Sweet - Steven and Veronica - West Sayville Country Club

Something changes when you have kids.

The dynamics seem to sorta shift...and no longer are you a couple, but a family.

There is a greater love, and an even more special bond. You look at your husband or wife differently.

Not only are they your best friend and lover..they are now the parent of your child.

It's different.

It's sweeter.

It is the hardest job...yet most rewarding, and to share it with someone you love makes it even more amazing.

Our hearts get bigger and we share more, love more, laugh more then we ever thought possible.

***

Maybe it was the mason jar centerpieces...or perhaps her birdcage veil and the stunning location that made their day

feel unique and fabulous.

Or maybe it was the fact that they had planned the wedding within two months, all the while taking care of their children

(a four month old, two and a half year old and a seven year old).

Oh.

And let's not forget about the new home they bought during that time too.

Talk about having your hands full!
I'm pretty sure there are capes under their clothes. ; )

When you have children, there is an even greater commitment and responsibility to preserving the love that has brought and bound you together. Tying the knot now takes on another meaning completely.

Life was sweet, and yet it somehow just got a heck of a lot sweeter!

***

The ceremony and wedding reception took place at the West Sayville Country Club.

I adored photographing there. 

The grounds were beautiful and the dance floor faced a wall of windows which

made it very nice for pictures!

The view from inside...

Ring a ding, ding.

When the limo pulled up at West Sayville Country Club, and Veronica stepped out - you gasped a little.
Okay, alot.
She just had that effect. So glamorous and elegant.

I like how the window lead kind of mirrors the birdcage.
Little things like that make me happy!

Veronica, you're stunning.

Something blue...

Sooo...it goes without saying that photographer's love 'first looks'.
While it's not super traditional, it's sweet as heck.
It also allows some extra time to take pictures of the couple,
instead of squeezing them in between the ceremony and reception, or during the cocktail hour.
It's a bit more relaxed too.
While it may not be for everyone, it's definitely something to think about. 

Steve and Veronica's first look....

They did this on their own during the 'first look' - it wasn't posed.

Here, Dad was 'giving away' his daughter after their walk down the aisle.

Look at the look of happiness on both his face and his son-in-laws face - they can hardly shake hands.

Getting married under some tall oaks.

*sighhhh*

So romantic...

The nice thing about having the ceremony outdoors is that you have the ability to roam
around a bit more to get different angles of the bride and groom.

Here is a look at them up at the alter.

The kiss.

Husband and Wife.

L.O.V.E

indeed

Perfect profile....and let's face it...perfect everything else!

The cake was made with love by Steven's sister, Christine.

Check out 'The Cottage Cakery' to see more of her delightful work.

                                                                     The first dance.

The natural light was amazing from all of the windows.

Mother/son, and the father/daughter dance.

Their father's did the speeches.

They were fabulous!

 I love when a photograph has layers, like the image to the right.

The bond between father and son, and then Veronica peeking over her husband's shoulder at her Dad.

A candid moment...

One of my faves.

This was right after their 'first look'.

Their expressions are so natural - pure happiness.

My 'top five':

Favorite: I loved their first look. Steve was trying to peek...who could blame him really.

Coolest: The whole vintage vibe.

Sentimental: I love that their Dad's did the speeches. Very heartwarming.

Unique: I'm going to go with the bird cage veil. I have never personally had a bride wear that before.

So glamorous!

Funny: When Christian lost his two front teeth. The toothless grin was adorable!

***

Thank you Veronica and Steven for giving me the amazing honor to be there for your day.

I loved seeing how everything came together. You made it look effortless!

Welcome to the sweet life...

how sweet it is!

p.s

Thank you Lisa and Kathleen for such a 'sweet' referral!

p.p.s

Before you go...please leave your thoughts below.

Veronica and Steve will receive a complimentary gift if they reach 20 comments!

Mr. & Mrs. Love - Lombardi's on the Bay

Love: noun, verb, (loved, lov·ing)

1. a profoundly tender, passionate affection for another person.

2. a feeling of warm personal attachment or deep affection.

3. passion or desire.

4. a person toward whom love is felt; beloved person; sweetheart.

5. the coolest last name EVER.

You feel it when they look at each other.

You hear it in their words when they speak of one another.

On their big day 'love' was just in the air.

Have a peek at Mr. & Mrs. Love's happy day!

While Debra was getting ready Chris went out for a ride with the guys...

Chris and Debra have the most amazing views from their windows of the sound and fabulous lush greenery.
Debra added to it!

Debra you're stunning. 

Just gorgeous.  

The flower girls were Debra's nieces.
Super cute girls!
Doesn't the white and navy look sharp?

This next one, right here...is going to be my assistant one day. She had all of these great ideas.

Like popping her out out from behind the flowers.

She would even re-arrange my shots when it wasn't working for her! lol

She may killlll me for saying this.

But it will give women every where such hope.

This is what 5-0 looks like.

Ahhhmazing.
What a beautiful, beautiful woman. 

See what a little 'Love' in your life does ; )

Waiting on his bride...

I love the ascot and tails.

So dramatic and striking.  

It fit him to a 'T'.

Just radiant while walking down the aisle.

The ceremony and reception was held at Lombardi's on the Bay.

 
 

 

So, the first dance was about to begin, when Chris took off his jacket...and shoes. 

We waited for a ballad to begin...when Chuck Berry came over the speakers.
Then all of a sudden they began to 'twist' to the lyrics,

'they had a teenage wedding and the old folks wished them well...

"c'est la vie," say the old folks, "it goes to show you never can tell."

 

I couldn't agree more ; )

 

 

The colors were beautiful.

 

 

Sometimes...it's really not all about the cake ; )

 

 

My Top Five:

 
                                                               Favorite part: The twist!

Here is a quick minute of it...

 

  Coolest part: I'm going to have to go with the tails and ascot - even though the bikes were up there.

 

Sentimental: Maid of honor speech.

 

Unique: I loved the favors. Lenox botanical bowls. So different!

 

Funniest: The best man speech when he spoke about 'woo-woo'.

 

                                          

Thank you Debra and Chris for letting me be there for your day.

I love your 'love'.

It's fun, spontaneous and sexy.

 

p.s.

 

Thanks so much Francine for the referral!

p.s.s

Special thanks to Ian who joined me to photograph!

 

Wipe Out - Make-Up Monday

Sooo...I have to apologize for not keeping up on Make-up Monday.

It has been a busy couple of weeks,

and I was a little bit behind not having my computer for a while with hurricane Irene.

Let's talk essentials.

I thought I would touch upon my all time favorite beauty product.

While it doesn't necessarily help with beauty, it helps in a round about way.

Baby Wipes.

Before I even had kids I was looking for a more reasonable, less greasy alternative to make up removers.

I needed something hypoallergenic and non-scented which left me with only Almay.

And at five or six bucks for a small container - it just wasn't cutting it.

I picked up Costco baby wipes on a whim and have been hooked ever since. I'm actually a bit obsessed to tell you the truth. They are not only great for gently removing make-up but also for a heck of a lot of other things. I use them for quick dusting, cleaning the dash of the car, removing stains, the office...really anywhere. I really can't live without them.

Do you have a beauty product you can't live without or another use

for baby wipes other then with the baby?

I'd love to hear about it!

P.S.

Here are a few more useful ideas I came across:

Removes crayon marks from painted walls or finished furniture.

 Excellent for cleaning shoes.

  Clean up shards of glass off floors after an accident.

Touch up bathrooms between cleanings.

(Wipe down counters and faucets with the wipe and then with a dry towel: great for unexpected guest!)

Clean dashboard and console of your car.

Remove "white marks" from deodorant on clothes.

Wipe down shower or tub after each use to prevent soap scum.

Remove stray hairs from a shedding pet.

Dust your furniture or electronic equipment with clean dried-out wipes.

Clean tile grout.

Remove scuff marks off of floors.

Erase felt tip and marker accidents before they become permanent. (You must act quickly for this to work.)

Clean you PC's keyboard. (Make sure to unplug it from the computer first!)

Cool a sunburn by patting it with a baby wipe. (Aloe wipes work best for this.)

P.P.S

I will be sharing some images from sessions/weddings this upcoming week.

Hope you check back in!

Happy Monday!

Seeds of Change - Remembering 9/11

I kneeled on the hard concrete outside of my office to try to get a picture with 

my phone's camera of the delicate daisy 

that managed to squeeze itself in between the cracks of the cement. 

It was bright yellow and white and looked tall and proud. 

I loved the fact that the flower (under such tremendous odds), grew, bloomed 

and thrived in such harsh conditions. 

I wanted a picture to remind me of the smile it gave me.

Sixty miles away, at the same time...a plane had just crashed into the 

north tower of the World Trade Center.

Only sixty miles away, yet worlds apart. 

And in mere seconds lives were changing forever.

Words were tumbling from the mouths of people on the street and the radio 

was filled with the horrific details of what was happening minute by minute.

2,819  innocent victims - wives, husbands, mothers, fathers, sons and daughters were not going to be coming home. Ever again.

 Tears streamed down our faces as we stood, breathless. 

We heard the words and felt the panic...yet couldn't come to the realization of what was actually happening until the vivid imagery began. 

The desperation, the fear and the unfathomable pictures of what people were experiencing 

and witnessing at that second was almost to much to bare.  

Our hearts were breaking watching the people weep while holding on 

to one another in thick dust and ash. 

I remember the dis-belief. I remember fearing the unknown. 

I remember thinking I wanted it all to go away, 

yet when I picked up the paper and turned on the tv there it was again. 

And the more I didn't want to see it, the more I would find myself looking for it.

A picture has that effect. It has the power to make you feel. 

Whether the emotion is sadness, desperation, fear, love, hope or happiness. 

What we hold is not just a piece of paper, it's history. It's seeing the truth...however ugly or pretty that truth might be. 

We are forever changed by a vision. 

We become more compassion and we can relate more then we ever thought possible because of it. 

Seeing is in fact believing. 

The imagery from 9/11 brought our country closer. It impacted us all to the core of our souls. 

In a world that leaves little time these days for passing time with our neighbors, 

it forced us to unite with one another.

I have often wondered since that day what it would have been like to not have experienced the imagery of 9/11. 

Would we have known the devastation by mere words? 

Would we have believed the stories or were the images a narration 

of the events and heartache? 

Could it have ever been described in words alone?

I have always known the importance of a picture...but I didn't know the effect, until that day. 

That a single image can bring a country to it's knees...

and yet still...unite our resolve and resilience. 

Beyond the gray and bleak pictures of a city that once was, were the faces of raw emotion. 

People clinging to strangers, as the country was clinging to hope.

Where the Twin Towers once stood tall and proud was a gaping hole like what was felt in our hearts. 

Among the rubble now, in it's place stood our American flag the same way...tall and proud. 

A small, but meaningful paradox among the ruins. 

In a way it reminded me of that flower I saw hours earlier. 

A seed that we needed to sow...and

'from a small seed, a mighty trunk may grow.'

Photograph by: Thomas E. Franklin (http://www.thomasefranklin.com/) 

Named one of the top 100 photographs that changed the world in Life magazine.

If a photograph can change the world...imagine what 'we the people ' can do?!

Ten years today we still mourn while picking up the pieces of our past. 

However, we use those same very pieces to help us build a better tomorrow.

Stop...and smell the roses.

Today she’s walking down the driveway to get on the school bus.

Tomorrow she’s going to be going off to college.

I don't want to blink.

*Sniffffff*

1st Grade...

Love ya pumpkin!

A Present...

I stood in line listening to the folks around me talk about the impending hurricane. 

They were sharing last minute tips and offering suggestions on where to find batteries in case of a power outage. 

They were holding cases of water, purchasing garbage pails and lighters 

and their voices had a worried tone. 

I glanced down at my cart and thought to myself they must think I have gone mad. 

My cart was filled to the brim of not necessities, but rather the opposite. 

Play Dough, lollipop flashlights (I know...genius, right?), paint, a box of 64 brand spanking 

new crayons and enough snacks to invite the county. 

If we were goin' down, we were going to go down having a ball. 

It was 'insurance' in a way too.  

I wanted to make sure my kids lived to tell about it. 

You know, just in case I had to spend 96 freakin' hours with them...

their odds didn't look good without entertainment. ; ) 

Day 1 - The wind was barely kicking up when we lost electricity. 

While we should have been using the batteries for the flashlights, 

we were using them to blare happy Christmas music from the 'Hello Kitty' radio. 

We broke out the Play Dough waaay too early and spent the next three hours playing. 

Who knew, I could be occupied that long without my computer?! 

While three hours sounds like an eternity playing play dough...there were ten more hours to go. 

And that was just day one. 

We laughed, we talked...and pretended we were camping. 

We built tents in the living room and read by flashlight.  

Remember back in the day when a simple card board box could keep you occupied for hours?

Well...thank God boxes still exist.

Day 2 - Was our 'wacky' day. We wore our clothes backwards and ate dinner for breakfast. 

Being unconventional just seemed to sorta fit and it made it a bit more 

fun to get through the endless day.

I don't remember much of the the events now, but I do remember that I spent

 the day noticing the different specks of colors in my children's eyes and 

how the window light highlighted and shadowed their faces. 

No artificial light to muck it all up, just pure, yummy, diffused, lovely light. 

I was glad I had a moment to stop and soak it all in. 

So many days I'm wishing it away...but this day, I was not. 

We slept with the window's wide open feeling the amazing breeze 

left over from Irene and talked about pumpkin picking before falling asleep. 

Day 3 - The novelty was wearing off a little but who was I to complain. 

I wasn't sure how the rest of the world was fairing and we were all safe. 

We played the Christmas CD once again, but Alvin and the Chipmunks 

were starting to get on my nerves...especially when played on repeat. 

I cursed the toys I tripped over, and cursed the water that was ice cold. 

I was tired, exhausted...and ready for the adventure to come to a screeching halt.   

Day 4 - Packed the kids up and headed to the aquarium. 

For some reason I didn't take into consideration that the rest of the Island 

would have had the same idea. 

Sighhhh....

Exhausted, cranky, and defeated...we pulled up in the driveway and saw the porch light on. 

I swear I heard angles singing. 

We yelled, screamed and did a happy dance walking in. 

While we were walking into the house Ms. V said 'Mom, the lights are back on...are you happy?'  

It was a catch 22 in a way. 

Happy for the convenience...yes.

Annnd happy because I enjoyed a simpler world that they let me have without them for a few days too.

***

My love hate relationship is with this 'Hello Kitty' radio. 

With an Ipod that has over 14,000 songs, a CD changer with over 500 discs, 

and an amazing entertainment system and speakers...I listen to this. 

Sighhhh...

Parenthood!

You thought I was kidding...

Three hours...for real!

The box is 12x12...

May I suggest a great holiday gift?! ; ) 

I'm ashamed that I relied on DS to occupy my daughter....desperate times...desperate measures.

I took ummm...like two pictures at the aquarium. 

While, I guess you can't be thankful for a hurricane especially after hearing about the suffering and devastation. 

But. A part of me was selfish. I was thankful. 

I was thankful for the time I had to step away from the hustle and bustle. 

To pay attention to every word, and every syllable coming out of my children's mouths. 

No place to go, nothing to do...no one to see. 

It was a forced vacation. 

 I took advantage of the time away from the computer...phone...laundry...heck...even cooking 

( I kid...I don't cook ; ) to take it all in. 

To be present...in the present. 

Because after all...it was a present. 

Hurricane Irene

Hello All! 

This is Stacey's sister.

She wanted me to post an update in lieu of the events of Hurricane Irene. 

Unfortunately, she has been without power since Saturday. Her cell phone service has been choppy, but over the broken calls and animated shrills of her little ones, I was able to hear her say that she is hoping for internet service, any kind of service, within the next twenty-four hours. 

Let's keep our fingers crossed. 

As soon as the power is restored, she will answer all e-mails and update her blog. :)