Chelsea & Sam were married at Alpenglow at the top of a neverending dirt road in Arctic Valley. The day was spectacularly sunny and warm and beautiful! A dream day for sure!

Chelsea is one of those people who has a special knack for making you feel like you’ve known her forever. She and her merry band of bridesmaids welcomed me into their group and I spent a full day following them around from the hair salon to the mountain top. It was on the mountain top where I first caught sight of Sam and got to witness the perfect wedding gift — Mr. T cuff links! They were a present from his bride to be and Sam was ecstatic.

Sam & Chelsea were married outside in front of their family & friends.  The reception was kicked off with plenty of dancing including my favorite dance of the evening, Sam & his mother dancing to Sweet Home Alabama.

Chelsea, you are a stunning bride!  Please don’t use the photo of the two of you strangling each other as your Christmas Card!

Here is to a lifetime of fun, love & laughter!

I thought I’d post one more of the weddings that I helped shoot while in Alabama.  This was the very first wedding that I photographed with Mark Lawley & Associates.  I told Mark how common it was to have outdoor weddings back in Alaska, and all he had to do was have me follow him around one time to realize why southern brides love air conditioning!  It was ridiculously hot!  Summer hadn’t even gotten into full swing yet but you could easily see how an outdoor wedding could knock a bridal party off their feet!  Thankfully, the rest of the summer, the weddings I helped with were all indoors!

This particular couple was going on an Alaskan cruise for their honeymoon, so I felt right at home meeting the bride for the first time.  She was surrounded by a wonderful group of friends and we had an easy morning spending time at the salon.  They chose to have a “first look” where the bride and groom see each other prior to the ceremony and it was a beautiful opportunity.  I had never participated in a wedding with a “first look” before and had the good fortune of witnessing several more before the summer was over.  What a great idea!  I wish I had thought of that with my wedding.  

When we arrived at the church we were joined by Keith and Carla,  additional members of Mark’s Photography team, who took over with the bulk of photographing the wedding.  I was able to step back and watch some seasoned pro’s in action.  It was a great start to a wonderful summer!

Following is another wedding from down south that I helped shoot for Mark Lawley & Associates. This bride was totally at ease with getting married and completely adorable to boot! Their timeline for the day was well thought out and they alotted plenty of time for all aspects of “getting ready”. The ceremony and reception took place at Ross Bridge Resort which, for those of you avid golf fans, boasts one of the Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail courses. The hotel was beautiful, the entire wedding party was so welcoming and the bride, most especially, was such a lovely person. I love walking away from a wedding feeling so rewarded for the people I’ve had the pleasure to meet and the fact that they allowed me in to such an important day in their lives.

Prior to the start of our trip down south I had the good fortune of meeting Mark Lawley of Mark Lawley & Associates. Mark allowed me the wonderful opportunity of photographing weddings with his team based out of Birmingham, AL. They kept me busy throughout the summer and shared their vast knowlege that comes from years of experience in the business! The last time I had the opportunity to photograph a wedding as a team was back in 1999 when I still shot film! Needless to say, I picked up several fun new techniques this go around!

Mark’s approach to team shooting is such an awesome and comprehensive way of capturing the story of a wedding. After my first wedding with these guys, I was already excited about all the possibilities for weddings in Anchorage. I’m so thankful I was able to gain this experience but more importantly I had the opportunity to work with and develop friendships with some great fellow photographers! Thank you to Mark, Keith, Carla, Randi, Maggie and now baby Noah!

I’ll be posting images from some of these weddings over the next couple of weeks. The first batch is from the last wedding I photographed with Keith. My favorite images were from the dance floor. We were taking turns working some backlighting and trying to keep up with the dancers!

Earlier in the day, there were some beautiful moments captured. The first image to follow shows the father of the bride quietly looking out the window while we were wrapping up the formals.  Also, there is also a fun moment when the flower girl gives the bride a high five after the ceremony — total cuteness!  

My husband Dave has been in Afghanistan recently and upon his return he will be attending a military university down south.  Because of this we’ve had the opportunity to spend a year visiting the grandparents in Alabama. The boys and I are currently enjoying the unbelievable heat and the great times spent with family.  After a year of sweltering temperatures, however, I am sure we will be glad to return to our friends and the wilds of Alaska.  Our planned return is for July 2009.  Until then, I will not be able to photograph any weddings, portraits, or events but I look forward to jumping back into things full swing next summer!  

During our stay, I have my plate full with incredible photography seminars and workshops throughout the southeast United States.  In addition, I’ve been fortunate enough to assist a Birmingham based photography studio with several weddings that will continue on through the summer.   Mark Lawley & Associates Wedding Photography have provided this incredible opportunity for me.  If you are in the southeast and are planning a wedding check out their website at www.marklawleyphotography.com. 

More posts will be coming soon as I slowly work my way through my transition from Windows to Mac.  Ay!