Fave Hams-- 2011 Weddings

Fave Hams!!!!

As photographers, we absolutely LOVE people who cut loose and get silly in front of the lens! They are the groomsmen who corner the bride to serenade her with a rendition of "You've Lost That Lovin' Feeling", spunky kids, and even spunkier grandparents who know how to kick up their heels. Thank you to these people who helped lighten the mood on the dance floor and quell those wedding day jitters with jokes and little grins that scream, "betcha can't guess what I'm going to do next... "

Herman Wedding

Meet Andrew Herman, Bestman and brother of the groom who not only can pop bubbles but also play practical jokes in the middle of the ceremony. When asked for the ring this jokester whipped out a HANDFUL for poor Eric to have to sort through to find the actual wedding band for Christina! Just wondering, is a future in priesthood still likely? lol. Can't wait.

Stubblefield wedding

This couple was the first on the dance floor!!!! So adorable and they were whipping around like teeny-boppers! Such a treat to watch (and I am so jealous... all my husband does is sway ala junior high dance style)! Did we mention the dj played a remix that was at least 5 minutes long!? And they made it NONSTOP the WHOLE TIME!!! If that does not motivate you to keep with the "be more active and get fit" New Year's resolution, we don't know what will! :D

Dennis Wedding

Drayden, the bride and

groom's son/ringbearer can sport a mohawk and definitely is NOT camera shy! (but then, with fun parents like his... we're not really surprised ;)

Jacobs Wedding

At first Alexis was a shy little flower girl but after a few formals- WOW!!! DIVA! ahahahaha. And we were not complaining. I caught her peeking at me in the beginning while smelling her hydrangea bouquet and got a flashback of watching Bambi, "you can call me flower if you WANT to..."

and finally, the most limber groomsman we have seen!!!!! (I can't even do this... he did like 3 of these and cartwheels!!!) Also from the Jacobs wedding:

Fave Getaway- 2011 Weddings

Fave Getaway Mobile

Sometimes it's an antique car, often a limo, upon occasion a Hummer, but our favorite mode of transportation after the wedding ceremony is a hands-down winner...

The Dennis Wedding!

Fave Centerpieces - 2011 Weddings

Fave Centerpieces - 2011 Weddings

Attention brides, mothers of the bride, fathers, or anyone else footing the bill for a large wedding. What to do when you have a large reception venue and a limited budget? Larger halls can fit many tables to accommodate guests; to keep things festive, one trick of the trade is to alternate height of centerpieces. High pieces can fill all that empty space between table and the average adult's eye level, creating a fuller and more finished look to the party. Our brides did a wonderful job this year using unique objects including branches from trees on their own property for a rustic feel (and FREE), but our favorite centerpieces with the most "bang for your buck" were from the ........

Stubblefield wedding!

When I sat down with Kate Neidhardt and Jeremy Stubblefield at their consultation, she told me I was going to LOVE the centerpieces and mentioned they were "feathers". I thought they were incorporating feathers, but take a look at these gorgeous PLUMES!!!! :D What a great way to fill the empty space in their venue! And with the feathers all being white, any lighting was reflected back to the eye and just looked SHARP!!! Table numbers for guest seating (seating place cards on a front table in the foyer between the actual hall and the classic car museum [ACD museum, Auburn, IN] ) also acted as a low centerpiece. Clear glass vases held all those fabulous feathers while still allowing guests to see and interact with those seated across the table.

Great idea Kate and Jeremy!

Fave Fine Dining and Music- Weddings 2011

Food and Tunes!!!!!

I love Frank Sinatra. Ol' Blue Eyes caps off any wedding for me and is the perfect background music for wonderful dinners.

Put them together and you have our Fave Dining and Music of 2011:

The Dennis wedding! Showtime Mobile DJ provides excellent (and timely -- love any dj that

can keep the flow moving along) Master of Ceremony services and a great mix of tunes as well as professional lighting and more, Ace of Images looks forward to continue working with these guys in the coming years! contact info: www.gottadj.com 419.630.0385. showtime@gottadj.com

Food? Kim Brown's Classic Catering of Defiance, Ohio. My first employer in the wedding industry (All Occasions Plus of Defiance, Ohio) worked many events alongside Kim. I have respected her dedication to her craft as well as fulfilling her customers' expectations as best as humanly possible and without reservation recommend this wonderful company! 419.782.7100

Fave Cake- 2011 Weddings

Happy New Year!!!!

Time to welcome a new beginning, a fresh start, another chance (note to self: another calendar I need to find on clearance...).

Ace of Images will be posting several blogs featuring our favorite facets from the celebrations we were happy to be a part of in 2011. ALL weddings were AWESOME!!! Literally, it was a FABULOUS year! So much, in fact, that it took days of trying to decide which wedding fit each category. After much deliberation, we have come up with our selections. IT WAS SO DIFFICULT! lol. How difficulut? We didn't worry about narrowing down to #1 in all categories... some things are just too good to leave out! We just want to hammer that home -- all of our couples did a splendid job and were a delight to work for you! And please remember everyone was "best" in each category... these are just our personal highlights that feel deserve a second look :D

And please stay tuned for a forthcoming contest! (cue the Carly Simon, "Anticipation") A "YOU win it; THEY win it" opportunity as our way of saying thank you and sharing some photolove. :)

But now to begin the 2011 results:

Cake:

The JACOBS wedding! Our most recent shoot, this wedding is still in editing but we found it an absolute must to show off an outstanding cake (and plug an awesome, creative, ubernice vendor-- Kristy Clouse of The Bake Shop in Fayette, Ohio)

Introducing Elizabeth!

Hello everyone!!!!

It is my great delight to officially introduce Ace of Images assistant Elizabeth Weddington (at right in photo)! As a fellow Defiance College graduate, Elizabeth is a wonderful addition helping out with wedding day coverage. From organization, to making sure I stop to eat and don't lose track of photo lists, equipment or my sanity, she is a great asset to the team.

Though many people with a genuine interest in digital photography have offered to assist I decided to go with Elizabeth as my #1 Go-to-gal/right hand lady for many reasons including her before mentioned education (we both are classically trained in the basics of darkroom and film processing as well as digital formats) as a Graphic Design major, sound business ethics and moral compass which I believe are key for quality customer service, and a genuine, sweetheart personality. During her assistance this season, I have received many compliments and great appreciation for her efforts and special contributions both for her work and her customer service. Sometimes buttons pop off dresses or groomsmen need kept on task while organizing for formal photos and Elizabeth is always there to help with a kind smile and professional manner.

"...our families have been looking at them (wedding photos) and they said what a nice job you and Elizabeth did. Again thanks for everything!!!" - Shannon (Richter) Strine, April 2011 bride

"I just wanted to say how impressed Tom and I are with the pictures! They are incredible. From the random shots, to the formals in the church and in our backyard, to the reception ... they are wonderful. What a great job you did to enable us to remember this most special day in Eric & Chrissy's life, and ours!!" - Diane Herman, Mother of the Groom, July 2011

Not to say this gal is a stick-in-the mud, au contraire... here is an introduction from the lady herself:

Hi! I'm Elizabeth and I'm a photographer because I love it. Pure and simple. Documenting moments, places and of course people became a passion of mine early in life. Something about being behind the camera and capturing life with just one little click always intrigued me. I am inspired by The Beatles, summer, thrift store fashion, 70's art, the color yellow, a good book and Conan O'Brien. I enjoy Bill Cosby, jell-o pudding and surrounding myself with people who make me laugh. This is me. Enjoy!

Please take a look at the link BELOW to view a slideshow featuring some of Elizabeth's latest work for Ace of Images, and if you are in the Findlay, Ohio area, please contact her via Studio Seventy-Nine to book a portrait session with her studio! www.studioseventynine.com

Also, please respect that all images are the intellectual property of Ace of Images and Elizabeth Schoonover.

http://web.photodex.com/view/x29k928

Thank you Elizabeth for all your efforts!

Alaina Carnahan- Ace of Images

Recap.

Yep, it's been over a year since you've heard from Ace of Images via blog. Why? I'm a picture gal! Remember!?!? While some future posts with fun and informative features are in store, here is a bit of what has been taking up potential blog time:

Family portraits, senior portraits, volunteering, sports, you name it!

Thanks!

Alaina Carnahan