It’s funny, and actually rather freeing, when you find out you’ve been sized up by a potential client without even realizing it. Connie and Carter were guests at Anna and Sean’s wedding last May. Soon after I posted the pictures from that wedding, I met with Connie and Carter who were in the planning stages of their own wedding. It’s the best way to build a relationship not just when a client can recommend my services to a friend or colleague but when the couple gets the chance to view me working without me knowing I’m being studied. It’s sort of like a mystery shopper or like hiding behind a mirror. I’m just me, doing my thing, and they’re carefully observing and deciding if I’m the kind of guy they want for their wedding. From a business point of view, it’s awesome because if they’re contacting me it’s really just about details at that point. The conversations are always great because it’s like we already know each other.
And so here we are, Center City all the way. From big ol’ Ben Franklin at the Franklin Institute to Rittenhouse Square to the Phanatic. I have to say that Carter sets the bar high for all grooms. This guy was not just enthusiastic about getting married to Connie, as you can see Carter has plenty of reason to be happy cause Connie’s not just gorgeous with style for days but she’s so easy going and fun to be around. But Carter is all class, calm in the face of chaos (he ran back to their home in the middle of the reception to get the sparklers they’d planned on using for their exit but to no avail, missing sparklers) gracious and not shy about showing appreciation. Yes, he says Thank You and you know he means it whether it’s in numerous emails to me before the wedding or getting on the mic at the end of the evening and publicly thanking the band for making their evening fun and special. These two define class and I’m honored to have been a part of their day.
Now, to add a rather personal element of kismet here’s some common details between my wedding to my wonderful wife Caroline in 2006. Our anniversary is June 4 and this wedding was May 29, within a week. My wife’s dress was by Amsale, Connie too. My wife’s bouquet, pink peonies, guess what… My wife, gorgeous and stylish, and Connie, well see above and below. Ok, so we didn’t go to France and Italy for our honeymoon, we went to Turkey, but still.
Time to get outta the way and let the pictures do the talking.
Both Connie and I are shouting ‘Yaaaaaaaayyyyy’ because we’re so excited to see them. You do an incredible job and these pictures are just evidence of that. Thank you again – truly!
– CARTER
This pair below is actually two images paired together. Normally I’d put a space in between, like the pair several images down, but I really liked the trick of perspective that happens when they are blended together like this.
So my Photojournalism past would say that this next sequence needs to be edited tightly but my wedding brain says they’re all different and deserve a place in their own right. The first is the classic picture on Broad Street that is pretty ubiquitous and not quite a must-have but if you’re doing the deed in Center City it ends up high on the list for many people. The next two pics are more of my sweet spot. They’re spontaneous moments, beautiful in their composition and energy, in this case two very different energies. The third is just fun, a spontaneous moment on the street from a passerby who must’ve been from out of town because if he’d stood there a few more minutes he probably would’ve run into another couple on the street.
Decisions. Decisions….. I love ‘em both for such different reasons.
GETTING READY: FOUR SEASONS PHILADELPHIA
CEREMONY: ST. PETER’S EPISCOPAL CHURCH
RECEPTION: FRANKLIN INSTITUTE
HAIR AND MAKEUP: RITZ CARLTON RICHEL D’AMBRA SALON
VIDEOGRAPHY: WELL SPUN WEDDINGS
BRIDE’S DRESS: AMSALE
BRIDESMAIDS: VINEYARD BY PRISCILLA OF BOSTON
FLOWERS: BEAUTIFUL BLOOMS
BAND: CTO GRAND CENTRAL
HONEYMOON: FRANCE & ITALY
INVITATIONS/PROGRAM/OTHER PAPER: PAPER ON PINE
SURPRISE GUEST: PHILLIES PHANATIC
dig it.