Tara & Edward

I do so love a happily ever after! 

And you know I love photographing people in love and the only thing that can top that... is two people crazy in love who wanted to add some funky, old vintage looking, Bonnie & Clyde era photos to their engagement session!

Tara & Edward were magically brought together by a crazy twist of fate and they are silly, unconventional fun in a jar!  When fate hands you magic- you don't question it... you grab on with both hands and hold on tight!

I've known Tara most of my life growing up in small town USA {aka Central Idaho} in fact her mother was my social studies teacher!  And I was totally flattered when she asked me to come to California to photograph their big day!

This is a little sneak peek from Laguna Beach on our way to the wedding venue and  into the three days of non stop wedding action. 

Marching to the Beat of a Different drummer....

That phrase sums up my youngest pretty well.  Gabs stopped letting me dress her when she was about 2 . 

{ And yes- I realize that I was the parent and I was the one in charge... however with two toddlers there were just some battles I was willing to call a "draw" on,  in order to win the war on getting ANYWHERE remotely close to "on time"..... }

She has ALWAYS had a need for huge color and bold print and the more- the better. 

"The girl with the most accessories wins"

 Would be the 2nd best phrase to describe her now... which is ironic since we used to call her Houdini for  her ability to escape clothing, diapers, socks, shoes and hair pretties... oh- and cribs and car seats....

Nowadays,  she lives in sports practice gear- so it was hilarious fun to let her dress as bling as she wanna be the other day.  We capitalized on a little slice of Heavenly golden hour sun and I got to spend some alone time with my baby- who is definitely not a baby anymore.

So proud and so blessed in this life to be given my amazing daughters and a relationship that lets me combine my love and appreciation of them with my love for photos.

Kiss your kids and go &  take some pix!

Vintage Vogue

Elegance.... just never seems to go out of style....

Just a teeny-tiny sliver of the huge fun I had w/ Ms. Kat a couple of weeks ago.   Ms. Kat was the auction for the cure winner of the basket that the uber-talented L. Sam Samano and I put together.

And one of my favorite pin-up babes Fifi was along for the ride as my assistant/prop-Goddess...

Add glorious weather + several bottles of wine + a whole lot of bawdy laughter = we made magic!

Love you girls- you fill my cup with love and laughter!

xoxo Didi V.

Big Girl Birthday Party

What is a Princess to do when she turns 1?  Why have a party that's "Pretty in Pink" of course!

Jordyn's uber-creative mommy Nichole pulled out all the stops for this little one's party! 

It was gorgeous- and it was PINK!!!!  I loved it with a capital L!!!

Thanks for letting me share your perfect day little one!

xoxo Didi V.

I do- we did- re-do......

I love it when I get to feel totally rebellious.... I get to go against the grain.... break my regimented calendar schedules and pick up and be spontaneous and go shoot pix just because I've got a wild hair and the sun or moon is just right, or I found the perfect patch of grass or daisies and when the light hits it a certain way- it reads like magic.....

I love even more- when I get to pull others into my craziness......

Enter Brian and Gina..... who's wedding I shot in May and it rained sideways and upside down on us on their big day....{again.... total rock stars these two}.

To whom I texted and said-

"hey... the weather is glorious today... wanna go play in your wedding clothes with me????"

And so on an hour's notice they met me at my place and I pulled my girlfriend Kristen {who is one of my absolute favorite assistants}  into my web as well... and the four of us were off to play in alley ways and random patches of daisies in the middle of the freeway..

 {don't ask...... I'm stunned we didn't get arrested either!!!}

Who knew you could change in & out of a wedding dress that fast in pubic..... 

You guys rock- and I loves you long time!!!

xoxo Didi V.

Brian & Gina's big day

May 6th, 2011

Skansonia ~ Seattle, WA

Months and months go into planning of the perfect wedding day... and in Seattle you pray that you won't have to use the contingency plan if it rains....  But sometimes.... you just have to go with it.  Rain was an understatement for Gina and Brian's big day!  Sideways rain and wind however,  was not.....under any circumstance going to clear for us.... so we just had to roll with it. 

Gina and Brian are so sweet and easy going that they weren't going to let anything stand in the way of having fun on their day!  You may remember this gorgeous couple from last fall..... 

http://didi-mycrazycrazylife.blogspot.com/2010/09/looky-looky.html

And they totally get the rock-star of the year awards for braving the elements for their photos- they rocked a beautiful wedding Seattle style- I love this couple and can't wait to play with them again!  Congrats guys!!!!  xoox Didi V.

Misty & her boys....

 I'm such a sucker for happy endings and romance....

Rob & Misty were lucky enough to find each other and have been working on blending their families to create a bigger, happier and  funnier one!  This is my third time shooting with them and they just crack me up.
{We shot these a couple of weeks ago- I'm just ridiculously tardy in posting this}  I'm so happy that this  family has each other- because it really works. {and speaking of things that work.. did you check out the freckles and the amazing eye colors on all four????  I was in heaven!!!!}

Thanks for traipsing all over the planet with me guys it was a great evening! xoxo Didi V.

Who Let the Girls Out Event 2011

The 3rd Annual
Who Let the Girls Out Event
Lake Stevens, WA

What silly, crazy chaos- what FUN!!!  I had the privilege of donating my time again this year to create a dress up photo booth for the ladies attending the event.

My friends Nicky, Trish and Cathy along with a huge cast of additional friends pulled off their biggest bash ever-complete with massage therapists, anesthetists, great beauty and food vendors and dozens of truly amazing raffle baskets donated by local businesses....all to help raise money for their journey during the Susan G. Komen 3DAY event this coming September.  The cafeteria at Hillcrest Elementary was bursting at the seams with women who in between their pampering were busy buying tickets and stuffing the jars in hopes of winning their desired basket.

This year I partnered with L. Sam Samano of Extraordin-Hair for one heck of a basket.  We offered up a pin-up experience.... An hours shoot time with me- and hair and make up by Sam who is a theatrical stylist- (she's pretty darned amazing I must say!) along with a bottle of wine and truffles... and voila! Perfect experience.  Even more fun was watching as my basket come up.... and all the ladies looking on anxiously because they had stuffed so many tickets in that jar (which..... was full!!  Yay!!!!)... and the screams of Joy when Kathleen's number was drawn... it was awesome!  So I got to meet my client right there on the spot- great stuff!!!!

If you haven't attended this event- you will want to get your tickets for 2012- after the new year- get a hold of me and I'll put you in touch with the ladies to get your hall pass to a kick-ass event!

The Bug Life...

You've heard of the Thug Life.... but have you heard of the Bug Life???? 

If not- you will....

My friend John is taking leap of fun and faith and making a total career switch and launching two business at once!  One as a fly fishing guide in places unknown - the other as mogul of a hip-fun-trendy punch at fashionistas with his line of accessories and apparel aimed at the 40-somethings  who live, eat and breathe fly fishing and the great outdoors.

Of course boys and their toys would not be complete without cigars, beverages and smoking hot bikini models.... and we had all three!  Miss Crystal was a total rock star- climbing, bending, contorting as directed... it was a hilarious adventure. 

**You know- you always seem to think you're pretty alone and  remote on some shoots and as soon as someone loses their apparel- traffic comes out of the woodwork... but she totally took it in stride and we just kept on shooting!**