Seattle is a fun city & I was lucky enough to make a day trip up for Kelly & Chad’s engagements in May. While I was driving towards downtown for their engagement shoot, I turned on the radio & Owl City’s, “Hello, Seattle” was playing. So I did what I normally do when awesome songs play on the radio at the perfect time…I blasted the radio, rolled down the windows & sang at the top of my lungs. Call me crazy but it was fabulous.

I just realized that I haven’t posted any of my personal photographs from my trip! So here are just a few of my favorites…

I am going to be honest here. Like really honest. I think I live in one of the most under-rated cities in America. I have lived here for almost five years & there are so, sooooooo many things I love about living here. I love the fact that San Francisco is just a short drive away. I love that within 10 miles of our home, there are over 6,500 amazing restaurants (which really plays in my favor since I hate cooking), I love the people, the foggy mornings, the saxophone music by the BART stations, the Oakland A’s, Arizmendi pizza, Ici Ice Cream, the art, the Trader Joes just down the street from my house…everything! I am happy to say that “I Hella <3 Oakand.” And if you lived here, I think you’d hella <3 it too.

I had a fun little photo excursion to downtown Oakland with two of my favorite gal pals the other evening & we took some fun photographs. Downtown Oakland is filled with awesome  color, Art Deco Architecture & my favorite, favorite cathedral everrrrr, The Cathedral of Christ the Light. The architecture of the cathedral is literally mind-blowing. Seriously-someone please (pretty, pretty please) get married there & hire me as your photographer-I’d be in heaven! Enough rambling-here are my favorites from our quick little jaunt to downtown…

What things do you hella <3 about where you live? Spill the beans!

The Cathedral of Christ the Light is so amazing. The architecture blows my mind…

Maybe it’s because she sees me working on photographs of brides. Maybe it’s the Disney movies she loves watching where everyone lives “Happily Ever After.” Maybe it’s because every Saturday I tell her I’m on my way to a wedding. Whatever it is, Hadley has recently been talking about getting married. It’s kind of funny. The other night I had bought an artichoke so she went & put on a pretty dress, picked up the artichoke & said, “Look at me! I’m getting married!” It was adorable.

Watch out-this girl knows how to work the camera.

She is vivacious. Sweet. Bossy. Funny. Smart. Perfect. She is the perfect little bundle of happiness & I’m lucky enough to claim her as my sweet little girl. And she is by far the most gorgeous, perfect & fabulous person I will ever capture with my lens. And I love her with all my heart.

Yesterday I got Hadley all dolled up & took her on a little photo shoot. This is such a sweet & darling age & I wanted to capture her in all of her curiosity & sweetness. Here’s Hadley in all of her 2.5 year old glory….

Oh please. Seriously-I want to squeeze those chubby cheeks.

Love.LOVE.LOVE this photograph.

It’s something that I am never ashamed to admit. And if you’ve ever spent time with me or if you follow my blog, you know that I have a problem. Like a really, really big problem. I love candy & sweets in all their shapes & forms. A little too much. I love being an adult & being able to buy candy whenever I want. I love having a candy drawer at my house that Sam thinks is my “baking drawer”. It’s filled to the brim with chocolates, bags of marshmallows & other yumminess. I love, love candy. Especially seasonal candy. If you read my blog you KNOW that it’s rare for me to write a whole blog post without mentioning a Cadbury bunny egg or candy corn. See? I told you. It’s a problem.

I got home yesterday & there was a package on my front door stop from my fabulously fabulous client Nicole. Inside was a thank you note & this…

Not one but TWO packages of Cadbury Bunny Eggs? I DIED ON THE SPOT. How on earth do I have such fabulous clients? Here’s a note to all my future clients: this behavior is totally accepted by me. If you ever want to butter me up & make me a happy camper, follow Nicole’s suit & buy me some candy!

I’m almost positive that my sweet tooth is genetic because I think that Hadley might have it, as well…See? Hadley ain’t ashamed of her love for sweets, either!

Over the weekend I was able to be in Wendy Paul’s kitchen to photograph cookies for her upcoming cookbook. I nibbled the delicious cookies in between shots & I am so excited to work on the rest of these photos! Can you say delicious?

I hope your Wednesday is filled with all things sweet! xoxo, marielle.

Fridays are always fabulous, in my opinion. Even though the rain is pounding outside my window & the sky is dark & moody, I’m feeling pretty fabulous. Maybe it’s because I just had a Cadbery Bunny Egg. Actually, this Friday is exceptionally fab because I am heading out to Utah for the weekend for two wonderful things:

This fabulous couple’s wedding…

Remember the cupcake cookbook? Well, Wendy Paul has been a busy gal in the kitchen working on an upcoming cookie cookbook. Can you say delish? I am so excited (and honored!) to be able to photograph her delicious creations for her new cookbook while I’m in Utah!

Just looking at this photo of her cupcakes makes me even more excited…and hungry! If her cookies are even half as good as her cupcakes, then I am in for a big treat!

And just because I want to, here’s a photo I took this morning of gorgeous blossoms. Spring is magnificent.

Happy Friday, everyone! What are your plans for a fabulous weekend? Please spill!

There is just something about Friday that makes me want to jump up & down, sing at the top of my lungs & put on my most fabulous sequined shirt. The only problem is…which sequined shirt do I wear? There are quite a few of them in my closet so it might be hard to narrow it down…

I’m grateful for all things fabulous & thought I’d share some things that I feel give my simple life a little oomph.

* Cadberry Bunny Eggs. If you follow me on Twitter or on Facebook, you know I have a problem. Like a huge addiction with Cadberry Bunny Eggs. The creamy, dreamy goodness is just heavenly & I love, love, love them! They are fab.u.lous. I know there are other Cadberry addicts out there so don’t hate!

* My 50mm 1.4 lens. This lens just makes me happy. I love the bokeh, I love how fast it is in low light situations & I just can’t live my life without it. Simple as that.

* Being happy with who I am. Seriously.  So what if I don’t cook dinner every night? So what if I talk waaaaay too loud? Who cares if I just happen to mix plaids with stripes? I can say that being myself & being okay with who I am is a liberating, fabulous thing. Start being happy with who you are & you’ll feel the same!

* Formspring. I just signed up on a fab website called Formspring where you can ask me questions & I answer them. They don’t all have to be photography related. I think it could be a great way for friends & clients to get to know yours truly! If you have any burning questions for me, please ask away! www.formspring.me/mariellehayes

* Hadley. Seriously. This girl is only two, but I think she has a pretty good idea about how rock it out like a celebrity. See below.

When I woke up this morning, my mind was filled with things I am grateful for. For my life, my health, my sweetheart of a daughter & my fabulous, wonderful husband. I am very blessed in my life & thought I would share some simple things I am grateful for…

* Friends. I have such good, wonderful friends. I am so lucky to surround myself with creative, thoughtful & fabulous friends. And I’m glad that my friends want to be friends with ME-despite my annoying jokes & loud, overbearing personality.

* Cereal. Sounds corny, but my day WILL NOT START until I have a bowl of cereal. Any kind, any brand, any flavor. I don’t hate on any type of cereal except for Grape Nuts. Once I have my morning bowl, I am a happy camper & ready for the day!

* California Academy of Sciences…sounds like a weird thing to be grateful for but SERIOUSLY! This place is amazing-I love everything there from the rain forest, the multitude of exhibits with incredible fish & even the collection of Andy Warhol prints. This place is architecturally incredible & going there is such a learning experience. I love to take Hadley there & hear her talk about the “white alligator” and the “purple oppopus (octopus)” Love, love this place.

* Hope. We’ve had some lessons at church about hope & I’m grateful to have hope & faith in myself, in others & in the future that lies ahead. I’m grateful for God who gives me that hope every single day.

* Pandora. Sometimes I feel like my work experience wouldn’t be half as enjoyable if I wasn’t listening to my awesome playlists on my computer. Right now I’m rockin out to a Rhianna playlist. And I’m planning on listening to my Boston playlist later on. Pandora, I worship you.

* I’m grateful for the fact that my 2 year old has worn her pink tutu every.single.day this entire week. It makes me grateful that she has an appreciation for all things fabulous.

* My family. Seriously. They are awesome.

There are so many things I am grateful for & this year I’ve decided that I want to spend more time being thankful. Even if it is for the silly things in life. And because no post is good without a photograph, here’s a photo of Hadley being lazy & amazingly adorable.

I love this photograph I took of Hadley last week. She is at such a fun age right now. Learning to be independent…getting more & more excited about the great big world around her & just becoming sweeter every single day. Can you tell I love this girl to pieces?

To call it fabulous would be a total understatement. 2009 has been a amazingly fabulous year-I have been able to take part in sooooooooooo many wonderful things. From photographing a cupcake cookbook to photographing families & gorgeous weddings, I have been so blessed. I have been able to spend my time with inspiring, wonderful & beautiful people who have opened their hearts to me. The clients I’ve had this year were nothing short of awesome. I am blessed to have met all of my clients I have had this year & I consider each of them my dear friends. My clients have all helped me develop my talent & create my artistic vision & I am so grateful for each & every one of them. I am happy to have been able to capture the love, happiness & joy of all of my clients this year.

Here are my favorite photographs from 2009…may 2010 bring many more wonderful memories & fabulousness! With love & appreciation to all of my incredible clients of 2009….xoxo, marielle.

Which ones are your favorites?