La Chic Barn Se Magnifique!

About a month ago I had written a blog about Amanda & Chris and how quickly they had to arrange their wedding day due to family illness (see below). Well, we had the privilege of photographing their chic barn inspired wedding on October 2nd and here are but a few of our favorite images captured on that perfectly warm and sunny romantic afternoon.

I love the timeless feel of these images.

Hands down, this was the funnest group of misbehaved bridal party ever...just look at those mischievous grins!

Look at the romantic pucker on their first dance. I love it when a man holds his woman so tenderly.

How gorgeous is that? L-O-V-E this moment!

Skytop Lodge Wedding Sneak Peek

This past weekend Scott and I spent the weekend with the most amazing friends - Lauren and Travis, who not only stole our hearts from the moment we met, but have since become very good friends of ours who we treasure dearly. They celebrated their beautiful wedding at Skytop Lodge (The Pocono's best kept secret - no longer)  together with a V-e-R-y  fun group of family and friends and an amazing band! I HAD to share this image with everyone as a sneak peek of many gorgeous things to come...

The Hangover Sessions

This is a story about a girl who loves photography and a boy who will do anything to make her happy. This is Chamonix and Jesse. We photographed them for a second time about six months after their wedding for a session we like to call "The Hangover". It is highly recommended to any bride who feels her wedding day has too quickly passed her by and would like to get some more dramatic portraiture of herself and her handsome groom traveling to places she might never dare or have time for on her special day. Our favorite image of the day is pictured below. Looks like a train is coming and Chamonix and Jesse could care less about the impending danger. Love it! Look at the cool calm collected spirit of the both of them. Such perfect models these two. We had so much fun traipsing through abandoned parts of NJ as well as her moms gorgeous home in Asbury. So, sit back, relax and enjoy the scenery. And remember, this could be you too, one day, soon ;-)  

In Good Times And In Bad, And In Joy As Well As In Sorrow

One of my most favorite new bands is called The Xx. I could pretty much listen to them everyday for a month and not get a headache. So when I heard they were playing in New York City this October, WOOOO, I was totally psyched and bought four tickets IMMEDIATELY for Scott and I and our BFF's. Nothing would  stop me from seeing these guys...or so I thought. 

Two weeks ago my phone rang. It was a guy named Chris. What he told me changed everything. Chris recently asked Amanda to marry him. To be his true love forever. Amanda said yes. They set their wedding date for October 2011. Then they received devastating news. Amanda's father was diagnosed with cancer and given three months to live. They did the most loving and logical thing they could-move their wedding date to this October. When you first meet them you know right away, Chris and Amanda are amazing people and of course many of their good friends stepped in to do whatever they could to help plan this fast approaching wedding. They explained to me that it is going to be a small and intimate affair set on the property of a log cabin with 2 horses, a barn, and a perfect fall atmosphere complete with bridesmaids walking down the hay baled aisles donning cowboy boots. Then, more devastating news strikes: her father dies suddenly a few weeks ago. Of course it doesn't stop there. The photographer they had chosen unprofessionally bails on them and with sudden swiftness left there hearts burdened in their outstretched palms, BUT, not for long. This is the part where Scott and I came in. When I heard the compassion and love in Chris' voice for Amanda and then talked with her I was quickly motivated to come to their rescue. Assured that there would be nothing stopping me from photographing their wedding I quickly hopped on board. How could I not be a part of these two most brilliant individuals who love each other so much and though they have experienced the worse possible loss still maintain amazing resilience and joy despite their recent devastation! Wedding vows include the words: "In sickness and in health, in good times and in bad, and in joy as well as sorrow" and they have both certainly lived those words true.  I can closely relate to Amanda because I too have lost my father at  age 17 and the pain of his absence never goes away. Walking down that aisle without him was hard, however, one cannot give thought to the loss in that moment. You must embrace the man you walk towards and know that his arms and love will be there to carry you through the times when you miss your father the most. Amanda, I know Chris will do that for you. 

I graciously thank you both for trusting your friends and family when they recommend you call us. And thank you for commissioning us to capture the beautiful memories that will record the precious celebration of your love for one another to all who join you on that day. 

Below are a few shots of our engagement session we squeezed into our schedules in the historic town of Smithville, NJ so that they can have a "Be My Guest" Book for all of their close friends and family to sign on their wedding day.

Though near closing time, they ran the carousel just for us to get this shot.

Yes, its true, Amanda's tongue accidentally touched the KISS record, but it was worth it right Amanda?

This is the back of Smithville Inn, where they were going to be married next year. 

A stolen kiss by the docks at sunset in Smithville under the bridge.

Good Ol' Fashion Pennsylvania Fun

As people brace themselves for the work week ahead and life returns to everyday normalcy I reflect on the day after Labor Day and what it means to me. It happens to be my 12th wedding anniversary (holler) and it reminds me how much I love love. Yes, you read that right. I, Catherine Dove, love love. Yes, I know it rhymes too, lol. But, I have to say I am EXTREMELY grateful to be able to capture and preserve forever peoples most intimate memories of times that will pass but feelings that hopefully will remain.

And so with this thought in mind, I introduce to you very great friends I've recently met and fell in love with myself. They are Lauren and Travis and they are a bowl full of good times. We galavanted all over Pennsylvania from their home town of Nazareth, to the 7-11 where they met and fell in love at first sight, to Travis' mom basement where they had hours of make-out sessions, and finally to Skytop Lodge where they will be getting married next month.  I must confess, it was hard to be serious in the cornfields when all we were doing was laughing. It was more difficult for me to behave with Lauren then when I try photographing my own family especially when she turned the camera on us and decided to snap a few pictures of us in the middle of the shoot! But we managed to pull through and as you scroll through some of the images below you can surely see the passion and love they have for one another. It is always refreshing to spend time with friends who love love. And so Lauren and Travis, I hope you enjoy your first peek at our day together and Lauren you can now stop cyberstalking me and finally enjoy what you know you've been waiting for since the moment I put my camera down at the dinner table. Love you forever! Xoxo

A rifle case in the cornfield, typical moments in PA & Lauren and I showing PA whose boss.

My Favorite Series "Put A Ring On It" dance

"The Spot" where make-out sessions in High School occurred...

Skyland Manor

You + Me = Love

I LOVE to photograph in different and unique places. I LOVE peoples' love stories. So when I heard that Jessica and Vin fell in love in a classroom, ummm, how could we not photograph their engagement session in one? Yeah, I thought so! I made a phone call to our local High School in Ridgewood and went straight to the top - the Principal himself...dom,-da--dom-da-dommmm...to my surprise he was an amazing fellow who gladly opened his doors to us and said he would happily provide a custodian to help us into a classroom when we needed. Wow! I love my local community-they are awesome! Anyway,  Vin told me just before the session that Jess HATES her photo being taken. As a matter of fact, at a wedding they attended a few months earlier, Vin's friends approached him and asked him where Jess was and Vin replied "in a corner, hiding from the wedding photographer". LOL, well she certainly didn't hide from me during our E-session, and I'm pretty sure she'll stick around on her wedding day too ;-D  So go ahead and peruse a few of their images and drop a note or two on the bottom to let them and us know what you think...does Jess look like the kinda gal who hates having her picture taken? 

Branches Catering - NJ Discover

 
This summer Scott and I shall be photographing a number of weddings at Branches in Long Branch, New Jersey where we are featured as their preferred vendor. We thought we'd take a minute to share with all our faithful readers a video that was recently posted by Branches which highlights some of our beach wedding photographs! Thanks Branches ;-)

The Serenade

This blog is dedicated to all my devoted fans who have been on my arse this past week, wondering why I have not blogged (in particular they are looking for engagement shoots). Well ladies (and gentlemen) I did just get over a crazy case of the flu so excuse the delay...

Ahem, (clearing of throat)...Say hello to Vinny and Melissa...

 A few weeks ago we changed gears. You may be wondering "Whatever do you mean Cat?" Well we were originally scheduled to head to NYC and begin our adventures at the Empire State Building for Melissa & Vinny's engagement shoot which is where they officially were engaged, but as Melis and I talked on the phone she decided to switch her location to Willowwood Arboretum because she desired something a little more natural and relaxed. Starting to photograph an hour or so before sunset gave us the perfect opportunity to capture the golden sunlight which played softly with Melissa's hair and allowed us to feel the warm and perfect slight breeze that blew every so often. We found a patch of daffodils and had them sit amongst them, which was breathtaking...as is Melissa.

 At the very end of our session we started to hear faint music playing in the background and so we went on the search to find the source. Low and behold its was two guys walking around with guitars just jamming. They are part of a band called Reverse Curve. When asked if they would serenade our couple without a pause they started playing Mozart's Pachelbel Canon in D Major. It was awesome! What a way to end our amazing evening together!

I LOVE FAMILY PORTRAITS!!!

I can't say it enough...I really love being with happy families and capturing the craziness of children running around while I chase them and laughing and of course the possibility of snot flying everywhere, lol. It just can't be beat. A few weeks back Scott and I were commissioned to photograph our friends Melina, Caesar and their gorgeous son Julian to Branch Brook Park in Bloomfield, NJ at the peak of the Cherry Blossom Trees. It was so much fun but boy is it a workout chasing around a 3 year old who has endless abounding, exploding energy. He was non-stop and I was right behind him rolling in the grass, jumping over logs, running up hills, running back down hills  and all the while hearing him giggle incessantly because he knew I was always 3 steps behind. Here are a few snapshots of our afternoon together. By the way, check out MY cutie pie Scott at the end. Kids love him so much and Julian was no exception. While on Scott's shoulders he gave the command to go up, then down, up then down. Scott must have done about 50 squats with him on his shoulders. The next day he was definitely limping...(shh, he totally needs to do more of those).  And if your wondering where Julian's snazzy little preppy outfit came from then you totally need to check out the very trendy Bellie & Katrina in Hoboken!