Let me preface this by saying that Miki has been my best friend since the 6th grade… the summer prior to that she moved into the house across the street from me with her sister Summer and AMAZING parents Tom and Pam. They are like my second family and adopted me right into their fold. Mom Pam even made me an honorary member of her Girl Scout Troop. Miki and her family are some of the nicest people you could ever hope to meet. Like old fashioned kindness, with a hip modern flair, if you will. Pam was always around as an assistant at our grade school and always involved in her kid’s activities. In my eyes she was Super Mom. Boy did her mothering turn out two of the nicest young women you could ever hope to meet. Two women I consider my sisters and I hold them close to my heart always.

So to tell this story, we have to rewind 20+ years back to high school. I  thought the best way to do this story justice was to get the story straight from Miki. She lived it. And 20 years later it turned into a whirlwind romance that you can feel just being in the same room with Miki and Reese…

Our story: I don’t actually remember meeting Reese at Morse, he was just always there! He would come up to me all the time and tease me that he was going to be with me someday and my response was to tell him, “Yeah, right”!  We were always just friends and I was happy to see him. The last time I saw him was when I was working at Horton Plaza and he had just joined the Navy. Then I didn’t hear from or see him again until 20 years later!  We connected on Facebook and did the usual small talk about what we were doing and that sort of thing.  He gave me his number and I gave him mine and told him to call me.  Well he did call on a day I had my friend Tiffany over watching shows. We talked for about 30 minutes and I really didn’t want to get off the phone with him but I didn’t want to be rude either.  We gradually increased the number of calls we made, all the while still inboxing on Facebook. I’m not sure when it happened but we were talking everyday and sometimes for 6-7 hours a day. We did this for about 3 months and during that time I fell in love with him! He invited me out to Virginia to see him and meet his daughters in June and I didn’t even hesitate to go (though I knew my family and friends were a little unsure as to what was going on!). As soon as I saw him in person, I was mush and knew I wanted to spend the rest of my life with him.  I flew back in July and drove across country with him as he moved to San Diego. We moved in together and he proposed to me. I was fresh from working out and we were eating sloppy joe’s and tator tots.  He started to ask me to marry him and then he paused so the girls could stand behind him and asked me to marry the three of them. We were married a few months later in December just a few weeks before we both turned 39, did I mention that we are only 3 days apart in birth?  I truly believe that our love started many years back with the promise that turned into reality some 20 years later. I am truly blessed to have Reese and the girls in my life. I feel like the luckiest woman in the world!

Pretty amazing, right? And I had the honor to fly out to San Diego to document their special day. My lens got a little foggy from all the (happy) tears I shed. I got a new best-friend-in-law and two of the sweetest nieces I could ask for. Reese did an amazing job raising those girls on his own. And now Miki completes their family. Couldn’t have happened to two four better people, if you ask me.

I had the honor and privileged of witnessing the love and union of Nikki and Lisa in DC today. They were so incredibly sweet together. Thank you both for the honor of documenting your wedding day. I wish you many years of good health and happiness. =)

The amazing vegan cupcakes from Sticky Fingers Bakery in DC. Super moist and you’d never know they were vegan. So good!

Um, yes please! Thank you to the lovely and courageous Jennifer and Steve for humoring our ideas today. My dear friend and colleague Elizabeth Leighton and I had a BLAST photographing this trash the dress session. The ending could not be more perfect. We all got soaked in the Potomac River, but it was well worth it. I am on a photography high today. (sigh) This is the kind of shoot that makes my day. My week. My year.

Thank You Cards from Wedding Paper Divas

I had the great honor and privilege to work alongside my sweet and talented friend Elizabeth Leighton. We photographed the nuptials of the absolutely gorgeous Lauren and her dashing groom Brian at the Grey Rock Mansion in Pikesville, MD. Lauren and Brian are beautiful both inside and out. They are easy-going and kindhearted. Even though we were working their wedding, they made us feel like a part of their family. The details were perfect. Especially their donation to ASPCA in lieu of wedding favors. That got me choked up. You don’t see enough of that kind of generosity and selflessness these days and it made me adore this couple even more.

My blog post is more about the details… Liz blogged about the rest, so I’ll give her the honor of that post.

Today I teamed up with Liz Leighton for a bridal session at Georgetown University. Jamie was our gorgeous bride-to-be and bless her heart for braving that cold January weather. She was such a trooper. Jamie and her fiancee are photographers down in North Carolina.

Pat and Debbie exchanged wedding vows in the small Chapel on the 8th floor of the George Washington Masonic Memorial in Alexandria, VA. It was a small, intimate affair with 20 guests and the bride was breathtaking… like a starlet straight out of a 1940′s movie. The groom was dapper in his duds, the perfect compliment to his lovely lady. It was a deceptively gorgeous, sunny day and they braved the 12 degree wind chill after the ceremony. Brrr… but it was totally worth it. Special thanks to my fellow photographer Elizabeth Leighton for helping me document their special day. Here is a sneak peek…

I’ve known Alexis since she was a wee little toddler. I used to babysit her and her two siblings while I was in high school. She was a little bruiser of a tomboy, with dimples that would knock your socks off. She has grown into a beautiful, educated young woman… and held on tight to those dimples. She met and fell in love with Clint while they were at UC Davis. When she called me about a year ago to tell me she wanted to hire me as her wedding photographer, I was so honored. She flew me out to San Diego (my hometown) for the rehearsal and wedding. It was a perfect weekend filled with sunshine, blue skies, and perfect mid-70′s temperatures. Congratulations to Alexis and Clint. I look forward to watching your own family grow. Enjoy your sneak peek! All my love to you both – Ingrid.

YouTube – JK Wedding Entrance Dance.

Last month I had the honor and pleasure of shooting a wedding with Julia MacInnis. She has given me permission to post some of the photographs from Jennifer and Taylor’s wedding. They were such a gorgeous couple and fun group. The groom wore Chucks and the bride wore Birks. Doesn’t get much cooler than that. I love a mix of relaxed with elegant. Break out of the norm and show off your personality! During the reception they even did the traditional Jumping of the Broom to celebrate their life together.

Hot dang. Fellow photographer Armin DeFiesta pointed me to this videographer and I was floored by the quality and cinematic styling of their work. Check them out. If money isn’t an option, hire these people. Otherwise, save your pennies and hire these people.