Holland Photo Arts Blog – Charlottesville Wedding Photographers

Now that Margaret and Chip are married (congrats, you two!), we can finally share with you images from her recent bridal portrait session, set in her childhood home. Her mom Peggy is a master gardener, and their back yard was a photographer’s dreams as a setting for these classic portraits. Below are a few choice images from the session, and we’re looking forward to sharing images from their wedding celebration soon!

Hey everyone, we hope the effects of Irene didn’t affect you too much, and that you otherwise had a good weekend. We’re so thankful that all our family and friends are safe and sound (albeit minus some trees) and that our “hurricane wedding” this weekend was more just a rainy (albeit a bit windy) one.

We’re also happy today to celebrate the union of Amy & Andy, who married in Williamsburg a year ago this weekend. We touched base with them recently to ask about their first year as a married couple and to find out some of their favorite images and moments from the wedding. This is what they had to say. We thought the first part in particular about having different favorites at different times was really interesting and cool. We hadn’t heard that before, but it makes perfect sense. Enjoy!

For our favorites – this was really hard!  We had our favorites a year ago, and then new favorites about 6 months ago, and now we’re slowly realizing that we have new favorites.

From Andy:

What more could you want in a photograph?  Groomsmen, my brother holding the bridal bouquet, and my new wife of an hour holding a 40.

I’ve never seen a picture of Amy like that before.  It’s like stealing a moment when nobody’s looking, the way that only I get to see her. 

From Amy:

I don’t think I ever noticed this photo before, and now that I’m looking back through at the expressions on our faces and the order in which this photo was taken, I’m pretty sure this was the moment that we were realizing it was a done deal.  

This photo to me is perfection.  I know pictures from the church alcove are so common that they’re often ignored, but there are several important reasons why I love this picture. 1. Williamsburg Presbyterian Church is an extremely beautiful church. 2. I can see all of our amazing friends and family who so lovingly came to celebrate the day with us. 3. I can still feel butterflies in my stomach when I think about how I felt walking up the aisle with my Dad and seeing Andy at the end, along with my mom and Andy’s parents, and all of our bridesmaids and groomsmen.  It was the best moment.

From both of us:

We have this picture framed over our mantle, thanks to a wedding gift we received for a canvas wrap.  We were outside taking these pictures, and everyone slowly followed.  We were supposed to start speeches and the DJ was annoyed that our timeline was thrown out the window, but it was such a fun time while everyone was enjoying the sunset and the beautiful view of the river.  

It’s just pretty, and we love it.  

Thanks for sharing, you two, and congratulations!

Happy Friday! Today we’re sending “sweet as” congratulations today to Hillary and Simon, recently celebrating their wedding at beautiful Shrine Mont in rural Virginia. The couple traveled from their home in New Zealand (hey, we’ve been there!) to return to the land of Hillary’s youth, while Simon’s family flew across the pond from Scotland, many for the very first time (really folks, Virginia isn’t usually that hot!). Bill met up with the couple at 9am a few days prior to their wedding for a 90-degree+ engagement portrait shoot in and around the woods near her parents’ home.

When you’re ready, you can view their complete wedding here. The password is Hillary’s maiden name.

Can you tell this is one laid back couple? We LOVE it!

And now, the day of the wedding…

The Family Affair team:

Venue: Shrine Mont
Catering: Shaffer’s BBQ
Flowers: Wildflowers by Simon’s parent’s, Jay & Anne Goodwin
Officiant & Cake: Hillary’s Mom, Jan McDonald
Reception entertainment: Jan Smith & the Honeybirds

Many guests enjoyed a quick dip in the pool that afternoon prior to the ceremony. (They probably wouldn’t have minded if the actually ceremony had taken place in there!) While Shrine Mont is up in the mountains and thus a few degrees cooler than its valley-born brethren, it was still pretty darn hot that day. Real feel of 115. (Thanks, Accuweather! Not.) Doesn’t it make you feel cooler just looking at it that crisp blue water?

Hillary and Simon opted to walk to outdoor cathedral at Shrine Mont (built in 1924!) and process together, led by Hillary’s mom, an Episcopalian priest who has worked at Shrine Mont for a number of years.

A dear friend, a professional fiddler from Scotland, serenaded the guests prior to the ceremony and then played for the couple.

There were a couple of very helpful little girls fanning Simon wherever he walked.

Why wait when you have can have a champagne toast immediately after the ceremony? Sounds good to us!

BBQ and cornbread. Yum!

Paper lanterns create an irresistible pull for those aspiring high-jumpers.

Dear h&s,

The most important thing for any of our clients is for them to celebrate their wedding the way they wish, being true to who they are. By that criteria alone, yours was absolutely perfect. It was truly a family affair, what with your mom, Hillary, not only officiating your ceremony, but baking your cake and cupcakes, and Simon, your parents and Hillary’s dad arranging wildflowers for the altar and bouquet picked that morning from a nearby pasture. And the choice of Shrine Mont was incredibly personal for you, Hillary, having served as a camp counselor in your teens and your mom simultaneously serving as a priest. The ceremony site was among the most unique and beautiful we’ve ever seen, and the serenity one feels upon stepping foot in the sacred open space was the perfect emotional state for a wedding. It was an especially nice touch to see all of your close family members approach to offer words of wisdom and readings.

After a BBQ dinner (pork as well as beef, as if one simply weren’t enough goodness), your bluegrass band got everyone up and kept them up for the remainder of the evening. The heat was forgotten and there was so much swinging and dancing and frolicking the energy was absolutely infectious. Everything was just so relaxed and low-key and easy-going, it was such a pleasure for me to be a part of it all and document your celebration for you. It fit you both perfectly to a T. And that’s all one could ask for. Thank you so much for having me out and many best wishes to you both!

Peace & love…
…b (&a)