Driving to Leavenworth, Kansas, the morning of the wedding, my windshield wipers were on full blast.  It was a torrential downpour ALL morning.  During my 3 hour drive I was brainstorming and making new plans for how we’d approach the outdoor shots.  I have to admit that I was stressing a bit, too.  I mean, who wants rain on their wedding day?  I was worried that Jamie would be upset and stressing as well.  Just before I arrived at the salon where the girls were getting ready, Jamie called on my cell and there was nothing but a happy calm coming through the phone.  She was as cool as a cucumber and ready to get the show on the road!  I was so glad to be working with and documenting this amazing day for Jamie and Cameron.  The day went smooth, everyone was laid back (except the wedding coordinator) and the sun miraculously decided to emerge as Jamie and Cameron left the church to be greeted by the sabor guard.  It was a beautiful day in every way and I’m so excited for this new married couple, and new family, to begin their big adventures together.

Settle back and get comfortable, because this is a big blog post.  Before I let the pictures tell the story of the day, one image that I adore.

Yes, I’m sure you’re wondering what in the world I was doing in the bathroom with Jamie while she was doing her business…and I DON’T KNOW!  I honestly, can’t remember why I was in there, but I do believe she dared me to blog this shot, so here you go girl!  On another note, I am such a sucker for fathers who tear up when they dance with their newly married daughters.  I was shedding a few of my own just watching this.  So sweet.

 Jamie and Cameron…best wishes to you for a long and happy marriage!

I’ve been pretty wishy washy about whether or not I want to add weddings to my services.  I truly love shooting them (especially when my husband can 2nd shoot with me)  but the stress of THE DAY and the massive editing job have kept me from just going for it.  However, when my lovely hairdresser, Jamie, asked if I’d return to Kansas in June and shoot her wedding, I didn’t hesitate at all.  I adore this girl and now I adore her fiance, Cameron.  They make a beautiful couple and I wish them all the best.  Look for their wedding images next summer! 

Yes, I must start this blog with THAT photo.  It pretty much sums up our day with Mike and Angie…fun, fun, fun!  I shot their engagement photos several months ago, and knew immediately their wedding day would be full of love and laughter.

Mike and Angie’s first look…

At one point in the ceremony, the pastor asked the “does anyone object” question.  Angie and Mike glanced out into the pews and then Mike gave the most fantastic little gesture to convey how he felt about that.

The reception was so much fun…amazing food, including homemade sweets made by one of Mike’s family members, and dancing to Croatian and Irish songs.  Not many people inside knew, but there was a bit of drama outside when one of Angie’s nephews dropped his pacifier in a grate outside.  I love how all the cousins are huddled around trying to figure out how to retrieve it.

The girls were singing “Sweet Caroline”…top image:  “Sweeeeeeet” and bottom image:  “Bom, bom, bom!”

And to sum up the day…one final collage…a collection of “outtakes” if you will. 

And finally, on a personal note…

I must thank, from the bottom of my heart, my second shooter and partner in crime:  my husband, Jason.  For those of you who know me, are you surprised Jason can shoot…and do it well?  Me, too!  He’s actually pretty fantastic and I must give him credit for some of these blog shots (mostly because he told me to). 

I have so many images I’d like to post from this session, but only have a few edited so far.  I just had to share some tonight though rather than keep Mike and Angie waiting for their sneak peek.  Angie had great ideas for this shoot, to include JP Wine Bar–the location of their first date.  I’ll be shooting their wedding in August and I know it will be gorgeous and we’ll have so much fun! 

I was so interested to attend Scott and Sonja’s wedding reception to see how it compared to what we’re used to in America.  The basics–dinner, drinks (the fun kind), music, and dancing–are also a part of German tradition…but with a twist.   

The reception site was gorgeous.  It was held at the Landhotel Waldhaus in Laubach where many of the guests stayed.

Sonja and Scott put a lot of effort into making the details special, including homemade cookies and chocolates wrapped in a personal message and photo of the couple as take-home treats.  Throughout  their decade-old relationship, many world-wide locations have played a part in their lives. Each table had a photo of the couple and a description of each of these locations and why it was meaningful to them. 

As in American tradition, dinner was the first event.  And when I say event, I mean EVENT!  Dinner started at 6:30 p.m. and didn’t end until close to midnight!  It was absolutely amazing.  Let me list it out for you…

1)  Hors d’oeuvres:  chicken ballontine, home smoked farmer’s ham, salmon wrap, mixed vegetable terrine, German wild boar, and smoked fish platter (trout and halibut)

2)  Salads:  Mixed leaf salad, cherry tomatoes with basil mozzarella, potato ham salad, chicken salad, couscous salad

3)  Main Entrees:  Fresh venison, fresh fish filets, corn stuffed chicken breasts, pork fillet medallions, fresh vegetables

4) Desserts: Ice cream with chocolate and fruit sauce, fruit ratatouille, Bavarian creams, local specialty cheese and grapes.

This is a seriously condensed list–I left off sauces, dressings and sides.  Each of the courses was served separately so there was about an hour to each each course. 

After midnight, the festivities began, starting with some special presentations and gifts for the couple.

One very special gift was a belly dancing performance from Sonja’s friend.

Another really fun gift was a painting that all the guests would paint during the reception and Scott and Sonja would receive at the end of the night.  Throughout the party, guests would sneak up into the loft to contribute to the painting.  Unfortunately the painting was presented after we left, but I thought it was such a fantastic idea!  The photo below in the lower right is the final product.

Scott put together a very special slideshow documenting their lives growing up, and then together.

After the gifts, Sonja’s father gave a speech and I really wish I could’ve understood his German, because it was a real tearjerker. 

Germans are required to take 9 years of English in school, therefore most speak English.  I knew this, but I wasn’t prepared for the lack of German party music.  I figured there would be several American songs played, but I was shocked at how much the American music dominated the dance floor–and everyone was singing along!!  Germans are party people–fully planning on staying until the sun came up!  Loved it–loved them! 

My favorite guest was the woman in the lower right hand dance photo.  I believe she was Sonja’s relative from France and she looked just like Ann Margaret.  Her feather boa collar came with a matching bracelet and ring!  Her and her husband cut it up all night.  She was doing aerobic kicks on the dance floor up to her head!  I’m not kidding–she was a riot.

The last event for Jason and I was the cake cutting.  This was not the last event for everyone else though.  They were starting a new game at 2:30 a.m. when we left for our hotel in order to get up at 6 for our flights home.

Scott marched out with his saber, presented it to Sonja, and they proceeded to cut up the cake with it.

Scott and Sonja, we wish you all the best.  I hope one day we’ll end up in Germany again so we can visit all those lovely friends and family of yours.  And hopefully, Jason and I will be able to visit you next year at your chateau in the Swiss Alps!