Giving credit to the photographer that took a lot of the day’s shots of the guys……Lexie. Lexie is a new assistant this season. This one was fun for her. She went to high school with this group of guys. She was not exempt to their teasing. She got a workout keeping up with them!
The first image is my light and settings check when we first got there.
Proofs may be viewed here. Password is groom’s last name in lower case
Sunday’s wedding “the men” were “the boyz” having a riotous, laughing full out, joking, horseplaying, insanely great time. It was often hard to capture “the boyz” becuase they made the photographers laugh too. With a twinkle in their eyes they were totally over the top all day.
To all these wonderful men…… never let the child inside grow up. Your laughter is contagious and a lot of fun to be around.
Proofs may be viewed here. Password is groom’s last name in lower case.
No one, and I do mean no one, commanded the dance floor be hers than this young lady. All eyes were on her. She hung in with the best of them!
What do you do when your wedding is in Vander Veer and it begins to rain and the limo driver is still 20 minutes out? It didn’t bother anyone at all! They still had a great time!
It was a day with a few unexpected twists. Nikki’s sister was in the hospital taking care of the baby yet to come. So! We all loaded up in the limo and paid her a surprise visit. I promised no photos of her in her awesome hospital gown! There were tears and hugs. Then we got back in the limo and off we went to Mound Street Landing.
Proofs may be viewed here. Password is groom’s last name in lower case.
Couple three photos for you, but that’s all for today. It was a double wedding weekend, and doing nothing sounds utterly delicious. Of course Studio D is being interviewed by a couple for next year later today. 
I know, I know….. I did say do nothing.
Proofs may be viewed here. Password is the groom’s name in lower case.
We don’t usually go to dress rehearsals simply because there isn’t always a need. Many locations we have been to over and over and know the rules. Yesterday was a little different. The wind blows the fountain water, so that determines where they stand. Sides were switched from one shown here so that Nikki would not be looking into the sun. There is a special part to the ceremony involving the park, so we needed to know the location.
We got to see brothers and sisters, grandmas and grandpas, moms and dads, and somebody’s tat. We had a baby, and boys and girls, an adorable flower girl and ring bearer.
It will be fun to see them all dressed up today.
What? No shots of the bride? Nope! Only from later today!
Family dynamics are always great. They hug and love on each other, and immediately they begin to catch up on what has happened since they last saw each other! Today was no different. There was chatter all around mingled with kids playing, lots of laughter, and celebrating the reason they were all there.
I did daughter Jonell’s wedding about 1.6 years ago…. 2nd from right. So! I got a call did I want to photograph her parents’ 25th anniversary surprise party. Well, Sandy promptly tuned her radar in on an innocent comment by someone about an invitation and the surprise was no more. All the daughters arranged the day. It was family and friends to the max!
Proof Viewing Here arniesandy no pass
Saying goodbye to her grandmother. It was her only time to smile all day. Love on a child’s face is so easy to spot.
Daddy said say cheese. She did just that showing me her mouth full of cheese.
He was completely hidden under the hood. I whistled to get him to turn a bit so I could see his face. He had been illusive for some time. What must he be thinking behind that expression?
His dad lifted him up, and then began the father son one on one game of “how long can you hang”. Dad began to count with the surprise and amazement building in his voice as he counted. He just beamed at his dad. Memories are made of such small moments of intimacy.
Safe in Mom’s arms.
Today her baby is becoming a wife….. a wife with a mother that will always love her. Joy and tears all rolled into one moment of realization that life is about to change.
Look into his eyes. What do you see? Jordan is willing to engage by looking calmly and quietly into another person’s eyes.
My May 24th wedding. They are on my desktop, and not in color. I often put up faces of couples I am about to work with. Faces. Quiet looks. What draws me to one image over another? What is it I am seeing? What do I remember from my time with them? Faces become triggers for remembering.
Nikki and Will are our May 23rd wedding. Again…. I have them on my desktop. This image because of Will’s expression. His arms wrapped around Nikki … the smile speaks volumes. 4pm wedding in the sun at the Vander Veer fountain.
Laughter is what I remember from our May 30th couple. Joking, kidding, laughing, having fun…… until he swept her into his arms. Suddenly you could feel the chemistry change to one of romance, intimacy, and love.
This past few days I’ve thought about faces a lot. What are they saying to me? What is in their eyes? Faces are attached to a huge percentage of all our memories. Roadmaps into our internal recorded history. If there are no photographs then the memories die when we do.
Faces don’t have to be beautiful. They simply need to be captured for those that love them.
It was family and friends that surrounded the bride as she dressed for one of the biggest days in her life. She chose not to see Andy before the ceremony.
She laughed, and hugged, and smiled that huge smile that only a bride can manage. Quietly the veil was in place, shoes were stepped into, item by item was carefully put in place. I like the softness of the image of her putting her earrings on.
Andy and the guys were outside, inside, here, there, and everywhere. Each new person arriving managed to ask him if he was nervous. He said no, but he got very quiet before the ceremony. Not in a bad way… just reflective over what was about to take place.
Suddenly everything they had planned and worked on happening on their wedding day began to happen, and before grandparents, parents, family, and friends they announced their vows.
Andy’s dad owns a mint condition 1930 Ford. Andy’s dad is also the family photographer at every event, so he asked if I got a couple of shots he really wanted.
That’s Andy’s dad playing chauffeur.
Anytime they looked at each other there was no rest of the world for them. They were totally lost in each other’s gaze.
We also had some amazing very limber young men on the dance floor later in the evening.
Trinity Lutheran in Moline
The Davenport Raddison
Heller Cakes
SAS Entertainment
Ruby Media
As wedding vendors gather it is always a chance to see what they are doing that is new. Ruby Media was with me all day and it was great to chat and catch up. We had Dennis from SAS, and it was a first time meeting. Heller Cakes…… it was yummy as always. The pastor at Trinity Lutheran was sharing with me there are plans to increase the lighting in the sanctuary. Good news! He also delivered a beautiful message and very rich eloquent vows for the couples to pledge to each other before God.
I saved my comments about the Davenport Raddison to last. I love the front office Coordinators and the Event People at the Raddison. It always goes off without a single issue. Always! They are warm, attentive, and efficient…….and a lot of fun. Applause from Studio D…. you always make it a special event!
By now Jessica and Andy are probably in Maui sitting on the beach in their swimsuits having a couple of exotic drinks!
LINK TO PROOF SITE choose jessicaandrew and the password is the groom’s last name in lower case.
A bride, her sister as Maid of Honor, a groom, his brother as Best Man, a judge, a photographer and a videograper. That was everyone. The Lilac Garden at Duck Creek perfumed the light breeze, and everything was bathed in warm sunlight after a couple of cloudy rainy days. There were no guests to worry about standing in front of, so shots were easy to frame.
The vows were tender, beautiful and from the heart. Classical Guitarist Dana Starkell (563-823-8749, www.DanaStarkell.com ) was amazing. Clazzy Designs did her bouquet which was being preserved by JJ’s Keepsakes.
Her sister laughed and mentioned as a teen in school she used to write Michael’s name on her notebook. Life events found her single. His brother found out, and quickly nudged Michael to call her. The rest is history.
They left the next day for Italy.
