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Editorial, Wedding

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

#styledshootsacrossamerica #ssaashootcrawl

Texas

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!

Beautifek // Indianapolis Portraits + Product Photography

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

An Italian Spring Inspired Styled Shoot // Iron & Ember Events // Carmel, Indiana

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!!!

Meet the sweet, beautiful, and inspirational Sylvia!

Stewart Imagery: What inspired you to create your beauty products? How did you get started?

Hello Beautiful!: My initial journey for creating my products started with prayer because I wanted to communicate to every woman that they have innate beauty ordained by God. I wanted to create products that accentuated that beauty no matter the shade of skin.

SI: What is the name of your product line?

HB: I named my product line Hello Beautiful!, a phrase that I believe describes every woman. The goal of Hello Beautiful! is to remind women of their innate God-given beauty while also providing products that complement their skin tones.

SI: Do you have a website that you’d like to share?

HB: My store is at: www.hellobeautifulstore.etsy.com, and I am also on Instagram @hellobeautifulstore!

Love these!

SI: What is your favorite product that you offer? Why is it your favorite?

HB: I think all of my products have unique attributes that I love! For women who want an anti-aging product Hello Beautiful! Lipsticks include organic sencha green tea oil and avocado oil, both of which are high in antioxidants and vitamins that prevent skin-aging. My Hello Beautiful! Pearl Lip balm is a clear multifunctional formula— it can be applied under my lipsticks for extra hydration or dabbed on dry facial skin to moisturize and heal.

SI: What makes your products unique?

HB: Many cosmetics are toxic. The proof is in the studies that have revealed cosmetics like lipstick to be a chemical melting pot of lead, dangerous metals, and hormone disrupters (Source). Hello Beautiful! products are made with organic ingredients like organic sencha green tea oil, organic shea butter, and organic calendula flower oil. My products are not tested on animals, are lead-free, and do not contain nano-particles.

You can also mix Hello Beautiful! Lipstick colors together to make new colors like brick red, red violet, and russet red orange.

SI: Do you have plans for future products that you’d like to share a little bit about?

HB: I am planning to release another skin product that can help with rashes, irritations, and even burns that commonly affect the skin. My skin is prone to rashes, so I know what it feels like to need a product made with organic ingredients to solve the problem quickly.

lovelovelove.

SI: Your packaging is stunning! What inspired you in designing and creating it?

HB: Thank you! Black and gold is classy and sleek— which is exactly how I want my customers to view their Hello Beautiful! products. Each lipstick is named after the jewel that pertains to its color. The oval tubes help with application by providing a wide width for the broad parts of the lips and narrow ends for outlining the sides of the mouth.

Ohhhh, Sylvia, you have THE best smile!

SI: What is the best advice that you’ve received while starting your business?

HB: Keep moving forward and do so with help. Keep people in your corner who will cheer you on, but will also be truthful with you and tell you if something isn’t working. I have my family to thank for constantly encouraging me and giving me excellent advice.

SI: What advice would you offer others who have dreams of starting and pursuing their passion?

HB: Go for it! Now is the opportune time. As C.S. Lewis said, “You are never too old to set another goal or to dream a new dream.”

SI: Please feel free to share anything else that you’d like potential customers to know about you and your products!

HB: I am now taking requests for custom orders for showers, parties, and events. If you would like to have a Hello Beautiful! product party hosted or if you have questions about custom orders, please contact me at hellobeautifulstore@gmail.com.

Sylvia, what an honor it has been to work with you! Thank you for sharing your truly beautiful story with me! Wishing you a bright and fulfilling future as you launch Hello Beautiful!

Meet Sylvia + Hello Beautiful!

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!