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Wednesday, January 19, 2011

2010 Weddings in Review


I've been meaning to do this post for quite some time, but who knew combing through all the weddings I did this past year would take so much time?  It was a pleasure, I must admit, to revisit all the beautiful weddings I did in 2010.  So many amazing couples I got to know... I love you all!

So it might not be quite the new year anymore, I thought it was still worthwhile to highlight all these amazing 2010 weddings.  There was no way I could fit them all into one slideshow, so here are parts one (January-June) and two (July-December) for your enjoyment:




After putting these slideshows together, I decided to do something a little different and maybe have a bit of fun while we're at it.  I went through and picked my absolute favorite images from all the time I spent with each of these couples (so 1 picture from their bridals, engagements or wedding day).  Now here comes the fun part:  I would like some help picking my favorite picture of the year.  So you will be able to vote for your favorite picture from you favorite couple for this next week. 
 The couple that has the winning picture at the end of the week will receive :
$25 gift certificate to their favorite restaurant, movie tickets for two, and a free 45 min 1 year anniversary session
 I will also use the winning image in my header and as part of my marketing for this next year.


SO HERE GOES!


Natalie and Jon:
Natalie and Jon got married in the bitter winter cold (Almost 1 year ago! This next week!) but their wedding and reception was sweet and sunny.  This is my favorite shot, taken during the ceremony:

Tyler and Jen:
I had an easy time picking this one...I even have a 20x30 printed of it to show clients!
Ahhhh....such a tender moment!
And it doesn't hurt that Tyler and Jen are totally gorgeous. (I have had more than a few people tell me that they remind them of Bella and Edward...only better.)


Chase and BreAnne:
After long deliberation, I had to go with this shot from their engagements.  Great color, great sky, great moment...walking through a field in the golden light before a storm.  I dig it!!

Shane and Abby:
There was just something about this shot from their engagements that I fell in love with...Color, great backlighting, expression...What you don't know is that the ground was like negative 100 degrees, and I made them lay on it.  Good sports, these two. :)

Harley and Annie:
I think the thing that sold me on this shot was Harley's tie blowing back in the wind as they walked.  It added that perfect whimsical touch for me to fall in love with this shot!
They were married on a beautiful afternoon in May, which brought me my first sunburn of 2010. :)

Kyle and Tiffany:
Ugh...so tough to choose!!  I think that in the end I had to choose this one from their reception because it is just so Tiffany-and-Kyle.  (These are the folks who brought giant glasses to their engagements.) Bright, cheery, colorful, buoyant.  They are all of they above. :)


Brian and Marcie:
So maybe I'm partial to this one because I got chewed out by a cop for taking it (I'm embracing my rebellious streak) but I think it could also be a combination of perfect light, beautiful vignette with a classic little church in the background, great couple and, yes...fabulous wedding dress.  The run in with the cop? Worth it! :)

Dusty and Jordan:
The problem with Dusty and Jordan's pics is...well, that there were too many of them I LOVED to count.  So I had to settle for the one that speaks the most to my soul.  If you must know, this shot was part of the inspiration for my branding using quotes from some of my favorite literary figures.  It epitomizes, to me, Bronte's phrase, "Whatever souls are made of, his and mine are the same."


Cindy and Jordan:
Most of my favorites have both the bride and groom in them, and while their bubbles-blowing picture from their wedding day was a close runner up, Cindy's bridals were just so epic I had to pick one from that session.  Sun going down? Check.  Storm rolling in? Check.  Exotically gorgeous bride? Check.  Unbelievable location? Check.

Jamie and David:
There is just something timeless and wonderful about the shot I chose for these two, the very last shot of their groomals, taken just as the last light of day was slipping away.  As most everyone knows by now I love fairy tales...  this has a clock tower, a secret garden, a stolen kiss... Sigh.  Love it.

Spencer and Candace:
The location Spencer and Candace chose for their groomal session is a gorgeous place, and when Candace hopped up into this alcove the magic really started happening.  
Love the pink shoes and pink flower...really love the way those two are looking at each other.  That's happy.  Right there.

Robin and Jeremy:
These two are rock stars.  We had such a phenomenal engagement session, then an inspiring bridal session with Robin (ohhhh, it was so hard not to choose one of her bridals!!) But when it came down to it...who can resist blue sky and a full arc rainbow?  Thats right, these guys were blessed with a rainbow on their wedding day.  (It may have come with a little bit of rain, but the payoff was a rainbow...nobody was complaining!)  What a way to decorate for your reception right? :)

Vickie and Steve:
Steve and Vickie were married in a glass conservatory in Morristown, New Jersey.  It was a lush, beautiful day!  Some of my favorite shots were on the grounds of their venue, The Madison Hotel, in the tall trees and gardens that you can only find back east.  Such a lovely experience, such a lovely couple!

Chad and Breanne:
Another heart-rending choice!  Breanne's bridals are probably some of my favorites EVER (see why here) But this shot from their engagements proved completely irresistible to me. Happy, joyful, lively...Bright sky, blue water, and utter adoration.  I heart this shot.  Forever and ever.
Did I mention Breanne and Chad got married on my 5 year anniversary?  Which means they are AWESOME. :)

Jade and Shurna:
C'est L'amour.  When we shot Jade and Shurna's groomals, she wanted an elegant, european plaza feel to them.  I think we achieved it!  After spending some time indoors, we braved some wind and rain outside and captured this elegant shot.  Delicious, is it not?  They printed a 16x20 of this one for display at their wedding and it looked ah-MAZE-ing.

Britney and Devin:
After our first location choice didn't work out, we were forced to improvise, and because we lost light in the location transition, most of Britney and Devin's groomal session was done after the sun went down above the city.  Lightning kept flashing across the sky, too, completing the dramatic ambience.  I love the blue sky in the color version of this shot, but the black and white I think wins this one for me!  Stunning!

Debbie and Scott:
These two were married on a grand Park City estate, with the forest two steps from the door.  My favorite shot is definitely this one, with the sun filtering through the trees behind them just after the ceremony was completed.  Did I mention that Debbie walked down the aisle in the sunglasses Scott gave her as part of her wedding present?  Yep, they totally rock!

Tayler and Stefanie:
Tayler and Stefanie were an absolute joy to get to know.  I've said it before and I will say it again--theirs is an inspiring story.  If you want to know what real love looks like, look no further.  Plus we had an awesome time at every shoot--bubbles at their engagements, fog machine and a cemetery at their groomals.  I had a hard time choosing (I am very partial to this one) but in the end I had to side with Stefanie.  She printed this one large, on metallic...let me tell you, it glowed!

Matt and Annicka:
While these two got married in October, my favorite shot is from their engagements, which we took all the way back the first week of June.  This photo will trick you...misty mountains and rich greenery, its hard to believe it was taken in Utah.  We just lucked out, shooting right up until it started to pour, getting great overcast moody shots without getting soaked!  This photo makes me want to breathe in deeply. Ahhhhh....

Brian and Jean:
Don't worry if you don't recognize these two, you'll see them up here on the blog in no time!  Jean and Brian exemplify the fact that love can find you at any age.  Theirs was probably one of the sweetest, most special ceremonies I have ever had the privilege of attending.  While I am just finishing up the editing for this wedding,    I already have a favorite, looking through an etched glass window during that beautiful ceremony.

Carly and Ben:
While Carly and Ben still have one session to go (trash the dress, here we come!)  and I am still working on their December wedding photos, it was certainly easy to pick a favorite...because these last pictures from their engagements were kind of the coolest thing ever.  Droplets of water, with a little bit of flash=sparkles!! I LOVE sparkles!  The hardest part was picking which one of the series was my favorite. :)

James and Molly:
James and Molly were my last wedding of the year...and it was a cold and wet one!  The good news is, we had done their groomal session back in October on the same grounds they got married, so we had plenty of great shots of them together--minus the snow. :)  These two had me laughing the whole session long, and I could pick dozens of photos that could have made it to this spot, but in the end, my heart belongs to this one of them dancing above the city.  I keep thinking that song from Cinderella (so this is love....mm-mm-mm-mm...so this is love...so this is what makes life divine...) :)

Last but not least, I have to give an honorable mention shout out to two brides whose weddings I was unable to shoot, but whose bridals I did.  Here are my favorites from them both:

Kisha:
Stunning bride with some spunk!

Staci:
This was from Staci's bridals, part two...lovely light, gorgeous girl!

Now, let the voting begin!!
I will be taking votes until the 26th of January, and the winning photo and couple will be announced the 27th.

Good luck, and thanks again to everyone who made 2010 such a marvelous year!

VOTING IS NOW CLOSED!

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

I tried to vote for Staci but her name was not an option for the vote.

Crystal Smith said...

Kisha and Jon and Staci and Nathan weren't originally included in the poll because I hadn't shot their weddings...but then I thought why not? They are now on the poll, so vote away. :)

Anonymous said...

Crystal! Love the slide shows! They give an overall confirmation of your ability in so many lighting situations and types of weddings. Beautiful weddings, everyone of them.! I had a tough time voting...but I did, so whoever wins can share their dessert with me! LOL

Andi said...

I don't know where/how to vote, so can I just leave my favorite(s) here?... I am in love with Chad & Breanne's photo! It is my FAVORITE! but Jamie & David's, Tayler & Stefanie's, and James & Molly's were pretty awesome too!