something blue pt deux

It seems those Betsey Johnson shoes were a hit from the comments I've received about them. Finding "something blue" beyond the traditional garter or "last resort" pinned-in $60 handkerchief can be a chore to say the least. So I hope you can get some inspiration from the fruits of my internet window-shopping spree in search of the often frustrating "something blue." I've tried to find things that can be worn/used beyond the wedding as well.

Freakin' gorgeous. I love the stuff you can find on Etsy. These hand-carved bone and blue crystal hairsticks made by lfaigen are perfect for adorning (and securing) your 'do. And the nice thing is lfaigen has been kind enough to post illustrations showing several different ways you can incorporate these sticks into a number of hairstyles.

Another Etsy find from ifbdesigns. Really sweet adornments for a little sparkle.



There's no law that says your dress has to be white. Seriously...ivory, champagne, candlelight, etc are really just very light shades of a colour...so why not go with an ice blue? I can see this dress with a delicate bouquet of ivory and creams, peonies and roses...



No one actually needs to see your blue! These Victoria's Secret panties are aptly called "Cheeky."



I'll refrain from any Elvis jokes here...but these are pretty cool blue suede shoes. Also a bit more manageable than the Betseys. Even better, these are on sale! I'm imagining these peeking out from the bottom of a '30s style ivory slipdress with some light ruffles.


Of course, if you'd like to actually wear your shoes all day, check out these anti-ankle-breakers by Vigotti.


Don't forget blue blooms! Blue is the rarest pigment found in flowers and most "blue" flowers are actually lavender or violet. Some true blues are hydrangeas, delphiniums, light blue iris, and sweet tiny forget-me-nots.

agwpja contest

So this is old news, but few months ago, I had two images place in the Artistic Guild of the Photojournalist Association's contest. I was too busy at the time to post, but I still want to share them.


This first one was from Laura & Brandon's reception. It was a really lovely moment ~ everyone was dancing around them and for a few moments they were in their own little world.


This second one is from Pansy and Tej's September 15th wedding. Tej's dad was so overwhelmed with emotion while delivering his speech, took over the mic to deliver the rest of their sentiments.

something blue

Ok, so these Betsey Johnsons are simply astounding. I'll give a special prize to anyone who wears these as their "something blue."

Jaime & Scott

My next wedding of the season is that of Jaime and Scott's. I also did their friends, Shanti and Jason's wedding as my last wedding of 2007...a great way to end the year ~ really fun and happy people. It was so great to know I'd see them all again in a few months at J&S's Art Museum wedding.

A few weeks ago Jaime, Scott, and I went to their favorite movie theatre for their engagement shoot. Much fun was had with the popcorn...which was rendered inedible by the time we were done. They plan on stopping by the ice cream parlor on the way from the ceremony to the reception...I can't wait to see what goes down there! :D

Click on any photo to see Jaime & Scott's full slideshow.


I'm pretty sure we got one shot for each movie genre...

Jena & Kyle's slideshow

Awhile ago, I'd posted a few teasers from Jena & Kyle's engagement session. I've just finished the rest of their photos and put together their slideshow. Just click the photo to see the full size show or you can watch it below on the wee screen.

Blagica & Michael

I don't mind saying how proud I am of my associate, Kate, and our team. For months, they were looking forward to Blagica & Michael's wedding and come hell or high water, Kate, Sarah, and Christa were making it to Detroit... I would have to say that the images they captured were worth driving through 10 hours of blizzard!

Blagica (blah-gee-tsa) lives in Chicago where she runs Gals' Guide ~ a blog for "building your knowledge base for life out of college." Great stuff on money, family, men, shopping, investing, etc. She's posted some great tips from her own experience as a recent bride. Definitely worth a read, ladies.

So on to some photos!

Christa is the newest addition to my team and she's also one of my brides this summer! I love this chance shot she got while Blagica prepared to get into her dress.


This one is my personal favourite bridal portrait. Blagica looks so serene, composed...and ready for the next step.



So how fun is this? Blagica followed the Macedonian tradition of getting ready in her childhood bedroom. Later, the groomsmen try to break down her door to get a glimpse of the bride. They then bribe the bridesmaids to let them in to see her. Not a bad deal. ;)


From Blagica's blog: "When the doors opened, all I saw was my husband's gorgeous face. Everyone else was a blur. Yes, I teared up. I teared up because all I wanted to do was walk down that aisle, hold his hand and start our life together."











Kate and the girls reported this to be an all-day non-stop fun party and a good time was had by all. It's always so hard to choose just a handful to put on the blog, so please enjoy more by viewing Blagica & Michael's slideshow.

DIY Invites ~ sort of...

These are some of the coolest invites I've seen. I'm in love with their minimalism and the best part: half the work is done for you! Eva Paul designs your invitations and sends you the files. From there all you have to do is the printing on paper of your own choice. My favorite place in Columbus for gorgeous paper ~ On Paper on N. High Street in the Short North.

Of course, if you're planning a green-wedding, you could always send out these invites through email...they'll be just as pretty and you'll save a bunch on postage and somewhere out there a tree will sigh in relief.


(images © eva paul)

Jena & Kyle

Spring is teasing us. Which is just fine. I was so happy for the weather this weekend. Jena & Kyle were scheduled for their engagement session this past Friday...cold, dreary, miserable last Friday. We were originally going to do a studio shoot anyway, but upon seeing the weather forecast, phone calls were made and plans were reset for the gorgeousness of Saturday.

Jena & Kyle told me from the start that coffee was imperative to our shoot, so we started out at Starbucks (where other customers opened the doors to let the nice day inside) and once fueled with caffeine, we headed off to roam around the neighborhood.

After spending time with them in that afternoon, I cannot wait for their May 10th wedding. I also photographed Kyle's cousin, Andy's wedding to Lauren last year. I'm so looking forward to seeing their wonderful family again!

Here are some shots from the afternoon:

pearls schmerls...

I think I just dislike anything that is titled into the genre for which it was created. Especially if it's tied to any type of holiday or any other single-day occasions. "Wedding shoes" and worse yet, "wedding jewelry" totally make my eye start twitching. All too often, manufacturers (notice I say "manufacturers" and not "jewelers," "artisans," or "designers") know that these items are to be worn once and thereafter thought of as disposable...and they create these items with that in mind. And somehow the cheap-alloy sparkley chandelier earrings still get slapped with a $55 sticker. Often these are items for which one wouldn't pay $15 for everyday costume jewelry and don't even make it through the first dance.

This is why I encourage seeking your accessories from non-wedding sources. Not only will you find something more unique, you'll get better value out of something you can enjoy again (and remind you of such a happy day), AND it's less waste in the world.

I'm totally in love with ShySiren's earrings. The flower collection is full of gorgeous delicate pieces. These are my favorites for their subtlety:

These little tiny buds remind me of lily-of-the-valley. Only about an inch long, they're just enough embellishment and won't take any attention away from one's face.





These little bells take care of your "something blue" with the sky coloured bead above the frosted bell. Or you could go bolder with the blue bells.



Lots of pretties for your bridesmaids, too.


And the best part? All of these earrings are between $17 and $30. They do custom order, too. You can find ShySiren on Etsy.com. Tell them I say "hi!." (all of the images in this post © ShySiren)

best text message ever

"Just sent you an email. Also, i would like to hire you to document the rest of my life..." - Scott

(Scott and Jaime just received the slideshow proof of their guestbook for their April 26th wedding.) I'll have their engagement session slideshow up here in a few days, but check out their guest book in the mean time.

Oops.

I can't believe I forgot to include this photo from Kevin & Kristin's wedding...it's one of my favorites. This is from the end of the father/daughter dance. I took this shot and tried not to blub like a little girl.