I don’t know if I will ever be able to get over the amazing trip I recently took to Houston, Texas! There is so much to share from my less-than-48-hours time there! For now, here’s the tiniest sneak peek at some of the over the top, jaw-dropping beauty that myself and several other fellow wedding photographers from across the country had the opportunity to capture! Was it a whirlwind of a trip? Yes! Was it worth it? Absolutely! I met and made new friends who share a love and passion for what we do, and I am so ready for all that’s in store for 2023! Without further adieu, here is a glimpse of Spring in hues of yellow and blue!
Host: @styledshootsacrossamerica
Concept & Planning: @heatherbengeofficial
Photography: @stewartimagery
Venue: @ironmanortx
Florist: @justinesflowers
Hair & Makeup: @sunkissedandmadeup
Stationery: @rsvp_love
Cake: @whomadethecakehouston
Linens & Rentals: @decorbydulce
Vintage Rentals: @lovebirdsvintage
Gowns: @weddingsbydebbie
Suits: @themoderngroom_
Shoes: @sheischeval
Specialty Cocktails: @barchefshouston
Models: @itsnotclairef @josbertjss
Happy Spring, friends! Can you believe that it is already March, almost April!? I’ll have to do a separate post soon to catch up on life and personal stuff! However, this post is a special one, one that deserves its own space and time! If you’ve been following the blog for awhile, you may recall portraits of beautiful Sylvia and her lovely products! If not, please allow me to introduce you to sweet Sylvia, her Mom, and her sister, Melissa. Sylvia created Beautifek, her own line of natural, organic lipsticks for all skin tones, and over the years, she has updated the packaging and added to her list of offerings with new colors and ways to combine the vibrant colors for even more variety! She is one of the most humble, kind, down-to-earth people, and as I worked with them in late December, it was such a delight to watch their joy and their bond as mother/daughters/sisters, while their natural beauty shined through in gorgeous smiles and laughter, as well as in quiet moments. It was a dream! I have so many favorites!!! I asked them what they were celebrating for this particular portrait session, and they told me that they have written a book together, which will be published soon, so they needed options for the inside and outside covers! Amazing, right?! I have already requested an autographed copy! Sidenote: I don’t think that I blogged our time in a studio with two gorgeous models or the previous product session I did for Beautifek! Be sure to click the link above for our first portrait session! If you follow along on Instagram, I’m sure you’ve seen images from those times, because they are still some of my favorites!
I can’t think of a better way to end my 2022 client sessions and then to ring in 2023 with a fun, creative commercial session featuring a new product line and pretty new packaging! It was the perfect winter project! And Sylvia allowed me full creative freedom with styling and composition, infusing color and texture, which is always a treat!
To Sylvia, Melissa, and Mrs. B, thank you so much for welcoming me into your lovely home, for bringing so much joy and fun to the session, and for sharing your celebration and success with me! I’m so excited for all that the future holds for you! Hugs!!!
Beauty by the talented Aubree Bolding, featuring Beautifek products!
Over the Winter, I dreamt of Spring. Not because I was wishing it away…ok, so maybe there were times when I was totally ready for the snow and ice to just go away, but I digress. I had visions of flowers blooming and a gorgeous bride in a dreamy dress, with lots of texture and romance…so I scoured Pinterest for things that matched what I envisioned. Once my dream venue, Iron & Ember Events, was on board, I assembled the rest of the creative Dream Team to bring every lovely detail to life! And I’m proud to say that our day of play – I mean work, it was all totally work! – came together even better than I could have imagined! Every detail, every element was sheer perfection! And can we please talk about the florals? Most of these beauties can only be had in March, so our timing was absolutely essential! The dress! From the beginning, I knew the dress should have sleeves! And this amazing gown from Blue House Bridal was The One! (Spoiler alert, we also had a second dress…! Stay tuned!) Our time flew by and before I knew it, I was heading home with dead batteries, full memory cards, and pinch me moments. It has been a while since my last styled shoot, November 2019, to be exact. Before the world knew what was unfolding. It felt sooo darn good to be back planning, dreaming, collaborating, and working toward a common goal with some of the industry’s very best ! I can say whole-heartedly that this team – who happen to be all women! – are exactly who you want on your side when planning your wedding day! Their talent and expertise, their attention to detail and willingness to go above and beyond, their sweet personalities and bright smiles…they’re simply THE BEST! So let’s get to the good part, shall we?
Mille Grazie ✨to the amazing, talented, ohhhh so wonderful team that brought my dream of Spring in Italy to life! I will never ever get over this beautiful day! 💗💗💗
Venue // Iron & Ember Events
Florals & Candlesticks // Satin & Stems
Bridal Attire // Blue House Bridal
Diamond Jewelry // Reis-Nichols Jewelers
Hairstylist // A Do For I Do, Laura Snyder Hair
Makeup // Julia Wadsworth Makeup Artistry
Model // Naomi
Cake // Classic Cakes
Smoke Belize & Oyster Marble Linens, Blush Satin Napkins, Pink Carousel Goblet, Silver Apollo Charger, City Coupe Glass, Elexa Flatware, Crossback Chairs // A Classic Party Rental
Calligraphy, Signage, Stir Sticks // Painted Letter Co
Invitation Suite // Brown Fox Creative
Vintage Stamps // The Postmistress
A few years ago, I met sweet Sylvia through an externship, and we’ve remained in contact ever since. And I was thrilled when she asked me to photograph her and her newest passion! We met up a few weeks ago to capture this exciting venture she’s been dreaming of for some time! Sylvia is one of those people that you instantly adore, and her warmth, happiness, and genuine heart radiates brightly from the inside out. And she is just as beautiful on the outside! No doubt Sylvia has been celebrating all week, as her online store, Hello Beautiful!, just launched this past weekend! Keep reading to learn all about what inspires her and her oh so gorgeous products! Sylvia, congratulations on pursuing your dreams!!!
I recently had the incredibly fun and wonderful opportunity to photograph a sweet, talented, and beautiful (inside and out!) friend in some stunning bridal gowns. Add in a pretty awesome location. And the loveliest blooms you ever did see! We were all going gaga for these florals the entire day! I may have even twirled and sang while holding them between shots a few times…ok, so I totally did do that! I just couldn’t help myself! Ok, have I mentioned that Julia is gorgeous?! Aside from being a wonderfully talented makeup artist, she just happens to know how to work it for the camera too. What a beauty!!! Spring is just a few short weeks away, which is somewhat hard to believe after all of the snow outside my window right now! What better way to await spring’s arrival than with a little sneak peek at some of the loveliness from this dream shoot!
A huge thank you to our amazing creative team who made this happen! You guys are the best! What a fun day!
Florals: Meg Catherine Flowers // MUA: Julia Wadsworth Makeup Artistry // Hair Stylist: Courtney of G Michael Salon // Bridal Gowns + Accessories: Blue House Bridal // Venue: Mill Top Banquet & Conference Center // Model: Julia // Photography: Stewart Imagery