Just got my acceptance to the Artistic Guild of the Wedding Photojournalist Association!  Only 12 photographers in the entire state of Florida have been accepted as members - I’m lucky #13!  Check it out - http://www.agwpja.com/search_results.php?query=Florida.

This is incredibly exciting for me because the AGWPJA has very strict criteria for acceptance.  You have to shoot in a Fine Art Photojournalism style to qualify, pass a portfolio review, and meet professional standards. I was on pins and needles for a month waiting for word of my acceptance (or the pending doom of rejection!).

The most exciting part for me is that I can now start to enter their print competitions with my photojournalistic images.  I can’t wait!  I’ve got some great ones that I think have potential to do really well.

If you can’t tell…I’m passionate about photography!  I LOVE, LOVE photographing weddings as they present a new challenge every week and the possibilities are endless.  Weddings separate the boys from the men…you have to be a great shooter, think fast, be creative, flexible, and handle stress well.  What isn’t to love?!

Okay, enough tooting my own horn.  Have I mentioned how much my husband rocks with video lately?! =)

I’m really looking forward to Paloma and Michael’s wedding in August.  They are a really sweet, relaxed couple and super fun to work with!  We met up after a crazy stormy afternoon of showers.  It was still raining as I was driving over, but we didn’t want to reschedule because time was running short before the wedding.  When we arrived, the rain stopped.  And, it made for a romantic reflection shot of Paloma and Michael in the water - my fave from this session!

I just love that Paloma was so comfortable in front of the camera!  See Paloma…not bad for your first modeling job, right?!

Keep your eyes peeled for Paloma and Michael’s wedding pics in the coming months…their wedding is at Mission Inn.

Paloma…enjoy your summer off!  See you in August for the big day!

Jamie & Robert’s wedding was one of my favorite of the year!  Robert is a true gentleman…having already served 2 tours in Iraq at the tender age of 20.  Jamie, sweet and fiesty, also has plans to join some branch of the US military.  Jamie’s dad was also a Colonel and the ceremony took place on Air Force property - so this wedding was a true generational military wedding.  I couldn’t be happier for this couple and I wanted to deliver them some truly special images in hopes that I could thank them for their service in some small way.

I just loved Jamie’s birdcage veil with the military theme…it was so WWII bride theme.  Is it me or does she look like Greta Garbo?  Just love the vintage feel to this wedding.The connection between Jamie & Robert was evident during their portrait session.  Kevin and I had a great time working with them and I can’t wait to see their video!  Kevin always tells such emotional stories and this one is sure to make me cry.

Just love this image!  Jamie & Robert look like an impressionist painting behind the flowers.The reception was at a little country club and their coordinator Deb Kettler did a great job bringing everything together.  Check out their first dance!

Kevin put down his camera and was my assistant for these last two shots…I just love having him along so he can help me play with the light!  I can honestly say I couldn’t have gotten these without him and they are some of my favorites of the day.  I just love the romance of this last image!  It reminds me of a last kiss before a Marine ships out…

Did I mention we honor our military with a military discount?  If the bride or groom has given any military service - they are eligible!

THANK YOU to everyone who has ever served and protected Kevin and I, our family, our country, and our livelihood.  We sincerely appreciate it more than we can express.

Amy & Matt were a fun couple to work with!  Both in the hospitality industry, they certainly know how to put together a wedding!  Amy’s mom Debbie was really a great planner in her absence.  The ceremony took place at St. Mary Magdalen’s in Maitland - love that church!  it has this fantastic courtyard on the side.  Amy had planned plenty of time between the ceremony and reception so we were relaxed and took our time to get some fantastic portraits.

These two shots below are Matt’s brother dancing with his daughter (aka the flowergirl).  I love that I got them from both angles and the emotions are honestly priceless!  It makes me wish I had a picture like this of me dancing with my daddy!  I can only hope these images show up at this little sweetheart’s wedding in about 20 years…

Patrick “DJPJ” Cullen is one of the most exuberant DJ’s I’ve ever worked with!  His wife, Monica, is a delight also.  How adorable are they shaking their groove thang on the dance floor?!

Congratulations to Amy & Matt Owens!

A beautiful Sunday wedding for Lucia and Luke at Heathrow Country Club in Lake Mary.  The skies threatened to storm all day, but the rain held out until the very end of the ceremony.  And, we were lucky because once the rain started that evening it didn’t stop for about 5 days!!  Lucia was so happy all day she could barely hold back her smile and her mom’s tears started flowing before the ceremony even started.  Luke was cool as a cucumber and really seemed to be enjoying all of his family and friends who had flown in from Czeckoslovakia, Belgium, and all over Europe.

It was a pleasure working with Deb Kettler at Special Touches by Deb Wedding Coordinating!  She’s always helpful and relaxed.  Thanks to her  Luzia’s train stayed mud-free!  I had the pleasure of working with Deb two weeks in a row…keep your eyes out for my next blog post as it’s one of her weddings, too!

Congrats to Lucia & Luke!

Check out our booth from A Sophisticated Bridal Show!  We had so much fun building it with the help of my very handy dad!!  Seriously - without him it would be impossible.  I had a blast shopping for all the goodies, too.  And, while it really was a lot of work, we have already set up lots of appointments with brides for the next few weeks.  Feel free to comment and let us know what you think…

As a proud wife, I must point out how great Kevin’s numerous awards looked on our wall!  Can’t find the rest of them, but I guess that will keep him from getting too vain.  At one point he was polishing it and I had to tell him to stop for fear someone would think he was just reveling in his glory. =)