Rachel & Dan | Philadelphia Wedding Photography

For most of us the whole Swine Flu "outbreak" was just another seemingly overhyped news story. Maybe there's something to it, maybe it was a good idea to stay away from Mexico, maybe not. Hard call right. For Rachel and Dan it was more of a problem. Their wedding was scheduled for Playa del Carmen May 23, about a month after the outbreak broke out. After deciding that going to Mexico wasn't a risk they wanted to take for themselves or possibly expose their guests to, they regrouped and started looking local.

They live in Chicago and quickly started scrambling looking for all new everything. My friend Kevin Weinstein had shot their engagement pictures but he was already booked for their date so he wasn't able to have gone to Mexico with them. They called Kevin to see if he could help them find a photographer. I happened to be free on May 23 and was happy to put my name out there for them to consider. First I was going to come to Chicago then Dan's dad worked some magic with Marriott and got them an awesome situation at the Marco Island resort. It wasn't Mexico but it was the beach.

I flew down the day before, hung out on the beach, went to the rehearsal dinner and had a great time with the crew for the day of the wedding.

A full slideshow can be found (here).

Thanks so much! These are absolutely fantastic. The photos are so incredibly creative and candid, and you truly captured so many precious moments.

–– Rachel

Thinking through the plans for the next day as Rachel's brother shares his thoughts on the ceremony he'll be performing.

As an artist, when you have someone as cool and gorgeous as Rachel your job can be really really easy.




Details. Details. Details.



I love a woman who isn't afraid to laugh from deep down.



At sunset the three of us took a walk on the beach. There was no real sun but blue and soft is good too.


Details. Details. Details.

Yes, it happens. Not often but it does happen.




My wife and son even came down and we stayed a few extra days soaking up the sun while my then 9 month old son had his first taste, literally, of sand. I try not to talk too much about my family here just to keep things focused and all but since my family became part of this event, I feel compelled to share one image from the iPhone.

Anna & Sean | Philadelphia Wedding Photographer

Anna & Sean continue my theme of easy going, love to have around clients. In the weeks leading up to their big day at the John J. Audubon Center in Audubon, we met at the site to go over details of the day and take in the landscape. This is the center's first event season and they were still putting the final touches on the outdoor space. Touches like building the bathrooms. Regardless, Anna & Sean were mellow, concerned but mellow, about it all. It was a sign of how they handle stress and dealing with what they can and can't control. Sure enough, by the time the wedding rolled around the grounds looked great and the bathrooms were working, more or less.

The cocktail hour was held in this ancient converted barn that had some of the most killer light I've ever seen, not to mention this amazing backdrop that felt like something out of Tuscany. It rocked, as did Urban Gorilla Orchestra. I hadn't worked with these guys before but they were impressive. Overall the night was a blast.

A full slideshow is (here).

These are amazing! There are so many beautiful shots!

I sent these to one of my friends (who was in the wedding) and this
was her response (I have to say I feel the same way):

"OH MY GOD. omg, those are the most beautiful pics ive ever seen.
i wish i used your photographer! im just ok with mine....we JUST got
our mockup album and theres no pretty black and whites like how your
guy made the pics so like etherreal and flowy
THEY ARE UNBELIEVABLE!!!"

They really are unbelievable.

–– Anna

A brief but rather strong shower rolled through right in the middle of the ceremony. Remember what I said about these guys being laid back and not getting stressed over what can't be controlled.

Things got a little emotional when Sean's brother had a personal reading during the ceremony.

Min Jung & Steve | Philadelphia Wedding Photographer

Min Jung and Steve had an intimate wedding for close family and friends at the Four Seasons in Center City. It was a quiet afternoon but no less meaningful. I think the slower pace of the day actually allowed for everyone to take in the meaning of the moment even more.

They were hoping to run around Center City after the wedding but if you were here in Philly in May and June you know there weren't many nice weekends. So we put the post-ceremony portraits off until the weather got better and went over to Longwood Gardens. If you haven't been, go. It's pretty gorgeous there, especially right around sunset. The greenhouses house an amazing array of plants and flowers that'll brighten up a dreary winter weekend once that comes back around in a few months.


In case you're wondering, Min Jung made all of these tissue paper flowers, above, herself. It took many late nights for her and her sister to get it all done in the weeks leading up to the wedding but the extra touch of a something hand made brought a nice personal touch to the luncheon space.









It may be just me and my brief time playing cello in middle school orchestra and my regrets of giving it up for my then love of Black Sabbath and Billy Idol, don't ask, but when I look through this shoot at Longwood, I hear cello music. It's surely partly due to the setting but there's something about the layered, dramatic and whimsical aspects of the pictures that connects me to why I love the cello as an instrument. Ok. Enough of that artsy stuff.


This picture above may challenge some people's ideas of a proper portrait but it's actually one of my recent favorites. I think the blur combined with the beautiful warm light of sunset makes for a dreamy image. I love working on the edges of what's possible. It doesn't always bring in a winner but when it does I think it is elevated beyond the norm. It's about making that creative connection in the moment.