317-409-1801

May 2008

So many of you have seen Olivia & Wessel's album – either the online album link on our website or the sample album we still have in our office from their wedding. Well, they moved to Amsterdam after the wedding and I received an e-mail from them about an educational project they're starting in Mozambique. Check this out & see if you can help them reach their goal! 🙂

Dear Family and Friends,
 
We are pleased to inform you that you have been selected to join us in one of our new adventures – bringing about change!  Reading this email will not take long and we hope you will find the time to support our simple cause….
 
Our dream was born in Egypt over a year ago and has been evolving over the last few months while traveling to developing countries.  You might recall some pictures of Olivia and I being led up the Sinai Mountains on camels by two young smiling Egyptian boys.  While we were trekking up the mountain, their uncle was preparing a local meal of mezze and chicken which we enjoyed later that evening while admiring the African sun setting against the backdrop of the Red Sea.  The experience was unforgettable.  The evening’s conversation later exposed the limited future these two boys were facing due to their lack of education.  Our nudging conscience made it increasingly difficult to wash down the meal with the two-liter coke they brought along for us to enjoy.  We vividly recall their smiles as we said goodbye that night, thanking them sincerely and watching them eagerly as they walked into the night laughing and bragging about the 2 Egyptian Pounds (about 37 US cents) we sheepishly gave them as a token of our appreciation – if only we could do more….
 
A recent trip to Mozambique was yet another of several similar experiences that kick-started our idea of bringing about change.  We witnessed “firsthand” some of the devastating conditions in this beautiful country.  Due to its location, Mozambique is prone to natural disasters, including cyclones and floods and it has one of the highest malaria related casualty rates in the world.  In the 1990’s it emerged from 2 decades of civil war and until very recently has been ranked the poorest country in the world.  Its income per capita is roughly US$310, life expectancy is set at 37 years and about 60% of children live below the poverty line.  A more startling fact is that approximately 50% of its 20 million population is children – roughly 20% being orphaned as a result of past wars and its high AIDS/HIV casualty rate.  On average, one in five children is severely deprived of education (i.e. has never been to a school or are not attending school) – this statistic becomes increasingly alarming as you move into the rural areas and can be as high as one in every two children.
 
Education is one of the most powerful instruments for reducing childhood poverty and inequality.  The importance of education – particularly primary education – in advancing economic and social development and in reducing poverty is well documented.  Recent findings suggest that educational improvements over the period 1999- 2004 accounted for 13.9% of economic growth in Mozambique.
 
To help bring about change we envision contributing books and establishing an Information Center in Mozambique.  This Center will potentially include a library and computer center with basic English and computer skills training, primarily for children in the Zambezi Province (northern Mozambique).  Our goal is to establish, in coalition with the local community, governmental and non-governmental organizations, a safe and informative environment where all children can go to read and learn.
 
How can you help:
  • Find as many English or Portuguese books to include in a library as you can possibly lay your hands on, for example; educational books that are fun: science, geography, math, world history; children's storybooks; easy novels for older children; ABC and 123 books.
  • Send or drop-off the books at the hubs listed below with your contact details attached.  (Thanks to our parents whom we nominated as custodians of the books in the USA and South Africa—we love you!).
  • If you don’t have any books, slip a cash donation in an envelope and we will either buy books in bulk at a discounted rate or use it to help cover the largest expense – shipping costs.
  • Forward this email to all your friends and family – we all have old books lying around which we no longer read or that the kids have outgrown.
  • Donate spare frequent flyer miles to help cover the high traveling costs to Mozambique.
 
Olivia and I will, in return, take a few months leave of absence during the summer to organize, ship and categorize the books and work in Mozambique to establish a self-sustainable Information Center for the children.
 
We strongly believe that this simple cause will bring about an enormous change in the lives and future of the children, many whom have never opened a book before.  We all want to and can make a difference!  Please help us grasp this opportunity to help the children of Mozambique by aiming to accumulate 10,000 books by the end of July 2008.
 
Good luck – we look forward to keeping you updated!
 
Warm Regards,
Wessel and Olivia.
 
“Education enhances lives.  It lifts children and their future families out of poverty and provides the basis for sustainable development” – UNICEF Annual Report Mozambique.
 
Hub Addresses:
 
USA
Al Hardymon
1327 Pauls Drive
Greenfield, IN 46140
USA.
 
South Africa
Wessel and Joey Booysen
28 Fourth Street
Marlands
1401
South Africa
 
The Netherlands
Wessel and Olivia Booysen
Wouwerman Straat 24/3
Amsterdam
1071 LZ
 

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Charities, Personal

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We photographed Andrea & Jason's wedding at Our Lady of Mount Carmel and their reception at The Bridgewater Club on 5/3! Andrea used Chris Cromwell of Bloomz Florals for her flowers and they were SO gorgeous!! Here's Chris delivering the bridesmaids bouquets to the dressing room that afternoon. (Above) I always walk around the dressing room to see what kind of details and memorable things I can photograph when I first arrive…I found this on the dressing room table…so sad but so sweet!!

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Andrea had the bridesmaids sign the bottom of her shoes in a blue marker for her "something blue"….loved it!! 🙂  

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The bridesmaids were admiring her after she got in the dress, they were SUCH a fun group to photograph and from what I've heard, a LOT of them are blog stalkers now!! 🙂 (Hi ladies!!!) 🙂  

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LOVED her flowers!! 

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Jason proposed to Andrea at a Dave Barnes concert so I definitely wanted some shots of their rings on his CD! 🙂  

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And here's our handsome groom, Jason!  

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Another awesome petal toss exit!  

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So cute!! 

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LOL!! You all know I'll do anything for a good shot! 😉 Yes, I was shooting in the men's restroom (and no, there wasn't anyone else in there) LOL 

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Here's Lauren giving her awesome speech!  

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Jason & his mom…so sweet!! 

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The bouquet toss…isn't Andrea adorable?! 🙂  

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The groom's grandparents won the anniversary dance for the longest married couple in attendance, aren't they so cute?! I LOVE these next two shots!!! 

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Halfway through dancing I looked outside and noticed some AMAZING sunlight hitting the opposing buildings. I immediately ran outside to see what kind of sunset we had because as a photographer, when you see that golden light you just have to take advantage of it!! 🙂 These ended up being some of my favorite shots of them from the whole day!!

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LOVE IT!!! Doesn't Andrea look GORGEOUS?!? 🙂 (Karen Hall & Co did her hair & make-up)

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LOL 

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Melissa got this one as I was posing them for a more fashion-oriented shot…I loved it! 

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I've driven by the Bridgewater Club at night SO many times and it's so pretty lit up at night right after sunset. I've always thought that if I ever shot a wedding there, this was a shot I wanted to get – yeah, I'm a photo dork but that's ok! LOL 

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And this is a little out of order but check out her AWESOME centerpieces!! Chris really did an AMAZING job on the flowers!!

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Thanks for a great time that day, everyone was so nice & helpful and we had SO much fun at your wedding!! 🙂 More pics coming soon!! 

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Wedding, Wedding Tips & Trends

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I thought I'd post some personal pictures in between all of these client photo shoots! 🙂 After Keri & Brad's engagement session, John & I headed over to Hollyhock Hill to celebrate a double birthday celebration for my step-mom's parents. Grammie & Gramdad are so cute together, check out some of my favorites!

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Awww!!! 

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Classic Cakes did a fantastic job on both of their cakes as always! 🙂 

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My step-mom and dad together after dinner…. 

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And we took some pictures outside of the restaurant afterwards, happy birthday you two!! 🙂 

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The next week, I had the honor of photographing dad's new head shot for the 2008 Notre Dame Fantasy Football Camp program. This was definitely my favorite! He even wore his blue ND jersey for the occasion!

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And as many of you know, I was recently nominated for the Starkey Entrepreneurial Woman Award. Last Friday morning they honored 17 finalists at an awards breakfast at the Eiteljorg museum. I was up against some AMAZING women with some AMAZING stories, and even though I didn't win this year we still had a great time. Jannett Keesling from Keys to Work, Inc. won the award this year by helping over 8,000 people get out of the welfare system. WOW! How could I even compete with that?! LOL Anyway, I just wanted to congratulate her on an awesome job!! 🙂 

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John took some pics of me with my mom afterwards…mom got her hair cut short again, I love it! Isn't it cute?! 

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And he took one of me & dad together!  

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Thanks you guys for always supporting me and my business!! Love you all!! XOXO 

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Personal

Today is my BFF Karen's wedding anniversary…she & Jim were married last year and were featured on my website/blog. Many of you actually know of her or have booked her for your wedding day hair & make-up needs. (She owns Karen Hall & Company) Well, her husband Jim deployed to Afghanistan a few months ago and they will be spending this anniversary apart. 🙁 I'm sure she would love to receive some well wishes from all of my blog readers though so feel free to wish them a happy anniversary!! ([email protected])

Also, our 5 year anniversary is coming up THIS SATURDAY! I can't believe John & I have already been married for five years! WOW 🙂  We will be out of the office from tomorrow-Sunday for a weekend getaway, just FYI…we will return all calls/emails on Monday upon our return and I'll try to set up the blog posts to continue posting while we're away. We'll see if it works! 😉

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Personal