2013 was a year I’ll never forget. It was the first year back to full time photography work after my son, Phoenix, was born in 2012, and I found myself working 90 hours a week to keep up with the amazing growth LAD Photography experienced. Not only with Maine Weddings, but with engagements, cake smashings, and high school seniors, too! My ass was dragging by the time the holidays rolled around, but I loved every second of it!
So let’s take a look at some of the hotties I photographed in 2013!
Nick + Eric Engagement
An amazing young couple who allowed me to photograph them in in March in the style of an engagement photo shoot. I was simply looking for a handsome gay couple to photograph to be able to add an LGBT section to my website, since I’m whole-heartedly supportive of the law that passed this year making same sex marriage legal! Woot!!! I had never met Nick or Eric before, but they happily contacted me and volunteered. I didn’t find out until the photo shoot at the wonderful Governor Hill Mansion in Augusta that they actually were engaged! A Boston proposal with candles and rose petals… make my heart go pitter-pat.
Scott + Angelica Engagement
Ever the Star Wars geeks, Scott and Angelica were destined for happiness! These engagement photos were taken on a cold and windy day in April at the Portland Head Light. This image was taken on the baseball field immediately after asking them to “be serious” and “give me a sexy look”. Giggles ensued, and I loved it. This is one of my favorite moments from their engagement photo shoot.
Brett + Emily June 8, 2013
One of the most wonderful and down-to-earth couples I had the honor of getting to know last year. Brett and Emily were High School Sweethearts, and when Emily told him “you had better surprise me when you propose”, he certainly did. As Emily showered one morning, Brett ripped back the shower curtain with a ring in his hand, scaring the crap out of Emily. He said “you told me it better be a surprise!” Not sure if that’s what she had in mind, but the answer is all that matters, and Brett and Emily were married on Old Orchard Beach where he grew up.
Ryan + Katie June 15, 2013
Katie and Ryan are, simply put, beautiful people. The way they look at each other is beautiful. Their families and friends are beautiful. And their wedding was no exception. This Boston couple was married at the Trinity Episcopal Church in York and threw one heck of a party afterward at the Dockside Restaurant. They were sent to me from a couple I also photographed in 2013, and I’m so glad that they gave me the honor of spending their wedding day with them. The love that filled this day was amazing.
Ashley Trash the Dress
Ashley and I can now say we “go way back”. She and her fiancé Matt hired me for their wedding in June 2013 that never took place. Matt had proposed on New Years Eve in 2008, in Tucson, Arizona, and they moved to Maine shortly after. When I first met them, Ashley announced she was pregnant, so I had the honor of an engagement/maternity photo shoot. In May, the fact that they had lost who they were put a stop to their Maine wedding, as their original dream was to marry in Tucson when the cacti were in full bloom. Once their daughter was born, Ashley hired me to photograph the trashing of her wedding gown as a symbol of starting anew and making no more sacrifices. She cut her dress into shreds. When their daughter turned one in December, I photographed the smashing of Violet’s first birthday cake, and I am now looking forward to photographing a destination wedding for Matt and Ashley in, you guessed it, Tucson!, in late March 2014. This is one couple who knows what they want in themselves, in each other, and in their wedding day!
Krissy Boudoir
Kristen is a gorgeous young woman who has no idea of how beautiful she really is. For this boudoir session, I asked her “give me a ‘come hither’ look” and her reply was “I don’t have a ‘come hither’ look!” Oh, miss Kristen, I think you’re wrong! She and her fiancé hired me to photograph their wedding in August 2013, and as a wedding day gift to him, she spent the better part of 2 1/2 hours in sometimes no more than a pair of high heels and her engagement ring for a boudoir photo shoot. A Little Black Book was presented to him on their wedding night. You go, girl!
Ashley + Brodie July 20, 2013
This is one wedding I will not soon forget! The kind of wedding I thrive on. Ashley and Brodie (not Brodie and Ashley, mind you) were married in Alna at his parent’s estate, a farm with amazing views, horses, chickens, and… fireworks! Brodie built an archway from scratch. Ashley had her dress designed and hand made. Family pitched in with the most incredible floral arrangements I’ve seen. The ceremony seating were perfectly positioned hay bails covered in burlap, which later turned into a large circle of bails where everyone could enjoy a bonfire on the edge of a cliff and watch the fireworks being set off from below. A large barn made the perfect backdrop for an antique tractor and a photo booth, and an old canoe filled with children’s activities kept the kids entertained well into the night.
Sam + Kate-Lynn July 27, 2013
Sam and Katie hired me for their wedding at Martindale Country Club, and have since become great friends. Sam works at Bowdoin College, and Katie is an elementary school teacher. Two of the most warm and selflessly giving people I know. On her wedding day, Katie chose a dress that had one fluttering strap, and I remember her saying “He’s never going to stop making fun of me for choosing this dress. He will think this strap is so silly.” But when she came around the corner in a horse-drawn carriage to a soundtrack that would bring tears to anyone’s eyes, Sam’s face lit up, and as her father walked her down the aisle, I snapped a photograph of Sam giving a little fist-pump. He knew he was a lucky man, and as a matter of fact, he loved the dress, flutter strap and all!
Mike + Vannie August 3, 2013
Another Boston couple, Mike and Vannie hired me to photograph their wedding on August 3, only one week after their best friends’ wedding (yes, I’m talking about Sam and Katie). Mike grew up in Maine, and Vannie is from California. They met at Bowdoin College and decided to have their wedding at the Bowdoin Chapel, with a super fun reception with a photo booth just down the road at The Frontier in Brunswick. Vannie, an admitted J. Crew addict, wore a J. Crew dress and shoes on her wedding day, and their friends and family supplied flowers, music, a wedding cake, and an incredible amount of love and class that I rarely see. Mike and Vannie’s wedding is featured on Borrowed & Blue, if you’d like to take a look. http://www.borrowedandblue.com/coastal-maine/weddings/vannie-mike–2
Sierra Portrait Session
Sierra is one of the most beautiful young ladies I know (get the shotgun ready, mom!), but always polite, warm, and classy. Her mother, Laurel, allowed me to photograph her on a lovely day in August, and the shoot went so well I think I’d like to recruit Miss Sierra for more photo shoots in the future. I have some ideas in mind, and this cutie has the face to make my photographs shine.
Dave + Kristen August 17, 2013
Dave and Kristen were married at the renowned Haraseeket Inn in Freeport on Augusta 17. Kristen had so much anxiety on her wedding day that she didn’t think she could make it through the ceremony. You’d never know from the boudoir photos you saw above, but she prefers to be a wall flower, and gripped her father so tightly as she took deep breaths to make it through the all-eyes-0n-the-bride walk down the aisle. Once she took the hand of Dave, however, you could see the rest of the world melt away and they spent the entire ceremony gazing at each other intently. The emotions flowed at their reception as I captured Dave’s eyes well up as his best man delivered his speech, and tears running down Kristen’s face as she danced with her father, no longer his little girl. This was a wedding to remember.
1950’s Stylized Photo Shoot
In August I took on the task of photographing a vision I’ve had floating around in my head for a while. With the help of a wardrobe stylist, a local antique car owner, an incredibly talented hair and makeup artist, and models Tim and Lily, I was able to see my vision come to life. I love anything retro, and wanted to do an engagement-style photo shoot that could have taken place in the 1950’s. I chose to hire Tim and Lily based not only on their looks, but on the fact that a multi-racial couple from the 1950’s was so taboo and so utterly beautiful.
Emily Class of 2014
Emily’s family hired me sight unseen for their daughter’s high school senior photographs, and I couldn’t be more happy with the results. Emily is not your average pretty girl. She’s a sports enthusiast and plays softball and soccer. When the hair and makeup artist was done, Emily took a break in the ladies room, and I later found out that she cried. Not tears of joy, but because she thought she had too much makeup on. After a few shots, I showed her how gorgeous she looked on camera, and her inhibitions disappeared. She was so fun to photograph. Very relaxed and such a confident young lady. I simply adored working with Emily, her parents, and her sister Olivia on the day of the photo shoot.
Mark + Kayla September 14, 2013
Mark and Kayla refused to compromise when it came to their dream wedding, and it paid off big time! She was on the border of hiring a friend to photograph her wedding, and decided to invest in me at the last minute. A perfect day deserves perfect photographs after all! When I sat down with them it was clear that they were one heck of a classy couple, and so humble and appreciative of what they have and the people around them. They married in a park in Kennebunkport, and from there took a sailboat with their wedding party (and me!) to their reception at the Arundel Yacht Club. The reception was adorned with strung globe lights, and nautical touches. The light from the windows flooded the dance floor as they danced their first dance. This perfectly stunning couple definitely had a perfectly stunning wedding day.
Eddie + Meghan September 28, 2013
Meghan and Eddie met me at a bridal show. Not usually my cup of tea, since I’m more of a boutique, cater-to-you type of wedding photographer, but they booked me on the spot. Their wedding was like nothing I’d ever seen before. The ceremony and reception were both held at Camp Roosevelt in Eddington, overlooking a lake, at the height of the fall foliage. Their ceremony ditched the traditional candle lighting or sand pouring, and instead they each put two nails in an engraved box. Inside the box was a bottle of wine and letters they had written to each other which described why they fell in love, and what they plan to share together for the rest of their lives. On their tenth anniversary they are to open the box, drink the wine, and read their letters to one another. Their ceremony wasn’t any less unique, as the entire room was lit only with up-lights and hundreds of candles. In separate sections of the building you could find a photo booth and a caricature artist to entertain their guests.
Scott + Angelica September 29, 2013
Angelica warned me when I arrived on their wedding day “The guys are all computer programmers, so they may not be the craziest bunch” and boy was she wrong. When I entered the room where Scott and his groomsmen were getting ready, they had already busted out their “beverages of choice” and were making jokes about not knowing the first thing about pinning flowers onto their suits. During their group photographs, the guys insisted on doing a few shots where they would each pose a different way, from looking like a male model to superman, to hand-on-hips diva. Of course none of this was divulged to Angelica when I greeted her as her hair and makeup was being done. She would have to see for herself when the photos arrived. Their wedding was held at the beautiful Italian Heritage Center in Portland, and their crazy wedding party headed to a local park for formal photographs before going back to the Heritage Center for a reception filled with classic music and lots of dancing.
Ryan + Amy Engagement
I can’t even begin to explain the amount of joy and sheer love that this couple exudes. Amy and Ryan met online. Their first date was set for a meeting in downtown Camden, precisely where I happened to park for their engagement photo shoot. She arrived first and stood on the bridge awaiting his arrival. She watched as he drove down the street, slowed, and kept driving past. She was sure he had seen her and must have thought “no way” and decided to stand her up. She waited for a few more moments, just to be sure, hoping, when she saw him park at the far end of the street and get out of his car and start walking toward her. The rest, as they say, is history. They’ve been inseparable since that day, and no amount of direction I could have given them could have ever created the crazy chemistry they have all on their own.
Brandon + Sarah Engagement
I met Sarah and Brandon in a little café in Bath. Brandon was determined to give Sarah the wedding of her dreams, and they had already set the location at The Nonantum in Kennebunkport. As we discussed their ideas for engagement photos inside BIW and on the ship they were both working to see built, I fell in love with this couple. Unfortunately, we weren’t able to take photos inside BIW, but made sure we still took advantage of the coast when we met at Popham Beach for photos on the water and in Fort Popham. The amazing light for photography stood second to the amazing chemistry this couple has. The passion they have for each other is incredible, and I can’t wait to capture more of it on their wedding day!
Evan + Rachel Engagement
Evan and Rachel are….. cool. They take their time with sitting with you. They have a glass of wine, they talk to you like you are more than just the person who will photograph their wedding. And, as you can see, Rachel has these eyes that are just plain dreamy. They are into the theatre, and have a sense of style that sends you back in time. I absolutely love it!
Matt + Susanne Engagement
Matt and Susanne are planning an “Up” themed wedding at Ocean Gateway in August 2014, and I can’t wait to photograph it. During our time taking their engagement photographs, we were able to lose a group of colorful balloons, play football, explore a lighthouse, and walk through the Old Port. And all with an air of class and sophistication. It’s hard to explain, but this couple commands attention and presents themselves with nothing but style.
Micah + Clacy October 12, 2013
Micah and Clacy planned the perfect rustic autumn wedding, set in Turner on the water. The foliage was incredible, and this couple, along with their son Cameron, warmed my heart. The first time I met with them they toted their mothers along, and I knew, talking to the group of them, that this was a perfect couple for me. The special romantic touches and painstaking details that they put together made their wedding truly one of a kind. They turned a ‘reception hall’ into ‘home’.
Rob + Caitlin October 19, 2013
Caitlin and Rob are a laid back couple who ooze confidence. Caitlin grew up in Maine and wanted to return from Florida for their autumn wedding. During our final meeting before the wedding, Caitlin mentioned how much she loved her grandmother’s home, and that she wanted to have formals done there. We decided to take a drive to the property to walk around, and I think Caitlin couldn’t possibly have had a better idea. When I saw this property, complete with antique barn with chipping paint, I knew we had to use it. I could have photographed that place all day!
Justin + Kaili Engagement
Justin and Kaili attended the University of Maine at Orono together, although they now live out of state, and I’m so thrilled they decided to come back to their roots for their engagement photos. We took some amazing photographs on the UMO campus, and then headed to a local pub where they had their first date. The owner was so touched by this couple that he opened the pub for the two of them and allowed us to spend an hour alone taking photos. Then we headed off the beaten path to take vintage-style photographs near a bit of railroad tracks. You should see the way Kaili’s eyes light up when she looks at Justin (who I’m convinced is a long-lost relative of Jimmy Fallon…).
Ryan + Amanda Engagement
Ryan and Amanda reside in Massachusetts, but plan to have an incredible Maine Waterfront wedding in September 2014. For their engagement photos, we just had to give a nod to Ryan’s family, since he was raised on a farm. We decided to meet for morning photos, and I had planned to see this field fully overgrown with tall grasses. When we arrived, it had been freshly mowed… which worked out so perfectly because we found this amazing old tractor to use as a backdrop for many of our photos! These photos are among some of my all-time favorite. Doesn’t hurt that Ryan and Amanda are a totally gorgeous couple, either.
Matt + Heidi Engagement
Holy moly, this couple makes me laugh. They decided to brave an incredibly cold December day, at the beach!, for their engagement photos. We trekked to Popham Beach and wandered through the paths along the dune grass and Matt cracked jokes that kept us all in stitches, which made the cold so much more bearable. Matt and Heidi have chosen an amazing site for their ceremony in late September: a wire bridge in North New Portland. Such a cool idea!
Violet Smash the Cake: 1st Birthday
So here is little Miss Violet, mentioned previously in the post for her mommy’s Trash the Dress photo shoot. I’ve been photographing Violet since she’s been in her mom’s belly, so it was so wonderful to be asked to set up an official Smash the Cake photo shoot as she approached her first birthday party! I loved every minute of her smashing and munching, and covering me in pink and purple frosting!
Brian + Lindsey December 7, 2013
This was the end-of-year wedding that left me energized and pumped for the 2014 wedding season to begin! This wedding was hosted by Northern Outdoors in The Forks, and called an “Adventure Wedding” according to their plans. Every single person I met was warm and kind and treated me like not only a photographer, but a friend. The wedding party was especially adventurous and braved a considerable amount of cold just to take some super fun photos by the lake with an awesome green canoe and paddles, and each person brought scarves and mittens to add to the fun of the photograph. I adored this group, and hope we all cross paths again!
I hope, after seeing this post, that you have a good feel for who I am, for what I photograph, and for the incredible couples I love so much! I’m crossing my fingers that you tell your friends about me and click that little “follow” button, which will keep you in the loop with all my new posts this year!
SO, THERE YOU HAVE IT. My year, 2013. This is a glimpse of what makes me keep going. What makes those back-breaking long days so worth it, and what makes me really need a martini when I get home at night! Heehee!!! This is my calling in life. I couldn’t imagine anyone having a better job than mine.
Here’s to a crazy (and amazingly fun!) 2014!!!!
-Lauren
