Mr. & Mrs. White

This last weekend our good friends Austin and Beth met Brandon and I at Baytowne Wharf to snap a few pictures of us for our five year anniversary. It was such a great surprise to me (since B did not let me in on the secret until we had gotten to Baytowne). During the shoot we turned the camera on A+B for a few fun little shots. Just to give you some insight into these two...#1- they did not come dressed up for this- they both have a unique fashion sense and could have an impromptu photo shoot any day of the week. #2- They are both musicians so we never had to prompt them to do anything. We pointed the camera in their direction and it's like they turned into professional models...it definitely makes a photographers job easy. Here are the links for A+B's musical projects: Austin&Beth
Thanks again guys!
S

5 Year Anniversary Wrap up!!

This last Friday was our 5th anniversary and what a great weekend of celebrating it was! I was fortunate enough to be off all last week and I took that time to study for a test I had to take early Saturday morning. So instead of celebrating on Friday night (when I knew i'd need a lot of rest) we celebrated on Saturday. I should mention one of my favorite parts of the weekend though was when we exchanged gifts on Friday and had a peice of the top layer of our wedding cake that I had re-created (flowers and all!), that was so special! So anyway, i'm such a horrible story teller...Brandon told me that he had some special stuff planned for Saturday and that when I got home from my test that I needed to hurry up and get gussied up quick like. So I raced home got a shower and threw on my new Express bandage dress, black Nina heels, and wrap (because it was a brisk 55 degrees outside). So where did we go?? Brandon took me to Baytowne Wharf and our awesome friends Austin and Beth met us there to take pictures of us! It was so much fun and that is what I really, REALLY wanted for our anniversary (not that my new ring wasn't highly appreciated!!!). Ironically, Brandon and I have very few pictures of the two of us together. I am including some of the pictures that A+B took of us and will blog some of the pictures that we took of them tomorrow! After our photo shoot at Baytowne we went to a special dinner in Pensacola at our favorite restaurant, Jackson's. YUMMM-O!
So another anniversary down and another year that I can say that I love my husband even more than the day we got married. I wouldn't have thought that possible on our wedding day five years ago but it's true and it makes me even more excited about what our future holds. Have a lovely evening blogland, it's time I go catch up with my hubby before bed!
SC

Sneak Peak of C+B's Wedding

This last weekend Brandon and I got to document Caitlin + Brandon's wedding which took place at Crystal Beach in Destin. The day was absolutely GORGEOUS! It was a little cold...a little windy...and Caitlin was...more than a little sick...however by the smile on her face I don't think anyone could have thought the day was anything BUT perfect. I have SO much to say about this last weekend but I will save it for my next blog post on this wedding. There are a TON of amazing pictures that we will be sharing with you all. In the mean time we want to share a few (Caitlin needs some pictures for her facebook;)! C+B, we love you guys. Enjoy!
oh...don't forget to click on the picture to make it larger:)

I LOVE this picture of Caitlin!



Brandon hanging out with his guys before the ceremony...



My Brandon caught this sweet picture of Caitlin during the ceremony stealing a glance at her soon to be husband...

Mr.& Mrs. Houston taking their first steps as man and wife!

This was the rather large (18!) bridal party hamming it up for us after the ceremony;)

This is one of my Brandon's favorites of all time. The father daughter dance that brought Caitlin and her papa to tears...

And because Caitlin + Brandon are truly the coolest...they let us come shoot them the morning after at their wedding night hideaway, the beautiful Henderson Beach Inn.

Woman of Style

Some of of my favorite things about being a girl is makeup, fashion, accessories...and I am lucky enough to have some great girlfriends in my life who are amazing at putting these elements together. Nobody accessorizes better than my sister in law...my friend Beth is a makeup genius...my bff Alicia makes looking classic and chic absolutely effortless...and my bff julie is a risk taker with her black, black eyes and the gutsiest pixie hair cut ever. These girls inspire me. They are one of the biggest reasons I love taking pictures of people. This weekend we are shooting Caitlin and Brandon's wedding in Sandestin. Caitlin is another girl in my life that has this amazing style, the kind of style that makes you jealous and envious but all in a good way. I asked Caitlin a few questions recently about her beauty routine so that I could share it with all of you. Thank you Caitlin for being such a great GIRLFRIEND and sharing with us some of your uniqueness!


What type of makeup do you use? Give us the dish on your favorite cosmetic finds… from your favorite mascara to the most decadent perfect lip gloss you’ve ever scored! I have a face full of freckles, small eyelids, and naturally pink lips...therefore I don't really use that much makeup because when I do I look like I am 'trying too hard.' My everyday makeup consists of Clinique under-eye concealer, bronzer, blush, and Naturally Glossy black mascara. On special occasions I usually wear a little bit of eyeshadow - shimmery pink, beige, or light purple - and sometimes a little black eyeliner. I call myself "makeup challenged" because I don't really know any cool techniques or tricks. If I am around my sister or best friend I usually entrust them to make me look pretty!

You have such beautiful skin, how do you take care of it?
I wash my face at least once a day using a deep pore cleansing face wash. My favorite is anything that makes my skin cool and tingly afterwards. I don't have a favorite brand because I switch it up every few months. I think my skin gets used to a face wash after about 6 weeks, because that is when I'll find a blemish or two. I use a daily moisturizer with a SPF 15 that I purchased from my dermatologist to protect my fair skin from the sun.

Will there be any new makeup techniques that you will be trying for your wedding day? I am putting my face in the hands of one of my bridesmaids!! We aren't going to have a trial run or anything - I just completely trust her to make me look pretty.

How do you keep your hair so healthy looking? Also, you’ve been growing your hair out for your wedding, any special tips that you can share? When I decided I wanted long shiny hair for my wedding day I asked my hairdresser for advice. She told me to take Biotin vitamins, shampoo only 3-4x a week, condition every day, and to give up my dreams of being a blonde. We dyed my hair dark and chopped off all the dead layers. I started from scratch and for the last year I have tried very hard to keep up with her prescribed regimen!

Nails on your wedding day: Demure or Colorful?
I think that I am probably going to stick to a simple pink and white french manicure. I currently have acrylic tips, but plan on switching to gel for the big day!

Where are your favorite places to shop?
I am a big online shopping stalker of clothing. I usually check my favorite websites for inspiration before I go shopping and then look for particular items in the actual stores. My favorite shops are Banana Republic, J.Crew, Forever 21, and little boutiques

What is your most prized “fashion” possession?
AHH - do I have to choose just one? My most current prized possesion are my brand new Tory Burch Reva Flats in black and gold! I don't own any shoes that cost over $100 so my TB Revas are my new babies. My mom bought them for my birthday and I love them so so much. Another prized possession is a vintage Fendi purse my mom and best friend gave me for my 21st birthday. It is a small hobo in different shades of orange with a big gold double F strap. I only bring that purse out on special occasions because if something happened to it I would probably die!

J+K

A couple of weekends ago Brandon and I had the pleasure of shooting Jackie and Kevin's beach wedding at Sanctuary by the Sea off of 30A. It was such a beautiful afternoon for a beach wedding. After the ceremony, guests mingled around the pool during the cocktail hour and after that the party moved to The Palms Resort in Destin for their reception. Never in all of my life (working with brides and being friends with many...) have I ever met a bride and groom quite like Jackie and Kevin. J+K were the epitome of laid back. It was definitely more about kicking back and celebrating their love for one another and sharing it with their families then trying to have a "perfect" wedding. It's my opinion that when you relax and have that kind of fun...those are the weddings that truly end up being "perfect" ;)

J+K- Thanks for letting us share in your special day. We wish you both some much luck in your journey into marriage:)
S+B
P.S. as always...click on the picture so you can look at it big Big BIG!



I loved the colors of the bouquet...


I didn't even get to see this happen because I was already waiting down on the beach but Brandon caught this special little moment...


Jackie's moms dress could not have been a more beautiful shade of blue. It popped against the powder white sand.








This is one of my favorites so far. It's just so classic- I can picture their grandkids looking at it one day marveling at how good looking grandma and grandpa were!

The future Mr. & Mrs. Wells:

A few weekends ago Brandon and I met up with Rebecca and Brian at Rosemary Beach for their engagement session. What a fun afternoon! We had never been out to Rosemary Beach and it was so amazing...it reminded us of a small tuscan village. While roaming around and checking out the cottages and interesting little nooks and crannies, we got to know Rebecca and Brian a little better and they are a super sweet couple and we cannot wait for them to tie the knot;) Rebecca and Brian met a few years ago while they were both working at an emergancy vet clinic and began dating by taking a dance class together once a week. Can you believe that?? What a fun way to get to know and fall in love with someone! Because of their busy schedules, they had date night once a week and that consisted of a dance lesson and dinner and this went on for months. I don't know if I ever asked when exactly Brian knew that Rebecca was the one but I have a sneaking feeling that it might have been from the first, "may I have this dance..." Shortly before a trip to Italy Brian decided to pop the question (in the cutest way!! Brian attached the ring to a buoy that a dolphin brought to Rebecca!)and of course Rebecca was over the moon! B+R, we are so excited for you guys--enjoy the sneak peak of your engagement session.
S+B

A fly on the wall...

I have always said that one of my favorite things about photographing anything (especially people) is the feeling of being a fly on the wall. Those of you who know me know that even though I may be able to carry on a conversation for hours on end, I am most content when I am comfortable enough to just sit and watch a story unfold on its own. No words. Just loving glances from across the room, an affectionate kiss on the nape of the neck, a whisper in the ear on the dance floor. These gestures tell me so much more than words ever could. A few weekends ago Brandon and I photographed a wedding and I got to be a fly on the wall. The day was a flurry of family, friends, dancing, and tender glances shared by the bride (Grace) and groom (Jonathan) when entertaining guests on opposite ends of the reception ballroom. Grace and Jonathan are such a sweet couple with such great families. It was a joy to see two great people come together and vow to make their lives one. We wish them all of the luck in the world in their new adventure. Jonathan and Grace, we heard that you guys made it back from Alaska, we hope you had an awesome time! Enjoy the sneak peak of your wedding and congratulations!!
B+S