Gardner Anniversary Party

I had the pleasurable surprise of photographing this sweet couple and their family at their 40th wedding anniversary party in early August in Connecticut. It was a very last minute arrangement that just happened to work out.. (I love when that happens!) The night we were driving down from quebec, one of their three daughters had gotten in touch with a friend of a friend of mine looking for a photographer for the very next day. Well, all of the stars aligned and I was able to work it out! I was only able to be there for an hour and a half, but even in just that short time, I got such a great feel for the family. They were so welcoming, offering food and drink.. showing me around and introducing me to all of their guests. I actually had a hard time turning off my camera to go, as I could tell the party was only going to get better, with a giant jump house and slip and slide...
Ironically, my brother was the chef who catered the event, and I had no idea until I arrived to shoot and saw the owner of his restaurant carrying in the trays of food! If you have never been to Matthew's restaurant in Unionville, Connecticut.. GO. He is soooooo talented. I was practically drooling the entire time I was there!
All in all, it was a beautiful gathering. Good food, good friends, family and giant, blow-up slip and slides... what more could you ask for on your 40th wedding anniversary? May I be so lucky to be able to celebrate mine like this some day. 


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paola // baby belly

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I was 26 years old when my girlfriend Paola had her first child. A beautiful baby boy. I remember the day like yesterday, my mom and I went to visit her at the hospital together. I was wearing vintage 70's leather heels I had bought just north of houston in NYC, a white tank top, shorts and suspenders. He was so tiny and I was so nervous, I remember feeling so insecure holding this little human being in my arms, like I would break him. But I didn't. I fell in love instantly. He was just beautiful.

And then only a  little over a year later, she had her second child, a chubby little girl. My dear friend Mary and I went to see her at the hospital together. I was wearing a colorful striped wool sweater from the Gap with a pair of BDG jeans and my frye boots, and we were a little more confident this time around holding babies.. her adorable fat cheeks had us mesmerized.

Last month we took the kids to the beach, packed a few pretty dresses and around 6 pm we whipped out the camera and took some incredible photos of this beautiful woman at the end of her third pregnancy. We laughed so hard we cried. The camera almost got devoured by the ocean(a few times). And at one point I actually thought Mathieu was going  have to come in to rescue us.. but we survived and we have the pictures to prove it.

Any day now, my girlfriend Paola will be having her third child. I can not wait to meet this little boy or girl. I wonder what I will be wearing...