OCTOBER SPECIAL

Portrait session and 25 Holiday cards (designed with a picture from your session) for $125!  Contact dad (813-240-6611; jasonangelini@aol.com) before the end of the month for details or to book this special!

October 31, 2007

H A P P Y   H A L L O W E E N

Have fun and be safe!

October 30, 2007

LEIGH AND MIKE'S WEDDING

Dad had so much fun at Sunday's wedding.  Leigh, Mike, and the entire bridal party were all awesome!  Dad had so much fun photographing them because they were up for anything and made "portrait time" a blast. 

Leigh started her day the way a bride should.  While having her hair and makeup done at Awa Spa in Tampa, she took a short break for a massage.

The bridesmaids looked beautiful in dresses of all different styles and varying shades of blue.  On the left is Courtney, who is engaged to Adam.  Dad can't wait to photograph their wedding in April!

A quick bathroom break during pictures .

As dad was shooting, he heard a train coming on the nearby railroad tracks.  It was a short train so dad quickly got Leigh and Mike in front of it for pictures.  Mom loved this one of the couple framed between two of the train cars.

In honor of Halloween, is that a ghost in the window???  Spooky!!

The reception was in Big City Tavern in Tampa.  Leigh and Mike had Lounge Cat as their band and dad loved them.  Dad also loved the couple's cake.  Though he didn't get a chance to taste it, it looked really yummy!

During the reception, dad took Leigh and Mike outside for a few more quick pictures.  Mom thought this one was beautiful.  It looks like it is Christmas time and about to start snowing any minute.

Leigh and Mike live in Colorado and dad wants them to book him a wedding there so he can go visit and snowboard with them!  Dad says they are great people and he had so much fun at their wedding.  Thanks to Leigh, Mike, and all of their friends!

THE PUMPKIN PATCH

Our family's tradition is to carve our pumpkins on Halloween day so today we went out to buy them.  It was Everett's first pumpkin ever and the first time I got to pick one out myself.  Mom and dad laughed when I picked out one of the very small 50 cent pumpkins but I liked it!  They helped me pick out a bigger one too so I would have one to carve.  Here are a few pictures from our trip to get our pumpkins.

October 28, 2007

EMILY AND MATT'S WEDDING

On Friday Emily and Matt were married at the Lange Farm.  It was a perfect location for them because they are both animal lovers.  Emily has had one of her horses since she was 12 years old and the couple had two dogs as the ring bearers for the wedding.

The ceremony took place under a Chuppah on the South Lawn.  There was a vine of autumn leaves decorating the Chuppah and flowers were in fall colors, including the flower girls' beautiful pomander balls and hair wreaths.  Emily arrived in a covered horse-drawn carriage and when Matt saw her he had the biggest smile.

Dad said it was great to meet Monica and Jacob of IMJ Photography in Gainesville.  They are friends of Emily and Matt so they were there as guests.  They looked like they were having a blast dancing all night!  Doug Decker of Grant Hemond was the DJ.  Fall colors decorated the reception with alternating tall and short floral centerpieces surrounded by mini pumpkins.  Keeping with the autumn theme, there was also a cornucopia ice sculpture.

Thanks for having us share in your wonderful fall wedding, Emily and Matt!  It really seemed to reflect the two of you.  Congratulations, and here are a few pictures for you!

KRISTY AND DAVE'S WEDDING

I was able to meet Kristy and Dave a few days before their wedding when they came over to talk with dad.  I'm only two years old so when I am talking to people who don't know me, they sometimes have a bit of trouble following what I am saying.  Kristy and Dave seemed to understand toddler talk, which dad thought was pretty cool.  One of the things I asked them was what they were going to be for Halloween.  Dave said that they were going to be a bride and groom in Costa Rica!

Their wedding was Saturday in Longboat Key.  Charity of A Charmed Event was their wonderful wedding planner and Darla Stafford was there for hair and makeup.  The ceremony was at St. Martha's and the couple then had a trolley take them to their reception site, the Hilton on Longboat Key.  Kristy and Dave were great about planning time for pictures.  They gave dad enough time for all the groups and were still able to attend their cocktail hour.

Kristy has family from Canada and her dad introduced what he said was a Canadian wedding tradition.  Rather than ringing bells to have the bride and groom kiss, guests had to get up and hula hoop!  Dave's family has their own tradition during wedding receptions.  Dave's brothers' toasts were more like roasts with funny stories about him as a kid.

A big thank you to Caroline Billman for shooting with dad at the wedding.  One day we should get together so Everett and I can meet Chris.  I'm sure you and dad would take lots of great pictures .

Here are a some pictures from the beautiful day:

Sunday was Leigh and Mike's wedding.  They are such wonderful people.  I'll be back with pictures soon! 

October 26, 2007

A SENTIMENTAL MESSAGE FROM MOM

One of the amazing things about being a mom is that you can come across an open package of fruit snacks from a week ago hidden inside a toy, hardened and sticky at the same time, and find it so endearing.  Or you can go in the bathroom to see a cowboy hat on top of the litter box and your heart just swells with love. 

And thank you to my wonderful and loving husband who understands that romance might have been things like dinner and a movie before, but now setting up the lap top to watch a movie together on my desk as I work is even more romantic.  Even when the movie isn't very good.

October 25, 2007

MAGEAN AND ADAM'S ENGAGEMENT SESSION

On Tuesday dad met up with Magean and Adam in Ybor City for their urban engagement session.  They are an awesome couple and look so good together!  As mom was looking through the pictures, she loved how all of Magean's smiles were really genuine and how they both looked like they were having a lot of fun.  Dad says to give him a call if you decide on that tattoo session .  In the meantime, here are some pictures from the engagement session:

This one is mom's absolute favorite!

October 24, 2007

IS IT VACATION TIME YET?

Mom says she knows she is tired because dad has the flu and all the awful symptoms that go with it and all she can think about is how JEALOUS she is of him because he gets to spend the day in bed resting!!!  If it takes dad a bit longer to return phone calls, it is because he is taking a sick day today.

October 23, 2007

RILEY AND FRANK'S WEDDING

After more than a year of waiting for Riley and Frank's big day, it finally arrived on Saturday.  We have been honored to share in their lives and it made the day very meaningful.  Dad photographed their engagement session, maternity session, and a newborn session when their adorable son was born.  Mom said that she when she met Riley and Frank, she instantly felt like they were old friends.  We were all very excited about their big day and couldn't be happier for them.

The wedding was at the Sandbar and the couple's AWESOME team of vendors included Darla Stafford as the hair stylist and makeup artist,  Rob Sword as the DJ (dad worked with him the day before also) and Charity of A Charmed Event as the wedding coordinator.  Charity also blogged about Riley and Frank's wedding so visit her blog to read that as well.  Charity is a good and caring person, as well as a hard working coordinator, and we have to send her a big THANK YOU.  All of these vendors have their heart in their work and it shows.

Thanks also to Chanele for helping dad out during the wedding.  Good luck to you!

But now for some pictures!  Here is Riley looking fabulous as she got ready for her day.  Looking at her, you would never guess that she had a baby just 6 months ago!  Then again, she looked incredible for her maternity pictures too.   

One of the benefits of a Florida beach wedding...you may be in a formal tux, but you can still be barefoot in the sand.

Riley and the two men in her life:

Riley and Frank's first dance on the rose petal covered sand:

Party time!

Dad, Riley, and Charity (see Charity, we didn't show one of you dancing ).

Riley was all about the party!

The night ended as Riley and Frank left on a trolley.

A big congratulations to Riley and Frank.  Mom says that you don't have the excuse of being busy with wedding planning now so we all have to get together again soon!

THE PUMPKIN FESTIVAL

Every year we head to the Hunsader Farm in Bradenton for the Pumpkin Festival to help us feel like it really is autumn despite the continuing hot weather.  There are good things about living in Florida of course, but this time of year both mom and dad miss living up north, seeing the leaves change, drinking hot apple cider, and enjoying the chilly breezes as the weather changes and winter approaches.  Heading down to the farm with hay rides, pumpkin patches, and the craft fair with all the homemade Christmas decorations is our fun way to celebrate fall in Florida.  Of course it was still really hot out and mom and I even ended up with sunburns.  Oh well!

Dad and Everett posing with the Pumpkin Man.

The day we went there was a BMX show.  Dad wished he had his "real" camera for pictures instead of just our point and shoot.

We sat on some hay and listened to a kid's band play pumpkin songs.  We clapped our hands and danced around a bit with hay behind our ears.  Even though Everett was sleeping, we put hay behind his ear too so he wouldn't feel left out. 

All month long, at least a couple times a week I ask to watch It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown.  I was so excited to see Snoopy in his World War I Flying Ace costume.  We were all very impressed that it was carved out of wood.

Last year dad had wanted to get a big leg of meat but the line was so long and when he got to the front they ran out and were giving tickets for people to come back later.  This year dad was excited to get his turkey leg.

Dad asked Aunt Kellie to hold his leg of meat and her expression is just what mom felt when she saw the chunk of meat, "EWW, how can anyone eat this??!!"

I decided against the turkey leg and had ice cream instead.

This was the first year we didn't find our way out of the corn maze.  After around 20 minutes or so, we found ourselves back at the entrance instead of the exit!  Could it be because of who was leading?  Thanks mom, dad, grandma, and pop pop.  I know all of you wanted to try leading but you let me and Aunt Kellie take turns instead and you didn't mind TOO much when we ended up going through the same paths more than once.

Dad is heading out to an engagement session tonight so I'll have more pictures to share soon!

October 22, 2007

SARAH AND ROB'S WEDDING

On Friday dad photographed Sarah and Rob's wedding.  They are such nice people and dad said it was great to be able to spend the day celebrating with them.  Sarah got ready at The Shoppe in Seminole and since Halloween is coming up soon dad borrowed Sarah's ring for this picture:

The ceremony was at the gorgeous St. Raphael's Catholic Church.  The sky that day looked amazing!

One of mom's favorites during the ceremony:

Dad took pictures in the church before going to the beach.

The reception was at the Grand Plaza on St. Pete beach.  Dad says it is a great location with a helpful staff .  Rob Sword of Sword Sounds was the DJ, and he is not only a excellent DJ but also a wonderful person.  Dad thought it was awesome when trays of ice cream were brought out for all the guests.  Sarah wanted to share ice cream from her favorite ice cream shop, Sweets and Treats.  Yummy!

When you have a cake with blue ice cream, it is more fun to smash it!  But be prepared for retaliation...Rob got Sarah back even worse than she got him!

The night went on with dancing and a trip to the bar that turned out to be a little too eventful !  Dad said it was lots of fun.  Congratulations Sarah and Rob!

MORE UPDATES TOMORROW

Tomorrow I'll be back to share pictures from Riley and Frank's wedding and from our trip to the Pumpkin Festival on Sunday.  Be sure to come back and check it out!

October 18, 2007

BETH AND WADE'S WEDDING

The Lange Farm is such a beautiful place.  Dad loves photographing there, maybe because it is different from most of the other Florida locations.  Beth and Wade were married at the Lange Farm on Sunday with an outdoor ceremony and reception.

The couple chose red and brown as their colors which looked great against the natural greens and browns of the grass and trees.  The details all came together to create a wonderful rustic look.

Lining the aisle for the ceremony were mason jars holding candles and decorated with red ribbon.

The bridesmaids wore brown and mom loved the style of their dresses.  You could definitely wear dresses like this again!

Beth and Wade were so sweet with each other.  Dad said that though they were enjoying their wedding day, they were also just happy to be married and starting their life together.

The reception took place under a canopy of trees with string lights and candles lighting the celebration after the sun set.  Congratulations Beth and Wade, and enjoy your honeymoon!

OUR FAMILY

Everyone who sees my baby brother for the first time always comments on his hair.  He does have lots of hair and people are even starting to tell mom that she needs to give him a haircut, though mom says she is going to wait at least another month.  What people don't know is that when Everett's hair is wet, just out of the bath, it is also sort of curly!  Mom took this picture to show off Everett's curls before his hair dried and was straight again.

And because when you have two kids, you have to make everything equal, here is a picture mom took of me as well.  Blue soap in the bath is fun!

IF YOU DON'T HAVE A BABY TO WAKE YOU UP...

Grandma and pop pop are at the beach for a rare night away from home so Aunt Kellie spent the night at our house last night.  Mom had to get up at 6am to wake up Aunt Kellie and help her get ready, and dad had to wake up just after that to drive her to school.  Knowing this, you would think that they would go to bed early but both mom and dad stayed up until just past 4am this morning catching up on some work.  They set the alarm clock but it didn't go off (well, mom's theory is that dad turned it off without realizing it and mom slept through it).  Luckily Everett was being helpful and woke up at 6:20 to nurse so Aunt Kellie was still able to get to school on time.

For those of you who don't have a baby that wakes you up early in the morning , check out Clocky, the mobile alarm clock.  The alarm goes off and if you hit the snooze button it will roll away so you have to get out of bed to track it down and turn off the alarm!

Clocky

www.nandahome.com

October 17, 2007

KERRY AND CHRIS'S WEDDING

Dad was at the Tradewinds on Saturday for Kerry and Chris's wedding.  The wedding ceremony was on the beach with the reception on the Breckenridge deck.

In February dad photographed Jessica and Tom's wedding and he was happy to see Karen (Jessica's mom) again!  You can see pictures from Jessica and Tom's wedding on my February 2007 blog archive, including one of dad's favorite shoe shots ever of Jessica's White House Black Market shoes.

Mom loved that Kerry hung her dress on a bright pink padded hanger for the pictures!  She also got ready in her pink bathrobe and had her toenails painted in pink, and the bridesmaids were in pink dresses.  The couple did a great job accenting the pink with orange, peach, and green as well.

Kerry wore a Miami Dolphin garter, though mom is sure the Dolphins bad luck with their 0-6 start this season is no reflection on the couple ;)  Just teasing the Dolphin fans!

As Kerry was getting ready, her dad asked my dad to go with him as he pulled Kerry aside to give her a special gift.  He had a bottle of Jameson old irish whiskey that he bought in Ireland at the Old Jameson Distillery.  He gave Kerry a garter that held a flask filled with the whiskey and the two of them shared a drink. 

Look at the pride on Kerry's dad's face as he walks her down the aisle.  Kerry and Chris saw each other before the ceremony, but that didn't lessen the emotion at all as she walked down the aisle.

Look at the way Kerry looks at Chris!

Sharing a kiss...

The parent dances at the reception were both so loving and sweet.  These pictures made mom get a bit sentimental looking ahead to what it would be like on my wedding day or at Everett's wedding.

Mom just loved this picture dad took as the sun was setting.

The reception was decorated with striped linens, hanging Chinese lanterns, tropical flowers, and candles as the sun set.  Kerry and Chris had personalized water bottles, beer cozies, and cigars for their guests.  Dad said the reception was a great party and everyone had a lot of fun.  Gavin might have had too much fun, but we won't talk about that...I'm only a kid after all!

 It is super late at night (well technically early morning), so I'll be back tomorrow to blog about Beth and Wade's wedding at the Lange Farm on Sunday.  Look how cute the baby sheep are!!

October 16, 2007

INTERVIEW

I'm sick with a cold and though it isn't all that bad, I am being a bit more needy of my mom's attention and keeping her busy.  Tomorrow she is going to help me update my blog with pictures from both of dad's weddings this past weekend but for now Lauren was nice enough to send in her interview from August's Blog Reader Participation and Appreciation month.  Thanks for helping us out Lauren!

Lauren & Clifton:  July 21, 2007 at the Tampa Westshore Marriott

How did you two meet?

We met through our mutual friend nikki while we were both attending usf. She invited us both out to see a movie and I almost didn’t go but I am so glad I did because we started dating and became inseparable very shortly after that first movie!
 

Tell us about the moment you became engaged.

we had talked about getting engaged for a while but were trying to wait until cliff graduated from usf in summer 07. well cliff took me to go pick out a ring (not knowing he came back the next day and bought it for me!) & then had planned a dinner cruise for our 2 and a half year anniversary (well that was the plan) .

Instead, he ended up proposing after our good friends joe & jenna’s wedding (this is where we met Jason!) outside in the courtyard, I wasn’t expecting it at all and of course I said yes! Then we were so overjoyed with happiness & went to go to cliff’s parents house to pick up my ring where he proposed once again! After calling my parents we showed up at their house as well & waited for my sister to get there to tell her the good news! We were both so happy & excited to start planning our wedding!

 
What was your "vision" for the look and theme of your wedding? What did you do to achieve it?

my vision was pretty much elegant & vibrant. I wanted the feel of the wedding to be very creative & reflect both our personalities in every way possible. We had many personalized touches, from the invitations to the menus & favors, pretty much everything was created just for our wedding using our color scheme of red, pink & orange. I wanted the flowers to be original & unlike anything I had ever seen at a wedding! our wedding ended up being so elegant & everything I had pictured & more! I am so glad I went with the choices I (& cliff of course!) did.

Besides dad of course, who were your favorite vendors?

Well obviously Jason angelini was our top vendor, the photos he captured will last a lifetime & he is just so great to work with! I would recommend him to any future bride!

 My other favorite vendor was the ever so amazing Darla Stafford who did my hair & makeup along with the bridesmaids hair. She is so great to have around the whole day & really kept me calm! My idea of what I wanted to look like as a bride came true & she was even there to touch up my makeup after the ceremony tears had fallen.

Another favorite vendor was Jennifer Collins from the Westshore Marriott. She was our wedding coordinator and did an awesome job with keeping everything organized. She made sure everything was on time & set up the way we wanted it to be and if there was anything that did go wrong she took care of it and it was unnoticed! The venue was not only beautiful but the staff is excellent.
 

What were your favorite details from your day?

My favorite details of our day was defiantly the flowers (the bouquets & tall centerpieces especially), attire (my dress & the bridesmaids dresses), the personalization of the whole wedding (programs, menus, wish bowl to name a few!).

 
Describe the most emotional moment for you during your wedding.

The most emotional moment was definitely the first time I saw cliff standing at the end of the aisle, I was only focused on him & how happy I was to be marrying my soul mate & starting our life together! Once I reached him at the end of the aisle I could see his eyes were teary too & i knew this would be the best day of our life to celebrate our true love for each other.

 

The funniest or most embarrassing moment that you will always look back on and laugh?

i think the funniest moment was either the father/daughter dance when my dad was being a dancing fool(he is really good!).. but it was funny because the song I chose was “my girl” and before I knew it a ton of the guests were singing along & clapping, my dad just has this way to make people laugh & entertain..it was awesome & i will always remember it. Another funny moment was defiantly when cliff & I were doing the cha cha slide & cliff kept messing up & would end up in the wrong direction …..so funny bc he was trying so hard & did well for him not really liking to dance!

 
The one thing you think is most important for other brides planning their weddings to know:

I think that you should worry less about the little details that really don’t matter once it comes down to it. Try to remember at the end of the day you are still married (I know a lot of people say this but it is so important to remember when you are stressed out & caught up in the wedding planning!) try to have plenty of time to plan leading up to the wedding and delegate certain family members & wedding party members to take care of certain duties (if they are willing to help out!)

as the few weeks before the wedding arrive you definitely don’t want to deal with last minute stress, it should be an exciting time, not a stressful time!

If something goes wrong, try not to take it too hard, right before our wedding ceremony there was basically a hurricane outside and pitch black at 5pm so obviously our guests were running late, we didn’t get to take pictures outside after the wedding, etc but we were so happy to be married it wasn’t a big deal! Also if something does go wrong it can always make for a good wedding day story in the end. Remember to have fun and also enjoy the planning process because it really goes by so quick!

October 15, 2007

PREGNANCY AND INFANT LOSS REMEMBRANCE DAY

An angel in the book of life wrote down my baby's birth,

and whispered as she closed the book, "Too Beautiful for Earth"

--Author Unknown

October 15th of every year is pregnancy and infant loss remembrance day.  It is a day to remember the babies who have returned to God so soon and a day to support the families who mourn them.  Those who have suffered through a miscarriage, ectopic pregnancy, or stillbirth should know that they are not suffering alone.  Light a candle today in remembrance of these babies and to show support for those who grieve their loss.

October 13, 2007

OUR TRASH THE DRESS SESSIONS ARE FEATURED IN THE LOCAL PAPER

Check out the October issue of the Osprey Observer and read the article, "Residents Jump on Post-Wedding Trend" by Renee Hobbs.  It is about one of our recent Trash the Dress sessions and the growing trend.

Thanks to Bronwyn for agreeing to be interviewed for the session, and for all the great things she had to say about dad and her session. 

You can see more pictures from Bronwyn's Trash the Dress session in the blog archives for August of this year.  Be sure to call dad (813-240-6611) to schedule your own session!

October 12, 2007

THANKS FOR THE REMINDER, SUSAN!

In July, I had a week of wedding tips and ideas (check the July 07 archives if you missed it).  One of our tips was to buy a pretty padded hanger for your wedding dress so it would look nicer in pictures.  Susan remembered this tip and had her dress on a white padded hanger for her pictures. 

QIK FYI, HTH

For those of you who are lost when you see all the abbreviations used in emails and text messages, there is help!  A website called www.netlingo.com now helps you translate the phrases and acronyms used on the web through their on-line dictionary.  For example, "POS" stands for "Parent Over Shoulder" which mom thinks will be useful for grandma to know now that Aunt Kellie is getting closer to her teenage years.

October 11, 2007

IT'S THAT TIME OF YEAR

Around this time of year we always get stacks and stacks of catalogs in the mail.  Usually they are just those catalogs filled with trinkets and novelty tee-shirts and other stuff that will most likely end up in a yard sale within a couple years if you actually buy it.  Dad usually browses through the catalogs before we get rid of them, and I sometimes I like to look with him.  I saw a few things in one of the catalogs that would be perfect gifts for a few of my family members.  Mom needs this right about now: 

Mommy Needs Sleep Nightshirt

www.catalogfavorites.com

This shirt would be perfect for my Aunt Lora:

I'm Confused T-Shirt

www.catalogfavorites.com

For dad, because he has that sort of sense of humor sometimes:

Butt Quack Boxer Shorts

www.catalogfavorites.com

And a shirt that's perfect for me:

Warning:  I am Two T-Shirt

www.catalogfavorites.com

October 10, 2007

SUSAN AND CHRIS'S WEDDING

On Sunday, Susan and Chris were married at the Don CeSar.  The couple lives in Massachusetts, and around this time of year mom and dad are so jealous of people in New England, or any where with leaves changing and autumn weather.  But Susan and Chris got a beautiful Florida day for their beach wedding!

Susan and Chris put together a wonderful team of vendors for their day.  The coordinator was Georgia from Weddings by Georgia.  Dad said she was terrific to work with and she kept everything running smoothly.  Darla Stafford was their for Susan's hair and makeup and we always say how awesome she is.  The DJ, Jeff Staples from Jeff Staples Group, was great as well, and the flowers looked beautiful thanks to Jamie with Flowers by Design.

Dad said Susan was smiling and laughing literally all day long.  Her and Chris are all about loving life and each other.  They are wonderful together.

My favorite movie of all time, and the first movie I ever saw in a movie theater, was The Nightmare Before Christmas.  When dad saw this book, he took a picture because he knew I would be excited to see it.  I love Pumpkin Jack (as I call him)!

Mom loves the color of the bride's bouquet.

Just Married!  I told you that Susan had a big smile through the whole day .

Pictures on the beach:

The bride and groom entered the reception to guests shooting party poppers with confetti.  It decorated the dance floor for the couple's first dance.

During the reception, the groom and groomsmen changed into guayaberas to honor the bride's Mexican heritage.  They also did the Hora just for fun.  The guests loved the martini ice luge and dad loved the fruit dipping station with white and dark chocolate.

Congratulations to Susan and Chris!  We know you and your family are going to have a fun and happy life. 

And here's a link just for Tyler:  http://herzeleid.com/en/lyrics

OUR FAMILY

Just sharing a few more of our pictures.

Here I am having fun on my scooter and making shadows outside with dad:

And more fun painting pumpkins with Aunt Lora while dad was gone at a wedding.  Thanks for buying me the pumpkin painting kit Aunt Lora!

Aunt Lora's is the boring one , the middle one is the one me, mom, and Aunt Lora all painted together, and the one I am holding is the one I did myself.

October 9, 2007

JODIE AND DANIEL'S WEDDING

Congratulations to Jodie and Dan who were married on Saturday at the Sirata Beach Resort.  Jamie at the Sirata was wonderful as always.  The videographer was Cara from Hearts Video.  Cara is great about working with dad on lighting and positioning.

Jodie and Dan have such a cute relationship.  They are really sweet and enjoy themselves and being together.  Dan kept dad entertained by making faces during pictures and Jodie has the type of personality that had her engrave "I love you sometimes" in Dan's wedding ring.  Mom wishes she would have thought of that for dad's ring!

Jodie had her great grandmother's ring sewn into the zipper of her dress as her "Something Old."  Her "Something Blue" was her University of Michigan garter.  The groom and groomsmen were checking their phones all day for score updates from the Michigan vs East Michigan game.  Good thing Michigan won!

The couple had a traditional Jewish ceremony which cannot occur during the Jewish Sabbath (from sunset on Friday until sunset on Saturday).  Therefore their ceremony began as the sun was setting.  The sunset that night was like a painting.  One aspect of a Jewish ceremony is the breaking of the glass, where the groom steps down on a glass at the end of the ceremony.  In the couple's program, they say that there are numerous meanings of this tradition.  Someone told mom that the real meaning is to show that this is the last time a newly married man will be able to put his foot down.  Just kidding!!! ... Sort of.

At the reception, a sculpture that Jodie's grandfather made for the couple was displayed.  What a great gift.  Dad thought the cake topper was really cute.  It was a bride holding a key and standing next to a groom, sitting with his face in his hands looking defeated, with a ball and chain on his ankle.

Here are a few pictures from the day:

Make-up Artist:  Sarah Jane Make-up

Have a wonderful honeymoon Jodie and Dan! 

I'll be back tomorrow to blog about Susan and Chris's wedding on Sunday at the Don CeSar.

October 7, 2007

WARNING!!!

Yesterday grandma took me to the Brandon mall (Westfield Shopping Center) and I wanted to tell everyone what happened to me.  As I do every trip to the mall, I asked grandma if I could go on the carousel.  She said okay and we bought a token.  In case you don't know, a token for one carousel ride is $2, which mom and dad think is a bit ridiculous.  But anyways, I stood by the gate waiting for the carousel to stop so it would be my turn.  When it did, the guy working there came to let me on.  However, he wasn't paying attention at all and he opened the gate, slamming it right into my face and hurting my eye.  I started crying loudly and grandma had to walk away to calm me down. 

When I stopped crying, my eye still hurt and I didn't want to go on the carousel at all any more.  Grandma went up to the guy, who hadn't said a word or even asked if I was okay, and asked for her money back.  The guy just said, "No Refunds."  Grandma said, "Even when you open the gate into a kid's eye?" and the guy told grandma that he never did that.  He said that grandma had opened the gate and hurt my eye.  Grandma and the other witnesses there said that she never touched the gate but the guy was a huge jerk.  What kind of guy who is operating a kid's ride doesn't look to see if a kid is standing there before opening the gate anyways???   All you have to do is look down and you would see someone there!!!  He was careless, he hurt me, and then he decided to lie about it.  Grandma called mom who was outraged and told grandma to go file an incident report with mall security.  If the guy would have just apologized, mom would have been upset that he was reckless but would have accepted that accidents happen.  To have him instead refuse to apologize, lie about it, and even refuse to refund the stupid $2 is just ridiculously wrong.

Grandma took me to file the report and the security officer was able to see that my eye was hurt.  They told us to let them know if we had to go to the doctor.  Mom told grandma to get a copy of the report and the guy's name, but mall security said they couldn't give out the report because it was "mall property" and that we would have to contact mall management on Monday to get the guy's name and report him to his boss.  Dad says that he is definitely going to be making that phone call on Monday because this guy needs some disciplinary action taken against him. 

We just wanted to warn all of you who might be taking kids to the carousel at Westfield Brandon about my experience there.  Even though I am okay now, the employee at the carousel should not be allowed to get away with carelessly hurting me and then lying about it.

**10-10-07 UPDATE:  After calling mall management, we received a follow-up call from a risk solutions company that handles all incident reports coming from Westfield malls.  The woman was apologetic and through her intervention someone in mall management got in touch with someone high up (I think the vice president) in the company that runs the carousel and they said they would personally speak to the employee and take the necessary disciplinary action.  We are happy with the resolution and are glad that the people involved (other than the guy who hurt me!) took our concerns about the employee's conduct seriously.

LINDSEY'S BRIDAL SESSION

On Friday, dad did a bridal session for Lindsey at a house in Bayshore Crest.  It is 5393 square feet and was just built a year ago.  Dad said that every detail in the house is beautiful, and it is for sale!

Listed by Julie Lux (luxsells@tampabay.rr.com)

www.smithandassociates.com

Lindsey is a gorgeous bride and she is going to take Brian's breath away.  Their wedding is coming up next month and we of course aren't going to spoil the surprise by showing what she looks like!  Since we can't show Lindsey in her gown, here are a few picture of other brides in their *ahem* unique wedding gowns...

ANNUAL TOILET PAPER GOWN CONTEST

Mom got the funniest email the other day from her friend Jamie.  Do you know the game people play at bridal showers where they make a dress out of toilet paper?  These people took it to another level.  Remember, these are all made with nothing but toilet paper, tape, and glue.

They were all entries in the annual Toilet Paper Dress Wedding Contest!  Had you ever heard of such a thing?  CheapChicWeddings.com has had the contest for 3 years now.  There were even some girls with their toilet paper garters!  They must have been to lots of bridal showers to get that good at toilet paper dresses.

October 6, 2007

WHAT TO WEAR

One of the questions we are asked most about portrait sessions is, "What should we wear?"  The answer of course depends on your own style and what type of portrait session you are going to have.  You may want a different look if your session is on location instead of being in front of a backdrop.  What you want to wear could vary if you are having a family session, maternity session, or just in the pictures to hold your newborn.  Holiday sessions might have you choosing dressier clothes or clothes in red or green.  Mom and dad are always happy to help guide you in choosing the right clothes for your sessions, and you can always bring more than one outfit to change into during the session.

Another place to get ideas is to look through current magazines for modern, yet classic outfits.  Mom came across a Ralph Lauren ad in a magazine and saw the most adorable look for two brothers.  Check out this super cute outfit on RalphLauren.com. 

The vest and the suspenders aren't something mom would normally think of when buying clothes for me, but they just look great for this picture!  It makes mom want to buy it for me for our own family session.

Speaking of what to wear, why don't more of our brides wear birdcage veils?  Someone needs to wear one!!!  There is something about the look they create that is old style hollywood and so gorgeous and fun.

Veil designed by Melody Ginn

myweddingveil.com or www.birdcageveils.com

Magnolia

www.somethingbold.com

There are a ton of different combs, flowers, feathers, and other accessories for the veil to create whatever look you want.  Some ideas are on www.unveiledbridaldesigns.com.  You can also see pictures of weddings where the bride wore a birdcage veil on that site (definitely check out Tanya's wedding!  It says she asked for "over the top" and she got it!!)

If you are going to wear a birdcage veil, email us and let us know!  We may have a special bonus for you...

October 5, 2007

SPEAKING OF USING COPYRIGHTED MUSIC...

In my last entry in September's blog, I explained why we don't use copyrighted music on our site.  How coincidental that just a few days later a big lawsuit was won by the music industry about copyrighted songs.  A woman was ordered by a jury to pay $220,000 for sharing copyrighted songs online.  You can read more about the case on the website for ABC News.  Whether it be for pictures or music, it is important to respect copyrighted material.

October 4, 2007

GUEST BLOGGER

In August we had some of our past couples send in guest blog entries or interviews for  Blog Reader participation and Appreciation Month.  We posted them throughout August and September.  In my September 6th blog entry, I shared Sam's guest blog entry about planning an eco-friendly wedding.  Check the September 07 archives to read it if you haven't already.  Now the saga continues!  Thanks to Sam for sending in Part Two!

By the way, mom found out that she actually attended both high school and college at the same time as Sam yet they never knew each other.  What a neat coincidence!  Sam, mom says if we ever clean up the garage enough to find it, she's looking you up in the yearbook .

Guest Blogger:  Sam's "Diary of an Eco-Bride" Part Two

The search is still on for an organically friendly florist, but in the meantime, we thought we’d begin our search for eco-friendly invitations and stationary for the wedding. Now just because we’re having a ‘green’ wedding doesn’t mean that our wedding is a hippy, crunchy granola affair. The look we’re going for is minimal, streamlined, hip, and fun - and so, of course, we hoped to find wedding invites that fit that look. Before we started our search, we had a few eco-friendly ideas:

- Seal and Send invites - the invite, rsvp, and all other info are all one on long page, which folds into it’s own self-mailer - no envelopes required, and therefore, no waste. Seal and Send Wedding Invitations by Valley Printing creates these kind of invites exclusively.

WE1:  Seal and Send Wedding Sample

www.sealandsend.net

- Using paper and materials that are recycled or ‘tree-free’ - made from cotton or other non-tree resources
 

- Keeping the paper to a minimum – like using an rsvp postcard, for example, instead of a rsvp card with an envelope
 

- Using inks that are soy or vegetable based, not chemical based.

 

Here are our first few eco-friendly invite finds– nice looking, but not really our style:

 

Chocolate/Copper

www.Formal-Invitations.com

**Just interrupting to say that mom and I added the picture below to show

an example of an invitation from this company.  It wasn't one that Sam included.**

Cynthia

www.Invitesite.com
 

**Another interruption to say that this image also wasn't one that Sam included.**

Fold-Up Invitations

www.TwistedLimbPaper.com

After EXHAUSTIVE internet searching, I did come across a few invite sites that offer eco-friendly invites. The first one, Tasha Rae Designs has some great invites, all of which are customizable, and many of which can be printed on eco-friendly/recycled cardstocks.

Eco 3-Layer

www.tasharaedesigns.com

The second company, Baron Cards, is based in Canada and features really cool, trendy looking invites that are printed on ‘tree free’ and 100% recycled papers and cardstocks…only problem is, I purchased samples on July 21st and as of August 19, 2007, I’ve yet to receive them. Hmmmm…maybe someone’s walking them here from Canada.
 

Love Burst

www.baroncards.com

But in the end, we’ve actually decided to put my art degree to good use and design our own save the date cards and seal and send style invitations. I found this great company, GreenerPrinter (www.greenerprinter.com) which is a totally green printing company that features a complete line of recycled and chlorine free cardstocks and papers, some even 100% recycled. The company only uses soy and vegetable based inks and even offsets 100% of their energy usage with wind power! We’ve designed and ordered our save the date cards with GreenerPrinter ($88 for 130 4x6 postcards) and can’t wait to send them out…

 

Of course, probably the most environmentally friendly invite idea is to use evites or similar online invitations – no paper, no waste, no postage. Not an option for all couples, but for some, it may just work. Here’s a great video invite I came across:

**One last interruption to let you know there is one instance of mild language in the video.**
 

"The Invitation" on www.youtube.com from WorldofJeff

GUEST BLOG FOLLOW-UP

In the spirit of Sam's blog, we have more "green" ideas for you.  Mom and I recommend buying the October 2007 issue of Parenting magazine.  It has an entire section called "Go Green" with great tips and products.  Here are some of their tips for an eco-friendly home:

*Use rechargeable batteries.  It takes 1,000 regular batteries to equal the life span of one rechargeable.

*If you don't have a low-flush toilet, put a plastic jug of water in your toliet tank.  This keeps the tank from filling up as much and cuts the amount of water you use by about 40%.

*Unplug cell phone chargers and other appliances when they aren't in use.  If 10% of cell phone users unplugged their chargers after they charged their phones, it would save enough energy to power 60,000 homes a year.

*Don't use paper napkins.  If everyone used one less paper napkin a day, there would be 1 billion pounds less paper in landfills every year.

*Shop on-line rather than from catalogs and ask companies to remove you from their mailing list.

*Close air vents in rooms you rarely use to save on air conditioning and heating.  Use ceiling fans when you can to cool rooms.

*Front loading washing machines use up to 60% less water than regular washing machines.

And also from the October 2007 issue of Parenting magazine, they describe the seals on products that will let you know it is environmentally friendly and/or safe.  Energy Star labels mean the product uses less energy than the standard counterpart.  Green Seal labels mean the product and packaging are less harmful to the environment.  The FSC label for paper and wood products means the wood came from "well-managed" forests as determined by the Forest Stewardship Council.  And the Scientific Certification Systems Biodegradable seal for cleaning products means the product breaks down into nontoxic chemicals.

Visit www.Parenting.com/GoGreen to enter a contest for eco-friendly prizes and to read more about green tips and products.

CHECK IT OUT

This is for Erin, Raina, Jessica, and all other expectant or new moms out there.  Mom found the coolest CDs!  Rockabye Baby Lullaby Renditions takes bands like Green Day, No Doubt, Radiohead, U2, Nirvana and lots more and makes their songs into lullabies for infants.  You can listen to samples (or buy individual songs if you don't want the whole CD) at Amazon.com.  Check out the lullaby version of Metallica's "Nothing Else Matters."  That is pretty cool!

Rockabye Baby!  Lullaby Renditions of Metallica

www.amazon.com

October 3, 2007

NIKKI AND BILLY'S WEDDING

Nikki and Billy captured the essence of Florida with their ceremony and reception locations.  Their ceremony was on a floating chapel, Weddings on Water.  The reception that followed was at the Grand Plaza in the  Presidential Ballroom with windows that overlook the beach.  Vows on a boat in the water, party on the beach...that's a Florida wedding!

Before the wedding Nikki told dad that she had lots of fun ideas for pictures.  To make time for them she decided to see Billy before their ceremony.  The first time the bride and groom see each other on their wedding day is always an emotional moment, whether it be a "First Sight" earlier in the day or as the bride is coming down the aisle.  What is great about setting up the First Sight is that the couple has time to enjoy the moment and let it sink in.  Look at the love!  They were both in tears!!

By seeing each other early, dad was able to take Nikki, Billy, and their bridal party to a few different locations for fun pictures.  No one was harmed in the making of the next image!

It was then off to Weddings on the Water for the ceremony.  Dad is used to having lots of guests around taking pictures, but it isn't often when one of them has a lens that costs almost 2 grand!  This guest had a L-series 70-200 f/2.8 IS USM lens on his camera, the same lens that dad was using.

The violinist at the ceremony was Sarah, whose wedding dad will be photographing this December!  Dad hadn't met her before so it was great to see her there, and to hear her beautiful music.

During the ceremony, a bit of a storm came through kicking up waves and the boat was rocking like crazy!  Luckily Nikki and Billy didn't get seasick . 

Now this wedding had everything!  Guests blew bubbles at the couple as they walked through the crowd, there was a dove release, and they had a sparkler send off that night.  When guests arrived at the reception site, there was a big poster of Nikki and Billy pointing down the hall with "Reception This Way" across the top.  Mom thought that was so clever!  There were CDs, mints labeled "Mint to be," envelopes with scratch-offs and a penny inside labeled "Lucky in Love," Hershey's kisses wrapped up and attached to a stem to look like a rose, personalized water bottles in a tub with the couple's last name, personalized doilies, napkins, and matches, and fortune cookies with Nikki and Billy's name and wedding date inside.  Also, the guest's table assignments were given in mini frames which had a picture of that guest.  What a wonderful touch to make the guests feel special.  Dad LOVED his!  It was a picture of him and Everett from my blog.  Dad has it on his desk now.

But that wasn't all!  I'm telling you, Nikki and Billy really paid attention to the details.  There was a table set up showing a slideshow of the couple and cake boxes decorated with a sticker picture of Nikki and Billy for guests to take home a piece of the wedding cake.  There was a big glass bowl of Lindt's chocolates in beautiful pouches.  There were cards  from the Mother of the Bride.  Mom liked the one that said, "I am the Mother of the Bride.  Today is the day that my daughter weds.  We've planned this wedding 'till we're out of our heads.  We've laughed and cried and talked night and day and I wouldn't have wanted it any other way."  That is so cute!  Just as mom and dad had at their own wedding, Nikki and Billy had a caricature artist to draw pictures of the guests.  And there was a big round glittery sign set up next to sparklers letting guests know that there would be a sparkler send off on the beach later that night.  There were so many other beautiful details as well.  Nikki and Billy did an terrific job with their planning.

The flower girl's gift was a bride and groom Barbie and Ken.  When mom saw the picture, she thought that Ken looked a bit odd (and had very funky hair).  But another picture explained why (wink wink).

Nikki and Billy had a brunch the next day, and then met up with dad again for a Day After/Trash the Dress session!

NIKKI AND BILLY'S DAY AFTER SESSION

When mom and dad lived in Montana, almost everyone had dogs and many of them were big dogs.  People brought their dogs every where.  Mom even brought our dog Mudhoney with her a few times to the class she taught at the University.  There was a dog park with a river and people would just let their dogs run free.  Our dog Pepper Ann especially loved the dog park.  She weighs just over 90 lbs and would jump and bark and pounce and play with all the other dogs.  People were laid back and let the dogs just be dogs without being bothered.  Owners only intervened if dogs got aggressive, which very rarely happened.

Here in Florida we've noticed this isn't the case at all.  The dog park closest to our house is segregated with separate sections for small dogs and big dogs.  When we go there, if Pepper even barks and sniffs at another dog their owner usually calls their dog away.  But the worst thing was when we brought our dogs to the vet, where they are supposed to love dogs, and a vet tech came in the waiting room to get another dog.  She told the owner to go around to the other door with her dog so she wouldn't have to walk past the Rottie.  GEESH!

Nikki and Billy told dad that people are also weary of their German Shepard, Jake.  What a shame because Jake is a sweetie.  Look at him all decked out in his wedding tux!   

After pictures with Jake, it was Nikki and Billy's turn for newlywed pictures.  They looked just as good the day after as they did on their wedding day!

Here are some of their "Trash the Dress" pictures in the water:

Dad enjoyed spending the weekend with you two!  Congratulations!

**I forgot to mention:  While dad was photographing Nikki and Billy, he ran into Jennie and Ryan, another couple whose wedding he had photographed.  Thanks for sending the pictures of dad in action!

OUR FAMILY

With Everett needing lots of attention, mom and dad have been trying their best to give me special time with them as well.  The other day dad had a fun idea for the two of us to do together.  We got a bowl and filled it with water and then dropped some of my toys in it.  We put it in the freezer and dad told me to wait and see what happened.  When we got it out again, the water had turned to ice and my toys were stuck in there! 

"Dad, what did you do to my toys??" 

We took the ice out of the bowl and brought it outside.  It was neat to see the toys in it!

"How do I get them back out?  Hmmm..."

Dad told me we could either wait for the ice to melt back into water, or we could throw it against the ground so the ice would break.  I of course picked throwing it and soon we had all the toys out again.  When we did, I made dad fill up the bowl with water so we could do it all over again!

Everett is doing great too.  He definitely has his fussy periods throughout the day, but we also get amazing smiles like this one.

Here is Everett playing on his play mat.  Mom can't get over how tall he is!  With his foot down, he takes up almost the whole play mat.

And look at his hair!  Every time Everett gets a bath, his hair fluffs right up.  He's so cute!

Jason Angelini Photography:  Wedding and portrait photographer capturing all of life's moments.  Photographing weddings, maternity, babies, children, seniors, and families in Tampa, St. Petersburg, Clearwater, Sarasota, Bradenton, Brandon, and all over West Coast and Central Florida.