Mind The Gap | Brilliant Thoughts from England

Cheers!

As many of you know, Nichole and I spent the last two weeks of January in Europe.  While it probably goes without saying, we had a SMASHING time!  We started off in England, took little jaunts to France and Wales, and ended our journey in Iceland. Today we start with the first leg of our journey: London.  There are far too many stories to tell from this trip so I'm not even going to try.  When you have 6 hours free for drinks, let me know. For now you get my rambling, random, sporadic memories...  enjoy.

1.    All of the sparkling lingo: Smashing! Brilliant! Spiffing!
2.    Kitchen Roll = Paper Towels, Girl Guides = Girl Scouts, Jacket = Baked Potato
3.    Listening to English announcers call the Seahawks vs. Bears game at The Sports Cafe... weird.
4.    Eggs Benedict at BAFTA
5.    How the entire city of London is basically grey with splashes of red.
6.    A beautifully chilly sunset at Brighton Pier
7.    The fact that they don't have graham crackers, and therefore have never heard of s'mores...so so sad.
8.    The Tower Bridge and South bank at night
9.    Banofee Pie
10.  Windsor Castle and proper pub food with Jen and Mike
11.  Our wonderful flat in Whitechurch that smelled of fabric softener every day.
12.  Puddle jumping after drinks and a comedy show
13.  Silly photos with Nic in the tube/phone booth/bus/train....
14.  The Tower of London beefeater tour
15.  Chianti and great conversation at Strada with Nic and the Blains
16.  Unintentionally trading two days without hot water for a bottle of champagne
17.  The National Portrait Gallery
18.  The birds at Brighton Pier
19.  Waffles with chocolate and fresh strawberries
20.  Having no schedule or agenda, just going with the flow. :)

I loved London SO much and loved it even more because I got to share it with Nichole, my fellow photographer and favorite travel buddy.  We had such an amazing time and I could not have asked for a better trip.  I can honestly say I wouldn't have changed one single thing about it, quite simply it was AWESOME!  Special thanks go to Adam for our ridiculous puddle-jumping pic.  Stay tuned for pics from Paris coming up next...
xoxo,
Ames

Jen + Mike | Berkshire, UK

As promised, this is the second of Mike and Jen's engagement sessions.

While the weather fares about the same, we now find ourselves in serenely beautiful Waltham St. Lawrence in the English countryside of Berkshire.  We begin our day at the charming Bell Inn and Free House, meeting up with Mike's parents for a pint and a couple of aptly named Bambi Burgers (venison). I gotta tell you, after cringing at the name, I'm surprised to say I really enjoyed it! Our bellies full, we hopped up and wandered through the Inn and neighboring St. Lawrence Churchyard before getting back on the road and heading over to majestic Windsor Castle for a rousing audio-tour.  :) 

I cannot express enough how I adore these two.  I mean seriously, just look at them. If they had action figures I'd buy one in every outfit...except perhaps Mankini Mike. You'll have to ask him about that one. While we only stayed with them for three days of our 15 day European adventure, I felt as if we were with family the entire time. Mike's parents exuded the same charm and whit they blessed their son with.  They are truly lovely people and I am so incredibly excited to join them all again when we meet up for their wedding in Leavenworth this August. Definitely stay tuned for some fun photos to come.

Thanks again to Jen, Mike, and Mike's parents for all of your kindness and warmth.  We love you all!!

Now don't forget to mind the gap...
ames

Jen + Mike | Discovery Park, USA

This is the first of three posts. It begins here in Seattle with an email from afar.

Jen likes to say that she Internet-dated her wedding photographer and I think that sounds just about right.  We started chatting via email back in August and almost instantly I felt we'd known each other for years. The reason for our long distance relationship? Jen and her fiance Mike live in London. That's right, England.  Big Ben, Buckingham Palace, adorable red phone booths, the whole shebang.

Jen is a infectiously delightful person born and raised in Leavenworth,Washington who (after a storybook romance you'll have to ask her the details of) just happened to fall in love with charming Mike the Englishman from the countryside.  Who, the first time we met, described himself to me as "very British".  I later learned that "very British" apparently means tons of goofy-10-year-old-boy-in-a-man's-body energy. 

We corresponded for months and by the time November rolled around Nichole and I each had a ticket to London and a place to crash when we got there with no doubts.  Finally 49 emails, and a couple texts later, passports and plane tickets at the ready, we met for the first time at Red Hook Brewery for a pint.  It felt like meeting with old friends.

Six days later on a cool cloudy Sunday, just weeks before were to meet them again in London, Nichole and I met up with Mike and Jen one more time- this time for coffee in Fremont before jetting over to Discovery Park to jump around in the chilly Winter weather for their first shoot.  Despite the frigid weather we had a great time. Honestly, it's hard not to with these guys.

Another three weeks and we were all together again in front of Windsor Castle in London, ready to do it again. :)  Stay tuned!

xoxo,
ames

Erin + Andrew | Love on Island Time

I honestly cannot believe how long it's taken me to post this awesome engagement session with Erin and Andrew.  Nichole and I will be shooting their wedding this Summer in Leavenworth so together we headed over to Andrew's charming family house on Bainbridge Island for a little fishing and wine on a gorgeous lazy Sunday in November.  Their adorable pup Pete joined us for a little water frolicking and finger licking (there were plenty of treats on hand).  When the sun began to go down we moved the party inside for a wonderful salmon dinner prepared by our lovely couple.  If their families are half as sweet and generous as the two of them, we're in for a real treat come June in Leavenworth!!

Thanks again you guys for treating us to a wonderful dinner and again for your amazing patience with my utter tardiness on this post.  Don't think I don't adore you two (and Pete of course!)  See you in June!

hugs,
amy

Kathryn + Brian | Party like it's 2011!

Let me be the first to say that I attended THE best New Year's Eve party this year... a wedding like no other.

Kathryn is adorable.  Brian is charming.  To be around these two is to know and feel love.  Regardless of the fact that Brian is a firefighter and Kathryn is a teacher, being around them truly makes you want to be a better person.  They are so naturally kind and sweet in each other presence, I don't think they even realize how much joy they're sending out into the universe by just being together.

Their wedding was at Sodo Park in Seattle, a rustic converted warehouse with more whimsy and charm than you can shake a stick at.  Kathryn looked like royalty as she followed the Seattle Fire Department's Pipes and Drums down the aisle with her mom. Bryan wore a smile that could not be faded.  There really is nothing like bagpipes on wedding day.  Their ceremony was touching and honest. My favorite part, which I've since suggested to other couples, was the sealing of the wine box. For those of you who are unfamiliar with this tradition, here's the magic- Inside this box is a bottle of wine, two glasses, two love letters, and other tokens of their union. The box was nailed shut by both parents, the couple, and the officiant only to be opened in five years time, or in the case of severe relationship distress.  If the latter arises, they are to open the box, each pour a glass of wine and retreat to separate rooms to read their letters of love in the hope that the each other's words of devotion will remind them of the love they still share.  Otherwise, they unseal the box and enjoy a wonderful glass on their 5 year anniversary.  :) I have no doubt that Brian and Kathryn are going to thoroughly enjoy their perfectly aged five year bottle.

After the ceremony, we all enjoyed an amazing dinner (Urban Feast, you guys rock!!) and  several toasts that emoted a range of emotion from hysterical laughing to sobbing tears.  You know, they way all good toasts go.  :)  After a few family pics and some silliness with the wedding party, the dancing started and didn't stop until the stroke of midnight when we all rung in the coming New Year with noise makers and sparklers.

Thank you so very much, you guys made me feel so welcome and the chocolates were fabulous.  :)

much love,
amy