I’m officially in love with The Barn on Walnut Hill– I mean, look at this house and how airy it is!  I was really digging the wallpaper, china, and brick accents.  SWOON.

Chrissy Notaro, a makeup artist who hails from New York City, made Lauren and the rest of the gals look stunning.

There were a lot of little moments that had everyone tearing up.  Lauren’s moment came when she was brushing her teeth, and, without provocation, the waterworks began.  It reminded me of my own wedding, where I, too, randomly burst into tears about twenty minutes before the ceremony (happy/slightly overwhelmed tears, of course!).

While I was covering the girls, Andree Kehn, my awesome second shooter for the day, covered the guys getting ready.  It’s a tradition for Collin to tie Kyle’s tie at every formal event they attend, so Collin insisted that he help Kyle.

Lauren and Collin opted to do a first look on their wedding day and chose to see each other before their ceremony.  Afterwards, they raved about how wonderful it was and how much it calmed them down.  I love Collin’s reaction to Lauren here:

And then… off to the ceremony they went…

…where there were even MORE tears!

Love this photo of Lauren, Collin, and their two siblings captured by Andree.

Lauren gave her dad a photo album of childhood photos, which he showed off during cocktail hour.

There’s nothing like a bright, sunny day for portraits!  The Barn on Walnut Hill has so many lovely backdrops– picket fences, quaint porches, verdant walkways, and, of course, the barn!

Harmon’s and Barton’s did the florals… and they were soft, pretty, and smelled divine.

There’s something lovely about a simple, elegant cake, like this one designed by European Bakery.  And I loved their film disposable cameras that Collin and Lauren placed at each table– I saw guests playing with them all evening.

Lauren’s and Collin’s first dance was sweet… but also silly (which was awesome in my book!)

The mother and son dance was also a little bit kooky (another great capture by Andree).

Velorasaurus rocked the wedding reception and got everyone up on their feet for a rockin’ good time.  I love photographing weddings with great bands– they create a certain sort of energy that I’ve never seen a DJ replicate.

Right before I left, several family members jumped on stage to play a song– here’s Collin’s dad playing the harmonica (he was really good!)

Thank you, Lauren and Collin, for letting me be part of your wedding day!

Venue: The Barn on Walnut Hill
Photographer: Kate Crabtree Photography
Photography Assistant: Tammie Wardwell
Second Photographer: Andree Kehn
Caterer: University of Southern Maine
Florist: Harmon’s and Barton’s
Dress: Watters, purchased at Madeleine’s Daughter
Makeup: Chrissy Notaro
Hair: Bridal Beauties
Band: Velorasaurus
Wedding rentals: One Stop Party Shoppe

As I began to head to Kettle Cove in Cape Elizabeth, Maine, a few raindrops began to fall and the sky developed dark, angry patches.  I was, admittedly, a little worried, but since I was so close to our destination I figured I might as well meet Jenn and Josh there to discuss our options.  AND THEN, if the spattering rain and darkening skies weren’t enough, a ridiculously thick fog rolled in as I drove into the parking lot of Kettle Cove, so thick that I could barely see the boats that were close to shore.

The three of us talked about if we should continue on or reschedule, and during that time the sky softened and lightened just a touch, and I revisioned those brooding clouds and fog as rather romantic, warm, and cozy.  I suggested we at least take a couple of photos, which turned into two hours of atmospheric photos that I fell in love with.  The weather may not have seemed perfect for an engagement session, but I wouldn’t have wanted it any other way once it was all said and done.

By the way, I love love love love love Kettle Cove.  It’s one of my favorite places to capture portraits in southern Maine because of how versatile it is.  In just a small, compact area there are woodsy paths and sandy and rocky beaches.  Essentially, it’s a great sampling of Maine landscapes (and if you need a lighthouse to round out your Maine experience, the Portland Head Light is only a hop, skip, and a jump away)!

Jenn and Josh, I had an awesome time with you, and I’m looking forward to your New Hampshire lakeside wedding!  August can’t come soon enough!

Below are a few of my very favorite photos from our time together:

Do you know what’s awesome?  Jenn and I were wearing the EXACT SAME SHOES during the session– tan Sperry boat shoes.  Both of our pairs were gifted by our mothers on our birthdays.  I don’t believe in fate, but that’s quite the coincidence!

Here are a few of my favorites from their wedding day.

Mary is known by her nieces as ladybug, so Leah presented Mary with a rather thoughtful gift on her wedding day.

Mary’s makeup artist was Cyndi of From This Day Forward.  I love working with Cyndi– not only is she talented applying natural-looking makeup, but she’s a sweet and genuine person who is easy to work with at weddings.  She makes my job easier, for sure!

It was one of those blue sky days, complete with an abundance of sunshine, that everyone couldn’t help but exclaim over.  It was the sort of day that you can’t help but believe that anything is possible, especially love.

Mary has a lot of nieces and nephews, and included them in the wedding.  I’m such a sucker for adorable kids’ formal wear– I’d like Leah’s outfit in an adult size, please!

Adin, Nat’s son, was awesome, and spent some time with us during portraits because he wanted to be included.  I was happy to oblige!

It was a little windy out, so we retreated into the pool house suite to warm up after the ceremony and family formals and I gave Mary and Nat a little quiet time to reflect upon everything that had happened that day.

Once Mary had warmed up, we wandered around the venue for some portraits around the inn– there were a lot of great paths for portraits!

I have to give a shout out to Trillium Caterers, who took great care to make sure my assistant and I were fed well.  Not only was the food sublime, but the attitudes of the chefs and waiters were definitely cheery and eager to please.

Right before I left, I looked outside, noticed a soft sunset, and asked Mary and Nat if they would like to sneak away from the reception to get a quick photo by the sea.  I’m really happy they obliged me.

Thanks so much for letting me be a part of your day, Mary and Nat!  Have fun in St. Lucia!

Vendors

Photographer: Kate Crabtree Photography
Venue: Inn at Ocean’s Edge
Caterer: Trillium Caterers
Makeup: From This Day Forward
Hair: Revival Salon
Dress: Paloma Blanca
Florist: Friend of bride and groom

I was excited when Brianna, who is currently finishing her Ph.D. in food science and nutrition, asked me to do her headshots.  We did a short session around UMaine on the most amazingly sunny and warm day, where I couldn’t help but exclaim over the fact that I was wearing a sleeveless top outside and wasn’t freezing.  Seriously– Maine spring and summer make up for our miserably depressing winters.

Here are a few of my favorites from our mini session.  Brianna, you look fabulously professional!

I met Steve and Arianne at Nubble Light and York Beach in York, Maine, where we enjoyed a bright, sunny day.  Annie has this sort of effervescent joy about her that’s simply intoxicating– I don’t think she ever stopped smiling.  And it’s clear that her glee brings out the best in Steve, judging by the way he would look at her and how happy he looked with Annie in his arms.  I am so excited to photograph their May wedding at Point Lookout– it’s going to be a good time!

Here are a few of my favorite photos from our time together.

Special thanks go to Makeup by Megi, who highlighted her Audrey Hepburn-esque features, and Richard, who facilitated our use of the estate during the off season.

Below are a few of my very favorites from our session.  Thanks, Emily, for thinking of me once again to photograph your lovely jewelry!

Kristina was warm, funny, and personable as we wandered around the Portland Headlight in Cape Elizabeth, Maine and attempted to find places that were sheltered away from the whipping wind (can you tell how windy it was?).  We had to take a few breaks away from the cold and wind, but Kristina was a trooper and even picked her way over the rocky beach so we could find our way to some gorgeous light.

Below are a few of my favorites from our time together.  She’s running the Boston Marathon next week as well as Big Sur this month, so wish her luck!

Last week, during a spare moment, I shared a coffee with Brianna, one of my wonderful 2012 brides who I’m lucky to live near (many of my clients live out of state, or else I have a feeling I’d be spending most of my free time socializing with them, because they are all wonderful people).  We had one of those wonderful sorts of conversations where we talked about everything and nothing at the same time, compared our Myers-Briggs personality types (I’ve revisited the test recently and have been high fiving the other INTJs who I call friends), and soon our conversation turned to how harried I had felt recently.

She smiled at me and said she was surprised when I had emailed her recently and had apologized to her for taking 24 hours to respond to an email on the weekend and hadn’t been concerned I hadn’t rushed to answer her email during the weekend.

I took pause at her comment.  I realized she hadn’t cared a whit that I had made her wait almost a full day to respond to her email.  And this small comment made me reconsider how I keep in contact with my clients.

First, and foremost, I LOVE MY JOB.  I feel like I have to capitalize it to fully emphasize how passionate I am about photographing people and weddings and being able to work with ridiculously cool people.  And so, when I receive fun inquiries and emails from my couples, my typical gut reaction is to reply back immediately, because I’m so excited to hear from them.  But it’s not fair to my husband and to the other people in my life who I should focus on when I’m not holding office hours.  In order to continue loving what I do in the future, I feel like now is the time to begin creating standards in regards to how I conduct business.

The following will go into effect immediately:
1. All phone calls and emails from clients and inquiries will only be answered during office hours, which are officially 8am to 5:30pm.  If I receive an email or call outside of this time, I will respond to it the following day.  If I receive an email/call on the weekend, it will be responded to on Monday.
2. Exceptions will take place for scheduled initial phone inquiries (if the client cannot chat on the phone during business hours) and for emergencies (last minute wedding and session emails that must be answered immediately and cannot wait until morning).
3. I am Facebook friends with many of my clients, which I absolutely love.  However, I ask that any wedding day/photography questions be sent via email rather than via Facebook message.  I read through all the emails my couples have sent to me a day or two before the wedding so I make sure we are all on the same page.  It’s easier if all of the information we have discussed is in one location rather than on Facebook and in my email.  However, feel free to send me random fun messages via Facebook– they often make me smile!

I’m looking forward to these changes and being able to serve you all with a thumbs up and a smile while still giving myself some time to relax!

1. Invest in a great makeup artist.
Excellent makeup artists can make magic happen.  By contouring your face, concealing any acne and dark circles, and enhancing your eyes and eyelashes, a skilled makeup artist will make my job easier and, even better, make you feel like a million bucks.  There are a few places I believe you can skimp on your wedding, but a makeup artist is, in my opinion, not one of them.

2. Devote a solid chunk of time to portraits.
I am ever so happy when my couples allot me at least a half hour for their portraits– it’s enough time to shoot at one location with a few different backdrops.  I am even happier when they find a way to give me even more time.  The more time you provide me with making your portraits, the better they will be, and, even better– we’ll be less rushed, allowing you to relax.

3. Slip away during your reception.
The best light for portraits falls within the last two hours before sunset.  If our time for portraits doesn’t fall within this time range, I suggest we sneak away after you finish eating for an extra 15 minute portrait session outside.  It’s a great moment to, once again, take a break from the hubbub while your guests eat, and the light will be stunning.  If we’re lucky, we may be able to utilize a gorgeous sunset to create a brightly-colored silhouette.

4. Consider doing a first look.
If you’re worried about how much time you’ll be away from your wedding during cocktail hour (I’ll discuss family and bridal party photos in an upcoming post!), you can always do your portraits prior to your ceremony!  More and more couples are doing a first look, in which the bride and groom see each other and spend some private time together before they walk down the aisle.  Some couples will elect to do their bridal party and family photos at this time, allowing them to head right to cocktail hour after the wedding.  If you decide to do this, I suggest that we do sneak out at sunset to take a few more portraits to utilize the gorgeous light, but it’s a great option for couples who want to get to their party as soon as possible!

5. Be prepared and flexible if there is rain.
I like to think I’m a lucky charm for my clients, as rain did not fall at all during wedding portrait time for 2012 and 2011.  I swear it’s because of my secret anti-rain dance I do if inclement weather seems likely!  However, in case my anti-rain dance ever fails, I suggest the following solutions if the weather is less than desireable:
-Invest in a couple of umbrellas in your wedding colors.  I always bring black umbrellas, but you may want them in your own wedding colors.  We’ll shoot quickly outside, unless it is pouring.  Cute galoshes can also be fun, if you’re worried about your shoes getting wet!
-Rain is typically intermittent, so if it looks like the rain will let up soon after when we are supposed to start portraits, I may suggest you head to your cocktail hour for a short period of time to see if we can wait it out.
-We can always do a few portraits indoors or under an awning, either at your getting ready location or venue.  It’s always a good idea to have a back up location, just in case!  I’ll also look around when I arrive to see if there are any locations you might not have thought of.

6. Do an engagement session.
I don’t know about you, but I always get a little nervous when I’m on the other side of the lens.  That’s why I strongly suggest that you invest in an engagement session so that you become comfortable with the idea of cuddling up to your significant other while I create adorable photos of you two.  It may feel odd at first, but this extra time spent with me will hopefully make you feel more at ease on your wedding day!

Emily and I were originally going to shoot downtown, but our last snowstorm fell at just the right time and left us with soft, white snow that blanketed the trees and provided for such an amazing atmosphere that I contacted her the day of and asked her if she’d mind switching our location.  It was definitely the right decision– although I’m so not a winter person, there’s something about fresh fallen snow that is simply sublime.

Here are a few of my favorites with Emily.  By the way, isn’t her dark hair combined with her blue eyes divine?  It’s always been a favorite color combination of mine!