Cat Thrasher Photography

I’ve been thinking of a new kind of bridal portrait, one that is full of drama and formality. While family photography thrives in a documentary, photojournalistic atmosphere, I believe that brides flourish in a formal setting. Brides should be able to have portraits of themselves, in the most special dress they will ever purchase, that are thoughtful, purposeful, and heirloom-quality. That photo you have of your grandmother in her twenties – where is the comparable photograph of yourself?

I wear a wedding band that once belonged to my great-grandmother. Walking through the hallway one day, I asked my mom about one of the portraits on the wall, and she said, “that’s your great-grandparents.” There they were, the man sitting in a chair in their living room in their midwestern house, and the woman, my great-grandmother, standing behind him. Her right hand was hidden behind her husband, and her left hand rested on his chair, a ring on her finger – the same ring I wear on mine.

I am overwhelmed, and thankful, that we have that portrait of them during that time in their lives. However, with the fast and fleeting nature of data and images today, I do worry that that one formal portrait of yourself will not get hung on the wall. We need these heirlooms: not for us,  but for future generations.

I have known this bride since high school, so seeing her get married was incredibly surreal! She is the older sister of my best friend from the 5th grade.  We used to stand in line for the diving board during dive practice in the winter time and talk about boys. Those were dream-filled days!

Her whole family is full of such pure, unobstructed love and shooting her wedding reminded me of that – how wonderful it was! You can tell from the pictures: there aren’t many where both Megan and Carl don’t have huge smiles on their faces. Why? Because that’s how their family rolls.

Ceremony & Reception: The Inn at Leola Village

Flowers: Irene Walsh

Catering: Restaurant Mazzi

Dresses: David’s Bridal

I just LOVE Old Town, Alexandria – I grew up in the area, and Old Town was where I used to hang out as a high school kid. We used to go to Ben & Jerry’s, get an ice cream, walk along the wharf and look at the water, sometimes walking all the way to the boathouse at the far north end of town. From there, you can see the  Washington, DC skyline with the Monument and the Capitol building, and the regular airplane making it’s way down the river on its way to Reagan National. At night it is super romantic!

For this shoot, we chose to go to Old Town for our engagement photography session in the morning, before the traffic picked up, so that we could more easily make use of the historic details and antiquated facades. They were so adorable and sweet – I can’t wait to shoot their wedding in May!