Posted by: ROB & KATHLEEN View More: WEDDINGS They have the kind of chemistry you usually only seen in the movies. The kind of witty banter and in-tune sense of humor that makes you smile just as much as they do whenever you are with them. The charged energy between them that you can actually feel, like something has pulled them together knowing what a perfect match they would make. The small romantic gestures that have become such second nature to them; it's almost habit - reaching out to grab his hand at any opportunity, him gently touching her back as she walks through the door he has held open for her. Because those are the constant reminders of their love for each other, their ways of saying that they will never take each other for granted or forget just how lucky they are to have found each other. But the true chemistry between them is really evident when you see the way they look at each other. The loving glances and sweet smiles throughout they day. The look of pure love and affection when he saw her walk down the aisle to him. The look of pride and complete happiness as she looks up at him while he says his vows to her. Sounds like something you might see if you wandered onto a sound stage somewhere (especially when you see how gorgeous the church was), but sometimes those movie moment really do happen in real life. And when you sit in the pew in a church and hear them exchange their vows or stand by the dance floor watching them share their first dance, it's more powerful than even the best romantic comedy. Because it's real. It's a real love that has brought not only these two people together, but these two families and sets of friends together to witness what a connection like theirs can do. It can bring happiness every to those that are just lucky enough to see what it looks like in real life. VALERIE & CHRIS Valerie & Chris are the kind of couple you would just love to have at a party – easy to talk to, fun to be around, and they tell the best stories. After spending the day with them for their engagement session in NYC, we knew their wedding was going to be amazing. Even in the midst of all the craziness that is NYC, you couldn’t miss for a second just how into each other they are. One of the many, many reasons we love what we do – we get to capture those kind of amazing moments for couples not only at their engagement but again for their wedding day. And that’s one of the the things we love most about engagement sessions, we walked in the morning of their wedding and we were welcomed by Valerie & Chris (and even their families) like old friends. Valerie was just having the finishing touches on her make-up and hair when we (along with our good friend and associate photographer, Sue) arrived at the Courtyard Marriot in Cromwell where she was getting ready. We started off the morning with some shots of her stunning La Sposa gown and her burgundy patent-leather Stuart Weitzman shoes. It looked like rain was on it’s way but the temperature was unusually warm for the end of October, so we headed outside and grabbed a few shots of Valerie before the rain started to fall. We headed over to St. Sebastian’s Church in Middletown for the ceremony. It’s a gorgeous church that looks like it was lifted right out of Italy and dropped right into the center of Connecticut. It was appropriate for Valerie & Chris, since he happened to propose in Rome. The ceremony was sweet and full of tradition – including the beautiful Spanish Lasso ceremony. During this ceremony, the “lasso” (a set of rosary beads made by Valerie’s mother) was placed on Chris’ shoulder and then onto Valerie’s creating a figure 8 – the eternity symbol to symbolize their every lasting union. We had never seen a ceremony like this before, it was very moving to watch Valerie & Chris’s mothers walk up and place the rosary beads on them. (Yet another thing we love about what we do, getting to see all of the unique and moving traditions couples incorporate into their weddings.) Since Valerie & Chris love the feel of a New England fall (they had originally thought about getting married in Vermont), The Barns at Wesleyan Hills was the perfect fit for the kind of rustic, romantic wedding they wanted. When we arrived at The Barns, the rain had finally decided to take a break just in time for some photos of Valerie & Chris and their bridal party. During the shots of just the two of them we incorporated a lot of the property, including some unexpected places (like a storm drain) and the more traditional spots ideal for showing off the foliage you can only get in this part of the country. When the rain really started to come down, Valerie & Chris stayed out in the rain for a bit with us (staying dry underneath one of the oversized golf umbrellas we always carry with us) to get a few rain shots. The reception kicked off shorty after that, with A Starry Night DJs playing plenty of Latin music to get this crowd moving. It seemed like almost every guest was jumping at the chance to dance with the bride and groom, wishes which they happily obliged. But they were never away from each other for very long, coming together at every chance to hold each other close and take in just how perfect their day turned out to be.

When Kathleen and I arrived at the hotel where Valerie and her girls were getting ready we noticed the slight texture and lighting on the hallway walls and thought it would be a great place to photograph her beautiful La Sposa wedding gown.

We found another textured wall to also use as a background for Valerie's Stuart Weitzman shoes.

Even for a very simple photo such as this shot of Valerie's bouquet, we put a great amount of thought into it. We wanted to create a very simple photo that just showed off the details of her flowers. We found this glass top table which made the perfect setting. Then we positioned the flowers into the window light and shot the bouquet with our 85 lens wide open at 1.2 to get a really nice blur.

We went back into Valerie's room where she was getting the finishing touches to her make-up done.

After her make-up was done, her Mom helped her into her dress.

There was some really great light coming in through the hotel room window so we grabbed Valerie to take advantage of it.

Valerie's Mom came over to put her veil in...

...and then we got one more bridal of Valerie in front of the window. Doesn't she look beautiful!

It was a rainy day but that in no way dampened Valerie's mood. We grabbed one of our over-sized golf umbrellas and brought Valerie out to the parking lot for a couple of fun shots.

There was this incredible red bush that seemed to really pop on this cloudy day. It was also a great opportunity to show of some of the really gorgeous details of Valerie's dress.

Ok so most of you all know how much we love photographing architecture and how we feel it is an important part of our style. So you can only imagine how excited we were to photograph at this insanely beautiful church. Just wait until you see inside!

As I was waiting up front for the precession to begin, Kathleen captured these shots of Valerie as she and was being helped into the church by her sister.

I love the anticipation in this photo as Valerie waits to walk down the aisle with her Dad.

The church was so gorgeous and had such a long aisle. Kathleen also captured this angle...

...while I was capturing the one on the left.

Chris was the perfect mix of both patient and excited as he waited for his wife-to-be.

We really loved these moments as Valerie's Dad gave her one more look before giving her away to Chris.

We think it is so important to mix in the surroundings of the day so all of our couples can really remember what it felt like on their wedding day. We could have photographed this moment very close up (and although close-up shots definetely have their place) we think this image is so much stronger because of all that you can see. The architecture, the priest, some of the guests in attendance all add to the image. Plus I really love the feeling of it.

We grabbed a quick photo of Valerie's bride's maids watching on at the beginning of the ceremony.

And what you have all been waiting for, check out how insanely beautiful this church is. It really was a dream to photograph in.

There are so many amazing parts to a wedding day but I really think that there is something incredibly special about the ceremony. We love being able to photograph in a completely journalistic way, love looking for moments and love being wrapped up in all of these emotions..

The way that the light was illuminating both Valerie and Chris was perfect.

At one point during the ceremony, I ran up to the balcony grab a couple more shots of the church. For those photographers who may be interested, I shot this with our Canon 24 1.4 lens. It is a great lens that is incredible sharp and doesn't distort around the edges.

This is also shot with our 24 1.4 lens. We shoot primarily with prime or fixed lenses as it makes us really think about what we want in the frame. In addition fixed lenses are sharper which help us create beautiful crisp images.

Getting married!

I absolutely love the look on Valerie's face as she looks at Chris. The smile on Valerie's sister's face really sums of the day as well, so joyful and happy.

The lighting in this church was so wonderful, it really added to the timelessness of this black and white image.

Valerie and Chris did not once stop looking at each other as they exchanged their rings.

They had a Spanish tradition called the lasso. Two oversized rosary beads that were joined together were placed over Valerie & Chirs by both of their mothers. And as a little side note, Valerie's mom actually made the lasso by hand.

This made me laugh. During the lasso tradition I saw this hand come out of a pew in order to take an iPhone picture.

Kathleen captured this shot of the priest during the blessing...

...and this is my shot from the center at the same moment.

Finally married! :)

There were a couple of fun and interesting places to photograph around the church and Valerie & Chris were up for anything.

It had started to rain but that didn't bother Valerie & Chris at all. They were just happy to be married.

When we arrived at The Barns the rain had stopped so we grabbed the wedding party together right away.

The rain held off long enough for us to explore the grounds. The leaves we so nice and colorful. This is my shot...

...and this is Kathleen's shot a moment later.

There is this HUGE storm drain that we were SO excited to go into. Valerie & Chris had complete trust in us and we are really glad that they did because this has become one of our favorite images from their wedding.

SInce we couldn't decide which one we liked better, we included both! Which one or these two is your favorite?

After coming out of the storm drain we took some time to take a few formal portraits because after all we think these are just as important as the artsy ones. While we were taking these photos, Chris leaned over to Valerie and whispered something to her that brought out her incredibly sweet smile.

I can't even begin to tell you how happy we were for Valerie & Chris that we got to take advantage of the fall foliage.

Before heading into their reception we made our way to one more spot on the grounds of The Barns to give them a lot of variety.

While we were out by the pond, it started to pour but I don't think Valerie or Chris even moved a little, we just handed them an umbrella and continued to enjoy photographing them.

We did eventually head in where Kathleen started by capturing their details.

As their table cards they had home-mad Limoncello for each guest.

I grabbed a couple of wet leaves for a shot with their rings.

Valerie & Chris came in the day before their wedding to personally string all of the lights and it was totally worth it because it added such nice atmosphere to their evening especially during their first dance.

The exposed beams and rustic atmosphere of The Barns at Wesleyan Hills is such a nice feel.

I don't think that they could be anymore into each other than they were at this moment.

The excitement in the room as the kissed during their dance was so sweet.

Valerie danced with her Dad...

...and Chris danced with his Mom.

Their cake! :)

During their cake cutting Valerie had a little fun as she fed Chris, but although tempted Chris remained the perfect gentleman when he fed Valerie.

Valerie & Chris, we had such a wonderful time with you on your wedding day. You both are so warm and fun to be around. We hope you had an amazing time in Paris and can't wait to see some of those photos! We hope you enjoy these as much as we enjoyed capturing them for you! ~Rob & Kathleen

Posted by: ROB & KATHLEEN View More: WEDDINGS They were almost leading parallel lives, living in the very same city, each looking for that right person to make their lives complete while they pursued the careers they loved. Even so, their paths may have not crossed on their own had a mutual friend not seen that they would be perfect for each other. They just had to meet. So a blind date was planned. It would be the first and last one each of them would ever go on. No doubt they were both pleasantly surprised when the arrived to see how attractive their date was, but it was way more than that. They connected. They just fit together. And in an instant everything was different. By the end of the night they both couldn't believe just how lucky they had gotten. It didn't take long for each of them to know that they shared the exact same feelings, or long for them to know that this was exactly what they were each looking for - that right person to make their lives complete. It was less than two years after that first date when they found themselves embarking on another day that would change their lives. Like that first night, she looked gorgeous and glowing ready to burst with joy as she got ready to marry the man of her dreams. When she arrived at the club to see him for the first time, he was nervous but mostly excited to see her. Any nerves he may have been feeling that morning melted away the minute he saw her, he couldn't take his eyes off her. They held hands the rest of the morning before the ceremony, clinging together not only for warmth (it was unusually chilly for October) but because in each others arms they find a comfort and a calmness that lets them know that together they can do anything. And in an instant everything was different. They headed to the church and exchanged their vows surrounded by the family and friends that knew that this was a perfect match. They kissed at the altar and headed down the aisle as husband and wife. CARRIE & LIAM The sky may have been a bit darken then usual and the air far more chilly than any one would have expected, but you would never have known it from watching Carrie & Liam all day. They were radiating light and warmth to everyone they came in contact with all day. All morning while Carrie was getting ready in her parent's house with her bridesmaids and mother by her side, she had a constant smile on her face especially once she put on her Ann Taylor wedding dress. Even a few raindrops early in the day wouldn't bring her down and somehow all that rain seemed to break away just in time for her to head over to the reception venue, the Wilton Riding Club, where she'd be seeing Liam for their "first look" before the ceremony. We definitely lucked out that the weather held out just enough to hold off any more drops and bring the temperature up just a bit while we took shots of Carrie, Liam and their bridal party on the grounds of the club. Carrie and Liam were total troopers, sticking it out despite the cold and Liam spent most of his time making sure Carrie was warm enough - rubbing her arms and holding her close at every chance. The ceremony took place at the Wilton Presbyterian Church. Carrie and Liam had taken a lot of time to make their ceremony their own incorporating readings and songs that were meaningful to them, like a special Irish Blessing and having Carrie's brother and one of her bridesmaids sing "The Wedding Song." After they were announced husband and wife, they climbed into their special car for the day - a classic Rolls Royce and headed back to the Riding Club for the reception. The rustic barn and natural setting blended perfectly with the autumn palette they had used for their bridal party attire and decor. The wooden bar was filled with candles creating an atmosphere that was elegant and romantic, much like the couple themselves. Their selection of dessert, black & white cookies from Junior's were all stacked up like a cake reminding everyone that Carrie & Liam definitely have a sense of fun as well. Something you could definitely see once the party got started and the dance floor filled up. On a side note we were lucky enough to have our very good friend and associate photographer, Sue, along with us to capture Carrie & Liam's Day. We have been friends with Sue for quite a while now and can't even begin to show all of our appreciation for all that she has done for us both personally and profesionally. Thank you Sue! Also just as a reminder, Kathleen writes the story (above) and Rob does the short narrating under each photo. We hope that both of our perspectives really help you get to know all of our wonderful couples just a little better. Also don't forget to pick your favorites! You can pick as many images as your favorites as you would like, you are not limited to just one. The photos with the most votes are updated in the FAVORITE PHOTOS section at the top of this site. ENJOY!

When Kathleen and I arrived at Carrie's parent's house we started right away with a couple shots of her simple and beautiful Ann Taylor wedding dress.

Her bouquet was made up of a nice mixture of autumn colors.

Everyone was just about ready when we got there but we were still able to catch a couple of Carrie's last minute make-up touches before she got into her dress.

Since it was autumn, Carrie gave each of her girls pashminas as a gift that they could immediately use.

When it was finally time for Carrie to get into her dress, her Mom helped zipper her in as her bridesmaids watched.

Her girls helped her get on some wedding day jewelry.

When we were putting together this blog post and saw this photo we immediately were reminded how incredible Carrie's eyes are.

After everyone was ready we stole Carrie away for a couple of minutes for some bridals. This is my personal favorite bridal of her and of course you know how much we love window light! It is so soft and natural and I LOVE the look of it.

Although there were spurts of rain, we took the chance and went outside to capture some of the fall foliage.

Of course we were not out there very long before the rain started and we had to find cover under the front porch. This is Kathleen's favorite bridal of Carrie.

Carrie's family has a tradition that every bride in the family who gets married takes a photo in front of one of the bedroom mirrors in their wedding dress. As you see from these photos, the tradition has been going on for quite some time. It is so fun for us to get to see and experience so many different traditions on a wedding day.

This is the photo that we captured to be added to their wall.

When it was time for all of us to head over to the Wilton Riding Club for Carrie and Liam's "First Look" the rain (as if it was planned) miraculously stopped. Liam's reaction in the top right is by far our favorite!

Although it was a very gray day, you would never know it by looking at Carrie & Liam, they were so excited and so happy to be getting married.

Just as a side note sometimes gray days without the sun shining through are really good for photography so if your wedding day is not as sunny as you would like, don't worry to much your day will still be beautiful and you won't have to worry about squinting! :)

Since Carrie & Liam opted to have us capture a "First Look" we were able to photograph both the two of them, their wedding party and their families all prior to the ceremony. This really helps out especially since it gets dark out much earlier during this time of year.

Such a sweet moment!

We were so happy that we got to incorporate some of the subtle fall foliage into Carrie & Liam's photos.

One of the great compliments we get from both our clients and our friends is how relaxed everyone looks in the photos we take of them. This is something that is so important to us. We know that there is a certain anxiety about being in front of a camera especially if you have not had photos taken often. I personally remember how nervous I used to be. We strive to make our clients feel relaxed in order to produce beautiful and timeless photos that really capture them.

We thought the red barn in the backgrounds added just the right amount of color for these two.

We love playing with depth-of-field in order to dramatically change the photo without ever moving the couple. I really love the feel of this one.

We love showing how we got a shot and then the actual shot. Here is Kathleen photographing Carrie & Liam...

...and here is one of the shots that she got at that moment.

Although it was SUPER cold by this point, we were able to convince the wedding party to come out for a few shots.

Since we brought them out into the cold we made sure we made it worth their while and captured plenty of details.

Their flowers were such a nice pop of color amongst the cloudy day.

Of course we could not forget about getting a couple portraits of Liam.

Just when we thought we were ready to head over to the church for their ceremony, we spotted this stone wall and just had to take a few shots by it.

How perfect is Liam's smile?!

When we arrived at the church we had a few minutes before any guests were to arrive so Carrie & Liam requested a few photos in the church. I love how the lights look in these black and whites.

Right before Carrie walked down the aisle with her Dad Kathleen captured this absolutely adorable photo.

As I almost always am, I was up front for when Carrie & her Dad walked down the aisle.

I really like this moment because (as I have said many times before) I love remembering how it felt to stand up front and wait for Kathleen to come down the aisle with her Dad. It is such a crazy exciting series of emotions. I remember hoping she would come down the aisle a little faster so I could hold on to her as to not pass out from all the excitement. Wouldn't that be a photo moment! :)

This is Kathleen's view from behind.

I really liked the simple architecture of this church, it made for such a warm and romantic atmosphere. When we photograph a wedding or an event, I always carry two cameras, one has a 85 1.2 lens on it and the other has a 24 1.4 lens on it, Kathleen loves her 50 1.2. We love our prime lenses (because of sharpness and color) and this gives me the ability to have a tight shot as well as a wide angle shot by quickly switching cameras (as you see above). We have recently received a bunch of questions regarding camera gear so we are going to be putting together a post for you to talk about our favorite gear and the things that help us attain our look. So be sure to look for that soon!

Carrie's brother and one of her bridesmaids sang "The Wedding Song" during the middle of their ceremony.

Almost married!

And of course their first kiss. :)

Immediately following the ceremony I followed Carrie & Liam, their wedding party and their minister to her office where they made their marriage legal by filling out a little paperwork.

They had a GORGEOUS Rolls Royce for their ride from the church back to the Wilton Riding Club. I was so excited for this photo that Kathleen got and couldn't wait to share it.

See I told you it was a gorgeous car and in perfect condition. This is my view...

...and this is Kathleen's at the same moment.

There is something so amazing about a classic car in black and white.

After we had some fun with the Carrie & Liam by the car, they headed inside to get ready for their reception.

It was such a cozy atmosphere, we loved the details, the lights and the fire in the fire place. Such a nice place for their reception on a cold autumn night.

Instead of a cake they had black & white cookies from Junior's and let me tell you, they were SO good!

Their first dance.

They had four toasts before dinner all telling fun and emotional stories about how Carrie & Liam met.

Cheers!

During the evening, Carrie danced with here Dad and Liam danced with his Mom.

Carrie & Liam - your wedding day was so unique and filled with so much fun and emotion. Thank you again for letting us share it with you both. ~Rob & Kathleen~

Posted by: ROB & KATHLEEN View More: ENGAGEMENTS Sometimes you meet a couple that make you feel good simply by being around them. Because they are so relaxed, so in tune with each other that they spread a positive energy to everyone they meet. They are one of those couples. She is a ball of energy, so completely in love with him and with life that you that she makes you smile the whole time you're talking to her. She bubbles over when she's talking about their plans, their wedding and their future together - so excited about watching it all come together. Because since the moment he entered her life, all of her dreams have started to become reality. She has a man that makes her laugh, loves her with his whole heart and brings her more happiness than she had ever thought was possible. While he may be more quiet and reserved, he never leaves you with any doubt that he is just as crazy about her. He shows it with the way he looks at her, the way he takes her hand in his, the way closes his eyes takes it all in every time he holds her. He loves to tell her jokes, see her eyes light up when she looks at him and he can't wait to make all of her dreams come true. KATIE & JIM Katie & Jim selected we met up at Harkness Memorial State Park because Katie is a loyal blog reader and loved the sessions we had done there before. We always enjoy when couples get ideas from our blog, it's such a great resource for planning. It was the perfect day for a session at Harkness, the sky was starting to darken a bit making all of the colors of the foliage pop. We were psyched when the clouds rolled in even more right before we headed to the beach area making for quite a dramatic backdrop while they walked up the boardwalk to the sand. It was the perfect setting for us - a couple so into each other and having a blast in front of the camera and gorgeous weather that cooperated just long enough for us, it started to rain (very heavily) just minutes after we drove out of Harkness. We had completely lucked out, especially considering how wacky the weather has been this season!

We love starting our engagement sessions off nice and slow, with some relaxed conversation and direction. We usually tell our couples to not look at the camera and to talk to each other. It is usually during those couple of moment that any anxiety they may have had of a photo session goes away and they see how fun it can all be. During these moments with Katie & Jim, we immediately noticed how into each other they are and how much fun we were going to have with them.

Right from the very beginning of their session, they had the biggest smiles across their faces.

They usually kissed on their own and we were able to capture real moments such as this.

One of the things we really love about Harkness is all that is has to offer. There are brick building, and a couple of mansions as well as loads of open space that leads right to the ocean. There is definitely no shortage of variety.

This is one of the storage buildings on the property. We really like of course the bricks but the fun colors as well.

I love this shot that Kathleen captured, it is filled with so much simple and beautiful emotion.

You know that energy in the air right before a rain or snow storm?, well that was in the air during their whole session. Personally I love that feeling, it is very intense and exciting while at the exact same time very relaxed and quiet.

The gardens around the Eiola Mansion are absolutely gorgeous. They are constantly working on them and keep them in pristine condition.

I really like this shot that Kathleen captured of Katie & Jim enjoying a kiss on this little secluded pathway.

Didn't I tell you that these gardens are beautiful. If you have never been to Harkness you should take the drive up 95 and visit. As far as Katie & Jim, we really love how into each other they are and how they are looking at each other in this one.

So sweet!

The vine covered areas and columns make for such a romantic location.

{FILM} Love this moment!

Katie and Jim's energy and excitement was so intoxicating.

When capturing our couples we strive to create beautiful and timeless photographs while also capturing their true emotion.

We had such a wonderful day with Katie & Jim. This is my shot...

...and this is Kathleen's just a moment later.

Just really loved this tree...

...and how Jim looked at Katie in this one.

This building was one of our favorites, there was so many textures and cool things to shoot.

Dirt pathways, perfectly manicured hedges and an awesome couple... what more can we ask for?!

We aren't exactly sure what this building is but that didn't stop us from taking advantage or it. So much fun!

This was actually the secondary house on the property but Kathleen and I actually liked it more the the main. We just thought it had more character. Both are still insanely beautiful.

{FILM} I love the look on Katie's face as Jim kissed her on the cheek.

These are a mixture of what both Kathleen and I captured while Katie & Jim spent a couple of moments on the stairs.

We had some fun on the lawn in front of the main house.

Before it was a state park, this was actually a private residence. Can you image living on such a huge piece of property in an enormous house overlooking the ocean. So crazy!

After we spent a lot of time enjoying the park, we took a break so Katie & Jim could change into a different outfit before heading over to the beach. As we were walking across the boardwalk we noticed hot intense the clouds were, they were pretty awesome.

Jim picked up Katie who naturally let out a huge smile.

The lighting was really perfect as we headed to the water.

We thought this bird was fun.

I love a contrasty black and white image, there is something really nice about it. This is one of my personal favorites from their session.

{FILM} They were up for anything and even laid down in the sand for a few minutes.

Those of you who know us well know very well our love for photographing in and around long grass. Katie & Jim know very well about that love and they were more than happy to jump right in the middle of it all for a few shots.

This is Kathleen getting ready to get a couple long grass shots...

...and here is the image that she captured.

Although I probably would have been ok with it, we couldn't say in the grass all day. We headed back down to the sand.

I really like the simplicity of this moment.

On our way out from the beach we captured a couple more moments of Katie & Jim enjoying each other's company.

{FILM} Katie & Jim thank you so much for an amazing day. Can't wait to see you again for your wedding in April. On a side note we found that our good friend and fellow photographer Eric Foley (below) was also photographing an engagement session with one of his couples, so of course we had to get a shot of him doing his thing and send him a little shout out! It was good seeing you Eric!

Posted by: KATHLEEN View More: BABIES, CHILDREN & FAMILIES I am the youngest of four children, the only girl in the family with three older brothers. And though three brothers might seem like a lot, growing up it was more like I had a lot more than that. There is a tradition in our family. Not one that started for any particular reason or purpose, but one that just kind of fell into place on it's own. Each of the four of us have a close friend that has become just a part of the family - invited to every family party, every event and been welcomed by our extended family just as warmly as we were. And the funny thing is that as much as they may have started out as one particular sibling's friend, all of our family seems to have ownership over them now. They have been embraced into the fold. Matt started out as my brother Tommy's friend. But in the years since he has become such a regular at family functions and parties that any of the four of us could call him a friend of our own. He knows all the family jokes, flows right into the family dynamic and is welcome to any event - big or small. No doubt that he would be invited to our wedding two years ago, and we were honored when he said he'd play the bagpipes for us when we came out of the church. He did the same for my brother Michael and his wife Maren this past July - playing as Maren walked down the aisle and again when they came down together as husband and wife. At that wedding, I actually walked over to Matt and remarked about how lucky my brothers and I are to have such amazing friends that have truly become part of the family. Not only is Matt a great friend - he also happens to be an amazing uncle & brother. He is completely devoted to his adorable niece Audrey and would do anything for his sister Karen (and his Mom of course). So when he contacted Rob and I during the summer and asked us if we'd be available to take some pictures of Audrey we jumped at the chance. We never pass up the opportunity to help our fellow uncles and aunts - we know how it is to have a niece (or nephew) that has you completely wrapped around their finger (that means you Maura, Aidan & Keira). We had heard quite a bit about Audrey from Matt and could tell that she was definitely going to be fun to photograph - she is one lively and adorable little girl. After spending the morning with her we could tell that is she clearly a girl after our own hearts - she loves tall grass, has a fondness for rubber duckies and totally knows how to devour a apple cider donut. And, like all toddlers, she moves pretty fast. One of the many benefits of Rob and I shooting together, it makes it so much easier to capture all of those great expressions. And Audrey is full of them.

Posted by: ROB & KATHLEEN View More: C.L.A.S.S & NETWORKING About a year and a half ago, we had the distinct pleasure of having Kevin Casey who is the CEO of one of the companies we work with regularly, Collages.net, come to visit our studio. During that meeting, Kevin wanted to hear all about our experience with Collages.net (totally great, by the way) and our feelings about the wedding photography industry as a whole. We were honored that he wanted our feedback and spent quite a bit of time talking about it all. At the end of the meeting, Kevin enlisted us to start a photographer's networking group right here in our area. We jumped at the chance and started planning right away. We knew that we wanted this group to be open. Open to photographers at all levels of their business (just starting out and old pros and everything in between). Open to photographers that use Collages.net and those that don't. Open in format - a place where anyone in attendance could participate, ask questions, etc. We also knew that we wanted the group to have a focus. Over the course of the last nearly six years, we had discovered that the meetings and talks that we got the most out of were the ones focusing on business matters - how to run it all, how to plan for the future, etc. The stuff CEOs and VPs take care of in large business all falls on the shoulders of small business owners - not to mention the actually work of whatever business you had to be running. So we planned meetings to discuss marketing, pricing, work/life balance and so on. We had an informal first meeting - reaching out to some local photographers we already knew and some that we didn't - to get the ball rolling and make sure we were on the right track with the group's focus. That meeting reinforced all of our goals and the group was ready to begin. It just needed a name. After lots and lots of brainstorming with our favorite ladies at Collages.net (that's you Meagan, Deirdre, Lindsay, Abbey) we came up with one - C.L.A.S.S. (standing for Collages.net Learning and Sharing Sessions). It fit perfectly with our goal of education and discussion blending into one - creating a friendly open atmosphere where photographers can learn, network, and talk about the unique experience of owning your own business in a creative field. We held our first official meeting in January of this year and Kevin Casey came back to launch it off - giving a speech called "Blue Ocean Strategy" all about differentiating your business. Since then, we've had a meeting every month (usually the second Monday of the month), with presentations by photographers - Rob & myself talked about business contracts and pricing and Eric & Amber from Raw Photo Design did a talk on work/life balance - as well as other industry professionals. Just last month we were honored with a visit from yet another CEO - this time it was David Trust, the CEO of Professional Photographers of America, who came to do his incredible presentation on Branding. In less than a year, we have built an amazing group and we feel so lucky each and every time we have a meeting. It's no small feat to gather together so many amazing and talented photographers and have such productive, insightful and fun meetings. We're also very lucky to have so much help from our local Collages.net representative Meagan (who also happens to be a photographer and friend as well). Last night we had a bit of a change from our traditional meetings, with a shoot out in Anthony DeCarlo & Steve Blazo's New Haven studio. We thought a shootout would be a great way to get the creative juices flowing but also a great way for everyone to challenge themselves and learn something new. Not only did Steve & Anthony set up several different shooting locations in their industrial space complete with studio lighting, they also enlisted many models (with help also from David Apuzzo), make-up artists and hair stylists to work their magic. Some of those involved included make-artists D.D Nickel and hair/make-up artist Irina Cherhoniak, hair stylist Becky (who also makes very cool custom jewelry) and many models that clearly knew how to rock it in front of the lens - as you'll see below. Here's some of our shots from the shoot out, just a few of the many, many we took! We hope that all of our fellow photogs enjoyed the meeting as much as we did. If you're interested in being a part of the C.L.A.S.S. group, e-mail me us Kathleen@RobertandKathleen.com and we'd be happy to add you to list. Coming up next month - Holiday Party!!