Oh my goodness... so I haven't finished going through the pics.. .but WHAT an amazing day.  I love Macedonian weddings... it was the longest day full of tradition after tradition... just a quick recap:

-Family & Friends of the Bride meet at her house for quality time before the BIG EVENT
-The groom arrives with  his family, crazy friends ... and a BAND  singing and screaming all the way down the street...  at which point they LITERALLY broke the door of the Brides bedroom as her brothers "bargain" with him for $$ .. then a big party breaks out  (they aren't even married yet)
-Then we all parade to the courthouse (which is an experience in and of itself)..  where they are married in the eyes of the law by a man with the craziest mustache I've ever seen and a cigarette hanging out of his mouth...
-Then outside the GORGEOUS Orthodox church over 130 guests wait while the couple and her father enters the church-- they exchange rings, crowns, and go for a "journey"...
-Next  the reception  which went long into the night... I mean morning.. I didn't leave till well after 2am.. these Macedonians  know how to throw a party... the reception was chocked full of tradition after tradition...  I can't even go into all of...
 
 I'll post more pics later of course... but here are just a few of the beautiful happy couple..  pics of the crazy lovely traditions will be posted soon.. don't worry.. you can't miss the 20 men breaking down the door!!

So...  although I'm in a far off Eastern European country I HAD to talk about the AMAZING and Miraculous wedding I shot last Saturday.  Kali & Carey had such a week... from there adorable little dog being hurt to being evacuated because of the fires. . .to the location of the wedding (San Roque Catholic Church) being closed because of the fires... and the reason I call this wedding miraculous is that.. even though it seemed everyday the week before the wedding a new dillemma arose... the day ended up being absolutely perfect... the sun broke through the (needed marine layer) just in time for their outdoor ceremony...  even the Archbishop gave the church allowance to have the ceremony outside of the church grounds (a first in their history)...

Although facing problem after problem ... Kali & Carey were calm cool and collected... full of laughter and joy.  I was truly touched by the love around the entire celebration... it truely is a testament of the love they have for each other and the people closest to them.

Kali & Carey... I hope you two are finally able to relax and enjoy your honeymoon... I can't wait to catch up when we are all back in town.  It was truly my pleasure to be a part of your wedding...  thank you.

Love,
A

Also...  a very special thanks to my awesome assistant Cherry Thomas  and to Ellen at the Santa Barbara Polo Fields...  they did such an AMAZING job and it was absolutely beautiful... I was blown away. 

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