I love the title of this post, because I feel like it fits Abby perfectly. If I had to describe Abby’s style in two words, it would be “rustic couture.” On the surface, Abby is a typical Texas country girl. She owns a horse, she wears her cowboy boots regularly, she attended a university known for its agricultural history, she competed on an equestrian team, and I’m fairly sure she would feel right at home on a four-wheeler bumping down an old gravel road. That said, she’s also one of the most stylish brides I’ve ever had. She’s got a great sense of fashion and style, and put together a truly smoking hot look for her wedding day. She’s a great catch – a down home country girl who also knows how to work it in a pair of Louboutins! She also happens to be a real trooper when it comes to photos. Her bridal session was FREEEEEZING (and her Day After session in snowy Paris was even colder) but she never complained once. Here are a few of my faves:

Europe, as always, was fabulous.  Although I am the biggest American patriot you will ever find, it is nice to sometimes leave the land of apple pies and baseball and indulge my wanderlust.   I’ve been privileged to visit Italy many times in my life, but this recent trip was my first opportunity to visit the City of Love.  It turned out to be quite an apropos title as well, because you see, I came home with quite the lovely souvenir:

That’s right, the wedding photographer finally has a wedding of her own to plan, and she COULD NOT be more excited about it!  I can’t say it was a complete surprise, however.  This proposal has been a long time coming!

For quite awhile now (over six months, according to my e-mail history) Jason and I have been discussing “The Ring.”  Being a wedding professional, I see a lot of weddings and a LOT of rings, so as you can imagine, I’ve always had some very specific opinions about The Ring that I would be wearing for the rest of my life.  Knowing me and knowing this, Jason didn’t even attempt to hide the ring-buying process from me, so we both jumped into it headfirst.  We spent months looking at different ring designs, researching the four Cs, trying to find the perfect center stone, and checking out jeweler after jeweler.  At times the process was much more emotional and frustrating than it should have been – until we met Eric Olschwanger.   I’ll talk more about Eric later, but if you’re in the market for any kind of custom jewelry, Eric will save you time, money, and stress, and will give you an impeccably made piece for a fabulous price.

The Tiffany Legacy Ornate ring, which is the ring my lovely was based off of. Photo property of Tiffany & Co.

So fast forward to earlier this month.  I had been subtly slipping Jason some hints that it might be incredibly romantic to propose in Europe, and he had not so subtly told me that pigs would fly before he would take our ring overseas and risk losing it or having it stolen or confiscated by security or some other completely irrational fear.  It had gotten to the point where he actually seemed to be genuinely angry at me when I would bring it up, so I quietly began to lose hope for an epic proposal under a sparkling Eiffel Tower.

As we descended into Paris’ Charles De Gaulle Airport, I asked my beloved what he looked forward to most during the trip, maybe subconsciously hoping he would reveal his plan right then and there.  Instead, he coyly deflected and quickly changed the subject.  I was, naturally, oblivious.  Later, as we unpacked in our hotel room, Jason proudly showed me an e-mail he had just received from our jeweler Eric stating that some “last minute changes” to the ring had just been finished and would be ready to pick up as soon as we returned from Europe.  “Aren’t you excited?!” he asked.  I tried (futilely) to hide my disappointment, gave up the last shred of hope I had been clinging onto, and just tried to enjoy myself in the most romantic city on Earth.

Attempting to look Parisian and NOT look disappointed.

On our second day in Paris, we spent the majority of the afternoon and evening with my clients Abby and Zach, the new Mr. and Mrs. Boatwright.  They had just gotten married the previous Sunday, and Jason and I flew with them to Europe for their honeymoon to do a destination Day After session.  We wandered around the Louvre, the Tuileries, the Champ du Mars, and finally finished up our photo spree at an illuminated Eiffel Tower.

You can’t see it (I hope) but these two are completely miserably cold right now.

It was approximately 20-something degrees and snowing, and Abby had been roughing it in a thin strapless wedding dress all day, so the poor girl was on the edge of frostbite.  Finally I realized I could torture her no longer, so I announced that the shoot was finished and that we could pack it in and head back to the hotel.  As I began to pack up my gear, Abby asked me if I’d like a photo of myself and Jason – you know, since the lights were already set up and everything was all lit up and beautiful.  Not wanting to watch my client turn into a popsicle before my eyes, I initially refused, but she insisted (I later learned she was totally in on it, and although I’m sure she wanted nothing more than to find the nearest blazing fireplace, she kept her promise to Jason – I owe you one, Abby!!).  I grabbed Jason and yanked him in front of the camera, wanting to get the photo done quickly, but for some reason he kept wanting to talk to me.  At first I ignored him, but he kept talking, mumbling something about how I had asked him at some point what he was looking forward to most, and how this was it.  I gave him the obligatory “Awwww,” a quick kiss, and resumed my pose so we could get the photo finished and get my clients to a heater pronto.  Then he grabbed my hand and said “I’m not finished….”

I’m not exactly sure what happened after that moment, because it was all one big amazingly happy blur, but I think the photo proof speaks for itself:

Needless to say, I got my Parisian wish, I got my perfect ring, and most importantly, I got my white knight.  Jason and I have been together for almost three years now, and they’ve been three of the happiest years of my life.  We began our relationship playing saxophone in a parking garage stairwell, and it’s been an awesome ride ever since.  He gets me like no one else, he knows my every emotion and pet peeve and fear and weird quirk, and he embraces all of it.  I love him more than I ever thought I could love someone, and I am incredibly lucky and blessed and grateful to have found him (and kept him!).

I know that you guys are just dying to ask me who MY wedding photographer will be (I get that question roughly 736785 times a day) and let me just nip that in the bud right now and say I have NO CLUE!!  I certainly have a list of people whose work I love and admire, but choosing my wedding photographer is a huge decision that will be influenced by several factors, so I’m not in any rush to make a decision.  We have set a very tentative wedding date – 4.11.11 (yep, it’s a Monday!) – but we’re far from finalizing anything.  We’re excited about taking our time and enjoying being engaged, and yes, planning the most epic, amazing, fun, creative wedding we can possibly imagine!

Sorry ladies, he’s aaaaaaaaall mine.

Stacy Reeves Photography is temporarily closed until January 21, 2010. Our staff will be traveling to Europe and will have limited access to phone and e-mail during this time. Please be patient as responses will be delayed until we return. We’ll see you on the 21st!

In true Deziree fashion, we shot her bridal session at two fabulous locations. We started off at Iron Bed at the Shops at Legacy, which is quite possibly the most beautiful home decorating store of all time. They specialize in iron bedframes, but they also offer high end bedding, home decor, and bath accessories. Jason knows that he can never take me near The Iron Bed because I MUST go in, I MUST lay on one of the amazing beds, I MUST try out some of their perfumes, body sprays, and lotions, and I MUST buy a ridiculously cute throw pillow. I simply must. The second location was the NYLO hotel, which I have been dying to shoot at for months now. The NYLO has the most unique decor of any hotel I have ever been to, with a really trendy, modern, loft-y vibe. I could have shot Deziree at these locations for days! Here are a few highlights:

SCHOLARSHIP & SCHOLARSHIP WINNER
Thanks so much to everyone who applied for the Mind Your Business scholarship.  I received way more scholarships than I expected which was a blessing and a curse.. It was a bittersweet experience getting the read your stories – sweet because I feel so honored that you guys opened up to me, and bitter because I could only select one winner.  In the end I did hand out a few honorable mentions to people who really had a great story and a great attitude, but there was one person who completely stole the show.  I knew almost instantly after reading her entry that she would be the winner, and that instinct proved to be right.  Lidia Boicu is a Dallas-based photographer who does a little of everything but is especially talented at family work, including maternity and child portraiture.  Her business, Oh So Posh Photography, has been recommended to me by countless local photographers who are all impressed by her work, but more importantly impressed by her personality, attitude, and friendliness.  Lidia is always a pleasure to talk to, she seems to always be in a good mood and always lifting up and supporting others around her, which is even more impressive when you hear her story.  Lidia has been through a lot over the past four years.  Her daughter was born with a rare syndrome that required a cross-country flight and a difficult surgery to treat, her father died unexpectedly last Christmas, and at 31 she was diagnosed with advanced breast cancer.  With all of that, it would be easy for Lidia to give up or succumb to depression, but instead, she has turned her brushes with death into an inspiring cause.  Lidia founded the Tiny Sparrow Foundation, which provides photography services to families of children who are fighting life threatening diseases.  I know Lidia puts so much of her time and effort into Tiny Sparrow, and she has really worked hard to help out people whose shoes she has walked in – facing a very real and very scary chance that they or someone they love may not be alive much longer.  Lidia has a great attitude about her business, eager to learn more and willing to work hard and do her research to get there.  She is really an impressive person all around, and I’m so excited to have her at the workshop, which will hopefully allow her to take both her business and Tiny Sparrow to a new level. Here is one of my favorite images from her blog:

WORKSHOP REGISTRATION DEADLINE
If you’d like to register for the Mind Your Business workshop, make sure you do so by midnight this Wednesday, January 6.  At that point registration will close and no further signups will be accepted.  You can learn more about the workshop here and sign up for the workshop here.  Thanks so much to colleagues Kelly Simants and Jason Huang of Table4 Photography for mentioning the Mind Your Business workshop on their websites and for their kind words and their friendship.  Kelly is also hosting a business-focused workshop called The Simple Plan, geared mostly towards wedding planners but applicable to all wedding industry vendors.

CANS FOR COMMENTS
Thanks so much to everyone who participated in Cans for Comments.  Between this website and Racy Steeves, you guys placed 207 comments in the month of December, which means a local food bank is going to be getting a HUGE donation!  I loved getting to hear from so many of my readers for the first time, so even though Cans for Comments is complete, feel free to keep the comments coming!

OUT OF THE OFFICE
Stacy Reeves Photography will be closed for business January 9-21.  We will all be out of the country for a destination honeymoon session and extended vacation, and we will have limited access to phone and e-mail.  Please be patient as e-mails, phone calls, and print orders will be delayed during this time.

FEATURED ON…
Recently I’ve had the honor of being featured on some major blogs and websites, and I’d love to reciprocate by mentioning a few of them here.  My Photographers Pricing Guide was featured on MCP Actions, a fantastic blog that offers advice and free resources for professional photographers.  It should be a staple on every photog’s RSS reader!  I was also surprised and humbled to find via Google Alert that I was mentioned on Photographers Who Blog among the likes of such industry legends as Pete Souza (the White House official photographer), David Hobby (aka that Strobist guy), and Zack Arias, whose famous OneLight workshop I attended recently.  I am definitely not worthy, but I appreciate the honor nonetheless!  Finally, this blog has been nominated as one of the Best Dallas Wedding Blogs by Dallas Wedding Planner, a great resource of brides planning a Dallas-area wedding.  I would really really reeeeally love your vote, and all it takes is a moment!  Just follow this link, scroll down to the poll, select “Stacy Reeves” and click Submit!  If I win I’ll add an additional 50 cans to the Cans for Comments donation, so your time spent voting will be for a good cause :)

I never say this enough, but thanks to all of you who read this blog on a regular basis, who leave comments, who send me e-mails, who share the stuff you learn here on other blogs and forums, and who just generally support me.  Sometimes as a blogger it can be easy to think that you’re talking to no one, so knowing that there are people out there who are actually listening is a really awesome and encouraging thing.  Thanks also to my clients, who make me love my job and who keep a smile on my face every day!  I’ve got over 40 – FORTY!! – weddings and portrait sessions waiting in the blog queue, so there is lots of great material in store for 2010!

****CANS FOR COMMENTS ENDS TODAY! I will donate a canned good for every comment left anywhere on this blog in the month of December. Take five seconds and leave a comment to help out those in need!****

Deziree and Jon are getting married TODAY! I am happy to report that this is the only wedding I have ever shot that will occur in two different years. Deziree is the definition of impeccable taste and her fabulous coordinator Tara Wilson has developed a reputation in Dallas as the event expert for a very good reason, so I can only imagine how breathtaking their wedding this evening will be. I’m happy to be ending 2009 – the best year yet for yours truly – and ringing in 2010 – which is poised to be even better – with Deziree and Jon, and happy to be sharing their engagement session at Again & Again, a posh furniture resale shop in Dallas. Enjoy, and Happy New Year!

Julie and Colin are fun and beautiful and a blast to hang out with. Julie has a great sense of style, Colin has great taste in engagement rings, and together they’re pretty much ideal clients. I loved getting to explore new territory shooting with them in historic downtown Grapevine, checking out the wine bar where they hang out, and generally enjoying ourselves. Can’t wait to photograph their wedding next year in Odessa!