Even the largest snowfall in Texas’ history isn’t enough to keep me away from a beautiful bride. Thank goodness for heaters!
Remember the adorable couple whose engagement session I raved about just a few days ago? Well, they’re back, and their wedding has every bit as much life, energy, and happiness as their engagement session does. Everywhere these two go, they light up a room, and it doesn’t surprise me that they both surround themselves with equally friendly and likable people. I can’t help but brag about how my clients are some of the nicest, warmest, most welcoming people I’ve ever met, and Ashley and Matt are the epitome of that. It also didn’t hurt that Ashley (who worked for awhile at Anthropologie) has an amazing sense of style and incorporated her fantastic design sense into their wedding decor. With Ashley’s help, DFW Events and The Garden Gate Floral (the same team who will be working with me on my wedding!) created a fabulous combination of wooden vessels, candlelight, succulents, and burnt orange fall florals to honor Ashley and Matt’s Longhorn alma mater at the Lakewood Country Club. Here are some of my favorites from their wedding:
Ashley kept a diary during her engagement, and wrote a daily note describing the different things she loved about Matt. What an amazing gift to give your new husband!
Matt and Ashley chose to do a First Look, and they took a moment to sit and pray together before their ceremony. It was a really quiet and moving moment for me, and I think it was a wonderful way to start their marriage.
LOVE Matt’s Alamo cake! How quintessentially Southern of him – I would expect no less from a classic Texas gentleman.
9 Comments
- love, love, love these!
- Oh my, she has the BEST laugh. Beautiful wedding!
- beautiful photos dear Stacy!!
- Amazing!!! I especially love the first look shots, and the rings in the avocados :P super cute!
- Gorgeous! I love how you captured the pure bliss and unrivaled joy that is so evident in their relationship!
- wow! - I just love these - the happiness and emotion really jumps out!
- WOW! Another amazing wedding covered by Stacy Reeves! You have all the right stuff, PJ, Portraiture, lighting, composition, timing... I could go on and on!
- Wow, what a wedding! Your work is beautiful!
- Stacy, these are incredible. Your clients must be thrilled!
Caroline has been a friend for a long time, and since the day I met her I have always admired her unique beauty and style. Just look at that face! That girl should be a supermodel! I’m a lucky photographer for getting to put her in front of my camera, and especially lucky to be able to call her a friend. She and Todd are two of the nicest people you’ll ever meet, and the size of their wedding party should show you that they are two VERY likable people. Here are some of my favorites from their wedding day:
Ceremony Location: University Park United Methodist Church
Reception Location: Tower Club
Florist: Park Cities Petals
Band: Cuvee
Cake: Panini Cakes
Wedding Gown: Pronovias
Bridesmaids Dresses: Vera Wang from Stardust Celebrations
Menswear: Men’s Wearhouse
9 Comments
- i agree, you are a lucky photographer to have this couple to photograph but it's also apparent that they are lucky to have you on their day!
- Excellent work as usual! I love the one with the dancing hands in silhouette! Such a beautiful pink glow.
- Love the one of the girls under the brick building all scattered. Large groups are so hard and yet you deal with them effortlessly. Love the back lighting on the first dance pic and my fav is the BW of the bride and groom with her veil over her face. So classic and glamorous. Well done.
- Stacy, first of all congrats on your own engagement! Second, I love viewing your work and find it refreshing and so creative! It inspires me to be a better photographer!
- I just starting following your blog recently, your work rocks! Thank you for sharing with the world!
- I'm so in love with your blog. I check it out at least a couple of times a week and I am such a huge fan of what you do, Stacy. I'd love to be a fly on a wall and just watch you work.
- Great work! love the ring shots... dinosaurs RULE!! (as does your portrait work, btw) :)
- Beautiful work!!! Great wedding!
- [...] I’m still debating whether to do a traditional send-off exit, which seems a little contrived, or a more organic exit where people sort of fade away and we can say goodbye at leisure. Guess which one the venues seem to prefer? Anyway, it makes for a great shot or two (this one from Stacy Reeves): [...]
****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!
24 Comments
- I love her pink shoes so much!
- Beautiful work, Stacy!! I love the location. Happy New Year!
- I hope you get some more great shots of her gorgeous eyes at the wedding!
- This session is absolutey stunning. Beautiful couple and amazing photos.
- These are beautiful!
- I have always wanted to visit that store. These are adorable!
- You are blessed with gorgeous light! My favourite it with the large white sign that your gorgeous bride to be is laying on. Looks like a posh & becks style advert!
- Love the picture frames!
- Oh, what a gorgeous gorgeous session! I love her eyes and the way they look at each other :D :D
- Impeccable as always! I agree with Vida, her eyes are simply stunning. I'm really impressed with your consistent ability to get sunflares/blowouts from the sun that are under control and great looking. Well done!
- LOVE the location! Great place to shoot! And I love the image of the couple kissing with the sun in back of them setting off a little glow action. Love your work!
- You are so fantastic at posing! I love this entire shoot!
- Those are awesome. I especially love the 'almost' kiss in black and white. Love it!
- I love the portraits that you took with the frames. Very nice.
- LOVE this session! What a great location. and beautiful people! The guy reminds me a bit of Daniel Craig! lol Especially in the third to last one, where he's offering her flowers... :)
- Lovely session! I love the ones with the frames! :)
- one last comment in 2009 and one more can in your donation basket :) Happy New Year!!!
- Fabulous!!
- Beautiful shots! Hope this comment made it in on time for the Cans for Comments!!!
- So amazingly beautiful. I love each and every one. They are done to perfection. Amazing!
- beautiful work as always. Happy New Year!
- Awesome work!
- Love this session! It looks like my kind of store! What did you buy me?
- Love the frame pictures. Have a happy new year!
It’s just a fact that SOMETHING will go wrong on your wedding day. For some lucky brides, it’s a late bridesmaid or a bouquet with the wrong type of flowers. For other not so lucky brides, it’s a power failure at the reception site or a best man who ends up in a jail cell with the wedding rings in his pocket. I’ve seen all of these situations firsthand, and if there’s one thing I’ve learned, it’s that the only thing that can truly ruin a wedding is the way the bride and groom react to these situations. If the bride panics and goed into hysterics or the groom goes on an angry rampage, then everyone is on edge, and the day becomes miserable for everyone involved. On the other hand, if the bride and groom allow these troubles to roll off their shoulders and stay focused on the real meaning behind the day, then the wedding becomes that much more special, and not even the worst emergency can ruin it. Zi and Gary are the epitome of the latter type of couple. They were so focused on enjoying their friends and family and loving each other that not even a freak monsoon could keep everyone at their (outdoor) wedding from having a blast.
The day started off smoothly enough..
Both the ceremony and the reception were being held at Gary’s family’s home in Highland Park, near White Rock Lake. Gary’s sister did an amazing job decorating their lovely yard, including both soft spring colors and infusing bits of Zi’s heritage, as well. The ceremony was one of the most beautiful I have ever seen, and the seating with guests on both sides of the gazebo made the whole ceremony feel intimate and open.
As Zi changed into her reception dress, the family prepared for the reception, transforming the ceremony area into a party tent. Although it had been sprinkling occasionally, the sun had been peeking through and we thought we might be in the clear.
Then, as is wont to happen during May in Texas, the weather suddenly changed, and things started getting a little… wet……
We all waited and waited for the skies to clear, but the rain only got harder and harder, and the afternoon sky turned almost black. A snap decision was made to move everyone into the living room and continue the festivities!
Finally the rain let up and we all resumed the party outside!
As evidenced by the photos, these two had smiles glued to their faces all day, even when the rain forced all the wedding guests into the living room. These two, and their AWESOME families, made sure that no matter what happened in the skies, they were going to have a great party and start Zi and Gary’s wedding off with a bang. Every bride should take a lesson from these two and remember that it’s possible to have a great wedding day even when the flowers aren’t right, the DJ plays all the wrong songs, the groomsmen get drunk, or the reception ends up happening in someone’s living room!
Special thanks to Scotty Perry for flying all the way out from Louisville to second shoot with me!
10 Comments
- SCOTTY SHOT THIS WITH YOU? Jealous. Great blog post. :)
- These are so clean and beautiful. I love them.
- stunning! the details are so so beautiful. you summed it up perfectly - great advice
- Amazing!! Love the details! The ring shots are beautiful!
- These are beautiful!
- What a cute couple!!! Amazing images as always Stacy!
- love your work!
- You two did a beautiful job on this! Love it!!
- stunning work! you caught so amazing moments.
- Ken, don't you mean SCOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOTY? :) Great job, amazing wedding! Love the bride's attitude!
Natalie is such a doll to work with! Not only is she beautiful and super nice, but as an NFL cheerleader and a dance teacher, she totally knows how to move her body and get the most out of a pose. Just look at her curves in this session – Natalie knows how to work it! This session was done around the Shops at Legacy in Plano, which is where he and Andy got married a couple of weeks ago and where I spend almost all my free time. Enjoy the photos!
This next set of images were taken at a great store at the shops called The Iron Bed. They specialize in, obviously, iron beds, but they also have great vintage home furnishings. If you’re in Plano and you’re in the mood to redecorate, stop by The Iron Bed and let them design a beautiful room for you!
12 Comments
- Looks great! :) She's very beautiful!
- What a lovely session! I love how you use stores! Places I would never think of to shoot portraits.
- Gorgeous. I love number nine.
- Gorgeous bride and great photos! Awesome job as always!
- I'm so excited about these! You always do such a great job! Can't wait to see our wedding photos!
- awesome session. this is my favorite: http://www.stacyreeves.com/blogpics/bna12.jpg
- Gorgeous as usual Stacy, you really have the most beautiful clients! We used to live next door (basically) to Shops at Legacy, and I love it there! I love the shots inside the store...awesome.
- These are so gorgeous! LOVE the black and white one!
- these are stunning!! what a beautiful bride...gorgeous photos!! {i grew up in plano! how fun!}
- Beautiful! Love the shop photos!
- Just amazing, as usual.
- I love the poses too! The colours look great! Why cant we have some sun in the UK?!!
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!
28 Comments
- that's fantastic. how did you guys not get kicked out? maybe you did ;-)
- Excellent series of images Stacy - well done!!
- I didn't know Walmart can be that fun... Great work Stacy, keep it up.
- 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!
- Oh my gosh... I looooooove it! Did any Wal-mart employees give you flack about it?
- Theirs is coming up soon, I promise!! It's the next wedding on the list!
- 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!
- @stacyreeves - "shot in back aisles"... LOVE IT. :)
- Funny! My husband can't stay out of Walmart and I kept joking we should do our e-session there.
- 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?
- 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.
- 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!
- 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.
- Stacy The Walmart section is SO cool... Well Done Mehul
- What a great session Stacy! It looks like you guys had a blast!
- 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.
- 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.
- those are fantastic!! what a great idea! they entire shoot is so much fun!!
- Love the shopping cart-kissing pic! Great work Stacy!!
- These are such fun photos! And the magazine shot is so cute! great job :)
- This is SOOOOOO CUTE! I love the Walmart idea :)
- I love looking at your blog. You do a great job!
- 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!
- I never would have thought photos in Walmart would turn out so cool. Very well done.
- I love how you just made Wal-Mart the ideal location! Congrats on some really excellent images!
- I had the same thought as (almost) everyone else: How did you avoid getting kicked out? But you make a fabulous point: Wal-Mart is so big, you can just avoid the employees. : ) Fantastic job on the photos! I love the hula-hoop shot, they're concentrating so hard! Wal-Mart is such a unique idea & there are props everywhere!
- Stacy Reeves does WalMart!! i love it. Just a brilliant idea!
- Brilliant and original! The lampshade one is hysterical and my fav!
Lora Ayers - beautiful , sassy and fun! I adore these! GREAT job Stacy, and since I just moved to Texas I would LOVE to meet you sometime! What is the Thursday thing about? I saw some comments about it on facebook?
Alex Luton - She is precious! Great photos Stacy! :)
gwyneth colleen - these are beautiful! great job, stacy. and i LOVE her style...sassy and pretty and just...great.
Sean Berry - I absolutely LOVE your work! keep it up. :)
Kim - Beautiful job capturing her unique beauty and fun personality. I don't even know her but feel like these photos say a lot about her! I think I had her dress twin- or close to it last fall... really love it.