Hooman + Priscilla | Salamander Resort and Spa Wedding | Middleburg Wedding Photographer

When you meet them, you just know - having Hooman and Priscilla in your life is like the best kind of hug. Open, inviting, friendly and ever familiar they certainly are on their own, and when they're in the same room, their friendliness, kindness and warmth is infectious.

To say we were blessed to photograph these two's wedding is not even close to describing it.

With Hurricane Joaquin threatening to rain on their love all weekend, neither Hooman or Priscilla was the least bit bothered by it. Tons of family and friends prayed for the torrential downpours to hold off, and the couple continued with wedding preparation as planned.

Sunday was one for the books. God answered those prayers and the Salamander Resort and Spa in Middleburg, VA, provided a gorgeous setting for the bridal preparation.

When Priscilla slipped into her Demetrios dress, she effortlessly floated around adding finishing touches in those beautiful layers and layers of white.

A classic, elegant yet understated white and silver invitation suite for their black-tie affair.

While back in Fairfax, Hooman and his brother/best man, ushers and good buds made brunch, toasted with bloody Marys and dressed in their tuxes. Before we moved to South Carolina, Hooman and Dean were in Small Group together, meeting, sharing life and praying together for about 2 years. And I was fortunate enough to have Priscilla in my Small Group!

When he and Priscilla got engaged, Hooman graciously asked if we would rather shoot their wedding or enjoy it as guests. The answer is that we enjoy shooting our friends' weddings! It is so wonderful to be with them, capturing their special moments for our dear friends.

After putting on her veil, Priscilla met her father in front of the resort for a father-daugther first look. Be still my heart- what a precious moment that was to see! The Father of the Bride getting to see his little girl, all grown up and ready to marry her husband.

Aren't the Pinckney women (now one Gharai!) just stunning? Truly a picture of grace, beauty and elegance.

Wedding guests trickled into Middleburg United Methodist Church, filling the traditional wooden pews while reuniting with loved ones and meeting new friends.

At 2:10 pm the processional began. After the adorable ring bearers and flower girls, all part of a family that both Priscilla and her sister/Maid of Honor Amanda babysat over the years, made their way down the aisle, the heavy church doors were closed. They reopened as the bride and her father began making their way down the aisle. All guests rose to their feet and Hooman caught his first look over his bride as she made her way toward him.

Pastor Nate led the couple through their vows and shared a few of the reasons Hooman and Priscilla said they loved each other. What a beautiful moment for both the bride and the groom to hear what they most appreciated, adored most about the other. Cue the waterworks and grab the tissues.

This has to be the most adorable bridal party ever! Thompsons, y'all are looking good!

Hooman and Priscilla's love for each other just oozes out in the way their eyes meet, they touch and speak to each other.

With the Virginia countryside behind them, the Salamander Resort was a perfect green and yellow backdrop for fall wedding photos.

Guests enjoyed a beautiful cocktail hour inside the resort, clinking wine glasses and tasting passed delicacies, as well as mingling out on the patio as the night progressed.

Both the bride and the groom's have such a joyful, spirited demeanor - the cocktail hour was like a happy family reunion, full of laughter, sharing old stories and catching up.

The couple made special attention to highlight both the Pinckneys, with their Italian heritage, and the Gharais, with their Persian heritage. The beautiful, ornately beaded cloth gracing the sweetheart table above was a gift from Hooman's mother and is a nod to traditional Persian wedding decor.

Hooman twirled his bride around the dance floor to Louis Armstrong's rendition of "La Vie en Rose" for their first dance.

After the formal dances, the reception quickly became an open dance party. Everyone was celebrating with the newlyweds!

I spot a past LMP bride! Sabrina, who had a gorgeous vintage DC wedding, is also in Small Group with Priscilla. SO great to see her and hubby David!

Another past LMP couple, Charlie and Laura, were not only guests but Laura was a fantastic wedding planner and coordinator for the day's events!

And with two rows of sparklers overhead, the happy couple exited their wedding just as they entered it - with warmth, graciousness and love.

Vendors:

Venue: Salamander Resort and Spa
Wedding dress: Demetrios
Florist: Ultimate Floral Designs
Wedding planner: Laura Thomas
Hair & Makeup: Visage Salon
DJ: DJ Tamer Yehia
Cake: Salamander Resort and Spa
Catering: Salamander Resort and Spa
Invitations: Kimberly’s

September Gratefulgrams

"God is true to His purpose, not our expectations."
{Dr. Dick Lincoln}

What a difference 12 months makes. 52 weeks of living. 365 days of life.

Looking back over what I was grateful for this time last year and wow! I was pregnant, working full time at an ad agency while running LMP and we were still living in Virginia! Now we have a beautiful 4-month-old, I'm staying at home with her and we have moved to the South (the real South, that is).

And what things have stayed the same! The friendships we've been blessed to form over the years have continued on long after we moved and became parents.

The first photo, where Dean and I are posing as wedding guests, was for our sweet friends Wei and Elizabeth. We're staying with them this weekend when we head back to Virginia for a wedding :) The adorable couple holding hands in the third photo? They are watching Madison while we shoot Hooman and Priscilla's wedding. And the couple in the bottom right photo?  Laura, the sweet bride, will be the coordinator for this weekend's wedding.

If you would have told me five years ago that this would be my life, I wouldn't have thought it to be true. But as our pastor reminded us several weeks ago, "God is true to His purpose, not our expectations." I never would have imagined that I could spend my time photographing couples' love and sharing in their wedding days with them, married to such an incredible man and raising up a cutie patootie little girl whose giggles melt away even the worst of days, living in South Carolina of all places :) (Looking back on my childhood, I always did love the state flag though. Sounds so silly to say that now but whenever we were traveling through SC, I always loved the look of the palmetto and crescent together).

And His timing - goodness, how I so wanted to be married and start having babies when I was graduating from college in 2010. But God had other plans for my life, plans that I couldn't have anticipated, scheduled, coordinated or thought out. Things that I needed to learn, grow through and experience long before any of that could take place. And He is good. The plans He has laid out are for our good, yes, but ultimately for His good, and His glory.

Can I offer a word to any of you out there feeling less than satisfied with your current state of affairs?

Let go of your picture-perfect expectations of how life should be or what it should look like, or what you should have done by this time or your life, or what job you should have by now. Lay them at the foot of the cross and pick up God's yoke, which is easy, and His burden, which is light. Start living the life He has ordained for you and you will find joy, freedom and peace.

The Best Things About Fall

Oh autumn, where do we even begin?

From the slow, drawn out interruption that announces summer's end to the way tree leaves shake, tremble and finally give in to the crisp breeze, fall comes slowly and then all at once.

It's a season for hand holding, boot wearing, scarf wrapping, s'more making, campfire singing.

It's a time when the days get shorter, conversations around the fireplace carry on longer and pumpkin makes its appearance on the menu.

It's a palette of burnt oranges, marigolds, vibrant reds, bright mustards, with a dash of plaid, tartan or stripes.

It's the scent of a new candle burning in your living room, the taste of your favorite apple recipe, the feel of crunchy leaves under your boot-laden feet, the sound of college football fans cheering from the stands, the sight of couples snuggling together as they walk down the sidewalk.

It's fresh, a new start. A chance to begin again in the midst of the year's calendar. To watch as new life ripens like a tart apple tree. To make lists of to-do's and check them off - pumpkin carving, costume wearing, apple picking, mountain hiking, weekend camping.

It's the opportunity to grab hands of the one you love and order their favorite coffee drink. To linger longer outdoors soaking in the last drops of the sunset and to stay up later indoors when the weather becomes too chilly to venture out.

It's the day to reunite with family and friends for a day of gratitude, turkey and memories.

To hang a new front door wreath and tell old stories on your front porch.

To forgive of any past hurts and remember the most important things in life.

To dress in layers and eat crockpot dinners.

To add pumpkin or apple to your dishes just because.

To read under a cozy throw on the couch.

To add a cinnamon broom to your home and go for drives to watch the leaves change colors.

To have and to hold each other as the weather gets cold.

Something old and something new begins - the farewell of one season and the beginning of another. Fall, I hope you stay awhile.

Dave + Leanne | Cloverdale Barn Wedding | Rustic Virginia Wedding Photographer

With the risk of sounding like Chandler of FRIENDS, could there be a more joyful couple?

Even the torrential downpour on the morning of their wedding couldn't stop Dave and Leanne from smiling as wide as the Shenandoah Valley is long. The exchanged vows at Winchester's Cloverdale Barn, tucked away in the under part of the barn, dry and cozy from any stray rain drops.

Sophisticated tones of blush and grey were sprinkled throughout their day - from Leanne's pale pink ballet slippers and the soft floral arrangements (that she made herself!) to her charcoal invitation suite and the groom and groomsmen's suits.

Leanne wore a stunning white gown with a flowing pink bow that cinched around her waist and tied in the back. The butt bow, as she affectionately referred to it, just made the dress even more elegant and stunning on the bride as it swished back and forth like a chapel bell. Ding, ding, ding.

With a promise not to lose them, Leanne borrowed her mother's gorgeous pearl and diamond earrings. Reminders of the lost earrings of fourth grade filled the air, followed by smiles and another promise to hold on tight to these borrowed jewels. Her mother's intricate lace veil complimented her bridal details just exquisitely, later on becoming a delicate backdrop for beautiful pink iced wedding cake.

After her mother and sisters helped Leanne slip into her white dress, the bride walked along the windy gravel path from the barn down to her waiting groom. They exchanged a First Look, taking in each other and holding on to the last fleeting moments of engagement that were making room for their nuptials.

Underneath the barn was transformed into a twinkly lit refuge from the somewhat still dreary afternoon. Friends from childhood, college buddies, family members and guests from across the states gathered into the secluded barn alcove.

The bride and groom asked twelve of their very best friends to stand beside them on their wedding day. So much love and support from these dozen was given throughout the day, just completely wonderful friends and siblings who truly were for the couple and wanted to celebrate their first steps of marriage with them.

Such a chic and stylish group! I love how the mismatched bridesmaid dresses come together so well in the photos. The groomsmen's ties are just the right amount of pink to really add a warmth to the overall look.

Here's to lifelong friendship and new beginnings!

To love, laughter and happily ever after.

The wedding celebrating continued on in the main level of the barn, where dozens of twinkly lights hung in the warm air and wrapped around beams as guests drank, ate and danced the night away.

Vendors:

Venue: Cloverdale Barn
Wedding dress: David's Bridal
Bridesmaid dresses: Varied
Groomsmen suits: Varied
Florist: DIY
Hair and Makeup: Cindy of SAS Studio
Cake: Agape Cake
DJ: Danny's DJ Service
Catering: Top Flight BBQ
Favors: Handmade BBQ sauce

{September Goals}

"There's 0% chance, 100% God."

A couple weeks ago, we had the privilege to hear one of the members of our church share about his journey with a brain tumor. He so boldly spoke of his trust and full reliance on the Lord in the midst of getting his diagnosis, how he and his wife had come to answer the ever-so-common question, "So what are your chances of surviving?" with 5 small but powerful words: "There's 0% chance, 100% God."

Wow. That hit me like a punch to my stomach.

Here I am, tumor-free, and am I actually trusting God to the full extent of my brother and sister in Christ who are actually experiencing a situation that makes it difficult and challenging to trust Him? Does my faith prove weak and futile in the time of trials, let alone in the good, easy times? Instead of figuring out the chance of this or that happening, what would my life look like if I surrendered it all to God, knowing that He is sovereign over it all?

I'm praying that God would continually remind me of my need for Him, every day. In good times, let us lean on Him and praise His name. In the tough times, let us praise Him still.

"Lord, I need You. O I need You. Every hour I need You. My one defense, my righteousness. O God, how I need You."

September Goals

>> Study Aimless by Ange Smith with a girls' small group
>> Commit new verses to memory
>> Plan for our 2-year anniversary trip (YAY!)
>> Spend a week in Florida with my family
>> Finish reading From Anger to Intimacy
>> Take a daily walk with Madison, weather permitting
>> Lovingly serve our LMP clients
>> Reach out to designers for LMP rebrand
>> Review our budget and plan for October

What are your goals for this month? I'd love to know what your aim and focus are set on!