carrie wildes photography

Our last post and new Blogsite!

2010-04-08T10:52:00.003-04:00

Thanks so much for following us here!! This is our last blog posting on this site

We are so excited that our new Blogsite is here! A website that is a blog and blog that is a website. The best of both worlds in one. We really wanted something very custom and just plain user friendly. Since we are addicted to social media you will see you can very easily find us on facebook, twitter, and we are going to be much more interactive on our blog as well. Coming soon we'll be starting Y Not? Givaways, Foto Friday's and much more. Just for the fun of it! Let us know what you think!!!

Girls Just Wanna Have Fun!

2010-04-07T08:20:00.002-04:00

Lexi and her girls were all in town for her destination wedding so we did a Boudoir session with Lexi and a sort of Girl Just Want to Have Fun mixed with Sex and the City with all her girls. Such an awesome group and really fun session!! Here's a few sneaks:-)

Real Wedding: Melissa + Brian @ Carlouel Yacht Club

2010-04-06T16:00:00.001-04:00

Stunning. That's the perfect word to describe Melissa and Brian's wedding day. He surprised her with flowers while she was getting ready. She surprised him with a Georgia Bulldog grooms cake. It was exactly how it should be, perfect. You could feel the joy and love the Melissa and Brian have for each other and their friends and family. I got to work with my favorite officiant, my husband:-) He likes people to laugh at him and the crowd was definitely laughing when, during the blessing he prayed that the George Bull Dogs would triumph over the Florida Gators since Tebow graduated. Here's a little taste of their amazing day! Congrats Melissa and Brian it was such an honor to be a part of your day!!

Their entire online gallery will be here.

Getting Ready: Sand Pearl

Venue: Carlouel Yacht Club

Officiant: David Wildes

Florals: Events in Bloom

Hair/Makeup: Michelle Renee

Cake: Pastries by Design

Cigar Roller: Cigar Creations

Photo Booth: Photomagic

DJ: Grant Hemond

Videography: Chad Whelan

Transportation: Jolly Trolly

Susanne + Bob e-session

2010-04-06T11:45:00.003-04:00

Susanne and Bob are super involved in one of the Gasparilla Krewe's so we had to find some pirates! Here's a few sneaks. They will be getting married at Davis Island Garden Club 5/29/10 can't wait!!

Happ Easter! and the winner is.....

2010-04-04T10:18:00.004-04:00

Thanks for leaving your comments!!! We'll have lots more fun contests for sure! The winning comment is..........

cheney76 said...

I think the best hiding spot outside would be on top of a tire (under the fender) of a parked car, assuming it's in the driveway.
Inside would be in a bag or loaf of bread(hollowed out of course)

Our First Y Not? Giveaway!!!!

2010-04-01T22:00:00.000-04:00

I was hoping to post this on my new blogsite but no love on the url transfer yet. So, here it is! We'll be doing random fun things, why you ask, well why not??? All you have to do is leave a comment to this post to answer the following question:

What is the best place to hid an Easter Egg???

Deadline is Saturday 4/3 at midnight!!!

Chic Sweets put together an amazing basket of sweet treats for the winner, who will be chosen by an experienced panel of judges...aka me and my team:-) Picture below. The bunny cake pops are the best I know because I had to eat one. Don't worry if you don't live here I'll mail it to you I promise!!!

Real Wedding: Twyla + Roger @ Lange Farm

2010-04-01T15:59:00.002-04:00

Twyla and Roger were surprised with a shower of flower petals as they entered the reception. This is one of my favorite shots ever so I had to post it first:-) Even though it rained for the ceremony this was an absolutely gorgeous day. The gold necklace Roger actually made for Twyla as a gift. Her Grandpa is over 90 years old and came from Venezuela, where he is a rancher there. The Bible boy below was hilarious and loved the camera:-) They had a full Mariachi band and each of the table center pieces were little tricycles with pink and green flowers. Their cake was actually a 5 tier cheesecake and they did one of my favorite traditions, the cake pull, which we did at our wedding:-) It's when you have your single girlfriends come up and they pull a charm out of the cake. Each charm means something different, I love it! What an amazing day, congrats to Twyla and Roger!!!!!! Their entire online gallery will be here

Venue: The Lange Farm

Entertainment: Grant Hemond

Catering: Arthur's Catering

Cake: Mr. Cheesecake

Real Wedding: Dosia + Adam @ Cross Creek Ranch

2010-03-25T08:02:00.003-04:00

I love finding out all the personal touches that the bride and groom do to make their wedding unique and fit their personalities. Adam is a graphic designer and actually designed all their stationary. Menus, guest cards, invitations, table numbers etc. Their colors were green and orange and everything had a tiny orange butterfly on it even down to the cake. They had a little box for ring bearer to carry the rings in that they painted green and orange to match their colors. During the ceremony, Dosia had little orchids hidden in her bouquet that she surprised each mom with. They had a really sweet sand ceremony with Dosia's daughter and Adam's son as the maid of honor and best man, each had a different color of sand that they all poured together as one family. It was an amazing day as you will see below..... Their entire online gallery will be here.

Venue – Cross Creek Ranch
Florals – Events in Bloom

Hair - Collective Creations

Makeup - Tamara Whittaker

Gown - Alfred Angelo
Catering – An Affair to Remember
Entertainment – Traveling Sound and Light
Cake - Alessi Bakeries

Idea Room: Couture jewelry for a boutique price

2010-03-24T07:35:00.000-04:00

In one of our recent weddings the bride and bridesmaid each had really unique and gorgeous jewelry. They actually rented them from Bag Borrow or Steal, where you can rent designer jewelry and handbags for a fraction of the cost and then return them! Some of the top designers like Fendi, Chanel, and Tiffany's. Here's 2 of the items the girls wore, the silver/diamond necklace you see below is actually $2800 but to rent it for a week, $70. I didn't even know you could do that, so wanted to share:-)

Real Wedding: Laura + Travis @ Davis Island Garden Club

2010-03-23T09:00:00.001-04:00

Laura had a gorgeous and really unique veil, it was actually the same one her mom used in her wedding, I love little personal touches like that. Laura and Travis are both huge Gator fans and, they had a couple surprise visitors during the reception. To go along with the theme, they had a Gator ice sculpture and little chocolate gator favors for each guest. (which were amazing by the way:-) There were a couple of Florida State fans there and one of them got in a little bit of trouble. Congrats Laura and Travis!! Their entire online gallery will be here.

Venue: Davis Island Garden Club

Coordination: Simply Divine Events

Florals: Events in Bloom

Hair/Makeup: Collective Creations

Entertainment: Inspire Entertainment

Catering: Delectables Catering

Gown: Alfred Angelo

Tuxedos: Tuxedo Junction

Stationery: Wedding Paper Divas

Chocolates: The Original Leena's Chocolates

Transportation: VIP Valet and Limousine

Cake: Alessi Bakeries

Real Wedding: Kellye + Nick @ Schnelby's Winery, Miami

2010-03-21T09:02:00.002-04:00

3.13.10, Kelly and Nick said their I do's!! The reception was at Schnelby's Winery just outside of Miami. Such a beautiful place and gold mine for photography:-) The reception was in a huge tiki style venue and looked amazing with lots of white lights and orange linens and centerpieces. Schnelby's reminded me of Napa except they make their wines out of Avocados and different tropical fruits like mangos such a unique place for a wedding. The day was full of fun moments here's a few of them. Their entire online gallery will be here.

Ceremony: Christ Fellowship

Venue: Schneby's Winery

Florals: Bud Stop Florist

Entertainment: George Rivero

Catering: Americaters

Cake: Publix

Gown: Anne Marie's Bridal Boutique

Stationery: The Paper Pigeon

Idea Room: Baby Shower

2010-03-20T09:04:00.003-04:00

Sylense recently did a baby shower at Tampa Palms Golf Club and the details were so cute I had to share. The theme was baby birds and the colors were pink and green. Alessi Bakeries created the cake with a little nest on top and even the name tags had little birds on them. They also had little cards on each table with fun questions on them. Such a cute idea!!

Real Wedding: Pamela + Jarod @ Sand Key Marriott

2010-03-19T17:30:00.004-04:00

The rain almost let up enough to do Pam and Jarod's wedding on the beach but not quite enough. Even though it rained this was actually one of my favorite session with the bride and groom after the wedding. I was super excited when Pam asked me if we could still do some pictures of them in the rain:-) They were awesome to brave the weather but it was so worth it with just them on the whole beach and the contrast of the sky and sand. Here's a few sneaks!!

Venue: Sand Key Marriott

Ceremony: Beach Ceremonies by Jules

Entertainment: Grant Hemond

Florals: Events in Bloom

Cake: Publix

Melissa + Brian E-session!

2010-03-16T18:02:00.000-04:00

We got rained and frozen out a couple times but finally had a gorgeous day for Melissa and Brian's e-session. Their boxer Garrison even got to play some frisbee! They are going to tie the knot at Carlouel Yacht Club on 3/26 I can't wait!!

Come Say Hi!

2010-03-16T14:06:00.002-04:00

We'll be at the Premiere Bridal Showcase at the Straz Center stop by and see us!

Vacation Memoirs: Palma de Mallorca, Italy

2010-03-08T09:00:00.000-05:00

Our last stop before heading back to Barcelona was Palma de Mallorca. They are known for the beaches so it was the perfect place to take a catamaran trip around the coast. Our friends from South Africa came with us and David and Gert did a diving competition off the side of the boat. The water was amazing clear blue but a little bit chillier than the Gulf:-) That night we went to a dinner theater and met a couple from London on holiday. They were so nice, and ended up giving us a ride back to the ship at the end of the evening. Through chatting with them, they own a ballroom dance studio in London and have trained many of the dancers on dancing with the starts. They travel the world judging competitions as well. That’s what I love about traveling the world, you meet so many interesting people, and it gives you such a different perspective on life. So many people don’t get the opportunity to do that so I’m fortunate to bring it back with me in photographs. So, this brings our journey to an end, I can’t wait until the next one.

Vacation Memoirs: Tunis, North Africa

2010-03-07T08:06:00.000-05:00

This was definitely the most interesting place on our trip. Everything was in Arabic and English. We went to Sidi Bou Said which started as a fishing village hundreds of years ago. It’s on a hill overlooking the ocean and if you live there your house has to be white with blue trim. They have markets called Souks, and the local thing is this decorative blue china that they sell. Seriously, I could shoot there for a really long time. Tunisia also has one of the oldest cities in the world, Carthage, so there are lots of Roman ruins there as well. Very close to the ruins was a huge brand new mosque so it’s a very interesting place because with all of the ancient history it’s also still a very modern city. David even got to ride a camel:-) Last stop Palma de Mallorca.

Vacation Memoirs: Palermo, Italy

2010-03-06T08:03:00.000-05:00

After our Naples adventure, this stop we decided to be touristy and just do one of the tours where they do everything for you:-) The first picture is of a castle we visited, and the fountain that you see was once a mile long and went all the way to the sea. They built it next to a spring so they would have clean water and the house was laid out for specific airflow since they obviously didn’t have AC in the summer. There was the funniest little wiener dog that was harassing a cat there too. The architecture was amazing, so many cool arches and LOTS of scooters. My absolute favorite place, Tunis will be next.

Tara and Skeet E-session

2010-03-05T07:37:00.000-05:00

I'm so glad I live in Florida now but it is nice to go back and see the snow once in a while:-) I was in Columbus doing Tara and Skeet's engagement session and so glad there was pretty white snow for us, and glad I get to go back to sunny Florida! Peanut and Buster got in on a few as well. 6.26.10 they'll be tying the knot here in Florida at Sanibel Harbour Resort.

Lauren + Josh E-session

2010-03-04T08:30:00.000-05:00

We laughed a lot during this session especially after finding toilets randomly outside in Ybor. I had to post it again, so funny! We did get a lot of other awesome shots as well. Here’s a few sneaks!! They will be tying the know 2/26/11 at the beautiful Sand Pearl!

Candace + Tom E-session

2010-03-03T07:30:00.000-05:00

Thankfully it warmed up a little bit. Candace and Tom are super laid back and just fun to be around, here’s a few sneaks from their engagement session. They will be getting married 10/16/10!!

Real Wedding: David and Kiwana @ Mainsail

2010-03-01T17:27:00.004-05:00

2.20.10 Kiwana and David said their vows in a sweet outdoor ceremony at Mainsail Suites. If you saw their engagement pictures, they have a gorgeous little girl, Kendall that is so adorable! Congrats to the new Mr and Mrs!! Their online gallery will be here.

Venue: Mainsail
Florals and Cake: Publix
Video: A Magic Moment

Dosia + Adam E-session

2010-02-28T21:35:00.003-05:00

It was freezing and sooooooo windy for Dosia and Adam’s engagement session!! Tampa, what is going on? They will be getting married on 3/20/10 at Cross Creek Ranch. We met the end of 2008 and wow, it’s already almost here, can’t wait!

Vacation Memoirs: Naples, Italy

2010-02-28T08:02:00.000-05:00

On our stop in Naples, we decided to be adventurous and go find mount Vesuvius on our own. It’s actually pretty hard to get there, there is one train and 2 stops and if you get off on the wrong one you are done for! Once you get off the train there is a tiny store front where there is a bus that will take you up to the mountain and we got the very last one of the day, phew! It was really cool to be at the top of an active volcano and you could see down over the ocean and where Pompeii is. Here’s a few pics and also our video on how to find it if you ever end up going. Next stop, Palermo.

Hot Seat, oh wait, toilet seat.....

2010-02-27T23:06:00.001-05:00

I’m always on the lookout for something random, usually it’s a cool alleyway, junky stairs etc so I couldn’t resist posting this. I was doing Josh and Lauren’s engagement session yesterday and Josh spotted 3 toilets just sitting outside, they already know me so well, so of course we had to take advantage. Here’s our serious fashion faces, looks like magazine to me:-)

Real Wedding: Jessica + Chris @ Tampa Palms

2010-02-26T12:52:00.002-05:00

Jessica and Chris got married on the veranda at Tampa Palms last weekend! They incorporated so many personal details....Jessica's gown was actually made for her, using material from her part of her mom's wedding dress, which I thought was very unique and something I don't see too often. The florals had gorgeous yellow roses, and as they were walking down the aisle as a newly married couple everyone had rose petals to shower them with. The ballroom looked amazing with uplighting, chivari chairs, and each guest got a mini bottle of with to take home with them. Make sure to take a look at the cake topper too, hilarious! Congrats you two!!!

Venue: Tampa Palms Golf and Country Club

Coordination: A Friend of the Bride

Stationary: Nelson Fuqua Designs

Florals: Apple Blossom

Cake: Publix Greenwise

Entertainment: Grant Hemond

Vacation Memoirs: Genoa, Italy

2010-02-19T16:45:00.000-05:00

We met some really cool friends on our search for a map of Genoa and the train to get there. Gert and Alton are from South Africa and it was so funny because they own a decor company for weddings and events in Cape Town so we had a lot in common and became instant friends. You'll see more of them later. The architecture was amazing!

This was Christopher Columbus' house. It is tiny!

Genoa also has the most narrow spaces between buildings I have ever seen I wonder how they built them?

They also have David's favorite treat, Gelato. I think he stopped at almost every place we saw:-)

This is kind of weird, our ship next to a really old bell tower.

Ahhh, another beautiful sunset. Onto Naples next.

Vacation Memoirs: Marseille

2010-02-18T19:52:00.002-05:00

We got on the ship in Barcelona and Marseille, the oldest city in France was our first stop. Old Port is how you get there, it was pretty early and the market there was just getting busy. Fresh flowers everywhere and the most gorgeous peonies I have ever seen! There were fisherman selling live fish they just caught.

We took a ferry over to a Chateau de If which was the setting for the book The Count of Monte Cristo.

It turned from Military fortress to the most feared prison in France. Similar to Alcatraz only a couple thousand years older.

I think these are red poppies?

Apparently there are killer sea gulls here too.

The prisoners could see the beautiful ocean and even hear the city of Marseille but couldn't reach it.

Definitely amazing views, I wonder if they ever do weddings there?

The Nortre Dame de la Garde is on the hill overlooking the city. Here's the inside.

One of my favorite things about Spain, France, and Italy....

What a beautiful sunset, next stop Genoa not sausage but Italy.

Danielle + Brian

2010-02-17T15:17:00.003-05:00

It was a little chilly in Florida last weekend, where's the warm weather? I guess I can't complain since it snowed a foot in Ohio yesterday. Anyway, Danielle and Brian came over from the East Coast for their e-session. Brian is a Lighting fanatic, he played hockey his whole life and even worked for them when he was here. We were hoping to do the session at the Forum with the Zamboni (that was more me I think:-) but there was an event going on there so we at least got a little something Lightening in there. They are getting hitched on 11/5/10 can't wait! Oh yeah, here's a few sneaks........

Happy Valentine's Day!!

2010-02-14T09:23:00.002-05:00

Real Wedding: Megan and AJ

2010-02-13T08:00:00.001-05:00

This was definitely a group that loves to have fun, and what better of a day than to celebrate Megan and AJ getting married! I loved the colors Megan used, pink, navy, and some hints of blue. She had her great grandmother's jeweled broach on her flowers, and I caught a really cute moment during the ceremony of her showing it to AJ:-) Here's a few sneaks! Their entire online gallery will be here.

Venue and Catering: Latam's at the Centro Asturiano

Florals: The Arrangement

Entertainment: JAMS

Bakery: Sweetie Pies

Special Effects Makeup

2010-02-12T14:59:00.002-05:00

I love creativity and art of all different types, especially capturing other people's talent I recently finished a shoot for a series of profiles on creative hair and makeup by Collective Creations. I asked Holly how they came up with it and here's what she said.....

"The inspiration behind the series "Creation" was to show another side of our ability as artist, while at the same time portraying the art our Creator has placed around us for inspiration. While we enjoy doing bridal hair and makeup, we wanted to put out there the intensely creative collections we can compose."

Here's a few of my favs along with the artists!

Tamayo Family

2010-02-12T00:02:00.001-05:00

They aren't together very often and it was Diana's Christmas gift to get some portraits done of everyone together:-) Here's a few sneaks!

If you missed it here's Cindy and Maykel on MTV:-)

2010-02-11T20:54:00.002-05:00

I was super excited about working with MTV for Cindy and Maykel's wedding. It turned out to be such a fun show, here it is if you missed it:-)

MTV Tr3s Shows

Kate + Dan E-session Sneaks

2010-02-11T11:09:00.002-05:00

Kate, Dan, and their sweet little girl Maddie were down from PA doing some wedding planning and we had a blast doing their engagement session! It is pretty chilly this week, I had a sweater on but they were enjoying the sunshine away from the blizzard up north, only northerners would jump in the pool when it's 60 degrees out:-) Here's a few sneaks!!

Vacation Memoirs: Barcelona

2010-02-06T22:56:00.005-05:00

We got to go on an amazing Mediterranean Cruise this past summer, June to be exact and I realized I hadn't even looked through and edited the pics I took on the trip. So it's time and I figured I would share, why not? First stop, Barcelona. Our cruise left from there so we stayed for 3 days before getting on the ship. Thank God, because luggage did not arrive until the day we were getting on the ship. Thank God, unlike Tampa, Spain has amazing shopping, H&M, Zara, and Mango on every corner so it wasn't too hard to find something to tide me over. We met some friends and have some random stories so I'll post more on the other places we stopped eventually.

View from the roof of our cute Boutique Hotel

We have no luggage at this point so my entire outfit is from a little trip to H&M

Castle downtown, I liked all the green moss on the walls

Christopher Columbus is suppose to be pointing to the new world but supposedly he is pointing in the wrong direction

Taming the lion

I love the Mediterranean, all kinds of sailboats in the harbor

Ok, this is my favorite thing we got to see. It's the La Sagradia Familia which means "Family Chapel". The architect, Antoni Gaudi's masterpiece. It's been under construction since 1882 and won't be done until the 100th anniversary of Gaudi's death 2026. He was unexpectedly hit by a tram in 1926 leaving it unfinished. I've seen a lot of different places around the world but nothing like this.

This woman really wanted to get into the church, the police didn't let her in for long though.

Each side has a different facade, this is the Passion, there is also the Nativity, and the Glory which is not completed yet.

Inside of the chapel

Here's the Nativity Facade

Another one of Gaudi's apartment designs

Cable Car over the port

Anglo Couture Fashion Show

2010-02-05T10:35:00.011-05:00

Here's the slideshow from Anglo Couture's debut fashion show in January! It was such a great event from the venue, to the decor, to the planning, and of course the beautiful gowns:-) I couldn't decide which pictures to post so here's a taste of what the evening was like.

There were so many people who made it an amazing night:
Venue: Nova 535
Coordination: Stonehouse Events and Simply Divine Events
Production: Event Show Productions
Decor: MMD
Florals: Events in Bloom
Programs: Not From a Box
Stationery: Paper Presence
Invitations: Dragonfly Custom Designs
Music: Soundwave Productions

Video: JJ Video and Film
Photobooth: Shutterbooth
Linens: BBJ
Hair and Makeup: Collective Creations, Lena G, and Jess Waldrop
Cuisine: Catering by Design
Candy Bar: Chic Sweets
Expresso Service: Cafe Ala Carte

Calligraphy: Tampa Calligraphy

Kiwana and David E-Session

2010-02-04T13:04:00.002-05:00

Last time I met with Kiwana and David, Kiwana was just about ready to give birth to a little girl. Little Kendall is such a doll she's 3 months old now and adorable! We did an engagement/family session with them and what a gorgeous family:-) I'm looking forward to their wedding February 20th, only 2 weeks away!!! Here's a few sneaks.....

Cindy and Maykel on MTV!!!

2010-02-02T12:32:00.004-05:00

We got to work with MTV as they filmed Cindy and Maykel's wedding this past November for a new wedding series. The show is going to air next Monday at 9pm on MTV tr3. I have to figure out what channel it is, but that's the network:-) I like reality drama like the Bachelor and The City, guilty pleasures of mine so what could be better than wedding reality:-) Below is the trailor for the series, I have 2 seconds of fame in there check it at 2:44. I'm so curious to see how it turns out!

MTV Tr3s Shows

Snail Mail Love!

2010-01-28T07:34:00.001-05:00

I got such a sweet note from Joanna and Scott, it made my day so had to share!! Here's a pic of it on my fridge too:-)

"Carrie,

I just wanted to thank you for the amazing job you did on our engagement photos. You were able to capture so many great moments between Scott and I. All of our friends and family love them too! Check out our save the date!" Joanna and Scott

Matthew and Rachael

2010-01-27T08:00:00.000-05:00

Saturday was such a beautiful day and perfect for engagement sessions! It's always interesting to me what people enjoy doing, Matt and Rachael both enjoy sailing, so the pier in St. Pete was perfect! There was even a group of sailboats in the distance. I'm looking forward to 5/22/10! Here's a few sneaks......

Allison and Patrick

2010-01-26T08:00:00.000-05:00

Sylense and I got to spend some time with Allie and Patrick this past weekend for their engagement session. Patrick grew up in Tampa and picked our location, Ballast Point park, which I had not been to before, but what a great place and view of the city! Here's a few sneaks:-)

Real Wedding: Alyssa and Matthew @ The Lange Farm

2010-01-25T13:23:00.003-05:00

Alyssa and Matthew tied the knot at the Lange Farm! Such a beautiful setting, it's so easy to capture each wedding in a unique way there since there's so many great backgrounds and textures! Alyssa and Matt saw each other for the first time just the two of them (and us:-) such a sweet moment. Bright orange and pink were the colors that accented the ceremony and reception. They had a very candid little flower girl as you will see below. Congrats Alyssa and Matt!! Their entire online gallery will be HERE.

Venue: The Lange Farm

Florals: Publix

Catering: Circles

Hair and Makeup: Michelle Renee

Entertainment: Sword Sounds

Cake: Chocolate Pi

Project Runway viewing party

2010-01-23T20:55:00.002-05:00

It was pretty cool to see the turnout to support Tampa's own Ben Chmura for his debut on Project Runway. Over 250 people came out to Rawbar Sushi for the event it was definitely a success! Congrats to Ben, it was a great party.

The Looks of Anglo Couture

2010-01-19T16:21:00.004-05:00

Fashion and wedding gowns, what could be better!! I love both so I was so happy to be involved in creating the looks for Anglo Couture's new line. These gorgeous gowns look amazing on the simple textures and colors we used. Tara and Jennifer, were amazing to work with and Lena G and Collective Creations created their look of Hollywood glamour. Here's some of my favorite looks below and some of the process it takes to make this happen as well. The entire collection can be seen on www.anglocoutureline.com.

Help Haiti!!!!!

2010-01-19T09:55:00.002-05:00

I was just in Haiti in September 2009 and had the privilege of capturing the beauty and spirit of the people there. Port Au Prince was a bustling colorful place and I can't even imagine living through the devastation that they are right now. I want to help and hopefully will get to go there again as soon as it's safe to help with the relief, but in the meantime I wanted to do something! I put together an etsy story where you can buy prints of the images you will see below and others. All proceeds will go to Haiti relief through Project 81.

The site is www.helphaiti.etsy.com Please help spread the word!!!!!! I would love to add more to the collection and sell as many as I can!!

Couture Creation

2010-01-17T16:57:00.013-05:00

Ever wonder who and what is behind the design of those beautiful wedding gowns you see? I have the privilege of working with a local designer, Vicky, creator of Anglo Couture and wanted to share a little her world and what it takes to design her gorgeous gowns. Our work will also be featured on their website and we covered Anglo Couture's fashion show last week so lots more to come!!!

What are your biggest influences?
"I simply love what I do. I get infuenced by everything. Life itself infuences me...but mostly different women's characters. I think that we should be able to represent who we are or want to be, through our image. So i just try to capture that through my designs."

How does a gown go from drawing to reality?
"First I look at the sketch and see how I can make a pattern that is actually wearable and has an imperative fit. I draft the pattern and cut it out of muslin, I test the fit and make changes as needed. After I have accomplished the perfect fit I finalize the pattern and cut it from the actual material. Sometimes there is up to 100 pieces in a single pattern. The correct cutting is crucial in assuring the perfect fit. Putting together all the pieces must be done with simple perfection to achive the absolute fit. And that's how it all happens!!!"

How do you come up with the names for each dress?
"I just look at the dress and think, what would the name of the woman that will wear it be?"

What types of materials do you use?
"1oo% the finest quality silk dutchess satin, chiffon and organza....I love to accent with french laces and flowers."

If you could have a super power what would it be?:-)
"lol....This is hard to choose but I think I would love to travel through time."

The Phantom

2010-01-15T08:54:00.005-05:00

Ambassador Limousines recently purchased a brand new 2009 Phantom Rolls Royce to add to their entourage. We had the pleasure of photographing it at two of Tampa's most beautiful venues, the Don Cesar and the Renaissance Vinoy. It definitely adds the height of luxury to any event. Here's a few words from the owner Ken Lucci:

"The Rolls Royce Phantom is the pinnacle of luxury and style for the bride who wishes to travel surrounded by elegance on her wedding day. The Phantom is finished in cotillion white with light tan interior. The passenger compartment features a Silver Champagne Service with crystal glasses and individual mahogany tables to rest your champagne flute. The Phantom creates a unique impression and million dollar photos that will don your memory and mantles for years to come."

A special thanks to Collective Creations for Hair and Makeup and Cindy, our gorgeous bride!

Real Wedding: Nicole and Jake @ The Lange Farm

2010-01-13T11:19:00.003-05:00

Nicole and Jake had their ceremony under the big oak trees at the Lange Farm last weekend! It definitely wasn't hot outside:-) Their reception was in the rustic barn with music, dancing, wine, and everyone having a great evening. I love the favors, wine glasses with each person's name on them. Congrats Jake and Nicole!! Their entire online gallery will be at www.pictage.com/727084.

Real Wedding: Angie + Lars @ University of Tampa

2010-01-11T17:05:00.002-05:00

Angie and Lars started off the new year by getting married, 1/2/10! Angie had white roses and blue Hydrangeas with the same blue accents everywhere for the girls and center pieces. The Grand Salon at UT really gives you the feel of Tampa, I love shooting there because there is so much character inside and outside the property. They had some very fun ring bearers and flower girl:-) They ended the evening by giving their guests chocolate dipped minaret cookies. Cheers to a great evening and to Angie and Lars! Their online gallery will be at www.pictage.com/711563

Church: St. John's

Venue and Catering: University of Tampa

Florist: Tampa Bay Florist

Hair and Makeup: Level 2 Salon

Entertainment: Grant Hemond

Bakery: Alessi Bakeries

Tampa Designer featured on Project Runway Season 7!

2010-01-07T16:57:00.004-05:00

We'll be covering this party for the premiere of a local Tampa designer who is going to be featured on the newest season of project Runway!! It's open to the public, details below!

Old Savannah

2010-01-03T08:39:00.002-05:00

Over Christmas time we were in north Florida with David's family and we finally made it up to Savannah, GA for the day. It's only 2 hours from his parents and I have been dying to go! It's hard to find time to just go somewhere, wander around, and capture the colors, textures, and character of a place. When I lived in Chicago and New Orleans I would take my bike and camera and go for the entire day just to see what I could see. I love old architecture, and new places because it makes you look at something you haven't before. The old houses had the coolest stairways and brick entrances. Down by the river the street level was higher than the river front and had mossy old stone walls, alleyways, and awesome light. Here's a taste of what it looked like.

Emma and Aaron

2010-01-02T08:00:00.001-05:00

It's not too often I get to see my niece and nephew that live in Raleigh, so it was really fun to see them over Christmas this year. They are growing up so fast:-) Emma was a tiny preemie baby a little bigger than a cell phone when she was born, now she will be six soon and loves pink, flowers, and being a big sister. Aaron is just about to turn one and is going to be talking and running all over the place soon.

New Year New Look!

2010-01-01T00:00:00.002-05:00

Happy New Year!!!! Thank you to all the amazing people we got to create memories for in 2009, as well as the wonderful professionals we had the privilege of working with to make it happen. It was an such amazing year and with what we've got in store 2010 is going to be even better! To start off the new year we want to show you our new look. We are raising the bar even higher, beginning with our brand and there will be lots more to come!!! We will be kicking it off on January 2nd with Angie and Lars' wedding. So cheers to a new and exciting year!!

Merry Christmas!!!!!

2009-12-25T07:00:00.000-05:00

Angie + Lars

2009-12-22T12:02:00.002-05:00

We had beautiful on Saturday for Angie and Lars' engagement session! Just as we were finishing there were tons of people on UTs campus because it was graduation day. Brought back lots of college memories:-) I'm so excited to start off 2010 with Angie and Lars' wedding on January 2nd!! 2010 is going to be amazing!! Here's a few sneaks....

Erin + Clinton

2009-12-18T08:02:00.001-05:00

Erin and Clinton wanted a little vintage and a lot of fun and we definitely accomplished that for their engagement session. The colors and textures in Plant City were perfect for Erin's chic mustard and black dress and Clint's black fidora and suspenders. We had a blast with them!! Our wonderful associate, Sylense will be capturing their wedding next October at Cross Creek Ranch. Their entire online gallery will be at www.pictage.com/731244

Joanna + Scott

2009-12-17T08:37:00.002-05:00

I got to spend some time with Joanna and Scott this past weekend and wanted to share some of the engagement sneaks! When Scott proposed to Joanna he surprised her with a gorgeous ring that is also a family heirloom. His grandmother gave him the diamond that has been in their family for over 120 years!! That is pretty amazing and what a special gift, I love hearing each unique story! Their entire online gallery will be at www.pictage.com/758939

Email Love:-)

2009-12-10T11:01:00.000-05:00

Jen and David sent me the nicest email so had to share!! We did their shoot up in Granville, Ohio this past October.

"Hi Carrie,

Just wanted to say we got the engagement prints we ordered to have here in our apartment. I just wanted to say how beautiful they are! So much more so than on the computer even. You are so talented and we are happy we chose you. Can't wait until next July for the wedding.

See you then,
David & Jen"

Real Wedding: Jennifer and Thomas @Hunters Green Country Club

2009-12-09T07:30:00.000-05:00

Jennifer and Tom tied the knot at Hunters Green this past weekend! Simple and classic in style with red roses and crystal accents with a touch of attitude with her red high heels! Love it! Their grandparents were celebrating their 63rd wedding anniversary so they honored them by giving them the garter and bouquet and having a special dance with them. I won't mention the Gator game or the outcome, but they did have a Florida groom's cake because Tom is a huge fan. They ended the evening with sparklers and we had a lot of fun with that one! Congrats to you both it was a great day!! You can view their entire online gallery at www.pictage.com/637989

Venue: Hunters Green Country Club
Florals: Events in Bloom
Videography: VH Video
Entertainment: Absolute Entertainment
Cake: Publix and Its Icing on the Cake

Hair and Makeup: Michelle Renee

From Jen and Tom

Real Wedding: Nikki and Jason @Sheraton Sand Key

2009-12-08T00:00:00.000-05:00

This weekend the weather was a little crazy, what's up with rain in December?!! Even though it had to be inside everything turned out amazing for Nikki and Jason's wedding this past Friday. If you remember seeing their engagement session they are huge baseball fans, and had the Cubs and Yankees battling it out on the grooms cake. The colors were teal, black, and a hint of green. I love the center pieces, very simple branches with teal flowers and the favors were a cookie cutter and ornament, such a fun idea! We had a blast with them and the bridesmaids were way better at jumping than the groomsmen:-) Congrats Nikki and Jason!! Their online gallery can be viewed at www.pictage.com/702208

Venue: Sheraton Sand Key

Florist: Open Air Florist

Entertainment: Grant Hemond

Cake: Publix

Real Wedding: Caiti and Ben in Gurnee, IL

2009-12-07T05:25:00.003-05:00

Right after Thanksgiving I headed back up to the north suburbs of Chicago for Caiti and Ben's wedding. It could have been freezing and snowing, but it was 55 and sunny which like a heat wave for this time of year:-) Caiti and Ben both love horses and the outdoors so the guys black stetson hats and red ties were perfect. Caiti even had a little cowboy boot on her garter and on the cake topper. Congrats you two!!! Their entire online gallery will be at www.pictage.com/624079

Ceremony: Village Church of Gurnee
Reception: Maravelas
Bakery: Lovin Oven

Tate Family Sneak Peeks

2009-12-05T23:20:00.001-05:00

I got to spend some time with the Tate's, all 6 of them! I love Erin's choice of colors and outfits, grey, black, and red. She wanted an urban feel for their Christmas portraits so we went down to Hyde Park and it was perfect because they had just put up the Christmas tree. They boys especially are very full of energy so you have to be quick to catch them:-)

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Remembering Heather

2009-12-04T12:02:00.004-05:00

There's those moments in life that really make us look at what we have and what really matters. We had one of those moments this week when we found out that one of our friends from the midwest tragically died in a car accident. Heather was one of the most caring and sweet people that I know. She was a daughter, wife, and mother of 2 children. Charlie, who is 2 and a half and Brennan who is five months old. She was one of those people who you talk to and you can feel that she truly cares about you. She loved her husband and little boys so much. I can't even imagine what it is like losing your mother at such a young age. I am not a "crier" but it brings tears to my eyes just writing this. I had a couple of snap shots of her and Dustin from several years ago. You can see the joy and happiness she had. I especially like the first one where my goofy husband is interrupting their dancing:-) Her funeral is today. Heather will be truly missed but I know we will see her again someday. They have setup a trust fund to support the boys so if you know them and would like to send some love here's the info:

Heather Mattern Memorial Fund in care of Thompson-Lengacher & Yoder Funeral Home, PO Box 206 Nappanee, IN 46550

Real Wedding: Janalee + John at the beach

2009-11-30T22:01:00.003-05:00

Our wonderful and talented associate photographer, Sylense, captured Janalee and John's wedding on 11/21. They had a sweet ceremony where they walked up the beach on a simple white runner as all the guests stood on either side. The ring bearers and flower girls were adorable! I love the simple and modern cake they did and very creative groom's cake!! Congrats John and Janalee!! Their entire online gallery will be at www.pictage.com/610112

Amy + Greg's Engagement Sneaks!

2009-11-24T07:37:00.000-05:00

We got to know Amy and Greg at their engagement session at Sunken Gardens this past week. It's such a peaceful place and has amazing color! There was a tree that was blooming with huge orange flowers, that was my favorite spot:-) Here's a few of their sneaks. Looking forward to their wedding next April!!

Real Wedding: Karin + Brian @ Cross Creek Ranch

2009-11-23T13:24:00.005-05:00

Karin and Brian had a beautiful fall wedding at Cross Creek Ranch. Karin is from Minnesota and she wanted to add a little bit of the north flavor so she had little maple syrup favors for all their guests. Her gown had beautiful lace with pearls and Events in Bloom added a really nice touch to her bouquet with that as well. I love when you can see what joy and happiness looks like, and that is exactly what the day was all about!! Congrats you two!!

Venue: Cross Creek Ranch

Florals: Events in Bloom

Entertainment: Traveling Sound and Light

Cake: Alessi Bakeries

Hair and Makeup: Collective Creations

Email Love

2009-11-21T17:22:00.000-05:00

There was not a single picture in the gallery we did not like. You did such an amazing job and I'm soooo happy with your work!!! You captured every moment of that day and it means so much to us.

- Cassie

Joshua + Lauren e-session

2009-11-18T12:51:00.003-05:00

Josh and Lauren moved here recently and wanted a fun unique place for their engagement session. So, what is more unique then boats with sponges all over them? I actually haven't ever seen that before either:-) There was a lot of laughing going on, and I found someone who loves ice cream as much as I do! Here's a few of their sneaks!!

Real Wedding: Cindy + Maykel @ Bayanihan Arts Center

2009-11-16T16:56:00.007-05:00

Nov 6th, 2009 was a very exciting day for Cindy and Maykel!! The guys wore Converse shoes with their black tuxes which went perfect with the random carriage without a horse that was randomly there. White roses with chocolate brown and green accents down to the bamboo favors. One of my favorite moments was when Cindy was talking to the two flower girls telling them how pretty they looked. Cindy and Maykel also had one of the best first dances I have ever seen. It was extra exciting because MTV was filming their wedding story for a show called Quiero Mi Boda that will air this January. Don't worry, I'll be sure to let everyone know when it will be on:-) Congrats to you two!!! Below you will also see Tampa Wonderworks video sneak from the event. Their entire online gallery will be at www.pictage.com/627351

Venue: Bayanihan Arts Center

Florals: Arlene Floral Designer

Videography: Tampa Wonderworks

Entertainment: DJ Jose

Cake: L’artisan Cake Atelier

Cindy + Maykel Next Day Edit from Tampa Wonderworks Film and Video on Vimeo.

Kate + Brandon e-session sneaks!

2009-11-16T12:16:00.004-05:00

Kate and Brandon were back in town from up north for a little break from the cold! Their session was at Saddlebrook Resort, where they are also getting married next April! They were up for anything including walking in the middle of a fountain for me:-) Here’s a few sneaks from our session. Their entire online gallery will be available at www.pictage.com/622964

Facebook Love!

2009-11-14T00:44:00.000-05:00

"Carrie, I absolutely love love love how the engagement photos turned out! Thank you so much!"

- Laura Huffman

Old Florida Swamp @ Palmetto Club

2009-11-12T15:16:00.003-05:00

The Palmetto Club was transformed into a swamp for Newland Communities annual realtor appreciation party. MMD Events created the ambiance with a giant floral tree, and colored lighting with swamp scenes projected on the walls and floor. It's amazing how a room can be transformed into any place you want it to be. The cuisine was also southern style with h’oerves including fried mac and cheese lolli pops, mini fish tacos, main dishes of shrimp and grits, black beans and rice, and citrus shrimp salad all served in martini glasses. Definately a fantastic event and great team to work with!

Venue: Palmetto Club

Decor and Lighting: MMD Events

Catering: Good Food Catering

Coordination and Beverage Service: UDream Events

Email Love!

2009-11-12T00:38:00.002-05:00

"I have talked with many people who were not happy with their wedding photos and I have nothing but wonderful things to say about you and your work! (I'm not saying that because I'm in them either ) They caught the exact emotion of the moment and I felt that all over again today as I was looking at them. I can't wait to put them up in my house. Thank you, you certainly have a gift to share!"

Cheers to you!

-Stephanie Stoeffler

Susan + Nick @ Davis Island Garden Club

2009-11-04T16:56:00.003-05:00

Susan and Nick got married on 10/30/09! Susan's family is Vietnamese and one of their traditions was instead of having a toast they went around to each table and toasted with all of their guests. The Davis Island Garden Club had a huge tree blossoming with pink flowers outside and we had plenty of time to get some fun shots around that area. Susan had a simple and elegant Nicole Miller dress and beautiful jewelry that matched her shoes. I got to spend time with her capturing the getting ready process and it was so fun to be part of the excitement! Green accents and lanterns, lights, and butterflies were the decor and her candy bar was a huge hit! Congrats you two!!! Their entire online gallery will be available at www.pictage.com/606267

Venue: Davis Island Garden Club

Coordination: Simply Divine Events

Catering: Catering by Design

Entertainment: Advance Entertainment

Cake: Chantilly Cakes

Meet Elena: Anglo Couture

2009-11-03T10:41:00.000-05:00

Anglo Couture is coming out with their first line of couture wedding gowns and we had the privilige of capturing the very first sneak peeks of them! Elena is the first dress you will see below, gorgeous and very unique with silk, lace and beautiful layered train. Below are also some super sneak peeks of 3 other dresses that will be in the new line as well. We will be doing the a full shoot of the entire line when it is complete so more to come!!!!!

Real Wedding: Monica + Steve @ Centro Asturiano

2009-10-26T13:59:00.003-04:00

Red and black, perfect colors for Monica and Steve's wedding in the theater in the Centro Asturiano last weekend! She wore a blusher instead of a veil with a beautiful feather hair piece. You can definitely see this was a fun crew, complete with a kilt and bagpiper:-) Congrats you guys! Their entire online gallery will be at www.pictage.com/621556

Ceremony and Reception: Centro Asturiano

Coodination: Bridget Rouse

Catering: Latam's at Centro

Florals: Strandberrys

Gown: Anna's Bridal

Entertainment: J.A.M.S. Entertainment

Cake: Publix

Jennifer + David in Granville

2009-10-23T08:00:00.002-04:00

Jennifer and David met at Denison University so we did their engagement session there and around the cute little town of Granville, Ohio. Denison sits on a little hill overlooking Granville, and as we were walking around, the President of the university was taking a picture of the fall colors so we stopped and said hi to him. It was really fun to hear some of Jennifer and David's favorite college memories, made me miss the college days:-) One of my favorite spots was the Buxton Inn which was built in 1812 and apparently has some haunted legends that go with it, amazing courtyards and stairways! Here's a few sneaks.... their entire online gallery will be at www.pictage.com/696704

Real Wedding: Cassie + Nick @ The Lakes Golf and Country Club

2009-10-19T08:21:00.005-04:00

I love to travel for weddings, especially to the midwest in the fall. The trees are so colorful, and it's nice to see a little season change and then come back to nice warm Florida. Cassie and Nick had their ceremony and reception at the Lakes Golf and Country Club under a diamond white draped tent. Thankfully there were heaters there too:-) Cassie wore purple high heels and had feather accents to match even on the cake! If you look closely at the back of the cake the topper is hilarious. Her favors were I think my favorite that I've seen so far, probably because I like chocolate. Here's a few of their sneaks!! Congrats Cassie and Nick hope you are having an awesome honeymoon!! Their entire online gallery will be at www.pictage.com/694643

Venue: The Lakes Golf and Country Club

Coordination: Myca Brusco

Florals: Bloomtastic

Entertainment: Mark Dantzer

Gown: Wendy's Bridal

Tuxes: MW Tux

Alterations: Perfect Alterations

Nikki + Jason e-session sneaks!

2009-10-18T01:10:00.002-04:00

Jason is a baseball player and as you will see Jason and Nikki have a little team rivalry going on:-) We started at the park where they met with their dogs, played a little baseball, and ended up at Steinbrenner Field. It's always funny to me how the guys end up loving the engagement session and have lots of ideas and Jason definately did, especially with all the baseball stuff he brought:-) They are awesome and I'm so looking forward to their wedding this December!! Their online gallery will be at www.pictage.com/702208.

Real Wedding: Stephanie + Rockie @ Rusty Pelican

2009-10-17T00:00:00.003-04:00

Lately, I'm really into the sentimental things that my brides are making a part of their day:-) Stephanie's something old was her grandmother's garter, she has been married 60 years and wasn't able to attend the wedding. 60 years of marriage is amazing first of all, but the fact that she still had her garter after all that time! Their colors were gold, and brown with orange flowers. The center pieces were candles that filled the room with the hint of vanilla. Congrats Stephanie and Rockie!! Their entire online gallery will be at www.pictage.com/627352

Venue: Rusty Pelican
Florals: Events in Bloom
Entertainment: Marvelous Marvin
Gown: Brides by Demetrios

Cake: Chantilly Cakes

Real Wedding: Ashley + Tyronne @ Tampa Palms

2009-10-16T12:51:00.004-04:00

10/10/09, Ashley and Tyronne got married! What a sweet and joyful day!! Ashley wore a beautiful silk organza gown and had flowers in her hair instead of a veil. Something old...... she wore a gold locket with a picture of her grandmother........something blue was blue ties on the white kicks she wore, cute and comfortable! Tyronne loves ice cream and wanted an ice cream cake for his groom's cake, but since it couldn't sit out during the cocktail hour Alessi Bakery made him a cake that was an ice cream cone and they had sundae's instead so definitely best of both worlds there. Some of my favorite pictures of them was after the wedding they were walking on the bridge and I was just capturing just the two of them, so sweet! Congrats you two!!! Their entire online gallery will be at www.pictage.com/580987

Venue: Tampa Palms Golf and Country Club
Florals: Events in Bloom
Entertainment: Inpulse Entertainment
Gown: Jon's Bridal
Cake: Alessi Bakery
Hair: Shear Perfection

Women of Influence Luncheon

2009-10-15T08:00:00.000-04:00

Last week the Tampa Chamber held their annual Women of Influence Luncheon and it was definitely an awesome event! There were over 850 people in attendance at Ala Carte Pavillion, mostly women of course, but a few men did brave the event. Stacie Scheible, from News Channel 8 was the emcee and the speaker was Elizabeth Gilbert, author of "Eat, Pray, Love". It was very refreshing to hear someone so candid, genuine, and funny. She told some stories about her life in writing and also took the time to answer questions afterwards. I'm not a writer obviously:-) but she gave some really wise and interesting advice to a college student who asked for some works of wisdom. Elizabeth said that the one piece of advice she could give is that when writing, think of one person in your life and write your story directly to that person. She wrote "Eat, Pray, Love" specifically to one of her friends who was really going through a hard time and said if she had written it to someone else it would have a totally different feel to it. Definitely an awesome event!

Featured Venue: Mainsail Suites Grand Opening

2009-10-14T18:39:00.005-04:00

Last week Mainsail Suites unveiled their new event space. They definitely went all

out for this one with the cuisine, desserts (my favorite of course:-), entertainment,

and decor was the perfect coming out party for them. The design is very modern

and trendy with the neutral tones and expresso wood accents, and I love the huge

veranda that is perfect for an outdoor ceremony or cocktail hour. Here's a taste of

what it looks like:

Lighting: Audio Visual Equipment Co. (AVI)

Draping and Bamboo Bars: Grand Events

Event Design: Florida Destinations

Cake: Emma's Cakes

Linens: Connie Douglin

Rolls Royce: Ambassador Limousine

Entertainment: Event Show Productions

Tracy + Bryan @ Sea Critters Cafe

2009-10-10T13:24:00.004-04:00

Heading down the beach for Tracy and Bryan's engagement session, Sea Critters Cafe caught my eye so we ended up doing their whole engagement session there instead! Bryan totally surprised Tracy by proposing at the beach at Pass-a-Grille so it was really fun to hear and get to know them:-) Here's a few of their sneaks! Their entire online album will be at www.pictage.com/713906