lusungu + jason :: married! lamu island, kenya.

kipungani is a secluded, remote area of lamu island located on the southwest side, and separated from the mainland by a peaceful, mangrove lined bay. the beach is an endless stretch of white sand, speckled with palm trees and strewn with delicate sand dollars, facing out onto the indian ocean. traversing the 15 miles from either of the two main settlements on the island, lamu town or shela village, takes approximately 3 hours on foot, 1.5 hours by dhow (sail boat) or 25 minutes by speedboat.

for lu + jason’s wedding, guests flew in from nairobi and landed on the manda airstrip, just across the channel from lamu island, and traveled by speedboat to kizingoni beach. kipungani is a very small village, and kizingoni beach is a collection of privately owned, stunning swahili houses, with a full staff to accomodate guests and arrange meals, activities and excursions, as well as plan events + weddings.

guests flew in from all over the world to spend the week exploring the island with lusungu + jason — sailing, snorkeling, and soaking up swahili traditions. there were sumptuous swahili style meals, trips to lamu town, manda toto and the takwa ruins, a sunset dhow cruise, and even a henna ceremony for the ladies! lamu is simply a fantastic destination and an incredible setting for a wedding celebration! lu + jason absolutely love lamu, and it’s easy to see why…

having been in shela for the three preceding weeks, i jumped on a speedboat and joined the wedding party on the tuesday before the wedding. i loved being part of the week’s festivites and spending time getting to know lu + jason’s family + friends. i’m not sure i’ve ever encountered such a diverse, talented and truly brilliant group of people in one place before! it was a fascinating mix of international journalists, teachers, artists, UN workers, and authors…in fact, jason *just* published his book Dancing with Monsters — which details the political, social, and moral issues of the Congo, and is being hailed as an “impressively controlled account of the devastating Congo war.” incredible!

the wedding ceremony took place on the afternoon of november 27th at the mary mother of jesus catholic church in lamu town — followed by a brief stop in shela village for portraits, and back to kipungani by speedboat for a beach ceremony at sunset. following a series of wonderful speeches, poems, an even a song written by one of their good friends, guests reveled in a bonfire on the beach, dinner by candlelight, and dancing under the stars.

lusungu + jason :: CONGRATS! or more appropriately, in swahili, HONGERA! i adore you both and will cherish the memories of your wedding celebration always.

enjoy!

kathy + ulisses :: married! tlaxcala, mexico.

a few weeks ago i traveled to the small town of tlaxcala, mexico to document kathy + ulisses’ wedding celebration. the international guest list included over 400 family + friends who reveled in the week’s festivities — singing, dancing, and downing tequila like locals. from touring the pyramids to petting the tequila donkey to balloon bashing + line dancing to “achy breaky heart” en espanol, it was unlike anything ive ever seen!

kathy + ulisses live in chicago (where i recently did their engagement session)  but chose to get married in ulisses’ hometown of tlaxcala, where he not only grew up, but where both his father + grandfather once served as mayor of the town. tlaxcala is vibrant and colorful, located in the center of the country with a mountainous landscape and cool, crisp weather. the catholic ceremony took place at the stunning san francisco cathedral in town, and the reception was at the restaurante la fabrica in the hotel la trinidad.

the combination of traditions — mexican drama meets american flair — made for an exciting, emotional, and totally thrilling day. i loved ulisses’ charro suit + huge sombrero, and was amazed by kathy’s gorgeous handmade gown + lacy veil — woohoo mama quinlan! it was a fabulously authentic celebration — kathy + ulisses are such an amazing couple and so loved by everyone, and i feel very, very lucky to call them friends and to have been witness to this very unique wedding.

kathy + ulisses — CONGRATS! y muchos felicidades! TE AMO!

and now, boda de mexico, en tres partes — enjoy!

:: mexico ::

:: la fiesta ::

:: wedding day ::

shots with the groom! three amigo style.

meghan + jim :: married! baltimore, maryland.

i believe that being asked to photograph any wedding is a privilege, but it is undeniably special to capture that day for a fellow photographer. while many of my clients are artists, meghan is a wedding photographer (in addition to a brilliant lawyer) and the fact that she chose me to be part of her celebration filled me with honor + excitement — she traded her camera for a bouquet and trusted me to document her wedding — i was absolutely flattered and, to be honest, a little flustered all at once!

i met meghan + jim in the fall of 2009 for a lifestyle session (the original ‘charm city lovefest’ even before they were engaged) and i instantly loved everything about this couple. they were so happy and relaxed, such a wonderful complement to one another. as we’ve become friends, i realize that that’s what makes them so special — that they are simply + profoundly happy together. and while that might seem like a given for all couples, i have found that is truly a rare and wonderful thing to behold. i love nothing more than being in the presence of people who are happy, people who love freely and openly, people who take nothing for granted. and if i were to describe meghan + jim’s love in just one word, that word would be genuine. sheer joy radiates from this couple, filling the space in between, and spilling out onto everyone that they love and that loves them. when i look at the photo above that’s the first thing i see — the love in the space between them.

meghan + jim :: congrats! all my love to you both!

enjoy!

* * * * *

ceremony :: govans presbyterian church

reception :: george peabody library

dj :: the one + only, incredible, ninja-tastic, breakdancing dan huynh

caterer :: chef’s expressions

florist :: crimson + clover

videographer :: christina keane

makeup artist :: nichole hesenperger

i am *so* excited to share my new travel blog BLONDEVOYAGE – which will chronicle my adventures for the next few months, while i’m based off the coast of kenya, in the village of shela, on lamu island!

i leave in just a few hours (woo!) and won’t arrive on the island until tuesday afternoon (!!), where i will be greeted with sunshine, white sails, and the gorgeous smiling faces of the people who live there! for the next three months i will have the privilege of calling this beautiful island my home…i am so looking forward to relishing in the simplicity of village life. along with photographing an amazing wedding on the island at the end of the month, im looking forward to spending the next few weeks focusing on writing (my first love) and photography (my passion) in this incredible environment. in all my travels around the world this is the *first* time i have ever returned to a place i have traveled previously! my plan is to update BLONDEVOYAGE often with news, stories, and photos — so stay tuned!

also, i *just* posted FIVE blogs from my travels to this very place earlier this year, so if you are curious as to where i’ll be, what i’ll be doing, and why i absolutely love this island so much, check it out!

enjoy!

* * *

lamu island, kenya – 2010:

part I :: lamu :: shela village.

part II :: lamu :: maulidi.

part III :: lamu :: dhow races.

part IV :: lamu :: shela primary school.

part V :: kiwayu :: island life.

* * *

the lamu archipelago lies two degrees south of the equator, just off the coast of kenya, surrounded by the indian ocean, yet protected by coral reefs and mangrove forests. lamu is the main island in the chain, and is both a UNESCO world heritage site and the oldest living town in kenya. lamu town was one of east africa’s original swahili settlements, and a bustling port city on the arab trading routes. there is a well-preserved swahili culture and a strong religious community. shela village, just a few miles from lamu town, is the second largest settlement on the island, and in stark contrast to lamu town — with stretches of sandy beach, white-washed houses, and relaxed atmosphere. dhows and fishing boats rest along the shore line and donkeys meander through the narrow streets. there are no cars on the island, and a generator supplies power (most of the time) and it’s pretty much always hot and sunny, and the water is always clear and cool. for me, and for many who visit this beautiful island, shela is a perfect, and unexpected paradise.

* * * * *

lamu island, kenya – 2010:

part I :: lamu :: shela village.

part II :: lamu :: maulidi.

part III :: lamu :: dhow races.

part IV :: lamu :: shela primary school.

part V :: kiwayu :: island life.

* * * * *

maulidi is a religious festival and annual celebration held in lamu during the third month of the muslim calendar to commemorate the birth of the prophet mohammed. this year marked the 121st celebration on the island, which attracts faithful celebrants from all over east africa and the middle east, as well as tourists from around the world.

* * * * *

lamu island, kenya – 2010:

part I :: lamu :: shela village.

part II :: lamu :: maulidi.

part III :: lamu :: dhow races.

part IV :: lamu :: shela primary school.

part V :: kiwayu :: island life.

* * * * *

ive said it before, and ill say it again — i love polaroid cameras!

i absolutely love working with children, and while they are always very excited to learn about photography and love to have their photo taken, nothing beats the added joy of instant gratification with polaroid film! they loved posing, helping set up shots, and then handling and shaking the prints while they exposed right before their eyes. after every child had a photograph, they went back to the classroom and placed the photos in their notebooks, writing sentances in english describing where they were and what they were doing in the photograph  – love! i spent most of my time with the first graders who were so energetic and eager to learn and talk with me. at times they were totally giddy, but their teacher — the amazing miss grace — handled them perfectly, firm but kind, and with breaks for recess :) it was a wonderful experience, and i cant wait to see them again next week! enjoy!

* * * * *

lamu island, kenya – 2010:

part I :: lamu :: shela village.

part II :: lamu :: maulidi.

part III :: lamu :: dhow races.

part IV :: lamu :: shela primary school.

part V :: kiwayu :: island life.

* * * * *

8 hours northeast of lamu by sail, and situated within the kiunga marine national reserve, kiwayu is a mere wisp of an island — just 12 miles long and half a mile wide. i spent a few days camping, snorkeling, and fishing with friends along the deserted white sand beaches and fell in love with this idyllic island. the main village is very small, with no electricity, one school, and one well for fresh water. everyone i met was wonderful, especially the children who were anxious to have their photographs taken with their siblings + friends. my favorite was one woman who acted camera shy until i showed her the image i had taken on the back of the camera’s LCD screen — she was thrilled! she blushed and smiled in approval, which encouraged her daughter to take a turn in front of the lens. i love being able to show people how beautiful they are, and i was thrilled to hear they loved the prints i sent back to the island when i returned to the states :)

* * * * *

lamu island, kenya – 2010:

part I :: lamu :: shela village.

part II :: lamu :: maulidi.

part III :: lamu :: dhow races.

part IV :: lamu :: shela primary school.

part V :: kiwayu :: island life.

* * * * *