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It seemed like it took forever for Laurie and Brian’s wedding to get here. We got together way back in May of 2010 for their November 2011 wedding, which may not seem long,  but after being a bridesmaid in two of her best friends’ weddings I photographed, she was definitely ready for her big day!

Laurie was the first to book me but the last to get married out of a group of three lovely friends I had the joy of photographing- you may remember Sonya & Kevin in August 2011 then Allison & Sheldon in October, and finally Laurie & Brian in November. By the time their wedding had rolled around I had seen so much of Laurie and Brian between their engagement session and their friends’ weddings, it was like seeing someone I had known for years, and so exciting to finally be at their wedding!

As for Laurie, she is such a joy, an absolute gem to be around! Just look at her through all the photographs- biggest smile you will ever see. Beaming from beginning to end! (Sometimes the smile takes the shape of a scrunchy face, though. Admittedly, she does this a lot!) Laurie is a pediatrician which absolutely fits her perfectly. Her laugh, upbeat demeanor and caring nature find their way into her personal relationships, and with her counterpart, Brian. The man of her dreams. Her perfect companion. And she’s the same to him. Where she can be bubbly and high energy all the time, Brian can be the rock she leans on, as well as quite a character himself. Just make sure to check out the viking helmet photos during the reception with his frat brothers. Get a bunch of fraternity brothers together who haven’t seen each other in awhile, and you are guaranteed a party!

Laurie started  getting ready in The Spa at Bear Creek with her mom, Brian’s Mom, and all her Bridesmaids packed in to have their hair and make-up done. While hair and make-up were underway, I snuck up to the room to snap a few shots of her gown, which was a little nerve racking this time, hanging it from the balcony. When I returned the girls were not far behind me to get into their dresses and put the finishing touches on before heading over to the dark stone, ever gorgeous Gideon F. Egner Memorial Chapel on Muhlenberg College’s campus where Laurie and Brian first met! After spending a little time on campus, we headed back to Bear Creek where the surrounding trees made the perfect backdrop for Laurie and Brian’s party! I had such a great time spending the day with them!

Sonya & Kevin, Allison & Sheldon, and Laurie & Brian- I am absolutely thrilled to have been a part of each of your wedding days. Thank you for inviting me so warmly into your lives and allowing me to be there with you through all of it!

A little wedding day limbo!

This is Laurie.

Thanks for looking!

-Dan

So for this post I wrote a three paragraph recant of my meeting with Amanda and John and their wedding and it ended with this excerpt from John’s note to Amanda that was given to her right before their ceremony, and realized it is all I need to describe the two of them.

“I know you’ve wondered if I’ll cry when you walk down the aisle but I’ll let you know ahead of time that I have no doubt I will. The excitement I have to be married to you is greater than any I’ve had and I won’t be able to keep all that in. You’re an amazing woman with an amazing family. I am blessed. I love you with all my heart. Your soon to be husband, John.”

Oh! I should also mention that Amanda’s dad’s band, Trophy Husbands, played a set of covers during the wedding! It was awesome!

John surprised Amanda and learned “Brown Eyed Girl” and played along!

The ladies got in on some backup singer action, too!

Thanks for looking!

-Dan

There are many great Hurricane Irene wedding day stories and Amanda and Mark’s is definitely one of them! In the weeks leading up to their wedding, we met a few times, chatted on the phone and emailed each other many times to iron out their day-of schedule including their first look and bridal portraits on the grounds of Green Pond Country Club. Of course as the story goes a week before their wedding we saw the forecast for their day. We kept an eye on it the entire week and with no change in sight, their attitude remained positive! “We are going to get married regardless and make the best of it!” It is really the only way to look it!

It was actually perfect! Really! We had time for their first look, bridal party portraits, and even a few images of the two of them before any hint of rain came.

From the look of it below you would not even be able to tell their was a hurricane during their day. With the help of Danielle Pasternak of Danielle Pasternak Events who ran a tight ship during the day and NEVER missed a beat (I now know why planners are so important! You will see her hard at work helping Amanda put the finishing touches on as she got into her dress) and James Arizza of JDA Mobile Entertainment whose light and sounds skills kept the party pumping, their day went off without a hitch, including a sparkler send off under an awning with 40mph wind gusts and sideways rain on either side.

I was so happy to have the opportunity to photograph their wedding day and I would not have changed any part of it!

Enjoy!

If anyone has a great Hurricane Irene story, leave me some comments. I would love to hear about them!

Amanda really, really loved her shoes, so she made sure to add a photo of them to her must have list for me. They were quite lovely shoes!

She also had beautiful jewelry to complement those lovely shoes!

Did I mention that Amanda’s something blue was her toe nails? That was on the shot list along with the shoes, and a shot of them together!  I think this one gets the job done!

My favorite part of the image below is the little gesture by Mark’s father. Reaching out and putting his hand one his arm as Mark walked by. A beautiful and simple congratulatory gesture. It really makes the photograph for me (what Barthes calls the “Punctum”).

It was quite a lovely day. Thank you for looking!

-Dan

I love the morning of a wedding day! (well I love the whole day, but I am just really thinking about the morning right now, because of the picture below.) They are filled with so much fun and laughter, and little moments. Kinda like little moment one below. I sat down right in front of Jen as she was opening her surprise gifts from Brandon, a beautiful watch and a Coach purse. I love the face she is making, even if it is a little silly! I can actually still hear her “ooOOOOoooo” (like the sound of the o’s in “zoo”) as she opened them! She was so happy, and being there to capture it made me happy!
I love how little moments can make us so happy! Can you think of a moment that made you happy? I would love to hear them!

I remember working with them on their engagement session, just a little over a year before their wedding. What was great was the we got to use Brandon’s dad’s antique car as a prop. You must check out their engagement session here! So when it came to their wedding day, it felt like I was seeing old friends. If fact, I feel that way about all my couples. Especially as I get to know them over the year or more before their wedding.

What a lovely day! Thank you both for letting me be a part of it!

I love the photo below! I think it is so funny that she is twitching her toes. She must have been really excited!

What a blast taking these images below! Easily my favorites of the entire day!

Thanks for looking!
-Dan

So, I have so many great blog posts to get on here, but I had to start somewhere, so here is Brian and Jewel’s engagement session! This was way too much fun! We had the opportunity to go to Brian’s grandfathers farm and spend some time walking around. We were in hay lofts, corn feeders, on tractors, in barns, laying in the ground, it was just a blast. Even though I got some poop on me, I was pretty excited because I got to shoot from the front of a moving tractor!
Brian and Jewel’s wedding is December 17th of this year. We are really, really hoping for snow. That would be amazing!
Anyway, enjoy these!

Thanks for looking!

-Dan

I am a little behind on posting my weddings on here. I have 3 really beautiful weddings I need to post, but I need to share this one first. I had such a blast working with Katie and Sean! Anything I wanted to do, they were up for. “Hey, do you guys mind sitting on these bails of hay?” “Sure! why not?!” It was a great day along with great people! Thanks, you two!

Thanks for looking!

-Dan

Please meet Amanda and John!
Amanda and John met while attending Penn State University, so it only seemed fitting that we travel to a location that means so much to them for their engagement session.
I had such a good time with the two of them! You would not be able to tell from these photographs but it rained almost half of the time we were up there, and not for one second did their spirits drop. We spent almost 4 hours photographing and chatting our way around the university, but not without a little pit stop at The Creamery for some ice cream.

Amanda and John are such a joy to be around, mostly because they love each other so much and enjoy the presence of each other. Quick little fact: I met with Amanda at her parents home back in November 2010. John  was currently serving overseas so she was doing most of the planning until he arrived in a couple months. Little did Amanda know that John made plans to get home early and came home Christmas Eve night! She described it as the perfect present.

I am in the process of working on their engagement album, and just wanted to share a few of my favorites images from our time together.
If their engagement session was any inclination of what their wedding day is going to be like, I cannot wait till October! Enjoy!

Thanks for looking!

Check out my new listing on www.mywedding.com and their affiliate site www.myphiladelphiawedding.com! You can go right to my profile by clicking on the image below.

Check it out! It is a great resource for all your wedding needs from vendors to inspiration. They also have a neat blog for newly engagement couples called Delightfully Engaged. Also they have FREE wedding websites!

Happy planning!

-Dan

I am excited to share some new reviews on my WeddingWire vendor profile from a few 2010 couples!

Click on the image below to read them all!

Thanks for looking!
-Dan