Mary and Ben planned a perfect, laid back fall wedding for early October.  The timing was just right to take advantage of the fall color that we had.  Who would have guessed it to be one of the coldest days.  Ever.  So, imagine you’re a bride.  Preparing to freeze all afternoon.  Worried that the overcast skies will open up during the ceremony.  Wondering if the entire thing should be moved to the tent.  Now.  Forget all of that.  Because the day was JOYOUS, from beginning to end without a hint of worry from anyone.  To be honest, I was the only one concerned about the rain (although I kept quiet about it).

As the girls prepared in the upstairs master suite, the laughter was contagious!  Stories abounded and Mary was watched by her maids.  They sat in the bathroom with her just chatting about the things that girls do, giving her their full attention as she finished her hair and makeup.

And the details using special pieces from Mary’s home :)

Mary and Ben, love them, opted for a First Look.  SO WISE considering we had no idea what the weather was going to do as the day progressed!  We sent Ben out on the back patio while everyone secretly watched from inside the house :)

We took a lot of breaks…remember it was FREEZING!!!  Mary never, not even once, complained about being cold.  She wins my “most resilient bride” award for the year!

The ring bearer always steals the show :)  As the guests began to arrive, Mary again retreated to the master suite.  This was one of my favorite parts of the day (I should warn you, there are multiple I will talk about).  The guests were greeted with champagne and due to the cold temps outside, they literally filled the lower level of the house.  It was shoulder to shoulder as people greeted on another, talked and laughed.  If I didn’t know better, I would think this closeness was a planned part of the day as it complemented the feel of the wedding perfectly.

Just before the ceremony was to begin, the wind picked up.  And so did the rain.  We debated what to do, if we should move the guests and ceremony into the tent.  It was about 5 minutes of crazy (or at least to me and probably Mary’s dad) as the choice was made to proceed as planned.  The rain let up and umbrellas were handed out.  Mary walked down the aisle with a little mist, but I’m pretty sure she didn’t even notice.

Mary and Ben’s wedding was so very unique, and so totally them.  Poetry was read, along with quirky poems that sparked a few laughs.  A special book was read called “A Lovely Love Story” by Edward Monkton.  It’s a modern-day fable about a funny but distant Dinosaur who falls in love with a free-spirited Other Dinosaur.  The story is simple and true about how great couples grow together by embracing their individuality.  Even after the ceremony, family and friends continued to comment how beautiful the readings were.

Off to the reception at the GORGEOUS Baker Street Train Station in Fort Wayne.  Rose’s Bouquets provided the lovely centerpieces and florals, along with some of the most helpful and kind staff I’ve had the pleasure of working with.

The reception was a continuation of the closeness felt throughout the day.  Mary and Ben greeted each guest and I can honestly say the entire room felt like one large family.  A little later in the evening, Mary’s dad had another special moment planned;  a dance  that involved the guests as well.  I asked Mary to help me with this part so I would get it right…from Mary:

“The dance is a Macedonian tradition.  My aunt made the bread (it is a sweet bread called koluk).  My dad gave the explanation of what the bread and its ingredients stand for (the bread is round, like a wedding band, to signify something that has no beginning and no end).  The dance itself is a simple one.  It’s done in a circle with the guests holding hands in a line, reminiscent of Greek and Jewish weddings.  My mom and dad did the first “circle” around the room then they held the bread over our heads (like a tunnel) as Ben and I and the rest of the guests danced under it.  The music gradually increased in tempo until the end.  I led the dance with a handkerchief that belonged to my grandfather.  After the dance, pieces of the bread were served to guests as the platter was passed throughout the room.”

Let me just say…that bread smelled great.  But it tasted better!  The dance was wonderful, encompassing the entire room as the line weaved in and out between tables.  The joy simply overflowed :)

Mary and Ben, it was an honor to be a part of the family for a day.  Your day was truly all about the two of you and the love you share.  Your family and friends are an amazing support to you and I know their love helped make the day so special.  It was felt by all.  Thank you so much for letting me a part of it…and for the sweet bread :)

“Together they stand on a hill, telling each other stories and feeling the warmth of the sun on their backs.  And that, my friends, is how it is with love.”

-Edward Monkton

It was a month ago that we were enjoying the warm sunny skies of California.  We’ve been friends since high school, brought together by the friendship of our now-husbands.  We’ve fought (and made up) like sisters.  She’s my best friend.

It was a month ago that Kristen’s husband made a visit to our house.  The boys had a day trip of their own planned and were getting an early start the next morning.  Stan came the night before to crash on our couch and showed up late that night.  Tim and I stayed up to chat with him and on a whim, I mentioned Kristen’s coming birthday the next week.  “Stan, you should buy your wife a plane ticket to California!”  Seriously.  He turned to me and said, “Ok.  Make it happen.”

WHAATTTT????!!!!!!!!!

Ok, so I ran to the computer and started looking at flights.  Stan called Kristen’s sister Kelli in Sacramento and within 20 minutes, no joke, we had two round trip tickets to FUN booked ;)  Then the torture…I had to wait a WHOLE WEEK until Kristen found out!

You may remember the wedding of Kristen’s sister last summer at a gorgeous vineyard in Clarksburg.  Long story short, Kristen was unable to attend due to being too far along in her pregnancy to fly.  So, in a small way, I hoped this trip would not only be a much needed break from our very long winter but would also give Kristen and Kelli another great memory of their own.

After an endless day of travel, we flew into Sacramento and moved into Kelli’s house :)  Kristen and I made plans for the first few days we would be without Kelli while she was working.  Day 1:  Napa!  I’d never been wine tasting before and honestly had never drank much wine at all in my life…it was a great experience.  There’s so much to learn!!!  The area is beautiful even with the leaves off the vines!  If you’ve never been, there are two main roads that run through the valley and there are literally hundreds of vineyards staggered throughout.

Our first stop, Robert Mondovi, home of the best Moscato on the planet!

Gorgeous vineyard and tasting room.  That’s what I loved the most about Napa.  Of the few vineyards we visited, each had it’s own unique feel.  Some really felt more “Mom and Pop” (like Hagafan, my first official winery AND wonderful personal attention) while others were very formal and aesthetic.  Mondavi was one of the most impressive to me.

If I had to pick a favorite, it would be the next one.  V. Sattui Winery was where I found my newest love…their Muscat tastes like honey in a bottle!  More casual than Mondavi with the added bonus of a great deli next to the tasting room where we scored some fabulous artichoke dip and cheese for dinner that night.

Another stop was the Beringer Winery below.

And the most interesting and memorable stop, Sterling Vineyard :)  Their property was huge!  Upon arrival, we were immediately directed to the tram that took us to the top of the hill where the winery resides.  Gorgeous views while the sun was setting!  And out on the terrace, a wonderful look at what makes Napa so beautiful and serene.

Our final stop was one we made just to see the facade of the winery.  Literally, a castle!

During our last trip to California, I was introduced to Big Spoon.  It will forever be a “Must Stop” portion of any trip where there is one in the area.  Who doesn’t love DIY yogurt and toppings by the pound ;)  The next day Kristen and I spent buying out the outlet malls and meeting Kelli for dinner.  On Friday, Kelli called in sick to work and the three of us headed to Santa Cruz for the day!

First stop, THE BEACH!  We sank our toes in the sand and sat a while on the nearby rocks to absorb as much sea air as we could.

A few of these were taken from the backseat of Kelli’s SUV, I’m amazed they’re in focus!  The coast along Santa Cruz is GOR-GEOUS!  I will never tire of seeing the bluffs, rocks and surfers below.  We checked out the boardwalk and onto the pier for lunch.  Not the best dining experience but it’s one we will never forget!

After a very LONG lunch, we headed to their downtown area that was lined with great stores and boutiques.  We shopped and browsed a while but when we were ready to leave, we realized we would be fighting rush hour traffic.  We searched for some other things to do and guess what?!  We found a few wineries located in town ;)  Definitely not the Napa feel but still interesting!

By now it was late enough that we decided to have dinner in town too.  We ate at this great place called Pizza My Heart.  Highly Recommended!  On Saturday, we were up bright and early to make the most of our last day.  We met friends of Kristen’s for breakfast then headed to Carvalho Family Winery for their Chocolate & Port event.  This is the same vineyard that Kelli was married in and one of the things Kelli and I had planned to do as a surprise for Kristen.  It was Kristen’s first time to the Old Sugar Mill (where Carvalho is located along with 6 other wineries) and for me, it was wonderful to be back!

It was Valentine’s weekend at the vineyards and they were all celebrating with tastings and wonderful food!

We ventured back into Sacramento, not sure what we would do with the rest of our evening.  We saw signs of Spring everywhere we looked as the trees were sporting fresh blooms.  Kristen and I were already dreading coming home to Indiana knowing that the temps had been below zero the entire time we were gone.  We found a great restaurant downtown called Aura that made our trip complete.

I think it’s safe to say we all had the best time.  I can’t believe Kristen and I have never done anything like this before…we’ve been talking about it for years!  Now, we’re already scheming planning the next one.

To Tim and Stan.  Thanks for letting us go and being single dads for the week.  And get ready to do it again soon ;)

To Kelli.  Thank you.  Thank you.  Thank you.  For letting us stay with you, being our tour guide and car rental provider.  Thank you for making the trip possible.

To Kristen.  I love you and our friendship.  Can’t wait to see how much trouble we get into over the next 15 years!  “Is there honey in that?”

I love my Weeds babies.  Really, I do.  It always amazes me how different each child is.  Now, I realize every child is different, that’s nothing new!  But, considering that I only spend a couple of hours every few months photographing these kids, the amazing part is how obvious and apparent their personalities are to me when they’ve only had a short time to develop!  I’ve got Levi all figured out:  He never fusses and really seems to be chilling all the time.  He can have an almost pensive expression as if he can communicate by concentrating!  I’m curious if his Mom and Dad agree with my assessment ;)  Regardless, Levi is always charming and each session at his home is a treat for me.

Ugh, the cuteness is unbearable :)  Thanks Jon and Julie for another great morning with the kiddos!