Weddings with Tara Blog

New Website and Email Problems!

2009-04-26T10:01:00.000-07:00

If you tried to email me since my new website went live (on Friday), then I did not get your email! My email has not been working since I switched my site, but I got it working today. Just wanted to let you know in case you tried to email me...please try again! Please go to my new blog at http://weddingswithtara.com/blog/. Thanks!

Tara

New Website and Blog for Weddings with Tara

2009-04-24T13:35:00.000-07:00

Hello everyone! I am excited to announce the launch of my new website! It just went live today...still the same web address, so please check it out: www.weddingswithtara.com

Please leave me comments and let me know what you think! It is so nice to finally see it go live! :) Thank you to all the photographers that allowed me to use their fabulous artwork on my site:

Abigail Seymour Photography
Corey McNabb Photography
Parker J. Pfister
tm photography
Woodward + Rick

Also, a humongous THANK YOU to Jacob and Troy, with DigitalChalk for helping me design and develop my new and improved site! You guys are the best!

Just so you know, my blog will also be moving to my new website and will no longer be found at this site. So for updates and/or to follow my blog, please go to http://weddingswithtara.com/blog/. Thank you so much for all of you who read my blog! I can't tell you how much it means to me! :)

XOXO,
Tara

Smoochbooth Party at Corey McNabb's studio!

2009-04-17T03:40:00.000-07:00

When Corey McNabb called and asked me to help him throw a party to 'unveil' the Smoochbooth, I was very excited! The problem was, we were throwing this party at his office and studio, so we had to totally transform the space into an 'event' site! It was so much fun to do and see it all come together. A humongous thank you to Classic Event Rental who let me play and use whatever I needed... furniture, lighting, fabric draping, glassware and linens, etc. Thank you, thank you, thank you! So many people helped out with this event, and we are so grateful for each contribution. Check out the pictures to find out about all the sponsors...

Looks like there is a lot of work to be done! These are obviously the 'before' pictures!

And now for the 'after'!

The lighted path to the restrooms...very important! :)

Thank you to Liz, with The Purple Iris, for the funky floral decor! :)

M7 Catering provided the savory hors d'oeuvres, while The Colorful Palate provided the sweets! Oh my goodness, the food was fantastic! I know that everyone was raving about the food, so thank you to these amazing caterers!

The homemade peanut butter cups were to die for! Yummy!

Corey McNabb provided all the beverages, including the Smoochtinis! The Wine Guy helped out with the wine cost...thanks!

Check out this cake! Yes, it is a cake! And it was lip smacking good...okay that was cheesy, but it was very tasty! Melissa, with Cakes by Jane, is extremely talented as you can see!

I just loved the ice carving Masterpiece Ice created for this event. So perfect! I don't know how they do it...

There is the man himself...Corey McNabb. I love this shot that my husband took!

How can you not dance when Dylan, with Blazin Sounds Entertainment, is the DJ? Thank you, Dylan!

Everyone had a good time using all the props that were there for the Smootchbooth!

Having fun in the Smoochbooth...

Intimate Wedding at Homewood in Asheville

2009-04-05T17:03:00.000-07:00

Now this is what I call an intimate wedding...just the bride, groom, officiant, me and the photographer! I just loved when Jill and Andrew contacted me wanting a simple, romantic wedding in Asheville for just the two of them. I thought Homewood would be the perfect place for a winter wedding in front of their gorgeous (and warm!) fireplace. I love not only being a planner, but getting to sign the marriage license! :) Thank you, Katy Cook, for capturing this beautiful affair!!

Liz with The Purple Iris created a beautiful bouquet for Jill!

That is Katy signing the marriage license as the other witness...so who is taking the photo?? ME!!! :) Wonderful work, huh?

Ashley and John's Wedding at the Crest Center

2009-03-16T17:55:00.000-07:00

What a fun wedding this was! Ashley and John were married on Saturday, January 17th at Central United Methodist Church in Asheville. From there guests moved to the Crest Center Pavilion for the reception. The reception was decorated beautifully with iron work and candlelight provided by the bride's family. Both the groom's mother and the bride's mother brought their own wedding dresses and had them displayed as guest's entered the Pavilion. What a sweet touch! Here are some fantastic photos, by Aaron Imaging, of Ashley and John's special day...

Brown's Floral Design did a great job with the flowers!

Ashley and John both went to NC State University. John played football and Ashley was on the Dance Team...how cute! :) What a great cake by Edible Art out of Raleigh!

There were a lot of dance team members there...and they all entertained us! I am an NC State Dance Team alumni, so it was very tempting to get out there with them...but, I hid quietly in the corner! :) :)

The band, Band of Oz, was fantastic!! I just loved them! They kept people dancing all night long!

Rehearsal Dinner at the Riverbend Barn on the Biltmore Estate

2009-03-05T07:02:00.000-08:00

I can't believe I haven't posted these pictures yet! Amy and Mike were married at the Inn on Biltmore Estate back in May of 2008, and the day was captured perfectly by Corey McNabb. You can check out the blog post of their wedding here. But, the night before, Amy and Mike had a fun, laid back rehearsal dinner at the Riverbend Barn, also located on the Biltmore Estate. The atmosphere was so relaxed, and everyone enjoyed good food, good company, and fantastic bluegrass by Balsam Range. My brother and best friend, Troy Tolle, took photographs of the evening. Please enjoy!

We had bandannas for all of the guests, which also served as their place cards.

Amy, her dad, and her sister...beautiful family!

This was a family that loved horses, so all the tables were named after different horses...of course, they have to have one that all the kids loved! :)

Leigh-Ervin and Will's Wedding at the Biltmore Estate

2009-02-21T15:32:00.000-08:00

Leigh-Ervin and Will's wedding was magical! The ceremony took place at the Central United Methodist Church, in downtown Asheville. From there, guests made their way to the South Terrace of the Biltmore House just in time to see the sunset behind the Blue Ridge Mountains. It was a cool fall evening...perfect for all the dancing that happened after dinner! I absolutely LOVED this gorgeous and very happy couple, and their wonderful families. Mostly I worked with Leigh-Ervin and her mother, Jo, on all the plans, and we just had the best time together. I want to thank them for being such amazing people to work, laugh and play with! :) It was sad to see the wedding end, but I am so happy for them! Thank you to Four Seasons Films for using your incredible talent to film this wedding, and to Corey McNabb for giving me so many fantastic pictures that I can't seem to narrow down! So, here are lots of pictures for my blog readers...the more pictures the better, right?! :)

I think this picture is so funny...

Stacey, with The Bloom Room, blew me away with her flowers at this wedding...

Yes, that is Leigh-Ervin's manicured toes...this was the first glimpse at the aisle she would soon walk down! It was a great moment...

Leigh-Ervin's dress was stunning....a blush Vera Wang...

All their guests wrote a note, a wish, and/or a prayer to the bride and groom to keep forever!

Dana with A Fine Line does the best calligraphy in the world! I don't know how she does it!

A trunk full of flip flops for those weary feet....especially for those ladies wearing heels! So much more fun to dance in flip flops! :)

Loved Leigh-Ervin's dad...life of the party!

Photographers, Corey McNabb and Bob Davis, in the background. Bob Davis came from Chicago to second shoot for Corey. It was great getting to know him and seeing his talent...

A fifteen-minute display of fireworks was a highlight for Leigh-Ervin, Will and all of their guests...

The End!

New Year's Eve Wedding at Homewood

2009-02-09T06:31:00.000-08:00

I had an amazing New Year's Eve this year, because I was able to be a part of a wedding of two very special people! Nikki and Allen (who both live in New York) wanted a wedding in the gorgeous Asheville, North Carolina where Allen grew up. They chose to have their ceremony at Homewood where the candlelight bounced off the crystals and dark cherry walls. Then, the guests enjoyed dinner and dancing at sleek and classy Coleman Place. I love that they wanted their wedding on such a fun day, as there is so much to celebrate! Nikki and Allen, and their families, were so wonderful to work with...I just loved them all! One of the 'events' I really looked forward to was the couple's first dance because they are both very talented swing dancers. They did not disappoint! I was very impressed! Because they love dancing and music, we named the tables after their favorite swing/jazz musicians and entertainers. So fun! I love how Katy Cook captured this evening full of sparkle, fun, love and new beginnings!

Lovely blooms by The Purple Iris!

Nikki and Allen had polaroid cameras for their guests to take pictures of themselves throughout the evening. Once they took the pictures, they placed it in an album and wrote a note to the happy couple!

Melissa and Alex's wedding at the Biltmore Estate

2009-01-28T12:52:00.000-08:00

I just love this couple...from the first time I met them I knew that they would be so much fun to work with! Alex treated Melissa like a princess where ever we went, and I just was giddy over the love they had for each other. Thank you, Melissa and Alex, for asking me to help you with such a special and exciting day in your lives. It was so much fun! They were married on the South Terrace of the Biltmore House on October 4, 2008. After the ceremony, their guests enjoyed the gardens until shuttles took them to the Lioncrest for the cocktail reception, sit-down dinner and dancing! The weather was beautiful, and Melissa was radiant...it was a perfect day! You are about to see a lot of pictures because I couldn't narrow it down too well! :)

Thank you, Corey and Jeremy (with Corey McNabb Photography) for such amazing pictures. You know that I adore the work that you two do! And thank you, once again, to The Bloom Room, for the spectacular floral design!

What a wonderful moment Corey captured...

Isn't this adorable?

I absolutely love this picture of Alex's father...he just couldn't hold back the tears....so sweet.

Rebecca and Brian's Wedding at Grove Park Inn

2009-01-23T10:08:00.000-08:00

Rebecca and Brian were married on November 1st at the Grove Park Inn. Despite it being November, the weather was gorgeous and warm! It was perfect for an outdoor ceremony on the Mountain View Terrace. The night before, at the rehearsal dinner, everyone dressed up in their Halloween best. What a fun time of the year for a wedding! Thank you to Audrey Goforth for these photographs....

I love this moment...

Becca and her daddy...love it.

Southern Wedding Magazine Launch Party!

2009-01-21T18:50:00.001-08:00

Well, my husband and I had a wonderful time away in Atlanta this past Sunday. Why were we in Atlanta?? For the Southern Weddings Magazine Launch party! It was so great getting to finally meet the gals behind this fun and relevant new magazine. I puffy heart their blog, and I was just as thrilled with their magazine. The launch party was held at the elegant Dogwood Restaurant in downtown Atlanta. My husband and I had such a great time just getting away, making new friends, and relaxing together. Thank you, SW!

Here are some pics that Jonathan captured of the evening...

Lara Casey, the publisher and editor-in-chief, and me! Lara, I am so happy for you!

The party...

Rachel, creative director, and me! Little did I know, but Rachel went to my high school! Small world! Don't you love when life throws surprises at you? :) Looking forward to reconnecting!

This picture turned out blurry, but I still wanted to show off the beautiful Laura Eastes, managing editor. She was first one to greet us when we walked in the door...so gracious. So nice to meet you Laura!

This was the featured couple on the cover of the magazine. So glad they could make it to the party! Aren't they an adorable couple?

As we left, there were bags of goodies for each of us...how sweet!

Smoochbooth!

2009-01-20T18:28:00.000-08:00

The incredible Corey McNabb has begun a new adventure in his business called the Smoochbooth! It is an awesomely cool photo booth that you can use at weddings, corporate events, birthday parties, and more! The look of the booth is sleek, sexy, and the pictures are fabulous! Check out these crazy photos we took together at the Wedding Festival!

Corey and I....Jill, I promise Corey and I are not really smooching! :)

The gorgeous, orange-haired Amber, goofy Corey, and very strange...me!

Amber and I took the spotlight...

This is Amber, Janet (one of my fantabulous brides!), and her super cool mom!

Ashley and John

2009-01-20T06:38:00.000-08:00

Ashley and John were married at Central United Methodist church this past weekend, and I already have a ceremony highlight video for you! Ashley looked so pretty...of course! Not only did she grow up in Waynesville (my hometown), but she and John both went to NC State (where I went to college)! Go Wolfpack! Ashley was on the NC State Dance Team and John was on the football team....how romantic! :) Enjoy these ceremony highlights by Digital Video Memories.

Click on the picture below...

Amy and Jim's trailer

2009-01-15T11:55:00.000-08:00

Hayne Griffin with Moonrunner Pictures sent me this video trailer of Amy and Jim's wedding that I wanted to share with everyone! A few blogs ago, I showed off pictures of their beautiful wedding! As you will see in this trailer, one of my favorite parts in this wedding was when Amy totally jumped ahead of the pastor, kissed Jim and started walking down the aisle before the ceremony was even over! :) It was great....she was very excited to be married!! Thank you, Hayne, for your great work!

Just click on the picture below to see the trailer...

Weddings with Tara in Three Magazines!

2009-01-12T19:15:00.000-08:00

Well, this is a very exciting month for me! I have discovered that several weddings of mine are featured in three different magazines this month...I am completely overwhelmed at this incredible blessing! Thank you Southern Weddings Magazine, The Knot North Carolina, and WNC Magazine! Check them out...and please go out and get a copy of each! :)

In Southern Weddings Magazine's premier issue, Melissa and Ryan's wedding was featured in a two-page article. I just love the new magazine...packed full of lots of real and gorgeous weddings! I'm so happy for you, Melissa and Ryan!

The Knot featured both Sheila and John's wedding and Jill and Jared's wedding. Congrats to these precious couples!

WNC Magazine asked me a few interview questions and they tucked in a few shots of Lauren and Jeff's wedding in the 'details' section. Yay!

Amy and Jim

2009-01-06T19:21:00.000-08:00

I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas and New Year! What an amazing time of year it is! I still haven't taken down my tree!!! :) I guess I need to do that soon...

And now on to weddings! I have a beautiful one to show you....Amy and Jim exchanged vows in an intimate ceremony at Homewood. Then their guests were transported to Coleman Place for the reception. Amy and Jim are both nurses here in Asheville, and they are an adorable couple. Amy looked so amazingly gorgeous...I would call her style-vintage elegance! Check out these pictures by Aaron, with Aaron Imaging.

Braidstream played for the ceremony and cocktail hour...they are so talented!

Gotta love Stacey's (The Bloom Room) work!

Chocolate truffle favors by The Chocolate Fetish...yummy!

Michelle with Icing on the Cake is so good as what she does. I adore this cake!

Julie and Matt

2008-12-16T07:44:00.000-08:00

When I first met Julie, she came in carrying a pink and chocolate brown bag, and I instantly knew what her wedding colors were going to be! I was right...pink and brown! After falling in love with Julie's personality, she captured my heart even more when she and Matt introduced me to their adorable dog, Moses. I am a dog freak, so this made my day...and the fact that he was a Boston Terrier made me melt even more! :) Julie and Matt had a lovely ceremony, in the courtyard of the Deerpark, at the Biltmore Estate. They then treated their guests to an array of yummy hors d'oeuvres and cake while the courtyard was transformed into a dance floor under the stars! It was a gorgeous evening, and they danced the night away. Thank you, Julie and Matt, for letting me be a part of such a special day in your lives!

Enjoy these fantabulous (don't you like that word!?) photographs by Corey McNabb...

Beautiful flowers by The Bloom Room!

Julie and Matt could not have Moses at the wedding, so we made sure we showed off his cute little mug on each and every program...he was there in spirit! :) Also on the program, Julie and Matt wanted a picture of their parents at their own weddings...what a nice touch!

Julie and Matt gave a jar of honey to each guest from their favorite Asheville restaurant, Tupelo Honey Cafe! Love that place!!

Leigh-Ervin and Will's trailer

2008-12-11T07:16:00.000-08:00

I can't wait for you to see this short, but amazing glimpse into Leigh-Ervin and Will's gorgeous wedding. Paul and Holley, with Four Seasons Films, highlighted some of the most precious moments for this trailer. I am so excited to see their entire film! They were married in October at Central United Methodist Church, then they moved to the South Terrace next to the Biltmore House for the reception. Leigh-Ervin, Will and their families were the nicest, warmest, and fun people. Helping them was such a joy...we had the best time together. Love them! Click below to enjoy this trailer, and pictures will follow soon!

Michelle and Patrick

2008-12-03T07:26:00.001-08:00

Michelle and Patrick were married at a private home on Lake Greenwood in South Carolina. It was a gorgeous setting overlooking the lake. I felt so blessed to be able to assist with such an intimate family affair. I had the pleasure of working such talent as Virgil, with CVI Photography. He did an amazing job capturing the moments of this very special day!

I had a very difficult time narrowing down which pictures would go on my blog, so you will get to see a lot!! :)

Tikki torches and candles surrounded the property...

Michelle, Patrick and their guests ended the evening watching a display of fireworks!

I guess their guests enjoyed the popcorn machine! :) It was all gone by the end of the night...

I am so thankful!

2008-11-27T04:56:00.000-08:00

God has blessed my life so much, and I am so thankful to Him...for His grace, His love, and His salvation. I wanted to write to all of you...my beautiful brides, supportive friends, amazing family, and my loyal blog readers.....HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!!! I love you all!

I want to say a special thank you to my husband, Jonathan. You are my best friend, my biggest fan, and I love you more than life. Thank you, Corey and Amber for taking these photos of us...

Leslie and Chip

2008-11-18T09:44:00.000-08:00

On August 23rd, Leslie and Chip had a gorgeous ceremony at the Cliffs Glassy Chapel followed by a reception at the Cliffs Valley Clubhouse. I think I have said this before, but the Cliffs chapel is one of the prettiest chapels I have ever seen. It sits on the tip top of the Cliffs Glassy property, and the views are endless! Leslie and Chip were like Barbie and Ken...so adorable together! Here are a few of their engagement and wedding pictures by Tracy Kimball Photography. Thank you, Tracy!

At the rehearsal!

Leslie was in dental school, so they gave out dental floss to the guests! :) Love it!

The guys got golf tees!

Barbie and Tom

2008-11-13T20:58:00.001-08:00

On October 25th, Barbie and Tom were married on the Tennis Lawn at the Biltmore Estate. This lovely couple has such a sweet story of how they met. Their relationship began over the phone after their mutual friends told them they would be perfect together. After several weeks, they decided to meet on a 'blind' date. She flew up to meet him, and when he saw her for the first time he couldn't believe how beautiful she was. After a romantic weekend, they fell in love and the rest is history! I am so happy for them, and I loved every second I spent working with them on their wedding! After the ceremony, their guests moved to the Library Terrace for cocktails, and then enjoyed a plated dinner in the Italian Gardens. To top it off, Tom surprised Barbie with a firework display that brought her to tears and left their guests in awe. It was a spectacular evening! I had the pleasure of working with PEAK Definition for the first time who filmed and photographed the evening. Such a talented group of artists...it was so much fun getting to know them and getting to share their work with you all! Also, thank you to The Flower Gallery for their gorgeous floral design!

Barbie is SO gorgeous!

Love the ice bar by Masterpiece Ice!

Barbie with her mom...I thought her mom's dress was amazing!

I think this is such a sweet picture of Barbie and her dad...

I think Tom was pleased with his firework surprise!

Melissa and Alex

2008-11-10T06:42:00.000-08:00

I just received the trailer from Four Seasons Films of Melissa and Alex's wedding, and I just have to share it with you! Melissa and Alex were married at the Biltmore Estate in October...a gorgeous time of the year here in Asheville. Their ceremony took place on the South Terrace, right next to the mansion, and their reception was held at the Lioncrest. Pictures will follow soon, but right now, enjoy this fantastic trailer...

Please click on the image below:

2008-11-06T05:43:00.000-08:00

Delain and Chris were married on October 4th in Cashiers at one of my favorite locations for a wedding, Trillium. I had such a great time getting to know Delain's mom, Connie, and working with her and Delain to pull this wedding together. I love Delain's taste and style...she has a great eye for design, and it was fun to see all the details weave together to make such a memorable event for her guests.
I am thrilled to share with you the incredible artistry of photographer, Parker Pfister. He is phenomenal at what he does, and his pictures are truly considered fine art. It is such a privilege to work with him. Enjoy....

Floral design by Sweet Bouquets...

I adore this picture...Delain is soooo gorgeous. I love the shoes (I have a slight obsession with good shoes)! Delain and her dad arrived at the ceremony in a vintage white firetruck. Love it....

Love this cake by The Bake Shoppe!

Thank you to Tere, who made sure everything run smoothly on the wedding day!

Erin and Adam

2008-11-03T05:31:00.000-08:00

What a gorgeous day God blessed us with this past Saturday! It was the perfect day for Adam and Erin's engagement photos with Corey McNabb. Obviously by these pictures, they are a match made in heaven! Their wedding will take place next September at the Biltmore Estate, so this was the natural choice for their engagement photos. I am looking forward to September!! :)

Weddings Unveiled Feature!

2008-10-30T12:53:00.000-07:00

I just received an email letting me know that one of the weddings I had the privilege of helping with was just featured on the Weddings Unveiled Blog! So exciting! Thank you, Weddings Unveiled for this blessing. The wedding featured is of Collins and Jared...a precious couple married in Cashiers, NC. The ceremony took place at a private home in front of a serene and beautiful lake. The reception took place at Trillium, a private community nestled in the mountains. I loved being part of this wedding. Below is the feature...

Real Wedding ~ Collins and Jared

The details are gorgeous in this real wedding at Trillium, in Cashiers, NC sent to us by wonderful NC photographer Abigail Seymour. From simple fern detailing to the lush florals and rich combination of creamy whites with deep browns and greens, this wedding has a sophisticated elegance that is cleverly blended with a bit of rustic charm. We especially love Abigail's image of the bright reception tent beneath the starlit sky. Florals: Dutchman's Design, Highlands, NC. Event Planner: Weddings With Tara . Enjoy!

Sweet couple...

2008-10-28T18:33:00.000-07:00

Amy and Jim are getting married in November, and they can't wait for their wedding to get here. They are having their ceremony at Homewood, followed by a reception at Coleman Place. It will be a lovely evening, and I am so happy for them! Aaron, with Aaron Imaging, took some engagement photos of Amy and Jim, surrounded by the beauty of the fall in the mountains... Thank you, Aaron for these images!

Elizabeth and Ritchey

2008-10-25T09:35:00.000-07:00

On September 20th, Elizabeth and Ritchey were married at the historical Grove Park Inn. Fortunately for the couple, the weather was perfect for their outdoor ceremony on the Mountain View Terrace. Thank you, Amber, for capturing both the sweet and the fun moments so beautifully....

Me, Elizabeth and Amber cheesin it! :)

Not seen enough??? Check out this slide show , put together by Amber, of the wedding day and the details!

Day on the Town

2008-10-20T17:46:00.001-07:00

Amber Holritz (with Corey McNabb Photography) went around downtown Asheville to take engagement shots of Janet and Thomas. This wonderful couple is getting married in June of next year, but wanted to take advantage of the beautiful fall weather that we have been having for their shots together. I am so excited about their wedding! I love Janet's taste and style...it will be one classy event! Knowing this couple, it will be a blast. Thank you, Amber, for these stunning photos...

Lauren and Jeff

2008-10-14T18:53:00.000-07:00

There is no doubt that Lauren and Jeff had a BLAST at their wedding at the Grove Park Inn. They both had fantastic, outgoing personalities, and you will definitely see this in the photos. I loved Lauren's ideas, and it was so much fun implementing them and helping her vision come to life. She wanted her cocktail reception to be a totally different look and feel from her wedding. As guests moved upstairs to the Sammon's Balcony for the cocktail hour, they stepped into a space popping with vibrant colors....emerald, sapphire, fuschia and red. In contrast, as they moved to the Skyline ballroom for the reception, it was a sea of ivories, whites with hints of black and gold. So beautiful...

Once again, Corey McNabb outdid himself with these fabulous pictures...

I love the feather shoes!

The Purple Iris wowed me with her flowers...

Jeff gave all his groomsmen a pair of Converse...they were thrilled!

Can you tell where Lauren gets her personality?? :)

Lauren and Jeff were introduced to the theme song of the UFC (Ultimate Fighting Challenge)...hilarious!

We rented a photobooth so that she would have fun pictures of all of her guests...

The results!

For favors, the Grove Park staff passed out cigars to all of the gentlemen and a box of chocolate to all the ladies.

All the guests put napkins on their heads, and the guys did a rowboat 'dance' on the floor....this was a new one for me!

Amy and Mike

2008-10-08T06:10:00.000-07:00

I had such an amazing experience working with Amy, Mike and Amy's family. They were so gracious, so warm, and instantly we became friends. I was so disappointed when the wedding was over! :) We had a great time planning their weekend at the Biltmore Estate. They were married at the Inn on Biltmore on a Sunday in May. Their ceremony took place out on the vista, and their heavy hors oeuvres reception was held inside the Vanderbilt Ballroom. It was a gorgeous spring day, and Amy and Mike looked fabulous. The Bloom Room masterfully sculpted the flower arrangements...I just love her work...

Check out a few of the details and moments captured by Corey McNabb...

Mike, Amy, me and Corey...so glad we got this shot together! :)

The GT Allstars got everyone on the dance floor...they are so talented!

Corey, Paul and Holley (with Four Seasons Films) resting after a long, but fun day...

Corey was VERY fortunate to travel to Hawaii with Amy and Mike to take a few shots of them on their honeymoon. I love that Corey provides this service, but I am very jealous that I couldn't go along!! Check out this pictures from their honeymoon...

Kelly and Roy

2008-10-02T20:02:00.000-07:00

I absolutely LOVE Kelly and Roy. They were so fun, so excited about their wedding, and constantly made me smile. They were married at West Asheville Presbyterian Church, and had a gorgeous reception at the Crest Center Pavilion. Liz, with The Purple Iris, did a fabulous job on the flowers. The colors Kelly wanted were different and fun...greens, deep pinks, oranges, golds and reds. Check out these photos by Ryan Bumgarner...

Apples held the place cards...perfect fall touch! :)

Each table was named after a place that was significant to Kelly and Roy...so sweet!

Cakes by Jane did another exquisite job on these cakes!

2008-09-18T13:14:00.000-07:00

I just love Adrienne and Will...I think everyone that knows them would say the same thing! They were married back in July inside the Biltmore Estate at the Lioncrest. It was a gorgeous summer evening...what every bride wishes for! I distinctly remember hearing one loud thunderclap right before Adrienne walked out for the ceremony...and that was it! It was God's music for her intro! :) Here are lots of pictures for you to check out by the photographer extradordinarre, Corey McNabb....

I think this is a great picture...all of us trying get her in this dress!

Thank you to The Bloom Room for giving Adrienne the flowers that she dreamed of!

Hee hee hee....love the cows in the background.... :)

One of my favorite shots with the Biltmore House's reflection...fabulous!!

We tied all the place cards onto candles for the guests to pick up...it was beautiful.

Umm....yea...cute. :) That does not look like the bride and groom to me!

There they are!!

My Little Nephew

2008-09-12T07:52:00.000-07:00

Okay, I know...you may get sick of pictures of my nephew....but I just can't help myself. :) My dearest friend, Libby Brady, took these precious photos. I just LOVE her work...she is so good!

Troy, Chase and Laura

So eatable!!!

Jane and James

2008-09-05T06:13:00.000-07:00

The gorgeous Jane and James were married on June 28th at the Grove Park Inn in Asheville, NC. It was a beautiful summer day for their wedding ceremony that took place outside on the Mountain View Terrace. After the ceremony and cocktail reception, they moved inside the Skyline Room for an elegant sit-down dinner. Jane and James are such sweet and genuine people...not a mean bone in their bodies! :) Thank you, Sue (Jane's mom), for all the hard work she put in this wedding...it was great working with you! Scott Holloway with Scott Holloway Photography, sent me these pictures to share with you...thank you, Scott!

Fabulous flowers by The Purple Iris...you are great, Liz!

It was Jane's birthday also, so James wanted to make sure we put a candle on a slice of cake!

Look at Sue! Ya think she is having fun? :)

More Chase Pictures!

2008-09-03T07:19:00.001-07:00

I saw Katy Cook, with Katy Cook Photography, the day my brother and his wife had their baby, Chase. She offered to come and take pictures of them in the hospital, and I thought that was wonderful. Here is a glimpse of what she took...

With his daddy...

Dad, mom, and little Chase

Thank you SO much, Katy!!!

2008-08-26T13:15:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, August 25th, at 2:59, Chase David Tolle was born....my nephew!! I love him so much already! Of course, he IS the cutest baby in the entire world! Check out these wonderful pictures that my brother (the daddy!) took...

Seconds after his birth with his mama, Laura...

Look at that little man...wow...

His first sponge bath...he was not happy about it! :)

That is not dirt...it is ink! He has BIG feet!

2008-08-25T10:47:00.000-07:00

Right now I am sitting in the hospital waiting to meet my nephew or niece...my sister-in-law (Laura) is in labor as I type, and I am very ready to be an aunt! I am sure I will be posting pictures of the new little one, but for now I will share some pictures with you that were taken at the baby shower that a few friends and I threw here back in July. The shower took place at my house in the basement. We had so much fun! Thank you, Troy (big bro), for taking these photos...

Thank you Stacey, with The Bloom Room, for providing the flowers!

My 'poopy' diapers! :) Reese Cups on opened diapers...delicious! :)

I have to give props to Tiffany, with Tiffany's Baking Company, for making this AMAZING cake. My mouth dropped open when I went to pick it up. I took pictures of all the little animals on Troy and Laura's baby quilt, from Pottery Barn (Cottontail Friends), so that she could incorporate them onto the cake. Wow!!! She could not have captured my vision any more perfectly!! She is SO talented!!

There she is...my wonderful sister-in-law!

There was a lot of pregnant women there, so we lined them up in order of due date... :)

Kristi and Will

2008-08-21T19:34:00.000-07:00

I love love these engagement pictures taken by Abigail Seymour. Kristi and Will are such a cute couple, and they are getting married next March! Their wedding reception will take place at the beautiful Biltmore Forest Country Club. Some of these pictures were taken at their family's cabin in Lake Lure...

Isn't she beautiful?

What a great shot...

ANOTHER FEATURE!!!

2008-08-19T09:45:00.000-07:00

Southern Wedding Magazine rocks! I just found out that Tony and Angie's wedding, which took place in June, was featured on the SW Blog! I loved every detail of Tony and Angie's wedding, and they were an AMAZING couple to work with. I know they are enjoying their married life! :)

Click on the link below to see the feature...

Tony and Angie Part I
Tony and Angie Part II

Introducing Tiny Heiny!

2008-08-12T16:54:00.000-07:00

Tiny Heiny (Micah Braden Heiny) was born on August 7th, and is the adorable child of our close friends, Pauline and Jeremy. Libby Brady, my amazing friend and INCREDIBLE children photographer, was able to take Tiny's pictures 4 days after his birth! You have to check these out...I puffy heart these photos! Love you both, Libby and Pauline!

oh my goodness...how adorable!!!!

Trailer

2008-08-06T05:49:00.000-07:00

I wanted to share with you all the video trailer of Katie and Jeremy's wedding (see picture below) that I blogged about back on May 15th. Hayne Griffin, with Freelance Cinematography, sent me this for you to enjoy! Please click on the following....Katie and Jeremy's Wedding Trailer.

Southern Wedding of the Week!!

2008-08-01T10:19:00.000-07:00

Southern Wedding Magazine featured Melissa and Ryan's wedding as the Southern Wedding of the Week! I can't believe it...a double feature! So cool! Please go to the following links to see the two part series...

Melissa + Ryan Part I
Melissa + Ryan Part II

Another Feature!!

2008-07-30T07:09:00.000-07:00

I am so excited! Southern Weddings Magazine has featured another one of my weddings on their blog, and I couldn't be more thrilled! Thank you Lara, and the gang at SW, for being so kind in wanting to feature Jill and Jared's wedding. Jill and Jared's wedding took place last October, and it was gorgeous...check out the feature!

Deerpark wedding

2008-07-28T18:32:00.000-07:00

Sharon and Matt were married, in July, on the Biltmore Estate at Deerpark. The evening began in the Lodge Room and ended with dancing in the courtyard under the stars. It was a beautiful evening, without a drop of rain! Sharon looked stunning...I absolutely loved her dress and her hair! Gorgeous!! A big thanks to Tere for all that she did to make this wedding flawless! Here are some pictures from the evening by Katy Cook with Katy Cook Photography.

I love these arrangements by The Bloom Room...

Sharon and Matt found pictures of each guest and used them as their place cards! So fun!

2008-07-22T13:32:00.001-07:00

Melissa and Ryan were married in June at Claxton Farm. Melissa was so creative in all the touches she added to the wedding to make it their own. It was truly an amazing wedding, and their guests had a wonderful time. A big THANK YOU to Tine with TM Photography for the stunning photographs she allowed me to use for my blog. She traveled from Kentucky to shoot this wedding, and I am certainly glad she did. I was able to meet another incredibly talented photographer! I think any one who sees these pictures will think the same. Melissa and Ryan, it was such a pleasure working with you...you two look like models in these pictures! :)

Love this decor by The Bloom Room....

This cake by Cakes by Jane could not be any more perfect!

Tony and Angie

2008-07-09T08:08:00.000-07:00

Tony and Angie were married in June at the majestic Biltmore Estate. Their ceremony was held on the South Terrace, beside the mansion, and the reception was in the Italian Gardens. Tony and Angie had fun and creative vision going into their wedding plans. We wanted to incorporate everything they loved into their wedding..chocolate, wine, Italy, food and of course, each other! We weaved the colors of merlot and chocolate brown into every detail...the lighting,the draping on the tent, the cake, the flowers, and even down to the martinis...chocolate and pomegranate! Wine corks held the place cards, and the tables names were inspired by all the places they were going to see on their honeymoon in Italy. The wedding was stunning, and I was so happy to be a part! Casey and Drea, with Casey Cunningham Photography, were so much fun to work with, and I think their photographs speak for how amazing they are at what they do!

Stacey, with The Bloom Room, always does an incredible job...all the floral details were gorgeous and exactly what Tony and Angie wanted...

The bride arrived in a white stretch limo from Blue Ridge Limo. Thank you, Gil!

Angie's sweet dad wanted to surprise the couple by doing something very special for them...so we put our heads together and came up with an ice bar! It was a huge hit, and Tony and Angie were blown away! A big thank you to Jeff with Masterpiece Ice. I don't see how he does it!

I just love Tony in this picture...

I am sad to see this wedding end, as I had so much fun working with Tony and Angie. I hope they had a wonderful honeymoon in Italy! I am jealous!! :)

More Engagement Photos!

2008-07-07T15:44:00.000-07:00

I wanted to share with you a few photos from Leigh-Ervin and Will's engagement portrait session with Corey McNabb. Corey LOVES land rovers, so he took several pictures of them next to Leigh-Ervin's dad's land rover! Of course, these were the ones I got for the blog! :)

Leigh-Ervin and Will are getting married in October at Central United Methodist, and their reception is held on the South Terrace at the Biltmore Estate. I am so excited about this wedding...it is going to be spectacular! I just LOVE this couple...

Also, I definitely wanted to share this amazing slideshow, by Corey McNabb, of one of my other wonderful couples, Lauren and Jeff. They are getting married at the Grove Park Inn in August, and it will be tons of fun! Can't wait!

Check it out...

Lauren and Jeff's engagements

Make sure you click on the link above!

2008-06-27T06:42:00.000-07:00

I wanted to show you the engagement pictures of Kelly and Roy taken by Ryan Bumgarner. Kelly and Roy are getting married in September at a charming church in Asheville, with a reception at the Crest Center. I am so excited for them!

How adorable is he?

Kim and Eliot

2008-06-23T18:04:00.000-07:00

Kim and Eliot were married at the Grove Park Inn on May 24th. They are one of the sweetest couples I have ever worked with, and their wedding reflected their style and personality. They had a blast at their wedding, and that is what I love to hear! It was so funny...on Monday after their wedding, I was at the Charlotte airport getting ready to go on a mission trip to the Dominican Republic. As I am walking to my gate, here comes Kim and Eliot! They probably thought their wedding planner was following them on their honeymoon! :) :)

Kim and Eliot's photographer, Indigo Photography, was kind enough to send me some great pictures to share with you all. Thank you, Indigo!

I love this shot!

Beautiful blooms by The Bloom Room!

Thank you to Tere for all that she did for me to make this wedding flawless!

Feature on Southern Wedding Style Blog

2008-06-19T09:50:00.000-07:00

I am excited to let you know that one of the weddings I had the honor to assist with back in September has been featured on the SWS Blog! Lora and Jeremy were married at the Lioncrest on the Biltmore Estate back in September. It was gorgeous, and Woodward and Rick took the fabulous photos! Check out the blog! Thank you, SWS!!

Birthday!

2008-06-12T06:18:00.000-07:00

I want to say Happy Birthday to my husband, Toni (my dog), and my wonderful mother-in-law (Sandy). Their birthday was yesterday, June 11th. This past weekend we celebrated Jonathan and Toni's birthday at my parent's house. My poor husband didn't get much attention, but Toni certainly did. We bought her a peanut butter flavored birthday cake from Three Dog Bakery, and they so graciously gave us two scoops of 'Lickity Split Ice Cream' for both Toni and Bezer (my parent's dog). Enjoy these precious pictures...

Mama...that looks SO good!

Hey G-Mama, why does Bezer get more than me? It's my birthday!

More weddings to show you!

2008-06-02T17:20:00.000-07:00

It is hard to believe that May has passed and June is already here! Wedding season is definitely upon us, and it is so much fun! I wanted to bring you some pictures from two different weddings that have occurred recently...

West and Walt were married on May 17th at Green River Preserves camp in Cedar Mountain, North Carolina. West used to work as a counselor at this camp, so it was very dear to her heart. This was a beautiful camp, surrounded by woods...couldn't be a better place for a wedding! The day was gorgeous, the flowers were stunning, and West and Walt were beaming! Perfect day...

Fortunately, they had Ryan Bumgarner taking pictures...

Jessica and Meredith with Aria Floral did an incredible job on this wedding. Their design and ideas matched exactly what West had in mind...it was meant to be! :)

Yes, that is a groomsmen...

Beautiful bridesmaids...

West and her sweetheart of a dad...

This is one of Walt and West's friends, who painted the ceremony as it was occurring...how neat is that! That is one of the best presents ever!

Walt and his brother toasting with their self-made brew!

In April, Meredith and Jesse were married at The Farm, in Candler. Such a fun place for a couple who likes the outdoors and contra dancing (They were so good)! Here are some pictures that Meredith sent me so you all could enjoy them! Thank you, Meredith!!

How much happier can you be?? :)

Liz with The Purple Iris did a wonderful job with the flowers, as always! Love the sunflowers!

Barbecue by Luella's BBQ...yummy!

I didn't know they were taking my picture... :) Looks like I was enjoying myself!

Contra Dancing!

Meredith and Jesse contra dancing...do you think they are having fun?

Wow...

May Wedding

2008-05-15T20:31:00.000-07:00

There are not enough words to describe Katie and Jeremy...they are so intelligent, so much fun, out going, and definitely loved by many. They treated their guests to an amazing weekend. They held a fabulous rehearsal dinner for all of their guests at On Broadway in downtown Asheville. The next day, they started off their wedding day with a football game! Check this out...

Then the ceremony was held at the historic Grove Park Inn on the Sammon's Balcony overlooking the mountains. I loved the music they had for their ceremony...a jazz trio and a Gospel choir. The choir sang 'Lean on Me' as Katie walked down the aisle, then they rejoiced with 'Amen' once they were married. It was incredible!

The ceremony was followed by a reception on the Mountain View Terrace, and dinner and dancing inside the Skyline Room. One of my favorite moments was when Katie surprised her guests by singing 'Natural Woman'. I had no idea that she had such an incredible voice....even their band, Livin' Large, was amazed! :)

Thank you to Katy Cook who provided me with all these wonderful photos...I thoroughly enjoyed working with you Katy!!

Look at her sing! I wish you all could have heard her!!

Wedding and Honeymoon in Italy

2008-05-07T05:34:00.000-07:00

I am so excited to bring you pictures from Jennie and Bill's wedding in Italy. I had the pleasure of planning their wedding and honeymoon there....so all they had to do was show up and enjoy their time together! First they flew in to Rome for several days and then took a train to Florence for the remainder of their trip and their ceremony. They were married at the beautiful Villa di Maiano, where they are surrounded with amazing views of the city. After their ceremony, they were taken back to their exquisite hotel, Hotel Regency, for a romantic dinner at Relais Le Jardin. Bill and Jennie are so in love, and this is portrayed in the pictures taken by Italian photographer, Elisabetta Gazziero.

A violinist serenaded them throughout their wedding ceremony...

I love this moment...

I am so thrilled for this wonderful couple!!

A warm thank you to my new friend, Valentina, for all your help in making this occasion so special for Bill and Jennie...

Check It Out!

2008-04-16T07:30:00.000-07:00

I just found out today that one of the weddings I did in December was featured on Style Me Pretty's blog. Abby, the owner and blogger of Style Me Pretty has lately been posting interesting and unique weddings. Abby contacted me today to let me know she loved Kate and Kevin's wedding story and pictures, and that she had posted it on her blog. It was truly a gorgeous wedding...you can see more pictures of this wedding on my February 18th blog. Thank you, Abby! What a blessing! :) Here are the pictures that were included in the feature...

Style Me Pretty Blog

2008-04-01T05:53:00.000-07:00

I wanted to write and say thank you to Style Me Pretty for inviting Weddings with Tara to be part of their Little Black Book! I was completely honored! For an explanation of the Little Black Book, I will use their words...'The Little Black Book is an online guide to the most innovative and unique designers, planners and wedding industry professionals within each major geographic area'.

They only select 3 wedding professionals for each category, and this is based on recommendations and reviews of other industry insiders, recent brides and Style Me Pretty readers. So you can see why I feel very blessed to be invited to join this exclusive list!

Style Me Pretty was just recently featured on the Martha Stewart Show as one of her favorite blogs. They have also been handpicked by Martha's editorial staff to represent the highest quality blog sites on the net.

Thank you, again, Style Me Pretty!

Meredith and Bobby

2008-03-17T13:24:00.000-07:00

On March 8th, Meredith and Bobby were married at the enchanting Homewood, in Asheville. Even though it was chilly outside, the atmosphere was warm and cozy inside. The wedding ceremony took place in front of the fire in the Ballroom, then as guests were enjoying cocktails, the ballroom was transformed into an elegant sit-down dinner. Meredith and Bobby are such a loving and down-to-earth couple. I loved getting to know them and their families. I wish them the best in their future together!

Here are some photographs taken by their photographer, Ryan Bumgarner...

The princess all cuddled up... :)

The handsome groom...

Programs by the Baggie Goose

Meredith's favorite color is red...The Bloom Room delivered!

I love this picture...what a great moment between Meredith and her dad.

Fabulous menu catered by 28806...

The band, Common Saints, had an anniversary dance where the couple married the longest ends up being the last one on the dance floor. Meredith's precious parents won the prize!

Everyone had a blast!

What a way to end the evening...milk and cookies! Yummy!

The Rockstar Workshop

2008-02-28T18:15:00.000-08:00

This past Sunday, I had the privilege of hosting the opening party for Corey McNabb's Rockstar Workshop, once again! We had a wonderful time, and everyone really seemed to have a lot fun getting to know one another. There were several photographers from all over the U.S. that came to soak in as much knowledge as possible. I'm so happy I got to be a part!

Liz, with The Purple Iris, arranged some very cool arrangements for the party...thanks, Liz!

Delicious cappuccino pound from Cakes by Jane, and an incredible chocolate carving by Chez Nous Confections.

My crazy husband (isn't he adorable?), me, Jill (the gorgeous, classy, fabulous, spectacular wife of Corey McNabb), and the rockstar himself! :) Oh, and I just noticed my sister-in-law, Laura, peeking her head into the picture. She is also and expectant mother! I am going to be an aunt!! Yipee! :)

The FANTABULOUS and gorgeous, Amber Holritz, who takes amazing self-portraits! :)

Kate and Kevin

2008-02-18T11:49:00.000-08:00

Kate and Kevin's wedding was spectacular. With specialty lighting, flowers by The Bloom Room, and the beauty of Homewood...It felt and looked like a dream. When Kate and I first talked, she told me her mother had passed away from breast cancer just a few years back. Kate wanted to make sure that this wedding reflected her mom's love, beauty and grace. Since pink is the signature color for breast cancer awareness, we fused this color into every detail in her mother's memory. In the planning process, I discovered Kate loved feathers, hanging crystals and candlelight, so we used these to accent the entire wedding. Fortunately, we had Corey McNabb and his associate, Amber, covering the event to capture all of the gorgeous details! I feel blessed to have worked with Kate and Kevin in planning such a wonderful occasion. They will always hold a special place in my heart... I am certainly happy that they decided to come all the way from Houston, Texas, to have their wedding in the mountains of North Carolina! What better place is there? :)

Kate and her wonderful dad, Tom.

Programs by Baggie Goose!

The always perfect calligraphy of Dana with A Fine Line Studio. She was responsible for all the calligraphy on the place cards, table cards and other touches...Thank you, Dana!

The P.I.N.K Ribbon cocktail was their signature drink for the evening, and it was chilled as it flowed through an intricate ice carving by Masterpiece Ice.

Look at this cake by Cakes by Jane! Wow!! It was perfect...

Joanna (singer) and Lief (above) with Orange Krush kept the crowd dancing! They are awesome!

I love this picture of Kate with her dad...

I'm not even going to ask... :)

Lindsey and Nick

2008-02-08T05:45:00.000-08:00

Lindsey and Nick's wedding took place in October at a chapel surrounded with woods. Liz with The Purple Iris, transformed this chapel into an enchanted forest...and it truly felt magical! To top off the day, the guests were then treated to an elegant sit down meal at the Grove Park Inn Resort. The always fantastic, Corey McNabb, took the photographs, while Four Seasons Films captured the event. You can watch the trailer of this wedding on my website! I want to say a special thank you to Lindsey's parents, Vikki and Jim. They have become like family, and they treated me this way. It was such an honor to plan this amazing wedding for such an incredible family. I was actually very sad to see the wedding come to an end because I enjoyed every moment. I wish the best of the best for Lindsey and Nick's future together...they deserve it!

Here are lots of pictures...I couldn't just pick a few, they were all so good!

Isn't she beautiful!!
That dress was stunning...

Getting on the trolley to head to the ceremony...

Lindsey and her daddy (Jim)

Love this shot, Corey...

Lindsey and her mom, Vikki

Think she is happy? :)

It was a perfect October evening...

Corey, the bride and me!

It was hard to say goodbye at the end the evening...

Tavia and Brandon

2008-02-01T13:46:00.000-08:00

On Friday, December 28th, Tavia and Brandon were married at the very hip and contemporary Blue Spiral 1 Gallery in downtown Asheville. It was an elegant and intimate wedding with their closest friends and family. Very cool couple! Cori Anderson, with Cori Anderson Photography, sent me some pictures of this wonderful occasion...

Stacey with The Bloom Room did an amazing job as always on the bouquet!

The dinner reception was held at the Marketplace Restaurant on Wall Street

Daddy/Daughter

2008-01-31T11:39:00.000-08:00

Last Friday, my dad and I went to the Daddy/Daughter banquet put on by our church. I was so excited to be on this 'date' with my dad, and we had a wonderful time. They had a dinner buffet for us, entertainment, and even a professional photographer (Libby Brady Photography) taking pictures of all the dads with their daughters. Libby is an incredible photographer, especially when it comes to taking pictures of children. It was a wonderful night with my daddy, and I am so blessed to have him in my life. Here is a picture we took before the night began...

The Well

2008-01-25T09:59:00.000-08:00

I just wanted everyone out there to know about The Well at the student center located at Biltmore Baptist Church. This is for college/single adults and anyone else that may want to come join in on the fun. Tim Brady, the college/young singles pastor, is an incredible speaker and my stomach is hurting from laughing so much last night! If you are in town on Thursday nights at 7:00 pm, please check it out. I would love to see you there! :) Jonathan, my husband, is the band leader and you will see me on stage too singing harmony. Scary! :)

Isn't he the cutest thing you have ever seen? I am so proud of my husband!

Tim and two helpless volunteers! :)

Thank you, Weddings Unveiled!

2008-01-17T08:17:00.001-08:00

I wanted to thank Weddings Unveiled for naming Weddings with Tara one of the 'cities finest professionals for perfect Asheville nuptials'! Thank you so much for this honor...I feel very blessed.

Lexi and Jason

2008-01-14T18:19:00.000-08:00

On a beautiful November afternoon, Lexi and Jason were married at the Cliffs at Glassy chapel followed by an amazing reception at the Cliffs Valley clubhouse. A wonderful couple, so obviously in love and delightful to work with. Lexi comes from a very talented family of musicians (and is one herself!), and one of my favorite moments was when Lexi's father played his violin at the wedding. There were not many dry eyes in the place! :)

Brian and Gry, with Woodward and Rick, were there to capture these precious moments, and they were kind enough to send me a slideshow. Enjoy!

http://www.woodwardandrick.com/preucil_show/

Christmas and Puerto Rico!

2008-01-12T05:41:00.000-08:00

My husband and I just got back from vacation in Puerto Rico with our good friends, Raquel and Douglas. Raquel was born on the small, but beautiful island of Culebra, and her family still lives there. They were so kind to let us stay in their homes throughout the entire trip. We went to San Juan, Fajardo and Culebra. We had such a wonderful time and we ate SO much food. Yummy!!! I didn't want to leave. Thank you Raquel and Douglas for inviting us on this amazing vacation!! Here are a few pictures...

Ruben and Paco (Raquel's brothers) were so sweet to put welcome signs on the plane that they flew us in from San Juan to Culebra. They own the airline, Air Flamenco.

Jonathan looks frightened as he takes on the role of co-pilot next to Ruben! :)

Madison (Douglas and Raquel's son) and Jose flying in the back of the plane

Raquel and I enjoying the flight...

The view of Flamenco beach, on Culebra, from the plane...gorgeous!!!

Noemi and Jose's house (Raquel's parents) in CulebraThe view from Noemi and Jose's house...breathtaking!

Raquel and I at dinner in Culebra.

Our handsome husbands...

Jonathan and I at Raquel's highschool reunion in San Juan.

In the rainforest! It poured on us later! :)

The girls (Noemi, Raquel and me) went shopping in Fajardo and loved the same dress. We decided to wear them to celebrate Three Kings Day! The cutest one is Amarige posing next to me!

Before our vacation, we celebrated Christmas with our families. This is definitely my favorite time of the year as we remember the birth of our Savior and Lord, Jesus Christ. On Christmas Eve we always spend the evening with my parents, and then on Christmas Day we go to Jonathan's mom and dad. Check us out!

Toni opening her stocking on Christmas Eve...she loves this time of year. :)

My baby getting a mountain biking ornament ...

Mom was so excited to get her Oklahoma Sooners sweatshirt!

Toni and Uncle Bezer relaxing after a big Christmas meal...

Dad and my brother got an remote control airplane from us, and they played with them until the sun went down...perfect gift!

Hola...my name is Toni and I am very spoiled. Merry Christmas!

Christmas with Sandy and Drake (my amazing in-laws)!

Can you tell Toni is excited about her stocking?

Before the Christmas holidays, Stacey with The Bloom Room and Liz with The Purple Iris threw a Christmas party. It was held in Stacey's beautiful new home in Arden. Thank you for a wonderful time gals!

Corey, Jill, Nathan and Amber

Jill, me and Amber

Holidays!

2007-12-31T19:38:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year! Merry Christmas! :) I hope everyone is enjoying this wonderful time of the year.

I am so sorry I haven't blogged lately, but I promise to have more pictures up soon. I am getting ready to go out of town, but as soon as I get back I WILL blog!

God bless you all!

Tara

Italy!

2007-12-01T17:24:00.000-08:00

Finally I have a few pictures for you of my trip to Italy with my husband. What a wonderful and amazing place. We loved the culture, the history, the food, and just walking around the streets of Rome and Florence. Our favorite time to walk around was at night...so beautiful at night. We checked out the hotels, etc. that my bride and groom will be staying at for their wedding, and they definitely exceeded my expectations. I was very happy about this! If you have not been to Italy, I highly recommend it! It is actually so hard to believe that we were actually there...the whole time we just figured we were on an elaborate movie set! :)

The Colosseum...

Me walking through the Colosseum...looking like I belong in the Matrix! :) Just seeing this site and knowing of all the battles that went on in this place made this site very special.

This was one of our favorite places...the Mamertine prison that held both Peter and Paul, along with many other martyrs for Christ. The upside down cross symbolizes how Peter was crucified. He wanted to be crucified upside down because he did not feel worthy to die in the same way as his Savior and Lord. We could still see where the shackles were on the walls. Breathtaking to know what occurred in this prison. Peter,Paul, and other believers continued to praise the Lord through their suffering in this place. Many prisoners were saved and baptized from a miraculous spring that bubbled up through the prison floor.

St. Peter's Square (which is actually round!) in the Vatican City. We saw inside St. Peter's Basilica, and boy was it was massive! We saw the tomb of Peter and of many popes, including Pope John Paul II. We just happened to arrive at the Vatican City when the present pope came out and spoke to the masses of people. We definitely didn't expect to see the pope! :)

We thought it was hilarious to see an Italian with a confederate flag helmet!

Authentic Italian Tiramisu! It was yummy!

We had to take a picture of these cars because they were covered in bird poo! I guess they parked in the wrong place that day!

Jonathan and I in front of the Trevi Fountain. One of my couples (Lindsey and Nick) were engaged right here in front of this fountain! I have pictures of their wedding coming very soon...

The Borghese Gardens in Rome. It is like New York's Central Park.

Our view from the Spanish Steps in Rome. It was so crowded that evening, that cars could not even get through. The street you are looking at is where all the expensive stores are...Gucci, Dolce & Gabbana, Prada, etc. Needless to say, we did not shop there...well, we window shopped! :)

Happy Thanksgiving!

2007-11-28T08:05:00.000-08:00

I hope everyone had a fabulous Thankgiving! This year I was a little under the weather, but I still enjoyed being around family. Now it is Christmas time! Hard to believe it is already here.

I received some pictures of Laura and Daniel's wedding back in August from Audrey Goforth. The wedding took place on the Sammon's Terrace at the Grove Park Inn, and the reception took place in their lovely, Skyline Room. Laura and Daniel were such a fun couple with a love for art. They gave each guest a piece of artwork to take home...made their guests feel special by adding such a personal touch.

Laura and her mom, Sibbie...so nice to see a mother and daughter so close.

Lovely flowers by Julie, the Grove Park florist. Dana, with A Fine Line, hand painted each table number. She has so much talent, and does the most beautiful calligraphy of anyone I have every seen.

Sibbie and I...loved her!

Such a sweet picture of Laura and her dad!

Sibbie and her friends having a good ole time! :)

Watch out...we have a break dancer!

...and an air guitarist!

And the exit...thank you for giving me the opportunity to work with you all!

Blast from the Past

2007-11-08T05:46:00.000-08:00

I ran into Aaron with Aaron Imaging at Corey McNabb's Rockstar Workshop. I haven't seen him in a long time, so it was nice to catch up. He sent me some pictures of a wedding we did together back in 2005. This was one of the sweetest weddings I have done because both the bride and the groom were deaf, and the love that the shared shone through them. When the saxophone player with The Asheville Gentlemen played a song, they both laid their hands on the instrument so they could 'listen' to the music. There was not a dry eye in the place. I had to share these pictures...

Here are some very kind words from Aaron...

"In the summer of '05 I got a call from a gentleman in North Dakota. He said his youngest daughter had been dreaming of her wedding day all her life and he planned on making it one she would never forget. He said the wedding might be different from most I photograph. The groom and his family are from Puerto Rica and speak little to no English. I told him that was cool, I do allot of international weddings. Then he told me the bride and groom are both deaf and speak sign language. Wow! A special needs, three language, high end wedding, sounds like a recipe for disaster to me!

Arriving on location the wedding day, I could tell from the first moment the day was going to go well. I was greeted by a full time ASL interpreter, who had come from Raleigh. I did not know there were full time ASL interpreters. Who finds people like this? At the end of the day, I knew whoever found her, found the best.

The musicians were incredible! But why have top notch musicians at a deaf wedding? I learned soon enough..... Lisa and Alberto can FEEL the music together with their hands. Wow again, who thinks of this stuff?

The minister and interpreter worked together like they were one person. The minister was very sensitive to the bride and groom's needs and gave them a ceremony that I know did not come out of any book.

I was given ample time and help to photograph the couple and we had a blast. Dinner was nothing short of spectacular and the cake was elegant. A perfect wedding ended with some toasts that left no dry eyes. Dad delivered his promise to his girl, she got her dream wedding.

It turns out Tara Jordan was the hero behind the scenes, thinking of the little things that made the day, making the potential nightmare wedding into a dream wedding. So it does not surprise me one bit that Weddings with Tara has quickly risen above the crowd and became a premier service for the discerning bride. Keep up the great work!"

Corey McNabb's Workshop

2007-10-30T12:03:00.000-07:00

This weekend I had the pleasure of hosting the opening party for Corey McNabb's Workshop that is taking place this week. We held it at Corey's studio in Asheville, NC. Thank you to The Purple Iris for the fabulous flowers, to Eric (28806 catering) for the delicious food, and to Ryan with Masterpiece Ice for the coolest ice carving ever! The electric guitar ice carving was the hit of the evening!

Check out the pictures that my husband took...

Corey also asked me to be one of the speakers at the conference...what an honor! Thank you, Corey, for the opportunity! My 'talk' will be taking place on Wednesday, so I will let you know if I ever get asked to do it again! :)

On Saturday we went up to my parents house in Waynesville, and just enjoyed being with family. One of my parents' neighbors has a cute little boxer puppy named Oscar. So, we had to take Toni and Bezer (my mom and dad's dog) to play!

Jonathan, Oscar and me!

The meeting...

Okay, let's play!

Ya gonna let me down, Troy?

My sister-in-law, Laura, and my dad's ear getting kissed!

Ready for a walk!