http://www.robertandkathleen.com/blog/ Robert & Kathleen Photographers Blog en-us http://www.robertandkathleen.com/blog/index.cfm?postID=394 http://www.robertandkathleen.com/blog/index.cfm?postID=394 Fri, 04 May 2012 09:15:00 GMT
It's one of our favorite photos from our wedding. We're not in it. The photo was taken during a moment that is still one of the the most vivid memories I have from that night. It was the anniversary dance. The band started to play Louie Armstrong's "A Kiss to Build a Dream On," Rob and I were dancing in the center of the floor with married couples surrounding us. I can still picture it. Our newly married friends, our family members, friends of my parents who had known me since I was a baby. Even my then un-married brother was on the floor with his girlfriend. He knew it was for married couples, but he was certain then that she was going to be his wife someday. (They married two years later.)

I remember as the dance floor started to clear. "One year married", the band leader said. Off went our newly married friends. "Five years married." "Ten years married." There went my older cousins and their spouses, lining up around the dance floor. "Twenty years." More couples walked off hand in hand. "Thirty years." There were my parents, showing off their ballroom dance moves, happily staring into each other's eyes. "Forty years." My father escorted my mother off the dance floor, they were four years shy of their fortieth anniversary at the time.)

Then the band leader started going in smaller intervals. "Forty-five years". "Forty-seven... forty-nine." There were hardly any couples on the dance floor now. But we knew there would be one that would stick it out. By the time he got to fifty years there was just one couple on the dance floor, my Great Aunt Emily and my Great Uncle Will. They had been hesitant to get up on the floor in the first place. She had been sick and not so steady on her feet, but gentle prodding got them on the floor. As the years started to be counted off, they didn't quite get what it would mean for them as the song winded down. They were dancing slowly, simply.

As the dance floor cleared and the numbers started getting higher my Uncle Will got it. He stepped up his dance moves. They both started smiling. He was showing her off, just as he had done for years, decades even. "Fifty-five years." He held her even closer. They were both over ninety years old but you wouldn't know it to look at them. "Sixty years!" The band leader was shouting the numbers now. That put the spring in Uncle Will's step. They were really moving around the floor. "Sixty-one!" The guests started gesturing for the band leader to keep going higher. "Sixty two?" he said. The years were starting to sound more like questions now. "Sixty three?" At sixty-five he gave up and walked over to them. "How many years have you been married?" he asked. Sixty-eight was the answer. Sixty-eight years of dancing, laughing and entertaining their loves ones with their sense of humor and lust for life. The photo was snapped at some point after they were the only ones on the dance floor and Uncle Will and Aunt Emily really started to have some fun with the whole thing. After the wedding, we sent a print of it to them to display in their house.

She passed away nine months later, just two weeks shy of their sixty-ninth wedding anniversary. When we went to see Uncle Will after the wake he pointed out the photo we had sent to him. It was framed in their living room. "That's the last picture of us together," he said.

]]> http://www.robertandkathleen.com/blog/index.cfm?postID=393 http://www.robertandkathleen.com/blog/index.cfm?postID=393 Thu, 26 Apr 2012 16:30:00 GMT
It was the summer of 2006. The state of Connecticut was in the midst of two heated political contests - Ned Lamont running for Senate and John DeStefano aiming for the Governor's office. A particularly prominent endorsement for one of the candidates brought together much of the staff for both campaigns, with many of the Democratic party's new rising stars gathered at a church in Bethel for the event. Chrissy, a New Haven native, was excited to be supporting her mayor's run for the Capitol and working hard to make connections with her fellow campaigners at the event.

Web-savvy campaigns were taking the political world by storm in 2006 and Chrissy made a point to talk to some of the Lamont campaign's bloggers, sharing with them some optimistic polling results for their candidate. The bloggers called over to someone in the crowd to share the news. Dressed in shorts, a t-shirt and a backwards hat, Tim came walking over. Chrissy had no idea who he was and, based on his attire and use of excited colorful language when she told him the news, she was not particularly impressed and she walked away. She may not have been impressed but Tim most certainly was. Even as he called some friends and the local news to share the polling results, he did manage to ask around about just who was that cute girl who had given them the results in the first place. He wanted to get to know her.

The campaigns were in full swing, leaving neither Tim or Chrissy with much free time. Two weeks went by and things finally slowed down a bit after the primaries. Tim welcomed the slower pace mostly because it meant that he would have time find that girl again. If only their paths would cross once more. He showed up at another event, this time much more dressed up than before in hopes that she would be there. He scanned the crowd, asked around, but Chrissy no where to be found. Tim's blogger friends reached out to Chrissy, inviting her to meet them a local bar in New Haven. Chrissy agreed, seeing it as an opportunity to make more professional connections. The bloggers happened to bring along Tim (not a coincidence, she would find out later). It was then that Chrissy discovered that the guy in the backwards hat that she hadn't impressed her weeks before was, in fact, kind of a big deal. A pioneer of netroots campaigning, Tim had been brought up to Connecticut specifically to work on the Lamont campaign. That alone should have impressed her - and it did - but that night Chrissy was struck by Tim's sense of humor, his shy smile and how comfortable she felt around him. The bloggers made excuses to end the night early, giving Chrissy and Tim the opportunity to get to know each other better. The night went so well that by the end of the evening, Chrissy was debating what she would do when Tim gave her a kiss goodnight. Instead he asked her for her e-mail and gave her a firm handshake. Clearly, that was not what she was expecting. Thankfully, Tim made up for it with the witty e-mails that followed. A first date (and first kiss) happened soon after.

By November, Lamont and DeStefano lost their campaigns, but Chrissy and Tim won big. They found each other. And isn't that the best kind of victory?

* * *
Venue: New Haven Lawn Club in New Haven, Connecticut | Wedding Gown: Melissa Sweet | Shoes: Jimmy Choo | Bridal Salon: The White Dress by the Shore | Hair ... Make-Up: Dana Bartone | Flowers: Gayle DeMartin | Cake: Lucibello's in New Haven, Connecticut | Band: Dujeous

]]> http://www.robertandkathleen.com/blog/index.cfm?postID=392 http://www.robertandkathleen.com/blog/index.cfm?postID=392 Mon, 23 Apr 2012 16:00:00 GMT
One visit to our website, our blog, our studio, even our home and it's pretty clear that we seem to have a fascination making all things old new again. For me, it goes back to high school when I started to collect old suitcases. Long before the blogs and Etsy made it popular, I was filling my room with my Great Aunt's luggage and even packing them up for overnight trips. A duffle bag would have been much more logical, and practical, I suppose. But there was something about these suitcases. They made me wonder - where had the been to? How many people used it before I did? It made me think of the time when traveling was a luxury, when flying was new and traveling in style included what was on your baggage cart.

Typewriters were next. Writing had always been a passion of mine and I longed for the time when you would actually pick up a blank piece of paper, slide it into the typewriter and listen to the click, clack of the keys while you watched the page fill with your words. Then I started to go back to hand written letters. There was just something about them. Going out to the mailbox and discovering it, ripping open the envelope and gently unfolding the note to read the message. It has a sense of ceremony, a nod to a time before e-mail and text messaging took the romance out of correspondence.

When we got together, Rob not only embraced my quirky collection (a significant nod to his commitment to me when I have a 60 pound steamer trunk that we have moved several times, to several states), but he introduced me to one of his own - his collection of vintage cameras. The funny thing about vintage cameras? They usually still work. Because before digital took over, cameras were really simple. Less parts, no technology that could get outdated. We could pick them up and use them. And we did. And every time we did we would wonder - who used this before? What images has this captured before? And we would feel good that we were using it again - letting it return to it's original purpose, not using it as simply decoration.

All of which why it's logical that we gravitated to an older home filled with original molding, metal radiators and yard full of mature trees. It's why our studio is in a pre-war Manhattan building. But in our house and in our studio, we merge the old with the new. We have my typewriters right next to our Mac Pro, wheel our new luggage right past my stacks of vintage suitcases. We embrace the convenience, ease and functionality of the items of today while still seeing the value of the old way of doing things.

Even in our work, we have prided ourselves on producing classic images with the top of the line digital cameras. We want images that stand the test of time just as our parents and grandparent's images have. On display in our studio we have old family wedding photos, images that are 40, 60 years old. And they still look just as beautiful today as they did then. Shot on film, those images have the ultimate timeless look - something we have been missing. We longed for the time when a camera would be loaded with film, images thoughtfully composed and shot, film slowly developed until ultimately the image emerged. When we would shoot with our vintage cameras, we would love the results - the look and the feel of the film prints. We loved bringing photography back to it's rawest form. It was something we were aching to incorporate into our current work - to mix the old and the new as we have done in every other aspect of our lives. And today, we are thrilled to announce that we will be doing exactly that.

** From now on, we will be offering wedding photography packages that include both digital and film. Shooting with both digital and film cameras, we will be able to give our couples the best of both worlds - merging together the best of what they each have to offer, creating images that will truly stand the test of time.**

While in Paris in 2009 we bought an old film camera at a Parisian Flea Market. In a city still in love with film, we had no problem finding one of our favorite black and white films and were able to photograph this city as we think it should be captured - in black and white and with timeless film. This shot is of the rooftops in one of our absolute favorite neighborhoods in Paris - Montmartre.

* All of our current 2012 couples and those already scheduled for 2013 can add this option. E-mail us at info@robertandkathleen.com to find out more information. If you have not yet scheduled your wedding photography with us, when you are ready your package will include both digital and film! *

]]> http://www.robertandkathleen.com/blog/index.cfm?postID=391 http://www.robertandkathleen.com/blog/index.cfm?postID=391 Mon, 16 Apr 2012 17:09:00 GMT
Six months. Six happy, hectic months. Six months of getting to hold you, watching you grow, seeing your personality taking shape. It seems like it's flown by so fast, like just yesterday I was getting to see your Daddy hold you for the first time. Now you can sit up and clap your hands and smile at us with your two little teeth. The weird thing is, as fast as the time has flown by, I can barely remember what it was like before. Life before you were in it feels like a distant memory. And all those silly things I thought were so important before, they just don't matter anymore. And the things we love have been brought so much more into focus now. Our family, our friends, our work, you make them all that much more precious.

We have made a commitment to spend as much time with you as possible. That means that we have to put in long hours during other times of the day and divide up the work days so that we can each get to do both - work and spend time with you. But it's so worth it. And we never forget for a minute how lucky we are to get to do that - to make our own schedule so that we can watch you grow up. And, most of all, that we have couples who trust us with their memories and see our vision for how to capture their love for one another. So as difficult as it is to leave you for the day when we have to go photograph a wedding, we just remember that what we're doing will be invaluable for another young family someday - to be able to show their sweet little children the photos from the day they got married.

After our own wedding, we understood the value of the images from the day that much more because we realized just how fleeting each moment of that single day is, especially after we lived it ourselves. Now that we have a you, we have come to a deeper realization of the importance of not only those images, but all the moments in life - because really, you truly come to realize that every moment is fleeting, especially when your little one is growing up so fast.

Happy 6 months, little man! We hope to make your life as wonderful as you have made ours.

Here's a very small sampling of some of our favorite shots from the last six months - a mix of professional shots and snapshots from our iPhones.


** And to all of our couples out there - thank you for believing in us and trusting us with your most precious moments. We never take that for granted and truly appreciate that you make it possible for us to do what we love and have our own business. **

]]> http://www.robertandkathleen.com/blog/index.cfm?postID=390 http://www.robertandkathleen.com/blog/index.cfm?postID=390 Fri, 06 Apr 2012 14:41:00 GMT
They may not have gone to college together, but Anne and Adam still managed to be set up by their respective college roommates. Roommates who, in their infinite wisdom, recognized that there was something possible between them. So armed with basic knowledge about one another, Anne and Adam set out for a blind lunch date in the West Village. They talked for hours and ending up walking down to the river, neither one quite ready for that first date to end. Many more long dates followed. As Anne and Adam got to know more about one another, they discovered just how right it felt when they were together. Soon they became each other's first call when something good happened, their last call before you go to bed, the shoulder she lean on, the forehead he kissed. And they couldn't help but be grateful that their roommates had seen exactly what they needed and brought them together.

After several months together, they started talking about marriage and went ring shopping together since Adam wanted to make sure it was a mutual decision. But he wanted to make sure that the proposal was a surprise. He threw Anne off, telling her that it was going to take much longer to get the ring made. In reality, he had it already when they set off for a friend's wedding in Oregon. They had decided earlier that they would make the trip into a vacation, taking a week to explore the state, climb Mount Hood and camp out on the shores of Oregon's beaches. On the sixth day of that ten day vacation, Anne thought they were camping on the beach. Adam brought her to the beach, walked with her along the shore. He told her how he felt about her, the way she made him feel and then distracted her for a moment so he could get down on one knee. She looked over and saw him and it was as though everything else disappeared. All she could see was him, the man she loved, asking to spend the rest of his life with her. How could she say anything but yes as quickly as possible? Once she said yes, Adam turned her around and showed her the Inn they would be staying in that night, where champagne was waiting for them and they could sit, watch the sunset together and talk for hours about their future together. And, perhaps, give a call to those roommates and thank them for arranging the first date that started it all.

Anne ... Adam, we had so much fun with you both - thank you for introducing new parts of the city to us. We can't wait till June!

]]> http://www.robertandkathleen.com/blog/index.cfm?postID=389 http://www.robertandkathleen.com/blog/index.cfm?postID=389 Fri, 30 Mar 2012 14:00:00 GMT
It wasn't exactly the type of evening that Abby would have pictured if she had been asked to guess what it would be like the night she met her future husband. It was a bar on the Upper West Side. She had gone there to meet up with a friend. Her friend happened to have brought along a friend of his own. His name was Mark and his sense of humor and kind smile drew Abby in. A conversation sparked between them and they began to hit it off. Neither of them can quite remember what was said to prompt it, but somehow in the course of that evening Abby did a spit take upon which Mark was on the receiving end. Her drink all over his face. It's safe to say that when Abby left the bar that evening she didn't think she'd be hearing from Mark. Although she wished that she would.

Thankfully their mutual friend recognized the connection between the two and encourage Mark to reach out to Abby. To say Abby was pleasantly surprised when she heard from Mark is a bit more than an understatement. He asked her out on a proper NYC date - lunch in Union Square. They walked around the neighborhood following lunch, discovering how much they had in common and enjoyed one another's company.

Abby started spending more time in her home town of Philly short after that and got a hint of how serious the relationship was starting to become when Mark made the trip from NYC to Philadelphia, with flowers for her on his lap throughout the entire train ride. She shared her favorite parts of Philly with him - took him for cheesesteaks and water ice, showed him Independence Hall and Liberty Bell. Like most landmarks, the Liberty Bell isn't exactly interactive - it's more of the "there it is" type of monument, you really just go and look at it. Mark told Abby later that was when he knew he was falling in love with her. He knew if they could have that much fun at the Liberty Bell, they could have fun anywhere.

When it came time to propose, Mark knew there was just one place to do it. He suggested they go down to Philly, have some cheesesteaks and get some water ice. Then he walked Abby over to the Liberty Bell. She turned away for a minute and when she looked back he was kneeling with a ring box in his hand. Thankfully, Abby wasn't drinking anything when she saw this, because it probably would have been that night in the bar all over again. This time it was just a yes, a giant hug and the promise to have fun together for the rest of the lives, no matter where they end up.

* * *
Venue: The Bowery Hotel in New York, New York | Wedding Gown: Anne Barge | Belt: Carol Hannah | Rings: Belenky Brothers | Bridal Salon: Kleinfeld Bridal | Hair ... Make-Up: Margie Bresciani | Bridesmaids Dresses: Amsale | Flowers: Patrick Martinez from City Iris | Caterer: Foremost/Ram | Day of Coordinator: Tara Geremia of Exquisite Affairs Productions Inc | DJ: Aria Melody

Abby got ready at The Eventi Hotel in Chelsea.

Abby's mother passed away several years ago but she was very much there in spirit all day long. While Abby was getting ready, her parent's wedding picture was right nearby.

The gorgeous flowers for the day were done by Patrick Martinez from City Iris.

Abby's stunning hair and make-up were done by Margie Bresciani.

While Rob was at the hotel with Abby while she was getting ready, I was at Abby ... Mark's Chelsea apartment hanging out with Mark and his groomsmen.

I actually very much enjoy getting to spend time with the guys in the morning. I have three older brothers, so it kinda reminds me of some of the wacky things my brothers would do. Mark and his groomsmen were a lot of fun.

Abby's Anne Barge gown was absolutely gorgeous.

Abby's engagement ring has special significance. The center stone is from Abby's mother's engagement ring. Mark had it set by the Belenky Brothers, the same jewelry store where his own mother's ring came from.

Abby looked absolutely gorgeous - classic and understated.

Abby has three brothers and is the only girl. Safe to say her father was pretty emotional when he saw her all decked out in her wedding dress.

We did Abby ... Mark's first look in the courtyard of their apartment complex. Mark has lived there all his life. His parents still live in the same apartment her grew up in and he got a place of his own in the very same building. So doing the first look there had a special meaning. (It also meant his parents could look down from their balcony :).

Mark's reaction was completely priceless. He was so happy.

He couldn't wait to grab Abby's hands and spin her around.

And, of course, plant a big kiss on her.

The day wouldn't be complete without a "family" photo including Abby ... Mark's dog Beaux. He was dressed up for the occasion, naturally.

The best part about shooting in this courtyard were all the neighbors that passed by and congratulated Abby ... Mark. You could tell there was a very strong sense of community among the neighbors.

Abby ... Mark made the very smart decision to have a car from First Corporate Sedan transport them around the city for their day. We went to the Meatpacking District to start off.

There's nothing like the cobblestone streets in this part of the city. We were SO glad that Abby and Mark had set aside so much time for photos so they could really take advantage of having a NYC wedding.

If there is one thing you learn right away about Abby ... Mark it is that they make each other laugh. A lot. This shot is so naturally them.

We took the very short walk over to the High Line to mix it up a bit. Of course, Mark was making Abby laugh, as usual.

Within all the laughing, you can sense a real tenderness between Abby ... Mark, they are so sweet with one another.

We have done so many shoots in the city and we can say that people hardly ever even pay attention. Until there is a wedding dress, then people stop and look. Especially when the bride is as beautiful as Abby.

One of our favorite things about what we do is that we have the rare job when we get to be around people who are happy. How many other people can say that? How many other people get to see smiles like this when they're working? Look at how sweet Abby ... Mark are together - moments like these make our day.

I love the way Mark is pulling Abby in in this shot, like he can't bring her in close enough.

We headed from the High Line straight over to The Bowery Hotel, where the ceremony and reception would be taking place.

One of our favorite things about doing weddings in the city are the random moments that you really wouldn't see anywhere else. When we arrived at the hotel this little girl was walking down the street with her mother. She walked over to tell Abby how pretty she looked.

The Bowery Hotel is one of the coolest NYC hotels we have been in. From the lobby to the event space, everything has the same old-school NYC vibe that really sets the tone for the whole night.

The ceremony took place in this room, filled with light when we arrived. It was dark outside when the ceremony took place and filled with candles creating a romantic, intimate atmosphere.

Abby's grandmother Joyce made the Chuppah. Abby and Mark were the fifth couple to be married underneath it.

There were many framed pictures at the reception, including several of Abby's beautiful mother.

The candlelit ceremony started off when Abby was escorted down the aisle by her father.

This shot is classic Abby and really speaks to our belief that a "First Look" doesn't change the emotion of a ceremony. Although she and Mark had seen each other before the ceremony, Abby is still beyond thrilled and overcome with emotion when she and Mark stood in front of all their guests for the first time. At this moment it really became real - they're about to be married.

You may have seen this sneak peak from our Facebook page. One of my favorite shots from the ceremony. I absolutely love the perspective Rob got.

There were very loud cheers as Mark stomped on the glass and then shared his first kiss with his wife! :)

We had some fun with the wedding party out on the patio at the hotel.

Gotta love the super cute signs Abby tracked down.

The room where the reception took place was absolutely gorgeous, with the dramatic chandeliers and the centerpieces from City Iris creating a dramatic impact.

It was important to Abby and Mark that their guests have a lot of fun throughout the entire day. One of the things that drew them to the Bowery Hotel was the unique space by the bar that had an open setting and included a pool table.

The dancing was kicked off with Abby ... Mark's first dance.

The, of course, the Hora.

Maybe it's because we're parents now, but the parent dances at Abby ... Mark's wedding were extra emotional for me. It was so obvious how much their parents adored them and so sweet to get to see them hold them close and share in their happiness.

At the very end of the evening, we were grabbed Abby ... Mark for a few minutes (they were glad to have the time to sit down and relax for a few!) when we spotted this fantastic beam of light right above a bench. This shot was the result - perfect way to end an evening if you ask us! :)

Abby ... Mark, thank you SO much for inviting us to capture your beautiful day. We couldn't be happier for you both!

]]> http://www.robertandkathleen.com/blog/index.cfm?postID=388 http://www.robertandkathleen.com/blog/index.cfm?postID=388 Wed, 21 Mar 2012 11:00:00 GMT
On the evening of October 23, 2011, I stood by the side of Malachy's crib, starred down at him and cried. I cried big, fat sloppy tears that turned into sobs. The sobs lead to the kind of heavy sighs in my chest I used to get when I'd cry as a little kid. As the clock turned to 10:13pm I felt an ache, knowing that one full week had gone by since he was born. Just like that, the week was over. I could never re-live those days. All I could think was, did I remember enough of it? Did I appreciate every moment? Did I let the sleep deprivation fog my memory? It was inconceivable to me that a week had flown by that quickly. How in the world did that happen? With the mix of lack of sleep and post pregnancy weepiness, I was a mess.

I felt completely helpless, like the time was already starting to slip away from me and there was nothing I could do about it. There was nothing in the world I wanted more in that moment than to figure out a way to slow down the clock. To not let another day, another week slip away so quickly. The teeny, tiny baby newborn we had brought home from the hospital was changing in front of our eyes already. It's only going to get faster, I thought to myself. Rob saw me standing in the nursery and came in. One look at my face and he understood without having to say a word. He pulled me into his arms and I leaned on him, gave up wiping the tears away and just let them stream down my face while I continued to stare at our beautiful little boy. A week I mumbled. I felt Rob nodding while he rested his chin on the top of me head. It's going by too fast already, I said.

The next day, after I composed myself, I did what any logical first time mom would do: I called my mother. She always has the best advice. She had four children, she had to know this feeling, I thought. My oldest brother was well into his thirties now. How do you deal with that? I asked her. How do you accept your baby growing up so quickly?

I can still see the baby, she said. I look at each of you and I see not only who you are now, but I can still see the baby, the toddler, the child, the teenager - all the stages of your life so far. She explained to me that with each new stage, she was sad to say goodbye to the previous stage but excited to get to see all the new things we were doing. That little baby may grow up, but it's never really gone.

Of course I cried while she told me this, imagining Malachy's first day of preschool, the day he would learn to ride a bike. Exciting moments of course, but each of them would mean another stage was over. But time had to move forward, I wanted him to grow and learn and do new things. And really, I couldn't stop time even if I tried. All that was left to do was embrace the change and freeze as many moments as possible in my mind (and with my camera) so that I can remember it all. I started taking more pictures, even if it meant doing more with my point and shoot rather than our pro gear - I didn't need to pull out the big lenses for every moment, I just had to capture them. The pro pictures would happen too. I started a journal for Malachy, writing him a letter every night, telling him about the cute things he did that day. Really, all of it is probably more for me than for him and that's okay. Because when he's a teenager, standing six feet tall and looking down at me, I'll still see that tiny little baby whose crib I cried over when he turned a week old. And when I miss that baby, I'll have the journal to read and the pictures to stare at. Time is going to keep on moving forward, I'm just going to keep on soaking in each and every moment - writing and taking pictures to help myself remember them later.

And someday (in the very distant future) when Malachy is an adult with a baby of his own, I'll be there for him just like my mother was for me. I'll let him know that he'll always have that little baby in his mind. No matter how fast he may grow up.

]]> http://www.robertandkathleen.com/blog/index.cfm?postID=387 http://www.robertandkathleen.com/blog/index.cfm?postID=387 Fri, 09 Mar 2012 16:48:00 GMT
It was their freshman year in college when he spotted her across the quad and made it his mission to get to know her. She was sitting on the grass, her big brown eyes shining as she laughed and talked with her friend. There was something about her - her eyes, her smile, he couldn't decide which one for certain - that made him feel drawn to her. Ian knew he had to get to know this girl. He put on his most casual expression and slowly made his way over to them to introduce himself. Her name was Alyssa and her eyes were even more beautiful up close.

They became friends from that point on and it didn't take Ian very long at all to figure out that Alyssa was different. She wasn't the kind of girl you date for a few months, or even a few years. This was the kind of girl you marry. The exact girl he could even imagine marrying. The thought was almost too much for him. He was just a freshman in college after all - who could plan for forever now? So as much as he would have loved to ask her out that year, he didn't do it.

They spent the summer apart - she in her home in Westchester, New York, he in Pennslyvania - and although they may not have talked much she was definitely on his mind. They returned to school in August and Ian asked Alyssa out within one week of their Sophomore year. And just like Ian had predicted, they have been together ever since. Through the rest of college, studying abroad in London, during law school and graduate school, they have been together - making each other laugh, holding each other close and being forever grateful that they happened to be on the quad together at the same time all those years ago.

Today, Ian shakes his head when he thinks about his reluctance to ask Alyssa out at first even though he was so clearly crazy about her even then. Now it seems silly that he hesitated for even a day, but I'm sure many of us can think of a time we did something similar - waiting on something clearly so perfect for us because the timing didn't seem "right." Maybe there is no "right" time, there's just "the" time. The time when the universe gives you exactly what you need even when you may not even realize it. And in those moments you have to seize what's in front of you and trust. Trust that everything really does happen for a reason. Just look at how well it worked out for Ian. In November he'll marry the girl of his dreams and get to stare into those big brown eyes for the rest of his life.

]]> http://www.robertandkathleen.com/blog/index.cfm?postID=386 http://www.robertandkathleen.com/blog/index.cfm?postID=386 Fri, 02 Mar 2012 22:42:00 GMT
Even before they met, it seems as though Jillian and Alex were on parallel paths in life. Growing up in different parts of the same state, they somehow managed to develop the same passions in life - hard work, travel, music, family. They even shared a lot of the same quirky interests, like their mutual love of late '90's punk rock and Broadway show tunes. They could have easily made each other the perfect mix CD (back when people still made mix CD's) even though they didn't even know one another.

Their paths crossed after they both had graduated college, after Jillian had wowed Alex's company with her internship skills and had landed a full-time job. They logged many hours together - working on the same team at work, happy hours with fellow co-workers - and yet neither of them took the leap toward romance right away. From seeing the way they interact today, there's little doubt that Alex was making Jillian laugh from the start. And from the way Alex looks at Jillian, it's clear that he noticed just how beautiful she was from day one. Maybe they were hesitant about an office romance at first, but after one adventurous night out in the city Jillian could no longer deny that Alex just might be the man of her dreams. It wasn't long after that Alex realized that Jillian was exactly what he wanted - and most importantly, exactly what he needed in his life.

Jillian ... Alex, thank you for a wonderful afternoon exploring Grand Central together! We can't wait for your big day!

]]> http://www.robertandkathleen.com/blog/index.cfm?postID=385 http://www.robertandkathleen.com/blog/index.cfm?postID=385 Tue, 21 Feb 2012 23:46:00 GMT
Some say that when it comes to love - when you know, you know. And sometimes, it's just that simple. That after years of dating, years of searching for that perfect someone, you will suddenly come across the person that just feels right. And when you do there will be a sudden feeling of peace. The search is finally over. When you are in that person's arms you can rest, lean your head onto theirs and breathe a sigh of sweet relief. The funny thing is, that relief you then feel is something that becomes visible to your family and friends. They can see it in your face, sense it when they see the two of you together. It's the thing that makes them fully confident that you have found what you were looking for and the love that you deserve. And that's when they can breathe their own sigh of relief, knowing that for the rest of your life you'll have the one thing you need the most: love.

When you look at Heather and Steven, you can see it. The calm that comes when you are in the arms of the one person you were somehow destined to find. They complete each other, compliment each other and make each other happier than ever before. Steven knew very early on, bringing Heather with him on one of his yearly trips to Croatia so she could meet his family and friends. They, too, knew instantly when he arrived with his beautiful new girlfriend. Heather's family knew when they saw her with Steven, Heather was at ease and effortlessly happy. The way they feel about one another was truly visible. After all, when it comes to love, you know it when you see it. Sometimes, it really is just that simple.

* * *
Ceremony Location: The Church of Saints Cyril ... Methodius ... St. Raphael in New York, New York | Reception Location: Cipriani Wall Street in New York, New York | Wedding Gown: Marchesa | Bride's Shoes: Rene Caovilla | Hair: Dawn from Nubest Salon | Make-up: Tina from Kimara Ahnert | Bridesmaids Dresses: Lazaro | Flowers: Pedestals | Wedding Cake: The Cake Studio in Brooklyn, New York | DJ: Syndicate Productions

Heather ... Steven, we're so happy for your both! Your wedding was absolutely gorgeous and we are so glad to have been there to capture it all. Thank You!

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