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.

This past weekend I was helping my sister shop for her wedding dress, and we were amazed at just how few non-strapless dresses there were out there.  It seemed like the only dresses with straps were either extremely simple, or just plain old-looking.  I know that many women aren’t that comfortable showing all that skin on their wedding day, and for girls who have body image issues with their arms, a strapless dress will only make things 100 times worse.  As a wedding photographer, I have to admit that I am not a fan of strapless dresses, because they tend to be very difficult to work with and, more often than not, don’t fit the bride properly. Although I have to admit that the majority of the most beautiful wedding dresses out there are strapless, I also know that for many women, a strapless dress is less than ideal.

So what’s a gal to do?  Well, as I learned this weekend, many bridal ateliers can add cap sleeves to most dresses.  In the newest issue of Elegant Bride (just got mine in the mail this weekend!), I saw a bride (fellow wedding photographer Carrie Patterson, as a matter of fact) who added just two small gathered sections of tulle to create her straps, and it looked incredibly delicate and beautiful, and probably only cost her about $5 to do.

Image Courtesy of Nashan Photography

Another bride added a bit of scalloped allencon lace to make a halter, a look  just ADORE!

However, my favorite solution has to be the bolero.  Boleros are so trendy and hot right now, and they instantly couture-ify any wedding gown.  The best part is that they can be removed at any time, so you can go formal for the ceremony and photos, and then remove it when you bustle the gown for the reception.  It’s like having two dresses in one!  Bonzie on Etsy definitely has the cutest boleros, wraps, and bridal scarves I have ever seen, and her prices are very reasonable (most are below $100). Here are a few of my favorites:

If you want something with a little more drama, Modern Romance on Etsy offers an amazing organza capelet that can also be dyed to match your wedding colors, and Countessa on Etsy has some really hot boleros and wraps, including an uber cute black and white damask wrap that I just ordered for myself!  If you want something more traditional, try this lace shrug from Rohm on Etsy or this ruffled neckpiece from indulgencecouture on Etsy.  Many brides think “There’s no way I can pull that off!” (like my sister when I tried to talk her into a birdcage veil), and if you’re a jeans and t-shirt kind of girl, then maybe a bolero or wrap isn’t for you.  However, if you’re looking at these photos and thinking “Oh my god that’s so cute I want to do that!” then chances are you are stylish enough that you can totally work it.  Remember, fashion is all about confidence – if you think you look hot in something, everyone else will too.  Just own it, girl!

Okay, so it’s sort of a Day Of Session.. Since Mark and Jaclyn’s wedding ended fairly early in the day, we went ahead and did part of their Day After session as soon as the reception ended. It happened to fall at the perfect time of day, just before sunset, where the light is the most beautiful. Since Kelly and I didn’t know the area at all, I had to rely on Mark’s amazing-photo-op-location-scouting abilities for our locations, and he certainly knew how to pick them!

Our first major stop was in a little town called Helen, where everything is German-inspired, from the food to the architecture.
Jaclyn is definitely not the type of girl who loves to be the center of attention.. Wandering around in the middle of a busy city square wearing a huge wedding dress was not exactly her cup of tea, but we are so proud of her for toughing it out. Hopefully the photos are worth all the unwanted attention!
After scarring poor Jackie for life, we managed to find a secluded park where we could get some more romantic shots. I love parks!





The next morning we headed to an old abandoned building that we had seen on the side of the road. I love old worn-out warehouses almost as much as I love solid color walls!

Then Kelly spotted an amazing parking lot filled with old vintage gasoline pumps.. What a cool find! We didn’t stay long for fear of someone getting tetanus, but we did get a couple of really awesome shots.

The goal of this shot was to capture the lovebirds surrounded by “tree monsters”… Don’t ask.
Finally we finished the day at a small airport tucked away in the forest. We nearly got run over by a couple of planes trying to take off. Whoops!

Jaclyn and Mark, I cannot thank you enough for allowing Kelly and I to photograph your awesome wedding. We fell in love with the both of you, and I just wish you guys were closer so we could hang out more! If you’re ever in Texas, you know who to call!

Kelly Niemann, thanks so much for taking so many amazing photos and being the perfect second shooter. You’re awesome! Go check her out!

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again.. Photographers throw the best weddings!! When Mark Elkins, my friend through an online photography community, began his search for a destination wedding photographer, I knew I had to be the one to shoot his wedding. He and his then-fianceé Jaclyn are super sexy, their wedding was going to be an intimate affair in a tiny town outside of Atlanta (one of my favorite cities!), the wanted to do a Day After session (and you KNOW how I love those), and of course, that unbeatable photo-factor. Working with photographers is such a joy because they totally “get” me and understand what I am going for when I do something unusual. I also had the pleasure of bringing along friend and fellow photographer Kelly Niemann to shoot with me, and we had an absolute blast cavorting all over Georgia!

Jaclyn and Mark’s wedding was a very unique one, for many reasons. First and foremost, instead of throwing a huge bash, they stuck to their small-town roots and had their wedding at Mark’s parents’ home, with just their family and closest friends in attendance. Here are a few details from the day:

I absolutely LOVED Jaclyn’s dress.. I am a sucker for ruffles :)

Don’t you just love her hair? Stunning!

Writing his vows before the ceremony.. Slacker ;) Just kidding!

My favorite.. The rings!

Coming down the stairs for the ceremony

Some quick formals after the ceremony. Jaclyn and Mark’s Best Man and Maid of Honor are also married – Cool, huh?

Their reception was a very short one. They shared a sweet first dance..

Ate some cake…

And hung out with all their friends!

I love little details like this one of Mark fiddling with his new ring. I think it’s the tiny moments like this that really tell the story of the day.

Check back soon for images from their awesome, awesome, AWESOME Day After Session. Big thanks to my second shooter Kelly for taking several of these gorgeous images!

Never have I put my clients’ lives in danger more than I did during this session. Despite facing peril at every turn, Stacy and John handled it like complete pros! And that is only one of the reasons I think these two are the bee’s knees. Stacy doesn’t know this, but I have admired her from afar for quite awhile now. She is super stylish, uniquely beautiful, and one of the sweetest, kindest girls you’ll ever meet. I have been so lucky to have some of the coolest brides ever, and Stacy is certainly one of the coolest of the cool. Although I don’t know John quite as well, I know that if Stacy loves him, he must be equally as incredible, because no one but a total stud could win her heart!

The risk-taking begins in Soho, where yours truly wandered around Canal St. for a good half an hour because she didn’t take the time to write down the hotel address before she left. Whoops! I meandered aimlessly, clutching my camera bag to my chest, darting inside McDonalds every time I saw a sketchy character, but luckily Stacy and John found me, and we snuck into the Soho Grand Hotel for a few very-against-the-rules photos.

Then, I decided that breaking into an old courtyard surrounded by locked fences and big semi trucks was a good idea. It only took us about 1 minute to get kicked out, but I got my shot!

Next we decided to brave the streets of Soho again, stopping wherever we felt inspired (and that was quite often!). There may or may not have been some pigeon corralling involved…. I plead the 5th.

My favorite way to risk my client’s lives is to make them play in traffic!

Next it was off to the much more safe and peaceful Central Park…

Did I say safe? Well, I’m sure laying on the side of a bridge with a 30-foot drop is relatively safe….

Stacy and John, thank you so much for putting your lives on the line for me and allowing me to hang out with you in the Big Apple! You guys are troopers, not to mention super hot models, and I can’t wait for April!

Does it count as a destination portrait session if the couple lives there, but I don’t?

Although Andy and Natalie are Texans, born and bred, they currently live up in the Big Apple. I cannot wait to photograph their Dallas wedding late next year, but in the meantime, it was great to be able to meet them in their neck of the woods for a fun “destination” engagement session. Although I never met these guys before our first consultation, it feels as though I have known them my entire life. They both have this way of making virtual strangers feel like best friends, and I consider myself extremely lucky to be their wedding photographer. It doesn’t hurt that they are both unfairly good-looking, as well. Oh, and little miss Natalie is a brand new NY Jets Flight Crew member! If you live up in New York, stop by a Jets game and give the gorgeous blonde dancer an extra loud cheer for me!

Here are a few images from their New York City session:

We started off in the good old NYC staple, Central Park.  I am a huge fan of shooting engagement sessions in parks.  The backgrounds are always beautiful, the light is always great, and the simplicity of it allows me to focus on the couple, rather than the location.  And, of course, Central Park is THE park of parks, so I could shoot there all day and be perfectly happy.  :)

Next we headed to the Lower East Side to take a stroll around Andy and Natalie’s former neighborhood.  I learned quite a few interesting things on Avenue C that day (Aware, Beware, Caution, Danger – haha!).  It was great to be able to shoot around the places that Andy and Natalie spent their free time.  Now, even when they move back to Dallas (*fingers crossed*), they can remember the time they spent up in NYC.







Finally, we ended up in Times Square, one of my favorite places in the world. 
This is probably one of my favorite photos ever :)
Andy and Natalie – Come back to Texas!  It’s just not the same since you went away ;)  June is oh so far away.. Hopefully you guys will come visit before then!  Natalie, if the Jets ever play the Cowboys, I am TOTALLY there.