“Home is wherever we are together.” This phrase can be seen on home decor, social media, heard in a song or found in a romantic novel. But this quote is something that perfectly captures Linda and Kyle. You can just tell that they don’t need to do anything extravagant or go anywhere fancy to enjoy each other. Whenever they’re together, they’re home. It certainly doesn’t stop them from being on the move. They love to experience life together. Whether it’s a day trip to the zoo or a week-long cruise, they are always for the adventure – as long as they’re together.
Not only are they up for an adventure, but they’re also so much fun to be around! When we’re on our sessions, sometimes the weather doesn’t cooperate. While we had beautiful glowy light for their engagement, the mosquitos were out to feast. It was hot, it was muggy, and you wouldn’t have known it by the smiles on their faces. No amount of pesky mosquitos or humid heat could prevent these two from smiling. It is such a treat for us to be around couples who have a beautiful appreciation for each other. It’s not simple gratitude but a true sense of joy from being with their other half. It’s the feeling of being complete and whole. It’s a fantastic experience in your own relationship, but it’s an equally wonderful thing to witness in others.
We are blessed to work with Linda and Kyle, and we cannot wait for their wedding day! To Linda and Kyle, you are an inspiration to us in our marriages. You remind us to laugh and smile together and to soak up every precious minute of love. You prove that true love is about more than just how you feel or what you want. It’s about turning a house into a home – a place where two people belong together and to each other. We are so excited for you and all the adventures that come your way! Congratulations!
He was quiet. His stance was firm and unmoving. His excitement and nerves grew by the second. His heart pounded as his soon-to-be wife walked closer. This was it. This was the moment he would gaze at the love of his life for the first time on their wedding day. He slowly turned around, and there she was – beautiful and radiant. All of his stress and nerves melted away. Everything was perfect.
As photographers, our favorite part of the day is always the first look. Ben and Rosealyn are perfect examples of why that is. You see, weddings can be stressful, especially when the unexpected happens – and it always does. Whether there’s a wardrobe malfunction, timeline miscommunication, a cranky toddler, or even the weather, something is, unfortunately, bound to test the sanity of a bride on her wedding day. Thankfully, there were no significant catastrophes – just the usual hustle and bustle of wedding day jitters and excitement. But as soon as they saw each other, nothing else mattered. They were relaxed. They were happy. They were in love. They were complete. It almost brought tears to our eyes to see them in total bliss simply because they were with each other. It really is a beautiful thing to see.
As the evening went on, you could see the excitement on their faces. There was no more waiting, no more planning, no more stress. Just the beginning of the rest of their lives… together. Together, at last. Their reception was beautiful and laid back – a nice change of pace from the usual high-energy dance floor. They were able to spend time with all of their loved ones and be fully present in the moment. We loved being able to capture their gorgeous wedding.
We love Ben and Rosealyn. They are sweeter than chocolate and always know how to put a smile on anyone’s face. They are incredibly selfless, kind, and caring. They have their quiet moments, but they a lot of fun when you get them laughing! They have a contagious joy and peacefulness about them. They’re just happy people. They’re the kind of people you always want to be around because it’s comfortable. That’s just who they are. And seeing them together is just right. They are absolutely soulmates, and we couldn’t be happier for them! Ben and Rosealyn, if you’re reading this, we wish you the best marriage has to offer. We pray that life will be as kind to you as you are to others. Congratulations, Mr. and Mrs. Harrison!
If 2020 taught us anything, life is uncertain. We need to make time for things that matter – family, friends, religion for some, and even music. Hans Christian Andersen once said, “Where words fail, music speaks.” Music has a fantastic ability to captivate our hearts and minds in ways we never knew. In fact, it has been scientifically proven that music can improve brain and body function. Scientists have learned that music activates both the right and left sides of the brain at the same time, maximizing learning and enhancing memory. Music can ease stress, reduce anxiety, boost cognitive performance, improve focus, aid in memory retrieval, and even cure pain! How incredible is that?
If you’ve ever met someone who loves music, you learn very quickly how passionate they are about it – especially if they sing or play an instrument. Take a pianist, for example. Even though the piano produces the sound, it’s clear that the piano player is the one making the music. You can see it in the way their fingers dance across the ivory keys. They become completely enthralled with their music, even if they’re new and concentrating. Whether it’s just a hobby to them or a lifelong dream, music holds a special place in their heart. That is especially true for our friend, Anna.
Anna is going to be a high school senior this fall. Like many people, she isn’t sure what she wants to do, but does anyone really know? But, Anna does know she loves music, especially playing the piano. We had a unique opportunity to hear Anna play the piano and get to take pictures in a breath-taking recital hall! Even though Anna was a little shy initially, it was a beautiful thing to see her get comfortable, smile, and have fun! Anna, if there’s any advice we could give you for your senior year, it would be this: take the time to enjoy the things that matter to you. Embrace music and anything else that makes you smile because you have a beautiful smile, and the world should see more of it. Graduating high school is always a great accomplishment, and you deserve to celebrate it. Congratulations Anna! We can’t wait to see all of the wonderful things you do!
Dogs vs. cats. It’s a debate many people find themselves having at some point in their life. They say that dog people wish their dogs were people, and cat people wish they were a cat. Honestly, they’re not wrong! Personally, I’m a cat person and 100% obsessed with my snuggly cat, Tigger. Cats don’t show their affection as obviously as dogs do, but they’re still sweet creatures.
Other people are dog lovers. They see and appreciate the different levels of companionship and loyalty that a good dog can give them. In fact, did you know that dogs can “fall in love” with other dogs and with their owners? It’s true! Scientists have discovered that love is chemically apparent when a dog and its owner look into each other’s eyes. How sweet is that?
But there are other people out there who love all animals – people like Arianna. If you’ve ever met someone who absolutely adores animals, you’ll find they all have a few things in common: selflessness and joy. I mean, seriously! Have you ever met a true animal lover who isn’t just a joy to be around? They have an appreciation for life and simplicity that you don’t find in many other places. Arianna embodies that. Her beautiful red hair and free spirit are just as lovely in person as they are from behind the lens. Her laugh is contagious, and she can brighten up any room. She made us laugh and smile so much that our cheeks were sore by the end of the session!
Arianna isn’t just an animal lover; she wants to be a veterinarian. We all have a lot of respect for doctors, but vets have to learn and memorize a ton of difficult information for multiple species! It seriously boggles my mind. Anyone who is not only capable of that but enjoys doing it is a pretty remarkable person. Arianna, I do not doubt that you will become a fantastic veterinarian and an even more amazing young woman. We can’t wait to see all that you accomplish! Congratulations!
Weddings are exciting and beautiful. That’s one of the many reasons we love photographing them! Wedding planning, on the other hand, is a little less glamorous. There are so many things to decide, starting with when you’re getting married. But there’s more to it than that. You have to know what day you’re getting married, who you’re inviting, how far in advance to send the save-the-dates and the invitations… and that’s just for the invitations! How do you decide which save-the-dates and invitations to use and when to send them? That’s where we come in! This post is full of pictures and ideas for making the most of your invitations and save-the-dates. The most important thing is that you choose what works best for you and your wedding vision!
The first thing you need to do is choose when you want to get married. Your date might be planned around your schedule, season or month of the year, a particular date, vendor availability, or even your budget. But step one is to choose your date. Once you select your date, you want to send out save-the-dates reasonably quickly. That way, your guests know it’s coming and can begin travel preparations if they live out of town. You may not know everyone you want to invite yet, and that’s ok! Start with family and close friends, and work your way from there.
When choosing a save-the-date design, don’t stress too much about colors or themes if you don’t have them picked out yet. Your main goal is to get penciled in on people’s calendars! If you aren’t sure about mailing out save-the-dates, we recommend using a free save the date website from Basic Invite. Their save the date websites are completely customizable! They’re mobile-friendly and super easy to use. You can instantly upload all of your wedding details, along with images and a convenient map with directions for your guests. Even though you can choose from 180 custom colors and a design suite to match your wedding invitations, you don’t have to know all of your details right away. And you can always update your website to match your theme and colors! Once you send out save-the-dates, take a breather. You made a huge accomplishment!
As you continue in your wedding planning, think about how you want your pictures to look. Do you want images that are clean, classic, and timeless, or are you looking for a moody and dramatic feel? That can help you choose which colors will compliment your preferred image style.
Deciding when to send out official invitations is a bit more tricky. You’ll need to know from your caterer and cake baker when they need to know your final guest count. Most vendors will want a guest count one month before the event. You’ll want to give yourself about two weeks as a buffer so you can receive late responses and tally them into your guest count. You’ll also want to give your guests a minimum of six weeks to respond – allowing for decision-making and delivery times. So to sum up, you want to mail out your invitations about three months in advance – enough time to get responses, but not so much time that people forget about your event.
To mail your invitations on time, you’ll want to have your guest list completed about five to six months before your date. This should give you enough time to have an invitation count, choose your design, order a sample, and get them ready to mail. Make sure you order a few extras for detail shots on your wedding day and to keep as a keepsake!
You can order invitations from so many places, but we have come to love Basic Invite! Each of their wedding invitations is part of a set. One of our favorite sets is their acrylic wedding invitation suite. Its classic elegance is the perfect wow factor for any wedding!
They have so much more than just acrylic invitations. They have all the wedding stationery you need: save-the-dates, wedding invitations, enclosure cards, wedding menus, wedding programs, belly bands, pockets, and even matching thank you cards! Basic Invite is one of the few websites that allows customers almost unlimited color options with instant previews online. You can change the color of each element on a card with over 180 different color options. The card can be precisely how you want it, down to the littlest detail. Customers can also order a printed sample of their invitation to see the card’s paper and print quality before placing their final order.
All of their envelopes are peel and seal so the envelopes can be closed quickly and easily. Plus, you can have guest addresses printed directly on the envelope for free!
They also offer Seal & Send wedding invitations – a unique wedding invitation with a tear-off RSVP postcard included! The Seal & Send is their newest collection, and brides are LOVING them. Currently, they offer over 30 Seal & Send designs, and, like their other products, they are customizable – even including foil options! What’s unique about their Seal & Sends is that guest addresses are printed on the front of each invitation, so no envelope is necessary! All you have to do is share a link, collect guest addresses, and upload them onto your design. Once you receive your order, all you have to do is add postage, fold your invites, and secure them with a sticker! Simple and easy.
While we love seeing all of the little details our brides pick, your upcoming marriage is what matters most! All of the stationary in the world doesn’t hold a candle to the beautiful gift of marriage. We hope this post helps check a few things off your wedding to-do list. Happy Planning!
