October Wedding: Jamie and Tyson (Manhattan, KS) October 13, 2009

When Jamie first contacted me about being her wedding photographer, she knew that she wanted someone who loved weddings. She wanted her photographer to be excited right along with them throughout the process. I tend to be a very girly girl who loves weddings anyway, but it was impossible to not be super excited for Jamie and Tyson’s big day. Jamie lights up a room — always, but especially in a wedding gown. I knew that Jamie would be absolutely glowing on the day she got to marry Tyson, and I was right.

So I was excited — very excited — when I arrived and felt the energy in the room where Jamie was getting ready. The ladies were all gathered in the library of the church (First Presbyterian Church in Manhattan). Since Jamie is a teacher, I loved that she was surrounded by books while she was getting ready. :) Here’s one of my new favorite shots ever of a bride getting ready:

Jamie and Tyson decided to see each other before the ceremony, which was amazing. We were able to get so many portraits done beforehand and still have time for them to relax and enjoy their day. Here’s the handsome groom waiting to see his bride:

And Jamie, coming around the corner to meet her groom!

And they meet!! :)

We went outside, despite the FREEZING weather. Jamie and Tyson were so brave to head out in the 36 degree weather on their wedding day — you just never know what to expect with Kansas weather! I’m so glad they were up for it, though, because I love the shots we captured outside.

I loved the lacy wedding dress Jamie picked out. She looked stunning.

Aren’t these two just so cute??

Jeff went with me, and he took this one:

Since we had some time, we did a few more bridal portraits in the church next to some stained glass windows that Jamie really likes. I LOVE this one of her — it’s so soft and beautiful.

Jeff doesn’t normally take the bridal portraits with me, but he grabbed a few of Jamie, and I’m thinking he’ll need to start taking more bridal portraits. :) I love these next two — both taken by Jeff.

Jeff also took these super cool ring shots:

Before the ceremony began, Jamie and the ladies prayed together.

And then it was time to get married! :) Here are some of my favorite ceremony shots:

Jeff was in the balcony, and he took these:

For their send-off from the church, guests threw wheat from Jamie’s family’s farm — how cool is that? I loved that idea, and it looked cool (although I think I had some wheat stuck in my hair for the rest of the night… ha ha). Wheat from the same family farm was also thrown at Jamie’s older sister’s wedding last year. (Thanks to the mother of the bride for giving me the details!).

Jeff’s shot:

In between the ceremony and reception, the wedding party headed to the K-State campus for some photos in front of Anderson Hall (Jamie and Tyson’s last name!).

It was pretty chilly, so the ladies huddled together. :) They are all so beautiful!

And a few more of the newlyweds!

They had a vintage K-State bus to take them around! Jeff took this one:

Their reception was so much fun. It was at the Manhattan Country Club (yep, I got to be there twice in one weekend!), and it’s an amazing reception location. I loved shooting there, and they had an awesome staff. Jamie and Tyson entered the reception in a tunnel made by their wedding party!

Their first dance, which kicked off the reception festivities:

Tyson and Jamie during the toasts:

The DJ had them play a newlywed type of game, where they had to answer questions about “who would be the most likely to…” by holding up one shoe or the other. :) The guests thought it was hilarious (and it was).

The cake cutting was also exciting. :) And no, they didn’t hold anything back — it was all in good fun, of course.

Jamie’s lovely sisters:

And one more during the garter toss:

Jamie and Tyson, congratulations to you both!! :) It was an absolutely joy to be a part of your big day. I hope your life together is filled with more and more fun times!

Friends and family, click here to sign the online guestbook. You’ll receive an e-mail when all of the photos are online and available to view!

Coming Soon: The Andersons! October 12, 2009

I knew Mrs. Anderson (YAY!) would want to see a photo right away. :) Jamie, this one’s for you! Many more to come this week!

Manhattan KS Wedding: Megan and Adam, K-State Gardens and Alumni Center September 15, 2009

Rain, rain… go away. :)

It can’t rain on a wedding day — at least not when a fun couple has planned a gorgeous outdoor ceremony, just a few hours after what is supposed to be sunrise. It just can’t rain. Because the couple carefully planned their wedding ceremony to take place under a beautiful canopy of flowers, surrounded by flower beds full with beauty in early September. It’s just can’t rain. Because the couple had visions of saying “I Do” in the fresh and bright morning light, surrounded by God’s beauty and their close family and friends.

It just can’t rain.

When I got a text from Megan at 5:45 a.m. on her wedding day with bad news about the rain, I said a little prayer. Okay, a big prayer. For Megan and Adam, for their wedding day, and for the rain. To go away, if at all possible. :) 

And guess what? It didn’t rain. :)

In fact, the weather couldn’t have been more perfect. The sun was peeking through a gorgeous thin layer of clouds, a slight breeze was blowing, and the air was filled with laughter, joy, and hope for what this new day — this morning — would bring. 

Megan and Adam planned a morning wedding ceremony, and very ambitiously wanted to do their photos before the ceremony began. Always up for something new, I said “Absolutely!” to the early morning starting time. :) It was still drizzling when we started photos that morning, so we started at K-State’s Alumni Center for indoor portraits and for Megan and Adam’s first look.

Then, right on cue, the rain let up and the sun decided to join us — although a little timidly at first — for the most beautiful morning portrait session!

The K-State Gardens are so romantic. I found myself drawn to the more romantic portraits in this set, too. :)

Proof that the sun joined us:

I love outdoor ceremonies, and white chairs all lined up in pretty little rows.

Kasie helped me shoot this wedding, and I’ll be sharing some of her shots here, too. She got some great detail shots of the gardens to help paint the picture of the wedding day atmosphere:

The ceremony was perfect, made even more joyful by the thankfulness everyone felt for the sunshine and cool September morning. Here’s a shot Kasie captured of Megan and her dad getting ready to walk down the aisle:

Here’s my view of Adam, waiting for his bride!

And my view of Megan’s walk down the aisle:

The group sang hymns at the beginning of the ceremony, which was just beautiful. My heart almost burst with happiness. :)

Kasie did some very stealthy hiding in the trees and bushes for some awesome shots. Here are some of my favorites she took:

I loved the delicate white flowers in the greenery over this archway. These are my shots:

Husband and wife! I love this moment!

Megan and Adam had their big send-off with fresh flower petals in all colors. They also had “Flower Ladies” (instead of Flower Girls) who had huge baskets of petals for guests at the end of the ceremony.

This next one is Kasie’s view — I love the expressions on people’s faces surrounding them!

Since Megan and Adam’s wedding ceremony was in the morning, they followed it with a breakfast-themed reception. It was so much fun and a great time for guests to mingle and chat and really have some time to talk with the newlywed couple. Here are a few details:

They gave out flower seed packets with their names and wedding date on them as a wedding favor, and had this funny poem that Adam wrote to Megan on the tables… reading it might give you an idea of how funny they are, and how much fun they have together. This is Kasie’s shot:

The toasts… the first two are my shots, and the last one is Kasie’s. Megan’s sister was her maid of honor, and Adam’s dad was the best man.

And I’ll leave you with two ring shots… both done in honor of their morning wedding and breakfast reception. :)

Megan and Adam, congratulations on your wedding and marriage. May God bless you with a joyful marriage, sunny mornings, and a garden full of beautiful flowers. :)

Family and friends who want to see all of their wedding images can click here to sign in to the online gallery. You’ll receive a message when they’re ready to be viewed!

Manhattan Kansas Wedding: Kathy and Jeff August 12, 2009

Kathy and Jeff were two people whose paths probably would never have crossed… if it weren’t for their love of animals. Kathy and Jeff met during veterinary school at K-State — she’s from the east, he’s from the midwest — and they fell in love over walks with their dogs. At least, that’s what Jeff told me. :) In fact, he said it was the dogs that helped in their proposal. See, on one of their first dates, Jeff and Kathy decided to go for a walk in Anneberg Park with their dogs. When it came time to propose, Jeff wanted to get Kathy back to the park on a freezing cold day — she agreed (because of the dogs, of course) — and Jeff had to hurry and propose before Kathy ran back to the car. He didn’t even have time to drop to one knee. Still, Kathy said yes (of course!) and the rest is history… well, actually, the rest is just beginning! :)

Kathy and Jeff got married this past weekend in Manhattan, Kansas, where their love story began. Their family and friends from all over the country flew or drove in for the big event!

Their first moments all dressed up on their wedding day!

A few portraits outside the church (St. Isidore’s):

Jeff went along with me to this wedding, and he captured this fun shot:

And this one. I like how peaceful it looks.

While I got this one — I love how Jeff’s reaching out to help his bride, how vibrant her Kansas-themed bouquet is, and the general happy feel of this day. :)

The rings (love the greens!):

Before the ceremony, I caught Kathy peeking out from her “hiding” place. :)

Jeff’s shot of the stained glass:

Kathy’s dad walked her down the aisle. I love how joyful her expression is!

Jeff had this view from the balcony:

I just love ceremonies. I could shoot ceremony shots all day. I know that might sound funny, but they’re seriously my favorite part. I love watching intently for the little moments the bride and groom share even with everyone staring at them… :)

After the ceremony, the wedding party headed to Anneberg Park for photos in the special spot for Kathy and Jeff. Here’s the whole wedding party:

Here’s the lake that Jeff proposed next to:

The ducks lined up perfectly for this shot… :) Have I mentioned how much I love cathedral veils? They are so romantic.

More photos of the happy couple. These were all taken on one of the walking trails, next to a row of trees. The sun was at the perfect spot for some great light.

I love how the light catches in her veil… and how the happy smiles catch on their faces. :)

Their reception was at the K-State Alumni Center, which is an absolutely gorgeous venue. This next photo was taken during Kathy and Jeff’s grand entrance into the reception. I love this because it wasn’t posed, it’s not a portrait… but everything is so perfect that it could have been carefully orchestrated. I think that’s what makes wedding photography so awesome — capturing the perfect little moments in a day that couldn’t be any better if someone had carefully planned it out. I love my job.

Everything about their wedding tied in a sunflower and Kansas theme — even using native Kansas flowers and grasses in the bouquets and centerpieces. It was really elegant and paid tribute to the great state where they met. :) 

And, instead of cake, Kathy and Jeff opted for pie. They cut into a delicious-looking apple pie, and they also offered a variety of pies for their guests. I hadn’t seen that before, and we all know how much I love personal touches. :)

And, I’ll leave you with a few shots from their first dance. Such sweet moments.

Kathy and Jeff, congratulations on your marriage. If you lived in Kansas City, I’d most definitely bring my dog to you for great care. :) Wishing you (and your pets!) the happiest life.

Friends and family can click here to view all of the images from the big day (or sign up and you’ll be notified when they are all ready!).

K-State Wedding: Nick and Sarah’s Manhattan Celebration! January 7, 2009

So remember when I promised you more images of Nick and Sarah’s January wedding in Manhattan? Well, here they are… all 40 of them! :) It was hard to narrow it down for these two, who have been such great friends to Jeff and I.

I just want to take a few lines out of this blog post to let you, Nick and Sarah, know how delighted we were to share your special day and witness your marriage! Nick, who would have guessed during our flight to D.C. a few years ago that we’d be celebrating your marriage like we did last weekend? And Sarah, how could we have predicted on that day that I found out that you were a HOBY alum that you’d one day marry my good friend and fellow HOBY enthusiast? :) I love the connections you two share, even before you knew it. I love your story, and the fact that there are many more memories to write in our history book! And while I love each of you separately, I love who you are as a couple even more. Awww… I’m just so happy for you!! :)

Okay, okay… on to the photos, right?!

Some of my favorite moments from any wedding are the preparations/getting ready shots. There’s still some nervous excitement, and brides look simply gorgeous putting on the finishing touches — especially Sarah!

Hee hee…look who it is! :) (Sorry, I just couldn’t help myself!).

Sarah’s best friend Kelli was her maid of honor — this photo just gets to me. Friendship is so important, and it’s so awesome to share special times with close friends!

Sarah had TWO incredibly fun pairs of shoes for her wedding day. The first, custom Nikes with “I Do” on the back — how cool is that? And the second, some really adorable purple (for K-State, obviously!) flats from Ann Taylor.

Even the super stylish and heartbreakingly cute ring bearer got in on the getting ready fun!

Nick and Sarah chose to see each other before the ceremony for photos with their wedding party and family members. I highly encourage couples to do this, since it gives us extra time for really creative, fun portrait sessions (either before the ceremony or off-site in between the ceremony and reception). It also gives the bride and groom the perfect time to catch a few minutes alone (well, with me!) to calm nerves, see each other without distractions, and really just soak in the moment of a wedding day. Plus, the photos are always so great. Like this shot of Nick, seeing Sarah for the first time… his expression is priceless.

Earlier in the day, before their ceremony, the weather was actually pretty bearable for January 3rd. :) I’m so glad we stole a few moments to head outside of the church for some portraits! You two look AMAZING!

Their ceremony was very traditional, personal, and moving. They incorporated a lot of family members into the ceremony as readers and communion servers, and their priest, Fr. Keith, knew them well. The shot below requires a little explanation. Nick is known for wearing a button on his shirt called the “Fun Meter” — so he can let everyone know just how much fun he’s having in a certain situation. :) Well, those of us who recognize Nick best with his Fun Meter on were disappointed that it wasn’t hidden beneath his jacket or under the lapel of his tux jacket. Apparently, so was Fr. Keith. :) When he mentioned it during his message, there was a chorus of laughter from the audience… including the photographer at the back. ;)

After the ceremony, the temperature had dropped 15 degrees or so and it was spitting an icy-rain mixture. Sarah and Nick, determined for fun K-State themed photos, said “let’s do it!” so we headed to  K-State’s Old Stadium for photos with the wedding party. I’m so glad we did!

The ladies did a great job of looking somewhat warm in the above photo… but what they really wanted to do was bundle up. :)

What a lovely bride! :)

The wedding party on the sidelines… you all look great!

Chris Hsieh of La Brisa Photography came along for the day’s festivities as well! I’m excited to see how this image turned out!

And a quick game of football with the guys… :)

A forgotten flower on the football field:

I love this image. It might be my favorite Nick-and-Sarah together shot.

Nick and Sarah’s wedding reception at the K-State Alumni Center was beautiful. And boy, can this group DANCE! If anyone needs dance lessons for their wedding, Nick’s brother and best man could probably offer some incredible private dance lessons… now, speech writing, on the other hand… well, he leaves that to the last minute. :) Still, it was a hilarious best man toast.

A moment between Sarah and her dad:

The dancing king himself (Rylan, I am so impressed!):

Although the ring bearer gave the best man a run for his money with his dancing skills… :)

I’m not quite sure what went down here, but it obviously embarrassed Sarah. :)

I love this photo (how many times have I said that in this one post? Ha ha!)… but seriously, people laughing and smiling at receptions make for such great photo memories.

And I’ll leave you with one last photo of the newlyweds!

Family and friends, click here to sign the guest book and be automatically notified when all of the photos are available for viewing online!

Nick and Sarah, many happy wishes to you both. I can’t wait to see you again after you’re all settled!

 

(If you missed the first preview post, check out those photos here!).

Another sneak peek: Nick and Sarah’s Manhattan Wedding! January 4, 2009

We just got back home after Nick and Sarah’s awesome wedding in Manhattan, Kansas. They aren’t leaving for their honeymoon until tomorrow morning, so I wanted to get up a few fun images for them since I now know that Sarah has my blog as one of her permanent tabs in Firefox. :)

So, you two newlyweds, enjoy this very small black-and-white preview of your wedding images!

I love these images… so dreamy and soft and real!

Sarah made such a beautiful bride!

And Nick made one very excited (and equally handsome) groom! :)

They had a great ceremony — here they are just after they said their vows! Can’t you just feel the happiness? :)

Their wedding party was amazing — they even braved the freezing temperatures for some outdoor shots at K-State’s Old Stadium!

Their first dance as husband and wife!

Congratulations, you two! I can’t wait to share more images with you very soon. Have an awesome time in Cabo!! :)