Destination Wedding Photographer, Sarasota Photography

Taylor! { Sarasota Senior Portraits }

2009-09-27T06:29:00.001-07:00

Melissa + Chad { Longboat Key Club Wedding }

2009-09-16T14:00:00.001-07:00

Jenni + Karim { Lido Beach }

2009-07-15T22:08:00.000-07:00

Joselin + Rene {Marie Selby Botanical Gardens, Longboat Key Club }

2009-07-15T21:54:00.000-07:00

Diana + Mike's Wedding { The Royal Crest Room at Royal St. Cloud Golf Links }

2009-05-18T07:08:00.000-07:00

Kim + Tim's Wedding { The Sandbar on Anna Maria Island }

2009-05-08T08:16:00.000-07:00

Amanda + Mark's Wedding { The Courtyard at Lake Lucerne }

2009-05-03T14:13:00.000-07:00

Kim + Nathan's Wedding { The Powel Crosley Estate }

2009-03-10T09:24:00.000-07:00

Yes I am still alive! I just have been so busy that the blogging has temporarily been pushed to the side. I should be able to catch up soon because I officially have 2 employees working for me! I will give them a proper introduction in due time. Obviously a lot has been going on since my last blog entry back in January. I have a ton of weddings, portrait sessions, and events to post and hopefully I will be able to get to them soon. Not for 10 days though because the Sarasota Film Festival is in town and will officially kick off on Friday. This is my 4th year working for the festival and I love it more and more every year. It makes me feel like a kid going to Summer camp, reuniting with old friends and making new ones... minus the Kum By Ya. Last week was the Photographing Children workshop at Ringling and we had a really nice time with some adorable models and the students learned a lot of photoshop. There are two more classes that I will be teaching in the fall. Now on to the important stuff, Kim and Nathan's Wedding. I loved these two from day one and their wedding day was no exception. The ceremony and reception were at the Powel Crosley Estate in Sarasota. Every detail of the day was vibrant, fun, and full of love... including the bride and groom :0)

Congratulations Kim and Nathan!

Kim and Nathan { tampa engagement session }

2009-01-07T21:34:00.000-08:00

Merry Christmas!

2008-12-24T16:49:00.001-08:00

I just wanted to wish you all a very Merry Christmas from our family to yours! I hope your day is full of love and warmth :0) -Mollie

" I have always thought of Christmas time, when it has come round, as a good time; a kind, forgiving, charitable time; the only time I know of, in the long calendar of the year, when men and women seem by one consent to open their shut-up hearts freely, and to think of people below them as if they really were fellow passengers to the grave, and not another race of creatures bound on other journeys. " ~Charles Dickens

{ Sarasota Photography }

2008-12-13T14:30:00.000-08:00

The past few weeks have been CRAZY busy, so get ready for some speed blogging :0)

I did a fun engagement session with Stefanie and Devon. They are getting married in Boca Raton at the end of January at a really neat location called the Sundy House. I can't wait! Stefanie has the prettiest eyes... isn't she going to be a stunning bride?

I just love this shot...

A while back the Dali Museum had their "Surreal Fashion Show" where they announced their plans for a new building... The designs for the clothing were Dali inspired...

A couple of weeks later they had the groundbreaking for the new museum in St.Pete, this shot is of the staff and director from the museum...

There was a ton of press there covering the event...

Here is "Dali" himself along with the Mayor of St.Pete...

Carina and Shawn were married in Vegas about a year ago and never had any "real" pictures done while they were there. They really enjoyed having their portraits taken, and they make great models!!

my favorite...

This is the time of year for family portrait sessions... here are a few of my favorites....

I also did some portraits of Dr. Larry Thompson, the president of Ringling College of Art and Design.... I have a lot more work lined up for Ringling in the Spring, more of the Dr.Thompson, some of the different majors, and I will soon be announcing a workshop that I will be teaching over spring break!!!

The Sarasota Ballet...

I even took some pictures of the kiddos with Santa for my friends at the Snappy Turtle Consignment Shop.... more of these to come, they are hilarious!

Last but not least... Shane and Jennifer's Wedding at the Sand Bar on Anna Maria Island...

check out their branding and details... (Shane is a very talented graphic designer)

Staci from Unique By Design helped it all come together flawlessly as their coordinator...

Their first dance was to the song "Lay Lady Lay" they chose a version by a band called "Magnet" check it out on itunes, you will not be disappointed...

Happy Thanksgiving!

2008-11-24T19:51:00.000-08:00

As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them.
-John Fitzgerald Kennedy

Nicole and Dane { Saint Petersburg Engagement Session }

2008-11-18T12:15:00.000-08:00

Nicole and Dane were so much fun to work with that it hardly felt like work at all. They will be married at the Don CeSar in St.Pete next November. Nicole is the former Miss Delaware so she was of course a natural in front of the camera....

Nicole is actually jumping over a fence in this one. I can assure you a portrait of myself doing the same would be anything but flattering!!!

At the Don CeSar...

They even reenacted their proposal for me....

We ended the night in a horse drawn carriage so that we could get some amazing shots like this:

Rene and Mike's Ritz Carlton Wedding { Sarasota Wedding Photography }

2008-11-10T10:15:00.001-08:00

Its officially the craziest time of the year for us! Every weekend between now and the end of the year is booked which means lots of new blog posts so keep checking back.
Last weekend I was delighted to be a part of Rene and Mike's wedding at the Ritz. I am not sure I have ever witnessed such a calm and cool group during the wedding preparations... Rene said she was so relaxed she almost fell asleep while having her make up done! I am sure the incredible fall weather and the ambience of the Ritz contributed, but either way I was impressed.
One nice thing about the Ritz is that every inch is impeccably decorated. So even if you are getting married elsewhere its a great place to get ready...

Attn: future brides... notice the pretty padded hanger? They sure beat the plastic/metal ones in photographs so bring one along to your wedding.

The groomsmen playing a little pre-ceremony ping pong...

I think these two could go into business as a professional flower girl/ ring bearer team!

Rene's grand entrance down the stairs...

This little guy tried to steal a kiss from the flower girl...

The Venturas were there playing some GREAT music that had everyone dancing all night. You can hear them live most nights of the week around town...

Congratulations Rene and Mike!!!

Joselin + Rene {Sarasota Engagement Session}

2008-11-05T13:10:00.000-08:00

Joselin and Rene were visiting Sarasota for a few days and found time to squeeze in their engagement session. They are planning their May destination wedding at the Selby Botanical Gardens. I am sure their day will be full of love and laughter- because thats exactly how they are together! We ran all around Sarasota trying to make the most of our time before the sun set.

Get out and VOTE!

2008-10-31T12:07:00.000-07:00

I attended Barack Obama's Early Vote Rally yesterday as press. It was really moving to see that over 12,000 people were there to show support. I have done a lot of work in the past for the Republicans (below) and it was great to finally get on board with the Democrats as well! As an "unbiased" member of the press I of course can't tell you who I am voting for but I can URGE you to VOTE for whomever you think will best serve our country!!

Limited Edition Fall Mini Sessions {Sarasota Children's Photography}

2008-10-21T07:14:00.000-07:00

I’m super excited to announce our Limited Edition Fall Mini Sessions. Each Session lasts 20 minutes and will include 5-10 images for you to choose from. We will be bringing along plenty of fun props and furniture to use in your portraits... and of course some bribes for the kids!

The details...

Mini Session Fee $30
Includes 20 minutes of photography time and a password protected web gallery for viewing and ordering of images.

Digital Negatives on CD $40
Includes 5 fully retouched images on CD for you to take to a lab of your choice for printing.

There will be other printing options available as well :0)

The dates....

October 25th
4-6 pm
Phillippi Estate Park

November 10th
4-6 pm
Lido Beach

November 7th
4-6 pm
Downtown Lakewood Ranch

For more information, or to reserve your time slot email MollieGrady@mac.com

Jenn and Christian { Sarasota Wedding Photography }

2008-10-06T19:36:00.000-07:00

Last weekend I took a nice long drive to the middle of nowhere for Jenn and Christian's gorgeous wedding. They rented out Alafia River State Park for their wedding guests, so everyone could dance under the stars, roast s'mores, and even camp out for the night! Everything was decorated in fall hues which complimented the natural backdrop of the river perfectly. The girls had some of the most beautiful bouquets I have ever seen (from Lakewood Ranch Florist). I knew I was in for some FUN when I saw Jenn's leopard print shoes...

Photography Class at Ringling... { Sarasota Photography }

2008-09-26T14:30:00.001-07:00

If anyone is interested in taking my class at Ringling, you better sign up now! This one is open to the community, and beginners are welcome. Its sure to be lots of fun :0) For more information visit www.ringling.edu

Amanda and Mark { Engagement Session in Orlando }

2008-09-22T20:16:00.000-07:00

I first met Amanda back in the good ol' days of high school. We played softball and la crosse together. To be honest, I should say Amanda played and I mostly just watched! I am after all slightly athletically challenged but I was at least around to cheer her on. It was so nice to see her again and to meet her wonderful fiance Mark. We found the perfect spot for the portraits at a little place called Crane's Roost Park.

They had me wake up early Sunday morning for this session so they could get back in time to watch their two favorite teams play that afternoon!

Beautiful blue sky!

They both have great smiles...

My absolute favorite...

Baby Kaydee! { Sarasota Children's Photography }

2008-09-09T16:32:00.000-07:00

Kaydee was such a happy baby, we had a great morning at the beach together. She grew quite a crowd of people who just stood around in awe of her cuteness during the session... can you blame them?

Jessie and Mike's Siesta Key Wedding { Sarasota Wedding Photography }

2008-08-13T21:10:00.000-07:00

Jessie and Mike had their destination wedding on Siesta Key this past weekend. You may remember them from their engagement session photos I posted back in January. The bridesmaids had their hair and makeup done at The Key Spa and Salon. I was very impressed with the fabulous updos the stylists were whipping up in what seemed like a matter of seconds!

Maids of honor are good for a lot of things on your wedding day... like eating the left over flowers you don't use in your hair!

Jessie's Maggie Sottero dress was gorgeous.

How sweet is this... Mike sent Jessie flowers with the note below, the trick was that there was one artificial rose in the bunch.

The colors were all tropical and bright which was an ironic contrast with the looming dark clouds and thunder that filled the sky!

Their getaway car! They had a sign on the back that said "YEILD TO THE NEWLY WEDS".

Some casual portraits... (notice the rain clouds moving closer?)

Quite possibly my favorite shot of the day... the colors, the mood, the love....

Something a little different then the usual bridal party line up.

So the pool house at the Tropical Breeze Resort and Spa was all decked out for the reception. However, there was not much of a rain plan in place- and sure enough, it rained! Not just a light passing rain, more like a monsoon. I was really impressed at how great everyone handled the situation. Jessie and Mike were totally laid back and everyone just pitched in together to move things around so that there was more indoor seating. The rain did eventually stop...

The cake was from Beautiful Cakes by Ron. It was beautiful indeed ....

Some of my favorites from the day after session...

Congratulations Mike and Jessie!

Brooke { Sarasota Senior Portraits }

2008-07-20T11:34:00.001-07:00

We are now offering High School Senior Portraits! So shout it out to your friends and family and the first 5 inquiries will receive a complimentary 11x14 print from their session. Here are some examples from a session I did last week of the beautiful Brooke who was visiting all the way from Ohio.

Diana and Mike's Engagement Session { Sarasota Photography }

2008-07-14T19:01:00.000-07:00

A couple of weeks ago, I headed downtown to shoot an engagement session for Diana and Mike, whose wedding I'll be shooting in Orlando in April! We ended up on Lido Beach and they certainly were not hesitant to get in the water and splash around... check em' out:

Creative Loafing { Sarasota Photography }

2008-07-01T08:51:00.000-07:00

Last week I did a photo shoot of Sarasota's "Diva Angels" for Creative Loafing. I spent my Sunday afternoon hanging out a car window photographing ladies on motorcycles.... I love my job, Never a dull moment thats for sure! Be sure to check out there latest issue and you will see my image on the cover. The story about the Divas, written by Amanda Schurr is really interesting. So pick it up, stick it in your beach bag for a short summertime read and enjoy!