Connor Studios Blog

Amanda + Matthew | Wedding Photography | National Press Club, Washington, DC

Michael Connor — Fri, 18 May 2012 01:16:30 +0000

We’ve never had a couple book us as far out as Amanda and Matthew did. It was over 2 years in advance! The early bird catches the worm…

I was looking forward to this wedding for a long time (a really LONG time). Amanda is one of the sweetest people you will ever meet (you too Matthew!) and that makes for a wonderful experience on the wedding day.

I love the sequence of Amanda’s emotions reading the card Matthew sent her before the wedding. One of the reasons we like to start early with the bride and groom is to give them these images that let them see what they other was doing during the part of the day they are apart.

Amanda ended up with two wedding dresses that she changed between half-way through the night. The great part was that they had two first dances with the change. One of the funniest parts of the reception came during a dance she had with her brother when one of the guests jokingly clinked their wine glass and Amanda’s reaction following it.

My absolute favorite portrait came at the end of the night. I have to give credit to my second photographer Jonathan for pointing out the glass elevators and their potential when we entered the building. From there, the idea of a pretty kick-ass portrait started brewing and I was so happy they were game for it. The elevator just ended up looking like a diamond and it’s one of those shots you do a silly mental fist pump for once you get it!

Wedding 411:
Event Planner: Fabuleux | 301.455.1656
Ceremony + Reception: National Press Club || Cake: Fancy Cakes by Leslie | 301.652.9390
Flowers: Bridal Flowers: DaVinci’s Florist | 301.588.8900 || Decor + Centerpieces: Fabuleux | 301.455.1656
Photography: Connor Studios | Michael, Jonathan + Whitney | 202.527.9768

Rebecca + Jason | Wedding Photography | The Hay Adams Hotel, Washington, DC

Michael Connor — Wed, 16 May 2012 13:09:57 +0000

I’m not sure if you could even ask for a nicer or more chill couple than Rebecca and Jason!

We spent the day with them at The Hay Adams and it couldn’t have been a nicer wedding. There were so many great moments throughout the day. We loved their first look, her kissing Grandpa’s hand in the lobby and Jason and his dad cracking up before walking into the ceremony.

This is what we do. The portraits and the details are important but when it comes down to it, what makes your wedding photographs different than everyone else’s are those small personal moments that you look back at and remember.

To Rebecca, Jason, their families and bridal party, we thank you so much for being so awesome throughout the day!

Sarah + Jarrett | Wedding Photography | Raspberry Plain, Leesburg, Va.

Michael Connor — Tue, 08 May 2012 14:00:35 +0000

Sometimes bad weather happens to good people…

Sarah and Jarrett chose Raspberry Plain in the countryside near Leesburg, Va. to get married. The grounds are beautiful and I knew they had their hearts set on getting married outside so they decided to try and get everything in before the rain that was forecast. Unfortunately, just minutes before the ceremony, it started to rain so everything got moved inside to the reception area.

Now, you won’t see a lot of crying bride photos on our site (unless it’s during the ceremony) but I just absolutely love the story behind this sequence of photos and it says a lot about Sarah, Jarrett, their friends and their relationship so I just had to post them. Sarah spent a lot (a LOT) of time planning the wedding and getting all of the hand-made details just right. The moments before you go get married are already filled with a lot of emotion and being told that there is a change from the place you spent months envisioning getting married can rightfully bring out some tears in anyone. It’s the next photos in the sequence of Sarah’s bridesmaids rallying around her and then Jarrett getting in an making her laugh that says so much about their friendships and relationship.

I have been married for just over 5 years and what I can say is that helping each other through the high times and the low times is really what marriage is all about and they are definitely on the right track.

The ceremony went beautifully with lots of great emotion. The guests all sat around the reception tables which I thought looked great. I think it could be a new trend! I pulled Sarah aside after and let her know that her rain location was still more beautiful that most of the 1st choice locations we shoot for ceremonies.

The details for the wedding that they made were awesome. From the croquet set to the “guest card table” of keys hanging on a painted door to the wishes that the guests could write and pin to the spokes of bicycle wheels, there were just little details everywhere! I am a sucker for Father Daughter dances and this one was very emotional.

My favorite portrait came at the end of the night when the weather cleared and we did night portraits under the lamps.

Thanks again for having Daniel and I along to share your day – even with the rain, it was absolutely beautiful!

Wedding 411:
Ceremony + Reception: Raspberry Plain | Maria Guerra
Officiant: Divine Transformation | Rev. Terumi Culmer
Caterer: The Chef’s Table | Glennis Rosen
Florist: Fiore Florist
Hair: Jewel Hair Design | Julie Flury | 703.501.8677
Makeup: Susan Lim Makeup Artist
DJ: Michael Valenti
Photography: Connor Studios | Michael + Daniel | 202.527.9768

Emily + Chester | Wedding Photography | DAR Constitution Hall, Washington, DC

Michael Connor — Thu, 03 May 2012 18:08:40 +0000

When we first met Emily and Chester, they were a very sweet, low-key couple but they told us that their wedding, knowing their friends and family, would become a huge party. And they were right!! It was definitely a fun dance floor.

The wedding and reception were held at DAR Constitution Hall which is such a great space made even better by all the details (and I mean ALLLLLL the details) that Terri and her team at Bash created.

The ceremony had something we hadn’t seen before but we now think needs to happen at every wedding. After the kiss, waiters brought in trays of drinks for everyone in their seats and they decided to have toasts right there. It was just such a personal touch that gave the perfect transition from ceremony to reception. (and let’s face it – drinks at weddings are alright by us!)

We also think every wedding needs this flower girl and this grandpa!!

Wedding 411:
Wedding Planner: Bash | Terri Eaves | 703.553.4412
Ceremony + Reception Location: DAR Constitution Hall | Peggy Martz
Catering: Occasions Caterers
Florist: Beehive Events | 434.286.4509
String Quartet: Da Vinci Strings
DJ: DJ D-Mac | Daryle Maciocha
Cake: Fluffy Thoughts
Makeup: Kim Steele
Photography: Connor Studios | Andrew, Toni + Pratik | 202.527.9768

Jennifer + Eugene | Wedding Photography | Union Station, Washington, DC

Michael Connor — Wed, 25 Apr 2012 19:22:53 +0000

I had been looking forward to Jennifer and Eugene’s wedding for a while. The first time we met, I could only imagine how beautiful of a bride Jennifer was going to be and she didn’t disappoint! Don’t adjust your monitors. Jennifer’s hair really is that red and really is that amazing!

Jennifer and Eugene are your typical doctor/Harvard professor over-achieving sweet couple that we seem to specialize in lately. All day, we heard stories and speeches about Eugene and all I can say is that my life seems pretty dull compared to his!!

We started out with them on Friday for their Rehearsal Dinner at the Folger Shakespeare Library. Aimee and Cindy from A. Dominick Events made the place pretty over the top. (In a future post, we are going to show the room with and without lighting to help people understand why a good lighting company is so important.)

We got fortunate that the rain that was forecast for Saturday didn’t come around until well after we were in Union Station so Jennifer and Eugene got to have their first look on the top of the Hay Adams.

The ceremony and reception at Union Station was beautiful – it’s such a great place to get married. I have to give a special mention to the Best Man for giving the best Best Man speech we’ve ever heard.

New Little Babies

Michael Connor — Fri, 20 Apr 2012 01:40:22 +0000

I have to say that some of my favorite calls and emails are from my former brides and grooms telling me they are having babies! It is just so amazing to be there at their wedding and watch their new family grow.

So I was very excited when Sarah and Richard called the other day to say they were making a trip from NYC to the Grandparents’ home in DC and wondered if I could come take photographs of baby Ryan.

This is one of my favorites as Ryan was trying to grab my camera straps:

Shuttle Flyover

Michael Connor — Tue, 17 Apr 2012 16:58:14 +0000

Took the morning off and threw the kids in the van to go watch the Shuttle Discovery be flown over the National Mall. I’m not sure how much they will ever remember it but it will always be a cool memory for me watching it with them.

Lina + Roger | Wedding Photography | Ritz Carlton Tysons Corner, Va.

Michael Connor — Thu, 12 Apr 2012 19:09:39 +0000

Weddings can be a bit nerve-racking to plan but it’s always so wonderful to see a couple like Lina and Roger leave any of those nerves at the door and just really enjoy their day – I think they did that perfectly!

We love starting out with a first look where the bride and groom can see each other and just enjoy that moment together. The problem with a “first look” is that a LOT of photographers and a lot of brides and grooms just treat it as a photo-op. If our couples are having a first look, I want it to be like the first look I had with my wife. It was meaningful. We took it in a beautiful location but our photographer let us actually enjoy it and have a moment alone while still making great photographs. That’s what we always stress. We’ll find a beautiful location but we always want you to actually enjoy that moment rather than have photographers on you completely. In the end it makes for great photographs because you are free to show your true emotion and it makes for great memories. That’s a win win.

One of my favorite photos from the day was from the beginning of the ceremony when the couple has to circle each other. Slowing the shutter down to catch Lina circling Roger while seeing his huge smile combines the two things we love in our photographs – beauty and moment.

The first dance was beautiful and the band Black Tie couldn’t have been better. It was really hard to narrow down my favorite first dance photos.

Out of deference to Lina, I won’t post the look she had on her face the moment she was hoisted in the air during the Hora. I need to make a book of all of our Jewish brides the moment they are lifted up – for 100% of them, it’s sheer terror!! The good news is that she made it safely back down (haven’t lost one yet).

Lina’s family is originally from Colombia so midway through the evening, they started playing some Latin music and the dance floor got a bit more awesome! Any party where the bride dances The Robot and the Jimmy Choos are kicked off on the side of the dance floor is a good party!

Wedding 411:
Coordinator: Simply Elegant Weddings | Susan Smith | 703.249.0500
Ceremony + Reception + Catering: Ritz Carlton Tysons Corner
Band: Black Tie
Florist: Toulies en Fleur
Makeup: Leah McKay
Invitation: Dandelion Patch
Dress: Hannelores
String Quartet: Celebrated
Photography: Connor Studios | Michael Connor, Jonathan Newton + Pratik Shah | 202.527.9768

Lisa + Ron | Wedding Photography | Congressional Country Club, Potomac, Md.

Michael Connor — Wed, 04 Apr 2012 17:36:37 +0000

After months of having to schedule conversations between LA time and DC time, it was nice to finally share a time zone with Lisa and Ron!

We kicked off wedding season with them on Friday at their rehearsal dinner. They started with a traditional Korean Paebaek ceremony. I’m just glad I didn’t wear the same hanbok as Ron – would have been awkward!!

The wedding day was gorgeous. We started off getting ready at The Dupont Circle Hotel which might be one of my new favorite places to photograph. It was so nice out and any mention of rain from the previous week never materialized.

Then it was off to Congressional Country Club. Lisa and Ron originally wanted their 1st look to take place in the Cherry Blossoms which “should” have been blooming at that time. With Mother Nature moving it up a couple weeks, we decided to do it at Congressional instead and it turned out beautifully.

The ceremony in the sun room was very sweet and officiated by a relative of Ron’s. Our dad’s married us so it’s always nice for me to see that.

After that, it was into the ballroom which Terri Eaves from Bash made look amazing for the reception. The first dance was gorgeous and I loved that Lisa and her father danced a Tango for their first dance. That was a first for us!

We couldn’t have asked for a better way to kick off a busy 2012 wedding season. Great venue, great couple, great weather, great team…

Wedding 411:
Event Planner: Bash | Terri Eaves | 703.553.4412
Ceremony + Reception: Congressional Country Club
Getting Ready: The Dupont Circle Hotel
Florist: Philippa Tarrant Floral Design | Philippa Tarrant | 202.413.8562
Lighting: John Farr Lighting Design | 301.390.2728
DJ: DJ D-Mac
Photography: Connor Studios | Michael Connor, Andrew Harnik, Andrew Propp | 202.527.9768

Spreading Some Easter Cheer

Michael Connor — Wed, 04 Apr 2012 17:35:57 +0000

Nicole and the children along with some very crafty friends decided to make Easter Baskets for the children who are living at the Light House Shelter in Annapolis. It was nice to do something to give back especially during this Easter and Passover season.

If you would like to know more or donate your time or money to the shelter, go to their website.

We hope the children enjoy a happy Easter.