The Square Root of Love

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If you know Catherine and Arlen, you understand how their relationship squared, is pure love. :)

Here's Arlen just before he headed to the chapel to see Catherine for the first time as his bride. We started early in the morning, as their ceremony began at 12 noon.

Makin' it look easy.... :)

I love her bouquet!

Yours truly: self portrait in the funky ceiling tiles outside the sanctuary.

Old-school tradition: tin cans tied to the back bumper. They made such a sweet sound clanking down the street!


Thank you for including me in your celebration of love! Have a kick a** time in Hawaii.... :)

Married! Lindsay + Andy

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Lindsay and Andy's day was the official beginning of a lifetime journey together. As the Rev. Dr. Jim at First Plymouth said.... we all support you and wish you 'Bon Voyage!'

Andy was all smiles today. I mean.... that grin was ear to ear. He is so happy to be marrying his heart.... and it shows!

OMG. Enough said.

Here's Lindsay looking va-va-va-voom!

Lindsay just gets me with those eyes. Their beauty reflects her calm, steady self. So beautiful!

So.... I pretty much made Lindsay's dad's day today when I asked him to adjust his glasses for a portrait.... and... while doing so.... they snapped in half. Doh!

This little cutie is JR. The cutest ring bearer ever. Look at that rock!

The flowers were gorgeous! Courtesy of Mint Tulip.

After the ceremony, we snagged a couple more shots while the sun was setting.

The limo was M.I.A. In fact, it never showed up! Andy and Lindsay were such incredibly good sports. We loaded up the cars and made it to the reception without missing a beat. Go team!

The reception was held at the Country Club of Lincoln. D-lish!

Pure yumminess.

Congratulations! I'm so happy for you. It is absolutely wonderful to see such a loving, deserving, and well matched couple so crazy in love! Thank you for letting me be part of the family and including me in your celebration. :)

Married! Jenny + David

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You know when you have one of those days where everything seems to come together just perfectly? Jenny + David's day was one of those days.

The weather was perrrrrrfect.
Her dress was gorrrrrgeous.
The flowers were incrrrredible.

While downloading shots.... there were quite a few that caught my eye. Get comfortable... here comes a mega post! :)

Jenny always wanted a wedding dress with buttons down the back. She wore it well!

The trees surrounding the church were the epitome of fall beauty.

This image is.... too gorgeous for words.

I love the tenderness in David's face here....

See what I mean about gorgeous flowers?

Jenny loved David's argyle socks... I have to say I agree!

After the ceremony, we made a couple of pitstops on the way to the reception... I love all of these....

Yum! Flare!

Too fun!

Aren't they cute?

Not to be outdone by the ladies.... ;)

I *love* the off the cuff-ness of this...

Jenny and David's first date was at Starbucks. How could we not stop by for a quick pic? :)

It was a complete HONOR to be part of your day. Your families were absolute joy to work with... thank you SO much for including me in your celebration!!!! I can't wait to hear about Hawaii! :)

"The Boom" + Abby= Married!

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He was the kid who ran around the house in He-Mann underoos. He could melt your heart with a single glance of those big brown eyes, and always did his best to keep the peace amidst two older sisters and a kid brother. And with a nickname like 'Boomer,' how could you not love the guy? :)

Yesterday, he (my brother) married his heart.... in the form of Abby. Although his birth certificate says 'Anton,' everyone knows him as 'Tony'... a name that I think fully embodies the enormous heart he's made of.

As his oldest sister, I was proud, and honored, to capture he and Abby's special day. These are some of my favorite shots so far... ;)

Anyone and everyone who knows Tony, could recognize his laugh in an instant. He laughs with his gut, with his heart.... with his big ol' 'Boomer' soul!

It was so fun to photograph the excitement of a wedding day where my own family was part of the action! Here's my mom making sure Tony's jacket is just right. :)

Abby's dress was out-of-this-world beautiful. The embroidery on the bodice was an intricate work of art!

Here she is, about to surprise Tony with her wedding day charm!

The day was filled with a cast of all kinds of characters. These two lovebirds are my amazingly fantastic parents. I love and appreciate them more than they will ever know... and regularly thank my lucky stars that I was graced to be born to such incredible people. I love you!

(ps: people always ask if I take formals.... and of course, the answer is yes! Here's proof. ;)

Abby assembled a good looking team for her ring-bearer and flower girl.... Miss Trinity and my lil' cousin Austin. They hit it off quite well!

I couldn't resist another shot of Austin....

Abby did an amazing job with all the wedding details. Fall weddings naturally lend themselves to a warm and vibrant color palette, which Abby orchestrated with perfection. This immaculate bouquet was drool worthy to say the least!

Here's Emir 2nd shooting with his new camera. He is lovin' it! :) (Does he make it look good, or what?)

What follows is a collection of some of my cute cousins who made an appearance yesterday.

*Note to family: I apologize in advance that I couldn't possibly post them all... so you guys will just have to log in and check em' all out to get the full scoop when they're ready for viewing!

This is my aunt Theresa with her granddaughter Alaina. (Theresa is the genius with needle and thread who made my beautiful wedding dress 2 years ago when Emir and I got married.)

Meet AJ. He's my cousin Jaime's youngest babe. Those blue eyes are the sweetest thing!

The weather was a dream come true... after all the rain we've had.... Tony and Abby's wedding day was heaven on earth!

Tony and his friends define the word 'loyalty.' I've always been impressed with the extent of their friendship and the way they respect and take care of each other. They are friends and 'brothers' in every sense of the word.

I love this photo!


Congratulations and much love to you both!

Married! Kelly + Van

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He has a smile that could light up the sky.

She has a heart of gold.

You can't help but notice how happy they make each other.

This smile is electric, I tell ya!

Kelly's beautiful dress featured a lilac sash to match her bouquet.... fit for a queen!

Working with you two was a treat. (You and your families were a lot of fun!) Have a fabulous time in Chicago, and thank you so much for entrusting me with such a special day.

The Love Boat: Ryan + Lesya

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It started on a cruise ship from Barcelona to Athens. Ryan was on vacation with his family, and Lesya worked onboard in the ship's casino. For Ryan, it was love at first sight. After herculean efforts, Ryan convinced Lesya to spend the day with him in Athens when they docked.

When the trip was over, they kept in touch, and a few months later, Ryan flew to the Ukraine (Lesya's home country) to visit her. They've been together ever since, and officially tied the knot this weekend, in dear ol' Lincoln, NE.

The flowers were an art form in their own right. This is Lesya's bouquet.... made of 12 (??) calla lilies arranged to form an enormous single bloom. Kurtis Bomar (Stem Gallery) did an incredible job on all the flowers!

My new 100mm 2.8 macro was fun to play with today. (Yay Lynn!)

It was a touching moment when Lesya appeared at the end of the aisle..... accompanied by Ryan's parents. His mom and dad walked her down, as her family was not able to be here in person. A simple symbolic gesture, it spoke volumes of their love as a family.

I love moments like this during a ceremony. :)

After the ceremony, we headed out to create some portraits before the sun sank behind the horizon. The evening could not have been more gorgeous!

Is it just me, or is Lesya insanely beautiful? :)

These two were quick to get silly.....

Attention future brides! Their wedding reception was held on the balcony of Lincoln's own Lied Center. I never even knew that was an option! Apparently, it is not only a gorgeous option... but also a surprisingly affordable one. Definitely worth checking out! (You can see a few wedding guests on the outdoor balcony enjoying the city skyline.)

From what I'm told, it can accompany 200 people! Who would've guessed?

I love the Lied Center doors...

More gorgeous floral centerpieces from Stem Gallery.

The cakes were sinfully delicious..... courtesy of Donna Roehrs, the Lincoln Cake Lady.

See what I mean? This was the top of the groom's cake. Is your mouth watering yet? :)

A dance floor, in the Lied's balcony!? Simply beautiful.

A little love moment on the outside balcony..... :)

Ryan & Lesya.... I am so honored to have been part of your international love story and the beginning of your new adventure together! Best wishes for a happy forever!

Married! Chris + Kylee

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The rain clouds loomed in the distance.... the air was cool. Here a drop, there a drop.... pitter patter. It rained, just enough for good luck.... and then quickly dissipated giving way to fantastic fall weather... perfectly suited for an outdoor September wedding!

Here's Chris and his nephew/ring bearer, Ethan, putting on the final wardrobe touches....

Kylee had a wonderful collection of special and meaningful items, including this hairpin that belonged to her grandmother.

Chris is quite the comedian... Looks like Kylee is in for a lifetime of entertainment!

I love this photo! It reminds me of the classic shots you see framed at your grandparent's 50th anniversary party... don't you think? (Just planning ahead!)

This was also her grandmother's rosary....

"Let's Do This Thing!"

Rain break....

Chris's glory shot...

I asked Kylee to give me 'a look' and look what I got-- Beautiful!

Let it be noted that a spot of rain need not spoil a photo shoot. Way to work the umbrellas you two!

Glam it up Kylee!

I just love this... so peaceful. So classic. So..... gorgeous!

Chris's 'groom cake' was an enormous ho-ho! Isn't that fun!? (Complete with Batman action figures.) Would you believe he shared the 2nd piece of his cake with none other than little ol' me!? I was honored, and thrilled! That thing was DELICIOUS! :) Thanks for sharing Chris!

The reception was held at the ever swanky and utterly fabulous Del Ray Ballroom.

Thank you SO much for the opportunity to be part of your day you two! I feel like part of the family! Big hugs and best wishes to you on your new adventure. :)

Married! Karla + Eric

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The sun shone down on Columbus, NE today for Karla & Eric. Their wedding day was a laid back celebration a lifetime in the making. Here's Karla seeing herself in the mirror for the first time as a bride.... I love her reaction!

Fluff that slip ladies! :)

Obligatory shoe awesome-ness. :)

Assistant in training.... ha ha! :)

Karla's tenderness was quite charming. Tears of joy only added to her gorgeousness.

Luvin' those earrings....

Those are some serious rings!

The church was spectacular!

See what I mean?

What a great idea! The 'signing of the marriage license' was actually part of the ceremony. Fantastic!

This was the little flower girl... stealing a moment to check in with her new little sis...

I love Grandpa's laugh!

Karla's family has a tradition of wearing goofy hats at wedding receptions. They were quite the cast of characters!

Check out the attention to detail on these kisses!

So.... this is actually the wallpaper in the bathroom.... er.... but isn't it cool!? (It kinda matches the upholstery of the chair in the 'shoe shot' above... don't you think?)

Karla & Eric's reception happened to take place at the same time as Nebraska's first game of the season. Being true Nebraskans, the TV wasn't far from the dance floor...

Guests cheered the Huskers on to a 47-24 victory over Western Michigan.

I love this shot!


Karla & Eric.... thank YOU for inviting me to be part of such an important day in your lives. It was a true treat!

Married! Tracey + Neil

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The wedding took place at a small country church along the side of a dirt road north of Waverly... I knew I was in for a treat when I pulled up. (Small, country churches are always so fun!)

Tracey's hair looked incredible.... a fountain of curls. Every bride's dream!

This is Lilly, the bride's 4 yr old niece. She was fascinated with everything and couldn't resist 'helping.' I love the look on her face here while she watches the girls lace Tracey up....

After everyone was dressed, we headed out to make some great photos.

When I was driving in, I couldn't help but notice the corn fields surrounding the church. How could we resist?

Tracey was such a good sport! While running through the fields we saw all kinds of critters.... a black widow spider, a fuzzy caterpillar, countless grass hoppers, and... something we thought was a snake, but turned out just to be some plant roots. She didn't flinch and her dress came through with no problems!

Here's Lilly again... she was pretty inseparable from Tracey. So cute! Here she's pouting because she wasn't allowed to play on the nearby playground.... I love it when kids show this side of themselves. It makes for photos that will speak volumes in 10-20 years when they're all grown up. Ha ha ha!

After the ceremony, the limo was late to pick up the wedding party. Tracey didn't let it get her down... instead, we took advantage of great light for more fun photo opps!

At the reception, the cake sat atop this gorgeous heirloom from the bride's grandmother. It's a tradition at all of their family weddings. I love the design of it.... and can't wait to utilize it in their album design!

Time to get the party started! The reception was at the PlaMor.... one of my favorite local venues (Emir and I had our reception there!).

Neil is in a band called Wiskey Blind. Not only did he write AND sing a song for Tracey during the ceremony... he also took to the stage at the reception where he and his band entertained guests for the evening. So fun!

The song he wrote for her was called, "Hurry Down and Kiss Me" (I think!). So catchy, I sang it the whole way home. Let me know when the album comes out Neil!

Tracey had a second pair of shoes she saved for the reception. Check out her bridal boots! If you're into western-style bridal goodies... check out the Sat'n Spurs website. Great stuff!

Thank you for including me in such a fun celebration. It was a real treat! :)