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I know I've probably said it a hundred times before, but staying busy beats the pants off of being bored... and June is a busy month! It seems like we only have enough time at home to water the browning plants, throw out the molded food in the fridge, and change the batteries in our gear before we've got to head off for another wedding.
I'm not complaining... Not at all... These days working is an extra blessing, and keeping busy isn't something everyone in our line of work has the luxury of achieving. (It's like that across the board everywhere - I know.)
Finally... After all this time, we get to do a wedding in Alaska! I could hardly keep from jumping up and down with glee. I've always wanted to go in the summertime, but the only way we'd have time was if we actually had a job there... and finally we did. (Whaa Hoo!) I only wished that we had more time to mess around there and enjoy the scenery a bit, but after Alaska we had to get back and get ready for a truly big weekend. (I'll get to that after the part about Alaska.)
Juneau Alaska is beautiful. Just flying in I knew we were going to have a wonderful time and see new and wondrous things. The jet flew along some of the most gorgeous mountains and glaciers I have ever seen... and we flew really close to those mountains too.
The only downside you might find in Alaska is that prices are high, and when summer comes, they go up even more. I know that's to be expected, but I was still caught by surprise. (So let's just say McDonalds was where we ate most of our meals.) However, on Sunday, we ate a particularly awesome meal on the wharf - overlooking the bay and the cruise ships - and I must say it was a moment that I could have spent a lifetime in. Bliss. Seriously.
The wedding in Juneau was great. It was especially great because the forecast had been saying it was going to be raining that weekend and instead of rain, we had the most beautiful weather I could imagine. And, although we were prepared for rain when we thought it was going to be there, truly I was so relieved that it didn't! (Not just relieved for Rigor & Joanne either - although that was my primary concern - also, because I really didn't want to spend our few days in Alaska while it was raining! (We get enough of that back in Washington to practically drown us already!)
Joanne and Rigor were totally awesome to work with, and they truly had fun with everything. Their whole wedding party was a "party" and the day passed very quickly... That might be because afterwards - while we were driving back to our room at 11pm - it was still light out. (How weird is that? It actually never got dark all night.)
The following day - the day we had to leave, we got up early and did some nature photos, but nature isn't all that Alaska has to offer. There's also the "Alaska Brewing Co." and I figured that it was probably a "now or never" sort of deal... so I'd better go... and I did. :)
Fun fact: The "Alaska Brewing Co." employees got paid in beer for the first year they were in business! (How'd they pay their bills? In beer?)
Anyway... I really didn't want to leave Alaska. Well, at least until winter time when the sun is always down and it rains or snows all the time. Not my thing... but while it's bright and sunny, I didn't want to go!
| ...It had to be one of our craziest weekends ever! From Seattle to DC to San Jose... and then back to Tampa... all in 3 days and 3 nights... |
We had to leave however, because the following weekend was going to be a biggy. Back to back weddings on opposite sides of the country... From Seattle to DC, back to San Francisco, and then another cross-country to Tampa!
First off we headed to Indian Head, MD. It's just a few miles outside of Washington DC and it was hot. Way hot! (About 95° in the shade with almost 100% humidity. I didn't mind too much, but I had to sympathize with everyone who got dressed up for the event.)
Kyle & Crystal were used to the humid weather since they live in it all the time, but not all the guests were so comfortable. Most spent the day with water bottles, looking for shade, and sweating like wet sponges. (Personally, I'm sort of a heat-monger, and I like it hot... but when things get sticky too... that's where I start feeling less and less happy about it.) I need a good "dry heat".
I think we got some amazing photos even with the heat, but it was slow going sometimes because there was always someone who'd gone to get a drink or was hiding out in an air conditioned car or building. ;)
After the wedding was over, it was straight to the airport to catch our early morning flight back to San Jose where we were doing Adrian & Donna's wedding the following day.
Upon arrival in San Francisco, I was abruptly reminded why I'm a west coast kind of guy... That crisp, clean, non-humid air was intoxicating and revitalizing... and after a coast to coast flight that was our only place to sleep between the 2 weddings, revitalization was not going to be easy without a hundred volt coffee and a miracle. (Thankfully we got both of those things!)
Adrian & Donna were the perfect couple to work with when we arrived too. They totally made us feel like part of the family and things started out just slowly and smoothly enough for us to get our achy bones warmed up and fall right into the pace of the day... and the day turned out to be just about perfect too.
Sometimes things all just seem to fall in line... Sometimes they just seem to fall out of line... It's not something we have any control over in a "larger" sense of things. It's like fate or karma, or what have you? But generally being prepared and ready, and skillful in your abilities can swing destiny around to your liking more then not... That's sort of how our day with Adrian & Donna went! Everything from lighting to weather, from scheduling to free food, all just worked out awesomely... (Well almost...)
The D.J. sort of dropped the ball on the required cables for the documentary presentation, but it's probably more of an offence to me than anyone who didn't know any better? (I'm really picky and a perfectionist about these things... but then again, that's how I got here... and why my hair is turning white so early in my life. :) Anyway, I have included their Love Story if you'd like to see it... It's really quite awesome!
Thankfully we resolved enough of the issues to allow the show to go on, and everything worked out just fine.
That night, after all the festivities and dancing, we headed off to bed... and for the first time in several days, I slept in something better then an airline seat. (Of course the next morning we had to leave for Tampa, FL... but that is another story.)
