Melissa's Blog

Dana & Zev are Married!

2012-02-06T20:54:00.006-06:00

Dana and Zev contacted me only a few months before their wedding. In those few months, we did engagement portraits, bridal portraits and a wedding. I really enjoy when all of these things are so close together in time, because I get to know the couples even better since I spend so much time with them over the course of 2-3 months. Dana and Zev had such a wonderful wedding. The joy was definitely in the air!

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Online Charity Auction!

2012-01-19T22:05:00.002-06:00

Daisy Photography Studio is hosting an online charity auction for a wedding photography package with Melissa. All proceeds go toward the Susan G. Komen foundation as Melissa prepares for her 3-Day walk in November. Check out the flyer below for more details!!!!

Dana is a Bride!

2011-12-18T22:11:00.002-06:00

Dana and Zev got married yesterday, so now I can share some of my favorite bridal portraits! Dana is so beautiful...inside and out. I had such a good time photographing her bridals. Wedding photos to come!

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Dana & Zev are Engaged!

2011-12-04T15:48:00.006-06:00

The engagement session was the first time I got to meet Dana & Zev. Their wedding is next month, and I am really excited to photograph it! Dana & Zev are so genuine and sweet. It was such a pleasure hanging out with them and watching them interact. It is obvious how much they love each other! Here are some of my favorites:

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Claire and Jon are Married!

2011-11-15T21:29:00.004-06:00

Claire and Jon had a beautiful ceremony and reception in the church Claire is a member of. It was so evident looking at the smiles around them that they are very loved by their friends and family...and each other, of course! I was so excited to share in their special day.

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Claire is a Bride!

2011-11-15T21:26:00.004-06:00

Now that Claire and Jon are married, I can share her bridal portraits. We took them at the church they got married at. Claire is a member, and they have a lot of cute nooks to shoot in. Including a beautiful garden courtyard.

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Adalyn is 3 Months!

2011-11-15T21:19:00.004-06:00

Adalyn's parents purchased my Baby's First Year package, so you will be seeing a lot more of her in the future! She is 3 months old now and still only 10 lbs! She is a very petite little girl, and so very sweet.

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Adalyn is Here!

2011-09-01T21:41:00.004-05:00

Meet Adalyn! She was such a good girl for her first photoshoot. She even managed to stay awake the entire time, so I was able to get some great photos of her eyes and face. Here are some of my favorites.

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Karen is Pregnant!

2011-08-01T21:37:00.001-05:00

I just love taking photos of babies and mommies. Lucky for me, Karen decided to have my photograph the entire first year of her baby's life...including the pregnancy! Miss Adalyn will be here in just a few weeks, and Karen and Dustin are so excited. What a beautiful pregnant woman she is!

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Koren is 3 Years Old

2011-08-01T21:32:00.000-05:00

Koren just happens to be the son of a very good friend of mine. Not only that, but he is adorable! So, I jumped at the chance to photograph this cutie. Seriously, how can you resist this face?

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Cristi is a Bride (again)

2011-07-01T21:16:00.002-05:00

Cristi and her husband decided to renew their wedding vows for their 10 year anniversary. As a present to her hubby, she wanted to get some bridal portraits taken in her vow renewal dress. So, we went to one of my favorite places: the McKinney Cotton Mill.

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Claire & Jon are Engaged!

2011-06-17T21:22:00.003-05:00

Claire and Jon are so sweet together. You can just tell by the way they look at each other how in love they are. And, even though Claire said they weren't all that silly, I definitely had a great time capturing them interacting with each other!

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Gracie & Aaron are Married!

2011-05-25T21:25:00.004-05:00

Gracie & Aaron had such a beautiful wedding. Despite the intense heat, everyone had a great time. They are such a beautiful couple and so loving toward each other. I very much enjoyed being part of their special day!!

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My Lia is 1 Year Old!

2011-05-10T21:12:00.000-05:00

I can hardly believe it, but my little girl is now 1 year old. When did my cooing, butterball baby turn into a little girl? I have had so much fun being her Mommy, and I can't wait for our next adventure!

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Jasmine is 2!

2011-04-16T21:08:00.001-05:00

I have had the pleasure of photographing Jasmine many times over the course of her life. But her 2 year portraits proved to be the hardest to capture. That is because she is ON THE MOVE! She doesn't stop for a minute, and I definitely got a work out. But what a cutie she is!

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Will is 1 Year!

2011-04-09T21:04:00.000-05:00

It has been such a pleasure being able to watch Will grow up the past year. His parents are good friends of ours (in fact, his dad was the Best Man at my wedding). Even though he didn't care much for the grass, he was a trooper and gave me some great smiles!

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Lauren is a Bride!

2010-11-12T20:35:00.004-06:00

Now that my second shooter, Lauren, is married (YAY!) I can share her bridals. We had a lot of fun at the Las Colinas Canals taking her bridal portraits. Not that I had any doubt. Lauren and I have fun whenever we are together, which is why she is such an awesome second shooter! Here are a few of my favorites:

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Ana & Tom Are Married!!!

2010-11-02T19:57:00.011-05:00

Ana and Tom got married on such a perfect day! The temperature was perfect, the sun was shining and you could tell how much fun everyone had!

Tom is such a goofball. He just cracks everyone up, so I have no doubt that he thought of this himself:

After getting ready.....

They got married in a beautiful Catholic church. The ceremony was wonderful. You could really feel the love all around them.

They even had the traditional Mexican Lasso and Coin ceremonies, which I have only seen a handful of times.

After the ceremony, they danced the day away at Hilton Garden Inn. All of their guests really got into it, and had a BLAST!

Finally, it was time for them to say goodbye.

But before they left to spend the rest of the day together, the 3 of us took some wonderful romantics by Lake Lewisville.

Amy is a Bride!

2010-10-26T21:03:00.004-05:00

Now that Amy & Jonathan are married I can post Amy's bridals. A friend of her family owns this awesome mansion in Dallas. When Amy asked them if we could take her bridals there, they were more than happy to accommodate. We were left with the place to ourselves and found plenty of awesome spots to shoot some photos. Here are my favorites!

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Kelly & Mike are Married!

2010-10-20T20:42:00.004-05:00

Kelly & Mike got married on such a beautiful day! They even managed to capture a great sunset just after their ceremony. Then, they partied the night away. Here are a few of my favorites.

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Amy & Jonathan Are Married!!

2010-10-05T20:45:00.000-05:00

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Amy & Jonathan are such a sweet couple. They are always smiling around each other, and you can't help but smile with them. They had one of the most beautiful wedding and receptions I have ever photographed. Both the wedding and reception were held at Marie Gabrielle, and I can't wait to go back there! Here is a slideshow of my favorites.

Lauren & Bryan are Engaged!

2010-10-04T21:21:00.004-05:00

My second shooter, Lauren, is getting married this November. I was so excited when she asked me to photograph her wedding! Lauren, her husband-to-be Bryan and I all met at Celestial Park last Saturday for their engagements. One of the things I love about Lauren is that she is such a happy person! We all had a great time laughing and taking pictures. And the weather cooperated wonderfully! Here are some of my favorites:

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My Baby Girl: Lia

2010-09-09T21:24:00.005-05:00

I have had so many of my brides asking about my little girl and when I am going to post pictures of her on my blog. Well, today is the day! Lia Catherin Bradbury was born on May 7, 2010. At birth, she was 7lbs 8.5oz and 19 inches long at birth. Today, she is 4 months old, 17 lbs. 9.5 oz and 25 inches long. For those of you who don't know, that means she is a VERY large baby for her age. She is in the 98th percentile for weight (which means she is larger than 97% of babies her age). This also means she has the cutest, chubbiest, pinch-able cheeks you could imagine! Without further ado, here are a few of my favorite photos from the last few months.

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And a few from her 3 months photoshoot with Amy! (Thanks Amy!)

And for those few of you who are still reading this, if you want to see an adorable video...check this out! Lia likes playing Peek-a-Boo with her Grampie (my husband's father).

Davenna & Bryan are Married!

2010-09-05T21:57:00.006-05:00

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Davenna & Bryan had wonderful weather (though a little warm) on their wedding day. The sun was almost as bright as the smiles on their faces. I just love it when love radiates in a room, and it definitely did with Davenna and Bryan. Here is a slideshow of my favorites.

Daniel Golfing Portraits

2010-08-22T15:33:00.009-05:00

Daniel's mom, Judy, really wanted some nice pictures of Daniel doing one of his favorite things -- Golfing! The Hank Haney Golf Range was nice enough to let us take Daniel's photos on their course. I just love this golf course because it has some nice scenic areas to grab some non-golfing shots too. Daniel was a great sport, even in the heat! Here are some of my favorites.

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Ana & Tom are Engaged!

2010-08-05T20:42:00.003-05:00

I hadn't met Ana and Tom before last weekend, so I was really excited to photograph their engagements and get to know them. They are so into each other, it made my job very easy. I didn't even have to tell them to sweet talk each other, or whisper in the other one's ear. They automatically did it because that is just how they are together. It was totally cute! We decided to spend most of the session at Victory Park. I really love it there. Here are some of my favorites.

Victoria & Scott are Married!!!

2010-08-01T17:38:00.005-05:00

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Victoria & Scott got married at a beautiful church near TCU. I had never photographed there before, and I always enjoy new places! After the ceremony, we headed to downtown Fort Worth. Kristin with Simply Perfect Weddings and Events made sure everything went smoothly for the big day. And Daniel with Lynn Films was there to capture every moment on video. Here is a slideshow of my favorites.

Paige is 6 Months!

2010-07-26T21:47:00.004-05:00

I can't believe my niece, Paige, is already 6 months old! My sister and brother-in-law brought her to Dallas so I could take her 6 month portraits. She and my Lia (who is now 2.5 months) had such a good time together. Well, except for the pictures where Paige decided Lia's hair looked fun to pull. But, other than that, they enjoyed each other!

Paige is such a happy little girl. Her smile is just infectious! Here are some of my favorites of Miss Paige.

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Davenna & Bryan are Engaged!

2010-06-27T17:18:00.008-05:00

I am so excited to finally be back in the swing of photography! After taking 2 months off for maternity leave, it was great to be able to photograph again. Davenna and Bryan booked me over the phone, so today was the first time we met in person. They decided the Fort Worth Botanical Gardens would be perfect for their portraits. So, we got there when they opened at 9am to try and avoid the heat of the day. It was so much fun getting to know the two of them, and I can't wait to shoot their wedding in August!

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Andrea & Lee are Married!!!!

2010-04-12T22:38:00.005-05:00

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Andrea is an old sorority sister of mine. So, when she told me that she and her college sweetheart, Lee, were getting married and they wanted me to be their photographer...I couldn't have been more thrilled!!! Their wedding was so much fun that even the grandmas were dancing. And I loved all the cute hockey touches they had everywhere (Lee plays hockey). Here is a slideshow of my favorites.

Andrea's Bridals

2010-03-28T19:15:00.005-05:00

It has been SO HARD not to post Andrea's bridals, but we didn't want Lee to see the dress before the big day. Now that she and Lee have officially tied the knot, I am so excited to post some of my favorite bridals. Without further ado...

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Baby Tommy is Here!

2010-03-02T19:47:00.004-06:00

In all the excitement with my new niece, I completely forgot to post Tommy's newborn portraits. Tommy was born to my friends Jacqie and Richard exactly 1 week after my niece was born. He is such a laid back baby, and didn't have any problems laying where ever I wanted to put him. I am so excited to watch him grow!

Amy & Jonathan are Engaged!

2010-02-06T23:09:00.007-06:00

Amy and Jonathan decided they wanted to take their engagement portraits at the Dallas Arboretum. It was pretty chilly, but we still had a good time! Jonathan was a pro at making Amy laugh, which I love to see. Since it was so chilly, the Arboretum wasn't very crowded so we were able to take all of the pictures in record time! Here are a few of my favorites:

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My New Niece

2010-01-17T20:20:00.005-06:00

My new niece, Paige Riley, was born on January 11th at 9:31pm. She was 6 lbs. 13 ounces and 20 inches long. I had the pleasure of meeting her and taking her newborn pictures this weekend. She is just the sweetest baby and she really looks a lot like my sister. I am one proud Auntie M!

Jamie & Terry are Married!!

2009-12-03T21:22:00.003-06:00

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Jamie and Terry have been so much fun and I am totally going to miss seeing them! You can tell how much they enjoy each others' company. It is rare to see them together and not laughing. I love that about them! And Jamie was one of the most beautiful brides I have ever seen! Here is a slideshow of my favorites.

Victoria & Scott are Engaged!

2009-11-24T21:17:00.004-06:00

Victoria and Scott wanted to get some really fun shots at the Fort Worth Water Gardens. They brought a HUGE, purple balloon with them so we could get some fun shots. I had a lot of fun exploring down town Fort Worth with them since it had been a while since I had been there. Here are some of my favorites from the day.

Renee & Victor are Married!

2009-11-23T21:44:00.004-06:00

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Renee & Victor got married on a beautiful Halloween day. I just loved how she used orange and blue together, they were really beautiful colors put together. And the pumpkin centerpieces gave just the right "touch" of Halloween. Not to mention, there was plenty of candy so the kiddos didn't miss out (and neither did I). Here is a slideshow of my favorites.

Exciting News!

2009-11-18T21:23:00.005-06:00

For those who have not yet heard, I am pregnant with our first child. The due date is May 14th, so I will be taking April through June off from photography to recuperate and be with the new little one. The doctors are 95% sure the baby is a girl! Both Joe and I are very excited. And, of course, I have been asked to post a few early belly photos. So, without further ado, here are my 14.5 week belly pictures. (Special thanks to the hubby for taking the pictures even though he is apprehensive about my big camera!)

Wen & Ke are Married!

2009-11-06T22:41:00.003-06:00

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Even though the weather threatened rain all day, the rain managed to hold off for the most part until Wen & Ke's ceremony was over. Which was a good thing, because the Stonebriar Country Club has a beautiful place to get married outside. Here is a slideshow of my favorites.

Liz & David are Married!!

2009-11-06T22:03:00.004-06:00

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Liz and David got married at a beautiful place called Chandor Gardens. It was the first time I have photographed there, and I there was so much to see! The weather was beautiful and so was Liz! Here is a slideshow of my favorites.

Christmas is In the Air!

2009-11-02T22:00:00.007-06:00

Meet Jasmine, Kaelin and Koren. They are all 3 children that I have had the pleasure of watching grow! They all belong to friends of mine. Kaelin and Koren are siblings and Jasmine is their cousin. I was asked to take some portraits of them for their parents (and of course their Grandma and Grandpa!) How could I say no to these cuties?! Here are some of my favorites!

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Renae & Dan are Married!!!

2009-10-08T20:20:00.006-05:00

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Renae and Dan got married at Fountain Place in downtown Dallas. Their reception was at the Avanti restaurant just next door. The weather was absolutely perfect and didn't rain a drop! They were totally lucky considering the ceremony was outdoors. And you can't get a more beautiful backdrop than the Fountain Place! Here is a slideshow of my favorites.

Allyson & Archie are Married!!!

2009-10-08T20:17:00.004-05:00

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I have been shooting TONS of weddings lately, so I am finally catching up on blogging. Allyson and Archie got married in September. They are totally cute together. When they are around each other, they can't stop smiling and laughing. And I have to say it was totally contagious! We all had a blast at their wedding and reception. Here are some of my favorites!

Jamie's Bridals!

2009-09-27T18:07:00.004-05:00

Jamie is so beautiful, it is hard to take a bad picture of her! Especially in this dress (which her sister designed)! She just fell in love with the McKinney Cotton Mill (I know how she feels), so we decided to shoot her bridals there. It was hard to narrow down my favorites, but here they are:

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Jamie & Terry are Engaged!!

2009-09-20T19:02:00.005-05:00

Jamie and Terry wanted a fun, urban setting for their engagements so we headed down to Deep Ellum. Jamie's daughter, Madison, came along too. We had a blast walking around Deep Ellum and being silly. Here are some of my favorites.

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Ethan and Savannah

2009-08-30T16:15:00.005-05:00

My friend and president of NorCal Boxer Rescue, Amy, asked me to take some pictures of her little boy and her boxer girl. Of course, I love taking pictures of kids. And when you throw in a boxer girl, I certainly can't resist! We had a lot of fun this morning! Here are some of my favorites.

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The Smith Girls

2009-08-22T13:50:00.009-05:00

My friend and fellow NorCal Boxer Rescue volunteer asked me to take some pictures of her two girls. Kim, I can't even explain how beautiful they are! But, I have a feeling you already know. Thanks for letting them play with me and my camera!

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I am in Print!

2009-08-14T18:26:00.006-05:00

Yes, you read the title correctly. One of my photos has been put in print! I am really excited about this. Especially since there are only a total of 4 photos on the flyer! Earlier this year, I shot Jamie & Mark's wedding at the Colonial Country Club. The Country Club was so pleased with my images that they asked to borrow some of them for their brochures, etc. They ended up putting one of them on their most recent flyer which was passed out at a bridal show that was recently held at the City Club in Dallas. It is also in their new marketing materials for new brides. Without further ado, here is the flyer! (My picture is on the bottom right.)

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Meg & Rob are Married!!!

2009-08-01T15:20:00.004-05:00

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Meg and Rob got married at the Eldorado Country Club. It was such a beautiful day. You could just tell how excited their friends and families were for the event. Meg and Rob couldn't stop beaming either! Click below to see a slideshow of my favorites.

Fun With Bradley (Part 2)!

2009-07-12T15:45:00.005-05:00

This is the second time I have been able to take pictures of Bradley. His mother is a friend of mine and he is just the cutest, happiest boy! He was a little shy at first, but quickly warmed up to me. I think I became his new best friend when I took off my shoes and socks to show him the water was fun. The time went by so quickly I almost didn't want to leave. But in 97 degree weather, the sun makes you exhausted pretty quickly!

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Kristi & Rob are Married!!

2009-07-06T23:23:00.008-05:00

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Kristi and Rob got married at one of my favorite places...The Gaylord Texan. It is pretty much impossible to take a bad picture in such a beautiful place. And Kristi's decorations made it even harder. Everything went perfectly, and Kristi and Rob had a wonderful night. You could just see the love and contentment in their eyes! Click below to see a slideshow of my favorites.

Meet Baby Jasmine!!

2009-07-01T22:29:00.004-05:00

Jasmine will be 2 weeks old tomorrow. Her mom and dad needed some portraits for their birth announcements, and I can't pass up a session with a sweetheart like this. She is absolutely beautiful and was such a good baby! Her mom had even knitted her the cutest hats! She was totally enthralled by the clicking sound of my camera, which meant I got a TON of good shots of her looking straight at me. What a cutie!

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Renee & Victor are Engaged!!

2009-06-29T20:19:00.008-05:00

Renee and Victor met at Texas Tech. Victor also proposed on campus, so it was only natural that they wanted their engagements there. So, I met them in Lubbock to take their engagement portraits. We had a blast exploring the campus and even got to take some pictures inside the football stadium!

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Kristi's Bridals!

2009-06-07T21:31:00.003-05:00

Kristi is getting married in less than 3 weeks! She wanted to take her bridals at her wedding and ceremony site. And who can blame her when she is getting married at the Gaylord Texan? It was beautiful and so was Kristi. I am so excited to be back there in 3 weeks for her wedding!

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Jena's Bridals

2009-06-06T21:25:00.006-05:00

Jena wanted to have her bridals taken at White Rock Lake. Can I just say now that her hair and her eyes are both GORGEOUS? Seriously, her hair was AWESOME blowing in the wind. And her eyes....wow! She told me that I could do whatever I wanted for the photos. So, I got creative...especially when she said she would twirl in the grass and sit on a dock in her dress. We had so much fun I hardly wanted to leave!

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Tabbi & Michael are Married!!

2009-06-05T22:45:00.010-05:00

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Tabbi and Michael were blessed to have a BEAUTIFUL day for their wedding. And they needed a beautiful day to go with their beautiful venue! They got married at the Castle Douglas in Rockwall. Everything was absolutely perfect, and the reception was tons of fun! Click below to see a slideshow of my favorites.

Meg & Rob are Engaged!

2009-05-24T22:52:00.005-05:00

Meg and Rob really wanted some greenery but they also wanted some fun urban shots. So, we started at the Arboretum and then moved to Deep Ellum. The two of them can't stop smiling and laughing when they are around each other, and it is TOTALLY infectious! The time just flew by, and I can't wait to see them again for their wedding!

Renee & Kevin are Married!!

2009-05-18T21:43:00.006-05:00

The day was as beautiful as they come, and so was Renee in her AWESOME wedding dress! Kevin's eyes lit up when he saw her, and THAT is why I love weddings! Click below to see a slideshow of my favorites.

Winter Family Portraits

2009-05-17T20:32:00.005-05:00

My awesome assistant, Lauren, asked me to take some pictures of her and her younger brother for their mom. Of course, I said yes! We went to Deep Ellum to get some fun vibes going. We had such a good time playing around downtown. They are both so easy going and we couldn't stop laughing. Here are some of my favorites (though it was VERY hard to choose!)

Kim and David are Married!!

2009-05-10T17:15:00.005-05:00

I first met Kim and David through Kim's cousin who has been a friend of mine for years. I knew the moment we all met that we would get along great! Kim and Dave are so laid back and easy to get long with. They are constantly smiling, especially when they are together. The love they share just brightens up the room. I was so honored to be able to be a part of their special day. Even though it rained on their wedding day Kim and Dave were as happy as ever!

Emily & Joseph are Married!

2009-04-30T21:34:00.004-05:00

Emily & Joseph are just so sweet together. They got married at a REALLY cute place that I have never shot a wedding at: The OW Ranch in Granbury. Emily designed the decorations all by herself, and she should totally be a wedding designer. Everything was so beautiful! And did I mention that her bridal cake is quite possibly the prettiest cake I have ever seen? And the grooms cake was hilarious! Without further ado, here is a slideshow of my favorites!

Meredith & Oscar are Married!

2009-04-21T22:55:00.003-05:00

It was such a beautiful day for Meredith and Oscar's wedding! The previous few days were rainy and dreary, but it cleared up just in time. Meredith was such a breathtaking bride, and you could see in Oscar's eyes that he thought so too. Congrats Meredith and Oscar!

Emily's Bridals!

2009-04-15T21:13:00.005-05:00

Emily is so much fun to be around! I haven't been to the Fort Worth Botanical Garden in forever, so it was great to go back for her bridals. Her dress is just gorgeous, and so is she!

Jamie & Mark are Married!

2009-04-10T22:55:00.009-05:00

When I found out Jamie is an event planner, I just knew her wedding was going to be spectacular! I was definitely NOT disappointed. The locations were beautiful and the details were amazing. In between all of that, you couldn't help but notice what a tender relationship Jamie and Mark share. Thanks you two for letting me be a part of your special day!

Gallery Wrap Sale!!!

2009-04-08T20:36:00.003-05:00

My wonderful lab is offering a 20% discount on select gallery wrap sizes until April 29th, so I am passing on the savings to you!! Gallery wraps are super stylish for wedding displays or collages in your home! They are also my most favorite item I have because they are just so dang cool!! I have one from my wedding day hanging over my mantle and it gets so many compliments from people! You must order it before Wednesday, April 29th so email me the image number from your session or wedding soon! Here are the prices for the sizes that are discounted:

16x20 Gallery Wrap $275 - 20% discount = $220

20x24 Gallery Wrap $350 - 20% discount = $280
20x30 Gallery Wrap $400 - 20% discount = $320

Renee's Bridals

2009-04-01T21:36:00.003-05:00

Renee wanted to shoot her bridals in downtown Carrollton. So, we started at the studio and then made our way outside to the Carrollton town square. Renee is so easy-going and happy. She is constantly laughing! Here are some of my favorites!

Tabbi & Michael are Engaged!

2009-03-28T22:06:00.002-05:00

Tabbi and Michael wanted to take their engagements somewhere colorful, but also with lots of neat architecture. I thought the Dallas Arboretum would be the perfect place! A lot of people think the Arboretum is just for "flowery" shots, but they have so many cool little places there. I never get tired of it. Even though it was cold and VERY windy, Tabbi, Michael and I had a great time. Here are some of my favorite shots!

Our Mediterranean Cruise: Part 1

2009-03-24T20:17:00.018-05:00

My husband and I went on a 2 weeks Mediterranean cruise this month. The cruise started in Barcelona and visited Rome, Athens, Turkey, Egypt and Malta. We had SUCH a great time. I, of course, had to take my trusty camera along to capture all the wonderful moments. Okay, okay, my HUSBAND really carried everything around (thanks honey!). My camera bag weighed in at 18 lbs. (according to the airport scales). Hey! I had to downsize for the trip! :)

Without further ado, here are some of my favorite shots (see the post below for more photos).

BARCELONA:

Barcelona was the first taste my husband had of Europe. If you have never been to Europe, book your plane ticket NOW! The streets are so rich in history, it is a little overwhelming. He kept wanting me to take pictures of EVERY building we saw. It is really amazing how many have hand carved stone, etc. Barcelona didn't disappoint. We took a stroll down to the famous street of La Rambla. We pretty much just hung around there for the day, and we found all sorts of beautiful sights!

ROME:

For those of you who don't know, I studied abroad in Rome for a summer in college. When it came to Rome, I was our tour guide. Unfortunately, with only 1 day in Rome it is impossible to see EVERYTHING. So, I asked my husband if he would rather see the Colosseum, Trevi Fountain, etc. or the Vatican and Sistine Chapel (they are on opposite sides of the city). He was really interested in the Colosseum, so we went that route. Secretly, I was excited. Although the Vatican is amazing, I have a soft spot for the Trevi Fountain!

First, we went to the Colosseum and the Roman Forum (just across the street). I had actually not been inside the Colosseum, so it was a real treat for me!

Then, we hiked our way to the Trevi Fountain. It is hard to appreciate just how ornate the fountain is in pictures. It is all so detailed and SO beautiful. It is my favorite place in Rome, and I used to go there every few days just to relax when I lived there.

Lastly, we visited the Pantheon and the Spanish Steps. They are both a must see in Rome, though much more crowded than the Trevi Fountain!

ATHENS:

The next stop on our cruise was Athens. The weather wasn't too great (it had to rain sometime I guess). While wet and cold we searched for the metro station so we could go to the Archaeological Museum. We didn't stay there long as we weren't very impressed. Also, the streets in Athens are beautiful! They are almost all made of marble. I am sure in the sunshine, this seemed like a really good idea. All I could imagine as I was walking them in the rain was falling down and breaking a bone. Thankfully, we escaped unharmed! :)

Then, we made our way to Acropolis Hill (where the Parthenon can be found). The view was absolutely AMAZING from the hill!

Unfortunately, we didn't realize that everything on the Acropolis Hill closes at 2:30pm....for the REST OF THE DAY! We got there around 2:15pm, so we didn't even get a chance to hike to the Parthenon (we were bummed). I did manage to get a few shots of the Parthenon on the hill, as well as a small old theater we found not too far away.

TO BE CONTINUED ON THE NEXT POST....

Our Mediterranean Cruise: Part 2

2009-03-23T22:03:00.020-05:00

For the second half of our cruise, we stopped in Turkey, Egypt and Malta. I expected Egypt to be my favorite place, but Malta actually topped the charts for me on this round of ports.

TURKEY:

The first place we visited in Turkey was the ancient town of Ephesus. The town is really amazing. Only about a third of it is currently unearthed, and the rest is still in progress. People like Cleopatra used to walk these streets!

This Mosaic is thousands of years old, but it is still beautiful!

This huge theater still holds concerts for some very famous people. Elton John, for instance, has played here before.

And I had to get a shot of this shop. Can you believe it?! GENUINE fake watches! JUST what I have always wanted!! :)

Our second stop was the House of the Virgin Mary. It is said to be the house where the Virgin Mary spent her last days on earth. The house is very small and understated. We collected some holy water, and tied a tissue on the wall. It is said in Turkey that if you tie a tissue on this wall and make a wish, when your tissue is taken away by the wind then your wish will come true. We will see!

EGYPT:

Egypt was amazing, don't get me wrong. But there were a LOT more locals "selling" (i.e. bombarding you with) their items. The town was also a lot dirtier than most other places we visited. Granted, they are in the desert but it was still a bit of a shock. The pyramids & sphinx were absolutely amazing. It is hard to describe just how big they are!

We also visited a beautiful mosque in Cairo. It was absolutely stunning. Most of the walls had hand carvings on them. THAT is why I LOVE Europe and Africa!

Last, we had a buffet lunch while we took a boat down the Nile River. Here I am hanging out on our Nile River boat!

MALTA:

Though Malta was never a place I really wanted to visit, I was pleasantly surprised to find it was one of my favorite stops on our cruise! The air is so fresh and everything is so clean. There are relatively few tourists, so it has a very welcoming feel to it. I felt much more at home in Malta than most of the other places we visited (with the exception of Rome, since I did live there for a summer). While in Malta, we visited a few prehistoric temples made of huge rocks. It is amazing to think how they moved those rocks without any equipment.

We also visited a nearby cave, which was very neat.

Here are a few random shots: A tree I liked, a typical Maltese boat, and a Maltese snail!

Meredith's Bridals

2009-03-01T21:50:00.004-06:00

Meredith wanted to take her bridals at the church she and Oscar are getting married in. It is such a beautiful church with lots of cute places for pictures! It wasn't hard to take pictures of Meredith since she is so stunning. Here are some of my favorites (click for a larger view):

Laurie & Mikhail are Married!

2009-03-01T20:28:00.009-06:00

Laurie and Mikhail got married at a gorgeous Greek church. Their reception was at this awesome little winery called Times Ten Cellars. It was such a cute venue!

Below is Laurie & Mikhail's slideshow!

Emily & Joseph are Engaged!

2009-02-08T22:27:00.003-06:00

Emily and Joseph wanted to take some pictures in downtown so we could take advantage of the skyline and the colors. Where better to go for that than Deep Ellum? These two are so much fun! We were laughing all day, which was awesome! They were so easy to photograph together because they really calmed each others nerves. Thanks Emily and Joseph for a very fun day!

Andrea & Lee Are Engaged!

2009-01-31T21:15:00.000-06:00

Andrea and I were in the same sorority in college, so when she asked me to photograph her engagements I was thrilled! She and Lee have been dating quite a while, and I just love how sweet they are together. They can't stop smiling when the other one is around. I love love! We went to a cute little park near the Galleria called Celestial Park. I very rarely ever see anyone else photographing there, but this park is just too cute!

Laurie & Mikhail Are Engaged!

2009-01-29T11:13:00.000-06:00

Laurie and Mikhail's wedding is fast approaching. They will be getting married in February at a beautiful church. Afterward, their reception is at an awesome little wine cellar called Times Ten Cellars. This place is seriously cute! So, we had to start there with their portraits. Then, we headed down to Deep Ellum in search of some colors and some funk. Deep Ellum rarely disappoints when it comes to colors and funk!

Lauren & Alex's Wedding

2009-01-14T21:28:00.005-06:00

Lauren and Alex had gorgeous weather for their wedding day. It was a little chilly being January, but the sun was gorgeous. Their ceremony was during sunset which made for some nice colors in the background. Lauren and Alex are so in love! THIS is why I love photographing weddings!

(Note: Don't worry, she didn't rip her dress. The zipper just wasn't all the way down and it made a ripping sound when it was pulled on.)

Melissa & Tom are Engaged!

2009-01-11T20:34:00.004-06:00

I have known Melissa and Tom for a while now, so when they asked me to be their photographer I was so excited! Tom was actually my husband's best man at our wedding. They decided to have their engagement pictures taken at the Las Colinas canals and to bring their little dog, Ariel, along. Tom is such a goofball that we were all laughing the entire time! Congrats again guys!

Megan & Cody's Wedding

2009-01-11T20:31:00.002-06:00

Megan and Cody had SUCH a great time at their wedding. They were just such a fun, laid-back couple. It was easy to photograph them because they had such awesome chemistry!

Amie & Hung's Wedding

2009-01-11T20:27:00.003-06:00

Things have been so hectic with the holidays that I haven't posted much. So I hope you enjoy all the photos today! First is Amie & Hung's wedding. Amie's flowers were absolutely beautiful...and so was Amie!

Meredith & Oscar are Engaged!

2008-12-06T19:47:00.001-06:00

Meredith and Oscar had their engagements just a few hours ago. I was so excited about them, I just couldn't wait to post some of my favorites. I love this time of year...the colors are so beautiful!

Kristi & Rob are Engaged!

2008-12-02T19:30:00.004-06:00

Kristi and Rob wanted to take their engagements at one of my favorite places: The McKinney Cotton Mill. It is an old cotton mill with a LOT of character. If you are still scoping out places to have your wedding or reception, you should definitely check it out! Kristi and Rob are so goofy when they are together, it made the time go by so quickly. We had a blast!

Lauren's Bridals

2008-11-22T23:40:00.002-06:00

Lauren was so easy to photograph. She knew EXACTLY what I meant when I told her how to stand or how to look. Between that and how beautiful she is, she should be a model! Here are some of my favorites. (It was really hard to narrow them down!)

Magen & Grant's Wedding

2008-11-05T20:43:00.006-06:00

Magen and Grant's wedding was so very elegant and beautiful. The reception at The Adolphus was a BLAST! You could tell everyone was having a great time. They danced the night away!

Renae & Dan are Engaged!

2008-11-04T19:01:00.007-06:00

Renae and Dan were so easy to photograph. They are so in love, they didn't even care about the camera in my hands documenting their every move. Plus, Victory Park was such an awesome place for engagements!

Renee & Kevin are Engaged!

2008-10-29T09:35:00.000-05:00

Renee and Kevin decided to take their engagements at Haggard Park as well. They are so much fun. We were laughing the entire time, and it was awesome getting to know them! Here are some of my favorites.

Bradley is 3 Years Old!

2008-10-28T21:24:00.003-05:00

Bradley's mother is a friend of mine. She asked me to take some early birthday pictures for Bradley. He will be 3 years old in January, and he is so adorable! Right now he love trains so we went to Haggard Park which has some train tracks and also a train on display. He loved it!

Save the Boxers!

2008-10-17T10:16:00.005-05:00

As most of you know, in my "spare time" I volunteer for a Boxer Dog rescue called NorCal Boxer Rescue. Currently, we are in the running to win $10,000 for our dogs! But, we need votes. Please vote for NorCal Boxer Rescue here:

There is no cost or obligation. You won't receive any spam. You will just be helping needy dogs like Ike (below) who could really use the money!

Jamie & Topher's Wedding

2008-10-06T20:36:00.003-05:00

Jamie and Topher got married at a camp. They met there and both worked there during the summers, so it holds a special place in their hearts. The ceremony was beautifully decorated, and the reception was TONS of fun! Here are some of my favorites from the day.

Sweet Caroline

2008-09-29T11:04:00.005-05:00

I haven't posted much because I have been so busy with weddings and our new house. I will be posting some wedding pictures in the next few days. For now, I would like to introduce the newest member of our family. Her name is Caroline and she is a '66 Mustang GT. My husband and I just purchased her this weekend. He loves working on old cars, and I have always wanted an old Mustang GT. She won't be done for a quite a while, but she is in great shape for her age!

Here is my husband sitting in the "new" car. It has been stripped down already, and all the parts are in the garage, but this is the body.

Here is the motor. It is the orginal motor (numbers matching). Definitely needs some clean up and tuning, but it runs great!

And this is similar to what the car will look like when it is done. There will be a few minor differences (including the paint color).

I will be sure to post progression pictures for all you car enthusiasts out there!

The Pulley Family Portraits

2008-08-26T23:44:00.007-05:00

My friend asked me to take some photographs of her beautiful family. Her two daughters are just gorgeous, and so photogenic. I love taking pictures of children because they are so unaware of the camera. It allows me to get some great photojournalistic shots of them playing (which I love)! Here are some of my favorites.

Ariel & Stephen's Wedding

2008-08-21T16:05:00.004-05:00

Ariel and Stephen had their reception at the beautiful McKinney Cotton Mill. I love the outside of the Cotton Mill because it has such character. It is a perfect place for romantic photos.

Meet Katie

2008-07-25T23:07:00.006-05:00

As some of you may know, I volunteer for a boxer dog rescue in DFW called NorCal Boxer Rescue. I mainly keep up some of the website, our petfinder updates and I also do landlord, vet and home checks. Yesterday, we received an urgent call from a shelter about a beautiful boxer girl. She only had 1 hour to live and needed our help. So, Joe and I agreed to foster her for a few weeks until she finds a more permanent foster home.

Katie is such a good girl. She is about 4-5 years old and very underweight. She is good with all people (including children) and she has been a joy to have around the last few days.

Without further ado, here is Katie.

Christy & Carlos' Wedding

2008-07-22T21:09:00.006-05:00

Christy and Carlos had a beautiful wedding and reception. They were both overflowing with happiness and love. It was contagious. The dancing went well into the night! It was a great party!