I was excited to photograph this wedding just a few minutes into meeting Kristie and Mike for the first time! Their wedding seemed to be the perfect mix of classic elegance meets laid back party on the Colorado River! You might not think that those two could mix, but if you’ve ever visited the river then you know its entirely possible!
The wedding was at the BlueWater Resort and we couldn’t have asked for more perfect weather. The ceremony was held on the island with the river and Mohave Desert as a stunning backdrop. Kristie wore fabulous heels and walked down possibly the longest aisle ever. I couldn’t have walked five feet in them! The arch for the ceremony was made by Mike himself! It’s such a beautiful piece of art.I have to admit I’m a tad jealous of his mad welding skills.
The twinkly dance floor was packed for the entire night. Everyone seemed to have the moves, from the toddlers to the bride and groom’s grandparents.
Kristie and Mike still have a trash the dress session coming up and I have big plans for the both of them! I can’t wait to work with these two again very soon.
Congratulations Kristie and Mike, we had a blast at your wedding!
Had a great time with Hank and his family a couple weeks ago out on the Colorado River. They were visiting from Idaho (they have a vacation home in the area) and decided they wanted fun river portraits. The perfect senior photos are ones that reflect the interests of the teens I’m photographing. It’s such a hard life when they tell you they like to wake surf. Darn… I guess we’ll have to spend an evening on the boat with you.
Silly me forgot to bring a pair of shorts for this session and I ended up soaked in river water up to my thighs. The water is still a bit chilly for my tastes but it was totally worth it. We grabbed some great shots and I look forward to working with Hank and his family again this summer! Can’t wait!
John and I had a great time photographing Corey’s senior session a couple weeks ago! He mentioned that he wanted some photos with his dirt bike and I decided to run with it. We started out at Emerald Canyon Golf Course since Corey is an avid golfer as well, then hit the Arizona desert for some off roading photos. I’m so pleased with how these turned out and I’m glad Corey and his family thought it was just as cool to go off road a bit to an old mine for portraits. It was the perfect sunset for this session!
Graduation is coming up fast but there’s still time to book your high school senior session! I’d love to hear your ideas and incorporate your interests into the session. Making these so personal make them so much more meaningful in the long run… plus a heck of a lot of fun!
Thanks John for grabbing this. Sometimes you have to get a little dirty to get the shot!
One of my brides was featured on a wedding site today and it reminded me that it’s a story worth sharing.
Last summer, I did the Arizona Bridal Show at the Phoenix Convention Center, and as part of the show I gave away an engagement session hoping that it would go to the perfect couple. And it really did!
Kyrsten didn’t get back to me for months after the show, so I assumed her wedding had been called off or something. When she finally reached out to me, she told me that she had lost her little brother to suicide, which is heartbreaking. Her friends and family had come together to help her with her wedding because she had lost the heart for it, and she was calling because she wanted to schedule the engagement session.
We did the session just before Thanksgiving, and I loved her and her husband-to-be Jake. They’re such a delightful couple, fun, down-to-earth and great on camera.
Shortly after the session Kyrsten told me she wanted me to photograph her wedding, and asked how much it would be. She was putting together the wedding on a tight budget, with a rustic, indie feel to it, with her reception in a friend’s backyard. She was to walk herself down the aisle because she said nobody could replace her brother, who was going to do it. I knew I really wanted to be there – her and Jake are a great couple and I felt that we connected! – so I put together a package especially for them.
The wedding was beautiful, and the vibe among her friends and family was really, really nice. I love the photographs that came out of it so much that I’m now using some of them on my homepage. And it really shows how much can be accomplished on a shoestring! It was every bit as meaningful as the $100,000+ weddings I’ve photographed, and I could tell the guests all knew it.
The Budget Savvy Bride did a feature on Kyrsten and Jake’s wedding today, with an interview with Kyrsten where she gives advice on how to plan a beautiful wedding when every penny counts, so read it if you’re going to be planning one of your own!
I was touched to see how she answered this question: “What was your biggest splurge?” She replied: “The photographer. She is absolutely amazing! I don’t regret a single penny!”
Kyrsten is amazing too. I was so glad to be a part of her day.