Girl time.

I met Marissa while Zak (my youngest son) and I were out at some yard sales a couple of years ago.  We struck up a little conversation.  It turns out she was a former Miss Teen USA.  Can I spot them or what?!  I assume I stared a little because I had to do a bit of reassuring to her my marriage was intact and I wasn't trying anything funny.  She has since agreed to be my pal.  

Since, I've watched her start the gorgeous family you see below.  Now married to a deployed Navy man, Marissa wanted to make sure he could see his little girls.  This Lifestyle session was the perfect solution.  

He certainly is a lucky man.  It was awesome hanging out with you girls.  Thanks for allowing me to be a part of your gift.

Rules schmules.

We have all been on one side or the other of a wedding.
OMG.
Who the heck came up with all these rules?!  Why must they be SO expensive?!  There is SO much stress.  -Over what?
Who is sitting next to who.  Who to invite (and not invite).  The venue.  The tuxes.  The Bride's Maids dresses.  YOUR dress.  The caterer.  The florist.  The cake.  The invitations.  The dj.  The photographer.  The honeymoon.  And the budget...yeah.

You see where I'm going?

You've found "The One", and you've decided to make it official.  Now what?


Scenario 1:
You spend every waking moment over the next few months trying out 15 different cakes, trying on 15 different dresses, calling every venue in the area, keeping your mother inlaw to be happy, developing a world class Pinterest page of wedding ideas, and figuring out how long you're going to be paying for this.

*The AVERAGE wedding costs $25-$30 T H O U S A N D  DOLLARS.
Dang.


Scenario 2:
You contemplate scenario 1, and realize what is important.
Being the frugal-minded, sensible person you are, you spend the next couple of weeks deciding where you've never been, and how cheap can you get there.  And, even though you've succeeded in creating the perfect love storm, you DO want the occasion memorialized.  And let's face it, you want to show off your romantic prowess.  So, you hire a photographer (ooh!  Me me me!), and come home with images that will make your mother cry.


Whether you decide to put together a wedding fit for a princess, or make it a more casual, romantic affair, I want to be there to record it.

Congratulations.

I've got an idea...

Your senior portraits are supposed to be a snapshot of an era.  Lots of exciting things happen your junior and senior years -Prom is one of them.
I think it would be pretty awesome to include a Prom shoot with your Senior pictures package.  And, I suppose if you want traditional, we can do that.  But if you want images as creative and different as you are, I think we should have a conversation.  If you dig, call me for details.

Here are a few of my favorites.

"We look at each other like that all the time."

I sat here for a long time trying to figure out a way to blog this session.  

After failing several times at explaining the moment(s), or how I felt, 

I decided to just show you the pictures.

I will say this:

In 50 years, when I'm looking into my wife's eyes, laughing about the moments that keep us 

smiling and holding hands,

the moments that never get old -no matter how many times we relive them,

I will, undoubtedly remember my session with Mrs. and Mrs. C.

"Our fathers were best friends, so we've known each other all our lives."

When Mrs. C. would try to get her husband to smile naturally, she would say, 

“Think about Gurtie.” 

(their cat). 

"We sowed our oats for a few years and finally married.

We always knew we would."

"This is how I would touch him if we were at a party and didn't have a place to sit."

"We started courting when we were about 13.

We would make ourselves scarce after church..."

On speaking of a photographer she is acquainted with;

“I Tweeted him something a while back and now he follows me –idk.”

"We look at each other like that all the time."

Happy 60th Anniversary.