Josh and Alyssa met through my home church a few years ago, and I am so thankful that they chose me to be their wedding photographer because OH MY GOSH, they are SO beautifully adorable together! Their wedding day was so perfect, even with hurricane strength winds and rain! Surrounded by only their closest friends and family, Josh and Alyssa exchanged vows and made a covenant to each other and God in front of beautiful Lake Hampton. My favorite part of their wedding day was seeing how enthralled they were with each other, despite the rain, changes of plans, and everything going on around them. Congratulations Mr. & Mrs. Koerner! I hope y’all are having the time of your lives in St. Lucia! :) Enjoy my favorites (there’s a lot of them) from the day!

Yep. I died over these heels. Alyssa, you have great taste. :)

You can’t ever go wrong with a Watters gown. I was so swoon over the gorgeous lace, low back, and layers! It was so perfect for Alyssa.

Love this family. :)

Seriously… Those layers??? I die.

I love Daddy-Daughter first looks… Even if they’re not really planned. :)

Such a gorgeous bouquet!

How gorgeous is she?!

This necklace was made from Alyssa’s late-grandmother’s wedding ring and was such a treasure for her to be able to wear on her wedding day.

Sisters! :)

I seriously couldn’t get enough of all the colors Alyssa chose!

The Howald Women. :)

Meanwhile, Josh got ready… (Thanks to my awesome second shooter, Stephanie, for these next few images!)

So sweet! :)

Making some final touches before the ceremony…

You KNOW I loved the sweet flower girls’ dresses! Coral AND lace? Yes, please!

Seeing the groom’s face when he sees his bride for the first time will never get old.

Married!!!

This picture is exactly what I was talking about when I said they were so enthralled with each other, no matter all the people around them.

I was so thankful that the rain held off for their ceremony, after delaying it about 20 minutes. However, it started raining again as SOON as our time for portraits started, but Josh and Alyssa just went with it. After shooting all of their portraits in the rain, I almost wish that it had rained on OUR wedding day! Is that so crazy? Maybe, but I just love, love, love how these pictures turned out. And you’ll see from the following pictures that it was as if Josh and Alyssa didn’t even notice. :)

This is a favorite, for sure.

LOVE.

This oak tree was so gorgeous, and I loved shooting under it!

I mean, really… Y’all just need to stop being so gorgeous.

Favorite.

I lied. This is my favorite.

Okay, maybe these two as well. :)

This was my first time really using my new Canon 600ex-rt’s, and I LOVE them!

Such a beautiful first dance!

Yeah, they’re just a little bit fun. :)

The sun came out for about 2 minutes before it set that day, so I had to grab a silhouette shot. :)

To end their beautiful day, Josh, Alyssa, and their guests released sky lanterns. Yes, I DID feel like I was right in the middle of a fairytale!

Seriously, so amazing!

Again, congratulations Josh and Alyssa! I could not be more excited for y’all to experience the gift that is marriage!

Happy Thursday! :)

In the past, the only ways of sharing images with my clients have been by CD, flash-drive, or Dropbox. There’s not necessarily anything wrong with these methods, but now I am using PASS, which is much more efficient and totally accident-proof. Not only will my clients have the option of instantly downloading the images they purchased AS SOON as they’re ready, but they won’t have to rely on CDs or flash-drives, which can easily break, get scratched, or end up lost in their junk closet. Cause let’s be honest… Everyone has a junk closet.

So what exactly is PASS, besides amazing, efficient, and a life-saver? PASS is an online sharing tool that allows photographers to upload entire events, whether that be a wedding, engagement, or bridal session, to share with their clients. Not only does this give instant access to download the high-resolution files straight to your computer, iPad, or iPhone, but it also allows you to share directly to Facebook, Pinterest, or through an email. I absolutely LOVE this because after our wedding last March, the first thing I wanted to do was share our photos with the whole world!

Here’s a little peek of what PASS looks like and how it works!

I hope all of my future clients will love PASS as much as I do!
And if anyone is interested, I have about 75 blank DVDs available for purchase. ;)

Happy Wednesday!

One of my favorite wedding traditions that I didn’t take part in is “something borrowed”, and there are so many unique and special ways that you can incorporate this into your wedding day!

1. Groom’s Dress Shirt – Don’t count out the groom when planning out your something borrowed! Borrow one of his favorite dress shirts to get ready in the morning of the wedding… Maybe even consider getting the pocket monogrammed with your new initials! (Okay, he probably won’t want it back after that!)

source: Southern Aisle

2. Parent/Grandparent’s Cake Topper – If your or your groom’s parents/grandparents still have their cake topper saved from their wedding, ask if you can borrow it for your wedding cake! Not only would this bring a uniqueness to your cake, but I’m sure that any parent or grandparent would be so honored by this!

source: Style Me Pretty

3. Family Heirloom – Does your family have a piece of jewelry that’s been passed down for generations? An antique broach, cameo, or locket is the perfect addition to your bouquet, especially when helping you remember a special family member who has passed away.

source: Ruffled Blog

4. Fur Wrap – For you brides who plan on getting married in the winter months, this one is both special AND practical. Adding a fur wrap to your wedding ensemble for outdoor pictures never fails to look beautifully elegant, and it will help you stand the cold just a little longer while your photographer gets those perfect shots! :)

source: Ruffled Blog

5. Classic Car – Few things will make your wedding day feel more fancy than being transported around town in a classic car, especially if it belongs to a close friend or family member who took the time to restore it!

source: Perfect Bound

6. Mom’s Veil – Whether it’s lace trimmed, birdcage, or cathedral length, every mom would be more than touched to have her daughter sport her veil on her wedding day… Even if you have to make a few alterations to it!

source: Megan Lange Blog

7. Mom’s Wedding Dress – Now, this is for you brides who are VERY brave. There was a lot of questionable fashion going on in 70′s, 80′s, and 90′s, so making alterations would probably be a necessity. If done right, the result can be so meaningful and even more unique!

source: TLC’s Something Borrowed, Something New

8. Jewelry – This is one of the most frequent items that brides borrow for their wedding day. Not only does it help you fulfill tradition, but I can save you a ton of money!

source: Wedding Elation

9. Decor – If you’re planning an outdoor wedding and want to spruce up your space with some character and personality, consider borrowing furniture, linens, and other various decor items to make it unique!

source: Green Bride Guide

10. Dinnerware – I cannot even express how much I adore when couples use mismatched, vintage china at each place setting. There are actually companies who specialize in suppling these for weddings, but borrowing is another great option, as long as you can find some very trusting friends and family. :)

source: Rustic Wedding Chic

Happy Wednesday!

1. Jillian Michaels’ 30 Day Shred – Oh my gosh. I can’t believe I’m actually referencing this workout video in a post about love… I might be officially crazy. Yesterday, I completed my 15th consecutive day of the 30 Day Shred, and while I HATE it while I’m doing the video, I have loved seeing how it’s improving my strength. It helps when you don’t have a single ounce of strength to start with… No where to go but up! If you’re thinking about trying it out, I recommend doing it with a friend. My friend Crimson and I are having a little contest of sorts, which has been SUPER motivating on the days I am tempted to skip.

2. Maybelline Baby Lips, Quenched – I’ve actually written about Baby Lips before, and I still love them! If you’re like me, being in the sunshine during the summer is not good to your lips. It seems like they burn so much easier than the rest of my skin, and I have no idea why. Because of this, I HAVE to have a good SPF lip balm/chapstick for the summer, and Baby Lips, Quenched does the job! It has SPF 20 in it, but it doesn’t have that nasty sunscreen taste like many others.

3. Canon 35mm 1.4L – I got this lens about a month ago and have been able to use it for a handful of sessions and a wedding. I love how wide this lens shoots because it is perfect for family and reception shots… A great purchase for any wedding photographer!

4. Dr. Scholl’s for Her – Okay, I’m officially grossing myself out by talking about feet on the blog, so I apologize. It’s nearly impossible to find a pair of shoes that will be comfortable enough to carrying me through an entire wedding and still look cute. I’ve come to the conclusion that I’ll never be totally pain-free while shooting a wedding, but these shoe inserts help A LOT. I paired them with a cute pair of Old Navy flats in nude that I recently purchased, and they’re now the perfect wedding-shooting shoes! (Or as close as I can get to perfect!)

5. Bistro Chalk Marker – Writing with chalk has got to be the most frustrating process of all time… I remember working on our chalkboard timeline for our wedding and almost throwing the stupid thing on the ground because I could NOT write with the chalk to save my life. It was breaking, smearing, the chalk dust was getting everywhere, and I didn’t have a fine tip to work with. When Holly, the world’s most talented cookie-maker, Instagrammed about her new chalk marker, I knew I had to pick one up right away. Let me tell you, this thing makes writing on a chalkboard about 200x’s easier and prettier! I got mine at Hobby Lobby for less than $5 with my 40% off coupon!

What are YOU loving these days!?

Happy Tuesday!

April’s BUSINESS Goals

1. Open a checking account to keep all of my business funds separate.
2. Continue to blog consistently. 4-5 times a week seems to be perfect (and realistic).
3. Shoot lots of engagement sessions! 
4. Shoot two (maybe more) bridal sessions! 
5. Shoot my first wedding of 2013! Can you tell I’m itching to shoot?? Seriously, winter is the worst.
6. Stay on top of editing! This hasn’t ever been a strong suit of mine, but I’ve greatly improved my turn-around time in the last 6 months.
7. Order 2 Canon 600 EX-RT’s for wedding season!
8. Buy the Canon 35/1.4L. I’ve been lusting over this lens for so long now!

It is a GREAT feeling to be able to check off ALL of April’s business goals. High-fives to me!

April’s PERSONAL Goals

1. Continue to work out 4x’s a week. I’ve actually been going to the gym about SIX times a week and am on my 15th consecutive day of Jillian Michael’s 30 Day Shred. Pretty proud of myself for that!
2. Eat fruits and veggies. I’m pretty good about fruit, but the only veggies I like are green beans… Out of the can.  Not perfect, but better!
3. Take personal pictures! I’ve done a pretty good job with this the last week, and I need to keep it up.
4. Use my crockpot more. I’m sick of the recipes with cream of chicken soup. If you have any suggestions, please let me know!
5. Get ready for the day. This one makes me sound like Queen Lazy, but whatever… Working from home has lots of benefits. One of greatest ones being the ability to stay in your pajamas all day. I kind of did okay on this one? Okay, I’m lying.

And for the month of May….

BUSINESS

1. Rock out two awesome weddings with even more awesome couples!
2. Shoot a few engagement sessions.
3. Continue blogging 4-5 days a week.
4. Read Jon Acuff’s new book Start. It was one of my birthday presents from Aaron. :)
5. Re-do my About Me section of the blog, and maybe get some new bio pictures taken.
6. Perfect reception lighting with my new Canon 600 EX-RTs!
7. Invest in the Canon 100m 2.8L Macro. I’ve been putting this one off for a long time because it would only be used for a handful of pictures, but I don’t know how much longer I can get by without it!

PERSONAL

1. Enjoy my trip to Florida in 3 days!!! I CANNOT WAIT! Yes, Arkansans, you can be jealous.
2. Continue going to the gym at least 5 days a week and finish 30 Day Shred without missing a day.
3. Get ready in the mornings. Maybe if I write it twice, it will happen? :)
4. Spend at least 30 minutes a day reading.
5. Enjoy our quick trip to Kansas City at the end of the month to see the Royals and Angels play.
6. Learn how to sew a pillow cover. I realize this is the EASIEST sewing project of all time, but I can’t seem to master it. Talk about a wife failure.
7. Plan meals out a week ahead of time. I’m pretty sure I’ve had this goal in the past, and with May being so busy, this would be incredibly helpful!

And because every post is naked without a picture, you get to meet sweet Hudson this morning! He was born one week ago today and is the first baby for our awesome friends that are in our small group at church. I might have melted a little bit while watching Aaron hold him… :) :) :)

Happy Monday!

I’ve had such strong cravings for asparagus recently that you might think I’m pregnant. (I am not.) Can’t wait to try out this asparagus soup and see Aaron’s face when I make him try a spoonful.

source: A Beautiful Mess

This made me LOL for quite some time. Oh, Grandma. :)

source: Unknown

How awesome are these pillows! I’ve been wanting to redo the throw pillows on our bed for a few months now, and I’m definitely using these for inspiration!

source: Etsy, ZanaProducts

Here’s another gem from Etsy that I will need for our future coffee bar. Yes, we will have a coffee bar in our house on day.

source: Etsy, Sariko1981

I love our minty fresh bathroom, and I plan on painting our new bathroom the same color once we move in the fall. Coral touches would be perfect!

source: Lookie Loo

I am still DYING to shoot a cotton-inspired wedding. Love this bouquet. Any takers? :)

source: Southern Weddings

I may not see eye-to-eye with Mr. President, but you must admit that this is a GREAT parenting tactic…

source: The Meta Picture

Happy weekend! :)

Hopefully, picking the right photographer for your wedding day was one you and your fiancé’s top priorities when wedding planning. When you’re spending a large amount (and sometimes the majority of your budget) on your dream photographer, it only makes sense that you would want to get the absolute most out of the short amount of time you have with them. Today, I’m talking about one thing that every bride and groom can do to maximize that time with their photographer!

Everyone should know by now my thoughts on wedding timelines and how I oh-so-biasedly (is that a word?) think they should revolve around photos. :) Opting to do a First Look will definitely allow more time for bride & groom portraits that are laid-back and not rushed. However, maybe you aren’t into doing one or you want even more pictures in addition to your First Look. That’s my kind of bride and groom! Please hire me. Seriously. A great option for you would be photos at sunset! Normally, there is a period of about 30-45 minutes where guests are eating dinner before the real party gets started. This is a great time for the bride and groom to slip out of the reception (after eating their dinner), and disappear with their photographer for a short amount of time. What is so great about this opportunity is that #1 – most guests won’t even notice that you’re gone, #2 – the lighting right before sunset is always TO DIE FOR, and #3 – you end up with even more pictures! It’s a win, win, win!

Whether or not you and you fiancé do decide to plan an extra portrait time around sunset, it is so important that you consider what time of year it is when planning your wedding day timeline. For example, if you want to have a 6pm wedding in November, be aware the sun will have set by 5:15pm, and there will be no natural light for portraits after the wedding. If you’re planning a 2pm wedding for the middle of July, the sun won’t set until almost 8:30pm, meaning the light right after your wedding ceremony will be VERY harsh and bright. As an natural-light photographer, I have found that the best lighting is always the two hours before sunset, which is why I will only plan portrait sessions for this time. A great resource to use when planning your wedding is sunrisesunset.com. It will give you the exact time of the sunrise and sunset for every day of the year, depending on your zip code. Keep that baby bookmarked!

And because every post is dead without some beautiful pictures, check out some photos from Ana and Joey’s 2011 wedding in the Outerbanks of North Carolina. I totally never have favorites, but if I did, their’s would rank at the top. :)

Ana and Joey chose not to do a First Look, but they made up for it by giving me PLENTY of time with them after their ceremony.

After enjoying their first dance as husband & wife and chowing down on some delicious dinner, we left the guests to eat while doing some sunset photos.

Work it, girl!

Dead. See, sunset lighting just can’t be beat.

:)

Happy Wednesday!

Did I mention that Miles wore an adorable bowtie? He’s so stylish. :)

This one was an early favorite!

Liz, you are going to be such a stunning bride!!!

A sweet family portrait! It’s kind of a miracle that Miles actually sat still for a shot. He is one active puppy!

Can’t handle the cuteness!!!

Y’all are so adorable. Just stop it already!

The trails around Crystal Bridges were the perfect backdrop for our session!

These next few are my favorites!

Favorite, favorite, favorite!

Austin, you did a great job on that ring!

Happy Tuesday! :)

Happy Monday!

If you’ve never had the ahi tuna from Outback, you NEED to try it… So yummy!

Has anyone else noticed that Outback’s overhead lights are hung SO low? Aaron basically had to duck the whole dinner to see me.

After dinner, Aaron surprised me with a class at Painting with a Twist, which was so awesome! I’d never done anything like this in the past, and it was equal parts challenging, fun, and hilarious! My artistic abilities stop ABRUPTLY at photography, so I was pleasantly surprised with with we were able to produce. It’s a good thing the class teaches you to paint stroke by stroke, or we both would have been in big trouble. :)

My finished product… I was pretty impressed with myself!

The pensive artist… :)

Mine on the left, Aaron’s on the right.

Yeah… I think I’ll stick with photography. :)

Thanks to everyone who sent sweet birthday wishes my way! It was a great day. :)

Happy Thursday!