I spent the weekend in NYC to celebrate the wedding of my friends, Meg and Alex. Their day was hazy yet warm, their celebration simple yet elegant and intimate. I inhale wedding photography much like my sourpatch kid/movie popcorn combo (can’t. stop. eating.), so I will spare you any fluff and get right to the heart here–some photos of these people I love on their beautiful day. I took the liberty and Photoshop’d some gorgeous model heads on everyone’s bodies. Oh wait, I didn’t. That’s really them.
Here’s the clincher: they’re purty on the inside too.
Meg happens to double as my literary agent. But it seems no coincidence that we’re the same age and met each other during a tough year for both of us. She helped me tell my story, I watched her write hers. And watching someone you love find love and write happiness is pretty special. Hope to watch it again and again and again for many others in my life.
In the midst of celebrating all this love, there was a three-day city trip with my best friend, tulips everywhere, walks in Central Park, drinks with friends and, like, 7 celebrity sightings–which I’ve learned in New York City means, don’t make an ass of yourself. So help me God, your eye even twitches toward Alec Baldwin, and you done gone gave it away that you’re a big fat tourist. Keep walking. Be cool.
Noted in these pics…I look up a lot in New York.
We ran to Washington Square Park again just minutes before our ride to the airport arrived. Bumped into Roxanne, the bubble lady. How fun would it be to go down to a big park on a Sunday afternoon and just make people happy? Disperse bubbles into the air over and over and watch kids laugh and chase them?
Pretty sure Roxanne’s a unicorn.
There will always be a part of me that is drawn to New York and entranced by its force. But then I come home to my loves, my family, and–as my dad said today–“The best lesson in belonging is learned in leaving and returning.” Hearts belong with people, and my heart might beat in many places but most prominently in the bodies I hugged last night upon my return. Feels good to be home. I’ll return to this city again with more of my family, direct their eyes up, collide more worlds, expand more perspectives. But for now, we stretch our roots and celebrate love…in the many forms it takes, in the many places it blooms.
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I can’t wait to share with you Wednesday about another place where love is needed and the story you’ll get to be a part of to see it happen….(hint hint–I applied for my passport).
That looked like a beautiful and happy wedding. I wish them many many anniversaries.
Love the part about keeping it cool when you saw the 7 celebrities. Keepin’ it real, girl! Glad you had fun. Happy Mother’s Day!
NYC in springtime! Whimper. The best of both worlds was living in California and having a brother in Brooklyn Heights. Until they moved upstate. Grrrr.
Breathtaking photography. Can’t wait to read about your newest upcoming adventure!
What a beautiful couple!
And my favorite combo is movie theater popcorn and MILK DUDDS!!! Can’t. Stop. Eating. Either! OMG, I want some NOW!
Congratulations Meg and Alex! Wishing you joy always! Beautiful photos of a beautiful wedding and of my favorite city.
Gorgeous colour drenched photos … Congrats to the happy couple.
Beautiful wedding, Meg made a lovely bride. The wash sq bubbles are awesome. I wish people would drop silly comments like NYers have to act like things aren’t cool, though. No. That’s not true and that’s a dumb stereotype to perpetuate. It’s the greatest city in the world, you should act impressed – either bc of Alec Baldwin or the vegetable peeler guy in union square. NY is a wonderful, grityy, fast city but it is also filled with genuine people and cool experiences. NYers get starstruck too. You’ve been there enough times I would think not to keep writing blog posts like, oh everyone is so cool but mean.
Congrats to your friends!! So fun! Nothing like a destination wedding. Ok, and I wanna know every celebrity you saw AND where you’re off to with your passport!! I’m like the nosey old lady next door! Tell me everything!! 😀
Stunning photos. You have such a knack at capturing the essence of every moment. Love, love, love. (And I have now added, “experiencing bubble lady,” to my bucket list!)
Beautiful pictures! I am a country girl through and through, but a trip to NY is on my bucket list.
Not every New Yorker keeps it cool when spotting someone famous. One evening…many, many years ago while walking down Madison Avenue to my favorite deli for a late night snack attack I bumped into Bobby and Ethel Kennedy strolling alone on a quiet Sunday night. No way I kept on walking!! I didn’t quite scream in excitement but did nearly knock them over in my youthful exuberance. They were charming, we chatted for about two minutes and I ran back to my apartment to call my parents. Never did make it to the deli for that late night egg salad sandwich and fabulous sour pickle!
Beautiful! Can you please tell me what lens you used to capture these moments:)
STUNNING pictures!
Can’t wait to hear about your passport application…and where you are headed and why!! Sounds like something that is my cup of tea! Anne:)
I loved looking through these pictures! I know that feeling about coming home, ahhhhh. So glad you had this cool experience though!
is there anything more beautiful as NY in Springtime?? Ok, NY in the fall, but holy geez, woman! GORGEOUS images. i love your eye and what you capture.
amazing photos! how cool are those bubbles!??
I LOVE LOVE LOVE New York. I went for the first time a few years ago with a couple of friends. But, I want to go again for a purely cultural trip. Museums, Broadway, Central park exploring.
Thanks for always posting — when some of the other blogs I follow go days without posting, I can always depend on your blog to have something new!
Your dad’s saying reminded me of a snippet I found in an Apples of Gold book once: “I’m so glad to be home I’m glad I went.” Took me years to understand that!
Is that Cory Chisel moderating???
Best wishes to Meg and Alex! Looks like a wonderful, celebratory day.
I love visiting New York and think it’s fabulous, but I’m always happy to return to the D.C. suburbs — where everything is familiar, known, comforting — at the end of a long weekend. Love your dad’s quote on belonging — beautiful.
Oh my gosh – was their officiant a musician named Cory Chisel? If not, you must google him….dead ringer. (he’s one of our faves who is from our area and now lives in Nashville) Beautiful pictures!!!
Going to that wonderful place on Saturday with my husband to introduce our 21 year old to our fave city. And was that one of the Black Keys on the patio? He’s an Akron kid like me!
ROFL…yes, I’m sure Dash will need years of therapy after a 3 day weekend away from mama.
People are so ignorant.
Beautiful! I really want to visit NYC some day! Did you happen to see that Alec Baldwin was just arrested there a few hours ago?
@ElleSparks, I know a church group that went to Africa as well. All but one person from that group fell in the white category and NONE were privileged. I guess they should be ashamed that they went as it sounds like people might assume they were part of the elite for being able to go to help do wonderful things. Oh and that darn privileged Angelina Jolie sure has gone there a lot and look at the mess she has made!! Did I mention she is white?
@nancy bobancy – before putting ‘people’ (all people?) under the blanket title of being ‘so ignorant’, you should think about the statement that was made to which you responded. I didn’t think anything at all about Kelle leaving her children for this trip in particular, but I did think “Wow, another trip”. The comment that Yaelle made was speaking to the culture of traveling on a frequent basis (I’m not judging AT ALL, just stating facts – a week on Orcas Island, then a week in NYC, to just name a few trips in recent history). The comment was not speaking about one trip. So yeah, I get Yaelle’s point.
I love these pictures so much! Love you more. I was serious about coming back with all of the kids. You can find awesome spots at http://www.onefinestay.com (that’s where we found the flat in London). Heidi too with the kiddos. It would be so much fun to explore NYC through their eyes, and we already know Nella is a city girl through and through. Love you sweet Kelle.
Beautiful. Loved the shoes of the woman in the yellow dress.
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The wedding looks lovely, and I’m fascinated by the tall NY buildings.
So beautiful! Congratulations to them 🙂 Any idea where the black and white dress is from that the girl in one of the earlier photos is wearing?
Beautiful pictures. Lovely couple.
Canada?!
Canada?!
She was a beautiful bride…lovely photos.
I am so happy your friend found love : ). It definitely is grand.
I haven’t been to New York since Junior year of Highschool. 11 years is too long. I’m excited to make trips there with people I love. It’s such a beautiful place. @Meg Thompson…beautiful beautiful bride you were. Congrats to you and Alex!
Okay, I think I got somewhat nasty in my comments to the Noonday thing. That is the horrible temptation of near anonymity on the internet. I should have worded things better for sure.
What seems to be happening now is that there are people with great points but there are also people with axes to grind – perhaps they have pent up rage about your blog, not sure. If it helps at all, it is not only your blog that this has happened to.And for what it is worth, I don’t think it is personally against you – again the internet gets people going in a way that is almost surreal. I think that you went into this with your heart open. And regardless of my thoughts on the matter, I don’t think you deserve to be sarcastically ‘beaten up’ by the masses. No one does. I imagine it is scary as heck to be so taunted on your blog. I also think there is bravery in your silence on the matter for the moment. It’s such a new area really, how someone can recover after blog comments go so so crazy. I apologize for the vehemence of my own comments – I was definitely hiding behind the anonymity (even with my name out there). I may not agree with you or what I have decided that you represent but there is room for everyone out there in blog world – this too shall pass. Folks will move on to the next thing. I’m a writer as well(of a much less read blog!) and I think writers gotta stick together. Heck, I can barely cope when my writers’ group critiques my writing too harshly (by my estimation). The storm will pass and I hope you keep writing. If I stand for freedom for some, I must stand for freedom for all. I’m not so much a praying sort anymore – I left behind the evangelical years ago but kept the mysticism (or something) but I actually feel the need to send out positive thoughts or prayers for you or whatever it is out there. As for me? I’m done with the snarky on other people’s blogs. I hope so anyway. It doesn’t feed me (other than my free floating anger) and it only hurts people really. Again, this will pass.
Okay, Lyric, but why so angry? That is what I’m not getting and am honestly trying to understand. Why this vehemence from you and others against Kelly? I’m not talking about the reason you are angry – but what is the vehemence about? Where does that come from? I note that no one has put that vehemence on her FB page – possibly because it is much more exposing? I ask this honestly – why the rage? It’s so curious – I recognized it in myself as a way to get some of my free floating anger out there and when others pump it up it becomes almost addicting, yes? Would you sit in front of Kelly and express the vehemence in the same way? When does it become internet stalking? Just some things I’m thinking about as a result of my own overly angry response to this blog as well as noting others’ responses. Would I treat a friend this way in person? Would I treat someone I didn’t like this way in person? It’s interesting and disturbing all at once.
How is silence brave? Silence is the easiest thing of all.
But no matter what she writes at this point, people are going to tear it apart. And if she writes nothing, people tear that apart. Lose-lose. This has nothing to do with whether I agree with her or not – I personally think she may have naively gotten involved in something that is perhaps not so great. I’m just not sure how she can respond in a way that will calm some folks down. I could see getting this angry at a friend, at someone a person has actually met but the strong anger against someone we don’t even know (obviously knowing someone through the internet is not really knowing someone) is intriguing.
And I note that her FB page is open for comments, even if you don’t follow her. Again, it seems people (myself included, absolutely) are willing to write almost anything when they don’t have to be too exposed (posting on FB would require more accountability, a last name, etc).
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Am a silent follower of your blog and never commented! But felt excited about you being in central park!! will meet you when u r there next time!
You make an awesome wedding photographer!! (without the cheese) You may want to look at doing it part time
Lovely wedding pictures! Please tell me what dress the bride is wearing, it’s perfect!