Engagement: Lisa & Tyriq - St. George's & Ft. St. Catherine's, Bermuda
Fort St. Catherine's Beach, St. George's, Bermuda
Engagement: Lizzie & Slayton - St. George's, Bermuda
Historic Town of St. George's & Unfinished Church, Bermuda
Proposal: Emily & Josh - South Shore Beaches, Bermuda
If you’d like to get a glimpse of a “dream proposal”, look no further! Two Broadway actors, young and in love, get engaged on a beach in Bermuda! I’ve dubbed it “Broadway on Bermuda”; cute, right? Josh Paul Young - who played the role of “Judas” in Jesus Christ Superstar; a role which he was nominated for a Tony Award for Best Featured Actor in a Musical - first got in touch with me last October and inquired about a Proposal Photo Package. We picked the date for the shoot and the location: Jobson's Cove!
Josh came up with a detailed plan for him to pop the question to his girlfriend, the ever so talented actress and singer, Emily Padgett. As an actress, Emily is often asked to model for photographers. Josh's plan consisted of me pretending to be the cousin of a mutual friend of Emily's. This friend told Emily that her "cousin" (myself) wanted to take photos of her while she and Josh were as on vacation in Bermuda at Jobson's Cove. Before we linked up, I told Josh my secret "hand signals" to let him know I was ready to capture him popping the question! I took a few photos of Emily solo and when she was least expecting it, gave the signal to Josh to join her by the water's edge for his big moment!
Emily’s reaction was priceless! As he got down on one knee to present the ring, Emily gasped and jumped up and down with excitement. Emily shed a few tears as Josh put the ring on her finger. From there, we started with the next “chapter” of the photo shoot: Engagement Photos! It's always an amazing feeling to photograph a proposal and then also have time for an Engagement Session afterwords. While we explored the different paths, beaches and inlets, Emily said the two of them had met through their their manager! How romantic!
As the sun began to set , a gorgeous glow of light appeared and the water appeared more teal than usual. We made our way to the next beach. Before their trip to Bermuda, Josh had told me he was acting in a play at the Shakespeare Theatre in my hometown of Washington D.C. We compared notes on the “ins-and-outs of living in the City and it was interesting to hear about their time in D.C. The two have since moved back up to New York City and Emily will soon be “gearing up” for her next Broadway Role as Mrs. Buckett in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, which opens March 28th at Lunt-Fontanne Theatre!
Josh and Emily were brave souls on this cold winter day in January! Contrary to popular belief, the water does get cold in Bermuda although this did not stop Josh and Emily from getting in the water! As we walked back towards the parking lot, we passed Jobson's Cove again. I said, "Do you guys want to re-enact the proposal? Eh? Eh?" Josh and Emily immediately took their spots, got into "character", and nailed their own rendition of their proposal; an amazing performance; two thumbs up!
At the end of the shoot, I gave the two a ride back to Newstead, where they were staying. After their stay at the hotel, they were going to board a cruise ship where Josh would be performing his one-man show for the next few nights. I was thankful to help Josh capture this special moment in their lives and had a blast working with the two of them! Please join me in congratulating the two of them as they start their new lives together!
For press inquiries, please email Melanie Fiander of Fiander Foto at "info@fianderfoto.com".
Portrait: The Trangs - Lake Barcroft, Virginia
I had the pleasure of photographing my dear friend Kim and her family at their home in Lake Barcroft, Virginia. Kim and I went to high school together and were also on the swim team together. She, her husband, Jami, and their kids now live in Manhattan. It was such a treat to link up with all of them while they were back in the D.C. area. This lake has always been a special spot for me mainly because I grew up swimming for the Lake Barcroft dolphins; a motor-boatin’ team if ever there was one! At seventeen, I became a lifeguard at Lake Barcroft and worked there for the next five summers. Let me tell you; working at the lake was a pretty sweet summertime gig for a college student! With the number of paths, beaches, swing sets and colorful canoes; the lake has now become a pretty sweet location for family photo shoots!
I had the pleasure of photographing my dear friend Kim and her family at their home in Lake Barcroft, Virginia. Kim and I went to high school together and were also on the swim team together. She, her husband, Jami, and their kids now live in Manhattan. It was such a treat to link up with all of them while they were back in the D.C. area. This lake has always been a special spot for me mainly because I grew up swimming for the Lake Barcroft dolphins; a motor-boatin’ team if ever there was one! At seventeen, I became a lifeguard at Lake Barcroft and worked there for the next five summers. Let me tell you; working at the lake was a pretty sweet summertime gig for a college student! With the number of paths, beaches, swing sets and colorful canoes; the lake has now become a pretty sweet location for family photo shoots!
During my time photographing Kim’s family, I had the pleasure of capturing her mom in her meditation room. As a devout Buddhist, she meditates several times a day.
Wedding: C & A - Providence, Rhode Island
For a wedding that was planned within three months, this one was pretty spectacular! I had the pleasure of photographing Cathie and Andrew's destination wedding in Providence, Rhode Island, during the best time of year in New England: Fall! Their wedding included a few traditional aspects, a few non-traditional ones, and a number of DIY facets!
For a wedding that was planned within three months, this one was pretty spectacular! I had the pleasure of photographing Cathie and Andrew's destination wedding in Providence, Rhode Island, during the best time of year in New England: Fall! Their wedding included a few traditional aspects, a few non-traditional ones, and a number of DIY facets! Originally from Bermuda, the couple traveled to Providence for their destination wedding because Cathie attended Brown University for her undergraduate degree. With this in mind, the bride and groom thought it would be a fitting city to get married in! The wedding day started at dawn and with a few cups of coffee, the bride and groom got ready at The Dean Hotel downtown for their morning ceremony:
With the bride having a flair for vintage fashion, the combination of her polka-dot wedding dress, birdcage veil, hot pink bow, black leather jacket, and a few pairs of shoes - this made for an extra fun day! Cathie and Andrew got ready in the same room; each one helping the other so they could make it to the chapel on time!
Cathie and Andrew greeted their friends and family at the steps of Manning Chapel. One by one, the guests trickled in and waited for the bride and groom to walk down the aisle. Holding each other's hands, they escorted each other down the aisle. The bride's vintage outfit matched her bouquet, which she had made the night before from flowers handpicked at the local Whole Food, and the groom looked dashing in his sweater vest and jacket. After Andrew’s sister and two of their close friends gave readings on the importance and power of love, the bride and groom exchanged their vows and rings. With a blessing from the minister, the two were declared husband and wife!
After the ceremony, the couple opted to have their bridal portraits taken around Brown's campus to capture the fall foliage along with one of Cathie's favorite buildings: the John D. Rockefeller, Jr. Library. Cathie and Andrew were so easy to photograph; they fit naturally into each other’s arms.
Upon arriving at Gracie’s that evening, guests were greeted with signature cocktails appropriately named, “The Cathie” and “The Andrew”. Old-fashioned party flags and paper flower balls hung from the romantically lit ceiling. The couple wanted to inject a bit of humor into the evening and provided their guests with unicorn horns; just for a laugh! The bride – along with her flair for fashion - also has a passion for playwriting and Improv! Before dinner was served, the couple fired up a game of Improv that had everyone roaring with laughter. They acted out various scenarios that would undoubtedly occur during their married life together: from driving a car with kids to pulling out a child’s first baby tooth.
The wedding day, which started before the sun came up, ended long after the sun went down. The detailed planning done by Cathie and Andrew ensured that their guests were comfortable and had a great time. The partygoers danced well into the night; celebrating the love between “The Cathie” and “The Andrew”.
