Worth 1,000 Words: Alisandra Photography

"First Look" photo captured by Alisandra, featuring Mr. Jacob and Mrs. Laura Barker

Today we've got a different picture worth a thousand words, it's what wedding photographers call the "first look." Featured in today's picture are Jacob and Laura getting a "first look" at each other before their wedding ceremony. The first look is really for the guy to see how beautiful his bride looks in her wedding dress in a private moment shared between the bride, groom and their professional wedding photographer(s). But after seeing this picture, I believe Laura was just as excited to see her groom in his tuxedo as he was to see her in her wedding dress! 

Alisandra Williamson of Alisandra Photography captured the picture of The Barkers. Ali dreamed of a career in the music industry before wedding photography caught her eye. She's pursued her passion for capturing lovely wedding day memories with her camera and I'm delighted to introduce Ali to you today! 

Read on to learn more about Ali as a wedding photographer and feel free to connect! :)

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How Ali views love through her lens as a wedding photographer: When I started as a wedding photographer, I really just loved being around the raw emotion and energy of a wedding. But the more weddings I photographed, and teared up at, I realized the depth of what I do. LOVE propels the wedding day, and of course, it propels the marriage. I view my work as a tool in this process. As my couples look back at their wedding photos year after year, I believe they hold the ability to remind the couples of their vows, emotions, and their LOVE as it was from the beginning.

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Photographer bio (in Alisandra's words): 

Featuring Alisandra Williamson, photo credit:
Andrea Pesce Photography

I never had dreamed of being a photographer, in fact, I wanted to work in the music industry! 

I still love music, but I love my job even more. I began my career as a wedding photographer after a few years of second shooting under my belt. 

After attending photography school in the heart of Washington, D.C., I started my business in 2010, and now shoot an average of 20 weddings per year. I’ve had the privilege of meeting amazing couples and documenting their love. 

I view my job as an honor and a gift, just as I view marriage itself! I'm based in Richmond, Va. where I live with my husband, Chad. We'll be married 5 years in October!

~*~

Connect with Alisandra:

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/AlisandraPhotography
Instagram - https://instagram.com/alisandraphoto/
Pinterest - https://www.pinterest.com/alisandraphoto/
Twitter - https://twitter.com/AlisandraPhoto

Website - http://alisandraphoto.com/home.html

Worth 1,000 Words: Annamarie Akins Photography

Mr. Robert and Mrs. Erin Preston

Today, I'm introducing the work of another wonderful wedding photographer. Let's welcome Annamarie Akins to the blog! 

I love the photo of Annamarie's clients, newlyweds Robert and Erin Preston! Don't you love the old town car in the picture and the way the bride and groom are perfectly positioned?

Annamarie is talented, right? I think you will like her view on love, photography and the people and things in her life that bring her joy! Enjoy her visit with us and interact with Annamarie by leaving a comment at the end of this blog post.

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Annamarie's view of love through her lens as a wedding photographer:
Love is the foundation of what I do as a wedding photographer! My vision is to remind couples of why they fell in love in the first place and to give them an heirloom to treasure for a lifetime. The wedding day is just the beginning of the story…it’s the love that is built in the months and years afterwards that I truly believe is worth celebrating everyday. It’s a love that grows from knowing a person so deeply and from sharing your highs and lows as well as the little every day moments of life together…It grows when you experience things that you love together no matter how big or small…This is the reason I also specialize in Anniversary Sessions! I think that true love takes a lot of sacrifice and it’s such an honor to get to capture photos that couples will hopefully look back on to remind them of where it all began…

~*~

Photo credit: Katelyn James Photography

Photographer bio:
I’m Annamarie, owner of Annamarie Akins Photography and am an International Wedding Photographer based in Virginia. I enjoy traveling to capture love stories and photograph around 25 weddings a year. I’ve been so honored to have my work published in magazines including Destination I Do, The Knot, and Washingtonian Bride and Groom.

In my experience I’ve learned that the best images result from spending time getting to know my couples and their story so that I can capture their love and laughter in a sincere way.

I live in an old house (with virtually no closet space!) just outside of the city in Richmond, Virginia, with my husband + high school sweetheart, Ryan, and our sweet pup, Lexie. Some of the things I love most include relaxing with them and friends in our backyard, a good coffee date, and trying new local restaurants. I’m a self-professed travel loving homebody — as deep as my love is for exploring new places, sometimes there’s no place I’d rather be than cuddled up on the couch with my french press and a good book.

But I love that my job is constantly allowing me to visit new places and build new relationships with the most incredible people!

Connect with Annamarie:
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/AnnamarieAkinsPhotography
Instagram - https://instagram.com/annamarie_akins/
Pinterest - https://www.pinterest.com/annamariea/
Twitter - https://twitter.com/annamarieakins

Worth 1,000 Words: Katelyn James Photography

Mr. Anthony and Mrs. Bryana Pooler on their wedding day (Sept. 12, 2014)

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The beautiful images above are from the wedding of Tony and Bryana. The creative talent behind the camera who was responsible for capturing these captivating images is Katelyn James! She's a sweet person and smart business woman. I am delighted to feature Katelyn and her photography on my blog today!

Katelyn started her photography business in 2008 and never stopped shooting! She's come a long way since her college days when her dorm room was the base for her photography business. After graduation, Katelyn continued her creative work and chased her dreams. Now, Katelyn and her husband Michael (they are a team) photograph an average of more than 30 weddings annually. When not shooting weddings, Katelyn keeps busy with more of her favorite creative endeavors: blogging, speaking and owning a shop.

What loves means to Katelyn as a wedding photographer:
"My view of love has changed so much over the years. I recently watched a video that really encompassed all that I think love is. It was a video of a young engaged couple who got to see what they would look like 60 years from now and it was so amazing. I realized watching that video that my job is so important. I'm preserving memories in their purest form and that is such an honor!"

*See more photos of Bryana and Tony's wedding by visiting Katelyn's blog, 
http://katelynjamesblog.com/morais-vineyard-bealeton-virginia-wedding-venue/
~*~
Photographer bio:

Photo credit: Michael Alsop (Katelyn's husband)

Katelyn James started her professional photography career as a Junior in college and was shooting 25+ weddings annually within her second year. After growing her business and gaining recognition in national publications such as Professional Photographers Magazine, The Knot, Southern Living Weddings, Southern Weddings and Eco Weddings, she began teaching and coaching photographers from all over the country and internationally.

Katelyn hosts workshops throughout the year and monthly coaching sessions at her home in Richmond, VA. Recently, Katelyn has been joined by her husband Michael and they are officially a husband/wife team. 

Katelyn and Michael, Photo credit: Annamarie Akins Photography

Since joining forces, Katelyn and Michael average 36 weddings annually. Their work has also been featured numerous times on national wedding blogs such as Real Simple, Style Me Pretty, Ruffled, Inspired by This, Grey Likes Weddings and Green Wedding Shoes.
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Connect with Katelyn: 
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/katelynjamesphotography
Instagram - https://instagram.com/katelynjames
Pinterest - https://www.pinterest.com/katelyn_james
Twitter - https://twitter.com/katelynjames

Website - http://katelynjames.com

Worth 1,000 Words: Terri Baskin Photography

The newly married Jerrod and Tinita dancing during their wedding day reception

The kiss that ended the wedding celebration and started life together as Mr. & Mrs. Kearney:

 

Photo credit for the featured wedding day pictures: 
Photographer: Terri Baskin (Terri Baskin Photography)- www.terribaskin.com

Couple: Jerrod and Tinita Kearney
Married: May 8, 2015
Location: The Bolger Center- Potomac Maryland

Terri is the principal photographer/owner of Terri Baskin Photography and as you can see from these two beautiful photos, Terri is a talented wedding photographer!

Welcome Terri to the blog today and feel free to connect with her through the links she provides at end of this post. Please leave a comment for Terri to share your thoughts on her guest post today. She'll be happy to hear from you!

Enjoy today's feature! :)

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What love means to Terri as a wedding photographer: 

The moment they first lock eyes on the wedding day and the reaction that each one has towards one a other, whether it be a smile, a tear or a subtle laugh because the day they've been planning and praying for is actually happening or some inside joke that only they will ever know...those are the moments that remind me of why I love being a wedding photographer.

Growing up with a father who spent his Saturdays photographing weddings, I remember being excited about two things when he returned home- the piece of wedding cake that he brought me and the pictures that developed in his in-home dark room! However, being around a successful marriage by having two loving parents at home helped me to understand that it's not always easy to blend two lives into one and make it work but the beauty of wedding photography is that even during the toughest moments, a couple’s wedding photographs can remind them to fight through the tough times and return to the happiest ones. The ultimate love story, in my opinion, is to remember why you started and never give up!

My goal as a wedding photographer is to document those fleeting moments during a wedding day that the couple themselves may have not even realized had taken place. When a couple looks at their wedding images, I want them to remember their day all over again. I want them to reminisce on the happy moments, reflect on the moments that brought them to tears, and share with one another what they were thinking as the day began to unfold. While I’m never present during this conversation, I ensure that when I curate and deliver a couple’s wedding images that the photos themselves can initiate this type of conversation.

~*~

Words from the newlyweds, Mr. Jerrod and Mrs. Tinita Kearney...

Tinita: Love is a word that was once quite easy for me to describe. Prior to getting married, it simply meant family, smiles, laughter, comfort, and deep affection. It meant having someone that I could depend on and trusting that someone would always be in my corner. Yet, now, after marrying my husband, the word that once was so easily categorized has become something much more difficult to define. Today, the word love embodies many things; namely, God and Jerrod. The love that I associate with God is wholly indescribable, and similarly, the love that I hold for Jerrod is difficult to capture into words. Yet, when I think of the deep love that binds my marriage, I realize that it goes beyond laughter and smiles, comfort and affection. Our love is patient, kind, does not envy, does not boast, is not proud, does not dishonor others, is not selfish, is slow to anger, keeps (almost!) no record of wrongs, does not delight in evil, protects, trusts, hopes, and perseveres (I Cor. 13:4-7). Our love is biblical and heaven sent, as is my husband, in whom I have all confidence. Because we both acknowledge that our collective mission is to fulfill our God-given purpose through the ministry of our marriage, we are powerful, and our love is our strongest weapon. 

Jerrod: I have always believed spousal love was purely the final stage of an emotion two individuals felt for one another. The emotion grew into love based on the amount of commonalities, attraction, intimate communication, shared experiences and duration of time spent together. Having never experienced spousal love, my belief was formed from watching movies, reading books, hearing others describe why they loved someone, and the like. After being married for just over two months, I have learned love is much more than an emotion. Love is complicated, love is sacrifice, a new experience and most importantly, love is an action. Love is sacrificing your wants to make your spouse happy, putting your spouse’s needs before yours, studying your spouse to know her wants before she knows her wants, being consistent in all that you do, and love is communicated on a daily basis. Although there are many facets to love and definitions of love, the best way to sum up love is to say, outside of Christ, spousal love is the best thing a man has the privilege of experiencing.

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Photographer bio (in Terri Baskin's words): 

Photography is how I creatively express my clients' love story...It gives me the chance to document your "Day One" as husband and wife and create images that may be cherished by a couple for years to come!

My love affair with the camera unknowingly happened when I was about 8 years old when my dad gave me a 110mm camera to document life through my young eyes. It was also my dad that came to my first year of weddings to make sure I documented authentic moments as they unfolded.

Fast forward to today, photography is my stamp that tells the world that on this particular day and at this particular time this is where we were, who we were and what we were doing. We grow, we age, and we change- it's inevitable, but when you look at a photo that I've taken I want it to be your visual reminder of how you looked and felt at that specific moment in time.

I create timeless, romantic and modern photos for the fun couples in love! I am based in Virginia, but I love to travel! Contact me today to discuss your BIG day!

~*~

Connect with Terri, principal photographer and owner of Terri Baskin Photography: 

Photography business website: www.terribaskin.com
E-mail: tbaskin@terribaskin.com
Phone: 703.791.9111
View: The Wedding Experience!


Let’s Get Social! Facebook | Instagram | Twitter

Terri's photography is featured in the following publications: Style Me Pretty, Munaluchi Bridal, The Knot, BuzzFeed, The Washingtonian Bridal Blog, and Every Last Detail!

Worth 1,000 Words: Emily Ross of Dreamy Elk Photography & Design

Photo credit: Emily Ross of Dreamy Elk Photography and Design, capturing the "first look" between the now Mr. Daniel and Mrs Jennifer Sakaida who were married on April 25, 2015

"The photo I chose was Daniel's immediate reaction to seeing his bride Jennifer for the first time that day. Reactions are always different for every couple, but I remember tearing up at this one. Some guys laugh, a few cry. But Daniel promptly kissed Jennifer's hand with all the grace of a gentleman completely in love with his beautiful bride."~Emily Ross, wedding photographer

What love means to Emily Ross, the wedding photographer: 

Every wedding day is different. Yes, they all have a ceremony, they all have flowers, they all have some kind of cake.

But love is present in different ways at each wedding. Sometimes it's in the dedicated hard work friends and family put into the weeks leading up to the wedding day. Sometimes it's in the whispered moments in the dressing room or on the dance floor. Sometimes it’s in the quick hug goodbye before the newlyweds drive off into the sunset.

Love is always present in the smiles and tears of everyone involved. It's always in the hand holding between parents as they watch their baby wed the love of their life. It's always in the way the bride and groom's faces light up when they finally get to see each other. It’s always in the sweet words spoken by maid of honor and the best man.

I don't always get the chance to get to know the bride and groom very well before their wedding day, but it's always very easy to see how well loved they are by their friends and family. When I see that, I get overwhelmed with happiness for them. That makes my job so incredibly easy. That makes me love my job even more than I already do.

What love meant to Jennifer (the bride) on her wedding day and what it means to her now (as a wife):

Love on my wedding day abounded in so many sights and sounds. I saw the love on my husband-to-be's face during our first look—the sweet unfurling of his smile, the way his eyes lit up as they took me in. I saw the love of my family and friends when I walked down the aisle—all eyes on me, the realization that everyone came here for us wanting to share in our joy with laughter and tears. I saw the love in our pastor's beaming grin—the knowing look of someone who'd watched us “grow up" before his eyes. Above all, the love of Jesus Christ surrounded us: hearing the various Scripture readings, the special music, and our pastor's loving, tailored-to-us sermon stirred up so many emotions in my heart, many of which welled up in my eyes.

Now, on the other side of my wedding day, love reveals itself in so many new, small yet profound gestures. Love is when my husband cooks me breakfast even when I am being an emotionally dysfunctional basket case (which is more often than I would like). Love is when I open up my lunch box and find my meals already packed into individual servings (because my husband knows I need the help). Love is this commitment my husband lives out every day to have and to hold me, for better and for worse.

Without Jesus, the love between Daniel and me wouldn't be possible, and with every passing day, I learn more about what it means to love and to be loved. Married life has been filled with many firsts and ups and downs, but we wouldn’t have it any other way.

What love meant to Daniel as the groom on his wedding day and what it means to him now as a husband:

When I look back to our wedding day, love for me was about the future: the excitement of anticipating. Of course, I have known from day one that I loved her, but weddings are forward-looking by their very nature. Friends and family came from all over the country to see us begin our journey together; we made promises to each other and before God; and we stored away as many memories and photos as possible. Months of planning came together to celebrate the future we were yet to have.

Now, love is here in the everyday, woven into the variations the daily grind produces. Sure, we still look forward to spending the rest of our life together…but I get more satisfaction from realizing that we are spending our lives together now. There’s something beautiful about being able to love each other day in and day out as we imperfectly imitate Christ. The commitment of marriage gives us the freedom to accept each other, mistakes and all, and to bless each other daily in little ways from meal planning to going on simple dates. Maybe it’s not as “romantic” as our wedding, but I treasure this everyday companionship.

~*~

Photographer bio:

Photo credit: Emily Ross of Dreamy Elk Photography and Design

Emily is a wedding photographer based out of Austin, Texas. She’s been in the wedding industry for seven years. She is forever grateful to clients for trusting her with their special day, to her friends and family for their love and support and to God for bringing her the sweetest couples to work with. Emily loves design, the color wheel, Dr. Pepper, musicals, fancy dresses, DIY projects, her husband and Jesus, although not necessarily in that order.

Visit Emily's website to see her beautiful wedding photography and connect with this creative and brilliant photographer, www.dreamyelk.com

Worth 1,000 Words: Ilse Eisele Photography

Featured couple: Tim and Julie Vandeman
Photographer: Ilse Eisele

Today, our special guest is Ilse Eisele, wedding photographer. Ilse and I share a treasured experience--meeting my favorite wedding photographer Jasmine Star at her event "The Fix: D.C." which was held in the Gala Theatre in Northwest, Washington D.C. a few years ago. The event was memorable and Ilse captured a great photo of me with my role model (J* is awesome)! 

The photo above features Mr. Tim and Mrs. Julie Vandeman, friends of Ilse, on their wedding day. Today we're focusing on the photo above that's worth a thousand words and the photographer's bio. The lovely couple is beyond busy, as is the photographer so they did not have time to write a short essay on the meaning of love. 

Reach out to Ilse in the comment section, letting her know what you think of her photography. She'll visit to reply to any questions you may have for her about her work.

Enjoy! 

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Photographer bio:

Ilse Eisele is a professional wedding photographer whose love for horses and people gives her a zest for capturing memorable life moments with her camera. Ilse's photography of horses has been featured in magazines and her wedding photography is a cherished treasure by her brides and their husbands.

Ilse is a pastor's daughter and Auntie to her brother's and his wife's children. She loves helping people so much that she's in graduate school to become a counselor. 

Visit Ilse's professional website, www.ilseeisele.com to see her award-winning photography.

Worth 1,000 Words: An introduction

Dear blog friends,

I'm super excited to introduce my new series "Worth 1,000 Words"!

Every Wednesday, you can visit my blog to find a picture that's worth a thousand words and you can discover wonderful wedding photographers who captured that lovely moment. 

This series is meant to promote the work of wedding photographers who love God as much as they love capturing the true love stories of their clients with their professional camera.

Photo courtesy of Jasmine Star, http://www.jasminestarblog.com/

My ultimate favorite wedding photographer is Jasmine Star, pictured in action above this text. She is a sweet, sincere and business-savvy role model for creatives in the wedding photography industry! She's kind, professional and a great teacher. Jasmine hosts workshops and speaks for Creative Live. She has a heart for giving back to the community by mentoring aspiring photographers and helping them to build their business and reach new heights of success.

God made a way for me to meet Jasmine Star a few years ago but that's another story for another day! :)

I hope you will enjoy this new series! Here's what to expect every Wednesday on my blog until the end of Summer 2015:

1) A picture that's worth a thousand words

2) A write-up of what love means through the lens of a wedding photographer

3) A few words from the bride featured in the photo on what true love means to her as the bride on her special day and now as a wife

4) A few words from the groom featured in the photo on what true love means to him as the groom on his wedding day and now as a husband

5) Promotional details for the featured photographer and their professional business

*Please note: Sometimes there may be cases when then bride and groom could not be reached for comment. But you can still expect items #1, #2 and #5 every Wednesday, for certain!

So I'm excited for this new series! Are you?

I hope so!

Take care and God bless you! 

Love,

Alexis