A Bittersweet Celebration

I can't say Nancy and Jeff's wedding went off without a hitch - suffice it to say it was not a universally happy day. However, thanks to the resilience of the couple and their guests, and some heroic work by their maid of honor (and fill-in best man), it was still an incredible, intimate day.

I don't often get into the details of a couple's backstory, but I'll make an exception here. Nancy and Jeff dated in high school, but went their own ways, had families of their own, and only reconnected recently, decades later, through Facebook.

It's clear that they are deeply in love, and take the "in good times and bad" very seriously.

This is my last wedding of the year, and number 70 in my career (but more on that soon). I'm so glad I got to wrap up my year with this amazing couple.

Time to Breathe

Whew.

For the first time since about mid-August, my schedule has room in it. A lot of room, actually. Par for the photography course - summer and fall are extremely busy, spring and especially winter not so much.

Which is not to say I'm done for the year. This week is still busy (three yearbook shoots and a wedding), and there's still editing to catch up on, contracts to sign for next year, taxes to file, updates to the website to be done. 

But I can take a breath again. It's a time of year I really enjoy. I get to reflect on how the past year went (more on that to come) and plan for the pending year, and I get to pursue some personal projects that I wouldn't have time for otherwise.

It's a pretty awesome time of year.

(My girlfriend would like to remind me that a month from now I'll be suffering from severe cabin fever and hating this downtime... Well, maybe. But right now it feels great.)

Three Thanksgiving Announcements

There's a lot of new things going on here at Zack Wussow Media! Here's three.

Newsletters

A quick reminder that Zack Wussow Media now has an email mailing list with special monthly offers and discounts that won't be available anywhere else. What sort of goodies can you expect? Well, here's a freebie for the holidays:
 

A Thanksgiving Thank You

I am incredibly lucky to have the amazing customers I do. Seriously, you guys make this job the most fun one I've ever had, and your referrals are the cornerstone of my business. I can only do this because all of you are awesome.

As a small token of appreciation, any past customer from any year can get 10% off print orders through your Smugmug gallery by using this coupon code:

Thanksgiving10

Thank you.
 

Gift Certificates

Also, for the first time ever I'm offering gift certificates! They're available in any dollar amount and can go toward any service I offer: wedding, portraits, events, etc. The recipient can even trade them for a print credit on their online gallery. Just drop me a line.

Happy Thankgiving, everyone!

Mazel Tov!

This Saturday I had the pleasure of photographing my first bat mitzvah. I got incredibly lucky - not only is she a beautiful, confident young woman, but her family was extremely helpful in guiding me through everything. 

It was a beautiful ceremony. There was an unusual treat: No cameras allowed during the real deal, so I got to photograph the rehearsal (which I was free to interrupt, pause, and pose), and then to actually sit and enjoy the real ceremony. I love that there is an emphasis placed not only on spiritual growth, but also on working to improve this world in concrete, practical ways. 

Following the ceremony was a reception with great food, great music (a live klezmer band!), and an opportunity to take a photo that I suspect every event photographer looks forward to taking at some point.

You know the one.

It was a great time, and it's something I hope I can do more of in the future. 

Engagement Audible

Yesterday was shaping up to be a perfect engagement shoot. The weather was sunny and surprisingly warm for mid-November. Everyone was on time and looking sharp. 

Then we got to the park we'd selected, and found the entrances barred and locked.

Take a breath - these things happen - and call an audible.

Luckily, I knew of another park just down the road that was not quite as large or interesting but had the advantage of being open.

Jillian and Kevin rolled with the change, and we were able to grab a ton of great pictures. It helped that they are obviously, ridiculously in love. Makes my job easier.

Indeed the only trouble we had came from some local wildlife who really, really wanted to participate in the shoot.

I'm excited to work with them next year on their wedding. I know they're going to be amazing.

A Windy Wedding

Kamila and Kedar's wedding got off to a chilly start - literally, the weather was not cooperative. But they powered through, and the day made for plenty of beautiful photos.

From there, we moved inside for some posed photos, a few polish traditions, a very tasty dinner...

And dancing. Don't. Forget. Dancing.

A quick one but a lot of fun.

Seaside in October

(I'm in Minnesota this week, so here's a closer look at one of my weddings from my very busy weekend back in October.)

Stephanie and Brendan told me that their biggest priority at their wedding was to have fun. Mission accomplished.

After some prep in a local hotel, we moved to Lighthouse Point Park for everything else. It's a beautiful location, and we got loads of photos with the lighthouse and the ocean providing scenic backdrops.

Thankfully, the rain held out just long enough for us to get through the ceremony. Don Gentile was the Justice of the Peace. My favorite part was his use of pieces of Justice Anthony Kennedy's gay marriage majority decision in the ceremony. I wont be surprised if I see Justice Kennedy's touching remarks showing up at many weddings going forward.

Marriage is sacred to those who live by their religions and offers unique fulfillment to those who find meaning in the secular realm. Its dynamic allows two people to find a life that could not be found alone, for a marriage becomes greater than just the two persons. Rising from the most basic human needs, marriage is essential to our most profound hopes and aspirations.

From there, we moved inside and out of the weather for some toasts, a delicious BBQ buffet dinner, carousel rides... 

...and dancing.

Lots and lots of dancing! It was a blast, and a great start to a very busy weekend for me.

Love in Disguise

Today I second shot for Kat Loughery at a wedding in Simsbury, CT. Second shooting isn't something I have done a ton of, but I'm trying to do it more often. It's a lot of fun to see how other people work and what I can learn from them.

Jessica and Jordan's wedding was a special treat - not only because Kat and her other second shooters were fun to work with, but also because it was a costume wedding.

When I was first getting started as a professional photographer, I missed a chance to do a Jedi wedding. I feel like I've made up for it after today.

Happy Halloween, everyone!