One of the things about weddings is that they often seem to be too familiar after awhile.  You start looking for the same things, you set up in the same places in the aisle, etc.   But then one comes along that busts up all your usual routines, and for me, Meredith and Aaron’s wedding certainly did that.

Their original plan involved a small ceremony in a nearby state park, but someone pointed out that there was no alternate location at that site if the weather turned sour, and boy, was that a good call.  The day turned out to have a light, but steady, drizzle, and instead of fighting the weather, we got a charming venue that was perfect for the intimate size of the gathering and promised fun for all.

I’m overdue for a real wedding post, and you’ll see a new quirky one tomorrow -- the ceremony took place on a carousel in Massachussetts!

Also tomorrow (Tuesday August 17), my brother’s Tim’s band, the Turbo A.C.’s, invade Lexington. They’re playing Buster’s Billiards down in the Distillery District, and you know I’d love to see a great turnout for them here in their only Kentucky appearance. If you’re a new bride that we haven’t booked yet and you introduce yourself to me at the show, I’ll give you a substantial gift card towards your wedding photography-- trust me, it’ll be a lot bigger than the price of admission, even if you bring your whole wedding party!

As for the promised fun in this post, I was on Improv Everywhere’s site and saw this great mission from last year, where they throw a surprise wedding reception for a couple getting married at City Hall… Enjoy!

www.youtube.com/watch?v=1lVS22y4uoU

I’ve been sitting on this one since April for a reason, and it’s finally time to bring this one out for view– Tara and Glenn’s wedding is featured on page 48 of the new issue of Kentucky Bride Magazine, out tomorrow, to coincide with Jacki Allen’s Kentucky Bride bridal show at the Lexington Convention Center (1-5p, Bluegrass Ballroom).

I had a blast shooting this one with longtime associate Jennifer Creed, who’s now setting up shop down in Nashville. The day started at the Campbell House for preparations, including hair by Sara Drury of the Jon-Beck Salon and makeup by the always awesome Ana Crane-Simpson, before we headed down to Calvary Baptist on a trolley. After the brief ceremony, we headed to the Round Barn at Red Mile for the reception, and everyone tells me they’ve never seen the Round Barn look so good, and part of the credit has to go to Charles Ray, who did the flowers. The cake was by Judy Myers of Delectable Edibles, and Domino provided the evening’s soundtrack. The event was held together by the always capable Jackie Lee of Every Last Detail.

I could go on posting images from this wedding all night, but nothing matches seeing it in print, so go pick up your copy of Kentucky Bride today!

Another hectic week around here having just gotten back from Michelle and David’s wedding up in Rochester this weekend.  Michelle was one of my wife Kristina’s college roommates at Syracuse, so this one was a labor of love.  Of course, any weekend up in the Rochester/Syracuse area means we had some boxes to check off, like a post wedding dinner of takeout from the local edition of the Dinosaur Bar-B-Q, introducing the kids to Heid’s of Liverpool the next day, but mainly catching up with old friends.

Since we’re getting ready to have Caroline’s preschool graduation (I’m not ready for this) and a wedding up in the Amherst, MA area this weekend, I’ve only got a couple to show you from this weekend, and I’ve still got a bit of the last Real Weddings post to get uploaded soon, but click through to see more from this weekend’s festivities!

After their first dance, David decided to forego a dance with his mother for a dance with his daughter…

How much did I love this wedding? Start with a stellar venue for prep time– Rachel got ready at the lovely Swann’s Nest bed and breakfast located just a mile beyond Keeneland on the way out towards Versailles.

She and John had their first meeting that day on the grounds there and it was a superb place for portraits.

Her Vera Wang dress was stunning– easily one of the top 5 dresses I’ve seen on any bride in my career, New York or Kentucky or anywhere else– more importantly, the way she just started bursting with a mix of joy and confidence when she stepped into it… simply breathtaking.

Combine that with an Orthodox Christian wedding, with its own sense of mystery in its rituals, the crowns, the incense, the room full of traditional iconography… you end up with a wedding that really stands out in its uniqueness here in the Bluegrass.

I’m so in love with this wedding that this look at it will be a two-parter, so that you can focus on the beauty of the first half of the day before diving into the fun of the reception next week! Click through for more images from this one after the jump…

I’ve been up to my eyeballs in editing from all the recent weddings, engagements and the odd sweet sixteen the last couple of weeks, but I wanted to share a few shots from Megan and Andrew’s wedding this weekend– first of a string of four weddings in four different states over the next few weeks. Check out the traditional Filipino barongs Andrew and his groomsmen opted for instead of tuxes– Mabuhay!

Click through for more!

Some days this job is really easy.  Put people in great light, let them be themselves, let it all hang out.

Saturday was not one of those days.

Outdoor wedding on a family farm, and it rained.  Lots.

So we did little adjustments, like move the bridesmaids’ formals into the sitting room, things like that.  But really, that wouldn’t have been sufficient.  This was a beautiful property, with an amazing garden where the cocktail hour was supposed to be before the skies opened up.

I suppose we could have found a place indoors to take portraits, but… naaaaah.  I pulled out a bridal white golf umbrella, and off we went.  The umbrella did exactly what I hoped it would:  Not only did it leave Mary’s hair immaculate, but it grabbed the available light, and focused a whole lot of soft, gentle light right on them.

Some days, you have to just make a picture.

More images after the jump…

One of the things I’m excited about doing this week is one of the Sunday Soirees that Shelia Bayes and Jacki Allen are putting on. It’s a free bridal seminar in an intimate setting, over at Shelia Bayes Fine Jewelers in The Shops at Lexington Center. Bridal and Formal will be presenting some of the latest in bridal gowns, I’ll be talking about photography, and Jacki Allen will be explaining everything you didn’t know about wedding planners but didn’t know who to ask.

It’s the first in a series of monthly events, and it’s taking place from 1-4PM Sunday, April 18th, and you should RSVP at 859.368.9132, ext. 12. Details of the additional dates can be found on page 78 of the new issue of Kentucky Bride Magazine.

Limited Edition Bridal Gown from White House Black Market ($498)

I’ve been seeing a lot lately about bridal gowns being available from retailers who aren’t traditional bridal outlets like White House Black Market (fittings available in select boutiques), J Crew (website/catalog only), with Urban Outfitters’ Anthropologie line and The Limited joining the fray soon.

J Crew Chiffon & Organza Dune Gown ($895)

The prices on these range anywhere from $295 to $2500.  The first obvious question is, do you like some of the dresses available on these sites?  And the follow up, of course, is, would you consider a dress from retailers like this, and if so, what would your expectations be?  Would you want to see the dresses in the stores at these prices or is online only OK, how much support would you expect from the stores, would you expect to have to take it somewhere else for alterations?

Leave me a comment and tell me what you think!