We loved that house. It was good to us. A nice quiet, peaceful neighborhood. Good schools. We had always wanted to live in the Heights; it just didn’t make sense at the time.

7 years later, we bought our house in the Heights after more years of dreaming about it (yay!) and put our first house on the market. Earlier this month, we got an offer and in a week, the house will become theirs instead of ours.

So the past two weeks have been busy, busy, busy! On top of going to New Orleans for Imaging USA, Salt Lake City for ALT Design Summit, we have now been packing up and clearing out everything that we didn’t move right away when we moved to the Heights last summer. We had a huge garage sale over the weekend and sold all the furniture we had left to stage the house. Now it is time to move or donate what remains.

The best of 2011 will continue soon! I can’t wait to share the rest of my favorites – but first, to sell the old house and have just one mortgage payment again!

I’ll be sharing more over on my personal blog, BigPinkCookie. For those of you that have been cheering us on and so encouraging through this time – THANK YOU!!! We couldn’t have done it without your support!

Related posts:

1. Houston Heights Engagement Photography – Catherine & Rich
2. Yale Street Market!
3. The Photography Studio in the Heights – Houston Texas

Here we go with January, February and March 2011! This quarter was filled with couples having destination weddings – in Houston! They almost all came to us – quite unusual! I still traveled a lot though, with Imaging USA in San Antonio, WPPI in Las Vegas – which included one of my destination weddings of 2011, and SXSW Interactive in Austin.

We started off 2011 with a Houston New Year’s Eve wedding ceremony & reception at the Houstonian Hotel. Cheryl & Dev live in Chicago, but returned to Houston for their colorful Indian + American wedding since Dev’s family lives here. Bonus? A nice escape from the Chicago winter! Their wedding was such a HUGE celebration, and with DJ Yogi-G spinning the music? It was quite possibly one of the best parties I’ve been to all year! His confetti canon that went off at midnight was so fabulous!

Next up was Lan & Herman’s Houston wedding. They live in Dallas now, but returned here for their wedding because Lan’s family is here. I have add that I adore weddings full of cultural traditions! They started their day off that morning with a tea ceremony at Lan’s parents’ house, where Elaine & I were immediately made to feel like part of the family as well.

After the tea ceremony, Lan and her sisters shared with us the story of how her parents met in VietNam, and how Lan’s father escaped Saigon after the fall of the city. It was so fascinating to me to hear history – things normally left to reading in books or on the news – first-hand.

We headed in to downtown for their wedding ceremony at the Houston Co-Cathedral of Sacred Heart where Lan changed into her wedding dress. Her father was so proud to be escorting her down the aisle!

My love of traditions and the meaning behind them probably came from growing up in the Catholic church. I adore a wedding mass and everything involved – so it was great that we had many Catholic weddings this year!

After the ceremony was over and we took some portraits around the Co-Cathedral, we headed to the Omni Hotel in Houston for more portraits followed by their reception which lasted well into the night!

Kelly & Sean planned their elopement around my arrival in Las Vegas for WPPI. Talk about making me feel special! I got to have a hand in helping to plan this one! Kelly is one of my closest friends in addition to being one of my associate photographers, and she & Sean decided to do something a little unconventional. After some brainstorming, we set up a Flash Flashmob wedding on the Las Vegas strip in front of the Bellagio Hotel! With 15 photographers or so as their witnesses (we were all there for WPPI), we met an officiant there in front of the world-famous Bellagio fountains where he performed a 2 minute and 12 second long ceremony! That has to be a record for the shortest wedding ceremony I’ve ever photographed! It was so much fun – and we gathered quite the crowd as people walking by stopped to watch it too!

Seconds into the ceremony, and already a crowd was gathering, cell phones out, snapping away right along with all the wedding pros! (That is Luis Godinez there on the right, Dustin Izatt in the middle, and Corey Ann just to the left of him.)

Kelly was super excited to put on Sean’s ring – her look of joy just cracked me up!

After the kiss, the crowd applauded! It was so awesome. Love makes people so happy. We took some time to take some photos with the next fountain show at the Bellagio and then headed back to our waiting limo, where Kelly & Sean made some new friends along the way!

It was wonderful spending the day with Lauren & Isaiah’s families — I photographed Lauren’s cousin’s Kelly’s marriage to Ted in October 2009 at Holy Rosary, and Lauren’s sister Tiffany’s marriage to Romeo on New Year’s Eve 2009, so it makes the day so fun when you already know all the parents, aunts & uncles there! (I was told that I’ve been officially made part of the family now – I’ll take that! They are the best!) Another Catholic Mass wedding, this time at Christ the Good Shepherd Catholic Church, with the reception afterwards at The Woodlands Resort.

This moment, completely unplanned, not set up or anything else, might be one of my favorites of the year. If I had to pick 10 photos only (which would be torture for me because I love so many), this would definitely make it. I can just feel the love & emotion every time I look at it.

Kate had contacted me months before their wedding, but when their wedding date changed due to a family member’s illness, I was so sad to learn that it fell on the same day as Lauren & Isaiah’s wedding. Since I was not available, they booked my associate photographer Kelly, and she did a wonderful job of documenting the day! (I still got to have all the fun of our engagement session beforehand!) Here are just a few of the ones that Kelly took of their wedding commitment ceremony & reception at Bethel United Church of Christ that I love!

The last wedding of the first quarter of 2011 was Michelle & Robert’s wonderful affair at the Sweetwater Country Club in Sugarland, and it was one where they pulled out all the stops! Planned by Pam of For Your Memories, the day was smooth as could be, and so much fun! Elaine & I could just sense the love surrounding the two of them all day, from their parents, their families and their friends. Quite the celebration! To top it all off, the decorations and flowers by Darryl & Co. were so gorgeous!

With having photographed over 100 weddings in Houston alone, I am still surprised that it took me this long to photograph one where the officiant was Minister Brian Engle, the same person that married my husband Mike & I back in 2004 in Galveston! It was a great surprise to see him there, and he did a fantastic job!

Michelle & Robert also had a multicultural ceremony – a second one immediately followed the first, full of beautiful chanting. They used the same chairs that Michelle’s parents used when they were married years ago.

After the ceremonies, they ate, drank, laughed & danced the night away!

It was so fun putting this post together and remembering the first quarter of 2011, I can’t WAIT to share more of my photographs from throughout the year! Check back soon for more!

Newly engaged and interested in having me be your wedding photographer? I would LOVE to work with you! Contact me here!

Related posts:

1. Happy New Year! Looking Back on 2010′s Boudoir Sessions & Weddings!
2. Viva Las Vegas! WPPI 2010
3. Kasey & Robert’s Wedding Photography – Palmer Memorial Episcopal & River Oaks Garden Club, Houston Texas – Part 1 of 3, Getting Ready

What is the reveal? We take the groom off to a photogenic location, have him face away from the path, and then the bride walks up to him and he turns around to see her for the first time! I know, some people worry that it takes all the magic away from seeing her walk down the aisle to him – but it really doesn’t. Instead it gives them a chance to have some private alone time, an opportunity for him to tell her how gorgeous she looks, for the nerves to settle down. I never pressure people in to doing it (my husband didn’t see me before our wedding), but I have to confess that I love it when they do.

Doing a reveal then meant that we had more time for portraits before the ceremony as well!

Since the wedding was in Bermuda, which is part of the United Kingdom, EricaLynn, Stephen, and their witnesses all signed the registry and the marriage certificate – just like Ann & Karl’s destination wedding in Bristol, England.

Click here to view part 1 (Bermuda & the Rehearsal Cocktail Reception), and click here to view part 2 (the beach and getting ready) of EricaLynn & Stephen’s Bermuda Destination Wedding photographs! I can’t wait to share more from the reception!

Related posts:

1. Bermuda Destination Wedding – EricaLynn & Stephen (Part 2)
2. Bermuda Destination Wedding – EricaLynn & Stephen (Part 1)
3. Ann & Karl’s Destination Wedding in Bristol, England – The Ceremony

(Side note: if you read my post on my personal blog about the lessons I learned while almost drowning, the rock that we were swimming with our snorkel gear out to the day after the wedding is just to the right of this frame.)

Kelly went down to the beach to photograph it for me while I was with EricaLynn & her bridesmaids getting ready at the hotel spa. Talk about a pampering place! These ladies took such great care of us!

Then we all headed upstairs so that EricaLynn could have her makeup done and get into her wedding dress! I loved her dress, her shoes, and all the details!

Meanwhile, Kelly was with Stephen & the groomsmen as they were getting ready. It is obvious that things are always a little bit different in the guy’s room!

Be sure to check out the first part of EricaLynn & Stephen’s Bermuda Destination Wedding. Next up, the reveal and the ceremony!

Related posts:

1. Bermuda Destination Wedding – EricaLynn & Stephen (Part 1)
2. Bermuda Destination Wedding Photography – EricaLynn & Stephen (Part 3)
3. Ann & Karl’s Destination Wedding in Bristol, UK – The Reception

To start this off – here are some photos of the island, the plants & the hotel – all so lovely!

On Friday night, the night before the wedding, after a rehearsal on the Lawn where the wedding was going to take place on Saturday, we all headed up to the patio where we had a private cocktail hour. It was so fabulous! The staff took such amazing care of us. I really can’t say enough great things about the Fairmont Southampton!

A cocktail hour or other activity like this is so wonderful at a destination wedding. Sure, a lot of your guests probably already know each other – but this was a wonderful way to get to meet everyone else. As destination weddings are more intimate by their nature, it makes the rest of the weekend more fun as everyone gets to hang out together, see each other around the hotel, and things like that. Plus it gives the couple a chance to catch up with everyone as well!

Stephen walked up to the bar & ordered a Dark & Stormy, a Bermuda specialty drink made with local rum & Ginger Beer. The bartender asked him if he preferred it more dark, or more stormy. Stephen wasn’t sure what he meant, so the bartender demonstrated. More stormy? More Ginger Beer. More dark? More rum. I’ll let you guess which one Stephen picked!

I loved that some of Stephen & EricaLynn’s guests really got into the Bermuda spirit with the dress socks & shorts! (I don’t think it had anything to do with the rum…)

It was so very awesome getting to meet EricaLynn & Stephen in person at last! I can’t wait to share their wedding day with you!

You can check out EricaLynn’s 5 Star Review (whoo hoo!!!) of working with us here.

Related posts:

1. Bermuda Destination Wedding Photography – EricaLynn & Stephen (Part 3)
2. Bermuda Destination Wedding – EricaLynn & Stephen (Part 2)
3. Get Out the White Linen! Houston Art & Photography

Heading to Down House was also the perfect choice for their engagement photography because wine has played such a role in their relationship, from meeting through friends at wine dinners, to their favorite date night ending with wine at Cavo, to traveling to Sonoma & the Russian River Valley. Wine is among one of their favorite things – so wine at Down House fit right in!

We started outside on the front steps, and then went down the block for a bit. I’m still totally smitten with the blue knit dress Catherine was wearing – it was so beautiful!

This photo above? That is one of those “you want us to stand … where?” sort of moments. But I knew it was just going to be amazing, and I’m so happy Catherine & Rich trusted me! What you can’t see is the dead grass and the chain link fence hidden by the bushes there. I know, I shouldn’t give away my secrets. But we didn’t want to walk too far and get too hot & sweaty – and I’ve learned over the years that that results in pushing for even more creative options! Love!

That is also one of the best things about engagement photography – building that trust! That way, on the wedding day when I ask people to stand in a certain position, they trust me. They know it may not look great to them, but from where I’m standing – and with them in the photograph – it will be fabulous!

We quickly retreated into Down House so we could cool off and get a glass of wine!

As the sun was starting to set, we headed back outside for another round of photos there. I just love this wall of trees that we found!

When we decided to call it a wrap, we headed back into Down House for a wonderful dinner. Catherine said the chicken & waffles were especially tasty!

Thank you again Catherine & Rich for such a fun evening! I can not WAIT to photograph your wedding in just over a week!

Related posts:

1. Kelly & Ted’s Engagement Session at @CoffeeGroundz! Houston Engagement Photography
2. Melissa & Brandon – Engagement Photography in the Heights, Houston Texas
3. Elaine’s TTV Photos – Houston Engagement Photography

Sometime last year, while attending a luncheon for wedding vendors, I first discovered the Wish Upon a Wedding organization. You can read more about them here, but the premise is that as a Wish Granter, members of the wedding industry will come together and provide a wedding or vow renewal, free of cost, to couples facing terminal illness or life-altering circumstances. At that time, the Houston chapter didn’t even exist, but I still signed up right then through my iPhone. I’m a big believer in giving of your talents whenever you can, as I think that is just so important to the greater good.

Earlier this year, I was asked if I would step up and photography Alexis & Christian’s wedding, and I am so thrilled to have the opportunity to do that for them 45 days from now. (Eeeee!!!) I honestly could not ask for a better couple to be working with, and while it was the charity that brought us all together, I am giddy beyond words to now be able to call them friends as well.

Just to get the hard part out of the way, because as I told Alexis last week when we had dinner — this shouldn’t be the focus of their love story, but it is essential to our story here — Alexis has cancer. She has mesothelioma, which was discovered somewhat randomly by an observant doctor while she was having gallbladder surgery. Due to the fact that it presented on her diaphragm, she has been set at being a Stage 4 cancer patient. Her case is extremely unusual, as the mesothelioma isn’t present in some of the “usual” starting spots. Normally by the time it is seen on the diaphragm, it is so far advanced that survival past two years is rare. Alexis just celebrated that two year anniversary this summer. And while she lights up the room like no one else when she walks in, it hasn’t all been easy obviously between surgery, chemo, and all the things that come with cancer. Her hope is that the discoveries that they are making with her treatment will help other cancer patients in the future because she is in unchartered waters. In her case, there is no cure.

Cancer sucks.

You would never guess it by the way she smiles. I suspect that having a man as wonderful as Christian by your side helps, because I can tell while visiting with them over dinner that he does everything he possibly can to lighten the burden for her and help her carry the weight of it all.

Speaking of Christian, he is a Houston icon in his own right. He leads The Hates which he formed over 30 years ago, and has been called “Houston’s first and last punk band”. He is a true Punk — with a heart of gold. He is so well known around this city, I’ve never been anywhere with him that someone hasn’t stopped him to tell him how they love his music or that they have seen him around town on his scooter with his mohawk. Matter of fact, I did the same thing – I used to see him all the time when I worked in downtown at Fulbright & Jaworski, and I couldn’t help but tell him that right after meeting him! Ahh… he draws people in. He & Alexis are such an amazing match.

Sometimes things happen during a session that I would never expect, and I just watch them unfold. Like thumb wrestling. I couldn’t help but laugh that they were thumb wrestling! She won! She won!

We started off our by meeting up at my studio, but when I learned through their session planning information the role that the Continental Club played on their relationship I suggested we go there for our session. It was perfect! We also stopped into their friend’s shop, My Flaming Heart. (That would be where the boots & the cool dresses are at. If you’re in the neighborhood, definitely check it out!)

Alexis & Christian met in 2005 at an art show opening at Poison Girl. Alexis has a tattoo artist friend who was showing some of his paintings, & Christian had an acquaintance who was showing some of her work as well. One of Alexis’s girlfriends knew Christian & had actually tried to get him to come to their weekly dinners/get-togethers for a long while, but to no avail. She basically shoved Alexis in his direction & told her to talk about her new scooter. They talked a bit, but it was getting too crowded & too hot in there, so the girls took off for Catbird’s. Alexis invited him, but the friend he was with that night did not want to go. About two weeks later, the girls were at a show at the Continental Club… and there he was. Alexis & Christian ended up talking in the back bar through the entire show. That night she gave him her number with the understanding they would get together to have Indian food… the irony is that their first date was at a Chinese restaurant.

They like Scooter riding all over town. Alexis said, “Part of it is the wind in our faces, smelling cut grass & feeling the sun on our skin. Part of it is him telling me all kinds of things about the places we pass by -(he used to work for the City, so he knows quite a bit)-. Part of it is stopping at stoplights & stealing smooches.”

I wasn’t quite sure what she meant about that last part, but then I witnessed it while driving behind them. Every time we were stuck at a red light, they would steal kisses! This is why we need more people in Houston riding Scooters & Bicycles. If seeing that doesn’t make your day better, I don’t know what will. Seriously, sweetest thing ever!

We wrapped up the night with Christian playing his guitar. Alexis helped … well, sort of. My favorite moment though was spotting how their fingers were intertwined at the end. So gentle, yet always touching. I can see how much of a touchstone Christian is for Alexis – and vice versa. That sums it all up right there. Love is an amazing thing.

Thank you to all of the Wish Upon a Wedding wish granters that helped make this session so special! You can read more about Alexis & Christian on the Wish Upon a Wedding Blog.

If you know someone who deserves to be helped by this fabulous organization, please tell them about Wish Upon a Wedding! If you are a wedding vendor and would like to help out, you can complete the Wish Granter application. If you aren’t already a Wish Granter, please consider becoming one today!

Related posts:

1. Houston Engagement Photography – Melinda & Kyle at the Rodeo
2. Sarom & Minh – Hermann Park Engagement Session, Houston Texas
3. The Rachael Ray Show!

While every wedding is as unique as the couple and all of their family & friends, every wedding seems to divide itself natural among three parts of the day – getting ready, the ceremony, and the reception. The emotions that flow through these three portions are very distinctive as well, differing levels of joy, happiness, nerves, relief, and pure bliss. You never sense the joy as much though as those first minutes after the ceremony. Everyone just wants to congratulate the couple – and the happiness in the room rises to an amazing, palatable point.

As we did some brief family photographs, Karl’s mum & his grandmum had to take a moment to check out his brand new ring.

Meanwhile, in another part of the room, some of Ann’s knitting friends actually MADE her a garter during the ceremony! I saw them finishing it up – they crocheted their masterpiece, which was faster than knitting it, in colors to compliment her wedding dress. Ann was suitably surprised! Karl was kind enough to tie it on for her. Brilliant!

Ann’s wedding bouquet was so stunning – and so perfect. Thistles to represent her Scottish heritage, and roses to represent Karl’s English heritage.

The wedding was on Guy Fawke’s Day, which is celebrated traditionally with fireworks. As such, Ann & Karl had mini-sparklers in the vases filled with favors on the tables, along with what we refer to as champagne poppers – the little plastic bottles that when you pull the string, streamers fly out. Everyone had fun with them as we enjoyed the delicious food the Byzantium served.

It is my understanding that the toasts at weddings in the UK have a more set order than they do in the US, and they are normally started by the bride’s father or oldest relative. Ann’s father passed away several years ago, after my husband Mike & I had met her. Her mum & her sister both are not keen on public speaking. While talking about who she would ask to do the speech, we realized that Mike was the friend at the wedding that had known Ann the longest, and when Ann asked if he would step in and fill the role, he happily obliged.

After Mike’s toast, Karl gave one as well, followed by his younger brother. There was laughter and tears throughout.

After the toasts, the Byzantium served their famous Lanterns – these lovely dessert trays full of sweets. They were a big hit!

After dessert, we all headed downstairs so that Ann & Karl could cut the cake – with more fireworks!

Then it was time to get the party started! The dance floor was open, and people danced until 2am — a few hours later than most Houston weddings go! It was fantastic fun, we all had such a great time!

As the party went on downstairs, upstairs the cake was served – along with pizza, french fries, and bacon butty sandwiches. Yum! Also, the finest Scotch was brought out and served by Karl to some of his closest friends who were there. I heard that was quite yummy as well…

The dancing continued, and before we knew it the night was over. One last huge dance that all the remaining guests joined in to send Ann & Karl off, and then they departed to return to our hotel and recover from one long and AMAZING, wonderful day!

Thank you again a million times over to Ann & Karl for including us as a part of your wedding. Every wedding is special to me, but Ann & I have been friends since our single days, and I credit her for introducing me to my fabulous husband (while he was in London & I was in Houston and it was many months before we actually met). It was such joy watching your families & friends come to celebrate the two of you. We love you!

See more posts about Ann & Karl’s Destination Wedding here: Getting ready and the Ceremony.

The Details:
Wedding & Ceremony – Byzantium in Bristol
Ann’s Perfect Wedding Dress – College Green Bridal in Bristol
Ann’s Hair – MeMe Salon in Bristol
Wedding Cake – Waitrose in London
Invitations & Menu Cards – designed & made by Ann

Related posts:

1. Ann & Karl’s Destination Wedding in Bristol, England – The Ceremony
2. Ann & Karl’s Destination Wedding in Bristol, UK – Getting Ready
3. Hello from London! {Destination Wedding Photographer}

I shared the history of my friendship with Ann & Karl in my first post about their destination wedding in Bristol, so you can just imagine what a moving moment for me it was to see the love that they have for each other and the emotions during their wedding ceremony.

I’m a sap and I cry at almost every wedding, but this one? This was different. Ann & I have been friends for 10 years now, and it was just incredible to witness first-hand how much Karl loves her, and how much she loves him!

Their wedding ceremony was held at the Byzantium in Bristol, England. Ann’s beautiful wedding dress was purchased at a shop in Bristol as well, and was perfect with her stunning, sparkly Jimmy Choo’s. She knit her wedding shawl herself. (For the knitters, her Ravelry details are here.) Her hair was done at MeMe’s Salon in Bristol, and she did her makeup herself.

The British wedding ceremony is different than it is in the United States. Parts of it are the same, but the order is changed up. Fortunately, I’m pretty big on photographing everything that happens, no matter when it happens! I just find different cultural traditions so fascinating!

Oh, and the hats!?! Why do we not wear amazing fascinators and hats to our weddings in the US? I think someone needs to start this tradition up again!

After Ann & Karl exchanged rings, Ann read the second reading which was a poem about marriage to Karl.

Now we get into the part that was a first for me – since they had a civil ceremony, they had to sign the registry during the ceremony. I was informed before the ceremony by the registrar that I could photograph them signing the registry from far away, as long as you couldn’t see the paper that they were actually signing. After they signed, he would allow them to pose as if they were signing for me, and then he would invite other guest up to photograph them as well. Obviously, signing this is a BIG deal!

The above photograph was what I took when the registrar invited me to come forward during the ceremony to get the posed photograph. Then this happened…

One last story about the day … Ann & Karl wanted something slow & somewhat “traditional” for the recessional of their ceremony. But Ann is a HUGE Formula 1 racing fan. Seriously, HUGE. So she also wanted to include the theme song from the BBC’s televised coverage of Formula 1. After all, the wedding day is just the start of the race of life! So after Ann & Karl selected the music, my husband Mike spliced together the opening and first chorus of “We’ve Only Just Begun” by the Carpenters with the BBC Formula 1 song, with a smooth transition and everything. It was AWESOME. This was the moment that the song changed over to the Formula 1 theme, and Ann was just giddy. Loved it!

Related posts:

1. Ann & Karl’s Destination Wedding in Bristol, UK – Getting Ready
2. Ann & Karl’s Destination Wedding in Bristol, UK – The Reception
3. Hello from London! {Destination Wedding Photographer}

You might want to go grab something to drink – this is going to be a long post!

When I headed to London last November for Ann & Karl’s Destination Wedding in Bristol, UK, it was not my usual wedding trip. I’ve known Ann thanks to blogging since 2000, and we met because of our shared love of photography. That has always been the most beautiful thing about blogging for me – the ability to meet people thousands of miles away who love the same things that you do. We met in person in 2004 while Mike & I were on our honeymoon in London, I visited her again in June 2006 when I returned to London with Mike on a business trip and stayed a few days at her flat, and we got to spend time with her in 2007 when she came to Austin, Texas for her first adult trip to the USA to visit SXSWi. By 2007 she was already dating Karl, and my wedding photography business was underway. She hesitantly mused at one point that he might be “the one” – but it was still early. As the years passed, she told me that someday, she wanted me to photograph her wedding.

Then while I was in Belize photographing Melissa & Brandon’s wedding, I got the call! In July of 2009, Karl brought Ann to San Francisco, and after fireworks (fitting, since they met on Guy Fawke’s Day) and time spent visiting wine country, he proposed! YAY!!! I was over the moon thrilled for them! So once the date was set – Guy Fawke’s Day 2010 – we made plans for Mike & I to head back to London for their wedding in Bristol, England!

(I wrote a lot more about how we met and shared photos from my past trips to London & time spent with Ann on this post back in November, written while I was in London.)

I wanted a bit of time to spend with Ann before the wedding – plus time to get over dealing with jet lag – so Mike & I flew in the Saturday before the wedding. I’m so glad we did, because then we got to spend time getting to know Karl better, enjoying a proper Sunday Roast, Halloween in the UK, British television, an afternoon shopping & visiting Susannah, and a wonderful dinner with several of the London knitters where Ann & Natalie of The Yarn Yard presented me with the most amazing lot of yarn. Most importantly? I got to put my years in the wedding industry to use as I helped Ann finalize timelines, details, shopping lists, packing everything to get it from London to Bristol for the wedding, and a whole lot more. It was absolutely splendid, and I wouldn’t have traded it for the world! I joked that I was making myself an honourary bridesmaid for the week so we could get everything done. Brilliant!

We finally had everything loaded up and we headed from London over to Bristol, on the western side of England. I had been to Cardiff, Wales back in 2006, but that was via train. I’ve never driven across England, so it was wonderful to get to see England from a new perspective, and to visit another city. That is always one of my favorite things about destination weddings – I love the opportunity to see new places and get to truly know the wedding guests as we spent several days with Ann & Karl’s family & friends.

One thing I learned on this trip is that I can be the master of lists. Every day I would start us off with a list of what we needed to get done & prepared. The lists definitely helped, and we were amazingly efficient in getting it all done! The one list I didn’t keep a copy of that I wish I had still? The instructions that Ann had me write out the night before the wedding on how to put on a kilt! I had no idea it was such a complicated process, but it turns out that a kilt is really heavy, so it is essential to do things in order!

Mike assisted me with photographing the wedding & reception. He will say he isn’t a photographer, but what I always find fascinating when he assists me is how much he has watched my work over the years and how he has a keen eye for capturing images in a similar style. He stayed with Karl & Dan as they got ready & captured the images of them getting dressed.

On the day of the wedding, I went to meet up with Ann at Me:Me Salon where she was having her hair done. As she waited for her turn, she spent time checking in on Twitter where she had her very own hashtag going of #pixnups which we later displayed on the wall at the reception. She also prepared her locket that she had purchased with a photograph of her Dad and a lock of her mother’s hair so she could wear it at the wedding. (That is the photo above.)

Oh yes, we are geeks. Our very own wedding hashtag for the day – I loved it!

When Ann told me she had found *the* dress, I couldn’t wait to see it. I knew that Ann just wasn’t the traditional white dress type of bride. I’m so glad she held out for the most perfect dress ever! How beautiful! A lovely burgundy wine color, with layers of black netting underneath, a variety of fabrics & textures, and the bodice with the embroidery was so perfect! It was just SO Ann!

Things in the UK are different than they are in the US when it comes to weddings. For example, Ann & Karl ordered their wedding cake at Waitrose in London and we picked it up to delivery it ourselves to the Byzantium in Bristol. Also, their cake was two layers of fruitcake and one layer of sponge cake. The fruitcake is not a cake we normally see at weddings in the US, so it was interesting to learn just how common it is in the UK. Throughout the wedding, there were little things like that. So much fun for us to talk about all the differences!

Karl likes cars a lot, and has a collection of these electric cars and tracks. Ann, while trying to think of a way to label the tables so that the guests could find themselves on the seating chart, came up with the idea to get a different car for each table and use that instead of table numbers. What a fantastic way to incorporate more things that they love into the details! For their table, they had a car that reminded them of the Alpina that Karl drives and a small Fiat for Ann. So cute! They also had their toasting flutes, candles, and my favorite part? Large vases full of party favors! Mini sparklers, champagne poppers, noisemakers – all perfect things for celebrating Guy Fawkes Night!

In honour of Ann being from Scotland (the Thistle) and Karl being from England (the Rose), their centerpieces consisted of one rose & one thistle in a small vase. Her wedding bouquet was also roses & thistles, along with his boutonniere. I loved the nod to their respective countries & their history!

Ann loves shoes, so a pair of glittery Jimmy Choo shoes were perfect for her to wear for the wedding day! They are sooooo swoon-worthy! Aren’t they gorgeous?!?

Karl wore a kilt as a guest at a wedding earlier in the year, and Ann thought he was quite fetching in it, so she asked that he wear one for their wedding day as well. Another nod to her being Scottish, which was just lovely. This series of photos with the guys are Mike’s photographs. Love them! So glad he was there to back me up, since it is impossible to be in two places at once.

Ann’s niece Aylabeth is the cutest 4 year old ever. She was just a delight to spend time with all weekend! Those blue eyes and her Scottish accent? Most precious thing ever!

One last kiss to blot the lips – the next kiss will be for Karl!

Another one of those things that is different in the UK than what I am used to – the Registrar came and interviewed both Karl & Ann separately to ask them all sorts of questions verifying who they are and going over signing the registry during the ceremony. Also, you can see below the sign that the Registrar put on the door notifying the public that a wedding was taking place. Not something I see every day!

Ann knit her own shawl for the wedding day. The yarn, Handmaiden Fine Yarn Sea Silk in Gray, was the perfect choice, and she took the Lady’s Circular Cape in Shell Pattern from Victorian Lace Today and modified it to make it just what she needed. Do you knit? You can see Ann’s notes about the project and all the other details on Ravelry here.

More to come soon – the ceremony & the reception! I can’t wait to share! Thank you a million times over to Ann & Karl for allowing us to be a part of their special day!

Wedding Ceremony & Reception Venue – Byzantium in Bristol, UK
Hair: MeMe Salon, Bristol UK
Cake: Waitrose, London UK

Related posts:

1. Ann & Karl’s Destination Wedding in Bristol, UK – The Reception
2. Ann & Karl’s Destination Wedding in Bristol, England – The Ceremony
3. Hello from London! {Destination Wedding Photographer}