Jane and Chong were married at the National Memorial Church with a reception at the Four Seasons Georgetown. Jane looked stunning and reminded me of a movie actress from the 1940’s. The Four Season’s was up to its usual impeccable high standards of service. The highlight for me was the Korean Wedding ceremony where Jane and Chong dressed in traditional wear. The whole wedding was elegant, graceful and beautiful. Just like the bride!
Christina and I got away a few weeks ago and visited Ed and Angela in Asheville, North Carolina. Ed is one of my oldest and dearest friends, having known him for nearly forty years. He and Angela moved to Asheville a while ago and we have been wanting to visit them for a while. Its too bad they do not live closer as Christina and Angela hit it off like two long lost sisters.
Asheville is a fantastic town. Set in mountains of Western North Carolina, it features a funky and eclectic downtown full of art galleries and unique restaurants. Christina and I spent hours wandering from shop to shop taking in the scene.
We also spent a day at the Biltmore estate. The largest home in the United States, this palace was built in the late 1890’s by George Vanderbilt. The photos below do not due it justice as it is a majestic castle set on amazing gardens. One picture shows Christina relaxing on a deck, and the next the mountain view. Simply amazing. The Biltmore is a must see while visiting Asheville.
On our drive back home we stayed over night in Charlottesville, VA. Home to the University of Virginia, it has a downtown area about 5 blocks long blocked off to traffic. We spent a warm summer evening strolling along in search of a spot to eat. We picked Himalayan Fusion and sat outside not knowing what to expect. Oh my! The food was out of this world. Operated by a family of émigrés from Nepal, this casual bistro serves a mix of spicy cuisine’s from the Himalayans. We loved it!
P.S. Sorry about the photo quality. They were all shot with my Iphone, except for the first two of Ed and Angela.
What is life like when you are always the smartest person in the room? Katie and Billy seem to have mastered it. They are two of the nicest people I have ever met. They are also two of the smartest people I have ever met. They first got together in Oxford, England when they were studying under Rhodes Scholarships. Now they are both attending Harvard Medical School. I wish my doctor were as nice as these two! Earlier this summer they were married at Emmanuel Lutheran Church in Rockville, MD. A cousin hand-painted the beautiful runner for the ceremony. We headed over the Virginia border to Great Falls Park for some shots of the couple and the bridal party. Billy is a stud volleyball player also, as you can see him setting the ball in one of the pictures. The reception was held in Gaitherburg at the New Fortune restaurant. A magnificent seven course feast was the ending to a fantastic day.
I took the boys to an old car show in Leesburg a few weeks ago. I just love all the design elements that they used to put in cars.
Heidi and Ben were married at the Thomas Birkby House in Leesburg, VA.
I cannot say enough about this amazing venue. Set in historic old-town Leesburg, this circa 1770 home is warm, charming and beautiful. There is a main house with upstairs rooms for the bride and groom to prepare, porches to relax on, a tented reception area, and lovely gardens everywhere you look. We took a walk with Heidi and Ben through the streets in the area and got some fantastic images. A great location and a great day!
Nathania and Joel were married at Holy Rosary Church in downtown D.C.. The reception was held at The Engineer’s Club in Baltimore. It was worth the drive! The Engineer’s club is amazing. Very classy, very elegant, very old world, it is a fantastic space for a reception. There is a great open space in the middle surrounded by charming rooms all tastefully decorated. Nathania is a big fan of feathers and she wanted to put together an event with old hollywood style. Just before dinner Nathania got up on stage with the band who were providing “dinner music” and belted out a song to Joel that did not leave a dry eye in the house.
Tommy Trouble hooked us up with some AMAZING seats to see the Amazing’s play the Nationals. MB, JA, Tom and I were sitting in the second row directly behind home plate!! We could call balls and strikes for the ump. If you closed your eyes you could tell if the batter got a hit just by the sound of the bat. The Nats got a homer from the Donkey, Adam Dunn and beat the Mets easily. Now that they have signed their first round draft choice, Strasburg, things are looking up. I absolutely love the new Nationals Stadium. They created a wonderful combination of old school stylings with a beautiful modern facility.
Once in a while I get to work with a really outstanding assistant. Its not that hard to be a great assistant, you just have to have a desire to learn photography. Dave Richards was a sponge. He worked hard for me and learned as much as he could. Now he is killing it!! Way to go Dave! If you find yourself in LA in need of a photographer, Dave is THE MAN. Check out some of his work.
Christina and Don had a small wedding earlier in the summer. They were married at Our Lady of Hope in Sterling and then had the reception at their house. Don’s three adorable daughters had as much fun as the bride and groom.
Kara and Art were married at the Collingwood Estate in Alexandria. An old Virginia home with a lawn leading down to the water. Kara and Art are both teachers in South Africa and they have done a lot of traveling. The cake was very well done, and appropriate.
