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

I got to see Danielle, Trey, and their little Delia the other day at the Arboretum! This isn’t the first time I’ve worked with these guys. First, I shot their engagement session in downtown Wilmington wayyy back in 2008…

Then, there was Danielle’s hilariously fun bridal session in a truckyard near the One Tree Hill bridge in downtown…

Then, of course, their wedding at St Mary’s Catholic Church and the Coastline Convention Center…

Oh, and THEN I shot Danielle’s best friend Whitney’s engagement session and wedding in Wrightsville Beach…

…and now Danielle and Trey have little Delia.

She is ridiculously adorable. At least I’m pretty sure she is – everything from that session is a blur…

No, really – Delia doesn’t sit still. EVER. She has places to go, flowers to pick, jumps that NEED TO BE JUMPED.

I used to shoot sports, and I could barely keep up with her. This kid is FAST.

I did get lucky a couple times…

Oooh, she’s looking at me, she’s looking….oh damn. Too late.

She’s got a real thing for flowers and butterflies… and I’m still not quite sure if “butterflies” are just a type of flower, or a clever ruse that mom and dad came up with to get her attention… but it works. Sometimes.

Here’s one of those moments that I thought, “If I’m fast enough, I’ll catch a great expression on everyone…”

…but it was over, I think right around the moment that Delia realized I was THIS CLOSE to getting a great shot…

Oh well. We’re getting back together at the beach, sometime when the weather rocks and everyone’s in the mood. Since Danielle, Trey, and Delia live in Wilmington it’s easy to do a last minute session around town. Hopefully with fewer flowers and trails to explore, Delia will sit still long enough for me to focus the lens!

This is one cool kid. She’s spunky, and her expressions – when you catch them – are priceless. I can’t wait to watch her grow up!

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!

I can’t lie – I love it. I love watching Dexter and old reruns of Law & Order SVU. I love having The Daily Show on my DVR. I LOVE CABLE!!!

The other night, Mike found Can’t Hardly Wait on one of the On Demand stations. Eeeeeee! One of my all-time favorite movies! It is just as funny today as it was several dozen watchings ago. If you haven’t seen it, go rent it or buy it or find it On Demand. It’s got Seth Green in it. ‘Nuff Said.

So, in honor of that movie, and of our impromptu movie date night, here’s a link to the Soundtrack to Can’t Hardly Wait on Spotify.

The only thing missing from the official soundtrack is Yaz’ “Only You” – which is a song that I’m really sappy about, mostly because of the movie. So here’s a bonus track for you.

Happy First Day of Christmas! (It is the “first day of Christmas” today, right? Because the twelfth day is on Christmas Eve? I’ve never really understood how that works)

I don’t wear a lot of jewelry; in fact, it took Mike’s Mom giving me three pairs of her departed sister’s earrings for me to remember that I do, in fact, have pierced ears.

Since Ellie was born, the only piece of jewelry I wear daily is a ring that I bought right after she arrived – a plain white gold band with her name and birthdate engraved on the inside. I wear it on my left thumb, mostly because I’ve lost weight since getting sized for it and it’s too big for any of my fingers. I was puffed up like a bloated walrus in the weeks surrounding her birth; I was also completely irrational, and had to have that ring RIGHT NOW. Thus, the sizing problem

Back to the point of this post.  As I do when I’m bored or want some inspiration, I was wandering through etsy one day months and months ago, and happened upon Monkeys Always Look. And stopped. And I think I gasped or squealed or said “holy sh*t, I love this place!” in an unnaturally high octave. Probably the latter. I went on a favorite-ing frenzy that day, and added about half the store to my wish list. I’m pretty hard-pressed to find jewelry that I like and would consider wearing… but I can’t think of one thing in Allison’s store that I would turn down. (That, by the way, is both a glowing endorsement and a big fat hint to anyone who might want to buy me things. Wink, wink. Nudge.)

I’m particularly in love with the copper work. I don’t know if it’s because Mom wore a lot of rose gold, or if it has something to do with my obsession with the Southwest… or maybe there’s no root cause for it, I just love copper.  I don’t even care if it turns my fingers green (which I’m sure it’ll do, since my skin hates everything pretty). I want ten copper rings. At least.

Allison also makes these wonderful engraved spoons – garden markers, wedding favors, home decor, you name it. I personally don’t have a use for them right now,  but the romantic in me wants every last phrase about love and friendship engraved on my silverware.   And also lyrics, but I couldn’t tell you which ones – music and lyrics are Mike’s department.

Antiqued spoons with words like “basil” and “parsley” stamped on them are ridiculously charming.  That’s the level of charming I’ve never been able to achieve.

Side story! Before Mom had me, she worked for Sam Peckinpah (a notorious and acclaimed film director from the 60s and 70s, and a bit into the 80s before he died), and she developed friendships with some incredible actors, like Jason Robards (wow do I ever miss seeing him on the screen), and David Warner.  Well, (according to the stories I’ve heard all my life)… back when they worked together on The Ballad of Cable Hogue in the late 60s, David Warner fancied my Mom, apparently something awful, and she never really dug him back.  She found the British accent to be ugly and annoying I’mnotevenkiddingwhatthehell and she was afraid she’d have to move to England if they got serious, so she turned him down politely, and eventually moved on to fall in love with my father, a married man with a family of his own.  Neither my mom nor I would ever claim that she made great decisions in the 70s.

The whole point of all of this?  What if I was David Warner’s child instead?  Born in England, raised in a foggy suburb of London, drinking tea and knowing what crumpets are?  Maybe THEN I’d be the kind of charming that uses silver spoons as garden markers.   In my British-Charo fantasies, I’m also incredibly witty, a brilliant dresser, and I look exactly like Helena Bonham Carter.

British-Charo would own hundreds of these silver spoons.  They’d be everywhere, marking everything of significance.  And everything of significance would be charming.  British-Charo would charm your ass off with her copper rings and her silver spoons, and that delightfully charming charm of hers.

All images are copyright Allison Cecil, Monkeys Always Look, and used with permission.

You’re eight years old. EIGHT YEARS OLD!

Oh Beanie. You’re such an amazing little girl. Sorry, BIG girl. Watching you grow up and become the incredible person you are today… that’s been the absolute best part of the last eight years. You and I have experienced so much together… lost teeth, Santa cookies, road trips, tickle time, Sunday pancakes, an endless parade of pets… the nonstop search for Duckie, who is always lost just when you’ve needed him for bedtime.

Only you don’t need Duckie for bedtime anymore. That’s how I know you’re really eight years old now. Maybe Duckie will just sleep in our bed from now on. Surely he’s a little lonely.

All these years, and all these memories… and so many more memories to make! I must have fifteen thousand photos on my hard drives… all of you, you and me, silly things we’ve done, places we’ve gone… pictures you asked me to take of your bears, your Duckie, your toys. I can only imagine how many hard drives we’ll fill up over the years to come.

You are the most beautiful thing I have ever laid my eyes on, Pie. Everything from those big brown eyes to that heart-melting smile, and all the way down to your silly little toes. And let’s not forget your little HANDS. Those hands, wow. I’ve always been in love with those little hands. They started out so pudgy, dimpled knuckles and sausage thumbs. Now, they look like tiny versions of my hands. Maybe it sounds a little weird, but every time you put your tiny hand in mine, my heart jumps just a little bit. I love holding your hand. I guess it won’t be long before you won’t need to hold my hand across the street or in crowds. So maybe I soak it in a little more now, while I still have the chance. Time goes by so fast.

I loved being your official party-booth photographer last weekend, and meeting all the kids from school. I loved watching you play and talk with your girlfriends, and I especially loved watching your face light up when you opened your presents. I can’t wait to paint those wooden heart bobble things with you, and hopefully read a new Roald Dahl book together. Maybe we can squeeze into the recliner together and snuggle while we read. While you’re still small enough to sit on my lap. While you’ll still indulge me. I’ll take as much as I can get.

I love you, Miss Bean. To the moon and back.