Married! Katie + Nathan... the Mega Post!

Katie and Nathan's wedding was a blast to shoot. For starters, in addition to photographing the Katie getting ready, I got to do something I don't always have the chance to do... photograph the Nate and the guys! :)

Check out the awesome groomsmen gifts....

When everyone was ready, we blind-folded Nathan and Katie and headed to the park. They saw each other for the first time after removing the blindfolds. Too fun!

Emir showed up (perfectly on cue!) with our garage sale score... the yellow vintage tandem bike. Nathan and Katie were game for some tandem biking fun. (Special thanks to my father in law, Alija, for letting us borrow his truck to haul the bike!)

How cute is THIS? Good thing I had my long lens... these two were FAST! (and I was on foot trying to keep up! Ha ha!)

I'm in love with Katie's hair-do! I think flowers were made to go in a bride's hair.... doesn't she wear it well?

I love out door weddings!

enter: The Groomsmen!

Nathan... enjoying a cigar.

The wedding took place in Pioneers Park, and Katie and Nathan couldn't have picked a better day if they tried. 83 degrees? In AUGUST? It was gorgeous out! Heidi Huenefeld brought the beauty of the park to life on the harp. (Check her out if you're looking for a harpist for your wedding!)

Nine brides maids and nine groomsmen.... what a wedding party!

I love this alternative to a unity candle..... here, they are combining two different colors of sand into one decorative glass bottle. So symbolic... and great to display.

We shot these after the ceremony on our way to the limo-bus. They're some of my faves....

Your day was absolute perfection! Thank you for entrusting me with capturing it. I am truly honored! Wishing you a fantastic (and hurricane free!) time in the Dominican.... :)

Edmond + Elizabeth: International Party Time!

Today I had the honor of photographing Edmond and Elizabeth's cross-cultural celebration. Guests and family came from Malaysia, Panama, Cameroon, India, Japan, Nigeria, just to name a few.... Here are a *few* of my favorite images from a fun-filled day!

Here's the lovely couple....

Even the flowers were in on the international theme! She scored a screamin' deal on the roses (shipped in from Columbia) and made the bouquets herself. (Here's the website she scored the roses from!)

As individuals and as a couple, these two are sweet as can be!

Such adoration!

On the lighter side.... These two weren't afraid to let loose and get silly. :)

Um.... yeah...... pretty much.... GORGEOUS!

More gorgeousness. Elizabeth has such a peaceful intensity about her.... I think it shows in her photos.

See what I mean?

And Edmond loves the camera.... he's quite the showman!

I adore this photo!

In Chinese tradition, it's customary that before the wedding ceremony, the couple serves tea to their parents. Here, Edmond and Elizabeth serve her parents, who flew all the way in from Panama.

After an amazing ceremony where Edmond serenaded Elizabeth (and later, they sang a duet!), we moved on to the party... where guests enjoyed Chinese food, great music, and a gorgeous cake... made by Elizabeth herself! (I can confirm, it was indeed, delicious. She insisted I bring a piece home for Emir... who definitely agreed!)

Few dance floors get burned up like this one! This group had the most incredible energy and fun-loving spirit about them. They served up great tunes and a never-ending collection of dance moves.

I'm told that in Nigeria, it's customary to "shower the couple" with cash. Similar to the dollar dance done here... only, you don't have to wait in line... you just toss it into a pile on the dance floor. Like it's 'raining money.'

Thank you SO much for including me in your one-of-a-kind celebration you two! You are both so blessed with amazing family and friends, and I am honored to have joined in for the day. Have a wonderful time in Miami.... I can't wait to hear all about it!

Gettin' Hitched! Lacey + Evan

Lacey and Evan's wedding brought me up to the fabulous towns of Burwell and Sargent, Nebraska. If your idea of Nebraska consists of the flat, less-than-jaw dropping view along I-80, you are really missing out! The northwest part of the state is quite the opposite with rolling hills and valleys. The drive (all 400 miles of it!) was beautiful to say the least. The beauty of the drive up was dwarfed, of course, by the beauty of Lacey. Even her shoes were fit for a queen!

Her dress had a pink ribbon around it... adding a splash of color. Tre chic!

My love for all things retro continues.... Lacey and Evan indulged my obsession with old signs... plus, we rocked the lens flare! Nice work guys!

I love the timelessness of this one...

Time for a little color...

I think this is album cover material right here.... :)

The wedding party truly lived up to their name... 'party.' They were a blast to work with... and didn't complain ONCE about shooting outside in the insane heat. A true DREAM!

In true small town tradition, the wedding party stopped at a bar between the ceremony and the reception. But these overachievers went straight for the gold by stopping at not ONE, not TWO, but THREE different bars! Holy cow. They weren't kidding around! :) More shots of shots... :)

This was shot about 5 seconds before I fell off the chair I was standing on and completely wiped out. Embarassing! Thanks for coming to my rescue ya'll. :)

The reception was filled with many defining moments, including the groom's unprecedented 'come back' speech dedicated to Lacey's dad, Rodger. (You had to be there... it was quite the experience!)

Thank you for sharing your family traditions with me and letting me be part of your new life together! :)

Three Make a Family

Anna and Eric are a truly inspiring love story. Capturing their day was a living reminder how beautiful life can be... and how love can truly conquer all.

First off... I am in LOVE with this ring shot. I think it may be an all-time fave. I'm thinking 'album cover.' Any thoughts? :)

Anna, of course, was gorgeous as ever. Not only is she a beautiful bride, but her spirit is so uplifting and inspiring. I am so happy to know her. Check out the beautiful flowers in her hair. Gorgeous!

Would you believe that she and her sister put together ALL the flowers? They ordered the flowers online and managed to keep them alive for nearly 5 days before bundling them up into these beautiful bouquets.

Eric is an all around great guy. The friendship he shares with his 'boys' is fun to see.

Of course, Anna made the programs too.... (naturally).

I'm kind of obsessed with taking shots of people taking shots. Is it just me, or is that fun to do? :)

Cameron is a sweet (and adorable!) kiddo. Together with Anna and Eric, they are now a family of three. I am so honored to have been there to watch this new family celebrate their love for one another!

The wedding was at Mount Vernon Gardens in Omaha. What a picturesque location for a wedding!

When Anna and Eric presented flowers to their parents, Eric took a moment to scoop Cameron into his arms and give him a hug. I love moments like this!

After the ceremony we headed downtown for some quick shots, when I spotted..... you guessed it... a RED phone booth! I was in heaven, and am totally diggin' the results!

Um.... see what I mean? ;)

On top of everything else, Anna sings and plays piano.... (as in.... in a band!), and Eric is a baseball man, so they found some fun cake toppers that were a perfect fit.

At the reception while waiting for the wedding party, guests were treated to a 'candy bar' including Oreos, caramel crunch corn, Reese's, and... Twixx candy bars. (Those were dangerous!) The set-up included little candy bags and scoopers... and seemed to be a huge hit with the crowd.

The toasts of the evening made everyone cry.... (behind my camera I had tears running down my cheeks!). I love how you can see how much Eric loves Anna in this photo....

Thanks so much for letting me be part of such a special and important day in your lives. I am truly honored! Love and happiness for you all! :)

MegaMatt + the FabTones

During the dinner toasts at last night's wedding, it was mentioned that Megan & Matt ought to be called "MegaMatt" in true Hollywood power couple fashion. While at first it may seem like this depicts Matt as a super hero, and may not necessarily be fair to Megan, it was later noted that having Megan in Matt's life does turn him into a super hero by making him the best he can be. So, the name is quite fitting after all. Well said. Megan's dress was a reincarnate of her mother's.... so special! And... get this... her dress had POCKETS! She had the skirt custom made to fit the top of her mother's dress.... so, why not add pockets? Brilliant!

I love some of the incredible expressions I get to catch on wedding day. Yesterday, Megan had a monopoly on fun facials. :)

Here she is showing off the dress pockets.... love it!

They had all the flowers for the wedding grown at a flower farm, just for them!

The bridesmaids carried a variety of blooms... here they are making an "M" for Megan & Matt.... (it's a loose interpretation... ha ha!)

Wedding party silliness.... I love this shot!

Ella... the camera-happy flower girl. Isn't she adorable?

Boys will be boys...

I was thrilled to see Kylie, one of the fab Fisher Sisters, among the wedding guests. She is college friends with Meg. So fun to see her again!

Since Megan & Matt live in San Fran, it was only natural that they would bring in these decorative paper lanterns from China Town. They really added to the atmosphere. Great choice you two!

It's great to see young, confident lads entertaining the young ladies on the dance floor. This little guy was workin' it!

Megan had told me they were having a live band... which is always exciting. I was pumped when I got there and saw my friend Jon Hischke rockin' the saxophone. If you've never heard the FabTones before, you are seriously missing out! Looking for a live band for your wedding/event? Call Jim Pipher at: (402) 484-5548.

Here's Jon with some sax grooves....

What a great voice she had.... they were all truly fantastic.

I am honored to have been asked to be part of your special day. Best wishes to you now and forever!

Chaza + Joe: Drop Dead Gorgeous

Chaza and Joe's wedding touched my heart in a number of ways. Their wedding was a cross-cultural celebration that just made you feel all warm and fuzzy inside. Chaza was drop dead gorgeous, and photographing the two of them was pure joy. :)

See what I mean!? Are they glam, or what? I {heart} her dress!

Old skool classic!

Seriously, just when you thought it couldn't get any better....

Her jewelry was fit for a queen!

Chaza and her family are from Syria... thus, their wedding programs featured both English and Arabic... (which I think is one of the most beautifully written languages... and hope to someday have the opportunity to study). How gorgeous is this?

This was the moment Chaza arrived at the church. She was breath taking!

She and Joe didn't see each other before the ceremony, and she arrived only moments before it started, so we had to sneak in these portraits of Chaza quickly. Everything went so smoothly... it was a breeze. :)

Their reception was at the Wick Alumni Center... they did an incredible job with decorations.

One of my favorite things about many of the Middle Eastern cultures is the music and dance. When it came time for the father/daughter dance, Chaza and her father put on quite the show! The joy in their faces is captivating....

What a treat! Thanks so much for letting me capture your beautiful day. I wish you both a lifetime filled with love, health, and happiness!

Lindsey + Matt: Picture Perfect!

On my way home from Denver, I hopped over to Kearney to photograph Lindsey & Matt's wedding. Matt's sister was an '08 senior, and over the past year, I've photographed several of their cousins and friends... and truly feel like one of the family! :) It was great to see them all again! They originally asked me to photograph their wedding quite a long time ago, but I was previously booked for their day. Strangely enough, the couple that had booked me for that date decided to call off their wedding, and I was again available to capture their day. Phew! :)

The neckline on Lindsey's dress was absolutely beautiful... this necklace complimented it perfectly.

After seeing each other, we headed out to create some fab portraits. Since Matt & Lindsey are honeymooning in Mexico, I thought this locale was perfect! (Yes folks, this was shot in KEARNEY!)

I love the arch...

Another great thing about the above locale, as well as this one with the green wall.... is that they coordinated perfectly with Lindsey's wedding colors and bouquet! When opportunity knocks, you've got to jump on it!

See what I mean? Isn't that bouquet gorgeous? It was so lucious!

I love the woodsy graininess of this one...

Nostalgic. I {heart} this shot!

A little main street (Central Ave.) action...

I love this 'over the shoulder' shot of the ceremony...

Emir was with me for this wedding, as I hitched a ride back from Denver with a friend, and was car-less in Kearney. He picked me up and it was great to have him along. Here he is shooting with my ol' Fuji S2. He was rockin' the fish-eye for most the day...

This park was gorgeous!

Love the rings. :)

Time to head to the reception!

Some serious lens flare... I LOVE it! Doesn't it add a heaping helping of drama and glamour? :)

I love the expression on Lindsey's face in this photo... it captures the joy of the moment perfectly.

I'm so happy it all worked out and I got document your big day. Wishing you a lifetime of wedded bliss and happiness!

Kjerstin + Joel: A Trip Down the Aisle

You may remember Kjerstin and Joel's engagement shoot last winter. Their big day finally came... and everything was... perfection. See for yourself!

Kjerstin was a beautiful bride...

and Joel was a stylin' groom... check out the Chucks!

Love this.

Check out the groomsmen....

It's always fun to shoot downtown.... here they are in their brand-new get-away-car!

The reception was at the Wick Alumni Center, which is always a joy to shoot because it's beautiful and the windows let the most gorgeous light pour in....

Plus, there's an awesome balcony which lets me score shots like this...

and this.... :)

Congratulations to you both. Thank you so much for including me in your day. It was so fun to see you again! Safe travels back to Cali.... and best wishes for a forever filled with love and happiness.

Kelsey & Levi: Leaping for Love

Kelsey & Levi just got married, and I have to say, their ceremony was one-of-a-kind. Levi is a videographer who managed to film the actual proposal to Kelsey.... and used it in a movie that played in the church at the beginning of the ceremony. So cool!

Here they are leaping for love.... would you believe we scored this on the very first attempt? Yes, they are THAT good. :)

I love this series of shots....

Kelsey ran into a little flower drama the day before the wedding, but it all worked out (of course!) and the flowers were gorgeous....

In fact, I thought her bouquet was so beautiful, I took a few more shots of it... :)

Walking back to the church, the flow of Kelsey's dress caught my eye.... I love how it moves!

One of the bridesmaids had this little Sony dangling from her wrist.... cameras DO make fabulous accessories!

We managed to escape the crazy storms that hit Omaha today.... the weather was fantastic, the air was so still I was able to snag a few bubble shots!

You two are adorable together. Thanks for letting me share your day.... it was absolutely fabulous!

Alicia + Bret: The Wedding!

Alicia and Bret's engagement shoot was so much fun, I've been looking forward to their wedding ever since! Today was the big day... here are a few quick faves.... :)

I often take the couple aside for a personal moment when they see each other for the first time.... sometimes, they have an audience.

I love the look on Bret's face here.

Alicia looked stunning...

The gorgeousness continues.... I'll just let you enjoy the view!

I love it!

They braved the tall grass and woods to snag this shot... I love the old skool look of it...

Seriously!? Could they be any cuter?

The sky was fabulous. It made such a lovely backdrop that I couldn't resist!

The ceremony was sweet and simple. Alicia's sisters sang several times throughout. (in three part harmony no less!) Not only are they gorgeous, but their voices are heaven sent!

On the way to the reception, we snagged a few more moments... the sky had become cloudy, and just as we were shooting, it started to drizzle. So romantic!

But not before we scored some fun ring shots... I love to incorporate the shoes!

Last but not least.... check out this old relic of a phone booth! "Hello!? Yes... we're married!"

Your day was perfect! Thank you so much for having me you two.... you and your families were so easy going... it was a pure joy to work with you all! :)