Katie + Clay ::e-session::

Hey guys! Molly here!
Sooo, After Thanksgiving we met a cute couple, Katie and Clay. They were such sweet people, and we are always excited to get to know the bride and groom before their wedding! I once read that the men approach the engagement proposal with the same degree of seriousness as they would approach their marriage. If this is true, Katie nabbed the right fella'! They have the sweetest engagement story EVER! And I am a sucker for romance, so let me see if I can get this even remotely close (if not, sorry)...in a short version.

Basically, Clay surprised Katie with a trip to her family's beach house for the weekend. She had know clue where they were going until they got there. After showing Clay around the beach house , they decided to go for a walk on the beach. There was only one other couple on the beach that day, lounging and watching the waves, so they kept walking until they reached a pier. Clay saw something in the sand. It was a bottle! Katie told him to put it down, as it was probably dirty. He told her there was a note in it and that she should read it. As she was reading it, he got down on one knee. The note was a proffession of his love and a proposal. As she looked up she saw him on one knee, and as she looked around she noticed that the "other couple" that was out on the beach had been taking pictures of the whole thing. The other couple was Clay's uncle's friends who lived near, had planted the bottle, and were in on the whole thing. She said yes, cried, etc. They decided to go eat on the pier, and just as they were going up she saw a group of people walking towards them. It was both of their families!

See, I told you it was good! Awww, how special! Now, on to their engagement pictures.

Claire + Peter :: Savannah, GA

Hey Everyone! Molly here!
Last month, we shot a gorgeous wedding at St. John the Baptist Cathedral in Savannah, Georgia.
Claire and Peter's wedding... ahh..where to begin. It was like watching a great old film all day. The only way to describe them is "timeless romance" from Claire's classic beauty to Peter's chivalrousness and wanting to make sure everything was perfect for his lady. We had never met Claire or Peter before their wedding rehearsal, and that always worries me...but they warmed right up to us. Their families did, too! I don't think they realized that we truly are their paparazzi for the day. Once again, I love the relationship of the families that were there. I don't think Claire's family had all been together in a couple of months, so everyone was emotional. And I have to give Claire props for planning a "destination" wedding 3 hours away from where she's in grad school and about 10 hours away from her family. Lord knows a man who can put up with a wedding planning woman is ready to marry her ;)... or at least that's what I figured out when I was wedding planning. Enough talk...more photos.




Claire and her mom having a "moment".






I swear that was the fastest updo I have ever seen. I blinked and it was up. I wish I had that kind of magical power.
I kept thinking, "Oh God, she hasn't even started on her hair! We aren't going to have time to get this girl photographed at all!" and then she was like "I'm done!"





And Peter got ready in 1.3 milliseconds. I didn't even have time to blink for that one.




I went back downstairs to see Claire's mom putting the finishing touches on her. At this point everyone got a little teary-eyed to see the *amost* finished product. It was one of those times that I was glad I had a camera to hide behind. I was choking back tears and thinking "but I don't even really know you people." That's how sweet it all was.


A close up of the locket and handkercheif. To the right : haha! Poor ring bearer.


Finally! On to the portraits.See what I mean about her classic beauty?
I think she looks a little like Molly Ringwald in the one on the right. And anyone who looks like someone named Molly has to be a hottie.


One more touching moment. haha! There were a few of them. This was right before the homeless man came and gave us all palm frond flowers. I felt bad that I didn't have any money, but at the same time I was like "k thanks, but we don't have time for all this!"


The boys were great about willingness to listen, and swiftness..some boys ARE NOT. We got their portraits done in under 10 minutes. Peter was already wired... mic'ed and ready to go.


The church was the most amazing place I have ever photographed. (sorry to all my other brides, but it was).
I almost became Catholic, but decided architecture was not a good basis for my decision.


The ceremony itself was gorgeous.


The flower girl and the ring bearer. He had this modelish fierceness that I loved. He was probably just hungry, but it was gold to me.


Claire and Peter then went on a horse-drawn carriage ride around the block *alone (with the exception of horse, driver)* as husband and wife for the first time!


The church meant business about locking the doors as soon as the couple was gone. Cristina had left her bag inside just for a minute, and you can see in the left picture they had already closed and locked the doors. She had to hunt for someone to open it..frantically.
I went ahead to the fabu reception, which was on the 15th floor of the Hilton desoto, overlooking Savannah on 3 sides. Below, you can see that part of the view was the church that we had just come from.


I...LOVE...details.


What era is this again? Love it.


First dance.


I think Cristina actually took the ring shots this time..It was on my card, so I edited it.


The toasts were sweet, emotional, and lovable between siblings.
Below, Peter's brother, Tim, made a special toast.



Then Claire's sister, Jeanne, made a sweet toast.


Below, Claire shares a moment dancing with her brother, while her parents danced the night away.

My baby is a college graduate!

Hey everyone! Molly here!
So, yesterday, my husband graduated from Valdosta State University... I know, bells and whistles, right?
Well..I think that I was happier for him than I was at my own graduation! I think it is because he really didn't like school like I did, and it was hard for him. Besides that, he keeps a full time job to help support me while starting this business. What a man, huh? So, this was special for me. He had a whole flock of family who traveled several hours to come see him walk...nay..sprint across stage. I swear it was the fastest graduation ever. You were pretty much screwed if you sneezed as your loved one walked across stage. They went two at a time!! It was very different from my college graduation, but enjoyable none-the-less. After graduation, we headed back to my mom-in-law's house for some Italian yummness. I had spent the day before with her putting together hors d'oeuvre (yeah, I googled that....because my computer kept changing it to hors manoeuvrings...i don't know what that is, but it sounds gross) tray. She also made Lobster penne, spasghetti, and had the shrimp on standby...oh and ice cream cake! It was all delicious.
I was too busy eating it, rather than photographing it..sorry.
So here is how it went.



This is T.J. studying for his very last college exam...He started studying after he got off work on Thursday night at 10:30. Supposedly, he made a 117 on it. I'm still trying to understand how this happened? Oh, and he somehow bent my Mamiyaflex twin lens while he was studying. knocked it off with his ogre feet. See it trying to recover in the background?


If you squint really hard, you can see him receiving his diploma cover. Go ahead, look past the camera man, the caps and gowns, and the sign language ladies (who conveniently stood directly in the way of the graduates).


This is him waving to his teary-eyes mama. And his genuine "I'm excited" smile.


Me and my love after the ceremony.


After a full tummy lunch, we played fetch with TJ's little cousins, Jack and Zoe, and our bassett hound, Sir Samson Wallis (as written in his papers). He needs a girlfriend, and looooves having his ears rubbed. Enlarge the right picture, and notice the slobber flinging from his right jowl.