Jessica & Will {Engagement}

Growing up, there was nothing better than waking up to a really dark and gloomy thunderstorm…but now? Well, nothing is worse than writing the “I am not cancelling your session…yet…but it isn't looking too good” email that I know every client dreads on the day of their photo session! Lucky for Jessica and Will, one hour after the dreaded bad email was sent, the skies cleared and the sun graced us with warmth, light, and the go ahead on shooting their engagement session. 

What I love most about Jessica is the way she laughs…but not just that, I love that she laughs at pretty much everything! With a vibrant spark for life, Jessica knows exactly what she wants and plans for success. Most come naturally to her since she is a teacher here in Leon County…I can imagine that her classroom is efficient and full of fun! At our consultation, we talked about what to wear and locations for her engagement session and she took the ideas and ran with them. I loved how the final product was perfect: classic and colorful!

Will, quiet and observant, knows exactly what to say to make Jessica glow with happiness and love.  Willing to do whatever takes to get the job done, he stepped up his game and rocked it with Jessica for their engagement session. Like most guys, this wasn't his thing, but knowing how much it meant to his finance he was going to have a great time with it because that’s what you do when you're in love!

Jessica & Will, I am so happy for you both and know that you guys will keep laughing together for the rest of your life! Your summer wedding at Honey Lake Plantation is going to be absolutely amazing and I cannot wait to be there to document the day from start to finish for you guys.

Stephanie & Whitney {Sisters}

I haven't seen Stephanie in close to 12 years but she was the same girl I remembered from high school: outgoing, funny, and full of life! The weekend before Christmas, Stephanie drove in from Jacksonville and her sister flew in from Chicago to spend the holidays with family. As planned, they met up with me at the FSU Stadium for their session...the resulting images would be a Christmas surprise for their dad who is a die hard Seminoles fan. I know he is so proud of his daughters (Stephanie is a lawyer & Whitney is an interior designer) and will have loved their candid and spontaneous pictures that captured exactly who they are!

Darla & Thomas {Wedding}

When I first met Darla and her mother, Mrs. Henderson, they explained how they are the kinda of people who see a vision and bring it to life themselves. I gotta hand it to them, they did not disappoint. Since Darla and Thomas have been featured on the blog twice before for their ENGAGEMENT SESSION and BRIDAL SESSION, I am changing up the traditional format of the blog to showcase how their vision came to life for their wedding day....

This family bible below was also used in Darla's grandmother, mother, and brother's wedding. The pearls were given to Darla by her father just before her wedding day.

A shotgun shell held grass, twigs, and baby pine cones from their land. The shell that was used was from the last hunting trip Thomas's dad ever took before he passed away. Darla made this as a gift to Thomas where the picture of his father and grandmother was worn just above his heart.

The girl's flowers were inspired by Darla but provided by THE FRONT PORCH in Crawfordville. 

The morning of their wedding, Thomas and his groomsmen went hunting together...where Thomas shot a spike. All I know is that this is a lot of guns. Someone driving down Rose Street actually stopped, leaned out the window, snapped a picture, and drove off without once saying a word to us.

Ah, yes. There is a story to this...but you'd have to ask Thomas about it...Darla's mom had to step in and explain the joke to him...but boy was his face red!

After so many weddings I have finally learned how to find that moment before the ceremony where the bride takes a deep breath...and just breaths. This is it.

And after that moment, that second and a half moment to herself, she opens her eyes and smiles knowing that this is it. All of her prayers and wishes have come true. In minutes she will marry her best friend, her partner in life. Darla, you are the epitome of that moment in these two pictures and I adore it.

Thomas' mother was the sweetest thing during their first dance...she loves her son!

Darla's father transformed The Historical Sopchoppy Gymnasium into what Darla and her mother imagined it would be. The entire Gymnasium was covered from top to bottom with hundreds of Christmas lights and the gigantic glass windows were blacked out to further enhance the look. The walls were lined with handmade tree stands that held tall Birch Trees also covered in Christmas lights. It was as if you were in the middle of the woods, just barely able to see by the light of the stars. Unless I lit the room up with a flash...like I did when Darla's dad dipped her at the end of their dance!

Darla surprised Thomas with his grooms cake...and trust me, if you are lucky enough to have this woman design your wedding cake then you know that her cakes taste even better than they look. The guests were lining up to see Darla and Thomas's wedding cakes!

The picture below is of Darla's Man of Honor, her brother Bud, and his lovely wife Linda. The guest book table was lined with photographs of the couples grandparents who were not longer with them.

FROM THE HEART SOUND PRODUCTIONS (Yes, my parent's business!) provided DJ services by Ricky Ott himself. 

Oh Thomas! My question is, who has the other one?

I am not talking about the shoe either!