Erin & Aaron are the most Dallasy couple I’ve had in a while. They are all about the city, the fun, and the Dallasness of Dallas.

Of course Klyde Warren Park is their jam.

The cool thing about photography is that you can make people look good at ping pong… even if they are not.

(Not that I’m saying that about these two.  Not at all.)

These two met while working at the same job. Early on, they noticed each other, but it took Aaron about 3 months to actually call her up because he was nervous about dating someone from work. (Apparently he’s moved on from that fear.)

One of my favorite moments from their dating story was when Aaron moved into an apartment in Erin’s complex.  She helped him move in and while he was returning the truck, she totally set up his place. Furniture, cleaning supplies, organization, etc. He came back to a totally prepped home. (Major girlfriend points scored.)

I TOLD you these people are Dallas. While shooting their session a car starts yelling at Erin. Of course it’s some person they know, randomly driving by. Why wouldn’t it be? There are only 1,281,047 people who live there.

So about a year after she had helped him move into his apartment, Erin had asked him to help her rearrange some furniture, but he told her he could not make it. (Major boyfriend points lost.)

Little did she know he was meeting with her parents to ask for her hand in marriage. (Like you do.) Erin got a bit huffy, but eventually got over not having a moving buddy that day.

The day AFTER he didn’t help her rearrange his apartment, he called Erin and said he needed some help moving stuff at his place. (True story.) When she got there, she found this.

That’s right.  The boy had fired up his old iPhone, printed out all their past text messages, and basically presented her with a novel proclaiming his love. (Major fiancé points scored.)

I had the best time with these two. Not just because of their perfect humor and personalities, but because it’s so evident how they compliment each other. Aaron talked about how much compassion Erin has for others and her willingness to do things for them without being asked. Erin went on and on about how tenderhearted he is and that his servant’s heart is what drew her to him.

I love these two and as excited I am for their July wedding, I’m more excited to see and follow their little love story over the next decade.

This is the story of how I met Justine & Karl.  He lived in Dallas and she lived in North Carolina, and when she was in town visiting, they were trying to also get some engagement photos done.  She found me online and contacted me about the engagement session.  They were still not sure who they were going to get for the wedding since it would be back in North Carolina, but I knew 5 minutes into their session I needed to be there.  I was thrilled when they invited me to come out there for the weekend of their wedding. It really was an honor to be there.

These two are amazing.  (You should read their story here.)

In brief though… everything you need to know about them can be found in this photo.  When I asked for her jewelry, Justine went on and on about how her bracelet contained a ring Karl’s grandmother had given her.

She was beaming.

Not in an “I’m getting married and these are the fancy new shoes I just bought” kinda way.  It was more of an “I’m joining this man and family and we can’t wait to do life together for a long, long time” kinda way.  It was the reason I fell in love with them during their engagement session and that approach burst through the whole day.

The more excited your friends are when you are getting ready… the more likely they are to tear up when you ARE ready. :)

Nephews make the best ring bearers.

Nieces make the best flower girls.

Every bit of training that Karl underwent in the Army and medical school applied here.  The man was completely focused and aware during every detail throughout the day.  Especially this moment. :)

I LOVE when kids sit by their great grand parents.  I also love it when couples trade little comments during their ceremony.

The Raleigh Little Theater was the perfect setting for their day.

Here is what I know.  Wedding trends come and go.  Dresses don’t have pockets, then they do, then they don’t.  Mason jars are tacky, then they are trendy, then they are tacky.  If Pinterest is around in 5 years, wedding boards will look very different.

But THESE images never get old.

Images of parents with their daughter are forever.

Photos of your family.  Your tribe.  Your people.  They are the ones you frame.  They are the ones you look back on in 15 years.

These are the photos we pull out and say….

“I can’t believe she was 2 years old.”
“Mom was so beautiful.”
“Oh that’s right, she had just been born.”

These photos never go out of style.

I was so disappointed in this runner guy.  I saw him in the distance and could not wait for him to jog by.  He came down the hill, and once he spotted us turned around to not be in the photo.  I wanted him closer.  I wanted him bigger.  He didn’t want to ruin the photo.  Little did he know, the photo was about him.

Of course Justine’s cake had an X-wing, Millennium Falcon, and the Death Star on it.  Why wouldn’t it?

I love these next shots.  Great speech by their friend, which led to hugs, which led to Karl spilling drink.

(So much for my theory about Karl being an on-point, hyper aware army doctor.)

I love Karl’s expression after he spilled the drink on the table.

I also love Justine reacting before either of them could and placing the glass upright again.

Because that’s what marriage is.  Marriage is cleaning up the mess your spouse just made. :)

Karl’s best man was out of the country and could not make it, but he still delivered a killer speech that had everyone laughing.

Justine and Karl met at Harvard.  They wanted a photo of all their college friends.

Most Expensive. Photo. Ever.

The reception was full of dancing, and other random things.

I loved seeing them all gathered around the table.  Sharing new stories and remembering old ones.

Eventually everyone got tired and we all went home.

It was a full day.  Thank you two so much for trusting me and sharing your day with me.

It would be impossible for me to love Dani & Joey more.  5 minutes into my first conversation with Joey I knew they would be the best.  True to form, they did not disappoint.  This is what they spent 99% of their session doing.  Laughing.  I love couples who laugh together.

When they were not laughing, they spent their time debating and answering the big questions in life.  Questions like…. Who is the best Disney Villain? Joey took Scar, I believe Dani settled on Cruella Deville.  (Joey & I spent the next 5 minutes mocking Dani’s choice.)

Let’s stop right here for a minute.  How can ANYONE pick Cruella?  What’s her crime?  So she loves fashion.  Is that really so bad?  Who among us has not indulged once or twice with an accessory or an over to top wardrobe item?  Scar on the other hand KILLS HIS BROTHER and then forces his tiny young nephew to take the blame and leave his mother.  That’s a bit more cruel than a shopping spree.

OK, Back to the session.

They are also awesome at frolicking.

And having general fun times.

One of my favorite parts of every session is getting to hear how couples met.  Dani & Joey have a great story.  They were both members of the same gym and Dani had noticed him working out. (Specifically his shoulders.)  So… she started coming a bit early to watch him stretch and work out.  They had a mutual friend who noticed her noticing Joey and he decided she should meet him.  Dani was a bit nervous about meeting “eye-candy”, as she called him, but did anyway.  A few days later she was making him a spice cake from scratch for his birthday and the rest is history.

So ladies… take note.  Head out to your nearest gym and find the best looking guy there.  Odds are he’s super smart and the man of your dreams.

These two really were most comfortable when they could just hang out and talk and laugh.  It made my job super easy.

I still have not told you my favorite thing about these two.  They are 3.6 million times smarter than me yet they never once made me feel dumb.  Dani is a 3rd year OB/GYN Resident and Joey went to some school called Mass Tech in Cambridge and is currently working on his thesis paper about cancer.  I loved that they spent their session frolicking, talking Disney, and maybe even making inappropriate jokes about elbows. (Check that first image out again.)

Thank you guys for being so great, and thank you for not crushing my tiny brain with your intelligence.  :)

I loved Calley & Will from the moment I met them.  They are such an easygoing couple and super great to chat with.  And, due to my newfound interest in running, Will became my new hero.  (You’ll soon see why.)  We did the whole session in Rose Rudman Park in Tyler, TX.  This is where these two spend so much of their time.  Although… they usually are not wearing  fancy official engaged outfits like these.  (But they do look pretty swell in them.)

This is what they typically look like. :)

These two love to compete in triathlons.  (Will is kinda awesome at them.)

I mentioned Will pretty good.  By pretty good I actually meant ranked number 6 in the state of Texas.  As in… he’s kinda like a machine.  A really kind nice machine that will crush you in a triathlon.

Suzanne & Ryan are doing a destination wedding in Florida later this year.  They had already booked a photographer out there and spent most of their budget, but didn’t end up having enough left for an engagement session.  That’s when Ryan stepped up to the plate with his awesomeness.  He found me online, called me, booked me, and printed out some of my images and surprised Suzanne with a session.  50 bonus points for him!  Way to go Ryan.  He’s a keeper!

My favorite part about their story is that they met at work and had gone on one or two dates.  Then Ryan got a promotion and he became Suzanne’s direct report.  ;)

He actually proposed out in Vegas.  We were not able to go to Vegas for this session, but he did track down this slot machine rental place that let us use their inventory.

Thank you guys for a great afternoon.  Have fun in Key West.