July 20, 2011
Gueeeess whaaaat?! It’s time to move on to travel photos of BARCELONA!!!!!! I. Am. So. Excited.
It is the most amazing city in the world. We walked around and I felt more inspired. I saw beauty and photos everywhere I looked. You’ve already seen the incredible photo session we were fortunate enough to shoot while there. Now I’m going to show you the pictures we shot just walking around the city.
While I did really like London as well, it didn’t quite touch me the way Barcelona did. I don’t think any other city has struck such a chord with me, actually.
Overall, we really love Spain. We loved Santander, we loved Madrid. Now we love Barcelona too. And even though we don’t normally repeat many countries when we plan our travels, this was our second trip back to España and I can assure you there will be many more visits back in our future.
For now, enjoy. These are some of my favorite travel photos ever.
My family hosted an exchange student from Spain waaaaaay back in the day. I think when she lived with us I was 16 and she was 14? Somewhere around those ages. She’s since come back to visit my family in Michigan, and we’ve all stayed in touch throughout the years. Her name is Mar and she is a SAINT who came to pick us up not once, but TWICE at the airport. Why? Because I’m an idiot and my flight got changed and I forgot to tell her.
Anyways, all my stupidity aside, she came to get us and we picked up right where we left off…as if no time at all had passed! Mar was kind enough to show us around, and at one point she took us to a restaurant/bar overlooking the city. It was such a beautiful view, especially at night.
It’s always nice to know someone where you’re going. In this case, we would’ve never made it all the way up to this lookout since we didn’t have a car. Mar made it happen!
So many buildings have artwork on them. It’s cool.
Gaudi, Gaudi, Gaudi. You will see a lot of him in the upcoming posts about Spain.
Barcino! Catalan for Barcelona, I’m assuming?
July 19, 2011
Claudia and Manu are a special couple with a special story. Claudia is Chilean. She is friends with Sarah and Pipe, that’s how she found me. Yay, thank you Sarah!
Claudia y Manu son una pareja especial con una historia especial. Claudia es Chilena. Es amiga de Sarah y Pipe, así es como me encontro. Yay, gracias Sarah!
Back to the facts. Claudia is Chilean. Lived in Chile. Speaks Spanish. Manu, on the other hand, has lived in France almost his whole life. He was just a 10 month old baby when he moved there. But guess where he’s from…Chile! So he went back to Chile to learn about his heritage, learn the language…and find a wife 
De vuelta a los hechos. Claudia es Chilena. Vivió en Chile. Habla español. Manu, por el otro lado, ha vivido en Francia casi toda su vida. Tenia solo 10 meses cuando se fue a Francia. Pero adivinen de donde es….Chile! Asi que fue de vuelta a Chile a aprender acerca de sus raíces, aprender el idioma…y encontrar esposa
It never ceases to amaze me that the world is SO BIG but somehow it’s not. Somehow, some way, the right people manage to find each other.
Nunca deja de asombrarme que el mundo es tan grande, pero de alguna manera no lo es. De alguna manera, de alguna forma, las personas adecuadas se las arreglan para encontrarse el uno al otro.
When I met up with Claudia and Manu two days before their city hall wedding in Paris, I was thrilled. Thrilled because they are just as adorable in person as they were in the Facebook photos I’d seen. Thrilled because they both spoke great Spanish and English so both Leo and I were able to communicate with them with no problems. Thrilled because they had good chemistry together.
Cuando me junte con Claudia y Manu dos dias antes de su matrimonio civil en Paris, estaba super emocionada. Emocionada por que son tan adorables en persona como lo son en las fotos de Facebook que había visto. Emocionada por que los dos hablan super bien ingles y español por lo que Leo y yo pudimos comunicarnos con ellos sin problemas. Emocionada por que tienen química entre ellos.
But most of all thrilled because Claudia said something that resonated so deeply with me that I honestly felt this incredibly strong sense of ”This is absolutely so very right. I had to photograph this couple.”
Pero mas que nada emocionada por que Claudia dijo algo que resonó tan profundo en mi que de verdad tuve este inmenso sentido de “Esto es completamente correcto. Tengo que fotografiar a esta pareja”
She said, “I am beyond grateful for my life. For the people I’ve met, for the places I’ve been, for the things I’ve done. Sometimes I don’t believe that all this has happened to me and brought me here.”
Ella dijo, “Estoy mas que agradecida por mi vida. Por la gente que he conocido, por los lugares en que he estado, las cosas que he hecho A veces no creo que esto me ha pasado a mi y me ha traído hasta acá.
I feel that way all the time. And I love people who appreciate their life, people who don’t take the good for granted. I know it’s corny. But it’s true. Every day really is a gift. Claudia and Manu recognize that.
Me siento de esa forma todo el tiempo. Y me encanta la gente que aprecia su vida, gente que no toma lo bueno por seguro. Se que es cursi. Pero es verdad. Cada día realmente es un regalo. Claudia y Manu reconocen eso.
And Saturday was a gift. It was a beautiful day and both Leo and I were honored to be a part of it.
Y el sábado fue un regalo. Fue un día hermoso y Leo y yo tuvimos el honor de ser parte de ello.
Humongous thanks to Leo Druker, a wedding photograph in Washington D.C., who flew all the way out to Paris to come shoot this wedding with me! He took some really incredible pictures! BUT, I know he’s going to do his own blog post, so in this post the three shots of Manu getting ready belong to him, and that’s all. I’ll let him show you his own amazing ceremony shots
Claudia sees Manu for the first time. Awww.
FAVORITE. I love how this shot turned out.
Eiffle Tower! I like it’s contribution to this photo
The reception was in a very intimate small space so I tried to play around with the light a bit.
Claudia in her mask of Zorro! And penguins!
The writing’s on the wall face.
Adorable. Adore them. J’adore! J’ADORE!!!! Click on the photo below to view their slideshow. The slideshow DOES contain many of Leo’s images, so enjoy!
July 17, 2011
Want to have a destination wedding, but also want a great honeymoon? Can’t afford to do both? Consider booking both your destination venue and honeymoon in the same location. Money is tight these days, and not everyone is able to afford the dream wedding and honeymoon they always desired. However, to make the most of the funds available, many couples are making compromises and a great way to do so is to choose a destination that includes everything you ever wanted in both a venue and honeymoon. Great ideas for such destinations include:
All-Inclusive Resorts
All-inclusive resorts always make travel easy. They provide all the food, drinks, and activities you could want for one low price which is great for those traveling in groups. When you have a destination wedding, worrying about how well other guests are getting along should be the last of your worries. By booking your wedding at an all-inclusive resort, all the details are taken care of so your guests can enjoy themselves without a worry in the world. When the ceremony is over, you can easily coast from bride on the go to relaxing wife simply by waltzing down to the beach. Several of these resorts offer tours, daily activities, and even spa services so newlyweds can both enjoy themselves and find more intimate times to relax.
A Tennis Resort
This may seem a little strange when it comes to a wedding venue, but a tennis resort, such as Tennis Academy Florida, actually makes a great venue and honeymoon destination for more athletic couples. The grounds of these types of resorts are always impeccably groomed which makes them a breeze for setting up an outdoor ceremony, and they always host a wide range of activities which can keep incoming guests occupied until the big day arrives. For the honeymoon, couples can then take private lessons together, enjoy messages, and even take a stroll through the beautiful scenery as many of these resorts are located on the Caribbean or high in the Swiss Alps.
Cruises
Cruises are similar to having your wedding in an all-inclusive resort with the exception that you get to wake up each morning in a different location. You may be married over looking the shores of Cozumel, Mexico one day, and then experience the first day of your honeymoon in the rainforests of Belize. Cruises also offer all food, beverages, and activities so you don’t have to worry about entertaining your guests, or about finding plenty to do as a couple once you are married. Some cruise lines even offer private tours that you may opt to take to get some intimate alone time as newlyweds.
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