Continuing on in our series of destination weddings, today I’m featuring one of my favorite commissions in my entire career. When Erin and Tyler first booked me, their wedding seemed fairly normal – a ceremony at a beautiful church followed by a lovely reception with all their friends and family. However, as the weeks of planning went on and the guest list grew, Erin and Tyler realized that all they really wanted was to be married, and the rest was just details. They decided to eschew the fancy centerpieces and table linens and pare their wedding down to the people and places that mattered most. I’ll never forget the day when Erin called me up and asked, almost apologetically, if I would be willing to fly with her, Tyler, and their pastor to Dublin, Ireland, the place that they met and had their very first date, and document their elopement. Naturally I just about jumped out of my seat with excitement, and a few months later we were off to the Emerald Isle!

I can never thank Erin and Tyler enough for introducing me to the beautiful wonderland that is Ireland. Traveling throughout Ireland is like walking into a postcard. Everywhere you turn is a new breathtaking vista – rolling hills thick with lush green grass, packs of sheep wandering alongside winding gravel roads, craggy mountains stretching up to the clouds, and rainbows everywhere you turn! As if the stunning natural landscape wasn’t enough, the people of Ireland are by far the nicest on planet Earth (high praise, coming from a Texan!). Everywhere we went, the locals embraced us with open arms and big smiles. I’ll never forget walking into an ancient looking pub in the middle of a tiny Irish town, hoping only for a drink and a warm meal, and instead being seized upon by a group of locals who had clearly known each other for decades, but they took us in as if we were old friends, and we drank and sang and danced into the wee hours of the morning. From the bustling city of Dublin to the little villages dotting the Ring of Kerry, every place and person we encountered was a charm. I understand now why Erin and Tyler were so anxious to return there to say their vows, and I am counting the days until I get to return there myself!

True to their mission of focusing only on the things that mattered most to them, Erin put a whole new meaning to the term “last minute.” When I shot their engagement session a mere week before we were to leave for Ireland, I asked Erin about her wedding dress, at which point she just shrugged, gave me her genuine and infectious smile, and said “I don’t have one yet.” You could have picked my jaw off the floor! Being a very planning-oriented person, my mind immediately raced with all of the options she had left – perhaps a sample sale, or Craigslist, or maybe she could borrow one from a friend – but Erin was unphased.  She gave another shrug and a smile, and told me that she trusted God would make it happen for her. Sure enough, Erin found a gorgeous lace wedding dress online, had the owner overnight it to her (and crossed her fingers that it would fit), and with only a handful of hours left before she had to board the plane, she picked up her dress from the mail and we set off across the globe. When we arrived in Dublin, Erin called up a local florist and asked them to put together a bouquet with whatever they had lying around, and she grabbed a small cake-for-two from a local baker.  Everything came together and Erin and Tyler got exactly what they had been hoping for – a beautiful, meaningful beginning to their marriage. Here are some of my favorites from their day:

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Continuing on in our series of destination weddings…

I’m fairly used to getting emails from girls who are planning their wedding before they actually have a ring in hand (let’s be honest, I was planning my wedding before I even had a boyfriend, so I can’t begrudge a girl who wants to get a head start on her planning!). However, getting an email from a groom-to-be before the proposal is definitely something that doesn’t happen on a regular basis, so when Doug contacted me months before he was planning to pop the question, my curiosity was piqued. He and his then-girlfriend were both photographers in the New Orleans area, so naturally photography was one of the most important vendors to them, so much so that Doug was prepared to drop a deposit in front of me before he had even dropped to one knee in from of CheyAnne! A few months later, a very excited (and newly engaged) CheyAnne inquired with me, ready to book her photographer, not even knowing that her sweet fiance had already beaten her to the punch. As New Orleans is hands-down my favorite city in the United States, I was thrilled at the chance to go there not once, not twice, but three separate times to capture their engagements, bridals, and wedding, and I felt that as I got the know the city of NOLA better and better, I also got to know CheyAnne and Doug better and better. I learned about the struggles they faced together, how important their families are to them, how active they are in the New Orleans community, how passionate they are about their photography business and their clients, their love of New Orleans Saints and LSU football, and how long CheyAnne has been patiently waiting for this day to come! When CheyAnne and Doug finally danced down the aisle, surrounded by friends, family, and curious tourists peering through the gates of Jackson Square, I truly felt like I was sharing the day with them, rather than just documenting it, and it made the experience that much more special. Here are some of my favorite images from their day:

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One of my all time favorite things to do is to travel. Seeing a new landscape and culture that I’ve never experienced before is one of the most thrilling things about life, and for me personally, it’s ten times better when I get to take a camera and a client along for the ride. I’ve been lucky enough to visit so many different states and countries as a photographer, including Jamaica, the Dominican Republic, Ireland, Paris, Venice, Chicago, New York, New Orleans, Nebraska, Arkansas, and so many others. In a few weeks my husband Jason and I will be jet-setting off to Europe for a couple of weeks immersing ourselves in new cultures and testing what we’ve learned in our year’s worth of French lessons, so to prepare myself for the trip, I decided to blog some of my recent destination work!

This week I’m starting off closer to home with a detail-rich wedding down in Marfa, Texas. Although it is in my home state, Marfa is much further away than many out of state weddings I’ve shot, and the culture is so drastically different that it feels like entering a new country. If you’ve never had the pleasure of visiting Marfa, the best way I can explain it is that it’s a hipster’s paradise. The town revolves around art, music, and culture and very much embraces its different-ness.  Everywhere you turn there’s a new art gallery or installation, musical performance, food truck, unique and innovative boutique, farmer’s market (quite an interesting variety considering it’s surrounded by desert and canyon), or trendy restaurant, as well as being the home of the famous Marfa Lights. You’d never expect to find an artistic haven nestled in such an isolated area, but if you’re willing to make the trek, it’s well worth it (especially for the Grilled Cheese Emporium).

Considering the Marfa culture, it’s no surprise that musician and artists Sissy & David decided it was the perfect place to say “I Do.” I had the privilege of photographing Sissy’s sister Rebecca’s wedding a few years prior, and I had been dying to check Marfa out for myself for years, so I was super excited to travel down the the Big Bend region with their family and friends and photograph their wedding at the Thunderbird Hotel and Capri Lounge. Sissy and David really put their style and vision to work in every aspect of their wedding, and the details were some of the most personalized and unique I’ve ever seen.  Here are a few of my favorites from their day:

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It did not take much convincing from Rachel and Justin to get me to leave the triple-digit scorching Texas summer heat and join them at their family’s vacation home in Crested Butte, Colorado.  It was the first week in August, and while my friends and family in Dallas were sitting lazily by their air conditioning units and daydreaming of Antarctica, Rachel and Justin and I were walking down Crested Butte’s main street, going in and out of antique stores and coffee shops and restaurants, enjoying the sun and blue sky and, most importantly, the 60 degree weather.  We ate delicious food, took midday naps, read books on cool sunny patios, and somewhere in there we found time to shoot Rachel and Justin’s engagement session.  I am so looking forward to their March wedding which is sure to be fabulous, especially with the amazing Paige Chenault as their wedding coordinator!  Here are some of my favorites:

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It’s always an interesting experience when another photographer hires me to take their photos. It’s even more interesting when TWO photographers hire me to take their photos together! CheyAnne and Doug are two very talented photographers, and they just so happen to be getting married next year in their current hometown of New Orleans, LA – which also happens to be one of my favorite places in the world! I’ve been so lucky to get to visit NOLA several times this year, and every time I fall more and more in love with it. CheyAnne and Doug really wanted to capture the feel of the city, so we started off in the heart of the French Quarter, Jackson Square, and wandered around the city. Here are some of my favorites:

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I try really hard not to play favorites with my clients… I’m extremely, EXTREMELY lucky to have some amazing clients that are kind, friendly, understanding, appreciative, and generally awesome in every way.  I’m proud of the fact that I’ve never yet had a bridezilla – knock on wood – and I’m blessed to really enjoy every wedding I shoot.  That said… When a couple tells you they want to fly you out to Paris and Venice to do some portrait sessions, and they happen to talk your boyfriend into coming along and proposing while he’s there.. Well, that’s a pretty tough act to beat.  Abby and Zach will always have a special place in my heart, and I truly loved getting to know them more during our travels throughout Europe.  You can’t ask for two better friends than these guys, something I’m sure their bridesmaids and groomsmen would echo in a heartbeat!  I’m also very thankful that they’re both completely gorgeous and photograph so well!  Here are some highlights from their Paris and Venice Day After sessions.

We got started at the Tuileries, a garden near the Louvre, and eventually made our way through the Louve courtyard and to the Arc de Triomphe du Carroussel. It was absolutely freezing but Abby was a total trooper in her little strapless dress and high heels!











As the sun set and the temperatures plummeted we hopped on the Metro (followed by more than a few strange looks) and managed to snag a few quick shots at the Eiffel Tower before the snow and wind got the better of us.



We finished the session on a high note and headed back into the warmth of our hotel. After a few days of sightseeing and a very interesting overnight train ride, we rose at the break of dawn to get things started in St. Mark’s Square in Venice.





















I love Abby’s accessories in these shots. She had actually picked them up the previous day at Murano, a tiny island off the coast of Venice famous for its glass (which they use to make incredible and very pricey stemware, jewelry, chandeliers, and statues).



We finished the photos off with a really neat tradition. If you ever travel to the Ponte Vecchio in Florence, you’ll see hundreds of padlocks along the river, with initials scribbled onto the sides. As legend goes, if you write your initials and your beloved’s initials onto a lock, attach the lock to a city fixture, then toss the key into the river, you’re destined to be together forever. Abby and Zach loved this romantic idea, so they incorporated it into their wedding by handing out locks to their guests as favors. They also brought along padlocks for every city they were going to visit. As we stopped by a bridge on the Grand Canal, they decided to attach their lock there and toss the key into the famous waterway!

A & Z, Jason and I will always love you guys for giving us such a great opportunity to be your honeymoon paparazzi and for being part of such a special event in our lives. I’m so happy to have you as clients, and we’re both thrilled to call you both friends! Congratulations on your fabulous wedding, we know you guys are a perfect pair!

Carrie and Preston are two of those people who you can’t help but enjoy being around.  They’re always smiling and laughing, the life of the party.  You pretty much know that if these two are going to be there, you’re going to have a great time!  I remember the first time I met Carrie and Preston, I immediately called my boyfriend and said “I can’t wait for this wedding, these guys are a blast!”  Of course, it didn’t hurt that they were flying me out to NYC to shoot their engagement session, either!

I was also really excited about their wedding venue – a gorgeous Italian themed event hall with statues, fountains, arches, and beautiful greenery everywhere.  I know Carrie was in love with the venue as well, so when she found out that they had gone bankrupt and had no money left to refund the deposits of the brides who had booked their weddings there, we were both devastated – and pretty angry, too!  Preston, on the other hand, wasn’t too torn up about it.. because their replacement venue was Minute Maid Park, home of his beloved Astros!  It all ended up for the best, the new venue was stunning and everyone had a fantastic night.  Here are a few of my favorite images:

Check out all of these bridesmaids.. Carrie has some hot friends!!  The really cool part about this wedding is that Stacy Bilnoski, another one of my brides, got married at the same church a couple of months later, and had most of the same bridesmaids, so I got to shoot all of these supermodels TWICE!  We had a little down time before the ceremony so I got some fun, sexy shots of each girl individually.
One of my favorite aspects of Carrie’s wedding were the flowers.. She knew she wanted white flowers, so she asked each girl what their favorite flower was, and got them each a bouquet of their choice.  It was so beautiful, and allowed the girls to get a bouquet they loved while still sticking to the wedding floral theme.  I definitely recommend this!







This was one of the more difficult weddings I have shot in terms of formal photos.  The wedding took place after sunset, and Carrie and Preston chose not to do a First Look, so we had to take most of the formal group photos at night.  It isn’t the way I usually work, but it was actually kind of nice to be forced out of my routine and have to do something completely outside of my comfort zone.  I adore this wedding party shot!



If you couldn’t tell from the size of their wedding party, Carrie and Preston’s wedding was a BIG affair, and Union Station at Minute Maid Park was perfect for them.  The room was large enough to feel comfortable and spacious, but not so big that it overwhelmed the wedding.  Carrie’s team did a wonderful job decorating it and making it feel cohesive and inviting.

Klockwork performed at the reception, and they were GREAT!  They kept the party going strong all night.