Springfield Virginia Wedding Photographer - Congratulations Meghan and Patrick!

On a warm (OK, it was hot!) May day, Meghan and Patrick went from high school sweethearts to husband and wife. Meghan has the cutest twinkle in her eye and the most infectious giggle, it's easy to see why she's loved by so many friends and family - and most importantly, Patrick.

My two favorite parts of the wedding day were the ceremony - because the priest had become an old family friend over the years and so the ceremony was sweet and personal - and then we had an hour in Occoquan, VA for pictures, which is a wedding photographers dream! It was hot, but Meghan and Patrick were troopers and I think it was well worth the effort for so many fun and beautiful pictures. :) These are the portraits every couple wants to display for years to come and it's well worth building time into the wedding day to get them.

From the time they book me, I'm happy to help my clients with the schedule to make sure there is time for pictures without adding any stress to the day. I'm also happy to suggest locations for portraits to fit within the time we've planned. Some ceremony and reception venues are great for portraits and other times we'll need to travel to another location. Something to consider both when booking venues and creating the time-line.

Back to Meghan and Patrick and a few of my favorite wedding day pictures. Congratulations you two!















Reception Venue: Waterford at Springfield
Florist: Maryam Flowers
Photographer: jan michele photography

Cherry Blossom Wedding Theme - Wedding Photography - Congratulations Melissa and Matt!

Melissa and Matt were married on a windy spring day with a beautiful cherry blossom theme wedding in Ashburn, VA. Melissa had some really fun pink petal wedding shoes (that were being coveted by many :) ), and lots of other pretty pink and chocolate brown details. Other personal touches like the Virginia Tech pom-poms leaving the church and the groom's NASCAR cake made the day special. And isn't Melissa's dress gorgeous?? Friends and family all had a great time celebrating this couple's wedding at the charming Belmont Country Club. I just love historical and unique wedding venues with character! I really hope to return to this wedding venue in the future.
Melissa was an organized bride, but it was still great to have the help of Elizabeth from Cherry Blossom Weddings and Events, to make sure everything ran smoothly and everyone was free to enjoy the day and all the sweet moments that come with an oldest daughter's wedding. Side note - Melissa is the oldest of four kids, two girls, two boys, just like me! I was honored to be a part by capturing the day's memories as Melissa and Matt's wedding photographer!
Melissa and Matt - I hope you're having a wonderful time in Mexico!















Fantastic Wedding Planner: Cherry Blossom Weddings and Events - Elizabeth Leibundguth
TIP - If you're getting married, besides the photographer :), put hiring a coordinator high on your list! Don't underestimate the value of having someone like Elizabeth to take care of the details and be on hand to make sure the day goes smoothly so you're free to enjoy it all.
Hair: KC Felton
Make-up: Marti Wright
DJ: Chris Laich
Florist: Holly Heider Chapple Flower
Wedding Photographer: jan michele photography- Jan Graves - jan@janmicheleimages.com
Beautiful, Historical Wedding Reception Venue: Belmont Country Club 19661 Belmont Manor Lane, Ashburn, VA 20147

Belmont Country Club Wedding Pictures - Melissa and Matt

Old Westbury Gardens Wedding Photography - Congratulations Melissa & Oladele!

After living in DC for 13 years, I finally made it up to New York! And what better excuse than Melissa and Oladele's beautiful fall Long Island wedding! Melissa is a cousin and bridesmaid from Anne and Chris's wedding two years ago, so I was thrilled and honored when she called and asked me to come up to photograph her own wedding!
Melissa and Oladele are so in love (you may recall their sweet engagement pictures); it was such a joy to be part of their wedding day! They were a photographer's dream, allowing time in between the ceremony and reception for pictures at the magnificent Old Westbury Gardens. What an incredible opportunity, I just wish we'd had a few more hours there. :)
We also stopped by an amazing find, the Cedarmere property with a stone bridge and an old Gothic Revival style decorative mill. Cedarmere was home to prominent 19th-century poet, newspaper editor and civic leader, William Cullen Bryant, in the mid 1800's and the house (currently undergoing restoration) is designated part of the Underground Railroad. Again, a few more hours of daylight was needed to here! Many thanks to Melissa and Oladele for literally running around these properties so we could make the most of our time! I think it was worth it for these amazing wedding portraits. :)

The handsome groom:

The beautiful bride:

Can you tell how happy they are to be married?

Old Westbury Gardens, what a dramatic backdrop, I love it!

The Temple of Love, how appropriate. :)

Love the little guard house in the walled garden.

Dramatic fall colors!

The mill with so many neat details. Historic and old is such a great combination.

We wanted a picture by the water, but the clouds were rolling in, it was getting dark and the wind was whipping up even stronger, it was hard to stand up, but it made for a really dramatic picture. Again, Melissa was such a great sport and sacrificed her her hair getting blown to pieces for the shot.


The flash didn't fire, but the available light is dramatic and the slow shutter speed showed the movement of Melissa's great dancing dress, so I thought this image was worth saving. It looks kind of like old grainy black and white film.
Melissa and Oladele thoroughly enjoyed every minute of their wedding day, and danced and danced at their reception. I love the connection you can see between them!
Portrait Locations: Old Westbury Gardens, Cedarmere
Reception: San Souci of Sea Cliff
Assistant Photographer: Kathleeen MacArthur of Candid Like Life in Bellport, NY. Thanks Kathleen!
Wedding Photography: Jan with jan michele photography based in Arlington, VA. Contact Jan today to book her as your wedding photographer! Click here, then the contact tab.