KMD Creations

This Week in Review

2011-08-12T08:27:00.000-07:00

This past week was a busy one!! 2 weddings, a family session, and an engagement session. Here are some sneak peeks...

Lauren and Kevin in Washington, DC

Pat and Glen in Rochester, NY

The Lewis Family Vacation!

and an engagement session with Jordan and Jared

What a week!!

Flying Home

2011-08-07T19:00:00.000-07:00

This past weekend we had the pleasure of photographing two weddings. Danielle and I shot a wedding in Washington, DC, and Todd and Nate were in Rochester, NY.

This afternoon Todd and I were both on different planes heading back home to Orlando. As I was getting settled in my seat I couldn't help but think "I love flying home". Not in the "it's good to be going home" sort of way - but there's something extra special about being on a plane heading to Orlando. No matter what the departure city is, the airplane is always filled with families and children (most of whom taking their first flight) and they're all heading to the most magical place on earth. Walt Disney World.

Now, while some people would cringe at the thought of knowing each time they fly home they'll be on a plane with loud children and crying babies... but I can't wait.

As we pushed back from the gate, the family next to me laughed "Are you sure you don't want to go to the parks Dad? What are you going to do the whole time on vacation? Sleep!?"

We waited still at the end of the runway for our turn to go, and the little girl behind me exclaims "I think we're going up!! Are we going up??" The plane was motionless. Her mother replied "Just wait, you'll know when we're going up."

A few moments later and the plane started accelerating. The little girl started laughing hysterically. She just couldn't contain it. Excitement. Joy. Wonder. Awestruck. When the wheels left the pavement, in between the laughter she let out several bursts of "WHOA!" and "Oh Boy!!" over and over. She just couldn't believe it. She tired to point out the things she recognized as they became smaller and smaller. A train, the road, a baseball field, a lake. As they continued to shrink, she still tried - but things became a little less clear. A robot holding a baby. It was more marvelous than she could have ever imagined. We were flying.

You can't help but smile at that pure childhood happiness - it's infectious. Priceless.

I love flying home.

4 days, 2 wonderful couples

2011-05-09T17:31:00.000-07:00

In the past 4 days we've had the pleasure of being with 2 wonderful couples as they said "i do".... I love my job, and the awesome lovebirds I get to work with!

Traci and Eric, Cocoa Beach, FL

Kristin and Ben, Key West, FL

Elizabeth & John - Engagement Shoot

2011-03-02T21:36:00.000-08:00

Back in October, we shot Elizabeth and John's beautiful morning wedding - but before that we were up in Atlanta, Georgia for their engagement session! We had such an awesome time with them. It was one of those times where when we first met, it had felt like we were old friends.

The location was just beautiful, I could shoot there every single day.

Elizabeth is a laugher!! She has such a kind, warm spirit. An absolute sweetheart...

And John is your classic fairytale Southern Gentlemen.

While we were walking around from spot to spot John and Elizabeth would just break out dancing! They told us about how they dance all the time!! One of their favorite times to dance - in the aisles at the grocery store. How cute are they!!?

How did we get around this beautiful vast land where we shot you might ask? Well...sitting right here. Way too much laughter ensued! I thought I was going to pop right out like a grasshopper after ever single little bump. Off-roading and a photoshoot all in one!

Absolutely gorgeous!

One of my favorites from the day...

The week before the engagement shoot, John spent most of it baling hay - so we had to grab this shot to commemorate it!! I really like this one.
After a quick change, we grabbed a few more shots in front of the awesome barn.
Under this tree is where John proposed to Elizabeth during a romantic picnic. How amazing!?

The light in this one is just so dreamy. This was definitely one of my favorite little spots where we shot, and of course it was the most dear to John and Elizabeth.
And more spontaneous dancing!

I love the lines in this one...

How cute!! There are so many beautiful trees on this property. I just loved everything about this shoot!
And a classic portrait for mom and dad...

We had such a great time with Elizabeth and John and I can't wait to share their beautiful wedding with you here next on the blog.

Un-Blogged Stories

2011-02-27T11:43:00.000-08:00

I was cleaning through some folders on my computer this morning and found several un-blogged weddings from a while back - so I thought I would share just a few photos!

Back in the Fall of '09 we were in Charlottesville, Virginia for Xiaolan and Wei's wedding on the campus of the University of Virginia. Todd had been there before, but I hadn't and it was just as beautiful as I imagined it would be!

It was a very warm sunny day for the fall - it couldn't have been more perfect.

Xiaolan was absolutely radiant - she was such a proud bride.

Xiaolan and Wei are from China and were both attending UVA getting their Masters'. Their parents and families were not able to come from China to attend, so we took photos of the newlyweds with each of their guests to show their families back home. Their friends, classmates, professors, and mentors were all there to celebrate with them. We also took a big group picture -
An adorable unscripted moment...making sure he looked his best.

Xiaolan and Wei are just so sweet and two of the most gracious people we've had the pleasure of working with. They would say "thank you" after each few photos I would take. They just couldn't help it!

And they had a sweet little cake topper to match.

For their garden reception, they changed into traditional Chinese wedding clothes and they both looked stunning!

It was definitely our pleasure to work with these two kind people. Our bride's and groom's are the best!!

So there was a small bit of my un-blogged stories!

Kathleen & Cosmas - A Preview

2011-02-13T12:25:00.000-08:00

This weekend we were in Sarasota, FL for Kathleen and Cosmas' wedding at The Ritz Carlton. The weather was gorgeous and everyone had a fabulous time! These two were so much fun to work with and I can't wait to tell you more about their day.

Here are a few photos to enjoy until then...

They are a gorgeous couple! I know!! Kathleen is so full of life and has the best laugh, and is Cosmas handsome or what?!

Congratulations Newlyweds!

Best Smell(s) Ever!

2011-02-09T10:27:00.000-08:00

For those of you who don't know - at our house we have what we like to call "The Farm". Todd LOVES to grow plants. But not decorative flowers, etc. FOOD! Which brings us to The Farm. Over the past year we've grown: various herbs (incl the most gorgeous Basil that was taller than waist high), habanero peppers, red peppers, lettuce, Swiss Chard, Spinach, pumpkins (whose vines totally overtook our yard!!), radishes, tomatoes, and scallions... to name a few. If you saw the size of our yard - you would be AMAZED!!

The plants that are still growing on the farm - Broccoli, a blueberry bush, a Calamondin Orange tree (they are the size of a cherry tomato, and the most SOUR thing you will ever try. But, they look real cute and this tree blossoms ever couple of months which smells amazing).

And my favorite... our lemon tree.

In January 2010 just after my grandma passed away I bought a lemon tree. My grandmother dealt with so many health issues throughout her last couple of years - but she sure made lemonade with the lemons she was dealt. So I bought a little lemon tree as a memory of her.

Fast forward 11 months later and my lemons were ready to be picked this past December! You read correctly - 11 months! But let me tell you, these were the most beautiful lemons you've ever seen!! No weird nubbins at the ends, not dirty and stamped with a company name. Just huge and beautiful!

I took the above photo of a lemon in my hands just to show how big they were! These guys were county fair prize worthy lemons!

Not only did these lemons taste delicious, but the smell was incredible. So fresh and lively!

I used them to make a White cake with lemon curd filling and lemon buttercream frosting. By scratch. Delicious. Where the recipe called for the juice of 5 lemons, I only needed the juice of 1 of my super lemons to equal the same amount. BEAT THAT puny store lemons!

So now that the lemons had been picked and eaten in December. That can only mean one thing come February-April in FL. BLOSSOMS!! If you've ever had the opportunity to experience the wonderful smell that is Orange Blossoms in full bloom, you'll know what I'm talking about. It is one of my most favorite smells in the world.

And my lemon tree is no exception to the citrus blossoms.

They look beautiful and smell heavenly. Our front porch already smells incredible with only 7-8 blossoms opened up, so when the rest of these little purple buds open up - you'll want to hang out on my porch for hours! Trust me!

So there's a little slice of our life! Our farm. And two of my favorite smells; fresh lemons, and their heavenly blossoms.

Angela and Vince - Engagement Session

2011-01-31T21:43:00.000-08:00

In my last post, we were in Charlotte, NC with Stacia and Alfonza for their wedding day filled with non stop laughter! With Todd in the drivers seat and me manning the Garmin and my to-go wedding cake, we made our way to Philadelphia for our engagement session with Angela and Vince the following day.

Some of my favorite things are in Philadelphia; Amos lee (look him up. wonderful musician), Boyz II Men (holla!), Redding Terminal Market, and now add to that list - Angela and Vince!

We had an awesome afternoon with them!

We met these Phillies fans at McFadden's in Citizens Bank Park where these two lovebirds first met.

So here's the scoop on how they first met- Vince was actually inside the stadium before the beginning of a game, and Angela was with some of her girlfriends at McFadden's (the restaurant is attached to the stadium, but you don't need a game ticket to be there)

From an upper balcony within the stadium, Vince spotted Angela below at the restaurant. The game hadn't started yet and once you leave the stadium you can't get back in. No stopping Vince! He walked into McFadden's and straight up to Angela...the rest is history...

And they make the cutest couple! Angela is beautiful -

and knows how to rock pink sparkly kicks like the best of 'em!

I love this one.

After a quick change in the car (fastest ever!) we made our way to the Philadelphia Museum of Art.

Now, I can't be the only one with the insatiable urge to pinch Vince's cheeks - TOO CUTE!!

They have such a fun and relaxed attitude with each other, and they know how to work it!

A simple and classic portrait.

Another one of my favorites from the day. I love everything about it.

Did I mention we had fun? I love them!

I could have photographed these two all day! (Angela and I easily could have kept finding hidden gem little spots to shoot...but football was almost on. Opt out Vince and Todd)

The areas behind the Museum are just gorgeous.

Todd and I can't wait to shoot Angela and Vince's wedding in the Caribbean this summer in St. Lucia. I can only imagine how stunning Angela will look!

We ended our session with two awesome new friends. I love my job.

** Side note story! While we were still at the Phillies stadium, it was CRAZY windy!! Super windy. Like, the day after a hurricane/ Chicago winter windy! Angela was concerned her hair was going to be all over the place, so we were trying to find structures that helped block the wind. Angela's solution? The porta-potty...

HILARIOUS!!!

These two are the best and we can't wait to share their day with them.

Stacia & Alfonza

2011-01-17T12:12:00.000-08:00

Last October (I told you I'm catching up!), we had the pleasure of spending an afternoon with Stacia & Alfonza and their wonderful families. Their wedding in Charlotte, NC was filled with nothing but laughter - by the truck load!

About a month before their wedding we got a phone call from Stacia; she said "Hey guys! We're married!!" The stress from planning was getting to be too much, so they decided to elope and say I do! The plan was that we were still going to come as planned as they were going to still have their reception with all of their family and friends. We had SO MUCH FUN with these two!

As I had mentioned a long time ago in their sneak peak post, when we knocked on their hotel room door we were greeted with HUGE smiles, hugs, and non stop laughing. The best way to start our day!!

Stacia is absolutely stunning, and has a great smile!

As she finished with her last minute details...

so did her hubby Alfonza (who looked totally gorgeous!...I'm just sayin'...)

We took a walk around downtown Charlotte to take a few photos. Stacia and Alfonza are both super photogenic, and totally in love.

Again...GORGEOUS!

After a few quick adjustments we were on the move again (clearly a woman's job to be the helper for obvious reasons!)

These two know how to have fun and just laugh. Which makes our job the best ever!

I just love the look of her clean white dress in this industrial space...

We then moved on to meet their families at the Rose Garden in Independence Park where they were to have their wedding ceremony originally so that we could take a few photos there.

I love this set of photos of Stacia with her two brothers. It makes me laugh and want to call my brother just to say hi.
Stacia wanted to make sure that her Dad had the chance to walk her down the aisle. It was a really special moment for both of them.

We took a few more photos of just the two of them in the Park.

They just couldn't hold back their laughter for long!

After the park, we all made our way to Vivace Italian Restaurant for their reception. And of course the first thing I saw were the beautiful cupcakes!!

They had some really fun personalized details that really added to the already awesome decore at the restaurant.

I think it's safe to assume that Stacia has always been quite a social butterfly! She lit up the room with her infectious laugh.

Talk about a super cool restaurant!

I couldn't help but include this picture - how cute are they!!

One of Stacia's family members made them a special New York Yankees cake to cut.

(she did such a nice job, and it was delicious! )

Stacia went for the cake and also for Alfonza's finger - hilarious!!

A stunning bride.

And - did I mention they love to laugh?

We really had the best afternoon with Stacia and Alfonza - it would have been impossible not to with such a fun, awesome couple. We're so glad we were able to be a part of their celebration with their family. We got to meet some really wonderful people that day, which is one of the best parts of our Job.

After we wrapped things up at their reception, we jumped in the car (equipped with my to-go cake and fork) and headed off to Philadelphia for an engagement shoot with Vince and Angela which I will be sharing with you next. (it was a busy weekend!!)

Yvonne & Eric - Part 2

2011-01-09T13:57:00.000-08:00

In my last post, you got to see Yvonne and Eric's pre-wedding photo session, and now we're moving on to their Wedding Day!!

We made our way to The Bristol Harbour Resort in Canandaigua, NY which is a beautiful Golf Resort that has a warm and cozy Lodge feel to it. And you sure can't beat the view!

Before I headed to Yvonne's room to get some fun getting ready pics, Todd and I had a chance to start photographing all of the wonderful details.

For the table numbers, instead of going the obvious route - they chose to name each table by a different type of wine. I loved how the centerpiece and table names matched the feel of the room so well.

Yvonne had the most beautiful flowing dress...

and awesome frilly shoes!

Yvonne and Eric thought of everything! They even had a SMORES basket ready for when the sun went down with all the yummy fixings, sparklers, and candle lit lanterns.

While everyone was still getting ready - it started to pour down rain!! And I'm not talking just a light sprinkle! But, as soon as the guests started to head to their seats (umbrella's in hand!) the sun started to shine once again.

These two love to fish! To pay tribute to that, Yvonne's younger brother carried in their rings on a fishing pole - the wonderful details throughout their day were endless!

Here comes the Bride...

It looks like the most perfect day - and it was...
Yvonne is too cute!

While Yvonne was getting ready, there was some debate over which flower she should wear in her hair. The larger of the two (which had my vote!) was the winner - and she rocked it!

It was a beautiful ceremony filled with lots of smiles!
The ladies were ready to let loose and have fun!!
The scenery doesn't get much prettier than this...
One of my favorite shots of the day.

Their wedding cake was adorable! It was made to resemble a birch tree complete with a little "love carving".

The new Mr & Mrs!

Yvonne and Eric enjoyed every minute of their first dance...

and every moment as a newlywed.
The beautiful flowers were done by Rockcastle Florist.

Many of their guests enjoyed rockin' out on the dance floor!

And others enjoyed the beautiful sunset which was the perfect end to their wonderful day.

Yvonne & Eric - Part 1

2011-01-07T09:22:00.000-08:00

I'm hoping the start of the new year will help me jump back on the blog train!! We finished off 2010 busier than ever, and are so excited to dive head first into everything ahead of us in 2011.

I have so many wonderful weddings and shoots that I never had the opportunity to blog about in 2010, so here's hoping we'll hit every single one of them in the next few months.

To start us off - let me introduce you to Yvonne and Eric.

Adorable. I know.

We had the pleasure of shooting their wedding this past summer at The Bristol Harbour Resort in Canandaigua, NY which overlooks the beautiful Canandaigua Lake.

A few days before the wedding, we met with Yvonne and Eric for a pre-wedding shoot around Keuka Lake.
We absolutely love this place.
Yvonne was, giggly, fun, and too cute!!

We left the head of the lake to trek up the hills into one of the many vineyards that surround the lake

Yvonne and Eric were so fun to work with and were so anxious for their wedding in a few days. The afternoon was filled with jokes and laughter.
Of course, I couldn't pass up the opportunity to capture a photo in the beautiful little scene with the tire swing. Picture perfect.
I LOVE THIS PHOTO! Moody, beautiful, and snuggle-inducing...

After we finished our shoot, we led them to Bully Hill, one of the beautiful vineyards, to enjoy a wine tasting.

I couldn't pass up the opportunity for a fun, goofy photo - and they were game. I love a couple who knows how to be silly and have fun!

It was a really great afternoon, and it made both Todd and I super excited for their wedding that weekend. We knew it would be an awesome day!!

Stay tuned for Part 2 that I'll be posting this Sunday with all of the beautiful details from their Wedding day.

First In Line

2011-01-02T07:06:00.000-08:00

On January 1st, we shot our first wedding of 2011. We met with Jennifer and Josh on Sanibel Island, FL and it was a beautiful first day of the year! Here is a quick look at their day...

Jennifer and Josh sailed off into the sunset to say "I do" - literally! I can't wait to share more pictures from their day.

Last But Not Least!

2010-12-31T07:19:00.000-08:00

Yesterday, we shot our last wedding of the year in Madeira Beach, FL and we got to spend it with family and friends. Jarrod and Becki had a beautiful beach side wedding - here is a sneak peek...

Congratulations Jarrod and Becki! We're so glad we were able to be a part of your day!

Kaitlyn & Gabriel

2010-12-18T18:28:00.000-08:00

Today we had the pleasure of photographing Kaitlyn and Gabriel's wedding, and getting to meet their wonderful families.

We woke up this morning to pouring rain outside, which softened to a sprinkle during the limo ride to the church, that turned into beautiful glimmers of sunshine just as they said "I do".

Kaitlyn and Gabe were so much fun to work with and such a sweet couple.

Congratulations newlyweds!!

Yay Christmas!!

2010-12-02T13:44:00.000-08:00

Well we've finally reached December!! Todd and I LOVE the holidays and we try our best to soak up every minute of it! Last Saturday we went to see the Orlando Philharmonic Christmas show (which was lovely) in the afternoon, and my favorite band NeedToBreathe that same night (not exactly Christmas - but AMAZING!) IT WAS THE BEST DAY EVER!!

If our Holiday Giveaway (enter now in the post below if you haven't already) hasn't helped you get into the holiday mode, maybe this will help!!

{Don't forget to change it from 360 to 720HD in the bottom right corner of the video for the best viewing quality if you're computer can keep up!}

SO MUCH FUN!! Yay Christmas! So between our Christmas Giveaway going on, the totally wonderful Christmas traditions we can all read with each new entry for the contest (which has been the best part about it!!) and this reved up tree decorating video - if you still aren't in the Holiday spirit.....well....Scrooge will be knocking on your door any minute now!!

Tomorrow we're heading to the taping of the Disney Christmas Parade. Now - if you just thought to yourself "TAPED!!??"... I know. My memories of opening presents and loving life while watching the Disney Parade on Christmas morning - shattered. I had no idea it was taped!!!!! Everyone would chime in "Just look at how beautiful it is at Disney today!". I only found out two years ago when Todd offered to take me to the taping that year and I was BEYOND confused. My brother still doesn't believe that it isn't live.

If you've never seen Cinderella's Castle at Christmas in all of it's twinkling glory - it's spectacular...

I'll try to take some pictures and give you a sneak peek of what you can enjoy Christmas morning! (the prospect of showing you pictures makes me feel like an insider...or a spy...)

Merry Christmas!!

'tis the season for a GIVEAWAY!!

2010-11-27T08:14:00.000-08:00

************************* This Giveaway is Now Closed *************************

That's right - we are doing a GIVEAWAY!! And who doesn't love getting free stuff during the Holidays.

We're doing this "Oprah's Favorite Things" style. Up for grabs is my absolute favorite bag that I own. I am a proud user of reusable shopping bags and when I heard about the lead that's in the colorful cute bags you find for sale - I thought it was time I made my own.

And now you can have your very own too! But if you can't wait for the giveaway, they are now up for sale in our etsy shop at a special introductory price for a limited time.

For all the specific details about the bag, head to the etsy shop for the full description, but here's the skinny -

This Linen and Organic cotton tote can be used as your totally earth friendly shopping bag (like how I use it), or as your favorite purse (also how I use it - I love this thing!!)

It features two adorable flowers which give it such a beautiful feminine look.

And an interior pocket to hold all of your small things. (Are you also part of the "Hi, sorry - I couldn't find my phone in my huge purse in time" club?)

I know you will absolutely love this bag, and you're sure to receive endless compliments.

So let's get to it! Here's how to enter:

PRIZE: A Handmade Linen & Organic Cotton Tote Bag from KMD Creations worth $54

TO ENTER: 1. You must be a follower of our facebook page (if you aren’t already a follower, join here) 2. Please leave a comment on this post about your favorite Holiday tradition - and don’t forget to include your email where you can be contacted if you win!

GIVEAWAY CLOSES: Saturday, December 11th at 8pm EST

NUMBER OF WINNERS: One

PRIZE SHIPS: The United States, Canada

GUIDELINES: One entry per e-mail address is permitted. The winner will be selected using random.org and announced on Sunday December 12th.

Good luck!

Renata & Carlos - A Preview

2010-11-19T20:18:00.000-08:00

Last weekend, we were on Sanibel Island in Florida with Renata and Carlos for their Beautiful wedding. They are such a wonderful couple and we had a great time capturing all of the special moments of their day. It doesn't get much better than this...

Kelley & Eric - A Sneak Peek

2010-11-03T07:35:00.000-07:00

I hope everyone enjoyed their Halloween weekend and are coming down from their sugar buzz!!

For Halloween, Todd and I decided to dress up as photographers. And the wonderful Kelley and Eric were so kind to provide us with a wedding so we could really look the part!!

They had a beautiful wedding this past Sunday On Orchid Island in Florida, and we were so happy to be there with them. It was an absolutely gorgeous day.

They decided to do a "first look" and see each other before the ceremony. Their reactions to this moment were priceless and I can't wait to share more photos of their first look with you when I post their full blog.

Because they did a first look, we had a chance to take photos before their guests arrived for the ceremony and I was able to capture some really beautiful moments for them.

One weekend and two fabulous weddings! Congratulations Kelley and Eric!!

A Perfect Morning

2010-10-30T17:29:00.000-07:00

This morning, we had the pleasure of being with Elizabeth and John on their big day! And what a gorgeous days it was!!! Bursting at the seams with excitement for this moment - they are now Mr. & Mrs.

Here is a sneak peek - they are the sweetest couple...

Congratulations Newlyweds!!

From My Garage to Broadway

2010-10-26T19:14:00.000-07:00

Earlier this month, previews for the Broadway show Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown began and the show officially opens next weekend. It stars Patti LuPone (Broadway's First Lady), Sherie Rene Scott, and Brian Stokes Mitchell to name a few... and for those who aren't familiar with Broadway - it's kind of a big deal.

For those of you who don't know, I actually have a BFA in Acting and live for theatre. I grew up performing and spent a year on the road after University in a touring production. So if you were thinking you wanted a mime performance, a Shakespearean sonnet, an interpretive dance, or a belted out showtune as the unforgettable event at your wedding... I can hook a sister up. For real though - I love theatre.

I feel the better my brides know me, the more comfortable they are in front of my camera which allows me to take all of those awesome candid shots which are my favorites - especially the laughing ones... there's just something so wonderful about capturing a laugh.

I'm layin' it all out there so you can know me better - here's my final curtain call before graduation..

Now you know! I think I should start a reoccurring blog installment called "now you know"....hmmmmm.....

Anyway, back to it. Women on the Verge. with Brian Stokes Mitchell = total awesome wonderfulness. He's my absolute favorite. Back in high school I emailed him through his website with a song suggestion for a Broadway compilation album he was recording (really Kristen?) and got an automated "thank you" email back. THEN maybe 4 months later I got a reply email from THE Brian Stokes Mitchell. I was OVER THE MOON!

So that you can also know him better, here's a video of BSM from a talk show promo for Ragtime (in my short list of favorite musicals) His rich, full voice...you just need to hear it...

Are you in love?

Ok - so the whole point of this story... back in September, I sold a really great vintage luggage set on our etsy shop.

and here is the message I received along with the sale - "Hello! This great vintage luggage set has been purchased for the new Broadway production Women On The Verge of a Nervous Breakdown staring Patti Lupone...."

WHHAATTT!!!???? CRAZY!!!

I jumped around, I screamed, I sang, I cried. Total insanity!! I called my mom to revel in the awesomeness only to find she wasn't home. My dad tried his best to be as excited as he could be. I love my dad.

I packaged it up - with a love note, of course - and sent it on its way to her Broadway debut. My little vintage luggage set has been getting cozy on the Broadway stage for the past month.

At least one of us made it there....go suitcase!!

I think this may have been the official start of Now You Know...

And because no post is a post without a wedding picture - here is the ever adorable Lisa and David while their family and friends gave their toasts.

I'm winking at you Lisa!!

a stunning bride

2010-10-15T19:18:00.000-07:00

I was just going through some of the shots from the weddings last weekend and HAD to post this one of Jennifer from her wedding in Captiva, FL.

Absolutely stunning...

Have a wonderful weekend everyone! I'm so happy to have this weekend off to relax and spend some time with Todd (I guess editing at 10:30pm on a Friday night is kind of like a weekend off, right? Well at least I'm wearing my pajamas!! That's a good start!!)

a beautiful day in the park

2010-10-13T09:19:00.000-07:00

These last couple months have been crazy busy with at least two weddings every weekend and I'm so happy to be back home and back to the blog! (we even had four weddings, a concert shoot, and my birthday all in one weekend back in September!!)

I'm just working on some of the final edits from Lisa and David's wedding at ArtisanWorks in Rochester, NY and thought it was about time I shared some of the photos from their awesome engagement shoot!

As a little pre-wedding gift, I made Lisa and David a slideshow with some of my favorite photos from our afternoon in Mendon Pond's Park.

**after you press play, switch the video from 360p to 720p HD in the bottom right corner of the video for the best quality viewing**

How cute are they!! I LOVE Lisa and David.

When I was editing the photos from their engagement session, I was listening to the song I used for the slideshow and the photos just seemed to match it perfectly. So, I decided they shouldn't be enjoyed separately - which is how the little pre-wedding surprise came to life!

Mendon Pond's Park is an enormous vast landscape of fields and trees just outside of Rochester. Not every park features trees as wonderfully shaped as these...

(or a couple this adorable!)

The entire park was filled with gorgeous, dreamy sunlight. It was just beautiful.

And David is just the cutest thing ever!! I can't even tell you how many times I wanted to hug him during their wedding. (...i'm not a weirdo...he's just such a sweetheart! Lisa knows what i'm talkin' about!!)
This park is an absolute fantasyland.
and Lisa looked totally gorgeous!

Even in the steep terrain (it doesn't look that steep but trust me - I was glued to that rickety untrustworthy railing) Lisa did her thing in her super cute heels.
This one makes my heart melt...
and so does this one
and this one too... (how badly do you want to be all snuggly right now!)

One of my favorites from the day - I just love it.

Lisa and David know how to make eachother laugh and how to have fun. You can just see how much they love being in love.

This was the BIGGEST Dandelion I have ever seen, so of course we couldn't waste the opportunity.

I had just bought this window frame the day before, for a project I created that is up for sale in the our etsy shop (click here to take a peek) so I thought I'd grab it from the trunk of the car and get a little artsy - I think it turned out to be a pretty cute shot!

I love this red barn! There were so many wonderful settings all in this one park.

Todd and I had such a fun afternoon with Lisa and David. After this shoot, I was beyond excited for their wedding. I can't wait to share the photos from their big day with you! Lisa was (of course) absolutely stunning, and David was as handsome as ever!

On the go!

2010-10-06T16:48:00.000-07:00

This past weekend was a busy one! We returned home a little over a week ago from shooting Rachel and Matt's Wedding in Minneapolis (check out their sneak peek over on our facebook page) with just enough time to do laundry, re-pack our bags, and head out of town for another awesome weekend!

On Saturday, we had the pleasure of shooting Stacia and Alfonza's Wedding in Charlotte, NC. Stacia is an absolute DOLL!! I love when we knock on the hotel room door and we're welcomed with HUGE smiles, hugs, and tons of excitement - I knew from the start that it was going to be a really great afternoon!!

Here is a preview from their day...

On Sunday, we made our way up to Philadelphia to shoot Angela and Vince's engagement session. Before we met with them, we stopped by Reading Terminal Market to enjoy all of the glorious food they have to offer. WE CAN'T WAIT TO GO BACK!! (minus the parking ticket we got at 11:07am when our meter expired at 11:04am.....yep...BUT now we also know that you can park for free right at the market if you spend $10 - which is an easy task)

I brought in my camera in hopes of showing you photos of all the wonderful things we tried, but my hands were too busy (and excited!!) shoving food in my mouth to remember to take a picture! Next time.

To view a sneak peek from Angela and Vince's engagement photos, click here to head on over to our facebook page. They are a super fun couple and we laughed A LOT! We can't wait for their wedding next summer.

iWedding Moments

2010-09-28T12:16:00.000-07:00

We're super excited about this! We are officially launching our iPad Wedding albums and iWedding Moments Package. So much is changing in how we display and share our photographs with our friends, family, and co workers over the last few years and we now have the most exciting, the most convenient, and the most fun way to show off your wedding pictures to the world!

For more information on our iWedding Moments Package, please click here or find it in wedding photography pricing under the information tab at www.kmdcreations.com

Four Weddings and a Birthday!

2010-09-21T13:28:00.000-07:00

We just finished with a crazy busy weekend filled with four weddings and a birthday! So here are all of the details and sneak peeks -

On Friday, Todd was in St. Augustine, FL for Maegan and Philip's wedding on the beach. I've had a chance to flip through all of his pictures, and Maegan looked stunning!! She had the most gorgeous flowing dress - just beautiful.

On Saturday, I was in Rochester, NY for Lisa and David's wedding at ArtisanWorks. I had been looking forward to their wedding FOREVER!! Lisa was absolutely gorgeous, and David looked so handsome. They are one of the sweetest couples! I was telling Lisa's mom at the reception that I was looking forward to their wedding for so long that I didn't want the evening to end!!

Sunday was our double feature! And sometime in the wee hours of the morning - I TURNED 25!! I woke up to phone calls from family, lots of love over on facebook, and a text from my brother telling me "the Detroit Lions called me this morning and said they are dedicating today's win to you as a birthday gift" (they lost...and I'm not a Lions fan...or a football fan...but I sure do love my brother!). It was a great way to start my day!

Back over on the Florida end of the world, Todd was in Celebration for Janelle and Justin's Wedding. This wedding was filled with gorgeous little details. She must have spent months making everything so perfect. Each picture Todd would show me, I would say "ohh I love that!", "that's too cute!!", "that looks delicious!". I can't wait to get a blog up about their day so that you can see all of those gorgeous details I was ooo-ing and ahhh-ing over!! Here is the truly lovely Janelle heading down the aisle -

On Sunday evening, I was at the Esperanza Mansion on Keuka Lake in NY for Beverlee and Nick's wedding. Beverlee is Todd's cousin, and this was our first wedding for family! I had such a great time!! Beverlee looked like Cinderella in her beautiful ball gown wedding dress, and Nick looked like a true gentlemen in his uniform. When they exchanged their rings, Nick gave her a little kiss on her hand. I sighed and smiled along with all of the females there - you can just feel the love that filled their ceremony.
It was a great weekend, and we were so happy to share it with four wonderful couples. Each wedding was so unique - and this is what I LOVE about my job!!

Stay tuned for a giveaway we're working on in honor of my birthday!!

A Beautiful Vow Renewal at Casa Feliz

2010-09-01T20:46:00.000-07:00

For their 10th Wedding Anniversary, Cecilia and Vladimir celebrated by renewing their vows at the beautiful Casa Feliz.

They are from Guatemala and their guests travelled from all over the world to be with them on this special day. All of their friends and family were able to make a Disney vacation of it (and the World Cup was going on that week as well, so there was plenty of excitement and things to celebrate!)

Their super cute personalized Hershey Kisses
The room at Casa Feliz is so warm and beautiful - the perfect spot for their intimate family celebration.
Usually once I'm going through all of the photographs on the computer after an event, it's hard to remember which photos I took and those that Todd took. I do remember this time though! Todd took this beautiful shot - he showed it to me on his LCD just a few moments later and I just about died! Gorgeous!!
Cecilia looked stunning in her pale pink dress
Built in 1932, Casa Feliz is a stunning Mansion that was recently restored in 2000. At that time, the Winter Park community came together and raised $1.2 Million in private donations to pay for the restoration and save it from demolition. The house now sits 300 yards from where it originally sat! It was literally picked up and moved to it's new spot!! Such a beautiful gem in a really great town.
Their are so many beautifully romantic spots around the grounds of Casa Feliz.
It trickled rain all day, so their outdoor ceremony was quickly set up indoors and was equally as beautiful. How wonderful is that ceiling!

I always find vow renewals so special. What a beautiful way to celebrate their milestone anniversary.

Cecilia and Vlad have three adorable boys.
Some of their guests did not speak English, but thank goodness Todd knows how to speak Spanish. What a huge help!
It was such a pleasure to meet all of Cecilia and Vladimir's family. Thank you so much for having us be a part of such a special day in your marriage.
And a special thanks to all of the staff at Casa Feliz - such a pleasure to work with!

A Day at the Beach - Daytona Family Photoshoot

2010-08-26T08:24:00.000-07:00

When we first spoke with Ashley about taking photographs of her family while they were in Daytona Beach on vacation I knew it would be a really fun shoot. Ashley is a photo FANATIC! and loves capturing every moment of her growing (adorable!!) baby boy, Mason.

Mason, as well as mom and dad, came ready to laugh!

everything about this photo is simply gorgeous...

For these next couple of photos, I just couldn't decide if I liked the beachy look, or the black and white version better. So you get to enjoy both styles!

(Mason isn't walking yet - but it sure looks like he can't wait!)

Laughing, smiling, and being too cute for words = Mason with his stylish hat.

*Side story - when I was little I loved to eat sand. By little I mean walking - talking, old enough to know what I was doing, sand eater. I LOVED it! Something about the weird texture..Why I loved it so much seems ridiculous to me now...but i just did.

...now you know

one of my favorites -
Their family vacation didn't just consist of Ashley, her husband Matt, and Mason - it included their whole crew! Ashley has been coming to Daytona beach every year with her extended family since she was Mason's age. A wonderful family tradition that I think is awesome.

After we took some nice family pictures with everyone they all headed back into the hotel to get in their bathing suits for their day at the beach.

I had a chance to shoot some nice moments with just Ashley and Matt.
Best buds.
Mason's little hand was too tiny to push into the sand, so we came up with this. The perfect ending to a super fun morning working with Ashley and her family.

Did you ever love to eat something totally weird when you were little? (or maybe yesterday!) Leave some comments and let me know!!

Aloha! Tommy & San's Beautiful North Shore Wedding

2010-08-04T12:31:00.000-07:00

We've been so blessed with the opportunity to travel all over doing what we love. A while back, I blogged all about our Hawaiian adventures (Read about them here Part I, and here Part II) We had a BLAST!! We were able to make a real vacation of it and enjoy what some of Oahu has to offer.

On one of the last days of our trip, we travelled up to the north shore for the whole reason we were there in paradise - San and Tommy's wedding!!

San was so sweet. She's quiet and calm - a truly beautiful person. Her sisters helped her get all dolled up.

I love being at the beach! (...especially at a beach where I know Jack Johnson is somewhere close by)

The guys were out on the balcony while the girls were getting ready. This was the gorgeous view -

Rain was in the forecast, so when the soon to be newlyweds were ready, we headed out to catch some pictures before the ceremony. How adorable are they!?

Tommy and San live in California, and had vacationed in Hawaii several times. Tommy also proposed to San here on Oahu, so it was the prefect choice for their wedding.

His friends were razzing him right before the ceremony for being too busy texting before his own wedding, but he was just going over his vows one last time! I love when couples say their own vows.
San is the eldest of 4 daughters - this was a big day for dad! One last look from daddy's little girl...

Once the vows started,
so did the emotions.

Not a dry eye in the house!

You couldn't paint a more beautiful backdrop for their wedding.
Finally Mr. & Mrs.!!
...boys will be boys...

We were finishing up just as the clouds were rolling in. How wonderfully dramatic!
The cutest cake topper ever!!!!
Tommy and San are super fun personalities, so they decided to have two of their friends partake in a DANCE OFF to decide which table got to eat first.

Everyone was there to celebrate!
San's beautiful sister giving her toast -
and Tommy's brothers heartfelt wishes for the new couple Because it was such an intimate event, many of their friends had the chance to share their well wishes on the mic. So many wonderful moments.
Cheers!

I love this one...

The weatherman was right that day - it POURED!! Of course the bridal party wasn't going to let this opportunity pass them by.
the bride - being her cute self!!
All of their guests had an amazing time, and we are so grateful they had us come along for the ride. Congratulations Tommy and San!!

Beautiful Flowers...

2010-07-28T14:32:00.000-07:00

I was finishing up some editing today and remembered how much I LOVE this little bouquet!!

When we were doing an engagement shoot on Keuka Lake in NY a while back, I decided the morning of the shoot that I wanted to have a prop. Wildflowers grow all over the place around the lake, so on our way to meet the couple I had Todd stop the car on the side of the road 6 or 7 times so I could grab some flowers for the bouquet.

This was the outcome...

HOW GORGEOUS IS THIS!! All from the side of the road.

I had Todd take picture of me with the flowers because I just loved them that much.

Oh, the wonderfulness that is true nature...

The Deskins Family

2010-07-25T15:38:00.000-07:00

Two weeks ago, we had the pleasure of meeting the Deskins family and had a BLAST working with them. They were here in Florida on a family vacation and we met with them at Magic Kingdom as well as Daytona Beach.

Here is a sneak preview from our day together -

Wayne and Amanda have the most wonderful children in the world!

We had such a great time meeting our new friends (they've promised to show us around their hometown of Nashville!), and I can't wait for you to see the rest of the photos from our day with them!

A Beautiful Plantation Wedding in Virginia

2010-07-22T18:28:00.000-07:00

Back in May we ventured out to Washington DC for a visit with Todd's cousin, Michael, and to shoot a beautiful wedding in nearby Stafford, VA at The Rock Hill Plantation House - an absolute storybook setting for Danielle and David's big day!

A gorgeous lace dress that was just perfect for the setting.

Their guests arrived by trolley - the only way to begin an awesome wedding!!

The men looked very handsome! (One of which resembles Mr. Big/Chris Noth...) We found out that day that they all went to Syracuse Law School with Todd's cousin Michael who we met for dinner the night before (he's just one of those people who seems to know EVERYONE!)
Ready and waiting for their turn...

I love when couples have a private exchange of looks while in front of all of their guests. In love and loving it!

We took a big group photo with all of their guests -
Trolley-time! (sung in an MC Hammer sort of way...because i like singing...)

An unstaged David, being the gentlemen that he is, helped adjust Danielle's shoes
...gives me goosebumps and makes me want to snuggle :)
And no plantation home is complete without rolling hills and horses with the sunset in the background. Just breathtaking.

Danielle and David, thank you for having us be a part of your fairytale wedding!

Sibel & Metin - Gorgeous Wedding Preview

2010-07-10T19:38:00.000-07:00

For our July 4th weekend, we had the pleasure of spending it in Raleigh, NC to shoot Sibel and Metin's GORGEOUS wedding.

Here's a quick preview...

Their reception was just beautiful, and they had performers come in to do some traditional Turkish dancing! I took a bit of video with my camera so that I could share it with you - it was incredible!! I'll be posting that with the full blog from their big day.

Serena & Dan's Wedding - Key West Style

2010-07-07T10:30:00.000-07:00

Ok - I'm hoppin' back on the blog train (so many wonderfully blogs in line!). A while back we had the pleasure of travelling to Key West to shoot Serena and Dan's beautiful wedding (Read all about the details of our trip here and here!)

The ladies morning starting out with Mimosa's - isin't that how every story begins?

Dan was very handsome, charming, and quite the dancer!

They were married at Saint Mary Star of the Sea in the middle of the island. It's a beautiful church. The entire length of the church are tall shutter doors that were open during the ceremony to let the warm breeze flow through. We could also hear the wild roaming roosters cheering on their marriage (it's a Key West thing!!)
Her beautiful tropical bridesmaids!

A great little moment between Dan's sister and brother after they finished singing one of the hymns - I love it :)

At last!
Of course we couldn't miss the opportunity to take a photo at the southern most point in the USA.
Like I said, Dan's quite the dancer!!
Can't you just faintly hear the ocean when looking at this picture? One of my favorites from the day...

As seen in my sneak peek post - but just too cute to only blog once

Everything there is so lush and colorfull. Such a beautiful landscape.
They had their reception at the historic Ernest Hemingway house and we were lucky enough to be brought inside for a few shots.
We really hit the jackpot when we were taken upstairs to Hemingway's writing studio where he wrote 70% of his work. In this very room...at this very desk...on that very typewriter! We had the Maid of Honor and Best Man sign the marriage certificate here.
The grounds at the historic home are just beautiful (and filled with roaming cats - Sixty in total!!) The pool was the first residential pool to be built in Key West.

The light house standing tall in the background...

Of course they cut and shared a Key Lime Pie keeping in Key West Style.

It was a beautiful wedding and we had a blast getting to know Key West. Congrats Serena and Dan

Movin' On Up - ala The Jeffersons! All the Latest News...

2010-06-21T21:16:00.000-07:00

"Took a whole lotta tryin', just to get up that hill!" ...you know...The Jeffersons..."to a deluxe apartment in the sky". Well, we aren't MOVING moving - but one of our etsy products moved it's way up to a feature on the front page!!!

Our made to order custom Green Retro Print Skirt was featured on the front page of etsy in the early morning hours this past Saturday.

We were mega thrilled! Of course dancing on the spot ensued. This little feature brought a lot of new people to our shop which was very exciting.

We've just returned home from a trip to New York where we had the pleasure of shooting two weddings, two engagement shoots, and we had some time in between to do some pickin' for the etsy shop. We got our hands on some great stuff (I want to keep just about all of it!!). All of these new finds will be added to the shop very soon. Here's a peek at some of the great stuff we'll be adding.

And here are some previews from the weddings and engagements shoots we did while in NY.

Miriam & Matt had a beautiful lakeside wedding - She looked like a princess!

We had the pleasure of meeting Yvonne & Eric for a little "pre-wedding" shoot on Keuka Lake a few days before their GORGEOUS rustic wedding on Canandaigua Lake. Yep, we just love those finger lakes!!

And we also met with Lisa & David for an engagement shoot in a beautiful vast park filled with deer, horses, and and all sorts of creatures! We had a lot of fun with them and can't wait to shoot their wedding this September.

And speaking of creatures - one of our backyard locals decided to make a buffet lunch out of our Tomato plants this afternoon...

Well that's all the latest over here, pheww!

Heather & Keith's Wedding at Mead Garden

2010-06-21T13:02:00.000-07:00

I had been looking forward to Heather and Keith's Garden Party Wedding for such a long time that I was beyond excited when their big day came!

Heather has such a warm and happy personality and man, is she crafty! She put together (with her own two hands!) many of the wonderfully cute details of her wedding day. Their wedding was held at Mead Garden in Winter Park, FL on a beautiful sunny morning.

Heather looked adorable in her crochet shrug that a friend of her mother's made, and Keith looked handsome with his fabric boutonniere that Heather made (I'm tellin' you she's crafty!)

It was nothing but high fives on their way down the aisle after the ceremony.

HAPPY in all caps doesn't even begin to describe these two! EXTRA HAPPY and so in love.

This wedding was filled to the brim with laughter - Heather, Keith, and all of their family and friends were there to have a great time.

There happened to be in antique car show in the park that day, so we snuck over for a few minutes to take a couple shots.

Heather and Keith met playing a game of Risk, so they had small Risk game pieces decorating their beautiful (and delicious!) cupcake tower

They had a beautiful Garden Party style reception filled with all things handmade by Heather. Sweet Tomatoes catered the event - I'm telling you she's a girl after my own heart! When she invited us to join in on their meal how could I resist!!

Enjoying their first dance...

Love birds!

Crafty Heather (as she will now always be affectionately called) made these adorable flower pot candy filled favors.

We had such a great time working with Heather and Keith - we wish you wonderful years filled with even more laughter!

Summer Fun in the Sun - while wearing PINK!

2010-06-14T22:23:00.000-07:00

Just a quick etsy update! A totally fun and flirty custom made dress that we've just added to our shop

My summer essential = the perfect sundress!

We've been super busy with weddings and family shoots and I can't wait to share some of the great moments we captured. So stay tuned for some blog updates this week.

On the Road...

2010-05-27T13:09:00.000-07:00

We've spent the last month on the road shooting weddings and we've had a great time! Two weekends back we had the pleasure of visiting Washington DC.

We didn't have as much time to wander around the city as we've had during our last couple of weddings, but we made the most of it and saw everything we could!

While we were there, we shot the beautiful wedding of Danielle and David. They were married at the Rock Hill Plantation House which was an absolutely stunning setting. Here is a preview from their special day -
After DC, we headed out to New Orleans. I am in LOVE with this city. Everything about it is incredible!

One of our favorite sight seeing outings was the swamp tour of the Louisiana Bayou.

This is One-Eyed Jackie, one of the many Alligators who came right up to our boat to investigate. Even though we have gators right in our own backyard I would never dare get this close to them. So our close encounters with the scaley-kind was pretty cool!

all you need is love

2010-05-23T12:41:00.000-07:00

Last month we had the pleasure of shooting Gaby and Glenn's wedding at Hard Rock in Orlando. The weather was perfect and everyone came ready to party!

Their whole day included celebrity treatment! Gaby had her makeup and hair done in the dressing rooms under the Hard Rock Live Stage. The room is covered with old concert posters and memorabilia. Posted on the walls were the set lists from the men who used the dressing room from the concert the night before - styx. cool.
Glenn - looking handsome - anxiously waiting for his bride to be.
Gaby's Father walked her part way down the aisle, and her son Christopher picked up half way through. He is such a poised, mature, and absolutely ADORABLE young man. You can just see on his face how happy and proud he was.

The wedding took place on the Lennon Terrace, as well as the Lennon Room. The Terrace overlooked the Universal CityWalk area, and the Lennon Room is a wonderful place which is modeled after John Lennon's apartment in the Dakota. It is filled with his actual furniture and many drawings and pieces of art that he made and that hung in his home.

And so are the beginnings of a new family...
Just look at Gaby's dress - she looked gorgeous!!

After the ceremony we went to a room those at Hard Rock call "The Attic". It's a small room filled to the brim with items left behind from concerts, others that are familiar from music videos we've seen, and everything in between.

Before we started taking some shots amongst all of the cool stuff up there, we explored the room and Gaby and Glenn had a chance to relax and enjoy eachother just after saying I DO! These precious minutes are often fleeting (or not present!) at so many weddings before all of the reception activities begin, and I'm always so happy for couples when they have a chance to smile at each other without all of their guests watching. Wonderful moments for just the two of them.

And on to The Attic...

You scream, I scream, we all scream for ice cream! ....but especially me...
Following along with their Beatles themed wedding, we got a picture with this iconic sign. Parlophone is the record label that signed The Beatles in 1962. The yellow bicycle behind Gaby and Glenn was also used in a Beatles music video.

And check out Gaby's Superwomen boots!

Instead of having a traditional guest book, their friends and family wrote their messages on a guitar that they could display in their home. Such an awesome idea!
The dancing began and didn't stop all night!
The evening was gorgeous, and the view from the terrace was beautiful.
One of the great items inside of the Lennon room is his piano. Think of all the creativity that was "imagined" on this very bench.

Congratulations to Gaby and Glenn. It was a rockin' wedding!

Smiles from Ear to Ear with the Brown Family

2010-05-18T19:53:00.000-07:00

We recently met with the Brown family while they were here on a Disney Vacation. I had spoken with Michele a bunch through emails in the time leading up to their trip and was so excited to meet her family.

These little guys were full of energy and absolutely hilarious! Their favorite colors are yellow and blue.

A quick shot with just mom & dad.

A prize winning smile!

Todd mesmerized the boys with stories about dragons, and Michele said they were talking about it the rest of the week.

When Michele first contacted us, she said that she loves taking pictures and has tons of photos of her family, but none that she's in because she is always behind the camera! I'm so glad we were able to capture the their whole family together.

Whenever we photograph families and the kids (specifically boys) are snuggly and fun with their parents it makes me think of my brother's teenage years where he averted every hug or snuggle from my mom (the "too cool" years!). I always want to tell the parents "snuggle as much as you can now!!"

Michele and Eric, it was a pleasure getting to meet your wonderful family. We had a great time, thank you for the smiles and laughs!

Sasha & Brad say I do!

2010-05-09T15:20:00.000-07:00

We met with Sasha and Brad a while back during their engagement session (here) and had such a great time with them we were beyond excited for their wedding!

We shot their wedding back in February and it was an absolute beautiful day. I loved their vibrant blue dresses. Both sides of their bridal party were really fun people and there was nothing but laughs before they headed down the aisle.

I knew Sasha was going to be just stunning!

All of the men were so handsome!

Just before the ceremony began, Brad's sister and brother in law were getting their adorable little girl ready to make her way down the aisle first as their flower girl.

Complete with smiles and waves

Just so beautiful

This was one of those weddings where every time Sasha smiled I was just beaming with excitement for her!

and more waves! Too cute!

A beautiful sunset and quiet moment for the newlyweds.

Their first dance as Mr. & Mrs.

They were surrounded by great people and great dance moves all night! Everyone had a great time at their wedding. Sasha and Brad - we wish you a lifetime of happiness and laughter. Thank you again for having us be a part of your special day.

Diary of Hawaii - Part II

2010-05-04T12:57:00.000-07:00

We're back home from Hawaii and we had a blast. We enjoyed everything we had a chance to see and do, but most of all we had a wonderful time with Tommy and San at their beautiful wedding this past Saturday.

Don't worry - I won't make you wait any longer for a preview of the Newlyweds!

How gorgeous!!

One of the things on our to-do list before we left for our trip was to enjoy a Luau. Now, of course there are many different opinions of which is the best on the island. After some investigating we decided to check out Paradise Cove. It is just down the road from where Disney is building their new Resort on Oahu. Some of our deciding factors were that it's right on the water on the west side of the island, and rather than it just being dinner and a show there were 2 hours of activities beforehand (which flew by!). There were different stations of activities and demonstrations that were all about the Hawaiian culture. We both love learning something new and LOVED the activities.

The first thing I tried was making my own headband. I sat at the table and this women handed my some strips of leaves and she started braiding it INCREDIBLY fast!

She braided the first quarter of the strip and then the rest was up to me. It was much more complicated than she made it look! It was a little difficult at first because you had to twist the leaf to keep the yellow line on the outside. This was confusing, but helped me stay on track once I had the hang of it.

After I finished braiding, she tied it off and added a few beautiful fresh flowers and....VOILA! My beautiful Hawaiian natural headband.

Next we watched a demonstration of how to shuck a coconut with a stick and a rock! After that Todd and I both tried our hand at this Hawaiian game similar to darts - just a bit bigger.

Time was just flying by! Everyone gathered underneath the tallest tree on the property, and one of the men climbed it (barefoot of course!) and he was so high up!

Once at the top there was a traditional "shower of flower" where he let loose a sac full of flower blossoms. It was just beautiful as the blossoms fluttered their way down to the crowd below.

We all gathered around the shore next to watch a demonstration of how they gather and throw a fishing net.

There were so many great activities and demonstrations to explore that we didn't have the time to try everything. This was such a great addition to the Luau experience.

Just as we were sitting down to our dinner before the show we had a chance to enjoy the beautiful sunset. The meal was delicious! There was a huge spread and everything was sooo good (the chocolate cake = incredible!).

On super full tummy's we got to sit back and enjoy the show! Our favorite act was the fire act. How this man throws those flames around so fast I'll never know! It really is something you have to see with your own eyes to appreciate. He was fantastic!

Here is a short video clip I took with my camera so that all of you could enjoy the music and the hip shaking!!

Everything about our experience at Paradise Cove was phenomenal. Even though this is the only Luau that we were able to enjoy on the island and have no other to compare it to - we think it's the best!!

The next day the only thing we had planned was to hike Diamond Head (Mt. Le'ahi). Lucky for me that's the only thing we had planned because it kicked my butt!!

Here is some information about Diamond head. The trail to the summit of Le'ahi was built in 1908 as part of the US Army Coastal Artillery defense system. At the bottom of the mountain (where the trail begins) is an enormous crater that covers 350 acres which I could see from the airplane on our flight to Oahu; it's huge!

In the late 1700's, Western explorers and traders visited Le'ahi and mistook the calcite crystals in the rocks on the slope of the crater for diamonds. Thus, the name Diamond Head came into common useage.

Here's where we were headed...

Almost halfway up. At this point my legs started shaking while I was walking. Mostly switch-back trails at this point. I was hanging in there. BARELY! But I had no idea what was ahead.

Once the switch-back trails ended the stairs began. The stairs. 284 extremely steep, extremely narrow stairs. These stairs that were barely wide enough for one person were being traversed with two-way traffic. I thought the trails to this point had knocked me out, but I had no idea what I had coming with those stairs!!

The only thing that kept my legs from totally giving out on me was knowing there was a line of people behind me that would domino down Diamond Head if I wasn't trying so hard to think un-wobbly thoughts! (side note: on our way down there was a women at least three times my age RUNNING up the stairs! Can't even imagine!!! Girl Power!)

And finally, at the top!

Here is a view of the crater below where we started.

Such a beautiful view from the top and totally worth the trek. Something to try at least once. You won't regret it (but you might be sore the next day!)

That night we had planned on hanging out on the beach at the Hilton Hawaiian Village to enjoy their weekly Friday night Fireworks. We decided to have a picnic beforehand, so we walked along the beach to find something to eat.

We struck gold! Right off the beach next to the Fort Derussy Beach Park we found the Steak Shack. One of the best meals we had on our trip! The food is amazing! We chated with the ladies working while they cooked up our order and we can't say enough great things about this place (I wish I had it right now!).
*Ladies from the steak shack - if you happen to read this, send me an email with your names so I can include you in my shoutout!*

For only $6 you get a huge portion of salad, sticky rice, and amazingly seasoned juicy steak. How can you beat that!?

We took our takeout and found a little spot in the sand to enjoy it before the fireworks started. I wouldn't miss the steak, or the fireworks next time we're there. I think we've started something we would love to be a little tradition that we'll hopefully get to enjoy again on a Friday night in Waikiki.

The following day was Tommy and San's wedding! I can't wait to share that blog of photos with you soon!

Until then, Aloha!!

Diary of Hawaii - Part I

2010-04-30T19:08:00.000-07:00

Tomorrow we're shooting the wedding of Tommy and San at the Turtle Bay Resort on the North Shore of Oahu. EXCITED doesn't even begin to describe our feelings! We've had the chance to enjoy this wonderful island for the last couple of days and I thought I would do a few posts similar to the Key West posts from last week about all of the things we've seen and enjoyed.

This is the view from our balcony. INCREDIBLE!

We chose to stay at the Waikiki Marina Resort. This was somewhat confusing at check in because it's a hotel that's actually inside of another hotel named Ilikai. The Ilikai is featured in the opening credits of the classic show Hawaii Five-0. Just after the shots of the rolling waves and the quick snaps of the city shoreline, the hotel they zoom in on as Jack Lord strikes a pose is the Ilikai.

How funny is that! The hotel looks exactly the same today on the outside - White with bright turquoise balconies, but the rooms were all recently renovated and they are beautiful! We have a full kitchen with granite counters and floors, a nice sitting area, and super comfortable bed. And the amazing ocean view is the cherry on top! We can watch the surfers doing their thing from early morning well into the evening.

Heading to Pearl Harbor to visit the USS Arizona Memorial was first on our list.

We were able to get there early enough to get tickets for the first boat out to the memorial. Tickets for the memorial are FREE and usually gone for the day by noon, so the earlier you can get there - the better.

A quick history brush up on Pearl Harbor: The USS Arizona is one of the battleships sunk during the attack by Japanese imperial forces on the morning of December 7th, 1941 in Pearl Harbor. This attack led the United States to their involvement in World War II.

The sunken remains of the ship still lie in Pearl Harbor, with 1,102 of it's 1,177 sailors entombed inside. Because it lies in water 30-35 feet deep, several parts of the ship can be seen from above water and large portions of the full length of the ship can be seen through the water below.

The small white dot in the middle of the photo is a buoy that marks the front of the Arizona

And the buoy in the middle of this photo marks the end.

The ship still holds 500,000+ gallons of fuel and it releases approx 2 gallons of oil a day which can be seen on the top of the water.

The memorial was dedicated in 1962 and the guides (who are men and women from both the Navy and the National Park Service) are wonderfully informative and we really enjoyed our visit to Pearl Harbor.

Next, we made our way to the Dole Plantation.

We took a ride on the Pineapple Express which is a mini train that takes you through the fields and gives you tons of information about the land and how Dole became what is is today. From the train there was a beautiful view of the mountains.

This is a row of Sugar Cane. There were many other things growing in the fields other than pineapple. The dirt in Hawaii is a bright rusty red color because of the high amount of iron-oxide from volcanic ash.

These little babies sure are a labor of love! All of the pineapples are planted and picked by hand. It takes 20 months after planting for it to produce its first fruit, then 15 months to produce its second. After that, the fields are knocked down and new crop is planted.

Of course we walked out with a bag full of pineapple flavored goodies - I love pineapple!

After the Dole Plantation, we made our way further North to Hale'iwa. It's a small surf town with shops and restaurants. We were bound for Giovanni's.

This is a famous Shrimp truck serving a plate of shrimp scampi and rice. There is another Giovanni's truck on the North Shore which is the original. This is the best $13 you will spend! Again, I'm not much of a seafood lover, but nothing beats this stuff!

When we first showed up this place was packed! but by the time we were done our lunch I was able to get a picture of the surroundings. This place is definitely a must see (whether this one in Hale'iwa or the truck on the North Shore). You won't be disappointed!!

Here are a few more shots of the beach from our balcony. We've been waking up by 4:00-4:30 Hawaii time because of our east coast time clocks - and it's so peaceful and beautiful that early in the morning.

That's it for our first day in Hawaii. Here's a preview of our night at the Paradise Cove Luau - All of the details from the Luau will be coming soon. Beautiful real orchid Lei's and fantastic food!

Jesse and Rob - A Beautiful Sunny Morning

2010-04-30T09:53:00.000-07:00

Jesse and Rob are getting married in July and we met with them a few weeks back for their engagement session. It was such a beautiful morning - no humidity with a nice breeze.

Navy blue is one of their wedding colors so Jesse wore a super cute navy sundress to match their theme. Isn't it adorable?

They have a very similar story to ours of how they met. And their significant dates for their wedding are super similar to ours too - but opposite. Todd & I were engaged July 31st, and that's their wedding date. Jesse and Rob were engaged November 14th, and Todd and I were married November 15th (close enough!) we thought that was pretty cool.

So in love...

They're such a cute, fun couple!

Jesse is going to make such a beautiful bride. I can't wait to see her in her dress.

We had a great time photographing Jesse and Rob and getting to know them a little better. Stay tuned for their wedding this summer!

Diary of Key West - Part II

2010-04-25T20:06:00.000-07:00

We really enjoyed our time in Key West and are anxious to get back there and try more of the wonderful restaurants we didn't have a chance to visit. Before I get to the details of day 2, here is a sneak peak from Serena and Dan's beautiful island wedding on Saturday.

We spent most of Friday enjoying the island life of Key West visiting the docks and the beach.

This particular marina had about 15+ floating houses - like the ones you see in Seattle. Rather than a house boat, your house is literally tied up in it's spot at the marina and there you live...and float. What a fun and unique lifestyle! I have always been intrigued by the floating houses in Seattle, but never knew they were popular in Key West as well.

We had breakfast at Turtle Kraals which was fantastic! Our table was right on the dock and we watched the boats going in and out while we waited for our food. It was such a beautiful morning. This photo was taken while sitting at our table - such a great spot!

Just before our meals arrived, Todd said "Look behind you at the paratroopers". Before I turned around I said "you mean parasailers?". Key West has a naval air station based on the island and when I turned around there was an enormous navy cargo plane with 15 to 20 paratroopers gliding below it who had just jumped out of the plane!!

Here is a close up of the above photo. How cool! This happened twice during our breakfast. There were so many wonderful things to see right from our little table!

Todd ordered the Biscuits and Gravy, and I had the Banana's Foster French Toast. Both were DELICIOUS! We highly recommend this spot for breakfast. Wonderful view, nice atmosphere, and excellent food.

This is the front yard of one of the beautiful island homes - incredible!

I just loved the colors of this house. I could have taken a picture of every house on every street. Each one was unique and beautiful.

We hopped in the car and headed towards the actual southern most point in the US. There is a big marked buoy where you can pose for a picture. There was a long line of people waiting to snap their shots and there was no place to park nearby - so I snapped this photo of a nice family enjoying their southern most picture while we drove by.

and here is the drive by snap of the neighbouring southern most house.

A few blocks over, we parked the car and headed for the beach.

We walked out on a long pier to enjoy the sea breeze and the gorgeous water. It's the most beautiful mix of dark and light turquoise.

I always like to collect a shell or two when we go to the beach, so I kicked off my sandals and started my search.

SIDENOTE STORY: When I was younger I travelled to Treasure Island, FL with my family for vacation. On our last morning there my dad, brother, and I were collecting some seashells in our little plastic buckets. I hit the jackpot!! A starfish! I was beyond excited that I found it myself and it was all in one piece. I tossed it in my bucket and kept searching for more. Little me went on my way happy as a clam and to my horror the starfish that was in my bucket was still alive and moving! I threw my bucket high into the air and lost all of the shells I had spent the morning collecting. I still love collecting shells, but now wiser me knows that if I see a shell that's all in one piece with no broken parts it usually spells trouble!

Right by me feet in the tide was a big shell. My first thought was SCORE! But then a red flag was thrown. I bent down carefully and picked it up already expecting a creature to jump out at me - and there he was!! Inside the shell was a squirmy conch

We snapped a few pictures, and then I tossed him farther out into the water where he could live happily undisturbed.

That evening we wandered the streets of old town where we shared some fresh cut french fries. They were really tasty! They came from an outside stand just a few steps down from "The smallest bar" on Duval St. Which is literally - the smallest bar. About 10 people were cramped into a space no bigger than a telephone booth sized crook between two buildings.

The busy streets look so pretty at dusk.

We really enjoyed our time in Key West and I'll be posting more photos of the wedding soon. I hope these Diary posts were some fun eye candy as well as ideas for where to visit there from what we enjoyed most!

Diary of Key West - Part I

2010-04-23T14:38:00.000-07:00

We arrived in Key West yesterday afternoon and it's just as beautiful and unique as I pictured in my mind. We're here to shoot the wedding of Serena and Dan this Saturday at the historic Ernest Hemingway House. Whenever we're getting ready to head to a destination wedding, we always like to do a little research about the best places to eat and great things to see there so that we can make the most of our trip. We're big into food and we like to make note of the restaurants that have been featured on Food Network and Travel Channel as well as talk to locals once we get there to find out their personal fav spots to check out. I thought I would write a little diary of our stay here in case any of you are planning to head to the southern most point in the US and tell you about the spots we visited to help with your own travels.

We're staying at the Days Inn Key West which has turned out great for us. It's the first hotel you see when you get on the island (so we didn't have to look far). Even though All of the action is on the other side of the island, as you head closer that way the price tag also sky rockets. The great thing is that the island is only 2 miles by 4.5 miles, so wherever you stay you're really not far from anything!

Once we dropped our bags our first stop was B.O's Fish Wagon. A dive little spot on the corner of Caroline and William that is hard to explain without pictures.

This spot is basically built around a gathering of trees. Just a few wood posts and a tin roof with a whole lot going on once you walk in. There are license plates, nautical things, and really….anything and everything covering the wood plank walls. Names are carved and written everywhere marking people’s visit there.

We tried the Key Limeade - AMAZING! And the grilled Italian seasoned shrimp skewer and their famous Key West hot dog. All very tasty! Bobby Flay visited this place on one of his shows, and the fish sandwich is the thing to try. However, not very seafoody me wasn't about to venture in that direction. But we loved what we got and were ready to try the next thing.
We made a quick stop at Kermit's for some Key Lime Pie and tried a million free samples everything from Key Lime Jelly Beans and Cookies to Mustard and BBQ Sauce. Everything was really tasty! I think there's debate over the best place to pick up Key Lime Pie - but I suggest try it all!

We wandered around the narrow streets and took a few shots of the gorgeous surroundings. The landscape is so full and lush with palm trees and flowers.

And check out these amazing root systems weaving all over. Just Beautiful!

The water is the most gorgeous color. Don't you just want to dive in?

We stopped in at a seashell shop by the shipwreck museum that has TONS to choose from. I bought a few Knobby Starfish to create some unique summer beachy wedding hairpieces, so stay tuned for those creations!

We had dinner at Sloppy Joe's which was one of Hemingway's favorite hang out spots. Originally opened in 1933 by Joe Russell, it went through several name changes before Hemingway suggested it's current name. Again, I'm not a huge seafood lover but I do like a few shrimp once in a while and we wanted to try the freshest of fresh peel and eat shrimp which was incredible!! It doesn't even really taste like the shrimp cocktail that I know. Todd did all of the peeling, and I just enjoyed! When it comes to shrimp I can usually eat about 2 or 3 before I'm good for a long while, but we shared a big basket and only left one or two behind between the two of us. They had an awesome live band that was really great, and we got in there before the rush. We sat down to eat at about 6:30, but places don't really get packed until the nightlife scene starts around 8pm.

Before we were done with dinner, I snuck out to get a quick sunset shot from the water down the street.
After that we stopped at the Ice Cream place on the adjacent corner to get some dessert while we walked around. When we stepped out, there were several police motorcycles blocking off streets with crowds forming. Of course we wanted to see what all the action was about. What we didn't know was that today is the Conch Republic Independence Day. Wikipedia explains (we had no clue!): The Conch Republic is a micro-nation declared as a tongue-in-cheek protest secession of the city of Key West from the United States on April 23, 1982. There was a parade to celebrate. Many of the local restaurants, businesses, and organizations dressed up their antique cars, bicycles, and scooters and held up signs promoting everything! Healthy living, recycling, the Old Car Club…just about anything you can think of!

The people walking alongside the "floats" were all dressed up in a million different random outfits while throwing bead necklaces and candy. Todd grabbed a tootsie roll. It was quite the experience that we weren't expecting but was a nice surprise and a great way to end the evening.

Stay tuned for Day 2 of our adventures and for the blog of the wedding we're super excited about being here for!

Dancing with the Stars - Lisa & Trevor

2010-04-19T12:25:00.001-07:00

Lisa and Trevor met Ballroom Dancing. What a storybook romance! We recently had the pleasure of shooting their wedding and we had a great time. Their reception was filled with wonderful live music and many of their friends are also dancers. I'm sure you can imagine how glamorous the entire day was.

Being a dancer, Lisa's shoes were especially important. She wore fancy white rhinestone shoes for the first half of the day, and these worn in ballroom shoes for the rest of the evening so that she could dance the night away. I just love all of the character these shoes have.

Just like Cinderella!

What a cute little moment they shared during the ceremony.

Some of my favorite photos of the day are almost always of the newlyweds exiting. Such exciting emotions of pure happiness.

Their reception was held at The Ballroom at Church Street - Such a romantic setting

and of course Lisa was able to find a cake topper where the figurines were dancing. One of the tiers were silhouettes of dancers whirling all around the cake. It was stunning!

Doesn't Lisa look exquisitely graceful and gorgeous? What a beautiful Bride

They brought out these little beauties near the end of the evening...i had three...I'm not ashamed to admit it!

Congratulations to you again Trevor and Lisa. What a beautiful wedding.

Baby Angelina

2010-04-15T20:15:00.000-07:00

Connie and her family welcomed beautiful baby Angelina on February 4th and I am so happy that I was able to meet and photograph her - what a little sweetheart!

I love this one, it makes me smile - she looks like she's singing

Teeny tiny, soft, adorable baby feet

She is so wonderfully inquisitive and curious. My favorite photo...

too cute little baby bum!

It was such a pleasure meeting this little cutie and her wonderful family. She is so very loved.

While we're all "awwing" over all of that cuteness, head on over to our etsy shop to purchase a super cute handmade baby headband for your own little munchkin.

Engagement & Wedding Sneak Peek

2010-04-15T09:17:00.000-07:00

Yesterday we met with Jesse and Rob for their engagement session before their wedding in July. We had a lot of fun - they're a super cute couple and we are very excited about their wedding.

Here is a sneak peek from yesterday...

Last weekend we shot Heather & Keith's wedding at Mead Gardens in Winter Park. We were so anxious for their wedding, and what a beautiful day it was! If this photo is any indication of their marriage together, I think they're going to have a blast! Such sweet people who love having fun.

Full blogs of both days to come soon!

In other news - I now have a gorgeous Orchid in my office thanks Heather and Keith. Everything is in bloom outside, and now I get to enjoy some beautiful flowers right from my desk!

Also, I created a new veil last night for our etsy shop that will be up for grabs this afternoon. Check it out!!

Disney World Engagement shoot with Dave & Kristen

2010-04-08T18:26:00.000-07:00

We recently shot a super fun engagement shoot for our good friends Dave & Kristen. They both work for Disney, and what better place to get some cool shots! The day started out at Magic Kingdom in the confectionery on Main Street. What better place to start!?

Kristen is a Manager in Tomorrowland. She didn't want all of her co-workers to spot her, but we did sneak up to Astro Orbiter. I must admit in all my many visits to Magic Kingdom this was my very first time on this ride!! Sitting backwards while whirling around in circles way up in the sky made this 1st time ride one of few to come in the near future for mega motion sick me!! But it was so worth it from the really fun shots we got. Dave, Kristen, Todd and I just laughed the entire ride!

On to Fantasyland! We took a spin around the carousel, and then headed over to Dumbo. Again, much laughing ensued! It's so much fun shooting for close friends because we were all just having an awesome time on a beautiful day and we were just capturing all of the memories in print.

These next few are my favorites of the day - straight out of a fairytale.

After Magic Kingdom, we headed over to Disney's Boardwalk Resort on our way to France in Epcot. This is one of my favorite hotels. I just love the feel and the atmosphere.

...our pretend photobooth shots. So much fun! How adorable are they together!?

Everyone breaks out into dancing the moment they arrive in France. Right? Love was in the air. More of my favorites from the day. They are such a great couple.

We ended the day back at Boardwalk in ESPN sporting their Mets Gear and Playing Basketball.

We had such an awesome day and are very excited for their big day in October.

Sneak Peek

2010-04-07T05:44:00.000-07:00

After I posted the blog a few days ago, I was still considering keeping the gorgeous enamel flower pin. I told myself that if it didn't sell in the next 30 days I could keep it. But, I'm out of luck! It was snatched up the following afternoon!! I hope she enjoys this piece because I think it's wonderful!

New things being added to the etsy shop this afternoon! Already up is an adorable spring/summer headband I have affectionately named "the strawberry shortcake". I think this and my black polka dot headband will be in stiff competition with each other as far as my "never see me without it" headband goes!!

Going up this afternoon are two awesome vintage 70's dresses. One is a fun day dress, and the other is a disco dress for a night on the town...maybe on a Saturday...with a fever...

On a photography note, here's a sneak peek from my shoot with baby Angelina. So adorable and inquisitive - an absolute beautiful girl with such personality!

Her mom, Connie, is the Maid of Honor for the wedding I'm shooting this Saturday for Heather and Keith. Heather put together and made by hand just about every detail of this wedding, so I'm very excited to capture it all for her!

Spring Has Sprung!

2010-04-05T08:50:00.000-07:00

Happy Easter everyone! I hope everyone is starting to enjoy some of the warm sunny weather that seems to be spreading everywhere. The orange blossoms by our house have hit their peak and smell heavenly!

Some of my favorite things are now up for grabs in our etsy shop!

I made myself a simple polka dot headband a few months ago that turned out super cute. It has definitely been my "go-to" headband since then and every single time I wear this headband I get so many compliments on it! This was actually one of the inspirations to open the etsy store. I thought that if I was getting at least one compliment each time I wore the headband, that I'm sure others would love to have their own! So without further adieu, I introduce you to my absolute favorite accessory (that's I'm wearing even now!)...

Another great item added to the store this morning is this wonderful vintage enamel pin that just sings "welcome spring!" I'm so tempted to keep it for myself - It's just so cute!

So hop on over to the etsy shop this week as we have several other new things we'll be adding over the next couple days! Also, keep a lookout for some much over due blogs of some of our beautiful February and March weddings that we photographed.

Have a wonderful week!

St. Patrick's Day at Raglan Road Irish Pub

2010-03-25T08:55:00.001-07:00

Last week we were at Raglan Road Irish Pub at Downtown Disney for St. Patrick's Day. We've been working with them over the past month taking new promotional photos for them of the pub, the band, and their amazing Irish Dancers that perform there. So we were there to capture all of the action, shamrocks, and funny green hats that were everywhere on March 17th!

The Irish Dancers perform every night at the pub and they are wonderful to watch!

Not the only kilt of the night...

This is one of my favorite shots of the night -

*Fun Fact - Raglan Road is where Todd and I met on St. Patrick's Day two years ago.

Everyone there had a blast! It's definitely the place to be on St. Patrick's Day!

kmd CREATIONS!

2010-03-06T04:54:00.000-08:00

The new "creations" venture of KMD is now up and running. We will be selling awesome vintage finds as well as beautiful one of a kind handmade goods including headbands, veils, purses, jewelry, art work, and so much more!

Here are a few photos to get your mouths watering...

Here is the direct link to browse or purchase what you see here
http://www.etsy.com/shop/KMDCreations

Check back often as we will be adding new items all the time. You can also access the online creations store through the link on the main website intro page here

Sarah & Kyle's Big Day!

2010-02-24T20:16:00.000-08:00

You may remember Sarah and Kyle from an earlier post of their engagement session (here) . Well they're back - this time for their big day - featuring NEW, BIGGER PHOTOS for your viewing pleasure!

Sarah's wonderfully talented grandmother put together all of the flower arrangements and boutonnieres.

The beginning of their new adventure...

Not even buckets of torrential rain were going to stop this parade (Dear Rain, thank you for stopping in time for our pictures. Love, Kristen & Todd)

The design and decoration of the reception was just stunning!

The cupcake-cake, always a favorite of mine.

Hands down - Best moves all night! Grandma's are always the best :)

And a fairytale ending to their beautiful wedding. Congratulations Sarah and Kyle!!

Mickey Premium Bars!

2010-01-29T11:03:00.000-08:00

Some good friends of ours, Kristen and Dave, are getting married this coming October and we're super excited to be shooting their wedding. We know it will be a blast! Last weekend we met up with them to shoot a few photos to use on the Save the Date magnets that we're creating for them.

Kristen and Dave were real giggly and had a great time - It's always fun to shoot for friends. To end the shoot we grabbed a Mickey Premium Bar Ice Cream - MY FAVORITE!! It's the creamiest ice cream, and the thickest chocolateiest chocolate coating. DELICIOUS!!

Keep a lookout for their wedding in October!

A Winter Wedding

2010-01-11T06:35:00.000-08:00

This weekend we shot a beautiful wedding at the Port Charlotte Yacht Club in southern Florida. Amy and Will tied the knot in unusually cold weather for Florida - which was nothing more than a dream come true for their "Winter Wedding" Not only a beautiful cake, but totally delicious!

Her beautiful bridesmaids - Tammy and Jennifer.

Happy emotions from mom as the gorgeous bride made her way down the aisle.

The rain stopped just in time for the ceremony, and for us to get a few shots of the newlyweds outside.

Their guests danced away the evening and had a wonderful celebration.

Congratulations to you Amy and Will! We wish a a very happy marriage!!

2010, Here We Come!

2010-01-06T13:45:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year everyone! We hope you had a wonderful Christmas season. We've been busy working on all sorts of new things for KMD Creations in 2010.

For both Todd and I, this was our first Florida Christmas (minus snow...but still cold!!) So we started our holiday baking and decorating snowflake cookies, and palm tree cookies with Christmas lights.

For those of you familiar with Disney World, we went over to the Fort Wilderness Lodge Camp Grounds to check out some of the amazing displays these vacationers set up. This one camper blew our entire subdivision out of the water with their beautiful display -

They had a whole walk through with every possible Christmas decoration ever made. We just wonder how they got it all here!

The end of 2009 was real busy for us including several weddings, and some fun projects! Here are a few of the photos from Sarah & Jason's Wedding. Their reception was at the History Center in Orlando which is a really unique venue with so much character.

Super gorgeous couple!!

We hope you have a great year! Check back soon for some pictures of my recent DIY projects!

Checking In - Chez The McCabe's

2009-11-05T12:45:00.000-08:00

For those getting into their first place, here's a little room re-do inspiration. I recently finished my guest room and I'm thrilled with the results. Most of the guests who would be staying with us would be coming from the North, and most likely during the winter months, so I wanted it to be a bright and sunny "Florida" room to get away from the snow. Here is the before And here is the lovely after. Does this even look like the same room!? A little paint, a little love - goes a long way!

I had a really hard time finding night stands that I liked - so of course I set out to make my own! I wasn't looking to pay $50+ for each night stand, so by making my own I used some old salvaged wood, and a few dollars spent at Lowe's, I have two custom made night stands for $12 each. Here are the before and after photos of my lamps. I picked these up super cheap ($9.99 each!) because I knew they would match great with the small pineapples on the ends of the bed posts, but the color wasn't right. I spray painted the bottom white, which was an easy fix, but the lamp shade is welded onto the bottom portion. So my options were to cut the metal off and find new lamp shades, or try to work with it. Of course I went with the DIY route, so I took off the outer beige fabric and left the white lining. I bought 4 placemats from ikea that are a tangle of rattan like twigs (only $1.99 each)and I used two for each lamp shade. A little hot glue, some scissors, and they came out great! A custom lamp for under $14 each - you sure can't beat that.

After I had the bed and night stands in place, the room needed something on the walls. I didn't want to use personal photos because I really wanted the room to have a "hotel feel" for our guests. I decided to pull out my paint brushes and a couple canvases to make some custom art for the room (I was on a custom roll with everything else!) I used the same paint color on the canvases as I used in the en suite bathroom to tie it all in. I'm so happy with how my paintings turned out! I love the old, distressed wood under the clean crisp colors of the painting.

To order your own original hand painted Blossom paintings, visit Original Paintings in the online ordering section of http://www.kmdcreations.com/

So there's my guest room! I had a great time working on all of the projects, and I hope it gives you a little inspiration of your own.

Sarah & Kyle

2009-10-26T11:53:00.000-07:00

This week I met with Sarah and Kyle for their engagement shoot. The weather was perfect and we got some really fun shots. Sarah looks gorgeous in each and every picture!

How beautiful is Sarah! I'm very excited to take photos of her all dressed up in her gown on their wedding day.We found some really cool punches of color all over the town.

Super excited for their wedding in February!

A Beautiful Sunday Afternoon - Harris and Jenny

2009-10-24T06:43:00.000-07:00

On Sunday, Todd and I both photographed the wedding of Harris and Jenny at their beautiful home. About 60 of their closest friends joined them in celebrating on this cool fall afternoon.

Jenny looked classic and gorgeous in her beautiful dress.

Their friends gathered in their grand living room for their ceremony. Harris and Jenny wrote their own vows which had many of their friends smiling and shedding a few happy tears along with them.

It was such a beautiful day, we are so happy we could be a part of it. Congratulations Harris and Jenny!

Johnson Family Photos

2009-10-15T15:34:00.000-07:00

This past Sunday, we met with the Johnson's to take some family photos. Everyone was a little shy at first, except Des (on the right) who was ready to strike a pose every time I held up my camera! After only a few minutes, everyone was laughing and having a great time.

They are the most kind and welcoming family

All of the kids get along like best friends and were so fun in front of the camera.

We had such a great afternoon, we have already booked a session next month to shoot with their entire extended family. We can't wait to photograph them again!

Sasha & Brad's Engagement Shoot

2009-10-10T19:05:00.000-07:00

Last weekend we shot an engagement session with Sasha and Brad. We had a really fun time - Brad had so many funny comments about everything and we laughed about the show Man vs Food! They are a super fun, easy going couple that warmed up to the camera like pros. Here are a few of my favs from the shoot.

We had some fun during our "photo booth" shots

Aren't they a beautiful couple?

We had a great time getting to know them and can't wait to shoot their wedding in February!

Barnacle Bathroom Re-do

2009-09-14T10:31:00.000-07:00

Here's a fun afternoon project to brighten things up! This is the first room makeover I did in our new place. Thanks to the contractor white paint, just about every room was a blank canvas. The downstairs bathroom is a small room, so I wanted to make it appear bigger using some stripes! The ceilings are pretty high (vertical lines would make the room seem taller) so I wanted to make it appear wider using horizontal lines. When shooting in Savannah, GA several months back, we stopped at one of my favorite shops - The Paris Market. I found this super colorful barnacle that I thought would be an awesome accessory in my airy, beachy new place. I love it so much that I wanted to use it more than once! I took a close up picture of one of the sections and made a unique print for the bathroom.

Here are the before and after pictures of the bathroom!!

Isn't it amazing what a little paint & blue tape can do?

To purchase your own copy of my barnacle print, please visit the online ordering portion of http://www.kmdcreations.com/

We got married - AGAIN!

2009-09-07T15:00:00.000-07:00

Well it’s been far too long since we wrote a blog and we’ll have to learn how to keep up with everything better! We’ve had a real busy summer filled with weddings – including our own! Todd and I had a small intimate wedding in November 2008, and just had our big 2nd wedding/reception this past July.

- That's us!

Here are a few photos from some of the engagement shoots and weddings we've recently done. We had an amazing summer of weddings and got to meet some really fun people. We just love all of our clients!

Stay tunned for some fun upcoming posts! We've just moved into a new place and I'm all about the DIY projects, so I'll post some before and after photos of some of the stuff I'm working on.

Weddings Around the World Bridal Show

2009-04-03T20:25:00.001-07:00

Mt Dora Jazz Orchestra

2009-03-23T12:04:00.000-07:00

The Festival of Chocolate

2009-03-23T10:38:00.000-07:00