An excerpt of images taken by Shari DeAngelo. Brittany and Marc toughed very cold temperatures at Longwood Gardens and we got to put together a Save the Date slide show for the upcoming wedding at Tavistock Country in Haddonfield, NJ

So what do you get when you mix 2 amazingly beautiful people in love, freezing cold temperatures, a little snow and bright bright sunshine? You get breath you can see, love you can feel and…well OK, you get cold fingertips. But just a little.

Brittany, Marc and I met up at Longwood Gardens to 26 degrees.  We weren’t sure how comfortable we’d be outside for any extended period so Longwood really was the perfect place to pull off a January engagement session.  OK, nearly perfect.  I had put an order in for 4 inches of snow and only about 1.5 fell.  And Marc had visions of water fountains that were off because of the freezing temps.   Still, we needed a place that  represented this outdoors couple. Too bad they don’t allow dogs for photography (then it really would have been perfect)!

We all were pleasantly surprised by how pleasant it was out there. Maybe it was the brisk pace and acreage we covered, but I think it was the good company and fun we were having! Seriously… the most I’ve laughed in a session in a long time!

For example… We were walking around inside the main arboretum when we fell upon the children’s garden area. Marc, without skipping a beat was up on a ledge opening his mouth for the pulsing water fountain to aim so that it was going in his mouth. A second later, Brittany was up there joining in the fun. Just as the water started to spray across and behind them, it hit Brittany square in the back of the head. We were all laughing so hard that I only got one photo that was in focus. Thankfully it was the one I show below.

I am often finding myself amazed at how lucky I am by the couples I get to work with. To say I absolutely adore this couple and can’t wait for their wedding day, is an understatement!

To Brittany and Marc, thank you, from the bottom of my heart for allowing me to play a small role in your beautiful love story. May 22nd can’t come soon enough!

Today, especially as I get older, I can’t get away with wearing any old shoe.

Or so I thought.

Last year, while browsing through a vintage shop in Barrington, NJ, I found a pair of boots that caught my eye immediately. I had no idea how much they were or well, anything about them. But I was pretty sure they’d fit. So I plopped right down on the floor and tried one on. Charyl Burley, who owns all the vintage clothing in the shop, just laughed at me. I have a thing for vintage clothing and she has been exceptionally gracious in lending me vintage clothing for photo sessions.

“Those were from Carolyn Wyeth’s personal collection.”

I continued, undeterred. The first one fit, “like a glove.”

“You know that she was Andrew Wyeth’s sister and also a famous painter, right?” I didn’t care. It was the craftsman that piqued my interest most. The styling and details were impeccable.

The second one went on and was just as fabulous. It was like I was wearing a pair of boots that were custom fit for my feet.

Finally I ask “So, would it be terribly disrespectful or insane to want to wear these? I mean like every day?” Clearly they were part of history and Ms Wyeth’s appreciation for fine art and craftsmanship. I wondered if they were only for sale to collectors.

She was quiet and I took her lack of answer as a “yes, Shari, you’d be nuts to wear them, but I won’t stop you.” I didn’t care. I wanted these boots. The stitching and leather stacked heels were so expertly made that they were pure art to me. And you know… they fit me like they were made for me.

I bought them and although I have to love them a little less than I did, due to cracking, they remain very special to me. I wore them last night to dinner with my extended family. They were a conversation piece and some of my family teased me (as they should have) for my silly shoe indulgences. Some did not share my appreciation for the art or craftsmanship, and just did not see what I valued in them.

I got back last night and had to get some more work done in the studio so I took them off by the (still yet to be hung gallery prints). As I looked over this morning I realized that those boots were much more than footwear that fit me well, or that some famous person owned them. They were made by someone who cared about the very tiniest of details, even when most would not notice. Someone once cared enough to create what I consider pure art and I love them for every stitch and every crack.

To each his own art.

To all artists who practice day in and day out honing their craft, I solute you…. while donning my spiffy boots.

Shari DeAngelo Photography | Philadelphia Wedding  Photographer & Lifestyles Photography | Fine Art, Fashion, Lifestyles and Wedding Photographer located in Haddonfield, NJ and Philadelphia PA. Local and Destination services available.

Andrea is an absolutely perfect fit for us and our style. We wanted our clients to feel beautiful, relaxed and in expert hands and we are sure they will with her. She has been doing fashion and wedding makeup artistry for the past 6 years and has a beautiful book of work to share with you.

If you are booked with me and you’d like to schedule a consult with her, please contact us right away so that we can send you a Details sheet. Bridal consultations are highly encouraged. There’s so much that can be up in the air as your wedding day approaches. Know, with certainty, that you will look amazing…and exactly as you had hoped! I like to think that Andrea will make us all look good!

Andrea, thank you for trusting me while I experimented here with you yesterday and for withstanding the frigid temps without a single complaint.

Most importantly, welcome aboard, Beautiful!!

She will provide SDP clients in NJ, NY, PA and DE makeup artistry upon request. Destination work is also available but please call us about this.

Shari DeAngelo Photography | Philadelphia Wedding  Photographer & Lifetsyles Photography | Fine Art, Fashion, Lifestyles and Wedding Photographer located in Haddonfield, NJ and Philadelphia PA. Local and Destination services available.

Jazz is the cat. She does anything and everything Oakley does.   Just with a little more dignity.  That would be the 80 year old settee my mother handed down to me.

That reminds me. I think it’s time to bathe the dogs.

So, you may be noticing some intermittent issues with the site and blog as of late. Please accept my apologies. We’re working on it and it should be back to it’s regular speedy self in a day. I’ll write more a more meaningful post tomorrow when I’m sure.

I have an entire blog post to share with you all from this session, but since I’ve been very behind here with blogging sessions, I’m just sharing this image as a sneak peek.

Don’t ya just love the way babies smell? (swoon….) I just love his cute little fingers and toes (with fuzzy attached).

From this day forth.

I really love a good love story, so when I got the call from Mike McNett about this wedding I jumped at the chance to join him as his second. I love the way Zoey and Ike wove together the traditional aspects of the Nigerian and American cultures and how they honored their families, and most importantly the mothers.

They opted to have a very private moment to see each other (commonly referred to as the “first look”) prior to meeting each other in front of everyone and walking down the aisle together. There was such an amazing and intense moment between the two of them that Mike and I were both fighting our own tears. It was so pure and so beautiful that it reminded us why it is important to take these little moments. We remember all that is behind them and took look forward to the future.

Together. Forever.

This wedding was so romantic and touching that as I put together this blog post, I got choked up all over again.

Those who know me will know that I have a particular weakness for shoes. I was like a little girl squealing when I saw Zoey’s red shoes. So, you know I had to take a shot of those and the ever lovely Zoey granted my whimsical nature with it.

To Zoey and Ike, thank you for having me along and may the best days of your past be the worst days of your future and may you always experience the kind of beautiful love I witnessed that day. Oh and Zoey, can I borrow your shoes now?

Shari DeAngelo Photography | Philadelphia Wedding  Photographer & Lifestyles Photography | Fine Art, Fashion, Lifestyles and Wedding Photographer located in Haddonfield, NJ and Philadelphia PA. Local and Destination services available.

And we all know good friends are hard to find.

I’ve known this family for about a year now through the Operation Love Reunited organization; A volunteer organization of professional photographers giving their time to families of deployed soldiers. When I got the call that he was coming home, I knew that an end to a very long year for this family was finally coming to an end. The days turn to weeks and then into months and the oldest of the two boys seemed to be carrying the weight of that time away. Like his mom, he worried and as the day wore on, the happy facade began to wane to anxiety. He paced, needing his space and watching carefully in the direction he heard the soldiers might be coming. The time seemed endless to everyone, but to him, each time he heard “it’ll be soon” or “Daddy’s on his way” was becoming more and more worrying. The hours stretched out as the crowds were trying to be patient. The youngest felt the tension too.

As I looked about the crowd I realized that many of these very young children will be meeting their father for the first time. I saw mothers and fathers and brothers, uncles, sisters, and cousins. Every single one of those people have sacrificed a little bit of themselves when their soldier left. They stayed behind. They held up the fort. They carried on with the life these soldiers could come home to. In those hours they were all brought together for one reason; To set their eyes on their soldier. To know she was home safe.

This homecoming was the end of many soldier’s commitment to the Military. Some will go back. No one thought about that that day. No one complained about waiting in the heat. None of that mattered, as long as they could hold their soldier in their arms once again.

The wait was hard but we were reminded that war is harder and that some did not come home that day. “We find a way to be grateful that it was not one of our own,” I heard one woman say to another.

To all the families and soldiers who served with dignity, I salute you. To this beautiful family, thank you for letting me be a part of your story this past year. I am deeply touched by you all and feel blessed for knowing you.

Welcome home, Soldier!

Shari DeAngelo Photography | Philadelphia Wedding  Photographer & Lifestyles Photography | Fine Art, Fashion, Lifestyles and Wedding Photographer located in Haddonfield, NJ and Philadelphia PA. Local and Destination services available.

I’d be remiss if I didn’t share something with you besides a few images from the day.  The staff at Bear Creek Mountain Resort were outstanding… I mean above and beyond great.    The Wedding Coordinator for this event was Lisa Geiger.   She never missed a beat and was more than on-top of things.  I’ve seen quite a few coordinators and she stands out as one of the better.  The food and service were amazing too, thanks to the capable hands of Jonathan and Jenny.  I was very pleasantly surprised by how organized and pleasant the entire staff was.  Right down to the porter who made sure I never ran out of cranberry juice.  It may seem like a little thing, but if they did that for one of the other vendors, imagine how they took care of the guests.   Indeed it seemed to be the way things are just done there.  I look forward to the next event I get invited to shoot there!

The wedding.  It was an absolutely beautiful ceremony, complete with sun spilling in beyond the soon-to-be snow covered slopes and my own favorite wedding temperature: 65 degrees!!  There was enough positive energy in the crowd to warm anyone who may have preferred warmer temperatures, I’m sure.   It was really really perfect.  Lauren was so beautiful and elegant and Jason looked so calm and collected.  My favorite moment actually occurred as the processional was starting.  Both the the flower girl and the ring bearer were not feeling well and just as they got to the back line of chairs the ring bearer decided he didn’t want to go.  He was held up by one arm and bounced down the aisle off one foot for the remainder of the walk.  We were all laughing and enjoying the good-natured fun.  It was too cute!!

Lauren and Jason.  Just beautiful.  Inside and out.  Thank you for having me along.  May the rest of your lives be as blessed as your wedding day was.

Shari DeAngelo Photography | Philadelphia Wedding  Photographer & Lifestyles Photography | Fine Art, Fashion, Lifestyles and Wedding Photographer located in Haddonfield, NJ and Philadelphia PA. Local and Destination services available.