Living in Florida with friends and relatives spread out all over made Katie and Eric decide on a destination wedding somewhere in the middle to make it a little easier on everyone. So, when I got the inquiry from them about a wedding at Berry Hill, I was a little curious about this place way down in Southside. I’m not all that familiar with South Boston and Danville other than it was on the way to Buggs Island Lake where I used to go to visit my friends Pam and Stork for a little boating recreation in the summer. But from the web site, I was kind of digging those Federal style columns and deliciously expansive grounds. Yum, yum. So I was in.

I must say that when I arrived I was a little taken aback by how truly grand this old plantation home really is. The grounds are not only expansive, but speckled with remnants of old living quarters and closely guarded with undulating rock fences that meander over what seems like miles of gentle rolling hills. All of this greets you when you emerge from the tree lined promenade that serves as the entrance to this grand estate. The inside was stunning as well and I could have spend an entire day photographing the building a grounds alone.

But enough about the scenery for now. Katie and Eric, whom I had never met in person before, turned out to be the most fantastic couple to work with in every way. Photography was extremely important to them, and they did all the right things to make sure they captured every detail of their day. Everything went off without a hitch, and I had the most fun with this fantastic family who enthusiastically celebrated this very special day in a very special place.

A special thanks to John Thrift, Director of Catering and Special Events at Berry Hill, and all the wonderful staff who were a delight to work with as well. I can’t say enough about how well they treat strangers.

So here is the longest blog post in the history of this blog. Katie and Eric….thanks so much and Best Wishes for a wonderful Life together!

Kemper

Went up to Camp a few weeks ago to open things up and get the place cleaned. It was a working vacation for me cause I had to get some weddings edited and finish a new marketing piece. No internet cause I’m too cheap to pay $ 70 a month for an air card so I had to book it to the little coffee shop in the village every morning to get my mail and upload some galleries. One morning I just couldn’t make it so when I got there they were closed! Went on a rather hilarious venture into Amsterdam (the city in NY…not the one in The Netherlands) and quickly learned that this is a city far behind in the times. No coffee shops, not even a Starbucks which is utterly amazing.

So I stopped at a little computer store whose owner told me that he had heard if you sit in the parking lot at the old Best Western you can sometimes get a signal. I went fishing there for some broadband and did indeed stumble upon a spot where I got enough for a five minute download/upload session and was outa there.

Of course the highlight of the trip was watching Jack explore Camp for the first time. Needless to say, he was in doggie heaven with the woods, the lake, and a field full of tall grass and lots of smells all within a few feet of the front door. In order to prepare him for the water, I had been taking him down to the river for a month before the trip, having him fetch sticks from the deep part. He caught on fast, so by the time he got to Camp he was an expert paddler with no fear. He could easily swim out about 25 yards with us and stay out there with no assistance. But most of all I think he enjoyed digging in the beach where he made ample progress turning over all of the sand so that it looked fresh and new.

By the time we left to come back to Roanoke, Jack was tuckered out and slept the entire 10 hour trip. He is a joy. The best $129 I ever spent.

Ok…. I’m fortunate enough to have the best clients possible who are some of the most gracious people you would ever want to meet. I get lots of love from them raving about their photos and most importantly their photography experience. That means so much to me because I put everything I’ve got into making a wonderful photography experience that they will remember forever forever.

But, yesterday I got an email from someone who was simply attending a recent wedding and wanted to pass along a compliment to the photographers. I suppose they weren’t quite sure that Kemper was there (she called me cute!), but as long as this business has my name on it…..I WILL be the photographer.

I was getting ready to go to lunch with a bunch of friends when the email came, and I suppose I was just a tad giddy after I read it. This email meant so much to me. Someone who doesn’t have a dime invested in my product took the time to make sure I felt appreciated. How huge is that?

So is this bragging?? I suppose it is. But I don’t have a bulletin board to hang all my nice cards and letters on for all my customers to see. So here it is…..my bragging wall-blog.

To all my clients (and really, everyone I come in contact with IS my client) thank you so much for all you give to me. Your trust me with one of the most important days of your Life, or maybe just an order for a 4×6 from the wedding. I appreciate it all. And, I certainly appreciate all the emails and comments that I get. They can really make a person feel good when they try so hard to please.

Oh….. and the pretty girl with the long brown hair holding the flash in the air for 5 hours…..thank you, too!

Kemper :)

Dodging raindrops is a challenge, but a downpour is cause for Plan B. A bit tough getting outdoor shots when the weather doesn’t cooperate, so you quickly take advantage of those windows of opportunity and keeps a towel handy to mop up the equipment. Weddings are full of beautiful things and all your friends and family, none of which require sunshine to enjoy and celebrate with anyway.

Michele and Dan were troopers when the skies started to cloud up. Not a complaint one. Nothing much to fear since all the plans were indoors anyway, but by the end of the day, the skies were blue, the sun was bright and they were headed for a fantastic extended honeymoon that I was pretty envious of.

Best Wishes Michele and Dan as you settle in to a new Life together! May a little rain on your wedding day provide all the fortune that fable promises.