Apple Blossom Plantation

Working on the formal post for Matt and Maggie's wedding at Apple Blossom Plantation.  Here's a look at what's to come!

Start Spreading The News....

We feel so blessed to work in this industry, our job that exists because of love. Really, how awesome is that? Today, we're feeling extra lucky because we have the privilege of sharing some BIG news with you.  Drum roll please.....

  Our dear friends, Rutsen & Tyler, are ENGAGED! Rutsen, of Eagle Eye Photography, is in "the biz" with us; in fact Capture has collaborated with him on quite a few weddings over the past few years, and a friendship based on much more than photography has grown. And now, we get to watch him marry the beautiful love of his life, Tyler.

 Rutsen & Tyler (known to those who love them as Rut & Ty), are one of those couples who just glow when they're together. They are so playful and light hearted that it spread to everyone in the room.  Rutsen gushes about his girl when ever given the chance (sorry to spill your secrets Rut!), and if you know her, it's easy to see why. Tyler is witty, easy going, and pretty much a dream girlfriend....fiance!

 So we're celebrating their engagement with these pretty pictures taken on a work trip to Mexico last November. We all had a blast together, and even though she was supposed to be on vacation, Tyler pitched in and really was part of the team.  We snuck away for a few minutes during an early morning breakfast for these fun shots. They will be followed up by a full engagement session, but for now, these completely capture the spirit of this fabulous couple.

Rut & Ty, a huge heartfelt congrats from the Capture Photography girls. We are honored to document a part of your love story! 

Sunday Afternoon: Jessica's Bridal Session

On a gorgeous Sunday afternoon, less than a week before her wedding, Jessica and some of her close family members joined her at her ceremony sight for a bridal portrait.  Normally, bridal portraits are shot at least a month in advance, but Jessica's dress didn't come back from alterations until just a few days before her wedding! She kept it so cool; no bridezilla here! Jess stayed calm and collected, even has her Mom and Aunt looked on, shedding  tears of happiness. In the place where she would say her vows to future husband Travis, Jessica enjoyed a few quiet moments. Jessica, we are so happy that you chose us to share all these special moments!                     

At Stonehenge Country Club

a stunning bride!

Bouquet from Vogue Flowers 

This was her final selection, printed and framed for her reception. What a gorgeous bride!

Mark & Ashley Engaged

On the first 90 degree day of the year, Mark and Ashley met me downtown at Richmond's Tredegar Iron Works for their engagement pictures.  What a fun and beautiful couple.  These two came into the session claiming to be camera shy, but you would never know by looking at how photogenic they are in the pictures!  We are looking forward to their fast approaching downtown wedding.

Giving Back: Relay For Life

The sun was bright, but nothing could outshine the smiles on the faces gathered on the Carystreet Field. Survivors, fighters, caretakers and supporters came together to celebrate the lives of those fight cancer. The cause lies close to the heart for Richmond, home to MCV and the Massey Cancer Center. The students of VCU organized an incredible fundraiser to bring some hope and support to the cancer community. We were there to catch some of the special moments, as VCU raised nearly $40,000 for the American Cancer Society. Talk about inspiring! We hope their stories can bring some light to your day. Cancer Survivors (clad in dark purple) took the first lap as the crowd cheered them on!

On the second lap, caretakers joined the Survivors as they made another round!

A supporter looks on during the opening ceremony

The festivities offered fun for all ages, including face painting, bubbles and art projects!

Ava-Joye Burnett, newest anchor at Channel 8 WRIC, conducted the opening ceremonies, and is joined here by relay committee members Jennifer & Suzanne.

If you feel inspired to give or participate in an upcoming relay, please visit www.relayforlife.org

Wedding Trends We Love: Photo Booths

The romance. The kisses. The glamour. We love all the pieces that come together to make a wedding fabulous. And what we really love? When our couples, and their guests, are having FUN! And nothing says fun like squeezing into a small space with your 4 closest friends and adding a feather boa while you cheese for the camera.

We love the one-two punch of the photo booth; your guests have something entertaining to do, and you both get a great memory! As one of our recent brides explained, could there be a better party favor?

Be sure to check out these two vendors that we love: Sisters Renee & Elizabeth do a fabulous job here in Richmond, at http://shutterbooth.com/richmond/ and for the DC weddings, check out DC Photobooth!

And don't forget...there's always a chance that your photographers will sneak into the photo booth too!

Interview with a Wedding Preacher!

In the wedding industry, we get to meet lots of great people who share our love for the celebration of marriage. We cross paths with everyone from DJs to dressmakers, and each has their own unique view of the wedding day. Earlier this month at a Wedding Wire mixer (shout out to all the great wedding wire vendors!), I had the pleasure of meeting Rev. Gay Lee Einstein. She's been officiating wedding for over 14 years! We chatted about weddings, and she was just too sweet not to share with our future brides.

Since we see weddings on a regular basis, we wanted to ask the Rev. if she too feels emotional about the wedding service. For us at Capture, seeing the celebration of love never gets old. She agreed! She shared; "Since I have three daughters myself, I find it particularly moving when the father (or in some cases, the father AND mother) give a young bride away. This represents a major life change for all parties involved parents, bride, brothers and sisters--they are saying goodbye to that little girl whose fingerpainting once graced the refrigerator door. They are saying goodbye to the teen who won a trophy playing field hockey. I cry easily, so I really have to concentrate on what I am about at this point in the service. I also find the exchange of vows extremely moving. This is the most important part of the ceremony--the climax,--all else is commentary. A lot of brides tear up here, and if I see a bride with tears trickling down her face, then my reaction is to tear up, too. I sometimes pause at this point in the service. People may think I am pausing to give the bride time to collect herself, but I am really pausing because I am too choked up to continue. "

Naturally, we wanted to know if she has any good wedding day stories to tell. She indulged us! "My most memorable ceremony took place many years ago. The groom-to-be was sick at the rehearsal--with what he said was a "little cold." After the rehearsal he, his bride-to-be and the wedding party went off to the rehearsal dinner. Since he was feeling nauseas, the groom-to-be didn't eat anything but he did have a lot of the bubbly. Back in his hotel room that night, he decided to take some over-the-counter flu medication. The combo of no food, champagne and strong medication made him sick--so sick that he spent the next several hours throwing up. Concerned family members finally drove him to the hospital where he received interveinous fluids until wedding time. His face was sooo pale. His hands shook as he and the bride exchanged rings. My own heart pounded wildly during the entire service. I concocted a plan in my head as to what I would do if the groom collapsed. At one point in the service I gave the groom a questioning look as if to say, "Are you going to make it?" and he winked back at me, a weak grin on his face. Needless to say the couple postponed their Honeymoon so that the groom could recover. " On a more serious note, we asked if She had any advice for couples as they approach their big day. She shared her expertise: " I find that a lot of brides are already over-stressed by the time of our first meeting. There is a reason they are over-stressed. A wedding can be a lot of work--particularly if it is to be a full blown event with florists and musicians, a rehearsal dinner and a reception after the wedding. Even if the bride hires a wedding planner, the bride (and groom--to a degree) still has to make critical decisions--whom to invite, when to send out invitations, what florist to use, what food to serve at the reception, etc. I would advise brides to keep the wedding as simple as possible and to use as few professionals as possible. For instance, it might make sense to have the caterer be responsible for providing the wedding cake, rather than a baker who specializes in wedding cakes. That's one less professional with whom you have to coordinate. Or if the venue for your wedding reception offers catering services, that might be preferable to hiring an outside catering service. I would also encourage brides to spend most of their time interviewing people whom they can trust to help them with the wedding. You hire people with experience, who have embraced what it is that you are trying to accomplish, then you can rest easy that the wedding will turn out just fine. "

Lastly, we wanted to know what couples should look for when they're in the market for a wedding officiant! The Rev. suggests " A couple should look for a wedding preacher who is responsible, who listens carefully, taking plenty of notes at meetings, with a proven track record and plenty of experience. A couple should look for a wedding preacher who really enjoys what he/she does, and who considers the work as more than just a "job." I really, really love the work that I do, and I am grateful for the opportunity to be part of this special time in a couple's life. There is no more rewarding work that I can think of.
If you are looking for a great wedding preacher, please check her out at http://www.weddingpreacherforhire.com , or on facebook!