We have been shooting at Congressional Country Club for many years and always love working there! Aside from hosting three U.S. Opens and a PGA Championship, the gorgeous facilities and sprawling grounds have also embraced many a couple for whom we filmed their special day. It’s an honor for us to film at a site that has seen many of our nation’s most distinguished politicians discuss policy on its fairways and greens since it was first opened in 1924. On Kate & Josh’s big day this past June 25, we captured the event together with Andrea Jacobson from The Observatory. We love working with Andrea and her team and we highly recommend T.O. to prospective couples! Please enjoy a glimpse of this special site and sweet couple in these photos Andrea has shared with us.
Carolyn and John were married at St. Augustine’s this past July. Their reception was at the National Geographic Society and their coordinator was Kawania Wooten of Howerton Wooten Events. I love the chalkboard signs for the guests to fill out and the cupcakes with the mini-cake on top. I also love the song they chose for this montage: The Love of Your Life by Allison Sattinger.
Left to Right: Bill & Anne Holland (Holland Photo Arts), Stephen Bob (Love Life Images), Haynal Papp (Dolce Studio Films). And "No." It isn't a Black & White party! Who took this fabulous photo? Jamie Sears (Simply Chic Events).
The last Thursday of August, under a beautiful moonrise, River Farm‘s outdoor terrace twinkled with fairy lights and hummed with the buzz of happy guests. The garden soiree was hosted by Love Life Images to launch the expansion of their services under three reinvented auspices: Love, Love Life and Life. Each department now focuses the lens on specific stages and events in a family’s life. Love captures engagements and weddings, Life captures portraits and family photos and Love Life is a hybrid of both, if you will. If you’ve never seen their gorgeous work, you must visit Love Life Images and see what they’re all about! Founded by the fabulous Jennifer Dominick (who photographed my BFF’s wedding and the images are spectacular) and the divine Mary Gardella, the studio also includes Associates Stephen Bob and Joe Wang. Talented, friendly, informed and insightful both in personality and in imagery, this team is a creative force to be reckoned with. If you haven’t heard of them ’til now, I hope you enjoy this introduction!
The party was great and highlights included a terrace divided into 3 distinct spaces each representing the 3 aspects of the studio. Separated by swaths of white sheers undulating gracefully in the evening breeze, each space sampled a different menu of appetizers and had its own Signature Drink. A popular fave was the Lynchburg Lemonade, an homage to the sultry south of late August if there ever was one: freshly squeezed lemon over crushed ice with Bourbon and a sprig of mint. Divine. I spent most of the evening Stage Right at the dessert table, where I chatted with friends while scarfing down rows of Kendall’s Cakes‘ divine Petit Fours, my fave being the hazelnut creme meringues. Although more popular were her brownies and cupcakes, (which didn’t bother me at all)! I must say, those were the silkiest brownies I’ve ever had.
Thank you Love Life Images!
If you’d like to view a film of a wedding at River Farm, check out our Gallery page and watch the Kendall & Spencer sample, top row, middle. If you’re interested in having your event hosted at River Farm, contact Janet Daniels at rentals@ahs.org or 703-768-5700 ext.114.
Originally posted September 4, 2009.Dolce Studio FIlms launches a blog – how exciting for us! The goal of the blog is to have me, Haynal Papp, owner extraordinaire, answer questions, provide useful information about event filmmaking and to entertain and also to provide a forum for our shooters and editors to share their thoughts and experiences.
I have some hesitations; I hope I won’t offend readers with my opinions, my language choices, what have you. My husband says you can’t have an opinion without offending someone, so I dare say that goal may be a bit unrealistic. Add to that, I am quite opinionated when I think I know what I’m talking about!
In any case, I hope something of value is offered to our friends in cyberspace and that you enjoy reading the thoughts, musings and experiences of this humble filmmaker.
