This couple is getting married in March. We met just after Christmas so we didn’t have much time for an engagement session. Our first session date had a crazy cold weather forecast and we decided to reschedule (Think high of 32 degrees!!). One our second session date the temps were SUPPOSED to be 52 but the weatherman lied! It was COLD!!!!!! They were troopers though.  The groom is a local sheriff and worked the whole night before our session. He is such a nice guy and you can see how much he loves her. And she is drop dead gorgeous. It seems to come naturally too. They are so perfect for each other.

My favorite picture of the day is the first one below. We took a few in the greenhouse at the Birmingham Botanical Gardens and I was so excited when I saw the beautiful flowers in bloom. It is hard to beleive it is winter when you find some flowers in bloom. Isn’t it romantic??? (happy sigh…)

My most requested shot that I take for families and couples is what I call the “eyelash” shot. It is also one of my favorite pictures to take of my clients. And I want to share with you how it all started. The picture above is my first ever eyelash shot and it was by accident. This little guy was having a hard time warming up to me and was being shy. I was snapping away, trying different angles, and even taking pictures of him not looking to show him on the back of my camera. We did eventually get some shots of him looking at me but when I went home to process the session I absolutely fell in love with this shot. The mom did too and then the “eyelash” shot was born! I have learned some tricks at getting the right angle even with fast moving children and babies. I photographed another photographer’s family a little while ago and when she saw me take the shot of her child she exclaimed “THAT’S how you do it.” I love the challenge! But, not only moms love this shot. Couples and seniors love it too! So, it is now part of my routine in most sessions.

Why do I love it so much? As mom, I have held my children as they slept and gazed at thier eyelashes. It is view that I never want to forget. I know other moms feel the same way. And for couples, I love the eyelash shot because the couple must be sitting close together to capture the right angle and it looks so intimate without being too close. It makes women look so feminine and I love it!

This couple is from Texas and when they called to book us, they figured we wouldn’t have time for an engagement session since we are HOURS apart. But, we have done this before and I try to always schedule an engagement session even if it the day before. WHY? Because I don’t want the first time we take your pictures to be on your wedding day. I think it is so important that we have time to hang out, get to know each other, and it gives me a chance to see what poses work best for you, if someone is a blinker… and it also gives us a chance to talk about the wedding day!

We scheduled the engagement session for the day before the wedding. On the morning of the session, I called this couple to confirm timing and location and that is when I learned that their plans changed a little. The plan was for them to drive from Texas the day before and meet me the next day. BUT, when a close family member was admitted to the hospital, they needed to stay closer to home until the very last minute. Can you believe the couple looks this FABULOUS with only 30 minutes of sleep after driving straight from Texas all night?!? They were game for a session and I told them I could remove dark circles from under eyes if needed (I didn’t need to!).  We had a short engagement session with their puppies and then they were off to the rehearsal dinner with family and friends. So this weekend, they were my heroes. The engagement session with no sleep, the after session with crazy cold weather… and the wedding… well, more on that later. But, they took it all in stride and enjoyed the wedding weekend to the fullest!

I can not believe I haven’t blogged this wedding with you yet! The is our New Year’s Eve wedding at the Tutwiler. Since we started photographing a wedding, it has been a secret dream of mine to photograph a wedding at the famous hotel. A million years ago I had my senior prom at the Tutwiler and I have been in love every since. It is such a romantic place…. right in the heart of downtown, old classic elegance, high style decorations… LOVE IT! We scheduled in extra time for fabulous pictures and wow. wow. wow….. did I saw wow??? I really love that this is my job to hang out with awesome couple like this one and meet incredible families like this family! The night was filled with laughter and all the details were perfect. I think the New Year’s Eve weddings will hold a special place in my heart because you always remember what you are doing on New Years Eve!

I met this couple on New Year’s day. The groom was in town for a few days on break and the only day we could make our schedule work was New Year’s Day. You never know what the weather will hold in January in Birmingham but it was freezing. The couple was up for the challenge to look fabulous even in the frigid temps. And, boy, did they do a GREAT job! We started the session with a few of him in his uniform. I really love the picture with him in the back looking at her and she is looking off camera. Doesn’t it look like a movie? Happy sigh….

P.S. This couple came to me by gift certificate from the groom’s sister. What a great gift idea!! What a great sister!