When Lisa Burns reflects on her daughter, Sophie’s, and son, Benjamin’s, B’nai Mitzvah, held last March, she feels like the day was a dream. As seems to happen with every family milestone celebration, their B’nai Mitzvah (a term that applies to a Jewish ceremony including two boys, or one boy and one girl), and party after, was a day that went by in a flash. Thankfully, the Burns have treasured photographs from AMC Photography Studios to prove that the day truly did happen. “At the end of the day, after all the planning and attention I put into the details, all I have are the memories and the pictures,” says Lisa. “Pictures were really important to me. That’s why picking the right photographer was crucial.”

Finding the Perfect Photographer: AMC Photography Studios

Ann Marie Casey, founder and principal photographer of AMC Photography Studios in Bryn Mawr, turned out to be the ideal match for the Burns’ children’s monumental day. “My husband and I had known Ann Marie for years through the Main Line business community,” says Lisa, who is a realtor on the Main Line, and whose husband Jack owns an architectural firm in Ardmore. “We were all members of the Ardmore Business Association.” Ann Marie impressed the Burns not only with her business acumen, but also with her talent as a professional photographer. As a bonus, Ann Marie also came highly recommended by friends and family who had previously used her services.

Two Decades of Capturing Family Milestones

AMC Photography is currently in its 20th anniversary year in business. Ann Marie, along with her team of photographers, specialize in event and commercial photography working with clients both locally on the Main Line and surrounding region, as well as nationally. Two decades equates to countless satisfied clients who have invited AMC to photograph some of the most important days in their families lives. “We document the client’s story through our approach to photographing events,” Casey explains. “It’s all about the families.”

A Seamless Photography Experience

The Burns family’s positive experience working with AMC reflected that approach. “The entire process working with Ann Marie just felt seamless and easy,” says Lisa. “I didn’t worry the entire day about anything regarding the photography.” Ann Marie streamlines the process of ensuring she gets all the right shots on the day of with a detailed questionnaire she sends to clients prior to the event. “The entire day was outlined for me in that questionnaire,” says Lisa. “So all I had to do was fill in the names of the people I wanted in the photos.” Events like the Burns’ B’nai bring together members of the family who are not always together creating a rare opportunity to obtain memorable photographs.

Capturing Every Moment: From Ceremony to Celebration

The Burns requested that Ann Marie take formal photos of Benjamin and Sophie, along with formal family portraits, pre-ceremony at the family’s temple, Main Line Reform. “The synagogue has strict rules that photographers have to adhere to which wasn’t a problem for Ann Marie,” says Lisa. “She had a very short period of time to get a lot of pictures taken and she did it.” Since the temple prohibits photos during the ceremony, Ann Marie went to the venue—the restaurant Twenty One Pips in Ardmore—to capture pre-party shots of décor and details like centerpieces and favors. “We didn’t have a country club celebration,” says Lisa. “We wanted a very kid-focused, fun party and that’s what we wanted the pictures to reflect.” Candid shots of friends and family enjoying the evening were exactly what Ann Marie delivered.

One part of the celebration that Burns absolutely wanted documented was the candle lighting ceremony. The candle lighting ceremony allowed Benjamin and Sophie to honor the people who have had a positive impact on their lives by having them light a candle. “I was able to give Ann Marie all of the names of the people who were being called up so she knew ahead of time who we needed pictures of,” says Lisa. “She got them all.” Other cherished shots featured the Burns’ children with all of their fellow middle school friends. “I don’t know how she does it, but Ann Marie makes it like she’s not even at the party,” says Lisa. “She never was a distraction at all throughout the entire day.”

Creating Lasting Memories: Photo Albums as Family Heirlooms

Assembling these precious photographs into albums for each of her children is next on Lisa’s to-complete list. “These photo albums will be heirlooms that my children will have for the rest of their lives,” says Lisa. “Absolutely gorgeous photos of a beautiful day.”

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