Helen and Joel really couldn’t have picked a more stunning fall day than today for their engagement pictures. What a fun and beautiful afternoon we had walking around Meridian Hill Park, the National Mall and the Tidal Basin for pictures. Oh, how I love living in DC with all its wonderful places to photograph.

For once I was a guest at a wedding and not the official wedding photographer. Of course, I couldn’t help but take some pictures. I used both my professional camera and my iPhone. Here’s to Tim and Kaoru!

If I had to choose between living in the mountains or by the beach, I would choose the beach. Who can live without hearing the crashing of waves? Or seeing the never-ending view of the ocean stretching out to the sky? The scent of salt and the sound of water lapping up on shore never cease to calm and comfort me.

When you see Andrea and Cristina together, you wonder how the right to marry could be denied to two people who love each other and are so entirely committed to each other. Andrea and Cristina live in Maryland. Same sex marriage isn’t legal there. But earlier this year, it looked like it might become legal. On the day the Maryland House of Delegates was voting on a same sex marriage proposal, Andrea and Cristina visited a potential wedding site in Maryland. The went in giddy that marriage would soon be legal for them. They left the site disappointed that the same sex marriage proposal had been left to die.

This incredibly upbeat and funny couple regrouped and decided they would marry in Washington, D.C. Same sex marriage became legal here last year. But where to hold the ceremony? Andrea and Cristina’s friend Gillian lives in a beautiful home in Washington, D.C., so they asked if they could hold their wedding there. Gillian (who’s also my friend) was incredibly touched by their request. Of course she said, “Yes!” And that’s how I came to find myself at Gillian’s last night, photographing one of the most emotional weddings I’ve ever attended. Everyone cried. And I do mean everyone. Including me.

Congratulations, Andrea and Cristina!

Megan and Adam are married!

These two chose the gorgeous Carnegie Institute in downtown Washington DC as their wedding venue. I’d passed the building a thousand times before, never imagining that the structure hid a huge, light-filled atrium – a lovely setting for exchanging vows and beginning married life. In the hours before the ceremony, Megan kept saying, “I can’t wait to be married to Adam! I just love him. I’m so lucky!” I love it when brides and grooms talk about each other this way. When Adam and Megan are together, she smiles and laughs even more than  usual, which is saying a lot because Megan is hands-down the most laughter-filled bride I’ve ever met. Adam isn’t quite as outwardly expressive (as we all learned from Danny, the best man, during his hilarious toast speech) but you can see by the way he looks at her that he’s incredibly happy.

What a great privilege it was to photograph Megan and Adam’s wedding. I’m so happy for them!

A big thank you goes out to my colleague Amanda Lucidon, who worked with me as a second set of eyes. Scroll halfway down for some of her fantastic pictures.

Hair by Carina at Bang Salon Metropole

Photograph by Amanda Lucidon

Photograph by Amanda Lucidon

Photograph by Amanda Lucidon

Photograph by Amanda Lucidon

Photograph by Amanda Lucidon

Left: Before the wedding | Right: After the wedding | Both pictures: Happy as can be!

More to come….

Just over a week ago, Kelly and Mike pledged their love to each other during a gorgeous outdoor wedding at the Gramercy Mansion in Baltimore. They carried a little embroidered handkerchief during the ceremony – you know, just in case the tears flowed. While that didn’t happen, anyone can see how ridiculously happy these two are together. Congrats to Kelly and Mike!