Anthony & Kelly Tied the Knot!

I've been looking forward to this post for a while now. My dear old friend Anthony and his lovely bride Kelly just tied the knot. I was beyond excited to shoot the wedding and have that special perspective of all the preparations and everything leading to the party. As Anthony put it, I then metamorphosized into a guest and danced my butt off as my colleague Sherri Jackson took over shooting the cocktail hour and reception.

I always say I shoot with my heart but in this case my personal tie with the couple made that even more pronounced. I hope you will enjoy this (unusually long) blog post in honor of the new Mr. & Mrs. Zic!

All you regular blog followers should be able to predict my verbage for the next several shots, "I am obsessed with shooting details with (all together now) my awesome macro lens." Here's proof.

Unique details on the back of Kelly's gown.





I love how this buckle practically jumps off the page at me.



Classic look with a bit of bling. Nice choice, Kel!



Their unique invitation made a great backdrop for the ring shot.





A simple bouquet can be so stunning.



Especially when you look closely at the beautiful flowers.



Best man John showing off his responsibility.



A closer look.



Here's the man of the hour.



The curtains of hotel room windows soften the nice directional light.



And the lovely blushing bride.



Kelly wasn't posing here. She's naturally elegant.



Been into this angle lately. Shows off great lashes.



And a little closer to really show off the angle.



Getting zipped up.



I just love the look on Kelly's dad's face here. Nothing like the first time a daddy sees his little girl in a wedding dress.



Happy faces. Happy tearful faces. It's all good.



In come the bridesmaids for a peek.



Can't you just feel the excitement?



Someone is feeling the reality of this joyful day here.



Creative use of blank space can be very alluring.



The joy of this union is clearly shared by all.



Shooting up with the right lens can give that "fly on the wall" feeling to a photo. In this case, I guess the fly is on the ground, though.



Lots of beading but still very soft. Just lovely.





Gorgeous.



Reflecting.



Alright, alright - the next shot I told her to look at the flowers. Still pretty, though.



Kelly had a nice range of looks, so I just kept clicking.







And clicking....


Off to the church to capture pre-ceremony shots. I love Anthony's natural smile here.



When I shot this, I thought, "I'm going to embarrass Anthony and post some shots of him dancing the jig on my blog." As you might guess, though, this guy doesn't embarrass easily.





Feeling larger than life.



Cool portrait.



A guy waiting for his bride.



And here she comes....I like this scene setting shot.





Meeting at the altar.



It's so nice to see a couple that truly enjoys their ceremony.



Becoming one.



There are so many shots throughout the day that truly show Anthony and Kelly's personalities and how nicely they compliment each other. Here's one of them.



I think this is one of my favorite "you may kiss the bride shots" ever.



Walking proudly as husband and wife.



Nice moment with little sis.



And a nice moment with mom.



Not a new shot for me but I was very excited to see the faintest bit of light illuminating the end of Kelly's veil here. Makes it feel almost fluid.



Opa!



I really like this outtake shot.



Another fun one.



One big happy family.



Anthony is a guy's guy kind of guy. Can't you tell?



Another use of empty space. I like it.



Big bridal party does "shameel, shamazel..."



One of my favorites.



More details (can never get enough if you ask me).



Kelly's unique color scheme will stand the test of time. Love the bright yellow against the dark blue.



This group was full of laughs.



Took a couple of tries to get this shot, but we got it!



Not every great image needs to include faces. Sometimes your imagination completes the picture.



My second favorite image of the day, I think.



This series is so fun, I can't include just one.















Changed my mind. This is my second fav of the day.



Traditional beauty.



Using the texture of the ground for some dramatic angles.



With a perfect blue sky and vibrant green trees, it's nice in color, too.



Fun shot.



Having some fun with the veil.



The sun was casting the perfect light on Kelly's dress...shooting close also adds dramatic effect.



Anthony being silly and making ME laugh.



Up close and personal.



Such beautiful scenery.



And the last image I snapped before my photographer hat came off for the day....funny that it turned out to be my favorite.



Many, many congrats to you Anthony and Kelly! WHAT A DAY!