New Photographer: Smith Photo Studios

After invitations and stationary, the second most important part of any event is the photography. I have developed a growing list of photographers I have worked with and grown to respect. All of their info is on the right side of my blog.

I recently added a new photographer, actually two; a husband and wife team from Pennsylvania, Michael and Lindsay of Smith Photo Studios.


These two young photographers are growing their business like crazy right now! They have only been doing wedding photography for a few years, but have already turned around some fabulous work. They are a terrific couple and would be certain to capture the memories of your special day. Oh, and one more plug, Linday and I grew up together, so I am particularly excited to be featuring her on my blog!

Even if you are not in the Pennsylvania area, check them out as they have frequently traveled the eastern seaboard for weddings!

Here are some of my favorite photos they have taken:

I love the rough contrast of the brick and cobble stone to the warm embrace of this couple!

A spiral staircase + a bride! What could be more fun?

This uber creative shot is fantastic...but I am not sure if my arms bend that way!

This was featured as a "sneak peek" for a wedding, and could not have enticed me more!

I love how these fancy groomsmen look infront of the tudor!

Don't you love these photos?!? Check Michael and Lindsay out at Smith Photo Studios.

They also publish a great blog: http://smithphotostudios.com/wordpress/

And you can be a fan on Facebook!

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How I Stay Organized:

Clockwise from top left:

Mom Agenda Weekly Planner: I use this even though I am not yet a mom! It sits on my desk, usually under or around my laptop and keeps my notes for the week jotted down in one place and gives my husband a snapshot of what we have going on.

Hanging Calendar: I fell in love with this beautiful bird calendar when it was featured on Decor-8. It will hang in my office.

Moleskine: This is slim, fits in my purse, and holds EVERYTHING! I love everything moleskine, but this is by far my favorite.

Tent Calendar: This sits on my desk at work for a quick glance at the date. I get one each year and this year chose London to remind me of the time there, my desire to go back, and my dear friend Melinee who still lives there.

Grocery List: Finally, I have a Mom Agenda grocery and meal list on my fridge and this has dramatically improved my grocery shopping/meal planning experience. It may even be saving me money since I no longer buy food that goes to waste!

Winner! (and a list of our favorite spas)

Congratulations to Greta! You have won the Nemacolin spa sample set. Please e-mail me at: calligraphybyshannon@gmail.com to claim your prize!

Now for everyone who didn't win this time around, here is a list of some fabulous spas to try out in the mean time:

Elizabeth Arden Red Door
Location: multiple locations throughout the US
I personally love their location at the Seaview Marriott in New Jersey!

Nemacolin (of course)
Location: Western Pennsylvania

Eden Day Spa and Salon
Location: Outter Banks, North Carolina

Spa Japonika
Location: Birmingham, Alabama
(This is our winner's favorite!)

Sugar House Day Spa
Location: Alexandria, Virginia

The Spa at Amelia Island Plantation
Location: Amelia Island, Florida

If you have a favorite spa that you would like to share, let me know so we can add to the list!

Pennsylvania Resort Wedding

The Nemacolin Woodlands Resort is spectacular. Located south of Pittsburgh, it captures the beauty of rustic western Pennsylvania while maintaining all the luxuries of a resort. With several lodging options, a first class spa, and loads of restaurants, Nemacolin is the perfect place to get away.

Not only is Nemacolin a wonderful weekend or week-long retreat, but the resort is a fantastic place for a wedding. Because there are so many options at this resort, you can truely hold any "type" of wedding at Nemacolin from a hoedown to royal afair. Here are some pictures to help you visualize the versitility of Nemacolin:

(all photos from Nemacolin)

So the bottom line: if you are looking to get married, or even get away for a special occasion, check out Nemacolin!

Daily Candy Wedding Guide

Daily Candy provides free e-mail insight on the latest movements in fashion, food, secret nooks, and charming diversions in your city and beyond. They have recently branched out and now have a wedding guide. Here are some of their picks for Washington DC:

K. Rose Cakes
delicious, decadent cakes

Hitched
a cheeky bridal boutique

Julianne Smith
adorable garters for your creative side

Love Life Images
documenting love and life on your special day

Mindy Weiss
a bounty of wedding goodness to browse through and buy

Don't live in DC? Check out Daily Candy's 2008 Complete Fall Wedding Guide for more cities!

2nd Anniversary - Part 3

I never imagines that posting about my 2nd Anniversary Celebration would be relevant, but the Home of James Monroe threw me a curve ball so here we are! (You can read about the rest of my anniversary weekend here!)

After a wonderful day spent at Tomas Jefferson's home on Monticello, "little mountain," Mark and I drove down the road to complete our day at the home of Jefferson's good friend, James Monroe - Ash-Lawn Highland. Now when you talk about modest living, this home was tiny! It served as a testament to how small Mrs. Monroe was (some say as short as 4'8") The grounds were beautiful! Here are a few of the photos we were able to capture despite of the rain:

Yes, that top right picture is the aisle of a wedding! Ash-Lawn Highlands is a beautiful property and they host weddings in an effort to raise money to preserve the history of this site! You can find out more about getting married at Ash-Lawn Highlands here. What amazed me was how many beautiful spots on this property could accommodate a ceremony. There is a large flat grassy area under a canopy of trees that would be perfect for an outdoor cocktail hour and lawn games. If you love history and are looking to get married in the Richmond/Charlottesville area of Virginia, I would highly recommend this beautiful site! Between outdoor areas, a pavilion, a barn and the flexibility to rent a tent, you can plan a day to suite your taste and wedding size with little trouble. I was amazed at how great this place would be for a wedding! It would certainly leave your guests with plenty to do and exlplore.

Mark and I had so much fun looking around this property. Though the house was small, we spend well over 2 hours just hanging out and enjoying the beautiful grounds and gardens.

Our evening was capped off by a wonderful dinner at Basic Necessities in nearby Nellysford, VA. this restraunt has partnered with local farms to ensure that they can provide meals made from local, seasonal, and pesticide-free fresh foods. They also have s how which provides a wide range of wines and cheeses. Mark and I couldn't have had more fun enjoying our meal and parusing the shop! We just wish we could have picked it up and moved it back to DC with us. We loved it! If you are ever near Nellysford, you should definitely plan a visit, or better, a meal.

Tulle and Toile Tuesday Giveaway: Mademoiselle

Today the giveaway (keeping in our Pink October theme) is my absolute favorite nail polish. I literally buy this stuff by the case! Essie Mademoiselle is always perfect! From my wedding day, to special vacations to my at home pedicures, this is the nail polish I turn to again and again. I stock pile it, afraid to ever run out! It is probably one of the best known polish colors from Essie, has won awards, and been mentioned in nearly every bridal magazine I have ever read! This stuff is great and I want to give it to you!

To enter, leave a comment and answer some or all of these questions:
1. Your go to nail color and why?
2. Your go to shoes and why?
3. A hilarious manicure or pedicure story?
- and/or -
4. How did you do your nails (fingers and toes) for your wedding day?

Contest closes at 9pm Thursday!

Elizabeth Anne Designs

This wonderful wedding resource site also has a library and they have included "Calligraphy by Shannon" in their listings! A huge thank you goes out to Elizabeth Anne Designs. I encourage you to head over and peruse their blog and their EAD Library where I am listed under Stationary under Calligraphers. You can also write a review of my services: Write a Vendor Review!


Reminder: Tulle and Toile Tuesday Giveaway - comment on the giveaway post by 9:00 pm Thursday for a chance to win!