Memorial Day

We have had THE absolute best weekend! Two amazing weddings with great couples and families and I know you guys must get sick of hearing us say it but we really do love what we do!

We have some amazing photographs to share with you over the next few days from both weddings and I am totally stoked to get them posted so stay tuned!

In the meantime, have a wonderful Memorial Day and please please PLEASE it doesn't matter what any of us think about politics or war or ANY OF THAT STUFF all that matters is that if you have the opportunity to do so, please say thank you to a Veteran or an active duty service member for what they do for us. We don't ask you for much here at TSD, so help us out with this one ok? Cool!

We shot at the Seaport in Mystic today, what a place to be on Memorial Day weekend! Love this flag shot. Have a GREAT weekend everyone!

-Bruce

Memorial Day weekend!

Cameras...check. Batteries charged...check.. Cards...check.

It looks like I'm packed for a weekend vacation, but actually Bruce and I are shooting together on Saturday in Manchester and Sunday in Mystic, both weddings are going to be just awesome! The weather is supposed to be spectacular and so I'm totally psyched. Monday will be great too, the family will be here for a little cookout so I'm looking forward to that as well. I'll try to blog as soon as I can, maybe Monday, more like Tuesday... so have a great weekend, enjoy your family and friends, and remember what the holiday is all about.

Mary and Martin

I had simply the BEST wedding on Saturday!! If this is any indication of how the season is going to be, bring it on! :) Mary and Martin are two of the sweetest, nicest, happiest people I've ever met, it was my pleasure to at their wedding. The Seamen's Inne in Mystic was picture perfect and the weather held out too... ok, maybe a bit of wind but it was still great. Here's a little preview to show you just how awesome it was!

So tell me something, do you think she's is excited about getting married??

One of my favorites! Does it get any better than this?





The dance floor was never empty and I know everyone had a fabulous time. (I love the fisheye effect on this shot)



All the best to you and talk to you soon!!

~Valeen

Snip!

I decided earlier this year to let my long hair grow even longer and then donate it to Locks of Love. If you don't know about this program, check out the link here http://www.locksoflove.org/ it's really an awesome thing they are doing, and I've heard that there are other organizations as well. So it was getting really long, but since I've been swimming every week, I've wondered if the chlorine was going to cause a problem.

My amazing hairdresser, Amy from Strands in Norwich, came over yesterday and told me it was in good shape and that it was long enough to cut it. Okay...hmmmmm...maybe I wasn't quite ready for that? Maybe a few more months so it wouldn't be too short when it got cut???

But she convinced me ("awe, I'm disappointed, I wanted to do it today!") and after hearing the snip, no make that the crunch of the scissors taking off my ponytail...really, really close to my head... and then hearing the sound of something else I've never experienced..the buzz of clippers on my neck... well, let's just say I thought I had Edward Scissorhands behind me!!

I am way out of my comfort zone right now!! lol I have had long hair all my life with the exception of one short haircut when I was 8. But it looks awesome (thanks Amy!) and I love the fact that I'm helping a great organization that helps kids!

Now I have to go figure out what all this hair product stuff does! :) Then I'll have Bruce do an "after" picture! Oh, and I just got a call that Katelyn, age 3... has demanded an appointment to have here hair cut short now too!!

New Slide show!

Bridget and John's slide show will be posted in just a few minutes, take a look on the home page at http://www.thesweetestdays.com/, we had such a great time at their wedding and I think when you see the slide show, you'll know that everyone did! :) Congratulations again and see you soon!

Why we do what we do...

You know that we LOVE what we do, right? I've written about it before, probably more than you want to read, but we really do! We are incredibly privileged to be part of one of the biggest and happiest days of a two people's lives. Honestly we have the best job in the world and all the best brides and grooms and families too.

I read something recently that said something to the effect of 'a photograph is what we can hold in our hand to remind us of the memories in our mind'. Never before has that meant more to me than today.

I received a call from a mom about her son. She told me something had happened, every mother's worst nightmare, she had lost her incredible wonderful son in a tragic accident. I was stunned to hear the story and cried with her as she spoke. I had the privilege of knowing this man, I had taken his wedding pictures 2 years ago. She asked if there was any way she could have some pictures from the wedding. He had given them to her but she couldn't find them.

This is the power of a photograph. So the next time someone takes out a camera, smile! Those pictures are worth more than anything to someone you love. Have the family portraits done, capture every moment you can of your little one's life, take that 3 or 4 or 5 generation photograph while you can. Have us do it or pick up a disposable camera, whatever you do, just do it. Save them, print them, send copies to friends, frame them. Now go hug someone you love and be glad that you have them.

MGM Grand Web Site

Take a few seconds and check out this MGM Grand flash-based web site, it is AMAZING! Click on the "Enter Maximum Vegas" button and a 90 second Flash video will start that will blow you away.

The visual medium we work in is advancing by leaps and bounds every single day. Sometimes it boggles the mind what some folks are doing!

Have a great weekend-

Bruce