here's a wonderful post by fantastically great 'style me pretty' on wedding flowers and their meanings
- it's so fun to build a bouquet around that!  i remember a great bride many years ago who put rosemary in hers (and kept sniffing it because she loved how it smelled!) for 'remembrance'

Baby's breath = Everlasting love
Bachelor's button = Celibacy, delicacy
Calla lily = Magnificent beauty
Carnation (pink) = Woman's love
Carnation = Pure love
Cornflower = Delicacy
Crocus = Cheerfulness
Daisy = Innocence
Dogwood = Duration
Fern = Magic
Forget-me-not = Remember me
Freesia = Innocence
Fuchsia = Confiding love
Geranium = True friendship
Hellebore = Calming
Hyacinth = Sport and play
Iris = I have a message for you
Ivy = Friendship
Jasmine (pink) = I attach myself to you
Jasmine (white) = Amiability
Lady's mantle = Comfort
Lilac = First emotions of love
Lily-of-the-valley = Return of happiness
Mint = Virtue
Myrtle = Love
Oak leaf = Bravery
Orchid = You're in my thoughts
Peony = Bashful
Peppermint = Warmth of feeling
Primrose = Youth
Ranunculus = Radiant with charms
Rose (white) = I am worthy of you
Rose = Love
Rosemary = Remembrance
Snowdrop = Hope
Sweet pea = Delicate pleasures
Sweet violet = Modesty
Sweet William = Sensitivity
Tulip (pink) = Caring
Tulip (variegated) = Beautiful eyes
Tulip = Declaration of love
Violet (blue) = Faithfulness

 a feast for the eyes and loads of cake inspiration from cakegirls and vanilla bake shop   

and to wrap up the post, here's a peek at my Father's Day gift for Jason.    warmly, -melanie-

these two are one of my most memorable couples – i adore them to no end!  i photographed their wedding four years ago and it was so sweet to see how their love had grown…i've felt that same maturation of love in my own marriage so it tugged so hard to recognize it in someone else's relationship.  i read once to pay attention to how you feel after you leave someone's presence and with stephanie & david, I feel so enlivened, so enriched…and i love how peacefully the yin and yang of their relationship is represented.  where david is mellow, stephanie is jubuliant…honestly, i just think these two are absolutely incredible.  i crave more time with them just to soak up their joie de vivre and love to be witness to the beautiful marriage they have.   -m-

love is when the other person's happiness is more important than your own. [ h. jackson brown, jr.]

loved this shoot with laura, pete & hannah – laura is the familiar name behind so many emails/letters from our office/ occasional blog posts.  she’s the preeminent office manager – if there were a competition, she’d surely win the biggest 4 ft tall trophy that shimmered in the sun!  and as such, annually we document *her* family because you can’t do what we do (make darling photos for the people in the bluegrass) and not have great photos of those you love!!  as a photographer, I have this odd quirk where I feel like I know someone much better after I photograph them…it’s a chance to talk, listen, see how they interact so although I spend time with laura, I feel like I know her in a completely new way after this shoot.  meeting her sweet lab, hannah, and seeing pete again  was a delight.

i’m so happy you get to a bit more of an introduction to her here as well – she’s so incredible, and a wonderful part of what we do at mmp.  it’s not an understatement to say that each day is better with her here. -m-

when I say I want to photograph someone, what it really means is that I’d like to know them. anyone I know I photograph. [annie leibovitz]

 just had such a great saturday hanging out with my family…time to think on life and it has me smiling from ear to ear.  thank YOU for being such a huge part of it all…it means a ton when i get an invitation to photograph your family so you can hang on to a few moments of the great life you have.  so yes, i'm gushing over you all once again…which happens every day in the office but i try to practice a tiny bit of restraint online ;) but know that you're adored, and that the bow on your photo package is tied 'just so' while we're thinking lovely thoughts of you.  here's to a summer where we can all come away with a handful of incredible memories…and if i'm invited to come along and record a few, all the better!  -m-

image by mmp wonder-intern: katie garner

i am so inspired by my clients!  whitney was so great at being a bride…her bridesmaids had the cutest dresses, greatest necklaces, and gave them the loveliest henry brown bags!   i adored hearing her say 'i'm so lucky' when she saw the reception tent while we were walking by making portraits.  so, let me fill you in on the story – 4 friends from middle school have stayed in touch and vacationed together for 45 years…amongst those summers, 2 of the children of these friends fell in love so it's hard to even write words to describe the deep sense of friendship and warmth present.  the next week, as i thought about the wedding, it encouraged me to arrange something for us with jason's best friends (it's on for october and i'm so happy!)! 

oh, and let me point out a couple things…the cute pug, jezebel, has a tiny bit of the grooms boutonniere in her mouth and the lowest right image is of the mother/son dance…loved that they kicked off the party with the Twist!     -m-

planning & floral: best of flowers
location: the headley-whitney museum
cake: martine's
make-up: ana crane simpson (acscouture@hotmail.com)
tent: purdons