Check it out, fresh off the FTP server...Erin and Kyle's Slideshow.  :)

Yesterday could have been hotter. IF WE WERE IN IRAQ! Seriously, in a record-breaking heat wave, it was about 115 degrees for Emily and Mike's wedding. Not to worry though, we all still had a rockin' good time.  So, off to the pictures...which have a little different look to them this time.  Hope you enjoy!

The day started innocently enough...with the weapons of the morning. (that in in contrast to Bush's WMDs which we've heard so much about) And then, off to the church, still all normal... But, that's when the lovely flowers went missing, as well as many guests. What happened? Nasty accident on the freeway delaying the one route to the ceremony for many people (and florist vans, too). When the flowers arrived they were worth the wait. My favorite star gazer lilies and their lovely fragrance filled the church. After the ceremony, we headed to the Vets Hall for some P.A.R.T.Y. time. I'm pretty sure there were over 400 people there. Food was awesome...bbq AND tacos together. A match made from heaven. Emily's dad sat down for about 10 seconds to eat something...that man was running all around. Emily is the last of his kids to get married, and I personally think he was staying busy so that he wouldn't get emotional. =) And the the fun bumped up a notch again. Pinatas, beer pong, dancing, and Mike rocked the microphone for Baby Got Back like you've never heard before! Emily was the meat in a friendship sandwich. And finally, a special picture for the best man Ian and his new wife, who thought engagement photos were lame...UNTIL they saw mine! With that kind of compliment, I gotta leave them with a taste of disimone photos too.

Erin and Kyle are opposites. Not in a bad way, either. In that "oh, they so totally complement each other" way. In that Jerry Maguire "you complete me" way. They are not alike on the outside. She's tiny and extroverted. He's big and quiet. The cake topper (Disney's Beauty and the Beast) kinda represents that opposites connection they have. And just like the Disney movie, I can't possibly see this ending up any other way than "they lived happily ever after".

Erin's big in theater. And, just like a play, she and her friend had rehearsed and practiced the entry into her dress in the days before the wedding. The choreography was amazing, leading into a perfect (and quick) dress-over-the-head entry. Not a hair misplaced. I love how delicate the girl things are...soft tulle and veils with beads. The poor guys get tight collars and ties. Erin moments before walking down the aisle. Just check out the joy in her face as Erin gets in the limo to go to the reception! I can only imagine what was happening under the skirt that gave this reaction. ha ha ha... He really wanted this garter. Eye on the prize all the way. And, there were an abnormal amount of adorable kids at this wedding, all on simply amazing behavior! Had to share a few pics of these kids... I asked him how old he is, and he started to pick his nose...I knew instantly he must be 2 years old.

Sweet...I love getting new products in the mail. Especially when I know my clients are going to LOVE them! Got a new album vendor today. Great news...price is great, quality is great. A winning combination. The new albums are flush mount, to most people this means the pages are stiff and are actually photo prints mounted onto the pages themselves. It is a modern, sleek alternative to the traditional black matted albums that many of us are used to. Some of the cool things with this type of album, you can have images that span across two pages...makes a dramatic impact! Also, the pages lay pretty much flat, so you can have an easier time seeing the layout. Finally, the digital nature of the pages' production means I can have more creativity and flexibility in laying out your album's design. I shared the layout of this album in an earlier post. The album arrived today and here's a couple photos of it. I'm happy to report that the album has already been handled by the girls (my in-house durability testing team) and the album held up perfectly! No fingerprints, no scratches, no mess. The luster coating on the photos has a nice look to it, and the brown leather is soft (and smells like some of my favorite leather stores on Avenida Revolucion in TJ...that's a good thing). There are lots of other color choices like black, red, green, tan. I just wanted brown. Jason prefers black...he's so traditional though. So, if you are interested in this new product, give me a call. In the meantime, I will work on getting the pricing incorporated into my packages and websites for the future.

This weekend was the first time I've ever shot a wedding where I'd never even spoken one word to the bride and groom ahead of time. I literally saw, heard, and met them for the very first time at the rehearsal the night before. WHY? Because Monika and Kyle live in Madagascar! While they originally met in Monterey, their adventures have taken them around the world...most recently working in Madagascar. The reception toasts included stories of volunteering, Peace Corps, and giving back. The party favors...canvas totes. Their rings...recycled metal and diamonds from Canada. It was clear from everything I heard at the event, that while Monika and Kyle try to tread ecologically-light in this world...they have left a HUGE impact on their friends and family. People took 25 hour plane flights to support this union, and it doesn't surprise me in the least. So, now I must add learning to Polka dance to my list of things to do. Monika's family and I have a date at the Portland Polish Festival at the end of September. *wink wink* If you want to see me, look for the girl with two left feet. The ceremony was at the beautiful Santa Catalina Rosary Chapel in Monterey. Monika's mom kept looking back and forth between her two daughters with the most amazing, unending smile. She was clearly just as happy as Monika was. Kyle's mom, Suzanne, did a majority of the leg work for this wedding due to the whole Madagascar thing. =) She is a ball of energy, and a huge Boston Red Sox fan! YEAH! And who doesn't love the moment the groom sees his bride for the first time? The reception party went down at the always cool Holly Farm in Carmel Valley.