A Trip to See the Grandparents

My grandparents are the cutest.  No really.  You think yours are, but you're wrong.  Kidding, kidding!  But Gramma and Grampa (as we call them in the family) certainly top the charts as some of the cutest and greatest grandparents of all time. This past weekend my sister, Nicole, and I drove up to upstate New York to visit them.  We had the urge a few months ago, as it hit us that we really don't know as much as we want to know about them.  And we wanted that to change.  So we spent four days with them, helping them with some household chores, teaching them about some new technology, and just plain old hanging out with them.   It was amazing.

We learned so much.  So much that we never knew and we are so honored to know now.  I was able to get some of what they had to say on video, which is not edited or ready for the viewing public quite yet.  But some of our favorite questions we asked them involved their marriage, and I really loved what they said.  Here's some dialogue from the Q&A's with Gramma and Grampa (who have been married for 63 years!):

Us (to Gramma):  "What do you like most about Grampa?"

Gramma:  (laughs as she's drinking her hot chocolate) "You'll have to ask your mother.  She sent a form to us a few years ago that she uses with her classes sometimes.  And she laughed and laughed because on Grampa's form, the same question was 'What do you like most about your spouse,' and Grampa just put, 'She loves me.' And  for my answer I wrote here and here and around the edge of the paper, 'He's handsome and he's truthful..." and all of this stuff you know.  And she took this to school for an example of how things are sometimes with women and men.

Us:  "Is there one thing you like the most?"

Gramma:  "Well I don't think there's one thing.  He's very honest.  And he's trustworthy.  He's been a great husband, he's been a very good father.  There are a lot of other things, but those are big important ones."

Us: "What is the best thing that's ever happened to you?"

Gramma:  "Well, I suppose marrying Grampa.  And then the next eight things are our eight kids.  And then the next twenty-three things are all you grandkids."

--

Us to Grampa:  "What do you like most about Gramma?"

Grampa:  "About Gramma?  Wow, these are tough questions!"  (we start giggling, and Gramma interjects from across the room with, 'Don't be smart!  There outta be one thing!'  Grampa calms down and then says...)  She's usually happy."

Us:  "How did you know Gramma was the one?"

Grampa:  "We had gone together enough so that we knew what each other liked and disliked, and so consequently we got together."

Us:  "What are some of the happiest memories you have?"

Grampa:  "I was happy with most of the things we did.  We started our marriage with not a cent.  We didn't have any money at all.  And even our honeymoon was up in a state park.  We gradually gathered together enough to buy a home and come out with a little bit left.  So we don't worry about the future.  Because we have enough to carry ourselves through.

I was happy when our children were growing up.  Each one would come along and we would enjoy having them.  And they were different, all of them different.  So, we were able to enjoy them as they grew up, and that was a happy part.

Gramma and I had many happy days.  One of the things that always made me happy was we never argued seriously or fought.  If we disagreed, we disagreed, and that would be it.  It wouldn't be held over until the next day, or the next month, or the next year.  It was over.  And I think if married couples can agree to that kind of approach, then they'll have a very successful life.  So I can't even think of one major thing that we disagreed on that wasn't settled or forgotten.  There weren't many arguments."  (he grins)

--

So, as I'm sure you'll agree by now, they're just the cutest ever.  And if you didn't think that before this next photo, I'm pretty sure it will solidify it for you.  Thanks for reading, and if you have grandparents and have never interviewed them, I highly recommend it.  It's really quite incredible.

Thanks for reading!

Love,

Lisa

Kayleen and Chris' Chesapeake Bay, Virginia Wedding!

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

Style Me Pretty Features Lisa Boggs Photography!

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

October Wedding Sneak Peeks - Part Two!

I can't believe October is almost over!  Crazy!  Well, with more weddings under my belt, I'm here to share some more sneak peeks!  Thanks to my amazing couples who let me be a part of their special day! Here's Jenny and Steven!  I love Jenny's smile and that we stopped to take photos with she and Steven's adorable pup, Martini...

Here's Kayleen and Chris!  Their Chesapeake Bay wedding was gorgeous and I love Kayleen's freckles...

And last up, here's Katie and John!  Their wedding in Leesburg was beautiful and sunny, just like the two of them...

Thanks for looking!

Love,

Lisa

Brandy and Michael's Westport, Connecticut Wedding!

I can't believe Brandy and Michael's wedding is actually over!  I feel like it was just yesterday that I was sitting down with the two of them to discuss what they wanted out of their wedding photos (over gluten-free snacks, of course, because Brandy and I share the same sensitivity!).  It was in the fall that I took their engagement photos at Sunset Hills Vineyard, and now their summer DIY wedding in Connecticut is all over!  But the good news is...there are photos!  ;) When I met with Brandy she stressed to me that she absolutely loved the little details involved with weddings.  So when I arrived at their wedding site I knew I would see her amazing DIY details everywhere!  She made signs for almost everything, from the directional signs of where their wedding was, to the table assignments, to the little place cards on the tables.  The colors were so tasteful and natural, with lots of punchy greens accompanied by lovely muted creams and browns.  Brandy isn't a fan of colorful floral arrangements, so she went with potted herbs on the dining tables, with little sprigs of rosemary tucked in to everyones menus!  She even bypassed flowers to hold during the wedding and opted for gorgeous clutches for she and her bridesmaids.  Not to mention she purchased an amazing boutonniere for Michael made of burlap, feathers and twine!  Swoon!

Brandy and Michael are the epitome of amazing clients.  They were an absolute joy to work with and photograph, and I hope this isn't the last time I see them!  :)  Thanks so much for letting me be a part of your wedding day, and enjoy the photos!

P.S.  Have to give a huge shout out to Alison and her team at AMG Catering and Events who were an incredible to work with!  Thanks for making my job a lot easier!  :D

Thanks for looking!

Love,

Lisa

Cathy and JP's North Carolina Wedding

Where do I begin with this incredible couple?  I have known JP (the awesome groom) for almost 7 years now and can say he's one of the most down-to-earth nicest guys that exists on the planet.  Seriously.  He's also a really amazing landscape/portrait photographer in North Carolina, and even third shot with me at a wedding last year!  Well, interestingly enough, when Mike and I were visiting JP to shoot that wedding last year, we met Cathy.  Cathy was this charmingly hilarious new friend of JP's that he had just met at the school they both worked at.  Mike I and I knew something was up between the two of them, because when they interacted, it was like nothing in the world existed but them.  They were totally and completely smitten!  So it was no surprise to me after deciding to date, and after several months of dating, they decided to tie the knot!  I'm just so glad I was there to photograph it!  :) Their wedding took place at Cathy's parents house in North Carolina, and it was the perfect spot for their intimate affair.  JP and Cathy looked incredible, and I love how in their photos they just could not take their eyes off one another!  They're the kind of couple that I don't have to give a ton of direction to because they love being in love, and it completely shows.  Many thanks to JP, Cathy and their family and friends for letting us photograph this special occasion!  We couldn't be happier for Cathy and JP!  Enjoy!

And...no wedding would be complete without a bouncy castle:

Thanks for looking!

Love,

Lisa

Brandy and Michael's Westport, CT Wedding - Sneak Peek!

This past weekend I travelled all the way to Westport, Connecticut for Brandy and Michael's wedding!  If you don't remember this awesome duo, you can check out part of their engagement session here.  :)  It was an amazing location and the weather was just perfect!  The Long Island Sound was not too far from the location of the event, so we walked down there a few times for photos.  This photo was taken toward the end of the evening (around 10:30 pm), and I just loved how it turned out.  Thanks so much to Brandy and Michael for having Mike and I up to photograph their special day!  Enjoy!

Thanks for looking!

Love,

Lisa

Every Day We Make It, We'll Make It the Best We Can

It's Monday.  I don't think it matters what kind of job you have...when Monday's roll around, don't be surprised to be in a bit of a funk.  I just got back in town from a delightful trip to Nashville and am having a hard time trying to get back into my workflow and checking things off the task manager!  I took my Panasonic Lumix LX3 with me on my trip and decided to review some photos today to see if anything stood out.  Although I'll blog on some other photos from the trip, the one photo that really stood out to me today was from my tour at the Jack Daniel's Distillery with Mike and company.  We discovered this sign at one of the small cabins along the tour, and it just so happens to be a quote from Mr. Jack Daniel himself: It's the perfect quote to get me inspired today.  Whether you make whiskey, take photos, are having a not-so-hot Monday, or are having the best Monday ever...just make your day and what you do the best you can for today.

Blog post...check!  :)

Valley of Fire Photo Shoot with My Photographer Friends!

Life just wouldn't be the same if I didn't have my photographer friends around to keep me company. Not only do they keep me laughing constantly, but they're such a source of inspiration! I love when I get to spend time with them, with or without the camera. To be able to exchange information and know they share the same kind of joys and fears that you do is a breath of fresh air! I recently spent a good five days in Las Vegas at the WPPI Convention learning from polished pro's in the industry, while also getting to scour new resources and equipment that might benefit Lisa Boggs Photography! It was definitely eye-opening on many levels, and I'm excited to have gone and gained all of that knowledge! However, my most favorite moments from the trip definitely involved hanging out with my photo buddies. We are all super busy most of the time with our businesses, so it was just amazing to get to hang out, relax, party and even get to practice some of our new photography techniques on one another! Below are some photos taken on our last day in town, when we decided to go out to the Valley of Fire State Park, about an hour outside of Las Vegas. Words cannot describe how gorgeous this place was! We had a great time driving around and trying out some off-camera flash techniques while the sun was going down. Thanks to my buddies, Cicely, Jason and Mindy for being such great guides, assistants, photographers and models!  And of course, many thanks to my husband Mike for looking smashing as always (even though he was sick!).  I love you guys!  :)

Thanks for looking!

Love,

Lisa

Lauren and Ryan’s Very Merry Wedding – Part Two!

As promised to follow up their first blog post, here's Lauren and Ryan again at their awesome reception, held at Amberleaf Events in Gallatin, Tennessee! I had never heard of Amberleaf Events (even being a Hendersonville native), and I have to say I was very impressed with the space! I loved the lighting they used on the walls and that there were two stories to the building. It really lent itself to some great aerial photos of people dancing! My favorite shots of the evening may have been the ring bearer breaking it down on the dance floor, but I also really love one of the final shots I got of Lauren and Ryan at their special send off! Imagine me, running backwards, just firing away as fast as I can trying to get something as all of these petals are being thrown everywhere! It's definitely one of those "I don't know how I got it, but I got it!" shots! Thanks again to Lauren and Ryan for being such an incredible couple to work with! I hope I get to photograph you both again in the new year!

P.S. I forgot to mention my obsession with their cake (of which there are several shots below). Isn't it amazing?! Snowflakes!

Thanks for looking!

Love,

Lisa

Lauren and Ryan’s Very Merry Wedding - Part One!

I can't say enough good things about my final wedding couple of 2010! Lauren and Ryan are honestly two of the sweetest people I have ever met. They're completely head over heels for one another, and there's no denying it in their photos! I know there are some couples that love to pose out photos in a very serious manner, but these two just can't help themselves! They're the giddiest couple and it shows all over their faces! :) You may remember this adorable couple from their engagement session back in the stifling hot summer of Nashville. Fast forward a few months, and we're up to their winter wedding in December! The day was incredibly cold and rainy, but inside one of the oldest churches in Hendersonville, we were all quite warm and happy! Lauren and Ryan decided to do all of their wedding photos before the ceremony and I thought they turned out lovely! We got to photograph their first look (which I love to do!), and got some great photos of the family, wedding party, and some seriously adorable photos of the ring bearers! Lauren and Ryan really decked the place out in a winter theme, and I love how they brought in their own Christmas trees as the backdrop to their ceremony. They were gorgeous! The ceremony itself was just beautiful, and with the assistant of one Mike Boggs, we managed to get some great photos of the couple!

I hope you love the photos below! They certainly get me into the Christmas spirit, and I hope they do the same for you! Enjoy!

Lauren's grandmother wrote her a special note that she wore in her shoe while she was getting married:

First look series!

THE first look:

The ring bearers cracked from the pressure. What's a bride to do?

The fake bling presented to Lauren during the ceremony:

Lauren winking at Ryan during the prayer:

The newlyweds! Merry Christmas! :)

Have a wonderful holiday, everyone!

Love,

Lisa

Katie and Mike’s Somers Point, New Jersey Wedding Reception – Part Two!

Well folks, it's time for Katie and Mike's reception photos! If you missed the first blog post on their wedding in Somers Point, New Jersey, head on over here. If you're ready for some amazing dancing and party photos, keep reading! What I loved about Katie and Mike's reception is it had so much energy! Everyone was just beyond happy at the event, and it completely showed. From Mike and Katie's first dance, to the grooms toast, to family and friends breaking it down...there was never a dull moment and the party didn't stop until the music stopped!

I hope you enjoy the photos below and sound off in the comments on which dancing photo you like the best! :)

Thanks for looking!

Love,

Lisa

Katie and Mike's Somers Point, New Jersey Wedding - Part One!

It's very rare I have to battle it out with a hurricane before or during a wedding. Last November I duked it out with Hurricane Ida in Cancun, but lost the battle. She raged on with rain, which pushed the wedding and reception all indoors. However, this year I won! A week ago today, we drove up to Somers Point, NJ to get ready for Katie and Mike's wedding. At that time Hurricane Earl was off the coast of Virginia/Maryland/Delaware/New Jersey, but as we drove up the east coast it seemed to lose us! We did see the clouds and the remnants of some rain when we got there (and we got to see some amazing coastal waves), but all in all, we completely lucked out with this hurricane! Needless to say the very next day was gorgeous for the wedding...sunny with blue skies and a little left-over wind!

I've known Mike all of my life, as he's my cousin, and I've known Katie for at least six years now since they began dating! They are two amazing people who are very in love and perfect for one another. Earlier this year when they asked me to shoot their wedding I was beyond excited. I typically do get to photograph friends, but it's not often I get to photograph family! Their event was more than just me photographing a client. It was me getting to capture a very special day for my family (the second wedding on the Kopp side next to mine...whoo hoo!), and I loved every minute of it. Below are photos before and during the ceremony, which took place at the gorgeous Greate Bay Country Club, with a few of Mike and Katie at a nearby park afterwards. Part II will follow soon with some photos of Katie, Mike and their family and friends partying down! (Family, if you're reading this, I will show no mercy!) ;)

Hope you enjoy!

Almost first look:

Official first look:

The girls' sass made Katie laugh:

Note the ridiculous wind from the willows. Poor groomsmen had leaves in their faces the whole ceremony!

JFK Park photos:

Love,

Lisa

Johanna and Bobby's West Virginia Wedding - Sneak Peek!

I recently had the opportunity to travel to the Glade Springs Resort in Daniels, West Virginia to shoot Johanna and Bobby's wedding! I was pumped for this wedding for a number of reasons. One was because I got to travel through West Virginia, which was, absolutely hands down, some of the prettiest mountain landscape I had seen in a while! Two was because I knew I'd get to see the bride and groom hitch a ride in a helicopter (Bobby is a helicopter pilot!). Yay! I was super excited on the day of to get started, and was blown away by how gorgeous some of Johanna and Bobby's details were in the wedding! I had not seen peacock features used in a wedding to date, nor had I seen them incorporated with these beautiful rustic branches intertwined in the floral arrangements! As you'll see I got a bit carried away with some detailed shots, but only because they looked amazing! Johanna also used the peacock green throughout the attire, including green in her dress, the bridesmaids dresses and the groomsmen ties. The event was beautiful, and I couldn't have asked for a better wedding! I want to extend a huge thank you to the Johanna and Bobby's bridesmaids and groomsmen, who were incredibly helpful to me during the photo taking process (they moved chairs for me! SO nice!). Also, many thanks to Johanna and Bobby for inviting me all the way to West Virginia to be part of their special occasion. You guys are the best and I hope you enjoy the photos below!

Bobby didn't actually fly the helicopter for their 10 minute fly by...he was on the other side of Johanna!

Johanna and Bobby flying over their wedding guests:

Cool couple shot after the helicopter landed:

Did I mention...candy apples? :)

The couple listening to their love story:

The brother of the bride bowing after catching the garter! Now THAT was a first! Ha ha!

Thanks for looking everyone!

Love,

Lisa

Jacqueline and Ryan's Danville, Virginia Wedding

I recently traveled down to Danville, VA (super close to North Carolina) to shoot Jacqueline and Ryan's special day! I've known Jacqueline for a few years, as I'm very good friends with her older (and super talented photographer) brother, Jean-Paul! Jacqueline and Ryan's wedding was full of such love, among some wonderful family and friends (who I was fortunate enough to meet and spend time with). I even got to spend some time with Hayden, Ryan's son (and Jacqueline's now step-son), who is such an amazing kid, and really took some great shots! As you'll see from the photos below, everyone involved with the day was 100% dedicated to making it special for Jacqueline and Ryan! They all humored me with some hilarious shots, some of which are my favorite to date! I really had an endless supply of great scenes to work with too (from the storm before the ceremony, to the tractor waiting to tote our bride and groom to the reception, to ending the evening with a gorgeous sunset!). I hope you get as much joy out of looking at these shots as I do! Many thanks to Jacqueline, Ryan, their family and guests for being so loving and accommodating throughout the day. Enjoy!

Click to view larger:

Thanks for looking!

Love,

Lisa

Lauren and Ryan's Nashville, Tennessee Engagement Session!

I recently had the pleasure of visiting Nashville, TN and getting to photograph a very old friend of mine, Lauren! Lauren and I were friends in elementary school...we had classes together, had slumber parties, and even made Snoopy snow cones in the summer! We lost touch out of high school, but reconnected eventually through the powers of Facebook! Lauren shares a love for photography like myself, so we correspond about it frequently...and when she recently became engaged she contacted me about shooting her wedding! I was super excited as Lauren is seriously one of the sweetest people on the planet and I knew, without a doubt, her fiance Ryan had to be as well! I was totally right when I met she and Ryan down at the Capitol building in downtown Nashville for their engagement shoot! We started off at the War Memorial and worked our way around the side of the Capitol and eventually on one of the Capitol's lawns. Lauren and Ryan are incredibly detail-oriented, and had some of the best ideas for what they wanted in their shots. They even brought signs announcing their engagement and noting their soon-to-be married names! I loved it! Their shots turned out pretty incredible, and I am just so elated to shoot their wedding come December. Thank you to Lauren and Ryan for an incredible shoot! Enjoy the photos below!

Thanks for looking!

Love,

Lisa

Alexis and Steve's Hickory, North Carolina Wedding

I recently got to travel to Hickory, NC for Alexis and Steve's wedding...a wedding that was exciting to me on so many levels! Alexis (the bride) was referred to me by her twin sister, Rebecca. Rebecca is the wife of my closest childhood friend, Jordan...and I had only corresponded with Rebecca via Facebook up until the wedding! Rebecca was a huge fan of my work and immediately steered Alexis my way, so I was very excited to sign Alexis and get to be a part of the big day! Along with Mike and another photographer friend of ours, JP Lavoie (who helped as one of our shooters!), we set out for Hickory on a hot, but beautiful, sunny day out in the country. The colors of this wedding were super bold and punchy, which worked perfectly with the very blue sky and lush greenery all around the church! Things cooled off for us after the ceremony as some storms were off in the distance and began clouding up the sky, but we at least captured some special shots while the sun wasn't beating down on us! The reception was held at the Crowne Plaza in Hickory, and I have to say, the DJ they hired had one of the most elaborate setups I'd ever seen (with not one, but two disco balls)! And, of course, being a native southerner, one of the major highlights of the evening was drinking homemade sweet tea served by the hotel! Hurray! :) Many thanks to Alexis and Steve for being such a great couple to work with and for humoring me in some of our hilarious shots! I had such a fun time, and I hope everyone enjoys the photos below (Mike helped out with two below...whoo hoo!). Additionally, if you haven't clicked to see some of JP's photos yet, go ahead and look here!

Thanks for looking!

Love,

Lisa

Big Ben and Co.

A week and a few days ago Mike and I were fortunate enough to fly over to London, UK for a week so we could spend time with friends before a big wedding bash at the end of the week!  We had a few days to hang out in London before we took the train up to Leeds where the wedding took place, so we decided to tour what we could!  I'm still sifting through a ton of photos from the week we were over there, but thus far I have been the most impressed with some shots I took in front of Big Ben in Westminster.  As you could have guessed, the day we went out was cold, windy and cloudy, but I think the photos turned out quite nicely!  Here are the two shots I love the most.  Enjoy! Amy and Big Ben:

Big Ben and Mike:

Thanks for looking!

Love,

Lisa

Aisha and James' Cancun, Mexico Destination Wedding

It's finally here!  The blog post about Aisha and James' destination wedding to Riviera Maya, Mexico!  Mike and I flew down the day before the wedding to photograph this special event, and it was quite a whirl wind!  The original ceremony was supposed to be beach side, but due to the frequent downpours spawning from Tropical Depression/Tropical Storm/Hurricane Ida, Aisha and James had to institute the backup plan!  One would think that would be a huge bummer, but honestly, it did not stop the party!  The ceremony moved to a gorgeous marble gazebo that was half inside/half outside, but looked amazing (and yes, people watched from behind the gazebo, and yes...I had to edit them out!).  You can see the rain dripping a bit from the second photograph, but everything still looked bright and happy!  Afterward we lost all the light, but walked around to take some shots in the hotel.  The colors of the hotel went really well with the wedding colors, and even though we stayed indoors, I still think you get that nice tropical feel!  Enjoy the photos below and comment if you like!  Thanks Aisha, James, and all of the family and friends who made this event a hit, even with the rain!

Love,

Lisa