Happy New Year’s Eve! In honor of the occasion, I’m sharing Maya & Noah’s festive wedding that I photographed last New Year’s Eve at Top of the Town in Arlington for Bakerture. We started the day with portraits on the terrace at Le Méridien hotel in Arlington.

Maya’s glam bridal look was gorgeous and on-trend with her pearl crown headband and pearl shoes.

The bridal party’s black sequin attire was perfect for New Year’s Eve!

After some quick portraits inside the hotel, we met at Top of the Town, an Arlington wedding venue which arguably has the best views of D.C.!

If you’re considering a New Year’s Eve wedding, I highly recommend it! Maya & Noah provided their guests with a memory they’ll remember the rest of their lives. Plus they’ll have a festive celebration every year for their anniversary! I also loved having my tarot read for the first ever time by Elite Tarot. I was amazed by how the reading spoke directly to some questions I’d been having about my decisions for the future, and it was such a fun way to gain clarity for my year ahead.

2022: My Year In Review

It was a joy to photograph 34 weddings this year! I’m grateful for my clients who trusted me with documenting their special days and to the other photographers who trusted me to help them serve their clients. I also photographed 2 elopements (adored these!), 11 engagement sessions (so fun!), 7 family sessions (thank you for trusting me with your memories!), 2 senior sessions (surprisingly have become a new fave!), 58 mini sessions (what?!), 3 events, and 5 headshots. Most of these events and sessions are packed in the last four months of the year, so I’m glad for some rest this holiday season and some office time over the next couple of months!

Personally, I’m always busy, challenged, and growing in raising our three amazing kids (currently ages 10, 7, and 2) with my husband James. We are so proud of the people they are and the closeness we share as a family. This year the kids have enjoyed soccer, jiu jitsu, swimming, basketball, and music (violin and baritone horn). They have fantastic friends and are thriving in school, which is so comforting as a parent, especially after the challenging past few years. As a family, we traveled to Isla Holbox (recommend!) and Playa Mujeres in Mexico this winter and Santa Rosa Beach, FL in the summer, as well as some weekend trips in Virginia to go camping and visit family.

2023: I’m All In!

The other day, when I was thinking about what my “word” for 2023 would be, the term “All In” came to mind. James and I used to play a lot of poker with our friends back when we were dating many years ago. (He was good enough that he won trips for us to Vegas and Atlantic City as tournament prizes, and he once had client who wanted to stake him in the World Series of Poker.) I’m sure you know this, but when you go “all in” on a poker hand, you’re betting 100% of your chips. It’s a ballsy move in which you commit everything you have to winning that hand. 

The way this relates to my vision for 2023 is that while I’m an adventurous and intuitive person, I’ve unfortunately often played it safe by keeping one foot on dry land, being noncommittal, and not being brave enough to give 100% to my dreams and vision. I feel like this New Year’s Eve I’m on the precipice of living a different way. I’m ready to shift my mindset to giving 100% commitment to my vision for my professional and personal goals. 

As I was thinking this concept over, my husband walked in the room and said, “remember when we used to play poker?” I kid you not. We haven’t talked about or played poker in ages. He’d been packing for our Christmas trip and came across a momento of our poker years. 

OK universe, I got it! For 2023 I’m “All In!” Happy New Year!