Two Weddings Yesterday

We had Sarah & Brian's wedding at Laurel Court during the afternoon and then I rushed off to a good friend's wedding that evening. Kevin, my husband, was in the wedding so it was really a busy day for both of us!

Here are a few pictures from our friends' wedding - Congratulations Becky & Eric. It's been a long time coming!

The happy couple!

Kev and the Groom - they've been friends for 20+ years

Our daughter Gracie with Eric's daughter Kelsey (the flower girl)

Congratulations Sarah & Brian!

I think we have a beautiful day in store for us!!! I can't wait to get to Laurel Court & see you both! I hope you are as relaxed & excited as you have been in our last few meetings.

To learn a little more about Brian & Sarah - you can see her bio on the knot by clicking here.

New location this weekend....Laurel Court

Well, new to us anyway. Our bride and groom this weekend - Sarah & Brian - are having their ceremony at Laurel Court in College Hill. It is a gorgeous historic estate. The perfect location for their intimate ceremony & reception. Every room is unique, restored and gorgeous. The atrium is perfect for an indoor ceremony and the gardens would be a beautiful outdoor backdrop for any nuptials. Take a few minutes and visit the Laurel Court website to see some photos & learn a little Cincinnati history too! http://www.laurelcourt.com/

Leave it to one of our brides...

Leave it to our brides to keep us on track! I just received an email from one of our July brides telling me how bad I am at keeping up with blogging! Tamara - you are so right. So this post is just for you!

Tamara & Jeremy are one of the most adorable couples I've had the pleasure of working with. Their July wedding will be my first one back after having the baby. I can't wait. I thought I'd share an e-pic (courtesy of Sandra Reed Photography), her creative DIY save-the-date, and her killer green shoes! I love them!

Outdoor Weddings

In Cincinnati we are lucky to have so many fabulous parks & outdoor settings for weddings & receptions. I'm sure many of you have considered Alms, Ault, the French House, etc. for your location. While these are often gorgeous events when the weather cooperates, they definitely come with their fair share of potential issues. I found this questionnaire on the outdoor wedding guide website & I thought I'd share it with you. It might be helpful for anyone considering outdoors vs indoors.

Is an outdoor wedding for you?

DO plan an outdoor wedding if...
- You have a special attachment to a particular outdoor place.
- You enjoy spontaneity and drama.
- You're organized and able to plan for a variety of scenarios.
- You want to set your celebration apart from other weddings, perhaps even your own previous weddings if one or both of you have been married previously.
- You want to blend religious traditions in a flexible, non-denominational setting.
- You want to increase the amount of time available to share with loved ones by holding both your ceremony and reception at a single location.
- Your wedding ceremony will be part of a multi-day wedding event.
- You want to create a wedding celebration that is unique, personal, distinctive and memorable.

DON'T choose an outdoor wedding if...
- You hate surprises.
- You will be horribly disappointed if the weather is uncooperative and everything does not go according to your plan.
- You need or want to marry in a month when weather conditions are likely to be less than optimal at the location where you will wed
- You aren't adept at handling stress and making decisions.
- The outdoor environment you prefer will not be comfortable for your invited guests.

Trash the Dress - The Video

Trash the Dress (TTD) sessions made their way to Cincinnati sometime last year...with some phenomenal results. I know at least one our destination brides, Stephanie, is planning on a TTD session in Jamaica - and I can't wait to see those photos!

But what about a TTD video??? Steve from Glass Eye Video recently recorded a TTD session while Simply Timeless photography snapped photos. He shared it with me this morning & it's posted on his blog. My favorite part is near the end - when the flowers hit the water & the dress dragging through the water. The whole thing reminds me of a music video - I'm sure the bride felt like a movie star the entire shoot! Check it out....

http://glasseyevideo.com/blog/2008/04/08/trash-the-dress/

And for those of you who haven't seen TTD photos, check out this site:
http://www.trashthedress.com/

Steph Carson Giveaway

Attn 2009 brides... Steph Carson is giving away a wedding package for one of her 2009 brides. All of the details are listed on her site. If you haven't booked a photographer yet check her out.

She's brilliant, talented and FUN. You can see her work on our clients page & about us page. Or of course on her website www.stephcarson.com

One of my favorite new sites

We're doing our best to go green in our house. It's like pulling teeth sometimes to get my husband to go along, but he's coming around. Here's a relatively new site that launched that I've enjoyed reading. Check it out. I love the resuable bag links - so cute & good for the environment too!

http://www.greenmommyguide.com/

Worst blogger ever

I am officially the worst blogger. Actually you probably have to actually post in your blog to be the worst blogger. Now I'm rambling.


So let me catch you up to what's going on at CEP lately:


I'm pregnant with a little boy due May 26th - one day before my one year anniversary!

Lindsey, my associate, is due in October with her first.


We're busy preparing for the busy wedding season & managing to have a blast. I can't wait to share photos & stories in the upcoming months!

For now, here's a pic of my ever expanding belly. This is nearly two months ago now at a Valentine's Day dinner at church. I guess I need some new photos.