Brittany + Gerrit // Melrose Market Studios
“Love is the desire to give, accompanied by the ability to receive.”
- Gerrit quoting his aunt during toasts
Gerrit and Brittany were married on a perfectly Seattle grey January day at Melrose Market Studios. “This is so them,” I heard their guests repeat throughout the wedding. The wedding program was a zine documenting their relationship and wedding party. Their playlist during dinner was exclusively songs from bands whose shows that they went to together. They had a first dance song so obscure that I couldn’t find it online. (Music enthusiasts: it was Everything But The Girl’s unreleased demo cover of Big Star’s “Thirteen”). It was sweet, relaxed, and personal. Thanks for taking me along for the ride, and for having a killer playlist all day that included The National, Death Cab For Cutie, and the Yeah Yeah Yeahs.
B + G // Pike Place Market
Brittany and Gerrit share a love of music. "He told me that my hair looked like Karen O's," Brittany told me while recalling when they first met. (Karen O of the Yeah Yeah Yeahs happened to be one of her favorite artists.) He writes live show reviews and she takes photos for KEXP. When it came time to decide a location for our portrait session Brittany suggested Pike Place Market and stopping around their favorite spots. We ran around in the rain through alley ways, Gerrit shared a secret spots that he showed her at the beginning of their relationship, and we took cover inside near a little tchotchke shop that they visit often.
Favorite KEXP Live Sessions of 2015
As KEXP moves from their studios on Dexter & Denny and into the new home at Seattle Center, it’s time for me to share my favorite sessions that I photographed in 2015. Goodbye little hot sparkly room – I’m thankful for the three years I got to sweat and listen to incredible music in there. Onto the next chapter! But first, here are my ten favorite sessions in chronological order:
The Chattin Family // Kirkland, WA
Michelle and I met back in 2010 through a church group that contained some of the fiercest women I've met. If memory serves me correctly she was planning her wedding at the time, and now five years later she's a mom to two adorable kiddos. We were lucky to get a sun break in the mid October rain to walk around Heritage Park in Kirkland, down to the water front and pop into a coffee shop. One of my favorite frames that I took is the last one on this post - mom and dad need a little love too! (Even when the kids are getting covered in grass and running down a giant hill somewhere out of frame...)
Alaina + Ian // Salish Lodge in Snoqualmie, WA
Relaxation, a retreat, and a celebration. Alaina and Ian were married with their parents as witnesses at Salish Lodge in Snoqualmie, WA. Everything about their wedding had an ease about it; when I arrived Alaina sat chatting with the moms while getting her makeup done while Ian was having lunch with the dads. They did not see each other before the ceremony, and when Ian saw his bride for the first time I had to hold back tears - his devotion to her was overwhelming in that moment.
The Antoniello Family // Carkeek Park
"Family hug!" Maisie called out, and as Darren pulled them all in close together Liam let out an excited giggle. It has been such a joy watching these two grow into parenthood and love on their little guy. I'm positive that the Family Hug I documented is only one of so many thousands that Liam has experienced during his first year of life. I was also thrilled that my furry pal Portland was also able to come out to their mini family session in the park. This is photographic proof that yes, you can have a family session with a one year old and a dog!