top 10 2015 | the winners!
top 10 2015 | the winners!

Hey hey, the people have spoken and here are the winners for this years contests.

Engagement: Natelee & Josh. There is something super timeless and perfect about a couple hugging while the dude makes his girl giggle.

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Rings: Melanie & Aaron used these drinks during their ceremony. I’m glad their ring photo was able to include them as well.
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Brides: Liz braved the stupid hot afternoon June heat for her bridal session. It was worth it. (Right Liz?)
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Random: I LOVE this shot of the bride’s sisters and mom documenting their day.
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Mug Machine: Hair makes the best prop.
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Wedding: Breelyn & Tyson had the most perfect outdoor wedding ever. It’s only fair that their perfect outdoor photo win.
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Each year it’s so hard for me to narrow down the categories and pick only 10 photos per section. This year I’m giving you a little peek behind the curtain at some of my other favorites that were not able to make the cut in wedding related categories.

Lots and lots of eye candy below. Enjoy.

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Thanks to everyone who voted and a HUGE thanks to all my 2015 couples. You guys are super generous to allow me into your lives on these intimate days. You are the best.

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top 10 2015 | bridal photos
top 10 2015 | bridal photos

It’s that time again. It’s time to look back at some of the best photos from 2015. Everyday we’ll be taking a look at a new category. Voting is open till 8am and the winners will be announced Monday. The winning entries will each receive a 16×20 print.

Today’s category: Bridal Sessions

Here’s what’s great about bridal sessions, you get to have all kinds of fun in your dress and we get photos that we probably could not get on the wedding day. Sometimes we pick a totally different location from where you’ll get married, sometimes we get to spend much more time on the photos, sometimes we get to fly in an airplane. (true story.)

Take a look at the entries then vote at the bottom of this post.

1. Stephanie

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2. Breelyn

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3. Erin

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4. Amanda

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5. Aubrey
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6.Liz

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7. Ali

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8. Chelsea
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9. Chasity

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10. Brooke

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top 10 2015 | wedding ring photos
top 10 2015 | wedding ring photos

It’s that time again. It’s time to look back at some of the best photos from 2015. Everyday we’ll be taking a look at a new category. Voting is open till 8am and the winners will be announced Monday. The winning entries will each receive a 16×20 print.

Today’s category: Wedding Rings

I love trying to capture what is unique about a couple and work that into a photo of their wedding rings. Here are some of my favorites from this past year.

Take a look at the entries then vote at the bottom of this post.

1. Glass

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2. Jenga

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3. Cork

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4. Bling

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5. Engaged

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6. Horn

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7. Caps

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8. Mickey Mouse

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9. Fight

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10. Cards

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My Favorite Part Of A Wedding Day: Family Photos
My Favorite Part Of A Wedding Day: Family Photos

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The day you get married is really unlike any other day of your marriage. It’s packed full of moment after moment after moment of memories. There are huge swings of emotion and sometimes the most unexpected thing will end up being the highlight of your day. I’m often asked “What’s your favorite part of a wedding?” The reality is, I don’t have just one answer for that. It really depends from wedding to wedding. I can say, that having shot over 400 weddings, a few trends have emerged and I’ve seen some patterns bubble up that I always look forward to documenting and being present for. I’ll be writing about one of these per month and I thought I would kick it off with one you might not expect.

My favorite moment of a wedding day is…. Family Photos!

That’s right, baby. I LOVE family formals. (I even wrote about how to have great formals a few years ago.) These are your people. This is your tribe. These images are so full of history and depth it’s impossible to not love them. This is your chance to laugh and cry with those who have known you the longest. It’s the time all your people look their best and these photos are the ones that will be put in frames and looked at for years and years to come. These are the images that end up on the kitchen counter, in the hallway, and above the fireplace. The thing is, sometimes in all of our planning and prepping for the day, they get overlooked. They become an item in your 76-Things-To-Do-On-Your-Wedding-Day-Checklist.

[ ] 4:30 Bridesmaid Photos
[ ] 4:45 Family Photos
[ ] 5:00 Reception

Just realize that that little block of your wedding day is one that many couples are not present for. I mean, they are there. They show up. They smile, pose, and hug. But, really, they are looking towards the next moment. The reception, the ceremony, the alcohol at the reception. :) They are not fully present and aware of how special these moments can be.

Need proof? Take a look.
This is typically what you think of when you hear family photos.  Bride with parents.  Check. :)

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But, you’ll quickly realize there is so much more happening.

 

1st family photo where all the kids are married.

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That super tender moment you have with your dad.

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A mother who has raised 4 boys into grown men.

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Sometimes things get a bit more fun.
Example: A photo of what this family typically looks like. ;)

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Siblings are the best!

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Sometimes the photos are not even about you.
That moment when a grandkid spits up on your grandparents.

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I LOVE to pull the bride or grooms brother/sister and their family aside.  It typically takes about 30 seconds and BAM!  They get a new photo to hang on their wall.

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How about one of your parents. Who NEVER get dressed up. Who NEVER get photographed. Here they are, looking good and in love.

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Or how about that picture with your grandparents who have been married 57 years and you have not even been married 57 minutes?

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Let’s fast forward to 2020.

 

Six years from now when you go home for Christmas and you have a three your old little girl, she will be at PaPa & NaNa’s house looking at the tree. She will stare at all the gifts under it and then she’ll notice a photo hanging on the wall of her mom in a white dress. She will look at it for a while, then she will ask her NaNa about the photo. And then your mother will tell her all about how beautiful her mother was on her wedding and how wonderful the day was.

 

And THAT moment, in the future, will be magic. And it will all be possible because you took a few moments on your wedding day to be photographed with the people who love you the most.
Because you enjoyed this, I know you’ll want to see more in this series. Click here for more words and pretty pictures.

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Engagement Photos Super Post
Engagement Photos Super Post

I’ve been slammed this past week with 6 different shoots.  Each of theses couples was so great and it just didn’t feel right to not give them at least a little bit of blog love.

First up, Sarah & Caleb.  I adore their story about how they met and will share it with you soon when their July 4th wedding rolls around.  I don’t often end up in a field at sunset but this tree near Sarah’s home was too great to pass up.
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Tory & Brett are super perfect for each other.  They are both first year high school teachers & coaches.  They met at the start of school this year and are getting married at the start of summer. :)  They coach baseball, softball, volleyball, basketball, track, football, and who knows what else.  Brett played a bit of college ball at DBU as well as some minor league ball for the Normal Cornbelters. (click the link to see their AMAZING mascot.)

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And finally we end our post with Jaime & Alan.  The only thing Jaime loves more than barrel racing is her fireman.  The only thing Alan loves more than fighting fires is his Jaime.  I am ALWAYS a fan when a guy seems big and strong enough to snap me in half, yet is tender and soft spoken to his bride to be.  (Nice find Jaime.)  Look for Alan in the 2015 Centerville Firefighters Calendar.  ;)

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