Gardens, Fountains, Chandeliers Oh My...

I love shooting here... Meson Sabika is a gem. 

You've got this sweet mansion, gardens, stone fountains, and a tent adorned in sheer linens & gorgeous chandeliers. 

Chandeliers? Yes...They're everything but gaudy & old-school. 

They were delicate, modern, and something I want in my house. 

Shoot, lets just transfer this whole place to my non-existent back yard. Okay? Sound good? 

I hope my groom Dan & my bride Jaclyn get to come with it because they are some of the most normal down to earth people.

 You just want to be around them.

Luckily for me, I got to spend a pretty important day with them. (: 

Congrats guys!! 

Ridiculously Awesome...

So...I'm a little crazy. Not really...

But the fact that I may or may not have 16 versions (Don't judge me!) of this one picture is a little obsessive. But can you blame me!? 

This pic is ridiculous. And by that I mean ridiculously awesome. 

For sure one of my all time favs.

I  couldn't decide which of them I liked best so I narrowed it down to what I think are my favorite two versions. If you're remotely interested or perhaps just bored feel free to vote on which is your fav. & that will be one of my new main pics up on my website. 

 Another one of my all time favs? These shoes! Are you kidding!? 

They say love on them! 

Yeah...This was a fantastic day. Was kinda freaking out.

Congrats Justin & Samantha!

Love Me Some Milwaukee...

So... It's pretty much inevitable that two things happen when I shoot in milwaukee.
No matter what the season or what the shoot is we're going to have crazy weather & crazy awesome places to take some pictures.
 Today was no exception.
Though the wedding was in June it was freakishly cold.
Like where is my Eskimo parka when I need it cold.
But truly there's few places that could make you 

overlook that so quickly than where we got to take our pics.
 Gorgeous isn't even the word.
Although one place that word would fit is in describing Nicole's dress.
I'm kinda obsessed with it.

It's days like these that keep me going.

Return To India...

Sigh...I cannot tell you the joy that is in my heart! 

We're just days away from returning to India! 

We work with a girl's orphanage called The Home of Love...

It has literally changed our lives & more importantly the lives of 75 girls in India. 

With that, my photo journey will move from weddings to the slums. 

From celebrations with fine china to celebrations on banana leaves. 

Here's a few snapshots of last year. 

Look forward to telling you all about it upon my return!

-Melissa Marie

Time To Party...

This was a party you wish you were invited to.... 

Though maybe a little over a hundred people attended I think the energy in the celebration far outshone even the largest of weddings. 

Often times DJ's have to have the group cheer several times to get the energy up before announcing the bridal party. I kid you not, it was the loudest first-round cheer I've ever heard and the party only grew from there. But the wedding wasn't without sentiment. With many of the guests coming in from Colombia there were many tearful hugs and a genuine sense of deep appreciation to be re-united.

I truly from the bottom of my heart loved this day. 

From laughing at "Grams" whose an absolute riot! 

To watching father & son embrace with tears rolling down their faces. 

Sigh...What a good day. 

Jorge & Danielle...Thank you for letting me be a small part of it!

Today is Their Day...

Today is their wedding day...

No these aren't their wedding pictures but I don't think I've shot someone's engagement pictures so close to their wedding before. I know I said that a few months back but two days before the wedding!? 

I was worried that they'd get burnt out on pictures and we hadn't even made it to the big day. 

Luckily that wasn't the case. 

Jorge & Danielle are super sweet and their excitement for the wedding makes me all the more excited. Speaking of wedding. 

I gotta go shoot theirs! 

Like...

Right now. 

Timing Is Everything...

Think back over some of the most life-changing moments & chapters in your life...

 I'd bet to say that it was an event occurring at just a time for a rememberable result to take place.
Timing is everything....
A man prepares & ponders when & how is the best way to commit his life to another and an engagement forms. Now of course I'm biased but I think one of the most crucial moments to get the timing right is one's wedding. Are you both ready? Will you be in a spot that will allow you to begin life together on the right foot? The answers to those questions will have a great impact on the final result.
In the same way, the timing of one's wedding events can make or break the experience.
Which is why I always advise more time rather than less.
You may think: "wow, do I really need that much tine in-between or for pictures?
And my answer is yes... Yes you do. Inevitably things will run late.
"But I'm organized" you say...That's awesome! You & I will get along great! (:  but I'm tellin' ya a wedding day is a chain reaction of many people's decisions & timing is not just reliant on us who have a minute by minute spreadsheet.  Ha...Don't judge me! (: 

So... My point is having a great timeline for your wedding just may be the key factor in you having he best experience of your life.

Today's bride Michelle was totally trusting in my timeline (despite some grief from others that there potentially was too much time) and surprise surprise it was exactly what we needed. (Okay I'm not surprised I've done hundreds of weddings, I kinda have this down by now) (: 

 Having the right time  obviously makes my crazy organized personally happy but more than that I know that minute by minute... Memory after memory is being created. And who wouldn't want that on the most meaningful day of their life? 

 Couldn't be happier for her & Tim. 

Congrats guys!