justin + layne • engagement • amarillo, tx

I can't believe I just photographed Laynie's engagement session! Layne is my sister, who just got engaged to Justin, if you are just now getting caught up. We wandered around downtown Amarillo and then headed out to the farmhouse- a home located waaay out on my grandparents' farm, where they will be living after they tie the knot. These two did a great job and we had a beautiful day to shoot. One of the first things that I learned about Justin (besides the fact that my sister liked him) was that he does NOT love pictures. Thankfully, he loves my sister. :) And that means he's willing to take a few photos with her. 

I am so honored to get to photograph special moments like this for my family. I have two sisters, and I am so happy to see both of them marrying faithful, fun men of God. Such a blessing for all of us!

Be prepared for a bit of an over-post...

august cohen • newborn • lubbock, tx

We had the perfect overcast morning to do Gus's newborn photoshoot. Since it wasn't too long ago that I shot big brother Dax's photos, we styled some of the poses/locations after his. Looking at this sweet baby reminds me of God's creativity and craftsmanship- when Gus was first born, I thought he looked so much like Dax- but it's clear he is a very different boy! Still, though, he fits right in. It's amazing. 

Thank you Becky (Gee, Guh, Gran) for helping!

I feel like the photo on the right accurately captures Dax's "Best Day Ever" face- haha!

matt + pataya • newlyweds • lubbock, tx

Matt + Pataya were recently married on a beautiful beach in Florida and weren't quite ready to pack up their wedding attire for good yet (you'll understand when you see Pataya's dress!). So, I had the pleasure of photographing these two looking very stylish, and with their sweet puppy. We had a great time together and they were so pleasant to be around. Here are a few of my faves!

Pataya's hair + makeup were done by the talented Chelsea at Kadiza Hair Studio. 

What a good looking couple! Love that grey suit of Matt's.

Their dog Abby was so well behaved and sweet!

jordan + casi • wedding • thunderbird chapel- norman, ok

August was a very special wedding month for me- first, Mari got married (in the post below), and then it was Jordan and Casi's turn! If you haven't heard me talk about Casi yet, you don't know that she interned for me last year- and was totally essential to making our lives run. I can't say enough about her character, attitude, and wilingness to help. Plus, she is a pretty talented graphic designer (she designed all the stationery for their wedding). 

Jordan and Casi were married at the gorgeous Thunderbird Chapel outside of Norman, OK. When she first showed me this venue I flipped out! It is such an ideal wedding location, and I'm so glad they chose it. Being with these two on their wedding day and getting to capture it all was such an honor. It was clear they were both ready- really ready- to finally be married. All day, the clouds above us had threatened rain- and rain it did! We even attempted some portraits outside (thank you, ladies, for giving it a shot with me!), but as soon as we made it out, we were rushed back in because of the downpour. The beautiful thing about it was that the wedding went on, they were married, and a celebration ensued! Though we couldn't be outside, we had the most beautiful chapel to shoot in. Watching Jordan and Casi after the ceremony was such a great reminder of what it's all about- of course- the wedding day, but more importantly- every day after that. The sense of contentment and excitement about their new adventure was encouraging and exciting. 

I had a lot of favorites, so get ready! First, their vendors:

Wedding Gown: Impression Bridal, OKC 

Men's Suits: Jos. A Bank

Bridesmaids Dresses: Modcloth & Asos

Florist: Buy For Less

Cake: Buy For Less

Venue: Thunderbird Chapel

Catering: Thunderbird Chapel

Special Music: Joshua Tullis

Hair: Morgan Bilderback, La Foi Salon

Makeup: Jordan Moore

Oh my goodness, Casi looked stunning....

Getting caught in the rain resulted in some very funny moments- imagine us all huddled around the bride, trying to keep under the umbrellas and her dry!

Both Jordan and Casi said this was their favorite moment of the day

Jordan: The most memorable part of my day was seeing Casi walk down the isle. I also really enjoyed just getting to spend the day celebrating with friends and family.

Casi: When those double doors swung open, my dad and I were standing there with the entire chapel staring at us. It was an overwhelming feeling of love knowing everyone was there for Jordan and I. And seeing the smile on Jordan's face when he saw me for the first time.

Casi: The sugar cookie favors shaped like Oklahoma and Texas. They were made by a group of ladies who used to bake with my aunt Judy. She passed away in November so it was very special to me. It helped me feel like a part of Judy was there with me.

This was the first "choreographed" garter toss I'd ever seen. Every single guy out there immediately walked off once that garter was in the air. It was hilarious!

Jordan and Casi- thank you so much for your trust in me. I feel so blessed to know you both and to have been a part of your big day!

charlie + mariana • wedding • san juan, puerto rico

The year I went to college, my parents started an adpot-a-student program at our local junior college. (I like to think they missed me, so they felt like taking care of another daughter.) One of the first students my family "adopted" was a girl from Brazil who came to play on the volleyball team. She was a fiery, hilarious, sarcastic, beautiful girl who we all fell in love with. After many pool days, holidays, and moving days, we started considering Mariana family. Mariana was only in Borger for two years, but during those years she met and fell in love with a charming, cute Puerto Rican boy named Charlie who played on the baseball team. They stayed together throughout the rest of college, and both ended up back in Puerto Rico. 

You can imagine our excitement when Mari told us all that she was planning a wedding! Of course, we had to be there. And- be there in FULL force. Shawn, Lauren and I photographed, my Mom decorated, and my Dad walked Mariana down the aisle. I am so glad we got to be a part of such a special event. Charlie and Mari- we love you!

This was my first Puerto Rican/Brazilian wedding to photograph, and it was an adventure. This wedding didn't start until 8:00 pm and went until 2:00 am- with a suprise you will see later at 12:30! And let me tell you- those Puerto Ricans know how to dance! I was thankful to have the camera- a.k.a. an excuse not to have to strut my ultra-white-girl awkward dance moves. We had a blast, and it went by so quickly. Here are some of my favorite images from their wedding day. 

This stance- sooo Mari...

At 12:30 some special dancers came to keep the party rolling- and they certainly did!

Congratulations Charlie + Mari! Thanks for letting us be there!

josh, suzanne, and tinley

If you follow me on Instagram or Twitter, you know that last week I had a session that almost got rained out. Living in West Texas (where the weather changes constantly), and having been going through a drought, rain was the last thing I expected. Nonetheless, it was there- and I reluctantly called Suzanne, mostly to see if she was freaking out about it. I told her we could reschedule if it made her nervous, and her response was, "We won't melt! We're up for it!". LOVE IT!

Sure enough, the rain went away a few minutes before their session and we had some pretty overcast weather to shoot in. Miss Tinley is a year and a half, and is super sweet with a little bit of sassy, too. :) I loved getting to shoot with these guys. Now for some photos:

Check out that outie bellybutton! Too cute!

august cohen • birth

Baby August (Gus for short) arrived two weeks ago today! Shanna was a total rockstar through the birth of her second baby and is proving to be an incredible Mommy to two boys. I was able to shoot some images right after his arrival, and it was so special to get to be there to witness those moments. Here are a few that will remain in my mind:

Love this one of the grandparents checking out the first photo of Gus on their phones! 

Baby Gus came early, so he had to spend some time in the NICU. Thankfully, he was released last week and is now making himself comfortable (and heard) at home. Seeing this baby boy is one more reminder of our God's goodness.

the server family • texas tech university • lubbock, tx

This month I've gotten to finish photographing some of the mini-sessions that were purchased as a part of my I Love Love Sale back in February. It's made me more excited for fall to come, and to get to photograph more families! This was a multi-generational photoshoot with the Server family. These guys are super nice and willing to do anything I asked. They had a newborn up to a 76 year old- which should make things more complicated, but they didn't at all. Thanks so much for trusting me with these special photos for your family!

the arrington family • borger, tx

The Arringtons are some of the coolest people I know. They are entrepreneurs, lovers of all things old and antique, super creative, and great parents too! It had been a while since I'd last seen little Bobby, and I could NOT believe how much he had grown! He is such a sweet little guy- good looking, too! :) Thanks for letting me capture this time in your lives!

zach + cassie • wedding • the legacy, lubbock tx

I have been so blessed by this couple throughout their engagement, and was not suprised in the least when their wedding day was just wonderful! These two were married at The Legacy in Lubbock. It was a very special, personalized ceremony that was so neat to experience. One of my favorite parts of this day was getting to watch Zach and Cassie experience it all. Cassie is so full of joy and laughter- and Zach is such a kind heart. Their excitement and emotion was written all over their faces. 

They also selected a great group of vendors- it was such a pleasure to work with Jill Leven of Eat, Drink and Be Marry, and Lindsay Haworth of 41 Productions!

Ceremony: The Legacy

Reception: The Frazier Alumni Pavilion

Wedding Gown: Allure, Bridal Boutique, Lewisville, TX

Bridesmaids Dresses: David's Bridal

Groomsmen Suits: First Class Tuxedos

Florist:Box of Rain

Cake: KP Creations

Catering: Top Tier Catering

Special Music: Mark Tatum & Danielle Neudorf

DJ: West Texas DJ Service

Hair: Lauri Wood

Makeup: Brenda Becknell

Wedding Stationery: Eat, Drink, and be Marry

Coordination: Jill Leven, Eat, Drink, and be Marry

Video: 41 Productions

If you chose to do a First Look, would you recommend it to others? Why?
Cassie: Yes, most def. I was so anxious to see him that it really calmed my nerves to see him before. Also, I felt like I took in more walking down the aisle because I wasn't just so nervous about seeing him. I saw everyone in the audience, my bridesmaids, my family, Zach's family, the flowers down the aisle, and of course Zachry down the aisle waiting for me. I would for sure do the First Look- it just made the ceremony so much more enjoyable and laid back for me.

These photos are of each of their parents' weddings. Loved it!

What was the most memorable moment about your day?
Cassie: The most memorable moment for me was listening to Zach say his vows to me and seeing him so emotional about what he was saying. It was really special to hear his promise to God and his promise to me- it was surreal.

Zach: The most memorable moment for me was when I saw Cassie walking down the aisle. It became very real to me and I got pretty emotional.

Zach + Cassie chose to gift their parents with flowers and a thank you note during the ceremony. It was so sweet. This was also the first ceremony I've seen where a pastor used a giant ball for an illustration! It was awesome.

Love this advice from Cassie:

Walk slowly down the aisle and take in everything! Also, be yourself during the ceremony- if you aren't a serious couple, don't be so serious! We had fun during our ceremony- you can too!

The Frazier Alumni Pavilion looked great. I loved the light flooding through the large windows. 

Congrats guys!