Four Years

"A successful marriage requires falling in love many times, always with the same person." 

-Mignon McLaughlin

2015 // Love Well

Oh, hey. Happy New Year! I hope you've got your feet curled up under something nice and cozy. I'm trudging along in my usual January slump. I know everyone is all "Rock on, January!  Resolutions! Fresh starts!"

I'm side-eyeing those people something fierce. This month is most definitely not my fave.

Anyway, now that you've been sufficiently greeted by grumpy mcgrumperston, how about a little fun?

Pictured above (next to the gratuitous self-portrait) is this year's happy-maker, presented to Tiho on Christmas day. I planned a year of dates, one for each month of 2015. We're pretty good about romancing each other, but we're also pretty good at being complete homebodies and never leaving our couch. I'm super stoked to bring back date night and celebrate our love all year long.

I tried to plan seasonal dates based on our individual and common interests. Tiho is a total adrenaline junkie and loves outdoorsy and sporty activities, so the rock climbing, trapeze class, kayaking and pro-football game were specifically picked for him (I'm pumped too!). A hot air balloon ride has been on my bucket list forever, so I figured that will be the splurge for our 4-year wedding anniversary in September. We just booked the "sexy" cooking class for Valentine's Day (woop woop!) and will kick off this whole shebang with a jazz show & dinner at the end of the month. We may choose to amend a plan or two depending on our interests and circumstances each month, but we're both fully committed to following through with twelve monthly dates.

"Loving well" in 2015. That's my only resolution this year.

Three Years

"For you wake one day, 

Look around and say, 

Somebody wonderful married me." 

-Fred Ebb

Happy three, my love. There are sunflowers on the table today in honor of us.

New Heights

Tuesday wisdom: never ask for your husband's opinion in the shoe store.

Reasoning? He will immediately fixate on the tallest, skinniest, most-out-of-your-comfort-zone stilettos on the shelf and convince you to take them home.

You only agree because,

1). They are comfortable--at least for the five minutes you traipse around the shop wearing them.

2). Why the hell not?

The Two of Us

This photo, taken by Alice outside of the Manhattan courthouse on our wedding day, is one of my favorites. Probably because I look tall.

Tiho and I decided to splurge on a European vacation this coming June. So far, the plan is this: two weeks split between London, Paris & Barcelona. (We just booked this beautiful hotel in Le Marais district of Paris!) A three-years-after-the-fact honeymoon.  I honestly have no idea how our life will look in three, six, twelve months from now, so we're focusing on this trip as a celebration of the two of us.

I hesitate to discuss marriage here, because #1). I'm no expert, and #2). it's my marriage, and frankly, why is that of interest or importance to anyone else?

But (of course there's a but, duh), I really love being married. In my opinion, I married young (twenty-five). In New York, that's not really typical. A lot of people I know spend their twenties building a career and wait to get married until their thirties. I think that's great. But, for me, marrying at twenty-five was the right decision. I have never been as sure about anything as I was on the day Tiho and I committed to love and support each other unconditionally as husband and wife.

I'm really glad we married when we did, because it gave us a few years together to build a solid foundation for the rest of our lives before bringing children into the picture.

We aren't perfect. We make mistakes and argue and have bad days and leave piles of dirty dishes in the sink and drive each other nuts sometimes. But, at the end of the day, we are genuinely happy to be with one another. I'm certainly not qualified to offer advice on building and sustaining a happy marriage. All I know to be true is this: My marriage is the most important thing. 

So far, that's the only insight I've needed.

In Review: Best Of Biz 2013

50 sessions later, and that's a wrap on my 2013 photo season. Had someone told me a year ago that my little pipe dream of a business would grow and evolve in the way that it did over the last 365 days, I wouldn't have believed them. It shocks and humbles me.

In no particular order, I am proud to present a selection of my favorite client images from this past year. Thank you to everyone who provided me the honor of photographing you. Every time I receive an inquiry, my insides do a little flip. I hope that never changes. To my clients, readers, supporters, family, friends, loved ones: you all rock, and I am grateful to know you. Now? Bigger and better in 2014, of course.

P.S. Currently booking for 2014. I'd love to work with you!