michael + cassidy • wedding at llano estacado winery

There have been times in my career as a wedding photographer that I realize I will not easily forget- and this wedding was definitely one of them. So much love and thoughtfulness was poured into this day by both the bride and the groom- not one aspect of their wedding day was unintentional (thanks to Cassidy's astounding organizational skills) - and so when they chose us to document it all, we were pretty honored and excited. 

Michael and Cassidy are pretty much the coolest- they have cool jobs (she works for Whole Foods' Whole Kids Foundation and he is a is the head butcher at foodie hotspot Dai Due) and live in a cool city (Austin, duh). But more than that- these two are so astute at bringing people in and loving them well. Cassidy grew up in Lubbock and Michael is from New Jersey- and it was so much fun to watch all of their people and histories mix, mingle and celebrate new beginnings and new family. There were real tears and belly laughs during their ceremony, and I believe it is because these two are truly loved and celebrated.

Llano Estacado was the perfect setting for this Springtime fête- and not only did we have beautiful sunlight but also a great West Texas sunset. I'm about to overshare on photos- don't say I didn't warn you! 

Congrats, Donnellys! 

Venue: Llano Estacado Winery

Coordination: Hailey Rotenberry with Llano Estacado

Wedding Dress: Maggie Sottero, Kleinfeld

Bridesmaids' Dresses: David's Bridal

Groomsmen: First Class Tuxedo

Hair & Makeup: Anastasia Strattan

Floral, Cakes and Catering: Market Street

Wedding Stationery: Michael's Stores & Minted

DJ: Shawn Pena, Platinum DJ

Trolley: CitiBus of Lubbock

hayden kate • newborn

I got to photograph my newest niece's newborn portraits yesterday. She is just the sweetest, sleepy, squishy little girl and did such a great job for us. When your auntie is a photographer, you get the special "privilege" of an extra-long photo session while I try out new ideas :).

Sweet Hayden was 9 lbs. when she was born and came with all the rolls I had prayed for! We are thankful she is healthy and is doing great. It has been really neat to see my sister and brother-in-law transition to parents- we already knew they would be great, and of course, they are. Here is our Hayden!

the bradshaw family

There are some segments of God's timing that just astonish me. For the past few weeks, the weight (and wait!) of our seemingly-unending adoption has been hanging out in the background of my thoughts. I've been sitting with the restlessness of knowing something is coming, but I can't do anything about when it will happen. And then, God gives me a great gift in my everyday work. The best part is, this story isn't even about me-

The Bradshaws have been waiting for their little one for some time as well- I have been following their infertility/adoption journey online and could relate to so many different aspects of it. So, I could not have been more honored to get to photograph them and their son finally together. Sweet baby Boone is just precious- he cuddled up the entire session and hardly made a peep! In between moments of me gushing over their beautiful home (Sara is an architect and photographer in her own right) and hearing about their adoption process, Boone slept peacefully and gave us the occasional grunt and yawn.

Thank you guys, for the opportunity to photograph you all together- it was like salve to my heart! And congratulations! So excited for your family!

max sanchez newborn

I got to meet sweet little Max last week- and he was so perfect (and sleepy!) the entire time. I loved seeing his with big brother Ro, who asked if Max could sleep in his room the very night he came home from the hospital! Thank you for letting me capture this time for your family, you guys, and congratulations!

Sammy + Carly • Engagement

Shooting with Sammy and Carly was so wonderful- the sun was out and shining after what has seemed like months under cold and cloud, and these two could not have been more easygoing and happy. This is why I love my job. We had a great session, and I can't wait for their wedding in June! 

kay'lynn • newborn

One of the very best parts of my job is getting to photograph people through all the stages of life. I shot Kara and Jared's wedding a few years ago and now I am getting to photograph their sweet daughter! Little Kay'Lynn has one of the best pouts I have ever seen- I couldn't resist capturing it!

kirby + shiane • wedding • legacy event center

Kirby + Shiane were married at the Legacy a few weeks ago on a chilly January day. It was such a fun and special wedding- when I first met with Kirby and Shiane, they told me how much they loved kids- so much that they had 10 of the sweetest flower girls I have ever seen (and several very handsome young men as junior groomsmen/ring bearer). I was expecting a little chaos because there were so many kids (which is totally ok- that's pretty much my life, haha!)- but amazingly, the kids added so much playfulness were so well behaved. 

Their friends and family were also amazing and willing to stand outside in the cold for a few portraits- all because they love Kirby and Shiane! Shay from Candelaria Designs did all the florals and I loved them all against the wine colored dresses. The ceremony was also special because they were married by Kirby's uncle. 

Thank you guys so much for letting us be there to capture your wedding day! Hope your Disney honeymoon was magical!

ty + brooke • wedding at autumn oaks

I have known Brooke for several years through church and have had the pleasure of watching her grow, fall in love, and become a really beautiful woman who is surely impacting the Kingdom. I was honored that she asked Shawn and I to photograph her wedding in December. 

I hadn't met Ty until the day of his wedding, but when I did, it was clear why Brooke can't hold her smile back when she is around him. He is fun, caring and thoughtful- a perfect compliment to his bride. 

These two were clearly having SO MUCH FUN on their wedding day- which is pretty much ideal in my book! Their wedding day was full of sentiment- sweet times of prayer, people close to them leading the ceremony, and special music. But the excitement they were feeling was totally contagious- like a huge dollop of whipped icing on top of an already scrumptious cupcake. 

I absolutely loved the mismatched bridesmaids' dresses and the gorgeous florals from Lou Dee's Floral and Gift. Congratulations Mr. and Mrs. Lust!

kindahl + bogdan • wedding • the legacy

Shawn and I had a wonderful time photographing the graceful and elegant Kindahl and her witty and handsome groom, Bogdan. These two were married at the Legacy Event Center, which was the perfect setting for their candlelit Christmastime wedding.

I could not get enough of the rich cranberry colors mixed with the evergreens! Bogdan is from Romania, and so there were a few fun nods to his heritage- including an amazing Translyvania cake (with a smoking moat!) by Jennifer Cisneros. This wedding was expertly planned and coordinated by Jill Leven of Eat, Drink, and Be Marry. These guys had the BEST wedding band from Caldwell Entertainment- who even escorted the couple to their getaway car in a New-Orleans style grand exit.

Congratulations, you two! Thank you for the honor of photographing your wedding day!

Stationery: Little White Invite

Planning: Eat, Drink, and be Marry

Hair: Ashley Williams, Roxi's Hair Studio

Makeup: Brenda Becknell

Wedding Dress: Bella's

Cakes: Jennifer Cisneros and Simply Decadent Bakery

Catering: Heart and Soul Cuisine

Entertainment: Caldwell Entertainment Players

Floral: Dayspring Designs

brigham • newborn

Some of my favorite clients and friends got their best Christmas present ever this year- sweet Mr. Brigham Wesley. I shot Travis + Kinsey's wedding a few years ago and had a sentimental moment when I realized I was photographing their son's toes with the same lens I shot their wedding rings! I loved getting to see his perfect nursery and these two as parents. Little Brigham was quite the charmer and smiled at us several times. Thank you for letting me capture his littleness and this sweet time for you guys!