Sabine's Photography

Under Construction

2010-07-24T17:47:00.000-07:00

Hi Internet,
I am diligently working on my new blog, but it unfortunately will not be done for a bit.
Not to be afeared my internet friends - you can still see new imagery and updates here.

Make sure to check in, since this will be a fun-filled month or traveling and shooting!

Of course, I can't leave you without some eye candy. Here is an image from a recent wedding.

Day-After session

2010-06-14T14:14:00.000-07:00

I am just wrapping up a Day-After session and am in love with this image. So much so, I just ordered a gorgeous canvas print of it. So I thought why make you wait for the sneak peak! More of this shoot after my NY trip!

Sharon & Will -e:session

2010-06-13T19:23:00.000-07:00

Hi Internet -
I am aware I have been a bad blogger recently, but that is because...dumdumdum - a brand new blog is in the works!! It will be oh-so much better with bigger images! Yay! Since I haven't shared images in a while here is an itty bitty sneak peak of an engagement shoot I did recently. Will and Sharon are super fun and it was great spending the afternoon with fellow Wii fans. Now I doubly can't wait for their wedding to come around! Well, I know you don't come around my blog for my witty verbosity, so here is some eyecandy!

My Mom Rocks!

2010-05-09T16:19:00.000-07:00

It really should called Happy "My Mom Rocks" Day. My mom showed me from the very beginning what it meant to be a strong independent woman. She was and is a total Wonder Woman (thankfully - minus the costume). She speaks about a gazillion languages, can travel the world and makes friends with anyone and everyone, and basically does anything she sets her mind to. Well, except for some basic computer functions I have to keep reminding her of. I'm starting to think its all a rouse to get me on the phone more often though. Thanks for being such an amazing mom, completely supportive, and such an inspiration.

Something I could never pull off - looking gorgeous as a war correspondent with perfectly coiffed hair and make-up! In a chopper no less. That's my mom folks!

Muir Woods

2010-04-27T21:30:00.000-07:00

As many of you know I love shooting nature as much as I do weddings. I have promised myself that this year I would do more personal projects, which means shooting more outdoors. As I am already heading into wedding season and find myself spending long hours in front of the computer, I decided to take a little breather and head to Muir Woods. I am pretty lucky to live so close to such an amazing National Park. If you are ever in the area - check it out!

Featured on Style Me Pretty

2010-04-08T11:35:00.000-07:00

I am so excited to have one of my favorite weddings posted on Style Me Pretty today! It's toasty Mexican goodness on a beach - I wish I was there right now.
Thanks Abby and Erin for the post.
Click here to see more images on SMP.
Click here and here to see my previous blog post on the wedding.
Click here for their awesome rehearsal dinner catamaran ride. Oh yeah!
Click here for the rocking e:session.

When you are tired of clicking around you can just scroll down for image goodness. (Lots of goodness, I know - but I do love this couple and their gorgeous wedding!)

featured on forget me knot weddings

2010-03-24T08:53:00.000-07:00

I'm excited that Forget Me Knot has posted the gorgeous wedding of Emily and Rob! It was such a sweet and romantic affair and I always love looking at their images again! They also had beautiful wooden invites which you can see here.

Jean & Devin part II

2010-02-22T10:37:00.000-08:00

Here is part II of the amazing Jean and Devin wedding!!
Just some cool tidbits of all the thought that went into their wedding...
They wanted their wedding to have a very homemade, yet stylish feel to it, so they designed many of the elements themselves and added personal touches throughout. The invitation suite and program have several sharks incorporated into them, alluding to their now common name 'Sharkey'. Devin's father officiated the wedding because they wanted to keep the ceremony personal. They had a continuous yard theme throughout the wedding from the hand-spun heart at the ceremony, wrapped mason jars with flower arrangements for the reception, and wrapped pie stands for the dessert table. Thats right - they had a pie bar! A couple after my own heart ;) The color scheme was based on the color of the Golden Gate Bridge and the blue sky - a San Fran country wedding through and through.
Congrats Jean & Devin!
And now for some pics...

LINK LOVE:
planner: Alison of Alison Events
location: Annadel Estate Winery
caterer: Jessica of Jessica Lasky Fine Catering
guest shooter: Paco & Betty Photography
florist: Lisa of Atelier Joya
Save the Date: Chewing the Cud
Invites and other paper goods: Hello Lucky
pie: Jessica of Jessica Lasky Fine Catering
organic ice cream: Straus Family Creamery
dress made by: Oscar de la Renta
shoes: Jimmy Choo
suit: Jcrew
tie: Vineyard Vines

Jean & Devin - featured on Martha Stewart's Blog

2010-02-16T09:07:00.000-08:00

This wedding was absolutely spectacular with many handmade details, a lot of laughter and love! I am splitting this wedding up into a 2 part series just because there are so many wonderful details to share ;) At the end of the second post I will add my usual link love so you can look up all the awesome vendors that helped make this wedding.
Check out the post of this wedding on Martha Stewarts blog!

Happy viewing...

I'm on off on assignment until Friday, so check back then part 2!!

Pt Reyes

2010-02-15T22:22:00.000-08:00

Here are some of the pics from a recent shoot in Pt Reyes...

Cake Goodness

2010-02-12T10:27:00.000-08:00

I photographed this amazing cake for Cake Coquette. Thanks to the Modern Luxury's SF Brides editor, Mary Jo Bowling for including us in the 2nd anniversary issue. If you get a chance pick up this wonderful magazine and don't forget to take a peek at page 26!

brrrr

2009-12-10T20:36:00.001-08:00

You know you lived in Cali for over a year when the temperature drops 10 degrees and you don arctic survival gear just to go jogging. I'm heading back to the East Coast for a bit and I am hoping that long johns are fashionable to wear for the Holidays. I can't believe I used to think 40 degrees was toasty. I am wrapping up an edit and this picture just captured the wintery mood perfectly. I wish I had Kristin's cozy coat for my trip - much more attractive than long johns! I'll post this wedding soon as well.
Stay toasty Internet!

sneak peak goodness

2009-12-09T23:30:00.000-08:00

Hi Internet,
Due to being crazy busy lately, I'm afraid I've been neglecting you! I have a ton of images I would love to share - but either they are still waiting to be edited, in the process of being edited, or already fully edited and picked up by a magazine - so I can't publish them. The dilemma!
So I am going to be sneaky and just start posting teaser pics until I can share the full wedding. And this way I can blog more frequently...or so my early New Year's resolution states.

This one is from a wedding earlier this year which was just cute detail overload.I will post the full wedding once it's published, no worries!

Jessica and David

2009-12-02T18:04:00.000-08:00

In retrospect I should have worn a bow to the shoot. It all started when Kevan & Robyn called me and asked if they could give me away as a present! Since my hubby didn't seem to mind, it was a go. Kevan wanted to give Jess & David an engagement session since they were getting married shortly in Chicago. Since the San Fran sun didn't seem to cooperate for a while, we ended up having a "we-have-the-just-married-glow" shoot when the sun finally decided to grace us with its presence. It was so much fun - Jess and David were so low-key, they went along with all my suggestions (THANKS!), and the light was beaau-ti-full! Congratulations newlyweds Jess and David!

Liz & JC - NJ

2009-11-19T12:53:00.000-08:00

This wedding was such a delight to photograph. Liz looked like a knockout 1920's movie star and JC could not stop smiling. The day started calmly with the getting ready at the house, but once the excitement of the ceremony caught on, the party got started on the Jersey shore. It continued late into the night with boas and mustaches. I could have not imaged a more perfect day for Liz & JC - congrats!!!

Big shout out to Alexa and Matt whose wedding I photographed back in '06! I love seeing and catching up with my old couples. Congrats on the gorgeous baby girl!

The wedding party was such a great group of people! They were ready to have fun and make sure that Liz and JC had plenty of laughs!

Liz and JC rocking the couple shoot!

Apparently Liz is not the only woman in JC's life. Liz is ok sharing the spotlight with JC's pup though! They even had their own first dance.

Link Love:
caterer: Leslie Russell with Marcey Brownstein Catering + Events
planner: Sue Uva (MoG)
guest shooter: Allan Zepeda
cake: Carlo’s Bakery (from Cake Boss - very cool!)
florist: Foggia Florist
band: Raggs and the All Stars
makeup: Nicole Nelson
location: private home, NJ
dress made by: Elizabeth Fillmore

Justin & Jillian

2009-10-16T13:45:00.001-07:00

Hi Internet,
Unfortunately we had to take the previous post of Justin and Jillian's wedding down since we will be submitting it to a few places. Don't be sad just yet, because you will see it displayed somewhere fabulous in the future.

What made this wedding so special was that I already got to know Jillian and Justin during our e:session and I was incredibly excited for their day to come around. Jillian was a tad nervous during the getting ready, but once she saw Justin for the first time, her face just lit up like a freshly scrubbed sunrise. I just love those moments! This was the perfect 'farm to table', rustic chic wedding, designed by the amazing Michelle Rago. Congratulations to Jillian and Justin!!! You guys make such a wonderfully perfect couple!

Since I can't give away any of the secrets from the wedding you will just have to contend yourselves with a little preview pic....

Link Love:
Location: Blue Hill at Stone Barns
Site Coordinator: Danielle Harrity
Planner/Designer: Michelle Rago (thanks to Nancy, Courtney, Shira, Meredith, Michael, Mark, and Garrett of team Rago) AWESOME!!!!!
Florist: Michelle Rago DOUBLE AWESOME!!
Cake: Ron Ben-Israel
Guest Shooter: Carlos Varela
Lighting: Levy Lighting
shoes: Christian Louboutin - Paris

home sweet home

2009-10-13T15:11:00.000-07:00

The best treasure on Treasure Island is the view. It's a great way to wrap up a long day of shooting.

Lisa & Billy

2009-10-08T15:41:00.000-07:00

I just loved Lisa and Billy's style! They truly made the wedding their own with a TON of DIY projects from signs, plant a wish, wooden escort cards planted with a cut-out bird, bird cake toppers and the list just goes on and on. After shooting Lisa and Billy's wedding, it inspired me to get all crafty with my own wedding. Oh and don't get me started on the yellow shoes! Be still my heart. Despite what must have been absolute craziness before the wedding to get this all done, Lisa and Billy had so much fun and just went with the flow.
Can you ask for anything more!!
Congratulations Lisa and Billy!

Yes - it's detail overload, but can you blame me!

Lisa holds the trump card for this marriage - all she has to do is remind him that she sang him the most beautiful serenade on their wedding day!

and a sweet ending ;)

Link Love:
location: Hakone Gardens, Saratoga CA
planner: Michelle of Bliss'd
guest shooter: Adi Nevo
caterer: Angela Marie Catering
hair and make-up: Christie Lee
cake: Icing on the cake
shoes: me too

Phuong & Chi

2009-09-27T18:22:00.001-07:00

It was such fun photographing Phuong and Chi's wedding after their e:session I did with them. They rented out a wonderful home so they could enjoy some time with family and friends. By the time the wedding rolled around everyone was relaxed and having a great time. One aspect I just loved about their wedding was that instead of seeing each other for the first time during the ceremony or a private "first look", Chi had to earn the right to see Phuong. It was a riot - he presented gifts, answered the "tough" questions, and proved his own prowess as well as that of his groomsmen through various physical challenges. Not to mention he composed a pretty good love song in about 3 minutes and sung his heart out! That deserves brownie points in my book!
Congratulations Phuong and Chi!
On to the pics....

I just love this one..

In case you are wondering, in the last shot one of the challenges was to pass a gummi ring between all the groomsmen. I had to stop myself from laughing really hard, so I could focus!

I love this shot - it's so romantic!

Any guesses on how I got this ring shot?! I love the way it turned out.

Link Love:
location: Banta Residence, Nicasio CA (you can rent it off of vrbo!)
coordinator: Denise & Molli of Green Girl Events (great eco-friendly planners for NoCal)
guest shooter: Colin Michael
florist: Silke from Local Flora
catering: Kim of Indian Peach
pie: Cafe Gratitude
hair & make-up: Erica Carr
dress: Carolina Herrera
shoes: René Caovilla
fascinator: Erica Koesler

Honeymoon Bliss

2009-08-29T17:25:00.000-07:00

It was perfect!! The whole weekend - from spending time with friends and family, swimming in the lake, to seeing Tucker's eyes fill with tears during the ceremony (hey - he never cries - this is HUGE), the sunshine and summer breeze to eating 3 times my body weight in yummy food. It was truly us and what we wanted to share with everyone. Well, I could have used a bit less running around with last minute stress but at this point I'm not going to get picky. It's a bit sad having the wedding behind us after all the planning, craftiness and anticipation, but Tucker and I are so excited to start married life together.
A HUGE thank you to everyone who helped put this wedding together big and small - it was a true communal effort and it meant the world to us!!!

I will be posting pics of our wedding but you will have to hold on to your hats for a bit since my rocking photog buddy Mel Barlow needs some time to edit (I know how it goes, so I'll be patient ;)

In the meantime - here are two Polaroids from our honeymoon trip down the Coast. We decided it would be more fun to take old-school Polaroids of our honeymoon trip and use up all our extinct film. I miss film - its so much fun! Plus Tucker looks muy handsome on Polaroid.

PS - My email swelled up with over 2000 emails, so please be patient on hearing back from me. If you do not get a response in the next week, please feel free to forward on your email to me again. It might have gotten lost in the shuffle.

We are taking the plunge!

2009-08-19T22:49:00.000-07:00

After shooting and editing about a gabillion weddings, living and breathing weddings, I am finally getting married myself!!! WOOOHOOOOOO! We are having a super small wedding weekend with just family and a handful of friends in NoCal. We are so excited and just can't wait!
So as you might have figured out, I will not be diligently answering emails or calls until Sept 1st. Best way to reach me is via email (no cell reception where I am getting married!) and I will do my best to get back to you after I come down a bit from cloud nine!

I'm getting married! Holy....

Tana-Marie & Josh

2009-08-17T01:32:00.001-07:00

Sigh - I know I sound like a broken record, but I just love my couples. Tana-Marie and Josh are just amazing and what troopers! They climbed over ropes and trudged through weeds to get to this field I was just dying to shoot them in. Good thing too, since those pics are some of my favorites. And yes, we made sure the dress was not harmed in the process! It was just one of those perfect days (Cali seems to have a lot of those). You really felt you had a slice of Italy in your pocket while drinking in the excitement and joy of everyone surrounding the Tana-Marie and Josh.
Did I mention I have the best job! Congratulations to Tana-Marie and Josh - you guys rock!!

Tana_Marie and Josh decided to see each other before the ceremony so they could enjoy the cocktail hour with their friends. I love the moment when they first saw each other and both of their mouths just dropped.

Link Love:
location: Viansa Winery, Sonoma CA
site coordinator: Laura Johnson
guest shooter: Frank Gaglione
florist: Bryce of Vanda Floral
catering: Sage Catering
cake: Laurie Lucov Cakes
shoes: Pelle
dress: St. Pucchi
jewelry: Elite Designs (Chicago)
something old & borrowed: wedding band from Grandmother
planner extraordinaire: Rose Ann Gordon, MoB

Jillian & Justin e:session

2009-08-15T22:59:00.000-07:00

It was such fun to photograph Jillian and Justin in some of their fav places and some new hot spots. We completely lucked out and picked the one day that had sunshine amidst weeks of thunderstorms. What I love about e:sessions is that you really get to know a couple before their wedding day and they relax in front of the camera. Justin & Jillian are pros now and I can't wait for their wedding day! They are doing a farm to table theme and its not only going to be gorgeous but super yummy. Best of both worlds in my book. I guess you will just have to wait in suspense until their wedding to see the pics ;)

We started off at the High Line - if you haven't been go check it out. Its this amazing elevated park built over old train tracks.

I love this pic of Justin!

We tried to hit some of their favorite places which included a very busy book store. It was quite funny to sneak in and try to take pictures on the sly without getting noticed. Oh and the dog just cracks me up!

See you guys in a few weeks! Can't wait!!!

Regina & Tim - part II

2009-08-13T22:06:00.000-07:00

I told you there would be oodles of pictures! So this post will be full of fun details. Regina & Tim basically did all the details themselves, so not only was this wedding green but budget friendly. Double woot!

When you drove up to the Lake houses you were welcomed with a little packet (printed on recycled paper of course) that had all the information of where the guests were staying. These were tied to the tree with twine and clothespins. Very cute. All the jars you see were collected from thrift stores, craigslist and friends. To fill all these jars Regina & Tim made their own soy candles (much friendlier than your average paraffin candle) and got flowers that were local and in season.

This was a brilliant idea - Regina & Tim did not want to go through a ton of glassware, so everyone wrote their name (with twig pencils) on a label attached to mason jars. This way guests only used one glass for water & lemonade throughout the evening. I wanted to do the same thing at my own wedding - hence its so brilliant!

All the food was local organic seasonal food. And the bread was to die for! To top it all off the beef came from the fields right next to Leonard Lake Road. It doesn't get much more local than that. All of the wine and beer served were also local and organic. The beer came in kegs so not to have too many bottles to recycle. To wrap it all up, at the end of the night they used compostable corn plates for the pie.

The table runners were from burlap sacks Regina and Tim collected from a local coffee roaster and can be composted after the wedding. Apparently the leftovers were used for sack races. Too bad I missed that part of the weekend.

Leonard Lake has five houses totally off the grid. They are heated in winter by wood stoves. Electricity and water are off the grid as well. LL also has compost bins and requires guests to sort recyclables upon departure. Now that's a great place you can relax in AND feel good about it!

And to top it all off Regina & Tim went on an eco-friendly honeymoon at Suenos Tulum, Tulum Mexico
Congratulations on having a wonderful, heartfelt and eco-friendly wedding!!!

I had so much fun holding this contest that I will hold one again at the end of the year. So newly engaged couples - get your thinking caps on and come up with cool green ideas!!! Bookmark the blog and make sure to come back again. Can you really say no to free photography ;)

Link Love:
location: Leonard Lake
contact: Julia Frech
day of coordinator: Lisa Pedroni
guest shooter: Adi Nevo
flowers: www.organicbouquet.com
catering: Bluebird Cafe
pie: Bluebird Cafe
dress: Unique Vintage
suit: Brooks Brothers off of Ebay
engagement ring (lab created saphire): Eric Trabert Goldsmith & Chatham Laboratory
Wine: Barra Winery, Milano Winery, McNab Winery
Beer: Ukiah Brewing Company
compostable clear corn cold cups: http://letsgogreen.biz/pages/utensils/cupsmain.html
style masters and decorators: all in the family!!

Regina & Tim - eco contest winners!!

2009-08-12T21:48:00.000-07:00

I am SO excited to finally post this wedding!!! So get ready for a two-part, astronomical, blow-your-socks-off entry. Ok, it probably wont blow your socks off, but that's how excited I am. I held the eco-contest early this year because I wanted to show that one can have a creatively gorgeous wedding while being eco-conscious. And truthfully I wanted to do something I could feel really good about.
Enter Regina and Tim. I absolutely loved everything they came up with for their wedding entry. And then I read their blog. I wanted to adopt them (what can I say, I get attached to my couples). They were so genuily interested in making this a memorable weekend get-away for all their friends and family, all the while not leaving behind a huge footprint. Not only were they being green, but they are such a sweet and funny couple you cant help to love them. Then I learned that they weren't planning on having a photographer. Scaaaandal! Well, I couldn't let that happen.
To top it all off, I owe Regina a HUGE THANK YOU! Because of her I found my dream location to have my own wedding (10 days folks, 10 days!) and she was so super kind and lent me all kinds of goodies so I can have my own little green wedding ;) Good Karma goes a long way.

Okok, I can blabber all night. I should not have caffeine before I blog. I'll post all the green details and link love on the second post. For now, just enjoy the pics!

I loved that they had a basket on the bench with them during the cermeony with all the pictures of the loved ones that could not join them.

Frankly, I think all ceremonies should end with a canoe ride. How cool is that!

published - The Knot NY

2009-08-11T21:47:00.000-07:00

I'm so excited that Jaimie & Eric's wedding was featured in the Knot's "favorite NY weddings" in a 5 page spread. Woohoo! Not only did they make a glamorous couple that completely deserved to be published (all my couples do, really!!!), but they had so many fun details which made their wedding uniquely theirs.

tuck & bean

2009-07-29T07:14:00.000-07:00

Whitney and Marcellos from Paco & Betty are not only super talented but also just incredibly fun. They were so sweet and gave us an engagement session, since Tucker and I basically have very few good pictures of the both of us together. And thats after 7 years. Whit thought it was high time for that to change. I completely agreed and am so excited to have some amazing pics of the both of us. THANK YOU!!! For more bean and tuck goodness, click here!

Dakota & David

2009-07-24T20:45:00.000-07:00

You might remember Dakota & David from their e:session I did a while back. I thought they were excited about their wedding back then, but it did not compare to the joy and happiness emanating from them on their wedding day! Dakota was just glowing and sported the biggest smile the whole time. I think David melted just a bit and was a tad speechless when he saw her for the first look. I love when that happens!!
In part what made the day so special is that Dakota and David cared so much about their friends and family and put their needs first, making sure everyone was taken care of and having a good time! You guys rock!

So I went a bit crazy with the images on this post so I will keep the wordiness to a minimum. Congrats Dakota & David!!

Link Love:

location: Fogarty Winery, Woodside CA
coordinator: Becky Thatcher & Ellie Warner of Fogarty
guest shooter: Adi Nevo
florist: Carol of Design with Flowers
catering: Continental Caterers
cake: Gerhard Michler
dress: by Maggie Sottero (reception & e:session dress by Rosa Clara)
flower table for sign-in book - Stacy Nim (bride's sister). I would just like to say my sign-in book never has been presented in such a cool fashion. Stacy did an amazing job putting the carpet of flowers together!! I hope your back has fully recovered!

wedding countdown

2009-07-22T20:13:00.001-07:00

Holey Moley - Tucker and I are getting married in exactly 1 month after being together for 7 years!! I still can't believe it! Good thing we had a pre-honeymoon where we risked life and limb down the rapids of the Colorado River right before the wedding. I guess its kind of like eating dessert before the main course. That's how we roll. Not really, but it sure was fun. And now I get to sport a sexy 'keen' foot tan for the wedding. Smart move ;)

So here is a sneak peak at our "pre-honeymoon". Totally PG, folks - this was a family affair!

We look much cooler in silhouette - up close we were a bit funky after 5 days...

Thanks Miles for organizing this amazing trip!!

Erin & Jeremy

2009-07-06T21:46:00.000-07:00

This post is long overdue! Erin and Jeremy are such a fun easy-going couple, that you just have to love them! The day got a bit turned around thanks to a moody thunderstorm. It didn't even faze them. Erin and Jeremy were such wonderful sports and even ran outside with me to do a quick couple shoot between cabbies while the rain held off for a few minutes. It ended up being some of my favorite images of the day, since it had such a cool NY back-lot kind of feel. Erin is a fabulous actress, so there were glamorous film/ theatre touches everywhere, which just completed the day. Take that rain!

Erin and Jeremy decided to see each other beforehand. It was such a sweet moment when Jeremy first turned around to see Erin. I love how Erin's mom is peeking around the corner to catch a glimpse.

I never remember what was said during ceremonies, since I am so focused on photographing, but I do remember tearing up during Jeremy's vows. He brought down the house! And yes, I tear up at weddings...fortunately it doesnt hinder my focus.

The staircase in the building was plastered in movie posters, so it was only fitting to end the evening there.

Link Love:
Location: Steiner Studios
Coordinator: Erin Wiggins
guest shooter: Allan Zepeda
cupcakes: Stage 6
Florist: Flowers, Sticks and Stones
Dress: Vera Wang
Shoes: Roger Vivier
Bracelet: borrowed from mom

something for mom

2009-07-01T09:20:00.000-07:00

A good friend of mine, Kathy of Well Rehearsed, is putting together a great event for mothers of Bride and Grooms - because they deserve some fun too! So ladies - check out Kathy's website for more info and enjoy!

cake goodness

2009-06-16T12:41:00.000-07:00

Hi Internet. Yikes - has it been this long since I last blogged. For shame. Especially since I have SOOO much to blog about. I guess that is what happens when its the middle of wedding season while planning you own wedding (that's right - I'm finally tying the knot - woohoo). But that's not today's topic.

Today we are all about cake. Actually, I'm all about cake all the time. A while back I shot a buttercream dream made by my talented friend Gabrielle of Cake Coquette. The inspiration was plucked directly out of Marie Antionette's lavish style. All the details are piped in buttercream -amazing! Gabby was lucky I was able to control my urge to take a huge bite out of the cake while I was shooting. It smelled divine.

And in case you are wondering (because I was) this is what Gabby had to say about cake goodness:

My favorite cake is dark chocolate cake paired with either raspberry or mocha depending on my mood. My favorite part about working with cakes is the knowledge that I work with sugar for a living and it's just cake! Yes, people pay a lot of money for cakes, and I put my love and sweat and tears into them, but in the end its just sugar and you can't take it too seriously. I'm such a perfectionist that I sometimes don't know where and when to stop decorating. That is when I tell myself that no one else is scrutinizing buttercream like I am!

Hopefully you will see more pics soon in a magazine near you, but in the meantime here is a sneak peak.

The topper was transported all the way from the patisserie, La Duree, in Paris.

cool invites

2009-05-13T14:06:00.000-07:00

I just loved these invites from Emily and Rob's wedding (see last post). They were made in close collaboration with Jen and Glennwood of Oslo Press. The engraved wood is just gorgeous and it has such a nice feel to them. I love the matching RSVP card and the prints on their envelopes. It went perfectly with their outdoor naturey-themed wedding! Its a nice way to tie in your invites with the feel of your wedding and set the mood! I told Emily and Rob I would return the invites after I photographed them, and I am a bit sad to let them go!

Emily & Rob

2009-05-08T18:29:00.000-07:00

You might remember Emily and Rob from an e:session I did from a while back. It was great fun to reconnect with them on their wedding day. Talk about a sweet couple. And thanks to the toasts I learned how they got together. It's such a cute story that I will force you to read on. Both of them were were working in a Theatre production in college. Rob was working as part of the crew when he saw Emily walk on stage. The rest of the world just melted away from him. I think he forgot he was wearing a headset connecting him to the whole crew when he just blatently blurted out" Who is that GORGEOUS blonde!!" He might have said "hot", but it was definitely along those lines. Fortunately a friend of his who caught the comment (along with the rest of the theatre) knew the hot blonde and was kind enough to introduce them.
See internet, sometimes its good to be spontaneous and say what's on your mind when everyone can listen in. Especially when you are commenting on the hotness of your future wife!
Ok - back to the wedding. Rob and Emily wanted to focus on the naturey feel of the location and their connection with it. Which means a lot of fun nature-inspired details. Loved it!
Congratulations again Rob and Emily!

Make sure to check out the link love at the bottom of the post. I will be doing a separate post on their invites a bit later (because they are just that cool!)

I loved Rob's laugh!

There's the laugh again (see last pic of ceremony post).

Link Love:
location: Calistoga Ranch, Calistoga,CA
location coordinator: Jen Beranek
wedding planner: Lisa of Bellisima Vita
guest shooter: Adi Nevo
florist: Paul of Tesoro
table details: Emily (bride)
cake: Calistoga Ranch
cake topper: Rainsend (from Etsy)
skirt: Carmen Marc Valvo
blouse: Chloe Dao from Project Runway
necklace: J. Crew (a nod to Michelle Obama actually - Emily LOVES her! :)
fascinator: Tasha (dont have a link - sorry!)

Dakota & David e:session

2009-05-01T15:25:00.000-07:00

So this shoot was a fun combo of e:session and trash-the-dress. Although we obviously could not "trash" the dress since Dakota and David are getting married at the end of the month, we still had fun in the woods and fields..carefully! But what I loved was that this dress was unaltered at this point and just flooowed for miles.
David and Dakota were so much fun to work with, completely laid back and relaxed. Plus they have such a cute "how did you meet" story. I promised that my lips are sealed when they told me, but all I will say - gentlemen - phone manners matter!! Trust me.
Ok - on to the goodies, because that's much more entertaining than whatever I scribble on my blog...

I love smiley couples!

Susan & Geoff: part II

2009-04-28T09:49:00.000-07:00

Oh yes there is more! After the mariachi band escorted the whole party to the cocktail hour the festivities really got started. There were yummy Mexican nibbles, a firepit, wine, cigars,and of course a tequila bar. Yum and yum (I didn't drink any tequila though). Everyone had such a good time. I was a little sad to have to leave the next morning. Thank you Susan and Geoff for being such wonderful hosts and congratulations again!!!
Look at the bottom of the post for link love.

The Goodies:
location: Tides, Zihuatanejo, Mexico
location planner: Angelica Celestino
guest shooter: Sara Remington
wedding band, pendant & earrings: custom design by Anna Sheffield
lounge & reception design, invitations, menu, programs: designed by Susan Maxwell (that's one talented bride!)
dress: Monique Lhuillier
engagement ring: Cartier
shoes: Guiseppe Zanotti
emerald & diamond ring: my "something borrowed" from the bridesmaid Azita's grandmother

And now for something completely different....

2009-04-27T11:26:00.001-07:00

I was Union, he was a Confederate, but that did not stop us from walking to the battlefield together hand-in-hand. It was an outright scandal.
This past Saturday I was lucky enough to accompany Tucker on one of his re-enactment shoots for an upcoming Nat Geo documentary. In order to be right in the middle of all the action we had to dress the part. It was such fun, although it does feel a bit eerie when your dressed as a Union soldier hiding behind a rock and having a line of Confederates shooting at you. Fortunately having my trusty 5D with my 70-200 lens with me marked me as an obvious civilian, so they let me live.
Everyone was incredibly kind, answering all of our questions, and firing off canons for us. After the public left both sides even invited us for dinner. That peach cobbler was divine! Now that's making history fun!

Special thanks to:
Jennifer Roger (President of NCWA)

This is Tucker doing his thing!

Susan & Geoff

2009-04-24T10:29:00.000-07:00

Its finally here! The Mexico wedding. I am SO excited about this post. In fact I was so excited I have to make this a two part series. So be prepared for a lot of pics.
All the details were carefully thought out -from the jewelry made by Susan's friend to the surprise mariachi band after the ceremony (and you know how much I love details!) They even had a fake "traditional sombrero" toss after the ceremony, which I think should be a new standard for Mexican weddings! I could just go on and on, but I think everyone is more interested in pictures - am I right!?
I'll post all the links of vendors and helpers and other goodies with the second post.

Happy Earth Day

2009-04-22T17:22:00.000-07:00

In honor of Earth Day I wanted to post more tips of how couple's in the Bay area are planning on making their weddings more environmentally friendly...

To avoid additional air travel and the GHG associated with it, we are honeymooning right in the park [they are getting married in Yosemite] – we will be going on a 4 day backpacking trip through the high Sierra mountains in Yosemite.

I bought my dress from www.Bridesagainstbreastcancer.org . The dresses that they sell have been donated by former brides. Proceeds from the sale go towards breast cancer research. Bonus, I collected dresses from friends and donated them to the event when I attended.

Our caterers use local and organic ingredients for the majority of the menu. The fish that we have selected is approved by the Monterey Bay Aquarium as a sustainable fishery and the chicken is free-range organic. All of the vegetables are from local farms and independent farmers.

Our “favors” and table assignments will be beeswax candles in small candle holders with the guests name and table on it – when people take them to their tables, they will serve double duty as table décor!

We plan on using disposable organic and compostable palm leaf dinnerware.

Using seasonal, locally grown flowers as well as incorporate as
many native Nor Cal plants as we can.

Using potted plants.

I'm making a shrug to keep warm that will be made out of recycled white and ivory-colored wool sweaters that I will felt in the washing machine.

On our wedding website, we will have options for gift-giving through a charity registry (giving donations in our name to some groups that we have supported or worked with in the past).

I wanted to find some unique re-purposed containers for the flowers, so we're in the process of finding a number of vintage silver-plated teapots, pitchers, and creamers/sugar bowls to use as vases for our centerpiece flowers and containers for floating candles or single blooms. I love tea -- it was one of the major pleasures of living in England for me -- and serving tea also figures very prominently in the Chinese wedding ceremony, so we are happy that we're able to incorporate some element of meaning into our centerpieces. After the wedding, we'll recycle the whole set of containers by offering them to some other local bride or event planner who might find use for them at their event.

[We are using a caterer that uses] 100% organic produce & meats and beverages, uses a bio-diesel powered vehicle to transport food, compost all scraps and recycle everything else, will donate a portion of proceeds to the Arbor Day foundation.

We will rent a hybrid to shuttle people around West Marin so they don't have to drive.

Using soywax candles instead of paraffin wax.

In an effort to find a gown that matches my values, I am scouring eBay and resale shops and websites for a ‘pre-owned’ or sample sale gown. It’s tough to find the right size and style together. If I end up buying a new gown, I will be seeking a natural fiber gown, made in the US or Europe without sweatshop labor. I plan to give my gown a second or third life by donating it to Brides Against Breast Cancer so they can use it in their fund-raising sales.

It would be scandalous if I had a post without a picture. Here is a image that I shot while Tucker and I made our way down the Oregon Coast last month....

featured on Étoile: by Bliss'd

2009-04-09T16:31:00.000-07:00

I am so honored to be featured this week on Étoile by Michelle of Bliss'd. Now you can read embarrassing tidbits about me. Thanks Michelle!
Make sure to look at her blog for some fun wedding inspiration! She rocks!

I realized I didn't have any new pics of me for the post so Tucker and I ran outside a few days ago for the quickest photo session ever. He made me twirl so much, I actually had to lie down for 20 minutes. I still love him though.

Susan & Geoff - cruise

2009-04-02T12:48:00.000-07:00

Thats right - more Mexico goodness! As a rehearsal dinner warm-up, Susan and Geoff invited all their guests on a sunset catamaran cruise. The ocean was calm that evening with a gentle warm breeze floating by. And the light was
G-O-R-GEOUS. Oh, I want to go back! Or at least take that light and ocean breeze where ever I go. What a wonderful relaxing way to start off the evening. Don't get me wrong - there was plenty of partying once the sun set, but that's a whole other story.
Here are some of my favs of the cruise....

Susan & Geoff - e:session

2009-03-24T14:19:00.000-07:00

It all started in a bar. Geoff saw Susan sitting with several of her friends (or as he claims - he saw her legs) and just sat next to her to introduce himself. The next day Geoff decided to text Susan as he was watching a Bears game and as it turns out she was watching the same game and knew all the football terminology! The rest was history!
In February they tied the knot in gorgeous Zihuatanejo Mexico and it was SO much fun to get to know them better as well as their family and friends. I was really glad Susan and Geoff decided to have a little e:session the day before the wedding - they were a hoot to work with! I am so excited to share some of their images with you. Here is a little sneak peak of Susan and Geoff...

eco tips - paper goods

2009-03-16T22:06:00.000-07:00

I know my blog has suffered under me going MIA. In the last two months I have shot in NY, Mexico, Nevada and Oregon. Some has been for weddings and some has been for personal work for my nature portfolio. So yes, there are some blog posts a coming!

As promised, I will be blogging more about the entries I received for the green wedding contest. This one focuses on how they were incorporating paper for invitations or lack there of....

- We will be doing e-vitations – all of our communication, RSVP etc. will be through a website at www.wedsimple.com.

- We are sending out a Save The Date card, but we are buying 100% recycled content “seed paper” in bulk and printing them ourselves using soy-based ink. The SaveTheDate card can be planted and (native only)wildflowers will grow from it.

- We are using American Printing for invitations on recycled paper (one of the first printers in the Bay Area to use recycled paper)

- We will ask our guests to RSVP via a website instead of mailing in a separate card

- Stationary is another potential source of waste and pollution. We’ll use post-consumer recycled and/or tree-free paper for our invitations. We’re using vintage (re-used) California postcards for our Save The Date cards. Most of the information – maps and the like – will go on our wedding website to save paper and mailing costs.

- I will make origami cranes from recycled seeded paper as favors for guests so they can plant them and grow flowers when they get home (we were also thinking of having a fun photo booth and sending guests their photos afterwards as a favor/thank you -- we love the idea of giving memories rather than stuff that people may not use

- For our invitations and response cards, I am planning to design them and have them printed locally on recycled cotton paper. The Mercurio Brothers studio in Berkeley, which is our current top choice for printers, uses Strathmore 100% cotton paper that is manufactured using wind power from recycled materials with no chlorine-bleaching.

- All other paper goods (e.g. envelopes, programs, thank you cards) will be printed or hand-written/calligraphed by me on recycled cotton or part-cotton paper. To reduce waste, we will print fewer programs than the total guest number since many of our guests are coming as couples. Similarly, we will just have one printed menu per table. All paper goods that aren't taken as souvenirs will be collected for recycling after the ceremony and reception are over.

If you are doing something creative and eco-friendly feel free to comment or email me so I can share with the blog-stalkers!

Of course I cant leave the blog without an image so here is a sneak peak from the Mexico shoot. There will be much more where this came from, so stay tuned!

and the winner is....

2009-03-01T18:57:00.000-08:00

CONGRATULATIONS REGINA & TIM!!!

Regina and Tim have won a free photo package thanks to their commitment to include eco-friendly details into their wedding.

First off - I would like to thank all the entrants for taking the time to submit their great ideas (I will blog more on them all this month, so keep checking in for cool inspiration!) I wish I could photograph all of these weddings - it was truly inspiring to see so many people trying to incorporate green ideas into their wedding planning.

I loved Tim and Regina's entry - the location they picked and the type of wedding they decided to have, truly reflects who they are, their passion for nature and to highlight what really counts - their friends, family and their love for each other.
Plus this is the very first wedding I'll actually get to camp out for - always up for an adventure!

Here is part of their entry (they had a lot more information on their blog but to ensure their privacy I will not post the link here)

I am thrilled to participate in your contest. Not only because of the opportunity for free photography (which we were going to have to forgo due to budget constraints), but because my fiance and I are so proud of our eco-friendly wedding!

My fiance and I both work for non-profits (not environmental focused ones), but general consciousness about the world around us, is a value we share. In these economic times it was important to us to still have a wedding where we can celebrate with a lot of our family and still be respectful to the environment and those who aren't as fortunate as us - so lavish, expensive and over the top, just wouldn't be the right kind of wedding for us.

We are going to be having our wedding at the largest natural lake in Mendocino County, Leonard Lake (10 miles north of Ukiah). Leonard Lake has five beautiful houses on the lake, all of which are completely off the grid. The houses are heated in the winter by wood stoves, and all electricity and water are off grid (I assume solar powered, but I can check and get back with you). Lake Leonard has compost bins in all the houses, and sorts recycling, and makes the garbage requirements and sorting clear to all guests upon arrival.

One of the reasons we love Ukiah (in Mendocino county) is because any of the restaurants we have eaten at all serve local, organic, seasonal food. It is like the proof that food that is good for the environment and people can be affordable - and amazingly delicious.

Okay, I'll stop babbling and get to the details:

* My engagement ring is a vintage family setting with lab created sapphire and moissonite because my family ring was important to me, but we just couldn't wear something that was detrimental to the environment or humanity.

* Our caterer is going to be using all local, organic seasonal foods (in fact we can't know all the details of our menu until a week before the wedding). Our catering is going to be extremely inexpensive (by wedding food standards).

* Our wine and beer will all be organic and local - we're in the middle of wine tasting at this point (poor us), but our beer will be from Ukiah Brewing Company (one of the first certified organic breweries in existence).

* I will be picking up the flowers from a local farm the day before - we found them at the Ukiah farmer's market and we'll be ordering in advance, picking up, and arranging ourselves. We won't actually be using too many flowers for decoration, but the ones we do use will be put in the guest houses for the days before and after the wedding, so everyone can enjoy them and we can get a full life out of them.

* The primary decorative element (other than the stunning views) will be soy candles in mason jars. We're using mason jars collected from former brides and from thrift stores and melting our own soy wax flakes into them. Soy candles contain no chemicals and burn clean!

* All of our vases have been collected from thrift stores and garage sales and will be donating again or using ourselves after the event.

* We are encouraging all of our guests to commute to the wedding to reduce carbon emissions.

* Over half of our guests will be camping (not sure if this is actually eco-friendly, but it is really fun).

..and here is a picture of the lucky couple!

out of office

2009-02-15T22:06:00.000-08:00

I am currently traveling in Mexico (I know - poor me!) to photograph a gorgeous wedding at Tides in Zihuatanejo. I will be back in the office for a few days starting 2/23 before I head out for my next adventure. The fun just never stops!
I will have limited access to my email and phone, but I will do my best to get back to your inquiries as soon as I can or upon my return. The best way to reach me is via email: sabine"at"sabinescherer.com

I cant leave you without a picture - so here is one of a destination wedding I did in Turks and Caicos!

preliminary contest results

2009-02-15T19:49:00.000-08:00

Thank you to all the wonderful couples who have entered my "green-wedding" contest - I was so impressed, it was really hard to pick a winner. Actually it was so hard, I still haven't been able to decide and I really wish they could all win!

So to make this even more suspenseful I will announce the winner once I return from photographing a destination wedding (sorry - I didnt think this would be so hard!) But this blog entry wouldn't be any fun without announcing some type of winner.

I would have chosen this couple to win the whole contest because of their dedication to truly incorporate sustainable practices into their wedding. Unfortunately I was already booked on their date - I'm so sorry! I thought it wasn't quite fair, so I decided to give them a free couples, 'trash-the-dress' or a 'whatever-you-would-like-to-do' session!

So CONGRATULATIONS to Yi-Ching and Michael!

Their entry was so detailed so I decided to put it on its own special page! Click here to read their entry.

Here is the rocking couple! Thanks to Yi-Ching's brother for the picture.

A special thanks goes out to all the wonderful amazing vendors who took the time to blog about this contest and their support!

Anne of Perfect Bound
Jennifer of Earthly Affair
Jubilee of Jubilee Lau Events
Lisa of Belissima Vita Events
Michelle of Bliss'd
Jenny of Green Wedding Shoes
Kathryn of Dream a little Dream Events
Kathryn of Snippet & Ink
Xochitl of Always a Bridesmaid

LAST CHANCE TO WIN FREE PHOTOGRAPHY

2009-02-14T10:04:00.000-08:00

Its not to late to enter the "green wedding contest" for a full free photo package.

THE DEADLINE IS EXTENDED FROM MIDNIGHT TONIGHT TO NOON TOMORROW (SUNDAY 2/15)

The winner will be emailed and announced on my blog by Sunday evening, so check back.

I have received some great entries so far, so I will share some of my favorite bits and pieces.

RINGS:
- My engagement ring is a vintage family setting with lab created sapphire and moissonite because my family ring was important to me, but we just couldn't wear something that was detrimental to the environment or humanity.

- In choosing an engagement ring, we were very concerned with finding a responsible vendor that would accommodate our concerns about the ecological and social consequences of mining. We were very glad to find one in Krikawa Designs -- they source their gems from a distributor that guarantees that certain standards for environmental protection and fair labor practices are met, are members of the Council for Responsible Jewelery Practices, and also subscribe to '1% for the Planet' which means a fraction of their profits goes to environmental organizations. They also provide the option of using 'recycled' metal purchased from other jewelers or refineries, and we will take advantage of this option to have a wedding band made for Michael. I am still deciding whether to have a separate wedding band made at all, as I'm quite happy to wear just one ring.

-After reading about the horrific social and environmental effects of gold and diamond mining, I didn’t want a diamond engagement ring. Then Eric learned about Brilliant Earth in San Francisco. It that closely monitors the ecological and social impacts of its diamond mines in Canada, and traces the stones all the way from mine to ring. Brilliant Earth uses all recycled gold, too.

-This is one of the most creative ring stories I've received - I love it!
My fiancé proposed on the top of a volcano with a nut ring. That would be, a ring carved from an actual nut. Like a tree nut. He is very proud of this because he brought it back from Bolivia, where he was studying jaguar conservation. One of the Bolivian biologists carved it for Paul (and me) while they were sitting in a tree doing radio telemetry work. It is a very cool ring and amazingly, it actually fit my wedding ring finger!

CREATIVE GOODNESS

- recycled paper and soy-based ink for the invites, which I will design; we will save paper by creating a website for information like hotel lists and directions

- I'm planning to recycle pages from a few wedding magazines that I bought to make hundreds of origami cranes to decorate the reception site

- I will make origami cranes from recycled seeded paper as favors for guests so they can plant them and grow flowers when they get home

- We're using mason jars collected from former brides and from thrift stores and melting our own soy wax flakes into them. Soy candles contain no chemicals and burn clean!

- Buying as much of the decoration items as possible off craigslist
and/or reselling afterwards to prevent material waste. (Not sure if
this is really "green," but it just seems wasteful not to repurpose)

- All of our vases have been collected from thrift stores and garage sales and will be donating again or using ourselves after the event

- We will rent a hybrid to shuttle people around West Marin so they don't have to drive

- for place cards, I plan to use beautiful, long eucalyptus leaves that have fallen on the ground and write guests names on them

- I plan to collect vintage napkins for the dinner and then keep them to use in our home

(This couple has some very adventurous guests!)
- Over half of our guests will be camping (not sure if this is actually eco-friendly, but it is really fun).

Please feel free to email me for availability before taking the time to enter. I was so disappointed that I was already booked for a few of the entrants dates.

More ideas to come, so keep checking in .....

Free Photography!!!

2009-02-06T22:31:00.001-08:00

The days are counting down to win your free photography package! That's right - in case you missed it, I am giving a way a free photography package to the most creative eco-friendly wedding in NoCal. And the deadline is fast approaching! So put up those (biodegradable) thinking caps and send in your entries!
For more info click here.

Lovely Details: Part Deux

2009-01-30T17:00:00.000-08:00

One of my favorite NoCal planners, Lisa of Bellissima Vita, is hosting a fabulous afternoon of "Lovely Details" goodness. And the best part is - its free! So go and get your wedding groove on - it will be fun!

And dont forget about my "creative eco-friendly wedding contest" where the winner walk away with a free wedding package! Details here.

Phuong & Chi e:session

2009-01-21T10:27:00.000-08:00

Phuong and Chi claimed to be a bit camera shy, but they sure looked like they were having a good time. They were great sports and were up for anything, including climbing a tree, even if it meant trudging through a bit of rain (which we luckily just avoided).
Now I cant wait for their wedding!

I love this one of Phuong!

Emily & Rob e:session

2009-01-21T07:43:00.000-08:00

When Emily and Rob first met, one of their favorite hang-out places (and apparently best place to see fireworks) was right above Fisherman's Wharf. So we strolled down memory lane and wrapped up the shoot in the Buena Vista which apparently has the best Irish coffee. I still need to test this theory. It was great fun and I love e:sessions since it allows everyone to get to know each other before the wedding.

Photo Package Give-away

2009-01-19T21:39:00.000-08:00

Ooooohh - I am so excited about this. I have been mulling over this contest for a while and I cant wait to see what people come up with. I know going "green" isn't always the easiest or cheapest way to do things, but hopefully this will help inspire folks to add some eco-friendly aspects to their wedding!
So get creative and send in those entries with lots of ideas!

The Wedding Party

2009-01-17T08:38:00.000-08:00

Hi Internet,
I will be in NYC January 22 -27th, so if you would like to set up a meeting with me or just grab a cup of coffee to catch up let me know.
I am a vendor featured at the fabulous Wedding Party January 24th at the New York Palace hotel hosted by the Wedding Library and Elegant Bride. The event will have many celebrity guests and amazing vendors (not to mention the swag bag you will walk away with). If you have time definitely drop by - it will be fun! I have online coupons (free guest pass with paid ticket) for my lucky blog readers, so email me if you are interested. Hope to see you there!!

And if you are a NoCal bride planning a wedding you will want to check back on Monday - you wont want to miss this!

Sedona Rocks

2009-01-09T19:50:00.000-08:00

Tucker and I are currently hiking our way through Sedona AZ as I try to expand my nature portfolio. Its a hiking paradise out here - we went from mountain tops to deep canyons. We even fought vertigo over sandstone arches and climbing up steep mountain cliffs to get to ancient dwellings. More on that later. I will have internet until Saturday after which we will be wrapping up our trip with a chilly camping excursion in Death Valley. Brrr.

Happy New Year!!!!

2009-01-03T17:53:00.000-08:00

I hope everyone had a great start to the New Year! I'm never big on New Years resolutions because I never end up keeping them (I seem to weigh the exact same for the last three years). One thing I have been meaning to change for a long time (so it doesnt count as a New Years resolution - sneaky) is to do more personal shoots. So my better half and I will be traveling to Sedona for a little over a week for some serious photo geekness ...and lots of hiking. We will be back January 15th but I will do my best to find a Wifi spot to answer any emails that come my way.

I'll leave you a landscape shot I took in New Zealand last year...

Happy Holidays!

2008-12-24T17:05:00.000-08:00

Thanks to all of the wonderful couples who allowed me to share their special day with them. Also thanks to the great vendors whom I had the privilege to work with. Wow, what a great year! And next year is gearing up to be even better (hard to believe!). Have a spectacular and relaxing Holiday with friends, family and loved ones.

Some Holiday image cheer from the Muir Woods National Park.

Amongst the trees we freeze

2008-12-13T15:31:00.000-08:00

In November we drove down to LA to see the premier of a documentary Tucker worked on. It was a great success and in case you want to watch a feel good documentary about how children around the world are trying to make their communities a better place check out: The World We Want.

On the way back we decided to do a multi-day back-country hiking trip in Sequoia Natl. Park. What a crazy excursion that turned out to be. We had it all: sun, rain, snow, two bears, one massive stag, s'mores (thats right - we schlepped s'mores into the wilderness), incredibly thick fog, not another person or man-made anything for miles and just an amazingly good time.

Tucker is most likely concocting some mischievous plan on how to scare me in the middle of the night, while trying to look innocent. I'm on to you!

Thanks Tucker for taking a picture of me in my favorite toasty winter hat!

Life is good when this is what greets you in the morning!

Tucker showing off his super human strength! I swear he was fixing the bridge...

Those smores tasted like a 5 star restaurant dessert. It was so cold at this point we were basically sitting in the fire! After building up some small flames for 4 hours since all the wood was soaking wet, the gooey chocolate marshmallow goodness was just divine!

So it seems I get asked a lot what I schlepp along on these back country backpacking trips. Lately my favorite ensemble is my trusty 5D, 24mm 1.4, and 50mm 1.2. When I feel really ambitious I might shoulder my 70-200 (I wish I had on this trip - the bears where to far away to get with the 50mm - go figure.)

camping with coyotes

2008-12-08T22:43:00.000-08:00

Tucker and I love the outdoors. More than our computers, which is hard to believe considering how much time we spend in front of them. We were so excited to go camping at Pinnacles National Park a while back. We love to think we are outdoor adventurers but really when it comes down to it - we are at best slightly adventurous weekend warriors. Case in point - after we built our tent (no rain tarp so we could see the stars), and had a yummy dinner, we crawled into our sleeping bags for a good night's sleep. Around 1AM we are awoken by extremely loud and excited howling of two coyotes, who I swear were 15 feet from our tent. I know coyotes are small and pretty harmless, but that was just freaky. Not to mention the ground was dry, so every little scuttle from a bird sounded like a 400 pound beast ready to tear into our very thin mesh tent. Needless to say I didn't sleep very much. It still was so nice to get out and play for a bit.

I love these trees - I couldn't stop taking pictures of them much to Tucker's happiness.

I am marrying a nerd!Raaaauuuu!

So this is what I look like after some serious lack of sleep due to coyotes camping outside our tent. Not so sexy.

A cave and a headlamp make Tucker a happy man. And if I can bring a camera along, everybody wins!

For the love of blogs

2008-12-02T10:38:00.000-08:00

I am a closeted blog stalker. I love them. There is such a free flow of ideas, inspiration, and visual yumminess. It beats TV. As a fellow bride to be (its hard to plan your own when you are thinking about everyone else's) one of my top ten blogs for cool ideas and gorgeous imagery is Southern Weddings Blog. I went on the other morning, ready to oogle more photography goodness when I realized I was looking at my own image. They had one of my favorite images of Robyn and Kevan's wedding up in their "love this" corner. That was a good morning! Actually its been a good morning since because its still there every time I check. See - blog stalker...

So not to leave you without any treats here is another image from that whole tree house series of Robyn and Kevan's wedding that was not in the original post.

Kareen & David

2008-11-29T21:13:00.000-08:00

California weddings are spoiling me! As the sun hugged the horizon, friends and family gathered to celebrate Kareen and David. Surrounded by gorgeous vistas, the affair was fun and easy going. Happiness! Congratulations Kareen and David.

Wowser!!

The flower girls were so incredibly cute.

Details:

reception: Calistoga Ranch, Calistoga CA
(Jen Beranek is the person there who will take great care of you!)
planner: Angela of Lulu Events
florist: Tanja of Blumengarten
hair & make-up: Darcy of I do Bridal

Erin & Garth

2008-11-24T11:05:00.000-08:00

It was great to be back in DC for Erin and Garth's wedding. The air was crisp, the leaves were turning, and it was just one of those perfect fall days for a wedding. Does it get any better! Apparently it does, because Erin and Garth made the whole day so much more special! They are such a genuinely sweet couple and SO relaxed! Wow! I hope I can be like them on my wedding day. And kudos for putting some serious effort in making their wedding absolutely gorgeous and fun for their guests! Congratulations to Erin and Garth!

I love this image - Erin just looks so ethereal...

Ok - So anyone who follows my blog knows I have a slight addiction to backlighting. But it makes me so happy! I just loved this whole series with Erin and Garth!

If you cant have your reception outdoors, just bring it inside - how cool is the lighting for their dance floor!

DETAILS:

location: Chevy Chase Club, (Chevy Chase,MD)
site coordinator: Leanne Hartzell
florist: Marianne of Helen Olivia
dress: Vera Wang

Robyn & Kevan

2008-11-21T17:19:00.000-08:00

Robyn and Kevan are just one of those couples you have to like. They are fun, energetic and very caring people. The kind of people you want to call friends. People from all over flew in to join this intimate affair. I'm glad I was able to actually hang out with them a few times before the wedding and get to know them better, as well as shoot their e:session. It was so much fun being part of their day (even if it was the one day it rained in California all year). Apparently their happiness was contagious because the clouds parted right before things got started and the sun came out to partake in the celebrations. You guys rock - congrats Robyn and Kevan.

FYI - I went a little picture crazy and couldn't stop adding images to the blog post. Easy-going, artsy outdoor weddings are my favorite kind so I couldn't help myself.

Kevan had the coolest shoes for the wedding. He ordered green converse to match their wedding colors with their wedding date imprinted on the back. Schnazzy!

To say I LOVE this image is still a gross understatement. Sigh - it makes me so happy!
Its one of those things where we took some pictures at the swing before the ceremony and I had a certain shot in mind but we didnt have time to catch it. During the cocktail hour Kevan and Robyn were kind enough to humor me for a few minutes, we set it up, and I took the shot. Feeling it could be just a bit more, I stepped back to get more sunflare goodness as Kevan leaned over to give Robyn a kiss. Sometimes things just come together.

Details:
location: Little House Weddings, Geyserville CA
wedding planner: Lisa of Bellisima Vita weddings
catering: Elaine Bell Catering
make-up: Miles Berdache
cupcakes: very good friends!

published in 'Bride and Bloom'

2008-11-18T15:58:00.000-08:00

I am so excited to be featured in the gorgeous winter issue of Bride & Bloom! They featured Cindy and Patrick's event which was such a fun winery wedding at Clos La Chance. If you want to go back in time and see more pics of their wedding, just click here.

Nat Geo - George Washington

2008-11-17T19:31:00.000-08:00

This Wednesday (11/19) at 9PM, the National Geographic Channel will be airing a documentary on George Washington. My fiance is the producer of the show and he labored hard for 6 months to make it happen. Its an interesting look at the lesser known facts of our former president. If you dont have any plans on Wednesday evening, kick back, find a friend with cable and see if you can find the scene where an overdose of potato flakes were used!

I got to accompany Tucker on a few shooting days and it was lots of fun (especially if you are not doing all the hard work). Here is one of my favorite images from the shoot.

Samantha & Michael

2008-11-03T11:41:00.000-08:00

There is something to be said about a vineyard wedding. It always seems so relaxed, fun and allows the personality of the couple to shine through. Plus there is a lot of wine. This wedding was no exception - Michael and Samantha made every moment count with their friends and family. Congratulations Samantha & Michael!

So today I decided to do a little something different and put up a storyboard of images. Samantha rocked her pink shoes (I love when brides wear colorful shoes!). One of my favorite moments was of the flowergirl, who started crying right after the ceremony because she was so touched and was comforted by her friend.

Wait - so much more to show...The ring shot makes me happy. Sparkly love!

Details:

reception: Trentadue Winery CA
flowers: Glorious Flowers
cake: Cake & Truffle
catering: Pacific Connection

Jaimie & Eric

2008-10-28T12:21:00.000-07:00

Jaimie and Eric are such a genuinely sweet couple - it was always fun meeting with them and going over wedding plans in NY. I couldn't wait for their wedding! It was a gorgeous day and the couple, their family and friends were a blast and treated us like family - thanks! Congratulations Jaimie and Eric!

This shot just makes me happy! They were such good sports with all my ideas.

Ok - this shot makes me happy too!

It seemed every time I met with Jaimie and Eric they were heading to a dance class. Not sure they needed them because they rocked the dance floor with their first dance!

At the end of the night they walked down the pier and got whisked away by boat - can't beat that for a romantic get-away!

details:
wedding planner: Ellen Maniatty
reception: Belle Haven Yacht Club, CT
florist: X-Quisite flowers and events
cake: Aux Delices
Lighting: Spectrum Lighting

Lisa & Jason: e:session

2008-10-15T09:59:00.000-07:00

A few weeks ago I had the pleasure of meeting Lisa and Jason in NY. It was great fun. When I usually go to NY, I am always running from a meeting to the next, so it was wonderful to be outside and explore little nooks and crannies of the city with these two! Plus I finally got to use a tilt shift lens, so watch out for tilt shift mania.
I cant wait for their wedding next year!

This made my day! At the very end of our shoot we came upon a very friendly (and slightly hungry) group of pigeons. Liz was a great sport and let them eat out of her hand. Jason wasnt wild about the idea but he was a very supportive onlooker.

robyn & kevan e:session

2008-10-02T08:45:00.000-07:00

This post has been due for a while now - sorry guys! I was really excited to shoot their e:session because they are an incredibly fun couple...who happen to be really attractive...and have great taste in ice cream. Always a winning combo in my book! Plus anyone who was nice enough to send me potential rental possibilities before I actually moved to SF just rocks my world! I am super excited to be able to photograph their wedding this Saturday (keep your fingers crossed for good weather)!
Prepare for lots of pics because I was a little too excited and had issues last night trying to pare it down....
Normally I shoot much more nature stuff, so I decided to use an urban setting this time. It was great fun and they were really good sports!

Kevan is everywhere!

Thanks again for hanging out oh-so-calmly as the train was rolling by!

FIERCE! Love it!!

Love this shot of Robyn! She ruled the hair toss!

Kevan trying to rock the hair toss....

off to their wedding we go.....

out of office

2008-09-08T00:10:00.000-07:00

I am currently in Germany for my best friends wedding until September 19th. I have limited access to my email and phone. For the quickest response please email me at sabine@sabinescherer.com or info@sabinescherer.com.

Just so you know whats in store for you when you have crazy pilot friends.

I arrive at the luggage carousel jet-lagged and completely zonked, when out of no where Verena and Matt jump out in front of me. They figured why go through security to see your friends, when you can see them right away. They claimed to be "parked" next door at the flight school where they sometimes work since for them its free there. I'm still buying the story here. We get dropped off by the flight school car, say hi to several people, get into another car and start driving on the tarmac. For some reason (due to being VERY tired) still no alarm bells go off. We stop in front of a helicopter and as a joke, I ask if we will be taking the helicopter home. Verena turns to me with a huge smile on her face and goes "uh-huh"! My jaw must have dropped to the floor and rolled out of the car because she laughed so hard. That was THE BEST airport pick-up I have ever had.

Just wait to you see what they are doing at their wedding!!! I'll see what pictures I can snag since I am a a maid of honor with a strict constant-photo-taking ban. Fortunately a camera is just as stylish as a purse in my book ;)

Here is a pic of pilot extraordinaire Matt, me and our awesome ride home! Thank guys - that was AMAZING!

Jess & Matt

2008-09-05T07:12:00.000-07:00

The ingredients for a amazing San Fran wedding.....
2 cups of fabulous couple
several handfuls of fun family and friends
1 tablespoon of touching ceremony
a generous sprinkling of gorgeous details
5 ounces of a rocking party

Mix all ingredients together, bake for 8 hours at 79 degrees and voila! A perfect wedding!
And now for some pics!

I love love love this shot - it was right after the ceremony when Matt just embraced Jess - it was such an emotionally raw moment - really touching!

details:
getting ready: Hotel Vitale, San Francisco
make-up: Sarah Hyde
church and reception: Golden Gate Club, Presidio CA
wedding planner: rocking Michelle from Bliss'd
caterer: Melon's Catering
florist: Nancy Liu Chin Designs
cake: Stella Pastry
DJ: Josh of Elan Artists
Lighting: Enhanced Lighting

e:session - verena & matt

2008-08-28T11:09:00.000-07:00

While we are all frolicking about in the San Juan Islands I thought it would be fun to get some pictures of Verena and Matt for a guest sign in book for their wedding. During the week I took some stealth pics and then had a mini e:session with them. It was highly amusing to take pictures of your best friend and her fiance especially if they are as goofy as these two.

This pic is the opening page in their sign-in book. I'll give you one go at guessing what their weaknesses are.

These next three images are all Matt & Verena. It started with them holding hands and before I knew it they we're flying around in the air and Verena seemed to get picked up and tickled a lot. Seems to happen quite frequently with those two.

Matt with his two loves!

I cant wait for your wedding and all its goodness in September!!!

cruising the Northwest

2008-08-20T10:03:00.000-07:00

Ok ok, so our boat wasn't really a wooden viking ship (see last post), but we felt it was just as adventurous. It was such fun just being the four of us tuckering around all the small islands exploring and being our silly selves. I'm sure the land dwellers would have not approved our shenanigans.

Here are some pics of our life on the boat...

This is what happens when you leave Tucker to explore a beach. Currently he is ranking number one in the Olympic kelp toss.

We had a close encounter with a pirate ship, but after we snapped some pictures we luckily escaped. They were very lenient.

We had some fun on land too. Verena really wanted to see bears on this trip. Unfortunately we never spotted them, but it sure was fun taking pictures as if we did.

ahoy mateys!

2008-08-12T11:06:00.000-07:00

How does one end up in a tiny port in the San Juan Islands? It all started with a call to my best friend in Germany asking what she will do for her honeymoon a few months ago. She casually mentioned it would be fun to be able to rent a houseboat and cruise around Alaska among several options - her fiance had spotted an advertisement in a magazine earlier that day. Within minutes it was THE option (except Alaska became Washington State.) We decided it would be doubly fun to combine our honeymoons since we are celebrating them before the actual wedding (they are tying the knot in September). It was only appropriate to do it together.

It has been such a fun experience cruising the islands with my best friend and "the boys". More when I get back......

Here is Tucker manning our seaworthy vessel...

traveling about

2008-08-05T22:17:00.000-07:00

I will be out of the office until August 19th.
Since I will be on a small boat off the coast of Washington for a good part of the trip, there will be very limited access to my email and phone. If it is urgent please call my cell at 703-967-7777 and I will get back to you as soon as I am in range. Otherwise I will get back to you as soon as I can upon my return.
Thanks!

Please note I am phasing out my 877 number and replacing it with:
East Coast: 703-967-7777
West Coast: 510-228-4655

Jen & Aili

2008-08-05T21:47:00.000-07:00

Jen and Aili had my favorite kind of wedding. Their closest friends and family came from all around under a canopy of redwoods to celebrate Jen and Aili with laughter, music and an occasional (happy) tear or two. After a ceremony filled with personal touches they moved into a clearing for a yummy all organic meal and some great music. And most of all they didnt mind me hobbling around on a bad foot - thank you!!!
Congratulations to Jen & Aili!

They even had a full on kid party with cupcakes, fairies and ballon animals - I couldnt tell who was having more fun the kids or the adults!

Towards the end of the evening they had a lei ceremony were they presented each
other and their parents with gorgeous authentic hawaiian leis.

location: Sand Rock Farm
catering: Swingtime Catering
florist: Boulder Creek Flowers
band: Ho'omana

running is hazardous for my health

2008-08-01T17:47:00.000-07:00

A little over two weeks ago, one of a wedding photographer's worst nightmares happened to me. I was out for a jog when my foot got well acquainted with a storm drain. It was not a friendly meeting. I hobbled back home and as soon as I opened the door Tucker asked me how my run was. I broke down in tears. My foot was swollen, bruised and in some serious pain. The only thing that went through my mind was "what if I can't shoot my next wedding!" A visit to an urgent care clinic confirmed my worst fear - a torn ligament. I was ordered to stay on crutches, ice my foot and keep it elevated as much as possible. The likelihood of me walking by the time the wedding rolled around looked very bleak. I sent out an SOS to the SF photo community and was SO TOUCHED by the outpour of support and willingness to help. The wonderful photographers who I knew spread the word far and wide and I had many people contact me and offer to take over the wedding in case I could not walk.
Fortunately I was able to see a top orthopedic surgeon a few days before the wedding and it turned out it was a sprained ankle and I could walk on it - whew! After a few test hobbles I felt confident enough that I could withstand shooting for the day.
Calling the couple with the news was the hardest part and I left it up to them if they wanted to still use me or any of the amazing photographers willing to take my place. They decided they still wanted to have me (I LOVE them for that!). A brace, an overload on Advil and my trusty Tucker to help out - it all worked out great and ended up being a beautiful wedding (which I will blog about soon!).
It just goes to show that exercise isn't all that good for you! It also goes to show that these things unfortunately do happen, but its good to know one has the backing of wonderful fellow photographers. This way clients can rest assured that no matter what they will be taken care of.

I just wanted to give a shout out and a special thanks to the some of the folks who were so kind to me:

Lisa Neighbors - http://www.blondetulip.com/
Lisa Leigh -http://www.lisaleigh.com/index2.php
Kate Webber - http://www.katewebber.com/
Adi Nevo - http://www.adinevo.com
Lauren Cohn-Frankel - http://www.cohnfrankelphotography.com/
Sara Remington - http://www.sararemington.net/
Ann Hamilton- http://www.annhamilton.com/

my oh so sexy brace...

Christine & Walter

2008-07-13T23:16:00.000-07:00

It was one of those typical DC summer days - hot, incredibly humid ,and threatening to rain at a moments notice (and yes, they all humored me to go outside). None of this seemed to faze Christine and Walter - they were just having a good time no matter what happened. I loved photographing their wedding for several reasons - they rock as a couple, they have great friends with hilarious dance moves and as it turns out, many familiar faces. I photographed her matron of honor's wedding before I even had my own company (Liz now has a new baby girl who is too cute for words), as well as Lexa and Rob's wedding last year. So it ended up being a great reunion. Love it ;)
Thanks so much for letting me part of your day! Congrats to Christine and Walter!

So apparently this one way to spend the time waiting for the ceremony to start. It was really funny to watch since I think they spent a solid 2 minutes doing this. I would love to see the end result :)

church: Saint Aloysius Church, DC
reception: The Four Seasons, DC
wedding planner: Sara Franklin of Social Scene Events
florist: Distinctive Floral Design
dress: Jenny Lee

iphone mania

2008-07-11T17:45:00.000-07:00

We are nerds. Big nerds who happen to live above a mac store. This morning at 8am sharp we could hear the screams of delight as the mac store opened its doors to the throngs of caffeinated soon to be iphone owners. All day the line was around the corner. Here is the thing - I already have my trusty iphone, but Tucker has been drooling over mine since I bought it. He has been patiently waiting for this release since the iphone was first announced (he likes to have the bugs fixed before he buys anything). Since I cant surprise him (or keep big present secrets from him) I just told him he will be getting a brand new shiny iphone for his big birthday much later this year. So today Tucker just happily smiled and went about his work while we heard the shouts of joy and watched the line steadily grow throughout the day, knowing full well that tomorrow he will get his iphone. What can I say - I cant make a fellow nerd wait any longer for his new toy.

Check back - new wedding post coming soon!

tia & robert

2008-07-02T16:06:00.000-07:00

This was meant to be! Thanks to a last minute schedule change, I was able to photograph Tia and Robert's wedding. As an added bonus, a former couple of mine, Nicole and Aaron were guests (Aaron you still hold the number one spot for best serenade on a wedding day!) and a college hall-mate of mine was the hotel coordinator of the wedding. Most importantly Tia and Robert just rocked and had style to boot! And so did their friends and family! It was such a fun day and I know that the party lasted well into the morning. Thanks for letting me be part of your day and trusting me enough to stop half of Georgetown traffic without getting run over- congrats Tia and Robert!

church: St. Luke's Episcopal Church, DC
reception: Park Hyatt, DC
planner: Wendy Raab of Rave Reviews
hotel coordinator: Amal Zaari
florist: Urban Petals

Cindy & Patrick

2008-06-16T16:19:00.000-07:00

What a great day! The air was crisp with a slight breeze, the sun was shining, Cindy looked absolutely gorgeous and Patrick could not take his eyes off of her. And there were many yummy cupcakes. Can't beat that! It was such a fun crowd I was sad to leave when it was over. Congratulations Cindy and Patrick!

I was pretty fortunate that Patrick had such good aim. The things you do for a good picture.

I loved that they both were on their tip-toes during their kiss after the ceremony. I think they were pretty excited to finally be married.

cupcakes + rings = yummy bling!

location:Clos La Chance Winery CA
planner: Michelle of Bliss'd
florist: Mandy Scott

We're baaack

2008-05-30T10:45:00.000-07:00

Thats right - San Francisco watch out, we are on the loose! Apparently I look like a little gremlin with a bad hair day and I am marrying wolverine's younger brother - so seriously, watch out. It has been a wild month of driving across country adventures and finding our new abode. We are so excited to be here! No worries - I am still photographing weddings all over the place just as I did on the East Coast (in case you haven't figured out by looking at my blog - I travel a lot!) So if you are in NoCal drop me a line or drop by and say hi!

Abby & Evan

2008-04-03T12:58:00.000-07:00

It has been a good long while since I was able to attend a wedding as a guest - what fun! This one happened to be of my fiancé's sister Abby. They had a beautiful ceremony in Nashville with a rocking reception. It seems I am a little photo addicted since I had a hard time putting my camera down. Of course who can resist photographing a drop-dead-gorgeous bride! It was so much fun being part of their weekend celebration as well as getting to know Evan's family.
Congratulations to the both of you and I hope you you are having a relaxing time in Costa Rica.

I can't remember the last time I laughed so hard as when Tucker put on his tux. I waited until after the wedding to tell him that the bow-tie had a clip to take it on and off.

Goodbye NZ

2008-03-24T17:15:00.000-07:00

Sadly our NZ adventures come to a close. We already have a full itinerary planned for the next trip here – we can’t wait! But before we head out on our 2 day journey back to the States here are some more fun pics. The first bunch is from a major splurge where we decided to take a heli-hike on top of Fox Glacier. What a magical experience to be on top of all that ice surrounded by rain forest. We even got to slide down an ice cave, which ended up being a very tight squeeze.

Of course no trip would be complete without Tucker convincing me to go underground. We found this great cave in Arthur’s Pass area where you can walk through a river cave for .75 miles. As an added challenge we decided to do the whole thing barefoot. Chilly! Since I schlepped my camera the whole way through, I of course had to take a picture of the experience.
The first picture I feel over while trying to light the cave and you can see Tucker’s light and hand coming to my rescue (what a gentleman!). With some additional bruises, I did not want that to be the final picture and took one more frame, which fortunately turned out. It’s amazing what just a little head lamp can do.
To our next stop – Nashville for Tucker sister’s wedding!

lord of the flies -NZ

2008-03-16T21:14:00.000-07:00

We are slowly making our way through the West Coast and are having many friendly encounters with the ever-present biting sandflies. Within hours we covered towering mountain tops, rainforests and beaches. It’s a big playground out here! So a few more pics and we are off on another hike.

Rainforest romp – NZ

2008-03-12T17:05:00.000-07:00

With barely contained excitement we finally got our campervan that will be our homebase for the next 2 weeks. We decided to head out to the Fiordlands and Sounds to get our rainforest fix before heading up north and spending about 3 days out in nowhere. We got some tasty food to cook and our houseplant and yumminess provider Mr. Basil, and set out on our trek. Finally in the middle of nowhere, freezing cold at night we realize the wonderful rental folks forgot to fill up out cooking stove gas tank. We survived on bread and trail mix for a couple of days, but the scenery made up for any shortcomings. Tucker has been so extremely patient with me and my nerdy phototaking needs. Thankfully he has been bitten by the photobug as well, so we should have some fun results.

The Mighty Routeburn - NZ

2008-03-08T16:18:00.000-08:00

We just have completed 4 four day trek on the edge the Fiordlands mountains near the West Coast of the South Island. The views were breathtaking – every new turn offered an even better view – mind boggling! We started the trek in a lush rainforest groaning under the massive amount of lichen. We camped out by two huts that skirted different lakes before making the “summit push” on a windy and rainy day. Weather apparently doesn’t matter here – it is gorgeous no matter what you get. Your feet might not agree though, but on the upside my calves are toned again. I am also about an inch shorter than when I started the trek since I decided to schlep my very heavy lens up there. Here are a few quick pictures to get you in the mood – I will post a full “piece de resistance” slideshow when I get back home. There are soooooo many pictures….

PS - Tucker took the last picture of me as we head for the peak.

How to get over jetlag… quickly

2008-03-03T22:21:00.000-08:00

Apparently by jumping off a bridge. Since this bridge is where bungy jumping was first pioneered we felt it was only the proper thing to do. It was an incredible rush but over way too quickly. According to some witnesses I sounded like a screaming banshee, but I highly doubt it!
Good thing we are heading out for our hike tomorrow since Queenstown is heaven for the adrenaline junkie and pretty much hell on your wallet. Tucker and I did a short warm up hike today in preparation of the 4 day alpine extravaganza (apparently there is already snow up there – brrr). We found out my hiking ability is that of an inch-worm that quite doesn’t make the full inch and Tucker is the mountain goat on steroids. Good thing he is patient with me.

Here it is -
right before the plunge...

me jumping off a bridge...

We have arrived!

2008-03-03T13:04:00.000-08:00

After what seemed like traveling forever with multiple layovers, seat changes, running around as a frenzied chipmunk punctuated with painfully long waiting periods - we finally made it to New Zealand. Before the plane ever touched down in Queenstown, I knew this was a love affair in the making. On a complete adrenaline high, after what must be a total of 12 hours of sleep over the last 4 days, we could not stop walking around admiring the amazing landscape, cute towns and the wonderful kiwi sense of humor. Within the hour, we were toying with the idea of seriously purchasing property here.
We are prepping for our multi-day alpine hike on Wednesday but not before partaking in some Queenstown adventure tradition.
Below is the view from the plane flying into Queenstown. Just a solitary peak of the Southern Alps was visible over a blanket of clouds.

leaving on a jetplane

2008-02-29T05:57:00.001-08:00

So this is it - adventure part 1.
I will be traveling the back roads of New Zealand until the end of March. I will have limited email access, so if you need to get a hold of me please email me at sabine@sabinescherer.com and I will do my best to get back to you. If not I will return your email/ call as soon as possible beginning April 1st.

As a parting shot I will leave you with a picture of my future home I took from the plane 2 weeks ago!

moving out!

2008-02-26T14:12:00.000-08:00

So this is it folks!
After four years after having a spectacular skyline view that comes with a very cozy aka small apartment, I am packing my bags and camera gear for a new adventure ... across the country! Why spoil the fun, you will have to check up on the blog to see where I am moving to. No worries, thanks to my wonderful clients and jetblue I will be frequenting both Coasts;) But why just move when you can take your rent money and enjoy a month of pre-honeymooning in New Zealand! So we have three more days before we get kicked out of our apartment, take a really long nap to NZ followed by some spectacular tramping and sculpted calves.

As you can imagine things are a little chaotic right now and basically our place doesn't look much different than the picture below. Although that guy is lucky - he gets to sleep and is way more organized!
But check back, since we are the ultimate nerds, there is a very good chance we will be blogging while we travel ;)
We miss you already!

Happy V-day

2008-02-14T20:31:00.000-08:00

So while throngs of men are fighting in the check-out lines trying to buy the last stems of roses, Tucker knows that he can show up with some cookies for my belly and he just made my day ;) Especially cute ones that are yummy and have love written on them. He knows me a little too well - scary! So go out there and spread the love ... remember calories do not count on Holidays.

InStyle Wedding extravaganza

2008-02-11T11:11:00.001-08:00

I photographed details for Michelle Rago a while back who is just is an AMAZING designer/ florist. She rocks my world! I was so happy to see two of my images to be picked up by InStyle Weddings - Star Style.

(you can click to enlarge)

Welcome Stuart

2008-02-09T05:23:00.000-08:00

I am sorry I have not blogged in a while, but things have been CRAZY! This post is embarrassingly overdue. Meet Stuart - a strapping young lad with the funniest facial expressions that just melt your heart. Lisa and Ken - the lucky parents - are just an awesome couple whose wedding I photographed a while back. Its always such a treat to stay in touch with my couples and I love when they can share such happy news. Congratulations Lisa and Ken - Stuart is amazing!

there is something in the air

2008-01-22T19:30:00.000-08:00

It seems that almost everyone I know is either pregnant or just had a baby! This is great news for me since I love photographing newborns. I just had the pleasure of photographing a friend's baby. I was lucky enough to photograph her belly bump, so it makes it extra special to be part of the end result as well! Since the couple is creative we did some very fun (and personal) stuff which I wont show on the blog, but one of the very last pictures of the day was of their daughter just hanging out which I thought was super cute.

published in 'Brides' Magazine

2008-01-14T08:29:00.001-08:00

Mindy and Stefan got there very own spread in 'Brides' magazine - yay! I had so much fun shooting the wedding although I was a little bummed they didn't use my favorite photograph of the couple and their dog Mia. Just in case you would like to see it click here.
Thank god for blogs!

But imagine my surprise when I kept on leafing through and I saw two more of my images published as well. Both of these were used in the national syndication and I have actually gotten quite a few inquiries on the "How to shop for a Reception Site" piece. The image was taken at the Chesapeake Bay Beach Club. If you want to see more images of that wedding you can click here.

And last but not least this image (see red arrow) was published along a three page spread in last year's Brides magazine. Apparently they liked it so much its published again under the "10 Must-Shoot Moments". Unfortunately this wedding was before my blogging days, but it rocks to see an image of Lisa and Ken since they just had a healthy baby boy two weeks ago!!! Now that deserves celebration!

Year in Review

2008-01-10T19:19:00.000-08:00

I wanted to share some of my favorites moments of 2007 with you (both wedding and non-wedding). It was fun to go through all of my images and pick out the ones that I loved either because of the technicality of the image or just the moment it captured. I can't wait to see what cool images this year brings. (I have vowed to take my camera with me to many more places and shoot ALOT more personal projects).

Just click on the play button bottom left for the slideshow or you can click on the image to go through them manually. Enjoy!

Happy New Year!!!!

2008-01-01T16:11:00.000-08:00

I hope your 2008 is filled with exciting new adventures, happiness and above all good health!
For Tucker and I it will be an exciting year, including a trip to New Zealand in March (yep - almost all my camera gear is coming with us much to Tucker's happiness!), a big move, possibly a wedding by the end of the year, and new areas for us to explore - aka, many new images ;) So needless to say we are incredibly excited about all the changes and new experiences it will bring and not so much about the packing up the apartment. So stay in touch and best wishes in the coming year!

Since I try to always post with an image here is one of the view from the Goernergrat in Switzerland at 5AM the day after Tucker proposed. I think it aptly depicts a fresh beginning!

Catherine & Andrew

2007-12-28T20:21:00.001-08:00

This was the year of the Kugajevky's! I think its only fitting that I started off the year with Katie and Adrian and wrap up the year with his brother Andrew and Catherine. (To make it even more "its such a small world", I found out my fiancé's father taught them both back in the day at St Stephens & Agnes School...still no word on what the grade situation was!) I have been looking forward to this wedding ever since I met the couple at Katie and Adrian's wedding. The day started off with fanfare and portraits (although you would never guess from the pictures it was pretty chilly .. well freezing really), a spectacular grand and heartfelt ceremony at the National Cathedral wrapping up with the kids stealing the show on the dance floor. It was a perfect way to end the year.
But no worries - next year there are already many weddings to look forward to, some adventurous trips planned, a BIG move and many new exciting changes. So keep checking my blog for a fun way to procrastinate at work (I wont tell - promise) or be inspired by over the weekend!

Happy Holidays!

2007-12-22T06:56:00.000-08:00

To all my blog readers - may your Holidays be filled with cheer, family, and relaxation and not last minute shopping sprees!
A big thank you to all of my wonderful clients of 2007 who made this such a fantastic year. I met and worked with so many great people - I am incredibly lucky to have such a fun job. Feel free to stay in touch and check up on my blog in 2008 for many new adventures!!

Rigina & Matt

2007-12-20T21:18:00.000-08:00

What better way to get over a cold dreary November than by getting married with the sand between your toes. I cant really think of any. Matt and Rigina spent the week with their family and closest friends on the Caribbean Island Turks & Caicos. They invited me into the clan as one of their own and we had a great couple of days under the sun. Matt and Rigina were so caring and made sure everyone felt right at home.
Tropical bliss. Congratulations Rigina & Matt!