Winery Wedding WOW

The weather forecast for the weekend was gray, and grey it was. When we assembled for photographs at the Sunset Hills Winery in Purcellville, the light was so Blah that Brandon, the groom asked me to photograph a sun sliver, an opening in the clouds where a few rays were desperately trying to break out of the heavens and kiss the ground. When it came time for the Ceremony, “Someone Up There said “Let there be light: and glorious golden rays flooded the knoll and bathed all in gold. Robert Hanson, played beautiful music as Diane Stanley, the officiant got down to business and reminded all why we were there. And so, two became one

Felice and Brandon chose an ideal location for their wedding. The Winery has a grassy knoll for the ceremony at the side of a lake, a fabulously restored barn with a handcrafted tasting bar, and hundreds of details of Amish barn building.

Felice did all of the programs, menus and details her self. Her wedding coordinator, Vickie Grafton of My Simple Details, handled the rest and acted as the MC, a chore often relegated to or assumed by the photographer in the absence of a DJ or MC. A very small detail of the Village Flowers arrangements impressed me. The boquets were splendid but the fact that the boutineer pins were strong and did not bend, really showed me their know how.

The food like everything else was elegant, with Basikneads Catering at the helm. Food appeared in large bowls, like Grand Ma had in her kitchen and kneaded bread or mixed the stuffing in, rather than the food industry specials, stainless steel with Bunsen burners. The menu may have looked simple, it was anything but. The buffet had a Latin flavor to it, Chipotle Marinated Angus Flank Steak with Sherry Mushroom Sauce (Pre-Sliced on Platter with Sauce on the Side), Gambas al Ajillo (serve in earthenware bowls), Grilled Catalan Pork Sausages with Caramelized Baby Onions (Skewered), seasoned shrimp served individually on Tapas sized plates, Roasted Potato Salad with Caramelized Onion Dressing (Served room temperature), Roasted Fennel and Green Bean Medley, and crisp Garlic Points. I was one of the many going back for seconds and others tried thirds

Felice and Brandon decided to take a different approach to a wedding cake. Neither had liked the cakes at the last three wedding they attended. So, what to do? Go to Harris Teeter, buy one each of their six variety cakes and WALA, a cake buffet. They ate the coconut cream cake and both were licking their fingers like a pair of kids.

Time was marching across the clock and it was speeches, dancing, and hugs and kisses. Then it was time for Brandon to take Felice off into the cool evening to a new life

Blog from the Back Yard

Years ago, when I was a kid, many people were married in a home, their parents, a relative, or friends. Home marriages sort of fell out of favor in the 80s and 90s when we raced to find ways to spend our money in new and lavish ways.

Haylei and Craig had a lavish home wedding last week in sunny Herndon, Virginia. What made it special, unique, and lavish was the warmth, the love, the friendship that was evident and radiated from the bride and groom to each other and all of the guests.

It was warm, that Saturday, no it was HOT, darn Hot. Julie and Spike Williams of Williams Realty opened their home, with its cool pool, and booked the neighborhood Gazebo which overlooked a wonderful lake to host the Festivities. Reverend Daniel Kane tied the knot in front of family and friends and a horse and buggy. More on that later.

The guests assembled in the sun on hot white chairs and waited and waited for the bride. The groom was waiting, and then we HEARD the bride appear, clip, clop, clippty clop, she appeared in the distance in a white dress, sitting on red velvet, in horse drawn carriage. Haylei’s coach drove down the hill and made a wide turn, stopping at a long white runner which was straining to come loose and blow away in the wind. Dad went to work and escorted a beautiful daughter down the isle to Craig. Reverend Kane did his thing and the two became one.

Then it was party time. The bride and groom luxuriated in the carriage and started on a planned jaunt around the neighborhood. Up the hill they went and stopped. Guess what, it is hard for the horse to traverse a hill with a steel coach a driver, a bride and groom and a broken bridle. To make a long story short, 3 more attempts failed. Then the riders dismounted and the handler rolled the carriage back. The carriage driver and the horse handler got a running start and all barely made it over the crest of the hill with the driver and handler pulling. Once they made it, all the guests went straight for the cool ones. The musicians were old friends of the couple, knew their favorites, and just went to town. Splash, splash, splash, and three kids were in the pool, cool ones were disappearing, and the Sal-n-Don’s caterers were smoking up two barbeques with a great feast.

OBTW, the cupcake weddingcake was perfect for a poolside celebration and survived the heat.

Emdog333 Gets Bit by the Love Bug

Her email name is EMDOG333. Her real name is Emily. Emily lives in Barryville, VA and wanted to get married in Winchester, in a brand new wedding and banquet hall that specialized in steamship round of beef.

She had a secret plan, one that is very common in Asia and at Asian weddings. She was going to change dresses in the middle of the party. The plan worked and surprised everyone. She had a beautiful silk gown with a big train that was so heavy that two of the bridesmaids had to help her get it over her head. It worked for the ceremony, entrance, first dance "walking the walk"with her new hubby and dinner. Her "plan" was to wear a light weight gown for the "heavy dancing." When she casually came in wearing what can be described as a ball gown out of a movie set, heads tuned. It was a "stunner" as the Brits say.

Each gown was exquisite in it own way and both were perfect for EMDOG333.

P.S. The beef was really yummy!!!!

Where oh Where is The Road to Gramercy Mansion?

When Jordan’s dad, a long time associate, hired me to photograph his youngest daughter’s wedding, I knew the wedding would be in Maryland. BUT, I had no idea WHERE it would be. They said Baltimore. Well, Baltimore is where Baltimore always was, and that is 50 minutes from my house. Gramercy Mansion is a beautiful, restored, private home, circa 1902. It is a wonderful place for a wedding, as a matter of a fact, Jordan’s was the third of the day. The ceremony was in a secluded clearing in a forest, an unbelievable place to tie the knot. The reception’s dinner was in an indoor/outdoor room with an unusual charm.

Gramercy Mansion was built in 1902 by Alexander J. Cassatt, owner of the Pennsylvania Railroad and brother of the American Impressionist painter, Mary Cassatt. Dad presented the house and grounds to his daughter Eliza as a wedding gift and the estate is now a quiet bed and breakfast with eleven guest rooms.

All that said, Gramercy Mansion AINT in Baltimore, no matter what Google says. It is in the small town of Lutherville, so small it is not on Google’s map.

Being so far away did not detract from the fun family, friends, and guests had. The DJ was nonstop, spinning the platters and exhorting all to rise, get on the dance floor and PARTY, and they did! It took two hours to get home.

Plagiarism is the Sincerest Form of Flattery

Photographers never know how a shoot will turn out until it is over. There are too many variables. When Donald Keith Photography photographed Jami and Jeff, , 7 years ago no one had any idea Jami would seek me out and ask me to photograph a renewal ceremony, 2 days shy of their 7 th anniversary.

They had a brush with poor health, were fortunate to have it in the past, and decided to renew their vows. The bride scanned the images from the original wedding and provided them to all the guests as a souvenir on a DVD. The photographer, minister, and maid of honor were the same. The colors were the similar, as were many of the guests. When I viewed the CD, I saw them and the wedding 7 years ago. The taste of her dad's back yard bar-b-que returned to my mouth. This time the ceremony was in West Virginia's beautiful Cacapon State Park. Fantastic location for a wedding.

Renewals for the same couple, generational events (Parents-children) for a family, and multiple family events (2 or more wedding of siblings) only come with years in the business and the gray hair that goes with it.

Generational Photographer

When you have been a photographer for as many years as I have, you have some family business from previous clients you have worked with. I photographed the wedding of sisters, the Bar or Bat Mitzvahs of the children in a family but this weekend's circumstances were different .

My wife and I know Brenda and Murry from our children’s grammar school. We became family friends. Then one of the sons became a husband and my photographs now hang on their wall, admired by their children. Funny thing, a second son found a bride and his wife says the kids love to pour over the album, seeing mom and dad on their special day. But there was one son, whose wedding I missed. I was lucky enough to be at that son’s son's Bar Mitzvah.
As I was photographing, it struck me. Our two families have been intertwined for 40+ years and I have been fortunate enough to record some of our friend's children's life events. It is a happy feeling to hear kids of kids tell you they like your photographs from the time they were gleams in their parent’s eyes

TIME to Kill

Brides view timelines planning differently. Here at Donald Keith Photography, we have seen both ends of the spectrum; from a completely scripted event with steps and turns for the ceremony to "let it happen.” Most brides find a middle ground, suiting their personality and one that mom or hubby to be, can live with. The pit fall is that Murphy is alive and well at loves to attack a wedding. This is the guy who wrinkles the brides dress, causing a panic attack looking for a steam iron and resulting in a $3,000 overtime bill at the church; Or the buss that breaks down on the American Legion Bridge in the middle of a torrential rain storm, causing several thousand of dollars in vendor overtime charges and winding up on TV and in court. Or the bride who arrives at the church from the hair dresser, takes her hair down and resets it, causing a 45 minute delay in the church ceremony. I could go on and on. My point is none of these real life examples could be prevented with a minute by minute plan of the day. My suggestion is to make a loose plan for the day, in blocks of time such 3-4 PM, Photographs-- not 3:00-310, groom photos, 3:11-3:30 bride photos. Time block allow wiggle room and lifts stress from the brides shoulders.

Plan realistically. It is almost impossible to make 50 photographs of family groups in 30 minutes, and assemble the groups to boot! Plan judiciously. Start with the bride, build on the groom, add on the best man and maid of honor, then finish with the whole wedding party.

Number the family groups and hand each person a 3 x 5 card with the group number he or she is in. Build these groups logically also. Aunt Betty and Uncles Joe, then add their kids, and then finish with the kids and grand kids. YOU get it !!!!

Venice is a normal city BUT

You have to remember Venice sits on a series of Islands and the logistics of keeping it normal, functioning, and afloat (no pun intended) are tremendous. Goods (food, lumber, sheet rock, wine, EVERYTHING comes in by train, overland trucks, or cargo boat. Along the edges of the main island in the industrial area, workers break large loads into smaller sizes, smaller portions get moved to a break down point where they are sub divided into hand truck manageable bundles and then moved by a person to the last destination. THE PROCESS IS LABOR INTENSIVE AND CONTRIBUTES IN LARGE MEASURE THE COST OF EVERYTHING. The neighborhood supermarket, two blocks fron my B and B, the RESIDENZIA RIVERIA received its food by an 18-wheeler very early in the morning. A major difference, however. The truck was driven onto a specially designed liter, so that that the transport boat could back into the causeway in front of the supermarket, open the doors of the truck, and special forklifts in and outside the truck unloaded specially designed pallets and moved them into the store through a door. Of course, I left the camera in the room.

Not so with the garbage. My camera was ready early in the morning when a funny looking green lighter pulled into a canal outlet going to the sea. The workboat was low in the water with a familiar looking contraption riding in the boat. WALLA, IT WAS A GARBAGE TRUCK tucked into a garbage collection boat. But wait, something was different. The top of the truck had hatches in it and the boat driver was sitting in a small control cab for a crane. Garbage collection is the reverse of supplying the island. Householders put one day’s garbage into small supermarket bags and leave them out side the door. The Commune of Venice (city) collects them in medium kitchen sized trash bags, which they stuff all into clear lawn/leaf capacity plastic bags. Not to little, not too big but easily handled by one person. The neighborhood garbage collections wind up in rolling carts, pushed to the side of a canal to meet their fate with the garbage boat.

The boat arrives, a section of the top pops open, the crane swings over a rolling cart and picks it up. It swings back over the open truck section, drops the cart on to bars which open springs on the cart bottom, the bottom drops and you hear the sound of bottles and cans as it all CRASHES to the bottom of the garbage truck. The compactor does its WHIRR, CRONCH, CRUNCH and the process starts over again with another cart.

Garbage disposal isn’t supposed to be this complicated, but then again, most of us do not live on the Island of Venice.

Last Night, Lucky Night

The organizers told us the tour took us to St. Marks square, and then we would go to dinner. The hosts were masters of understatement. We spent 20 minutes hearing about the history of the Basilica of San Marco in St. Marks Square. Then the guides invited us in through a side door for a private organ concrete, tour, alter walk through, and a visit to St. Mark’s crypt. We entered in darkness and sat listening to the first sounds from a huge pipe organ. Gradually lights came on, one by one, bank by bank, revealing millions of golden glass mosaic particles covering the walls and ceiling. WOW, double WOW. The Basilica can seat 1000 but was the private chapel of the Doge (elected ruler of the City Republic of Venice.) The vast majority of the tourists never even get inside of the hugh edifice, let alone hear an organ concert, and take a guided tour of the inside. Best of all, I was able to take some no flash photographs. Then off to a leisurely Italian dinner in one of the cities finest restraints, at the foot of the famed Feniche Opera House. MORE WOW!!!!

Blogging from Venice

Being without a computer since last Sunday has been more of a pain than you can imagine. Our B and B, had line trouble and had no phone or internet for 4 days. Relying on internet cafes and hot spots was time consuming, very expensive and dangerous to my computer (picked up a piece of malware that junk mailed my address book.)

Venice is a city designed for photographers. Everywhere you look that are 5 photos that you must take. Each is rustic, quaint, and beautiful. Therefore, you keep photographing, knowing there is no way possible to print all or even show them to friends. Our host at the B and B welcomed us with an unexpected meal, on him,we learned later. The photo above is the 1st course. After we unpacked, washed our faces, and changed, it was hardcore tourist time. In Venice that means WALK, WALK, and continue to walk. It was 4 miles the first day. Photography was on my mind and I wanted to capture as much as I could. The bed felt good that night.

15 hours, 25 Minutes to Freedom

Where did the term Freedom Bird originate? For me it was Nam in 68, the flight back home, the end of which was a symbolic pass along the length of the Golden Gate Bridge, wings rocking and every man and woman screaming their lungs out. In 15 hours and 25 minutes I will board a UAL flight to Frankfurt and then on to Venice, for some gelato, coffee and pastries, and a week with my younger twin brother, bopping around and refusing to grow up. I have not packed a thing yet. I have two piles and some more in the bedroom. Mentally I am on vacation and making plans for the photography. I will play tourist for 3.5 days and then morph into the conference photographer. This is pure vacation for me, a little kid, plenty of expensive toys and plenty of photo ops. What more can a person do as they wait to grow up.

Predeparture E-mails

Two important last minute emails arrived in the last36 hours. One was from the Congress Co-chair. He asked me to be his official photographer, something I have done for him in the past. My immediate reply, it will be my pleasure.

The second was from our B and B. My radar alarm bells went off and my thinking was "Now what? and gingerly opened the email like you do a paper envelope when you don't want to read the contents. It was a shock!! A cordial welcome e-mail from the owner telling us we were in the Julia room and asking what time we would arrive. What a pleasant surprise.

My response was: "How nice to get a welcome email from our home away from home. My brother and I arrive separately in Venice at 0940 and 1015 AM. We have to process, get money, find the luggage, buy a Venizia pass etc. Then it is time for a gelato. After that we will water taxi, train, or bus to the island. Then it is time for coffee and pastry. We hope to arrive at your home ~ 1400-1500 hours. Is that good for you? By that time and after all that heavy lifting, we might need another gelato.

Cherry Blossoms, Wind, Cold, Snow, and Frost Bite for All

What do I know? I am only the photographer. The groom to be called the day before the shoot and asked if a 10' Celsius temperature was too cold for scheduled photo session. After converting to Fahrenheit, checking sunset time, I said "Nah," good to go. BUT, a 20-30 MPH wind knocked our socks off. The bride had a short sleeved blouse, light weight jacket and a borrowed mans coat. The groom had a long sleeved shirt and a suit jacket in the car. We did the first location with a small degree of pain as the bride slipped her strapless gown over her had for a quick photograph. The pain increased as we walked to the second location. When we got out of the car at the third, with all the cherry blossoms, their pain was real (so was mine). Sooo, when we arrived at Union Station, the last location, everyone was totally happy. The photographs were the best, as all of us thawed out. When will I learn to trust my gut?

Getting Ready –Part 3

Today’s series of emails gave us a final program, a welcome, as well a list of inexpensive accommodations in Venice in Italian of course. So much for my 16-hour expeditionary march across the web searching for our B and B. The most important gem my friends Gian Carlo Di Renzo and Giovanni B. La Sala,the co-chairpersons, sent was a link to the Conference Center on San Servolo Island, in Venice. Click on it and you will see 6 photographs of a stunning island devoted to the learning process. Sometime it pays to be the son of a famous physician, (te he te he).

Getting Ready –Part 2

The pace picks up as you get ready to depart for an international destination. Emails fly through the ether and demand immediate reading since there is potential for changes in SOMETHING. In Part I of this post you read that I was the senior twin (twin A) of a twin set. Not any more. The organizing committee demoted me to the rank of my brother’s son. Given the fact he has no children, I will readily assume this position. In fact, my name tag will say Donald Keith, Louis Keith’s son. This will further confuse all who know me and still mistake me for Louis. They will say, “Louis, since when do you have a beard? My reply will be the standard twin response, “excuse me, who are you?” This piles good natured embarrasment onto bewilderment. Way cool to be a twin who refuses to grow up.

The B and B

I spent 16 hours on the net looking for a hotel in Venice before striking pay dirt. We are in a 6 room B and B, called the Residenza Rivera, located in Dorsoduro Est. It sounds charming and the reviews are very complimentary. The location, the location, the location, is great. Take a look at some of the photos from the internet. My twin brother, Louis (MD, PhD) will stay there with me for 4 nights and then we move to a venue on the island of San Clemente for two days where we will attend the First World Congress on Twin Pregnancy. We have not seen each other for several months and are really looking forward to the trip. Our plan is an activity followed by a gelato, from morning until night. Louis says the pistachio is to die for, my preference is the berry flavors.