Hey 2013 how's it going?  Wow you got here fast.
Between our own holiday craziness and fun, and photographing some of your holiday memories I almost missed your arrival!

Before we dive head first into what is going to be a pretty incredible year, I want to share some photographs from my last two weddings at the Edward Harris House. I've had so much fun working with the incredible staff, and loving couples that I've had the opportunity to work with there.

These last two weddings were obviously no exception. The location, decorated for the season with soft candlelight, and lovely wreaths made everything special. No detail was left untouched, which emphasized the feeling of love and romance that was definitely in the air.

And my oh my, these couples were so in love... I'm so honored and blessed to have been a part of making their wedding day complete. Thus, concluding my 2012.

So... welcome 2013, I can't wait to see what you'll bring. I am excited to be surrounded by great people, family and friends, and all of the love that you will bring.

PS - If you're looking for a way to have a small, sweet, and amazing wedding ceremony, consider talking with Susan at the Edward Harris House. It will be so worth it!

Every year, on December 24th, I receive a call from my father.
"Hey Erin? Do you want to go shopping with me today?"
Ok, to his credit, sometimes it's early, some years it's December 23rd.
 

And every year, I always go-why you ask? Because nearly 12 years later, it's tradition.

We all have our Christmas traditions, some humorous, some sentimental, some just downright weird.
For example, taking the kids to see Santa, even though, last year, you remember them having a complete and total meltdown on his lap.

Or the cut-out Christmas cookies that your Mom swears she'll "never make again" because of how long it takes.
Yet, we make them, year after year.
Or the annual viewing of National Lampoon's Christmas vacation, complete with recitation during the funniest parts - verbatim.  
Or the beloved "blue turd" Christmas ornament that must, must, must be hung on the tree, every year, or else the tree is not complete.
They're all traditions, whether handed down, married into, or brand new…and they all make my family uniquely mine.

I huff, and puff, and make jokes about what a pain it is to be last minute Christmas shopping.
I mean honestly, I've had my own Christmas shopping done for at least a week now.

So why do I continue to go Christmas shopping with my dad, two days before Christmas?
I know the hustle and bustle I'm going to face, and the occasional craziness, that is last minute Christmas shopping.

I go because I know that every year, for a few hours, a few days before Christmas, I get my daddy to myself.

It's easy to get caught up in the little things that irk us about the holidays. But if the past week has taught us anything at all, it's to cherish the people we love a little more, because we never know what tomorrow brings.

And so, today I cherish these traditions a little bit more. And as time passes, I look forward to the little traditions we already celebrate, and the new traditions yet to come.

Wherever you are this year, and whoever you're with - give them an extra hug,
tell them you love them in the best way you know how… and cherish your traditions.



 

Winnie, Amy and Steve's first love and fur baby, has competition... stinkin' cute competition.

We just love seeing our former wedding couples as their families grow. First with the wedding, then they get a puppy
(or vice versa in some cases). Then, when the time is right, along come babies. Super cute babies.
I was so excited when I heard Amy & Steve were expecting a little girl, and was thrilled to get to meet her last week.

We arrived, piles of gear in tow, ready to create beautiful images. But as we started bringing our things in, we noticed among the clothing choices, and blankets that Amy had prepared for us... a snowboard?
Apparantely, Steve wanted to throw us a little creative curve ball. His request? An image which incorporated his snowboard.
Challenge accepted, and with Lori's help, challenge conquered!

Congratulations Amy and Steve, you're going to be truly amazing parents.
We are so happy for you, and wish you all the best on this new adventure into parenthood!

I can't believe we're already blogging the last wedding of 2012. It honestly feels like we just got started this year, and here it is - December. We've been so blessed with wonderful couples, and Anthony and Brianne are no exception. Easy going, sweet and fun were definitely the words of the day.

We began our wedding day, at their homes. Brianne got ready with her Mom and Sister alongside her. All of the beautiful details fit perfectly together. And I just love that Brianne wore her Mother's wedding dress. It was just perfect for her.

And while I was with the ladies, Lori visited Anthony and the guys. A lot of laughing ensued!

The ceremony was held at the Church of the Assumption in Fairport, NY. As it's Lori's church, for her it was like being home!

After the ceremony, we headed over to Midvale Country Club for some time together with the newlyweds. As cold as it was, we were thankful it wasn't snowing as we climbed into golf carts and headed out onto the course.

We finished up at Midvale as the last of the daylight left us, and on we went to the Harro East Ballroom in Rochester NY, where the cocktail hour was getting underway. The night continued on, with the band keeping the dance floor moving and our photo booth providing some extra entertainment!

Thank you Anthony and Brianne for welcoming us into your day, what a great way to end our year. We wish you many blessings always, as you move forward with your life together. Congratulations!

Want to know the magic formula for family portrait session with two children under the age of five? There's a few items to remember when planning your outdoor family portrait with young kids.

1) Let them play! The more we get to have fun and run around, the more likely it is we'll see some true smiles and maybe even some laughter. At Tiffany & Jared's family session below, as soon as we challenged the boys to a race, it was on. They had so much fun running up and down the nature trails! Those are the moments you want us to capture, right? Don't be afraid to let your kids, "be kids" in front of the camera.

2) Plan for enough time: If you know that your babes are a little shy with people, a half an hour of time with a photographer might not be enough time to get those cute moments caught on camera. After more time together with us, kids are much less shy (this works for adults too!), and much more willing to be themselves in front of the lens.

3) This one is HUGE...more important than the last two. Ready? Are you sure? Ok, here goes.

The secret is "A.B.C."

Always. Bring. Candy.

Period.

At Tiffany & Jared's family session, we did exactly that. The kids played, and ran and had fun. And when they weren't having fun or not being on their best "little kid behavior", we had the back up plan-M&M's. At the end of the session, I know that Tiffany was a little worried that we may not have caught their cute smiles.

But when Mom saw her teaser photograph on Facebook, her fears were put to rest, and a proud Mom emerged.

Tiffany, Jared & Family, thank you for a super cute November session. Tiffany, I know these photographs mean a lot to you, so even if we need a bagful of candy to capture those smiles, I'm in, always. I'm so thankful for you and always happy to photograph your family.

Til next time...always bring candy!

It has been exactly 11 months today since my world changed completely. 11 months ago-I became a full-time professional photographer.

Don't get me wrong, I've been a professional photographer for 4 years now. But up until January 2012, I was a part-time photographer, dreaming of the day I would be able to take the next step. Now, here I am, and honestly couldn't be happier. It hasn't even been a year, but it already feels so normal.

And so, with the Thanksgiving holiday on our doorstep, I need to take a quick timeout to be thankful for a few things.

FIrst off, I'm thankful for my work-wife, Lori A. Coleman. Without her to keep me sane, I'd think that having full conversations with my dog is perfectly normal every day.

Along with that, I'm thankful for my dog, who never let's me forget when it's time to eat, play or walk.

And of course, as always, I'm thankful for my husband, who has supported me from day one. Thanks Matt, I love you!

I'm also very blessed with a supportive family, most of which even let me take their family portraits or photograph their weddings.

I know it's a little cliche to blog about how grateful I am for my family and friends.
However, this year has been one of the craziest, and best roller coaster rides of my life. So, cliche or not, it's the truth.
My small business would not be possible without the support of my family, friends and amazing clients. Thank you ALL.
 

Happy Thanksgiving!

Ok, I can't leave a blog post without sharing some photographs. Here's some recent photographs of my awesome parents, and my brother's family. I think they're a pretty good looking family if I do say so myself....

We're coming up on the holidays, and sadly we have reached the end of our 2012 "wedding season."
(as your reading, please pause to insert a big sigh and "awwwww" here)

But that's typically when what I call "Baby season" begins.
(now insert an excited "hooray!" here)

Every year, it seems as though, when our wedding season slows down, we see an increase in the number of newborns and their families we photograph. Hmm....coincidence?

In any case this winter is not going to be an exception to the rule... we can't wait!

Without further ado, here's the first little cutie of "Baby Season!"
(An over-enthusiastic "hip, hip hooray" and wild applause goes here)

Lori and I were watching the weather...watching, waiting and praying that Hurricane Sandy would wait just a few days after Saturday before hitting the Rochester area. Thankfully for us, it did.

Unfortunately, even though it wasn't a hurricane, we still had to work around some rain on Kari and DJ's wedding day. In all honesty, no spirits were dampened in the making of this wedding day. The veil on the other hand... that's another story.

Kari and DJ, along with their bridal party and family are easy going, and incredibly fun-loving. We loved their ability to roll with whatever the day handed us. We laughed A LOT throughout the day, even as the clouds rolled in and the rain started to pick up. It proved to us that rain can be fun too, we just had to think even more creatively than usual!

Our day began at Kari's parents home. Even as some last minute details were prepped, the atmosphere remained relaxed and casual. That being said, for all of the casualness in the air, there was no lack of gorgeousness in Kari... wow. Stunning.

The ceremony was held at St. Matthews Church, in Kari's hometown of Livonia NY. With family and friends gathered around, from all over the country, you could tell this couple is loved. As they spoke their vows, they only had eyes for each other.

When the ceremony ended, the bridal party fun began... this group nearly brought us to tears with laughter! First stop, before the heavy rain rolled in-Vitale Park on Conesus Lake.

Kari & DJ wanted a little bit of nature, and a little bit of urban brought into their wedding photographs. So on the way back to their Village Gate reception, we stopped at a few of my favorite places in the city, Parkleigh and Starry Nites Cafe. A huge thank you to the patrons at Starry Nites Cafe for letting Kari & DJ have a photo op.

After that, we finished outdoor photographs at Village Gate just as the rain and wind picked up. It couldn't have been timed out more perfectly! As much as we would love to take credit for holding off the rain, it was obvious that Mother Nature knew exactly what to do.

The reception was ROCKIN' as Joe of Q Music Productions kept the party on the dance floor til the very end. What an amazing day for two amazing people, congratulations Kari and DJ!

The Vendors

Co-Photographer: Lori A. Coleman
Make-Up Artist: Joan Lincoln
Hair Stylist: Linda Shaw
The Church: St Matthews, Livonia NY
The Reception: Village Gate, Rochester NY
Catering: Partyman Catering
Flowers: Genessee Valley Florist
The Entertainment: Q Music Productions