Turkey Day Pics and an Update!!

Hi everyone!!

After a few super fun days with my family and friends I am in much better spirits again.
I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving! We spent ours with some of our favorite friends and some new friends too.
Andy snapped some photos, so that made me very happy. I'd like to share them with you....

from left: Melissa, me (in my new fabulous black sling), and Kim (our amazing hostess!!)
My brother, Loren, and my sister-in-law, Terri, visited us from the SF Bay Area
from left: Melissa, Taryn and Kim
i was thrilled that artichokes were on the menu!!
the kids' table
the beautiful centerpiece had real artichokes in it. funny coincidence.
Charlie is so cute!
the "adult" table
Kim snapped this photo of Andy and his amazing pumpkin and chocolate cheesecake. If he looks tired it's because he stayed up half the night cooking.
and finally, Zack, with his delicious, made-from-scratch apple pie. Look out Emeril!!


And now for the update... As many of you out there are aware, I am embarrassingly behind in my blogging. So this week I am going to blog like crazy to start getting caught up. I am going to be photo heavy and wordage light as I am very slow at typing right now. Check in frequently!!

Oh, and one more thing...for all of you Facebook fans out there, I finally took the plunge. Just click on the badge if you want to be friends!! :-D



xoxo

Giving Thanks

Dear blogging friends,

I apologize for being out of touch, but it's been a difficult week.

First, my shoulder surgery went very well, but it hasn't been an easy recovery physically or mentally. I think I have actually been in a post surgery funk because my crazy life came to a screeching halt. I am slowly coming to terms with the reality that I will be unable to pick up a camera for a few months and given that it is my passion and my career it hasn't been an easy concept to grasp.

Secondly, our neighbor of 14 years, Richard Mayhew, passed away a few days ago. It was very sudden and unexpected. My heart goes out to his loving wife, Raymonde, who is a truly amazing woman, and their family and friends.

It is challenging to see the silver lining in difficult situations, but I know that in the case of my shoulder it is much easier than in the case of my neighbor. I know that my shoulder will most likely be 100% repaired and I will once again get to swim and jump rope and do cartwheels. After a lot of thought, I think the positve in my neighbors passing is that it really reminds me that we all need to be thankful for the gift of life.

So I would like to take this opportunity to give thanks for the amazing experiences that life brings us. In particular the richness of the relationships with our friends and family.

One of my fond childhood memories is Thanksgiving at my grandparents' home in Berkeley, California. I recall sitting around the large table with my crazy relatives and it was always very loud and colorful and I enjoyed soaking it all in.

My grandfather would always begin the dinner with a blessing.
It went something like this:

We give thanks for sunshine, for rain, for health, for happiness, for family, for friends and for food. Amen.

I hope you have a wonderful day with your loved ones.

with love,
Daria

Megan + Bhaskar's Wedding at Shelburne Farms

Wedding + Reception: Shelburne Farms
Flowers: Floral Artistry
Catering: Let's Pretend
make-up: Mirror Mirror in Burlington
D.J.: Starlite Entertainment

Megan's day began at Mirror Mirror in Burlington. Megan and I share a fondness for this store because it is filled with great things that girls like. I also love it as a photographer because the light is ahhhmazing!
This is a fun one!
Andy caught up with Bhaskar while he prepared for the day.
Perfecting the hair.
Megan is so beautiful and expressive and she truly sparkled through the whole day!!

Bhaskar has the most amazing smile!
Megan and her lovely step-mother.
I adore this photo of Megan!!


Megan drove to the ceremony in a gorgeous vintage car. Complete with fuzzy dice.
Fortunately, it stopped raining when we arrived so we could snap a few fun photos with the top down. This is one of my all time favorite photos.
I love the way Bhaskar is looking at Megan.
The weather was iffy, so the ceremony was held inside the coach barn. It made for some dramatic lighting.
The door framed them so perfectly!!
Andy's angle of the ceremony...

husband and wife!!
Bhaskar's mother, father and sister flew in from Nepal. Megan and Bhaskar will have a second ceremony there at some point.
Some fun with Megan and her girls!
My heart melts when I see a groom playing with his new ring.
I love this one.
Bhaskar requested this one, which had me laughing.
We were running short on alone time for photos with the newlyweds, but I love what we got!



The pampered bride checks out her bling.
It's party time!!
The first dance.
Megan and her dad have a great bond.
The list of Megan's wonderful qualities was so long that the paper almost ran out the door. :)
We had to sneak out for a few minutes to take advantage of the beautiful sunset.
Another one of my favorites of all times!

I didn't take Megan for a cake smasher, so it was good that I'm always ready. I love how the crumbs are flying!
Some lovely details...


Megan + Bhaskar, you two have such an amazing connection! Andy and I were so honored to be a part of your beautiful celebration!! xox

Baxter's Belated Birthday + Rock Band Party Night

While I prepare the photos from Bhaskar + Megan's fabulous wedding, I thought I would do a quick post to keep you entertained.

Due to our insane wedding season schedule, we weren't able to throw Baxter a proper celebration for his eighth year. He had expressed interest in a slumber party, but that would mean finding a weekend that we weren't running off somewhere and it didn't happen until last weekend. Better late than never right? Following are a few photos from his fun fest!









On Saturday, The Jennings and the Riddells came over for a Rock Band/Game night. It was too much fun!!

Of course we had to have some make-your-own sundaes to super-charge our batteries.

Adelle uses all of her strength to get the whipped-cream started for Charlie. Yeti stands by in case things get crazy...


The rockers...
Kim gets serious with Baxter in ping pong...

Almost ready for prime time...

E-Session: Mariah + Chris

I ran around with Mariah + Chris at Shelburne Farms in September. I have photographed an abundance of engagement sessions there this season, so it was fun to find a couple of new backdrops mixed in with some of the old favorites.
Mariah and Chris were a dream to work with as they are both beautiful and head-over-heels in love.
We started our session with some crazy chickens and ended with the most beautiful sunset I can ever remember.
Enjoy some of my very favorites...










I think this one is my fav...





or maybe this one is my favorite...






Didn't I tell you the sunset was amazing?!


On deck: Megan + Bhaskar's gorgeous wedding at Shelburne Farms.

E-Session: Carrie + Ian

I met up with Carrie + Ian this summer at their beautiful home and property in Huntington.
They were both a bit nervous about our session and it's amazing how their comfort level changed by the end of it. I would say that most couples aren't crazy about being center stage, but it's the perfect warm-up for the wedding day.
And interestingly enough, their photos are some of my favorites of all times and we were able to make them a book for guests to sign with all of their favorites. It was awesome!!
We photographed their mind-blowing wedding celebration in early October and I can't wait to share the photos with you soon....





















I think this one is the bestest!
I just had to include these last two photos. Ian called me over to show me a family of deer in the field below.
Their wedding reception was held in the field where the deer were standing.

Happy Anniversary!!

Today we celebrated our seventeenth wedding anniversary!!! Yahoo!

Vermont Vows Wedding Affair

The Wedding Affair was Saturday, November 1st at Shelburne Farms. It was the second year that Andy and I had a booth at this beautiful event.
We love it because it's a wonderful opportunity to see clients that we'll be working with in the following wedding season, meet some potential new clients and visit with our amazing friends in the industry.
Because of the craziness of the season, I didn't have a great booth plan until a few days before the show and Nancy Murray of A School House Gardens came to the rescue. She was full of great ideas and offered up some help with props, which you'll see below. Thank you Nancy!! I was thrilled with the way it all turned out!

Our booth!
Booth detail...
yummy purple party favors
our cutie cards
Andy and me!
An elegant place setting by A School House Gardens
Photojournalist extraordinaire and bride-to-be Emily Nelson and her mom
Cute cookies by Klingers Edible Art
Minner + Gwen of Flowers in Season with Belinda of Belinda Norris Events
Beautiful floral arrangements by Flowers in Season
One of our 2009 couples: Courtney + Ryan (check back soon for their awesome e-session!)
A couple show details...

Alison of Floral Artistry
A cute detail in Alison's booth...
A Spice of Life Catering had this cool bonfire for marshmallow roasting...
Another cool couple for 2009: Tonra + Sean. (Their fun e-session will posted soon too!) Oh, and thanks for snapping our photo Sean, you're hired!
Randi Nonni of Silver Toad Floral Design, left, and Amy of Exhale Event Planning
Barrie of Fisher Photography, right, with her cousin Belinda of Belinda Norris Events
Michael of Michael Riddell Photography
Genevieve, her bff Kristen and me! (photo courtesy of Genevieve's mom, Cindy.) Genevieve and her fiance, Lucas, will be one of our awesome 2009 couples.

Jackie + Matt's Wedding at the Inn at Essex!!

I adored Jackie from the moment I met her. She was so sweet and genuine and adorable. Same goes for her best friend Anna, who accompanied her to our first meeting. I could hardly wait to photograph her wedding so I that I could finally meet her soulmate and the important people in their lives.
When their September wedding day finally rolled around I was thrilled. They were blessed with the perfect day! Jackie, Matt and their family and friends treated us like guests at their wedding and it was a spectacular day in every way!
I'm happy to share some of my very favorite images from their wedding celebration...

Andy met up with Jackie and her girls at Burns in Company in Essex for their hairdoos and the next stop was Mirror Mirror in Burlington for the make-up.


I love this one of Matt's sister.
I met up with Jackie at the Inn at Essex and she was absolutely radiant!!
Playing with shadows and light...
Jackie's Maid of Honor, Anna, and her mother were so delightful the whole day!! Here they are showing me their new Buxom lip gloss!
Jackie taped a sixpence to her shoe for good luck, because she is cute like that!!The flowers were arranged by the always smiling Alison with Floral Artistry and they coordinated perfectly with Jackie's color scheme.
I adore these moments with Jackie and her mom.

The details at the wedding were wonderful!! Jackie is uber creative and Matt is an amazing glass artist who made the cake top, knife handles, and toasting glasses for the wedding.Matt receives some help with his tie.


I love this detail!
Matt waits for his beautiful bride.
Jackie and her father.
Did I mention what a perfect day it was?
Alison was here...
The ceremony...

SWAK!
Congratulations Jackie + Matt!!

A sweet father/daughter moment...
Some fun and relaxed portraits...
There is something that I loooove about this one...
J + M with their beloved dog John Brown! (Ok, check this out...their dog was named after the band they hired, John Brown's Body, and the spot we did the wedding portraits the day before at Brandi and Marty's was John Brown Farm. I guess it was the John Brown weekend!)




More beautiful details...
Our new assistants...
Their awesome reggae band John Brown's Body kept the dance floor hopping!


J + M (and John Brown): We loved documenting your beautiful wedding celebration!
Your gift for Yeti was extremely thoughtful and so appreciated!! I have some really cute photos of Yeti and our kitty sharing the bed together. You are the sweetest!! xoxo

President Obama!

"This is our moment. This is our time – to put our people back to work and open doors of opportunity for our kids; to restore prosperity and promote the cause of peace; to reclaim the American Dream and reaffirm that fundamental truth – that out of many, we are one; that while we breathe, we hope, and where we are met with cynicism, and doubt, and those who tell us that we can’t, we will respond with that timeless creed that sums up the spirit of a people:

Yes We Can. Thank you, God bless you, and may God Bless the United States of America."

--President elect, Barack Obama

p.s. Yesterday I had the honor of helping to cover the local election for the Burlington Free Press.
CLICK HERE to see some of the photos!!