Megan and Misha’s DC Wedding Featured in Washingtonian Bride & Groom

Megan and Misha’s DC Wedding Featured in Washingtonian Bride & Groom

If you know anything about us, you know we love us some Washingtonian Bride & Groom magazine. Seriously, not only do they feature some of the Washington DC area’s most beautiful weddings, the whole magazine is total eye candy. (It was one of the true highlights of our career to have one of our images featured on their cover last year!) Even the paper it’s printed on is luxe, making it a delight to pour over on a rainy afternoon, even when you’re not planning a wedding! Their latest Winter/Spring issue is no exception so we were doubly thrilled to see Megan & Misha’s truly one-of-a-kind wedding gracing their pages. You may remember seeing some of our favorite images from Megan’s bridal session and now we can’t wait to share more from their incredible day from their wedding soon! In the meantime, check out their stunning spread below and in person with a real copy if you can.

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Page spreads courtesy of Washingtonian Bride & Groom

 

 

One final lap (our last wedding season)…

One final lap (our last wedding season)…

The couple–Gia & Nolan, their seven (yes, seven) guests, and the two of us gathered and rubbed our hands together to keep warm on December 7, 2002. We were waiting for the officiant in a rose garden near Gia’s sister’s home in Raleigh, North Carolina.

This was the setting for our first wedding as Holland Photo Arts and as professional photographers.

We were hooked.

We thought the next year might bring another seven weddings, maybe ten if we were lucky. Imagine our surprise when, thanks to the wonderfully kind words of our past clients to all (and we mean all) of their friends, we shot 37! And subsequently collapsed with a Scotch whisky (Bill) and vodka cocktail (Annie) at the end of it all.

The next twelve years were a whirlwind. Within nine months we were both full-time on the business, and so grateful to those who shared their knowledge and wisdom with us. In particular, Allegra who served as a mentor and gave us an incredible opportunity to build our portfolio as a guest photographer at her weddings.

When you start a business on your own, you’re passionate for the art and the craft, not necessarily because you want to run a business. We were the same way, and of course we made mistakes, but with every wedding we always endeavored to get better—to create more positive, memorable experiences for our clients.

Our clients.

Now, nearly 400 of you.

We could not have imagined a more richly emotionally rewarding time. We smiled and laughed with you, we cried with you (a challenge to sometimes shoot through tears), and yes, on occasion we danced with you. We celebrated the births of your children, and mourned the loss of your siblings, parents, and grandparents, sometimes your spouses, and even occasionally your marriages.

We always knew though that the time would come and instead of staying past our welcome and beginning to resent or hate weddings, after much soul searching this year, came to the difficult (& scary!) decision that we were both ready to close this amazing but all-consuming chapter of our lives. We also wanted to go out while we still love shooting weddings. We always want to give our all to our amazing couples—you deserve nothing less from us.

You were and are the intensely colorful threads in the rich fabric of our lives. We’re better people for knowing you.

We also worked with some of the most amazingly talented and loving professionals we’ve ever had the honor to meet, many becoming life-long friends. The wedding industry itself has changed a lot over the years–in some ways encouraging, in other ways not so much. We chose to adapt in some ways, and we held our ground in others.

Our sole goal along this path has always been for our wondereful couples to simply celebrate the wedding they wanted for themselves. To feel true to their souls. To share with their friends and family the experiences they wanted to share. It didn’t matter if it was a pot luck for a few dozen loved ones atop a mountain, or an urban extravaganza for 400, as long as it felt true. We endeavored to honestly and artfully capture it all.

Along the way, we shared with and shepherded several students and up and coming photographers through the Foundation Workshop, where we were once students as well. We were proud to serve as teachers and, for a few years, with Bill as the workshop’s executive director.

We’ve witnessed great change in the professional photography community along with the wedding industry over the past several years (film to digital and back to film, atmospheric rise in social media, and Google Analytics and SEO; just to name a few) and while we’ve been thrilled to see so many photographer friends flourishing, we’ve been saddened to see so many others struggle and be forced to close their doors before they were ready. We were and continue to be incredibly blessed that our studio was successful year after year and that’s in large part thanks to all the love and support within our wedding community.

Closer to home, we were thrilled to mentor three generous and kind souls as they completed post-production work and assisted us at weddings (thank you, Kelly and Eric!). Karen, in particular, has been with us for five years now after we shot hers and Michael’s wedding, not to mention growing her own successful studio. Karen, thank you for all you were and are. We love you and are so proud of your ongoing accomplishments.

Through it all, we paid for our own health insurance (an increasing challenge for small business owners), contributed to our retirement (alas, no employer matching), took whatever vacation we desired (unpaid, of course), had a couple of hospital visits for wedding-related injuries (one each), and missed innumerable family events and birthdays.

As much as this profession may have taken away, however, it repaid us back in spades. We’ve been the recipients of great love, respect, trust and long-lasting friendships. Our reward may not be a big cash payday a la Facebook’s IPO. But we wouldn’t have traded it for all the tea in China, because we’re leaving an even greater legacy–the knowledge that one day our couples’ great grandchildren will find their wedding album in the attic and get immense joy from seeing them, perhaps as they’ve never known them. (Young and spry for one!) A price just can’t be put on that.

So, as 2015 has drawn to a close and 2016 ramps up, it is time for us to say goodbye. Well, mostly. 2016 clients, never fear, as we can’t wait to celebrate with you! And we’ll accept a very limited number of additional commissions this season, as we otherwise explore new personal and professional challenges in our adopted home state of Colorado. Our small business consultancy The Art of Delight continues to thrive and we both will continue to have professional photography in our lives, Bill with landscapes and Anne with travel photography, as well as a project she’s been working on that she look forward to sharing soon. We’ll also still consider couples for Something Teal, our free wedding photography project.

And not to worry…we’re not going anywhere just yet. In addition to our 2016 weddings & events, we have lots of Summer & Fall 2015 wedding goodness to share on the Journal. We’ll still be accepting inquiries for a few dates in late Summer/Fall 2016 and still be doing albums for previous clients.

We couldn’t be more delighted to have had you–all of you–in our lives. You’ve affected us more deeply than you know. Thank you truly from the bottom of our very full and happy hearts.

…A&B

 

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Featured Wedding: Mary Beth & Chris’s Summer Camp Wedding in Virginia

Featured Wedding: Mary Beth & Chris’s Summer Camp Wedding in Virginia

As any small business knows, word of mouth referrals are worth their weight in gold and that’s especially true for such personalized businesses such as ours. Mary Beth and Chris came to us by way of her sister Kate (thanks, Andrew & Julie, for the intro!) who had hoped to hire us when she got married, but alas, we were already booked. Once it was time for MB&C to get hitched though, they thought of us once again and this time, thankfully, we were available! We already knew from their family this was one special couple who were planning a fun, unique and highly meaningful celebration for their guests. They did not disappoint! They kept the guest count intimate and since everyone was staying on site, the celebration went on the entire weekend.

MB has some wonderful advice for couples getting married (beyond just hiring a photographer you love), so be sure to check out Part 1 and Part 2 of this fun & rustic wedding at Shrine Mont. Thanks so much to the fabulous United With Love team and of course, all the amazing talent (Janice at Bellwether Events!) who helped bring MB & Chris’s wedding to life. So fun getting to relive their day through such a wonderful feature!

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Laura & Gavin’s Wedding Featured in Rocky Mountain Bride

Laura & Gavin’s Wedding Featured in Rocky Mountain Bride

It’s hard to do anything but stare in wonder at nature’s beauty sometimes, especially here in Colorado. Laura & Gavin (Lyonscrest Manor wedding here and Boulder engagement session here) picked a spot overlooking the Rocky Mountains for their ceremony to show off their home to family and friends in attendance. Rocky Mountain Bride of course thought similarly and featured their wedding yesterday. We’re so thrilled for Laura & Gavin–they and their friends thoroughly enjoyed themselves, making our jobs capturing the moments easy.

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Kaitlyn & Mark’s Mellon Auditorium Wedding Featured on ModWedding!

Kaitlyn & Mark’s Mellon Auditorium Wedding Featured on ModWedding!

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Kaitlyn and Mark married two Autumns ago in Washington, DC and it’s still one of our favorite weddings to date. We aren’t alone – Mod Weddings is currently featuring their big day on their blog! The Mellon is one of the quintessential landmarks in DC and we love getting to shoot there. Evoke pulled out absolutely all the stops for this one once again and we had a fantastic time getting some fun portraits of K&M in and around The Park Hyatt and of course, the stunning Mellon and it’s hidden gem of a courtyard.

Congratulations, K&M and thanks so much for the love Mod Wedding!

Kate and Andrew’s Clifton Inn Wedding Featured on Borrowed and Blue Blog!

Kate and Andrew’s Clifton Inn Wedding Featured on Borrowed and Blue Blog!

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Kate and Andrew’s sweet Summer wedding last year one of our all-time favorite venues –  Charlottesville’s beautiful Clifton Inn is being featured on Borrowed and Blue. Dancing under the stars on the back lawn, cocktail hour featuring a tv at the outside bar so guests could catch the last Triple Crown race, and dining al fresco on the back terrace after the happy couple ran through a shower of lavender.  Everyone wanted to attend this wedding – even a local butterfly!

Congratulations, Kate & Andrew!

Alison & Jasper on the COVER of Washingtonian Bride and Groom magazine!

Alison & Jasper on the COVER of Washingtonian Bride and Groom magazine!

We were so excited when the editors at Washingtonian Bride and Groom reached out to us recently after selecting an image of Alison & Jasper for the cover of their latest issue–Winter & Spring 2015!  A&J were married this past Spring at Farmington Country Club in Charlottesville, Virginia and we knew even then their wedding was unique. We’re so grateful, too to be one of their top photography studios on their Best Of list again! Other top area wedding professionals and couples recently tying the knot vote for the DC area’s best.

Thank you so much, Washingtonian Bride & Groom and thank you, A&J!

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Selected as Best Of by Bride & Groom Magazine

Selected as Best Of by Bride & Groom Magazine

We’re absolutely delighted and honored to once again be selected by our incomparable peers and the (clearly brilliant) editors at Bride and Groom magazine to be among the very best of the best wedding photographers for 2014! Thanks to all who filled in our names on the ballot, and we can’t wait to work with you again throughout 2015.

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Annie & Adam’s Devil’s Thumb Wedding Featured in The Knot Magazine

Annie & Adam’s Devil’s Thumb Wedding Featured in The Knot Magazine

With winter coming soon (here in Boulder, it’s 3 degrees and still snowing this morning after already dumping a foot of snow yesterday), we were excited to get advance copies of The Knot magazine, soon hitting newsstands. In it is featured Annie & Adam’s down-home wedding hosted up in Devil’s Thumb Ranch (Pinterest board here) in the mountains. Thanks to our friends at The Knot for the wonderful feature, and we hope the wedding provides lots of inspiration for your winter wedding. Enjoy!

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Devil's Thumb Ranch Weddings - The Knot

Devil's Thumb Ranch Weddings - The Knot

Misty & Roby’s wedding featured in The Knot magazine

Anyone in attendance at Misty & Roby’s wedding would have seen this coming. Our friends at The Knot were no different when they saw the images from their celebration at Mellon Auditorium. So if you’re living in the Washington, DC area, go pick up a copy of the latest and greatest magazine which just hit stands. We’re so happy for the efforts of all the wedding professionals who put their heart and soul into making Misty & Roby’s event as special as it was, particularly Sara Muchnick, (formerly of Engaging Affairs), who took M&R’s vision and translated it into reality.

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Best of 2013 – Bill’s Faves of Anne’s

Best of 2013 – Bill’s Faves of Anne’s

Today we wrap up our favorite images (we somewhat randomly selected 25 each) among the nearly 15,000 we delivered to our wonderful clients in 2013. These are images Bill loves that Anne captured, vs. Anne’s faves Bill captured. We hope you enjoy them, reminiscing about each of the weddings (click on the link for each couple to see more). Have a great weekend everyone and we’ll soon be sharing a sweet and fun wedding right here in Colorado at Devil’s Thumb Ranch.

Alicia & Gio’s wedding at the Hay Adams Hotel

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Ashley & Kevin’s wedding at the Army Navy Club

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Cristin & Nima’s wedding at Veritas Vineyards

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Elizabeth & Ryan’s wedding at Woodbury Forest School

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Joy & Jerry’s wedding at Vail Mountain Resort

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Jenn & Mike’s wedding at Clifton Inn

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Lindsay & Charles’s wedding at Hotel Monaco
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Lindsay & Kyle’s wedding at the National Museum for Women in the Arts

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Laura & Tony’s wedding at The Barns at Hamilton Station

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Mary Beth & Chris’s wedding at Shrine Mont

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Misty & Roby’s wedding at the Mellon Auditorium

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Sam & Casey’s wedding at Panorama Farms

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Sheryl & David’s wedding at The Homestead

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Sarah & Jason’s wedding at The Homestead

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Tammy & Andrew’s wedding at The Mill at Fine Creek

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Best of 2013 – Anne’s Faves of Bill’s

Best of 2013 – Anne’s Faves of Bill’s

Before things really get cranking in 2014, let’s take a quick look back at some of our favorite moments and images from our 2013 weddings! It was so insanely difficult narrowing down our selections to just 25 (seemed like a reasonable number taken from the 14,983 photos we delivered last year to happy clients). Today we’re looking at some of Anne’s favorite images that Bill captured from the past year. Thanks so much for all our incredible, loving, and happy couples for sharing these moments so we could capture them!

Alicia & Gio’s wedding at the Hay Adams Hotel

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Ashley & Kevin’s wedding at the Army Navy Club

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Brooke & Phill’s wedding at the National Museum for Women in the Arts

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Cristin & Nima’s wedding at Veritas Vineyards

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Healy & Tim’s wedding at a private residence

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Jenn & Mike’s wedding at Clifton Inn

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Joy & Jerry’s wedding at Vail Mountain Resort

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Kaitlyn & Mark’s wedding at the Mellon Auditorium

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Lauren & Chas’s wedding at Fat Cat Farms

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Lindsay & Charles’s wedding at Hotel Monaco

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Laura & Tony’s wedding at The Barns at Hamilton Station

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Mary Beth & Chris’s wedding at Shrine Mont

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Sam & Casey’s wedding at Panorama Farms

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Sarah & Jason’s wedding at The Homestead

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Tammy & Andrew’s wedding at The Mill at Fine Creek

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Wedding Wire Couple’s Choice Award Winner

We’re so happy to be once again named among the top 5% of wedding professionals nationwide by WeddingWire. So, so appreciative of our wonderful clients and all of the other talented pros with whom we work. Thank you!

From Wedding Wire’s release: “The winners are determined by recent reviews in recognition of excellence in quality, service, responsiveness and professionalism within the wedding industry. The WeddingWire Couples’ Choice Awards are selected solely based on the reviews from past clients on WeddingWire, the nation’s largest wedding review website, featuring over one million newlywed reviews.”

Woot!

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