MUSEUM OF THE SHENANDOAH VALLEY | VINTAGE GARDEN WEDDING | WINCHESTER VIRGINIA | LAURA & HAL

October 18, 2011 By Erin Snapp

Laura and Hal had the most beautiful vintage garden wedding in the Gardens at the Museum of the Shenandoah Valley in Winchester, VA
I remember meeting up with Laura and Hal for their pre-wedding walk through, they described everything they were dreaming of for their perfect day…..
Candle-Lit Lanterns, A BlueGrass Band / Gold-Top County-Ramblers, Fun with Polaroid Cameras, Pie verses the traditional cake, Corn Hole, A Vintage Feel to her dress, and just an all around Good Old Fashion Fun type of day!
As you can see from the images, their dream came true!

MATT & KARA | MODERN FAMILY PHOTOGRAPHY | WINCHESTER VIRGINIA

October 11, 2011 By Erin Snapp

One of our most favorite things in the world is working with other artists!
We are asked to “do what we do” with no limits….and “do what we do” is exactly what we did.

I will never forget when we first met Matt and Kara. We were working our magic at Sara and Dan’s wedding when Matt came running up and said “my wife and I love your work and want to set up a family shoot” As you can see he followed through with his enthusiasm. We are so glad he did.

Working with Matt, Kara, Christian, Alex, and Kylen was such an artistic high.
Who would have ever thought little Kylen could “get her pose on”?
All three kids were fantastic! Never questioning anything we asked, and really paying attention to detail to the things we said.
As you can see they are such a stunning, artistic, cool looking family…which is right in our element.

Now let me tell you just a bit about little Kylen “my buddy”
We kinda made a special connection. One of the sweetest, smartest, prettiest little girls I’ve ever met.
Gathering flowers for me throughout and she even found a very special Sharpie Stone for us at the end of the shoot!
Kylen this shout out goes out to you…you rock and we will be special buds forever

The the entire family, we loved working with you guys so very much and hope to continue to work with you many times to come.
Of course also look forward to the new friendship we’ve made and enjoy that bit of downtime as well!
You guys are the best

HERRINGTON ON THE BAY | CHESAPEAKE MARYLAND | WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHERS | RIKE & RICK

October 5, 2011 By Erin Snapp

RIKE & RICK | WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHERS | CHESAPEAKE MARYLAND | HERRINGTON ON THE BAY (1)

“Anyone who says sunshine brings happiness has never danced in the rain”
…….oh and “DANCED” we did!!!
I want to share a little bit about some of our most favorite images and one of our most favorite wedding weekends.
The wedding weekend took place at a little place with so much charm called Herrington on the Bay.
We arrived to the sweetest little group of water front cottages, welcomed by an old fashion porch rocker and the sounds of trickling water fountains throughout.
The wedding party and guests were hosted in an almost a (back in time atmosphere) of a village by the bay.
I can’t even explain how very sweet this hidden gem is. Corey and I will definitely be returning on our own.
Our room over looked the most beautiful water and beach view, Rike and Rick took such great care of us.
Rehearsal night was beautiful, no rain in sight….but the rains that fell the follow day for their wedding day was almost as if someone was holding an overflowing watering can over us throughout the day. No I’m sorry, let me change that to pouring a watering can over us. haha
The thing is in all honesty, pouring rains were NOT going to stop us.
We had a VISION for this stunning couple and we were going to get it for them no matter what it took….and indeed we did.

This stunning couple are not only clients, but they are friends.
We met Rick years ago within the music industry, shortly followed meeting his beautiful Rike.
We had no idea one day we would be documenting the most beautiful, important day of their lives together….but were truly honored.
They are not only beautiful on the outside, but also have the biggest hearts ever!
Always asking if we were ok, if our equipment was ok, never once being concerned of their own well being.
It was truly an amazing thing to witness.

Now, this blog can not go without mentioning their amazing family and friends!
So sweet, so welcoming and seemed so grateful to have us there.
It’s an amazing feeling at the end of the night to give hugs goodbye to people who only a day ago were strangers.

As you can see, I could go on and on about this perfect wedding weekend…..but instead I will let the Images Now Speak for Themselves.
I will however leave you with this quote from the bride herself…
“I didn’t care about the rain at all even though I thought I would be loosing it whenever I thought of possible rain.
For us it really became the best day of our lives!”
Yes we may have literally poured the rain out of our cameras, yes we may have towel dried every connection, yes we may have had wet socks….but in the end,
the above quote is what means “everything” to us.

PLEASE EXCUSE THE OH SO MESSY WET HEADED ERIN it’s a WRAP, BUT IT’S ONE I WILL NEVER FORGET AND CHERISH ALWAYS!!!
No matter how crappy I may have looked, it was sooooo worth it to Dance in the Rain with Rick & Rike
We Love you BOTH!!!

To View ALL of their Images please visit their Purchase Gallery at this link: http://printing.snappshotphotography.com/g/hodes

A FEW WHO MADE THEIR DAY POSSIBLE:

Photography: Snapp-Shot Photography, LLC “US”
Catering: Herrington On The Bay
Coordinator: Beth Lennon & Krissy Myers
Dress: Casablanca Bridal
Make up & Hair: Julian Hair Design, Dunkirk, MD
DJ: Chris Little
Flowers: Shawn Zurlo
Cake: Amphora Bakery

HISTORIC ROSEMONT MANOR | BERRYVILLE VIRGINIA | WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHY | KENDRA & KEEGAN

September 30, 2011 By Erin Snapp

Kendra and Keegan not only started as our clients, but have since turned into our friends!!
They are so much fun to be with. Kendra so bubbly, so full of energy and always smiling…Keegan so relaxed and easy going and making sure everyone around him is taken care of.
You might remember our first connection with this awesome couple for their Engagement Shoot with us.

Their Big Day took place at Rosemont Manor in Berryville, VA.
Wow what a picture perfect setting…as well as the staff being amazing to work with.
From the start of Kendra putting on her beautiful dress, to the crazy fun dancing to the live music of Cazhmiere at the Reception…their day truly was perfection.

Then of course one of our favorite parts….their Photo-Screening!
Kendra was brought to tears as soon as we hit play on their Blu-Ray Flashback. We all four sat and watched as we re-lived their perfect day. Kendra in tears, Keegan holding her hand, Corey and Myself with huge smiles of joy as we watched the two living in their moment. Such an amazing thing.
Next to our SURPRISE they BOUGHT us a THANK YOU GIFT!!! How SWEET is this?!?!?
Beautiful Blenko Glass of WV and our house colors of browns/tans with a touch of Rock’n Red.
Gifts like this are truly priceless to us. To know that our couple thought of US.
We will cherish this beautiful gift always, thank you both.
We LOVE you both and can’t wait for our down time together.

A few who made their day happen:
Photography: Snapp-Shot Photography
Venue: Rosemont Manor – Berryville VA
Coordinator: Aimee Hardenbergh (True Wedding Events)
Catering: Celebrations Catering
Dress: Maggie Sottero
Make up: KLH Makeup Artistry
Hair: Patty Ann’s Saolon
Band: Cazhmiere
Flowers: Holly Heider Chapple Flowers
Cake: Taylor Made Cakes – Carolyn Taylor

BOWLING GREEN COUNTRY CLUB | FRONT ROYAL VIRGINIA | WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHER | KATIE & MICHAEL

September 20, 2011 By Erin Snapp

KATIE & MICHAEL | WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHER | FRONT ROYAL VIRGINIA | BOWLING GREEN COUNTRY CLUB

Yesterday Katie and Michael had their Photo-Screening at our Gallery and the looks on their faces were priceless!!!
They are so thrilled with their photos! Katie’s cute little screams while watching her FlashBack Blu-Ray was the cutest thing I’ve ever seen.

We will never forget the first time meeting this cute couple. Michael was so very shy, he hardly spoke a word at the consultation.
This of course worried us so much, because anyone who knows us…knows how much our connections with our couples mean to us.
Katie promised he was just shy and would surely come around…..and come around he did!!
Michael was so awesome to work with, so easy going, so handsome, so just go with the flow and so funny!
Katie of course was also a dream to work with, she was so very sweet, so pretty, and made sure we were treated like gold the day of the wedding.

We can’t wait to continue our friendship with them…such a great couple!!!

ERIN it’s a WRAP with Katie and Michael….good times!

A Few Who Made Their Day Happen:

Photography : Snapp-Shot Photography, LLC
Cake : Market Salamander
Venue : Bowling Green Country Club
Hair : Missie Lewis

OUR ANNIVERSARY | 16 YEARS | BOSTON MASSACHUSETTS TRIP

September 18, 2011 By Erin Snapp

SEPTEMBER 16, 1995 WE SAID “I DO”
Most couples celebrate the 5th, 15th, 20th, etc….the Snapps celebrate the 16th as the Special One!!
You ask why??
Well, you see the number 16 is very special to us.
We met on the 16th, got engaged on the 16th, and then later were married on the 16th.
Our promise, to celebrate the 16th in a very special way…no work just all play.
Play we did!

Boston is a place we’ve always wanted to go. As silly as it sounds, I dreamed about riding a boat into the Skyline of Boston. My little dream came true.
I’d like you to pay close attention to my “I’m on a boat to Boston” face…I was like a little girl at Christmas, can’t even explain how excited I was!
We were blessed with amazing weather, an amazing boat ride, an amazing day in Boston….then to follow amazing moments throughout New England.
We went to the Aquarium which is where our very first date was…at an aquarium. I even touched a shark!
We gathered rocks and shells, which is something we simply adore.

We also got FRESH New England Clam Chowder at the Cape Cod Fishing Wharf, and as we sat there eating a bowl of heaven we were surprised by a SEAL!!!
I literally jumped of the bench to take a picture of this little guy….wow so cool.
Next adventure, ummmm walking with the Seals in the Ocean. Feet from the Seals that were swimming along side of us….the most amazing feeling in the world.

Each night we relaxed at the small town of Nantasket at the Nantasket Beach Resort. Such a perfect place and treated SO well there. The town was the sweetest town in the world, almost like we went back in time a bit. Can’t wait to visit there again!

We also visited Providence Rhode Island, and Mystic Connecticut….home of the Famous “Mystic Pizza” movie
It truly was a Perfectly Perfect Trip we will always cherish

Now, let me just simply let you “Re-Live” our trip through our eyes……enjoy

CASEY & KYLE | MATERNITY PHOTOGRAPHY | WINCHESTER VIRGINIA

September 8, 2011 By Erin Snapp

Casey and Kyle are having a baby!!!
We met Kyle after working with one of our favorite commercial clients “Heaven Salon”
Kyle and Casey came to us for their belly/maternity shoot hoping we would be able to find a “Southern” type setting.
Our first thought was a barn we fell in love with when we met one of our favorite couples Liesel and Lars.
You might remember their Engagement Shoot we did.
Liesel and Lars were kind enough to welcome us in their home, property and barn for Casey and Kyle’s shoot.
As you can see it could not have been any more perfect for them.
We are truly grateful to Liesel and Lars!!

Next I want to say how much fun Casey and Kyle were to work with.
Trusting us with anything we wanted to do, loving every moment of it.
Also watching them just made our hearts melt…Kyle sneaking little kisses here and there with Casey.
Truly was so sweet….and of course they are both truly beautiful people, I feel their love glows on the camera.

I leave by saying this…..Casey and Kyle we can’t wait to meet little Everett and
I have a very good feeling he will be stepping in front of the Snapp-Camera many times to come.
Love you both…and Kyle, keep on “hugging”
Annnnnnd not to forget the Oh so very cool “Erin it’s a Wrap”, we are awesome!!

WHITEHALL MANOR | LEESBURG VIRGINIA | WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHY | SHELLY & DEAN

August 30, 2011 By Erin Snapp

Shelly & Dean

For each and every wedding Corey and I capture, I write a personal Hand Written journal entry.

This entry takes place within my Little Red-Hearted leather bound Wedding Memory Journal sitting upon my desk.

I’ve now decided to include a piece of this personal journal entry with you as a part of the couple’s blog…….

My Journal Entry always includes one very important thing I will always remember…….

-The thing I Will Always Remember:

Is how adorable their Bull Dog was Dressed in her little BullDoggy Tu Too!!!
If you scroll down a bit, you will see exactly what I’m talking about..makes you just wanna say “awwwww”

I will also remember how Fun and Laid back Shelly and Dean were.
Shelly willing to try anything we asked her, she was simply beautiful.
We will also always remember how nice her parents were to us….simply fabulous to work with.
Our love and Hugs go out to Shelly, Dean and their family! Your Day at White Hall Manor was perfect!
Now…..I will let the Stunning Images speak for themselves……

The One’s Who Made Their Day Happen:

Images: Snapp-Shot Photography, LLC
Venue: White Hall Manor
Dress: Anna Maier
Hair: Dawn McKeee
Catering: Celebrations
Cake: Ruth Wahl

The Bridal Party, Groomsmen, Parents, Minister, Guests, and All Others

STEPHANIE & ANDREW | MATERNITY PHOTOGRAPHER | WINCHESTER VIRGINIA

August 25, 2011 By Erin Snapp

STEPHANIE AND ANDREW 8-21-2011025DSC_1063

I’m going to “TRY” expressing our feelings for this couple in words…but I kinda have a feeling words just aren’t enough to tell everyone how much we ADORE these two fabulous people.

Let me take you back a bit…Steph & Drew were our first Wedding Couple when we made the transition into photographing weddings. We started with their fun Engagement Shoot which everyone knows now as “the Bed Shot” Even though we had never worked with them before, we connected like long lost friends.
Shortly after was their wedding day! We of course at that time only being familiar with the music and event industry…needless to say were very anxious to shoot their wedding. The thing is, as soon as we met their family and friends we were immediately in our element once again. Since, it has become second nature to us.
No matter how many weddings we have shot since then and shoot in the future, our hearts will always go back to Steph & Drew’s Wedding.

Now let me take you to the present…Steph & Drew are expecting their First Child!! We were truly honored when they contacted us to do their Maternity “Belly” Shoot.
We have been so busy that we haven’t had time to meet up with them since they found out they were expecting, so when Steph stepped out of the car we were so surprised at how stunning she looked!
Long flowing hair over her shoulders with a baby belly below. She was glowing and more beautiful than ever!
Working with them, we just tend to flow. No matter how long apart we always connect as if we had just seen one another yesterday.
It’s truly an amazing client turned “friendship” that we share.
We will cherish them always and we can’t wait till little London arrives any day now! We’ve all already talked about his first time in front of the Snapp-Shot Camera.

To Steph & Drew: We Love you more than words can say and look forward to our everlasting friendship with you guys.
We can’t wait to get “the text”…we are always here for you guys!

WOW US WEDNESDAY | BUSINESS CONNECTIONS | DJ GREG SANCHEZ | GS PRODUCTIONS

August 3, 2011 By Erin Snapp

WOW us Wednesday…

So many times in our daily lives we take a step back and find ourselves saying “WOW”!
WOW Moments, WOW Visions, WOW People, WOW Food, WOW Music, WOW Products, etc. etc.
We thought it would be lots of fun to start sharing our Weekly WOWs with YOU!!

This Weeks WOW us Moment is a Business Connection who Makes us say WOW….
What made us say WOW about Greg Sanchez was his personality and ability to make the wedding feel more like a “party”!
As soon as we met Greg at Barbie & Tom’s Wedding at The George Washington a Wyndham Hotel, he felt like a Long-Time friend even though we had met him only moments ago.
Music has always been our second passion…as it’s where we began as photographers, within the music industry.
Needless to say the sound of music, the type of music, and the equipment producing the music thrills us!
Greg had the best of all the above.

Who is Greg Sanchez?
Greg Sanchez is a DJ / Wedding Entertainment Director based out of Inwood WV.
Greg Sanchez is proud to call himself a workaholic who loves the center of attention…but in the end realizes the center of attention at a wedding is always the bride & groom.
Greg Sanchez is a fun down to earth guy, loves the simple life of just coming home at the end of the day to his wife who he loves dearly.

Q & A with Greg :

SSp: How Long have you been a DJ?
GS: I’ve been DJ’ing almost 10 years now – and still learn something every time I go out and entertain my Weddings. I look forward to the end of every Wedding where
I frequently get a big sweaty hug from an exhausted Bride and Groom – telling me they had the best time of their lives! That’s what keeps me going.

SSp: Favorite Moment as a DJ?
GS: I would have to say my favorite moment would be any Wedding where people constantly dance and go crazy because of me. It’s that ‘high’ that I can build on and
keep the momentum going. To say that there is a ‘favorite’ moment would be VERY tough.

SSp: Hardest part about owning and/or starting your own business?
GS: When I started my business, I took out a loan to pay for equipment and a minivan. It took me 2.5 years to pay that back… Between that aspect and doing taxes every year, those
Two factors are the least favorite part of running a business. When you start a business, expect it to take at least 2 years of hard work before any significant profit shows – don’t give up.

SSp: Do you want to share anything about your equipment? Doesn’t need to be brands or specs…just what you feel creates the Greg Sanchez sound?
GS: Not to sound like a salesperson for Bose, but since I started using Bose PAS speakers, I feel like it was the best decision I’ve made for my business. Previously, I used 110lb. JBL speakers and 75 lb. amp racks that really took a toll on my back. For years I had chronic back pains that were caused by handling such heavy equipment by myself. The heaviest part of my Bose system is 45lb. and I rarely carry it more than 2 feet from my minivan to a dolly. On another note, the sound that comes out of these speakers is incredible (and frequently commented on by customers and guests at events).

SSp: Do you have a favorite song to play at a wedding?
GS: Chicken dance (NOT! It makes me twitch.) Jeesh, with over 50,000 songs, it’s tough to say I have a favorite song. Looking back at previous events at a song that MOST people will dance to would probably be the ‘YMCA’. However, not MY favorite song.  Living in West Virginia, it’s hard to beat the energy and emotions that you get from the remaining guests all circling the Bride and Groom when playing John Denver’s ‘Take me home Country roads’ song as the last song at a Wedding when doing a Snowshoe, WV wedding.

SSp: We found it was super easy and super fun as photographers to work with you…are there things you do to go out of your way to make this happen?
GS: Having 43 Weddings this year, I find it VERY important to find out who you’re working with and make sure you adapt to their style too. Both music and photography are arts – they need to be on the same page and flow together.  I’m very grateful to have people like you that enjoy working with me – the feeling is mutual!

SSp: -As you know dramatic lighting is one of the things we are known for…we feel you also find lighting a huge importance, can you tell me a bit as to why lighting is important to you as a DJ?
GS: If you went to see Bon Jovi in concert and all they had were fluorescent lights above the stage, the show would suffer. It’s all about the atmosphere – lighting sets the mood. (Hello, red light district??? LOL)

SSp: is a fun party/reception to you?
GS: Any event that I can entertain and not FORCE myself to fit in. In the last 5 years, I’ve found my niche at formal Weddings where people expect a little more than just a dude with speakers dressed in jeans. I’ve done club DJ’ing and I’m not afraid to say that I don’t miss the 3am tear-downs.

SSp: Favorite Thing to do when you aren’t Greg Sanchez the DJ?
GS: Spend as much time as I can with my Wife (yes, I capitalized it). Jessica keeps me going.

SSp: Favorite Food?
GS: Mexican – duh. I like anything except for eggplant and liver – I wouldn’t say that I’m picky in the strictest of terms…

SSp: All Time Personal Favorite Song?
GS: Joe Walsh – Funk 49

SSp: -Favorite Movie?
GS: Blues Brothers

SSp: -Favorite Concert?
GS: Michael Buble – he’s very talented and I watch how he entertains the crowd with his personality (not just his voice). Some people just naturally ’have it’.

SSp: Pets?
GS: None – my Wife (see a pattern here?) and I want a dog, but until we’re able to offer a better environment (gone most of the day), we’re not getting one. We do have a pet rock and he’s fairly self sustainable.

SSp: Any other personal lifestyle info that you’d like to share with us? Hobbies, Relationships, Etc.
Or anything else you want to share business wise that we haven’t asked
GS: I live a nice boring life with my Wife and feel very fortunate for what we have accomplished. Hard work DOES pay off; however, never forget where you came from and who helped you get there.

So as you can see….Greg Sanchez is much like Snapp-Shot in a way! What I mean by that is, he realizes his clients are so much more than just a number, he loves the simple things in life, he loves his spouse dearly, and he enjoys much of his life through art and music. No wonder we connected so well with this amazing guy! For any who have not found a DJ at your wedding or event, we highly recommend this amazing guy. He will make you laugh, dance, smile, and yes maybe even shed a tear of joy. Go….Go give him a Call now!

Owner/Wedding entertainment director:
Greg Sanchez
EMAIL: greg@gsproductions.net
PHONE: 304-279-1038