Shooting a wedding is always a special event for us.  Shooting a destination wedding for someone special – well, that’s just REALLY cool!!

Like most of the college graduate population these days, I started my professional career in the cube.  It took me a while, but I finally realized that sitting in a cube all day was not what I wanted to do for the rest of my life.  Camera by my side, I kept taking picture after picture.

One day at work, someone told me about an upcoming craft fair and that I should bring some pictures in to sell.  A craft fair?!  Seriously?!  Growing up in Somerville, a craft fair was the last place I wanted to find myself – let alone participating in one.  But I think those padded cube walls softened me.  I decided to look into it.

Enter Nancy.  She worked in the communications department and was the craft fair organizer.  I submitted my application to her and it felt like only a half second went by before she was calling me and saying how I needed to be in the craft fair.  Her warm personality and love of life came through the handset like a ray of sunshine.  Then I met her face-to-face.  Like her personality, her style was light in a dark corporate world.  When everyone around her would be wearing gray or taupe, she was wearing 10 shades of pink.  All quilted into one beautifully hand-crafted jacket.  We were friends instantly.

Nancy quickly became one of the biggest cheerleaders for my budding photography business.  With lots of love, she hand-makes beautiful baby quilts and lots of other fabulous hand-made gifts.  Before I knew it, I was taking photos of just about anything she could turn out at 2 Pugs Design.  Even my daughter Lily got into the act, modeling baby jackets made by Nancy’s best friend and business partner, Marion. Plus, I took pictures of her two pugs – Elvis and Romeo – and a family portrait when her whole family was in town one time.  And the referrals started coming in like crazy – like she had sent a letter to all of her family and friends telling them to hire me.  It was unreal.

There was always one question Nancy would ask me –  “Why are you still here?” she would say over and over.  She asked until it finally sank in and I took the leap.  It would have been much more difficult for me to go out on my own without the love and support of someone like Nancy.

Then Nancy met Mike.  They dated.  I would meet her for lunch and get updates.  “I hope he’s the one” she would say followed by  “You can shoot our wedding if he proposes”.  Well, he did – eventually.  🙂

I photographed their engagement session last year at their house and around their neighborhood.  Of course, we included Romeo and Elvis in a few pictures too.  Mike is a classically trained guitarist and Nancy encouraged him to use the guitar in a few shots.  I asked him to play.  I’ll never forget the beautiful notes coming from the guitar nor the way Nancy leaned on Mike’s shoulder and admired him as he played right in their front yard.

In February, George and I had the privilege of flying down to West Palm Beach to photograph Nancy and Mike’s wedding.  We had such a wonderful time getting to know their friends and family – some of whom were old friends by then.  Of course, Nancy had pink in her wedding wardrobe (I would have been disappointed if there wasn’t).

Nancy and Mike – I’m not really sure how to end this blog.  Nancy – thank you for being such an incredible support and friend.  Mike – thank you for making Nancy happy!  I wish you (and Romeo and Elvis) many, many happy years together.  I look forward to documenting many more milestones with you.  Pugs and Kisses!!

 

Naturally, Nancy loves hand-made stuff: Props to all the others who helped make her wedding a success:

Nancy’s fascinator: Robins Hoods on Etsy

Nancy’s cake topper: Nicole W. Clark on Etsy

Nancy’s earrings: Art Happens on Etsy

Frosted chocolate-chip brownie favors: Nancy’s Kitchen (Nancy McDonough), Marshfield, MA, 781-837-1626