Like coming back from vacation and looking at life and work with a fresh start, it takes some time and a step away for me to think about our recent weddings.

It was extremely hard to look through 40,000 photographs from our 2009 weddings to pick 3 or 4 from each wedding that tell the essence of a couple’s wedding day.

We’re going to go back and post more photographs from each wedding. We know our brides and grooms like to look at weddings for ideas, whether dresses, tuxes, cakes or details.

But I wanted to include photographs that spoke to me – that captured a fleeting moment in time. I see a part of myself in each of these photographs – they represent how I felt about each wedding. Of course we photograph families, friends ceremonies, dancing and details. But I think the most meaningful photographs are those when a bride or groom is not aware of the camera, let down their guard and reveal their true personality and feeling.

We’re unlike any other vendor at a wedding. Florists and cake artists drop off their work and leave, rarely interacting with the bride and groom. We spend a lot of time together with our couples from our initial meetings and engagement session through wedding day. We’ve built a special relationship that allows us capture moments like these -  our couples have to be comfortable with us to let us into their world and become a part of their friends and family.

We’re so busy during wedding season, processing and editing, photographing engagement sessions, running our business. It’s very long hours and we move from one task to the next without thinking. This little January break has allowed me to step back and reflect – to realize again how much I love my work.

Barb and I have been married for a long time – 25 years this August – and like anything life becomes routine. But every week, in a way, we renew our vows. We see the love and affection of our newlyweds and steel a glance at each other and nod. It brings back that moment when Barb first walked down the aisle and thet flood of emotion and love.

We would like to thank all of our couples for trusting us to tell the story of their wedding day. You’ve enriched our lives. We can’t wait for this year’s wedding season!

Barb and I were shocked at how busy it was this past Sunday, what with the Steeler game (better to have gone to Kennywood). It took about 20 or 30 exposures to get this shot in between people coming and leaving – OK NOW!

I’ll share more, once all of their photographs are ready (I did share this one with Brooke and Nate from the back of the camera).

Brooke and Nate will be getting married next June with a ceremony at Heinz Chapel and a reception at The Carnegie Museum’s Music Hall Foyer. We can’t wait!

Cecily and Mike used to live and spend a lot of in the South Side, so it was a natural spot for their engagement session. We had a great time just wandering around, chatting and then a quick drive up to Mt. Washington for some beautiful light at dusk. They’ll be getting married next August at St. Paul’s Cathedral with a reception at the Carnegie Museum Music Hall Foyer.

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I had to extricate myself from Melissa’s Dad’s awesome darkroom – a serious camera buff. It brought back warm and fuzzy memories of whiling away many hours watching the magic of prints emerging from the developer. It was pretty stuffy in my little converted bathroom. Breathing all of those chemicals – probably why I’m a little “off” ;}

With a ceremony at the magnificent Heinz Chapel to a reception at the gorgeous Carnegie Museum’s Music Hall Foyer, Melissa and Anthony’s wedding was absolutely beautiful and great fun.

Melissa looked stunning in her Monique Lhuillier creation – one of her most unique and beautiful gowns. Michael at Blooms Florist, as usual, did fantastic work with the florals. After Dark, one of my favorite local bands, laid down the grooves.

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I really love working on albums, when the story of a couple’s wedding day all comes together. Barb and I had so much fun at their wedding. It’s been great to relive all of the sights and sounds of their special day.

This album is going to a Queensberry Album Company creation in one of their new and more rectangular sizes – it almost has a panorama feel and I can’t wait to see it in print.

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Jeana’s Melissa Sweet was beautiful.

Greek Orthodox ceremonies are fascinating. Jeana and Lee’s koumbara or sponsor Jenna holds a very important roll in their marriage. She exchanges crowns, signifying virtue and holiness.

Led by the priest, circling the table 3 times is a symbol for eternity and their eternal bond in marriage.

It’s something new at every wedding. I went outside to take a few photographs of Jeana and Lee in the limo and they locked up the church and left, with my equipment bag and car keys. I’m sure the expression on my face was priceless.  Luckily Barb usually drives separately and we always carry two complete sets of equipment, so she drove me to the reception and we retrieved my equipment bag later and the Sunday – a good excuse to do some shopping at the Galleria, across the street.

Parkhurst caters every event at The Museum – they always create beautiful cakes.

Greek weddings are always so much fun and greek dancing mesmerizing, their greek band Grecian Flames shared the evening with DJ’s Josh and Scott.

Jeana and Lee are so nice – we had a wonderful time with them both at their engagement session and on their wedding day. They spent their honeymoon in Italy and had an amazing trip.

I had a chance to spend a lot of time with them during their engagement session – we had a blast in the strip district. They’re such a fun couple – Jenny’s laugh is so contagious. You just have to giggle. An engagement session makes wedding day just a bit more relaxed and I really felt like I was photographing good friends on their wedding day.

Jenny and Howard were married in the Hall of Architecture at the Carnegie Museum with a reception following in the Music Hall Foyer. The ceremony was beautiful with a mix of traditions, Jewish and Christian.

Barb and I are an interfaith couple and are sensitive to what that’s all about – If you’re planning an interfaith wedding and have some concerns, don’t worry – it all works out and it’s wonderful.

As you can see, Jenny and Howard’s wedding was absolutely gorgeous – amazing details, terrific music and Jenny’s Reem Acra gown was stunning – it was perfect for her and she was just beautiful.  The bridal party was great fun and Jenny and Howard are fortunate to have terrific and suppotive parents. It was just a wonderful wedding.

In the Mood with their 20 piece orchestra laid down the groves, Hepatica provided the floral artistry and Parkhurst outdid themselves with a beautiful (and delicious) cake. Mary Jo Rulnick, the special event wedding coordinator at The Carnegie is always attentive, personable and does an outstanding job with every event.

I’m so lucky to have such a great job – stay tuned for a very different,  cool, unique and beautiful wedding the weekend after Jenny and Howard’s wedding celebration – Kristan and Andy’s outdoor wedding at Armstong Farms, followed by Elizabeth and Derek’s wedding this past Saturday at The Renaissance.