how crystal greeted robin for their first look.

my most favorite part about first looks are that it gives couples a chance to be themselves.  to be alone and really experience their wedding day and the emotions they have.  some couples cry, some laugh.  some do both.  :)

a little shoe change before the reception.

i’ll leave you with a peek at this image from the mug machine.  best. photo. ever?

Bella Sera Ranch, a terrific place to get married.

If you remember their engagement session you know these two love food.  I was not surprised to find a nice little table of sweets.

Custom root beer bottles?  Of course.  (Get your own here.)

Pennies are a big deal to Chesley & Andy.  They have collected them, traded them and even have a fireplace decorated with them.  I knew I wanted to work them into their ring shot somehow.

A rainy First Look.
Loved the different dresses and shoes.

One of the guys forgot his shoes so he had to go buy some last minute.  We all pointed and made fun of him.

Loved this moment between Andy & Chesley’s niece.

Speaking of the little people.  How off the wall cute are these two.  (She kept showing me her grapes.)

Lots and lots of dancing thanks to CMB DJs.

The Mug Machine was also there in full force.  Check back Monday for those photos.

On to the Vista for their First Look.
Did I mention The Mug Machine was also there in full force?

Ruth & Steve had plenty of “coverage” at their wedding.  Here I am shooting them along with the guys from Altered Weddings.  (The super talented video crew they had there)

What have you liked most about your first year being married?
Building a home And life together

Give us your best cheapo/fun married date idea.
Going swimming on the lake

What’s been the hardest part about being married?
Learning each other, what not to do and say

What surpassed you the most?  (Either good or bad.)
The love we have for each other.

What have you fought about most and why?
Little things (what way to put the toilet paper on the holder)

So if I remember right, you guys don’t Facebook.  Why is that?
We stay in touch with friends other ways and everyone else doesn’t matter.

Do you have any advice for couples about to take the plunge?
Have fun with each other laugh and love through everything.

Parts are parts? 

Do you remember the commercial where the disgruntled, messy chickens were flying down the road in an old beat up car? They wanted to become Foster Farm chickens…you know…the excellent chickens. Those goofy birds finally got it – you can fluff them up all you want but they are still messy, skinny ole birds!!

Flowers are not just flowers! They have so many variables to them, so many grades. I remember when guys would come into the flower shop asking for a dozen long stem roses. Little did they know, a long stem rose is really only a second grade rose. Roses come in many lengths and with each come different head sizes. The longer the rose stem, the bigger, fuller and prettier a rose head can be. For example, a rose can be purchased in 40, 50, 60, 70 and even 80 centimeters. The “long stem” rose is about a 50 cm rose so you can see there are usually three sizes that are bigger and fuller. The other grading system is medium, long, fancy and extra fancy. So, you can see the “long stem” rose isn’t really such a big deal!! I usually explain this to my brides by making another comparison – take for example jeans. You can buy a pair from Walmart for say $15.00 and you can buy  a pair of Miss Me for $100.00 (yes, I know there are a lot that are even more expensive) Now, they are both jeans….both have two legs, both are denim, both have pockets, both have a zipper, both can be worn to the movies but you sure wouldn’t say they are the same!! Well, the same can be said for flowers ….just because someone says…I can make a bridal bouquet of all red roses for $100.00 doesn’t mean there is going to be any comparison to a spectacular high grade rose. On the surface it’s easy to be fooled but get the two in front of you and I assure you, you’ll pick the better one! The problem lies in a bride and her mom picking out that one of a kind bouquet not knowing the right questions to ask. You see, a florist never says, “Well, it will be made with 36 Ecuadorian, 70 to 80 cm all white roses. The variety will be Polar Star.” They just say, “It will be an all white rose bouquet.”  Then they can show up with whatever they want much to your chagrin! Now, you might say “I don’t even want roses” well, ALL flowers are selected and graded. There are florist grade and supermarket grade. There are always variables to each and every flower.

That leads me on another topic….colors are not just colors! Red is not just red, there is red to the orange side and red to the blue side! For example, tomatoes and blood red – you can imagine there are lots of shades of red in between. White can be to the yellow side or green, purple can be to the pink or blue sides! All the colors are not the  same….all the varieties are not the same…all the qualities are not the same….Parts are not parts in chickens or flowers!

Fake flowers are just that….FAKE!

To many times a bride gets her hopes up on a particular flower that maybe she saw in a local craft shop. She’ll come in with a few plastic or silk flowers and think we can provide her with them in real flowers only to be disappointed. In the days of Google images, it’s so easy to see if the flowers you prefer come in the colors you want. Check it out…it’s a great tool!

Magazines and blogs are giving brides unrealistic visions of color! To many times the editor or blogger is enhancing the color to “make it prettier” or more with today’s trend. Some (of course not AlexM…lol) photographers are “color correcting” and this changes the color as well as the expectation of the bride.

Brides….did you know that the groom has responsibility in paying for some of the flowers? Grooms and/or their parents are responsible to pay for the brides bouquet, the portrait bouquet, all the men’s boutonnieres and the mother’s and grandmother’s corsages or posy’s. Ask the florist to separate  the flower totals and make two copies of the contract so one can be presented to the groom. It will take you out of the equation and give credence to asking them to pay for their part.

When consulting with a florist, make sure you find one that has pictures of their own work and will guide you through the decision making process. I do my best to make sure to capture each and every brides vision of their day as each is as unique and special as every bride. So much of the time I see a bride come in for her last meeting with me and she’s exhausted and “just can’t wait for it to be over with!” Remember to ask for help, hire the very best professionals, let go of a few of the decisions and take time to relax and enjoy the best day of your life!

Wishing you a happily ever after!
Barbara | La Tee Da

Didn’t I tell you she was awesome?
Still wanna see more?  Take a look at all the “La Tee Da Weddings” I’ve photographed the past few years.

If something looks nice it’s because one of these wedding vendors made it happen.

Cakes: Adalante Catering
DJ/Uplighting: CMB DJs
Flowers: La Tee Da Flowers
Venue: Villa di Felicita
Videographer: Video Magic

Here is a little peek at their wedding album.

Happy Thanksgiving everyone.

Best. Bridesmaids. Ever.

Lauren & Blain were married at The Belgium House in Longview, TX.  Fantastic place.  Book them now. (903.660.0125)

Is it just me or does that custom AlexM Photography guest book look AMAZING!!!

Cakes by Edible Art.  Tasty, delicious, and attractive.  Book them now. (903.234.2114)

This is the cake topper that Lauren’s grandparents used.  57 years ago.  Not bad.

Remember that time Lauren & Blaine had a First Look and birds chirped and magic happened?
My favorite two First Look moments.
1. Watching them hold hands in their own flirty way
2. Blaine complimenting and noticing all the details in her dress

One of the great things about The Belgium House is they also offer flowers.  These were perfect.  Like I said, call and book them. (903.660.0125)

I love this shot of Lauren creeping on her wedding guests while her sister creeps on her.

Remember those grandparents who have been married 57 years?  They got to cut and eat some cake too.
DJ Daddy Co kept everyone dancing.  While you are booking all your other vendors you should go ahead and call him too. (903.918.4555)
I love the groomsman showing modesty and respecting women….

kinda.

Lauren and a “few” of her Texas Tech Alpha Phi Sorority Sisters.
 Thanks EVERYONE for a fantastic evening.  You were too much fun.

I figure you wanna see a few photos but then the main reason you are hear is to watch our home movie from the trip.

Before we get to the album though, how about a HUGE shout out to all the great vendors that made this day happen:

Cakes: Designs by D’Anne
Catering: Traditions
DJ/Uplighting: P3 Sound
Flowers: La Tee Da Flowers
Planner: Davi Ingram of Perfect Plans
Rentals: Red Hat Rentals
Venue: Elmwood Gardens
Videographer: JMH Pro

This awesome!

Happy Anniversaries to Bethany & Nathaniel, Jennifer & Jeb, Courtney & Jonathan, and Julia & Robert!!

I’ve taken a photo similar to this one before but just could not resist doing it again.

Lots of laughing and smiling at their First Look.

If you love this bouquet from La Tee Da Flowers raise your hand.  (Look at all those hands.)

AMAZING cake from Frosted Art.

More amazing florals from La Tee Da.

I love this shot of Aaron laughing at Carrie as she gets hairsprayed to death.

Big shout out to Casey from CMB DJs for all the great music.

Anyway, I thought it would be fun to take a quick peek back at my favorite image from each wedding.  Here they are for your viewing pleasure.

LOVE LOVE LOVE this shot.

There is nothing more romantic that sharing your First Look with just you and your soon to be spouse…..

… and you little sister creeping in the background.

Stay classy Brad.

Becca’s parents pulled her aside to pray with her.  Another one of my favorites.
I love that you can see her sister’s make up running down her face.
When he first saw here that day Becca’s dad went on and on about how beautiful she looked.  He then went on to talk about how beautiful his wife looked.  That is one smart man.

You guys were terrific, Mug Machine, and album goodness await you later this week!

A few days ago I got this perfect E-mail from Lindsey.  She sent it to me about a week after her wedding when she saw her album sneak peek.  Take a look.

“You know, I have to admit, I was VERY nervous that I would not like ANY of the pictures of me.  I am SUPER self conscious, and pretty much hate every picture I see of myself.  However, I am not claiming that I now think I am a super model or anything, but, I do love how you captured the way I felt in each picture you took.  Thank you! ” – Lindsey

E-mails like this totally  make my job worth doing.  I love that I was able to make her feel that way, but even more I love that Lindsey “gets” it.  My photos are not designed to make you look like a Cosmo cover.  They are not retouched to the point that you confuse them with something form glamor shots.  They are a reflection of who you are right now.  Of course I try to capture and document you from flattering angles and in ways that make you look your best, but at the same time as a bride, you need to come at this expecting realistic results.

You are are who you are and that’s fantastic.

The most ironic part is this whole day is about someone committing to you and saying I choose you above all else. But even then in the midst of all this, for many girls the insecurity about how they look still make them feel “ugly” or “not perfect”.   Your groom is choosing YOU.  He is standing up in front of everyone, in an uncomfortable suit you have chosen no less, and declaring YOU as his most favorite girl in the planet.  Stop and think about that.

You have being chosen.

You have been declared a perfect fit.

You are his super model.

So I don’t think I have ever started a wedding post with a shot of the bride without her makeup on…. but Lindsey’s expression when she saw her bouquet was too good not to show.  La Tee Da Flowers ALWAYS gets this reaction from their brides.  I love being in the room when Barbra walks in each wedding.

Jonathan’s father recently passed away so Lindsey surprised him with these cufflinks at their First Look.

Jonathan is a DEA special agent so these seemed fitting.

Lots and lots of First Look chatting, laughing, & smiling.

TC Makeup came down from Dallas and did a terrific job.  (She also finished on time.  A HUGE plus when considering a makeup artist.)

Designs by D’Anne did they cakes.  She also just got a new website so get over there and take a look.

I love love love these fingerprint trees couples are having at their weddings.
All The Single Ladies….

Reason 385 you need to hire a PROFESSIONAL DJ for your wedding:  About 5 seconds before the last dance was about to start Lindsey turned to Casey of CMBDJs and said, “can we change our last song to something fun and fast?”  (They had chosen a slow song a few weeks ago during one of their consultations.)

He asked her if she had a favorite and she said “uh…..”
1/2 a second later Casey suggested a song and had the whole place jumpin’
Every photo you see below happened because Casey knew just what to do and was able to react and make it happen in about 10 seconds.
The lesson?  Book a real DJ.

What song did he play?  You’ll have to call him to find out. 903.724.3192

After a few moments alone Gini gave Charlie his wedding day gift.

Then Charlie gave Gini her gift.  I think she liked it.

The Belgium House also offers you the option of having them do the flowers.  These came out terrific.
Anytime Lori’s Eats & Sweets is catering I can’t wait to get tot he reception. DJ Daddy Co kept the dance floor moving the rest of the day.

Part 1.

Part 2:  Last year I asked one of my brides who broke off her engagement if she would be willing to share what that process was like and everything that it involved.  She was kind and brave enough to say yes.  It is still one of the most viewed pages on my website and  was the top Google result for broken engagement for a while last year.  Regardless of how great your engagement  or relationship is you should take the time to read what Kristin had to share.  (Read her story here.)

James surprised Nikki with this wedding band during the ceremony.  (She was happy.)

They exchanged gifts during their First Look.

Nikki got James a watch.  (He was happy.)

One of the cool things they did was have a part of the ceremony that James’ daughter  came up and the minister spoke to all three of them together.

I was totally hoping the Matron of Honor would get frazzled and read the welcome note side from the Fairfield Inn.
Thank you two for a great afternoon.  Mug Machine magic coming your way later this week!

Ready… Set… Go!

I walked into the house where Jennifer was getting ready and found her grandfather getting his combover done by the stylist.  Best. First Image. Ever.?

Jennifer had all of these done by an artist she found on Etsy, visit her full site here.

Steven is sneaker head so he actually fly to New York and had these custom made for his wedding.  (The day they met & they day the were married.)

First Look time!

This was one of my favorite moments from the day.  We were grouping people for family photos and Steven’s niece ran up to get in a shot.  it was not their turn yet and someone said.  ”No, not you, go back.”  She was crushed.  She was crying and tearing up as she headed back to her mom.  Jennifer saw this and walked out of the photo area and over to comfort her.  9.5 out of 10 brides would have just let others handle it, but she wanted to make sure her new niece was OK and assure her she was loved.  It totally made my day.  In fact…. it earned her a free 16×20 of any wedding image she wants.  That’s right Jennifer.  I’ll hook you up.  You’re that awesome!

Great great cakes were done by Fancy Cakes by Lauren.

Rather than have their guest sign in, they finger printed people.  This made for both a super cool piece of art and official documentation of who really was at the wedding.

After the ceremony much dancing occurred.

Lauren & Brent.  (You may have seen them before. here.)

I snagged this shot of Vanessa & Brent McKellar doing their video thing that they do so well.  I LOVE working with those two.

Stay tuned later this week for Mug Machine and Rock the Frock goodness.

I showed up about 5 hours before the wedding and La Tee Da Flowers had already been there, made everything purdy.  Brides, when picking a florist, make sure they arrive with plenty of time to spare.  I’ve worked with some who show up 1 hour before the ceremony.  (Not cool.)

First Look time.

Brandi’s son then crashed the First Look party.  (In a good way.)

Brandi’s son then crashed.  (In a good way.)

The reception went on FOR-EV-ER.  (In a good way.)

Brandi checking a song request with CMB DJs

Much more to come later this week.