Mindy + Kyler = Married

Kyler & Mindy were married at the First Presbyterian Church in St. Joseph, Missouri and held their reception at Stoney Creek Inn.

I first met Mindy & Kyler last fall and did their engagement session when it was still chilly out in early spring. During all of our meetings and conversations a feeling of sheer excitement jumped out at me from them. They are such a sweet couple and wore their emotions on their sleeves. They couldn't wait to be husband & wife.

The wedding day was just perfect, sunny & warm, and after such a wet spring this was no small miracle. When it came time for their first meeting on their wedding day, I sent Kyler out into the courtyard of the church. Mindy was putting on the finishing touches inside. Both were bundles of nerves in anticipation of seeing each other, which led to laughter & tears and gasps of relief & excitement when they were finally face to face. I thought Kyler might just pass out! I don't think I've ever witnessed such an emotional first meeting! It was truly beautiful and a wonderful beginning of the rest of their lives together.

Mindy & Kyler, congratulations & all the best for many years to come. Enjoy your sneak peek!

Mindy checking her veil before going out to see Kyler for their First Meeting

The Emotional First Meeting

Gorgeous flowers by Landers Flowers in Savannah, MO
Love the balcony at this church

I love this moment of tears between Mindy and one of her bridesmaids.
A romantic first dance
Cake by Lauren Baker, and I just love that her last name is Baker.

Trent + Sarah Mollus's Wedding

On Saturday, June 28 I had the joy of covering Sarah & Trent's gorgeous & romantic day in St. Joseph, MO at the prettiest church, the First Presbyterian Church. Their reception followed at the Moila Shrine Temple. These two are so in love and happy happy happy!! After their great engagement session in March I knew their wedding would be so wonderful to shoot. They smile and laugh so much that they are just a joy to be around. And Trent and his guys had me cracking up during their group session outside. I still have more editing to do but thought this group of shots would be a good "tide-you-over" for everyone until I get the rest finished up. Enjoy & congrats, Trent & Sarah!!

Trent bundled up all the letters Sarah had ever written him and presented them to her in a book on their wedding day. Awww!!

This shot on the spiral stairs reminded me of Cinderella's slipper. Only Sarah had these great turquoise shoes!
Another shot of the fab shoes on glass. Sarah's dress was so pretty & fluffy The girls' shoes
Showing off & doing a little dance for Mom & Dad

I loved the details Sarah chose for her bridesmaids' dresses.
The sweetest smelling flowers ever!
The gorgeous bride!

Trent's boutonniere
Waiting til it's time to walk down the aisle, Sarah perched herself on a stool & I caught this cute pose.
We had time for a really fun session after their 1st meeting outside in the courtyard.

The marriage license was signed during the ceremony for all to witness. I love their clasped hands & burning candle in this shot.
Their pastor signs the certificate

Trent & Sarah are such a fun & thoughtful couple that they treated their guests to PIZZA at their reception. Something everyone was sure to love. Yumm!

FAQ's

Here are some answers to questions I get asked often:

Q: When is the best time to take pictures?
A: This is a double answer question.

For the best lighting: For weddings and portraits the best time is early evening, the hour just before the sun sets. This changes of course depending on the time of year but the light is golden and most flattering at this time.

For babies & little ones: It all depends on what time of day they are at their best--often early morning is a less-cranky time for the wee ones, but don't wait till right before a morning nap unless it's a newborn or very small infant where you don't mind them sleeping through the session.

Q: Does a portrait session really take an hour or can we be done before that?
A: Yes, a portrait session really does take an hour--at least. It is easy to run over a little and usually it takes the first 15 minutes just to get loosened up & get in the groove. You will get the best portraits the longer we spend, so don't rush it! Just go with the flow and relax. Spending more time allows for more location changes around the park or wherever we are having the session; different scenes & poses offer more to choose from later because I'm allowed more time to shoot creatively--and this is why you are booking me, right? ;o) Taking the full hour also allows me to capture more candid moments. This is really important where kids are involved.

Q: How long do pictures before and after the wedding ceremony take? How much time should we allow?
A: This depends on if you are seeing each other before the ceremony or not. Events go much faster if you do see each other beforehand and it can be equally as romantic to have a "1st meeting" with just the two of you & me there to photograph it. It also prevents the guests from having to wait for you to arrive at the reception. But, this is really your decision and can be worked with either way.

As a guideline, it's best to allow 20 min for each side (girls & guys) & a half hour for the whole wedding party, parents & grandparents. We can always take full family group shots at the reception or other pics with important guests later so as not to hold up the reception too long.

The portraits with the bride and groom are the most important however so it's best to allow 45 minutes for these. And you can see why it's great to do this before the ceremony so you get your full time without feeling rushed. This is a really great session to budget time for because there probably won't be another time during your own wedding day when you can be alone together... at least not till you leave the reception. If you want to go to another location remember to allow time for traveling to & from.

Q: How do I book you for my wedding?
A: First let me say, "Congratulations on your engagement!" Second, you will need to contact me to find out if I'm still available for your date. If I am then we can schedule a consultation and talk about all your wedding plans, what you're looking for in a photographer and what collection is the best fit for you and your day. If you are not in the local KC Metro area or are unable to meet we can have a consultation over the phone and I can send additional samples & photos of my work & products via email. I require a $500 retainer and signed contract to reserve your date.

Q: When should I book for a portrait session?
A: Another two part answer: I book portrait sessions up to 4 weeks in advance but feel free to contact me before then to give me a heads up that you're planning on it. This way I can keep it tentatively scheduled and budget my time best, and remind you when the time gets closer to finalize a date and time. If you absolutely want to reserve a specific date farther in advance than 4 weeks (i.e. a relative coming from out-of-town or a special anniversary to be done on a specific day) I require a 50% retainer to hold the date.

2nd Part: Portraits are all done outdoors, on location, so spring through fall is the most popular time and slots fill up quickly. But doing portraits outdoors in the winter is not out of the question! Snow can be really fun! I also offer weekend appointments for more convenience.


Finally, if you think of any other questions please feel free to send them my way! Maybe I'll even add it to the next fabulous edition of FAQ's. :o)

1.12.2008 | Brenda + Mike's Ceremony

Last Saturday I was called upon to shoot this intimate ceremony for Brenda & Mike at the Loch Lloyd Country Club. They are having their reception in March and I can't wait to see them again for it. All their friends and family will be there to celebrate with them. They made me feel like a part of the family instantly so I know it will be a great time.

The ceremony was in the dining room in the gazebo which let in the cool evening light.

A simple and relaxed day. They were all so laid back.

Brenda's mother was there to witness this occasion, as well as the couple's 3 sons.
Ahh, the flames of love. ;o)

1.5.2008 | Meagan + Nathan's Wedding

A couple weekends ago I had the privilege of photographing Nathan & Meagan's wedding in Oak Grove, Missouri. What a way to start off the new year! It was a really nice day for the beginning of January and they are such a happy couple.

Good luck in your new life together, you two! Enjoy every minute of it!

Here are some of my favorites from their wintry day:

I love the expression on this little girl's face. She had this adorable smile every time she looked at Meagan.

The Gerber daisies added so much color to this winter day.

The sweetest thing: Nathan could not hold back his tears of joy.

A kiss outside the church.