Down the Aisle: Brittni + Scott

Sometimes you do get a second chance to make a good impression... and in Scott and Brittni's case, it led them down a path that brought them to the altar yesterday afternoon. Brittni's been dreaming of her wedding day since she was five, and from what I could tell yesterday, Scott literally made it all come true.

Congrats you two!

I got a kick out of watching their faces during the ceremony. Exchanging a glance here or there, or sharing a giggle. The kicker was during the vows when Brittni reached into Scott's pocked and pulled out a tissue. :)

I love this. It seems to sum up them and their relationship rather well. :) Adorable!

The wedding reception was GORGEOUS. Held at the Qwest Center Omaha, everyone's jaw hit the floor upon entering the room. Whether from the incredible centerpieces, the sweet & yummy candy bar, the kids' tables, or the incredible lighting design contracted through the Qwest, it was a sight to be seen!

After the traditional specialty dances, Brittni invited her mom out to dance with her... the two of them are like peas in a pod. I enjoyed watching their interactions all day. So cute, and this... a very touching tribute. :)

The dance floor was hoppin' all night long! The wedding party scored extra points when they surprised everyone with a choreographed performance piece!

Down the Aisle: Amy + Adam

Yesterday, as the snow fell outside, Adam and Amy became a new family. Their celebration included Adam with his guitar, and a song he wrote for the occasion.

Yes, they really are this adorable. :)

I couldn't get enough of their girls' combination of aqua and red... so retro/classic/hip! LOVE!

Naturally, the shoes had me swooning...

Adam's ring is entirely made of wood! I'm told he loves it so much, he was wearing it even before the wedding... (isn't that cute?)

A graphic designer, Adam was heavily involved in creating many of the countless and adorable details that helped make their day so special... including (but not limited to) these cute bird-seed bags for their grand exit.

The reception was a smorgasbord of eye-candy (in addition to the actual dessert table). Guests were treated to several art installations including a full-sized scrabble board, a humorous take on Amy's alphabetical advancement (her maiden name starts with 'Z,' and now, she's moving to a last name that starts with 'A'), and framed 'What I Love About You' posters... all made and designed by the bride and groom themselves.

Even their guest sign-in board was a work of art!

More yummy/gorgeous details including alliteration place cards (designed and illustrated by Adam), name cards, word puzzles (love the school teacher touch of the custom engraved pencils!), cupcakes, cheesecake, cookies and... DOT POPS! Have you seen these? They're little round cakes on a stick... like a lollipop!

After all the dessert table fun... it was time to party!

So much love... such great people!

xoxo

2010: A Year of Weddings

And what an exciting year it was! As it wraps to a close, I am, and continue to be, eternally grateful to have been invited into the lives of so many wonderful couples. To share such a special day with them and their families, while being entrusted to capture the details and moments that will tell their story for years to come, is a responsibility I take very seriously.

It's been over 11 years since I photographed my first wedding, and I'm happy to say that I still get choked up at least once at every one. I still have moments where the enormity of what such a day means hits me in the chest and wrangles my heart. And I love it.

I tried to include at least one shot from every wedding I shot in 2010... and I'm crossing my fingers that I didn't leave anyone out (I pulled the images late at night from my own blog, so.... anything is possible).

Grateful for each and every one of my clients, I hope they find that within every image I created for them, is a little piece of my wrangled heart.

xoxo

Some gorgeous getting ready moments

Portraits and other beautiful moments

Cute kiddos

Details and reception image yumminess

2011, here we come!

Down the Aisle: Amy + Kyle

Simply put, Amy & Kyle's day was a gorgeous celebration of love in the absolute beautiful and perfect splendor everyone imagined it would be! I am incredibly thrilled to have been invited to be part of it... as to know Kyle & Amy is to adore them. Instantly. Well done and well deserved. Best wishes... and congratulations to you all! :) Dress(es): Ellynne Bridal ( party dress for the reception... so cute!) Reception: the Hilton, Omaha Reception Lighting: (love!) PSAV Florist: Debbie Pitt, Flowers for Special Occasions Band: The Rumbles Cake: Cameo Designs by Donna

Yours truly, earning my keep as I pinned the entire wedding party (dads included!)

Are you serious!?????? Jaw droppingly drool worthy.... beautiful, beautiful, beautiful! Reception lighting makes a HUGE difference!

Emir cam!

Of course, Amy & Kyle didn't just dance... they performed!

Down the Aisle: Lauren + Bobby

What fun! Surrounded by family & friends (and several other beloved KaBloom brides), Lauren + Bobby tied the knot on what may possibly have been the  most gorgeous November day in all of Nebraska's history... Truly a beautiful day for a beautiful bride!

First look... courtesy of the Emir cam!

I am in ***LOVE*** with this shot! :) Special thanks to the Embassy Suites in La Vista, Nebraska for the groovy wall covering... and to the University of Nebraska - Omaha's faculty jazz band for providing the fabulous silhouette! :)

This cake shot rocked my world too!  The ballroom was beautiful, but cakes have a habit of being set up to be beautifully viewed by guests, but not always beautifully photographed (ie: exit doors/dj stand/otherwise less than gorgeous wall in the background). With a definite front side, it wouldn't work to photograph it from behind (the "L" would be backwards) either... So I lit it in a way that behaved like a spotlight... hiding everything else from sight. Boo-yaw! I love the 'dots' on the fondant... and the shadows they create when lit like this!

The beauty of the ballroom!

Congrats guys! :) Hope the drive back to Springfield was full of happy chitter chatter about what a great day your wedding was!!!!

xoxoxo :)

Down the Aisle: Hannah + Jeremy

Engaged in Paris... About to honeymoon in Italy... these two's hearts are wrapped in a worldly romance. How delicious! Their love of travel inspired this yummy vintage/travel engagement session and was the theme of their reception decor (gorgeous! see below!). Believe it or not, poor Hannah had been battling a massive (massive) sinus infection for at least a week before the wedding. While many brides might panic to be under the weather and out of commission so close to their big day... Hannah knew she had Jeremy. He took her to the doctor, got her some meds, handled the day's timeline, worked with all the various vendors, and told Hannah her only job was to rest. (Who wouldn't love that!?) In a nutshell, Jeremy completely rocked it. They're already a dynamic duo... and they've only been married for 24 hours. :)

Wedding: St. Mary's Reception: Lincoln Station Videography: Emily Pottebaum, eBaum Productions DJ: Daren Nuttelman, Complete Music

How adorable are these Eiffel Tower champagne glasses, the globe, and this aluminum camera!? They're all from Z-Gallerie... though I can't find the camera on their site... :(

Party time!

Simply adorable. Can't wait to hear all about your trip... if you guys end up taking the boat from Venice to Croatia... I will be all ears!

Down the Aisle: Lindsey + Scott

Scott is a sensitive guy. He knew he'd be a puddle o' tears during the ceremony... so his mom Sally handed him a collection of tissues. His reply, "These won't be enough." Love that. Here's to never having enough tissues for tears of happiness Scott! Their day was incredible for countless reasons... here are some that come to mind at the moment... 1. They invited the kids to wear Halloween costumes, including the flower girl (see below!) 2. The bouquets were gorgeous, and included PEACOCK FEATHERS! Fabulous! (courtesy of Abloom Floral) 3. Scott carved a pumpkin into a peacock, complete with feathers (see below) 4. The ceremony was held at Bluestem Tree Farm & Vineyard. I've never photographed a wedding out there before (from what I understand, the wedding venue is somewhat new....). And it's beautiful! In Crete, Nebraska... it's only a short drive from the city... pavement all the way! 5. The dinner was catered by The Parthenon. Uh-mazing. The dinner included gyro plates (with a mushroom alternative for vegetarians), an incredible salad, and the yummiest baked potatoes you've ever  imagined! 6. Cake AND baklava? Yummo! 7. Duh. Bird cage veil. Did you think I would forget to mention it? :)

Ummmmm.... Vogue called. They want their cover model back! ;)

Scott has some mad pumpkin carving skills!

Cute kiddos in costume!

By pure coincidence, the flower girl had a peacock costume from a couple years ago.... how apropos! Her basket included peacock feathers instead of traditional flowers... how fun!

Emir scores with this awesome shot!

Ha!

Pure gorgeousness.

Well done guys! I've been looking forward to sharing your big day with you since our first meeting... and once I saw you master the tandem together... I knew your wedding day would be extra fun... and it was! Congrats!

Down the Aisle: Lisa + Jeremy

What a day! Beginning with a torrential downpour, and ending with sunshine... Lisa & Jeremy got it all. Even more impressive than mother nature's theatrical display, was Lisa & Jeremy's calmness. I mean, they must've been stressed, but you'd never know it by looking at them! With hearts set on an outdoor ceremony and rain confirmed in the forecast, they arranged for an incredible tent palace with only a day's notice... and pulled off the entire day without a hitch. It was, in short, perfection. :) Ceremony/Reception: Jasper Winery (Des Moines, IA) Decor/Flowers: the Perfect Wedding (Des Moines, IA) Crafty Gorgeousness: None other than the new Mrs. Braden herself! Go Lisa!

I'm so in love with all of these images... I'm just going to put that out here now. Rainy wedding days often make brides nervous.... but it's  not the rain that's the challenge so much.... it's convincing everyone else that it's going to be OK that can be tough sometimes. But, with Lisa & Jeremy's super stellar attitudes... my job was a breeze!

Super bonus points to the whole wedding party for heading out into this field... and braving the *insane* mosquitoes for this shot... hats off to you all!

Magical tent set up!

My heart beams with joy for you both...

Down the Aise: Jennifer + Nick

Nick & Jennifer have been planning their wedding for what seems like forever! Their big day finally came... and went off without a hitch. While it was the second reception I've ever photographed at the Lied Center for Performing Arts, it was the first ceremony I've seen there. Such a gorgeous venue! The new Mr. & Mrs. are headed to Disney's Epcot Center for the upcoming Food & Wine festival... how fantastic is that!? Yummo!

Enjoy sunny Orlando!

Down the Aisle: Jackie + Monte

In a herculean effort to get their images up for enjoyment before they leave for Paris (this is a monster post!), I'm abandoning my attempt at trying to write something brilliant because... well... words don't seem able to do their day justice. I humbly hope that the images might go some distance to convey how special September 10, 2010 will forever be in their hearts and the hearts of all who love them. Thank you for entrusting me to capture the romance, love and jubilation of your day, your lives, yourselves. Best wishes as you begin your next adventure... I am honored to call you both friends.

Location: Sheldon Art Museum Flowers/Decorations: Hillis & Company Catering: Chez Hay Harpist: Heidi Beran

One word: LOVE. Bon voyage!