Allie’s One Year Cake Smash

Cake Smash

I specifically remember one Sunday morning after church, Ryan and I gathered around her and Jaisen, laid hands on her belly and prayed for the little girl who was forming inside of her. We prayed for healing. We prayed she would be a joy, that from the beginning His hand would be upon her life and would establish the work of her hands. Now just after a year she has blessed so many people with her contagious smile. She is absolutely loveable and when you see her in her daddy’s arms, you can’t help but just melt.

This is the first of many birthdays sweet girl. I pray that each one is better than the one before.

2016-12-10_0001.jpg
2016-12-10_0002.jpg
2016-12-10_0003.jpg
2016-12-10_0004.jpg
2016-12-10_0005.jpg
2016-12-10_0006.jpg
2016-12-10_0007.jpg
2016-12-10_0008.jpg

2016-12-10_0009.jpg

Thanks to these amazing shops for helping create such a memory!

Crown Raven Boutique

Dress Chrome Classic

Shane and Jinnae | Romantic Backyard Wedding | Mesa, Arizona

shane and jinnae romantic back yard wedding

2016-11-07_0041.jpg

After mentally processing this gorgeous day for the last 48 hours and now that it’s time to actually put all of my feelings about it into words, I’m coming up a little short. I could go into a cliche statement about how everything was absolutely perfect but even those words wouldn’t even come close. Emotion flooded the day, from the moment they laid eyes on each other at the first look to the second they ended their walk down the aisle. Jinnae threw her arms around Shane and they both hugged, cried and whispered sweet secrets to each other. Their wedding was a dream that had been brought to life by the love of friends and family.

There are so many things I loved about the day but these are the highlights that were my absolute favorite!

-Listening to worship music Jinnae has playing with everyone was getting ready
-Seeing Jinnae for the first time with hair and make-up (so stunning, she gave me goosebumps!)
-Watching her bridesmaids help button her dress
-Her first look with her dad
-The first look with Shane, she was shaking and so nervous!
-The big balloons
-Their backyard (it was goooorgeous!)
-The twinkle lights
-The candles lit in memory of grandparents no longer with them (I cried the hardest here! And she hadn’t even walked down the aisle yet!)
-When Jinnae walked down the aisle
-The look on Shane’s face when she walked down the aisle
-When asked who gives this woman away, her dad pulled out a list and so tearfully included all her friends and family (oh, seriously, misty eyed again just typing it!)
-The shotgun her dad pulled out
-The beautiful words Pastor Dave shared with Jinnae and Shane
-The song her aunt and uncle sang for them
-The massive cupcake stand layered with the famous Sassy’s cupcakes
-The DJ’s, they were awesome!
-Their choreographed first dance (very fitting given how they met)
-Jinnae’s cowgirl boots
-The sparkler exit
-The excitement on the dance floor

This was not just a wedding, this was a celebration. A celebration of life, of love and of God fulfilling His promises just as He always does.

Congratulations Shane and Jinnae!

2016-11-07_0023.jpg
2016-11-07_0024.jpg
2016-11-07_0025.jpg
2016-11-07_0027.jpg
2016-11-07_0026.jpg
2016-11-07_0029.jpg
2016-11-07_0030.jpg
2016-11-07_0028.jpg
2016-11-07_0031.jpg
2016-11-07_0032.jpg
2016-11-07_0033.jpg
2016-11-07_0039.jpg
2016-11-07_0040.jpg
2016-11-07_0038.jpg
2016-11-07_0034.jpg
2016-11-07_0035.jpg
2016-11-07_0036.jpg
2016-11-07_0037.jpg
2016-11-07_0042.jpg
2016-11-07_0043.jpg
2016-11-07_0044.jpg
2016-11-07_0045.jpg
2016-11-07_0046.jpg
2016-11-07_0047.jpg
2016-11-07_0048.jpg
2016-11-07_0063.jpg
2016-11-07_0056.jpg
2016-11-07_0062.jpg
2016-11-07_0049.jpg
2016-11-07_0057.jpg
2016-11-07_0058.jpg
2016-11-07_0050.jpg
2016-11-07_0051.jpg
2016-11-07_0061.jpg
2016-11-07_0059.jpg
2016-11-07_0060.jpg
2016-11-07_0055.jpg
2016-11-07_0054.jpg
2016-11-07_0064.jpg
2016-11-07_0052.jpg

Thank you to all these vendors who made the day even more special!

Second Shooter: Erica Hayes of Erica and Jon Photography
Bride’s Dress:  Suzanne’s Bridal
Bridesmaid’s Dresses: Nordstrom, Dillards, David’s Bridal, Rent the Runway, Strut Bridal
Bride’s Hair and Make-Up: Bethany Sitton
Flowers: Costco
DJ: Felixico
Cupcakes: Sassy’s Bakery

Fajen | Bella Via Family Session

Bella Via Family Session

This fall is getting away from me so quickly! Each weekend seems to get crazier and crazier as the holidays approach! Despite all the craziness, I just couldn’t let this beautiful Bella Via Family session with the Fajen’s go un-published! The best part of this session, wasn’t just the fact that Fawn and Mike were celebrating their wedding anniversary, it was the fact that they brought a special family member along with them.

I must introduce you to Firework, who is commonly mistaken for Firecracker (and if you make that mistake, you will most certainly be corrected by Alexia-who is the actual Firecracker). Firework has gone to dentist appointments, doctor’s appointments, snuggles in tight at bed-time, makes the best movie-time companion and not surprisingly stole the show during family pictures. She came dressed in her finest black velvet skirt with a white bow perfectly placed on her right ear-this is a bear who knows fashion for sure.

If you happen to be looking for inspiration for what to wear to your family photos, look no further.  Fawn chose maroon and navy with pops of cream that could not have gone more perfectly with the location she chose.  Alexia’s outfit had the perfect amount of texture with the fur vest and tulle skirt that tied everything together and took it all to the next level.  I sound like I’m a fashion blogger right now, don’t I?  I loved how they looked as they were walking up to the location but when I saw down to edit the pictures, I thought, OH YES!  It made editing a breeze!  I ended up giving her almost double what I normally do because everything just came together so well.  So if your session is coming up, keep this one pinned to the top of your board!

2016-10-31_0075.jpg
2016-10-31_0076.jpg
2016-10-31_0077.jpg
2016-10-31_0078.jpg
2016-10-31_0079.jpg

Garrett & Staci | Wilson Country Club Wedding | North Carolina

Wilson Country Club Wedding

2016-10-31_0029.jpg
When I sat down with Staci and Garrett to talk about their big day I asked them what the most important thing on their wedding day was. Garrett’s response was that Staci would be happy and her response was, Garrett. The perfect responses right? Through all the decision making and ups and downs that come with wedding planning, the most important thing to each other at the end of the day wasn’t the perfectly cooked chicken and delicious southern Mac and cheese (that I ate way too much of) or even the beautifully simple center pieces. It was each other, just as it should be. So when Staci walked down the aisle, I focused on the most treasured memory of the day, the look on his face and it was most certainly one of emotion. Don’t let that six foot something ginormous Deputy Sheriff fool you-we are so proud of you Corporal Baker-he’s nothing but a big teddy bear.

From start to finish, this wedding went flawlessly. Here are some of my favorite highlights from the day!

-the gorgeous scenery of the Wilson Country Club

-reconnecting and laughing with extended family during picture time

-the way he looked at her

-the way my aunt cried when they said their vows and during the mother-son dance

-the food (oh.my.gosh)

-putting down the camera and energetically dancing to the Macarena (hello 5th grade flashbacks)

-how flawlessly family pictures went, despite the famous North Carolina gnats

-watching the DJ teach people how to dance

-the ice cream sundaes

-snacking on Chic-Fil-A chicken before the wedding started (and being so disappointed learning the golfers ate more than we did-how rude!)

-watching them read their letters to each other

-when my uncle told Garrett how proud he was of him during the ceremony

-crying on their other side of the camera

-watching the bride dance with her flower girls

-the ring bearer loosing his pants while dancing

-sending sneak peeks to our grandparents who weren’t able to attend

Oh Garrett and Staci, your day was absolutely perfect. From the moment you arrived to the sparkler send off, there were so many memories made by all! Everyone went home with their own special memories of the day, memories that are sure to last a lifetime.
2016-10-31_0028.jpg
2016-10-31_0032.jpg
2016-10-31_0050.jpg
2016-10-31_0051.jpg
2016-10-31_0053.jpg
2016-10-31_0055.jpg
2016-10-31_0054.jpg
2016-10-31_0057.jpg
2016-10-31_0058.jpg
2016-10-31_0056.jpg
2016-10-31_0060.jpg
2016-10-31_0062.jpg
2016-10-31_0061.jpg
2016-10-31_0063.jpg
2016-10-31_0064.jpg
2016-10-31_0065.jpg
2016-10-31_0066.jpg
2016-10-31_0074.jpg
2016-10-31_0067.jpg
2016-10-31_0068.jpg
2016-10-31_0069.jpg
2016-10-31_0070.jpg
2016-10-31_0071.jpg
2016-10-31_0072.jpg

Red Lips Campaign

red lips campaign

Roseanna was one of my first friends I made after I started my first job just out of college.  If you know her, that probably doesn’t surprise you, she’s so friendly and makes you feel like you’re the funniest person in the world because she’s always laughing.  We’ve shared lots of memories over the short 7 years we’ve known each other.  I was her son’s second grade teacher, I excitedly text her throughout the night Ryan proposed to me and she stood next to me as he and I said our vows.

When she told me that she had a very vicious form of breast cancer, it took me a few days of tears and prayer to process the news.  My mind was immediately thinking, what can I do?  The first thing that came to my mind was a photo session for her and Andrew before…before it all started.  The Sunday before her first on 9 surgeries, we met at Nichols Park in Gilbert for a very special mother son session.  That week her story took an unexpected turn when infection set in after her double mastectomy.  Chemo was supposed to start right away but was postponed time after time because the infection would not go away.

In the middle of all of this, on a week that she felt well enough, we went to dinner.  She told me everything that had been happening and what she and her son were going through.  People were generously supporting her on Go Fund Me and friends stepped up to pay her deductibles.  Community is amazing isn’t it?  That night, she and I planned to have a special photo session fundraiser for her in the fall.  I first opened up 5 spots and in four hours they were full and I still had people wanting to book so I had to open it up to a second day and within a few days, all 10 spots were full.  I’ve done fundraisers like this before.  I’ve seen them done by other photographers and not one has been as successful as this one.  It was amazing to sit back and watch the people make a stand to support someone they didn’t even know.  In this whole crazy world we have going on right and people with their opinions blaring louder than the one next to them, it was really nice to be in a little bubble with everyone doing something good.  Doing something that mattered.  Reflecting hope.

I had my husband hang around a take a little video of each family to put together to show Roseanna (who was at home recovering from surgery number 9…and the flu).  At the end of each session, each of the families had a little something to say to Roseanna and Roo.

Oh, and the best part?  Roseanna is cancer free.