We understand the most important element about your wedding photography…that our images are all that remains of the day. DVB Photographers is a boutique studio known for our sincere and compelling imagery and exceptional, personal service. Our Photographers, each with broad experience, a distinctive talent and refined style, love weddings. We love your wedding. Discover which DVB Photographer suits you and let the experience begin.
Kristen and Fisher's wedding was an absolute blast. The details were incredible. From Minette Rushing Custom Cakes creations that matched the bride's dress and honored the groom's alma mater to the amazing florals created by Flowers by Sue. Kristen's dress was an elegant Melissa Sweet design and her intricate shoes by Badgley Mischka. Dea-Guyz rocked the house ---rating them in my top 2 favorite bands. The best part is they are Hilton Head based. These guys didn't take a break and the dance floor was packed!!! Guests were treated to a delicious meal and superb service at the Belfair. I am lucky enough to photograph at some amazing places, but truthfully, at the Belfair, even I felt special. The staff is so caring and accommodating. The views go without saying --spectacular. Of course, no wedding is complete without the guidance and care of a true wedding planning professional....Lisa Manning of Southern Weddings. She is a blast to work with and an absolutely wonderful person. I love doing weddings with Lisa.
My favorite part was hanging with Kristen and Fisher (Jonathan). They were fun and their love settled over them in a soft secure way. They had such comfort with one another and that comfort made everyone around them feel comfortable and special. Kristen was beautiful...she was really, really beautiful --like this day had been made for her.
Let us not forget Sweet Riley ---Kristen and Jonathan's 20 month old daughter was a show-stealer. She has her mother's beauty and her dad's sense of humor. During the ceremony, she wanted to be right up there with her parents...kept saying I do when her parent's did. It was adorable.
Kristen and Fisher --thank you! Kelli and I were so happy to share in your wedding day. You two and sweet Riley will be in our hearts for a long time. Oh, it was a rockin party, too!!!! The very best time was had by all.
DVB
Well, here I am at 1:08 in the morning...coming off a fabulous wedding and I just couldn't resist giving you a few images, especially because Kristin is an avid blog reader. It was a fantastic...really fantastic day and night.
And Kelli is so, so awesome...check out her jump shot. ha!
I'll be traveling to Maine and Lake Placid over the next few weeks for weddings and portrait session (oh, yea and lobster and great wine, too). Kelli will be in the studio and you can reach me via email.
More images soon, I promise....just let me get myself to the Great State of Maine! (and if you are in Maine, the Portland area --I've got some openings for portraits--drop me a line --I'll be there until 8/18).
DVB
Here is a little tidbit I bet you didn't know...I LOVE doing newborn and maternity sessions. It is the natural flow of life after a wedding and I always feel so blessed to capture the changes in people's lives.
Ellen and Jason gave me a gift yesterday --inviting me to Hampton Island to document their pregnancy. The Island was deserted after a weekend of guests so we had the run of the place --and did just that --ran from the farm to the spa to the marsh and back. Ellen was a trooper in the 100 degree heat. I think she is beautiful and I can't wait to meet their new little man.
Okay Everyone --back in the photography saddle! I am so behind on blogging pics --now I have time to catch up:)
Happy 10 Years To Kate and John! Today in fact --so everyone drop Kate a line and wish them a Happy 10!
While in DC, I had the delightful honor (sorry about the Nationals game, John) of photographing Kate and John. The most fun about this session was that I got to create images out of nothing...kinda of a photo safari. Without relying on the beautiful backdrop of Savannah, I could focus on Kate and John. We had a great time! And I love the cool metro images. A big thank you to John, who indulged Kate and I in this last minute session.
Enjoy a fabulous bottle of wine together --oh that is right, Kate will be with me in Philly for your anniversary. Guess I am going to owe John tickets to Motley Crue for the shoot and stealing his wife on their anniversary.
Happy, Happy, Kate and John.
Here's to living well!
DVB
Home. I am finally home. After the panic dissapated of not having anything to do, not prepping for the next meeting or setting my agenda, I felt the world lift from my shoulders. My dear friend, Michelle, is at the helm of Delta Phi Epsilon now and I know she is the perfect person to follow my blazing vision of change. For she is a force with focused intention who stood by me the entire 4 years --she is an amazing woman and leader.
So, once you reach what seems an astronomical goal --if you are like me --you are raw with emotion and the tears flow easy. To me, it is like (as my friend Tricia put it) I raised a child, got through the hard stuff of teaching them to eat, walk, sleep through the night, talk and of course, use the toilet for the approriate reasons and then handed them off without any say in what happens to them. It is a sad feeling. It is relief. It is how it should be. I have never believed in leaders "staying to long at the parade" as I like to say. God gave you a job to do. Do it well and step aside. There is a time for everything.
You all have been so patient and kind to me and I feel like I owe you as much as I felt I owed the 200+ collegiate women who came to convention. They need to see their leadership but they also need to have a leaderhsip that is warm and approachable. I believe this is where I shined this weekend. When I wrote my final speech, I did so with th intent of telling them what they needed to hear to be successful. Not how fabulous my term was, or how wonderful I am. My speech was written to the 200 collegians directly --not to my friends on the board, the past or current staff, or the volunteers there. Those collegians needed the truth, honesty and courage. They needed to know it was hard, I had a vision, and I succeeded. They most certainly can, too.
I believe if nothing else comes of my time as President of DPhiE, there is one moment that is branded on my soul forever. Right after my speech, a collegian approached me with tears streaming down her face. I took her a few steps away from the crowd and she said to me "tonight, you changed my life. you gave me the courage I needed."
That is success. No? That is my proudest moment. She walked away as the crowd descended on us but if she reads this --thank you --you made my sacrifice worthwhile. Please, please drop me an email so I can keep in touch with you --my dear sister.
I want to share my final speech with you now. Before I do, one more thing --to my friends in Savannah and in the Wedding industry --THANK YOU --you are not in my remarks, but you made life liveable when there was more on my to do list --then I would ever, ever have in time. You bailed me out of scheduling conflicts, you kept my spirits high and you made me feel special when I only had time to worry about everyone else. I love all of you --and a special thanks to Kris Tindol--just because --she understands me, accepts me, and inspires me to be true to myself.
So here you go...my final words.
I apologize for the ALL CAPS --this is directly from my notes that I read.
DVB FINAL SPEECH
BEFORE I BEGIN, I AM WARNING YOU THEIR WILL BE TEARS AND THEN SILENCE WHILE I COLLECT MYSELF –I ASK YOU TO INDULGE ME ONE LAST TIME.
I WOULD BE REMISS IF I DID NOT RECOGNIZE THE PEOPLE WHO HAVE SURROUNDED ME WITH SUPPORT AND ENCOURAGEMENT DURING THIS TIME.
IT GOES WITHOUT SAYING THAT THE WOMEN WHO HAVE SERVED WITH ME ON THE IGB ARE SPECTACULAR EXAMPLES OF SISTERHOOD AND LEADERSHIP.
TRICIA CARLIN – FOR YOUR QUIET, THOUGHTFUL AND DAILY SUPPORT
MICHELLE GILBOY – FOR YOUR INSISTENCE TO MAKE ME RISE THE OCCASION EACH AND EVERY TIME
KIM RAMIREZ – FOR YOUR WILLINGNESS TO BELIEVE IN MY VISION AND YOUR GIFT OF FINANCIAL BRILLIANCE
STACY WITENSTEIN – FOR ALWAYS PUTTING YOURSELF ASIDE FOR THE BIGGER PICTURE
KATE ANDERSION – FOR MAKING ME STOP AND THINK, AS A LEADER, A SISTER AND A WOMAN
TO THE SISTERS WHO DOVE IN WITH ME ON THE FIRST IGB
BARB VERNA – FOR YOUR QUIET INSTINCT TO KNOW WHEN I NEEDED A FOCUSED WORD OR A HUG. THERE ARE NO WORDS FOR YOUR FRIENDSHIP.
BOBBI HEILVEIL – FOR HER UNWAVERING LOYALTY, SUPPORT AND BELIEF IN ME
DONNA HERTO – FOR HER WILLINGNESS TO STAND BESIDE ME AND CHALLENGE THE STATUS QUO
TO NICOLE DEFEO – THE MOST TALENTED BUSINESS WOMAN I HAVE EVER MET
TO MY MOTHER – WHO BECAME A SISTER AND IN HER QUIET WAY MOVES AROUND EACH CONVENTION IN A SHOW OF SUPPORT AND LOVE.
TO MY FRIEND CATHERINE WHO I HAVE KNOWN SINCE 1ST GRADE –WHO BECAME A SISTER TONIGHT –WHO DROVE HERE LAST NIGHT FROM CLEVELAND, OHIO SO SHE COULD SHARE IN THIS MOMENT. SHE IS MY HISTORY.
TO MY CHILDREN, GRAYSON AND NOLAN, WHO WERE BUT 26 MONTHS AND 6 MONTHS WHEN I TOOK MY OATH AND GREW UP LEARNING THE WORDS “MOMMY – YOU HAVE A SOROROITY MEETING – HOW MANY DAYS, MOMMY? AND, NOW 6 AND 4, WHOSE FACES SHOWED THE SAME DELIGHT I SEE WHEN SANTA CLAUSE IS COMING AS WHEN I SAID THAT THIS IS MOMMY’S LAST SORORITY MEETING. THEY STILL ASKED HOW MANY DAYS?
TO YOU LOUIS – WHO BELIEVED IN ME MORE THAN I BELIEVED IN MYSELF. WHO BROUGHT ME WATER DURING CONFERENCE CALLS, (AND SOMETIMES WINE), WHO PUT HIS OWN NEEDS BEHIND MINE BECAUSE I HAD TO TRAVEL YET ANOTHER NIGHT, TAKE ANOTHER CALL. WHO HELD ME UP WHEN I CRIED FROM FRUSTRATION AND FEAR AND JUST PLAIN BEING TIRED. WHO BELIEVED IN MY VISION AND MY SKILLS WHEN I THOUGHT NO ONE ELSE DID AND WHO PROCTECTED ME AND WOULD NEVER LET ME MENTION THE WORD QUIT WHEN IT BECAME TOO MUCH, TOO HARD, TOO PERSONAL. PLUM, WE DID IT! AND TONIGHT I HOPE YOU DELIGHT IN THE GLORY OF A JOB WELL DONE.
AND NOW,
TONIGHT, MY SWEET SISTERS, I GIVE TO YOU A FINAL PIECE OF MY HEART.
FOR 4 YEARS, WHILE MANY OF YOU WERE BEGINNING YOUR LIFE AS A DPHIE, I HAVE DONE LITTLE ELSE BUT BREATH DPHIE.
DURING THESE PAST FEW DAYS OF CONVENTION, WE HAVE SHOWERED YOU WITH GOODNESS, LET YOU BASK IN ACCOMPLISHMENT AND ALLOWED YOU TO HOPE AND BELIEVE IN THE BEST FOR DPHIE.
WHAT I WANT TO SHARE WITH YOU TONIGHT IS THE TRUTH THAT I HAVE DISCOVERED DURING MY TERM –YET IT REQUIRES ONE MORE RISK FROM ME. I WANT TO TELL YOU THAT THIS TRANSFORMATION AND THIS PRESIDENCY, WELL, IT WAS HARD. BEING A GOOD LEADER, ENSURES YOU WILL NOT BE POPULAR AND YOU WILL BE CHALLENGED. IT ENSURES YOU WILL GROW. TO DO IT RIGHT, TO SERVE THE SORORITY, YOU DEMANDED MORE OF ME THAN I THOUGHT I HAD TO GIVE. I GAVE WHAT I PROMISED AND THEN I GAVE MORE. THANK YOU FOR THAT OPPORTUNITY.
AT AN IGB MEETING IN JANUARY 2007, I WENT IN KNOWING THAT IF THERE WAS EVER A TIME TO TAKE RISK, IT WAS NOW. OUR SORORITY WAS STALLING, AND IT SEEMED TO ME SO MANY WERE OKAY WITH THE STATUS QUO. I WAS NOT.
THE STATUS QUO HARDLY BREEDS SUCCESS. I MADE UP MY MIND THAT I WAS NOT LEAVING WITHOUT A YES –YES WE WOULD RELOCATE TO LIVE AMONG OUR MEMBERS, YES WE WOULD REBRAND OURSELVES, YES WE WOULD EMBRACE ONLINE TECHNOLOGY, YES WE WOULD BE THE MODEL OF SORORITY LIFE AND SORORITY BUSINESS.
SO MANY PEOPLE SAID YES. AND SO MANY PEOPLE SAID NO –THEY COULD NOT BEAR THE THOUGHT OF CHANGE. THE DID NOT BELIEVE.
EACH OF YOU WILL EMBARK ON SOMETHING IN YOUR LIFE THAT YOU KNOW IN YOUR GUT –THAT YOU BELIEVE. PERHAPS THAT SOMETHING IS A CAREER, A PHYSICAL ACCOMPLISHMENT, A FAMILY, AN AVOCATION…PERHAPS IT IS THE PRESIDENCY OF THIS SORORITY.
YOU WILL WANT TO TRY AND LITTLE BY LITTLE THE WORLD WILL TAKE IT AWAY. PEOPLE WILL TEACH YOU HOW NOT TO TAKE ANY RISK, NOT TO CHANGE, NOT TO SUCCEED. THEY WILL TELL YOU WHO YOU CANNOT BE.
BUT IT WILL NEVER BE WHO YOU ARE THAT HOLDS YOU BACK, IT WILL BE WHO YOU THINK YOU CANNOT BE.
DON’T LET ANYONE TELL YOU WHO CANNOT BE OR WHO THIS SORORITY CANNOT BE. IF YOUR GUT SAYS YES, YOU HAVE NO RIGHT TO SAY NO.
ALONG THE WAY THE “MAYBE’S” WILL CREEP –BUT WILL ONLY STAY IF YOU LET THEM. THERE WILL BE PEOPLE WHO SAY NO, LISTEN TO THEM POLITELY AND THEN DISMISS THEIR “NOS”.
BELIEVE IN YOURSELF, IT IS IN YOU. IN YOUR HEART. EVERY ROADBLOCK IS SIMPLY A DIRECTION SIGN.
WE DID THIS –REVITALIZED DPHIE.
SO, IF YOU TAKE NOTHING ELSE AWAY FROM YOUR TIME HERE – KNOW THIS.
