First wedding of 2008!

There is nothing more wonderful for a wedding photographer than a bride and groom and entire wedding party who are on time, ready and cooperative. Of course it helps to be friends with the bride, but I didn't know any of the others prior to yesterday. They were a piece of cake, and how nice that was to start off 2008! Heather and I agreed that we've never had such a good day with formals and they had a wedding party of 24!! (Holy cow!)

Unfortunately, even though it was above freezing outside, we still were not able to shoot any outdoor shots except for one or two (assuming they even came out -- the lighting was really overcast and dark even at 3:00) because it was hazy and raining all day long. But you kind of expect that going into a wedding in January in Illinois.

We started the day at 10:00 and walked back in my door last night at midnight. It was a 12-hour day for Heather and I, and I am really feeling it today! My legs, arms and feet really ache. That's kinda what you get when you wear heels, so I think I probably asked for sore feet, but on the positive side of soreness, I love having a 10-lb camera to lug around all day long because it really gives me nice work out resulting in toneage :c) (Is toneage/tonage even a word?)

Katheryne, the bride, works with my husband. She's went on 7-hour car trips having plenty of heart-to-hearts with him (heart-to-hearts?! Neil?? Yeah right!). Of course, Neil knows most of the people in her "group" at ADM and so I knew a big handful of them.

My good friend, Heidi, is also a friend of Katheryne, so she and Jase were there. Katheryne sat Heather and I at one of the the "ADM" tables, so that was really nice getting to not just shoot a wedding but enjoy the reception with good friends and drinky-drinks. It's usually Heather and I sitting at a table alone or with people who don't speak 2 words to us. (Which actually can be nice because it means we get to converse with each other all night and we don't have to make small-talk with people we'll never see again!)

The reception was tight . . . 400 guests! . . . but it was one of the best receptions I've ever been a part of. The people were genuinely happy and excited for Katheryne and Aaron. Their love just radiates for one another and so does the love that their friends and family have for them. The party was STILL going on strong when we left at 11:30, but we were exhausted and had to leave. It was a really fantastic wedding and it makes me really excited for the dozen I have this year.

Here's a few pictures from last night . . .

Heidi and Jase look over pictures on their cam
(How totally retro does Heidi look?! Stunning, I know!)

The cute couple, Heidi and Jase
(he rarely ever smiles for the camera showing teeth -- it's usually look-at-me-I-was-on-Big-Brother head shots -- which he would totally agree w/ me on! :c) but Val tends to have magical power with people and got the whites to show :c) hehe)

Heather and Heidi take on the dance floor!

Me and Heids

And, last but not least, the beautiful couple, Katheryne and Aaron
during their 1st dance.