Thirst Relief & Grace Ormonde Tanzania Benefit Shoot Instructional DVD for wedding photographers. Watch Mike Colon, Jim Davis, and 15 other photographers on location in Tanzania as they photograph a benefit shoot for Grace Ormonde.

Check out this awesome preview video of the Training DVD that led by Mike and Jim. All 17 of us worked to add our tips and instruction to this training DVD.

So, be on the lookout for more posts on Tanzania, Thirst Relief International, Grace Ormonde Wedding Style, Dar es Salaam, and all the wonderful photographers I met on the trip as well as updates on what’s up with the studio splashed in between. Plus highlights from Maria and Harri’s wedding in Finland and highlights from England!

Told ya, craziness. See you soon!

Last fall before all the snow fell Grace and Eric came out with me to shoot their Trash The Dress session. Here are my favorites from their set. I love the train trestle we started out at in Bellevue.

Jacqueline and Tim were married at Holy Rosary church in West Seattle last month followed by a reception at the Washington Athletic Club in downtown Seattle.

Blue skies and sunshine are a rarity for Seattle in October! We took advantage of the weather and headed over to a local park in West Seattle and then down to Alki beach for a few portraits before driving downtown to start the reception.

My good friend Susie Hamidi came along and second shot with me which was awesome, of course. Thanks Susie!

Jacqueline and Tim, Susie and I had so much fun with you both! Thank you for having us be a part of your day! I can’t wait to have you both back into the studio to get started on your album!

Salon: Robert Leonard Salon
Reception: Washington Athletic Club
Cake: Washington Athletic Club
Linens: BBJ Linen
Flowers: Fena Flowers

Meagan & Tom were married at Seattle Golf Club last month on a beautiful fall day in Seattle. I had guest photographer Jack Young cover their event for me. Thanks Jack!

Check out their slide show! Their full event will be posted online shortly. For more images and Jack’s take on the day, check out his blog.

Anna modeled a dress picked by Liz Navarro – the Gown Diva from the selection at La Belle Reve in Bellevue. Makeup by Erin Skipley of Bellatrix Studio

Last night I shot the first annual Get Hitched Give Hope event at the recently remodeled Arctic Club Hotel in downtown Seattle. If you weren’t able to attend, check out the slide show above to see what you missed!

The dome room at the hotel is great! It made for an awesome space for their event. My good friend Jason Parker was there with his quartet busting out some sweet jazz to liven up the room and so many of my friends and colleagues were either donating their time volunteering at the event or displaying their craft as vendors. The incredible Steven Moore provided the massive floral center pieces and Kate McElwee setup a photo booth complete with props near the bar. (Check out her blog for some sweet snaps.) Movin 92.5’s Brooke and Monti from The Ladies Room were there to MC.

On first count I hear they earned $24,000 for breast cancer last night! Way to go ladies!

The founders:
Michelle Loretta – Mmm Paper
Eliza Truitt – Eliza Truitt Photography
Barbie Hull – Barbie Hull Photography
Michelle Engvall – Married & More With Michelle
Kelly Simants – Sweet Pea Events
Laurel McConnell – Laurel McConnell Photography

I’m certain you’ll be able to read more about GHGH on their blogs in the next day or two.

On a bright and sunny day in September they had their beautiful wedding at Indian Summer Country Club in Olympia.

Originally Alex and Laura were set to get married last year but Alex’s deployment put their plans on hold. Not this time though. We started out their day in downtown Tacoma at Hotel Murano, a swanky new hotel with art glass as it’s central theme. Situated right next door to Tacoma’s Museum of Glass it’s not a surprise who influenced their decor. Laura had a suite to get ready in with her brides maids. She wore these awesome steel heeled Stuart Weitzman shoes that could take your eye out if you’re not careful.

Alex and his men were in a blue toned room a few floors below figuring out a few last minute tux issues. I found Alex helping out his cousin and took them downstairs for Laura and Alex’s first meeting in the hotel lobby. We were running a bit late and didn’t have much time to make the drive from Tacoma to Olympia so we kept it short at the hotel.

Right outside the front doors is a monolithic green glass art piece that made for awesome portraits of the two of them.

Thanks Laura and Alex! It was awesome being part of your day! I can’t wait to do your trash the dress session!

I am based in Seattle, Washington; however, destination weddings are accepted and encouraged! I love to travel and would be delighted to cover the world for your wedding. Planning a wedding in Bali? I’m in. Planning a beach wedding in Savannah? I’m in. How about a gorgeous Chilean wedding set in the foothills of the Andes outside of Santiago? I’m so there.

I’ve traveled to Chile, England, France and all over the United States for my clients. I’d love to do the same for you. Give me a call or shoot me an email and we can discuss the possibilities.

So, here’s a sneak peek at what’s in store for you, dear readers.

Register on Pictage for their wedding and you’ll be notified when they’re available for viewing and check back here on the blog for their slide show!

Christie and Adam were married in Bremerton, Washington at the local Elks Lodge. They have an incredible lawn with a view of the sound and mountains.

Sara and I got up early and headed down to the ferry terminal to catch the 60 minute ferry ride across the sound to the Kitsap peninsula where Bremerton rests surrounded by water to all but the west side of the city. It was a cool crisp day and the ferry ride over was fun. I love standing on the exposed upper deck looking for seals and watching the gulls play in the turbulent air behind the boat.

We met with Adam at the lodge where they were setting up the ceremony site. Christie was still at the salon getting her hair done. Adam and his groomsmen got ready and we took off to a historic navy gun placed in a park in the center of town for a few staged shots while we waited for Christie to finish up. We had fun reenacting battle scenes in their suits.

When we returned to the lodge I found Christie and her brides maids in a back room getting their makeup applied. While Christie was stepping into her dress her ADORABLE flower girls came by to say hello. They were so precious in their bright colored polka-dotted dresses! I think I shot 100 frames of just them interacting with Christie, they were so cute!

With dark clouds brewing overhead we were surprised to be treated to a warm afternoon sunglow for the ceremony which created a rich buttery light that I loved. At their reception the toasts turned into an Adam roast which was pretty hilarious to listen to! All in good fun! We finished off the night photographing the guys having a cigar outside in the dark of night.

Christie and Adam, it was a pleasure being part of your wedding. Sara and I thank you for including us!

I met Elizabeth and Jennifer almost a year ago through friends who’s wedding I shot last year. We had a great time photographing their engagement/family session last October and here we are again a year later and I’m getting to blog about their amazing wedding at Willows Lodge! Elizabeth and Jennifer are two amazing women with open hearts and a beautiful family of 7. It was such a pleasure being part of their day and It warms my heart to see two people so in love with each other.

Sara and I met up with Jennifer in the morning and had fun with her family while the finishing touches to their wedding were being setup and the families were visiting. Both Jennifer and Elizabeth had come up with very creative gifts for each other for their wedding day. Jennifer was presented with a gift basket of pampering products including a lotus candle and a blow up foot bath! Elizabeth on the other hand received a bouquet of roses from Jennifer. Each stem had a custom ribbon attached with a memory of their past year together. Very sweet!

For wedding favors we designed a custom DVD jacket cover and printed CDs with images from their engagement session. They then burned their favorite songs to the discs. They turned out fantastic! (Elizabeth, I need to check out your ipod. You have some great music on that disc!)

They both wanted to keep the day light and unique and started it off by having a cocktail hour before the ceremony and a big BBQ dinner cooked outside the ballroom on a giant grill. During their ceremony their closest friends made a circle around them to show their support and all in attendance held white candles. At the end of the ceremony all the kids came in and Jennifer and Elizabeth gave them silver necklaces with the word ‘Sister’ and ‘Brother’ on them.

As much as the two brides wanted to keep things light it was their daughter Peyton who nearly brought me to tears with her toast during the reception. Peyton, you’re such a sweetie!

I’m so happy for you both! Congratulations!

Announcing Seattle’s Premier Bridal Giving Event

You’ll get gorgeous goods for your wedding while giving back. Lovely libations and amazing appetizers. With raffles, auctions and jellybeans. Lots of jelly beans.

My friends over at Get Hitched Give Hope are holding their premier event on October 23rd at the Arctic Club Hotel in Seattle. You should go check it out! Your attendance is helping to fight breast cancer too!

They’re going to have all sorts of cool stuff to auction off, great swag bags and awesome food!

I’m a sponsor and I’ll be there photographing the event for them. If you see me, come say hello.

Go get your tickets and we’ll see you there!

Traci and Jason were married at the W Hotel in downtown Seattle on August 23rd. When I arrived Traci and her bridesmaids were finishing up their makeup. I stole Traci’s swanky white patent leather Jimmy Choo flats and their rings for a a few beautiful detail shots. It was a gorgeous day for a wedding and before the ceremony began the bridal party followed the bride and groom over to the very modern Seattle Public Library for some portraits. Well, it is a library and I knew we were taking the risk of getting yelled out. With so many people involved it’s hard to be quiet. Sure enough, we were shhhshed by a librarian when we were setting up the shots in the red glossy room where they have conference rooms. No worries though, we got some cool shots inside before heading back over for the wedding. I can’t believe we got all of us squished into the elevator to come back downstairs!

Traci had a pyramid of cupcakes in place of a traditional wedding cake and asked her sister to bake a giant cupcake to use for the cake cutting. It was enormous! Traci also had a cool table setup with dishes of different candies and little bags to fill up. It was like walking into a sweet shoppe in that corner of the reception. The children thought it was awesome!

I like the W for it’s modern styling and furniture. The rooms are fresh and clean and the decor of the hotel lends itself to the dramatic. After the first dance we went down to the bar for a few portraits in the moody light.

Thanks Traci and Jason for being such delightful people to be around and congratulations on your new marriage!

My neighbors down the street have an adorable daughter named Olivia. She’s interested in doing commercials and such so mom brought her up to the studio earlier this week to do some test shots and start a portfolio for her. Here are my favorites from her session. I think she has a great look!

Hung and Eric started out the day with some portraiture by a nearby park where they often walk after work. The day was overcast and gave us beautiful ‘giant softbox’ quality light. Then it was off to the Bellevue Botanical Gardens for some fun with their attendants. I love the little tea house they have there mixed in with the gardens! It’s so cute!

Their ceremony was held at Bellevue Unitarian Church near Factoria. They have a gorgeous view of the woods out the back of the sanctuary. It’s basically just a wall of windows and I loved it. Once we finished family photos Hung changed into her traditional Chinese wedding attire for their tea ceremony. I love how ornate it is! All that bead work and color! Fantastic!

Right before the western ceremony I could see Eric and his brother getting a little nervous waiting in the back hall. It’s almost time guys!

Their service was very touching and it was really evident how much these two care for each other and welcome God into their hearts.

At the reception we were all treated to a divine and especially rare treat. Hung’s mom is one of only a few that still makes a traditional cake from scratch which takes her HOURS to prepare, layer by layer. It was truly a work of art and was delicious too! I’m still planning on sitting in her kitchen someday soon so she can teach me how to make it!

Grace and Eric, it was so much fun being with you on your wedding day! Thanks for having me along and I can’t wait to share all of your photos with you when you’re back up to the studio.

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Emily and Jason had a beautifully moving ceremony at the Seattle Design Center on July 19th.

Sara and I met up with Emily, Jason and the whole bridal party at Zeitgeist cafe in Seattle before the wedding to do some cool portraits in Pioneer Square. Then it was off to the Seattle Design Center. It’s not often that I cry at a wedding ceremony but Emily and Jason’s was quite the exception. Their love and devotion to God was readily apparent. It was quite moving.

I hope you guys had a great time up in Toronto for your second reception and we’ll see you soon when you get back from your honeymoon!

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PreWedding: Pioneer Square, Seattle
Venue: Seattle Design Center
Slideshow Music: Delirous?

Erin and Casey had a beautiful ceremony at Salish Lodge on July 12th. The day was pristine with a vivid blue sky. Sara and I met up with the bride and groom at the Fairmont Olympic for photos and then headed off to Snoqualmie Falls where Salish Lodge is perched.

Now for the drama:
As we were leaving the Fairmont in the Silver Cloud classic limo Erin noticed she didn’t know where her veil was! In a flash, her chivalrous Casey dashed back inside the hotel to retrace our steps. Not seconds after he took off Sara went tearing after him to help in the search. Minutes passed as Erin and I waited outside in the limo, wondering if they were going to find it or not. Erin was so serene about it though. She wasn’t going to let a missing veil get her down on her wedding day!

Just as we were all getting a bit anxious, including the driver, Sara darts out of the Fairmont, brushes by me and blurts “It’s gone! I’ll be back.” She ran off towards Luly Yang’s boutique which is conveniently located on the corner at the base of the Fairmont. So, I had a hunch about what she was up to but I didn’t want to get my hopes up. Sure enough, Sara busts into Luly Yang’s shop, stopping the staff and customers alike in their tracks when she utters “Someone stole the bride’s veil!”. Luly’s staff dropped everything and ran over to assist my wife. “This is an emergency”, someone shouted.

It was fantastic!

They quizzed her a bit on what it looked like and they all decided on a Jennifer Leigh elbow length veil with an ivory trim. It was gorgeous! Sara gave them my card and they agreed to have it returned in a couple days. They had in fact loaned us a veil to take care of Erin for the day! While Sara was explaining who she was with and all that another girl wrapped it all up beautifully in a Luly bag and tissue.

Casey was just returning to the limo, dejected and veil-less, when Sara ran back around the corner from the boutique with the beautiful blue and white Luly bag and tossed it into Erin’s waiting lap through the limo’s window. “There, no offense but you have to give it back. ”

My wife rocks! End of drama.

There was something strange happening at the lodge that day. Apparently some high powered political figure had bought out the entire lodge for the weekend and had the whole placed buttoned down. There were security guards with ear-pieces all over the grounds of the lodge and being the guy with the camera, I was getting a lot of strange and questioning looks. At one point, as Erin and Casey were signing their marriage certificates in the Library we were locked in while the dignitary or president or whatever he was came into the lodge and up to his room. Weird.

All that aside, the ceremony was beautiful. Erin and Casey said their vows outside overlooking the gorge where the falls plummet 270 feet to river bed below. Sean Patrick O’Reilly officiated and as always, was a pleasure to be around.

Congratulations Erin and Casey! We’ll see you both soon when you get back from Italy!

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Lodging: The Fairmont Olympic
Venue: Salish Lodge
Veil: Luly Yang Couture – Jennifer Leigh Veils
Transportation: British Motor Coach
Celebrant: Sean Patrick O’Reilly
Slideshow Music by: Carla Bruni

Becky and Gordon came back home to Gordon’s church in Monroe, WA for their whirlwind Army wedding last week. Both of them are stationed in Alabama for training and were only able to secure a few precious days of leave to get married and head back to post. They certainly made the most of it!

Reception: Willows Lodge
Floral: Florarama Modern Design

What are the big things they say to splurge on? You guessed it, your setting and your photography. These two things alone are what you remember the most about your wedding day and I wholly agree that if you’re going to splurge on anything make sure you put yourself in beautiful setting and have a great photographer there to document it.

Here’s a quote from the article:

SPLURGE: PHOTOS

A wedding is only one day, but the photos last forever. Even on a budget, brides rarely lament the amount spent on a quality photographer.

“We really love our wedding photos and still get compliments on them to this day. She was worth the extra cash we spent,” Cochran says.

Photos were so important to Kalkay, she spent $50,000 to bring in photographers who regularly shoot celebrity weddings.

While I’m not a $50,000 photographer like Denis Reggie, it’s still important to budget a bit more than the 10% that all of those wedding budget calculators would have you put towards your photographer.