Photography by Betsy

Huntley Wedding | Chris & Mary

2012-02-11T14:09:00.002-06:00

Chris & Mary. :) These two have such a raw and genuine love for each other. I first met Mary at her brother's wedding in Richmond, Virginia. You might recognize her in this. haha She's the one right in the middle of the bride and groom. ;)

Chris & Mary met while rock climbing, so it was only appropriate that Chris proposed to her by slipping his grandma's ring on the ropes while climbing. :) The Huntley wedding took place near Camp Verde in Arizona on a gorgeous ranch. They got married under a beautiful yellow tree along a creek, and the rest of the day consisted of an incredible dinner, yard games, and great conversation.

I just love Chris & Mary and their sweet families. One of my favorite things about this couple is the way Chris ALWAYS plays with Mary's hair. Ahh. Love it.

View rehearsal pictures (ON A TRAIN) here.

Before the wedding, Mary's mom told me not to take pictures of her crying like I did at the last wedding. ;) I kindly refused. This was her reaction during the ceremony.

Apparently, it was the cool thing to hold your kids upside down for a picture. :D

Fraley-Nowacek Wedding | Matthew & Jennifer

2012-01-29T15:50:00.002-06:00

There are so many unforgettable quotes from this day. I can't even begin to tell you how special this wedding was, and to photograph it was an absolute honor. My day began by capturing a morning coffee date between Jennifer and her dad. Every Friday morning, they meet at Starbuck's for breakfast and just spend time together, but this Friday morning was different. His only daughter was getting married.

Matthew is GREAT!! He's a passionate, thoughtful, loyal, wear-your-heart-on-your-sleeve kind of guy, and he meshes perfectly with Jennifer. He is happiest when he sees Jennifer happy, and that quality, not only makes the bride happy, but also makes a photographer happy. ;)

Weddings are a celebration, NO DOUBT, but I love when a wedding focuses on the decision and commitment being made. During the bridal luncheon, a few women were sharing their marriage advice and even talking about their own marriages. Here are a few I wrote down:

"If I honor him, it ALLOWS him to love me."

"We've been married for 34 years and the last 4 have been the best years of our marriage.. We try to outdo each other in honoring/serving each other."

Engagements. Bridals. Wedding:

hahah.. For anyone who went to Trinity in elementary, you can understand this picture.. the hand sign.. the blue awning. :D

"Nor will they say, ‘See here!’ or ‘See there!’ For indeed, the kingdom of God is within you.” Luke 17:21

Successful day. :)

Kyle & Jenna | Engaged

2012-01-26T17:54:00.001-06:00

Most of my couples know that I start off an engagement shoot with the simple command: "just smile for now". The reason I do this is because I'm not that awesome in front of the camera, and the LEAST intimidating thing to do for a photo is to just look into the lens and smile. As the engagement shoot carries on, the couple realizes they're just hanging out with each other, and they eventually get comfortable just being sweet to each other. ;) Directions like "touch his face" and "play with her hair" become simple and comfortable tasks. At the start of this shoot, I asked Kyle & Jenna to look at the camera and just smile. Next, I asked them to look at each other... annnnd BOOM! TEARS... uhh.. I got teary eyed. I couldn't believe we had just started the shoot, and they were already crying by just looking into each other's eyes. They're thankful for each other, and that was their first way to express it. So cool to witness. :)

Kyle is an old friend and always so great to be around. Here are some photos of him when he graduated from college. Now he's getting married to the gorgeous Jenna Peters with the most beautiful dark eyes. They laugh so much together. Kyle always hid his face when he started laughing. hah I love it. Looook:

Alexandra Nanny | Life

2012-01-23T00:31:00.001-06:00

This girl is precious to me. I can't wait to spend time with her in Las Vegas for WPPI. Hurry up February 16th!!

Martinez Wedding | Daniel & Logan

2012-01-20T17:14:00.001-06:00

I bet you recognize these sweeeeet faces from their engagement session. Logan laughed a lot on the engagement session, so you can imagine how much she laughed on the day she married her best friend. :D Her silliness and infinite amount of energy kept the day fun. With sisters as bridesmaids, cultural traditions, precious families, and a little Justin Bieber for the reception playlist, you can't go wrong.
One of my favorite moments of the day was a silly one, but I think it's worth sharing:
I started the day photographing some girls getting their hair done at a salon. I said hi to Logan and then met sister number one. Her name was Erin, and by the way Erin & Logan bantered back and forth, I could tell immediately that the "Gregory sisters" were close. After all hair was 'foofed' and primped, Erin walked out the door, waved goodbye to Logan, and said, "See ya later Skippy." to which Logan quickly replied, "Byebye Hoo-Ha."
Hahah I died laughing and asked Logan why they call each other those nicknames. She looked at me with a funny face: "What nicknames??" I knew I didn't imagine them calling each other Skippy and Hoo-Ha because those are pretty unique names, so I repeated my question to her. She said, "Oh, those aren't nicknames. I don't know why we called each other those names."

The day ended with a lot of dancing, a lot of laughing, a lot of happy tears, and Daniel sitting and watching his energy-filled bride twirl in her wedding dress on the dance floor. Nothing could have wiped that smile off his face. :D Take a look!

This day was filled with gold and reds. :) Mmm.. wonderful.

Logan's dad did the ceremony. Perfect.

The bridesmaids carried old Bibles with antique broaches on them.

hahaha. NOT my idea. ;)

I could not get enough of this ring.

The wedding bands were gold. LOVE IT.

You could smell these cupcakes over a mile away.

Y.M.C.A.

Drury & Tara | First Christmas

2012-01-20T17:12:00.000-06:00

Remember these faces? Drury and Tara got married last July and called me up for some "first Christmas" photos. They brought their precious dogs who toughed it out in the cold like we did. Oh, and they brought a wedding photo with them. Tara went brunette for the time-being. I love it.

Brock Wedding | Brett & Brittany

2012-01-19T23:51:00.004-06:00

Brett & Brittany is that ideal couple/client a photographer dreams of. They each have a personality that is so distinguishable. When they came up in conversation with others, their titles naturally became "Rocker bride" and "Killer hair groom". With Brett's grit and Brittany's quirkiness, the wedding day details fell in place without flaw. The Rock'n'Roll theme was a HIT.. and made for hilarious puns out of Brittany's witty mouth throughout the day:
"You rock.. Get it? You ROCK.. Like rock. Bahah, I'm so punny!" ;)
I love shooting a wedding day surrounded by people who have read my previous blog posts because after I photograph a funny face or hear a hilarious quotable quote, I hear "Please don't blog that." Haha. I'll respect the request this time only, but just know, my dear blog readers, this was one of the most quotable wedding days yet.
Most memorable part of the night for me was Brett & Brittany's first dance. They SANG a sweet song by Ingrid Michaelson together with Brett on the guitar, and then joined on the dance floor during the chorus. It was perfect.
So take a look at these photos, and hopefully you'll get a little taste of how fun this wedding day was. Oh yeah... Did I mention the reception had a FLASHMOB?!??!

Sooooo.. I had to do this for these two images. I just couldn't resist. Brett's mom is awesome, and this was her little pre-wedding jig. ;)

Maid of Honor toast: "3 things a girl needs: a credit card that someone else pays the bill for, a closet full of shoes, and someone who they can call, and when you tell them the sky is falling, they tell you that they'll be there to hold it up for you."

This is the reaction to the flash mob. :) So great.

And thanks again to my wonderful second shooter, Alexandra Nanny. Here are a couple of my favorite shots of hers from the day:

The Kaufman's | Family

2012-01-01T23:42:00.001-06:00

You might remember these adorable faces from last year. When I heard from Cayce (Mom) this year asking if I could take their family pictures again, I was ecstatic! It was so much fun to see how much the kiddos had grown in a year. If you compare blog posts, it's pretty crazy how much they have changed. The funny thing? SAME personalities. I love that. Cydnie, Nic, and Cecily have not strayed from who they are. This year, I was able to snap a few sweet ones of Mom & Dad as well. :) Look at this sweet family:

Emily Holland | Portraits

2011-12-25T16:52:00.001-06:00

Meet Emily!! I went to highschool with her older brother who is currently going to school in North Carolina (jealous), and I bumped into the whole family at a wedding the Summer before last. Emily wanted some pictures as a freshman in highschool. I mean... why not?! Why wait until you're a senior? The cool part? When she gets her senior pictures done in 3.5 years, she can see how much she's changed. This is the boldest move I've ever made in a blog post, but here's a picture of me my freshman year of highschool and a picture of me now. Wowza.

Emily is the furthest thing from my awkward freshman self. She's poised, gentle, sweet, and quite the model. :) Take a look:

So happy we caught the Fall leaves before the freeze.

Favorite set.

I dare you to put your forearm on your head and just relax. So comfortable. (hah. I'm doing it right now.)

Mom, watching from inside the car. :D

Bobby & Erin | Engaged

2011-12-05T16:17:00.001-06:00

I think I laughed the whole way through editing this engagement session. These guys are incredibly happy.. ALWAYS laughing. :) Erin curled her BEAUTIFUL dark red hair, and she said that Bobby said she looked like a country music singer. Funny you mention that Erin. ;) STORY TIME!!

I never told Bobby this. I think it slipped my mind: I attended the Needtobreathe/Taylor Swift concert back in October. After the concert, (being the nerd that I am) I was checking all tweets with Taylor Swift's name in the text to see if other people enjoyed her concert.. and what do you know, Bobby Sikes' tweet was the FIRST one of thousands of tweets. His read:

"So even if I lose man points for this,@taylorswift13 just put on the best show I've ever seen... "

I died laughing. What a small world! :) Bobby, if you can confidently tweet that Taylor Swift put on the best show you've ever seen, then I think you GAIN man points.

No wonder these two have so much fun. You can tell just by seeing them interact together that they invest in each other's lives and interests and LOVE it. Take a look at their engagements, and check back for wedding images next Summer. :) I love these guys.

Told you. Always laughing.

Ugh. SO sweet.

Yup, she loves him.

Erin, you're so pretty!!

Had to.

Then Erin busted out a killer cranberry dress. Perfect.

I'd say they're excited. Maybe?

I'm not sure what Bobby's face is for, but I have a feeling he's mustering up a comeback in this photo. :D

Keeton & Kristen | Engaged

2011-12-05T01:17:00.004-06:00

Keeton & Kristen are my first 2012 couple. They're getting married in January. :) Theyyy are great because..

1. when editing, I didn't want to delete ANY photos because they looked good in EVERY single photo. Even if they were duplicates, I wanted to keep them just so they could have two to choose from! I'm not sure it should be allowed to be this good-looking. AND..

2. despite the cold winds, they chose the PERFECT day to take Fall engagement pictures. Lubbock doesn't have a very long Fall, and for some reason, it lasted about a week (that's a long time) this year.. I'm talking everything.. the changing of leaves, the staying of leaves, the falling of leaves.. all in one week. This day, we had yellows, oranges, greens, browns, and reds. It was pretty perfect. :)

Hi sunshine. :)

I had so much fun with this. Scroll up and down on your screen really fast for this image. haha. I want this on my wall. :) Is that weird? Probably.

I wish Lubbock was always yellow.

So, I'm not sure what photographer chalked this on the side of McPherson Cellars, but I'm assuming it was for a shoot. We decided to use it for our group picture. :D

Lorenzo & Larissa | Engaged

2011-12-04T19:32:00.002-06:00

Lorenzo. Larissa. Lorizzo. Larrensa. I called them all sorts of variations of their names on this engagement shoot. I just couldn't form my words.. story of my life. Lorenzo is one of my brother's good friends. His nickname for me is "Betty Bop". My most vivid memory of him is in computer class in jr. high. He looked up pictures of Lizzie McGuire (Hilary Duff) in computer class while everyone was supposed to be taking typing tests. baha.

Welp, time has FLOWN since then, and Lorenzo is now engaged to the most adorable Larissa. :) Loooook:

Huntley Rehearsal | Chris & Mary

2011-12-02T16:29:00.000-06:00

I have so much to show you! December will be my time to knock out ALL my blogging, so you'll be seeing everything up to date this month! :) Here's a little preview from the Huntley wedding weekend. Their rehearsal was on a train with Verde Canyon Railroad. Such a perfect idea when you live in such a BEAUTIFUL area. Check out these images, and keep looking back for Chris & Mary's wedding photos.

The Moms:

The couple of the hour:

These two precious boys LOVE their Uncle Jesse (Yes, he's just as cool as Uncle Jesse on Full House).

Some snuggled.

Some got cozy.

Some played games.

Some colored. (This would've been me.)

The lady in the red hat works for the Railroad and shared facts about anything and everything on the entire ride. She is filled with knowledge and has unbelievable passion for what she does. I was pretty impressed.

hah.. and after the train ride...

To end the night, we went to the small ghost town of Jerome, Arizona. Perfect ending.

30-Day Challenge | Life

2011-12-01T19:07:00.003-06:00

1. I live in the same town as my parents. 2. I don't have cable.

Occasionally, I'll head over to Mom & Dad's to watch a show or two with them.. something trashy and girly with Mom.. something like the History channel or Andy Griffith with Dad. Recently, I was over at their house, emailing away on my laptop while I caught up on some silly show. I felt like I kept emailing and emailing and emailing, never making a dint in my inbox.

I finally looked up to check the time; it was almost 4am. I had been working and emailing for HOURS. I threw my hands up and thought, "I need a chocolate." I made my way to the pantry cabinet and snatched a Dove dark chocolate. It read:

"Take care of yourself."

I ate my chocolate, closed my laptop, drove home, and slept. The next morning, I got back to work. I began to email again, and a client had replied to my email from the night before; Her exact words were,

"Sounds like you are beyond busy. Make sure you are taking time for yourself. You are too special!"

I melted. Such grace is precious to me.

I'm telling you all this to let you know that I will be taking at least 5 minutes a day for the next month toward a 30-day photo project. I've seen ideas like these all over the place, but I've decided I just need to do it. I must keep my creative juices flowing so I can continue to love what I do.. which isn't emailing. It's photography. One of my greatest friends on the planet will be taking on the challenge as well! Keep up with Ashley HERE on her tumblr to see her take on this.

Whew. Here's to you Dove Chocolate!

Evan Johnson | Senior

2011-12-01T02:30:00.005-06:00

This guy. Man, I can't believe he's a senior already. I played volleyball with his older sister all through high school. It feels like yesterday Evan was just a little runt of a little brother attending a million volleyball tournaments and matches. Welp, he's not. In fact, Evan has his own matches to attend and win. He's a tennis player. Toward the end of the shoot, we were able to shoot around on the tennis courts in his tennis gear, and his mom shared that his sweatshirt had some significance. When I asked what the importance was, he shared this:

"There were about 10 thousand people at this camp two summers ago. They gave scholarships to about 100 people out of those kids. The next winter, those 100 went down the day after Christmas to compete: 8 spots for guys, 8 for girls. So i got a spot! The next June, the team went down to the ranch to train for a week. We then went to Wimbledon for a week, met the top players in the world, and sat in the front on Centre court to watch the tournament. It was absolutely incredible. We then went to Liverpool for a week to train with an academy. Then to Hamilton, Scotland to train with their academy. We then went to Oban, Scotland to train with their academy and play a tournament. We then went back to London for a few days and back home! The whole experience was over a month! It was awesome! I definitely improved a lot! I played a lot of incredible players, including the number 212 player in the world! (I played a lot of high ranked players, but that was the highest) So to play a professional that was ranked 212 in a match (this was in Liverpool) was incredible!"

Uhh yeah.. talk about a chance of a lifetime!

haha.. favorites:

Evan & his mom. I guess I can brag about her a little bit too. In addition to being the sweetest woman on earth, she also played tennis at Texas Tech University. Like Mom, like son.

Aaron & Emily | Engaged

2011-11-29T14:59:00.003-06:00

I can't say enough about how grateful I am for the couples I've booked for 2012 weddings thus far. Unbelievable people.

For those of you who know me, you know I love the band, Needtobreathe. (I must take a second to give full credit to my roommate, Hannah, for introducing me to their beautiful sound years ago. Thanks, yo.) Well, I'm a "Repeater". I'm the type of person that finds a song that I like, listens to it on repeat for weeks, and then I move on to another song only to do the same. Since NTB's new album came out, I have been "hooked" on every song and have listened to each one on repeat for a time. The lyrics speak VOLUMES to me.

Sometimes I try to carry my own stuff by myself: my burdens, my insecurities, my business, my ugliness, my sadness, my "funks". Recently, I've learned (still learning) how freeing it is to confide in someone you trust to help you carry those things with you. Side by side, they'll walk with you, cry with you, and love you through ALL of it. I don't think we, as humans, are supposed to carry our loads on our own, and that is such a WONDERFUL thing. This blog post features a couple that displays such a deep love, I felt a weird sense of tranquility when photographing them. When chaos barges in on their lives, I know they will find rest. Their God is faithful. :) This is part of the song that was on repeat in my car before and after photographing these two. Hear the whole song HERE.

There's a host of hurts we come across
None of which alike
From the air inside the birthing room
To the darkness where we die
Though I feel I'm just as strong as any man I know
I'm not able on my own

Carry round the secrets
Only heaven knows
Crawl into our darkened rooms where only victims go
Though I feel I'm strong enough to carry all this load
I'm not able on my own

Blog-readers, meet Aaron & Emily. :)

This is a pose that mimics an old photo of an aunt and uncle in a cotton field. We tried our best. I hope we matched it. :)

At the end of the shoot, I asked Emily to tell Aaron how much she appreciated him by simply touching his face. No kisses or words allowed. I think he knows.

Chris & Kendra | Engaged

2011-11-25T20:07:00.003-06:00

Kendra & I grew up with each other and have shared a lot of life together. She is quite a hoot and has a confidence unlike ANYONE I've ever met. I consider Kendra's family one of my "second families", so when I heard Kendra was engaged, you can imagine how much I freaked out in excitement. On the shoot, while Chris & Kendra were changing into their second outfit, I asked Kelli (Mom) & Alison (sister) why Chris was a good match for Kendra. Here's how the short conversation went:

"Ok. Tell me. Do we like Chris?" -Me
"YES." -Kelli
"Why do you guys like him for her?" -Me
"He treats Kendra how we treat her." -Alison

That is ALL I needed to know to know that he was perfect for her. He's family already, and if he treats Kendra how her family treats her, I know she will be taken care of for life. Have fun in that Howard family, Christopher. ;)

Here are some favorites of me & Kendra:

haha

This will forever make us both laugh.

Her family rented a two story water slide for the 4th of July. SO much fun.

Annnnd pictures of Chris & Kendra:

Kendra's laugh (all versions) is the best; it's been the same since I was a kid. :D

A favorite. So sweet.

hahaha.

Sister Alison. Kendra. Chris. Momma Kelli.

Cox Wedding | Cameron & Mandy

2011-11-23T17:57:00.003-06:00

Ohh Cameron & Mandy. These two I love. When going over a wedding contract with a couple, I always highlight the "Cooperation Clause" because it's my favorite. All it means is we email back and forth, chat on the phone every now and then, share photos of the dress, talk fun details, and keep in contact until wedding day. After the first meeting with Cameron & Mandy, I knew Miss (now Mrs.) Mandy would be awesome at this. She is smart, organized, confident, and knows what she wants. Her wedding details were brilliantly envisioned and flawlessly executed. :)

Cameron is your bike-riding, mountain man with all his outdoorsy groomsmen, and Mandy is your high heel-wearing, indoorsy, girly girl with all her sweet married bridesmaids. They are pretty perfect for each other. See their engagements HERE.

It is always such a wonderful feeling to photograph a wedding, but also feel like a guest. I felt like I was just hanging out and celebrating with a bunch of friends with a camera in hand. That, folks, is a great wedding.

Mom's face. ;) I love it!

You can see Cameron's blue eyes from a mile away. SO SO blue.

Part of C & M's relationship was long distance. They wrote letters for the time, but continued to write each other in this little book. They hadn't written in it in so long, so Cameron thoughtfully got it back out to write his "wedding letter" to Mandy. Mandy cried... a lot. ;D

Future redheaded babies. :D That's all.

We had to get a tandem bike shot with the rolled up pantlegs.

All the girls prayed for Mandy before the ceremony.. such a blessing to have married friends surrounding you in encouragement on your wedding day.

After bustling the dress, Mandy just twirled in her dress upstairs before heading into the reception.

Don't even ask me if I was crying..

Ahhh Grandmas.

Soooo the fellow below followed me upstairs when I was changing batteries for my flash and told me that the bride gave him permission to ask me for a dance. After warning him that I was an awful dancer, I said yes. :) I ended up handing the camera over to another groomsmen, so these next few images are his. haha.

Lovin' Mandy's face here.

Best reception capture of all time??! You could say that. ;)

So my plan was to do a little contest on the wedding's cutest couple (excluding the bride & groom, of course), but I just could NOT decide between these two couples. I mean.. seriously?? Could you ever choose?! All that to say I have officially called it a tie. Congratulations to both ridiculously adorable couples!

C & M, you two are favorites. Thank you for allowing me to join you in celebrating your big day. I had SO much fun, and you guys make such a wonderful couple. I know you guys have been going through so many changes (the chopping off of Mandy's hair and moving cities), BUT I hope you are growing closer in the midst of all of it. STAY IN TOUCH! -Bets

Yeh Wedding | Ev & Ash

2011-11-22T15:24:00.003-06:00

This blog post is way overdue; I can't imagine how to write about this bride and groom, their families, and this special day that would make someone understand how special all of it is and was to me. I was fortunate enough to meet a member of the Lau family over four years ago in a German town with less than 5,000 people at a photo school with less than 30. His name was Jon. I followed Jon around like a puppy, attempting to soak up all his knowledge and creativity when it comes to photography. He inspired me beyond belief and continues to today. We were horrible at keeping in touch for months and then awesome at keeping in touch for days. hah These "waves of keeping in touch" meant we would dump giant life updates via Facebook or email whenever we got the small chance. The day Jon told me his sister, Ashleigh, had cancer was heart-breaking. Having dealt with a LOT of cancer in my family, I was immediately attached to the situation. Knowing I was thousands of miles away, I could only offer prayer and lend an ear to listen.

Listen to Ashleigh's testimony HERE.

Months went by, and a wedding of a mutual friend brought a group of old friends together, Jon being one. He had such a positive attitude about his family's situation, placing his complete trust in the Maker of his sister. It was such an encouragement to see. He talked a lot about this guy named Ev: someone he played nerdy computer games with, talked life with, and grew up with. I knew Ev and Ash had been dating for a while, but what I saw next I was totally unprepared for. Oh.. and I cried. (Duh.) Watch (all photography by Jon Lau. < best street photog EVER):

Next thing I knew, I was in New York City in the middle of Hurricane Irene, photographing a beautiful wedding, surrounded by such beautiful people.. oh & kicking butt at Mafia with Ashleigh. ;)

My favorite quote of the week was spoken by Ashleigh's dad in a prayer the night before the wedding.. It was so simple, but those simple truths, when said aloud, can rock someone to their core:

"God, Thank you that tomorrow we can celebrate love, and we can celebrate life.. because Your love is our anchor, and You are the Author of life."

All brides should do this to start their big day.

This is Meryl.. the world's hardest worker and selfless servant. She was 100mph all weekend, taking care of others.

favorite:

Seesta:

Ashleigh changed into her traditional Chinese dress that belonged to her grandma for the tea ceremony. :)

Yes.

Dinner the next night!

The crew:

Ev & Ash, thank you so much for inviting me into your NY home like family. Spending time with you guys was such a blessing; I can't begin to tell you how precious the time was to me. Congratulations on being one!!! Hope life together has been beautiful thus far. Love you both. -B

Jennifer FRALEY-NOWACEK | Bride

2011-11-22T15:18:00.000-06:00

I promise I didn't make up that last name. BUT "fray lee nova check" is such a cool name to acquire, right?? Matt & Jennifer got married earlier this month and had a beautiful ceremony to celebrate. I can't wait to show you frames from their day. Until then, check out what Mr. Fraley-Nowacek acquired. ;) Jen's a knock-out.

Ahhh.. such great shoes!

Her mom joined. :) She's wonderful.

Jen started walking, and we realized she was dragging a stick in her dress. bahah.. all for the shot!

Chandler & Kayla | Engaged

2011-11-15T13:15:00.003-06:00

Blog readers, meet Chandler & Kayla. I'm so happy these two are engaged. I've known these two pretty much my entire life. I grew up with Kayla at school. I remember always being jealous of Kayla's long pretty curls and big bows in first grade AND her dad owned a toy store! She was definitely the coolest kid growing up. I grew up with Chandler at church. He was a little lanky ball of energy who ALSO had the coolest dad. He owned a boat and taught all the youth kids how to waterski. (I failed miserably) One day, my school world and church world collided when Chandler started going to school with me and Kayla. I got to see the beginning of this relationship, how it developed, how it bloomed, and then BAM! Chandler popped the question, and Kayla said yes. I might have to post some elementary/jr.high pictures of these two when I blog their wedding coming up in April. ;)

Everyone, meet Noah. I want him. I'm so glad he was able to join us on the shoot. :) He is one giant piece of precious.

The story behind this truck is a beautiful one. I got a little teary listening to it, so I won't do that to myself again by sharing it with you. ha. Ask Chandler & Kayla! :)

PAINT WAR TIME!!!!! I wish I could do this on every single engagement shoot. BEST. IDEA. EVER. Game faces:

Favorite:

They love me!!

McCann Wedding | Josh & Jennifer

2011-11-02T15:36:00.000-05:00

I've been booking a lot of bride and grooms with perfectly alliterated names. Brett & Brittany. Richard & Rachel. Keeton & Kristen. Chris & Kendra. Josh & Jennifer. and LOTS of Matts: Matt & Orlie. Matt & Jordan. Matt & Jennifer, etc. haha.. it's getting a little weird, but I have been blessed with so many great couples this year.. so many different stories, personalities, life goals, and crazy wedding plans. One of my favorite things about meeting and getting to know my couples is the moment when you instantly click and know the whole wedding process is going to be a blast. :) I'm sure you remember Josh & Jennifer from their engagement session back in May. I wrote about Josh, his great excited facial expressions and how much he adored Jennifer. Welp, I see why. Jennifer is such a gentle soul. Her entire wedding day, I kept thinking she was the definition of Proverbs 31:30. We throw the phrase "31:30 girl" around a lot when we meet and get to know godly women, but when prepping to write this blog post, I began to read about what that really means. What does it mean to fear the Lord? Here is a short excerpt from an article on a 'Proverbs 31:30 woman':

"Proverbs 31:30- "Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised."

First, a woman who fears the Lord is not anxious about the future."Strength and dignity are her clothing, and she laughs at the time to come." Satan dangles in front of her the specter of tomorrow's troubles, but she glances up at the almighty God at her right hand and laughs at Satan's folly.
Second, the woman who fears the Lord has practical wisdom. "She opens her mouth with wisdom, and the teaching of kindness is on her tongue." "the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom" (Proverbs 9:10), so it's no surprise that the woman who fears the Lord "opens her mouth with wisdom."
Third, the woman who fears the Lord is strong. Verse 25, "Strength and dignity are her clothing." Verse 17, "She girds her loins with strength and makes her arms strong." She will be morally strong. Proverbs 23:17 says, "Let not your heart envy sinners, but continue in the fear of the Lord all the day." The woman who continues in the fear of the Lord will have power to resist all the allurements to envy, to desire what she shouldn't have.
Fourth, a woman who fears the Lord will live not for herself alone but for others, especially her husband, if she is married. Verses 11, 12, "The heart of her husband trusts in her, and he will have no lack of gain. She does him good and not harm all the days of her life." A woman who fears the Lord will have the complete trust of her husband because she is for him and not against him."

After reading this, I smiled and nodded. Yup. This is Jennifer. Sure, we will all mess up, fall short, and miss this mark, but it is apparent that this is what she strives to be. What a beautiful thing, and what a divine thing that Josh was seeking a woman after Christ's own heart, and found this rare and Christlike beauty in Jennifer. She is to be praised, and I pray/know that, together, Josh & Jennifer will glorify God in serving each other and others as one. Bah! I love these two. Here are some frames from their beautiful wedding day at the Spirit Ranch. :)

The bridesmaid on the right did her own hair. UH-MAZING!

Mom, Jenn, & sister.

Jennifer has been writing letters to her future husband for a long time. To receive one of those letters from your future wife on your wedding day must have been pretty cool. :) Josh was happy.

Uh. Eyes. Yeah. Wowza.

Post-ceremony celebration!!! haha

I sobbed. Do you even have to ask?

Logan MARTINEZ | Bride

2011-10-17T17:02:00.001-05:00

My sweet Logan got married Saturday!! I can't say enough about this girl's joy. She is exceptionally joyful and wears her emotion on her sleeve; that's such an admirable quality. You ALWAYS know who you're gonna get with Logan. She won't stray from who she is, and that makes it easy to know her, trust her, and laugh with her. :) I'm sad that the "wedding process" is over because I won't be photographing this smile as often, but I'm so thankful I could be a part of this entire experience with Daniel & Logan and their precious families. Can't wait to show you wedding images.

Red lips with this jewelry? P.E.R.F.E.C.T.

Favorite set. :)

Okay. The unbelievable bouquet: Logan's mom MADE IT from old broaches in the family and a few from antique stores. Then she added some pearls, ribbon, feathers, etc. I was kind of obsessed and couldn't stop staring at it or photographing it. ..oh, and it was a thousand pounds. ;)

hahah.. Meet Gus. This is Logan's puppy she brought with her on her bridal session for some "BFF pics". A man came out of the church we were shooting at and started petting Gus. Then Gus thought it would be cute to PEE ON HIS LEG. The photo below is Logan's immediate reaction.

"HE NEVER DOES THAT!! I'M SO SORRY!!!" ...hilarious.

Logan took her hair down toward the end of the session. Best idea ever? I think yes.

Mom. :)

Me. :)

Suit Wedding | Richard & Rachel

2011-10-14T13:34:00.001-05:00

Richard and Rachel's wedding day was wonderful. I went to high school with Rachel and her older brothers, one who was in my graduating class. At a small private high school, it's normal to know everyone AND their families who have (ever) attended. This entire family is just precious. I have loved spending time with this family. Richard is entering into a fun and solid family, and I'm so excited for their joining of lives.

I have shot so many weddings at The Legacy. My first wedding at this venue was one of the first events there. The rooms were pretty desolate, empty and undecorated. The past few years, the staff at The Legacy has worked hard to make it a cozy environment for a bride and groom's big day. They added couches, decorative mirrors, and chandeliers where the girls get ready. This room has gone through so many changes, so I was curious of its changes within a day. I photographed the room the morning of the wedding and again that afternoon when the girls had spent hours prepping in it:

These are the crazy sparkly shoes that Rachel picked for her and her bridesmaids. The girls practiced walking in them before the wedding. Let's just say I would've busted, but they did an awesome job!

Most of the bridesmaids know what Rachel is laughing about in this photo. ;)

Ahhh, I love Rachel's mom.

These flower girls were AWESOME.. just in their own little world and loving the crowd that "Aww'ed" at their performance.

Such a memorable part of the ceremony when this little one creeped right to the middle of the stage, but kindly moved out of the way right in time for the kiss. :)

Favorite:

When it came time for the speeches at the reception, Rachel & Richard had a little something prepared. :) Richard's best friend (and best man) couldn't make it to the wedding because he's in Iraq serving our country, so he filmed his speech to be played at the reception. His mom was at the wedding and had NO idea. So this is her reaction to her son's speech from thousands of miles away. :) It was a pretty cool moment.

Favorite reception shot.. he found the spotlight. ;)

Alexandra Nanny was my second shooter again.. a definite favorite of mine. Here are some shots from her perspective:

Oh, and here am I!

Richard and Rachel, thank you sooo much for letting me be at your wedding!! I had so much fun capturing the little moments and details of your day that made it YOURS. Am I allowed to say that I'm excited for little redheaded babies? I just said it... soooo... I hope so. ;)

Westbrook Wedding | Julie & Archie

2011-10-06T14:03:00.004-05:00

I had to post this.

It's time!!!! That's all I can think about as I type this blog post. I've been looking forward to this wedding since the second Julie & Archie were engaged, and now that it's time (or past time) to blog it, I am THRILLED! :D

The details of this wedding were awwwesome. Julie has and has always had such great style, so I knew her day would be fannnnntastic. On most all wedding days, I start off photographing the bride getting her hair and make-up done. When I showed up at the salon, Julie already looked as cute as ever, bragging on her sisters who have been so helpful through the whole wedding planning process. She started listing their accomplished duties such as the famous last minute wedding wands, bringing wedding day Dr. Peppers, and dealing with her "Zilla" (Julie was the furthest from a bridezilla) ways. I love when the Hartsfield girls are all together. They are hilarious, and I think I speak for everyone when I say that once you witness their hilarity, you immediately wish you were a Hartsfield. So I voiced it when I was shooting them getting ready: "I need sisters if I ever get married!!" Their immediate response: "WE'LL BE YOUR SISTERS!!!" Yes! (I'm holding you to it Hartsfield sisters! If I ever get engaged, I'm calling every one of you up the day it happens. Get ready!

7 Other things that made this wedding a wonderful one:

1. The best summer color palet of pinks and grays.
2. RAIN when half of TX was suffering the most extreme level of drought measured by climatologists.
3. Quick trip to Taco Villa for some photos, a favorite place of Julie & Archie.
4. The heaviest, most beautiful bridal bouquet of sweet-smelling roses.
5. Gray suits and suspenders.
6. DANCIN' FOOLS
7. Details! Details! Details!

Look at Julie and Archie's engagement pictures HERE!!!!

PINTEREST HAIR!! Yes. This is some of the best wedding hair I've ever seen.

I am in love with these bridesmaid dresses, and I think I spent an hour or 8 photographing these shoes. Oy.

..annnd Taco Villa. :) The manager gave us free drinks and congratulated Julie & Archie on their soon-to-be marriage. So cool.

Storm was a-brewin'.

..two of my favorite shots of the day. It's such a beautiful thing to see rain when you haven't seen it in so long.

Archie's little brother, Travis, played the piano for the seating of guests and family. B. E. A. UTIFUL.

hahah. Yes.

Bags of white chocolate popcorn sealed with love quotes. mmhhmm. :)

Daddy/Daughter. :) Favorite.

Meet this wedding's second shooter: Tiffany Padilla. Uhh.. this girl rocks. She worked so hard and was a joy to have around at the Westbrook Wedding.

A couple of favorites from Tiff:

Annnd lastly, my precious bride and groom and me. :)

Julie & Arch, thanks for letting me spend this incredible day in your lives with you. There are so many more incredible days to come, and I'm so excited to see how the both of you grow in your relationship together and in your relationship with Jesus. I pray He'll be the center always. LOVE YOU BOTH!!

Brittany BROCK | Bride

2011-10-04T16:19:00.004-05:00

Ohhhhh Brittany. She is a hoot... full of energy, great ideas, and clever puns. ;) This gal got married Saturday to her rockstar fiance (now husband). Can't wait to show you frames from their wedding day. Two words: FLASH MOB. Yeah.. get excited!

This is Eileen. Sheeee is hilarious and made Brittany laugh in about all of these photos. ;) Besties.

This is Mom. This woman has a such a sweet presence. Heart o' gold, I tell ya.

My assistant and my comedian:

Who doesn't love a little post-shoot high five?

Daniel & Logan | Engaged

2011-09-14T12:23:00.001-05:00

Okay. I don't even know where to start with these two. When we first met up to go over wedding collections and details, they were pretty serious.. serious about booking/getting the big vendors/things (venue, photog, dress, flowers).. serious about nailing down their photographer. Don't get me wrong. I like serious. I don't want someone flippantly booking me. It wasn't a bad serious.. just all business. Daniel was the one that cared about the art side of things.. how images looked and the style of the photographer meeting the style of the couple. By the end of the meeting, they're seriousness broke a little when they decided to book me. Our next get together was their engagement shoot, and I asked them if they wanted to ride in the car with me on our shoot so I could get to know them a little bit better. They were on board, hopped in my car, and wow. I LOVE THEM!!!! hahaha.. their seriousness was out the window and their silliness shone through their interaction together! Logan's laugh is so contagious, I literally had to take a break from shooting a couple of times because I was laughing so hard.

STORY TIME!! When I was driving, I eased on my brakes a bit because we were going over a bump, and I said, "Bump" to give a warning to my precious passengers, and Logan proceeds to almost whisper, "Bump.. Pumpernickel" under her breathe. I smirked a little and looked over at her, "Did you just say pumpernickel?" I asked. She looked at me with sad and shocked eyes. "You've never heard of that game?!?!" "Uhh, what game?" I looked back at Daniel to see if he had a clue what she was talking about and he was resting his forehead on his hand and said, "Ahhh.. oh my goshhh." hahaha. Logan explains it further by telling us it's a game where you say a compound word with the last word of the previous compound word. Example (these examples came straight from Logan's mouth): "Pumpernickel, nickelback, backbend, bendover, overboard..." Daniel and I were laughing so hard at how amused Logan was with her little game, so at our next stop, I made them sit across from each other and play her game. Hilarious. You'll see those images at the end. Check them out! These guys are pretty terrific.. so full of joy.. joyful.. full moon.. moonlight.. lighthouse.. household.. holdup.. uproar... yeah.. you get it. ;)

I can seriously hear Logan's laugh by looking at this photo. :D

Favorite:

Let the games begin.

So excited for these guy's wedding comin up in October. :)

Ali & Kynlee

2011-09-13T12:44:00.001-05:00

Meet Alisha & Kynlee! Ali is a photographer here in town, and her relationship with Kynlee is awesome! haha.. because Ali is a photographer, she is always snapping pictures of Kynlee. I think Kynlee was a little shell-shocked to have someone new taking her pictures, but she would occasionally pose for the camera by putting her hand on her hip with some sass when I said her name. hahah.. SO cute. Rather than posing her for 2 hours, I let her just hang out with Mom. I think we got some pretty sweet ones:

I miss the days where I could just be thrown around like this.

Smellin' a flower. :D

ICE CREAM! Because.. well, why not?

Favorite:

hahaha.. laughing SO hard. I love it.

At the end of the shoot, Ali put Kynlee in her seat in the back of the car, and through the little crack where I could see her face, she waved and said, "See you later, Babe!" haha.. I melted. :) It was so cuuuute!

Rhodes Wedding | Rett & Jacy

2011-09-09T15:22:00.001-05:00

I remember my first conversation with Jacy on the phone: Jacy & Rett dated seven years before they got married. It was so cool to see how they were already a part of each other's family on wedding day. When I asked Jacy what her wedding colors were, she replied with, "black, white, torquoise....and polka dots". :) The colors and funky details of this wedding were evidence of Jacy's spunk. She is bold, confident, and spirited. Like every bride, Jacy shopped for wedding dresses, tried on many, and decided on the perfect one. Her parents were the only ones who had seen it, and Jacy kept it a secret from everyone until the day of her wedding. Let's just say the reactions she received once the dress was unveiled were PRICELESS. Her dress was "Jacy": bold, confident, and spirited. After spending a day with her, I couldn't imagine her in any other kind of wedding dress. Rett & Jacy had a little secret of their own on wedding day too. They choreographed a little dance for the reception, and oh my gosh! It was hilarious. Loooook:

I just love the sweet bow.

Rett had this grin all day.. happy.

Bridesmaid dress reactions! :D

Favorite.

Check out the gloves! ;)

Just a blue prop plane conveniently sitting outside the reception site..

The balloons were a genius reception detail. SO fun.

This is Jacy's brother during "Shout".. "a little bit softer now.." He was into it. :)

Coolest idea ever.

Mandy COX | Bride

2011-09-09T12:07:00.001-05:00

Mandy is married! For her bridals, she changed into her dad's boots given to him by her mom on their 30 year anniversary.. so sweet. I sobbed when Mandy and her dad danced on her wedding day. I love daddy-daughter relationships, and you can tell this is a pretty special one. I can't wait to show you the peacock-inspired details from Cameron & Mandy's wedding. Until then, here's Mandy. :)

The boots:

I had my nails painted this pastel-ish green.. wasn't sure if I liked it, and I called them my "Easter Egg Nails". Then on the bridal shoot, Mandy spots an Easter egg (yes, in the middle of July) in a bush, and yes, it was the same color as my nails. haha..the little things.

Mike & Jasmin | Engaged

2011-08-23T22:14:00.003-05:00

MIKE & JASMIN!!! I feel like yelling their names because I'm just so excited about this couple. I met Jasmin in Germany when I attended YWAM in Herrnhut. She is a gentle soul with a tough and adventurous spirit. She is small and sweet and you just want to hug her to death every time you see her. Mike, on the other hand, is the energetic, excited, and enthusiastic guy that you just want to high five all the time! haha. When he is with Jasmine, he is always making sure she is taken care of. I love it. They are such adventurists too. The two of them drove from OC to Redding, stopping in Hollywood, Universal Studios, San Fran, etc. Ahh, I miss them so much. Now, they are back in Germany, and wedding-planning for their wedding in March. CONGRATULATIONS MIKE & JASMIN!! Love you guys!

Jasmin could be a model. Seriously? Look at her face in the right image.

Favorite. :D

This makes me want a fiance to just run around on the beach with.

Another favorite. This shot is completely candid. They were running around, splashing around in the water, and he just stopped her and gave her the sweetest, softest kiss. Ahhh.. i melt. (look at her tiptoes)

Something about this makes me sigh.. in a good way. :)

This is Katie of Kate Noelle Photography. See her images of the shoot HERE.

Then, we saw dolphins!!!! :D The reason she's laughing so hard in the second frame is because I was jumping up and down and SCREAMING from excitement. hah

See their little fins?

Here are some images by Kate from the day:

Buxkemper Wedding | Drury & Tara

2011-08-23T18:07:00.002-05:00

My memories of Tara involve church pre-teen and youth camps growing up. I remember Tara talking about a boy named Drury. Years went by, and I receive a call that she is engaged to Drury. I could write this blog entry about the beautiful pink flowers, the sweet daddy-daughter dance, Drury's precious grandma, the tough wedding party handling the sweltering heat, or Tara's killer 26lb dress, but I decided to ask Tara to tell her and Drury's story instead. :) Read up on Drury & Tara from Tara's perspective:

"Drury and I met back in high school. I was 14 and entering my freshman year and Drury was 17 entering his senior year. It was the summer of 2003 in July during band camp :). I was 3 days late for band camp because I had just gotten my braces off :(. During the 3 days I missed the freshman were learning how to march, and I of course missed out. When I was able to attend band camp I was of course behind all the freshman and still had to learn to march. Soooo the band director paired me up with a senior to teach me how to march. Guess who the lucky senior was?! yep Mr. Drury Buxkemper!! We had to go off to the side by ourselves... He called me a Nazi because I marched soooo stiffly! Little did he know it was due to nerves because I was sooooo extremely nervous because he was just so darn cute! I can remember exactly what he had on! He had on jeans, a white sleeveless shirt, a green structure hat, oakley sunglasses, and tennis shoes on! he was perfect! But I knew he wouldnt even give me the time of day me being a freshman and him being a senior! Ohhhhh but was I wrong!! All band members were encouraged to get together every night of band camp and do something fun to get to know each other. We did things such as bowling, putt putt, etc. During our lovely band get togethers he would be asking my friends about me and vice versa! The night we went bowling, he had sent a friend over to me to find out what I thought about him! ( sooooo high school but sooo cute :)). Soon after we had found out all the goods about each other we exchanged numbers and began talking like everynight for 3-4 hours. We began dating a month later in August! We had a few bumps in the road at the beggining because of our age difference and the different stages we were at in life. We dated on and off through high school, and then broke up what we thought was for good when I went of to college. We didnt date at all my freshman and half my sophmore year in college. We went our separate ways and dated other people. Something obviously was missing with everyone else. I never felt the same with anyone else I dated. About the middle of my sophmore year I decided to give him a little ring a ding. I began calling and bugging him like crazy because I missed him so much! He was actualy dating someone else at the time :( but they soon broke up when I wouldnt leave him alone :). Ya he missed me too obviously. We dated for about a year before I began to start becoming an annoying little bug about asking when we were going to get married. That didnt go over very well with Drury. He told me to stop bothering him about it or he would never ask. YIKES! Soooo I tried really hard to not bug him anymore, try being the key word. A couple months passed and we had planned a trip to Dallas with my brother and his friend during July of 2010 to watch a Rangers game. Everyone was so sure that Drury was going to propose on the trip, but I really didnt think he would. When we got to Arlington we had a fun agenda planned!! We got there late in the afternoon, so we checked into the hotel, got ready and went to eat. I began slowly looking in places for the ring. The next day we went on a tour of the lovely cowboys stadium, and then went back to the hotel to get ready for the rangers game! I was still looking for the ring but no such luck :( So I was sure he wouldnt propose at the game. We finally arrive at the rangers ball park and Drury asked me if I wanted to share popcorn or something to drink. Me, being the oblivious person I am, told him no thanks because I wasnt hungry or thirsty at the moment :). Drury told me that he was going to go ahead and get a SPRITE for when we got thirsty. So we make our to our seats and take a load off. After the game began I noticed that Drury was acting a little funny. He was really figgety and wouldnt sit still. I asked him was what was wrong and he just replied that he was hot and tired. I thought to myself, "Well grouch, you're in trouble becaused this is only the beginning of the second inning!" About 20-30 minutes later, he asked me if I wanted a drink of SPRITE, and I told him no thanks because I wasnt thirsty! Welllll about 3 minutes later he asked me again if I wanted a drink! I was like, "What the heck? Why does he want me to take a drink so bad?!?" Soooo I took a drink and gave the cup back to him. Drury and my brother's friend were looking at me with a very strange look on their faces. So I thought maybe I missed something... So I grabbed the cup again and looked at the bottom. And OMG! There it was in the bottom of the cup!!! Drury then grabbed the cup from me, took the ring out, poured water on it, grabbed my hand, stuck it on my finger and asked me if I would marry him!!!! I absolutely couldnt believe it!! I had looked for the ring everywhere and couldnt find it!! Annnnddd there was a reason I couldnt find it: My brother's friend had it in her purse! They tricked me!!! But it was so perfect and so Drury! He doesn't like anything to be too public and doesnt like to be in front of a lot of people. So I knew whatever he decided to do wouldn't be something huge. It was very subtle and private, but like I said, it was perfect! I couldn't have asked for it to have happened any other way!"

Tara's sorority girls came and prayed over her before the ceremony. They also gave her a pillow with Drury & Tara's Let's just say there were a lot of tears.

hahaha. I HAD to blog this one. Check out Drury's colossal and uncovered yawn. :O

This Mom, her two sisters, and their mom holding hands as Tara walked down the aisle. :)

This little gal was definitely excited about the new Mr. & Mrs.

"I'M MARRIED!!!"

Tara's dress was 26 pounds. Reaching her shoes was definitely a challenge for her. ha. Check out her bridals HERE.

Yeah, I bawled my eyes out:

Drury is a fireman. This was their getaway "car". Seriously??! SO cool.

Drury & Tara, thank you for choosing me as your photographer for your big day. :) It has been so great getting back in touch with a childhood friend, and seeing her find the man that has chosen to love her forever. I had a blast on your engagement shoot, even though I got my car stuck. (Thanks for pulling me out of the ditch with your huge truck, Drury. ha) It was so wonderful to be there on your wedding day, an absolute honor to be a part. :D

Steinle Wedding | Andy & Stephanie

2011-08-18T14:25:00.002-05:00

Steph & Andy. You know those couples that are just THE couple? You spend so much time trying to find something... ANYTHING wrong with them and you just can't?? That is this couple: Steph & Andy. They have been wonderful since day one. The first emailed I received from Steph made my day. She was on Facebook and came across wedding photos of a friend from elementary school, and then hopped on my blog to check out more. I'm so glad she did. After reading my blog, she, Andy, and I had many phone dates. We clicked immediately, and I was quickly booking a flight to Seattle in June. It was so hard to wait for this wedding to roll around, but it finally did. As I landed in Seattle, I was BLOWN AWAY by how green it is. It was the most vibrant green my eyes had ever seen.. the crayon doesn't even exist. Right away, I got to spend the day eating lunch and walking in the soft Seattle rain with Steph. We scouted out locations to shoot the next day, and she showed me where she wanted to have the "First Look". One word came out of my mouth: EPIC. Now, I try not to use this word often because it seems like the most overused word EVER. hah, but I meant it. It was beautiful. Stephanie, in excitement, waved her fists in the air in front of her face, and squealed, "YESS! I can't believe I'm getting the opportunity to be in photos of epic proportion." :) (yeah, that's an awesome bride)

On wedding day, I cried 3 times. I had officially met this couple the DAY BEFORE, and I already loved them so much that I was in tears on their wedding day. The first time I cried was when Andy first saw Steph during the first look. Andy was ALL smiles beforehand.. ready and excited to see his bride. When he turned around to see her, he inhaled deeply, and slowly breathed out, amazed at her beauty. As tears filled his eyes, a sense of gratefulness filled his face. He pulled her in for a hug and simply held her. I lost it. haha It was the most precious first look I've ever seen.

Bubble Tea, glowsticks, cupcakes, and "Friday" by Rebecca Black as the last dancing song: these things are only tiny parts of what made this wedding day so perfect:

Storytime! Yes, this is a groomsmen getting an eyebrow filled in before the wedding. Let's just say peer pressure kicked in at the Bachelor Party. ;)

Stephanie's bouquet was GORGEOUS.. shades of creams and oranges were perfect.

Ahhh, I melt.

hahah.. Andy actually took a phonecall in the middle of photos. The guys were just mocking him. Perfect. :)

Andy's parents were absolutely precious. His mom was so gentle.

Favorite.

A & S had favorite book quotes as the "fortunes" inside the fortune cookies. :) If you haven't read Hunger Games, do so. SO good.

Steph's parent's. :D Such great smiles.

I'd kill for a cousin shot like this. She was sharing secrets with her. ;)

Yes, this is a photo of me. Toward the end of the night, A & S were thanking different people that were part of the wedding day, and they brought me a cupcake because it was the weekend of my birthday. :) Everyone at the reception sang "Happy Birthday" to me. Absolutely precious. Made my night.

So, I had quite the team with me on wedding day. This is Greg, the videographer and my second shooter, Justin. Justin's work blew me away. Below are some my favorites of his from the day.

Epic? YUP.

The famous couple and myself:

Andy & Stephanie, thank you for the opportunity to fly out and capture your day. You two are such beautiful people inside and out, I KNEW it would be a great day. May God give you a bright future together as you learn and love Him completely in every moment. Keep me updated on your adventures as one. :)

Rachel SUIT | Bride

2011-08-12T02:33:00.000-05:00

Meet Rachel.. possibly the sweetest bride I've ever had. I have loved getting to know her during her whole wedding-planning process. Click HERE to see her and her now husband's engagement pictures. Can't wait to show ya frames from her wedding day. :)

Rachel's wedding colors were pink & purple (if you couldn't tell), and she had a complete pink & purple candy bar at her wedding. SO cute.

Mom & sister tagged along. :) Love this family (there are four more Server siblings).

Matt & Jennifer | Engaged

2011-08-11T16:12:00.003-05:00

Matt & Jennifer's engagement story is too incredible to tell in my own words, so I've gotten permission to let you view the story in Jennifer's words on her blog HERE. Let's just say it is pretty impressive. Go read it. :)

Before the engagement session, Jennifer and I talked a couple of times about what their style was and what they wanted out of these images. The first word she said was, "Sultry". So, I took that word and did with it what I do with every word: I looked up its definition. (I used to carry around a pocket dictionary and thesaurus everywhere I went... NERD) Here is the definition:

sul·try/ˈsəltrē/adj:

1. (of the air or weather) Hot and humid.
2. (of a person, esp. a woman) Attractive in a way that suggests a passionate nature.

My mind was already rollin with ideas.. laying down, dramatic shadows, etc. Little did I know, we would be defining the engagement session using that first definition: Hot and humid. WE WERE SWEATING LIKE PIGS!!! Jennifer is a genius and a planner, so she came prepared with "sweat rags", which we used often. Whew. Matt is a total king for sportin' jeans, shirt, tie (disheveled, I must add. ha), and a sports coat in 106 degree weather. TROOPERS! These guys are getting married in November, and I cannot WAIT to document their day. :D

Ahhhh yeeeeuuuhh! ;)

hahah.. I love Matt's tilted head here.. MAKES this picture.

Matt & Jordan | Engaged

2011-08-04T00:04:00.003-05:00

This couple is so sweet. Jordan second shot with me last year for the Zimmerhanzel wedding. (i love creating opportunities to say the word 'Zimmerhanzel') Jordan was a joy to work with. I originally heard about Jordan through my roommate, Micah. I had heard she was interested in photography and was a pretty dedicated blog-stalker. I LOVE hearing this. Of course I want people stalking my blog. I received a facebook message from Jordan, and I could immediately tell how genuine and passionate this girl was. I asked her to coffee and BAM. Friends. She recently got engaged to the man of her life, Matt. My favorite Texas Videographer of Stringer Productions joined us on their engagement shoot and assisted me in capturing their evident love for each other. It was a blast! Clayton is quite the guy with an eye for detail and a heart for story-telling. I will post his video as soon as it's up! :) Until then, enjoy these stills:

Matt was injured, but Jordan was right there to cheer him on! haha.. what an encourager!

Clayton in action:

Brett & Brittany | Engaged

2011-08-02T14:21:00.002-05:00

Ahhh Brett & Brittany. I LOVE these guys. I can't believe I'm finally posting these faces on my blog. Brett & Brittany are such creative people. You can just look at them and know. Brett shreds on the guitar. Brittany sings. Match made in heaven? Uh yeah.. It's sickening people. They're adorable together. There were so many funny quotes from our shoot together, I can't even begin to share them all, but let's go with this one...we're walking around Tech campus after shooting in the library, and we see a cat. Brittany GASPS! "What?!" I asked in almost a panic. She smiled and said, "The first thing we're going to do when we get married is get a cat." I let my heart rest after the initial shock of her gasp and chuckled a little. "Oh yeah? What are you guys going to name----" I was cut off by Brett's fast and assured answer, "VELCRO." Ahhh yes. Of course. Velcro. What else? hahah. Alright, enjoy these frames of the soon-to-be Mr. & Mrs. Brock, tying the knot in October. :) I've been looking forward to their wedding all year.

Prettiest smile ever? Yes.

We had to work some magic to get this shot. So glad we did. :) We titled it "The Texas Spray Tan".

"Alright Brittany.. play something." -me "Hmm.. about a sweeeeet G?" -Brittany

Favorite.

Sooo.. they told me not to blog these images, so of course, I had to blog these images. This first frame was taken right after I complimented them on their pretty kissing. Not every couple kisses pretty. That's just the way it is. After I complimented them, they leaned in for this kiss, and BAM. Snapped it. "DON'T BLOG THAT BETSY!" Brittany said with wide eyes. ;) BUT it was just too cute to pass up.

THIS image is Brittany being a smartiepants. haha.. I told her to gently put her hand on Brett's face, and she did. She put her hand gently right on Brett's face. ha.. I rolled my eyes. Then laughed. Then gave more specific direction. Then she obeyed. hahah.

Cheryl Hisey | Bride

2011-08-01T15:42:00.002-05:00

This little gem got married on July 22nd. I remember the night Cheryl called me after the proposal. She was RADIANT.. thrilled to have found the man she will commit to love the rest of her life. She is still radiant to this day. Everything on Cheryl's wedding screamed "Cheryl". I kept hearing people at the reception saying to each other, "This wedding is SO Cheryl." "This decor is so happy.. it's SO Cheryl." hahah.. and that's exactly what it was. She pulled off a bright, summery, wedding that was both beautiful and charming just like her. :) I couldn't be more delighted for Joe & Cheryl. Check out their engagement session HERE.

Had to get one shot in. :)

The oh-so-amazing Nicole. She was such a blessing to have around both on the bridal session and at the wedding. Love her.

This is me at Cheryl's wedding, dancing with the waitresses at the reception. haha.. This was captured by the amazing Alexandra Nanny, who photographed the wedding, so blog stalk her to hear about Joe & Cheryl's day!

Oh.. and this is Joe & Cheryl on their honeymoon. (Yes, I was given FULL permission to post this) I laughed at this picture for about 30 minutes straight the other day. Doesn't get any better than this.. We're trying to convince them to make it their Christmas card this year. It would stay on my fridge year-round.

Zumwalt Wedding | Travis & Claire

2011-07-31T16:45:00.002-05:00

Goodness. I feel like there's always too much to tell about a couple to even START writing a blog post about them. This sweet couple is pretty close to my heart. Both of their families are extremely special to me. It's SO great going into a wedding, knowing that you'll be photographing two of the coolest families ever. At the Lubbock Bridal Fair in January, Claire came to visit my booth. She had already booked me, but we chatted about life for a bit. She informed me that she was going to visit her fiance, Travis (U.S marine) in Vegas the next month for a couple of weeks. "WHEN?!" I asked. I had plans to go to WPPI in Vegas the next month too, and even though I knew it probably wouldn't be at the same time, I thought I'd ask. Turns out, we were going the exact same week, soooo I flew out a couple of days before my conference and hung out with Travis & Claire. :) It was so great to sit down with these two and know them a little better. One of my favorite nights, we ate at California Pizza Kitchen and talked about Travis' experiences on the field. For the first time, I realized how strong a man has to be to serve our country out of complete selflessness. I also recognized Claire's strength. She has promised to commit to a man that risks his life for a living. Over pizza in a hotel casino, I had developed a respect for this couple in a new way.

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Find them. :)

Less than a month later, I arrive at the rehearsal of their wedding. Travis had a black eye. hahah My jaw dropped, and I asked Claire what happened. She rolled her eyes and said two words, "Ultimate frisbee."

Travis & Claire moved to California the week after their wedding. Talk about crazy.. What troopers! Here are some frames from their wedding day. This is how Claire prepped for wedding day, playing Jenga with her sister, Grace.

Her dress was STUNNING. Bridals HERE.

I was just telling a friend the other day that one of my favorite things about weddings is the difference between the guys and girls' rooms. Girls are usually going a million miles an hour and drowning themselves in hairspray while the guys are playing video games and eating. In this case, Claire was as relaxed as they come, even getting hand and foot massages from her bridesmaids (those are some good bridesmaids). ha, I love Travis in the left image.

"Travis, give the ring to Cody & the check to give to Matt after the weddin. I <3 you. See you after. -Claire"

I LOVE the bows on the backs of the bridesmaid's dresses.

Okay, I HAD to put this one up. Please look at the groom and the best man. Yup.. look at their hands. hahah, NO ONE knew what was going on except for the three of us. I laughed so hard.

Ha.. the guys were throwing skittles into each other's mouths. Ohhh.. my job.

The onlookers. ;)

Trav & Claire, you have NO idea how honored I am to have shared in your day. Thank you for letting me be a part. Congratulations Travis & Claire: "You be wed." ;)

Tara HOBGOOD | Bride

2011-07-27T13:19:00.005-05:00

I'm so lucky. I get to see the bride before the wedding day. I get to attend her "trial-run" (bridal session) weeks before her wedding day. I get to see Mom cry when she watches her daughter in her wedding gown. I get to witness Dad's last glance at his little girl before she walks down the aisle. What an awesome job. I'm so grateful. I feel like I get to watch a real life girly wedding movie every weekend. :D In the past month, I have shot two weddings and was in two weddings. It's been crazy to experience the difference between working and attending. Someone asked me which of the two I liked better, and my answer was, "I love weddings." haha.. After I said it, I realized I didn't answer the question at all, but it was exactly how I wanted to answer. I love them. Yes, some may be crazy. Yes, some may be stressful, but if, by the end of the day, two become one and start life together, it is a success. I may lose touch with some friends, but I will never blame or discount marriage for that. It's life, and I'm happy for a friend or even a stranger to find someone to love for life. Ahhh, I just had to get that out. Unfortunately, I was unable to attend this girl's wedding, but I can't IMAGINE how beautiful it was. She has such great style. I stalk her Pinterest because of it. :D I can't wait to see images from her wedding day. Tara is a GORGEOUS woman, inside and out. In all honesty, I had a rough day the day of her bridals (she knows this), but her precious laugh was the most calming thing to me that night. I loved witnessing that joy first hand. It rubbed off, and after the shoot, I was able to just rest.. not physically, but emotionally. Tara, thank you for allowing yourself to be used for His glory. Now, you get to be used for His glory in marriage with Heath. HOW COOL!!!!!! :) I wish I could've been there.

Sooo, Tara is kind of famous for this tattoo. Seriously. Just google 'love is enough'. She's all over google images.. her design.

Meet Megan. She. is. beautiful.

Mom & best friend. What else do you need on a bridal session??

I may need a wider lens. ;)

Pierce Hardin (Pt.2) | Senior

2011-07-25T17:37:00.002-05:00

Remember this handsome face from February? Click THIS for a reminder. Pierce had his second half of his senior session in the Spring. Soon, he'll be off to ACU for school, being all grown up and stuff. Unbelievable. Here is Pierce in the Spring.. blogged in the Summer. I LOVE that he went barefoot for a few images.

Barefoot. :)

World's best hair award goes toooooo...

So, yes. I go to some pretty shady places for shoots. Remember the crazy cat incident with Michael & Amy?? haha. Uhh, if you don't remember, please please click HERE. You won't regret reading. ha.. I took Pierce to a little bridge in Aztlan Park and this was written under the bridge. The right image was etched in metal at our first location. Weird? Yes. Good news? We're alive. We made it. We didn't see any spirits and we didn't get shot. Whew. Oh, and yes. The first image says: "I can see a spirit." The second: "Keep out. Violators will be shot." No big deal..

Tara BUXKEMPER | Bride

2011-07-23T01:17:00.003-05:00

Ohhh Tara. This girl was, simply put, a princess. :) I grew up with this girl, and everything about her wedding day had 'Tara' written all over it. I can't wait to show you images from her day. On her bridal shoot, her mom and future mom-in-law (at the time) joined us. Her mom just stared at Tara in awe, doting on her every moment, saying things like, "Oh! Isn't that a picture?" and "Ohhh wowwwww. That's good.. that's GOOOD!" haha. I LOVED it. I need her to follow behind me on every shoot. She made my subject feel like a QUEEN. Tara is now a married girl. I can't believe it. Quit growin' up on me, people. Oh, and yes. Her dress is 26lbs. No big deal. ;)

Ahhh... thank you perfect wind.

I love moms.

Matt & Orlie | Engagement

2011-07-22T23:44:00.003-05:00

When I first met with Orlie, I KNEW we were gonna get along. She is just sweet.. gentle, gorgeous, and incredibly stylish. She told me the story of how she & Matt first met and how he proposed. I tried to imagine the type of man Orlie would be matched with. I couldn't tell. Would she be with another soft-spoken, gentle person? When their engagement session rolled around, Orlie came dressed in a killer pallet of oranges, blues, grays, and reds. Matt stepped out of the car, greeted me with a huge smile, and gave me the firmest handshake I had ever received. He started cracking jokes as SOON as he got out of the car. Matt. is. hilarious. He was not only making Orlie laugh with every joke, imitated voice, or movie quote coming out of his mouth, but sometimes I had to stop taking photos so I could simply laugh it out and compose myself. I love these two. They are getting married in October, and I couldn't be more excited for them to start a life together. :D

I got individual shots of the two of them. I started with just wanting to photograph every accessory and detail on Orlie.

Then Matt got jealous and wanted some "action" shots of him, so bam. Done. The "Johnny Bravo" move, ladies & gentlemen.

SHOES.

hahah. Orlie LOVED the ducks and had to get one shot with them. ;)

Giant canvas? Yes.

Kristi Tardy | Senior

2011-07-12T00:13:00.002-05:00

I've been trying to catch up on my blogging since I've been back from California, and I must say I've been excited about posting these images. Kristi is as gentle as they come. She is an outdoors-lovin', blog-stalkin', jeep-lovin', BEAUTIFUL girl. When we went to her house to finish up the shoot, we walked into her huge room that she shares with her sister. It was SO cute and SO Kristi: cluttered shelves, dried flowers, and collected globes. Funny story: The first time (or at least I think it was the first time) I saw Kristi, I was in line for communion at church. She was dressed in a simple A-line skirt, the cutest cardigan, and lovely flats. She held a small goblet of grape juice, and with one look at her brown eyes and natural beauty, I thought, "UGH! I need to photograph this girl." I dipped my bread in the grape juice, and that was the end. A couple of days later, Kristi emailed me about Senior pictures, and I was ECSTATIC! :D This was such a fun shoot. I feel honored to have captured this gorgeous girl.

Cameron & Mandy | Engaged

2011-07-11T01:31:00.002-05:00

Okay.. I really like these two. Mandy is a child at heart, excited about everything. I hardly had to pose these guys because Cameron always made Mandy laugh, and that natural joy and chemistry between the two of them made my camera very happy. Cameron & Mandy wanted a few shots on Texas Tech campus and of the seal at the entrance of the campus. I had my camera up to the face, and started backing up to get a wider shot of the two of them, and I completely tripped over the big spotlight conveniently placed in a position to illuminate the Texas Tech seal. Although I didn't TOTALLY bust, I got a pretty huge bruise on the back of my leg, and the three of us laughed. I'm pretty sure they laughed harder at me than necessary, but I forgave them. ;) At one point in the shoot, I told Cameron to whisper something sweet to Mandy in her ear, and he started whispering, and I caught two words: "Ice cream". hahah True love. Anywayyy, I'm so ready for their wedding in October. They really are in love. Take a look:

..and THIS is why I LOVE photographing redheads. Seriously? How gorgeous is this???

Kimberly CREECH | Bride

2011-07-11T01:29:00.001-05:00

Here is a precious bride I photographed a long time ago. She just recently got married in June.. gorgeous GORGEOUS girl with such a sweet soul. For her engagement session, it was freeeeeezing. The windchill was insane, but she was such a trooper! For her bridals, we definitely had some wind, but I think it worked for us, and I think she'll agree with me that she'd rather have the warm wind over the freezing windchill. Meet Kimberly CREECH.

Madi Erwin | Senior

2011-06-13T17:36:00.001-05:00

"Thanks wind. we love you."

Sometimes this phrase was sarcastic, and sometimes we really meant it. Lubbock's wind is unpredictable. It's not a gentle breeze from one direction, but a ridiculous and Twister-like 30mph gust from EVERY direction. haha.. It's pretty hard to prepare for, but if you go into a shoot with a positive attitude, it can be pretty hilarious. Madi & I fought the wind, and we genuinely thanked it when it worked for us (like a model with her fake wind in a studio). Madi was quite the model. When I asked for a serious face, she said, "CAN I do a serious face??! Pfff. Duh! Next top model.. Tyra-style right here." hahah.. she is one funny girl. Our conversations would go from serious to laughing in half a second, and I love that. Check out this joyful senior girl:

Madi's hero is her mom. She brought a tiny photo of the two of them when she was little. SO cute. Guess where she got her red hair?

Yes.. That's a Harry Potter book. :D

Madi's dream is to be a sportscaster for the Texas Rangers. What a cool goal. I think she'll reach it. I mean.. who wouldn't want to see this face on TV? ;)

Jared & Britni | Engaged

2011-06-13T12:41:00.002-05:00

I drove to the Britni's aunt's ranch in the middle of Nowhere, Tx. I love going new places and taking in the view on the way, but on this particular drive, there were acres and acres of black fields completely consumed by fires. :/ Texas has had wilfires this year like we've never seen before.. eating up hundreds of thousands of acres of land. Seeing these dry, black fields was depressing and just.. dark looking. I finally made it to the ranch, shot the engagement session with a sweet couple, Jared & Britni. After the shoot, the sun started to set. The light changed every second, and the painting was gorgeous. I haven't seen a sunset that breathtaking in a long long time. There were no buildings to block the sky and swirls of pinks & oranges danced with the dark fog on the horizon. The haze made the colors even more vibrant. I stood in awe, and Britni told me that the sunsets have been extremely gorgeous lately because of all the smoke in the air. I thought that was weird at first. How can smoke make something beautiful? ...but then I just smiled. :) i had impatiently driven through cruddy nothingness.. dry, sad, black.. but now i stood in front of something that brought an itty bitty tear to my right eye. He makes beautiful things out of the dust. On the drive home, I stopped and took pictures of anything and everything. It was a pretty perfect evening. Congratulations to Jared & Britni!! Here are some images from the day:

hahaha.. I love them.

This horse needed some mad attention.. always walking toward them and trying to get in the picture.. and then he smiled at me. :D

The drive home..

Grace McGinnis | Senior

2011-06-03T13:34:00.002-05:00

After 2 days of driving to California, I am finally settled and back on the ball with the business. You'll be seeing a lot more blog posts from me. YAY! As I was prepping for this blog post, I laughed out loud at so many funny moments we had on her Senior shoot. She is a total goofball, so photographing her was easy-peasy. She is natural and playful. You'll get one funny story because there are way too many to count. When we were shooting at the hill (1 of 2 hills in flat LBK), she was wayyy far away, and I told her to face the other direction like she was looking over the hill. She was posing, facing the other way, and grinning ear to ear at nothing. I begin snapping pictures, and I faintly hear her yelling voice: "I JUST SMILED!" Maybe (probably) it was a moment where you had to be present at to appreciate. I laughed pretty hard. Grace is a crazy, energetic, bright character. We HAD to shoot in her room because everything about it defined her. Take a look:

So I have a problem actually verbalizing what I'm envisioning, and sometimes I just completely fumble over my words. In this case, I asked Grace to sit cross-eyed. haha.. I think I was trying to be "politically correct" and say "criss-cross-applesauce" like all the kids are these days, but "Indian Style" was in my head, and it just came out "cross-eyed". Grace obediently gave me this face. 8) Love her!

She might kill me for putting this one, but I mean.. really? How could I not?

Dylan Debusk | Senior

2011-05-28T15:18:00.001-05:00

This was such a fun shoot. I photographed Dru Debusk (now Ammons) wedding last year, and I love the woman to pieces! I was so excited when she called me to book her brother's senior pictures. I've never known a more proud sister. She LOVES her brothers. ANY time I need a genuine laugh out of Dylan, I just told him to look at Dru. She would say something or do something (ridiculous, probably) that would cause him to roll his eyes and die laughing. I love it. So meet Dylan, quite the basketball and football player at Plains High School, I hear. Oh, and he's handsome and humble.

hahah. Told you. Goofballs. :D

Dru. Dylan. BEAUTIFUL Mom.

Dru and Dylan's moonwalking attempt. :)

Yeah.. we weren't sure how to pose. This worked, I guess. haha

Krue | A New Life

2011-05-23T04:34:00.005-05:00

The last time I photographed a birth was October. The experience was new, overwhelming, and humbling. I still can't believe I witnessed a human's first breath. Despite my nerves and queasiness, which you can read about HERE, I survived it, and it was hands down, my favorite thing to photograph... to this day. I'm so glad I jumped (or hesitantly stepped) at the opportunity. Five months went by, and I received a call from a past client and friend to photograph her c-section. Okay.. this was a whole different ballgame, but considering the rewarding emotions after the last birth I photographed, there was no question. I had to. I wanted to.

Crista was ALL smiles: calm and ready. Trever was quiet, but showed his eagerness and excitement by checking his watch and fiddling with his hands. Sister Addisyn waited patiently with her grandparents sporting her "Best Sister Ever" shirt.

I threw my scrubs and hairnet on quickly, and before I knew it, I was in the c-section room photographing Krue Ryker Gray, a new baby boy. :) When Dad rolled Krue down the hallway in his bed, I knew we were heading toward Addie. I couldn't wait for her reaction, and she couldn't wait to see her new little brother. Her precious, soft reaction was perfect. When she would hold him, she would look at his little fingers and study his little face. She stroked his baby cheek and occasionally whispered to him. AHHH!! So sweet! Watch and praise Him for this 8.85lb miracle:

Song: Sticks & Stone by Jonsi

Me in my get-up (for laughs):

Jansen Smith | Senior

2011-05-20T01:08:00.001-05:00

Today was probably the first day it actually felt like Summer. It's 90 degrees outside and beautiful. It's been a relaxing day of editing and listening to new music. Even though it has been work, it's been surprisingly restful. The past couple of weeks have been crazy. Best friends are graduating college. People are moving, getting big kid jobs, getting married, having babies, and entering all sorts of new phases in life. It is unbelievable how quickly life moves. I recently photographed this senior boy who my brother coached in basketball when he was a SIXTH GRADER! Six years later, Jansen Smith is graduating, and he's taking a little trip to South Padre Island with some friends to celebrate. Sounds pretty fantastic to me.

Bradley Yearwood | Senior

2011-05-17T16:14:00.001-05:00

Brad is such a cool guy. He knows exactly what he is passionate about and what he wants to do. I grew up wanting to be the Tooth Fairy, a waitress, or an artist. I'm not quite any of them, but I want to travel, know, serve, and photograph people. I'd say I got pretty close. Brad, on the other hand, grew up wanting to be ONE thing: A Cartoonist. He is INCREDIBLE at what he does. He has developed and perfected this one character over time and brought his sketch book and computer to show me. It's amazing to see how he's improved with NO training at all.. pretty phenomenal. He is ready to learn more by attending Tech in the fall.

His top 5 movies: Fight Club, LOTR series, Serenity.. yeah, that's three. He lost me at Serenity. It's dreadful. haha Sorry Brad.

The whole shoot, I kept thinking Brad reminded me of someone, but I could NOT think of who. After I got home and started editing these images, it hit me. He looks like Shane West! ;) So I got this photo from www.teenidols4you.com. Save yourself. Don't go there. The website is ridiculous, and it will probably give you 500 pop-ups along with a thousand viruses on your computer. Just look here:

SEEEEE?!?!? Twins.

Mary O'Briant | Senior

2011-05-13T13:02:00.000-05:00

Meet Mary O'Briant. She is a senior at Lubbock High School with plans to go to Harding University to study Bio Chemistry. :O I can't imagine. This one is smart. Along with being smart, she has an appreciation of Art. We chatted about it for a while, and this question was asked, "Does a photograph capture what's there or is it an interpretation of what the photographer thinks is there?" My mind blew up after discussing it for a few minutes, and then we moved on to simpler conversations like magic scarves and matching boots. ha.. Mary changed from her gorgeous vintage prom dress to a casual outfit of soft pinks and greens. I took her to a tiny wall of green tiles, and it was like magic. Her scarf with pinks, greens, and peaches brought all the colors together. LOVE when that happens. During the shoot, I excitedly showed Mary a photo on the back of my camera of her killer eyes to which she responded, "OH MY GOSH!! I've never had a picture of myself where I just thought, 'Wow. I look good in that picture'". My jaw dropped. This girl was beautiful and never thought a photograph of herself showed that. My words after that statement? "WHATT??! That is going to change today." I'm pretty sure it changed drastically. She moved, laughed, posed, and acted confidently which completely reflected her beauty. I like this girl.

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Oh! And check out our matching boots! I call mine my "Shootin' boots", and they are definitely worn (third pair of the same boot that I've owned and worn out), but Mary's looked good! hah

Josh & Jennifer | Engaged

2011-05-03T12:56:00.003-05:00

Jennifer knows everyone. Since the day we met, I feel like every week we've found some kind of connection through someone, somewhere. Josh is sweet old soul with the greatest facial expressions EVER. Jennifer loves Josh. Josh ADORES Jennifer. During their engagement session, they played, they laughed, they hugged, they ran, they cuddled. These guys were too much fun to photograph, annnnd WOWZA! Check out Jennifer's ice blue eyes. What a gorgeous girl. J & J hung out in the same group of friends before they started dating. They went on one date with each other, and didn't go on their next for a few months. The next date, Josh said the words, "Let's get this ball rollin' " and before you knew it, Jennifer had a ring on her finger and the wedding venue was booked. I'm so excited to shoot these guys' wedding. It's. gonna. rock. Oh, & in case you're wondering, Josh is very agriculturally informed and can give you all the real details and truths on what's in your meat when you eat at Taco Bell or buy chicken from the grocery store. ;) haha Anywayyy, keep an eye out for the wedding of these two lovebirds:

Tumbleweed wars.. what we Texans do for funsies. ;)

Hey look!!! It's me!

I told you... best facial expressions. ha

Rachael Carlton | Senior

2011-04-30T13:38:00.002-05:00

Rachael is a quiet, sweet, and honest soul. She goes to Canyon High School, and plans on staying in Canyon this next year for school at WT. She hasn't quite decided what she wants to study. I see so many students just pick a major at random and run with it if they're unsure. Most end up hating what they choose, so it's always good to hear that a senior is entering undecided to test the waters in order to nail down a passion. I haven't read it yet, but my aunt recommended a book to me called "48 Days to the Work You Love" about finding your passion and pursuing it. I think my passion is people. Creatively fitting them into a frame through my lensfinder, snapping the shutter, and showing them how beautiful they are is probably my favorite thing. :) It wasn't hard with Rachael because she is such a NATURAL beauty. At the end of the shoot, she busted out a hat, and I about FELL OVER from excitement. (I'm pretty sure I jumped up and down for a while). The last few shots of the session were at sunset. The light was warm, soft, and beautiful, and for some reason, it got pretty silent. I wasn't directing her anymore. She wasn't asking for direction anymore. We were just going. I could see Jamie (mom) out of the corner of my eye and heard a tiny sniff. I stopped what I was doing and looked back at her to find her crying. Her girl was graduating.. growing up. Then I got teary eyed. We were laughing.. crying.. hugging.. it was a mess. hahaha, but definitely a sweet moment. I love these two. Look at how GORGEOUS Rach is:

She let me wear the "magic hat" for the last picture. ;)

The Walker's | Family

2011-04-25T15:12:00.003-05:00

Well hello blog readers. It's been far too long. I can't believe it's been twenty days since I've blogged. Actually.. yes, I can. I have been blessed with work, and it has kept me so busy. I have disciplined myself to take time for me, and that has kept me going absolutely. It's amazing how important it is to recharge (something I didn't realize UNTIL I set aside time to recharge). I have also made time to be a mentor to Kaitlyn Vinson, a senior at Cooper High School. Every year, seniors at Cooper have a last-semester project called their "Product". They are given the task to find something they have never done before and intensely research and learn it in a short amount of time. I was ecstatic when Kaitlyn told me she wanted to learn photography, and even more excited that she asked me to be her mentor. :)

Our first meeting together consisted of McAlister's sweet tea for lunch and getting to know each other. Surface chatting turned into deep conversation, and we ended up "getting lunch" for over three hours. I had a feeling I would only like this girl more and more.. annnd I was right. We had a blast learning together. Coffee dates, house dates, lunch dates, photoshop dates, photoshoot dates.. I spent hours blabbing about the art and hoping that somehow the words coming out of my mouth made sense. I'm not much of a teacher, but I AM a talker. Sharing about something I love with someone that cares was such a great experience for me.

The last shoot for her project, we asked the Walker family to be our models. Ummm, you'll see why. They are the CUTEST family on earth. I've known the Walker's since 7th grade, and they have been an absolute treasure to know. I have no idea where or who I would be without them.

Allie Reyna | Portraits

2011-04-05T16:57:00.001-05:00

Allie was a bridesmaid in a January wedding of mine. I always leave weddings, wishing I could spend more time with the wedding party. I always have so much fun photographing them, listening to them laugh, and watching them be silly together. Welp, my wish came true with this bridesmaid. She called me a couple of weeks later, needing some photos for her portfolio for school. I was so excited and ready to hang out. She lives in Canyon and attends West Texas A&M. She's studying Advertising/Public Relations, so she also has an interest in photography.. (we had to get some shots of her with her camera, of course) She's Nikon. It's okay. She'll learn. ;) (jusssst kiddin.. kind of) In almost every conversation we had that afternoon, she said the phrase, "I would love to learn." I love that sentence. There is such a humility about Allie that enables her to be confident. It's really a mind-blowing thing to think about. She is the type of person that KNOWS who she is. She is an honest conversationalist.. such a wonderful quality. We connected on so many different life experiences, I felt like I was getting to know myself. hah. Hopefully this girl will take the plunge and apply to YWAM DTS in Germany like I did. She's praying about it, and I'm trying to convice her. ;) Until then, we'll cheer her on while she runs track and cross country at WT. WOOHOO ALLIE!

Everleigh | Baby

2011-04-02T13:45:00.000-05:00

I mostly photograph people in love and crazy seniors, so when I get a call to photograph a baby, I get nervous, excited (because I LOVE babies), and ready for the challenge. Everleigh is a doll. She has SUCH personality. She is such a girl. Her motions were girly, her giggles were girly, the way she played with her pearls and moved her hands.. so precious. She was also quite a hoot. ;) I was laughing almost the whole time. E's mom and her best friend came along, and let's just say I don't know what I would've done without them there. Supermom & her sidekick were constantly clapping, yelling, jumping, doing anything to get Everleigh to smile & laugh. When we busted out the "Mango Puffs" (little cereal bites), Everleigh would excitedly squeal for more, and I was quick to snap the shutter because her tiny three bottom baby teeth would show. AHH!! I love it!

Last, but not least.. the sweeeet little baby teeth:

Sam Hunker | Senior

2011-03-24T01:51:00.003-05:00

When I was typing the title to this blog post, I accidentally typed "Sam Hunkey" in the subject line.. I chuckled.. backspaced.. corrected, but then for half a second, thought, "What a killer nickname.. I should leave it." because this kid is such a hunk. Seriously. His "chill" personality and his occasional hilarious comments out of nowhere make him that much more handsome.

Sam is graduating from Trinity this May, and he will hopefully be playing baseball in college somewhere come Fall. I think anyone that has seen him play baseball is excited to see where he'll end up. His mom hopes he will play for a school close to home so she can watch him play. Uh.. duh. I hope he does too.. and I vow to go see more Trinity games this season.

Okay, I'll stop typing so you can check out this guy's good looks. Meet Sam. He likes baseball:

Mom. :)

Hadta get a picture in too. :)

Jordan & Claire | Life

2011-03-18T14:37:00.001-05:00

Even though a good portion of the following story sounds like it should be completely shoveled out of my memory forever, it's so absurd, I think it deserves to be recorded. Ready? (sidenote: I was laughing the whole time, so there are no complaints.. just laughable and frustrating inconveniences) Here goes: A few weeks ago, I purchased tickets to The Civil Wars Show at Monk's coffee shop in Abilene, TX. I quickly found my concert buddies and decided I might as well head to Dallas afterward to visit family and friends. I began to plan my trip. One night, my dad noticed something under Gary (my car) was leaking, my tires were so worn, and my battery was loose. Awesome. After my car had been not running for a while, I would have to tighten everything before it would start again and then occasionally drive to United for free air. (Why does air cost money other places? I don't know) . Sooo before I left for Abilene, I bought brand new tires, fixed my battery, and stopped the leaking underneath my car. Woo! So the next day, I drove to Abilene, and Gary was feelin' new. I photographed Jordan & Claire.. SO much fun, and on our way to eat before the concert, Gary puttered to a stop. Everything in my car shut off. The battery was totally dead. Jordan's AWESOME brother came and jumped it, but it immediately started shutting off again after I drove for a bit. He then REJUMPED my car, and followed behind me half a mile down to an auto parts store. Gary coasted into the parking lot, losing life quickly. :/ The awesome guys at O'reilly's tested my car battery. It was shot. I had a new battery installed. Everything was good to go. We made it just in time for the concert. Yay!

The next morning, I packed up my things to head to Dallas. Gary was NEW AGAIN (or at least I thought)! About an hour and a half outside of Dallas, I broke down... about 45 minutes away from any town. I called an auto parts place. They gave me Lloyd's number. I called Lloyd. Lloyd tows cars. An hour later, Lloyd shows up. Lloyd loads up my car. Lloyd and I drive for 45 minutes on back roads. We pull into a car shop. I meet Diego & Juan. I ask Lloyd how I should pay him. He says, "You know what? Don't worry about it. Money isn't everything and you've had a rough day." My jaw dropped. I couldn't believe this absolute stranger would bless me like that. I hugged Lloyd and then spent 2 hours in the lobby of this small town, run-down car shop reading up on Japan and remembering how fortunate I am. I was given time to think and pray, and for that, I am grateful. So everything turned out fine. My car was officially fixed.. for real this time, and I finally made it to Dallas that evening. Who knew that a trip from Abilene to Dallas could take over 8 hours?

New Tires: $400
Fixed Battery & Leaking Rear (gross): $60
New Battery in Abilene: $100
Tow Guy (Lloyd): $0 (whoa)
New Alternator: $180
Diego & Juan to install alternator: $70
Spending unplanned time reading/thinking/praying: Priceless

Here is the Abilene shoot with one of my most treasured friends, Claire, and her handsome drummer boyfriend, Jordan:

Meredith Dawson | Senior

2011-03-17T10:27:00.001-05:00

I know I say it about every senior blog post, but MAN! I can't believe these "kids" I know are seniors and graduating! Most all the seniors you've seen on my blog have been little brothers and sisters of the people I graduated with, so it's crazy to me that they're so grown up. Meredith is second to youngest of the Dawson family, so it will be WILD when youngest Dawson, Scott, graduates.

Sooo.. Meredith was a blast. The gal's laugh is awesome. It's like a girly giggle/cackle, and you can't HELP but smile when you hear it. The greatest part about her is that she would crack herself up. If I demanded (yes.. I get bossy on shoots) a laugh from her, she would quote a movie or a youtube video she had just recently watched and then just bust out in laughter. Now, that's a pretty incredible quality to have. Meredith is a woman of such joy. :) She was up for anything and ready to go. I called before the shoot and asked if she would be down with playing with spray paint for part of her shoot. Once on board, I booked it to Wal-Mart and bought some cans.

Take a look, yo:

I experimented.. spray painted saran wrap and used a rubberband to secure it over my lens. hah.. different effect than what I expected, but still fun!

Yay for covering up curse words with flowers and happy things!! haha.

The Nanny's | Family

2011-03-13T03:25:00.003-05:00

I think anyone that reads this blog knows of my precious friend, Alexandra Nanny. She has second shot many weddings with me, and I feel like I brag on her all the time about both her work and her sweet soul. Meeting and spending a few hours with her family for a photoshoot explained everything about who Alexandra is: her genuine spirit, her encouraging heart, her gained wisdom, her listening ear, and gorgeous self.

Her family is so great, and they took me to dinner after this shoot. Way cool. :) These are the type of people that you meet and they immediately mean something to you. I love people like that. Meet Mark, Annette, Ann-Marie, and you already know Alexandra. ;)

Holy cow. These girls are beautiful.

Julie & Archie | Engaged

2011-03-09T12:13:00.003-06:00

I don't even know where to staaarrrrt!! I grew up with both of these knock-outs, and I remember the day I heard they started dating. "Uhh.. what could be more perfect?" were my thoughts. When I heard they got engaged, I had the same thoughts with some "Please hire me. Please hire me. Please hire me." thoughts as well. ;) I went into this shoot with enormous butterflies, excited to shoot such a beautiful couple, and I left the shoot feeling so blessed to have photographed such a Godly and joyful couple. Their smiles NEVER left their faces. Imagine going into a shoot after seeing these photos on their facebook:

Yeah.. I was spoiled with a boy & girl too fun for words. I cannot BELIEVE these two are getting married in July! I can't wait. I can't wait. I CAN'T WAIT!

The whole gang! It looks like I have a bad hair-dye job and that I've been rollin around in the grass er something.. strange. ;)

Villa and Bieba for life! ;) Love you two!

Claire ZUMWALT | Bride

2011-03-08T12:15:00.000-06:00

Miss McGinnis is now a Mrs. Zumwalt, and I had a blast shooting her wedding on Saturday. Watch for a sneak peek of their wedding day images coming soooonn. The details from the day were perfect. In the meantime, check out how gorgeous Claire ZUMWALT is. :)

hahah.. no bridal shoot is magical without Mom to fluff the dress, throw the veil, spray the hairspray, and watch for flyaway hairs. These images couldn't NOT be blogged. They are too fun. Thanks for all your help, Stacy!

Davis Tucker | Senior

2011-03-07T10:06:00.001-06:00

Davis Davis Davis. I graduated with this guy's older brother almost 4 years ago. I can't believe that. I feel like I graduated from highschool yesterday. Yes. I'm young, but in the words of Marcel the Shell, "Compared to what?!" ;) Well, seeing this senior boy so grown up made me feel old. It's so crazy how fast time flies.

The whole shoot, I kept saying, "OH MY GOSH. I can't believe how grown up you are." and "You're so cute!! I can't believe you're about to graduate" and "I feel old." and "Awww Davis." hahah I'm sure it was obnoxious, but hey, at least I didn't pinch his cheeks. Davis has a heart of gold and has a laugh to match.. like the entire Tucker family. :) I'm excited to see what he decides to do after graduation. Heeeerrrre he is:

This is me and Davis practicing squatting. Hey.. some guys can't, so we worked on it. This is how low he can squat. ha.. love it.

WPPI | Las Vegas, Baby.

2011-02-28T01:41:00.006-06:00

Ahhh.. this trip was lonnnng-awaited, but it finally came. A few months ago, I was encouraged to actually go to WPPI and not just dream of going like I have the past couple of years. WPPI (Wedding & Portrait Photographers International) is an organization formed to serve wedding photographers. Speakers and photography vendors from all over the world meet up in Las Vegas for a week of sharing wisdom, knowledge, and experience. I left for this trip with an almost guilt for leaving when I had/have SO much to do. I was working my way to sickness (which I am now..bleh), but I kept going, not giving myself one ounce of a breather to recharge myself. Kate, my best friend and YWAM roommate from 3 years ago, emailed me an article that hit home: A Creator Makes Progress Through Rest. Please read it. At the PhotogUnite (a group of Christian photographers at WPPI) meeting, I learned how to depend on Him in my business and let others help me instead of taking it all on myself. Most importantly, I learned to understand the seriousness of resting.. as simple as not eating lunch in FRONT of my laptop while working, but taking an actual lunch break. I'm posting this at 2am..with flu-like symptoms, so I'm still learning.. obviously, but I'll get there. Baby steps. ;)

This quote is taken straight from Kate Noelle's blog, and it's so true.

"The bright side is what everyone else sees…. the flexible schedule, being my own boss, working in my pajamas, etc. The not so bright side is what very few people see…. such as working by myself most days, a packed schedule full of things a whole office of people would normally be working on, lots of taxes, etc."

I love that people see the bright side, but I sometimes feel like I need people to understand the other. This week I met some of those people. It was so refreshing and absolutely needed. I LOVE WPPI!!!!!

Here are some photos from the week. I hardly took ANY with my actual camera because we were so busy, but here are a random bunch from mine and Katie's phones:

1. I totally purchased a fedora. 2. An album company used names from LOST as their album cover couples. hah. made my day.

Saw the Grand Canyon on the flight over. :)

My tired Vegas buddy and my TOMS/suitcase.

I met sweet Bobbi from Bobbi+Mike. This lady is pretty fantastic.. makes everyone she meets feel loved. I like that. :) This wasn't our first encounter. Our first involved her RUNNING down the hall and giving me a full-on hug. Yeah.. that's how awesome she is.

[suhk-ses] WPPI 2011 from stillmotion on Vimeo.

I rested, and although I miss Kate Noelle more than words, it was a PERFECT trip. I'm so glad to be home and to see how my business changes now. It will be for the better.. stay tuned. :)

Paper Cut Couture | SPC Fashion Show

2011-02-26T17:58:00.002-06:00

I love making random connections with people. I love finding out you both listen to the same music, both bought the same on-clearance shoes last week, both been to the same countries, both read the same books, or both know the same people. It's so common in Lubbock to see the same people in the same places, living out their routine and making connections on the way. One of my regular places is Sugarbrown's. [Please follow that link to their Twitter page, start following them, and drop a hint that @BetsyLackey is dying to be regular of the month. ;) Someday..] Sugarbrown's is one of my "offices", and I was working one day when a girl named Megan overheard a conversation I was having with someone. After the conversation, she confidently approached me and asked if I was a photographer. She does a lot of a graphic design work and was simply interested in another art. We got to talking for a while, traded information, and got back to work. After that day, we saw each other all the time at OUR office. One afternoon, Megan asked if I'd be interested in shooting a Fashion Show for the Design program at SPC. The dresses/pieces would all be made from paper. I was immediately intrigued, and I immediately marked it in my calendar. I was honored to capture the behind the scenes of the day, the different paper creations, the genius creativity of the makeup artists, and the execution of the entire show. Check out how incredible this crew is!

Meet the fashion coordinator, Mi-Sa Nguyen:

Texture & Color. I couldn't get enough.

Vera Wang meets Tim Burton. :)

The make-up artists were pretty phenomenal. They were constantly working.

I snatched a photo of me too. hah

And finally, the appreciation through applause (this should have gone on for hours):

Thanks for letting me join you guys that weekend! You were all so awesome. Keep in touch!

Aycock Wedding | Stephen & Amanda

2011-02-25T15:38:00.006-06:00

This blog post is long-delayed, partially and mostly because I can't even begin to share how special this bride is to me.

Amanda & I went to highschool together.. laughed together.. shared life together.. travelled together.. laughed together.. played basketball together (well, she played. I tried).. laughed together.. got in trouble together.. studied together.. annnnd laughed together. Amanda has the most contagious laugh of anyone you'll ever meet. There were countless times we would get in trouble because we were sitting at the back of class giggling about NOTHING. We would start laughing, and by the time we were in tears from laughing, we would totally forget what we were laughing at in the first place.

It is such a gift to be able to laugh at yourself. Life is too serious without that rare and valuable quality. It makes life fast because you're not dwelling on the heaviness of life (hey.. it's there.. you can't ignore it), but at the same time, when you look back, you remember the times you smiled and even laughed through life's inevitable hardship. Amanda taught me this, and that wisdom is precious to me. Ahhh, before I start crying from writing this post, I will share a quote from Garden State (if you haven't seen it, you must) and share a few RIDICULOUS pictures from mine and Amanda's high school friendship, and then finally.. some frames from the day she married her best friend: the one she'll grow old with, the man she dreamed about in high school. I'm still dreaming of mine. :)

"If you can't laugh at yourself, life's gonna seem a whole lot longer than you like...what do you do? You laugh. I'm not saying I don't cry but in between I laugh, and I realize how silly it is to take anything too seriously. Plus, I look forward to a good cry. It feels pretty good." -Sam (Garden State)

This is absolutely bold of me to post these. 1. She might murder me. 2. Let's face it. I had an awkward stage from elementary to past my high school graduation. Lucky me.

At the Lackey cabin:

Pretending to be cool in Italy..

I don't even know..

We vowed to never grow up.

Highschool retreat (yes.. i had flaming red hair):

Senior trip:

Then, she met her man..

I can hear her laugh looking at this. ha

Another dress shot. Sometimes, one isn't enough.

Stephen is a basketball coach in Plainview, and on wedding day, the soccer ball was all that was on hand in the church. I think it was sufficient for the afternoon. :)

A's mom is the sweetest woman on the planet.. I mean it.. she really is.

Another ring shot. Sometimes, one isn't enough. ;) Check out Amanda's Steve Madden gold glitter heels! She is a woman of many shoes.

The guys asked to do the "Tombstone walk". It was absolutely necessary. haha

Who's excited!?!?

This was a pretty memorable speech. ;)

Oh. & one more for the road.. hahah.

Stephen & Amanda, thank you so much for everything! I am so excited for you guys to continue sharing life together as husband and wife. :) May God bless your family with joy beyond comprehension (I know He will), and I'm so excited to hear about it. Your strength together is so beautiful. I pray it only grows as you allow Jesus to strengthen you individually. Manda, you're my hero. Don't forget it. -Bets

Pierce Hardin (Pt. 1) | Senior

2011-02-08T19:57:00.002-06:00

I've known this kid FOREVER. Pierce's family lived at the end of the block, and I grew up being best friends with his older sister, Claire (click for photos of Claire). I CANNOT believe that Pierce is graduating, but after photographing him, sifting through images, and editing, it's easy to see and call him an adult and not just "Claire's little brother". He is SO grown up (squishes face/pinches cheeks).

Welp, this is part ONE of Pierce's senior pictures because, despite the cold, we wanted to get some snow shots it, so we went out for a little mini session! So this face will be back in the Spring. :) Until then, check out "Part 1" of this handsome man (gives noogie):

Yeah.. he got these at Saver's. I think he's proud enough of them for me to share that.

favorite. :)

Look who came along! :) Meet Hannah & Annique. They were my "snow-throwers" and "make-pierce-laugh-ers" (??).
<
Oh. & I came along too.

Snow Day | Life

2011-02-05T03:41:00.006-06:00

If you don't know Amy-Rose King, you need to know her. Yes.. need. She is a giver, a listener, and a laugher. Amy-Rose had the incredible idea of interviewing local Lubbock photographers. She has interviewed over THIRTY Lubbock photographers!! It's been a blast to follow her blog and meet photographers I would have never met or gotten to know otherwise. Please check out her blog! She is fabulous!

Coffee & Snow Date with Amy-Rose: HERE
My interview with Amy-Rose: HERE
Photos from the Bridal Fair: HERE

Oh & please check out her KILLER yoga move while shooting! :) HA.. I love her.

I had to post this. hah.. we tried so many times to get the right snow-blowing effect we were going for. This one was definitely a fail, and I think I ended up with snow all in my hair. Brr.

Colter & Kimberly | Engagement

2011-02-04T16:11:00.003-06:00

I feel like I'm ALWAYS talking about how tough my clients are, but it's true every time!! These guys bore the cold... and bore the cold some more.. thawed out in the car.. and then bore the cold some more.. until I finally said, "Yup! No more! Kimberly's arms are purple and she's shaking." haha, so after the first couple of freezing outdoor locations, we made to The Arrogant Texan, a little vintage ice cream and candy shoppe on Broadway across from Texas Tech.

Colter & Kimberly cuddled, flirted, laughed, hugged, and were everything an engaged and in love couple should be. :) Oh.. and GET THIS! They bought me Amy's famous ice cream afterward in exchange for having my camera in their face for two hours. haha.. SO sweet, but we were definitely crazy in doing so because we walked outside with our ice cream and remembered how ridiculously cold it was. Is anyone with me when I say that ice cream just tastes WORLDS better when it's cold outside? It's been a snow day for three days and iced coffee/iced tea/frozen fruit/milkshakes have all been my heart's desire. Am I weird? ...Yes. I'm done. Here are Colter & Kimberly.. soon to be Mr. & Mrs. Davis:

Richard & Rachel | Engagement

2011-02-03T21:42:00.002-06:00

Alright, soo the holiday crazies are over, and I'm playing catch up from weddings, seniors, brides, and engaged couples. I can't wait to show you what I've been up to. I am loving these shoots in the cold: dead trees.. snuggling couples.. scarves.. boots.. hats.. all of it.

Richard & Rachel are so patient. Throughout the entire shoot, I kept calling one the other name, or I just meshed the two, which is always awesome: "Heyyy uhh.. Rayyychird??" So, sometimes I'd tell Richard to pop his hip out, bat his eyes, and twirl his hair while telling Rachel to give me a manly stance. hahah. By the end of the night, everything worked out. I just had to keep telling myself, "Richard is the redhead." over and over, but eventually, I got it down. ;) They were so cooperative and sweet. I'm so excited to shoot their wedding this August. Until then, here are their engagement photos:

Zimmerhanzel Wedding | Michael & Kathryn

2011-02-03T15:04:00.002-06:00

Ahh, finally.. the wedding of Michael & Kathryn Zimmerhanzel. You might remember these faces from their engagement session back in the day:

When Kathryn & I first met up, we talked for who knows how long. We talked about Michael. I spent about an hour trying to pronounce his last name. Then we talked wedding.. and boy, did we talk wedding! She was a planner, an executer, and a LEARNER OF EXCEL SPREADSHEETS! hahah.. I loved it. After our first few coffee dates, this was a more than common conversation:

I have loved getting to know Kathryn more and more while hearing stories of Michael or "Zimmer" (as his friends call him) at every coffee date and in every phone conversation. I was blessed to be able to photograph this fun couple's classic and romantic wedding day. Winter weddings are lovely. :) Take a look:

Zimmer, getting ready. :)

This is Kathryn, just as excited! :)

Sooo.. every bride/groom has their own unique "preparation" before a wedding. Sometimes it's kickin' back to relax and sometimes it's one-handed push-ups. To each his own. ;)

I loved her hair.. and you can't tell, but it was FREEZING. She toughed it out. ;)

Christmas treeee!

hah.. I love them.

dancin..dancin..dancin.

K & I talked a lot of wedding plans pre-wedding, and the cake was one of the things we talked about ALL the time. She knew exactly what she wanted, but no one seemed able to do black fondant. What? Welp, she finally found someone to do it, and oh my! It turned out perfectly. :)

Dancin' with Grandad. :)

Dancin' with Dad. :)

Favorite.

I'm pretty sure my shirt got singed from a sparkler this wedding. The day was bound to come. ;)

Zimmer <3 Kathryn

Z & K, thank you THANK YOU THANK YOU for letting me get to know you both and sharing your day of union with me. :) I had so much fun capturing moments of your day. Life is full of those moments. Keep them. Remember them. I hope your moments thus far as husband and wife have been more amazing than you imagined. Please keep in touch. -Bets

Loudder Sisters | Molli & Calli

2011-01-28T09:25:00.003-06:00

Meet the Loudder girls: Molli & Calli. These two are awesome. I met their family last semester and while I only knew them for a short while before they went back home to China, they left such an impression on me. Joni was in my Bible study and has such wisdom to offer in our group. She has such compassion that is absolutely contagious. Her husband is a hoot! ;) ..always joking.. always laughing. Photographing these two made me wish I had a sister even more than I already did. MISS YOU GUYS!

Dearing Wedding | Riley & Lindsey

2011-01-21T16:13:00.002-06:00

Today is my Nanny's birthday. I can't believe it has been over 5 and half years since she passed away. She has left such lasting imprint on those around her and shown me a strength that I have never seen in any other woman. While she was sick, I spent night after night crying more tears than what I thought was humanly possible. I hated to see her hurting. It wasn't right. The situation made me cry out for healing. It drove me to the cross.. broken and confused. She was diagnosed in 2002 and for 2 and a half years, I lived in fear that EVERYTHING was going to change. Everything was perfect. Why did this have to happen? While everything did change after she passed away, I took the most important lesson with me after her death: HE REMAINS. God stayed. He worked. He moved. He comforted. He healed. His character wasn't shifted in any way. Emotions were chaotic, but He was peace. There, I found rest.

“He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away." Revelation 21:4

I know it seems like an impossible transition to make into a wedding, but it absolutely fits.

I love love LOVE seeing grandmothers at weddings. I think about my Nanny every time I see the bride and her "MeeMee" hug, when I see "Grammy" breakin' it down on the dancefloor, or when "MeMaw" gets tickled during the ceremony. ;) It's such a blessing for me to see these moments. At Riley & Lindsey's wedding, I couldn't stop photographing Lindsey's grandmother. She wore a smile the whole day and had such a servant's heart. She played the piano during the reception and watched with a big grin while everyone danced. :) She is precious.

Riley & Lindsey got married at Horseshoe Bay. I get so excited when I get to shoot "JCREW" weddings, and that's exactly what this was. :) Elegant. Sweet. With a homemade coffee-stained veil and a sunset ceremony, how could you POSSIBLY go wrong? Props to Calli (sister) for being the hero on wedding day.. she was the go-to girl.. she. knew. everything. Alright, without further adieu, check out this wedding:

I want these earrings. :)

This is precious Crew, checkin' in on his mom getting ready. He had to peek around all the ladies in the bathroom. ;)

First look.

OW OW!

one of my favorites:

Ahh.. I love.

ALL smiles.. the whole time.. ESPECIALLY when the best man faked threw the rings. haha hilarious.

This will be my mom on my wedding day.

favorite.

Let the dancing begin!

Yeah, they floated away on a boat.. no big deal.

BIG BIG BIG thanks to Alexandra Nanny again for coming to Horseshoe Bay with me to shoot this wedding. :) I can always count on her. Here we are on wedding day followed by my favorite shot of hers from the day.

NEEDTOBREATHE | Life

2011-01-13T00:21:00.007-06:00

I've been told that I need to post more personal stuff on my blog, so this is the start of more life posts. For now, I wanted to share about one of my inspirations. Inspirations are things that keep me going. They keep my creative juices flowing and my need to create, greater. Inspiration for me can be anywhere: a weekend roadtrip, a great scarf, a character-developing movie, a smooth chai latte, a deep conversation, the smell of the mountains, a killer blog, orrrrr an epic concert. In this case, it was the epic concert that fueled me through the busy holidays and into the new year. I cannot believe it's 2011, but I couldn't be more excited for the newness and unrevealed adventures of the next 12 months. It was SO cool to see NEEDTOBREATHE in concert again. These guys ooze creativity and glorify their King in doing so. It is beyond heartening to listen and watch them live. If you haven't, you need to make this a life goal of yours. Go on.. write it down. You must. ;)

It's kind of a HUGE "want" of mine to hop on a plane to Africa with these guys, photograph them performing for different orphanages/schools/tribes, let Bo scribble his art on everything, let Bear/Seth/Joe write their experiences and stories, and create a complete journal/book on their impact in a different country through music and art. Talk about inspiration.. this book could rock people's worlds. Ahhh.. I'll keep dreamin. Maybe someday...

So I could go on and on about NEEDTOBREATHE, but I need to share these photos with you. Hope these frames from their concert at the Ogden Theatre refresh your soul the way their words and music do with me.

Oh & check out their Something Beautiful music video! I'M IN IT!! :)

(Yes, I was on Bo's side for the concert.. front row.. couldn't move, but didn't want to. haha.. that's why most all of these are of Bo.)

Wilson Wedding | Matthew & Taylor

2011-01-04T19:44:00.002-06:00

I don't even know where to begin with this sweet couple! When we first met for coffee, I KNEW their wedding was going to be beautiful. Taylor had color ideas that I knew would blend perfectly. We kept in touch as the months went on and the wedding colors changed.. and changed.. and changed, and every time, the color scheme became better and better. ha.. the plans and vision were coming together and I was becoming more excited for their wedding day as the months passed. :)

Not sure if you remember Matt and Taylor's engagement session, but it started pouring rain at the end of our session and we ran. The bridals, on the other hand, were on the perfect day. Forgetting the horrible mosquitoes, our weather was awesome. Once I saw Taylor in her wedding dress and witnessed her relationship with her mom, I was thrilled and couldn't wait ANY longer for the day. It finally rolled around. Matthew and Taylor got married at Safari Texas Ranch in Richmond, TX with details and reception decor that I am absolutely in love with. Party Central was the event and floral designer. uh. mazing.

So maybe I'll get permission from Matt and Taylor (eventually) to post a specific photo from their engagement session, but until then, I'll just describe it. Before the session ended, they said they had one request (surprise) for me. They busted out Twilight shirts. Matt's featured Jacob. Taylor's featured Edward. haha.. now I MUST share that they are NOT.. I repeat.. NOT Twilight fans, but they had to mock a little bit. They are great photos, so maybe someday, I can share. ;) Hint hint Taylor.. Anyway, I thought it was pretty hilarious (and beautiful) that we got a full moon shot the night of their wedding. Ahh.. couldn't help but think of their engagements, but it was pretty amazing. :)

Okay.. I'll stop so you can view their wedding day images. :) Enjoy:

Hair by Salon Victoria! Eddie was the best. Check out how amazing their work is.

Love me a happy bride. :)

BOOOOOTS!

All-white (tie & vest) = SHARP

Ahhh yeeeuhh.

There were zebras. No big deal.

:) I love this sweet kiss. (Yes, I cried.)

They did it!!!!

hahah.. the best.

The full moon shot. ;)

Checkin out her rings at the reception..

Taylor's grandad got out of his wheelchair to dance with Taylor. It was absolutely amazing. (Yes, I cried again.)

If your Daddy/Daughter dance will be like this, you will make your photographer very happy. :)

FAVORITE OF MATT & TAYLOR! haha.. laughed out loud when I saw the top left shot at the reception. LOVE them.

Because you have to bring your highschool basketball wooden mascot sign to the wedding..

Someone breakdanced!

...and then Matthew tried. ;) (Best moment at the reception, hands down)

Youuuu guessed it.. Cupid Shuffle.

Thanks to Kasey Muth for second shooting this wedding with me. You are ALWAYS so helpful and a QUEEN at details. :) My favorite of hers from the day:

Matt & Taylor, I cannot thank you enough for letting me be part of your day. It's always so great to finish all the wedding festivities, knowing I made more than clients, but friends. :) May God bless your marriage in ways you can't even imagine. I hope you guys are loving married life.. watching the Twilight series late into the night with your matching tshirts. ;) Love you both!

-Bets

Driscoll Family | Matthew, Anna, Finn

2011-01-02T17:33:00.003-06:00

I photographed this family back in August, but I had to keep it secret until Christmas gifts were given. ;)

Earlier this summer, I got this message from Anna: "Oh Betsy, you aren't planning a trip up to the DC metro area anytime soon are you? I am in need of an awesome photographer and I wish that you were close! " It just so happened that I had JUST booked a wedding in Richmond, VA. So I made it an absolute that I hook up with Anna's adorable family on that same trip annnd IT HAPPENED! yay! The day of our shoot, it was inssaaaannnely humid. I've never experienced humidity like that before. We were all drenched. I have the best clients though.. they were such troopers! Even the little one toughed it out! To brag a little more on this family, they took me out to dinner after! Whaaa?? How awesome is that!

About a week before Christmas, Anna had her second precious baby boy: Wyatt Jackson. I love that name. Congratulations guys! Your family rocks.

This is Matthew, Anna, Finn, and Wyatt in the oven. Enjoy!

Kyle & Ashli | Engagement

2011-01-01T22:02:00.002-06:00

I've been ready to blog these ADORABLE two since the day I photographed them. I first met Kyle and Ashli in a Bible study a few semesters ago, and the way they interact with each other is just a blast to watch. They each have such genuine smiles that NEVER leave their faces when they are together. Now.. yes, you might see a few images where they have serious faces, but trust me, it was difficult for them. :)

Kyle is an Environmental Engineering major and Ashli is a nursing student. They graduate soon and will be gettin' hitched in June! I'm so excited for these two and can't wait to see how the Lord uses them to magnify Himself and bless others. Congratulations you guys!