During a wedding I find myself being a wedding photojournalist, portrait photographer, architectural photographer, food photographer, jewelry photographer, and wedding photographer all within 5 minutes.  Things happen so quickly that I need to be on the top of my game.

If you’re a follower of my Daily Photo Blog , you know that I post a new photo every day that at first glance have nothing to do with wedding photography, yet they all relate in some way.   It keeps me on my game because it’s a place for me to explore composition, to learn, to play with light, to spark creativity, and to document whatever catches my eye.  Earlier last month I posted a picture of my bride that I had photographed at Imaging USA using a lighting technique that I had just learned from Denis Reggie (the best of the best in wedding photo journalism.)  I had the opportunity to use that technique at the wedding two weeks ago and I was amazed with the results.

How do you cut the cake?  There’s a lot more going on for the cake cutting than you may think.  The position of the cake table in the room needs to be well planned with plenty of light and plenty of room for the guests to observe.  The position of the photographer needs to be just right so that the guests can see and the photographer can capture the moment.  One of the first places that I go to when I arrive at a reception hall is the cake table (if there is a cake) because I know I will need to plan where to stand for the most optimal light and best composition.

I watch as the bride and groom stand next to their cake in preparation for their first act as a husband and wife.  They both look at each other as if to say “How do we cut the cake?”  They usually figure it out by having the groom hold the knife and the brides hand is on top of his.   The crowd has gathered with cameras in hand all pointed at the two best dressed people in the place.  Bride and groom then begin to cut into the cake together, slowly as not to damage their beautiful masterpiece too much.  The masterpiece that they spent hours upon hours fumbling through magazines and cake books to find just the right one only to stab it with a serrated object and feed it to themselves with their bare hands.  Sometimes the cutting is a bit more difficult than anticipated because those fauna cakes have a harder outer shell.   The feeding of the cake generally involves icing on one or both of their faces, and as a photographer those moments don’t get old and are fun to capture.

So, how do you cut the cake?

50 years ago on this day they joined hands and shared rings and said “I do” for the world to see.  50 years ago on this day they were husband and wife, and they celebrated in the very church where the vows were told to the world.  Family and friends joined them as they renewed their vows for each other on their 50th wedding anniversary, and it was the highlight of my wedding photography career.  Here were two people that have been through many years of matrimony only to tell the world that they were still in this for the long haul.  Harold and LaDonna made me proud to be a wedding photographer, and they made me proud to be a husband and to be part of a marriage.  Marriage is a journey and they showed me that the journey is filled with love, family, laughter, and happiness.

A couple months ago one of their daughters contacted me and said that  I was a suprise gift to Harold and LaDonna.  This 50th wedding anniversary was going to be planned by themselves, but the children just had to contribute something.  So they asked me to capture the moment and the day for them.

The day began at the Calvary Evangelical Lutheran Church in Lincoln Park Michigan.  The church were they saw each other as Bride and Groom 50 years ago on the same day.

Harold and Ladonna cut the cake just like they did 50 years ago, and Harold smashed a bit into Ladonna’s face just as he may have done then too.

The cake was a replica made by their children based on photographs from their original wedding album.

Harold and LaDonna, thanks for allowing me to capture this day in your lives. Your love for each other showed in yourselves as well as your children and grand children. After photographing new brides and grooms it was wonderful to see how a husband and wife can be after years of togetherness, friendship, and love. Of all the weddings I have photographed I will always remember the love that I saw in your eyes, the passion you have for each other, and the smiles on your children’s faces as you renewed your vows.

The evening was topped off with family at the Palazzolo Di bocce for some family fun and togetherness. Here’s a photo of their new wedding bands together on one of the Bacce balls.

“Today I take you as my husband”  I heard those words this week here in Nashville at the Imaging USA conference and it made me smile.  It made me grin in a way that ony a wedding photographer would.  When hearing those words I know where I would be standing if I was at that wedding.  I know that tears may be coming down my eyes as I listen to the words and press the shutter release button on my camera.  This is why I love photographing weddings.

I had an amazing time at the conference learning from other Wedding photographers the likes of Dane Sanders, Joe Buissink, Denis Reggie, Jose Villa, and Jerry Ghionis.  They taught me so much in just a short time.  My wife said I was like a kid in a candy store, and bless her heart for coming here with me and taking in this world of wedding photography with me.  She really learned a lot too, and it was wonderful to have her by my side during the sessions and the expo.

I got the opportunity to meet Dane Sanders and thank him for changing the way I think about the wedding photography business.  He was a genuine person to speak with and he got a kick out of the fact that I call Julie my bride.

The Opryland hotel was an amazing place, and I only brought my backup camera to capture some of the coolness of this place.  Here’s a photo of my bride and I in one of the atriums.

My bride and I are headed to Nashville Tennessee for some together time, some photography education, and a whole lotta fun.  As a member of the Professional Photography Association PPA , I have the opportunity to attend the Imaging USA conference which helps educate photographers and gives us a place to meet other photography professionals. I’m looking forward to being in an environment filled with other people following my same passion for photography. I’m looking forward to meeting some of the authors who’s photography books I’ve digested.  I’m looking forward to spending time with my wife and introducing her to the people and this industry.  We’ll even get to have dinner with last year’s bride and groom Tom and Jessica to see how their lives have changed since the wedding and their big move to Nashville.

As a photographer I feel compelled to have a photo in every post, so here’s one I captured last year while I visited the Opryland Hotel.

I’ve always wanted to photograph a family on the People Mover in downtown Detroit, and the Smith family gave me just that opportunity. They wanted something unique and the first thing that came to mind was the people mover and the city of Detroit. Meet me on the platform of the Greektown station at 2pm and we’ll rock the city of Detroit. They did just that and we had a great time exploring the city together. I think we went around the city about 3 times in total.

We ended the shoot at the wonderful Pizza Papalis and had a nice deep dish pizza. If you ever go to Greektown in Detroit, and you have 45 minutes for it to bake, then I highly recommend this Chicago style awesomeness.

Their story begins on a boat. A cruise ship to Grand Cayman to be exact. While vacationing on this ship Amanda and Justin enjoyed the sun and fun, but Amanda always seemed to gravitate towards the on-board jeweler. There was this one ring that caught her eye and she kept going back to it again and again. During dinner on their last night of the cruise Justin presented the ring to Amanda and asked her to be his bride.

I have the complete honor of photographing this bride and groom at the Environmental Discovery Center in White Lake Michigan this summer. We met there today in the blistery winter air to capture some engagement photos, and the center provided a nice warm respite in between takes since it was well below freezing. The sun and sky cooperated and hopefully you can’t tell how very cold it was out there today. I really enjoyed getting to know this couple and am looking forward to their wedding this summer (where it should be much warmer.)

If two people were ever meant for each other, it would be Jessica and Tom.  When you pulled up Jessica’s name on Tom’s iPhone, it had his last name added to hers before they were even engaged.  “When will you two get married?” is a question they heard often.  Once they were engaged, it only took a few months for them to plan a wedding and celebrate the most wonderful day of their lives together.  They were married in at the beautiful Waldenwoods resort in Hartland Michigan on a beautiful drizzly day.  Originally planned for an outdoor ceremony, the interior was transformed into a beautiful wedding location.

Oh yes, that’s a donut cake.

You can see the rain in this next shot. Tom and Jessica weren’t going to let rain disrupt their perfect day.

Relatives and friends can view the entire wedding photos here.

When I arrived at the Nitz home for the 1 year old baby shoot, I was greeted with a parade of dinosaurs.

We explored the back yard a bit enjoying the swing, the leaves, and the great out doors.

I believe that every 1 year old should have the opportunity to sit in front of a cake and have free reign with it.

The cake didn’t stand a chance.

Santa has come and gone.  The kids are all still in their pajamas, and we are spending the day like it should be spent. Doing nothing.   And it’s wonderful.   Ok, maybe not nothing, we watched the movie “Up”…….Squirrel!!!!!  I hope your Christmas is as wonderful and relaxing as ours has been.

Enjoy the season and have a Merry Christmas.