Congratulations Jessie and Ben

Last weekend we had a wonderful time with Jessie and Ben and their family and friends in Minnesota. We had perfect weather for some beautiful outdoor photos at their reception site. I know everyone is anxious to see some photos so I will post this one as a teaser for now.

Welcome Tara and Aaron

I want to give a big Pottinger Photography welcome to Tara and Aaron. They are a great couple from Louisville. Tara even graduated from my rival high school two years after I did. (I won't hold that against her he he.) They are joining our 2008 weddings. I am so excited to photograph them in Louisville at the awesome Water Tower this October. See you two for your engagement photos!

We're Back!

We had a wonderful trip over the weekend to Minnesota for Jessie and Ben's wedding! They are such a great couple and it was awesome to be a part of their big day. We will be waiting to post their preview images because they are going to be away from the internet for their honeymoon. I hope they have a relaxing trip!

I hope everybody had a wonderful and safe holiday weekend!

2008 Butterfly Show-The Silk Road

This year's butterfly show was great! If you haven't checked it out yet make sure you go soon because it ends June 15th. For more information check out their website. I had a blast trying to spot all of the butterflies - it's like a Where's Waldo of nature. My favorite room in the Conservatory is the orchid room so I had to take a peak in there too.

Wedding 101 Tonight-Wedding Mafia

Who doesn't love Italian food? Tonight the Wedding Mafia is presenting the second Wedding 101 seminar at Maggiano's in Kenwood. It's a great time to ask Cincinnati's top wedding professionals questions about wedding planning. Tonight's topics include incorporating colors and themes into your wedding. I will be there so come and say hello and have some awesome food and drinks. The discussion will begin at 7:00 p.m. so come early and mingle!

Happy First Anniversary to Tara and Don

Happy one year anniversary to Tara and Don. What a fun couple with so much love. I love this photograph because Tara is smiling and Don is being so sweet and kissing her on the forehead. We wish you two and your new family all the best.

Save the Date Postcards

Susan and Rob's save the date postcards turned out great! I used her light blue color and tied that in with a classy feel to make their postcards unique to their wedding. I just know their guests are going love receiving this in the mail!

Love/Hate - My personal musings

I wanted to share a few of my random thoughts this evening. This post is for the things that I Love or Hate.

I Love:
having my hubby give me a long hug (it just feels so amazing)

my kitchen aid mixer - it took getting married and receiving gift cards to have this wonderful friend

my old worn out warm sweatshirt

eating kettle corn popcorn

getting new photography magazines in the mail (yes I am a dork)

taking a moment to watch the sunset

having my cats look cute when they are sleeping outside of my office door

listening to Breakfast with the Beatles on Sunday mornings (almost always miss this because I am sleeping or I forget or I am in the car with someone who doesn't love them as much as me)

the A&E version of Pride and Prejudice

the DVDR recorder because I can record all my shows on Thursday night and watch them much quicker (it saves time I tell ya!)

Weddings -duh - even when I am there as part of the bridal party or being a guest I can't help but think of all the cool things going on. I am always looking for photos even when I am suppose to be relaxing.

sleeping in

getting goosebumps when you know you got the shot and you can just see the emotion and artistry in the image (Luck is when preparation meets opportunity. My dad used to talk to me about this quote for baseball/softball. You spend hours and hours of time practicing and then that perfect pitch comes along and you take advantage of it and hit a long one. Photography is much like that because you have to keep your skills sharp and practice all kinds of thing so that when the perfect lighting along with the perfect background comes along you know how to best use it-Thanks Dad!)

I Hate:
wet socks - most often when I am doing the dishes (now I remove them before I start)

being late for anything

forgetting to wear earrings

strapless bras (hello funky contraption)

standing in line for anything

when my coffee gets cold before I have time to drink it all (Ben bought me a coffee maker that has really helped this because it keeps coffee super hot for a long time)

Congratulations Gretchen and Adam

Gretchen and Adam are such a fun couple and I couldn't wait for their wedding day. Saturday the weather couldn't be more perfect. We started with the girls getting ready at the church. Nicole Barth, a Mary Kay consultant, did a wonderful job with their makeup. After Gretchen put on her beautiful dress we headed over to Boone County Arboretum at Central Park where she saw Adam for the first time. After a few photos of the couple and some caterpillars trying to get in on the fun- Adam pulled out a surprise. He bought Gretchen a stunning bracelet. How sneaky is he to pull that off, I loved seeing his beautiful surprise to Gretchen. During the ceremony Ben was allowed to be in the back area of the church (hidden behind a doorway). I love how you can see the couple's faces up close and how happy they are.
When we arrived at their reception we saw their awesome engagement signing book and their beautiful green cake. Gretchen made the fun cake topper with stars on sticks that she found at Pier 1 and then she added the matching beads. And the groom's cake was a fun treasure chest. Their family and friends were a blast and were so helpful. And boy can they all dance! Congratulations Gretchen and Adam - have a wonderful honeymoon and thanks for being so much fun!

For some reason the catepillars just loved us all. One fell from the tree above me when I was taking a photo and we had to keep removing some of them for photos.

Surprise! What a thoughtful gift from Adam.

Pastor Shawn Edwards did a wonderful job with the wedding ceremony at Hebron Baptist Church.

The green cake was created by Karen from The Briarwood. She always does a wonderful job with their cakes and they are tasty too!

Wedding Tip: Questions for the Church

St. Mary's Cathedral Basilica of the Assumption is a beautiful church with great stained glass windows.

Here in the Cincinnati we are blessed with so many beautiful churches. Go just about anywhere around town and you will find churches with great architecture and history. Back in the day, when I was planning my wedding, I had to look for a church. My home church was not big enough for my guest list so I had to start a search. When looking for your church there are a few things to consider. Also, some of the answers to these questions may impact the photos that we are allowed to capture of you on that day. (For instance, if we are only allowed in the back it is a lot harder to capture those super tight close up photos.) It also helps for planning your timeline for the day.

Is there a place that we can get dressed - a parlor or somewhere that would be a good background for photos is ideal. Available light from a window is best for more natural photos.

How early may we be in the church (will there be another wedding that day or a church service before our ceremony)? If it rains can we come early?

When will my rehearsal be scheduled for, what days and times do you have weddings and rehearsals?

How long after the service will we have for formal portraits?

Do you allow a receiving line? (Some churches surprisingly do not allow these as they have multiple weddings on a Saturday.)

What are your rules for photographers and videographers? Where are they allowed to be during the service?

About how long will my ceremony be?

What are rules about decorating the church?

Many churches are very relaxed and have only a few simple rules. Other churches have time lines that need to be kept so as not to interfere with the other weddings going on that day. Happy church hunting.

Family Portraits

Sunday was a great day for a walk in the park - or in this case Spring Grove. Amber, Kennedy and Dillon were so much fun to get to know. (They are related to Zade-a popular little guy I love to photograph.) I love how they brought their baseball bat and ballet shoes. Mom must have threatened them before hand because they were on their best behavior. They even helped hold the reflector for some of the photos. Thanks you two! Oh and Amber you did great too!