Leah’s Woodlands Bridals, part 2 / T4B: Headpieces!

Bridals, Tips for Brides

June 29th, 2009

I have a terrible habit of collecting lots of bridal accessories.. Over the years I have had tons of veils, wraps, boleros, fake bouquets, even cake toppers.. But the one thing I absolutely cannot stop collecting is headpieces. There’s just something about an outrageous hair accessories that I adore! I have a massive box filled with all sorts of head goodies, and for Leah’s bridal session, I busted out a few of my favorites.

rustic country forest garden bridal session of Leah Partridge Bayliss in The Woodlands by Dallas wedding photographer Stacy Reeves

Not quite a headpiece but I still love the feel that this gives the images!
rustic country forest garden bridal session of Leah Partridge Bayliss in The Woodlands by Dallas wedding photographer Stacy Reeves

All of the above pieces were purchased from Dragon Wings (which I actually found at a booth at Scarborough Faire).
rustic country forest garden bridal session of Leah Partridge Bayliss in The Woodlands by Dallas wedding photographer Stacy Reeves

These two headbands were purchased from Lady Vintique, run by fabulous fellow wedding photographer Lyndzee Ellsworth.

One reason I love headpieces is because I really adore when my brides wear their hair down, or half-up-half-down. To me, a bride should look romantic and feminine, and nothing is more lovely and girly than long, flowing hair. However, I know most brides want something unique for their wedding day hairstyle, so purchasing a cute hairpiece is a great way to keep your locks flowing but still have a bit of pizazz to your hairdo. Some of my favorite headpiece providers (besides the two already mentioned) are: Twigs and Honey, Leah C, Ellen Christine, Unveiled Bridal Designs, Fascinators by Design, Breeziway, and Fascinators NYC. However the best resource for finding inexpensive headpices is definitely Etsy. Spend some time searching (use the word “wedding” or “bridal” with terms like “veil” or “fascinator” or “headpiece” or “bandeau” or “millinery”) and you’ll find literally hundreds of options.

Tags: headpiece | Tips for Brides | veil | woodlands

4 Comments

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Sarah e. - Stunning! Love the mask!

erica Velasco - Love the head pieces.

Gail Kelly - Stacy - these are super, especially love the last two - very vintage!!!

Beth Armsheimer - These are so gorgeous!! I want them all :) beautiful portraits Stacey!

Leah’s Woodlands Bridal Session

Bridals

June 22nd, 2009

I know I say this pretty much every time I post a bridal session, but I really truly mean it this time… this one is one of my all-time favorites. There were so many things that went right with this session. The weather was perfect - sunny with a nice breeze, blue skies filled with pretty, fluffy clouds. Leah looked beautiful as always, her asymmetrical gown gave her the perfect curves no matter what angle she stood at, and the halter neckline meant that I wasn’t limited on body movement (as I am with many strapless dresses). Leah and I were completely on the same wavelength when it came to locations: my favorite place to shoot is in a forest or garden surrounded by blooming natural trees, tall grass, and flowers, and Leah wanted to wander around The Woodlands (which got its name for a good reason) and just pull over at some random pretty spots for photos. It was also one of my longer bridal sessions, because we were having so much fun and finding so many interesting locations that I completely lost track of time! Normally after about an hour most brides are so tired of being in their dress already that they just want to call it a day, but Leah was such a trooper and was so into trying new things that we kept going for a good 3-4 hours!

This one is going to be a two-parter, but you’ll find out why soon.. For now, here are some of my faves from the “normal” part of the session:

rustic country forest garden bridal session of Leah Partridge Bayliss in The Woodlands by Plano wedding photographer Stacy Reeves

rustic country forest garden bridal session of Leah Partridge Bayliss in The Woodlands by Frisco wedding photographer Stacy Reeves

rustic country forest garden bridal session of Leah Partridge Bayliss in The Woodlands by McKinney wedding photographer Stacy Reeves

This image is so quintessentially Leah.. She’s always laughing, always having a great time. You can’t really be around Leah for more than five seconds and not smile!
rustic country forest garden bridal session of Leah Partridge Bayliss in The Woodlands by Highland Park wedding photographer Stacy Reeves

rustic country forest garden bridal session of Leah Partridge Bayliss in The Woodlands by Highland Park wedding photographer Stacy Reeves

rustic country forest garden bridal session of Leah Partridge Bayliss in The Woodlands by Park Cities wedding photographer Stacy Reeves

rustic country forest garden bridal session of Leah Partridge Bayliss in The Woodlands by Southlake wedding photographer Stacy Reeves

rustic country forest garden bridal session of Leah Partridge Bayliss in The Woodlands by Coppell wedding photographer Stacy Reeves

rustic country forest garden bridal session of Leah Partridge Bayliss in The Woodlands by Fort Worth wedding photographer Stacy Reeves

I have this thing about “signature images”… I’m always looking for images that encompass everything that I want my brand and my style to be about. For me, these two images are the embodiment of my brand. Southern, romantic, vintage, timeless, soft, elegant, fashion-inspired, relaxed, fun.. These two images represent all of it!
rustic country forest garden bridal session of Leah Partridge Bayliss in The Woodlands by Dallas wedding photographer Stacy Reeves

Stay tuned later this week for part two of this session, with a fun twist (that will also function as a T4B - Tips for Brides post!).

Tags: bridal session | Bridals | country | rustic | woodlands

16 Comments

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amy - These are all gorgeous. Love the location, the processing and what a beautiful bride.

Abby - She has beautiful forever-long eyelashes! I love the one with the veil of her laughing. Great job!

Jordan - I definitely have to say this is some of my favorite bridal work from you. The images are so wistful and romantic. I love the soft, cross-processed look. Superbly done.

Melanie - Truly inspiring and beautiful images! I love your work!

Allison - Beautiful session! I love the mix of elegance and playfulness. Great work! :)

olga - This is my all-time favorite as well. Gorgeous.

Eugene - Awesome work, as usual, Stacy! I really like adjectives you chose in describing your signature images :). My favourite image from this set is the one just before your two signature images, for it's magnificently framed and the light there is spectacular (especially in the background)!

toni - this is such a beautiful session. The brise looks amazing, and your processing is awsome. GREAT JOB!

Christy Lynn - Gorgeous photos! You really capture the Bride stunningly. Can't wait to see part two.

trishia - she is so beautiful! and you took fabulous, spectacular, and stunning photos, as usual. can't wait to see the next post.

amy karp PHOTOGRAPHY - I love your processing on these...adds such a great deal to the already wonderful images! Great work!

Lauren - These are breathtaking! Really beautiful :)

rachel - absolutely stunning - as usual. you are incredible with these brides!

Patryk Wolański - Beautiful photos.

Martin Doshé - Just want to say that you are my favorite wedding photographer. No other take pictures like this!!! Keep it up:) Photo-hug Martin Doshé

Eliza - What gorgeous pictures and the scenery and bride are elegant!

Lisa and Grant’s Wal-Mart Engagement Session

Engagements

June 17th, 2009

It’s pretty much common sense for any business person to never do business with their friends and family.. Well, apparently I didn’t get that memo because my favorite weddings to shoot are the ones I do for people I have known for years. It seems like the photos come out so much better when you know so many members of the wedding party and everyone feels comfortable having you around. I already know Lisa and Grant’s wedding is going to be exactly like that - it will practically be a T-Camp reunion! T-Camp was an organization at our alma mater, Texas A&M, that helped incoming transfer students learn about the traditions and culture in Aggieland. One year not too long ago, Lisa and I were counselors in Camp Stratta, and Grant was one of our venerable co-chairs. When you spend so much time together, you’re bound to have a few love connections, and sure enough, Lisa and Grant got hooked on each other! I have so many great memories with these guys, not the least of which was the nickname that plagued me for months - Steakballs - so I’m super excited to be a part of their wedding day!!

I’d been wanting to do a session in Wal-Mart, but I wasn’t sure that I could get a couple to agree to it.. Then along came Grant and Lisa, who are totally chill and fun and always up for anything, so they agreed to be my guinea pigs! I also can’t go in a Wal-Mart without hearing Lisa’s voice in my head yelling “Iiiiiii knoooooow!!” in a thick Southern drawl (part of an old Camp Stratta skit), so it’s somewhat fitting. Lisa and Grant, thanks so much for volunteering to try some new and crazy things out with me, and for being great friends. Can’t wait for the wedding!

engagement session of Lisa Kirk and Grant Speer in Wal-Mart by Dallas wedding photographer Stacy Reeves

engagement session of Lisa Kirk and Grant Speer in Wal-Mart by Plano wedding photographer Stacy Reeves

engagement session of Lisa Kirk and Grant Speer in Wal-Mart by Frisco wedding photographer Stacy Reeves

engagement session of Lisa Kirk and Grant Speer in Wal-Mart by Southlake wedding photographer Stacy Reeves

engagement session of Lisa Kirk and Grant Speer in Wal-Mart by Coppell wedding photographer Stacy Reeves

engagement session of Lisa Kirk and Grant Speer in Wal-Mart by Carrollton wedding photographer Stacy Reeves

engagement session of Lisa Kirk and Grant Speer in Wal-Mart by Highland Park wedding photographer Stacy Reeves

engagement session of Lisa Kirk and Grant Speer in Wal-Mart by University Park wedding photographer Stacy Reeves

engagement session of Lisa Kirk and Grant Speer in Wal-Mart by Addison wedding photographer Stacy Reeves

engagement session of Lisa Kirk and Grant Speer in Wal-Mart by Irving wedding photographer Stacy Reeves

engagement session of Lisa Kirk and Grant Speer in Wal-Mart by Las Colinas wedding photographer Stacy Reeves

engagement session of Lisa Kirk and Grant Speer in Wal-Mart by Lewisville wedding photographer Stacy Reeves

engagement session of Lisa Kirk and Grant Speer in Wal-Mart by Allen wedding photographer Stacy Reeves

engagement session of Lisa Kirk and Grant Speer in Wal-Mart by Ft. Worth wedding photographer Stacy Reeves

Tags: dallas | engagement session | wal-mart

24 Comments

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andy stenz - that's fantastic. how did you guys not get kicked out? maybe you did ;-)

Mike Patterson - Excellent series of images Stacy - well done!!

Alen Abdula - I didn't know Walmart can be that fun... Great work Stacy, keep it up.

Sarah Shalley - I KNOW her! Somehow...I think my friend Rowdy met Lisa at T-Camp. Red headed Rowdy Patterson...? VERY COOL to see her engagement pics. Thanks! Sarah *still waiting for Stacy and JM's wedding. soooo anxious!

Holly - Oh my gosh... I looooooove it! Did any Wal-mart employees give you flack about it?

stacyreeves - Theirs is coming up soon, I promise!! It's the next wedding on the list!

stacyreeves - We avoided all the employees.. Mostly shot in back aisles where no one could see us.. Pretty sure we would have gotten kicked out if we were discovered!

Wendy - @stacyreeves - "shot in back aisles"... LOVE IT. :)

Tara - Funny! My husband can't stay out of Walmart and I kept joking we should do our e-session there.

matt - So did you get permission to shoot there? Just curious on how stores react to such an event. :) and if they did, ok, even if they didn't could you talk about your lighting technique or approach?

stacyreeves - Everything was shot with natural light so as to not attract much attention. We basically just stayed in areas of the store that didn't have a lot of people, and any time we saw an employee we just acted like we were normal shoppers. We saved the more out-there stuff (such as the shopping cart photos) for last, because we figured we'd get kicked out after that.

Christina Gressianu - At first I thought "WalMart? Really?" And then the pictures were awesome. So Fun! I tried to take a picture of a child once in a Target store and got kicked out... they had video cameras everywhere! I'm glad you were successful!

Ashley Clarke - I'm so impressed you didn't get kicked out! During all of our journalism classes, my classmates got kicked out left and right, even with point n shoots. I love the shopping cart images.

Mehul Khandhar - Stacy The Walmart section is SO cool... Well Done Mehul

Dennis Bullock - What a great session Stacy! It looks like you guys had a blast!

Samantha - OMG!!!! Too cute. What a crazy idea that nobody has ever tried. I don't know which one I liked better.....the cute lovable ones or the magazine one. Congrats to you two.

Karol Welsh, Dallas Wedding Planner - Stacy, these are great engagement shots. The couple looks like they are having fun and they like to enjoy life! Kudos to you for coming up with some creative ideas for the shots to provide long lasting moments for the couple.

shannon - those are fantastic!! what a great idea! they entire shoot is so much fun!!

Allison Davis - Love the shopping cart-kissing pic! Great work Stacy!!

Lisa H. Chang - These are such fun photos! And the magazine shot is so cute! great job :)

Lauren - This is SOOOOOO CUTE! I love the Walmart idea :)

Eliza Lewis - I love looking at your blog. You do a great job!

Sarah Neal - lol! Wow... defineately the most original e-session I've ever seen! They worked out well. I love the motion blur shopping cart. Way to think out of the box!

Shutter Daddy - I never would have thought photos in Walmart would turn out so cool. Very well done.

Carrie and Jim (and Ella!)

Weddings

June 15th, 2009

Wow it feels like forever since this wedding!! I am such a bad blogger these days :( The upside of that is that I get to relive these wonderful weddings all over again as I post them on the blog, and this was definitely a wedding I’d love to relive. You’d be hard-pressed to find nicer people than Carrie and Jim. They instantly put you at ease and treat you like an old friend, something that is evident from the number of friends and family they had with them on their wedding day. As is true with so many of my clients, they are really beautiful both on the inside and the out, and I love that I got to work with them! Couple that with the perfect weather we had that day, the grand and fabulous venues, lovely decor, and a wedding party that definitely knows how to have fun, and it was pretty much a perfect wedding. And of course I can’t forget little Ella, who is probably the cutest little girl I’ve ever met and loves being in front of the camera. Here are some of my favorite images from their wedding day!

Carrie Crabtree and Jim McKemie at St. Paul's United Methodist Church and Rice Ballroom in Houston by Dallas wedding photographer Stacy Reeves

Tags: houston | rice ballroom | Weddings

3 Comments

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Meredith Perdue - Insanely beautiful images, Stacy! Great work!

Kayla - These are all beautiful! I love the ring shot! So cute!

Dennis Bullock - That last shot is so great!

Baby Carson!

Portraits

June 12th, 2009

One of the things I pride myself on is being a strictly weddings-only photographer.. Weddings require so much time and attention, and it’s really tough to shoot 25+ weddings a year and do anything else (or at least do it well). That said, every now and then I do something completely out of my comfort zone. Not only does it keep me from being burnt out, but it gives me a chance to think outside the box and push myself as a photographer. When friend, wedding coordinator, and fellow Kappa Delta Kelly Simants of Sweet Pea Events had her little boy Carson, I couldn’t resist getting that cutie and his beautiful parents in front of my camera for a newborn session!

While he was napping I couldn’t resist getting some details off all his cute little baby parts.. I just adore those little baby fingernails!

This it was playtime with Mom and Dad! Carson wasn’t too sure what to think of this one…

I think I speak for women everywhere when I say that there is nothing sweeter or more endearing than watching a Daddy with his child. My boyfriend Jason took a photo of his brother Joey holding his son the day he was born, and it’s one of my favorite photos of all time. I tear up just thinking about it! This one has that same effect for me.

This is Carson’s adorable cousin Taylor, who stopped by for a few photos with her new cuz!

Last but not least, the many hilarious faces of Carson Simants!

I had a blast with baby Carson and his family and it was so wonderful getting to stretch my photographic muscles and try something different! That said, if you’ve got a newborn and you’d like some beautiful photos, I strongly recommend hiring my good friend Brittani Louise, she is a wonderful person and a great photographer!

Tags: baby | newborn

5 Comments

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Lori Barbely - Beautiful! I'm doing a newborn session this weekend and these are inspiring!

Stacy McEnaney - OK...I see babies every day and I even teared up and smiled on these. So precious stace. Another one of your beautiful sessions.

Mehul Khandhar - Stacy Gorgeous images...! Favourite Image I would have to say is the one with the Yawn... absolutely adorable...! I feel like coming over and shooting with you. It is clear, there would be so much you could teach that I could learn... if only... ;-) Best Wishes Mehul.

amy karp PHOTOGRAPHY - oh, Stacy....baby's are so wonderful. You captured this so beautifully! and about your last statement....does that mean you are not going to be adding a baby division? :D

Michelle Loretta - These are soooo beautiful, Stacy! I love that baby-ness.

Caroline’s Highland Park Bridals

Bridals

June 9th, 2009

Caroline is one of those girls who just seems to have it all. She is drop dead beautiful (her bone structure is to die for), extremely smart, comes from a great family, has impeccable style, and has a really solid set of morals and values. When I first met her, I immediately pegged her as this beautiful, trendy, put-together PR girl who would take over the world in her pearls and high heels. Now that I have had the pleasure of getting to know her a little bit better and seeing her make some huge life changes over the past couple of years, I realize that she is such a complex, interesting, giving person, and one of those rare individuals who actually lives their faith, rather than just paying lip service to it. At her wedding this past weekend, one of her bridesmaids mentioned that Caroline would do anything for a friend, and almost instantly you saw every female in the room nod their heads in agreement. I always knew that Caroline was a special person, but seeing how many friends she had at her wedding, and how much they all loved and cared for her, made me realize how lucky I am to be able to call this girl a friend, as well. And I am uber lucky to have been able to get her in front of my camera for her wedding photographs! Here are a few from her bridal session at the Park Cities Hilton in Dallas:

Caroline Boyd Cumbie bridal portraits in Highland Park at the Park Cities Hilton by Dallas wedding photographer Stacy Reeves

Tags: Bridals | highland park | park cities hilton

12 Comments

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Deborah (Figgie) - Gorgeous!! I especially love the third and fifth from the top!

ChristanP Photography - these images are amazing...the third image is my favorite! (it's awesome to see your work, it motivates me to want to be a better photographer)

Karen McDonald - I absolutely LOVE your work!!! Your amazing! I aspire to be as good a photographer as you are.

Erica Velasco - Stunning images!

olga - Seriously, do you really pre-select your brides and only peek the good-looking ones? Great session!

stacyreeves - I am definitely super lucky in the hot bride department!

John C - Definitely stepped it up in this set. KUDOS on the dramatic indoor lighting!

Larry Crain - Daniel, I agree. She's got the genes. A really beautiful young lady and just as sweet as she is beautiful. Lucky husband. Send her all of our love and best wishes from PetroMax. God bless her new marriage. Larry B. Crain

Mandi - Beautiful images.

Ashley Clarke - Are you using off camera lighting in most of these? The first one is beautiful and heavenly!

Debbie Dennard - Those really should be put in a magazine. She is so beautiful. She could not take a bad picture.

Kayla - These are fabulous! Love the location!

Featured branding!

Bridals, News

June 3rd, 2009

I’m so excited to be featured on Luxecetera’s blog as a featured branding case. I can’t say enough wonderful things about the girls at Luxe.. Ashley did an incredible job with my branding, I couldn’t be happier with it. If you love my branding as much as I do, do me a favor and head over there to leave them a comment letting them know what a wonderful job they did. They deserve all the kudos they can get!

luxe1
If you’re looking to overhaul your branding (one of the two most important investments you can make in your business!), go to the Luxecetera website right this second and get on their waiting list. Their prices are very reasonable, and their work is stellar. You will not be disappointed, that I can promise you!

I can also attest that the money I have spent on branding has already paid for itself. I’ve had so many more inquiries since overhauling my brand, and a lot more attention from coordinators, wedding industry blogs, and other photographers. And best of all, the attention I’m getting is coming from people who have the same aesthetic vision and style as I do, so I’m starting to find that I am booking brides that really mesh with me, my images, and my artistic style. That allows me to do a better job for them, and to enjoy the work that I do even more, and that’s priceless!

2 Comments

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Katie - Stacy, Hey there! I was in the house party of Caroline's wedding yesterday and will be a bridesmaid in Abby's wedding in January (remember me? ;-) ). Anyway, I love your site, and I totally agree with you on branding! Love your look/feel and the values it communicates. Just out of curiosity, what is the other "most important investment" you alluded to? Look forward to seeing you again! Katie

stacyreeves - Hi Katie!! The most important investment anyone can make is in their colleagues, especially in the photography business. I rely on my colleagues for so much - referrals (a good 30-40% of my weddings come from referrals from other photographers), second shooters, emergency backups, advice, social activities, sounding boards, etc. I think that photographers who do not interact with their colleagues are doomed to fail, or at least be very lonely and miserable!

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Welcome to Stacy Reeves Photography!

Bridals, Tips for Brides

June 29th, 2009

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Bridals, News

June 3rd, 2009