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When: February 20, 2010
Where: Washington DC Temple
What: Katharine and Steve are Getting Married
Your Mission Should You Choose to Accept It: Manage to get photographs after two blizzards bury the east coast without face planting in the snow or freezing to death!
That’s right. It is 2010 and February and the DC area gets slammed with not one but two major snow storms. These storms pushed our snowfall to the historic levels and shut down the entire metro area. Of course, where got hit the worst? The NW side of town!
After roughly a fortnight of melting, plenty of snow melted yet it was still higher than my knees. Wow, that’s just a lot of snow! Yet nothing will stop two determined photographers from capturing the special day of a beautiful bride and her prince, even if it means tromping through the snow like a lunatic and risking frostbite.
You could tell immediately on arrival that we weren’t the first people attempting to photograph a wedding. The major photo hotspots had little nooks carved out of the tundra for people to stand in and still get pictures of the happy couple with the temple background. Us? Oh no, that’s not good enough. Armed with a tarp and a sheet, we set up a place right in front of the fountain and made our couple tromp through the snow to it. Of course, since it’s wrong to ask someone to do something you aren’t willing to do yourself, that meant we also set off through the snow. I think the highlight of hilarity for everyone was my losing my shoe in the snow and needing to balance on one leg with a camera in each hand while the other photographer tried to fish my shoe out of the icy trap. Oh how I wish I had a photo! Never fear, if one surfaces I will post my shame for all to see. Normally I abhor all photographs of myself, but this? It was just too funny!
That said, I’m sure you don’t really give a care about me nearly planting my face in a mound of snow. After all, I’m fairly unimportant. You are here to see the photos!
Because of the severely limiting snow, we took a lot of photos in the lobby of the Temple. Who knew you could do that? Not us!
Now this is one dedicated bride – she donned her coat, grabbed that skirting, and took off through the snow!
Even her dad was a trooper and brought her bouquet through the snowy wasteland:
But I’d say it was worth it – what do you think?
They might have been a wee bit cold, but they were definitely having some fun…
Here’s the proof that 1. This bride is dedicated and 2. This bride is smarter than yours truly:
 Snowboot Bride! That’s right… she figured with a couple of feet of snow she *MIGHT* just need some sensible shoes instead of pretty dainty princess footwear. She brought herself some snow boots to muck about in the snow and get her dream photos. Not pretty boots with lace like I had for my wedding (hello was I totally channeling Madonna or something?) or sexy hot heeled boots. Nope! Me? I was wearing my nice black chunky heel dress shoes. Yes, I’m definitely glad the other photographer saved my shoe, I love those things! However? Yeah, probably not the best for snow, at least not this much snow!
I think my favourite part of weddings is the tender embraces the couple share:
The cake was beautiful:
But there comes a time in every cake’s life when it must get cut. Now I don’t know what this groom was thinking as his bride waved the cutter about, aiming it right at him:
I’m pretty sure he wasn’t expecting one of his knights…er groomsmen… to shout and stop the cake cutting to present him with…
 "That's not a knife! THIS is a knife!" That’s right… a sword! For as we all know, those cake knives are rather puny. And when we’re talking steel? It’s all about the size, baby!
 Now THAT is a cake-cutting! Best. Cake. Cutting. EVER!
Of course, we then had to go have some fun, because if someone’s gonna bring a sword to a wedding…
Thank you, Katharine and Steve, for letting me share in your magical day! I wish you all the best in your life together.
Love ya you crazy kids!
To see more photos of Katharine and Steve’s magical day check out the slide show or the gallery!
–Have Camera, Will Travel
JS
Monday marked my first full day of Utah and to welcome me, there was loads of snow. Not just a little snow, like I left in Virginia. Loads. It was snowing when my friend’s kids went off to school. We seriously questioned our plans for the day.
Finally we deemed it safe to travel, but it was definitely an adventure!
The first thing on the busy schedule was to take my friend’s son to the doctor’s office for a pre-mission appointment. Like the good loving people we are, we left him to deal with the doctor on his own. Welcome to adulthood! HA!
We went over to the Bountiful Temple grounds nearby. Why? Because it was close and I like to take pictures! The problem? It was Monday! What on EARTH were we thinking? Hello? Monday is set aside by the LDS Church for families. No church activities. Which means? Yup… the Temples are locked up tight.
But that did not deter us! Yes, there’s a large fence around the grounds and it was as closed as closed could be… but we were in Utah. Yay for mountains, right? Well thank goodness for the mountains, we got some great angles by driving around the windy mountain roads!
I don’t know what my deal is, but I seem to travel and then end up with needing to take creative Temple angles. On the bright note, that makes for interesting photos!
After we got back from our travels, I did borrow my friend’s car and went back looking for more shots and managed to get this one as well:
After we checked out the Temple, being sorely disappointed about the closed gates, we tried to find something for me at a local music shop. You see, my husband wants a particular book of guitar music and we can’t find it out here in VA. I thought, well, it’s worth trying out west. After all, what’s the point of going to Mormon-land if you can get Mormon-type-stuff right? Absolutely! And guess what? THEY HAD IT! AWESOME! From now on, I’m just gonna email my poor Utah friend and be like, “Could you go see…” Hehehe. I’m bad. I know!
We picked up my friend’s son again and then raced to get him back to BYU in Provo before his scheduled class. The snow was still falling in Provo and so we had a bit of a white out situation going on. It was crazy bad. Like apparently there are mountains there… guess what? We couldn’t see them AT ALL! Crazy!
We walked around the BYU campus and I managed to find a little something for my kids and a friend back home. Not telling though because hello… that would totally spoil the Christmas fun! Right? Yeah! So you can be left in suspense. Sorry!
So wanna hear my shame? This former dancer, AKA humungo clutz girl, totally fell flat on my back like some sort of cartoon character in the parking lot. Nice, right? Go me! I so rock. This is why you should totally have me out taking pictures. Because I just randomly fall down and will bring much laughter to everyone.
Before leaving Provo, we decided to just try to go see the Provo Temple. I mean, how many times am I going to end up at Provo? In the snow? Right. Besides, we found ways to get photos before. So we could do the same, right? Yeah. Except the snow was crazy and we couldn’t hardly see anything. However, we lucked out. They were plowing the parking lot so I quickly got out and snapped some pictures in the freezing cold with snow-wet pants.
There’s a mountain RIGHT behind that Temple. Squint and look by the flag. You can get a hint of it. I know, crazy white out! Is it even crazier that I thought the white out effect was neat? Yeah, I’m weird. I’m blaming the fact it was around 0 degrees and a blizzard or whatever and I was in wet pants.
The last picture of the day was also at the Provo Temple. There was this statue… I loved it!
Back through the snow, waving at the MTC, we headed north once more. My friend had some piano students coming and then we made popcorn, old school style! I took some photos for her website and she posted about popcorn. Pretty awesome!
That was my first full day in Utah! Fun, right? And for those wondering? Yes, I am such a dork that I kept my eyes peeled and nearly squealed with delight when I saw the Salt Lake Temple! Yay, Temple!
–Have Camera, Will Travel (TO UTAH!)
JS
Because? I want to. And because it is pretty. Most of all, I do have contacts there who have made it seem as though I am welcome.
And I’ve always wanted to photograph the Salt Lake Temple! (And go inside. What can I say, I’m a Temple Addict!)
And if I happen to run across the MoTab? Awesome! I promise not to act like a foolish fangirl. (Seriously, can those people sing or what? *SWOOON*)
My husband and I are looking at a way to make this possible. I have one month to try to make it happen. This would involve planning the days to be gone, arranging for help with the family here (he is more than willing to do what it takes), and then — eeek — the finances! The plane ticket, the food, the everything.
Can I make it work? I might just be able to!
But hey, I’m the “Have camera, will travel” girl! I’d rather wear the same two outfits for a week and wash them in the bathroom sink if it means having my camera with me. HAHA, yes I’m that crazy! (Actually, I’m also a great packer. Thank goodness!) I know I have some Utah fans. (Goodness knows why! I say, “It’s good to have friends!!”)
Whatcha think? Anyone want me to come out for a quickie visit for a few days? Hey if you want photos, I’ll have the camera.
Not only that but there’s all those free hugs you get when you are around me! (I always give free hugs! I’m a believer in free hugs!)
No post is complete without a photo. So I’d like to show you my Christmas photo of the DC Temple. Don’t you think it is just asking for a friend? Like a Christmas photo of Salt Lake? Yeah, I totally agree!
–Have Camera, Will Travel (Hopefully to SLC!)
JS
Janellen turned 70 and her family threw quite the bash to celebrate. I got to shoot photos to commemorate the occasion and meet her wonderful family. It is so much fun to meet so many people and try to photograph them! Some only wanted Christmas card photos while others wanted mini-family photo shoots. I really hope I met everyone’s needs and I’m glad to have this job wrapping up because it has been so exciting to hear their feedback! Of course, there’s the big reveal still to come with the whole reason they hired me in the first place!
I love families and watching them interact. From the babies to great-grandma Janellen, the house overfloweth with jubilant family members! Usually when I’ve shot families in the past, it’s just one family. This was a series of individual family units making up the whole. Of course it made me think about my little family and what it might grow to by the time I am 70! Of course, I grow mine every year taking in my exchange students that become like daughters to me, so if I keep that up I might need to rent risers or something!
You’ve seen most of the families already. Janellen wanted a photo of one last family, the Talley/Wolf family with daughter Brittany. I wish they’d let me do more because Brittany was an absolutely delightful young lady and they seemed like a wonderful couple. I would have loved to have the extra time with them. I did get this pretty decent shot of them, however:
Aren’t they just cute? Yup! Though this might actually be cuter:
I haven’t really decided. I do know that the Ziemba’s might wanna watch out! Looks like their little girl is ready to borrow the car!
Janellen and her sisters wanted a photograph together and I was only too happy to oblige. I don’t have sisters, but have always wished I did. Isn’t it great to see them together?
Susan (one of Janellen’s sisters) and Janellen both posed with Jordan. I had to call my neighbour up to get this good looking young man’s name, which is why I try to always write them down. I swear if I hadn’t used my name for so long, I’d probably forget it! I’m too young to be this forgetful! HAHA Jordan is Janellen’s grandson and Susan’s great-nephew.
I love that Janellen posed with her dogs! OK, I just love her dogs. What can I say? Just LOOK at them!
Aren’t they precious? You know the sucker that I am… some doggies got some belly rubs from me! I just love their furry little faces!
So are you ready? Are you sitting down? It is coming! The big reveal! The moment you guys waited all this time for… queue drum roll now…
OK, I’ll stop torturing you!
And there it is! Your family portrait! I can’t wait to print it out big for you, Janellen! Thanks for including me in on your day!! And I know it’s been almost all month, but happy birthday yet again!
To the families, thanks for putting up with me and the heat! You were all just great and I am glad you were all able to come and celebrate. I know it is not always easy. If you need anything you know how to reach me! CDs will go to Janellen for distributing and I hope you have a great October! Oh, and I see some of you are using these on Facebook, woohoo! That’s so awesome!
–Have Camera, Will Travel
JS
While at the big photo shoot for Janellen’s 70th birthday, I also shot the Franklin family along with their extended loved ones. Mostly it was the Franklin’s, but we also shot a photograph of them with mom and a sibling’s family. (Mom is Janellen’s sister.)
I think this crew looked pretty snazzy all in black shirts, what do you think?
So here are the Franklin’s:
Here’s the kids enjoying just hanging out because there’s nothing like seeing your cousins!
And the gang’s all here! We have both families plus mom just having a good time!
I’m glad they sat for some photos! I was there and more than willing. Next time they should seriously use and abuse me more, but it was hot and getting late in the morning. So it’s all good.
And now, just because I love a good black and white photo – one last photo of the Franklin family!
I’m wrapping things up with this photo shoot. I was happy to do it and it was the first time I did something of this magnitude. I had a great time, and I’d love to do more things like this. I’d love to be able to do a little more for each family, too.
To the extended family, thanks for your excitement over seeing these posts. I hate to do this to you – especially because I know Janellen’s waiting so anxiously for the BIG REVEAL! I just wanted you to know I’m going camping this weekend so I’m not sure I’ll get any more up before Monday. I’m going to try to, but I’m a little swamped with some family stuff going on this weekend with camping and my son’s birthday. I promise I’m not vanishing, but if you don’t see anything up over the weekend you know why.
Stay tuned for the big reveal! You know it’s almost time!
–Have Camera, Will Travel (To the Prince William Forrest tomorrow… haha)
JS
The third family I photographed on my big day was The Berry Family. They are fairly newly married and they have this absolutely adorable little girl that I fell in love with.
Seriously! Is anyone surprised? That’s right, I fell in love with another baby! I know. People who read my blog know I say this any time I go out to shoot photographs of kids. I love children! They are just too much adorableness for words. I mean really, there should be a crime or something.
This family seemed fun, but all they wanted was a Christmas card photo. Now you know me, I tried so hard to shoot more photos. Anything to spend a little more time with the angel girl, but oh well. *SIGH* Maybe next time! (You hear that? Next time!)
Oh, and I got to shoot them with their dog! This was one snazzy looking puppy and so well behaved! I wish more people would bring their pets to photo shoots, I love animals!
So here’s the four photographs I captured for the Berry’s. I hope you enjoy!
Now these next two are my personal picks because I just liked them – one with puppy and one without!
–Have Camera, Will Travel
JS
I first met the Sawyer Family on their wedding anniversary. Turns out they married on 7-11 which is just a cool date. I told them to get a free slurpee! If I’d thought about it, I’d have gone and gotten slurpee’s before heading over to take family portraits. Sawyers, if we ever do more photos – we so need a slurpee picture!
They are a fun couple and I really enjoyed meeting them. Sometimes I think that’s one of the most fun parts of photographing people! I get to meet so many different people! What can I say, I’m a people person!
We had a little fun with their family portrait shoot and that’s just awesome in my eyes. I love to see people just enjoying themselves and being fairly natural with one another! Because I had already met them, I was able to come up with ideas before arriving for their photos which made it far easier for me.
Here are the Sawyer’s! Aren’t they just a great looking family?
There son was a real trooper. I know he was hating the whole getting his photo taking with his parents. Ewwwww! Not the parents! Hopefully none of his friends will see this great photo so he can keep his cred! HEHE
What I love is just how adorable the Sawyer’s are with each other.
I know this picture was taken later, but still… Happy Anniversary! Next year get that Slurpee! It’s on me… hehehe OK, really it’s on 7-11 but hey it’s the thought that counts, right?
Don’t forget to check the proofs section of the site for a few more photos.
–Have Camera, Will Travel
JS
I recently spent a day with a family doing a large group photo and some individual families. It was great meeting some wonderful people and I having fun the morning they were celebrating the 70th birthday of Mom.
The first family I took pictures of was the Ziemba Family. I fell in love with their girls, but it was nice to see the way the parents looked at each other. You could tell they care deeply for each other so I tried to make sure to show that off.
Aren’t they a great looking family?
I also included a portrait for facebook at her request. I like this one, though I also like the sweet picture above…
OK, so I just had to share the next two photos because… well the girls are just too cute to NOT show more pictures of, right?
Come back tomorrow for the next family, the Sawyer’s, from this busy day!
–Have Camera, Will Travel
JS
I’ve known Aaron for a few years and I have to tell you, I never expected to be invited to take such a special part in his wedding day. The honour was all mine. Best of all, I got to meet a his truly wonderful bride and I am really grateful for that.
The two are goofy, fun, and so much in love that it could make you sick. That’s what newlyweds are for, right? I love it! From the tears in his eyes when he first saw his bride to the opportunistic chances they took to steal kisses, it was an awesome day!
As much as they tried not to, I still think the kids stole the show. I love their little boy, Davey, and I fell in love with their completely adorable neice and nephew. Seriously, there should be a law against that much cuteness in one place at one time.
What I really loved about this day is that Aaron and Tara chose to get married in one of Fredericksburg’s oldest churches. This building has stood through the Civil War, and its spire is part of the great skyline of our town. The opportunity I had to shoot any event inside was a plus, let alone for someone I care for as deeply as Aaron and Tara!
I want for you two (and Davey, my main man at this event) to have just every happiness you can find and a long wonderful life together. We seriously need to get together for some gaming action and to hang out. Tara, you got yourself one of the best men on this planet and remember this day for the rest of your life. Aaron, I’m so glad you finally found the one that melts your heart so much you spent an entire day in tears. You punk, I had the hardest time shooting pictures because you were making me cry!
Now, on to the pictures, because I know that’s what you guys are really here for! Who cares what I have to say, right? Major ((HUGS)) and love to the newlyweds! Keep the love alive!
We had some fun times in what I like to call the Bride’s Beehive.
The minister helped Aaron with his boutonniere.
The groom’s parents helped each other get read as well.
The ceremony was just absolutely beautiful!
Davey is so excited to have his new family! He’s a great kid and I love him! It has nothing to do with the fact he’s absolutely so cute I just wanna eat him up! His joy in watching his mother marry Aaron was out of this world fantastic. I loved that he marched around announcing his name was changing now! CUTE!
Tara had great attendants who were a lot of fun. I enjoyed meeting and getting to know these women. Their dresses were beautiful, which was great because they were all so lovely!
Aaron and his boys were fantastic as well. I love that Aaron started stripping and one of his buddies actually pulled out bills! Awesome!
We got a great group photo in front of the big red doors of Fredericksburg Baptist. I liked that people were good sports despite the 800 degree heat index factor we had going on! Kudos to all of you. No one passed out in the taking of this photo!
Fredericksburg was a port city during the Colonial Days so we headed to the city docks for some photos. We got to avoid fishermen, which entertained us. They got to watch me photograph Aaron and Tara which I guess turned out to be rather entertaining as well.
Then away we went to the train station. I love our little train station!
I let the couple rest for a few minutes.
And then it was time to head to the reception with some pictures under the train tracks. I’m not sure what the deal is with all the arches, but it’s a cool place to take photos, especially on a hot summer day!
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I love that they worked in two wedding toppers! And kudos to the person who put a gazebo on the top of their cake since Aaron proposed during the building (if you could CALL it that) of a gazebo!
Ok, so I don’t know who these guys are or why they dressed so… well awesome… but I had to show them. These guys rock. Talk about showing up in style!
This little girl managed to snatch that bouquet out of the hands of all the single ladies, much to the chagrin of her father. So he made dang sure he nabbed the garter belt!
It was a great day. If you want, there’s a slideshow with more photos!
–Have Camera, Will Travel
JS
Congrats, because they got married TODAY!
I woke up at like 6 AM for these two. Now THAT is love! I got to Girl Central around 7 and it was as busy as a beehive! I love hanging out with the bride’s because the excitement starts to build quickly for the wedding!
The reception ended about 5 and I’m exhausted! It is a good exhausted though!!!
I have about 80 gabizillion photos to go through. I figure that’s more than eleventy million by a google or two. Right? But… I just want to share a little excited so I nabbed four photos for you guys out of the folder to share… and enjoy…
You ready?
First off here’s a peek of the Groom as he saw his bride for the very first time coming down the aisle.
Aaron’s a great big softy. There’s nothing that touches my heart more than a guy getting misty. Especially if it’s because he is seeing his lovely bride. I know. I’m getting misty myself!
The dress… it’s just beautiful!!! I know. Check out that wedding party. Thank goodness for the vertigo inducing view of the balcony. Vertigo aside, I love balconies in churches. They are just cool.
We picked a couple of neat local places for portraits. Do they look like they are having a great day? I think so, even if it was hotter than the sun’s face!
Yeah this is something else. HAHA The kids were just so adorable and had a load of fun. Of course I had to grab this priceless photo. You see… the little girl caught the bouquet… and then the garter was thrown… and well you know what that means! Hmmm… does it look like there’s some parents trying to get involved in this somehow?
Enjoy your honeymoon, Aaron and Tara! Thanks for letting me share your day. I love you two and wish you a world and lifetime of happiness! When I get done editing, I’ll have a proper post for you. I hope you enjoyed your preview of things to come!
–Have Camera, Will Travel
JS
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*Sadness... no upcoming travel!*
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