissa and Walter’s story is how he TRIED to propose to her…. he TRIED.  And, he TRIED.  And, he TRIED again!  Each time, Melissa, unknowingly, did or said something to foil the plan.  But, perseverance almost always prevails.  And, EVENTUALLY, Walter was able to surprise Melissa with a ring.  

Melissa and Walter have been intimately involved with The Salvation Army and that church community in Manchester, CT.  In fact, Melissa, who has selflessly invested her life in social services, works with the children at that church.  Melissa choose to get ready at the church.  And, the The Majors delivered intimate words about Walter and Melissa during the ceremony.  As well, kids from Melissa’s youth group (Thy Why Not Kids) were involved in the music.  Certainly, the connection to her faith community made the ceremony extra special.  

After the ceremony, we made a lightening quick stop at Elizabeth Park for some shots of Melissa and Walter and their bridal party with the skyline of Hartford behind us.  Then, we headed to the more traditional an romantic photo spots in Elizabeth Park for some quick shots with Melissa and Walter alone before heading off to the Simsbury Inn for the reception where Don Anderson of Tasteful Productions led the party.

Congratulations Melissa and Walter.

The bride’s dress was from Alfred Angelo.

The cake was done by Simsbury Inn.

The flowers were by Floral Expressions. 

Julie and Matt have amazing energy…add in Ava and you have an amazing new family!

Julie got ready at her parents house, but we made a really unique stop before the ceremony. We went to the house where Julie grew up. It was particularly special because her dad had always envisioned her walking down the stairs of that home in her wedding dress. Since they had sold the home years ago and her groom-to-be knew of Julie and her Dad’s vision, he took it upon himself to call the homeowner and ask permission to have Julie walk down the stairs to her father.  It was truly a touching moment and Julie’s dad was able to see his vision come true.

Then, we headed to the Avon Congregational Church for the ceremony.  We quickly slipped away after the ceremony to take advantage of what little light was left in the day.   Off we sped, in an AWESOME vintage car, headed to and old mill in Collinsville for bridal party pictures. This was so much fun because Julie and Matt and their bridal party were open-minded and looking to have fun with the “formal” photos.  To that end, we ended up taking pictures in the dark, inside of the building as well as outside.

Then, we were off to the reception at Farmington Gardens.  One of my favorite and most memorable moments of the reception was when Julie’s father revealed a secret…… He always told Julie that he would sing at her wedding.  And, he kept that promise.  Without telling a soul, he bought a guitar, took lessons,  and surprised everyone by performing “I Loved Her First” by Heartland.  I tell you, even I had misty eyes. 

Julie, Matt and Ava, thank you for letting Colleen and I be a part of your new beginning.  May your life be full of beautiful surprises that bring you happy tears.  You are off to a strong start!

Venue – Farmington Gardens

Hair and Make-Up – Larissa Lake 

Flowers – Stylish Blooms

DJ – Dave of PowerStation Events

PhotoBooth – Geoff of Photobooth Planet

Elise and Mike are busy wrapping up their wedding planning for their upcoming October wedding…  Here is a sneak from their engagment session in Old Saybrook, CT.  We started at a pinball game in a bar…. now THAT is a good start!  The whole session was a blast!  These two spend most of their time laughing together.  Love love love their kind of energy

For an Italian girl, an Irish holiday has become pretty special.  St. Patty’s Day plays a role in this love story…. 

Ann-Marie and Dave met thru work; she is a 4th grade teacher and he is in IT department for the Board of Education.  Three St. Patty’s Days ago, Dave gave Ann-Marie an Irish Claddagh ring.  Last year, Dave gave Ann-Marie an engagement ring on St. Patty’s Day, and this year, he gave her a wedding ring!  The part I love the most about their engagement is that Dave asked Ann-Marie’s father for her hand IN ITALIAN!  I was so impressed when I learned about that! Way to go Dave!

We started the day at Ann-Marie’s parents’ home.  These two have been married for 47 years.  And, she is very close with her family so her brothers and their wives and all of the nieces and nephews came for photos at their parent’s home.  There was a lot of neat history there, too.  Ann-Marie wore a bracelet that her Grandmother was given by her husband (Grandpda) on their wedding day.  She also wore the pearls that her mother was given on her wedding day…..  Yes, big shoes to fill Dave!  Ann-Marie also wore the beautiful earrings that Dave gave her. 

Then, off to Corpus Christi church in Wethersfield for their ceremony.  And, after a quick receiving line and a couple fun “grabs” of the bride and groom at the church, we headed into Hartford and City Hall for the remaining bridal party photos.  Then, once back at the Aqua Turf, we decided to hold off on the traditional Aqua Turf photos in favor of shooting some night shots on the property…. love them!!!

Rich from Power Station Events was the DJ for the reception in Kay’s Pier North.  We had the opportunity to work with Michael and Andrew from Inspiration in Motion Video for the first time and we had such a great time with them!  

The entire day was full of great “energy” and love.  It was such a pleasure to be a part of this celebration.  Congrats to Ann-Marie and Dave and their families.  CHEERS to many more St. Patty’s Days together!

It was a beautiful day at the beach with Melissa and Jamie…. there were gigNORMOUS horseflies and it was a pretty hot and sweaty day!  But, other than that, it was PERFECT!  We had a great time exploring around Hammonasset State Park in Madison, CT.  Jamie and Melissa have a ton of memories at this beach as it is a place where they camp and vacation.

My favorite part about this session was pulling into the parking lot to find them sitting in this ridiculously crazy AWESOME pickup truck!  Kudos to Melissa for wanting to incorporate Jamie’s other love into the engagement shoot.  I LOVE LOVE LOVE this truck – add an extra LOVE for the fuzzy dice on the rearview mirror!  Props Jamie, WELL DONE!  I can not wait for your wedding….. but I might beg you to roll up to the ceremony in this truck!!!  Thanks for a great time!

DICE LOVE!!!!!!!!

Jackie and Jason lived 7 houses away from each other… but their paths never crossed.  They have a 21st century romance.  It took a computer to bridge the 7 house distance.  They met online (kudos to Match.com and another successful relationship!).  It is no wonder their matching criteria brought these too together.  They really do compliment each other.

I could hang out with Jackie and Jason every day and never be bored!  Jackie and her friends and Jason and his friends were a riot to be with on their wedding day.  Jackie has this infectious laugh and energy.  Even though their wedding day had a few hiccups outside of their control (a florist who took the flowers to the wrong church, roads closed in Hartford due to a festival, a detour to one of our shooting locations due to an emergency services situation….) Seriously, it was a crazy day – but perfectly crazy!  

We started the day in the most amazing room – SUCH history!  It was a part of Center Church – the founding church of Hartford.  The church is over 300 years old and the room where Jackie got dressed is where their congregation has held various meetings for all of those years.  LOVE the dark green and ivory checkered floor with the butter yellow walls – and, REALLY?!?!?  A baby grand Steinway and a beautiful bridal party?!?!?  It was heaven for me!

Then off to church for the ceremony – followed by quick photos near the church, at Hartford City Hall and at the CT State Capital building.

The reception was in the elegant Bond Ballroom in downtown Hartford.  Molly and I had the pleasure of working with DJ Sam from Atmosphere Productions and his lovely assistant Chloe.  And, as one can expect from a professional like Sam, the reception was full of energy and dancing. There were three heart-felt toasts (yes, I cried…. I almost always cry!).  And, The Bond had made the yummiest wedding cupcakes.

Congrats to you Jackie and Jason.  Thank you for sharing your day and trusting me to be the one to record your family history.  You guys and the kitties are officially a family now!

Jackie’s Enzoani Dress came from Bancroft Bridals in Feeding Hills, MA.  Kudos to their bridal salon for a perfect dress and a perfect fit.  She looked amazing!!!

Along with Kudos to The Hair Gallery at The Mill in Tariffville, CT. We LOVE the loose, curly locks with the updo!

Kudos to  J.T. Ghamo The Tuxedo Place in the West Hartford Center, for helping the guys look super sharp.  So Handsome!

So maybe Jason didn’t want to hold the flowers?!?!  :)

Scrumptious Bond-made wedding cupcakes most certainly hit the spot!

Our guest shooter, Miss Molly, made a great grab from the Bond balcony.

DJ Sam working his magic!

And the night can’t be complete until someone whips out a fake ‘stache!  :) 

Danielle and Matt’s wedding is RIGHT around the corner….. can’t wait!  Here is a peak at this beautiful couple from their engagement session in Old Saybrook.

It was soooooo windy that day!  We had to start under cover and found this great yellow wall in downtown Old Saybrook that looked awesome with their grey outfits….. and gave us some shelter from the breeze!!!!

And we used a little off camera lighting to create this super romantic feel —- still trying to keep cover from that wind!

A quick outfit change and a hair tie and it was time to hit the beach for sunset in Old Saybrook.  Thanks to the crazy storms we had last year, we had a HUGE washed up tree to play with! 

We are very happy to share another awesome entry from guest blogger, Darcy Lucas of Mission Fitness in Glastonbury, CT.  We hope you enjoy (and take to heart) her advice for putting some positive focus on your health during this crazy season!  If you are fortunate to live within a reasonable distance to try a bootcamp at Mission Fitness, I highly recommend!   In fact, most of us at the studio go – so call us up and we’ll go with you!!!  It is a tough season….. and you are only one workout away from a good mood!  (I think I read that on Darcy’s Facebook page once).

From Darcy….

“All that we are is the result of what we have thought. The mind is everything. What we think we become.” ~Buddha

It is very easy to let yourself go over the holidays.  However, if you have a wedding coming up you have NO TIME to go backwards with your goals!  However, we all know the challenges of the Holiday Season.  Your schedule starts to fill up, you may have family or money stresses, there are temptations everywhere you turn, and the holiday spirit fills the air.  So many of us already have it in our heads, “I always put on a few pounds this time of year”.  What if we started to think differently?  What if we challenged ourselves to get through the holidays healthier and stronger than ever?  And we know with that we would also be stronger MENTALLY!  If you can get through this time of the year, you can most likely get through anytime.  Change your way of thinking and your mindset.  PICTURE yourself coming out of this season looking and feeling better than ever!  When you want to skip that workout or OVER indulge in the Holiday “cheer”, picture yourself walking down the aisle.  What do you want to feel like?  Look like?

So why not make it your challenge this season?  That does not mean you are not going to be able to ENJOY the season, or even indulge in the season.  Everything in moderation, and stay consistent with your workouts.  Here are some tips to stay healthy this season:

*FIND A FRIEND OR FAMILY MEMBER TO GET ON BOARD WITH YOU.  HOLD EACHOTHER ACCOUNTABLE & SHARE TIPS, SUCCESSES AND CHALLENGES  WITH ONE ANOTHER. HOW ABOUT A CONTEST WITH A NICE PRIZE AT THE END?  DO IT WITH YOUR WHOLE FAMILY, OR MAKE EVERYONE AWARE OF YOUR GOALS. THAT WAY YOU WILL BE SURROUNDED BY PEOPLE ON THE SAME PAGE & WATCHING YOU!

*COMMIT TO A SCHEDULED FITNESS CLASS, PERSONAL TRAINING OR SPORTS TEAM.  JUST SIGNING UP FOR A GYM MEMBERSHIP DOES GURANTEE YOU WILL GO. 

*DRINK LOTS OF WATER.  OFTEN TIMES THE FEELING OF BEING “HUNGRY” IS MISTAKEN FOR BEING THIRSTY.  STAY HYDRATED FOR THE MANY HEALTH BENEFITS, ALONG WITH STAYING FULL.

*DO NOT DENY YOURSELF OF THE FOOD YOU LOVE.  EAT IT IN MODERATION & TAKE TIME TO ENJOY IT.  INSTEAD OF A BIG PIECE OF CAKE, HAVE A FEW BITES!

*PICK AND CHOOSE WHICH PARTIES TO ATTEND.  YOU MAY GET A LOT OF INVITES THROUGH WORK AND FRIENDS.  YOU DO NOT NEED TO ATTEND EVERY ONE.  CHOOSE WHICH ONES MEAN THE MOST TO YOU.

At mission FITNESS we have a family of clients who hold each other accountable to workouts.  If you miss your usual class, you will be sure to get a few inquiries, “where were you Sunday?”.  We also have a Weight Loss Contest coming soon.  This is a great way to be held accountable, and to gain support from the many others who surround you.

Jackie and Jason are getting married on Saturday!!!!!!  We snuck a quick engagement session in before their wedding.  This is a beautiful couple in a beautiful place….. now that is a good day at work!