Robin and Joshua tied the knot in a beautiful outdoor ceremony at Camp Puh'tok in Monkton, Maryland. The weather was unusually warm, but that didn't wilt anyone's spirits! Everyone from age zero to eighty seemed to be glad of each other's company.

The ceremony was held in a brightly-lit field, underneath a veiled canopy. A small group of friends and family were in attendance, and I skulked around the perimeter, enjoying the summer sun and the touching readings of their vows. Chris Dunn, a classical guitarist, played delicately throughout the ceremony.

At the end of the ceremony, everyone (especially the kids) enthusiastically blew bubbles, and then ran across the field to depart for the reception.

Robin and Joshua had chosen a signature cocktail for their reception: the mojito. Their color (and cake!) was a delicate green, like the shade of the surrounding woods.

Many thanks to Latrice Dixon for helping to organize this beautiful event, the Rev. Alberta Eaton for officiating, All Star DeeJays for the music, and Manor Tavern for the scrumptious food (and boy, do I mean scrumptious!).

Most of all, many thanks and blessings to the bride, groom, and their families, for the honor and privilege of photographing their beautiful and intimate occasion.

Nathalie and Cory, whose engagement I shot in downtown Baltimore and along Howard Street, tied the knot on April 26th at Woodend Sanctuary! Wildflowers were everywhere, and we even had deer sightings in the evening.

Their wedding was simply to die for; even though it was a hot, hot, HOT day, everyone fared well and the light was perfect. The ceremony happened at 4 in the afternoon, allowing things to cool off, and the shade to fall over all the onlookers.

This is just a small preview of the gorgeousness to come--more photos in the next week!

About a year and a half ago, Peter graced his parents presence in a most blessed way; he was adopted as a tiny infant by his parents, Kim and Craig. Now, he's an outgoing and curious toddler, totally in love with the outdoors.

The weather forecast had called for thunderstorms, but as luck would have it, a break in the weather, the clouds, and the mood came right as Kim and I took Peter in the backyard.

Craig mowed the lawn (which fascinated Peter), and we took the little guy on a wagon ride, an trip in his car, and a visit to the spruce tree in the front yard (whose height he kept pointing out to us).

What I loved was the moment when Kim said, "Show us your teeth, Peter!" and he gave this incredibly mangled-but-cute-looking grin. What a ham!

So you've all been dying to see more from Nathalie and Cory's wedding, right? Well, never fear; thanks to my wonderful assistant Leah Stern, I had plenty of material to plug through from the whole green event at Woodend Sanctuary.

Nathalie and her sister got ready inside the mansion as the afternoon light came through the wide windows. Her mother assisted her into her wedding dress (by Amanda Archer) and veil (by Leah/smittenxoxo). I hung around, catching a few details of the various stages of getting ready, and then we roamed the grounds taking portraits together.

Leah ran off with Cory and his brother (the best man) to hide from Nathalie. The two of them needed a little help getting their ties together; a few friends volunteered to show them how. All dressed up, they relaxed outside on the opposite side of the grounds while guests arrived, and waited for the main event.

In the secluded grove, the sun shone halfway through the trees. There was a breeze, and David Huber played on the guitar. After some tearful and moving vows, Nathalie and Cory exchanged their beautiful custom-made rings (courtesy of Beth Cyr) were officially married!

After the ceremony and family portraits, Leah and I took the two of them aside for a few minutes to wander the wild grounds and enjoy each others' company.

At the reception, we took pictures at a makeshift photo booth. Gorgeous centerpieces provided by Local Color Flowers not only looked beautiful, but contained fragrant herbs to waft around inside the tent. Leah had been recording video in addition to serving as second shooter and assistant, enabling me to put together this little jewel to share:

Nathalie and Cory's day ended late into the evening, with dancing, cupcakes, and laughter.

What impressed me most about Nat & Cory was not just that they had made every effort to include local and independent artisans (learn more here), but the amazing amount of love between them and their families.

They deserve all the blessings in the world.

I'm (approximately) six months pregnant right now. I'm almost halfway through my second wedding season of shooting while pregnant, and it occurred to me the other day that there's not that much written out there for nervous brides who have hired a photographer who is (or could become) pregnant.

The Big Question

Should I hire a female wedding photographer if they could get pregnant?

Any, and I mean ANY woman who works can become pregnant, so even if your photographer isn't planning on having kids, a surprise might just be right around the corner. Does this make you nervous? It probably makes them a little nervous too!

But hiring a male photographer instead won't ensure they'll 100%-without-a-doubt be there. The not-so-big secret is that any photographer can be a potential victim of fate. What if they get sick? What if their child is hospitalized? What if their parent dies? With any photographer you interview, examine their cancellation policy, and talk with them about what they'd do in the event of an emergency.

Pregnancy is actually (in my opinion) one of the more predictable and reliable things that can happen to your wedding photographer. But go with your gut. Really. If you simply feel that you don't want to rely on someone who's pregnant, then by all means, do what makes you feel at ease.

Of course, if you're totally over the moon for them and they have a good emergency policy, then you just might have hit the jackpot!

My Approach

As a pregnant photographer, doing my best at being pregnant is also a part of doing my best on your wedding day.

Firstly, I do my best to be in good physical shape. After my first baby, I did everything I could to get back into regular exercise and good eating habits. Hooray for jogging strollers! Even at six months now, I'm running three to four times a week, and doing aerobics to boot. As I get bigger, I plan to alter my regimen towards less intensive, but just as frequent exercise to accommodate the extra stress on my joints. Photography (at least the way I do it) requires a lot from me physically, and so will childbirth, so why not prepare for both marathons at once?

Secondly, I rest. Pregnancy can really beat your body up; not many people tell you about the strange sensations you'll have, or how tired you'll feel. It sounds silly, but I also make sure I take a nap or lie down for a half-hour or so every day. I rely on friends and family members to help me make sure I'm well-rested and get to bed on time before a big wedding.

Thirdly, I cut back. In order for me to do my job properly and take care of the coming little one, I have to say "no" more often. I'd love to be superwoman (really, who wouldn't), but I have to be realistic: my energy level is being redirected to creating new life, so of course I'll have to take it a little easier on the commitments.

On Your Big Day

The hardest thing about being a wedding photographer is that you're pretty much always "on." So, I have three major things I do on a long day of shooting:

Key #1: Snack Snack Snack
Key #2: Stay Hydrated
Key #3: Strategic Bathroom Breaks

Granted, I've only been through pregnancy one-and-a-half times now, but focusing on these three things helps me keep my energy up and lets me stay focused on what's important--the beautiful bride and gorgeous groom. A bite of a granola bar here, sips of water when I can, and using quiet and in-between times for a needed trip to the restroom.

My Back-Up Plan

I have a list of emergency shooters for the last-minute unthinkable thing. I hire assistants for the weddings that I know will be large, long, and physically arduous. Other photographers in my personal network know that I'm pregnant. My family is alert and aware of my obligations. My doctor knows my vocation and keeps tabs on my health for me. It's a lot of work to set this up, but it's only fair to my clients, and to myself!

The Final Word for Brides

As I said before, do go with your gut on this issue. But also take a lesson from it: no matter what photographer you choose, make sure you go over their cancellation policy and what their procedures are in the event of a personal emergency--for them or for you! It's not pleasant to think about either you or your photographer having some sort of emergency, but you'll be happier and feel more at ease leading up to and on your special day.

A Note For Photographers

My advice to other photographers is this: you know your body, your shooting style, and your business plan. Make decisions based on accurate knowledge of all three, and with the guidance of your doctor. Pregnancy is not a terminal illness; it's a temporary but significant and unpredictable condition that will require you to alter your normal way of doing things.

So, examine your cancellation policy (please tell me you have one). As with any other medical condition, create a safe and satisfactory back-up plan for you and your clients according to your worst-case-scenario. Your clients will thank you for ensuring that there's someone there to photograph their one-time event, just like your body will thank you for all the preparation and caring towards its one-time event!

The worst thing you can do is nothing, and pretend like pregnancy doesn't matter. It does, but it's no reason to go into a mental tailspin. Your clients may react unpredictably to your news, but don't let that phase you. Pregnancy and birth, like marriage, are life-changing events, so cherish them both accordingly!

On an overcast afternoon, friends and family gathered at St. Andrew By the Bay to celebrate the marriage of Tim and Traci. A devout Catholic couple, Tim and Traci met in their active parish, and slowly but surely fell into admiration, then love for each other.

Throughout the service, reminders of the couples' faith, service, and passion for social justice rang. The cantor's voice soared throughout the airy sanctuary, full of lightness and energy.

Many heartfelt congratulations were passed around from family members and dear friends; I pulled Traci and Tim aside for a few minutes after family portraits to catch some small moments together before we left for the reception.

The church grounds were lush with spring life, providing a marvelous complimentary backdrop for Traci's flowers and Tim's tall stature!

At the reception, loving toasts were given, and laughter shared. While all of the adults enjoyed gabbing and ate their food, the children took over the dance floor and provided most of the afternoon's entertainment.

Tim and Traci, may you have many years of wedded bliss.

Peter and Jessica are quite the playful and spontaneous pair. When I asked about their engagement, Jess confessed, "We woke up one day in October and decided, 'Hey, let's get engaged today!' So, we did."

"The center stone in my engagement ring was a family heirloom from Peter's Great Aunt Zola," said Jessica. I think Great Aunt Zola would like that it's being used again!

That's not the only family contribution to the wedding phenomenon, though. "We're trying to make the wedding as handmade and green as we can using DIY projects, Etsy, and local vendors," said Jessica. We'll DJ the wedding ourselves using song requests sent to us by our guests beforehand. And a close friend that we have known since we started dating 9 years ago will be marrying us."

Plus, they're having pinatas instead of a bouquet and garter toss!

The best part about these two, however, was that they completely surprised me by bringing a pair of goofy animal masks along.

I asked Jessica to share a little about the thrill of getting married. They picked a beautiful outdoor location on Peter's uncle's property in Bluemont, VA on the dock of a lake. (To which I sigh to myself, saying, "How romantic!!")

"We are so excited and can't wait, the next 5 months are going to be torture."

On the day Patrick and Erin got married, a thunderstorm threatened over the Eastern Shore. Clouds gathered and a breeze began to blow. As Erin dressed with her bridesmaids, they fretted over the clouds on the horizon.

My assistant for the day, caught the moments of Patrick on the beach with his groomsmen before it became overcast. It almost seemed as though it was destined to rain

But it didn't. May 16th, 2009 turned out to be the perfect day. Everyone watched the sun set behind theatrical clouds over the horizon, as the officiant blessed the wedding couple and introduced them to their friends and family.

The beachside location was the perfect temperature, and the perfect ambiance for a quick set of portraits before Patrick and Erin made their entrance at the reception. Their loved ones waited expectantly in the Tavern on the Bay.

And what a batch of loved ones! They thoroughly enjoyed each other through the cocktail reception and beyond, watching the bride and groom dance with obvious admiration. As usual, I teared up a little bit at the father-daughter dance.

Jessah had shot some video of our antics on the beach a little earlier in the day, and so I put together this slideshow of the overall event as well, just for some kicks!

As the night wore on, you could tell the ring bearer was exhausted; perhaps that ear-to-ear grin he had at the ceremony took too much out of him. Plenty of others had energy to keep dancing, and we said goodbye to a balmy and perfect May 16th and hello to a stormy 17th.

May Patrick and Erin have many years of bliss and many blessings!