It might be a faux-pas to say something like “favorite clients”, ESPECIALLY when they aren’t even your clients.

So I won’t say that.

I’m not sayin, just sayin.

But if I had “favorite clients”, it might look like the thank you card Surya sent her bridesmaids that started “Dear best bitches ever..”

And surely, if i were to have “favorite clients” they would sing Ingrid Michaelson’s “You and I” to their husband at the altar.

And it would sound like “Love Is a Big Deal”, the song Miya, Surya’s sister wrote for them, and sang for their first dance.

And it would dance like Nick and Surya danced their first dance.

And it would feel like the breeze of the breathtaking mountain they would get married on.

And my “favorite clients”, if I had some, would party like Nick and Surya partied, till all hours of the night, attempting to, but alas unable, to relish every moment of the most special day they have known because it was simply too much.

It would seem like a dream.

Which would prompt to my “favorite clients” to email something like this:

“oh man.

i can’t believe i haven’t written yet. but i just feel like nothing i can put into sentences, is enough.

it was an epic win for love. the whole day. it was one of those lovely moments when there are too many inspired and genuinely happy people for the world not to change just a little.

and having you and jonas there. so amazing and in-tune with your craft . . . and so happy doing it. i just can’t thank you enough. truly, there are not two other souls that could have been there and it been what it was.

random fact about me, from probably ages 7 to 9, i was petrified that i was dreaming. like my whole life was a dream and i was going to wake up and be a baby and have to do it all over. lighthearted for a little child. hahah.

but i’ve found myself these last few weeks feeling that again. that it couldn’t have been that perfect. that our friends didn’t encircle us that last song on the dance floor and sing along with us at the top of their lungs. that i will wake up that morning, once again. and it will be just fine. but just that, fine. not the magic that it was.

but we got the slideshow a couple days ago.

and it was real.

and i can’t thank you enough for being a part of that. we are forever grateful. and while we can’t do it all again, we could take you out for a drink and a bite next time you are in town. hope you’ll let us.

xo
surya”

It seemed like everyone at this wedding was as happy that Nick and Surya were marrying each other as they were.  It was as if they all knew, having known them, that if they didn’t, the world would be worse off.

Surya summed it up perfectly…

“It was an epic WIN for love.”

Really, it was an epic win for me.  Thank you Jonas, my friend, for asking me to come along.  This was one to remember.

And thank you Nick and Surya for welcoming me into your world.  For being vulnerable enough to be yourselves and letting me in.  It was, and you are, beautiful.

If I had “favorite clients”, that’s what it would be like.

Last month I welcomed 18 talented photographers into my home for the maiden voyage of POSER:EXPOSED, Quasi-Wedding edition.  Let me just say that putting together a full wedding and a workshop in the same day is a daunting task.  There were definitely some lessons learned for next time, but it was an absolutely amazing experience from beginning to end.  It started with me, like a fool, installing hard wood floors on the entire downstairs of my house.  I started the project on Friday, the meet and greet was Sunday night.  Fool I tell you.  Lesson learned, number one.

Most everyone came to the meet and greet the night prior to the workshop, and I cannot tell you how impressed I was with the group.  Everyone got along so well, and there was an obvious energy in my home.  Some knew each other online but had never met, some knew each other from previous excursions and some made the trek alone, the braver ones I think.  I immediately loved the group to be sure.

I had Uncle Julios (What?) cater the meet and greet, and OF COURSE everyone loved it.  Might have been my favorite part of the whole experience :)  Ok, maybe not, but it ranks.

The day of the workshop arrived and I was nervous, but excited.  The teaching began around 10:30 or so and continued until around 4 or so when the Quasi-Wedding began with the getting ready portion, which I was doing right there in my house.  It sure was a strange experience having 20 people sitting around and watching while you work, but I found it oddly comfortable.  Not sure what that is about.  Destiny did the hair and makeup and well, she’s rad.

This is the point of the post where I begin talking about Jeremy and Tara.  Also it’s the point where you fall in love all over again with my past clients.  Jeremy and Tara’s wedding post caused quite a stir with my blog readers and to this day I get people asking me about them and how they are doing.  Seriously.  From a blog post.  This is not a “Yes, I did a great job” comment, it’s a reflection of the reality between them.  You could not question the connection the two of them shared, the excitement at the wedding, and the genuine love everyone felt on that day for Jeremy and Tara.  That wedding changed my life, for real.  I finally understood why I was doing what I was doing.

Well, when the idea of shooting a wedding for a workshop came up, they were the obvious choice to be the bride and groom.  I knew that Tara had done some acting and I thought she would be comfortable in the “lead” role.  Funny.  While there surely was some role playing, there was one thing that was obvious form the moment she walked down the aisle on this hot, July day.  Something here was real.

The ceremony began with Tara walking down the aisle and spontaneously the attendees and some other people, there to fill the seats at the wedding, stood up and began to clap :)  This exact same thing happened at their real wedding.  It was a surreal moment.  And it only got better from there.  You see, Tara had been pushing Jeremy, telling him the she wanted to “get married again” for the few months before I asked them if they wanted to be my bride and groom.  So when they said yes, they decided this was going to mean something.  They treated it as a vow renewal, and to make things cooler, Jeremy’s dad, who did the original service, did the Quasi-Wedding as well, and I’m telling you, this was no “faux” ceremony.  Ask anyone that was there.

And yes, I cried.  But I wasn’t the only one.

After an emotional ceremony, the first dance was to Ray LaMontagne’s (what?) “Let It Be Me”.  Brilliant choice if I don’t say so myself :)  Honestly, they had no idea what song I had chosen, so it was neat to see them listen to the words and dance while looking into each others eyes.

Cried again.

The evening went on like that.  Jeremy and Tara absolutely MADE the Quasi-Wedding, and I am humbled to be their photographer, and consider them friends.  All of the photographers that were there had some beautiful comment about the two of them, and how they weren’t expecting THAT at a fake wedding.

I will now move on to the REAL stars of the Quasi-Wedding, the Dallas vendors that made it all happen.  This list begins with the planner extraordinaire, Deanie Yuska of Deanie Michelle Events.  When I consulted my friend Kelly Simants at Sweet Pea Events and asked her to help me find someone that had a similar vision to me, and she knows me fairly well, she told me Deanie was my girl.  I am so glad she did :)

Deanie was given about 6 weeks to pull together almost an entire wedding, and she did so effortlessly, coming through at every turn.  Working side by side with the florist, papers, and the venue, she was truly the master of ceremonies :)  I gave very little, if any input on the design of the wedding, other than to say, “Yes, that sounds awesome!”  So kudos to Deanie, everyone that attended was BLOWN AWAY when they walked into the venue.

Thank you so much for your efforts and energy Deanie.

You heard about Ashley yesterday.

Brad.  THE Brad.  Brad extraordinaire.  Dude, you constantly slay me with your humility and your talent.  You truley are becoming a good friend, and for that, there is no amount of thanks that can be spoken.  I can be a hard man to be around sometimes, given my passion for basically everything, but I appreciate you letting me be me.  Bro it up dude.

Here’s the list of the every one of the amazing people and places that made this awesome day a reality:

Deanie Yuska – Deanie Michelle Events | Coordinator and decor

Nikki Morrison – Doodle Dog | Paper Items

Adam Key | DJ

M&M Rentals | Chivari Chairs

Sprinkles | Cupcakes

Cafe Malaga | Venue, food and beverage

The venue was gorgeous (thank you to everyone at Cafe Malaga for being so accommodating), and the people were even more beautiful.  A special thank you to the attendees of POSER:EXPOSED, you will always be special to me.  This was my first workshop to do on my own, and while there were certainly hiccups, everyone was gracious and genuinely seemed to have a great time.

One more thing.

There is a certain woman whom I know that is the backbone of everything my business is and this workshop was, my wife Destiny.  Thank you so much for your tireless preparing, selfless cooking and serving, and all-together AWESOMENESS.  Without you, there would be no me.  I love you.

I will quote Surya, a bride that you will come to know well in the coming days….

“Epic win for Love”

A month or so ago, I held the first POSER:EXPOSED workshop with the Quasi-Wedding as the main attraction.  My idea was not only to provide the attendees with a unique learning experience, but provide local up and coming wedding professionals with an opportunity to gain some exposure where they might not get it otherwise.  I wanted artists.  People who want to push the status-quo with their talent.  I wanted people who are not afraid to take chances.

I knew immediately who was going to design the flowers.  Ashley Kirk of Ashlilium.

In the interest of full disclosure, I have known Ashley for a long time, and she is married to someone whom I consider a very good friend, and I have talked with them quite a bit in regard to the direction of  Ashlilium.  But the reason I have, is because I recognize the passion and desire in her heart.  It’s a lot like mine was when I started.  She has bigger things in mind than making something pretty for someones wedding.  Ashley is an artist, and flowers are her medium.  She has a burning desire to change the way people think about flowers at a wedding.  She has a unique vision.  It’s her alone.  And she trusts in it.

The reality is that can be a double edged sword in business.  You always want to be on the cutting edge, but if you truly are, there are always going to be people that don’t get it, or are hesitant to give you a shot.

All Ashley needed was a shot.  I gave her complete creative freedom.  I told her it had to be completely HER vision, no input from me.  I wanted what she was passionate about, what she would do if she could do whatever she wanted to.  She didn’t disappoint.

Everyone that was involved in the Quasi-Wedding, from the photographers to the extras there to fill seats, were completely blown away with her vision.  Brilliantly delivered and seamlessly flowing with the feel of the day.  It was perfect.  She made the bouquet out of cactus (ok, succulents, but who’s counting?), and you can plant it after the wedding for a one of a kind keepsake for crying out loud!  VISION.

Ashley is exactly the type of person I want to associate my business with, nay, my SELF with.  Someone who knows who they are, and is unapologetic.  We all know someone like this.  I was that person.  I got a chance.  I’m so glad I had the opportunity to give that chance to someone else.

Thanks Ashley :)