February 2008

Of course we had been looking forward to Maya and Drew’s wedding, and not just because we knew that Duke (Max’s brother) would be there. We were excited to celebrate with these two such thoughtful, intelligent and caring people.

Maya wanted an elegant evening filled with family and friends. I would say she certainly pulled it off.

From the first, their guests knew they were going to a very special event. Maya and Drew’s invitations highlighted their San Francisco roots in a truly artful way. And when guests arrived at the City Club of San Francisco, they couldn’t mistake the original art deco elements and the Diego Rivera mural as anything but masterpieces. Add to all of this, amazing food, beautiful flowers, and a stunning cake decorated with the same pattern as the City Club bas relief ceiling sculptures!

Maya started her day by getting ready in the penthouse suite at the Mandarin Oriental. On one side she had a view of the Transamerica Pyramid on the other views of the Bay.

And the rain didn’t dampen her spirits as she walked across the street to put on her dress at the City Club.

She had an amazing group of women supporting her that morning; her bridesmaids were awesome. They helped with everything from carrying clothes to finding flowers. Whatever Maya needed they took care of.

Drew took in a few moments quiet before the ceremony.

Maya walked down the aisle on the arms of both her parents. Drew received her with a smile. But when I stood back, I saw not only the couple in front of me, but their history as well. They had placed the photos from their parents’ weddings on the sign-in table. The building of family continued through them.

During the cocktail hour, we took photos of their families. And then, Duke came. He was so well-behaved in the midst of all those people. He posed perfectly and looked great in his new Duke Blue collar. (Go Blue Devils!)

The rest of the evening went by quickly. There was dinner, toasting, the first dance, socializing, crazy dancing, and the cake cutting. Actually there were two cake cuttings. The first was of the beautiful cake with great art deco touches. And the second was the groom’s cake, which appropriately had a figurine of Duke on top (care of Maya’s mom).

Like I said, it was a truly elegant affair.

And now a chance to say thank you. Maya and Drew, we feel honored and privileged to have been a part of your day. You two are fabulous!!!! We can’t wait to show you your photographs. And thank you to your attendants – they were a great help to us. And finally thank you to Elizabeth Doyel of the City Club. We appreciated your guidance and tips. You were a pleasure to work with.

One of the benefits of getting together with a bunch of wedding photographers is the wonderful creative energy that everyone brings to an event. While in Tampa for our convention, we worked with several photographers to do a model shoot which included a Trash the Dress session. For those who are unfamiliar with a Trash the Dress session (or TTD as it is sometimes called), this is an opportunity to actually get the wedding dress dirty. Usually on the wedding day, a bride wishes to keep her dress looking as good as possible and is very careful with it. But after the wedding, there is some flexibility. The dress probably won’t be worn again and in many cases can be easily cleaned and preserved regardless. So these sessions provide brides the chance to have a little more fun in her dress.

We were so excited to try some new things in Tampa. Our models climbed in trees, rolled on the ground, and even jumped in a pool. They were game for anything.