maryland wedding photographer

Mia and Rob's Daughters of the American Revolution Museum Wedding!

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There is so much to love about Mia and Rob's wedding that took place at the Daughters of American Revolution Museum!  First off, their color palette was amazing.  You'll know straight away with the photos what I mean.  I love that they used a paint splatter of yellow, pink and purple on their invites, and they carried those colors through their flowers, table decorations, and even their uplighting at their reception.  Secondly, they used their rottweiler, Paige, as an inspiration for their reception decor.  They even had people sign a portrait of her!  Anyone who is willing to use their dog as part of their wedding has my seal of approval! Mia and Rob's big day began at The Willard in Washington, D.C.  We were able to get some great getting ready photos, followed by Mia and Rob's super cute first look!  Afterward, even though it started raining slightly, Mia, Rob and their fearless gang (the wedding party) began the journey on foot over to the DAR!  By the time we arrived the rain stopped and we were able to capture some really awesome photos just outside the DAR and then on the roof!  Personally, I'm obsessed with that rooftop view.  I love that I can see the Washington Monument and then turn and get a really crazy picture of the green copper facade of the DAR.  So cool!

Due to the threat of rain, the ceremony was inside under the DAR's portico.  It was still really beautiful, and both Mia and Rob looked like they were having the time of their lives tying the knot!  Afterward I took a few more photos of Mia and Rob on the roof and then it was time for the reception!  I still can't get over all of the amazing bright colors they used and how it all tied in perfectly. After dinner, Mia switched into her second dress of the evening before their first dance.  I particularly loved the uplighting outside which was rotating all of their signature colors.  Another awesome detail Mia and Rob had was...a donut stand!  It was torture for a gluten-free eater such as myself, but man, those cake donuts looked amazing!  To end the night, I took Mia and Rob back upstairs on the roof and lit them up with the green facade of the DAR and the very beautiful Washington Monument.  I told you I couldn't get enough of that view!  :)

Many thanks to Mia, Rob and their families and friends for letting me be a part of their big day.  And also, many thanks to all of the incredible vendors they used.  This wedding was a WIN!

Catering: Susan Gage 
Venue: DAR Museum
Videographer:  Thomas Bowen Films
Makeup: Jan Scott
Musicians: Chris Dunn
Officiant: Jesus  Rivera
Donuts: Carpe Donut
Furniture Rentals: AFR Event Furnishings
DJ: Mike Ramos of DJ Glyde and Washington Talent
Thanks for looking!
Love,
Lisa

Deanna and Joe's Whitehall Manor Wedding!

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It wasn't so long ago that I spent a stormy afternoon photographing the wedding of one of my couples, Deanna and Joe!  They were married at Whitehall Manor in Bluemont, Virginia, and although we were supposed to have steamy 100 degree weather, luckily some storms came through that cooled everything off and brought some much needed rain.  Personally, I was really excited about the rain (I'm one of those people that loves storms), so for me it was a dream come true to have some overcast clouds and cooler weather to in. Deanna and Joe were both completely calm about the rain that came in before their ceremony.  You'll see in a photograph that Deanna was talking through a door, and that's because she was confirming with Joe that they were a "go" for their outdoor ceremony, as it looked like we would get a break in the rain.  Once Deanna was in her dress, I couldn't resist getting some photos of her naturally looking out the window to see if the rain was subsiding.  The light was so perfect!  When the ceremony finally commenced, everything went perfectly.  Sure, there it sprinkled a bit and there was thunder in the distance, but Deanna and Joe were beaming with excitement during the whole ceremony, and it really showed in the photos!  After the ceremony we had to dodge some rain, but did manage to get some outdoor photos done before the reception!

The reception was indoors and I think everyone completely relaxed once we were all inside!  Without the threat of rain, everyone managed to let loose, laugh and just party!  One of my favorite images from the night is from Deanna and Joe's sparkler send-off, which was a little crazy!  Because it had been stormy all day, at certain times there was a decent amount of wind.  Welp, when it was time for Deanna and Joe to leave there was a lot of wind, and let's just say that sparklers and wind create a lot of smoke and a lot of flying sparks everywhere (and boy did those sparks hurt!).  However, it certainly made for an interesting photo!  :)

Many thanks to Deanna and Joe for allowing me to photograph their special day!  I hope you enjoy the photos!

Thanks for looking!

Love,

Lisa

Mia and Rob's Daughters of the American Revolution Museum Wedding - Sneak Peek!

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This past weekend I had the honor of photographing Mia and Rob's wedding in downtown DC at the Daughters of the American Revolution Museum!  This is one of my favorite shots of the whole day, taken on the roof of the DAR at night.  I hope you enjoy it!

Thanks for looking!

Love,

Lisa

Amanda and Adam's Westin Alexandria Wedding!

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Happy Friday, everyone!  Today I'm blogging on two very awesome people, Amanda and Adam!  Amanda and Adam were married at the Westin Alexandria in Alexandria, Virginia on one of the hottest days of the summer, so you can imagine how excited I was when the entire celebration was indoors!  Of course, I'm sure they (and their guests) were equally as excited! Amanda and Adam wanted to start their day off with a first look, and since it's been quite a few weddings since I've actually had a first look, I was thrilled with theirs!  I've never done a first look with a couple perfectly back-to-back, and I thought their reactions were just so cute!  You could tell how happy their were to see each other and it definitely created a calm over them before their ceremony.  Also, can I just say that I love Amanda's wreath that she wore? I haven't seen a bride wear a wreath/veil combination before, and I thought she looked amazing with it!

Amanda and Adam's wedding ceremony was simple and beautiful.  They both were all smiles during the entire event which made for some super cute photos.  After their ceremony, we did make the brave decision to go outside for a few photographs in the courtyard in front of the Westin.  Even though it was incredibly hot, we were in the shade and were mayyyybe outside for 10 minutes max.  But I think it was worth it because Amanda and Adam just look so darn great in their photos!

Once we were back inside it was clear the party was on!  Everyone had an incredible time dancing and letting loose.  At the end of the night I decided to take a shot with one of the Westin windows that had a clear, beautiful view of the George Washington Masonic Memorial (a staple view in Alexandria) and I was really pleased with how the photo turned out!

Many thanks to Amanda and Adam, their family and friends for having me along for the ride!  Also, I have to give a huge shout out to Graceful Weddings who kept the day moving along smoothly and who were always willing to step in as my test subjects when I needed them.  Enjoy!

Thanks for looking!

Love,

Lisa

Sarah and Justin's Woodend Nature Sanctuary Wedding!

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Not too long ago I had the honor of photographing Sarah and Justin's wedding at Woodend Nature Sanctuary in Chevy Chase, Maryland!  What I love about Sarah and Justin is that they're two of the most sincere people you'll ever meet.  There's no denying that they love each other with all that they have, and I absolutely loved seeing that translate in their photos! Sarah and Justin both elected to not see each other before their big Chuppah ceremony, and they even chose to not see each other during the traditional Jewish Ketubah signing!  I had no idea how those photos were going to turn out (their families and friends held up a barrier between them), but I actually really liked them!  At one point Justin winked at the camera which was just so dang cute.  The Chuppah ceremony outside looked amazing, especially with the pops of navy and yellow in the decor that Sarah and Justin included in the ceremony!  Both Sarah and Justin each had the most touching sentiments toward one another during their vows (and yes, even I got weepy), and you can tell in the photos how much they care for each other.  They looked just as stunning in their outdoor portraits before we came inside to par-tay!  And of course, Sarah completely stunned everyone later in the night with her worm dance that was, I'm sure, the best I've ever seen.  I mean, when a bride is willing to do that on the dance floor in her dress...she clearly is the winner of all the worm dances...ever.  :)  We wrapped up the night with a gorgeous night time shot under one of the huge trees at Woodend, and I could not have been happier!

Many thanks to Sarah and Justin and their families and friends for having myself and Mike tag along for this special event!  We had a blast!

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Thanks for looking!

Love,

Lisa

Deanna and Joe's Whitehall Manor Wedding - Sneak Peek!

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This past (very hot) Sunday, Deanna and Joe were married at Whitehall Manor!  Fortunately, storms were forecasted to come through the area...and boy did they ever!  But the stormy weather made the entire wedding so much more enjoyable in the cooler temperatures and lovely overcast skies.  I actually really adored the rain being in some of their photos!  Here are a few sneak peeks from Deanna and Joe's wedding that I hope you enjoy!

Thanks for looking!

Love,

Lisa

Amanda and Adam's Westin Alexandria Wedding - Sneak Peek!

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This past Saturday was a scorcher!  Luckily, Amanda and Adam's wedding was all indoors at the Westin Alexandria in Old Town.  Although we did make it outside for five minutes (and no more...the heat index was 110!), I really loved some of the photos we were able to get inside with the two of them.  The first shot in these sneak peeks is from their first look, and I just adore it.  More to come from these two lovebirds!  Enjoy! Thanks for looking!

Love,

Lisa

 

Alexis and Andrew's Oxon Hill Manor Wedding!

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It's pretty crazy to think that I met Alexis and Andrew almost a year and a half ago!  Alexis found me through the amazing local area blog, United with Love, and I couldn't be more thankful for that!  I've enjoyed each time I have spent with this couple, whether that was at their engagement session or just meeting to go over wedding logistics.  They're just awesome! Alexis and Andrew's wedding day began at the Embassy Suites in Old Town, a gorgeous hotel not too far from Oxon Hill Manor.  I really loved some of the getting ready photos, just because you could really feel the emotion of the day in them.  Alexis looked absolutely stunning in her wedding gown, and you could see how excited all her bridesmaids were for her!  Once we all arrived at Oxon Hill I was able to take a few bridal portraits of Alexis which I just looooooooove.  She just has this old Hollywood glamour about her that is hard to stop photographing!  But I think my favorite getting ready photo was of Alexis and her dad in her suite.  Taken through the mirror on the wall, you can see her father's excitement seeing her for the first time in her dress.  It's just so sweet!

The rest of the wedding day was absolutely beautiful.  Alexis and Andrew's ceremony was a traditional Ukrainian ceremony, which had a lot of elements I enjoyed.  My favorite part was probably the crowning of Alexis and Andrew.  This was when Alexis and Andrew were both crowned with wreaths, which symbolizes that they will be the king and queen of their own family kingdom, ruling side by side.  Who wouldn't love that?  :)  After the ceremony we took lots of awesome photos, and it you'll notice through the photos you see that the wedding instantly turned into a fun celebration.  Everyone was just having an amazing time, even before we started the reception!  Once the reception started rolling though, more fun was to be had for sure.  One of my favorite parts of the reception was her maid of honor starting her toast to Alexis, but then launching into a dance sequence with the other bridesmaids and dancing around Alexis.  It was amaaaaaazing!  But I can't forget about one of my favorite guest appearances, Morton the mallard.  It's a tradition with Alexis and her Boston University gals to bring Morton to every wedding they attend and make sure he's photographed throughout the reception.  I think Morton had a great time (as did I!).

Many thanks to Alexis and Andrew for having me photograph their big day!  I had an absolute blast!  Also a huge thank you to Maria at HJ Planners for all of her hard work, along with Zack Pope of Roundz Catering for making some of the best food I've ever had at a wedding!  I hope you enjoy the photos!

Thanks for looking!

Love,

Lisa

Alexis and Andrew's Oxon Hill Manor Wedding - Sneak Peek!

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This past Friday I finally got to photograph Alexis and Andrew's wedding at Oxon Hill Manor in Oxon Hill, Maryland!  I've been waiting over a year for their special day, and I was so excited to be a part of it.  I was also excited to try out a photograph I had pictured in my head for a while with the two of them, which was on the staircase at Oxon Hill.  It's one of my favorite shots from this year, and I hope you enjoy it!  More to come!

Thanks for looking!

Love,

Lisa

Suzannah and Keith's Bluemont Vineyard Wedding!

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A few weeks back I had the honor of photographing Suzannah and Keith's Wedding at The Stable at Bluemont Vineyard in Bluemont, Virginia!  Their wedding day was absolutely perfect, with a nice blue sky, puffy clouds, and a lovely warmth that makes you inhale the goodness of spring.  I adored working with this couple because they were just so laid back and were completely on board to do any kind of photographs I wanted!  Little did I know that when we walked outside to do some photos before the ceremony that they both were prepared to become instant models!  They completely shocked me (in the best way possible) with their calm composure and stunning looks. Their ceremony was filled with so much joy and laughter.  True story: The ceremony began with "Mawwwaaaaage!" just like the Princess Bride wedding ceremony.  Could Suzannah and Keith be any cuter?  I think not!  But then of course Suzannah did do something cuter and jumped for joy right when they were pronounced man and wife.  This is the gal that when I email always tells me she's twirling, so I'm sure you can imagine how joyful she really is!

The reception was simply stunning inside The Stable at Bluemont Vineyard.  It was very simple and rustic, and I loved how Suzannah and Keith donated money to the ASPCA in lieu of wedding favors.  So awesome!  You'll notice too, that they have a love for animals as their cake toppers not only featured themselves, but their adorable four cats!  Yay!  After dinner everyone danced the night away, participated in an old school photo booth, and generally just had a good time.  That night after things winded down a bit, I was able to drag Suzannah and Keith outside to a stable down the hill for some really cool night photos that we had all talked about.  Keith was a champ and let me borrow his huge man coat, and although I know I looked like a big puffball while setting up the shot and taking the photos, it was well worth it!

I really hope you enjoy all of the photos below!  And to Suzannah and Keith, and their family and friends, thank you so much for letting me be a part of your day.  I had an absolute blast, and I hope I get to see Suzannah and Keith in the fall!  More red hair, please!  ;)

Crystal and Stephen's Dumbarton House and China Garden Wedding!

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I'm so excited to share Crystal and Stephen's full wedding with you today!  I don't even know where to begin with this couple.  When I met with them the first time they told me all about their history, and it was pretty incredible to hear.  Both Crystal and Stephen's parents knew each other before Crystal and Stephen were even born, and Stephen's parents even guessed that Crystal would be a girl.  Needless to say, Crystal and Stephen ending up together is a real-life fairy tale, and I'm so honored I was there to photograph their big day! We started the day at the Hyatt Arlington where the gals and guys got ready, and boy did I love some of the getting ready photos we took!  I got a little carried away with Crystal, but she just looked so gorgeous and she kept doing all of these amazing poses...I couldn't help myself!  After we left the Hyatt we headed straight for The Dumbarton House for the wedding ceremony.  Due to the rain everything was indoors, but it still looked so lovely!  Crystal and Stephen tied the knot and included a red Chinese rope in their ceremony, which I had never seen before.  Red is a color you'll see a lot in their photos, because signifies love, joy and prosperity in the Chinese wedding tradition.  After their ceremony we stayed for a bit a Dumbarton and got some great group photos, and yes, you guessed it, went out in the rain for a bit!  Crystal coordinated everything so well with some umbrella's and I was really pleased with those shots!

Before we went to the reception, I asked if we could go back to the Hyatt's lobby and utilize this giant bench and cool background for some photos.  The best part about that was the giant bench I wanted to utilize was...bright red!  So, keeping in line with the prosperity of the Chinese tradition, we got some great photos of the wedding party and the happy couple before we hit up China Garden.

Once we got to China Garden, a party was unleashed!  Crystal and Stephen had their first dance, then changed into their Chinese attire, and then launched into some awesome Chinese traditions.  First, Crystal and Stephen had a tea ceremony where they offered tea to their parents and elders in their family, and in return received lucky red envelopes full of jewelry and money.  Second, they had an incredible Chinese Lion Dance with drummers come in and perform for the bride and groom!  The lions went all over the room collecting gifts for Crystal and Stephen while doing some really crazy dancing!  My favorite part of the dance was when Crystal and Stephen offered the lions lettuce, which is representational of their payment for the dance.  Then the lions chewed the lettuce and spit it out to spread prosperity in all directions.  The lions then offered Crystal and Stephen their gifts and it was all over!  The last tradition I experienced with Crystal and Stephen was the table toasting, where the bride and groom walk around to each table to thank their family and friends for the gifts they've offered.  It was really sweet to watch them walk around and acknowledge everyone there!

Once the traditions were finished, Crystal and Stephen changed back into their original attire and they got to relax and dance the night away.  Before I left, I did get some pretty great shots of them just outside of China Garden in an elevator lobby, which I just loved.  Stephen is solely responsible for making that happen, as we had some security issues with being able to use the space, but of course he worked his magic.  Did I mention how great Crystal and Stephen are?  ;)

Many thanks to Crystal, Stephen and their friends and family for letting me be part of their special day.  And also many thanks to Roberts Event Planning for keeping the day super awesome and organized.  More vendors at the bottom of this post!  Enjoy!

Photographer: Lisa Boggs Photography Planner: Roberts and Co. Events Hair: Valerie Bogley Makeup: Allison Leigh Makeup Artistry Brides Dress: P. Lawrence Bridals and Formals Hotel: Hyatt Rosslyn Ceremony: Dumbarton House String Trio: Bay Strings Officiant: Amber King (A King Celebration) Florals: Twinbrook Floral Design Cake: Fancy Cakes by Leslie Limo: KV Limo Reception: China Garden DJ:  Marc Augenbraum DJ Services Chinese Lion Dancers: CYC Lion Dance Program Chairs: DC Rentals

Thanks for looking!

Love,

Lisa

Suzannah and Keith's Bluemont Vineyard Wedding - Sneak Peeks!

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This past weekend I had the honor of photographing Suzannah and Keith's wedding at Bluemont Vineyard, and I'm so pleased with their photos!  Suzannah and Keith are complete naturals in front of the camera and both embraced some fun ideas I had, one of which was lighting up a a completely dark stable at night!  Chilly as it was for that shot, I think it was totally worth it!  I hope you enjoy their three sneak peeks below!  :)

Thanks for looking!

Love,

Lisa

Crystal and Stephen's Wedding Photo Booth!

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It's time for Crystal and Stephen's wedding photo booth!  Yay!  This past weekend we had a blast working with Crystal, Stephen, and their family and friends.  I'm so glad Crystal and Stephen decided to include the photo booth in their wedding, as we were really able to get some amazing shots!  Many thanks to Debi Parker for helping me out with these photos.  To view more of these, you can find them in their Facebook gallery here, or contact Crystal directly for the full gallery password.  Enjoy!

Thanks for looking!

Love,

Lisa

Crystal and Stephen's DC/VA Wedding - Sneak Peeks!

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This past weekends wedding with Crystal and Stephen was fantastic, even if it did rain!  We spent most of our time indoors, but that didn't stop us from getting a few shots outside (of course!  Don't you know I'm always game for rain!).  ;)  Below are a few sneak peeks from their stunning wedding at the Dumbarton House and China Garden.  I hope you enjoy!  Happy Monday!

Thanks for looking!

Love,

Lisa

Meet the Team of A Sweet Soirée Events!

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Just a few weeks back I was thrilled to be able to photograph the wedding planning team of A Sweet Soirée Events!  I have been working with Courtney Swierczek, the CEO (Chief Events Officer…as she calls it!), since 2010.  Courtney is an absolute pleasure to work with, and I'm very excited to continue working with her and her team in the upcoming 2012 wedding season!  Courtney was gracious enough to write up something about the styled shoot that we did with her and her new employees Ellen, Karen and Marisa...so without further ado, here's Courtney! "I am so excited to have Lisa share our styled photo shoot with her readers, and I'd love to share a bit of our background story to it. We are so thrilled and proud that A Sweet Soirée Events was able to hire three new employees last year to serve our clients. But along with it, came the need for cohesive head shots and group photos for our website and marketing materials. Of course when thinking of who would be the best to shoot our group, I immediately thought of Lisa. We work so well together and I knew she'd be able to make us comfortable and bring out the 'us' in us.

We knew we wanted to do something fun for the shoot instead of boring ole' regular head shots, so Karen and Marisa came up with the idea to do a styled shoot much like it was it's own little wedding. We incorporated our company colors of black, gold, peaches, and pinks into everything from the table cloths to the flowers, and added a touch of french from the french macaroons to the champagne on ice.

We are so, so pleased with the result, and hope that you enjoy our company's reintroduction and styling!"

Thanks so much, Courtney!  I hope you all enjoy the photos, and if you are looking for a wedding planning team, definitely check out A Sweet Soirée Events!  You can also find them on Facebook here and Twitter here.  Also, many thanks to the Briar Patch Bed and Breakfast for letting us use their venue!  Thanks for reading!


Love,
Lisa

Kayleen and Chris' Chesapeake Bay, Virginia Wedding!

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This past fall Mike and I got the opportunity to travel down to Kilmarnock, Virginia for the wedding of Kayleen and Chris!  Kayleen is a friend of a friend, and I was super pumped to work with she and Chris for their gorgeous Chesapeake Bay wedding!  Chris' family owns a very historic house right there on the bay, which was the site of Kayleen and Chris' ceremony.  I'm sure you'll notice that the location was absolutely stunning and that the day itself was perfect for their outdoor wedding! What I love about Kayleen and Chris is that they're such a chill (but fun!) couple.  They decided to do a first look underneath the biggest magnolia tree I've ever seen, and I love the way those shots turned out.  Then we took some photos of them with their attendants right there on the steps of the house (which were adorbs...love the silly faces!).  Their ceremony was slightly delayed due to some shuttle issues, but it did not change Kayleen and Chris' demeanor at all before the ceremony.  You'll notice the shot of the two of them looking out the window and how relaxed they are...that was them keeping an eye out for the shuttle!  I know for some people this would have driven them crazy, but not Kayleen and Chris!  They were cool as cucumbers.  :)  The ceremony went off without a hitch and the photos we took immediately after were some of my very favorites of the day!

I hope you enjoy the photos below!  Many thanks to Kayleen, Chris, and their family and friends for letting Mike and I be part of their special day.  Enjoy!

 Thanks for looking!

Love,

Lisa

Jenny and Steven's Fort Myer Wedding!

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I knew the first time I sat down with Jenny that she was my kind of bride.  We both met over wine and discussed her wedding photography, and the excitement and delight that she had toward her wedding was amazing.    I was so thrilled when she decided to work with me for her wedding, and I loved the shots we were able to get! On the day of Jenny and Steven's wedding, Jenny had requested to do a first look with her father.  This was completely new to me, but she didn't want to see Steven beforehand, and I thought, "Hey, why not?"  It was an awesome first look, and I felt incredibly lucky to see how close a father and daughter can be.  After the first look, we prepped for the ceremony which was beautiful.  Jenny looked stunning (and holy cow, I loooooooved her veil!).  Some tears were shed, but it was such a happy occasion.  My favorite shots of the day were following the ceremony when Jenny and Steven went back to their home so we could take some photos of them alone...and also with their dog, Tini (short for Martini).  I think if couples have a dog, they should totally try and incorporate it!  It was really special to get the entire family together in one shot, and in their wedding attire at that!

Thanks so much, Jenny and Steven, for allowing me to photograph your wedding.  I'm so sad that you moved to Texas (what about our follow-up wine date, Jenny?!), but I hope you come back and visit soon!  Also, many thanks to the wedding planners of Sweetface Events and the awesome makeup artistry of Jamie D'Agostino.  Enjoy the photos!

Thanks for looking!

Love,

Lisa

Style Me Pretty Features Lisa Boggs Photography!

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So a few months back, my lovely bride, Brandy, wanted to submit her wedding to Style Me Pretty.  I was completely up for the challenge, so she compiled all of the info and I polished off all of the photos, and BAM!  We submitted it!  And within a few short days, Style Me Pretty accepted the submission, and a few months later published it on their national blog.  How exciting is that?!  I can't tell you how cool it was to see my images (Who, me?  Lisa Boggs?  Where?) on a wedding blog of that caliber.  SO FREAKING COOL!  And of course Brandy did such a great job with her write-up and list of vendors.  So, just scroll down and see for yourself how it looks!  If you want to see the original post, just click on the screen capture I made and that will take you to Style Me Pretty.  Also, Brandy's original wedding blog post on THIS blog is right here.  :) Thank you Brandy and Style Me Pretty!  You guys rule!

Thanks for looking!

Love,

Lisa