Caitlin and Jeff Tie the Knot {WNY Portrait Photographer}

 11/11/11 was a great day to get married! I was very excited for this particular wedding after shooting Caitlin and Jeff's engagement session two weeks earlier in industrial Buffalo. The couple had a 32 person wedding party when all was said and done, so I knew I would have my work cut out for me. 

 As is true of almost all weddings, things ran a bit late but I had a great time chatting it up with Caitlin and getting to know her MOHs while at the salon as she had hair and makeup done. I finally got to see some of the cool details she'd been telling me about for two weeks- including a slave Leia lego in the bouquet and all of her great jewelry. 

 The dress. The dress was a million times cooler than I expected, and I had pretty high expectations after she told me about the design she put together. The four piece dress included a corset, skirt, enormous petite skirt and tuxedo jacket- and lets not forget the shoes! 

 I had one of the MOHs high jack the groom and follow us to the art museum for their first look while Caitlin boarded the party bus and rode with her (enormous) wedding party. While we waited for the bus to arrive, we got to catch up with Jeff and he was the most relaxed groom I think I've ever met. 

 At last, Caitlin arrived and I was able to get some shots of her preening at the top of the stairs leading to the waterfront before Jeff turned around to see her. They were all grins as they walked hand in hand down the stairs and embraced for a long time as we stood back watching the moment with our cameras. 

 After we had a whirlwind of portraits to do, visiting almost all of the sites we had shot their engagement session at before heading to the Flying Bison Brewery for a beer tasting and more portraits. 

 With an hour before guests arrived for the ceremony the group hit the bar and celebrated, toasting the couple. The ceremony and reception was held upstairs and Jeff's father married them. There was a lot of hugging and kissing between vows as they held hands and shared sentiments of love. It was a great evening.

 Caitlin came to the studio a few days later for her wedding gift boudoir session and for bridal portraits and we also took the time to get the family portraits of the newlyweds with their beautiful daughters since it had been so late the evening of the wedding. 

 Caitlin and Jeff, thank you so much for inviting me to be your photographer. I loved being a part of your special day and photographing your beautiful family. I can't wait to photograph many happy anniversary portraits for you!

Team Luna Chix {WNY Portrait Photographer}

 Team Luna Chix Buffalo  invited me to their post-season party and fundraiser to document the fun and good work these fabulous women do at the end of October. The team met up at Dandelions for cocktail hour and dinner, and while there had a silent auction, a jeweler and I set up a photo booth for the ladies post-dinner. That night they raised over $400 for breast cancer research!

 I met the Chix through Mary Lou, that beautiful woman in the center through her kind acts to others. She spent all of 2010 baking cookies for Ronald McDonald House residents and Gilda's Club. I emailed her (far later than I ever meant) to tell her thank you for making my month at RMH a little more comforting and we struck up a friendship. She is an inspiring woman and the whole reason for Team Luna Chix being in Buffalo. I hope to someday get to photograph her baking cookies and hear more about her good deeds. 

 The whole team was an inspiration! Members ages, sizes and backgrounds are all over the map, but running and fundraising brings them all together. If you're looking for a way to make some new, wonderful friends or keep your New Year's Resolution contact them! These are a few of my favorite shots.

 Thank you Mary Lou, and the rest of the Chix, for letting me join you!