Why I do this.

Despite how it must look, being a wedding photographer is not always that glamorous. I know, I know, I make it look like it is. But in reality, it is long days. Working Saturdays nearly all summer when everyone else is having fun. Pressure. Being nice all the time. Bridezillas (not that I have EVER had one) And sure, I’ve heard it all. Usually it is from well-meaning guests…

“It must be great to work only one day a week!”
(Ever notice what time my blog entries go out? It ain’t between the hours of 9-5)

“Wow, so you get to have a good meal every Saturday?”

(Yes, and it’s almost always chicken.. For me, it’s fuel, it’s not a night out)

“How much did that camera cost?”

(More than my first car. And I have three of them. You want a real freak out? Ask me how much some of my lenses cost)

“What’s a little girl like you doing with a lens like that?”

(FYI, have you looked at me? I’m not so little. And what kind of a freaking question is that?)

Don’t get me wrong, those of you who have hired me and have worked with me know how much I love my job. When I am shooting, my life is all good. It’s what I love to do. But once I get home it’s a job with deadlines and things to be done, and there are days when I am in editing hell, when I have album designs piling up, sales tax to pay, a bridal fair looming ahead of me, and it’s just like all of you feel when you are at work some days. But at the heart of it, I feel blessed that I have found my calling. Some days it’s harder than others to remember that. I get crabby. I look at all my work and find it all to be crap, I beat myself up for not shooting things at a different setting, why didn’t I frame this differently, what the hell were you thinking, yadda yadda yadda.

And then, I get an email like this:

“And just a note - the photos you took of my flower girl clutching her locket and showing her locket are unbelievable. In the locket are pictures of her mom (my cousin who passed away a few years ago (cancer -

tragic) and her dad. They are going to be especially treasured shots.

Thanks”

And this, my friends, is why I do this. This is why my job is so important to me. To capture a moment like this for a little girl and her family makes it all worth it. I had absolutely no idea why she was showing everyone that locket, but I knew it was important to her. These photos won’t win me any awards or bring me photographic acclaim. But they are at the heart of what I do this.

Thanks for the email, Mary. And thanks to all of you for allowing me the honor to photograph your weddings.

Mary and Phil

October 7, 2006

Wedding: St John the Baptist, Paris Township Wisconsin

Reception: Lynch’s Landing, Burlington Wisconsin

When I first got the call from Mary about her wedding she left me a message about her wedding date. October 7, 2006. Now, everyone has to work on their birthday at some point in their life, it’s a fact of life. But this date happened to be my 40^th, and I had pretty much determined that I was not going to take a wedding for that date. In fact, I probably turned away a good 10 inquiries for that date. But when I called Mary, she said “I’m kind of the anti-bride. I hate being in pictures, but I love good photography. I just want great pictures of my day, of people enjoying themselves and not in stiff poses. I want everyone to party and have fun and I want Phil and I to actually enjoy our wedding day. I’ve seen too many weddings where it seemed like my friends couldn’t even enjoy their day because they were constantly feeling like they HAD to do this and that, and I don’t want that”. And I thought: “This is the bride for me”. I often joke with my clients that if only they could be guests at their own wedding and not the bride and groom, they might get to enjoy it more since it goes by in such a blink after all that planning.

And as far as I could tell, the day went just like that. Everywhere I looked it people were laughing, talking, eating at their leisure at the yummy food stations, dancing and the entire atmosphere was casual elegance. The tent that Mary’s parents had set up on their property was nothing short of amazing, and the decorations and beautiful weather topped everything off. And every time I saw Mary and Phil at the reception, they looked relaxed and happy. Well, except for the one time Mary had to steal a lamb chop off the grill because she had been talking so much she didn’t have a chance to eat.

Congratulations!

Click here to see a wedding slideshow of Mary and Phil's wedding!

Angela and Nate

September 16, 2006

Wedding and Reception: Wintergreen Resort, Spring Green Wisconsin

Wintergreen Resort is a beautiful Frank Lloyd Wright inspired building right in the heart of beautiful Spring Green Wisconsin. This was the site of both the wedding and reception for Nate and Angela’s wedding.

The drive to Spring Prairie and the remote drive to Wintergreen was gorgeous. I’ve been lucky enough to go to some parts of the state that I have never seen before this year to photograph some lovely weddings. When I met with Angela and Nate they told me the minute they saw this place, they knew that it was “it”. When I got there, I saw why. Rolling hills, just a touch of autumn color and a beautiful natural lodge.

One of my favorite parts of the wedding day is getting to be with the bridesmaids and the bride as they get ready. It’s so fun to see them all get ready, to hear the stories of the wedding preparations, and to see the bridesmaids who are already married reminisce about their wedding day. Angela’s dress was re-created with the lace from her mother’s wedding dress and her bridesmaid Kristin made her garter. Nate works for Nike, and check out the awesome patent leather groomsmen Nike Air Force One Shoes, custom made. JUST DO IT!

There were so many people from so many areas of the country for this celebration that we ran a bit late taking pictures of groups after the ceremony. It’s just something that happens, when you have every one you love in one place, you want pictures. But I could tell Angela and Nate were getting worried, they wanted to go to another location for more pictures, and we were rapidly losing light. So I wrapped things up, we went to the second location and had we actually been on time, the pictures that you’ll see in the slideshow at sunset would have never happened. That’s what you call fate…Kismet…Karma. Whatever you wanna call it, it was some sweet light.

When we got back, Angela’s Dad grabbed me and said “How much trouble am I in for making you late with all those family photos?” And I told him that he did me a huge favor. An hour earlier the photos would have been nice. Fine. But they would have been missing the lovely sunset glow.

Kismet. Karma. That’s the thing about weddings, if you just go with the flow, trust that it will all work out and live the day, it’s all good.

And sometimes, your Dad really does know best . Even if he doesn’t know it!

Congratulations to Angela and Nate, and best wishes in your new home in Amsterdam