Maine Wedding Photo Shoot-Part 2

Here are a few of my faves from Brea McDonald's professional photos from our last wedding magazine shoot. Dessert buffet, hand made pinwheels... Some of Sara Fitzgerald O'Brien's incredible custom designed, watercolor stationery...

A bouquet made by yours truly, so prettily photographed by Brea on a rusty old tool box, scavenged from a barn on a road trip through Vermont with my sister...

I can't stand these-so sweet! I made Ava this little dress for the shoot, though it came out a bit too big, it didn't stop her from sipping her milk from a pinwheel straw at the "kid's table"! Of course, she selected the sunglasses...

Here is her "thinking face" as she calls it...

What fun! I will let you know as soon as they are out in a magazine! Keep your fingers crossed!

Can't Stop Knitting

I have been up to so much lately, I have backlogs of folders of pictures to share...and here is part of the reason that I haven't been blogging much:

Yep, that is my desk. Can you see the lists buried under the luscious distraction?!? They are in there, you just have to really look. Oh and my laptop is under there somewhere too.

The trouble started the other day when I realized that every single knitting needle I own, has a project started on it. I discovered this when I went searching for an empty set of needles to start another new project. Hmmm... I am 2 sleeves away from finishing a sweater for my very tall husband, and it may likely be the last I make for him-how BORING to knit so many rows of Stockinette stitch...

I am about 3 inches of a sleeve away from finishing the first ever sweater for myself...

About 30 minutes worth of knitting away from finishing a hat for a Christmas gift...

And 9 napkin sweaters away from being ready for my next wedding photo shoot on Oct. 8th. I know, a napkin sweater, really? But it is going to be so sweet and even napkins need to feel cozy on a cool autumn evening at a barn wedding reception. Right?

I just finished Ava's 2nd birthday sweater. How can she be almost 2?!?

Unfortunately, I just found this little gem at my local library. It doesn't appear that there will be any end in sight...

I've Been Up to Something

Oh I've been busy-sorry to have been away. I recently worked again with two fabulous girls-Brea McDonald and Sara Fitzgerald-O'Brien to complete a wedding theme we had started back in June. We had some interest from a wedding magazine editor and needed to create the rest of the wedding story to photograph, before the season changes completely! These are just my snapshots, Brea's photos will be much more delish, but I wanted to share. We created a hand made dessert table, complete with scrumptious strawberry desserts provided by 111 Maine. We only had 4 days notice that this shoot was going to take place, so I had to whip up a bouquet myself-hard to make September look like June! As usual, I scavenged some of my vintage finds, old coolers, metal boxes, family quilts and collected pie pedestals to work into the theme. These lemon squares are quite possibly the best I have ever eaten. Ever. And I have eaten my fair share! The magazine editor wanted a little girl in a red gingham dress...in 4 days, I had to make my own dress and employ my daughter to be in the shoot at the kid's table. I didn't have a pattern, just made this by cutting out freely and hoping for the best...we shall see how it worked in the pictures, I will post some when Brea's are available.

I made an assortment of paper pinwheels, originally to line the ceremony aisle, but we opted not to shoot that scene, and instead, pushed the pinwheels into the ground around the kid's table-so cute!

There are so many other things going on here, I haven't even made the time to get the pictures into the computer to share...just suffice it to say that what is coming next will be a feast for your eyes, and will give you a peek into what our lives have been consumed by for the past year! Stay tuned...

Sneak Peek -Extra Special Coastal Maine Wedding

I think I can only show you the set up of this one...there may be a chance of it being published, and I don't want to ruin it. If this wedding gets selected for publication, then I will yell it from the rooftops and send you links to see the rest, but for now, I can show you the days of set up that were required at this extra special, unique and delightful wedding.

This may shed some light on what goes on behind the scenes at a tented wedding. When you are building the venue from scratch, there are many details and logistical concerns to manage. But of course, with good planning, willing help and a passionate vision and desire, it all can be done expertly.

The main tent going up on Thursday morning.

The house and gardens are a vision in themselves.

The mother of the bride (whom I cried with almost as much as I laughed!) worked so diligently on the preparation for this event, including the designing and caring for the gardens, under atypical weather conditions this summer.

The ceremony weather back up tent going up later Thursday.

The hopeful ceremony location...

Thursday mid morning-my two dearest buddies, Geoff & Ro, from New Orleans, (NOLA if you are in the loop!) who spent the better of 9 hours on a 16 foot ladder with me, installing the lighting in this tent. If only I could have these 2 at all of my tented weddings! We worked for the better of 2 days to get all of the elements set up and installed, including the last minute redesign of the band stage...It takes much more work than most people know, to get from this:

Just to this:

And another wave of labor and energy to get to this:

And that is only about 40% of what needed to be set up!

We had a vision- a big, floaty, illuminated vision....some of these babies were 4 feet in diameter!

But of course, they had to be illuminated, which takes a bit of craft, wit and faith!

Some of the bride's maids and the bride herself enjoyed the perfect Maine weather, in between tasks.

Oh I wish I could share more-keep your fingers crossed!

Views of Maine-Cundy's Harbor

After performing assistant to the hostess duties at a recent event, I took a little drive before going home. My daughter was already asleep and my husband wouldn't mind if I was a little late...

I drove to the end of Cundy's Harbor, Maine, to see the wharf at sunset. Holbrook's wharf is a working wharf, and you can read a bit about it's rejuvenation at the above link.

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Even though I grew up 15 minutes from here, I haven't been down this way in years. I think we will soon be driving down the peninsula one afternoon, for a visit to Holbrook's General Store!

Cal & Jack's Open House

I recently spent a humid summer evening assisting with the celebration of a friend and client's open house. This dynamic couple built their "someday" house, before someday came, and I admire them for doing it. For their privacy, I won't show the house, but trust me, it is beautiful!

They invited all of the people who had worked on the house, the architects, the framers, painters, general contractor, electrical and plumbing contractors, as well as many friends, family members and neighbors. What a treat for those who worked on the house in it's various stages of completion, to come back and see it all finished.

I whipped up a few wildflower arrangements from my garden and had to raid my friend's garden (thanks Emily!) as our unwelcome by the neighbors, groundhog has eaten most of my garden's bounty this year.

On the menu for this 3-7 p.m. evening gathering was shrimp cocktail, Jack's famous Lobster Gazpacho (or is it really Cal's?!?), Lobster Dip, a cheese, fruit and cracker display, mini cupcakes and of course, beer and wine in cheery yellow buckets.

The signature cocktail was so popular, I thought it should be shared with the masses. Cal gave me permission to post the Spiked Lemonade recipe, that Coastal Living Magazine staffers um, really enjoyed during a photo shoot at the house recently. Really, don't forget to add the seltzer-it tastes just like lemonade and can be dangerous!

Cal's Seriously Delicious Lemonade:

1 cup citrus Vodka

3/4 cup lemon juice

1/2 cup Grand Mariner

1/2 cup sugar

4 cups seltzer

Mix in pitcher and chill, or serve over ice with slices of lemon for garnish

Portland Museum of Art Wedding

Oh how I wish these pictures could translate...What a joy to coordinate Christina and Colin's Portland Museum of Art wedding ceremony. You know those people who are truly beautiful, inside and out? The ones who glow with the goodness that radiates from within them? Yeah, that would describe this bride and groom and the so delightful (and one of my beloved former brides) special event coordinator at the museum. (Her actual title is "Project Manager for Administration and Special Events") Jen probably won't be delighted that I put this picture here, but I think she looks beautiful, and she is so composed, professional, witty, capable and a treat to work with. If you are ever wanting to have a special event at the Museum, Jen is the go to expert-you will love her. She is a gem of an event coordinator, friend, confidant, logistics tactical commander and I love the name badge and radio ear piece-this exemplifies the behind the scenes things that go on at well planned weddings... Someday when I grow up, I would love to have Jen work with me full time-really, she is that good. Okay, enough about my opinion, on to the wedding details! Luckily the weather held out, and though it was quite humid, the ceremony was held outside in the sculpture garden, with views of the sculpture gallery inside. We hung small paper lanterns outside in the huge tree for the cocktail hour. Aurora Provisions provided the delish hor d'oeuvres reception food and drink, and friendly capable service. I love their tag line: "Beautiful food for busy people"!

Ceremony music was provided by Don Pride, who provided classical guitar for the prelude and processional.

D.J. Mark Sawyer handled the announcements and reception music. Dan Straine provided photographic documentation, and I can't wait to see his pictures. Alas, all I have to share with you now are some of my poorly lit and time limited snap shots! Can you spy Dan in this photo in the sculpture garden?!? Look closely and you can see his lens...

Just as I met the bride and Jen for the rehearsal the night before, the girls had a Cynthia Nixon sighting, and she gave best wishes to Christina, for her wedding the following day. I mean who has a celebrity sighting on the eve of their wedding in a small Maine city?!?

As I was leaving, the McLellan house looked so sophisticated against the Maine summer night sky...

Happy wishes Christina and Colin, I so enjoyed being a part of your meaningful wedding!