Emily and Ryan’s wedding day started out at the Alexis Hotel downtown…

…and they wanted to have their first look in the Bookstore Bar in the lobby of the hotel. It was a meaningful spot to them–they’d gone on several dates there when they first met. Ryan looked a little nervous…

…and then so excited to see Emily!

We took some portraits in the beautiful lobby of the Alexis…

…and restaurant…

…and then headed over to the Smith Tower. I don’t usually post formal family photos on the blog, but I thought this one of Emily, Ryan, and Ryan’s son Spencer was so cute I had to include it:

I love the view from the Smith Tower’s Chinese Room:

Then it was ceremony time:

And dancing time:

Believe it or not, Emily made that gorgeous fruit tart! Check out how flaky the crust was in the shot above…

DJ Austin Beaver kicked things into high gear and the dancing began for reals:

Emily and Ryan, thank you so much for having me photograph your wedding. And thanks also to Jennifer Richard, my second shooter extraordinaire.

Back in September when it was toasty warm out, I took some outdoor portraits of the Gammill family at a pretty lakeside park in Beaux Arts. Just looking at these sunny photos makes me want it to be summer again…

Two months ago on a crisp clear October day Annalisa and Kevin were married at the fabulous Robinswood House. There were some really fun things about this wedding. First of all, they wanted mostly black & white images–I have a special love of black & white, so it was a real treat for me to be shooting with that in mind. And I also loved it that the groom’s getting ready photos were just as fun as the bride’s! But most of all I just loved spending time with the two of them and their families on such a great day. Thanks to both of you, and congratulations!

Six months ago Steve and I left on our honeymoon:  Copenhagen, Gothenburg, Oslo, Stockholm, Helsinki. It was amazing and I want to go back; Helsinki was my favorite and Oslo was Steve’s. Here are 22 photos from the trip.

Keaton and Mark were married at one of my favorite venues in the city, Herban Feast Sodo Park. It was a great day start to finish–both Mark and Keaton were so laid back and calm. The venue, which is gorgeous as is, was filled with colorful dahlias in stunning metal vases made by Mark. The weather went back and forth from rain to sun, but luckily we had plenty of time outside for portraits in between the rain showers.The ceremony was filled with the love of Keaton and Mark for one another and also with love from friends and family who took part in it. The wedding cake was simply the best chocolate cake I have ever had in my life (and was made by the amazing Molly Wizenberg of Orangette). The dance floor was scorching hot. All in all, a banner day. Here are a few of my favorites:

As always, I love a bride in glasses:

Mark made these! Completely gorgeous:

Oh, and they also had a photobooth! Click here to see some of highlights.

Thanks to Keaton and Mark for including me in your day, and thanks to the wonderful Jennifer Richard for her fab second shooting.

So Get Hitched, Give Hope is almost here! The details:

When: Thursday, October 29th at 5:30pm – 9:00pm
Where: The Arctic Club Hotel at  700 3rd Avenue downtown (map)
What: A big swanky cocktail party, silent and live auctions, and a great way to shop for your wedding
Why: To raise money for the Making Memories Breast Cancer Foundation, which grants wishes to women with metastatic breast cancer.
Also: We are a 501c3 organization so any contributions you make are tax deductible

Online ticket sales have ended but you can still buy tickets at the door tomorrow. And for those of you who can’t make it or who live far away but still want to support the cause, you can donate online as well, right here.

See you Thursday!

Back when she was just six weeks old, I had the pleasure of photographing Abbey with her parents Alexa and Shane.  She was so patient and sweet through several outfit changes, and we got some great photos. In the few months since we took these I’ve seen newer snapshots of her and it’s hard to believe she was so tiny! Here are just a few of my favorites from the session:

Thanks to Alexa, Shane and Abbey for such a wonderful session–I look forward to watching as she grows up!

I met Marta, Joe, Minka & Zeb through their next door neighbors Stewart and Danielle. When their daughter Minka was a few months old they’d had baby photos done, and how that their son was the same age they wanted to have some of him as well. So we took lots of baby photos…and a few family ones also! Zeb was in a great mood. We got lots of big smiles and general cuteness…

…and some seriously goofy faces. Babies crack me up!

Zeb fell asleep when we were trying to do a few group shots, but his mom found a goofy way to make him smile anyway.

Big sister checking out little brother.

Thanks to all four of you for such a fun session!

OK, I know I just posted last night about Get Hitched, Give Hope, but there is an amazing giveaway on the GHGH blog that I just had to tell you about. It’s these two beautiful fascinators, and to enter to win all you have to do is comment on the blog post or tweet about it with an @BeAGiver.  Find out more here. Check out these two beauties:

Hey everyone, so Get Hitched, Give Hope is only 17 days away! For those of you who don’t know, it’s a big fun swanky party for brides and grooms that raises money for the Making Memories Breast Cancer Foundation. The basic idea of the night (aside from getting dressed up and having cocktails and generally enjoying yourself) is that some of Seattle’s top wedding vendors donate their services, and then brides and grooms bid on them in silent and live auctions. All the money goes to charity. Last year we raised an astounding $30,000 in one night, and this year we’re hoping to raise $50,000. I’ll have an engagement photography package up for auction, and even if you’re not engaged there are some amazing things (flowers! jewelry! desserts!) that are so worth checking out.  It’s an incredible night, and I hope you’ll buy a ticket and join us. Here are just a few of the things will be up for auction:

T. Anothony Scholdt rings. His is a tungsten wedding band with a palladium inlay; hers is a diamond eternity band set in palladium with 43 (count ‘em! 43!) round brilliant cut diamonds (.22 carat total weight). Keep in mind that last year people got unreal deals–that can happen at auctions–with some items going for 70% off their retail value.

Anne Barge dresses:

We’ll also have wedding planning, overnight vacations, custom invites, spa services like massage and men’s grooming, a Mercedes Benz van for your wedding party, makeup and hair styling, personal training, custom tailored shirts for guys, floral centerpieces, and SO much more. For a more complete listing of what will be up for auction and raffle, click here.

So buy your tickets online right here, and I’ll see you on the 29th!