There were so many incredible details at Cassie and Adam’s wedding that I felt like I was getting the chance to do five different photo shoots in one afternoon.  Here’s a top-ten list of my favorite things:

10. The amazing orange trees outside Old Christ Church, dropping ripe fruit and providing gorgeous backgrounds.

9. Cassie’s tea-length dress (okay, she actually had TWO gowns and I loved them both, but the short one was b-a-n-a-n-a-s).

8. Paper flowers.  That’s right.  Paper.  Cassie made them.  ALL of them.  They were creative, unique, and didn’t wilt.

7.  The rain.  Usually, rain stinks on your wedding day.  In this case, Cassie and Adam were willing to risk getting a little damp so we were able to do some incredibly fun shots.

6.  Candy.  EVERYWHERE.  From the peace-sign lollipops to the candy rings, there was color and sweetness everywhere I looked.

5.  The Museum of Commerce.  This is one my favorite locations in Pensacola.  There’s a vintage cable car in the middle of the room.  And a working stoplight.  And a CABLE CAR (did I mention that?)

4.  Adam’s shoes, and those of his groomsmen.  You start at the top (handsome), work your way down (dapper and well-dressed), and you end at the feet (cheeky, fun, and unexpected).

3.  The bridal party.  I laughed.  A LOT.

2.  Cassie and Adam’s fearlessness.  Really, they were willing to do ANYTHING I asked.  And then, they suggested what I wanted to ask but didn’t dare…

1.  The Volkswagon bus.  Especially the photos at the bottom.  Nothing like closing out wedding season on top of an old VW bus.  In the rain.  With a sparkler.

Ceremony Venue |  Old Christ Church

Reception Venue |  Museum of Commerce

Cake |  Betty Weber

Cupcakes |  Simply Cupcakes

What to do when your ringbearer can’t walk?  Tie the rings to his Air Jordans!

Did you know Coca Cola’s original bottles looked like this?  Me neither!  But of course, Cassie did

He’s, um, pouring some sugar on them.  Guess what song was playing?  Yes.  This happened.

I really love my job.  I think one of my favorite things about being a photographer is that so many people I love value what I do – not in an abstract way, but in a real, day-to-day manner.  I my previous life I was a high school English teacher.  Do you know how often friends and family members would genuinely ask me to apply my knowledge to their life?  NEVER.  (Can you imagine the conversation over a glass of wine after dinner?  ”Hey Aislinn, let’s discuss the connection between Minerva, the owl, and color grey…”).

With this in mind, I was thrilled to bits when my brother and sister-in-law asked me to take a few shots of them on Christmas Eve for a New Years card.  We left all babies in the cabin and spent about 30 minutes strolling up the driveway and through the woods, laughing, and created some great family portraits.  Merry Christmas!

P.S.  Can you guess which shot they chose for their cards??

Every detail of this wedding was incredible.  Alyse and Eric chose to go with natural elements, and nature was reflected in every choice they made.  From the wooden cake stand, to the natural pencils, to the succulents used as centerpieces, their wedding felt natural, renewable, and peaceful – just like Alyse and Eric themselves

The “garnet and gold” cake was the bride’s surprise for her Gator groom

I adore Sara and Steve.  I had the pleasure of shooting their engagement portrait and wedding in 2009, and you might remember their maternity shoot this fall.  Last week, I had the honor of welcoming Steve, Jr. (“SJ”) home!  It was so much fun to spend the afternoon in their home, and I love the photographs that resulted…

So, Eden Gardens is one of my very favorite places on the Gulf Coast.  It is a stone’s throw from the beach, abuts a beautiful bayou, and grows graceful oaks dripping with Spanish moss . . . so I was psyched when Gail and Josh asked me to photograph their destination wedding there.  It was a pleasure: I love that both Gail and Josh had clearly put tons of thought and care into every detail, from the homemade cake stand to the wedding Mad Libs to the wine flown in from their local vineyard in California.  Besides, who doesn’t love a wedding featuring T-Rex cake toppers??

Venue | Eden Gardens State Park

Fashion |  Watters Bridal

Bride’s Sash & Headband |  Etsy

Cakes |  Flown in from Junior’s Cheesecakes in New York City!

Florals |  Myrtie Blue

Wine |  Wente Vineyards, San Francisco

Honey Stick Favors |  The Honey Lady at the Cheyenne, Wyoming Farmer’s Market

Cake Toppers | Handmade by Gail and Josh

Cake Stand | Handmade by Gail’s father

Bridal Party’s Jewelry | Handmade by Gail’s mother

Gail’s mother MADE this necklace (and her dad made the incredible cakestand underneath).  Impressive, right?

How awesome are these rings?  (The cotton in the centerpieces is pretty rockin’ too.)

Yes, the groom T-Rex has a mustache.  (Just saying.)

I love shooting engagement portraits, and this fall has been an incredible series of romantic and beautiful beach sessions.  Adrienne and Mike wanted something totally different.  When they suggested the 17th Street Bridge (you know, the one with the graffiti all over it), I was totally psyched and just a tad apprehensive – after all, how many shots could get around a single bridge with traffic zooming beneath it, nonstop?

Well, it was AWESOME.  Every shot here was taken within about 100 yards of the actual bridge, and it is now on my short list of favorite Pensacola locations.  When I zip under the bridge in my car, I am too busy reading the graffiti to notice the boardwalk, train tracks, bridge pilings, and greenery that provided these incredible backdrops.

I should probably also mention that Adrienne and Mike are both SO FUN, totally photogenic, and up for anything.  Love.  Them.

I was annoyed that cars kept blocking my shot, but now I kind of dig this!  Thoughts?

Noah was only a week-and-a-half old at this shoot, but this is (kind of) the second time I’ve photographed him!  Of course, the first time he was still in Mommy’s tummy.  :)  I spent the afternoon at the family’s home in Dothan and had a lovely time.  The newly-expanded family was so sweet and obviously delighted with Baby Noah – and I’m delighted with these photos!  Every time I opened a new shot for editing, I sighed and smiled…

Also, I thought Veteran’s Day was the perfect time to post these shots of such a wonderful military family – THANK YOU.

This time of year is full of family portraits in preparation for Christmas card season, and this one is a favorite of mine.  The Beiswengers are fun and friendly, and I had a tough time narrowing down the shots to 20 for this post.

(P.S. People ask me all the time what they should wear for group portraits – this post is my answer!  Pick two colors and a neutral, and dress everyone is clothes they LIKE in those colors.  I love how this family complements each other without “matching.”)

Jackie and Matt’s Pensacola Country Club wedding was FUN.  The weather couldn’t have been more perfect for an outside ceremony overlooking the bay, and everyone there (and there were a lot of people there, folks!) clearly adored the couple and were ready to party!  I love that Jackie was adventurous, even in her wedding gown (me: “Would you think it’s crazy if I asked you to take of your shoes, hike up your dress, and walk out onto the end of the jetty in the bay?”  Jackie: “Let’s do it!  I only get to wear this dress once so let’s make it count!”).

Venue |  Pensacola Country Club

Florals |  The Open Rose

Fashion (Bridal and Maids) |  David’s

Cakes |  Miss Mix-a-Lot by Cyndi Pablo (this is Jackie’s sister-in-law who just started her own business, and I can vouch that her cakes were INCREDIBLE, both visually and in my mouth )

Officiant |  Darrin Land at Legacy Event Design

So, Matt bravely wanted to try for this shot, and . . .

…this was the painful result.

Groom’s cake?  There’s an app for that!

So, Kristen and Joel from DeFYOOOniak Springs are tons of fun.  I think we were laughing by the second frame, and I don’t think we stopped until the sun went down (literally).  They were game for anything and handled obstacles – such as jellyfish and rogue waves – with aplomb.  I cannot wait for their backyard spring wedding…

Also, I didn’t enhance up the colors in the beach shots.  This might have been the most amazing sunset of the year.  I LOVE where I live!