Joanna and David - Sunny Thanksgiving Engagement Photos

Joanna & David – Sunny Thanksgiving Engagement

I knew it was Joanna and David when they stepped out of the car. They were in town for Thanksgiving, and their engagement session. I meet most of my clients in person just as they start planning their wedding. Not so for Joanna and David, since they live in the Manhattan. We initially met and got everything booked through telephone meetings and email. When they arrived at the session, I knew the couple I saw was them because of their presence with each another. She leaned into his shoulder and laughed as they exited the car. He gripped her hand tight. Step inside to see how we found the perfect weekend for this traveling couple.

Stephanie and Ben's Rocky River wedding, Cinco de Mayo, The Derby and Super Moons

Stephanie & Ben – Wedding in Rocky River, Cinco de Mayo, the Derby, and Super Moons

I was so excited that I ended up being early. By 10:30 in the morning, I was pacing around my office waiting to go. I just wanted to start, damn it! By 11:20 I just couldn’t take it anymore. I jumped into the car and drove over to Stephanie and Ben’s house. A rapped the door knocker, but no one was home. I went to the car, threw my stuff in the back and gave Stephanie a ring. Thankfully, she was just around the corner and almost home. The biggest reason I was so excited is because Stephanie and Ben are amazing, but their wedding was also a strange culmination of events. Yesterday was Cinco de Mayo, the Kentucky Derby, a super-moon and their wedding all wrapped into one. Read on inside for more about this perfect day and some preview photos.

Sailing Grenada on Film

Sailing Grenada on Film

We finally found a break in our hectic schedules. When we were young, it was so easy to take family vacations. As my brother and I have gotten older and have careers of our own, it’s become much more difficult. However, the end of March was our time. It had been decades since we had sailed together as a family. So long, in fact, that Brooke had never been. We booked our trip and started to gear up for a week sailing Grenada (one country) and St. Vincent and the Grenadines (another country). I was excited to momentarily step away from wedding photography, and cold Cleveland. Now I just needed to decide what to bring. Step inside to see a few personal photos from our lives together, all shot on film.

How to build great relationships with wedding clients

With a Bang!

There is one component about being a wedding photographer that can be tough and very rewarding – constantly working with new people all the time. Not only must we work with brand new couples, but also new florists, cake artists, wedding planners and venues. On the one hand, starting a rewarding relationship can be tough. Conversely, new relationships that really blossom can last a lifetime and be very beneficial for your sole. With new clients, I like to help the process along. Inside are a couple strategies I use to ensure relationships start with a bang!