Here is the final post of my Andrea and her husband Will’s lovely wedding.

I received two wonderful notes this week that warmed my heart:

Christine,

They (the pictures) are amazing! I just looked through them a second time and now the question is…what to pick!

You did an amazing job and I’m so blessed that you were able to be there with me!

Love, Andrea

and on my Facebook page this from Will:

You really are crushin’ at what you do! I’m a fan. Thank you, lady!

I hope you enjoyed the first part of this three part blog on Andrea & Will’s big day in Chesapeake Bay. The wedding and reception were held at the waterside Hyatt Regency. Check back for Part III soon.

Sometimes life throws you the most wonderful opportunities and this spring when I opened up an email from my childhood friend, Andrea, I was a giddy little girl filled with joy. My friend Annie wrote to ask if I would photograph her wedding. She and her longtime beau, Will, had decided to tie the knot on Father’s Day. I didn’t think twice, I graciously accepted.

Her father had found this amazing location right on the water at the Hyatt  in Cambridge Md and the other plans started to all fall into place. I had never been to the Chesapeake Bay so I made a mini vacation out of it visiting my family in Northern, Va. and headed to photograph their day.

Annie and I grew up on the same block in Cooper City, Florida. Both our dads worked for Air Florida . I was four. Our families became lifelong friends. When Air Florida went under, my Dad got a job with UPS in Louisville , Ky and her Dad  with Northwest and she moved to Minnesota.

Through the years we kept in touch. And one very hot Sunday afternoon 100s of miles from both of our homes I got to photograph her wedding.

It was so hard to edit my favorites that I am posting three parts to this incredible day.

In my normal day life, patience isn’t in my vocabulary. I don’t like surprises. I constantly blurt questions into conversations in hopes to guess what the person is going to say. I love to be the first to know some hot tidbit of gossip.

Patience isn’t my style. It’s not me.

Well, until it comes to my photography, then I know the best things in life are worth the wait. Especially when it comes to babies. I love baby sessions. It’s such an honor to be the first photographer to document the families newest member, a new human, a new life.

Last week I had the pleasure of meeting a very sweet baby girl named Layla. Her parents and I have become friends over the last 2 years when I first photographed their wedding. Seeing them now as a family of three showed their love coming full circle.

I’m so honored you included me in this exciting time in your lives.

Our Family vacation to New York last week was filled with so many things. Mostly eating and Italian pastries, but also beautiful moments and memories.

Years ago my Mom received an American Girl® catalog in the mail. We both ooed and awed over it. We knew one day we would make the pilgrimage to one of the stores with my daughter. We dreamed about it and last week, the dream came true.

Since we were in New York with my folks we also asked my Godmother, my Aunt Joanne, she happens to be Cate’s Godmother too, to join us. She lives in nearby NJ. So, the four us set out to Penn Station to begin our first American Girl adventure. To say Cate was excited, was an understatement. It was all she had been talking about since we landed in the city that never sleeps. My mother had bought her and her dolly, Kelly, matching dresses. I made sure their hair was brushed, bows just right. As we entered the 4-story Fifth Ave. store it gave me goose bumps. The look on Cate’s face was priceless. Her mouth dropped open and while her eyes had a twinkle in them, mine had a tear. We were here, my 6 and HALF year old daughter was so giddy with joy. She was running and rushing around to look at every corner of this pink haven. We started out at the hair salon. Cate insisted that Kelly get a double braid, and she wanted Kelly’s ears pierced. (Cate doesn’t have hers yet, but she wanted Kelly to be first.) After we looked at all the historical dolls we headed to get her picture taken with Kelly at the Photo Studio. Then off to our big event of the day which was lunch at the Cafe. Kelly sat right next to us during our four course meal. The whole experience was top-notch. The service was perfect, the food and drinks delicious. The best part was they had this adorable box of “break the ice” questions on the table. The four of us had fun asking questions and we all learned something about each other. Our last event of the day was shopping! Cate got some really precious things for her and Kelly. My favorite was a journal to document her day. I plan to print some of these photos for her to scrapbook of her special day.

I really never thought the experience would mean so much to me, but it did. I’m not sure if it was because I was with my two “mommies” and it brought me back to feeling like a little girl again, or because my life is so blessed to have my own daughter to create these memories with.

I think it’s probably a little of both.

It’s not every day that I’m invited into my neighbors bedroom with my camera, but when Courtney told me her idea for her hubby, I was all in.

She and her husband have been married for four years and have three kids. Being busy is an understatement.

I thought it was a true testament of her love to find the time to express it in this way.

She works hard to look good and I had a great time showing off her fun and playful side as well as her being naughty and sexy.

Issac gave me a thumbs up when I deliver their album tonight.

Thanks guys for inviting me in and showing us that you can still have passion for each other even while staying busy with sippy cups and diapers.