Shelly Edwards Photography

Melissa and George's Newborn Session (Florida)

2011-12-06T00:41:00.012-05:00

Welcome to the world Christian! :-) I recently had the delight of photographing Melissa and George's newborn session as we welcomed their son, Christian into the world! :-) We chose to incorporate scenes and items from their engagement photo shoot that featured their real life love story and their maternity session so as to pull the whole journey together. You can enjoy their engagement slideshow at: www.shellyedwards.com/MGE I love how Christian had a natural pose in many of the pictures and his personality shone through. I loved both renditions while editing one of his pictures so I included both. We also included a painting that they had of their original homeland, Haiti so as to highlight Christian's roots. George's mother was visiting so I took the time to photograph a precious grandmother-grandson moment.) I absolutely LOVED helping to put on Christian's sneakers! :-) It was very sentimental to me because the reality that it was no longer just an abstract object in a previous photo shoot but to actually see his tiny feet going in them made the reality of his presence all the more real! I find the last picture hilarious because I guess Christian is still getting used to the world and coming to understand that daddy does not have breast milk too! :-) lol Thanks again Melissa and George's for having me share in another of the precious moments of your life! :-) Keep enjoying parenthood!

Awesome Black Friday Special!

2011-11-25T16:21:00.005-05:00

Awesome Black Friday Special!

Shelly Edwards Photography is offering an awesome Black Friday Special!!!

Have someone book Shelly Edwards Photography for their wedding, and you’ll receive a $100.00 cash incentive!

The new client will also receive a complimentary 45 minutes photo shoot that can be used toward an engagement photo shoot, bridal session, post wedding glamor session, trash the dress, or a sultry lingerie shoot! Offer ends this Sunday, November 27th, 2011.

Hurry before the offer ends!

www.shellyedwards.com
www.shellyedwardsdestinations.com
shelly@shellyedwards.com
917-239-4651

Tanya and Brian's Wedding Pictures (Florida)

2011-11-04T00:50:00.012-05:00

Is that who you think it is? Yes, you're right! :-) Many of you will recognize Tanya as she is the first picture you'll see joyfully welcoming you to my destinations website (www.shellyedwardsdestinations.com) and to my Facebook Fan Page (Shelly Edwards International Photographer). We had an awesome time photographing her bridal sessions in Paris and Venice and I had been looking forward to photographing her wedding. Tanya and her now husband, Brian started off with an intimate beach wedding with their family and then had another ceremony and reception in front of family and friends later that afternoon. It was a beautiful day and I was excited to see the birds flying by the beach as it reminded me of the birds used in Tanya's Venice shoot. It was wonderful seeing how much Tanya and Brian glowed in each other presence and it was heartwarming observing their interaction with their daughters. The reception was beautiful and the up lighting made for some lovely pictures :-) All in all, we had a wonderful time celebrating with their family and friends. Thanks Tanya and Brian for choosing Shelly Edwards Photography to capture this precious time in your lives! :-)

Do enjoy their wedding pictures below.

Annika and Sheldon's Maternity Session (Florida)

2011-11-02T05:40:00.014-05:00

Annika and Sheldon... What can I say? :-) Ever since these two graced my lens, they were an instant hit! :-) From their timeless engagement session (www.shellyedwards.com/AnnikaSheldonEngagement) to their joyous wedding celebration (www.shellyedwards.com/SA) to their sassy post wedding glamor session (http://shellyedwards.blogspot.com/2009/09/annika-and-sheldons-post-wedding.html) Annika and Sheldon have found a special place in the heart of everyone who beheld their love and energetic personalities! :-) In keeping with the vintage theme used throughout their previous sessions, we chose to keep the vintage theme going for their maternity session combining a somewhat Bonnie and Clyde look, 1950s pinup, and semi country and western vibe. Given that we were going with vintage themes, as usual, Annika and I spent hours picking out clothing, props, location etc. In the end, I LOVE the end result! :-) I love the idea that Annika came up with to use crystals to spell Soraya's name as we wanted something unusual for the spelling. Special shout out to Sheldon for going shopping himself and choosing the hat and sexy blouse for the last set of Annika's pictures, go Sheldon! :-) Also, special thanks to my brother, Bruce for being our assistant for the day! :-) Thanks again Annika and Sheldon for a wonderful time and for allowing me the pleasure of photographing this major milestone in your life! :-) Soraya was born last Friday weighing in a 9lbs. 1oz! I am so looking forward to seeing her and sharing her with you. Do enjoy the pictures and please leave some love behind! :-)

Melissa and George's Maternity Session (Florida)

2011-11-02T05:06:00.015-05:00

It was a delight spending a windy, overcast Sunday evening with Melissa and Georges this summer! :-) Thankfully, the weather conditions were perfect for the kite to fly. Many of you will recognize Melissa and Georges because I've enjoyed sharing several photo shoots with them chronicling their journey through their engagement (www.shellyedwards.com/MGE) and marriage (http://vimeo.com/13640830) and now as we welcome their first child, a son! :-) We chose to go with a playful theme showcasing things Georges enjoyed doing as a child in Haiti and as he is about to share those joys with their son. It was cool seeing him so involved in the photo shoot so much that he bought the white pair of sneakers to rock with his son's shoes, awww! :-) As usual, Melissa is a delightful gem and she's so easy to work with! :-) She is one of those clients that have now become a friend in that we keep in touch with each other and even hang out. It was great having her sister along for this photo shoot especially seeing that she has been with us since the engagement shoot and she is one of my regular Facebook fan commentors! :-) Do enjoy the pictures, thanks again for choosing Shelly Edwards Photography, and looking forward to welcoming your son!!! :-)

Rachel and Kenton's Wedding (New York)

2011-10-18T21:11:00.002-05:00

It's here!!! :-) Do enjoy Rachel and Kenton's beautiful wedding via their slide show at: http://vimeo.com/30656295 While all the details of their wedding were gorgeous, what struck me the most was how deeply in love they are with each other! :-) Congrats and keep relishing in your love! :-)

Rachel and Kenton's Wedding Slideshow (New York) from Shelly Edwards on Vimeo.

Rachel and Kenton's

2011-10-18T21:11:00.000-05:00

Nicole and Vincent's Wedding Slideshow (Florida)

2011-10-02T20:02:00.008-05:00

Are you ready??? :-) Do enjoy Nicole and Vincent's Wedding slideshow by visiting: www.vimeo.com/29931255 or by clicking on the play button below. Many of you will remember this fun, adorable couple from the vintage engagement shoot we did highlighting their real life love story including pictures on a navy ship. For those of you who haven't had the pleasure of seeing it as yet do visit: www.vimeo.com/19055366. I totally enjoyed my experience at their wedding! :-) As usual, it was wonderful seeing the genuine love that emanated from them! It was great seeing one of my previous brides again, Keesha! She did an excellent job as Nicole's make up artist. It was also great finally meeting some of the other participants in the wedding such as Nicole's sister, Nika and their event planner, Arlene Rose seeing that we had become Facebook friends after posting Nicole and Vince's engagement pictures. Thanks Nicole and Arlene for choosing the bridal bouquet that I had told them was my favorite from Arlene's website (www.arlenesweddings.org)! ;-) It was really nice to see how everyone loved and supported the couple's decision to get married including her father who was beaming with joy and pride while walking Nicole down the isle. Another element of this wedding that I really liked was was the gifts that Nicole and Vince exchanged before the ceremony. It reminded me of their engagement story when they exchanged gifts in the past.

Thank you Nicole and Vince for allowing me the joy and honor of sharing in this special time in your lives! :-) Totally enjoy married life! :-)

Nicole and Vince's Wedding Slideshow (Florida) from Shelly Edwards on Vimeo.

Lisa and Vance's Engagement and Wedding Slideshow (AS SEEN ON TLC'S 4 WEDDINGS)

2011-09-23T01:16:00.051-05:00

I remember when Lisa called me nearly 1 year ago very excited that she was engaged and thrilled that I was available on her wedding date. She came as a referral from Mabel Martinez (Thanks Mabel! :-)) who had inquired with me before. I met with Lisa and her mom and they quickly booked me for Lisa and Vance's big day. We chose to do a vintage 1950's library and diner theme to bring out her love for reading at the library and gave Vance a John Travolta/James Dean look to show Vance's edgy side. Lisa loved my song choice of You're The One That I Want from Grease to be the song we would work the story line around. I had never used a musical theme before so I figured we would be in for quite an adventure doing a musical theme in a library which is often associated with talking quietly and walking slowly! :-) It was quite an adventure indeed with us singing softly, dancing, and running in the library where other people were reading! :-) Several days later Lisa contacted me and told me that she was selected to be one of the brides competing on TLC's reality show, 4 weddings where 4 brides compete to win an all expense paid honeymoon!!! :-) I knew Lisa and Vance would do great because from I literally said, "Lights, camera, and action" during their library scene Lisa was energized and was it was amazing with how she naturally acted her role perfectly! :-) Vance glowed in her love and did great! :-) I went to a store and selected the items and layout I thought would be great to decorate their guest sign in table and escort card tables for their wedding to bring out their engagement theme and they loved and bought them :-)

Their big day was in February this year and it was beautiful!!! :-) However, I was unable to post their wedding slideshow until now due to the terms of their agreement with TLC. Every detail of their attire, flowers, decor, etc was breath-taking! :-) Their wedding was held at the beautiful Benvenuto in Boynton Beach, Florida (www.benvenutorestaurant.com) and their superb floral decoration was done by the team from www.danielevents.com It was a delight interacting with the team from TLC's 4 Weddings and it was interesting seeing the other participants. Special thanks to Sophonie Cherubin for being my assistant for the day! :-) Their episode (...And Two Wedding Crashers, Season 3, Episode 16) was originally aired on TLC's 4 Weddings on September 2, 2011.

YOU CAN ENJOY A PREVIEW of the episode with a clip of me on TLC's website: http://tlc.discovery.com/videos/four-weddings-jenean-lauren-rhianna-and-lisa.html

YOU CAN VIEW THE FULL EPISODE by purchasing it for $1.99 on Amazon at: http://www.amazon.com/And-Two-Wedding-Crashers/dp/B005KYVQWW

Thanks again Lisa and Vance for selecting Shelly Edwards Photography for capturing this major time in your lives! It was indeed a pleasure! :-)

DO ENJOY LISA AND VANCE'S ENGAGEMENT SLIDESHOW at: http://www.vimeo.com/20174111 OR CLICK ON THE LINK BELOW:

Lisa and Vance's Engagement Slideshow from Shelly Edwards on Vimeo.

DO ENJOY LISA AND VANCE'S WEDDING SLIDESHOW at: www.vimeo.com/29468024 OR CLICK ON THE LINK BELOW:

Afua and Yaw's Wedding (London)

2011-09-20T20:32:00.009-05:00

One of my greatest pleasures as an international photographer is sharing in the excitement of my clients as their weddings and other special events become featured in various local, national, and international publications including newspapers, magazines, television, radio interviews, etc! :-) August 14th was one of those days as the delightful and elegant, Afua Krow-Akoto and Yaw Akoto were featured in Barbados's newspaper. They are both originally from Ghana but Afua grew up in Barbados and Yaw in London. Their wedding took place in their current hometown of London. It was a joy seeing many familiar faces again seeing that Afua is the one of the 3 Krow sisters weddings that I have photographed. It was a sheer delight having the presence of Yaw's father who is one of the Paramount Chiefs in Ghana. The African entertainment was fabulous and everything turned out perfectly! :-) Thanks again Afua and Yaw for choosing Shelly Edwards Photography to capture your big day! :-)

DO ENJOY THEIR SLIDESHOW BY visiting the following link: http://vimeo.com/29235660 OR click on the play button below.

Teresa and Albert's Wedding (New York)

2011-09-20T20:12:00.012-05:00

This summer I had the pleasure of photographing Teresa and Albert's wedding in Long Island, New York. It was fun observing everyone enjoying themselves and it was precious observing an elderly couple (3rd to last picture) seeming so in love after nearly 57 years of marriage. It was lovely observing Teresa beam extra bright whenever she was in Albert's arms :-) Albert is a fire fighter and they honored him by having the fire-truck present during the ceremony. We planned to have a great time rocking pictures with the truck but the rain changed our plans. Thanks Teresa and Albert for allowing me the honor of sharing in your special day! :-) Have a wonderful marriage! :-)

Brie and Caitlin's Senior Pictures (Florida)

2011-09-20T18:00:00.013-05:00

It was indeed a very delightful, fun evening with Brie, Caitlin, and their families during a lovely Florida evening this summer! :-) The two families have been family friends ever since Brie and Caitlin were babies and it is wonderful to see the bond of friendship that they have maintained over the years! :-) Brie and Caitlin are now seniors in high school and chose to do their senior portraits while on vacation in Florida. Brie had us rolling with laughter with her easy smiles and hilarious snorts while they were taking pictures on the sand! :-) Caitlin easy rocked the model look because she's accustomed to photo shoots. It was also wonderful spending the evening with Brie's wonderful brother and sister! The parents on both sides of the family made me feel very comfortable and almost like part of the family for the evening. Thanks everyone for a wonderful time and all the best ladies with your final year of high school!!! :-)

Antoinette and Ryan's Wedding (Jamaica)

2011-04-22T06:29:00.015-05:00

I knew Ryan from the days we both attended Northern Caribbean University in Jamaica. Well, I didn't really know know him, I had just seen him on campus and thought of him as the handsome business student. I may have only said hi in passing. Years passed and I became a photographer and he really enjoyed my work and referred me to his cousin, Joni who I had the pleasure of photographing her waterfall wedding last December in Jamaica. Well, some time after I was contacted about Joni's wedding, Ryan caught the wedding bug and informed me that he had recently gotten engaged and wanted me to photograph his wedding as well. Coool! :-) He informed me of his wedding venue, Coyaba Gardens and I became even more elated as it was a gorgeous venue that I remembered seeing beautiful pictures of from a friend who had taken her wedding coctail hour pictures there. I met his lovely bride-to-be at the time, Antoinette during a visit she made to Florida and it was very evident why Ryan happily decided to make her his wife. Antoinette is smart, beautiful with a winsome smile, pleasant, ambitious, organized, and not afraid of the kitchen! :-) lol

The months passed and it was time for their big day! :-) I enjoyed my time in Jamaica. I was pleasantly surprised when I met the event planner, Walter J Davis because he was a friend when we attended Ardenne High School in Jamaica together. I also saw a classmate from Ardenne, Denvo Thombs who was the DJ! :-) It was great reuniting with other friends from NCU, Joni, Christian, and Joni's family! :-) Walter did a great job with taking me to the wedding site earlier in the day allowing me to scout out the location and capture it's sheer beauty! I then went back to the hotel, Rooms on the Beach where I met with Antoinette and her entourage. Antoinette was so relaxed, smiling, and enjoying the preparation. One of the ladies assisted me with taking the clothing and accessories downstairs to the beach where I had fun placing them in cool places. I oh so loved photographing on that beach because the big yellow hotel next door, Jamaica Grande was my frequent hang out spot as a child thanks to my aunt who worked there and my mom who would take me there to stay for her job conventions and I always thought the view on the beach was one of the most picturesque views of Ocho Rios. So, I added that beach strip in my infamous wish list of places I wanted to take wedding related pictures. Well, everyone finished getting dressed and headed out in their name band sandals from Bridget Sandals.

The wedding ceremony and reception at Coyaba Gardens were wonderful and the decor was absolutely beautiful! :-) Ryan donned a tailor made suit by the highly acclaimed Jamaican designer, Dexter Huxtable. Antoinette looked fabulous in her dress that was made more dramatic with her cathedral length veil and her flowers were definitely unique accenting the island garden feel of her wedding. I really felt like as if I was in the Garden of Eden walking in the garden in the cool of the day about to witness Adam and Eve's wedding. The red carpet, the trumpeter heralding Antoinette's journey down the isle to the man of her dreams, the colorful petals gently lining her path, the lovely strains of singing, the birds caroling, and wide smiles that could light a room spread happily across both their faces enriched the paradise wedding experience. All in all, it was a wonderful day and I'm happy that they both loved the resulting slideshow! :-) Thanks again Antoinette and Ryan for choosing Shelly Edwards Photography to capture your big day and may your love, smiles, and laughter continue to make your hearts happy throughout the years! :-)

To view their slide show visit www.vimeo.com/22646744 or click the play arrow on the video below.

Antoinette and Ryan's Wedding Slideshow (Jamaica) from Shelly Edwards on Vimeo.

Kemi and Astor's Wedding Slideshow (Barbados)

2011-04-10T09:12:00.009-05:00

Some of you will recognize Kemi's face as a bride's maid in a previous wedding I photographed for Abena and Shaka in Bermuda. That previous slideshow is at www.shellyedwardsdestinations.com/ASwedding We all had a wonderful time in Bermuda and Kemi is the 2nd of 3 bride's maids from that wedding that I have the pleasure and honor of photographing their wedding. Stay tuned for the 3rd bride's maid this summer in London. Kemi fell in love with that slideshow and went home telling everyone to watch it! :-) Sweeet! :-) Thanks Kem ;-) When her turn came around, I got the excited call and the booking to photograph her wedding in Barbados! :-) During our consultation, I was so touched and very happy when she described how ecstatic she was about marrying the man of her dreams, Astor! :-) I could hear her beaming with excitement over the phone! :-) lol I got to know Astor through his Facebook page and Skype conversations. I loved that he was excited about me photographing his wedding as well. Can I say how, I looooved their reception venue selection?! :-) Well, I guess I said it :-) lol As many of you know from my posts with previous weddings, I have this infamous wish list of things or places that I would love to photograph and a wedding venue with flamingos was one of the things I longed to photograph! So, the island of Inagua in Bahamas that has over 60,000 flamingos was so on my wish list! When I saw pictures of Kemi and Astor's venue, Graeme Hall Nature Sanctuary with flamingos, I was beaming with excitement!!! :-) I called up the venue and they said that it was ok to take pictures with the flamingos and I was like, "YES!!!" :-) So, I looked forward to the 13 months before their wedding to run by quickly! :-)

Well, the long awaited trip to Barbados finally arrived and I finally got to visit Kemi's home town and see her, Astor, their family, and friends! :-) Kemi had arranged for me to have my own personal chauffeurs (3 in total) to take me around and 1 her brother, to take me to anywhere in the island that I wanted to visit, BIG things, just living the life!!!! :-) That is not a requirement for destination weddings so I felt very honored when Kemi and Astor went above and beyond for me! :D What was super precious as well was what happened the first time Kemi saw me in Barbados, she was very happy to see me and pinched my arm processing that I was really physically there, Awwwww!!! :-) That is one of the things that I love about my job, clients are not just a number, we usually become great friends and fans before and after the wedding! :-)

Kemi had informed me that family was very important to her and Astor so throughout the pictures I sought to create a quaint island feel by emphasizing the precious moments shared with their family and friends and the reaction of their family and friends. To honor Astor's Guyanese background and the 80 plus family members that flew in representing him from Guyana and around the world, his family held a Queh Queh (a tradition originally from Africa and celebrated in Guyana) where the bride is welcomed to the grooms family the day before the wedding amidst dancing, food, and traditional music (some of the songs played were incorporated in the slideshow). The wedding day came and it was fabulous! :-) I was touched during Astor's getting ready scene when his mother kept ironing is jacket much longer than she needed to as she recognized that this is the last time she might be ironing her only child's clothes, awwww, tear jerker! :-) I was happy when Astor had given me permission to do anything I wanted photographically and agreed to take pictures with his groomsmen at a fish boat yard that I fell for during my tour of the island! :-) I loved our time taking pictures there and Astor and his groomsmen got their swagger on and had fun! :-) I headed over to Kemi and finally saw her unveil her infamous dress that no one, except her mother was allowed to see before that moment! Maaannnn, that dress was really absolutely stunning!!!! :-) With the assistance of one her bride's maids, we took her dress out to get some cool shots and we chose a bus stop that was across the street from the hotel. She stood near to the dress to safe guard it while I went across the street to get wide angle shots of the dress and loved the excitement of passerbys being awed by her dress, a real traffic stopper dress!!! :-) lol I was happy when Kemi agreed for me to take pictures of her and her bridesmaids by a house across the street from the hotel that had the rustic charm that was common with many of the Barbadian homes plus it had the beautiful blue ocean that Kemi raved about during our consultation that Barbados had the most beautiful beaches so I am happy that I got to incorporate that in her pictures.

To wrap this writing up, the wedding was perfect with showers of blessing outside and a jubilant celebration inside the church. The reception venue was stunning and David Hutchinson from Pangroove Elegant Events definitely lived up to the high expectations! :-) It was wonderful spending time with Abena and Shaka again! :-) I decided to wrap up the slideshow with warm pictures incorporating Astor in pictures with Kemi and her brothers showing a contrast to the earlier pictures when it was just Kemi and her brothers and now Astor is part of their family, awwww! :-) Thank you Kemi and Astor for being such superb clients and for choosing Shelly Edwards Photography to capture this milestone in your life!!! I totally loved every moment and I feel very blessed to have you both in my life, not just as clients, but now as friends! May the ever so evident love, joy, and respect for each other that you now share only get richer and deeper as the years go by!!! :-)

DO ENJOY THEIR SLIDESHOW BY CLICKING THE PLAY ARROW BELOW OR VISITING: http://www.vimeo.com/22146718

Kemi and Astor's Wedding Slideshow (Barbados) from Shelly Edwards on Vimeo.

This is my life as a Cover Girl! :-)

2011-03-09T20:35:00.009-05:00

WOW, I'm a real life cover girl!!!! :-) Do enjoy my in-depth interview with Inspire Nation Magazine which has been my most personal interview yet including questions on marriage, children, spirituality, my dreams, etc! :-) You are be able to see it on their website: www.goinspirewear.com/Magazine. While you're there, check out their site for great inspirational clothing! Do also join their Facebook Fan Page at: www.facebook.com/pages/InspireNATION/112576895428111?ref=ts Thanks so much Racquel for asking me to be this month's cover girl!!! :-) A very special shout out also goes out to Daine Macklimore Whittaker from Mack House Media Arts for voluntarily contacting Inspire Nation without my even knowing highly recommending that they feature me!!! You totally rock in my book Daine!!! :-)

Also, do enjoy the FABULOUS slideshow that Tarin Glenn-Brown voluntarily prepared for me showcasing my journey through the years that will bring the magazine article to life!!! :-) Do visit it at: www.youtube.com/watch?v=EP_c5ghtXhA

HAPPY 4th ANNIVERSARY SHELLY EDWARDS PHOTOGRAPHY!!! :-)

2011-02-23T01:48:00.005-05:00

Below is a picture taken the day I got my business license at the court house exactly 4 years ago! :-) HAPPY ANNIVERSARY SHELLY EDWARDS PHOTOGRAPHY!!! Thanks to each of you for helping to making this an exciting and AMAZING adventure!!! :-)

To celebrate this milestone, I purchased the template today for the new addition to the Shelly Edwards line of websites that you will be able to enjoy soon at: www.shellyedwardsfineart.com This new site will feature fine art pictures that I have and will photograph around the world on each continent. They will be available for purchase to enrich the beauty of your home and office. Stay tuned also for the Shelly Edwards clothing line that will feature images from around the world with inspirational messages.

Looking forward to continuing to share this wonderful adventure called life with you! :-)

EXTRA, EXTRA, READ ALLLLLL ABOUT IT!!!!! :D

2011-02-07T08:02:00.010-05:00

EXTRA, EXTRA, READ ALLLLLL ABOUT IT!!!!! :D JONI AND CHRISTIAN'S WEDDING THAT I SHOT IN DECEMBER IS FEATURED IN TODAY'S COPY OF THE JAMAICAN OBSERVER. RUN AND GET YOUR COPY WHILE SUPPLIES LAST!!!!!! :-) You can also read it online on the Observer's website at: http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/Perfect-Destination_8322221

I am SUPER DUPER TRILLED to FINALLY see my clients' pictures featured in The Vows section of the Jamaican observer because that is the only section of the paper that I ALWAYS looked forward to reading whenever I went visited my father's office in Jamaica. I would read all the previous articles trying to catch up as much as I could! A very special thanks to the editor, Mrs. Novia Mcdonald-Whyte for making my dream come through!!! :-) Special thanks also to Joni and Christian for being such fabulous clients and for putting together such a terrific wedding! :-) Thanks a lot to my most regular blog commenter, Dian Bailey for photographing the pictures below of the newspaper article and emailing them to me!!! :-)

You can relieve their dream island wedding by enjoying their slideshow at: http://www.vimeo.com/18457706

Joni and Christian's Wedding Slideshow from Shelly Edwards on Vimeo.

Nicole and Vincent's Engagement Based in Their True Life Love Story (Florida)

2011-02-05T22:09:00.014-05:00

Nicole...Nicole...Nicole... :-) I know she is reading intently to see what I am about to say but she gave me permission to be totally open so here goes! :-) lol Nicole is a TRIP!!!! :-) lol I seriously came to the point during our phone consultation where I wished her the very best and thought that I wouldn't work with her because after exploring a range of ideas, we were unsuccessful with coming up with a theme for a unique engagement shoot that she and Vince were looking for. While I was wishing her all the best, she suggested that I do a story line highlighting their real life love story. That wasn't a new theme for me but I told her to tell me more because her story would likely be unique. When she got to the point where she mentioned incorporating Vince being in the Navy, I was TOTALLY SOLD on the idea!!!!!! :-) I had been sooo wanting to do a theme with someone in their military regalia and it was heavy on my heart longing to do a 1950's pinup look for an engagement shoot so I was thrilled at the thought that this was the couple I was so hoping for. But, she had to run the idea by Vince and get back to me so I was left with bated breath to hear his response. When she called me back and said that he loved the idea, I was like, "YES!!!!" :-) My adrenaline was in high gear as Nicole and I spent the next several weeks spending hours researching and fine tuning the story line to give an accurate account, props, attire, make up, music, locations, etc. One hurdle was finding a navy ship and the closest one was in Key West which was a 10 hours round trip drive from me. I was elated when Vince was willing to drive the 8 hours round trip from where he lives. I finally got to visit Key West plus had an awesome couple to work with: sweeet! :-)

I remember one evening after speaking with Nicole, I went to watch Tyler Perry's latest movie, For Colored Girls with my brother, Bruce and one of my female friends who was visiting from Jamaica, Kelisha. We left the movie totally shaken up and scared, especially Kelisha and I as females thinking that if that's the madness and drama that we might have to undergo for the sake of so called love, who needs that?! With my 9 years of experience as a social worker and just being a woman, I knew that the stories depicted in the movie were all to real and way too common. I also knew the other side of the coin through personal experience and many wedding clients that I have had that there is also true love without that drama. So, I had a heightened purpose in my heart to emphasize the true love between clients to show the world what true love looks like. It worked out perfectly that Nicole and Vince were the clients I was working with at the moment because Nicole's love for Vince is so deep, full of life, joyful, and has a childlike innocence with spiritual fervor! Vince is so abundantly in love with his, "brown eye girl" that he was smitten with from the first time he saw her in high school in 2001!!!! :-) It was absolutely adorable and precious to observe their interaction during our photo shoots spanning 2 days! :-) Their eyes always sparkled and their smiles/grins were non-stop the whole time especially when they looked at each other! Awwwww :-) Even though we were re-enacting their story, it wasn't fully acting because what you see is exactly who they are: one VERY HAPPY couple!!! :-) Based on the feedback I've seen on their wedding website, their Facebook pages, and my Facebook pages with many people being moved to tears, I see that our aim was accomplished: that of showing the beauty of true love. It is my hope that the world will be that much better by viewing this.

Special thanks to master hairstylist, Georgia Smith (954-588-1047) for the fantastic job she voluntarily did for both days of the shoot! I have totally admired her work since the first time I worked with her for Annika and Sheldon vintage photo shoot and she has some more free slots available for engagement shoots if you book through me ;-). Special thanks to make up artist to the stars, Keesha (SuperSpice) Barreau (954-865-5474) for the fabulous job she did with Nicole for both days of the shoot! You will remember Keesha from her engagement and wedding pictures that I photographed in November last year. A heart felt thanks to Nicole and Vince for choosing me to preserve this awesome love story that you share. It turned out to be an absolute honor and pleasure to do so and I'm happy that you stuck to what your heart was feeling in what to do for your engagement session :p lol

DO ENJOY THEIR SLIDESHOW BY: visiting http://www.vimeo.com/19055366 OR by click on the play button below

ALSO THEY APPROVED YOUR ENJOYING THEIR WEDDING WEBSITE: http://destinyfulfilled.weddingwindow.com

Nicole and Vince's Engagement Slideshow from Shelly Edwards on Vimeo.

Joni and Christian's Wedding and Fantasy Trash the Dress Slideshow (Ocho Rios, Jamaica)

2011-01-06T22:43:00.015-05:00

Hi everyone! :-)

I hope you have been enjoying your new year so far. To add to the enjoyment, I am pleased to share with you Joni and Christian's amazing island style wedding in Jamaica and their fantasy trash the dress photo shoot in a waterfall! :-) I recall getting an enquiry from Joni last year March about photographing her wedding at Laughing Waters in Jamaica. I googled Laughing Waters and saw that it had a waterfall. I became VERY excited because I had been so wanting to photograph a waterfall wedding for the past couple years as I believed it would be absolutely beautiful! Within a week, Joni happily sent the contract and deposit and I was like, "OMG, I am actually going to shoot a waterfall wedding PLUS Joni agreed to do a trash the dress session inside a waterfalls: PERFECT!!!" :-) lol Man, the 8 months wait until her and Christian's wedding was torture sometimes as I often wished it would be the next day! :-) Well, the month of their wedding finally came and I figured it was time to have a more in-depth conversation about what her vision and my vision were for both photo shoots including song selections, a photography style to match their personality, selecting the perfect waterfall to match the fantasy theme of the trash the dress session, clothing, etc. I did a lot of research and we were happy with the final selections.

Well, the long awaited trip finally came and it was a pleasure finally meeting Joni face to face and speaking with Christian for the first time while we had a great time talking on the way from the airport. After a wonderful time with my family for Christmas, I was off to Laughing Waters!!! :-) I ABSOLUTELY LOVE their venue selection as I really felt like I was in paradise (I am not just saying that because I grew up in Jamaica). I took the opportunity to have an adventure with her dresses, flowers, shoes, and rings taking pictures at lovely locations on the property. I was happy that I was there earlier than normal to photograph the beautiful before and after transition of the fabulous job that event planner, Jewel Marsh (876-396-8744, jewelevents@gmail.com) and her team did with the decoration. I was excited about the lanterns they placed on the trees that added a wonderful touch. I was smiling ear to ear when I saw a dread locked Rasta as I really wanted to have pictures like that to add to the Jamaican vibe so I made the most of him in several pictures! :-) Joni came to meet me on the beach to let me know that she arrived and I took the opportunity to take some pictures of her. The make up artist, Roshane Sterling (876-407-0652, islandhelp1@yahoo.com) did a lovely job especially with the beautiful shade of pink he used on her lips. I had a fun time with the entire bridal party and Christian who were so easy to work with! The ceremony and reception were wonderful in-spite of the rain. Joni and Christian's dogs were absolutely adorable in their wedding attire! The officiating pastor, Pastor Harvey (Northern Caribbean University's church pastor) did a great job of making them laugh on several occasions which were great for the pictures. The musicians were exceptional, the MC hysterically funny, up-lighting on the trees vibrant, the food delicious, cake beautiful, and the one flower centerpiece actually turned out quite lovely! :-) The couple's first dance was an interesting break out routine starting with a traditional, elegant dance and then they switched out to a routine doing various Jamaican dances.

Special thanks to Ryan Peart who referred Joni to me and who's wedding I'll be photographing at another lovely venue in Jamaica in March of this year! Special thanks also to everyone who assisted me in various ways throughout the wedding! Thanks to the wonderful bridal party, parents, and guests who were a delight to spend the day with and several of whom have now become my Facebook friends! Thanks to Ceceil, her dad, and Carlington who voluntarily made the long trip from Brown's Town and Montego Bay to help me with the 8am trash the dress session!!! A very special thanks to Joni and Christian for choosing Shelly Edwards Photography to capture your big day! I will forever treasure the experience and wish you the utmost happiness in your marriage!!! :-)

It took me about 50 yes, 50 hours to edit the pictures and create the slideshow but it was totally worth the effort as I LOVE the final result! :-)

DO ENJOY THEIR SLIDESHOW AT http://vimeo.com/18457706 OR CLICK ON THE LINK BELOW:

Joni and Christian's Wedding Slideshow from Shelly Edwards on Vimeo.

The Last Post for 2010

2010-12-31T14:50:00.004-05:00

Hi everyone! :-)

Today is New Year's Eve and it marks the end of another fabulous year at Shelly Edwards Photography. I have been delighted to share my adventures with you this year throughout Africa, Europe, the Caribbean, nationally, and locally! :-) Each client brought their unique flavour to their celebrations which made it that more interesting. Thanks to everyone for your comments and continued support! They are truly appreciated! Stay tuned for more adventures in 2011 for other scheduled international, national, and local clients! Below you will find sneak peaks from the navy portion of Nicole and Vince's real life love story which was the first half of their engagement session and Joni and Christian's wedding in the island paradise of Jamaica. Looking forward to sharing Nicole and Vince's slideshow once we finish the 2nd half in January. Stay tuned also for Joni and Christian's slideshow including the rest of their trash the dress session in an exotic waterfall! Special thanks to all my clients who have made it an AMAZING year and I'm looking forward to preserving the memories of my 2011 clients! HAPPY NEW YEAR when it comes everyone!!! :-)

Keesha and Tony's Wedding (Florida)

2010-11-28T11:43:00.032-05:00

It was a pleasure photographing Keesha and Tony's fabulous wedding a week ago! :-) The saying that birds of a feather flock together is apparently true because like Keesha and Tony, everyone was looking real fine and sharp! :-) I felt like I was at a Hollywood wedding! :-) I love Keesha and Tony's color coordination for the bridal party's attire, and the floral decoration for the ceremony and reception! I've never seen those shades of colors at a wedding before but they were perfect for the fun, lively, tropical vibes that the wedding had! Keesha??? Well, she definitely lived up to the expectation that Ms. Fashionista would be Mrs. Fashionista on her big day! Every detail of her hair, attire, and overall look were on point! Go Keesh! :-) Yeah Tony, you know you looked fly! :-) lol The garden used for the ceremony was so tranquil and lovely! More striking than all the outward beauty was the very apparent love, chemistry, fun, and adoration shared between Keesha and Tony! It's undeniable that they truly love each other and I am really delighted for them! I could feel the love that everyone had for them especially with everyone turning out on time for a 9am wedding! :-) lol I enjoyed the entertainment provided by the musicians and the food was delicious! I have to mention the perfect, unique wedding ceremony recessional with everyone dancing off to I'm Yours by Jason Mraz! I lOVED it! :-) Congratulations Keesha and Tony on putting together a fantastic wedding and I'm happy that I was given the pleasure of capturing your big day. Keep enjoying your love! :-)

Keesha and Tony's Engagement Pictures

2010-11-16T21:38:00.011-05:00

One of the most popular questions I get as a wedding photographer is: "Oooh, so when you're getting married who will be YOUR photographer?" So, it's always an honor and a pleasure when another professional photographer (in this case Tony) selects me to be their photographer for one of the most special days in their lives! Early last year, I started getting a lot of kind emails and regular Facebook comments from a Keesha who coined her Facebook middle name as SuperSpice. She looked forward to the day when she would one day get engaged and hire me as her photographer. Well, the highly anticipated day came and Tony surprised her with a lovely engagement and Keesha was dressing rather SuperSpicy that day. I was like, "Wow, I wonder what she will wear for her engagement photo shoot and wedding!!??" Well, they booked me to capture their celebrations and Keesha and Tony definitely stepped out in high style with her hair stylist and fashion stylist on hand at the photo shoot!!! :-) They are a natural and it was easy working with them to create the Essence magazine cover shoot feel that the couple requested. You won't have to wait too long to view the wedding pictures because they will be getting married this weekend! Stay tuned as I'm sure it will SuperHot! :-) Thanks Keesha and Tony for selecting Shelly Edwards Photography to capture your celebrations! :-)

Simona and Troy's Wedding Slideshow (New York)

2010-11-10T05:48:00.005-05:00

I remember the first time that Simona contacted me last year to photograph her New York wedding. She noted that her name was Simona and that Simone (a previous wedding client) highly recommended me to her. I thought the play on words was cool :-) It's always a pleasure when previous clients love their pictures and spread the word! Thanks Simone and Nassive! :-) When Simona informed me of her wedding ceremony location I was ecstatic and hoping that she would confirm the booking because I had been to a wedding at that church before I became a professional photographer and longed to shoot a wedding there because the stain glass windows there were so beautiful! Confirm she did and we had a great time learning about what type of person she is and what stuck out was that she was spiritual, loved basketball (it is part of their love story), had a great personality, and pictures were very important to her. The thought came to me to suggest that she include her love of basketball in her wedding pictures with the bridal part on a basketball court with pom, poms, and a basketball where they can have fun pictures playing. Simona loved the idea and she got the needed supplies plus some! :-)

The wedding day came and it was PRICELESS!!! :-) There was a very special vintage charm and loving aura that pervaded over the day! I tapped into that mood and kept it going through the way I captured their pictures. Simona was radiant and bubbly, Troy was basking in Simona's presence, their parents were a gem being ever so preciously sweet, and everyone had a great time! I felt like I was on the set of Sister Act and Love and Basketball! :-) The phenomenal music from the choir, musicians, and Simona serenading her husband as she stood at the beginning of the isle, on the podium, and at the reception touched me deeply with the spiritual significance of what was happening and a heavenly atmosphere pervaded the atmosphere! We were unable to find a basketball court close by that was open so had fun improving using a tennis court. Hey, it was green too :-) lol A very special thanks to Simona for being the type of client that makes me excited to do my best to serve my clients. Throughout the day she did delightfully checked in to make sure that I was doing great, made it clear to everyone how happy she was to have me photographing her wedding, and that they should do anything I wanted. It was so funny and sweet! :-) Thanks Simone ;-) Congratulations again to you and Troy and I only wish you the absolute best and a lifetime of overflowing joy in your marriage! Thanks again for choosing Shelly Edwards Photography to capture your big day! :-)

TO VIEW THEIR SLIDESHOW, VISIT http://www.vimeo.com/16689403 OR CLICK PLAY ON THE SHOW BELOW:

Simona and Troy's Wedding Montage from Shelly Edwards on Vimeo.

Mary and Didier's London Wedding Sideshow (London, England)

2010-10-15T04:20:00.007-05:00

Hi everyone! :-) I recently had the pleasure of photographing Mary and Didier's wedding in London, England. It was such a beautiful wedding and I especially loved the fact that Mary and Didier kept true to the London theme so we are able to feel as though we were in London. It was precious to observe the 12 adorable little flower girls and boys in the wedding party that reminded me a lot of a royal wedding. The 4 poster bed, the red double decker bus to transport the guests, and the ringing of the Church of England's bells after the ceremony added to the authentic charm. During my research on royal weddings in London, I noticed that a lot of ladies wore hats and was happy to see many ladies wearing hats because that hasn't been the custom for other weddings I've captured in other countries. Mary looked like a fabulous princess in her gown and cathedral veil!!! Excellent choice Mary! :-) Didier looked like a handsome prince in his gentleman attire! I am happy that Mary loved and followed through with my suggestion to use balloons as props for the pictures because the children and adults had fun and the resulting pictures are priceless! :-) It was also a delight seeing so many familiar faces from my trip last year to London for Mary's sister, Abena's engagement photo shoot! Mary and Didier are truly loved as family and friends flew in from Paris, other European countries, Ghana, Cameroon, Australia, the Caribbean, and a wealth of other countries to witness this once in a lifetime moment! Thanks again Mary and Didier for choosing Shelly Edwards Photography! I wish you all the happiness in your marriage and great seeing you finally tie the knot! :-)

TO VIEW THEIR SLIDESHOW VISIT: www.shellyedwardsdestinations.com/MDW.mp4 OR Click on the Play Button Below

Mary and Didier's Wedding Slideshow (Better Version) from Shelly Edwards on Vimeo.

Abena and Shaka's Anniversary in Ghana, West Africa Pictures and Slideshow

2010-10-01T05:25:00.007-05:00

SLIDESHOW AT: www.shellyedwardsdestinations.com/ASGhana

In August I had the honor and delight to capture Abena and Shaka's anniversary pictures in Ghana, West Africa! Abena's original homeland is in Ghana and it was a great opportunity to introduce Shaka personally to her family there. Having photographed their engagement pictures in London and their wedding in Bermuda last year, it was a delight being able to enjoy their company again as a married couple. It was a pleasure having Shaka's mother with us on the trip. One of the things that made this trip particularly special to me was the historical roots of Shaka's family. Shaka's father, the late prominent historian and political activist, Dr. Walter Rodney who authored the highly acclaimed book, How Europe Underdeveloped Africa was assassinated in 1980 because of his quest to uplift the black race. It was great seeing his book at the bookstore at Elimina Slave Castle and a lot of what the tour guide shared was based on his reading of the book. It was great that one's legacy can impact so many people's lives for decades! Special thanks to everyone who made our trip very memorable including Abena's uncle who took the time out to make my wish come through to visit the Ashanti Kingdom, including the Ashanti King's Palace the day after Abena and Shaka left! Special thanks also to Abena's aunt who arranged the transportation for us the previous days! Thanks a lot also to Ekow Fisho and Mary for helping me with the song selections! Another thing that made the trip powerful for me was the fact that I am originally from Jamaica and many Jamaican ancestors came to Jamaica including our national heroine, Nanny of the Maroons. The reality of slavery really hit home to me when I smelt the horrible stench of blood and sweat in one of the cells after all these decades since slavery! May we cherish the freedom and better society after all the sacrifices made for us to be free! Thanks again Abena and Shaka for the pleasure of working with you again! Keep enjoying your marriage! :-)

SLIDESHOW AT: www.shellyedwardsdestinations.com/ASGhana

Ghana and London Sneak Preview: August 2010

2010-08-29T22:37:00.018-05:00

Wow, I'm back home in Florida after an AMAZING week photographing clients in Ghana and London! Looking forward to posting a more detailed blog post about the trip when I post the other pictures. Suffice it to say for now, special thanks to my clients Abena and Shaka for allowing me the honor of capturing your anniversary pictures in Abena's original homeland of Ghana and to my clients Mary and Didier for allowing me to capture your wedding celebrations in London!!! :-)

Do enjoy the sneak preview below.

Colette and Tommy's Wedding (Deerfield Beach, Florida)

2010-08-09T19:45:00.023-05:00

STEAMY and SWELTERING are words I would use not just to describe the hot, sweaty day we had in Florida on Colette and Tommy's wedding but the chemistry bursting forth from them far exceeded that of the sun!!! I was surprised that they did not stop the reception after Tommy removed her garter and head straight to the honeymoon! :-) Luckily enough, they were able to regain their composure and we were able to have a fun time doing a day of Post Wedding Glamour Session! As usual, it was a pleasure working with Marvin Joseph from www.ifilmworks.com Thanks Marvin for the referral! :-) Colette and Tommy keep the chemistry going and enjoy your marriage to the fullest! Thanks again for choosing Shelly Edwards Photography to capture your big day! :-)

Melissa and George's Wedding Slideshow

2010-07-26T05:35:00.005-05:00

After having a wonderful time with Melissa and George's during their 2 part engagement photo shoots, we became not only clients but great friends! :-) You can view their romantic true life love story origninally based in Haiti but re-enacted in Florida in their engagement slideshow at www.shellyedwards.com/MGE It was truly a cultural experience for me as the entire Catholic wedding was spoken in French and the reception showcased their love for Spanish music through muy caliente Spanish dancing and music. It was also great meeting their parents as I had only seen them in pictures before! The decorators and event planners at Chain of Events Bahamas did a fabulous job coordinating the engagement and wedding by choosing the ice bar for the engagement session and bringing the same theme into the wedding decoration! I especially liked the "Walk of Fame" idea that lined the pathway leading to the reception that showcased various large prints from their engagement session. I felt so special seeing them displayed like that! :-) I also loved the special colored lighting used for the reception as it set a great mood and look wonderful in the pictures! I highly recommend them as they have consistently done exceptional work each time that I have worked with them! Special thanks to Melissa and my DJ friend, Ross Noe for helping me with the song selections for the slideshow! Thanks a lot also to my mother who was my assistant for the day! Thanks Melissa and Georges for choosing Shelly Edwards Photography to capture your wedding celebrations! :-) It has indeed been a pleasure and I wish you nothing but a long life and much happiness! :-)

Do enjoy their slideshow by VIEWING IT LARGER AT www.vimeo.com/13640830 or CLICK ON THE PlAY ARROW BELOW:

Melissa and George's Wedding Slideshow from Shelly Edwards on Vimeo.

Melissa and Georges Wedding Sneak Peak

2010-07-05T23:16:00.003-05:00

This wedding was very special to me because having photographed Melissa 3 separate days before the wedding (for their 2 part engagement session and cough, cough steamy boudoir/lingerie session as a surprise album for Georges), Melissa and Georges became one of those clients turned friends. So, I was preparing myself that I would get a little choked up when I would finally see them getting married. I did get a bit choked up and smiled on like an approving parent when I finally saw them tie the knot! :-) Here are just a few pictures to wet your appetite. The picture of the bridal party represent how I felt too :-) Stay tuned for their full Catholic wedding and MUY CALIENTE reception. Hats off as always to the diva of beach themed weddings, Sherry Carey and the amazing team from www.chainofeventsbahamas.com for the amazing decorations they coordinated with the couple!!! I highly recommend them for your event without any hesitation! Looking forward to sharing their slideshow! :-)

Anjali and Ravi's AMAZING 4 Days Indian Wedding Celebrations Photo Movie

2010-07-01T07:25:00.017-05:00

You're in for a treat! :-) Shelly Edwards Photography welcomes you to a belly dancing, shirt ripping, yellow oil plastering, jar breaking, shoe bartering, party popping, action filled, romantic 4 days journey featuring Anjali and Ravi's amazing journey from engagment to marriage based on their traditional Sindhi Indian customs!!! Grab some popcorn or something else to eat as I take you on their fabulous journey!

To say this wedding was FANTABULOUS is a big understatement!!!! :-) I have dreamed of experiencing a traditional Indian wedding for a long time! Why? Well, in part because I am of part Indian decent and wondered what life was like in India for my fore-parents. Also, because I think Indian weddings tend to be amazing with rich colors, beautiful clothing, fanciful decor, and a tun of traditions and festivities! Special thanks to decorator extraordinaire, Jilna Patel from www.suhaaggarden.com for referring Ravi and Anjali to me! After having an awesome time with them and Anjali mother at their MUST SEE engagement session at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4jVa99NeEFA, I knew I was in for a treat for their wedding celebrations! Another item from my infamous wish list was to photograph a wedding at the Westin Colonnade as I was struck by the beauty of their rotunda from the first time I saw it. Sooooo, I was VERY happy when I was able to photograph at 2 of my dream locations: Vizcaya and the Westin Colonnade from 1 couple!!! Plus, Anjali and Ravi graciously provided me and my mother (assistant for the weekend) with great accommodations for the weekend at the Westing Colonnade: sweeet! :-) Anjali was priceless as she patiently explained to me the traditions and key things I was to look out for and even sent me a list describing the names and significance of most of the events: http://www.sindhishaan.com/matrimonial/ritual.htm! Another helpful link is: http://www.pinksutrajabber.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=48%3Asindhi-ceremony&catid=36%3Aceremonies-main-section&Itemid=69

Their family and friends were incredibly sweet and hospitable! Thanks everyone for making me feel very welcomed! Special thanks to their DV, DJ Pavan from AP Sounds at 954-494-3567 (apsounds@hotmail.com) and Anjali for the awesome music used in the slideshow! Thanks also to Bhagwan Kripalani at bkripalani@hotmail.com for entertaining us with his harmonium. Thanks again Anjali and Ravi for choosing Shelly Edwards Photography to capture your celebrations and I wish you all the happiness that love brings! :-)

Do enjoy THE LARGER SLIDESHOW by visiting: http://vimeo.com/12949955

or CLICK ON THE LINK BELOW

Anjali and Ravi's Wedding Slide Show from Shelly Edwards on Vimeo.

"Happily Ever After" Bridal Event (Palm Beach Gardens, Florida)

2010-06-15T01:18:00.008-05:00

This past Sunday, I was honored to be the featured vendor for photography at the Happily Ever After bridal event at The Gardens Mall! The event was held in association with Weddings Illustrated luxury magazine and The Gardens Mall. We started off with a fashion show featuring gowns from Bacio Bacio Bridal Salon (www.baciobacio.com). After which, guests were invited to visit wedding vendors in 18 participating stores. I was placed in the classy Al Stephens Salon (www.alstephens.com). His staff did a fabulous job doing the hair and make-up for the models at the show! Al and his staff were very friendly and helpful to me! Special thanks to my former client, Tanya (Paris and Venice Bridal Sessions) for traveling 1.5 hours to assist me! Special thanks also to videographer, Marvin Joseph (www.infinityvideosolutions.com) and his adorable son for this assistance! Thanks a lot to my brother, Bruce for his help! I was pleasantly surprised to see one of my 2011 clients, Lisa there to support me as well! Thanks Lisa! :-)

Do contact Shelly Edwards Photography for your special events and portraits!

Anjali and Ravi's Wedding Sneak Preview (Coral Gables, Florida)

2010-06-14T21:38:00.004-05:00

Hi everyone! :-)

I am soooooo looking forward to sharing Anjali and Ravi's fabulous 4 days of wedding celebrations in Florida from this month!!! Having photographed for a combined total of 24 hours with over 3,000 pictures, you know this is going to be a feat to summarize. So, please bare with me as I do my best to create amazing slideshows capturing all the fun and grandeur of their events. Here are 3 pictures to wet your appetite. Anjali and Ravi looked amazing for each event and their attire is part of the surprise so I can't show you them as yet (sorry).

Stay tuned for more! :-)

You Are Cordially Invited!

2010-06-02T00:27:00.022-05:00

Shelly Edwards Photography in assocation with Weddings Illustrated luxury magazine & The Garden's Mall cordially invite you to a bridal event, Happily Ever After at the Garden's Mall (www.thegardensmall.com) on Sunday, June 13 from 1-4pm. Come with your fiance, family & friends for an afternoon of bridal fashion & to meet great vendors to help plan your big day! Prizes & surprises are in store! See you there! :-)

Bridal Boudoir Session

2010-06-01T22:31:00.015-05:00

Hi everyone! :-) Today, I enjoy sharing with you some pictures from a recent bridal boudoir/lingerie session. Add some passion and sizzle to knock your husband's socks off for your wedding, wedding anniversary, birthday, Valentine's Day or just for a surprise! I immediately loved the room the first time that I saw it because it had the stereotypical vintage honeymoon room look. I took the opportunity to enjoy capture the feel of romantic pictures throughout the ages including victorian, burlesque, playboy, 1940's-1950's pinup, french maid, and other styles and custom edited them accordingly. Special thanks to event planner, Sherry Carey from www.chainofeventsbahamas.com for being my lighting assistant for the evening. We had a great time with the client playing music, changing outfits, and taking pictures. Pictures are being used for Shelly Edwards Photography with the permission of the client. Looking forward to taking your boudoir pictures! :-)

Anjali and Ravi's Engagement Photo Shoot (Miami, Florida)

2010-05-21T16:55:00.014-05:00

Hi everyone! The last several weeks have been very busy for me capturing a variety of clients for their music album cover, corporate event, boudoir, engagement session, etc and I'm looking forward to doing my first bridal event at the Garden's Mall (www.thegardensmall.com) in association with Weddings Illustrated luxury magazine on Sunday, June 13 from 1pm to 4pm. There will be a bridal fashion show as well as prizes and surprises! :-) Looking forward to seeing you there! :-)

Today, I'm pleased to share with you the engagement slideshow for the lovely Anjali and Ravi! When Anjali informed me that she wanted an engagement shoot in Miami, my first thought was that I hope we have it at Vizcaya. Then, she said she wanted it at a Garden, again I thought, I HOPE it's at Vizcaya. Then, she said that she would like it at Vizcaya and I was like, "YEAAAY!!! :-)" Vizcaya has been so on my wish list ever since I found out about it when I moved to Florida 2.5 years ago! Those of you who listened to my television and radio interviews know that I LOVE capturing various cultures so I was very excited about capturing Anjali and Ravi's indian wedding celebrations and wanted to bring out their culture in their engagement shoot so I decided to go with a bollywood theme. I picked out the song I wanted to use, Jai Ho and learned some dance moves. Anjali and Ravi were perfect for the role as I was able to fuse my ideas with the natural exuberance, fun loving nature, and the transparent love they had for each other to create a wonderful blend for the slideshow. I'm definitely looking forward to photographing their 4 days traditional indian wedding celebrations in 1.5 weeks! Special thanks to their decorator, Jilna Patel from www.suhaaggarden.com for the referral! Her work is always breath-taking so do check out her website! Special thanks also to my mother and Anjali's mother for assisting us on the photo shoot! The following pictures and slideshow are the end result of 35 combined hours of creative shoot and editing time spent to bring out their bollywood themed romance. Do enjoy! :-)

Click on the link below or visit: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4jVa99NeEFA to view the slideshow. Looking forward to your feedback.

Shelly Edwards Photography Radio Interview on WDJZ Radio

2010-04-07T23:58:00.004-05:00

Radio Interview: 1530 AM/www.wdjzradio.com

What is beyond the waters? Follow my journey through the years to becoming a professional photographer and my dreams for the future including plans for Ghana, Kenya, and Egypt in 2010! Radio Interview done on April 7, 2010

Please press the play button bellow.

Radio Interview Today! :-)

2010-04-06T22:54:00.001-05:00

Wow, what a week!!! Started off with an inspiring Easter brunch with the amazing entertainer to the stars & a star herself, Marcia Mitchell! My Vive Magazine ad will be sent to their 1/2 million Florida readers this week. Check out the airing of my radio interview today, April 7 between 1pm & 2 pm in New York (Bkly & LI), Connecticut & Massachusetts on station 1530 AM or online at www.wdjzradio.com! :-)

Jamilah and Mauratae's Family Pictures (Florida)

2010-03-29T21:48:00.008-05:00

I recently enjoyed photographing Jamilah and Mauratae's family session in Florida with their children, Ziyah and Zaylen. Jamilah and Mauratae steamy engagement and fun wedding pictures are featured on my website: www.shellyedwards.com. It is amazing how Jamilah and Ziyah not only look so much alike but their gestures are so similar. There were many times during the session when Ziyah stuck out her tongue and I wondered where she got it from then later I got a shot where they both simultaneously stuck out their tongue totally unaware that the other person was doing it too. That was funny to me! :-) It was precious seeing how much Mauratae loved his children often kissing them and hugging them without me tell telling him to do so. They really enjoyed their father's care. In keeping with their tattoo tradition, they added their children's name to the collection. Below are a few of my favorites from their session. It was indeed a pleasure seeing you again Jamilah and Mauratae and thanks for choosing Shelly Edwards Photography to capture this next phase of your life! :-)

Collectable and Delectable at Phillips Point Club by The Breakers (West Palm Beach, Florida)

2010-03-19T01:46:00.020-05:00

This month I enjoyed photographing another event for Collectable and Delectable ((http://stores.ebay.com/Collectable-and-Delectable)! :-) This time it was for their Shop & Drop For A Cure luncheon and fashion show where they partnered with the American Cancer Society (www.cancer.org) in an effort to raise awareness and funding for the fight against cancer. Their collection included high end luxury handbags, shoes, dresses, jewelry, and vintage pieces. They made a generous donation of 20% of all sales proceeds from the event to the American Cancer Society. There was also the option for individuals to donate their slightly loved items to the worthy cause and in doing so 75% of all proceeds were donated directly to the American Cancer Society! The event turned out lovely and was well attended. It was held at Phillips Point Club by The Breakers (www.phillipspointclub.com). Some of you will remember from a previous post, the awe I have for the Breakers Hotel so it was with sheer joy that I enjoyed photographing at their other location, Phillips Point. It was a pleasure meeting the person responsible for membership sales, Meg.

The event was particularly touching for me as I observed Lindsey in tears as she, Mae, and Meg received plaques from the American Cancer Society with appreciation to their dedication to the fight against cancer. Both of Lindsey's parents passed away due to cancer and Mae's father was also diagnosed with cancer so the event was very personal for them. Within the past week, I have also had 2 friends from my university years who passed away. Even though it wasn't because of cancer, I understand the pain death causes to family and friends and thus the need to do what we can to help to fight illness. I chose the song for this slideshow with that in mind and dedicate it to them.

It was a pleasure meeting the editor of Vive Magazine (www.vivemagazine.com), Carla and guests received copies of the magazine in their goody bags. Vive Magazine is the definitive source for life and luxury for the Florida woman and I'm delighted to let you know that yesterday I was selected to be one of their photographers capturing their Palm Beach county events for their 1/2 million readers!!! :-) Thanks Carla! :-) Thanks again Mae and Lindsey for choosing Shelly Edwards Photography to capture your special event!

I have included some of the pictures from the event below. You can view the slideshow by visiting www.shellyedwards.com/CDP or click on the link below:

Collectable and Delectable at David Drebin Store (Palm Beach, Florida)

2010-03-19T00:37:00.013-05:00

I recently had the pleasure of working again with my most frequent client, Mae (7th time directly and through referrals)! :-) This time I enjoyed capturing her business side as she worked along with the owners, Lindsey and Peter for Collectable and Delectable's showing at the David Drebin Pop-Up Store. It was wonderful photographing some of Palm Beach island's most renowned and influential people people while being surrounded by Chanel, Prada, and other high end clothing and shoes for sale! Do stop by their store and website (http://stores.ebay.com/Collectable-and-Delectable) for amazing deals for new and "slightly loved" high-end clothing at sometimes 1/2 of their regular retail prices! It was also a pleasure meeting the lovely staff at the David Drebin's store (http://www.facebook.com/pages/Palm-Beach-FL/The-David-Drebin-Pop-Up-Store/278123361786) and made the most of one of his employees, Kimberly who modeled in one of the dresses. Thanks again everyone for a great time and stay tuned for the pictures from their next event!

Below are few of the pictures from the evening. To view the slideshow, visit www.shellyedwards.com/CDD or click on the link below:

Melissa and George's Engagement Slideshow: A True Life Story

2010-02-20T23:10:00.005-05:00

I recently enjoyed photographing the second part of Melissa and Georges' engagement session in Florida. I was contacted by event planner, Sherry Carey of www.chainofeventsbahamas.com about photographing her clients, Melissa and Georges for their engagement and wedding. They had already booked their photographer but Melissa and Georges were smitten by the images on my site and decided to book me instead. Melissa and I hit it off from the beginning and I was super excited when she requested to do the engagement story relieving their true life love story. The real story took place in both Haiti and Florida but the re-enactment took place in Florida. I particularly love the fact that their story shows that life is so unpredictable and that things that disappoint us (computer not working) might be the very thing used to change our lives in a wonderful way! Melissa and Georges are truly a lovely, fun couple and I'm definitely looking forward to the continuation of their love story on the their wedding day! :-)

Special thanks to Sherry for suggesting the fabulous location and lovely staff at So Cool Events in Miami for the ice bar scene (one more checked off on my wish list) where we braved 25 degrees weather! Thanks also to Ferra who did a great impromptu job as our bar tender and Sherry as my lighting assistant for the day! Thanks also to Christopher for your assistance with the home session!

To view the slideshow, visit www.shellyedwards.com/MGE or click on the link below:

Sizzling Bridal Boudoir/ Lingerie Pictures

2010-02-05T11:51:00.004-05:00

Add some passion and sizzle to knock your husband's socks off for Valentine's Day, your wedding, wedding anniversary, or just for a surprise! Contact Shelly Edwards Photography for a Bridal Boudouir/ Lingere session. This can be you: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CHDlin4PtjY&feature=player_embedded

Egypt October 2010: Join Me For Amazing Once In A Lifetime Pictures!

2010-01-28T22:38:00.007-05:00

Hi everyone!

I will be going to Egypt in October for my 2010 vacation and I have chosen to open some of my time to photograph a few clients during the trip. It is open to previous, existing, and new clients. This is a great opportunity for you to get unique engagement, bridal, and post wedding glamour pictures that you will be sure to treasure forever from Shelly Edwards Photography!!! :-) I only have openings for one of each type of photography session. Please email me at shelly@shellyedwardsdestinations.com if you are interested. Clients can wear regular clothes, wedding attire, or have fun with belly dancing/Egyptian attire.

The travel agent that is organizing the trip is Damien Smith from Monty’s Travel and Tour Company at 770-605-7425. He lives in the US and his email address is montystravel@gmail.com. For the 10 days tour: a non-refundable deposit of $125.00 per person is due by February 28 2010 and Final Payment of $1923.00 is DUE August 15 2010.

For pictures clients would contact me.

To learn more about the trip visit the tour's Facebook group at:

http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=291743002784&ref=mf

Tarin and Chris's Honeymoon Slideshow (Atlanta, Georgia)

2010-01-28T22:28:00.002-05:00

I am pleased to let you know that Tarin and Chris' Honeymoon Slideshow is now available for viewing! :-) We had a lot of fun and it shows in the pictures. Keep being the jovial, loving, carefree couple that you are! :-) Thanks again for using me to capture this special moment in your lives!

To view their slideshow, visit www.shellyedwards.com/TCH or click on the link below:

Stacey and Avery's Wedding Slideshow (Florida)

2010-01-28T21:55:00.003-05:00

Hi everyone! :-)

It's here: Stacey and Avery's Wedding Slideshow! Again it was a delight capturing their wedding as they are such a wonderful couple and their feelings for each other are so transparent and beautiful! :-) Thanks again Stacey and Avery for choosing Shelly Edwards Photography to capture this milestone in your lives and I wish you the very best!

To view their wedding slideshow visit www.shellyedwards.com/SAW or click on the link below:

Tarin and Chris's Honeymoon Photo Session (Atlanta, Georgia)

2010-01-04T03:15:00.007-05:00

This past weekend, I had a wonderful time in Atlanta, Georgia photographing Tarin and Chris's honeymoon photo session and spending time with friends and family! :-) You will remember Tarin from the Portrait section as well as the Family and Children section in the Gallery link on my main site www.shellyedwards.com It was a delight watching them have a fun time on new year's day in the snow building a snow man, having a snow fight, warming up by the fireside toasting and eating marshmallows, and doing other things that I won't mention until the slideshow is ready. Until then, I chose to give you a sneak peak into the great time we had. As usual, Tarin was a pleasure to be around and Chris was very funny too! :-) Baby Frank is now walking around and talking :-) Special thanks to my friends, Avaleen and Ross for baby sitting Frank in the warmth while the rest of us did the photo shoot outside! We enjoyed Avaleen's sermon the following day and then spent time visiting our friends, Shaun, Stacy, and their daughters. Lastly, I enjoyed visiting my cousin, Gary, his wife, Annaleee, and the newest addition to the Edwards family! :-) Thanks everyone for an amazing start for the new year! :-) Keep having fun with each other Tarin and Chris and thanks for choosing me to capture this special time in your lives!

HAPPY NEW YEAR FROM ATLANTA!!!!! :-)

2010-01-01T10:14:00.007-05:00

Happy New Year everyone!!! :-) It's a new year with new adventures and lessons to learn. I am so looking forward to traveling the world with clients and sharing my experiences with you locally, nationally, and internationally! :-) Thanks to every one of you on an individual basis for all the love, support, and kind words that you shared with me for the past years that Shelly Edwards Photography has been around! It definitely wouldn't have been the same without you! Well, I'm off to starting the new year today with my first destination photo shoot of the year in Atlanta! :-) It's a honeymoon session having fun in the snow at Snow Mountain at Stone Mountain. Until next time, have a FABULOUS NEW YEAR!!!!!!!! :-)

Below is a picture I took last night from the airoplane showing a bluemoon. It was the second full moon of the month, which means it's a blue moon.

Shelly Edwards on CVM Television

2009-12-27T22:57:00.011-05:00

I absolutely loved being on the television set of CVM in Jamaica while being interviewed live for the CVM at Sunrise morning show. The hosts, Rohan Daley and Kurt Wilson made it so easy for me to feel comfortable and have a fun time before, during, and after the interview! :-) Special thanks to the producer, Diandra, the make up artist, Tamara, and a former client, Tarin for your help throughout the process!!! :-) You can view the interview on www.youtube.com by just typing in Shelly Edwards. The direct link is: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xorklnc5AI0. You can also watch it below. It was also a pleasure spending time with some of my former classmates from Ardenne High School and Northern Caribbean University. Also, I finally got to meet my most frequent blog commenter, Dian! :-) Lastly, I enjoyed being a model for one of my friends who has now been doing photography as well, Lancelot. He contacted me the day before I went to Jamaica and asked me if I would like to be his model and I was like, "Ahhh, ok!" :-)

See you back here soon. Keep enjoying your holiday season! :-)

Sneak Previews

2009-12-27T21:32:00.018-05:00

Hi Everyone! :-)

This blog post highlights the last 2 photo shoots that I have for 2009. I enjoyed photographing Melissa and Georges engagement session in Florida in 25 degrees farenheit weather, go figure! :-) Apart from freezing, we had a wonderful time in the ice bar! :-) We did part 1 of their engagement session and have part 2 next month. I'm looking forward to sharing the slideshow with you once we are finished. I'm looking forward to capturing their wedding next summer. Thanks as always to Sherry Carey from www.chainofeventsbahamas.com for the referral and for finding such a unique venue for the engagement session! :-)

I also had a great time capturing Stacey and Avery's wedding last Sunday! :-) After seeing how Stacey and Avery went all out in choosing great outfits for their engagement session, I was looking forward to seeing what they would wear for their wedding and sure enough, they made choices. It was great seeing a former client, Jamilah and our friend, Shamika. Thanks for the referral Jamilah! :-) I love how Stacey and Avery's were crying while they were coming down the isle! Looking forward to sharing their slideshow with you soon!

Lavonne and Seymour's Wedding (Florida)

2009-12-27T17:14:00.015-05:00

I recently enjoyed capturing Lavonne and Seymour's Wedding in Florida. Lavonne looked great in her princess styled attire and I had fun with her long veil and flower girls. She is a wonderful young lady who I always enjoy speaking with as she has become more of a friend than a client. It was precious seeing Seymour's eyes get teary while Lavonne was walking down the isle! :-) It was great meeting him as well because he was very pleasant. I love the song that Lavonne suggested for the slideshow as they are really powerful! Special thanks to Cynthia for the referral! As usual, the decorators Cynthia (954-294-0314), Pat, and Janet (305-546-2255) did an awesome job! :-) I wish you both only the best and thanks for choosing me to capture your big day!

To view their slideshow go to www.shellyedwards.com/LSW or click on the link below:

From Shelly Edwards Photography

MERRY CHRISTMAS FROM SHELLY EDWARDS PHOTOGRAPHY!!! :-)

2009-12-25T14:19:00.004-05:00

Hi Everyone!!! :-)

Wishing you all a VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS! :-) I hope you enjoy your time together and for all my 2009 wedding clients, I wish you a festive first Christmas as newly weds! :-) Below is one of the recent photo sessions that I definitely enjoyed capturing with Jennifer, Chris, and Mason on Palm Beach island, Florida. Everyone was really friendly and warm! :-) Thanks for a great time and thanks Chris for your help! Thanks Mae for another referral ;-) I have 3 more blog posts for clients captured so far this fall and winter and I'm looking forward to posting them this weekend. Until, enjoy your Christmas dinner, family, and friends! :-)

Love, Shelly

Shelly Edwards Photography on CVM Television in Jamaica

2009-12-06T22:07:00.002-05:00

Greetings from beautiful Jamaica! :-)

Hi everyone,

I am currently in Jamaica and I am looking forward to my interview tomorrow morning, Monday December 7 somewhere between 6:30am and 8am on the CVM at Sunrise show. I'm looking forward to you watching the program. I will get a copy and post it at a later date for those of you who will be unable to view it live.

Until then, have a wonderful day! :-)

Abena and Shaka's Wedding (Bermuda)

2009-12-02T01:32:00.014-05:00

Ever since capturing their engagement session in London in March of this year, I have been anxiously looking forward to capturing Abena and Shaka's wedding in Bermuda. Abena and Shaka are a great couple as they undoubtedly love each other very much! :-) Their eyes often sparkle when they look at each other :-) Abena was right, Bermuda is an amazingly beautiful country at every single turn! I felt like I was living in a story book the entire time because I was trying to process how much of a paradise it was! :-) I enjoyed capturing the weekend's celebrations from the rehearsal, rehearsal dinner, wedding, and the church services the day after the wedding (according to the African tradition). About 100 guests flew in from around the world including Africa, England, America, and the Caribbean to share in the celebrations and we all felt like one big family! It was so fitting that Abena looked like a queen in a gown that had a cinderella carriage motif, cathedral length veil and a horse and carriage ride at her beckon the entire afternoon. I enjoyed the 5 star accommodations they provided for me at the auspicious, Fairmont Southampton Hotel and Resort which was also the location of the wedding. Celebrities such a John Legend, Kenny Rogers, Chris Tucker, Quincy Jones, and may others were also staying there to participate in the Bermuda Music Festival. Abena and Shaka looked royal in their African attire for the church service where the major part of the service was centered on their wedding. The service took place at the Shekinah Worship Centre of Pembroke and pastor Doctor Maria Seaman delivered the sermon powerfully.

Marvin Joseph of www.ifilmworks.com videographed the events. Special thanks to the DJ, Ekow Fisho for providing me with some of the African songs we enjoyed at the wedding and I have used them for the slideshow. Congratulations to the event planner, May Krow on a job very well done! Song bird, Christina Mims entertained us with singing the entire weekend. Check out her album, "Survive." Ira Philip of the Royal Gazette newspaper in Bermuda published a great article about the wedding in the newspaper. Do check out the article by click on this link: http://www.royalgazette.com/rg/Article/article.jsp?articleId=7d9b72b30030015§ionId=80

The slideshow has been added to my www.shellyedwardsdestinations.com website. Click on Slideshows and then click Bermuda. You can also access it by clicking on the slideshow below. Stay tuned for their anniversary pictures in Ghana, West Africa in August 2010 and Abena's sister, Mary's wedding in London next year. Thanks again Abena, Shaka, and everyone at the wedding for the great time that we had and for choosing Shelly Edwards Photography to capture your celebrations!

Jamie and Mike's Wedding (Florida)

2009-12-02T00:30:00.016-05:00

It was a pleasure capturing Jamie and Mike's Wedding in Palm Beach, Florida. Jamie looked stunning in her cathedral length veil, mermaid dress, and beautiful pink and white flowers! :-) Mike looked great and was smiling the entire time :-) All the venues were wonderful with her getting ready at the prestigious PGA National Resort and Spa, had the ceremony at St. Patrick's Catholic Church, and the reception was held at Abacoa Golf Club. I chose to use 2 songs played at the wedding for the slideshow. They combine with the pictures to be particularly touching to me as it encapsulates the bond between Jamie and her father and then Jamie and Mike. It is indeed a powerful moment when a parent or parent figure entrusts the bride to her new lover and protector. Everyone had fun with props provided at a photo station and then we enjoyed a grand send off with sparklers! Another absolutely priceless part of the celebrations for me was when I had the privilege of enjoying seeing 3 couples that I have had honor of capturing their weddings since last year together dancing and enjoying their love for each other! Thanks Mae and Carly for the referral! Gratefully, Carly and Branch had recently recovered from the swine flu. Jamie and Mike, thanks again for choosing me to capture your passage from singleness to being married and do enjoy! :-)

Below are some of my favorite pictures. To view the slideshow, click the link below or visit it directly at: www.shellyedwards.com/JM

Cindy and Mark's Post Wedding Glamour Session (Manhattan, New York)

2009-12-01T23:17:00.018-05:00

I recently enjoyed photographing the post wedding glamour session of Cindy and Mark in Manhattan. They are truly a delightful couple! :-) It is absolutely evident that they truly love each other very much! They were smiling the whole time except when we did the more fashionable poses. We chose to make the most of the New York ambiance by incorporating an artist and violinist that we met while taking pictures. The picture with the artist is in the previous blog post directly below. As usual with major tourist destinations, it was especially a delight watching a crowd gather around and cheer on the couple while they were dancing and we got a million, "Congratulations on your wedding!" from a lot of people. Cindy and Mark surely felt like celebrities that day! :-) I have included some of my favorites below. Thanks Cindy and Mark for choosing me to share in this special moment in your lives. May your love continue to grow deeper with each passing day!

October 2009: My Best Birthday Month To Date! :-)

2009-11-18T22:15:00.033-05:00

I wasn't looking forward to my birthday but now, WOW, I'm so looking forward to the next one! :-) For the past several years I have been celebrating the entire month of October as my birthday month and this year has been the best! It started out with me receiving at least 100 emails, text messages, and calls from clients, family, and friends from around the world! Thanks everyone for your thoughtfulness! :-) I then enjoyed a taste of Greece at Opa's restaurant in West Palm Beach with my mother while being entertained by a belly dancer and a waiter and waitress dancing on a table top according to the Greek tradition. Tyler Perry's new movie was also enjoyable. The following weekend, I enjoyed vacationing in Trinidad and was pleasantly surprised with a birthday cake made by one of my best friends, Gershwin's sister, Simone and enjoyed their warm hospitality. It was also great meeting up with one of my photography friend, Arvin. Trinidad was a great cultural experience. After returning to Florida, 2 weeks later I flew to New York to photograph Cindy and Mark's Post Wedding Glamour Session. They are a delightful couple and we had a great time while capturing the essence of the lively New York scene. I then flew back to Florida for Jamie and Mike's wedding. It was a lovely wedding and it was an especially treasured day because I enjoyed seeing the love shared between 3 couples who I have had the pleasure of capturing their weddings within the past year. I was contacted by www.karibbeanexpressions.com and enjoyed being interviewed and seeing the resulting article. My last flight for the month took me to Bermuda and I had a amazing time spending 4 days in paradise with Abena, Shaka, their family, and friends. It was great seeing their wedding in the Bermuda Royal Gazette along with pictures I took. I'm looking forward to doing their anniversary pictures in Ghana, West Africa next summer and her sister, Mary's wedding in London next summer! :-) While in Bermuda I met actor, Chris Tucker, Quincy Jones, and Kavon Edmunds (Baby Face's brother who is coming out with an album, entitled "Who Knew". It was also great seeing one of my most frequent blog commentors, Teka after several years when I went to support her during her Mary Kay presentation during her visit to Florida. Wow! that was a FULL birthday month but one that I will forever be grateful for! Thanks to everyone who made it a blast! Below are a few pictures that gives you a taste of what October was like for me. I will add more pictures and slideshows soon when I create separate blog posts for them.

Tracy and Jermaine's Wedding (Miami, Florida)

2009-10-03T20:52:00.013-05:00

I chose to remain silent leaving this blog post as a surprise for my blog followers. Back in March this year, I enjoyed photographing Tracy and Jermaine's Engagement Session. I had mentioned that regrettably, that might have been the last time you would see them because I was already booked for an overseas wedding on their wedding weekend. Well, Tracy and Jermaine enjoyed their engagement session so much that she called me later and changed her wedding date to be 2 months earlier so that she could keep her venue and have me as her photographer!!! :-) I was and am still very honored that they would change their wedding date to have me capture it! :-) Thanks :-) I am so happy that they made the change because the wedding was AWESOME!!! :-) I had soooo much fun while working. They had so many symbolics details that made it unique and very interesting. They even considered that it was Michael Jackson's birthday and honored his memory by doing a dance routine to Thriller and danced to a lot of his music during the rest of the evening. Regrettably, Tracy's mom was laid to rest after the engagement session but Tracy lovingly honored her memory by wearing one of her mom's ring and a bracelet with the word mom on it. They also did a candle lighting ceremony at the reception and the family huddled together sobbing and comforting each other to the point that I started to tear up. It was very touching! Tracy has watched the slideshow a million times already and Jermaine mentioned that he believed that God chose me to capture their wedding! Wow, those are 2 of the highest compliments clients could give me as I'm grateful for the gift I've received and am happy it's a blessing others! :-) Thanks Tracy and Jermaine for choosing me to capture this special time in your lives. It is obvious that you love each other very much and I wish you only the very best for your new life together as husband and wife! :-)

TO VIEW THEIR SLIDESHOW CLICK ON THE LINK BELOW or visit: www.shellyedwards.com/TJW. I have included some of my favorite pictures below.

Stacey and Avery's Engagement Session, Florida

2009-09-17T05:44:00.048-05:00

Silent river runs deep is a Jamaican saying that I think applies to Stacey and Avery! :-) I met Stacey and Avery in person several weeks before their engagement session and wasn't sure how the session would turn out. I knew I wanted to do something different and after months of trying to figure out which location would be good, event planner, Sherry from www.chainofeventsbahamas.com suggested the venue we selected. I checked the website and immediately fell in love with it!!! :-) I hoped the couple would love it and they sure did! :-) I suggested the couple visit there in advance to pick out their costume and see which props they liked. Well, that was that, by the time I turned up for their engagement session, for a while I didn't recognize them at first. I was like, "WOW, who is this?!!!" :-) Soft spoken Stacey and Avery became a cross between Marilyn Monroe, Dorothy Dandridge, and a pimp looking guy! :-) Stacey even came up with her full story line and all!!! :-) I was like, "Let's work it!!!" This session was not on my to do list because I never dreamed that the opportunity would ever present itself for me to have all the amazing vintage props and sets we had! :-) Stacey also wanted a session on the beach so we did an additional session the following day on the beach and she said she had some interesting ideas but little didn't I know that it involved strawberries and whipped cream, cough, cough, (clearing my throat) before Avery pretended to re-propose to her!!! :-) So Ms. Soft-Spoken Stacy and Avery totally showed out and worked the session becoming a fun, sultry diva and hi rolling guy and their acting was so natural! :-) What I especially loved was the amazing chemistry that they shared and was so transparent in all their pictures!!!! :-) Thanks Stacey and Avery for 2 wonderful evenings and I anxiously await capturing your wedding!!! :-)

To view their slideshow click on the link directly below or go to www.shellyedwards.com/SAengagement I included some of my favorite pictures below. Do enjoy :-)

Karla and Duane's Wedding in Sweet, Sweet Jamaica W.I

2009-09-11T04:35:00.056-05:00

One of the things that I am passionate about even before I became a professional photographer was to go back to my island home of Jamaica and capture the essence of the richness of the culture, history, people, and breath-taking beauty! I started to do so and each new opportunity that I have makes me excited to figure out how I would like to portray it in pictures. When Karla and Duane contacted me to do their wedding and I saw that I would get to capture the University of the West Indies Chapel, the nearby ruins, Terra Nova Hotel, and DEVON HOUSE, I was like, "YES!!!" :-) Each venue was PERFECT in relaying the idea of old time Jamaica from the 1880's when the Devon House Mansion was constructed! :-) I chose to go with a plantation feel and envisioned relaying the story as if it was the love story of the first owner of Devon House, George Stiebel who also had the honor of being Jamaica's first black millionaire. Once I decided on the story line 2 days before the wedding, I only had 2 days to gather all the props and am so grateful to God how it all came together, characters and all! Special thanks to Sal, Andre, and Alecia for their help with lighting! :-) Duane and Karla were amazing hostesses! :-) They DEFINITELY made me feel very welcomed, were excited about me being their photographer, and did a FABULOUS job of being excellent actors at Devon House. The wedding was down-right HOT with beautiful decor, lovely attire, about 8 musical instruments and performers, a slide show that included their first kiss as infants, and other special things that I will let you wait until you watch the slide show to see! :-) I was delighted to see many of my former university friends and started to miss them again even before I left :-) Karla and Duane, a heartfelt thank you for choosing me to capture your special day and I wish a lifetime of love and happiness!!!! :-)

I have included some of the pictures below. You can view the slide show by going to: www.shellyedwardsdestinations.com/KDW or by clicking the play button below.

Annika and Sheldon's Post Wedding Glamour Session (Florida)

2009-09-02T06:00:00.033-05:00

This shoot was a dream come through! :-) Yeah, I know I have been having a lot of those and a lot more to come! :-) lol Seriously though, one of the things on my to-do-list was to capture a bride and groom in a convertible. Little did I know that I would get a convertible and private planes all in one shoot! SWEET!!! :-) Special thanks to the manager of the airport for allowing us to use the venue to capture the pictures!!! :-) Annika and Sheldon's Post Wedding Glamour Session is the first in a series that I am doing this year. This is a great way to get lovely pictures of yourself in unique locations that you wouldn't likely get to do on your wedding day. This is also perfect for couples who didn't know me before they got married but would still like me to capture them in their wedding attire ;-) Thanks again Annika and Sheldon for allowing me to capture your session and you already know that you TOTALLY ROCK in my book!!! It was wonderful seeing the fun, passion, and love you and crazy Sheldon share! :-) Keep sweet :-)

I chose not to post a slideshow for this shoot but rather focused on custom editing my favorites. Do enjoy :-)

Sophia and Brian's Wedding (Orlando, Florida)

2009-08-28T16:40:00.004-05:00

This wedding really stood out for me, not only because of the lovely couple, fabulous attire, beautiful vibrant flowers, and the golf course setting, but because the groom went the extra mile to surprise the bride with getting her wish photographer, me! :-) Sophia had contacted me last year to inquire about my services but that was that, we still communicated with her talking about weddings she had liked that I did, but no booking. Brian on the other hand, knew how much Sophia wanted my services so he contacted me privately and hired me :-) I started to feel like a couple on the wedding day about to see each other walking down the isle because I kept wanting to see the look on Sophia's face the first time she would see me at their wedding. I hid the camera in front of my face and walked slowly into the room and kept snapping and pulled the camera from my face to see her surprise :-) You will see it in the slideshow below. Due to the rain, the ceremony had to be switched from outdoors to indoors. Everyone was kept warm with the love that emanated from the couple :-) It was great seeing Sophia move from the university freshman I knew when we lived on the same dorm to the woman giving her hand in marriage to the fun, kind-hearted man that loves her immensely! After the ceremony the clouds parted and we went outside for some fun shots. Sophia and Brian, thanks a lot for allowing me to share in your big day! I wish for you all the love and happiness that a lifetime of marriage brings! :-)

CLICK ON THE LINK BELOW TO VIEW THE SLIDESHOW OR GO TO: www.shellyedwards.com/SB. DO TURN UP YOUR VOLUME.

Summer at the Movies: 1800's to the Present

2009-08-21T18:00:00.026-05:00

Hi everyone! :-)

I know it's been some time since you've last heard from me. July was unusually slow so I made the most of the opportunity to balance things out and go swimming, playing the piano, relaxing in the sauna, fulfill some business goals, and just had a great time while preparing for the fast pace of August. Just this past week, I shot Saturday night, Sunday, Monday, Wednesday, and Thursday! It was all absolutely wonderful though as it covered some amazing couples with some amazing themes capturing the essence of the 1800's and 1950's in Jamaica and Palm Beach, Florida. I've chosen to post 2 pictures from each couple's wedding, post wedding, and engagement shoot to give you a sneak preview as I have to create slideshows from a selection of thousands of images captured. Until then, do enjoy and have a wonderful weekend! :-)

Robyn and Sherman (Freeport, Bahamas) SEE NEW DESTINATION WEBSITE

2009-07-01T23:20:00.013-05:00

Last month I had the pleasure of capturing Robyn and Sherman's fantasy destination wedding in Freeport, Bahamas. It was downright AMAZING!!! :-) It was the type of wedding that you dream of in your mind and never think it would really happen! Everything including gliding over the clear emerald waters of the Caribbean sea on a catamaran boat, to being greeted by the island rhythms of steel pans, the beauty of the perfect selection of flowers, breathtaking decor, laughter, love, Robyn's delicately flowing mermaid dress, and many other special elements that I won't spoil the surprise of by telling you before you see them ;-) Suffice it to say, that we were even blessed with a rainbow hovering over the ceremony site!!! Come on, how much more can one ask for?!! :-). From seeing their pictures online and from speaking with them, I knew I was in for a fun wedding. I was honored and humbled too because Sherman is a professional photographer and it was nice knowing that he was looking forward to having me capture his wedding. A very special thanks to Cassandre Snyder of www.fetefestafiesta.com for referring Sherman and Robyn to me! Also, a very special thanks to the amazing team at www.chainofeventsbahamas.com for also referring me and doing an A-class job of being the event planners! It was a pleasure working with my preferred videographer, Marvin Joseph of www.ifilmworks.com I look forward to seeing the video he did for their wedding and the promo video he is working on for me. Thanks again Sherman and Robyn for a great time and for choosing Shelly Edwards Photography! :-)

TO VIEW ROBYN AND SHERMAN'S WEDDING, YOU WILL NEED TO VISIT MY NEW INTERNATIONAL WEDDING WEBSITE: www.shellyedwardsdestinations.com Yeah, it's finally here!!! :-) As promised, you can see some of my favorite pictures from the bridal photo shoot I did in Paris in March this year on the new site. My previous site, www.shellyedwards.com will continue and will focus on local and national weddings, portraits, and special events. Stay tuned for several more international destination weddings booked for the rest of the year. Please spread the word about the additional site as I look forward to meeting you or someone you know for their big day! :-)

Pat's Family Pictures (Palm Beach, Florida)

2009-05-25T17:25:00.007-05:00

Last weekend, I headed over to Palm Beach island to capture Pat's family pictures. He found me online and chose to use Shelly Edwards Photography! :-) They are a wonderful family and I thoroughly enjoyed working with them as they were more than willing to trust me with giving suggestions for the session. The session incorporated various celebrations, a mother's day gift to his mother, vacation pictures for his immediate family, graduation pictures for his nephew, newborn pictures of his daughter, and just enjoying that they are a family! :-) Thanks again Patrick for entrusting me with capturing your family pictures and looking forward to the possibility of capturing you and your family again at some other special occasion! :-)

To view their slideshow, click on the link below.

Tara and Rudy's Wedding (Florida)

2009-05-21T23:52:00.008-05:00

Two weeks ago, I enjoyed capturing the wedding of Tara and Rudy. I met Tara through her mother, Janet who was one of the 3 member team of decorators for Annika and Sheldon's wedding last month. When I heard it was a house wedding I was looking forward to it because I never did one before but knew it would be gorgeous because of the amazing job Janet (305-546-2255), Cynthia (954-294-0314), and Pat did of decorating the wedding. Sure enough, it was better than I dreamed of! There were several elements of the wedding that I was excited about because they were on my to do/wish list of things I wanted to capture but had no idea I would see them all at one wedding! :-) One, it was an all white theme which I think is so classy and shows that the guests must really love you to do that. Second, I loved her dress because it had a couture, European flare to it. Third, they had a dove release, and not only one dove but maybe about a dozen of them! Fourth was the grand finale, fireworks!!! :-) It is amazing that she literally selected everything and put it together after being engaged for only 3 weeks!!!! WOW! :-) Personally, I think they didn't miss anything by having it at their home versus having it at a catering hall/hotel. I had a great time as well capturing their adorable little daughter and handsome son. I'm looking forward to the video that will be produced by my preferred videographer, Marvin Joseph of www.ifilmworks.com and he can be contacted at 954-260-0146. Herbert and Janet Paisley from Reflection Catering did a wonderful job of providing delicious food with white gloved service! They can be contacted at 954-986-2275. Thanks again Tara and Rudy for entrusting me with capturing this wonderful day of your lives.

Do enjoy the slideshow below by click on it.

Brooke and Ted's Wedding (Vero Beach, Florida)

2009-05-21T21:57:00.011-05:00

This month I had the pleasure of photographing Brooke and Ted's Wedding in Vero Beach, Florida. The ceremony and reception were held at the lovely Sea Oaks Beach Club. I was first contacted by Brooke in November last year when she found me online and she was so excited that she was able to book me because I was at the top of her list of preferred photographers. I was very touched by her enthusiasm and looked forward to her big day. I journeyed out to Vero Beach January this year to meet them and to check out the venue. Brooke, Ted, and Brooke's parents could not have been any more welcoming and hospitable as I visited their home and venue. The big day came this month and it was beautiful and creative in so many ways. The little bare-footed flower girls were precious in their little beach dresses, floral headpieces, and umbrellas. The ring bearer was adorable. We enjoyed upbeat singing and music from Kricket and Linda from the group "Rosemary" as they played their fiddle and guitar to such songs as Morrison's Jig. Their booking agent is Len Turner who can be contacted at LTEmusic@aol.com. The M&M chocolate souvenirs with their pictures, wedding date, and text were unique and delicious! :-) One of the highlights of the day was when the couple started off with a traditional dancing routine to Audrey Hepburn's wistful rendition of Moon River and then they surprised the audience by switching to their break out choreographed dance to the song playing for this slideshow, Let's Stick Together by Brian Ferry. It was FABULOUS! Go Brooke and Ted! :-)

Do enjoy the slideshow below by clicking on it. Thanks Brooke, Ted and everyone at the wedding for a great day :-) I wish for you Brooke and Ted only the best and days filled with happiness as you embark on your new life together as husband and wife! :-)

Annika and Sheldon's Wedding (Miami, Florida)

2009-04-26T22:06:00.054-05:00

Last Sunday I had an absolutely amazing time capturing the highly anticipated wedding of Annika and Sheldon! You will remember them from the engagement photo shoot we did at the vintage train station The wedding was breathtaking! Not only because of the splendid job that the decorators Cynthia (954-294-0314), Pat, and Janet (305-546-2255) did of the decor but because of the overflowing love and joy that Sheldon and Annika so freely expressed! It is undeniable that they truly love each other and it was refreshing to see it so evident in this day and age. They both looked great. I think the most emotional part of the day for me was when they danced their first dance to the song I chose for their engagement slideshow. I was grinning and singing along throughout the entire first dance because it was surreal to see the music come to life in front of my eyes and they were relishing in their joy! I can't wait to see the video that my preferred videographer Marvin Joseph from www.ifilmworks.com will be compiling! You can view the love story video he did for them on his website. Sheldon was my junior in university and I met Annika at Alecia and Craig's wedding (featured on my main website). It was also a lot of fun reuniting with a lot of my friends from my university days from nearly a decade ago. Wow, time flies! :-) It was a pleasure inviting and having my fellow alumni and blog commenter, GMike on hand to capture his own set of pictures for the couple. In Jamaica they have a slag, "Dat Haad" meaning that was awesome! I would say your wedding was Haada Dan Haad!!!! :-) (Better than awesome!!) Thanks again Annika and Sheldon for allowing me to capture and share in your wedding and engagement. It has truly been a pleasure!

Click on the link below to see their wedding slideshow.

Tanya in Paris and New International Website

2009-04-26T21:58:00.003-05:00

I know a lot of you have been looking forward to Tanya's pictures in Paris and to get to see views of Paris. However, my server for my current site is almost full and I have been hearing from some people that they were unable to log into my site for quite a while this week so I had to come up with a plan because I am sure you want to see more slideshows in the future. I decided to create a new website focusing only on international weddings. I have several coming up this year and definitely needed space for them. I chose to save Tanya's pictures for the new site. Looking forward to launching it in a few weeks. Do take time out to enjoy the current and future slideshows as I have been doing them recently because they may only be up for a month per slideshow.

Have a wonderful day!

Shelly

Nicole and Daniel's Wedding (Long Island, New York)

2009-04-21T23:21:00.016-05:00

This month I was delighted to share in the wedding of Nicole and Daniel. You will remember them from a previous engagement photo shoot we did in Central Park last year and they are featured in the Engagement section on my main website (www.shellyedwards.com). They shared the joining of their lives at the Crescent Beach Club which has such a lovely tropical flair! It was especially precious to me to see Nicole getting married because I have known Nicole for about 6 years since we were prior co-workers. It was also such a wonderful experience reuniting with my amazing prior supervisor, Tolani and former co-worker Karille who was the one who informed me of Nicole's wedding. The wedding plan was to have a lovely seaside wedding at sunset but the wind was so strong plans were changed to have it indoors. We braced ourselves and went outside for a few outdoor shots of the couple and bridal party. The ceremony and reception were wonderful as I witnessed Nicole and Daniel committing their lives to each other. I lift my hat off to Nicole and Daniel for doing a fabulous job of arranging the details for the decor which included a sand castle made of real sand for each table! The DJs did a wonderful job entertaining everyone with old school glasses, straw hats, glow in the dark wraps, John Travolta dancer, and limbo dancing! Thanks Nicole and Daniel for a wonderful time and I wish you a lifetime of happiness together!

Click on the link below to view the slideshow.

Tracy and Jermaine's Engagement Photo Shoot

2009-04-15T06:15:00.004-05:00

I've heard of writer's block but not photographer's block. I guess I came up with a new phrase :-) I photographed Tracy and Jermaine's engagement photo shoot a few weeks ago and shared their pictures with them before but I just couldn't decide how I wanted to custom edit their pictures and couldn't find a song after searching countless songs to properly represent the emotion I was trying to convey for their slideshow. I eventually called Tracy yesterday and told her what was happening and asked her what her favorite song was. It was Golden. I've never heard of the song or artist before but once I heard it started playing I thought, "I think this is it! :-)" It turned out just perfect and I had no problem custom editing since then. Thanks Tracy and Jermaine for patiently waiting :-) Regrettably, this might be the last you will see of them because I am already booked for an overseas wedding on their wedding weekend :-( Tracy and Jermaine are truly a lovely, jovial, down to earth couple and it has been a true pleasure working with you! I wish you only the very best as you are about to take the next step in your commitment to each other! Do check out their slideshow below by clicking on it. Special thanks to Patricia Lafontant (maid of honor at Jamilah and Mauratae's wedding) for the referral! Have a blessed day!

European Slideshows

2009-04-03T16:26:00.010-05:00

Hi Everyone,

Below are the slideshows I did for Dr. Abena Krow and Shaka Rodney's Engagement Party and Engagement Photo Shoot in London. They are a delightful couple and definitely in love! :-) Stay tuned for their wedding in Bermuda later this year. Special thanks to Abena's co-workers, Veronica and Oliver (from Aldrea and Oliver's Wedding in Jamaica) for the referral! Shaka's father, the late Dr. Walter Rodney who was a noted Caribbean historian and political figure would be quite proud of his son for planning to marry a native of Africa, Abena. It has been my dream to photograph an African event and it was great being able to do so.

I have also attached Tanya's slideshow from her photo shoot in Venice, Italy. Tanya has been featured in several fashion catalogs. Thanks to some of these pictures and others taken in Paris, she landed a modeling contract today with Deco Models in Miami Beach! Go Tanya :-) Special thanks to Melody Ginn from: www.birdcageveils.com for helping me to custom design the lovely facial veil that Tanya wore!

CLICK ON THIS LINK TO SEE ABENA AND SHAKA'S ENGAGEMENT SLIDESHOW

CLICK ON THIS LINK TO SEE TANYA'S PHOTO SHOOT IN VENICE

10 Days Covering: 2 Continents, 4 Countries, and 5 Photoshoots

2009-03-30T07:07:00.016-05:00

Last Sunday, I arrived back in Florida after completing 10 amazing days of photographing in Miami, London, Venice, and Paris. I had a wonderful time photographing Tracy and Jermaine's engagement photo shoot in Miami, Abena and Shaka's engagement party and engagement photo shoot in London, and bridal sessions with Tanya in Venice and Paris. I have to choose from 3,000 pictures for upcoming slideshows. In the time being, I have uploaded these collages and individual pictures to give you a taste. I also added a video with me, Tanya, and her daughter, Tatyana in Paris. Pardon the tongue shot :-) Check back regularly also for upcoming local, national, and international weddings scheduled for this year :-)

Welcome Thomas III ! (Florida) SEE SLIDESHOW

2009-02-09T01:54:00.010-05:00

He's finally here!!!! :-) For those of you who have been keeping up with my main website and blog posts, for the last 7 months we have enjoyed our journey with Mae, Tad (Thomas II), and a bundle of joy tucked in Mae's womb. We shared with them in their beautiful ocean front wedding, captured them in Alabama at Carly and Branch's wedding, returned to the location of their wedding for the maternity session, and now we visited Tad's wonderful parents' home for the newborn pictures. Mae and Tad are indeed a wonderful couple and Tad's parents are so warm and loving! Special thanks goes out to Mae's mom for treating her grandson to this photo shoot! The love and thoughtfulness in this family was also evidenced in that the first 2 sets of outfits that Thomas III wore was actually the outfits Tad wore as a baby and his mom preserved in pristine condition throughout the years! Mae's mom purchased the last outfit you will see specifically for the shoot. It has a nest and bird on it that takes my mind back to the second picture of the bird nest in their wedding slideshow. I was really excited to meet Thomas III ! He is so full of personality as evidenced in the pictures and he was only 2.5 weeks old! Thanks again Mae and Tad for being such wonderful clients and I wish all the very best with your precious little one! :-)

Below are a few of my favorite pictures. You can view it as a slideshow and/or click on the thumbnail icon on the menu bar below the pictures. You can also view it full screen at: www.shellyedwards.com/MBbaby