Category: weddings

  • Jeris & Michael – 10.13.13

    Jeris & Michael – 10.13.13

    I’m pretty sure that when you’re planning a Virginia wedding in the month of October, you picture crisp, cool weather with the leaves turning beautiful colors and starting to fall from their trees. You might anticipate the ladies at your wedding needing a shawl or a wrap, and the gentlemen will easily be comfortable in suit jackets. What you probably don’t picture is five days straight of rain, rain, and more rain with no break and not a sliver of sunlight. But that’s what we encountered this past week! I nearly forgot what the sun looked like. And for Jeris & Michael’s wedding yesterday, the forecast predicted more of the wet stuff. Sure enough, it continued to rain all morning while I loaded up my gear and made my way out to Lost Creek Winery in Leesburg, VA. The drizzle insisted while I unpacked my car and while all of the vendors set up everything on the grounds around the Harvest House.

    But somehow, miracle of all miracles, the rain completely stopped in the afternoon just in time for guests to arrive and be seated for the outdoor ceremony! The ceremony site was moved from the vines to the front of the house, and it could not have turned out more beautifully.

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    Jeris and her bridesmaids got ready in the perfectly appointed Harvest House. The bridal suite is huge!04_cox-clagett_blog 05_cox-clagett_blog 06_cox-clagett_blog 07_cox-clagett_blog 08_cox-clagett_blog

    SO stunning.09_cox-clagett_blog 10_cox-clagett_blog 11_cox-clagett_blog

    Jeris’s dad seeing her for the first time was one of the sweetest moments I’ve ever witnessed. 13_cox-clagett_blog12_cox-clagett_blog 14_cox-clagett_blog 15_cox-clagett_blog 16_cox-clagett_blog 17_cox-clagett_blog 18_cox-clagett_blog 19_cox-clagett_blog 20_cox-clagett_blog

    I love how you can almost hear Jeris laughing in this photo!21_cox-clagett_blog 22_cox-clagett_blog 23_cox-clagett_blog 24_cox-clagett_blog 25_cox-clagett_blog

    Despite the ground being pretty soggy, I was so excited that we were still able to do some photos in the vines! (Jeris had the super smart idea to bring cute boots for this very reason.)26_cox-clagett_blog 27_cox-clagett_blog28_cox-clagett_blog 29_cox-clagett_blog 30_cox-clagett_blog36_cox-clagett_blog

    Just as the ceremony site was moved, the reception location was moved as well. The tent area was just completely soaked, so the Lost Creek staff and the amazing team from Bella Cosa Events worked incredibly hard to relocate the reception to the almost-completed carriage house next to the Harvest House. The results were simply stunning. 31_cox-clagett_blog32_cox-clagett_blog 33_cox-clagett_blog 34_cox-clagett_blog 35_cox-clagett_blog

    Jeris and Mike had their first date at a Toby Keith concert, so they entered the reception and toasted with their guests to the song, “Red Solo Cup.” I adore personal touches like that! 37_cox-clagett_blog 38_cox-clagett_blog 39_cox-clagett_blog 40_cox-clagett_blog41_cox-clagett_blog 42_cox-clagett_blog 43_cox-clagett_blog 44_cox-clagett_blog 45_cox-clagett_blog

    As part of the father/daughter dance, Jeris planned a surprise choreographed dance for Mike. So fun!46_cox-clagett_blog 47_cox-clagett_blog 48_cox-clagett_blog 49_cox-clagett_blog50_cox-clagett_blog 51_cox-clagett_blog 52_cox-clagett_blog 53_cox-clagett_blog 54_cox-clagett_blog 55_cox-clagett_blog 56_cox-clagett_blog 57_cox-clagett_blog

    Jeris and Mike, it was absolutely wonderful meeting you both and I had such a great time photographing your wedding day! Your grace and relaxed attitudes about the crazy weather made the day even more special. I wish you both the very best!

  • Danielle & Fred – 03.24.13

    Danielle & Fred – 03.24.13

    Happy spring, everyone! I hope you’re having a warmer start to the season than we are in the VA/DC/MD area – it snowed quite a bit yesterday even though we’re several days officially into spring (and I had already put away my snowboard for the year). But thankfully Danielle and Fred’s wedding on Sunday was just warm enough with clear skies and no rain or snow. That’s all I was asking for! They were married at the lovely historic Morrison-Clark Inn in D.C.

    The ceremony space indoors was perfect for an intimate gathering.

    I love all of the beautiful traditions in a Jewish ceremony, and their rabbi did an amazing job officiating.

    Signing the ketubah:

    I LOVE this next image. It’s one of my most favorite post-ceremony photos ever.

    After the ceremony, guests mingled for cocktail hour…

    …and I stole Danielle and Fred for a few quick portraits outside. It was just barely warm enough for five minutes of portraits, but we made it work!

    There is something really amazing that happens when I ask a couple to look at each other. It becomes an un-posed moment of joy – just magic. I love it.

    The dining room was transformed after the ceremony…

    …with signs of spring!

    Mazel tov Danielle and Fred! It was so wonderful to meet you both, and I was truly honored to be a small part of your special day. Best wishes for a lifetime of happiness together!

  • Custom Flush Mount Album in Japanese Book Cloth

    It’s wedding album season! Or at least it is for me – this time of year is when my couples’ wedding album orders tend to come in, which works out perfectly. The cold weather makes it easy to cozy up with a mug of hot tea in front of my computer and reminisce about the beautiful weddings from last year (or the year before that…or the year before that!) while I work on an album design. And I just realized I never showed you a photograph of Alanna & Brendan’s gorgeous wedding album. I especially want to show it off because I haven’t displayed an example of the Japanese Book Cloth. This one is in aqua, with silver imprinting:

    So pretty, right? The Japanese Book Cloth is available in eleven colors and has a silk-like feel. Imprinting looks lovely in any of the inks available. Contact me for details if you still want/need to order a wedding album!

  • Published!

    Truth: there’s something really neat about seeing your name in print alongside one of your photos in a major publication, and this is the first time I’m seeing just that! I know my photos have been in the paper and in magazines before, but not with my name (e.g., engagement/wedding announcement photos, second-shooter photos representing another studio, etc.) and I’ve had photos published online, but this was the first time I’ve had a photo printed in the Washington Post with credit to Susan Solo Photography. Pretty darn cool, and yes I went out and bought a copy. 🙂

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    And here’s the link to the online copy of Nicole & Colin’s beautiful wedding day story in the OnLove section. It was such a pleasure to photograph both of them, and to meet the wonderful from the Washington Post.

  • Nicole & Colin – 02.09.13

    Nicole & Colin – 02.09.13

    Yesterday I had the pleasure of photographing Nicole and Colin’s beautiful wedding at the Morrison House in Old Town Alexandria. It was such a chilly day (thankfully sans three feet of snow like our northeastern friends!) so it was nice to stay warm and cozy inside this wonderful venue.

    Nicole’s aunt, helping with the jewelry. (Nicole, you have the best skin ever! Gorgeous.)

    Mom joins in – getting ready is always a team effort!

    Nicole and Colin opted to see each other before the ceremony, so we met in the library for this incredibly sweet moment.

    We stepped outside for approximately two minutes – with a wind chill in the 20s, and quite a strong breeze, we stayed close to the door!

    The ceremony in the parlor was beautiful and intimate, with friends and family standing close by.

    I loved the setting in the Louis XVI dining room, where everyone was seated together.

    Guests took home these adorable heart-shaped cookies. Love my cute little helper here!

    One more quick portrait outside. It was even colder once the sun set, of course, but I think it was totally worth it!

    Nicole and Colin, thank you so much for inviting me to join you on such a special occasion, and for trusting me to capture your wedding day memories. It was so nice meeting you both, and I wish you a lifetime of joy together!