Meanwhile, the calendar is filling up FAST.  Wow!!!  It’s been years since I’ve seen a January this busy with inquiries and bookings!  And, for the first time in probably 8 years, we’ve got more local weddings than travel ones!  I don’t know if that means anything, but it’s pretty damn nice, let me tell ya.

We haven’t shot since mid-December, and I’m itching to get out there again.  Next weekend we’ve got our first session of the year, when Matt and Katie come down from Raleigh for their engagement session.  A couple weekends later, Lauren and Randal will be coming into town from Northern VA for their session, and then the season will be officially started… family and kid sessions, engagement sessions, and (finally) weddings starting in April.  Whew!  The winter is nice for getting caught up and taking a break from the grind, but it gets old fast.

Oooh, and sometime in the next month or so we’ll be shooting a rockabilly engagement session for Nathan and Joanna!  Watch for that one, it’s going to be HOT.  I think they’re planning on including their motorcycle, some red stilettos, tattoos…. yeah.  I can’t WAIT!!!

It’s gonna be an amazing year.  Mike and I get to be engaged all year long (we think early spring 2013 for the wedding, but we haven’t quite set a date yet), Ellie gets to be awesome all year long (it’s what she’s good at), we’ve got incredible couples to work with all.year.long… and, hey, a new pretty website!

Now that the new site is (soft) launched, and once we’re done with the back-end stuff, the front-end should get a lot more interesting.  More blog posts, and new content throughout.  I’ll be sure to post updates on all the social media places (and here!) when we get new stuff published.  First will be the featured galleries and portfolios, I think.  I’ll keep you apprised.

I hate posting a blog entry without including a picture.  Hmm.  OH!  I know!  A couple from 2004 contacted me a week or so ago to find out about getting their files, so I’ve been going through their wedding images, reminiscing, making sure everything’s intact and nothing’s corrupt… so here’s a quick grab out of their wedding.  (a farm in Randleman, NC, in case you’re wondering).  There.  I found a picture for today’s post!

I’ve spent the bulk of today going through 2011′s images, picking some out for a year-end slideshow, re-living the sessions and weddings and all the travel we did. It wasn’t the busiest year for weddings… 2012 is already shaping up to be a great deal busier than 2011. But what 2011 lacked in busy-ness, it more than made up for in just about every other way.

In 2011, we put 24,000 miles on the car, traveling to weddings in Missouri, Virginia, North Carolina, DC, and South Carolina. We stayed in seven different hotels, ate at countless fast food joints, and became really fast friends with the Gas Buddy app for iPhone. We cooked at home whenever we could, and we each gained at least ten pounds. Ellie started the second grade, turned eight years old, discovered Justin Bieber, and got her hair cut to above her shoulders. I chopped almost all my hair off. Mike grew a beard, hated it, and shaved it off. We all found out that we love scarves and thick, comfy socks. Mike and I ate some AMAZING food in some incredible restaurants, from Aubriana’s right here in Wilmington, to Kramerbooks in Dupont Circle, to Maggiano’s in Durham.

2011 wasn’t just fun and travel and calories. We lost Dino, watched some good friends move far away, and went the entire year without seeing my mom or my siblings. In “this isn’t bad, but it’s kind of weird” news, Ellie gained a stepmother and stepbrother in 2011, along with a hamster named Gibble. Mike started a new job, and I reunited with an old boss who has asked me to do some contract administrative work for him in my spare time next year.

In 2011, Mike and I got engaged. (Squeeeeeee!!!!!)

One of the most significant developments from 2011 was Mike picking up a camera at a session early in the year. He’d spent years pursuing photography as a hobby, but it honestly didn’t occur to me that he might want (or be able) to do it professionally. That is, until I downloaded his images. Holy crap, the man can shoot! And, better still, he LOVES it. I’ve spent the last decade rejecting second shooter after second shooter, for reasons ranging from “your work never rises above awful” to “I can’t babysit you while I’m working” to “you smell really, really, really bad”. A good second shooter is hard to come by; an excellent one (who smells good, doesn’t need babysitting, and actually knows what he’s doing with a camera) is damn near impossible. And I somehow stumbled upon the man that not only wants to marry me (squeeeeeee!!!!), but also happens to be an excellent second shooter.

So, in 2011 I quite naturally began the transition from Charo: Solo Shooter to Charo + Mike: Shooting Team. How lucky am I, to be able to work side by side with the man I love (and am marrying! Squeeeeee!!!!!)… pretty damn lucky. (Along with this change we’ll be launching our new website soon… but… one thing at a time for now!)

And, finally… the real point of all this rambling. The pictures. The pictures of the people who made everything possible for Mike and I this year. Our clients friends, who got married, had babies, celebrated anniversaries and family reunions and birthdays, and asked us to capture their joy. In the slideshow below are 165 images of incredible couples, families, friends, who trusted their memories to us. I don’t know how best to express my gratitude and my pride, other than to commemorate their beautiful faces just one last time this year.

Happy New Year. I love you all…

Mike,

You came into my life right when I needed you most (and right when I was most adamant that I wanted to go it alone). You showed me how to laugh without worrying that laughing makes my double chin more like a triple chin, or maybe even a quadruple. You taught me to allow myself to be adored, to be wanted, and to believe that I deserve it. You showed me that every part of me is lovable, even the parts I’ve always abhorred. You’ve been there for times that were amazing, and times that were best left forgotten. Times I was beautiful, and times I was decidedly not. We’ve been poor and rich together, sick and healthy, thin and fat, and always, always happy. From our ramen-and-jammies nights to our high-heeled-dinner out nights, it’s been nothing but joy… and a neverending gratitude for what we’ve both found in each other.

You’re my yin, my counterbalance, my solid ground. I’d be a fool to not say YES.

In case it isn’t clear… we’re getting married!!! After witnessing hundreds of couples commit the rest of their lives to one another, it’s our turn! I could not be happier. I could not be more excited.

Thank you, Mike. For loving me. For being the incredible person you are. And for making an honest woman out of me.

We tried for a self-engagement photo, but I’m terrible at pre-focusing with the self timer, so we got one so-so in focus shot, and two halfway decent but really blurry shots… and then we just took pictures of each other for good measure (and maybe for the bio page). Here we are… your future Mister and Missus B.

I can’t imagine a better way to wrap up the 2011 wedding season. Zoe and Kenyon had THAT wedding – the one that reminds you what marriage, love, laughter, and friendship are all about. With only a handful of guests and a small assortment of (delicious) details, this wedding was about the marriage. The future. And the hilarity that gets you through every day together as partners and friends. Mike and I agreed – this is the kind of wedding we want to have. (Though, to be quite honest, I think we’ll try for a warmer day…)

Zoe did most of the planning and detail-making herself. And, fortunately for us, she’s an artist and graphic designer in real life… so the details were exquisite.

Zoe’s son Ben hung out with Kenyon in the groom’s room – it was more chill down there, and there was an iPad.

Meanwhile, I hung out with Zoe in the dressing room. Where Zoe kept busy being stunning.

Kenyon’s family was nothing but mischief and laughs and style…

Aaaand it’s go time…

I *love* weddings like this. No formality, no hushed voices, no worries over kids talking, babies crying, guests coughing, text messages chiming in. You always get the feeling that the couples who choose to have these informal, relaxed, welcoming ceremonies are exactly like that in their private lives – open door, comfy couch, time enough for everyone. Shooting a wedding like this makes you feel like you’re a part of their family, too. Like you’re watching TV on their big comfy couch, sipping coffee and laughing at their jokes. Warm, cozy, familiar. It’s hard not to smile and laugh and cry along with the families, even when you don’t get the inside jokes. There’s nothing quite like a small wedding.

iPad vows!!!

beee-yooo-tee-ful.

Tried to get Ben to give me a few minutes for portraits…

Oh Ben, it’s not so bad…

Ah, and here’s another attempt at a family portrait, this time with Kenyon’s brother and brood. It didn’t, uh, work out the way I wanted…

We finally had a few free moments to whisk the newlyweds away for some pictures…

And then it was time to sign the Marriage Certificate! I love this series… you can so plainly see how much Zoe adores her groom…

…and what a great storyteller Kenyon is…

What’s this? Is that Ben, looking at the camera AND SMILING? OMG!

Look at this beautiful family.

Happy Holidays, you three. We LOVED working with you, we can’t WAIT to finish up your edit so we can re-live the day through your photos… and we hope to stay in touch with you for years to come. Thank you so much for having us. We couldn’t have picked a better way to spend that weekend.

Venue: The Lorien Hotel and Spa
Details, Flowers, Decorations: Zoe and Nunu

Mom used to take me to the Smithsonian as often as she could during the couple years that we lived in Northern VA growing up. I remember being maybe five years old and experiencing the geology and gemstones room for the first time. I think Mom actually *dragged* me out of there, because I was transfixed. We visited the Smithsonian sometimes every weekend, never missing the Natural History Museum (or, more importantly, the geology and gemstones room)… and I developed a fantasy future wherein I was the curator of the rocks and minerals. That’s why I decided to get a degree in geology. The fictional degree in geology, I mean – the one I still think someday I might go back to school and get.

So why did I choose a jazz playlist for today? Oh, gosh, I don’t know exactly. Mike and I have both been on a minor jazz kick since the moment we walked out of the Dupont Circle Metro Station. And I’m feeling mellow, happy, excited about the week to come, anxious to get to Christmas so Ellie can open her presents, anxious to edit Saturday’s wedding… basically, I’m in a great mood. And this playlist works.

Here we are at the Natural History Museum. LOOK AT MY EYEBROWS. They look fantastic, don’t they?

Enjoy the jazz, and don’t forget to come back tomorrow to see pictures from Saturday’s wedding AND to see what kind of awesome dealio I’m cooking up for my last hurrah of 2011. See you tomorrow!!!

You’re welcome.  See you tomorrow!

This is another wedding that I photographed for Elise Beall Photography over the summer! Ashley and Kyle also hired me to do their Chapel Hill engagement session at UNC this spring. I LOVE this couple. They are silly and irreverent and sarcastic, and they’re always up for just about anything. Kyle has this incredible wit about him, he sort of belongs in a Woody Allen film. And Ashley is almost slapstick goofy, with a wonderful throaty laugh and this incredibly infectious smile that reaches every bit of her body.

You can read more details about this wedding over at the original post on Elise’s blog. Meanwhile, here are my favorite images from the wedding (which probably match almost exactly Elise’s favorites!)

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A few times a year I shoot weddings under contract from other studios. I primarily work with Elise Beall Photography out of Jacksonville NC, who is not only a colleague of mine but also a close personal friend. She retired from wedding photography several years back – but she’d established such an excellent reputation in Jacksonville that the inquiries kept coming in, even several years after announcing her retirement! She finally asked me if I would want to subcontract under her studio for the occasional wedding, and of course I agreed! We’ve been doing this for a while now, and I usually end up shooting about four or five weddings every year under her studio. This is one of those weddings!

Lindsay and Christian were married at the Catholic Church in Camp Lejeune, and their reception was at the wonderful Officer’s Club, which is one of my absolute favorite venues to work – the staff is amazing, the grounds are immaculate, the food is always good – you just can’t go wrong there!

The couple had a true fall theme to their outdoor reception, and it was a blast capturing all of the carefully crafted details. Especially the rings. Armed with a new macro lens, I spent at least twenty minutes “posing” their rings in different locations. I posted five ring shots here, but I could have posted twenty. I went a little overboard.

This was one of the prettiest fall-themed weddings I’ve shot in years… with one of the sweetest, most laid-back and easy-to-work-with couples ever.

All images are copyright 2011 Charo Donohue for Elise Beall Photography.

This letterpress stationer is Nicole, whose wedding I photographed back in 2009 in Hot Springs, NC.   She and her husband Alex designed and  created the invitations and programs for their wedding, which were INCREDIBLE.  Their story is incredible, too – and the fact that they are both working artists makes it even more special.

I can vouch for Mink because I’ve seen her work firsthand.  Touched it, held it, photographed it – it’s the real thing.  Real letterpress work made with sweat and ink and love and the labor of long overnights working with heavy machinery and the drive to get each piece absolutely perfect.  She is an artist, a craftsman, and her work shows her talent and her spirit splendidly.

Most people won’t procure letterpress wedding invitations – not when there are dozens of online retailers offering gobs of pretty thermographed and bulk-printed stationery at deep discounts.  But there is something indescribably  special about a letterpressed piece of stationery.  It  communicates more than just the words pressed into its fibers.   Feeling the heavy weight of the carefully-selected paper… smelling the unique undertones of each ink… admiring the fine imprint of each letter, each swirl, each carefully designed imprint.  These pieces are REALLY something special.  I definitely recommend at LEAST ordering a sample from Nicole, just to see what I’m talking about.  These invitations – they just don’t get thrown out, you know?  They don’t feel like something that shouldn’t be held on to, and cherished, and maybe even handed down.  They just feel SPECIAL.  And, in turn, they make each guest feel special to have received something so delicately produced just for them.

I can’t wait until I have an order to place with Nicole

Roshonda and Stephen. This was a FUN wedding weekend. When Roshonda first contacted me, she was stationed in Iraq and doing all of her wedding planning abroad. Needless to say, she didn’t have an easy time of it – coordinating three separate events in three different cities from a time zone I don’t even know HOW many hours ahead of us… well, it was chaotic. A few of her original plans fell through because of scheduling difficulties, but even with the distance and the Army’s ever-changing priorities, she and Stephen still managed to pull off an extraordinary two-day event in Roshonda’s hometown.

The weekend started off with a bridal brunch and rehearsal dinner. We wrapped it all up on Sunday with an early wedding ceremony and a quickie reception – just enough time for Ro and Stephen to eat, dance, mingle, and run off to the airport to make it to their next assignment bright and early Monday morning. What a rush!

Ro was easily the most enthusiastic, bold, and hilarious bride I’ve worked with in years. She and Stephen make an adorable couple, the perfect yin and yang. I loved being there to see their families get acquainted, hear all the stories, and enjoy the wonderful southern food. Congratulations, you two – please don’t lose touch with me!

We “borrowed” another couple’s reception venue for these pictures

She had the PERFECT dressing room upstairs at the Davenport in Greer, SC.

Pretty little flower girl, watching Roshonda’s mom iron her dress…

I’ve never seen a ringbearer more proud or excited to be part of a wedding!

Kids featured prominently this day

I happened to park right up the street from their actual getaway car (the Hummer was for going around the block only), and caught the mad dash to get to the airport on time.  Yay for perfect timing!