Let Them Eat Cake: For This Cake Cutting, Any Ski Doo Will Do!

When Shannon and Chris got married, they incorporated the lush reds of Chris's family Tartan into every element of the wedding day, including Shannon's red sash, the flowers on the wedding cake, and, other accents. What they didn't plan on, though, was incorporating a little bit of Scotland into the cutting of the cake! As the couple approached the cake table and the guests assembled around them, there was something missing - the cake knife. Ever resourceful, Shannon noticed the ceremonial dagger, called a Sgian Dugh (and usually pronounced skee-doo by us non-Gaelic speakers:), that her groom had tucked into his sock. There never was a more handsome cake cutter:)

Let Them Eat Cake: Not Even A Wedding Cake Catastrophe Could Slow Down This Couple

When Kelly and Yves were planning their wedding day, I'm sure that the one thing they didn't anticipate was a wedding cake disaster, but that's exactly what happened when
the wedding cake they ordered never showed up at their reception. Luckily, the couple's reception venue, the Belle Haven Country Club in Alexandria, VA, was on the case. Their kitchen flew into action, whipping up a multi-tier cake on the day of the wedding - no small task! 

Let Them Eat Cake: When Wedding Cake Becomes Child's Play

My Mom always told me not to play with my food, but who could follow that advice when you see such a quirky, kicky fun wedding cake grouping? Joanna and Sean's wedding cakes were a delight, with their bright colors and their Fisher Price-inspired doppelganger cake toppers! DIYva Designs, thanks for the sweet inspiration, and for more great ideas for wedding day and beyond, read DIYva's Sugar and Art Blog:)

Let Them Eat Cake: The Stare Down, Starring Bride Jennifer and Groom Paul

On your typical wedding day, brides and grooms have an enormous mental checklist running through their heads. With all of the stress and planning, it's only natural to want to blow off a little steam, and that's what makes the wedding cake cutting ritual such a high-risk undertaking. Will they or won't they do a full-on cake-smash?? For Jennifer and Paul, they'd make it to the end of the cake cutting, tenderly feeding each other delicate fork fulls of sugary wedding cake. But, then, somehow, it went to a scary place when Paul, with a glimmer in his eye and frosting on his ring finger tip, took aim at our fair bride. Jennifer, though, successfully stared down the frosting-laden digit and a wedding cake tragedy was avoided:)

Where Water and Sky Meet - Charleston, South Carolina

Any time on a boat is a good time, and when a sunset cruise turns into a nighttime journey, it's an opportunity to capture the beauty of water meeting sky, all illuminated by moonlight. Thanks to all at the Carolina Girl of Charleston, SC.

Stars and Stripes by Moonlight, Charleston, SC, July 2013, Photo by Shannon Finney

The Moon will guide us, Charleston, DC, July 2013, Photo by Shannon Finney

Portrait of an Artist: Lyric Soprano and Classical Rockstar Marlissa Hudson

I've learned that when Washington, DC-based organist/pianist Marvin Mills calls you, good things follow. So when my telephone rang, and I heard his voice on the other end, I was curious and excited. And while I can't remember what he said line by line, I do remember the words "classical" and "lust" and I was hooked. Marvin has been collaborating with lyric soprano Marlissa Hudson who is shaking up classical music and making it weak in the knees with her latest project, "Lust." With her lush coloratura voice, Marlissa takes listeners on a sensual sonic ride, making classical music for the "grown and sexy." Below are a couple of my favorite images from a portrait shoot I did with this dynamic duo!

Pianist Marvin Mills and Lyric Soprano Marlissa Hudson, June 26, 2013, Kensington, MD

Lyric Soprano Marlissa Hudson, June 26, 2013, Kensington, MD

A Fathers' Day Photo Gallery

This weekend, it's dad's turn in the spotlight, and here is a gallery of some of my favorite dads (and grandads:) photographed over the past few months. Enjoy!