Emily & Jay's Wedding at Portsmouth's North Church & Private Residence

It rained the day before Emily and Jay were set to say I do. I poured cat and dogs and it was hard to imagine that the rain would ever really stop. But just like that it did. Blue skies and sun appeared, creating the most perfect fall day for Emily and Jay. Emily arrived to the home where she prepared, her beautiful brunette locks fastened with three red roses. She sat in front of a mirror and did her on own make up, sitting cross legged on the floor. She was relaxed, happy and ready to be a Mrs. As soon as she slipped into her dress the room let out an audible gasp followed by "You are stunning, Emily."

From the first look, to their ceremony to their beautiful reception at a family friend's home in the farm land of New Hampshire, everything about their day was perfect. Even as the sun went down and people began to shiver, blankets were provided and no one left the dance floor. Hot apple cider was served to warm hands and bellies and people celebrated Emily and Jay far into the night.

Emily and Jay, thank you so much for having me, for your love and support but mostly for the never ending supply of hugs. Your day was truly something special.

We'll start with Emily's beautiful Monique Luo dress.

Time to get dressed!

I loved her red nails!

Emily you are simply stunning.

Jay working it, as he waited patiently for their first look at Prescott Park in Portsmouth.

I really love when a couple decides to have a first look.

Checking out his bride.

What a great looking couple.

Following the portraits, it was off to North Church in downtown Portsmouth for their beautiful ceremony.

It's official! These beautiful centerpieces, featuring images from their engagement session, where done by the talented Sarah of Bumblebee and Sophie.

A few more portraits before the sun when down, then it was time to party!

Their amazing entrance!

The toasts by the maid of honor and best man were more like good roasts :)

The dance floor is now open!

Stephanie & Erik's Wedding at Rye Harbor State Park & Portsmouth Elks Club

Stephanie and Erik were married on Saturday in a beautiful ocean side ceremony. Stephanie radiated joy as she walked down the aisle with her father towards Erik. Both had been eagerly awaiting the day the where they could become husband and wife and the day was finally here. Everyone who knows Steph and Erik, realize the strong bond, friendship and love they have for one another. It was never more evident on Saturday as they said I do. Everything came together perfectly. Gorgeous blue skies, warm air, and a beautiful celebration. I couldn't have been happier to document it all. (Many thanks to Concept Spring Studio for joining me on this lovely fall day!)

We'll start with the jewelry. Who doesn't love some pearl accents?

I loved their invitations!

Erik wrote a beautiful note to Stephanie that she read while getting ready in the morning. He even surprised her with a photo of the two of them from their engagement session! I was smitten:)

Her beautiful dress.

Her beautiful bouquet by Flowers by Leslie

Time to get dressed:)

AAHH hello beautiful!

Stephanie and Erik opted to do a First Look. I absolutely love when couples decided to see each other before the ceremony.

It was a blustery day right on the water!

They rocked it out in front of the camera.

A little bit of bridal party details.

Erik, you are one handsome groom!

Their ceremony was held at beautiful Rye Harbor State Park. Right on the beach with panoramic views of the ocean.

Their ceremony was short, but beautiful and very them.

That's a "We are married!!" face.

Off to rock out some more portraits.

Stephanie brought special shoes to use to walk out on the jetty for pictures! Could a photographer ask for more??!

Hottness.

I LOVE this image. I saw these two watching Stephanie and Erik and waited for them to pass. I just think it's hilarious:)

Off to the reception!

They had delicious favors, chocolate-carmel apples!

Their adorable cupcake tower and centerpieces by Celebration Cakes.

On to the first dance!

And then there were the adorable parent dances.

Dancing with her grandfather, such a sweet moment:)

Time to party!

Stephanie and Erik, thank you so much for having me! It was a pure joy to watch as you two married! Have a FANTASTIC time on your honeymoon!

Nick & Consuelo's Wedding at Goddard Chapel & Boston Seaport Hotel

I had the joy of working with Erica Ferrone to photograph the beautiful Seaport Hotel wedding of Nick and Consuelo. I started the day with Nick who was relaxed and confident, even making time to grill steaks for his groomsmen. It was a great way to start the day! I met Consuelo right before she walked down the aisle. She radiated beauty with a beautiful lace veil and beaded dress. As they said their vows, tears, laughter, and smiles were shared between everyone in the church. It was a beautiful affair.

As Consuelo giggled her way through the day, Nick lovingly looked towards his beautiful wife with pride. Everyone celebrated with them, clearing the tables and heading for the dance floor towards the end of the day. Consuelo and Nick's wedding was definitely a highlight of my season:)

To start, a little note from Consuelo to her future hubby.

Getting a little help from mom.

The handsome groomsmen.

How adorable are these flower girls? Love it!

Consuelo with her dad.

Husband and wife!!

Ok, on to the amazing details!

I loved what they did with the place cards.

Every thing about their wedding had a very elegant touch.

Portrait time!

The Seaport Hotel has amazing views of the city!

This may be one of my favorite images EVER!

I couldn't get enough of those RED SHOES!! I love it when a bride adds a pop of color to her attire.

The romantic first dance.

Enjoying the toasts.

The parent dances were very sweet.

Onto the dance party!

Rock it out!

A very crowded, rockin' dance floor.

Consuelo and Nick, here's to a lifetime of happiness and Erica, thank you so much for inviting me along!

Happy Birthday Blog!

As I wrote yesterday's post I thought that it would be fun to check the backlog of posts created over this past year. I went all the way back to the beginning I was shocked to realize that today is the one year anniversary of the first post of this blog! (Better get writing that birthday post then, huh?:) ) It's been a crazy adventure since that first blog post last fall and I am SO looking forward to what this next year will bring. It's hard to believe what has happened over this past year alone. When I wrote that first post, I never thought that I would be where I am right now, a 149 comments, 115 posts and 4,093 visits later. I wasn't even sure if being a wedding photographer was what I really wanted to do. I thought of it as a big experiment with no real goal in sight.

Today, I am happy to say that I have a clear vision of where I want to go and what I want to be and how I want my business to grow. I am so thankful to the clients and people that have given of themselves to see Deborah Zoe Photo grow. I probably sound like a broken record, but I am truly grateful.

So here's to another year! And here's to many more years of marriage, weddings and happy couples in love. I don't know what the future holds, but I couldn't be more excited.

**If you are a regular blog reader or first time visitor say hi below! I'd love to connect with you. I can't do what I do without your support and would love to be able to thank you:)**

Stuff We Love : Comedy Date Night

As I sat with Dave on the couch watching our new favorite comedy, Running Wilde, I smiled and thought to myself this is what I love most. As Dave giggled with every inappropriate joke that rolled past, I couldn't help but laugh along too. By the end of the half hour of comedy greatness we were in stitches, laughing into pillows and trying not to look at each other for fear we might bust a gut from laughing to hard. Last fall, as my schedule started to get busier, we made a decision, that we need to carve out time for each other in the week. We are a couple who love simple pleasures and there is nothing we love more than laughing together. As we found out, all of our favorite tv shows happened to all be on the same night, on the same channel! So with that, comedy date night was born.

And while last night was not our official comedy date night I sat on our couch, stomach still sore, thankful for the simple pleasures in life. Love and laughter and husbands who giggle at inappropriate jokes.

Life Captured: Liz's Boston Portraits

Saturday was filled with all things that I love. Friends, relaxation, momos, Trident Cafe, and a leisurely stroll down Newbury Street. Oh and I even got two super cute earrings on SUPER sale. Love, love, love. But maybe what I loved most about Saturday was photographing my friend, Liz. Liz and I got way back. I mean way, way, WAAAAYYY, back. All the way back to seventh grade where we awkwardly tried to make our way through our teens. Since then we've gone through A LOT, but we've always managed to be there for one another, through the good, the bad and the ugly.

It was entirely fun to catch up on life over ice tea and momo's Saturday and drag her all over the city. She rocked it in front of the camera. I love Boston and I love my friends:) Enjoy!

I can make her laugh just by telling her to laugh. I am talented.

Liz, you are beautiful!

I love when people can be their awesome crazy self!

I love, love, LOVE these next two!

Liz, I love you, thanks for being, well, awesome:)

I Am...

I AM … tiiiiirrrrreddd (refer to the post just below this one.) I WANT… to have another bowl of delicious ice cream, but I won't. Ok, maybe one more bite.

I HAVE …  a lot to be thankful for.

I KEEP … notes on any little piece of scrap paper I can find. They are scattered ALL over the house.

I WISH I COULD … cure my fear of flying. It would really help with my whole love of travel. Ironic no?

I HATE … fakeness. Is that a word?

I FEAR … things I cannot control. Ugh, yes internet, I just admitted that.

I HEAR … Dave's snoring... ALLLLLL night long.

I DON’T THINK … I dream big enough.

I REGRET … That second bite of ice cream, but it sure was delicious.

I LOVE …Dave's laugh.

I AM NOT … paying attention to our rented movie.

I DANCE … little happy dances for not particular reason. Dave doesn't really understand.

I SING … in the shower. Loudly. Dave likes it, really he does.

I NEVER …

I RARELY … sing out loud in public.

I CRY WHEN I WATCH … Forest Gump when he finds out he's a dad. GETS ME EVERY TIME!

I AM NOT ALWAYS … the most articulate.

I HATE THAT … I have to wear glasses.

I’M CONFUSED ABOUT … why all my favorite TV shows are now all on the same night. I need Tivo.

I NEED … a one way ticket to Maui.

I SHOULD … probably get offline and get to work!

Thanks to ever awesome Jasmine Star for the inspiration for today's post :)

Too Much Sleep

On Monday I slept 16 hours. On Tuesday I slept 8 and on Wednesday I slept 5. Today I woke up at 11. ELEVEN people! That's 10 hours of sleep! This whole jet lag thing is KILLING ME! I can' seem to get my body back on track. My hubby is sleeping all normally and making me EXTREMELY jealous every night when we lay down to sleep and he actually falls a sleep. I just sit there and stare at the ceiling. Thank goodness for Real Simple to keep me company:) Anyways, does anyone have any suggestions on how to beat this crazy jet lag??!

Maui and Thoughts on Marriage

We just returned from one of the most amazing trips of our lives. Thanks to you internet for suggesting all of the fun things that we did and LOVED. We relaxed, we explored, we went on adventures, drank fruity drinks and enjoy just being with each other. It was truly and amazingly wonderful. As we danced under the moon to softly played Hawaiian music, listening to the splash of the waves on the beach, I cried, BIG, FAT, happy tears of joy. My heart was completely and utterly overwhelmed with thankfulness. Thankful to the life that God has given me, the opportunity to travel 5,000 miles to paradise, to be healthy, for my family, all of these wonderful things pressed into my heart, all at once. Truly overwhelming.

But mostly, at that moment, I prayed a silent prayer of gratitude for my husband. And as we danced together, I was reminded of the past four years of our marriage, of our growth, and of our future to come.

I was young when we were married, and while Dave is three years older than me, he himself was young too. We had no idea what we were doing, except that we knew that we should be married. We also knew that marriage was good, not scary and something that would grow us in ways that never dreamed of. That all being said, again, we had no idea what we were doing.

We are by no means a perfect couple. We are polar opposites, politically, emotionally, artistically, in personality, everything about us could not be more different, except for one: we are both stubborn. In our first year of marriage, this was overly evident. As we tried to learn more about each other, learn to live with one another, our differences and our shortcomings were apparent. There was no honeymoon bliss, just a real need for growth, Jesus, and patience for one another.

But that's the thing with marriage. It's hard work. It's hard work to love. It's a never ending calling to love someone unconditionally every single day. But that's how you grow! And growth, is always a beautiful thing! As we danced under the stars that night, we were reminded of how we have grown together, in love. I truly never thought I could be able to say that I loved Dave more than the day I married him. But it's true. That love has only grown and deepened into something I could never have imagined.

We are still learning to be patient, to love unconditionally, to surrender our pride and to practice grace for one another. We have a long way to go. But I can say with confidence of how far we have come together. This trip would not have been the same had it been four years ago and it was apparent how great God's timing is. He knows exactly what we need, when we need it.

In all honesty, I'm not a travel photographer and while I was in Hawaii, this trip wasn't about taking a million Hawaiian photographs (even though I did). It was about enjoying life with my hubby, relaxing and spending time with one another, which we did PLENTY of:) So in lieu of a image heavy posting, I'll show my two favorite from our trip. Enjoy!

Marty & Vanessa's Wedding at Portland's Holy Cross Church & The Woodlands Club

On a beautiful, sunny, warm, August afternoon I was invited by my good friend Spring of Concept Spring Studio in Portland to document the fabulous wedding of Marty and Vanessa. Greeted with a warm hug by Marty, I knew that this day would be nothing short of wonderful. We started the day at the Holy Cross in South Portland, Maine.

Soon after I arrived at the church, so did the boys. Marty was looking particularly dapper.

So were the ring bearers!

Now, it was go time.

All throughout this past year, Vanessa's Facebook status has been a count down to the big day. She couldn't wait to be a Mrs. I think this look sums it all up!

Proud parents!

It's official!

I loved everything about their color choices. Maybe I am a bit biased, purple was my wedding color too!

From the church we went ahead to the reception, to find these amazing details. The cake was amazing!

Then it was off for some portraits, my favorite part of the day!

Check out the hair! LOOVED IT!

Seriously Vanessa, you are stunning.

Hello!

A favorite from the day.

Allllll right, now it's time to party!

A beautiful first dance.

Hugs for Dad.

A sweet moment with Mom.

A sweet moment between Mom and Dad. Another favorite from the day.

Following the parent dances, Marty and Vanessa decided to have a Generations dance. This is one of my FAVORITE things at a reception. For those who don't know about this dance: Usually the DJ will call all couples onto the dance floor. From there the DJ will then say something like, "If you have been married for less than a week, please sit down" and the newly married couple will walk off to the side. This will continue until the longest married couple is left on the dance floor and usually by that time everyone is cheering and celebrating. Just like below!

Marty and Vanessa, thank you so much for allowing us to celebrate with you in your wedding. I wish you many many MANY years of happiness, joy and adventure together:)!

Housekeeping for September 4-12

Hi folks! The office will be closed September 4-12th and I will have limited access to the internet. If you need to reach me, please email me at deborahzparker@mac.com and I will do my best to reply to you as soon as possible. Thank You!!

Deborah Zoe

Bumbleebee and Sophie, Friends, and Little Surprises

Yesterday was a LONG day and by the time I actually got home, took off my shoes and dropped my camera bag, I was EXHAUSTED. All I wanted to do was crawl into bed, cuddle with the hubby and fall asleep. That was until I saw a little unexpected package with my name on it and the logo of Bumbleebee and Sophie, a children clothing and accessory line that my friends Sarah and Cindy recently launched. I ripped open the package. Inside I found a little note from Sarah and Cindy and a small business card holder, complete with their little bumblebee logo!

Well I jumped up and down, no lie internet, and immediately showed my hubby, who, while thinking that it was a very sweet present, simply could not appreciate the contrasting fabrics and the bright blue modern print. (He's an engineer, he speaks in mathematics and charts.) I mean, seriously, I was floored with their thoughtfulness and generosity!

Ok, so onto the business card holder, because there is no way that I was going to talk about it and not take some photos! We'll start with the blue print. I.am.in.love!

Isn't that little bumblebee the cutest thing ever?!

I am so grateful for my friends support as I have started this business. And little notes of thoughtfulness like this from Sarah and Cindy, just floor me. Your support, thoughtfulness and confidence in Deborah Zoe Photo is more than I could ask for!

Soooo, if you would like more information about Bumblebee and Sophie and how they got started, click here. Make sure to give them some love while you're there too!

Product Highlight | Signature Album

You may remember Amy and Salim from earlier this summer. You can view their wedding here and here and view their album design here. Well yesterday, I got home to find a little surprise in the mail. A package from Kiss Wedding Books! I ripped open the box to find Amy and Salim's wedding album inside. 8x8 of buttery, leathery goodness! Each album comes with it's own fabric slip cover and box to keep it save and sound.

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The thick, archival pages, really make this album stand out.

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The album also has lay flat design so that you can have big panoramic spreads without loosing any part of the image! LOVE IT!

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It's so, so important, to have a quality album that you'll be able to pass down as an heirloom remembrance from your wedding day. I feel so strongly that everyone should have an heirloom album, I am offering a 10% discount off albums prices if you mention this post. Sooooo what are you waiting for, get on it and order your album now!

Avedon, Fashion, and Babies

It feels like I have been running on all cylinders this summer. Here, there and everywhere. It hasn't left much time for relaxation or time for just sitting still. The rare days that I have nothing on the calendar I cherish. Friday was one of those days. I immediately called up my besty, Tricia, and told her we were going to go see the Avedon fashion exhibit at the Museum of Fine Arts. If it has anything to do with Paris, Fashion, art, and shoes, we are ALL over it!

The show did not disappoint and I am saving up my pennies to buy Avedon Fashion 1944-2000, a collection of his fashion photography which the show was based around. For those of you who don't know Avedon, look him up. He changed the way fashion and fashion photography was done back in the day, primarily right after World War II. His images are amazing. I could just sit there all day, trying to see what he was seeing. His eye for composition, movement, and detail is just inspiring.

The best part of the day was that Tricia brought along her little Mason. You may remember Tricia's maternity session and Mason's newborn session from this past winter. Well time flies and Mason is already crawling! It's overwhelming to think of how fast kids grow! Mason just sat in his baby bjorn smiling and giggling the ENTIRE time. He sure is a fun baby to be around:)!

HELLO! Check out these shoes!! ANNND the Eiffel Tower? It's to die for!

One of Avedon's famous images at the circus. Beautiful.

Cover of the new book. The size of an entire wall.

Tricia and I. See the person in the background bringing us our champagne?

Ok, ok, now to the best part of the post. Our museum buddy:)!

Look at him sitting up all by himself!! He's getting soooooo big!

Tricia, thank you for spend my day off with me! It was refreshing and a great way to find inspiration!

Sooooo, if your in the Boston area and love art and fashion, you HAVE to check out this show!

Angry Hair

Writing a bio of oneself is much MUCH harder than it seems. Really where does one start? At the beginning, middle, end? And what does one include? Can you really express, in a paragraph or two, the things that make you unique? I dare you to try. A while back I ran into this dillemma when I was asked to write a column about myself for the paper I work for. "Aaaaah, ok?" I thought to myself, doubting the fact that I'd actually be able to write more than one paragraph. I was given a slight advantage however, I'd get to write about what it has been like to be a red head. Now that's something I know about! So in honor of my attempts at writing a bio, I thought I'd share this small one time column on my experience as a red head, because after all, it is a big part of who I am. Enjoy!

Embracing my carrot top Off Deadline I think I can finally say with confidence that I am comfortable in my red hair. I would never change it for anything, but that hasn't always been the case. In my college days, I dyed my hair at home. It was supposed to be streaks of blond, but I ended up looking like Barbie's super pale, slightly less attractive cousin. My red hair was gone. For almost an entire year, I walked around with my fake hair color, ashamed of the fact that I tried to cover up who I really was. In that period, I discovered that I love the color of my hair. I love the fact that I am different from everybody else. It's part of my personality and who I am. Like a person with curly hair, which I also sport, you identify yourself with the characters of the hair. Like the color red suggests, I can be known to have a hot temper, to turn bright red when embarrassed or become the color of my hair when at the beach too long. Acceptance has not been an easy road. When I was little, I would walk around the Northshore Mall with my aunt. We wouldn't be able to go 10 feet without someone coming up to us to comment about my hair. Even at my young age, I would cringe and cower back. Why did people have to bother me? Why couldn't they leave me alone and let me be like everyone else! In middle school, when I would go to the hairdresser, the ladies getting their hair dyed would look at me and squeal, "Oh, doesn't she have the most lovely color?! I wish I could bottle that up." I just rolled my eyes and pretended not to notice. I mean I'd been dealing with this kind of attention my entire life. When would it end?! High school wasn't much better, but at least I had someone to identify with me. My best friend had red hair, too. From behind, people couldn't tell the difference between us. In fact, that is how we met. People thought I was her and that she was me. When I finally ran into her, I exclaimed, so you're the other redhead! It was during this time that I began to realize that maybe being a redhead wasn't so bad. I mean people still occasionally called me carrot top, but I could deal with that when my best friend had red hair, too. We could fight the redhead curse together. By the time college rolled around, I had mastered the, "Oh thank you, why yes I do love my hair, I know, it's a wonderful blessing." But I still wasn't sure if I meant what I said. After mistakenly dying my entire head blonde, I finally realized that being a redhead wasn't a curse. In fact, it was a blessing. Financially, I've saved money. I've NEVER had to go to the salon for professional coloring treatments and probably never will. Socially, people have an easy time remembering me, all they have to do is remember the hair. Being unique finally started paying off. But for me, my red hair is more than just a unique feature. It's a link to my history, to my family and what makes me who I am. My curly hair is a gift from my grandmother, my dad's mom, whom I idolized and loved. But my red hair is a gift from my grandfather, my mom's dad. While I never had the chance to meet him, like my grandmother, he'll always be a part of me, having left a part of himself in my genetic makeup. And that might be the best reason for me to love the color red.

And because a long, wordy post is always better with a photo, here is a picture of me on our last trip out to visit family in Chicago. In the words of my hubby, "The hair was angry that day."

Who Are You?

In an effort to better serve YOU, the readers of this blog and clients of Deborah Zoe Photo, I am conducting a little survey to find out who YOU are. I'd be SO grateful and happy if you would take the next few minutes to answer these simple and fun questions below! I can't wait to read your responses! Thank you and happy surveying!