Emily Wenzel Photography

Berlin, Germany — Part 3 — Travel

Emily Wenzel — Wed, 15 May 2013 19:20:57 +0000

This last set of Berlin photos (see part 1 and part 2) covers three of my favorite Berlin landmarks: the Reichstag, Brandenburg Gate, and the Jewish Memorial. We covered all three places on our last day in Berlin. All three are free, but you do need to register for the Reichstag tour (right here), I’d recommend doing that a few days in advance. As strange as it sounds, the Jewish memorial is one of my favorite places in Berlin. I also like cemeteries. They’re calm. Peaceful. Anyways. It started to snow as we walked through the memorial. First, little flakes. Then, big, fat flakes. I wrapped my scarf around my head and across my body to cover my camera. And then it stopped. We slowly wandered over to Brandenburg Gate and to the Reichstag for our tour we were early, but we got to go up anyways. As we walked around and around the dome, the sun broke out. I’ve toured the Reichstag before, at night. It’s completely a different experience. I’m still not sure which I like better. I just know I love the dome, even though most Germans don’t. Later that night, as we waited for the bus, I snapped those nighttime frames. The TV tower at Alexanderplatz and the Berliner Dom.

I’ve got a few more Germany posts for you still. And then I’ll need to go on another adventure :)

Berlin, Germany — Part 2 — Travel

Emily Wenzel — Fri, 10 May 2013 15:58:43 +0000

You can find my first post on Berlin here. We ended up spending only three days in Berlin, and we had a long list of places we wanted to visit. At the top of the list was Olympiastadion Berlin. We try to visit Olympic sites when we travel, maybe someday we’ll even make it to the Olympics! It costs 7 Euro to visit the Olympic Stadium in Berlin, but I think it was worth it. Our tickets were discounted because the bell tower was not open, so I think they were only 4 or 5 Euro. Either way, it was impressive. We weren’t able to tour the locker rooms or anything, but we got to wander around on our own.

I could go on and on about the museums we visited in Berlin, but I’ll make it short. We’d go to all three of them again. Two are pictured below.

The first is Topographie des Terrors, which is about the Gestapo and SS during WWII. No, I didn’t take H to another concentration camp, but he did agree to come to this museum. The museum is located on the former site of the SS Headquarters, right in the middle of Berlin, near Checkpoint Charlie. There is an indoor and outdoor exhibit, but we skipped the outdoor exhibit because it was covered in snow. This museum is free. Free is good.

The second is the DDR (German Democratic Republic) Museum. This museum was SUPER fun, because you get to interact with all the exhibits. They’ve got school books, propaganda films, old cameras, a crazy old soviet game, and even an apartment replica you can tour! The admission fee for adults is 6 Euro for the DDR Museum. Everything is in English and German at both the DDR Museum and Topography of Terror.

Lastly, we visited the German Resistance Memorial Center, about the German resistance movement during WW II. Are you sensing a theme here? A little boring for most, but I think H liked the resistance memorial a lot. It was hard for him to visit WWII museums and monuments, and feel like no one tried to speak out. The permanent exhibit is in both English and German, but they also have free audio guides in multiple languages. Also, free. And in a sweet old building, but it is a bit out of the way.

We had planned to go to the Altes Museum or perhaps one of the other large museums on Museum Island, but ran out of time, because we took a day trip instead. There are plenty of Museums in Berlin, and while I was cruel and dragged H to all these cold places outdoors, don’t think that planning a winter trip will be boring! It’ll just be cold.

Michelle & Ryan Featured — Apple Brides

Emily Wenzel — Wed, 08 May 2013 17:49:10 +0000

Michelle & Ryan’s wedding, which I shared last week, is on Apple Brides today! Head over to take a peek at which photos they picked out! Thanks to the team at Apple Brides for featuring my work, I really appreciate it.

Kate + Leo Engaged — Spokane, WA

Emily Wenzel — Mon, 06 May 2013 15:42:35 +0000

Remember the beautiful couple I showed you a few photos of last month? Take one feisty redhead with a vintage camera addiction, and add a down-to-earth, motorcycle riding guy and a big dog named Ed, and you’ve got a love story. Leo proposed under the (planetarium) stars earlier this year, and Kate said yes. So, a few months later, we headed back to the Spokane Falls Planetarium to take a few photos. Followed by some time spent running out in traffic in downtown Spokane, and a walk around their neighborhood with Ed. It was supposed to rain, but the sun came out to play and the whole afternoon was full of laughter. The day ended with pizza at my new favorite spot: South Perry Pizza.

And the fact that Leo was H’s college roommate and Kate is one of the coolest girls I know? That just makes this all better. I’ve said it a hundred times, but I’m going to say it again. I’m so happy for you both! And I can’t wait for your wedding!

Berlin, Germany — Part 1 — Travel

Emily Wenzel — Thu, 02 May 2013 23:04:02 +0000

After two weeks of hanging out with friends and family in Munich, the Rheingau and Bonn, H and I made our way to Berlin (Berlin!), where I took far too many pictures because we did so much. I’m certain we didn’t sleep. These photos are a little out of order, but I wanted to group them together. Unlike what we did, which was assess the weather every hour and change our plans. You’ll see later, but there was one day where it started out snowing, then got sunny, then snowed again, before all melting by the time the sun set. Berlin has crazy weather!

This first set has some gratuitous candy shots of my (now long gone) Haribo stash from our trip to Bonn, photos from the fantastic Eastside Gallery (free! art!), and a few shots from the now defunct Templehof Airport. We didn’t stay long, because despite how sunny it is in the photos, the wind was howling and it was cold. But, if you’re going to Berlin, I highly recommend going there. While the terminal is still there, the runways are now a huge park where people do crazy kite-skateboarding, roller-blade, and walk their dogs. Only when you’re walking down the tarmac and you realize how huge the runways really are, do you realize how small you are. Thanks to Ashley of Chasing Heartbeats for the rec!

More to come! Also, we had an extra day on our train pass (which I’ll write about soon, I promise) and we took a day trip. Any ideas where?! It’s now my favorite German city! Sorry Berlin!

Michelle + Ryan Married — Naches, WA

Emily Wenzel — Mon, 29 Apr 2013 15:16:26 +0000

I’m not sure you’ll believe this, but I’ve known Michelle since I was in high school. Michelle was my English teacher when I was in school. She introduced me to Pride & Prejudice, All Quiet on the Western Front, and many other classics. She taught me how to love the classics and encouraged me to follow my dreams. So, getting to be a part of her wedding day with the man of her dreams? Nothing could have been more special to me. Thank you, Michelle and Ryan, for having me along. Your wedding was the perfect start to 2013.

Ryan took Michelle to a wedding at Fontaine Estates Winery on their third date. Pretty brave, right? And then he caught the garter at that wedding. So, after getting married in a little ceremony last year, they planned a big wedding and vow renewal for this spring. There was no doubt that they’d have it at Fontaine Estates. They took a chance having an outdoor ceremony in March, but the weather was perfect! Warm, with sunshine and blue skies all day. A day full of beautiful words and wonderful friends. Ryan and his groomsmen even serenaded Michelle & her bridesmaids.

Venue: Fontaine Estates Winery, Naches, WA

Caterer: Cascade Catering

Cake: Shirley’s Cakes

DJ: Entertainment Plus

Florist: Blooming Elegance

Michelle’s Dress: David’s Bridal

Boots: Country Outfitters

Wedding Photography Wishlist

Emily Wenzel — Fri, 26 Apr 2013 20:00:50 +0000

I have a confession to make. I have a list.

A wish list. Of venues and weddings that I’d love to shoot.

All of my weddings this year are amazing weddings, in beautiful places. In quaint little churches and at wineries. On islands, in big cities, and in little towns. They are fantastic and wonderful couples, who have fantastic and wonderful weddings. But. If you’re getting married and you don’t have a wedding photographer, and you fall into one of these categories…let’s chat.

Weddings:

A boat wedding. I’d really love to shoot a wedding on the MV Skansonia, but I think a sailboat or houseboat wedding would be cool as well.
New Year’s Eve wedding. Bonus points for fireworks.
A winter wedding in the snow.
Same-sex wedding. I got an inquiry this year, but was already booked that day. :(
A wedding where the bride wears a dress that isn’t white.
Courthouse wedding. There are some stunning courthouses out there just begging to be the backdrop for your wedding.
An elopement!
Backyard wedding. Something small and intimate.
An ethnic wedding. Indian, Asian, Mexican, etc.
~~Food truck at a wedding.~~ ~~Need I say more?~~ Psych! I do get a food truck wedding this year!

Venues:

Schweitzer Mountain
The Davenport Hotel
Trezzi Farms
SoDo Park
Within Sodo (I 2nd shot here in 2012, but would love to shoot here again!)
St. Aloysius Church or the Gonzaga University Student Chapel
Cave B Inn (this is only a few miles from my hometown!)

Far Away (in no particular order):

The United States – California, Montana, South Carolina, North Carolina, Michigan, Arizona, the Boston area (or Cape Cod), Colorado, Hawaii.
Europe – Germany, France, the Czech Republic, Italy & Greece top my list, but I’m not picky.
Pretty much anywhere else I can get a visa to. Mexico, the Caribbean, Asia, Africa. Antarctica (that would be amazing.)

Annie’s Family — Mattawa, WA

Emily Wenzel — Wed, 17 Apr 2013 23:44:16 +0000

Meet Annie, Felicia, and Luis. They hung out with me to do a quick session when I was back in Mattawa over Easter weekend (the same weekend I shot Michelle & Ryan‘s wedding). Luis is a goalie for the high school soccer team – go Warriors – so I made him get out of the field for a little while. Felicia was kind enough to throw and kick the ball at her brother so he could dive for it :) These guys had me laughing so hard I cried a couple times. And they reminded me of something important: family isn’t about last names or even the blood in our veins, family is the people you love.

Kate + Leo Engaged — Sneak Peek

Emily Wenzel — Thu, 11 Apr 2013 15:21:32 +0000

Our good friends, Kate and Leo*, are getting married this year and I am SO excited. Over the weekend, we drove to Spokane to hang out and get some pictures. Here’s a little preview of what’s to come.

*Kate and Leo are not their real names. I guess you could say I changed them to protect the innocent. Unlike Kate & Leo, the lovelies who starred in Titanic, this love story ends in happily ever after.

Bonn + Cologne, Germany — Travel

Emily Wenzel — Tue, 09 Apr 2013 16:39:25 +0000

Stuffed full of cake and armed with a couple bottles of wine, we left the Rheingau and headed north again. After two weeks with family, H and I set off to visit a college friend. She lives in Bonn, and we hadn’t seen her since our wedding (which was over a year before our trip). She greeted us at the train station with hugs and an important question: would you like to go to the Haribo factory store? If you know me, you know I love my Haribo. Haribo is headquartered in Bonn and they have a huge store near their factory. I didn’t bring my camera in, but I snapped this with my phone and later posted it on Instagram. I was a kid in a candy store, in so many ways.

Pretty much every type of Haribo is at the store, and for cheaper than you’ll find anywhere else. It was about 0,75 Euro cents for a bag of gummi bears. We bought 8 bags of candy I think, for just about 8 Euro (some were more expensive). There is a section at the factory store where you can find specialty Haribo that is produced for other countries. We snagged some Haribo Panda bears that are made for the Chinese Market. Also, for 4 Euro, you can get a mystery box that is ~2 kilo of Haribo. You don’t know what’s in it, but it’s all Haribo goodies. I begged H to let me get one, but he said there wasn’t enough room in the suitcase. He was probably right. I would have eaten it all before we left, but my pants were already getting tight from all the cake! Besides our Haribo visit, we wandered cute little streets, visited the Bonn city center, and ate lots of food. I managed to not get a single photo of the three of us together and am still annoyed with myself. We left Bonn and headed to Koln (Cologne) for a quick stopover before changing trains to Berlin. We dashed out of the train station to visit the Kolner Dom and drink a proper Kolsh beer, On par for the rest of our trip, the Dom was under construction. Oh well! The last two images are from our train ride across Germany. It’s such a pretty and diverse nation.

Next up: a lovely little peek at my engagement shoot last weekend!