memories from Memorial Days gone by

Paul & I are one of many couples married Memorial Day weekend. For us that weekend [see above; photo by Ray Jagger] was in 1993, but the reasons we selected that particular 3-day weekend remain salient today: an extra 24 hrs for out-of-state friends to travel; spring semesters have come to a close; and [fingers-crossed] great weather. It's the "opening" weekend for area outdoor pools & the kick-off-the-summer cook-outs. Guess it's no suprise that Memorial Day weekend marks our big wedding-season kick-off, too.

When I became a wedding photographer, I faced a family decision. Would I be willing to work holiday weekends? Bottom line: if it's something our kids look forward to celebrating, I'd rather be hanging with them. Their birthdays? Christmas? ~ I'm officially unavailable to document anything other than well, their faces. Find the five of us off playing at a park or eating ronzas somewhere [more info on that Enderle-Wagner treat later]. BUT...Paul's birthday, my birthday, our anniversary...since our kids aren't exactly counting down the days to these "milestones", sure, let's talk weddings.

Over the past few years, I've developed an extra special fondness for each of the couples whose weddings I've shot on my own wedding anniversary. Just as moments of my wedding flashbacked throughout Philip & Cody's Memorial Day Weekend wedding, [often at the most sneaky times], I also found myself remembering:

~ Melissa & Roland's Shelter Gardens Memorial Weekend wedding 2002, complete with fern palm trees and flower-filled troughs lining the outdoor aisle. The look on Roland's face when he first saw Melissa is one I'll never forget.


~ Anne & Andy in 2004 with their love for all things historical [they WANTED those Winston Churchill statues in the background] & the sheer delight they felt for each other. Ohh, mmm, AND that incredible in-lieu-of-wedding-cake dessert SOUP?!. How could I forget that?! [Andy's a White House chef...there's probably an official name for such a dish...will keep you posted on that.]
~ Last year: Liz & Jon. How cute Liz was ironing her honeymoon dress w/ a fresh bridal up-do & Jon taking a pre-ceremony sprint around his apartment complex that ended with him DIVING, clothes & all, into the pool.
Know what else I remember from each of these weddings? LAUGHTER. Lots of laughter. Roland's gracious groomsmen asking grandmothers & great aunts for a dance and their giggling replies. Annie's maid-of-honor's toast when she spoke of what a pleasure it had been to spend the last few days with the Rollers, specifically, well, CAROL. And Liz & Jon realizing during their outdoor ceremony that there was no way the wind would allow that candle to light.

And now there's another great couple to add to this Memorial Day Memories list. Cody Robertson & Philip Batson. What an honor it was to document their day. And once again, laughter did abound. Reminded me of just how fun it is to fall, and to be, in love.

KEEP CHECKING, soon, very soon a slide show of Philip & Cody's day will be posted...some technical snafus with the uploading, but have no fear, and NO, I'm not kidding about the eggs benedict...just wait, you'll see.~amy