You don’t often see those words together do you? That’s because you typically never utter them in the same sentence. This morning I met a bride at the studio for her bridal session. As usual, we were walking in Downtown Waxahachie when this woman walked out of her car. With tears in her eyes she asked the bride, “are you getting married?” The bride said, “yes, in June”. The woman clutched the bride’s hands and placed two folded fifty dollar bills in them and told her, “take this – do something with it, live life to the fullest” . The bride, her mom and myself were all bewildered with this random act of kindness. She went on, “My son committed suicide last night and he never had the chance to get married. I want you to have it, and I want you to use it for something special.”

So you can imagine – three strangers to this woman holding each other in the middle of the street, comforting a woman who was mourning the loss of her son who had taken his own life just hours before meeting us. We did ask all the questions that are running through your head. Why are you alone? Do you need help? Can we call someone? She said, “I brought him into this world alone and I am going to make arrangements alone. I am going to dress my son up and make sure he is given a proper burial. As his mother I have to do that for him”

Live life to the fullest. We never know what tomorrow brings.
Be Good!

So…. as you know I spent New Years Eve photographing a Leigh and Ted’s wedding.  They celebrated the end of a decade and a very special beginning to a new one.  Their closest family and friends were there and everyone had a a great time.  A couple of memorable moments from that night.  Leigh being serenaded by Ted’s fraternity brothers.  Leigh dancing with her father, and my dinner that was catered by the Dove’s Nest .  Teresa Choate of At it’s Best Events and Courtney Keen-Flores of Villa Flora made sure the room was breath taking with a black and white linens and flowers and details of red popping through out the room.  It was the perfect decor for a New Years Eve Night.  DJ, Hector (not my husband by the same name) made sure everyone had a great time and counted down New Years to perfection.

You’ll see I posted some of Leigh’s bridal images above.  She was a classic and breath taking beauty in a beautiful silk gown.

Please enjoy the slideshow. Just press play.

The wedding day was just as I imagined it. A little crazy because of the Big Texas-OU game. The weather was perfectly pleasant.  The site was decorated to the nines. Take a look at all the attention to the details – it was truly a storybook wedding.  Candles and flowers were everywhere.  The ceremony started off with laughter when Chelsea forgot to walk down the aisle with her dad.  A voice from the back of the long hallway that she walked down yelled, “Chelsea honey! Did you forgot something?” .  Chelsea ran down the aisle and met her dad in the hallway.  After the unity candle lighting, Chelsea and Ronnie “shared their light” with everyone in the room.  Chelsea and Ronny began by lighting their parents candles and then they passed it around the room. Each guest held a lit candle.  The room glowed with beauty, pictures just can’t do it justice.

The reception was very simply put… A PARTY!!!  There was plenty of laughter and we all shed a few tears when her father made a very heartfelt and emotional toast.  You know its going to be a fun reception when the bride has her own dance named after her.  They announced an after-party on the hotel terrace and I stayed for a few.  I was already sworn to secrecy for many of the events that happened that night.  But whatever happened at the after-party..I imagine is staying at the after-party.

Just press play.

The bridal show yesterday was a great success.  Thanks to all of you who made it out and stopped by the Marie Q Booth.  I met so many nice brides, parents and few fiances.  We gave away little Bridal Survival Tins full of goodies you might need on your big  day.  They were a hit and went really quick.  A few brides snuck into a corner and took a peek at the tin’s contents.  They were looking for something in particular.  Something I didn’t think of.  After some thought, had I included it, I would have had to change the name to a honeymoon survival kit

We displayed three new albums this year.  One that is printed on a very cool fine art paper.  It has a water color feel to it.  And another photographer mentioned it smelled like an oil painting.  It is definitely very avant-garde.  The second was a new album printed on metallic with a very cool acrylic cover.  And the third was an Exclusive Loma Linda wedding album with photos from all my weddings photographed there this year.  We had our signature “Marie Q” sign in album that is always a hit.  If you are by the studio you have to stop and look at all of these.  

We had a great time and good turnout.  And the best part… we were able to make it home for the Cowboys game. A special thank you to Teresa Choate from At it’s Best Events and Courtney Flores from Villa Flora for their linens and floral contribution.  You two are the best!

Be Good!

The Waxahachie Bridal Extravaganza is going to be held this weekend on Sunday, the 20th, from noon to 5 pm.  Part of the process of getting ready for this show is finding “the bride” to be the face of Marie Q Weddings for the the show, for the ad, for the banner, etc.  Do you know how absolutely hard it is to pick one bride and one shot?  This year, I chose one of Laurel’s pictures at Loma Linda to represent the Marie Q Bride. I love this photo for many reasons, its tranquility, its beauty under the arbor of trees at Loma Linda, its solitude, its artistry, but most of all I think it’s a photo where any bride can  imagine herself here.

Laurel, thanks for being my Marie Q Girl.  Athough no one can see your face int his picture – everyone knows you are a beautiful inside and out.

Come visit us (Christi, Mike, my husband Hector, and me) at the Marie Q booth on Sunday.  I’ll have some giveaways, a show special, and lots of samples of work to go through.

Be Good!

With the bride’s permission, here are a couple of previews from her bridal session.

Be Good!

Be Good!

First a preview from Thursday.  I was so lucky to get this shot of the triplets.  It is their very best “sisters” photo.

After I wrapped up with their session – the countdown began.  This was the weekend of the open gallery and besides having company, preparing for the party,  doing catch up work and just life in general, we also had the bridal show to prepare for.  Albums were coming in at the last minute and I was tracking missing mats. Christi, my right hand, my friend, my angel, helped me with the clean up – it would have taken me forever alone.  Plus I’m allergic to cleaning.

The party was fun, and it was so nice to see everyone.  We had between 100-150 guests show up over the period of a few hours.  Hector, my husband, along with the help of my family cooked and arranged all the food for the event.  Everyone has been asking for recipes – so I guess the food was a hit!  It’s hard to believe that I have been at the studio for one year – thanks for keepingit alive!!

Then off to Sunday.  It was time for the bridal show.  Hector, Christi packed it up and set up while I stayed at the studio to do some last minute preparations.  Finally – I was ready.  We set up the booth and met with brides from all over Ellis County and beyond.

and a rare picture of Hector and I.

And today, what is typically my day off, has been spent catching up on everything.  Errands, proofing, designing, ordering.  I made up a session today from last week.  One year old Bennett had a photo session.  He had so many happy shots.  He is one of those that just beams.

Thanks to everyone for attending the party, for being pateient with me last week when it got really crazy.  Thanks to Hector, Christi, my family, and my favorite album company – who all went above and beyond the call of duty to help me.  You all are the best!!

All of my sessions today rescheduled for reasons like, “my patient is in labor” (that’s a good one!) and the weather.  It was still a good day though because I got my hands on the latest Living Magazine.  I don’t know how to write the words I felt today.

Last August when I opened the studio, Living Magazine was the first publication I wanted an ad in.  There were several reasons, but the main one was that I loved the look and feel of it.  Opening the studio was an expense I had not planned on, in fact it was a pretty spontaneous decision. Money became tight fast and there was so much I wanted.  It hurt to put that ad in the Bridal issue.  I gave up other needs for that half a page rectangle.  When Lauren delivered that issue in person, I scoured that edition.  I studied the cover, the other wedding vendors, the other photographers.  Part of me cringed to see all my competition in print right beside me, the other part was proud of a dream finally realized.  I secretly desired that cover. I secretly envied that photographer.  I secretly kept a lot of things to myself.  Two months later, I was shooting the Living Magazine Cover myself for the holiday edition.  It made me happy.  The next one… you guessed it, I photographed the cover.  A Christmas Tree and Front Door respectively.  Though proud, something inside was not satisfied.  I photograph babies, children, high school seniors, families, weddings.  My covers were a tree and a door. 

Fast forward to June and guess what I am thinking about???  The Bridal Show in September and that Bridal Issue of Living Magazine. There is dialogue in my head…………I WANT that cover.  I never say it out loud.  I have conversations with the publisher. I submit some photos.  I never ask because I don’t want to be publicly disappointed if another photographer gets the cover.  3:00 this afternoon Lauren stops by to personally deliver my magazine.  JUMPING UP AND DOWN,  SCREAMING INSIDE…. IT’S MY COVER!!!!  A bridal cake from the wedding I photographed at Loma Linda in the spring. Guys, it’s just a cake.  JUST A CAKE.  But it’s one I photographed at one of my weddings and stealing from BMW, it was a “WISH GRANTED”. So it was quite alright that someone decided to have a baby during my afternoon client’s day off.  And it didn’t bother me at all that it poured down buckets between 4 and 5 and I cancelled my 6:00 session, only to see the sunshine at dinner. 

That cover is MINE!!!

 My invite in the Bridal Edition of the Magazine.  Visit me at the Open Gallery on the 20th or the Bridal Show on the 21st.

Be Good!

This morning is my step back and when I look at the images from yesterdays sessions my heart smiles and I find the joy in what I do. So here is why my life is FABULOUS.   With one click of the shutter I forever capture the bond of parent and child.

Rachel and her mommy.  That scrunched nose and gummy smile melts me.

Gavin and his father sharing a moment at the studio.  His little toddler fingers remind me that he is no longer a baby, but net yet a boy.  At 14 months, I was fully expecting Gavin to do what so many other toddlers do…. walk away from me.  Instead it was a playful and fun loving Gavin that visited me.  See below.

And finally my evening Bridal session.  Jenny, Priscilla and Kate – did you ever think I was going to get to you?  When I previewed the images I found a beautiful grace about them.  I can not wait to photograph her wedding day.

With special permission from the owner of Chaska House, we took a series of shots on the porch and in the beautiful back yard.  The setting complimented the bride beautifully. 

And then obviously in the image below we are no longer at Chaska House but in my studio’s backyard – Downtown Waxahachie.  This was fun because I was able to take some beautiful traditional bridal images and play at the end.

I have a full day of work on my computer today.  Wishing all of you……

Caviar Dreams and Champagne Wishes.  Be Good!