Destination: Wedding!

This summer has been a combination of things that I love: traveling to beautiful places, telling stories through photos, and being with wonderful people! I feel so blessed to have set my eyes on some of the places I've visited this wedding season. From the gardens of England, to the beaches of the Gulf of Mexico to an Indian wedding near Aspen, to the wildflower ridden hills of Crested Butte, this summer has rocked my world! Not only were these places lovely, but these people also... some of them have been my dear friends for years and some I've only just met, but I had a genuine blast at each one of these sacred events.

At the last wedding, I received one of the greatest compliments of my life. Before I get to that, there's one thing you should know about me: I LOVE to dance. I've even had friends tell me I should market myself as The Dancing Photographer. So I was dancing to some hip hop in between photo ops with these lovely Indian women (and with the bride's permission, of course), and one of them came up to me at the end of the night with her lovely accent and said, "Ohhh, Allison, watching you dance is like watching Cirque de Soleil." Speechless. So many emotions. Could've died happy... as long as she meant it as a good thing  :) 

Small showcase of the dance moves.

The BFF and I. Showcasing our full service photography. We make signs, we take kids to the potty, and of course, we sing when "Don't Stop Believin'" comes on. 

Here are some highlight shots from the summer:

Windsor, England.

St. Petersburg, Florida.

the breathtaking Crested Butte, Colorado

Glenwood Springs, Colorado

Ashley

And in the end, it's not the years in your life that count.
It's the life in your years.
~ Abraham Lincoln

If anyone has life in their years, it's this beautiful girl. So sassy, so classy, so full of life - what a FUN photo shoot. She laughs so much it was difficult to get her to pose with a plain smile, much less a nice serious face! But thinking about dead puppies seemed to help with that :)

I have actually known Ashley since January and think she's one of the sweetest, coolest, most unique high schoolers I've ever met, as you can see from the pictures. She has a depth about her that's pretty rare at 17. Ashley really is one of a kind and a delight to be around. If laughter is the best medicine, I'm hoping for a lot more big doses of her this year~

Sean & Rachel

This was the first time I got to brave the snow in a wedding photo shoot, and what a glorious day it was! I feel that I've had the privilege to work
with such kind, caring, and thoughtful brides in my career thus far, and Rachel was no exception. She and Sean met in high school here in Colorado and started dating shortly after. I've also photographed her brother for his senior pictures and her parents' bed & breakfast for their website (www.rockymountainlodge.com). Their inn is perfect; it's exactly what comes to your mind when you think of COLORADO! Chunky snow on the trees, real log cabin, mountains in the background ... Ahhhh. Glory. One tradition Rachel's dad has is that he doesn't like to see his daughters until he's about to walk them down the aisle. He didn't even let them show him their dresses! So, of course, he loses it a little and their weddings can turn into a big tear fest for everyone! This time, he budged a little and decided to see Rachel a few minutes in her dressing room a few minutes before the ceremony began. One thing I love about my job is that's not awkward for me be around to witness these precious, timeless moments between family and friends -- if I was just a normal guest I would get kicked out when these moments come and go! But my camera is my ticket into all kinds of intimate moments reserved for the closest of friends. I love it! And I loved getting to work with Sean and Rachel ... best of luck to you 2 out in your new South Carolina adventure!