North Photography, Vermont

I've Moved!

2011-02-25T12:53:00.002-05:00

You'll notice it's been kind of quiet around here lately.

It's because I've moved! But not too far.
Update your links, rss feed, etc. and join me over at www.north-photo.com
New look! New space! Same girl. :)

Even Professionals Take Bad Photos

2010-12-13T12:41:00.000-05:00

~~Bad~~ Funny photos happen. Just like bad hair days and bad sweaters.

Usually during a session there are a handful of images where the subjects are caught off guard at just the wrong moment. They are not nice candids, just unflattering spoofs. They make me chuckle and then get removed from the mix because who really wants to see them?

Actually....Who doesn't want to see them? Spoofs happen to everyone!

Even to professionals.

A few months back when the trees were still golden, I rolled Devin out of bed at sunrise for our family photo. We had the assistance of a good friend working the camera, but we were the subjects. And we got some ~~bad~~ funny photos in the mix. :) We also have a cat (Leisl) and we had to include him in the family photo (duh.) and as anyone who has tried to do a photo with pets can confirm, the pets are sometimes very similar to unruly children. :) Enjoy our spoofs! Be well, Kaht

"Don't let Leisl run away! I'm getting the settings right."

"I know you have treats!! Give. Me. Now. Purrrrrrlease?"

Up. Down. Up. Down. BUTT!

'I so do not belong to this family.'

"Here kitty kitty. Come to...Oh. Of course you come for your mama...."

"Awww, snuggle me too guys!! Snuggle snuggle snuggle MEEEE!" *snuggles*

"Mraaaaaaaa!!! Put me down! Put me down! PUT ME DOWN!!!"

Fine. We can look good without the cat. :)

Happy holiday photo season! Do you have any funny holiday photos??

Client Gifties!

2010-12-07T12:02:00.002-05:00

Client gifties are wrapped and ready to go!

Now to focus on my family. I have a few great ideas! I just hope I can implement them in time for Christmas day. If we celebrated Hannukah, I would be so behind! Maybe I can convince everyone to celebrate on Little Christmas this year (or actually next year). Really though, where is the fun if you are not rushing about frantically? Be well, Kaht

Ooooh, what could they be?? :)

Snow-No! Snow-fun.

2010-12-06T12:29:00.004-05:00

Kitty McGrumpy is having a real fit today because we woke up to a winter wonderland!

I am all, 'Snow dance hurray!'

And he is all, 'Crabby. Crabby. Snow-No! Grump. Blah.'

He has asked to go out several times and each times he pokes his head out, gets a few flakes on his nose and about faces right back inside. This time he actually got his feet wet, but promptly returned to the snow free indoors.

See the hearts in the upper right corner? Maybe the neighbors did those :) Or magic elves.

This has to be the most depressing time of the year for a cat. I wonder if he understands time and how long winter actually lasts? That would really be depressing then...poor kittay.

But we are all excited! This coming weekend we are going to pick out our Christmas tree, so the snow is a welcome and festive sight! Be well, Kaht

Ridiculous Me

2010-12-02T13:02:00.005-05:00

Yesterday the Apocalypse almost occurred.

Almost because the seas did not turn to blood, the sky did not burn and the only dead man walking was Devin first thing in the morning. But the wind!!! It started in the morning and progressively became stronger throughout the day. Before too long twigs started to fall, tree branches started to snap and finally whole trees and power poles toppled over! A good friend actually had a tree fall ON her car while she was driving! We are all so thankful she and her dog are okay, but talk about scary!

Eventually the power went out and I was forced to shut things down for the day. I did what I could in the way of paperwork using my headlamp to see things by, but it always amazes me (and makes me cringe) just how much I rely on electricity, the internet, and my computer to get things done. Even though I try to limit my access and "desk chair time" it really takes up a lot of my life! Must work on that. "Desk chair butt" is so not sexy.

This morning driving out to yoga I got to see the tree carnage. It was insane! Big trees snapped off in the middle or pulled right out of the ground with their roots swinging in the breeze! We are so lucky to have only lost power because I have heard of many folks who had trees fall on their homes and cars. ::Thanks lucky stars::

Now things are mostly back to normal here. Other homes are still without power, so most of the local schools were cancelled today. The kids love it because it is actually a really nice day out! Freeeebie :) I have finally caught up on most of what I meant to get done yesterday and figured I would drop a line here to say "Hey!"

Does anyone else have any crazy wind storm stories??

They say the winds reached 90mph here yesterday!!! Insane.

Despite being a sunny-ish day, it is still kind chilly and here in Vermont we are the epitome of fashionistas! Well, at least I am. Can't speak for my other Vermont-comrades ;) But I am totally rocking out the wool socks+capris today. Even the UPS man commented on them! HA!

Ridiculous me.

Cleaning Out My Thoughts to Make Room for Family

2010-11-24T07:30:00.000-05:00

While trying to organize my thoughts, I came up with a few things to share:

*I made spaghetti and meatballs tonight and it turned out fabulous! Photos to come.

*I am officially wiped out. I got up early yesterday morning and have been working madly through my to-do list so that I can enjoy some family time at the end of the week. Good news: I got a lot done! Bad news: I think I might be borderline insane from having been at the computer all day. Isn't it like 72 hours without sleep and you are considered insane? I wonder if there is an equivalent for computer usage?

*When it becomes hard to find a sitter for the cat, it makes me wonder what we will do when we have kids! Big screen TV? For the weekend? KIDDING!! ::shifty eyes::

*I am really excited about a new pie I am going to make for our dinner on Thursday!! If it works, I'll share the recipe :)

*I have a newsletter! If you would like to join the list, you can subscribe here. Thank you! I promise to make the monthly news colorful, if not a little interesting. :)

*If you are not on the newsletter list, then you did not receive the below note. I mean every word of it. Seriously! Without you, what would I be? Another person who is caught talking to themselves in cyberspace. You give my life meaning! And for that I am thankful.

*I hope everyone has a great Thanksgiving! Do you have any food traditions? What? We always have kale cooked with bacon and oatmeal. It stinks up the house like nothing else for the 4 days beforehand as it simmers in the crockpot, but tastes OH! so yummy. Be well, Kaht

November is a peaceful, pretty time of year. The lush greenery of summer has faded to muted shades of nature, and clouds hover above us and speak of the coming winter—not a warning so much as a word of advice from a trusted friend. The seasons are changing, and the pace of life moves to a different rhythm.

We’re entering into the holiday season and are preparing to celebrate Thanksgiving. This time of year summons up many warm memories of gathering around the adult table (or being sequestered to the kids’ table) and enjoying a special meal surrounded by family and friends.

Thanksgiving is a wonderful holiday! It’s marvelous to have a day set apart to be grateful for all we enjoy. My good fortune overwhelms me with gratitude, and I want you to know that you are included in my list of blessings. Your friendship and patronage has warmed my heart. I love to see my clients’ smiles and hear the laughter of a family posing for a portrait that will be cherished for decades. Touching the lives of friends and neighbors with my portraiture is a dream come true! Thank you.

I hope your Thanksgiving is filled with love, gratitude, laughter, and sweet moments shared with someone special. Beautiful memories to cherish forever!

Have a warm and wonderful Thanksgiving and a holiday season filled with goodness and joy. Thank you for letting me be a part of your life. I look forward to serving you in the coming year.

Warmest Regards,

Kathleen

A stray after thought:

**Chickens provide endless entertainment.

What are you looking at? Go find a turkey!

His True Personality

2010-11-15T11:06:00.002-05:00

Sometimes it comes easy, sometimes you have to work really hard. Usually we get it, sometimes we don't. But everyone deserves a second chance to show their true personality! Thank you to this little guys mom for trusting me :)

Enjoy his complete happiness and joy: It is a bit contagious! :) xo Kaht

Vermont Family Portraits: A Chilly Session

2010-11-11T19:21:00.000-05:00

Just a quick sneak peek from a recent session!

Although a bit chilly, I have been able to fit in a few more sessions with the lovely afternoon light. Dressing warm is important though. And it looks like the weather is turning more wintry next week, so this may have been the last autumn themed session! :) These two families travelled quite a distance to meet up and have a sibling/cousin photo session and I am so happy to have met them! We'll just add them right on to the list of lovely people I know because they were just that. :) Despite the chill, we had some fun exploring the space around the Monitor Barn. Enjoy! xo Kaht

This little guy was so enthralled with the chicken.

And no wonder! She had a little baby chick with her :)

Sisters :)

The parting shot before we called it a wrap and wrapped ourselves in scarves and hats! Thank you for keeping the smiles going and for hanging in there :)

Engaged: Liz & Kevin: Vermont

2010-11-05T15:21:00.003-04:00

A friend recently told me that I am so happy and upbeat. And although that is not true 100% of the time because we all have our moments, it is true most of the time. The reason for my generally sunny mood is people. I have a keen sense for positive attitudes and gravitate towards them.

My life is filled with lovely people that just make my days perfect! From my husband, to the cat (bc he's a real boy!), to my industry colleagues, to the women I practice yoga with, I am constantly exposed to their smiles and love. And in turn I cannot help but smile and find so much that is good in my life!

Which is why I am pleased to introduce you to Liz & Kevin. They are happy. And wonderful. And sweet. And just perfect for my life. I want to set them right on my mantle next to all the other lovely people I know. :)

We just barely squeaked in their fall engagement session. It was a freezing cold day WITH SNOW! But they were all about getting great images and happily "chilled" through the session. Even their pup Charlie was on board the polar express! We just focused on how warm their wedding will be next summer. :) Enjoy some of my favorites and have a wonderful weekend! xo Kaht

Charlie stole my heart with his perky ears and sweet eyes. :)

*love* So happy! :)

Charlie is not a fan of public kissing.... ;)

Ooooh Liz, I cannot wait to see you as a beautiful bride!

The weather was wacky! It would snow...

And then be sunny! All in a one minutes time.

But we had fun!

Even Charlie enjoyed himself :)

A little sass works for these two.

So does some sweet :)

We'll sign off with this favorite of mine! Thank you Liz, Kevin & Charlie for a lovely, brisk morning!

Married: Robin & Goose: Montpelier, VT

2010-11-01T11:36:00.005-04:00

Robin & Goose were my last wedding for 2010 and I truly could not have asked for a more wonderful couple. Their love and joy is contagious and throughout the day I could not help but smile and shed tears of joy right along with them and everyone else!

Their wedding day dawned bright and chilly with temperatures barely cresting 40 degrees, but the mood surrounding the hustle and bustle of getting ready was warm and cozy. They were both encircled by the people who love them most and laughter rang throughout the Parish House of The Old Meeting House as they prepared to become bride and groom. Before too long it was time for the first look. And as I stood with Goose waiting for Robin, he asked me, "How is it possible that I am about to marry a wonderful, beautiful woman? She is just perfect!" As his question hung between us in the crisp air, Robin turned the corner looking radiant and started to walk towards her husband-to-be.

Robin & Goose, thank you a million times for choosing me! It is an honor to be your photographer and a joy to be your friend. I hope you are having a wonderful honeymoon in the jungle! Wave "Hello!" to a sloth for me. I always thought they were so cute :) And in answer to your question Goose, anything is possible in love. May it always surround your marriage and life. xo Kaht

Sorry politicians. You can't hold a candle to the popularity votes these two get!

As I hung out with the girls, Devin scouted the property surrounding The Old Meeting House. It was such a neat location!

Robin & Goose left gift bags in their guests rooms that contained homemade jam and home brewed beer! Devin and I counted ourselves pretty luck to go home with such a goodie bag!

Robin & Goose opted for a First Look prior to their ceremony, which I am always in support of!

I love that the bridesmaids are sneaking a peek around the corner!!

It is such a tender moment when a couple sees one another for the first time on their wedding day.

Devin's view :)

Handsome groom, beautiful bride, wonderful day!

Cool guys...

Cool car!

After the First Look, everyone warmed up in The Parish House and watched as guests arrived.

Robin & Goose have some awesomely talented friends! The welcome sign was so neat. :)

Time to get married!

My view of the rings...

And Devin's view! A very cool angle. :)

Now, I mentioned all the tears of joy, yes? Well Robin & Goose's ceremony was simply full of happy tear moments! Here Robin's dad sings a song that he wrote for the couple. There was not a dry eye in the house!

Mr. & Mrs.! I love this moment :)

After the ceremony the sun had dropped below the horizon and the temperature was about 35 degrees! Bless their hearts, the wedding party did not murmur one. single. complaint. I wanted to hug them all and pass out cups of hot cocoa with heart shaped marshmallows, because they were all that awesome! Thank you :)

The red dresses were a perfect pop of color!

I do not know the whole story, but A LOT of work went into getting this car ready for the big day. And it was totally appreciated because it is such an awesome getaway car!

Snuggle close to keep warm!!

*love*!

More *love*!

After the ceremony, the celebration moved to The Capital Plaza Hotel in downtown Montpelier, VT. The toasts were given by Goose's brother and Robin's sister and were full of humor and sweet stories. :)

Throughout the wedding planning process Robin would tip me off to the details she was working on. I was so excited to see them all! And was not disappointed. LOVED the bird theme. :) The adorable cake was done by Snaffle Sweets in Richmond, VT. It was spice cake and sooo delicious! Yes. I did have a piece. :)

Robin's mom made all of the mini jams for the guests. Someone please send a badge of honor to her, because I know how much work goes into making mini jams!

Robin & Goose chose to do a guest book with their engagement photos, which I just love! Their book cover was an antique leather that was so perfect for their autumn wedding. Warm & cozy.

After Robin & Goose opened the dance floor with their first dance as husband and wife,

The Grift then rocked the house for the rest of the night!

And everyone had a blast :)

Congratulations again to a beautiful couple! To see more of their wonderful day, you can check out their slideshow :) Be sure to have your sound on to be able to enjoy their first dance song!

Engaged: Suzanne & Paul: Vermont

2010-10-26T07:30:00.000-04:00

I met Suzanne by pure chance. It was during my stint at the local Farmer's Market this past summer. I had put weeks of thought into the design of my booth and how I wanted things to be displayed. And then another few weeks into the actual implementation of the display doors and table decorations. And of course a good few solid days choosing the images I would have representing North Photography to the public! And then what happened...it rained. Actually, it poured. Devin and I set up in the rain and then the roof started leaking on my canvas prints, so we had to put plastic up. And it was muddy and cold and the prospects of seeing anyone at the market that day were pretty slim. Then the rain stopped! And the sun peeked through. And that is when Suzanne walked into my life (or actually my booth) with a smile and beautiful glow. :)

Just like magic.

And speaking of magic, Suzanne and her fiancé Paul, live in a truly magical place.

Where it is just beautiful!

And everyone is happy there. :)

And in love :)

And the leaves are tie-dyed!

And the trees are made of gold.

And doggies smile on command...

And look the other way during private kissy moments. :)

And families sit together and relax.

And there are faeries!

Did I mention the faeries?! Because they were there in the magical forest!

And lovely people are everywhere.

And it is just beautiful.

I am so happy Suzanne walked into my booth that day, because my life has just become more wonderful with her and Paul in it now!

Cold...Bring it.

2010-10-22T21:17:00.003-04:00

Hello.

Please admire my new gloves.

Thanks to my dear friend Kelly, I will no longer suffer from popsicle hands! And they were just in time for some snow flurries during a recent session :) I think the pink accent adds a little sassy flare, don't you?
All I have to say now is: Cold...Bring it.

Keeping Up with K&D: Yeah, That's Us

2010-10-20T09:04:00.002-04:00

Recently I downloaded all the images from my point and shoot camera. You know, the one that I toss in my bag wherever I go just in case Lady Gaga is eating at the same restaurant as me or I get to shake hands with the Queen. You never know! Anyways, I ended up downloading over a thousand images that went as far back as last winter! The best part though was looking back at the images because boy did they make me smile! Are we really that weird? I think we just might be because...

We totally have a cat with her own built in muffler scarf...

We stand in parking lots after bike rides drinking amber liquid out of a BIG Mason jar...

(it is iced tea btw)

We make the most of accidents by turning them in to art!...

We transport things by tying them to the car roof with clothes line and then holding on tight....

And yes, we(I) totally walk around with the cat in a fanny pack, because why the heck not?!

Thank goodness Devin loves me and I love him, because as can be proven, he is just as weird. :) xo Kaht

A ONEderful Baby Girl!

2010-10-15T09:36:00.002-04:00

This little sweetheart turns one year old today!

Happy Birthday baby girl!

Married: Kelly & Brant: Whaleback Mountain, NH

2010-10-13T15:07:00.002-04:00

Crisp. Bright. Colorful. Beautiful.

That is how I would describe the perfect New England fall day. And that is exactly what I woke up to on the morning of Kelly & Brant's wedding. A perfect fall day that was no doubt sent to compliment their perfect wedding. And despite the chill in the air, the sun shone bright and warmed the faces of their guests as they gathered at the top of Whaleback Mountain for a sweet ceremony that bound together two people in love. And as I followed Kelly & Brant back down the mountain on the chairlift, they snuggled close as the trees and the leaves moved slowly by in their colorful splendor and I could not help but smile. This is what the perfect autumn day is made of: crisp air, bright sun, beautiful colors, and snuggling close to the person you love. Period.

Congratulations again Kelly & Brant! May you always snuggle close and be surrounded by love! xo Kaht

The setting for the ceremony at the top of Whaleback Mountain was just breathtaking!

A family friend made the beautiful fall themed cake.

Kelly made a lot of her decorations and details. I loved the leaf shaped napkin holders!

Kelly's sister Kimmi and I went to high school together :) It was great to have her by Kelly's side helping her to transform into a beautiful bride. Thank you Kimmi!

Riding up to the ceremony with Dad!

Brant watches as Kelly comes over the crest of the mountain.

What a day...

WHAT A DAY!!

Married! :)

Mr. & Mrs. in the autumn glory :)

A cute capture by Robert :) A big thanks to the Whaleback team for making sure we got on and off the chairlifts with no glitches! I sometimes wonder if I am not more coordinated ON my SKIS!

It was a super chilly ride back down the mountain: made me wish for my own snuggler! Or at least a fleece jacket :) Thank goodness for love to keep you warm!

Kelly and her beautiful blue eyes just made my life all shiny and perfect!

And then they stole my heart with this one!

Michelle of Petals did an amazing job with the flowers. Many thanks as always :)

A little pumpkin bling :)

These cuties were known as the bubble brigade throughout the evening! Made dancing shots a lot of fun!

We'll finish with this tender moment before the suns set. *love*!

Enjoy more of Kelly & Brant's celebration with their slideshow!

Tutu CUTE!

2010-10-08T16:29:00.002-04:00

I could not resist putting up a quick share from this morning's session! What a sweetheart :)

A sweet little fairy in her own beautiful garden.

Keeping Up with K&D: 1 Year Weekend

2010-10-07T09:00:00.002-04:00

The weekend of Meg & Mike's wedding, Devin and I decided to head towards West Ossipee, NH (wedding central) on Friday evening in order to take some time to relax and celebrate our one year anniversary. We stayed in North Conway at a cute little B&B that was close to town. On Saturday we walked around town and leisurely peeked into the storefronts, taking our time walking hand in hand and not allowing a schedule to dictate our time. It was really nice!! Enjoy a little visual story of our weekend. xo Kaht

When we headed into town on Saturday morning the town green was bustling with activity. "A market!" I said dancing about. So we headed over ready to revel in local produce. A few steps into said market and we both look at each other with eyebrows raised, "there are a lot of dogs here..." YEP! It was NOT a market but Bark in the Park: a local fundraising event for the humane society! We wandered about totally out of place (without a dog) and enjoyed some of the fun things that were going on. I loved this Puppy Kisses booth!

And this little guy is totally asking for "one more toy!"

It was a warm day, so the doggy paddle pools were very busy!

This little lady cracked me up as she wandered around with one of the freebie frisbees. :)

After the park we went on a little hike around Echo Lake. The leaves in the mountains were positively brilliant!

For lunch we wanted something light and had gone to Delaneys Pub the evening before and saw that they served fresh sushi! FRESH! SUSHI! {Let me clarify real quick that we are not raw fish sushi folks. Yet. We are big fans of the California Roll and other veggie versions though!} :) So we had this amazing lunch that was just so perfectly delicious! Mmmm, I am hungry just writing about it! I wish it were closer by :)

After lunch we wanted to head over to another trail and on our way passed this farm that had an "Open Farm" sign out. So, of course we stopped! It was totally geared towards little kids so we were once again out of place (no kid!), but we did get to hang with the alpacas and feed them snackies. :)

Now, we had ONE item planned for the evening, and that required dressing up. My husband, he is so handsome :)

While we were enjoying pre-dinner wine and cheese on the back porch of the B&B, a friend showed up. So, there is a story here. When Devin and I were on our honeymoon in Maine 1 year ago, we were just falling asleep one night when we heard a *mrow mrow mrow*. When I looked out the window there was a cat! He came right in when I opened the door and settled down on top of the warm dryer. We think he belonged to a neighbor up the road from the cottage we were renting. Anyways, now here we are on our one year trip and we just settle in to sleep when we hear *mrow mrow mrow*. Once again I *hop* out of bed and go to the window and there is this furry black face peering back at me! Again, I opened the door and in comes this obviously scraggly black cat who tours the room and then settles next to the bed. Broke my heart to put him back outside for the night, but we made sure to snuggle him a little first before doing so. So here he is again during out wine and cheese time and he is totally saying...

Will this become a trend?

Although a slightly unflattering picture of me, stray kitty looks pretty good! He sat with me a moment before realizing I did not have any more cheese. Seeya!

Our dinner surprise was a scenic train ride in the dining car of the Conway Scenic Railroad! It was really a lot of fun, although it became dark quite early so the scenery was not very scenic :) A lovely evening though.

And fancy too! Linen table cloths and napkins!

All in all a wonderful weekend between our explorations and Meg & Mike's wedding :)

Married: Meg & Mike: Camp Calumet, Ossipee, NH

2010-10-06T10:38:00.003-04:00

We all wanted to marry a camp boy.

Now, without insulting my dear husband or those sweet guys that my other dear camp friends have met and married, let me explain. Camp Calumet Lutheran holds a special place in my heart as I know it does with many of my camp friends. After spending several summers as a camper I moved on to become a counselor for the girls senior end. The summers I spent at camp were some of the best summers of my life! I lived and learned, loved and grew and all the while I was surrounded by people who had a similar faith and love for God. It was all a young girl could ask for! And naturally we all dreamed of holding on to those summers and Calumet for as long as possible and what better way to do that than to marry a camp boy?! Not to mention since they work at a youth camp, they obviously are good with kids, DUH! Alas, without disappointment, I married a college boy. And without making this post into a novella on the love I have for him and the faith we both share, it will suffice to say that he is just as good, if not better than any camp boy. Sorry fellas.

But Meg, well Meg lived out the dream that many of us had! I cannot speak for Mike as many of the top secret chats I had were with my fellow girl counselors, but I have a feeling it may have crossed the boys minds as well. And of course, part of that dream was to get married at Calumet.

I do not think I will ever attend another camp wedding seeing as my best friend from camp had a beautiful Boston wedding, so I counted it as a privilege and honor that Devin and I got to spend our one year anniversary photographing a Camp Calumet wedding. And especially because it was for Meg & Mike :)

Congratulations again and again and again! I won't go in to the conversations that were had late at night around candlelit picnic tables, but let's just say, I think we all knew that what you two had would last beyond the summer and then some. May warm summers and cool evenings always be a sweet reminder to you of the love that you share and the life that began by the calm waters of Lake Ossipee. :) xo Kaht

A gray fall day does wonders to the vibrant foliage! While Devin followed Mike, I met up with Meg and the ladies at the Conference Center.

Meg's dress was just as I had imagined it would be! The beaded details and keyhole back just added to the elegance and beauty that she already possesses :)

A sweet hug from Meg's mom while her dad looks on at his b-e-a-U-tiful daughter.

While the ladies were getting ready, Mike was with the musicians and choir in the Outdoor Chapel (ODC) practicing before the ceremony.

With the wondrous program that is Photoshop, I thought about getting rid of the scratches and doodles on the picnic table, but then decided it was those things that truly said "camp".

A little help from Dad :)

Mike is a wonderful musician, thus the clef note cufflinks from Meg were highly appropriate.

The ring-bearer was such a little gentleman!

A good looking group of guys! The deep plum color was really perfect for the fall day.

And of course a beautiful bride. Meg & I were campers together when we were 12 or so. Numerous times throughout the day we looked at one another and said, "Who would have thought when we met that I/you would be photographing your/my wedding?!?!?" *love*!

Some more sweetness with Meg and her parents!

Meg's ladies were a lot of fun to hang out with as well!

The ceremony included a lot of beautiful music and hymns :)

The beautiful bouquets were done by camp friends from RI whose family owns The Flower Pot. The colors and scents were just wonderful! Thank you Tess (bridesmaid!) for letting me periodically sniff your bouquet ;)

*kiss*!!!

I love that Devin caught the parents reactions to the marriage pronouncement!

* love*!

Time for some Meg & Mike time...

Lake Ossipee just looks so peaceful!

Meg & Mike were both in the boating department as counselors, so of course we had to incorporate them!

During the summer the dining hall hosts hundreds of campers and counselors each day for meals. I was excited to see how it would look for a wedding and even more pleased to see how magical it looked! A true transformation :)

Their table numbers were the tops to the mason jars. Inventive!

Guests signed these flower pots that a friend will later trace over with glaze and fire for Meg & Mike to keep as a nice reminder of the many people that adore them! A very cool idea.

The toasts by their close friends were sweet...

...and a little silly :)

And in true camp fashion, the night was celebrated with music, laughter and fun well into the night! Thank you to Chris from Boston Music Works for keeping the party going :)
To see more of Meg & Mike's wonderful day, check out their slideshow!

One Day...

2010-09-30T11:56:00.005-04:00

Who knew that one day they would return to the place where they met as bride and groom?

Keeping Up with K&D: One Year!

2010-09-26T09:00:00.001-04:00

One year ago today, I married my best friend.

And ever since that day I have not been able to find a single reason as to why I should not be this happy in love. Happy Anniversary darling! Here's to more great years on this wonderful adventure with you by my side :) xoxoxo K

Photo by Justin Cash. Thank you again Justin for being awesome :)

Married: Kate & Pat: Vermont

2010-09-24T14:21:00.004-04:00

You never know where you are going to find true love. At work, at play, online or on the corner waiting for the bus. No matter where you find it (or it finds you), consider yourself blessed. There is a lot of love in this world, more than enough to go around, but sometimes it takes a little while for folks to find it. Once they do, that love lightens their life and makes them glow! Kind of like a very friendly lightning bug. :)

Kate & Pat met after finding out about a mutual interest in the Red Sox. ;) From there, the conversation flowed, the pieces came together and eventually it was fairly inevitable that love had found them and they had found love. And as they declared that love in front of their family and friends, I could not help but give a silent cheer for Team Love. YES! Forgive the silliness, but the fact that these two are husband and wife now just makes me giddy with joy! Such a perfect match :)

Thank you K&P for letting us be a part of your wedding day! It was a joy and honor to capture the moments you created and the love that you share. I'm looking forward to more "married couples" nights out ;) xo Kaht

Pat's mom is a wonderful artist and chose one of their engagement images to sketch and make the front of the program. I just love little details like this!

While Robert hung out with the guys...

...I hovered around the beautiful bride as she finished getting ready :)

Dive!

According to mom's face...

... Kate is ready to go!

Just gorgeous.

Kate's godfather, who is a deacon, married the the couple. A beautiful and touching ceremony!

Just after exchanging their rings. *love*

Mr. & Mrs.!

Handsome groom, beautiful bride, perfect weather, perfect day!

It's hard to resist!

Fierce. No other word for it.

Lovely ladies :)

Love your smile Kate!

And your blue eyes Pat :)

Oh! Remember these two? Kate's brother, Anthony, and his wife Tara were married this past June! It was fun to see them again :)

The favor's were custom designed bookmarks by Mimi's Bookmarks in Quechee, VT. Very cool!

Michelle from Petals was here! She always makes such beautiful arrangements. Love working with her!

Congratulations Kate & Pat!

To enjoy more images from their day, check out their slideshow!

Engaged: Kendell & Jame: The Quechee Inn, Vermont

2010-09-20T15:24:00.004-04:00

Sometimes life itself gets in the way of true love. It sets up a solid brick wall with a single dirty window. And when you look through that window, it is hard to tell what exactly is on the other side. But, polish that window and eventually break down that wall and there love waits. Beautiful and patient.

Kendell & Jame originally met through work, but did not get to know one another very well until work no longer was in the way. It is love stories like this that always give me the chills because what if work had remained in the way? How long would these two have had to wait to fall in love? I tell you, love works in mysterious ways. And I am so happy it does! Because it brought this sweet couple into my life. Their wedding is next May and I am really looking forward to a day celebrating their love! It is bound to be quite fantastic :)

Enjoy some images from their recent engagement session that took place at The Quechee Inn, where their wedding will take place next May. xo Kaht

Kendell's boots were a gift from her grandfather to her grandmother years ago. I loved that she was wearing them!

*sweet*

A red barn with lace curtains? :)

Kendell has beautiful blue eyes, but I could not resist the elegance of a black and white treatment to this image.

Thank you for a great morning K&J!

Married: Shauni & Gerren: New Hampshire

2010-09-16T23:31:00.005-04:00

This past summer I have had the distinct honor of not only photographing many wonderful couples weddings, but being able to photograph the weddings of some couples that I know from "outside the business": Friends. Yes, a lot of my couples become friends as we get to know one another along the way, but I am talking about the "knew you before you were too cool to be cool" folks.

And let me be the first to admit openly, that the the trickiest weddings to photograph are those where you have a special connection with the couple. You want to be in the moment, but you do not want to miss the moments. You want to cry a happy tear during the ceremony, but you hold it back so you can get a straight shot. It is just a delicate balance that is at times hard to reach. I'm not sure how other people do it.

If you remember Shauni & Gerren's engagement session, you'll remember that they knew me back in the day. Gerren was actually at one of my first boy/girl birthday parties. And Shauni and I, well...we used to have sleepovers where we would use a label maker (hi-tech!) and print the name of our secret crushes and stick it all over the inside of our notebooks. Yep. And when their two worlds merged in high school over a borrowed Dave Matthew's CD, life was just going in the right direction. As if it had been planned. :)

And as plans shall go, a lot of planning went in to their fantastic wedding day. From all the handmade details to the homegrown flower arrangements, there were a lot of special touches. And as I greeted my friend on her wedding day and hugged her, I put on my photo game face. Capture the moment. Capture the moment. And so I did. I captured the moment from the first time her dad saw her in her gown , to when her and Gerren became husband and wife, through the celebration and fireworks. No tears. No fuss. Just me and my photo game face.

Then I started to edit.

And as I went through the images and relived the day, watching my dear friends dedicate themselves to one another, tears came to my eyes and I smiled and sniffled. All the joy I had been holding in came to the surface as I sat in my office reliving the day through images. Reliving the moments that Robert and I captured throughout the day. And I could not have been happier.

Congratulations again Shauni & Gerren! I am honored and blessed to call you my friends and to have been a part of your wedding day. Thank you. May love and joy intertwine itself in your marriage for all of your days. Enjoy reliving your day! xo Kaht

When Robert and I arrived, the girls were well underway in getting ready.

We were just in time for some bubbly!

My friend, she is so lovely...

Shauni wore her great-grandmother's pearls. They were just the perfect touch of elegance!

The beautiful ladies!

Shauni & her sister :)

Just stunning!

While I stayed with the girls, Robert headed over to catch the guys getting ready.

Forgive me S&G, but this set makes me laugh so hard! I hope you enjoy the humor in it. Courtesy of Robert!

Moments before heading down the aisle.

Gerren's expression at seeing Shauni for the first time is simply perfect!

Shauni's uncle was the officiant and added so many sweet personal touches to the ceremony.

The sweet flower girl just wanted to toss the petals one. more. time. :)

The colors were just delightful!

All day rain threatened and the skies kept going from perfect blue to dark and ominous.

After just reading his vows. :)

"I now pronounce you man and wife!" Shauni's reaction is just priceless!

*love*!

Mazeltov!

A good looking wedding party :)

I loved how casual the guys were and their fabulous ties! Just added such a great color to the day :)

Just for fun :)

Normally I do not torture wedding parties, but....I swear, I had not idea the field was literally infested with stinging nettles! Luckily they were tough and no one said anything until I walked into the field and said, "OW!!!" I'm weak.

While I captured the image on the left, Robert captured the image on the right. Just another joy of working with my dad, who is also a fabulous photographer.

I have to admit, this was Shauni's idea. And I love it!! x a million.

*fun*!

I adore you two! You are just so perfect together :)

A lot of handmade details made the tent just beautiful! The favors were handmade ornaments by Shauni's mom. Very neat!

I loved the inclusion of sunflowers throughout! A nice autumn touch.

First dance sweetness.

The toasts (roasts) has everyone laughing and smiling!

I love the fingerprint guest tree :)

And we'll finish off with the finale to the night: a fire works display!
Enjoy more of their story here! Their first dance was to the song: a new favorite of mine!

Drink it up...

2010-09-15T09:00:00.001-04:00

A perfect Vermont wedding day.

More sunshine, blue skies, and perfect moments coming your way soon!

Engaged: Kali & Erik: Vermont

2010-09-14T12:09:00.004-04:00

When you are meant to be with someone, no matter the circumstances or odds, cupid has a way of working his magic in order to insure that you end up with that person. Such was the case with this sweet couple who made their way through the crowd to find one another and now travel the distance each weekend to be together. It is true love like this that leads to a lifetime of happiness. :)

Devin and I met up with Kali and Erik on possibly the last perfect day of summer. It was hot and sunny and pretty much the perfect day for their grand photo finale! I was even tempted to pass off the camera and join them! :) Enjoy. xo Kaht

This image just describes their love for one another, sweet and beautiful.

Kali just has this gorgeous smile that is highly contagious!

Erik's watch belonged to his grandfather and Kali's diamond was once Erik's grandmother's. I love when couples incorporate sentimental items into their new life together!

Now...Erik has a BIG yellow truck. And he loves this yellow truck nearly as much as he loves Kali :) They told me the story behind the yellow truck which made me adore them even more! You'll just have to trust me when I say, it was a good story :)

*love*

Highlight of my day! Standing knee deep in the cold river water to catch this shot. It felt so nice! Devin was on standby to catch me if I slipped :)

I sure do love those red shoes!

Hmmm, opposing teams?

Caught cuddling!

And the grand finale!

Thank you for a fun afternoon K&E!

Botched Workflow

2010-09-13T16:13:00.004-04:00

It sure seems like everything the past week and a half has been out to totally botch up my workflow. You know...my jive, my moves, my ultra smooth processing groove. If it wasn't the brand new computer monitor needing to be returned and replaced due to a faulty color sync, it was the power going out, or the house painters poking their heads in my office windows looking to shoot the breeze. HELLO! I'm WOKRIN' HERE!

Can somebody please play a sad little ditty on the fiddle for me? Thanks.

However, despite all the mishaps and mix-ups, I am still trucking along here and looking at a few thousand miles before I sleeeeep tonight. It is better to move forward slowly than to stand completely still.

In the meantime, enjoy this image from a recent session. This couple's wedding is 1 year out and I am already looking forward to it! You'll learn more about them in their upcoming post, but suffice to say, they are pretty cool folks:) xo Kaht

Fall in Love!

2010-09-10T19:37:00.003-04:00

As I focused through the lens on the lovely young women who was sitting in front of me, I heard a faint noise. And as she tipped her head to the sky with a small smile on her face, the noise became clear. It was the sound that always signals to me that fall is near. A flock of geese were flying overhead in an ever magnificent 'V' shape. We all paused and watched as they passed overhead.

One year ago I was busily preparing to marry my love. And one year later I am still so happy in love. Fall may signal the end of summer and start of the cold grey winter, but to me it will always be a sign of new beginnings and great adventures. And the beauty of autumn's splendor certainly does not hinder falling in love all over again :) xo Kaht

Married: Katelyn & Ian: Burlington, VT

2010-08-31T00:29:00.007-04:00

As she sat by the window while her good friend finished her hair and make-up, a little smile crept onto Katelyn's face. She slowly opened one eye, looked at her girlfriends that were sitting by and said..."I'm getting married." Simple as that. Today was her day. And as exclamations of joy and excitement rippled through the room, Katelyn resumed her quiet posture by the window and let the transformation from girl to bride continue.

The day could not have been more perfect for a Lake Champlain cruise on The Spirit of the Ethan Allen. The sun was bright, the sky was clear and the breeze was comforting. All the ingredients for a beautiful wedding for a beautiful couple!

Katelyn and Ian, thank you for the honor of being your wedding photographer. You could have chosen anyone, but you chose me :) And for that I am very happy. Your day was perfect. I hope you are enjoying a few days of relaxation! All the best to you both for the future! xo Kaht

Their little girl was a real cutie, especially with that bow-tie!

Being the bride is so nice, because everyone does everything for you!

Transformation complete!

A stunning bride with the most stunning eyes! Gorgeous Katelyn.

And a smooooth looking groom as well! I was a fan of those shades.

Katelyn & Ian opted for a first look since they were going to be on the cruise for their ceremony and reception. Land photos are good too!

It was a really sweet moment :)

The beautiful ladies! (Minus Sleeping Beauty who caught a nap before the ceremony.)

And of course the handsome guys!

A little *sparkle*!

The crew on The Ethan Allen cruise is always so accommodating and helpful! Thank you everyone :)

Time to get married!

A true August wedding photo!

A few details! The flowers were done by Kathy & Co. Florist in Burlington. The colors were just so beautiful!

Katelyn made a lot of the decorations herself, including these cute candle holders!

Fisher's Fancies was here!

We'll end with a sweet image from their first dance. :) Check out their slideshow to see more of their beautiful day!

Oh Bugger...

2010-08-30T13:06:00.002-04:00

That's not a leaf.

Married: Eileen & Tim: Sleepy Hollow Inn, VT

2010-08-26T18:49:00.005-04:00

I really do love it when my couple's get ready at the same location. It makes running back and forth to the guys and the girls just that much easier! However, Eileen and Tim's wedding this past weekend was a little bit much for me. They were married at The Sleepy Hollow Inn and were getting ready in rooms that were just down the hall from one another. As I kept going back and forth it took everything in me to contain myself and not come rushing into the room giving a play by play of what was going on in the next room, complete with flying hand gestures and a French accent. (Remember the wedding planner Franck from Father of the Bride?)

"Eileen is looking fahhhbulous!!"

"Tim is doing great!!"

"Wait till you see this ahhh-mazing dress!"

"Ooooh! Da boutonnieres are giving them some trouble!"

And so, my inner French wedding planner remained contained. Best for everyone. My gift to Eileen and Tim :) And thus the day progressed beautifully with a little rain shower to freshen up the gardens before the ceremony and a perfect evening that allowed the guests to dance out under the stars! This was my first Quaker Wedding ceremony and I have to say, it was really touching and emotional. A perfect way for a couple to start their life together, with so much support and love surrounding them!

Thank you Eileen and Tim for allowing Devin and I to be a part of your day. We are truly thankful to have met you and I certainly hope to see more of you now that you are in Vermont! Poker and beer sounds alright by me :) Enjoy a few of my favorites from your day! And enjoy the rest of your honeymoon. xo Kaht

Eileen's dress was custom designed using Eileen's ideas and an image of Audrey Hepburne's wedding dress in the movie Funny Face. It was totally Eileen's style! And had such beautiful lace details.

Salon Pure did Eileen's vintage hair style and lovely make-up.

One thing Eileen & Tim did was hire all local area vendors, which was very cool. Crimson Poppy, the local florist in Richmond, VT, did the beautiful bouquets and table arrangements.

Tim's brother helps with some finishing touches.

No one officially marries a couple at a Quaker ceremony. After the bride enters,, the couple sits in front of their guests for a moment of quiet contemplation before standing and making the vows to one another an exchanging their rings.

After they exchange rings and sign the marriage certificate, they are officially married.

They then return and take a seat in front of their guests again. At this point, people may stand and say something. It is kind of like toasting the couple, except no champagne! Well wishes are given and little cute stories are told. It was really beautiful.

This little girl stole the show when she stood up and told Eileen that, "It sounds like she has married a really nice guy." So cute!

The Sleepy Hollow Inn is a truly beautiful location. The ceremony takes place right next to the beautiful pond!

Crimson Poppy was here!

After the well wishes and "toasts", the couple stands, shakes hands and kisses.

Now they aretruly married :)

All of the guests then sign the certificate as a promise of their support to the marriage. The marriage certificate was done by Eileen's sister Kate. The lions represent the lions on the New York Public Library Building, where Tim and Eileen met on their first date :)

After the "formal" groomsmen shots, the guys really wanted to have some fun. Fine by me!

The ladies were much too refined for such antics ;)

A good looking wedding party!

And the fabulous Eileen & Tim!

Occassions Catering did all of the set-up and food and they did a fabulous job keeping things running smoothly through the night!

Some more awesome details! The fimo clay cake toppers were also made by Eileen's sister Kate. Just amazing detail! And the skunk, well, that is a whole other story from the rehearsal dinner! Apparently there was an unwanted visitor who over stayed their welcome ;) Eileen's mom made the crocheted edging for all of the jelly jar candles. Just a crafty creative family all around!

An adorable wedding guest! His little bow-tie is just divine!

The siblings toasted (and roasted) the newlyweds...

..To much laughter! This is in response to opposing sports teams. :)

It was a great party! To see more from Tim & Eileen's wedding, enjoy their slideshow!

2011 High School Senior: Bess

2010-08-24T08:30:00.001-04:00

Perhaps she was a little nervous when the camera first came out of the bag, but after a few shots she warmed up to the idea of being a model for the day. And even enjoyed it :) And as she warmed up, her true beauty shined right through that nervousness and she truly owned her senior portrait session. And made it about her :) Enjoy, Kaht

One of my favorites from the afternoon. Bess just looks so fabulous!

Blue flops and red toes, hello!

Bess' mom is a librarian, so Bess was brought up on good books, and lots of them! We had fun sorting through the various titles. I now have a late summer reading list :)

To get Bess to smile, her mom would call out the German word for "rabbit". Very cute: Hasenpfeffer!

A little giggly in a pretty field. :)

Sugar & Spice

2010-08-23T12:50:00.003-04:00

That is how I would describe this lovely young woman.

A whole lot of sweet with a little dash of sass.

It's Not a Lie

2010-08-19T14:29:00.003-04:00

Time really does fly by at light speed.

Just over a year ago, this little baby was introduced to the world with a bit of a whirlwind entry. A year later and he is cruising about, "talking" and chasing after his big sister and puppy!

Thank God for little boys! Especially this guy.

And for little puppy's too! :)

Unfortunately Jane was at school when I stopped by to visit, but it meant I got to chat with mom, snuggle Ada (the puppy) and give Ryland his birthday gift! One of my new favorite children's books: A Tree is Nice. Beautiful images and a wonderful story!

*Love* those blue eyes!

Reading his new book with mom :)

Engaged: Eileen & Tim: Burlington, VT

2010-08-11T14:31:00.004-04:00

I am very lucky in my career in that I get to meet some wonderful people along my journey. And Eileen and Tim were no exception. Another fabulous couple that I am pleased to know and photograph!

For the past couple years they called New York City their home. It is the city were they met and fell in love. Now in search of something a little quieter, they have moved their life and kitties to beautiful Vermont. With a big love for life, one another and good beer, I do believe that Vermont is very please to have them here. :) Their wedding is coming up faster than WHOA! and they have a great day planned that I am looking forward to sharing with you all! In the meantime, enjoy my favorites from their recent engaged session. xo Kaht

'Bahahaha! Kathleen, she is so funny.' At least, that is what I remember them saying... :)

Funny story: while taking this image, a rough and tumble fella came up and hovered over my shoulder. I did not really notice except that Tim and Eileen were looking just beyond me and kind of had funny looks on their faces. I turned around and there this guy was! He stared at us a second and then asked what was the time. That's it. Heh.

Having just moved from NYC, we did not think it appropriate to plop them in a field of flowers. Downtown Burlington provided a nice intermediate urban feel :)

*love*

I wished for a chess set to appear out of thin air, but instead Tim turned on the sweetness.

Eileen, thank you for being so darn cute!

She's pointing those kisses at Tim. Not random folks on the street :)

Tim, bring this adorable smile and look with you to the wedding please! It works well :)

A little sass to end the session makes it a great day!

Married: Whitney & Andy: The Ponds at Bolton Valley

2010-08-10T11:33:00.006-04:00

As the forecast predicted scattered storms all through the day, I assured Amanda, whom I was 2nd shooting for that day, that such predictions never came to light in this area. Storms just seem to float right over us! Yep. And off we went!

Upon our arrival at The Bolton Vallery Resort, we met up with Whitney and her ladies. Justin Cruz and his team had done an amazing job on the elegant hairdos and Mirror Mirror was just adding the finishing touches. The feeling in the room was of utter joy and excitement as the women chatted and laughed while their beautiful Whitney became a bride.

As always it was a pleasure to work alongside my friend and fellow photog, Amanda of Orchard Cover Photography. And it was certainly a treat for me to be the one floating about capturing moments and details throughout the day. Thank you to Whitney, Andy and their families for being so wonderful and welcoming! A truly beautiful wedding was made even more so by their joy and love for life! Congratulations :) xo Kaht

Whitney did not need much in the way of make-up to make her gorgeous. Just a few natural accents! My favorite style :)

Just a fun sassy shot!

When we arrived at The Bolton Ponds, the sky was looking very ominous and at one point it did....sprinkle a little. I almost had to find a plate and eat my words!

BUT Whitney was so excited to get married that I do not think she noticed :)

Whitney's gown was simply stunning. I love lace accents on wedding gowns and this really took the gold! Just beautiful.

Thank goodness for bridesmaids! For all those buttons :)

One last message to her soon-to-be Mr.!

There were a lot of fun details that made this such a summery wedding! The fans came in perfect during the ceremony :)

Allison of Floral Artistry did a beautiful job as always on the flower arrangements. Have you met this gal before? Now this is someone who loves her job and her life and it definitely shows in her work!

Outside we go! To where the clouds had gone away and the sun was shining bright! ::puts plate a fork away:: Thank goodness!!

*love*!

So elegant.

Rain? What rain?

Everyone had a different style shoe which made me go "oooh" and "aaah" a lot. I wish I could wear such cute shoes! Lack of balance keeps me in flats though.

The purple and green theme was carried through a lot of details! I particularly loved the programs. And the cow napkins ;)

While Amanda covered the lower area, I took to the porch above the ceremony site. A great vantage point!

"With this ring..."

Mr. & Mrs.!

A sweet image of Whitney and her dad.

All of the windows provided for some awesome natural light during the cocktail hour!

I love when toasts involve funny stories from the past that everyone can laugh at!

And smile at!

And maybe a little grimacing ;)

Whitney & Andy sail together and they found these wonderful little sailboat place card holders! So perfect :) And a perfect place for a ring shot as well!

Instead of a cake, they served strawberry shortcake for dessert. It was summerly delightful!

The Ponds is set in a beautiful location! Made even more so by the lovely sunset.

As the evening wore on, people warmed up their dancing shoes. The Pulse of Boston provided some excellent beats to keep people up and moving! And man did they move and groove :)

A beautiful end to a beautiful day!

Keeping Up with K&D: Old Farmer Sage

2010-08-06T19:10:00.007-04:00

While at the local Richmond Farmer's Market, an old man approached Devin and I. He asked about the "Class of..." t-shirt I was wearing and wanted to know if I had graduated from a local school. I denied being a true local, but stood strong and proud at the fact that I AM a born and bred Vermonter. He got a chuckle out of that and continued chatting. It was unique. A complete stranger, holding a hamburger, with an old cap on his head asking Devin and I about our lives.

After finding out about our origins and schooling he turned to me and with a serious face said, "If this man does not treat you right, you come and tell me. I might not be able to rough him up, but I can certainly give him some rough words." He then turned to Devin and took his shoulder and even though they both turned away from me, I could hear the gentleman's whisper, "You treat her well now. You hear. You got a good thing young man." Ah yes, I thought. The old man giving the young man sound advice. Advice that we have heard numerous times before. Perhaps he was a little batty, perhaps he felt the need to tell everyone this canned fatherly advice, "Treat her well, you don't know what you've got." Perhaps I just grew up with a wonderful father who told every male suitor in my life the same thing. Needless to say, I at first dismissed the old man's whispered words as something I already knew and did not need to hear again. Devin and I both know what we have and just how wonderful it is.

Then the man turned back to us with the same serious face. "I'll tell ya," he said, "My wife, she died over eight years ago. And a day does not go by that I do not think about how I could have been better to her or done better by her, or been a better person. I loved her but did not show it enough." And with that he shook our hands, patted out shoulders, and strolled away with his hamburger, leaving us with his wisdom.

An old farmer sage with what really was some sound advice. And with that man's words sitting on our minds, how can we really not look at each day and wonder, how can I be a better person today? How can I show someone how much they really mean to me? How can we not say 'I care about you.' to the people who mean the most to us? Because, even though that husband and wife were married well into old age, that man is now left wishing he had took the time back then to be better.

Think about that. And have a great weekend :) xo Kaht

Another great Farmer's Market find! I am always a weakling for good bread, especially when it has a fabulous logo such as Slow Fire's bread. Add some fresh butter and Mmmm....

Vermont Family Portraits: Declan & Family

2010-08-06T12:47:00.005-04:00

When Declan's momma contacted me about doing a session around his upcoming 1st birthday, she said her main goal was to capture their darling boy doing what he does best: smiling and laughing. All children smile and laugh and are just full of fabulous expressions and mannerisms at this age, so I expected Declan to be a happy kid. What I did not expect was just how glowingly happy he really was! When Rachel (assistant kid chaser, giggle inducer, and beautiful little sister) and I arrived, we were greeted by Declan's momma and this adorable little boy with sweet curls and a smile that just bowled us over.

Meet Declan.

Such an absolute sweetheart! When his momma mentioned in our conversation that Declan liked to run (run at ONE!), I knew an extra pair of hands would come in handy and boy am I glad I brought Rachel! Enjoy some of my favorites from their session. They will certainly add some joy to your day! xo Kaht

A little snack before the session :)

Loves fans!

Not only can Declan walk and run, but he is fairly adept at escaping. Luckily his Nana's were right on his tail!

D and his Nana P :)

Quite the little soccer player!

*love*

Not something I might normally share, but it was such a funny instant! Happy one minute, sad the next, and then HAPPY again! Makes me smile :)

I could just snuggle him forever! So cute. :)

D and his Nana D read a little story.

Drumming!

Oh drool....

A beautiful family :)

Full of laughter and love!

Engaged: Katelyn & Ian: Montpelier, Vermont

2010-08-04T11:57:00.003-04:00

In a universe that is so large and full of such joy and sorrow, it always makes me smile when I meet a couple who have created their own world by combining their separate lives. It is a world of their own that centers around their love for one another and for their family. Where every star is a wish waiting to be made and every day is an adventure waiting to be had. Despite what the great universe might tumble their way, they stand strong in the life they have created for themselves and continue to strengthen it with each moment.

Katelyn and Ian will marry in less than a month and I am really happy that I will be there to witness and capture the day that their world becomes just that much more beautiful. We met up last week for a fun little session that took place at a playground. Their adorable little girl, Aubrey, had a great time running around with her grandmother, while we took advantage of the unique location and nice light. Enjoy some of my favorite images from the afternoon and look for their wedding on the blog in September! xo Kaht

Katelyn was not sure if she could pull off "sassy". I think she did just that, perfectly :)

Katelyn denies having ever been a model. I am not so sure though! Such a beautiful smile :)

Ian denied any former modeling as well... :)

Aubrey came over to show us a stick collection she was working on. So sweet!

Can you see the love? Can you?

*love*

Gorgeous! Ian was a fabulous coach in getting Katelyn's true smile to come out. :)

Love a little fun and sass!

Bling!

Off to the playground!

Sandbox sweetie!

Just an adorable family. :)
PS Thank you Grandma Diane for coming along and helping out with Aubrey! We really appreciated it :)

Engaged: Kelly & Brant: Richmond, Vermont

2010-07-29T21:49:00.002-04:00

The first meeting with new clients is always a little nerve wracking. Even after I have spoken with them on the phone and via e-mail many times before! As I sit and wait for them to arrive little quips go through my head of, "What if they don't like me? What if they think I'm nuts? What if they are totally not into having their pictures taken? What if they decide that I am SO not the photographer for them? GAH!"

And then they arrive.

And as they step out of their car, all of those annoying little doubts diminish as an air of excitement and happiness settles around us. They are thrilled to be here with me. They have been looking forward to it for weeks. Are they nervous? Nope! They are EXCITED! Excited to have their love and relationship photographed by me. And as I try to not skippity-hop through the entire session at the joy of having such fabulous clients, I thank my lucky stars for just that: fabulously wonderful clients that make my world a better place. And for love. Because where would we be without it?

Kelly and Brant have a great wedding planned for this coming October and I am so excited to be able to be a part of their day! They are a really sweet couple that is so in love and deserving of great happiness. And they have a fantastic ring bearer (Kelly's son, Patrick) who really knows how to make everyone laugh! Thank you for a great afternoon you three :) I cannot wait for October! xo Kaht

A sweet family shot to start :)

And a little sweet love after that...

Ring bearer extraordinaire!

*sweet love*

We were walking around the Green Mountain Audubon Society when a Great Blue Heron took off just feet from us! It was pretty amazing.

Working the old maple sugar shed. *love*

This young man is such a charmer!

Kelly's elegant ring incorporates turquoise stones to represent her December birthday, which I think is such a sweet detail!

Married: Carol & Jacob: Mt. Philo & Middlebury, Vermont

2010-07-19T18:49:00.007-04:00

After a few very hot days in which the whole of Vermont was melting like a popsicle, a reprieve was granted and just in time for Carol and Jacob's wedding. A good thing since they, along with their closest family and friends, had travelled to Vermont to celebrate their wedding in the hopes that is would be cooler in July than their home state of Texas! Thank you cool front.

As guests walked down the wooded path that led to the open overlook on top of Mt Philo, greeting and hugging one another as they met, family and friends bustled about finishing setting up chairs and getting the music ready. This was the perfect family affair!

And as the bride walked down the aisle to meet her soon-to-be husband, the sun shone bright, the breeze blew lightly and everyone watched with a smile one their face. She was radiant. He was handsome. And they were meant to be together.

Thank you Carol and Jacob for letting us be a part of your day and for welcoming us into your family. We had a great time getting to know everyone as we captured the details and moments that made your wedding perfect! Have a fabulous time traveling around Europe. :) Have a cannoli or two for me if you make it to Italy ;) xo Kaht

As I mentioned, Mt Philo has a beautiful overlook! It would be a perfect spot for a sunset :)

Many sweet faces were at the wedding!

Devin captured this one and I am in *love*. It is just such a sweet image of childhood. :)

The handsome groom, headed to...

...his hiding spot! Jacob hung out behind the bushes until the start of the ceremony.

Time for a wedding!

A radiant bride :)

The way to Carol's heart? Jacob reading in Italian. Beautiful.

With this ring...

Mr. & Mrs.!!

A few photos at the overlook.

Time to send the newlyweds off!

As people headed to The Swift House Inn, Carol, Jacob and I stopped on the side of the road by this really cool old piano. It made an awesome prop. Just look how fabulous Jacob looks!

And Carol, well she makes an old piano look ahhh-mazing.

*love*

Carol and Jacob are cat foster parents. That fact won me over instantly! Over the years, they have had many wonderful kitty's in their lives. This one in particular really lives on in their hearts. Carol worn a locket with a photo of Spooky on her wrist.

Carol's beautiful bouquet was done by Claussen's Florist. It had an antique beauty to it.

The dinner reception was at The Swift House Inn in Middlebury, VT. It is a really sweet inn on a beautiful property!

Otter Creek Bakery made the amazing cake.

Yay!

And a beautiful sunset to finish a wonderful day!

To see a few more images, check out Carol and Jacob's slideshow!

Engaged: Robin & Goose: Montpelier, Vermont

2010-07-13T11:34:00.005-04:00

Once there was a silly Goose that fell in love with a beautiful Robin. The Goose was just so in awe with the Robin's beauty that he tried to impress her in many ways by making her laugh and smile, holding her tight when she was sad or hurt, and of course showing off occasionally. For years Goose followed Robin all over New England, chasing her from state to state, before they finally returned to their beloved home in Vermont. And it is then that the Goose knew he had to have the Robin as his wife. He just could not live apart from her any longer. Lucky for the Goose, the Robin was quite smitten with him as well and joyfully accepted his proposal!

This coming Fall, Goose (aka Ryan) and Robin's wedding will take place in Montpelier, VT. A very appropriate location for a couple who loves Vermont and are super in love with one another! Enjoy some of my favorite images from their recent engagement session. It was a real trick to narrow things down as they are so cute together! xo Kaht

'Hmm, she is awfully pretty...'

'I think I shall kiss her!'

Robin, you are just so beautiful :) Just love those stunning eyes!! And your great laugh :)

Goose trying to be serious... :) It worked.

*love*!

A cute little moment :)

Robin made this quilt for Goose. I love when couples bring sentimental items!

So in love!

Another favorite moment.

Their ceremony will take place at The Old Meeting House in Montpelier. The key for the door was pretty cool :)

WHO needs diamonds when you can have ruby red strawberries? ;)

Engaged: Carol & Jacob: Charlotte, VT

2010-07-10T08:00:00.001-04:00

Carol and Jacob decided to have their wedding in Vermont because they thought it would be a lot cooler in July than their home state of Texas. Unfortunately the East Coast has been experiencing a heat wave of sorts with temperatures reaching 90+ degrees daily for the past week. Some areas reached over 100 degrees! Lucky for everyone it looks like things might cool off for their wedding this afternoon. We'll just hope the rain stays at bay as the ceremony is to take place outdoors on the top of Mt. Philo. ::fingers crossed::

We met earlier this week to finalize details and have a look at the ceremony spot. Carol and Jacob worked really hard to squeeze this visit into their already busy schedule and for that I am very appreciative. Engagement sessions are really important in my book! It is a chance for me to meet the couple, learn about them and have a chance to photograph them before the actual wedding date. Weddings can be nutty as you may know! It's always nice to know who is behind the camera that is sneaking around following you all day :)

After our session Carol and Jacob said that they felt much more relaxed now and ready for the wedding and being photographed. Even if this was just a portrait session and not something for the Save-the-Dates or a newspaper announcement, it is a great relief to anyone who is not photographed daily to learn that they will survive in front of the camera and have fun doing so! Has anyone had such an experience before? Good or bad. What are your thoughts on having photos done before the wedding day?

Enjoy a few of my favorites from Carol and Jacob's recent session. xo Kaht

Aside from hoping for cooler weather in Vermont, Carol knew that Vermont was beautiful and would provide a wonderful backdrop for their wedding! The wildflowers are in bloom now, so the fields are just perfect!

Carol has these stunning eyes that she claimed were due to a good make-up artist. I think it is all you Carol.

So in love!

*love*

The spot where they will be married today! Lake Champlain is in the background. :)

Wedding: Tara & Anthony: Burlington, VT

2010-07-09T09:09:00.010-04:00

Weddings are full of fun, happiness, love, celebration and sometimes, a little stress. Usually once the day starts, everything falls into place and the joy of the day overwhelms you and any stress from planning, coordinating, or weather magically disappears! However, what happens when the source of stress is not wedding related and does not magically disappear?

Unfortunately for Tara and Anthony they experienced such a thing at their beautiful June wedding a couple weeks ago. The day before their wedding, their darling pup, Fenway, broke free from her kennel and took off wandering. Twenty-four hours later on wedding day and she was still MIA. Now, I am a big lover of my pets. Since I do not have children, they take a prime spot in my life. If one of them went missing, I would be beside myself with worry. Stress would consume me and break me down.

For Tara and Anthony, Fenway was constantly on their minds through the day, but they did not let the stress and worry consume them. They knew there were people out looking for their pup and they knew they had one thing to focus on for the day: marrying the love of their life.

This darling couple has known one another since high school. Their lives have been intertwined for years. And today was the day that they would join their lives into one journey. And tomorrow, well tomorrow they would go find their Fenway. :)

Thank you Tara and Anthony for allowing me to be a part of your day! It was such a joy celebrating with you and getting to know more of the people that make up your lives. Enjoy a little reminder of your great day! And as I have said a hundred times already, I am so glad you found your little Fenway. :) xo Kaht

When I arrived, the girls were finishing getting their make-up and hair done at The Essex Spa. A truly beautiful place!

Tara showing off her engagement guest book to her sister :)

A little sweet reminder from Mom...

Tara and her sisters are really close!

The flowers were done by I Do Blooms and really added a beautiful pop of color to the day!

Sisters-To-Be!

Anthony and his guys were nearly ready to go, just some final bow-tie touches!

Mrs. S, Anthony's mom, was my 2nd grade teacher :)

Due to the weather, we did the first look under a covered walkway. It could not have been more perfect!

Tara's dad was just so proud through the day!

Beautiful ladies!

Handsome guys :)

Siblings! Kate, Anthony's sister, and I also go a ways back :) Back to when we ate full pints of Ben & Jerry's ice cream without a second thought!

The outdoor ceremony was moved into the Atrium at The Essex Inn due to the rain that just could not decide to come or go. It was still a beautiful room. :)

Tara and Anthony designed their ceremony as a bit of a surprise. Only the people involved knew what it would be like. Each member of the wedding party did a piece of the ceremony and one of the groomsmen pronounced them husband and wife! It was really sweet. :)

Wahoo!

Silliness runs in these family genes. :)

Rain or not, we went outside for a few portraits! You are too cute Mrs. Tara!

*love*

Super cute shoes!

*love*

Tara was pretty pleased about the pockets in her dress! Anthony was pretty pleased that Tara was his wife now :)

*fun*!

The reception was held on The Spirit of the Ethan Allen. I am always impressed with how well they organize and run the show on board!

Fischers's Fancies made the fabulous cake and cupcakes! Mmmm...

Photos of Fenway marked the table numbers. :)

Mischievous looks...Can we?

Ahhh, I see! Too cute :)

Their first dance as husband and wife was to the song they first danced to in high school: Aerosmith's "I don't Want to Miss a Thing".

Sweet rings!

Best friends from waaay back when!

I love the busyness of this image and they are just kissing quietly in the middle of it all. A great way to end a wonderful day!
You can enjoy their slideshow here. :)

Vermont Made: Farmhouse Truffles

2010-07-06T12:08:00.001-04:00

The simplicity of a truffle is overshadowed by its utter decadence and chocolate divinity. What might simply be a mixture of cream and chocolate truly requires a knowledge in an art that is refined and practiced to create a harmony of flavors that truly tantalize the palette.

Erlé LaBounty, proprietor and lead truffle-maker of Farmhouse Truffles, has mastered such an art over the years and creates many tempting flavors such as lavender, Sicilian hot pepper and nutmeg, coconut lime, and my personal favorite, espresso. Truffles are made in small batches mainly for favors or desert displays at weddings and special events. There is something that is purely romantic about a handmade truffle displayed elegantly on a white platter or tucked lovingly into a box. In addition to celebrations and weddings, Farmhouse Truffles also specializes in distinguished gifts for the holidays, anniversaries, or just because.

A native Vermonter, Erlé grew up surrounded by fine confectioners. From a young age, he would help his mother and her friends as they gathered in the kitchen around the holidays, whipping up batches of chocolatey treats. These confections were wrapped in boxes and tied with a pretty ribbon before being gifted to family and friends. The joy in such a process is what prompted Erlé to follow his passion and learn the true art of chocolate. What started out in his grandfather’s farmhouse kitchen some thirteen years ago has moved to Bristol, Vermont where he currently lives. Though the truffles are no longer made in their namesake kitchen, the memory of such a place remains in the details such as the scale that belonged to his great-grandmother Hazel and is still used by Erlé today to measure out ingredients.

In true form with the art of chocolate, only the finest of ingredients goes into a Farmhouse Truffle. In addition to using local cream, Erlé works with single origin, single bean (the very fine and rare Criollo bean) Venezuelan chocolate for the ganache and dipping. Along with other top quality herbs and spices, it evens out to a very high quality truffle that even the most discriminating of chocolate connoisseurs cannot snub their nose at.

With many accolades and fabulous reviews by such esteemed groups as Vermont Vows, The Boston Globe, and Seven Days Magazine, I find it hard to believe that Farmhouse Truffles are still a best-kept secret in mid-Vermont. Enjoy some images from our recent session and then check out the sweet give away at the bottom of this post! You will not be disappointed.

The quiett town of Bristol, Vermont might be small, but the secrets hid within are worth spending time to seek out.

A particularly sweet secret. :)

Only the finest of ingredients are used, starting with local cream and fine lavender petals.

This scale has measured years of kitchen confections, as it once belonged to Erlé's great-grandmother Hazel.

The Creollo Bean is a very fine, rare cocoa bean originating from Venezuela. The distinctive taste can include flavors such as vanilla, caramel, and nuts. Mmmm

Once the lavender has been infused in the cream, extracting the hint of flavor, it is time to mix in the chocolate, which has been precisely heated to the exact temperature.

The ganache is spread out to cool and firm.

While the ganache cools, the outer dipping chocolate is prepared.

Each truffle is expertly hand rolled to create the appropriate size.

Cocoa powder is used to keep the ganache from becoming too sticky during the process. One neat thing to note is that no additional sugar is added to these truffles. The sweetness comes strictly from the dark chocolate that is used to allow for the additional flavors to come through and meld evenly.

Ah, yes, the man behind the chocolate. :)

Hand dipping each truffle creates a sheer coating of chocolate that will truly shine after it hardens.

Each truffle has a distinct design that tells what flavor is being enjoyed.

Chocolate perfection. Be still my heart!

Aside from being an expert in chocolate, Erlé is also an expert in presentation.

There are many options for favor gift box styles with accompanying ribbons and tags.

Or choose the elegant presentation that Farmhouse Truffles are known for.

Distinctive and delicious. Chocolate perfection at its finest!
Have you tasted such chocolate perfection?

Vermont Made

2010-07-01T12:27:00.006-04:00

Despite not being a 9th generation Vermonter, I stand tall and proud when I say, "I am a Vermonter."

It is true, my folks moved from New Jersey to Vermont when they were first married. And it is true that I married an imported "outta-stater", but through and through from barefoot to ponytail, I am a Vermont-Made girl, even if I am the first generation.

In the past couple months Devin (imported "outta-stater" husband) and I have done a lot of thinking and talking about how we can shop more locally and try to reduce our carbon footprint as well as help out local businesses. Our big goal would be to buy things that are grown and produced locally and not trucked in and travelled from afar. Now, I cannot stand too tall on my soap box here, because I did just buy grapes from California...but I bought them at our local family owned corner market. Baby steps here. The money spent is still going to someone who lives locally. :)

As we looked at local foods, I got to thinking about what else can be bought locally and what clients of mine, specifically wedding clients who are coming to Vermont for a true Vermont wedding, might enjoy and use. And it is amazing as to what awesome products are out there! From chocolate to candles to soaps to candies to art, the list is quite endless as Vermont is chock full of handmade items and crafty entrepreneurs. It is just finding these awesome items that can be the trick seeing as many of them live in tiny towns and only are known via word of mouth. And so I went on a search for some of the best Vermont Made items that are out there and will be featuring them on my blog. It's a little shout out to my beautiful home state and a little lime light for some of the wonderful artists and crafters that make it awesome.

So stay tuned as the first Vermont Made Feature is coming up! Have a great holiday weekend everyone :) Each a hamburger or not-dog (veggie hot dog) for me! And sit back, relax, and be happy. xo Kaht

A while back I mentioned in a post something about red lens-less glasses I sported in high school. Yes, I was that cool. A blog reader requested to see my classy ways so that they could obviously see where such a fashion started. Well, it started in Vermont friends :) Of course. Vermont Made fashion sense? Trust me, our other featured Vermont Made items are much cooler. But, here it is. This is my good friend from way back when Carter and I at a theatre festival in high school. Yes, we were cool. :) You can even see the Duck Tape frame that surrounds this great memory!

Sweet Peek!

2010-06-29T12:34:00.003-04:00

Just a little sweet peek at what I am working on.

A true feast for the eyes and temptation for the palette. Just try not to crave something sweet! xo Kaht

My Best Friend's Wedding, Literally

2010-06-28T10:58:00.005-04:00

A couple weeks ago Devin and I packed our city clothes and shiny shoes and headed into the grand city of Boston. We were headed to a wedding...as guests. That meant we could eat the expensive food, drink the wonderful wine, and dance to our hearts delights! No shot lists, time lines, or Power Bars. We were strictly there to witness the love of my best friend as she married her best friend.

But, that does not mean I did not have a camera with me. ;)

You might recognize this lovely couple from their engagement session back in October. Sully & Dave met in DC at a bar. WHOA! Yes, this is a boy meets girl in bar story and I just love it! When Dave asked Sully for her number, she contemplated for 5 seconds on giving him the wrong number until Dave, being smooth as butter, said, "Here, call me, then I will have your number in my phone."

Dave, thank you for being smooooth and slightly persistent.

I am so happy that my best friend has found her perfect match! She may be my soul sister, but everyone needs a soul mate and I am so glad that person is Dave! So enjoy a few images from the day as I saw it. Phil of Living Photo was the hired gun and so kindly allowed me to peep around when the photo spirit moved me. Thanks Phil :) Really though, I tried to enjoy the day as best as possible. Congratulations again my lovely friends! I am so happy for you :) xo Kaht

The girls got ready at The Commandants House on Boston Harbor. It was such a beautiful historical building!

Unfortunately the weather was not on our side and the rain came down down down.

My friend, she is so beautiful!

I think Bridesmaid Southmayd captured this for me as we steamed the wrinkles out of Sully's gown. Thank you!

Such an elegant gown!

Wedding portraits from Sully and Dave's family members were set up around the cocktail space. I love when family history is incorporated!

The sun room had such beautiful paintings!

The colors were teal and apple green. A very fun combination :)

Back at the hotel, Dave and his men were watching the World Cup. :)

Handsome groom!

Dave's mom saved the day by finding an extra pocket square when Dave's went MIA.

A good looking group, ready to go!

I just could not resist!

Here comes his bride!

The church was just beautiful!

LOVE all the fun details!

My handsome fella :)

Thank you Devin for capturing this for us!

A little romance before partying into the night! xo

Tara & Anthony are Getting Married!

2010-06-26T07:00:00.001-04:00

I love being friends with my couples on Facebook because I get to read their status posts and the ones the week leading up to their wedding are always filled with such excitement! Makes me even more excited for their wedding. :)

Tara's most recent update listed off all of the fun activies they are doing with family and friends and ended with "...WEDDING, soon to be a MRS!" Just those few words make me so happy :)

Here's to Tara and Anthony as they join their lives together today in beautiful Vermont! I can't wait to capture your smile as you become a Mrs. Tara. xo Kaht

Welcome Summer.

2010-06-25T22:03:00.001-04:00

Summer has finally graced Vermont with it's warm sun, warm breezes, long days, and strawberries. Mmmm...

VPP Education Day

2010-06-22T16:20:00.006-04:00

Oh, you know those days when you wake up early after having gone to bed a bit too late and it happens to be pouring outside with no end to the clouds in sight? And the tea doesn't steep well, the milk smells funny, and the bakery bakes your favorite muffin with walnuts, which you happen to be allergic too?

Well, I had one of those days a few weekends ago. The Vermont Professional Photographer's were scheduled to meet up in lovely (but rainy) St. Albans for a day of sessions and practicing technique. Now, I am a student for life. Always learning something new. Always jumping at every opportunity that might offer me a new trick, technique or good joke (Many of you know my jokes are kind of lame...). It was just hard to jump when everything seemed to be holding me in-between my cozy, warm covers.

And then it happened. I think singing loud in the car to one of my favorite bands, Railroad Earth, helped, but I started to come out of my early morning, crummy tea, killer muffin funk and feel excited to go learn! The real cream cheese icing to my yummy carrot cake was something totally unexpected. I saw a moose! On the side of the highway. I have NEVER seen a moose in Vermont. (In Alaska, yes. But they are like squirrels there! All over the place). Seeing my first Vermont moose made me really happy, which made me really excited to be heading up to meet my fellow photogs for a day of talking, photographing, and laughing.

Rain or not, it was going to be a good day.

And I am so glad I went! Mark Sweeney of Exposed with Mark set up the morning session. He arranged for some lovely couples to model for us for some mock engagement sessions. Andy Bishop led the session giving tips that he and Daria live by when working with couples. After a fabulous lunch (Chef Salad rules my world these days.) Wayne Tarr presented the afternoon session and showed us how he created his award winning dancer images. All in all, an amazing day. Thank you!!

So, enjoy a little sneak peek into what professional photographers call a good time. xo Kaht

Andy gives top secret tips and tricks...

Off to play! (In the rain.) Thank you Lucas for holding the umbrella or me!

These two are actually getting married in less than a month!

Another of our lovely couples. :)

Keeping cozy in between shoots!

Andy and Lucas hangin' loose!

Our dance models stretching before the shoot!

Wayne Tarr explaining how "the bag" is used. Streeetch!

My one decent capture from the dance sessions. Wayne, I leave this to you! It was a lot of fun though... :)

We had a nice space to work in at St Albans Bay Park. It was dry!

The group with the dancers!

A group jumping shot was vetoed, but this is pretty close and pretty silly :)

The Meadowlark Inn: E. Springfield, NY

2010-06-16T10:28:00.005-04:00

Once in a while I find something that inspires me to hop onto the nearest rooftop and SING OUT-LOUD about the wonderful something I have just found. Lucky for you, you are likely not within rooftop hearing distance and this blog does not have sound...yet.

A few weeks ago I made my way towards Cooperstown, NY. No, I was not on a pilgrimage to the Baseball Hall of Fame. I was headed to the lovely wedding of Courtney and Paul! My good friend and trusted assistant (for the weekend) took care of booking the room for us, so I only knew the basics about it: within a five minute drive to the reception at The Dutch Barn and it served breakfast. Oh, yes...and there were matching quilts in the rooms. :) When we arrived I could have danced in the parking lot! The Meadowlark Inn was absolutely adorable. We were greeted by one of the inn keepers, George, and after a quick check-in and some chatting, he escorted to our cozy (matching quilt!) room.

Despite not spending a lot of time relaxing in our cute room (wedding's are busy!), we certainly enjoyed our visit to the lovely Meadowlark Inn. From the great breakfasts to the cozy beds to the beautifully landscaped backyard, this is definitely a place I look forward to returning to for an extended (relaxing) visit. Might even bring Devin with me next time! ;)

When you go, and I highly recommend you do, make sure to sit and chat with the lovely family who runs The Meadowlark. George and his wife, Tina, are simply fabulous. And even though we did not spend much time talking to their son, Aiden, he did smile for a few photos for me and that is the mark of a cool guy! xo Kaht

The Inn is one level with a covered porch that leads to the lobby. I loved the deep red color!

We attempted to get their pooches, Maggie and Sam, to sit still for a family photo, but they were on the Indy 500! Not a fan of dogs? Don't worry, Maggie and Sam only came out to visit at a special request from yours truly. Usually they hang out quietly in the living quarters. ;)

A beautiful sitting/dining area is located right in the lobby. They even serve homemade waffles for breakfast!
Thank you Tina, George and Aiden for a great visit! xo Kaht

Engagement Guest Book: Sully & Dave

2010-06-15T11:46:00.003-04:00

Now that the wedding has come and gone and the pages of their beautiful guest book have been filled with notes of love and congratulations, I wanted to share a few images with you.

When Katie and Dave expressed their interest in having their engagement images made into a guest book for their wedding, I was over joyed! Devin and I had an engagement guest book for our wedding and it is possibly one of the nicest ways to display, share and enjoy the fabulous images that Justin, our photographer, captured of us.

Katie and Dave chose to have an 11x14 book that featured 27 of their favorite images from their beautiful fall session. The hardcover books features a split spine so that the book will lay flat for easy viewing and writing. The design is custom done by yours truly and allows for enough white space around the images for wedding guests to sign and leave little love notes. The pages and ink are archival and higher quality than what can be found at other book printers online. When an archival pen is used (which comes with the book!) the guest book can be enjoyed and shared for many years!

It really is a great way to offer your guests a chance to write more than just their name AND to enjoy some images of the lovely couple! What can I say...I'm a big fan of these books!

Enjoy a peak at Katie and Dave's guest book. xo Kaht

Front cover, back cover, and spine are all customizable with your name, date, whatever!

A beautiful opening.

Leave love notes here!

Or here...

Or here!

I was tickled pink when Katie (aka Sully) told me she wanted to include an image of me and them together from the session (Thanks to my trusty assistant!). We thought having it on the back was a nice "Authors Note" way of doing so. If you cannot tell, we are looking at an image on the back of the camera. :)

We're Shippin' (off) to Boston!

2010-06-11T06:39:00.003-04:00

Devin and I are headed down to Boston for the weekend to attend the wedding of our good friends Sully and Dave. :) I have a feeling it is going to be an awesome weekend. Have a wonderful one! xo Kaht

On Blogging and Cat Hair

2010-06-09T17:47:00.001-04:00

In all the things I have had to do to help grow my business, blogging has been the best...and worst part. Aside from my love for photography (and my husband, family and cat), I also have a passion for writing.

Badda bing!

A blog is perfect then! Right? Post my favorite images AND write a nice little ditty about them. A combination of two passions mixed into one nice chocolate cookie/vanilla cream filling combination. Unfortunately, it never happens that way. My writing typically comes out as a bit rushed and dramatic. What may have been a simple story does not sound like one because of all the details and perfect moments that bounce around in my brain just waiting to be put into beautiful eloquent sentences. So once the images are ready for the blog, then comes the writing. And there is the brick wall. I think commonly referred to as writer's block? Bah.

But eventually after the verbal mud pie has been formed into a delicate confection, the post makes it way onto the ever wonderful Internet for my "adoring public" to read and be awed by my obviously educated and refined way of writing. Couple that with a few great images and the blog is essential to building this business. Or at least I hope my "adoring public" thinks so. :)

And I wonder why there is so much cat hair on my keyboard?

Keeping Up with K&D: Small World Reunion

2010-06-08T21:54:00.004-04:00

It was one of those moments. An instance of recognition followed by excitement. And as I grabbed Devin's hand and hauled him through the mass of young people milling about, I exclaimed, "It's Dan! It's Dan!"

"Dan? Dan who?"

And then there came the moment of questioning and doubt as I halted, causing Devin to knock into my shoulder. And I stared, trying to reason with recognition and doubt as they argued back and forth. Looks like, acts like, could be, might be, similar to, probably not, what are the chances, isn't he in El Salvador?... And as I started to falter I turned to a women who was part of the group and asked slowly, "Is that guy... named...Dan?"

"Why yes! That is Dan!" she exclaimed.

And I turned to Devin and echoed her joyfully and continued to drag him through the masses towards Dan, a friend from our college days.

At times such as this I am just in awe at how small the world can seem at times. What are the chances that Dan, youth director for Our Savior's Lutheran Church in Naperville, IL, would be dining at my church's potluck IN VERMONT? He was traveling with his youth as they did a tour from Illinois, up through Montreal and into Vermont and our tiny church of Good Shepherd just happened to be one of the stops along their way. The luck!

As we caught up on one our lives and updated each other on future plans and endeavors, I could not help but smile. Perhaps Dan and I had not been best friends throughout college. Maaaybe we only knew the basics about one each other life. And obviously the only way we kept in touch for the past couple years was via FB updates and rumors, but to find that an old friend is doing well in life is such a wonderful feeling! Warm fuzzies and all.

It also amazes me that so many young people have such great talents and strong beliefs. I love that! From the voices to the puppetry, it was a wonderful concert and great reunion. xo Kaht

You can check out there ministry trip blog here to learn about the awesome things they have been doing! One of Dan's youth kindly took this reunion image for us. Thank you!
What is a small world experience you have had? I'm ready to be amazed!

The Perfect Gift: Stowe, VT: Ron & Amber

2010-06-08T10:07:00.004-04:00

Back a few months ago when the ground was still frozen and the trees had yet to leaf out, I received an inquiry from a desperate husband. His anniversary was coming up and his wife had "the best gift for him!" and he...well, he was at a loss as to what might top "the best gift". Until a friend said,

"What do you love the most?"

"MY WIFE! And my dog."

"There you have it then," the friend said smartly.

"My wife and my dog?"

"No no no. Pictures of your wife...and your dog," she said writing down an e-mail.

Perhaps those are not the exact words from the conversation, but an embellished story is a better story. Needless to say, Ron contacted me looking for the best anniversary gift he could give to his beautiful wife Amber. And a private photo session of the two of them with their sweet dog Kicks was truly, the perfect gift.

We chatted back and forth for a few weeks, waiting for the sun to warm the Earth and for color to return before we set a date. Finally, June arrived and so had the perfect time.

Thank you Ron for picking the best gift EVER! And Amber, thank you for picking the second best gift ;) I cannot wait to come over and have Ron fire up the grill for some awesome summer food! xo Kaht

Even at 5pm, the sun was still glorious and warm. Made for some lovely romantic back lit shots.

While Ron, Amber and I were doing this...

Kicks was doing this. HAH!

Lucky for us a quick dip in the river cleaned him right up.

A random shot where Ron stepped over to fix Amber's hair. I just love the look she is giving him!

A little sass looks good on these two.

Melt my heart!

Amber, I know it is the sun adding the golden tone to this image, but really, your smile is simply beautiful and full of life and light! Thank you for being gorgeous my friend.

"Blue Steel" was a little foreign to Ron, but he mastered a look all of his own!

This barn was really an awesome find! Such fabulous textures and coloring.

A little sweetness to finish off the evening!

Summer Love

2010-06-04T11:19:00.003-04:00

Warm cozy light to perfectly compliment this wonderful couple's beautiful relationship.

Check back next week for more images from this fun session! xo Kaht

Keeping Up with K&D: Memorial Day Camping

2010-06-03T13:00:00.003-04:00

I love my family. I love my friends. I love my life.

There is just something about wood smoke that makes you sit back and want to slow down. My dear scientific husband might say that is the carbon monoxide fogging your brain, but I say it is nostalgia. A memory of a time when people gathered around warm fires to sit, talk, eat and tell stories. And that is exactly what we did.

This past Memorial Day Weekend Devin and I spent some quality time camping with some of our favorite people at Stillwater State Park. My brother and sister came up and our good friend Kelly joined us as well. It was a shame the rest of the family could not join us, but we counted our blessings for who was able to make it. And we ate good food, sat by the smokey warm campfire and talked about life and told funny stories and laughed. We laughed so much that we burned off all the calories from the s'mores we ate! And so we ate sumore. And waistline, let me say this, we regret nothing. Because we had an awesome time! xo Kaht

Two lovely ladies helping string up the tarp to cover our heads from impending showers. We lucked out as it only rained for about 20 minutes!

Our fabulous site right by the lake!

Teriyaki chicken foil dinners and awesome cupcakes made for a delicious meal. Mmm

It was Brian's birthday, thus the cupcakes! Happy Birthday Brother!

A early morning by the lake.

A lot of other campers had dogs with them. This family...well, they had their kitty!

Quarky self portrait with the point and shoot! Love how Kelly is "sitting" on my shoulder though. :)

Devin took this photo of Kelly and I on the beach. Kelly looks like a real sunning beach babe, whereas I look like a pile of clothing...Delicate skin here! Plus is was breezy and cool. :-P

My favorite memory from the weekend! We were canoeing across the lake and Devin says, "Hold tight!" and hops over board. For a quick swim of course! Rachel and I were sure we were going to be next.

Sometimes the best camping activity is napping.

Group shot!

And of course...we could not get away without a fun one.

The lake was so beautiful and peaceful. We all just kept walking down to stand and enjoy it.

One last beautiful sunrise to finish off a great weekend. :)