Thanks {W} family!

Here’a a victory wave with the candle.

…as much as he loved the cupcake, I think he preferred the grass.  {L} does this adorable scoot thing instead of crawling.  He scooted all over the blanket to pull out the grass.

We gave up on the blanket for a bit.  :)

Probably my favorite:

We caught a few shots of the fam before poor {L} got really tired of the whole thing.

Aren’t they adorable?

I rode with the {P’s} to the park and on the way back I think I scared poor {L} getting in the car.  He looked at me like, “haven’t we seen enough of her yet?!”

Thanks {P} family.  It was great to see you and realize we have so many friends in common.  Such a small world!

I have so much to share though.  Here is a small clue of what is to come:

and…

…and so much more.  Trust me.

Check back tomorrow for some fun family shots.  Until then, enjoy the sunshine.

This week has some great items in store including an adorable baby session that I photographed today.  (Did I mention that she’s adorable?)  And stay tuned tomorrow for a “Wedding Wednesday” featuring a very talented business that you won’t want to miss.

For now, I leave you with this.  I love finding light like this.

$25 gift card to first person who knows where this shot was taken.  (Answer coming in a future blog post…along with more gorgeous images.}

It  rained that day.  Actually, it poured.  But, the rain couldn’t stop the joy.  Donny & Maris were married under the cover of the Conservatory at Stan Hywet.  Despite the last minute changes, the wedding was beautiful and the bride and groom glowed along with the rest of the festivities.  I think in the end, they made their own sunshine.

I think the difference between great weddings and fabulous weddings is the details.  And trust me, details there were.  Here is Maris’s head piece.  Gorgeous, right?

Stan Hywet made the perfect backdrop for the day.  Donny and Maris were actually the first couple to ever be married in the front of the Conservatory.

Donny and Maris opted for a First Glance.  I love it.  I love capturing this moment when they first see one another and they can be alone for a time before the ceremony begins.  Some brides and grooms have confessed that it was their only time alone the entire day.

Maris has such grace about her.

More yummy details.

I had to include this shot.  Look at the cool stitching on the programs.

Donny’s father toasted the couple…

…followed by Maris’s sister.  And it may have been one of the cutest toasts I’ve ever heard.

Donny and Maris, thank you both for sharing your day with us.  It was a pleasure.

Some of the wonderful people and places who made their day possible:

Ceremony & Reception Location: Stan Hywet Hall & Gardens

Colors: Black & White with Pops of Red

Florist: The Towne Florist

Bakery: West Side Bakery

Gown Boutique: The Country Bride and Gent

Videographer: Aaron Ruegg

Hair Stylist: Martha Vale

Makeup and Bridesmaid’s Hair: Carol Martin’s

Click below to view the slideshow.  {Please be patient.  It may take a moment to load.  Anyone viewing on Facebook or in an RSS feed, click here.}

I love watching her and Eden grow up together and I can’t wait to see what the future holds for both of them.  I just wish the future would come a little more slowly.  It will probably feel like tomorrow and they will be in each other’s weddings.

I can almost hear her laughing in this next one.

Look at this little lady!

Happy Birthday little {A}!  Love you lots.

And just to prove I am not totally mean…Here’s one she got of me:

Hey, that hair flip isn’t easy to pull off.

And her brother is not so bad looking himself.  :)  Little {L} was not a huge fan of a photo session but with a few tricks we ended up with some great shots.

Neither was a big fan of my stools.  :(

But, it wasn’t anything a couple packs of Gushers couldn’t solve.

And…it’s a good thing Gushers did the trick since they coordinate perfectly with their green and blue.

I think my favorite aspect is the versatility.  Swap these matted photos in various frames or easels for a display that never gets old.  {Plus the box looks awesome on your coffee table.}

They’re perfect for engagement sessions, family & child sessions, maternity, boudoir and even a great wedding album alternative.

Allow me to introduce Ryan to you.  He is one of the DJs at Beach Boyz Entertainment and I asked him to tell us a little bit about himself and the business.  I firmly believe that your wedding entertainment is an essential piece of hosting a wedding people enjoy.  If your guests aren’t having fun you will be disappointed and believe me so will they.

Some DJs in the industry are fantastic and others are just so so.  Do yourself a favor and hire a fantastic one like Ryan here.  :)

1. Can you tell us a little about yourself?

I am a person who loves to have fun and take life by the horns. I have been married now for 7 years and I have two sons. Austin and Trevor. Austin is 6 years old and in the first grade and Trevor is 3 years old. They are incredible. I just recently bought a home in Firestone Park and loving it. It’s so nice to have the freedom of owning and doing whatever I want, which means, I was able to get a Pet! We have 1 cat named Charlie and a Dog soon to come!

2. Tell us about Beach Boyz Entertainment…where are you located?

Beach Boyz is a wonderful DJ Service. The customers come first. That’s how we separate us from everyone else. It’s not our show, it’s theirs. We want to cater to all that our clients want. We have around 20 guys at the present time working for Beach Boyz. Range from Rookies to guys who have been there for 15 years.

3. How did you become a DJ?

I used to work at Todaro’s Party Center in Akron as a busboy so I got to see DJ’s first hand and got to see how much fun people had. I wanted to be that guy who provided the fun. I loved it when Beach Boyz DJ’d the parties because they made it a night to remember. So that’s why I decided to become a DJ. Didn’t know music too well and was a little quiet, but wanted to try. Now I know thousands upon thousands of songs and have been with Beach Boyz for 11 years. I get to provide the entertainment and provide the smiles as people walk out the door remembering how much fun their event was!

4. What do you think is the most important role of a DJ at a wedding reception?

The most important thing about the role of the DJ is becoming the one to take care of the flow of the night. For Weddings, we make sure that all events are planned, ready to go…and we keep a good pace. If you let the party drag out and check in the guest(s) of honor, then people lose interest and the client thinks “what’s next…” Being able to work the flow of the music is most important too! Anyone can hook up an IPOD and run music off of it all night, but do they really know how to work the crowd. Do they know what song to play next to keep people dancing? No. They usually just have a pre-determined list and just the play button. We don’t do that. We work the crowd off the lists the Client provides plus what we feel would keep the dance floor alive. Also, our DJ Service works closely with all Photographers and Videographers. That’s the last thing a Bride and Groom would want…no pictures for a special event on their Wedding Day…a Father-Daughter dance could be missed. All Vendors know what is coming up. We Emcee the event and Coordinate all events.

5. What should a bride and groom look for in a DJ?

As you look for a DJ, get to know them. Get comfortable with them. The reason I say that is because they are the one’s DJing the night you are going to remember the rest of your life. The DJ makes or breaks your reception. People don’t really remember the food, or the drinks…but they remember the music.

6. What are some unique things you (Beach Boyz) offer?

Beach Boyz offers a variety of unique things. We have basic lighting to intelligent lighting…Fog Machines/Snow Machines/Bubble Machines/the list keeps going. We have props for all kind of events when it comes to Kid Parties (Hula Hoops/Miniature Bikes/Wide Selection) to keep people entertained. We also interact with the crowd. We don’t stand behind the DJ Table with our arms crossed the whole night or sitting down eating and drinking alcohol. We don’t eat and we don’t drink alcohol at events. Our concern is the Bride and Groom…not our party life!

7. Do you have any fun stories or experiences that you can share?

I have tons of stories that could take up pages as to things that have happened in my 11 years so I will keep it short and sweet. The experiences I have meeting new people every weekend are awesome! But the best part is when you run into those people down the road and they remember you! They say they still talk about their reception and how much fun they had. They say that every family gathering they have, their reception comes up as a topic every time and memories start flying out their mouths and they can’t stop talking about it. That is the best experience. I once had a Bride and Groom I DJ’d for 5 years ago…well, their friend got married this past summer and they were guests. They came up to me and said “you were our DJ and I am so happy to see you here tonight. We told them to go to Beach Boyz and get Ryan.” So for couples to remember me that far down the road is the most amazing feeling. I love being a DJ and I will leave you with a quote that I will hold true to and you will see how much I love being a DJ by this quote:  ”The day that this becomes a job is the day that I call it quits”

Thanks for talking to me and hope to see you all soon!!

Here’s a couple shots from a wedding last season where Ryan is keeping the floor hopping: