Last night I was so excited to attend my monthly PUG (Pictage User Group) meeting...  this month Kacie Jean organized the amazing Dane Sanders to come and speak to our group.

I was blown away by his lecture... not only because his words spoke directly to us photographers.. but his words spoke directly to ANYONE and EVERYONE.  My favorite part...

SO... one of the coolest and most exciting things I did in 2008 was this TV show...  it was the scariest and most exhilarating time

I was so incredibly honored and flattered to be a part of this new show airing on TNT this summer.  I was asked to be the featured wedding photographer on this amazing and uplifting wedding show.  In a time when reality TV seems to be taking a turn for unrealistic drama and negativity .. this show brings back heart and truly inspires love.


WEDDING DAY  on TNT
Every couple dreams of having the perfect wedding. For many, it's the most important and emotional day of their lives. But for some, insurmountable obstacles create barriers to making their dream day a reality. WEDDING DAY is here to prove that a girl doesn't have to be rich to have a wedding fit for a princess. In this uplifting series, deserving couples from all over the United States will get a helping hand to ensure the most important day of their lives is also the most magical. Each week, celebrity event planner and food expert Alan Dunn (For Better or Worse) and celebrity wedding planner Diann Valentine (author of Weddings Valentine Style) host as family, friends and community come together to create a dream wedding. Along the way, viewers will learn each couple's compelling story, from their first date to the big day.


The series airs on Tuesday June 16th at 8pm/7c on TNT and

MY EPISODE will be airing on Tuesday, July 14th same time and place.  If you can believe I may even be in front of the camera a bit (not just behind it) but I'm not promising ;)

Mark Your calendars ... and stay tuned (I'll be talking more about the show as the date gets closer...  it truly did inspire and change my life.

Have a wonderful weekend!

Love,
A

I'd have to say that I am truly a product of my environment... mix together a small Midwest town, a magical island with lots of bikes, an obscure Eastern European country, then throw in a west coast paradise . . . and there you have it... Andrejka "girl next door"...
I was born in a small cornfield of a town in the middle of Michigan. From there I traveled north to an island with no cars (but plenty of horses and bikes)... and now I live in paradise... ask me which place is best, I can't say... each has and always will be a significant part of me.

I love my Midwest roots... with Slovenian parents to add a twist (hence, Andrejka). This area gave me a deep appreciation for family and community. For it was an area where the community IS your family (whether you like it or not...  not as a child but now I see the value beyond a price tag).  Here I learned about the joys of simplicity and finding natural beauty in everything, plus the European influence always spiced things up.

Then came Mackinac (from now on referred to as "the island"); the tropical island everyone dreams of ...(only this one forgot about the tropical and got lost in Northern Michigan). This place is more magical and unique then I have space here to write. For some strange reason, this island has attached itself to my heart and will never let go. I discovered this place 9 years ago while running an art gallery for the extremely talented Marlee Brown at the Grand Hotel... ever since I've been returning what is beyond a normal amount. Last year I took the 2 hour drive, 2 plane rides, another 2 hour drive, and 30 min boat ride from SB (just for the weekend I might add) ... 10 times. . . and still every time I stepped off that boat dock I got butterflies in my stomach.

And finally, my home . .. Santa Barbara, California (aka paradise) . . . what can I say . . . it's the American Riviera . . .  we got the mountains, we got the ocean, we got great weather, we got great people, and we got GREAT grocery stores (you'd understand if you grew up in the Midwest) . . . plus it is one of ... if not the ... top location for a destination wedding ... a great place for a photographer to live;)

So there you go... this makes up who I am... where I came from... and just why I can be a little crazy sometimes!

Love,
A