Anytime you have to fly across the world for a wedding, most likely it's going to be a memorable one. Wonderful day.. full of laughter and sweet sentiment. This family really took me in and made me one of their own while I was there. I got to go to all the family dinners and the late night chats over sake. The wedding day started out with Grandma showing me her wedding photo, and telling me a bit about her day. I don't speak Japanese, but I can get the gist of what she was telling me. She was a sweet little lady....man, I just want to go back.

Dallas and Sabrina are two very close friends, who are fellow wedding photographers. Since their wedding in 2011 they have become world renown for their destination wedding portraiture. We are so proud of our wonderful Canadian pals. Their wedding was so quaint, thoughtful, calming and fun. I will never forget it.

This month of December 2020 is my 20 year anniversary photographing weddings. So I’ve been doing a count down on Instagram of 20 of the most memorable weddings in the last 20 years…..mostly the last 13….since I’ve been a full time photographer. Follow us on Instagram to check it out @frenchsessaphotoco. I will be posting a few on this blog as well. Enjoy.

Happy 10th Anniversary Brandon & Melissa!!

10 years in the making….these two are some of our best friends in the world. Our wedding was almost 2 months to the day before theirs’s….we shared in all the wedding planning, we were dating and engaged together. Brandon & Michael actually lived next door to each other during the process. We were there at Melissa’s welcome to the USA party when she moved from Ireland….. Brandon & Melissa were there to help plan out how Michael was going propose to me….and Brandon & Melissa were there when I said “yes”…they documented the moment when I met my father in-law for the first time….and they were some of the only people at the funeral when he died. We’ve been through a lot together, and I am beyond proud of these two….as people, as partners and as creatives. They have taught us so much. They have lived such an incredible life together, already. Traveling the world together, working creative jobs together…they are so bonded. When your dear friends have such a solid and inspiring relationship…it gives you a feeling of security and comfort. They live in New York now….and we were only able to celebrate our decade anniversaries over zoom this year….but I have big plans for next year. Love you guys!

Recently, Michael and I were nominated to compete in Rangefinder Magazine’s 30 Rising Stars of Wedding Photography.   It was an incredible honor to be nominated, this was the greatest compliment of my entire career!  This summer marks 10 years for me working full time as a photographer.  I have not taken on a single job other than photography in the last ten years.   I have truly dug my heels in, and did whatever I could to keep this passion a float.  I have had some very difficult years, but it has been incredibly fulfilling to do what I love for a living.  Photographing with Michael over the last 5 years...has truly been a dream come true.  To work side by side with your life partner...words could not describe.  It has brought us so much closer as a couple...it has taught us very quickly how to communicate with each other effectively….and how to be loving to each other under a ton of stress.  We did not win the competition, but honestly just being a part of it was winning enough for me.  I am so grateful to be a photographer.  

This week I got to see Lionel Richie in concert, it was really neat.  He said something at his concert that really gutted me, he said “I look at my life and I cannot believe that I have had the honor to write and perform all these songs...and to do what I love, most of my life.  And it wouldn’t be possible without…...incredible competition”.  This brought tears to my eyes because I feel the same.  There has been times in my career that I have plateaued….and I have brought myself back up again, reinventing myself & my work from the inspiration of my incredible competition.  It's very difficult to stay relevant as a photographer in Seattle, but continuing to fight for it...has made me the photographer I am today.

Here are my 30 favorites of the last 5 years that I submitted to Rangefinder.  

Thank you for listening.  Thank you to Michael, my Mom and my beloved Grandfather for supporting me...  I wouldn’t know how to run a business without all the patience and training from Mom & Grandpa... I wouldn’t love every shoot as much.. without Michael by my side.

These two love birds are from Brazil.  They met dancing, of course!  Taking their engagement photos was so effortless, their chemistry is just incredible together.  Enjoy!