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.

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.