Metropolitan Imageworks

I was very much looking forward to this wedding because the bride was my beautiful cousin Robin and of course it would be my first Detroit area wedding!  I flew in from LA a few days prior to the wedding and had a blast hanging out with Robin, Pete and the cast of wedding party members.  For the very first time I had my toes bedazzled at the singing manicurist’s nail shop.  Really an experience everyone should have on their bucket list!

Although in the days prior to the wedding a fall chill had hit the air, the actual wedding day dawned sunny and temps were expected to be in the high 70s, which in my opinion is just perfect for an outdoor ceremony in the Midwest!  I met up with the girls at the hair salon early in the morning and we had lots of laughs and silly antics.  After everyone was sufficiently coiffed, we zipped over to Glen Oaks Country Club for the rest of the preparations.  While Robin was getting her make-up done, the rest of us took turns heading downstairs to peak at the room as it was turned into a wedding reception and oohed and aaahed at the lush flowers. I only got reprimanded once for touching the girls’ bouquets but seriously it was all in the name of photos!  Robin’s sister and MOH thoughtfully arranged for a quick lunch for the crew and then everyone helped Robin into her dress.  I love the actual moment of transformation from a bride getting ready into a bride ready to get married!  I am still in awe of Robin’s tasteful alterations to her dress with the straps that matched her ruched bodice and the lovely flower belt.  Once Robin was ready, I headed outside to locate Pete and the guys and arranged the positioning for the First Glance.

I kept my emotions in check as Robin made her way down the garden path and I procrastinated letting Pete turn around to see her because I was loving his expressions and the emotion.  But no worries, when I finally let him turn around to see hi beautiful bride – he let some emotions fly and that just one of many reasons why I love the wedding day! EMOTION!!!  So here is where I say Thank You, Pete, for being an emotional groom and allowing for some amazing photographs of those moments.  After a short time with Robin and Pete we headed into wedding party and family photos and got every single one out of the way prior to the ceremony!  This makes for a smooth flowing day once we get all those groupings checked off the list.

The intimate and touching ceremony was set in the garden at Glen Oaks and attended by Robin and Pete’s closest friends and family.  With the blue skies, a lush garden, the gently setting sun and comfortable September afternoon temperature – the day really was perfect!  After we all cheered on their new union, guests headed inside the clubhouse for cocktails and mingling and then of course, on to the party in celebration of Robin and Pete!!!  One of the highlights of the evening, besides the heartfelt toasts by their siblings, was the 24′ desert table that needed it’s own room!  I’m drooling just remembering all the delicious sweets, cakes and fruit on display.

Congrats you two! Thanks for being such wonderful hosts and allowing me to play a special role in your day!  Now come visit us in California!

This raw emotion is the stuff photojournalists dream of!

A tired bride, typical for the end of the night!

Meet two week old Mildrid!  She was such a little smooshie newborn during her very first portrait session and I cannot wait to follow her milestones for the next year as well.  Older brother Coby has been a fixture on the Metimages blog since his debut in October of 2009.  We all agree that this time around, Mom and Dad are total newborn baby pro’s!

I met up with the Santos family last Friday during the last hour of daylight and capitalized on some wonderful fall weather and lush fall colors.  Sheila picked a perfect spot right on the river and her sons, Owen and Brian, gallivanted around and had a blast goofing off in front of my camera.  Even her husband Mark was a good sport!

OK, while I didn’t photograph Adelyn’s parent’s wedding, I had pleasure of photographing her older fur-brother a few years ago at one of my ‘Furry Fotos’ days and I photographed two of Adelyn’s aunt’s weddings and have another aunt booked for 2012 . . . so that must count for something right!?  She has some of the prettiest blue eyes that just pop and was a real trooper during all of the outfit changes.  I just loved watching her run around the park and grace me with her smiles!  Again another perfect fall day!

I am in love.  Little Isla had major stranger anxiety when I first arrived, but it doesn’t matter because I am completely and utterly in love with her little self and her little antics and her little snuggles.  I’m positive she spent more time in my lap than in front of my camera and I am a-ok with that!  She is my new bestie!  I’m also sensing a theme here . . . her mom and dad were married in 2008 and :ahem: their wedding was photographed by yours truly!

Check out another cutie-patootie baby boy of former Metimages wedding clients!  Mom and Dad were married in 2008 and I am delighted to continue working with them as their family photographer!  Will is a little stud, check out that flipped collar!  He was a little serious in the beginning but soon warmed up. And I have to admit, we timed the fall photos wonderfully – the colors were phenomenal and the Indian Summer temps were just perfect!

This little dude is Joseph Peter and the darling son of some of Metimages 2009 wedding clients.  He was definitely what I would call a perfect newborn specimen, both in reality and for photos!  I loved his little faces and little crossed limbs.

Marc and Cynthia are some of Metimages original wedding clients from 2001, back when I was operating as Rachael Silvers Photography.  They were married in June and while I had photographed a handful of weddings and special events in the years prior, their wedding was particularly special since they had been good friends of ours for a few years and I knew a lot of the cast of characters through other photographic projects.  Fast forward a year and a half later and Marc and Cynthia were two parts of the brass quintet that played during my own outdoor wedding ceremony.  Funny how life happens, jobs change, people move, families grow and it’s often a full circle.  Marc and Cynthia moved from Illinois to Southern California in 2004, and my husband helped them drive a huge moving truck across the country.  Now since our migration to Orange County, California earlier this year, we are only about an hour and a half apart from Marc and Cynthia rather than half a continent!  I met up with them at La Jolla Cove last weekend for some fun family portraits and of course loads of goofing off and fun portraits of their darling daughters.  Some say there is no place like home.  I say there is no place like being near friends.