Emily and Jay got married!

We just posted a new slide show to the website, so make sure you check it out!  We had such a good time with them, they are such a wonderful couple and I just loved the family, too!  Kasey went to school with Emily brother, so she knew lots of people there and they even invited Jeremy to come down and join the party!  I know I say it all the time, but it's true, we just have THE BEST couples ever!! 

Here's a pic of the car that they had that day. Some cars are just more awesome than others and this is one of them.  Believe it or not, years and years ago, it was used to plow the streets of Manchester!!  The owner said it was a love/hate relationship with years and years of restoration, but I think it's magnificent!

Apologies!

I am running a little behind due to the flu that left me sick for a week. Agh!! Bad timing and I know now (per the doctor's visit today) that I will never get another flu shot either.  Okay... back to work!  So much to do and lots to post!  :)

What's new?

Well, besides working on editing some gorgeous weddings and designing some albums, I got a chance to put our new logo on the website and the blog, changed a few things on the home page, too. :)  Sarah & Chris's slide show is up and Jen & Marty's is almost done, too!   Yep, been busy!! :) Now we're going to head out to NYC tomorrow to find out what's new and cool at the Photoplus Expo!  Should be fun!

The Sweetest Day is Today!

Believe it or not, we had no idea about this holiday when we named our company 6 years ago.  But pretty cool, huh? :)

The Sweetest day is Saturday, October 17 and is not really just another made for retail holiday but it seems to have evolved into that.  It's not exactly Valentine's Day, it was started when a Cleveland candy store owner brought little "sweet" treats to orphans.
In other words, the sweetness was in helping others.  It was always on the third Saturday of each October, leading people to call it "The Sweetest Day of the Year".  Now it is all about sweethearts in 2009 and we will try and help in case you need a plan.
First, try and make it a traditional sweet day, times are tough so make a donation of time, food or any kind of help to one of your local charities. Even a little bit helps. ~  By Ginger Marks for the National Ledger

Valeen

September's Ten Eyck Tuesday!

I'm finally back on the blog...sorry I have been MIA for so long!!! So earlier in the month I had the opportunity to participate in one of Carla Ten Eyck's workshops and needless to say it was a pretty AWESOME day! Not only is Carla as funny in person as she is on her blog, she is CRAZY talented and had planned a fabulous day for us. The theme of this month's workshop was "weddings" which was so appropriate. Carla and her team gathered a bunch of very talented vendors together who donated their services for the day and added to that a sweet location that had awesome natural light. Needless to say everyone was able to get some fun and fabulous shots. Just thought I would share a few of my favorites from the day!




How cool is that peacock feather!!



and who doesn't love a little sun flare??



Pink may not be my favorite color but these were gorgeous flowers!



LOVE this hairpiece!



And of course you have to get a shoe shot...especially when they are this cute!





How HOT are these two...







Come on..who doesn't love blue cake!









I also had a blast with all the other crazy photographers that were there too. Thanks again to Carla and her team for a wonderful day! Happy Monday!

-Kasey :)

Yummy!

And yes, they tasted as good as they looked!  Honestly, the best cupcakes ever!  :)

I am almost done editing Lauren and Chris's fabulous wedding aboard the Lexington.  Watch for the slide show coming to the website soon!!

~ Valeen

We love the details!

You couldn't miss us last week at the Mystic Seaport because The Sweetest Days had 2 wedding there at the same time!  Kasey and Jeremy covered a beautiful wedding up at the Seamen's Inne and I was at the Boat Shed on the grounds of the Seaport.  I'll have lots to post from those as well as a couple more I'm working on but I had to post some of the details from Jen and Marty's wedding.  I couldn't believe all the thoughtful and beautiful things that they provided for their guests and well and the gorgeous decorations, perfect for the outside venue.  Love it!!

 

 

 

~ Val

So perfectly adorable!

Once again I got my 'fix' of Flowergirls, this time at Lauren and Chris's wedding in Greenwich.  I'm thinking that a great off-season project would be to create a photo book of all the flowergirls I've had the opportunity to photograph.  More on that insanely awesome wedding later, but here's a favorite image for now.  I loved watching them totally mesmerized watching the bride get ready...

~ Val

In case you missed it...

...we updated the website with 2 new slide shows.  Check them out when you can!  We can't begin to describe how wonderful our couples are, how spectacular their weddings have been... we thank you all so very much for letting us be part of your day.

Erin and Larry at Lake of Isles in Ledyard, CT...

Courtney and Mike at The Nylo in Warwick and The Quidnessett Country Club in Naragansett RI

Flowergirls

Okay, everyone knows that I just love Flowergirls!  Maybe it's because I was one in my uncle's wedding years ago and can still relate?  So what if I can remember the gorgeous red silk dress the maid of honor wore? And the real rose petals I carried? And my aunt's incredible tulle skirted dress like it was yesterday and yet I can't remember to return the movies I rented this weekend? 

There is something wonderful and magical being "The Flowergirl" and I just love watching them and of course taking a ridiculous amount of photographs of them too! What can I say??   

One of my favorite models!

Just a little sneak peek at the baby and family session I did Saturday morning...she is such a little doll. :)

Connecticut Weddings

We have had such a wonderful, busy,and crazy year so far!  I have been informed by a few of my readers and some of my brides too that I haven't update the blog in a while.  I know, I know!  I think about it all the time, and then I swear I get writer's block when I go to start typing! LOL 

Well, we have been going full out getting the weddings edited and if you haven't checked in a while there are new slide shows!  So when you get a minute, check out these super fabulous weddings!

Amy & Joe at Crystal Peak

Cara & Kevin at St. Clement's Castle

Amanda & Stephen at Tunxis Plantation

Marilyn & Michael at Fisher's Island and the Seamen's Inne Boat Shed

Kasey Update!  Also wanted to let you know that Kasey's surgery was a success and she's been working hard at Physical Therapy so she can get back to shooting with me!  It was a pretty complicated procedure on her knee, but should be good as new after a while. :)

This is a pic of her the week before the surgery, shooting a wedding with camera in hand and brace on the leg! 

I've been having some fun quick wedding shoots with my friend Marie Tyler Wiley, a totally awesome Justice of the Peace. It seems that CT is a destination wedding spot now and I have met many fun couples from Texas, Alabama and Tennessee, it's been great! Although I have to say my southern twang from living down South for a few years growing up does come out when chatting with them and it even surprises me!  Did I really say "Y'all want to go over to those rocks?"   Yep! I did.

Okay... back to editing... Lori, I'm working on your wedding now! :)

~ Val

Start Spreading the News....

Erin and Larry are married! 

I had some serious fun at the wedding Friday night at the Lake of Isles, it was great!  I'm going to post more, especially seeing that Erin told me that I haven't been keeping up on my blog! Too funny!  So more to come, but here's a little song and dance by the bride and groom when New York, New York was played... what a blast!

The Big Yellow Bus!

Just a quick pic from our recent adventure where we took the ferry out to Fisher's Island for a wedding.  They had gotten a school bus to use to take the guests to the church and back, which actually was fun since it's been ages since I was on a school bus! :)  But, as you can see, the bus was a bit big for the ferry, I can only image what it looked like to the other boats on the water!

New Baby Photographs... Michael David

My niece Erin and her husband had a beautiful baby boy on the Fourth of July!  He really is just the cutest little guy and I loved taking some pictures for them.  

Welcome to the world sweet Michael.

~Valeen

Enjoying Summer Old Skool Style!

Inflatable pool.... $5.00   Summertime Happiness... Priceless

Relax a little...

One of my favorite places, a real treasure. If you haven't discovered it yet, take some time to go to the boardwalk in Niantic.  Thanks to Tony and Christine for telling me about it... and I even found your plaque today too!   Note that these were all taken with a little point and shoot camera, I gave George the day off.  :)

Not sure what these flowers are, but if anyone knows, please give a shout back.

This is when I wish I had George with me, because that little speck out there looked like a pirate ship!

~ Valeen

Where did the time go?

Here I was just thinking I was getting caught up on my editing and blogging, maybe I spoke to soon? :)  So many things I want to write and blog, but of course, there doesn't ever seem to be enough time. We shot a beautiful wedding at St. Clement's Castle and then another at Tunxis Plantation, then had a fun e-session at Rocky Neck and then a wedding on Wednesday in Noank (yes, in that unbelievable thunderstorm that lasted for hours) and then another Thursday at the Stonington Lighthouse...whew!! Bet you didn't know Connecticut is actually a destination wedding location.  So cool to have met couples from Texas and Tennessee this week!  Watch for lots of posts to come next week as I get caught up on those and post some of our favorites here for you to see, like this one.  :)

Happiness is....

...being the Flowergirl!   This little one completely had me with that smile at our wedding on Saturday.  I told her she reminded me of Tinkerbell, and guess what?  That's what she was for Halloween... too cute ! 

Amy and Joe are married!

We are a little behind in our blogging, but a little ahead on our editing so guess what? There's a brand new slide show up on the website, check it out!  Such an  awesome wedding and just really a special couple, too.  I think you can see the happiness in their faces here. :)   Thanks so much for letting us be part of your day!! 

~Valeen

All you need is mud....

So how do you go from this...



to this?



You add this special ingredient called MUD! (can be found virtually anywhere after it rains for 17 out of the first 20 days of June!)

So if you read the previous blog post from Val, you know that I had a race last weekend that didn't go quite as planned (As I sit at my computer typing with my right-hand only).  But I promised Val I would get some muddy pics and I would hate to have to break a promise.  There was definitely enough mud to go around and this was by far the slickest, wettest, muddiest course I have ever ridden on!  I really wasn't surprised when I went hurling off of my mountain bike superman-style onto the mud covered rock slab in front of about 15 people!  I guess it goes with the territory! 

So today I thought we could dirty up the blog a little...



Does this mud make my butt look big??



This was my husband's favorite shot so I had to include it!  (after all he was the man behind the camera on this one, hehe)



 



   

And this was the result of my fall...



My hand is actually looking good in this pic too!  I don't know about you guys and gals but I have had it with the rainy days and mud.  Bring on the sunshine!!!  I am sooo looking forward to shooting another wedding on Saturday!  The coolest part about the wedding this weekend, besides our awesome couple, is that the reception is at the fabulous Tunxis Plantation Country Club, which is where we got married a short 9 months ago!  Can't wait to go back!

Remember to Keep Smiling!