Kurt and Oana's Wedding at the Castle at Ashley Manor January 22, 2010

Remember the week that it rained like crazy?  And trees blew over everywhere?  And there was a tornado warning in North Scottsdale?  Well that was the week that Kurt and Oana got married.  Amazingly, after days of non-stop rain the skies cleared for a few hours and we were able to take some outdoor photos at the Castle!  As you can see from the photos it was a little breezy at times.  But heck we were all thrilled that the rain had stopped.  After the photos Kurt and Oana and their guests moved inside for a beautiful ceremony under the chandelier in the Castle's ballroom.  The rain then returned that night, but by then Kurt, Oana and guests were safely inside dancing the night away. 

We are a Bride's Choice Awards 2010 Winner!

We are happy to announce that we just received notice from WeddingWire.com that we are a Bride's Choice Awards 2010 Winner.  We are honored to be selected for this award!  Here is what they had to say: Congratulations! We are excited to announce that Colling Photography has been chosen to receive the Bride’s Choice Awards™ 2010. This award recognizes the top 5 percent of local wedding professionals from the WeddingWire Network who demonstrate excellence in quality, service and professionalism.

The Bride’s Choice Awards™ are determined exclusively by recent newlyweds (brides and grooms) through extensive surveys and reviews, which means your past clients have spoken on our behalf and selected you to receive this honor. WeddingWire would like to commend you for your excellent service and dedication to the wedding industry.

Josh and Lauren's Wedding at the Phoenix Art Museum January 17, 2010

We were excited when Lauren and Josh approached us to photograph their wedding at the Phoenix Art Museum.  We have photographed weddings there before and knew that there would be a variety of new artwork to be incorporated as backgrounds for some of our shots.  The Phoenix Art Museum also offers the flexibility of outdoor photos in their sculpture garden courtyard.  Lauren and Josh had some together time outside for photos before their ceremony.  Originally, the ceremony was to be outside, but due to chilly weather the Huppah was placed inside.  The reception featured a live band to keep everyone up and dancing throughout the evening.  Lauren also surprised Josh with a Phoenix Sun's themed groom's cake, which was a big hit!  Overall, their wedding definitely had the artistic flair they were looking for.  We enjoyed their day and hope the newlyweds are having a fabulous time in Costa Rica.
 

 

David and Julie's Engagement photos

David and Julie are currently living out of town, so when they were here briefly we met up with them to take some quick engagement photos in Scottsdale.  At the end of the session we had to get an Arizona sunset since their wedding will be here - coming up soon in March!  We are looking forward to it.

Dave and Rachel's wedding at Christ Lutheran Church and The Westin Kierland Resort December 19, 2009

Another morning wedding and another beautiful day. We started the day at Christ Lutheran Church.  The little ring bearer decided to ham it up and be front and center for the group photo of the guys. As you can see he had everyone laughing! Inside the church was decorated for Christmas and was just glowing.  The historic stained glass and candle light added to the ambiance.  Rachel was escorted down the aisle by her proud brother.  I love the photo of her right before they headed down the aisle to a waiting Dave.  After the ceremony we did a few quick photos inside to show the interior (we love these pretty churches) and then headed out to the Westin Kierland in Scottsdale.  Dave and Rachel held a luncheon for their guests and served a three tiered chocolate wedding cake for dessert.  Yum!

Family Photos for the holiday season

Every year around this time we are out at parks and homes doing family photos for gifts and Christmas cards.  Some families we see every year - it is a tradition to have their photos done by Jeff and Rena.  I am posting a few here.  You can see with all of our November and December weddings and families and Holiday parties we have been busy photographers.  We have been diligent in meeting our goals to process everything in a timely manner - even though we worked just about 24/7 there for awhile!  We are always honored when someone chooses us to be their photographers! 

 

Mike and Regina's Wedding at the Arizona Historical Society and Phoenix Palace December 6, 2009

We just did Mike's sister's wedding (Julie and John) in October so it was fun to see the family again so soon.  Mike and Regina opted for a morning wedding at the Arizona Historical Society. The day was gorgeous - just look at the sky that day.  After the ceremony their guests had light appetizers and then were off to await the evening reception at Phoenix Palace in Chandler.  Here Mike and Regina started off with a traditional tea ceremony honoring their grandmother, parents and then assorted friends and relatives.  Then as toasting and roasting continued the meal was served.  We lost track of how many courses were served.  Their guests were very well fed at this party!  After dinner the bride and groom went to each table for a celebratory toast.