Archive for the ‘Winter’ Category

SMS Winter Ball 2010

Tuesday, February 2nd, 2010

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And so with the height of winter comes the annual SMS Winter Ball, held this past weekend in the beautifully decorated gym at the Stratton Mountain School.  This year we put a little twist in our photographic coverage of the event and set up a portable studio in what normally serves as the high tech golf simulator.  Hey, Penn’s got nothing on us with his Worlds In A Small Room!  Fun shots, and an approach we’ve used a few times for those mid-winter “gee-it-really-is-pitch-black-out-at-5:00-on-New Year’s Eve” wedding shoots. Lots of fun, particularly as the night wears on, if you know what I mean.

Guests at the Winter Ball had the usual terrific time, with both silent and live auctions – including such items as a complete Olympics package, a day of boarding with SMS alum and Olympic silver medalist Lyndsey Jacobellis, and a day of skiing with VT native and former Olympian Billy Kidd, who still rips it up out as director of skiing at Steamboat, CO., highlighting a fun night of great food, dancing, and catching up with old friends.

BTW,  SMS is proud to count  37 current or former Olympians, including nordic standouts Kris Freeman and Andy Newell, among its long list of accomplished alums.  Impressive.  MTK… Herve

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And one more, just for fun…

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Posted in For photographers, Nordic Skiing, Stratton Mountain School, VT, Winter | No Comments »

Variables

Monday, February 9th, 2009
The view west from Trapp Family Lodge

The view west from Trapp Family Lodge

We spent the bulk of this past weekend at the Trapp Family Lodge in Stowe, VT, which hosted the Eastern Cup and SuperTour nordic ski races.  The variable was the weather, but if you’re serious about living here in New England you really must adjust.  Yesterday was a case in point.

Departing Grafton, where the temperature was an absolutely tropical 46, we drove up both 91 and 89 without much concern.  By the time we reached Montpelier, it had begun to spit a bit of rain, which eventually turned over to snow. Temp? 30. Did I mention that the wind increased exponentially the further north we drove?

By the time we reached Stowe we were in a full-blown squall, complete with heavy snow, driven just about horizontal to the ground by the wind which was blowing a steady 20 knots with gusts to 30.  Perfect weather, of course, for racing….

Given the way I think about these things, my mind naturally turned from the weather to the pending wedding season.  While the classic wedding month remains June, I’ve heard that October has overtaken it, at least in VT, as the most popular for brides/grooms/partners  to be married or hold their civil unions.  And given the relative flood of couples interested in the warmer months and the fact that many venues provide generous discounts for off-peak weddings, you just might consider a June or October alternative.  Of course, you should anticipate potential weather challenges, but if you’re OK with that, consider an early spring, late fall, or even winter wedding. How’s about a sunset service at the peak of Stratton?  Keep your options open, understand that you can never anticipate every possible variable, set up everything for success, be prepared to roll with the vagaries of the weather, and you’ll have a wedding you – and your guests – will always remember.  MTC – HP

Posted in Nordic Skiing, Weddings, Winter | No Comments »

Winter Weekends

Sunday, January 11th, 2009
XC action at the Bogburn '09

XC action at the Bogburn '09

Well, more snow here last night, so winter’s firmly ensconced here in VT. One of the more enjoyable parts of being here is the great sport of nordic skiing. Our daughters are both regulars on the nordic trails at Grafton Ponds, and our oldest, a freshman at Stratton Mountain School, has been training and racing hard to qualify for the Junior Olympics, to be held this year at Truckee, CA., in Tahoe country. The above photos were taken yesterday at the 25th annual Bogburn race, held just north of Woodstock in N. Pomfret. It’s a fun, “old school” xc event with twisty, curvy trails for racers from Lollypoppers thru Masters. Fun stuff. Special thanks due to Bob Haydock for hosting this annual classic. You can read more about the history of this great race on the NENSA (New England Nordic Ski Association) website, in an article by Pat Cote.

We’re booking weddings at a brisk pace right now, which is great. I’d like to think that our reasonable rates, particularlly given the current state of our economy, are helping our couples to book early in order to ensure that that we’ll be available to shoot on the date they’ve chosen for their wedding

Posted in Nordic Skiing, Winter | No Comments »

Snow’d and Ice’d

Wednesday, January 7th, 2009

A bit snowed and iced in today here in VT, (though certainly not to the degree that we were a few weeks back, as in the above photo), so thought it would be a good time to mention a few things about both the current and upcoming wedding season(s).

Over the past few years there has been a marked increase in the number of winter weddings here in VT.  People meet at the Wobbly Barn on the Killington Access Road, and the next thing you know… let’s have our wedding at the Killington Grand Hotel.  So it goes.

Certainly the same applies to Stratton, with its beautiful club near the base of the gondola, as well as at Mt. Snow, Okemo, Stowe, and many other ski and resort destinations throughout the state.  And yes, there’s something for the nordic crowd as well. Check out Grafton Ponds and the Old Tavern in Grafton,  the Craftsbury Nordic Center in the Northeast Kingdom, or the Trapp Family Lodge.  Point is, if you’re thinking you’re limited to the non-winter months for planning your wedding, think again.

VT has become one of the premier wedding destinations for couples from throughout New England and beyond.  Many young couples, having met at UVM, Middlebury, Bennington, Marlboro, or Dartmouth, have strong connections to the area, and even if they have relocated, find themselves drawn back, and wanting to share in the romantic atmosphere by having their wedding here.  Can’t blame them. It’s a great place to be, and VT weddings seem to take on a certain energy and vitality that is uncommon elsewhere.  Of course, it’s not so bad at all for us, as photographers, to be able to share in the energy, love, and conviviality that saturates wedding days here in VT, whether it’s a full-on event for two hundred at the beautiful Equinox in Manchester, or lovers from PA that can’t imagine anything more romantic that eloping in the middle of a blizzard.

Finally, not to be remiss, our friends across the river (CT river, that is) at Alyson’s Orchard also have a tremendous facility, particularly notable for its hilltop, panoramic views across the river and into the hills of VT.

We’re truly lucky to be able to document and preserve so many wonderful memories for our couples, their friends, and families.  Very cool indeed.  More soon… Time for a ski.  Herve

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