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When wedding season wrapped up for me in late November, I was so excited for prepping for 2018. I had purposefully not booked any December weddings because I wanted to really be able to enjoy the holidays with my family and make some memories. It was the first Christmas without my mom, and I wanted to make sure I was present in the moments for my own kids. I had three December weddings the previous year, and this year I was going to slow down. Well I did slow down, I actually broke my elbow in early December and that really set me back. Christmas came and went and it was wonderful to be with some of my family over the holiday here in Lynchburg. I enjoyed that time, and (I think/hope) my kids appreciated me being more domesticated over the holidays. My intention was to really enjoy the break and hit the ground running in January.

Then January rolled around and I was caught in this relaxation of not checking instagram and not posting much about the business. Typically, for a wedding photographer, January is a slow month, and prep month, a catch up on all the other things I didn’t do earlier in the year that I could do now month. But for me, I stayed in the mindset of making time for my family. And I did. And it was absolutely wonderful. Of course I was doing day to day things like emails and contracts, sending albums and prints out – but I took a much needed break from social media. I took a step away and it felt good to not be tied to getting posts up. I didn’t find myself aimlessly scrolling through the black hole of instagram and comparing my life (and my images) to all the other amazing people out there who actually hadn’t slowed down posting on social media. I love facebook and instagram and absolutely see their value, but I am now taking the stance of they are not vital to me. What is vital to me is actually investing in real relationships and conversations in real life. So, I’m writing this post to pull my boot straps back up and get back to the social media grind. I also wanted to share a little bit about what I’ve been up to in my hiatus.

a lesson in family and why photos are important

I took time to be with my Dad and we continued on a project we’ve been working on since before my mom passed. We are archiving all our family history in photos and getting the images up online to be able to share them easily with everyone. I like to think that basically my Dad facebooked our life before there was such a thing. I think I get a large part of my passion for documenting life from him. He ALWAYS took photos of us. He always set up the camera and ran to hop in the photo at the holidays. He had us stand outside on the front porch steps and take our first day of school photos. I feel so proud that I have such an amazing collection of images of my family growing up. The good and the bad is remembered in those images, and it really hits me in my heart how grateful I am for them. Which also leads into the power of prints and the power of portraits. My mom was the one that had us get into the studio and have professional portraits taken and WOW, I love those too. I am a strong believer in portraits and I am so excited to be investing more time into getting into the studio and capturing people as they are.

For those interested, we used an Epson FastFoto which will definitely made the daunting task of archiving hundreds (maybe thousands??) of photos much easier. Originally, we had started as far back as we had images for. We started on my Dads side and these are some of my most favorite images. This set of photos is my paternal Grandmother and her mother. I love how the photographers name is debossed into the print. Good ol’ A.L. Jameson from Alexandria, VA. My Grandmother (the baby) was born in 1917, so I imagine these were yearly portraits spanning from 1917-1919. This to me solidifies so much of how I already feel about portraits. The story of my grandmommy’s life starts here. Her mother (just like my mother) prioritized having professional photographs taken, and 100 years later, we still have them.

I plan on sharing more about this project in a different blog post, but I really wanted to share this to remind everyone of the importance of having your images PRINTED. I said it. PRINTED. In your hands for you to hold and love. So much of our life is caught up in the digital world. We owe it to ourselves to have prints of our loved ones. To tell the story in our home, not online. I myself realize how hard it can be to get things printed when the easy of the internet is at our fingertips, however, if you walk into my home, you will find prints hanging on my walls and I love and value them beyond any image on my facebook or instagram. Photographs are for printing. I’m tossing in this iphone photo I took of some of my professional portraits from when I was younger. I am so thankful to have these.

I’m hoping to start getting more beautiful people into my studio over the next month and capture the beauty I see in them. If you are interested in a studio session – email me here! I would love to hear from you and create a session with you!!

 

 

 

 

Wow! I can’t believe 2017 is all wrapped up. It was a little bit of a crazy year for me. Personally, I had some tough losses, my mom passed away I had my first wedding of the year the day after we said our final goodbyes. There were some great highlights as well, my family is healthy and happy (despite a cracked elbow in early December), and business this year has been my best year yet. So I wanted to to focus on those positives and share the Best of 2017 with you. There are no words to express how much I love being a Lynchburg Wedding Photographer. Lynchburg truly is the heart of Virginia and I love living here in such a wonderful community.

I couldn’t have asked for better couples and families to work with. I was even able to travel to Washington, D.C., the Eastern Shore, Richmond, Roanoke, Virginia Beach and several trips to Charlottesville. Add trips to Delaware and Ohio for some beautiful weddings – what more could I ask for? I feel as though being located in Lynchburg is perfect because it allows me to be just a few hours from so many fabulous venues and people.

I shared in over 20 wedding day celebrations as lead photographer and every single one was so perfect. Each had their own unique visions for their day. They were anything buy ordinary. I was lucky enough to document weddings at The Kyle House, The Jefferson Hotel, Cavalier Golf & Yacht Club, family farms, Roanoke Country Club, Barboursville Vineyards, House Mountain Inn, Blenheim Vineyards, Mimosa Farm, The Williamsburg Winery, The Dumbarton House and so many more. All of these places offered a new and different experience. A chance to create something special for my couples.

A special thanks to everyone who made this year possible for me.

These are some of my personal favorites of the year. It’s funny how you can go back to look over weddings from earlier in the year and new images pop out to you. Some of these I’ve shared in previous blog posts, and some I have held on to and grown to love even more over the year. I truly believe in what I do. A documenter of moments. I strive to give my couples something timeless to hold on to forever. It’s not an easy task, but it is truly something I feel in my heart that I am meant to do.

Cheers to 2018! I can’t wait to see what will be ahead. Lots of new beautiful people and weddings. I can’t wait to see what lies ahead for the new year.

If you are recently engaged and looking for a Virginia Wedding Photographer – I’d love to hear from you! You can view more of my work here, or you can contact me here for more information on wedding photography and open dates for 2018. I love meeting new couples and getting to know your story so we can create beautiful, authentic images of YOU!

 

The Best of 2017 – Lynchburg Wedding Photographer

 

ELIZABETH SEIDEL IS A LYNCHBURG WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHER,  LOCATED IN LYNCHBURG, VA SERVING THE GREATER VIRGINIA AREA INCLUDING VIRGINIA BEACH, WILLIAMSBURG, RICHMOND, CHARLOTTESVILLE, WASHINGTON, D.C., AND ROANOKE.

I am so happy to share Nate and Nicole’s beautiful Barboursville wedding with you. I can’t believe it’s almost the new year! All my galleries have been sent off and I am so excited to take some time to go back to try to blog a couple things before I move into 2018 completely. The Fall kept me quite busy, as it does most other wedding photographers, but I loved it and it’s totally worth it. I enjoy being able to travel outside of Lynchburg to so many gorgeous wedding venues. Barboursville is no exception. Nate and Nicole chose this beautiful setting for obvious reasons. The ruins on the property are absolutely stunning. The vineyards and gorgeous and the entire layout of the estate is so intimate and almost feels like time stands still for a moment.

Married in front of the ruins, getting ready in the Historic 1804 Inn, having family and friends enjoy in your day with you. This beautiful wedding had all of that. I was so honored to be able to document it. Their niece and nephews made for some really fun candids. I loved the mint and grey color palette. The entire day was nothing short of perfect. Cheers to you, Nate and Nicole!! Thank you for allowing me to share in your day with you!

This year has just been amazing, and I can’t wait to see what the next year will bring. I’ll be sharing some more Virginia weddings here to catch up a bit from busy season. I’m excited to compile a post for some of my most favorites shots of the year.

A Charlottesville Wedding

If you are recently engaged and looking for a Virginia Wedding Photographer – I’d love to hear from you! You can view more of my work here, or you can contact me here for more information on wedding photography and open dates for 2018. I love meeting new couples and getting to know your story so we can create beautiful, authentic images of YOU!

Elizabeth Seidel is a Lynchburg Wedding Photographer,  located in Lynchburg, VA serving the greater Virginia area including Hampton Roads, Richmond, Charlottesville, Washington, D.C., and Roanoke.

Casey and Duff had a beautiful family farm wedding just outside of Henrico County near Richmond. In a beautiful little place called Varina, VA lies Casey’s grandmothers home. Just out the back door was a beautiful arbor set up for the wedding. It was a gorgeous September day. While it was still hot (it’s now October and it’s still hot), we really couldn’t have asked for better weather. The farm was special to Casey and many family heirlooms were incorporated into her vintage inspired wedding. There were elements incorporated throughout the entire day that were things from growing up on the farm. A wagon her Grandmother used to wheel her around in, farm tools hung up inside the reception, and even a bar made with wood from the farm.

We arrived to Casey getting ready and some last minute details being put together. Casey and Duff traveled back from Kansas for their wedding. Their families put countless hours into renovating a family barn for the reception. Although I did not get to see the barn before the transformation, it was absolutely perfect for their day. There were hand made mason jar chandeliers and a wall of family photos through the years that Casey’s grandmother had put together. It was a very romantic feeling in the barn and the light that flooded in during first dance was absolutely breath taking. What more could you ask for?

Both being Hokies, Casey and Duff entered into reception to “Enter Sandman” decked out with Virginia Tech colored glasses and a flag. The night carried on with live music and some great moments. It truly was a beautiful day for their wedding.

Thank you, Casey and Duff for having me be a part of your day. It was such a pleasure to spend time celebrating with you and your families!

a gorgeous vintage inspired wedding

I’m really excited to share a beautiful Richmond wedding with you all. I feel as thought I haven’t blogged in forever, and this is a beautiful wedding to pick it back up with. Phew. What can I say? Caroline and Ed had the most gorgeous September wedding at The Jefferson Hotel in Richmond. Anytime I get to go up to Richmond for a wedding, I am so excited. This day was so effortless because Caroline did an amazing job covering every aspect of her day.

When I first met up with Caroline and Ed in person, we basically tried to take on hurricane force winds at their engagement session. We tackled D.C. the best we could, but had to cut it short because the wind was just crazy. It’s the only time I’ve ever had to cut a session short. Then, I got home and uploaded the photos and realized that we got some of the most amazing shots in that short time we spent together in Washington, D.C. It ended up being absolutely perfect.

We couldn’t have asked for a better day. I have always loved traveling over to Richmond from Lynchburg. It’s nice to get in a different environment and experience new things. Their day started at the hotel as they got ready and then they had a beautiful ceremony at Sacred Heart Cathedral. The party continued on at The Jefferson in the Empire Ballroom. Leap AV did an amazing job lighting the reception space. It was so fun seeing Caroline and Ed coming into their party and see how beautifully everything had been lit.

The party carried on into the night. It included more entertainment than to be expected. During the bouquet and garter toss, a groomsmen got iced (see below!!). They had giant glow sticks that were probably more fun to guests than they intended them to be. It was awesome. It was the party of all parties. A perfect Virginia wedding. They finished their night up at The Graduate for the after party. Ed walked over in his slippers… a great end to the night and start of their married life.

Caroline and Edwin – Thank you. If your families alone spoke for you – you are in the highest of places. You are both so kind, genuine, and down to earth. I am so excited for everything ahead of you. A life of your dreams. I loved spending the day with your family, friends, and YOU. Thank you for having me be a small part of your day.

A special thanks to all the vendors who made this day perfect:

Lighting: Leap AV

Wedding Planning – Richmond Bridal Consulting

Jefferson Hotel Day of – Ashton and Kendall

Florals – Black Iris Floral Events & Design

Music by – Eric Cunningham – Debonair Entertainment

Cake – The Jefferson Hotel

 

A Jefferson Hotel Wedding

Virginia Wedding Photographer

If you are recently engaged and looking for a Virginia Wedding Photographer – I’d love to hear from you! You can view more of my work here, or you can contact me here for more information on wedding photography and open dates for 2018. I love meeting new couples and getting to know your story so we can create beautiful, authentic images of YOU!

Elizabeth Seidel is a Lynchburg Wedding Photographer,  located in Lynchburg, VA serving the greater Virginia area including Hampton Roads, Richmond, Charlottesville, Washington, D.C., and Roanoke.

  • Alison - You make all your weddings look like a million bucks! So classy and elegant!ReplyCancel

    • Liz - What a lovely comment to read. Thank you so much Alison!!ReplyCancel

  • Ashley Eiban - Oh my goodness! What a beautiful wedding! You captured it all SO well!!ReplyCancel

  • Isabelle - A pro! Your work is luminous and captures emotions perfectly. I see influences of Cliff’s lighting workshop in the groom’s preparation shots. Awesome work!ReplyCancel