Congratulations to Brittney and Lawrence, the happy couple featured below.  Brittney and Lawrence asked me to photograph their elopement wedding.  Before the wedding ceremony at the beautiful Glenview Mansion, we met up at Rockville Town Square for a kind of engagement photography session.  Stay tuned for photographs from their wedding ceremony!

Brides-to-be in the Washington DC-Baltimore area, mark your calendars!  The Washington DC area’s ultimate bridal fashion event is back for it’s second year.  Tickets are on sale now for the April 29th Style to the Aisle – A Bride’s Runway.  A portion of the proceeds will benefit Wish Upon a Wedding.  I’ll be photographing the event, and we will be having a ton of FUN, so I hope to see you there!

And, I am so honored to tell you that I’ve just been awarded the 2012 Bride’s Choice Award by WeddingWire for the 2nd year in a row!!!  The Bride’s Choice Award is given to only the top 5% of wedding professionals and is based on real reviews from past wedding clients.  If you are one of my happy couples, I’m blowing you kisses and hugs right now!  Thank you for your support!!!  Of all the types of photography that I’ve embraced over the years, weddings are my absolute favorite.  Being surrounded by so many happy people, I can’t help but feel bubbly and happy myself.  I love that weddings have so many opportunities for creativity, both during the wedding and after with artistic photographic enhancements and album design.  And I love the variety and how I have to be a fabulous architectural, landscape, people, nighttime, and macro/food photographer all rolled into one wedding photographer package.  Thanks to all of you for the opportunities I’ve had over the years to take part in such a cherished and special day of your lives.  Thank you for your support!!!

{Washington DC} – February 1, 2012 – WeddingWire, the nation’s leading wedding Marketplace, is excited to announce its selection of Washington DC wedding photographer Irene Abdou Photography to receive the prestigious Bride’s Choice Awards™ 2012 for Photography by WeddingWire!

Recognizing the top local wedding vendors from the WeddingWire Network, the esteemed annual awards program distinguishes those who demonstrate excellence in quality, service, responsiveness and professionalism within the wedding industry. Irene Abdou Photography, a Washington DC wedding photographer, was selected based on its stellar reviews from past newlywed clients.

Comprised of over 200,000 wedding professionals throughout the United States and Canada, Irene Abdou Photography is recognized as being among the top five percent of wedding professionals in the WeddingWire local vendor community. The Bride’s Choice Award recognizes the best local wedding vendors across 20 service categories, from wedding photographers to wedding planners to wedding venues and DJs, based on their overall professional achievements throughout the past year.

“WeddingWire is thrilled to honor the success of the top-rated wedding professionals within the WeddingWire Community,” said Timothy Chi, CEO, WeddingWire. “Since the launch of the Bride’s Choice Awards™ program four years ago, thousands of outstanding wedding professionals have been recognized by the bridal community for their supreme service and dedication to the wedding industry. It is with great pleasure that we congratulate Irene Abdou Photography for their continued professionalism and commitment to enriching the wedding planning experience for engaged couples.”

We are happy to announce that Irene Abdou Photography is one of the very best wedding photographers within the WeddingWire Network, which includes leading wedding planning sites WeddingBee, Martha Stewart Weddings, Project Wedding, Brides.com, and WeddingWire. We would like to thank our past wedding clients for taking the time to review our wedding photographer business on WeddingWire. Thanks to their positive feedback we were able to receive the WeddingWire Bride’s Choice Awards™ for 2012.

For more information, please visit our Washington DC wedding photographer storefront on WeddingWire today at http://www.weddingwire.com/biz/irene-abdou-photography-germantown/b4962ee6a58f1856.html.

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Arlington Wedding Photographer Review: "Irene Abdou Photography provides exquisite service from the moment you first meet Irene, and she helps you decide what package will best fit your needs, to the actual wedding day, to selecting high-quality products to capture your memories when the big moment has come and gone...Irene never lets you forget how special you are. On my wedding day, when we started taking pictures, I giggled as I quietly noticed just how thrilled Irene was. She was smiling from ear to ear, and her happiness was so genuine that it became infectious. She helped create the magic I experienced!" - Natasha & Alonzo, Virginia

I’m so glad that Natasha & Alonzo came into my life.  It was such a pleasure to photograph their wedding, and Natasha was just ever so wonderful to work with in the months leading up to their wedding and beyond.   Alonzo is one enormously lucky guy!  I love how Natasha tells the story about how she and Alonzo met and got engaged – I know I can’t tell it better, so I’ll leave it to her!

“Alonzo and his trusty best man, Ivan, were spirited young lads (they’d all just completed their first year of college) venturing over to the local mall to freshen up their gear.  I had just started working a summer job at Structure (now known as Express Men).  Ivan spotted me in Structure and exclaimed, “Zo, I just spotted the perrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrfect girl for you!” Ivan proceeded to approach me, and whispered, “My friend is interested in introducing himself to you, but he’s kind of shy…”  I veered over her shoulder, saw the ever-so-cute Alonzo standing in the corner, and said, “Tell him to come over, I’ll sell him a shirt.” Alonzo received the inviting message, made his way over, and by the end of the sale….he had my number:)  That summer started the beginning of a two year sweetheart college romance. Unfortunately, the long distance for Natasha and Alonzo was too difficult, and in the middle of their college years, we decided to part ways.  10 years passed without any communication… Fast forward to 2008… Facebook emerges… Alonzo and I both join…with fond memories of me buried in Alonzo’s subconscious, he decided to do a search for his long lost love…. and there I was…  Our initial Facebook correspondence was exhilarating…and within four weeks, when I came back home to work for the summer, we rekindled our romance from so very long ago…and the rest is history.

As you scroll through the photographs below, you’ll be amazed to hear that Natasha & Alonzo and Natasha’s mom planned this wedding in all of…THREE MONTHS!!!  What joy and love went into it!  Natasha wanted to capture the idea of a whimsical forest filled with magic.  To implement the whimsical forest theme, she brought in elements of natural wood for the gift table, topiary tree escort card holders, cascading white and green flower arrangements (including hanging green amaranthus) on the reception dinner tables, table numbers with pictures of peacocks that Natasha took in New Mexico and placecards showcasing exotic trees from different countries.  An antique wishing well that guests threw wishes into replaced the traditional guestbook and added a feeling of enchantment.  During the ceremony, treasure chests complete with candles and balls of bark lined the entrance of the ceremony aisle, and Buddha head statues greeted guests halfway down the aisle.  Ceremony programs carried beautiful embossed dragonflies.  Two flower girls carried flower baskets made from real acacia wood.  Spiritual readings from both Christianity and Buddhism added worldly touches, and lanterns on pillars marked each side of the altar.

Natasha & Alonzo wrote their own vows for the ceremony.  I think my favorite line might be when Alonzo promised to always invest time in maintaining a presentable appearance, and Natasha promised to prioritize physical fitness, health, and nutrition.

Then, Natasha choreographed a surprise entry dance for her and Alonzo’s entry into the reception area, which led into another dance she choreographed for the entire bridal party!   (Natasha is a former television producer, New York City choreographer, and WNBA (Women’s National Basketball Association) New York Liberty Dancer.  What talent!!!)

Other highlights of the evening included the Greek Party Walk, Alpha Kappa Alpha circle hymn, and…Natasha’s father’s surprise honeymoon powerpoint presentation!  What, you say, is a surprise honeymoon powerpoint?  Well, Natasha’s parents gave the happy couple their honeymoon as their wedding gift, and it was at this moment during their wedding reception that Natasha, Alonzo, and the guests found out when and where they would be going on their honeymoon!  There were so many fun and amazing elements in this wedding, which just goes to show you what fun and amazing people Natasha & Alonzo are.   Congratulations to this newlywed couple!

And, last but not least, scroll down to the bottom to view a full list of all the terrific vendors who came together to help make this wedding such a beautiful and special affair.

 Irene Abdou Photography

WEDDING VENDORS:
Wedding Photography: Irene Abdou Photography
Wedding Venue: Lorien Hotel & Spa
DJ: Ed Jackson Entertainment
Ceremony Music: Sage String Quartet
Invitations, Escort Cards, & Table Cards: Dandelion Patch
Flowers: Enchanted Florist
Rings: Jewelry by Design
Wedding Gown: Hannelore’s of Old Town
Makeup Artist: Frankie Buglisi, MAC Cosmetics
Hair Stylist: Joni Combs, Beau Totale Aveda Concept Salon, Burke, VA

I had first met Jay some months ago and had been hearing so much from him about his family.  So it was such a pleasure to finally meet his wife, Meghan and their little girl, Anna, for a portrait photography session at Meadowlark Botanical Gardens in Vienna, Virginia.  Golden curls flying and best friend Dumbo as her trusty sidekick, almost-3-year-old Anna was one little ball of energy.  After the portrait photography session, we went back to the car to get golden dog Grace – Anna’s “sister” – for a final family portrait.  I had so much fun photographing all of you…THANK YOU!!!

Annapolis Portrait Photographer Review: "Irene is the most talented, patient and fun photographer we've ever worked with. We knew it was going to be a challenge taking our family pictures, since our 2.5yr old doesn't like to sit still and sprints all over the place. Irene was ready for the challenge, and captured our daughter's bubbly personality and was able to take beautiful family pictures. The fact that she comes to your house to show you your photos is such a nice touch, too.... Overall, it was the most fun and entertaining photo session that we've ever had. Irene is a dream to work with!! " - Meghan & Jay, Montgomery Village, Maryland

New in 2012! It’s a brand new year, and our New Year’s resolution is to offer portrait, wedding, and event photography deals specifically for our Facebook fans.  Click on the image below to register and view our very first steal of a deal for January 2012!

The week after Thanksgiving, Terry, Larry, and I headed to Brookside Gardens in Wheaton, Maryland for a couple’s portrait photography session.  Because I see Terry and one of her daughters every week at a networking event, the portrait photography session was a big secret up until Christmas.  Terry and Larry had not had professional photography of themselves since their wedding, so this was a big deal for them, and the portraits were to be Christmas gifts for each of their five children.  Even though it was the end of November, we still managed to get some flowery bursts of color in their portraits, as well as a cute green and white wagon, courtesy of the Garden of Lights.  At their photo reveal, Terry and Larry spent a lot of time looking at all of my product line samples and thinking about which photographic display option each of their children would like best.  In the end, they selected a metal print for their son, framed portraits for two daughters (one black and one red/black wood), one photograph on bamboo, and a standout for their oldest daughter…and for themselves, a large wall standout and portrait framed in ornate copper wood, and some miscellaneous prints.  When I delivered their order, I loved how Larry touched the wood frames and said to Terry, “I’m so impressed with the quality.  These aren’t cheap frames from Michael’s.”  And Terry nudged me and replied, “Of course not!”  Terry and Larry, Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!!!

CLICK HERE TO VIEW OUR EXCLUSIVE FACEBOOK FAN DEALS FOR PORTRAIT, WEDDING, AND EVENT PHOTOGRAPHY IN THE ANNAPOLIS, ARLINGTON, AND WASHINGTON DC AREA

Did you know that more couples get engaged during the holiday season than at any other time of the year?  So if you or a friend or family member are one of these lovestruck couples, then here’s a terrific video from SmartMoney on “10 Ways to Save on a Wedding.”

The day after our big October snowstorm, I met up with Tonya & Shay at the beautiful Meridian Hill Park in Washington DC for a couple’s portrait photography session.  Despite the winter chill, and despite Shay’s jetlag from returning from an international trip just the night before, these two lovebirds were bright and cheery.  What a beautiful couple, and what fun time I had photographing the two dancing on the steps, swinging each other around, and overall enjoying what was a beautiful winter morning.

Washington DC LGBT Wedding Photography by Irene Abdou