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Well received


Opening at the Strawn
Tiffany laughs with Marcy Patterson from The Source during the opening reception for the Warmowski Photography wedding photojournalism show at the Strawn. (Photo by Rob Leistra)

Thanks to all who came to our opening reception Saturday night at the Art Association of Jacksonville’s Strawn Art Gallery. We had a surprisingly big crowd for Easter weekend.

Thanks to all the Art Association volunteers who made the evening a success; and thanks to Kelly Gross for helping us get our work up beautifully. Thanks to all our brides & grooms who came out. Special thanks to Cynthia & Thomas Brannan (married New Year’s Day 2010) who favored us with a wonderful bottle of champagne; Helen & Ernie Downey (parents of 2006 bride Sarah Downey) who presented us with a bottle of personalized wine; and Tim Chipman (brother of Andrew Chipman whose rehearsal we photographed at the Bellerive Country Club in St. Louis) gave Tiffany a bouquet of tulips.

Our work will be up through the 25th, gallery hours are 4-6 pm Tuesday-Saturday and 1-3 pm Sunday. We’re excited to be the backdrop for the Beaux Arts Ball party, as well as the official photographers for the evening.

Strawn Art Gallery, artist talk
The crowd erupts with laughter during Steve & Tiffany's gallery talk. (Photo by Rob Leistra)
Talking at the Strawn
Tiffany talks with her grandmother, Ginger Hermon, during the opening reception. Also in the photo are Merle Fox (of Merle Fox Photography) and Joey Henry. (Photo by Rob Leistra)
Opening reception at the Strawn
Tiffany talks with her dad, Keith Hermon, during the opening reception. (Photo by Rob Leistra)

After the opening reception we moved on and up to our studio on the second floor of The Transfer Company Shops (across from Lonzeratti’s in Jacksonville). A couple more hours of fun and conversation, and some studio shots for everyone’s Facebook profiles.

Party at studio
Friends chat during an after-party at our studio following the opening reception for our April show at the Strawn.

Thanks to Rob Leistra, photographer extraordinaire at the Jacksonville Journal-Courier, for making photos of us as we greeted people at the opening. We photographed his wedding to Jenny Rose last year — ceremony at St. Patrick Church in Lemont, Illinois; reception at Ruffled Feathers Golf Club, Lemont. We’re always flattered when a fellow photographer chooses us to cover their wedding, and we appreciate him photographing our special event.

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Thanks to the Warmowskis from The Source

Kissing at midnight
Sherie Kording and Elias "Bubba" Trace ring in the New Year surrounded by friends at Hamilton's 110 North East. Photo by Steve/Warmowski Photography

This was published in the April 1-7, 2010 edition of The Source.

By Marcy Patterson

As many of you know, Tiffany Warmowski has been assisting us at the Source with our newspaper layout.
She stepped in as our guest editor during a difficult time, and we could not be more thankful for all she has done in this transitional period. Since meeting Tiffany and her husband Steve, I am wondering how I enjoyed my life prior to meeting them. They are wonderful people and treasures of our community. A familiar name in the area, the Warmowskis are involved in nearly all things good in Jacksonville. Photography, Spinning, fundraising, Rotary, Kiwanis – all around good citizenship. There will be a feature story covering Steve and Tiffany during May in the Source.
Until then, keep your eyes open for the Illinois Times 2010 Edition, Capital City Wedding Brochure. (I picked mine up at Lincoln Land Community College). The brochure, published annually, is filled with ideas and advertisements for the perfect Capital City wedding.
The featured photographs in the publication are provided by Steve and Tiffany Warmowski of Jacksonville, and many of the photos contain Jacksonville people and places.
Coming soon, stop in the Strawn Art Gallery, 221 West College Avenue, between April 3-25 where the Warmowskis will have their work, Wedding Photojournalism on display.
Please be sure to join them for an Opening Reception on April 3 from 6-8 pm, with a Gallery Talk at 6:30 that evening.
In addition, the couple will give a photojournalism lecture on Sunday April 11th at 3pm. For more information, or to sign up to attend the lecture, contact the gallery director at Strawnartgallery @verizon.net or call 217.243.9390.
Gallery hours are Sunday from 1-3 pm and Tuesday through Saturday 4-6 pm.
Other work to be showcased at the gallery in April includes Valerie Berta’s “Trailer with a View, Family Life with the Circus” Photography.
Please take the opportunity to see the hard work and dedication of these photographers and to enjoy a visit to Jacksonville’s Strawn Art Gallery.

Tiffany was a photojournalist and page designer at the Jacksonville Journal-Courier. She is enjoying her time helping Marcy and The Source.

This photo and others are on display at the Strawn Art Gallery in April.

Posted by Steve

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Wedding photojournalism show at the Strawn

Bride walks with bridesmaids in Washington Park, Springfield, Illinois
Jessica Sloan is accompanied by bridesmaids before her wedding to Tim Ervin at Washington Park in Springfield, Illinois. (Photo by Tiffany/WarmowskiPhotography.com)

The Art Association of Jacksonville has chosen Warmowski Photography to be the featured artists this month. Wow! A great honor and we’re very appreciative!

A selection of images will be on display through the month of April. It was hard to choose from all our weddings and all our favorite photos. We decided to focus on moments, and chose about 30 images (including the one above).

The exhibit kicks off with an opening reception 6-8 pm Saturday 3 April, with a Gallery Talk at 6:30 pm. The show runs through April 25th. Gallery hours are 4-6 pm Tuesday–Saturday and 1-3 pm Sunday.

Also featured in the show are images by Valérie Berta Torales. Valérie, who worked with us at the Jacksonville Journal-Courier, went out to photograph a circus in Beardstown. One thing led to another and she married the Peruvian acrobat she met that day. She and their two boys now follow him on the road, and their travels are chronicled in her blog The Mud Show Diaries. Valérie shares our love of photojournalism, and we wanted to include her in the show. She’s at work on a book project themed “it takes a circus to raise a child.” We were hoping she would come, but the circus is in Arkansas right now and it’s too much to break away.

Stories have appeared in the Jacksonville Journal-Courier, The Source (more to come on The Source story . . .) and is listed in the Illinois Times calendar.

Posted by Steve

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Now on Facebook

Sorry! We created our blog last year, and we haven’t been very good at posting! This winter we’ve been busy with friends, family and volunteering — we promise to get back on our horse and start blogging again!

Along those lines, Tiffany has created a Warmowski Photography page on Facebook, which we hope to use as another way to keep up with our brides (past, present and future).

Posted by Steve

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Making a statement with custom stationary

On October 18, 2009, Steve and I will be photographing the wedding of Jamie Greenberg and Dave Arlin. Jamie is a graphic designer and owns her own business. She gave me a few samples of her work and I am happy to photograph and showcase them here on my blog. She has designed all of her and Dave’s wedding stationary, including the save-the-date cards, rehearsal dinner invitations and thank-you notes for her bridesmaids. You can see photos of theses below. There are also two other examples of thank-you notes for bridesmaids. I’m looking forward to seeing the invitation and other stationary she’s created for her big day. I love the idea of tying together your wedding and corresponding events with a common thread that continues throughout each piece of correspondence.

During her engagement photo session, she told me about the swans she chose to use as a main design feature in her and Dave’s wedding stationary. My mind immediately when to the 80s-era swan “art” that I saw displayed in a friend’s home when I was a kid. I couldn’t imagine how one could make swans into something chic. But Jamie did – and it’s fabulous! It’s not at all cheesy, like the swans of my youth, but is instead art deco – and like nothing I’ve ever seen. Nothing cheesy about it!

I remember looking and looking for the perfect wedding invitations for our wedding 8 years ago. I settled on something that I was reasonably happy with (had swans on it, now that I think back). But I wonder what I might have ended up with had I described my ideas to a graphic artist.

I have so enjoyed working with Jamie so far, and I’m sure you will, too. Take a look at her fabulous website – including the pet stationary. And enjoy the photos of her work shown below.

Can’t wait until the big day, Jamie!

Stationary copyright Jamie Lynn Designs. Photos copyright Warmowski Photography. Save-the-date cards, rehearsal dinner invitations and 3 variations of thank-you cards for the bridesmaids.

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Decor like never before

Emily Scobbie & Cliff Bumgarner, of Jacksonville, Illinois, were one of the first couples to use the MacMurray College dining hall for their reception. I, personally, spent 4 years eating breakfast, lunch and dinner in this dining hall. I walked into this building the day of Emily & Cliff’s wedding and I didn’t recognize the place. It looked AMAZING. The florist had draped fabric between the chandlers, the chairs were covered, the water glasses had hot pink napkins in them! The place had been transformed into an elegant, beautiful hall worthy of a wedding reception.

I know a LOT of work went into the decorating. And Emily’s mom, Joni, was the orchestrator of it all. The place was transformed and Joni, with help from family & friends, gave her daughter a wonderful wedding gift.

Emily & Cliff's reception decorations were amazing - and the result of a lot of work by Emily, her mom, Joni, and many others. Here is a view of McClelland Dining Hall all decked out for the party.
Emily & Cliff's reception decorations were amazing - and the result of a lot of work by Emily, her mom, Joni, and many others. Here is a view of McClelland Dining Hall all decked out for the party.
Emily & Cliff chose hot pink and yellow for their colors. Here you can see the menu cards and napkins set on the table ready for guest at McClelland Dining Hall, MacMurray College, Jacksonville, IL.
Emily & Cliff chose hot pink and yellow for their colors. Here you can see the menu cards and napkins set on the table ready for guests at McClelland Dining Hall, MacMurray College, Jacksonville, IL.
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Something for everyone

A couple of weddings we photographed recently have had special places for the kids to be … well, kids.

Emily Scobbie & Cliff Bumgarner provided their littlest guests with a room with snacks, movies, games and lots of little things to do while the "big kids" have their fun in the ballroom at MacMurray College in Jacksonville, Illinois.
Emily Scobbie & Cliff Bumgarner provided their littlest guests with a room with snacks, movies, games and lots of little things to do while the "big kids" have their fun in the ballroom at MacMurray College in Jacksonville, Illinois.
Kiddos play games at Emily & Cliff's wedding reception at MacMurray in Jacksonville, Illinois.
Kiddos play games at Emily & Cliff's wedding reception at MacMurray in Jacksonville, Illinois.
Laura Herrel & Tim Gaber had a kids' table at their reception in Champaign-Urbana complete with personalized wedding cake cookies.
Laura Herrel & Tim Gaber had a kids' table at their reception in Champaign-Urbana complete with personalized wedding cake cookies.
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Who's in charge?

Christy & Craig, of New Orleans, had 2 of their closest friends, Tim (Christy’s friend from high school) & Kevin (Craig’s college friend and roommate), officiate their outdoor ceremony in rural Jacksonville, IL. Neither Tim nor Kevin were ordained when they were asked by their friends to officiate the wedding, but by the day of the wedding, both had gone through on-line courses and were licensed to perform marriages in Illinois.

They were given no specific instructions by the couple as to what they should talk about – and each told personal and humorous (though not embarrassing) stories about their friend. The first-time officiants elicited both laughs and tears from the couple and those in attendance.

Tim (left) and Kevin were both first-time officiants and their friends' wedding in rural Jacksonville, IL. 17 July 2009.
Tim (left) and Kevin were both first-time officiants at their friends' wedding in rural Jacksonville, IL. 17 July 2009.
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Favors – Christy & Craig

Christy Heaton & Craig Beebe, of New Orleans, La., offered fans to the guests of their outdoor ceremony in rural Jacksonville, IL. on 17 July 2009.
Christy Heaton & Craig Beebe, of New Orleans, La., offered fans to the guests of their outdoor ceremony in rural Jacksonville, IL. on 17 July 2009.
Four kinds of cigars were placed inside the door of the ballroom at Hamilton's 110 North East in Jacksonville, IL.
Four kinds of cigars were placed inside the door of the ballroom at Hamilton's 110 North East in Jacksonville, IL.
Cigar smoking became a social event for the guys outside Hamilton's 110 North East in Jacksonville, IL.
Cigar smoking became a social event for the guys outside Hamilton's 110 North East in Jacksonville, IL.
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Vow variation

Allison and Eric wrote and spoke their own vows which included addressing the other one’s parents. During the vows part of the ceremony, Allison spoke her vows to Eric, then they both turned and Allison thanked Eric’s parents for welcoming her into their family and for raising such a good son. Eric spoke his vows to Allison and then turned and addressed Allison’s parents as well.

allisoneric0698
Allison addresses Eric's parents during their wedding ceremony on Sunday, May 24, 2009, in the garden of Allison's family home in Jacksonville, Illinois. WarmowskiPhotography.com

I know the parents were surprised and honored at being acknowledged by their children’s new spouse and I don’t think there was a dry parental eye in the garden.

allisoneric0708
The mother of the groom wipes away a tear as Allison addresses Eric's parents during their wedding ceremony on Sunday, May 24, 2009, in the garden of Allison's family home in Jacksonville, Illinois. WarmowskiPhotography.com