Stephanie & Tony- ENGAGED

To me, surprises are the best thing in the world.  Surprise wedding vow renewals, surprise engagement parties, surprise birthday presents left at your front door.....love surprises.  So when Tony let me in on a little secret and asked me to photograph a surprise engagement party for his soon to be fiance' Stephanie, I jumped at the opportunity.  Tony had planned out their entire day; an early afternoon movie, a trip to the indoor ice skating rink to propose, and then a surprise engagement party full of their closest family and friends.  Sounds like one perfect day.  Streamers were handed out, Tony's sons stood guard at the window peeking through the blinds, and their closest family and friends waited anxiously for the newly engaged couple.  After a few false alarms, the server ran into the room and announced that they had arrived.  Everyone huddled on one side of the room giggling with streamers in hand, including the server who was frantically searching for his own streamer to celebrate with.  As the newly engaged couple walked into the room, everyone cheered.  Streamers flew up into the air and happy tears, love, and laughter filled the room.  One awesome and memorable surprise.  Congratulations to Stephanie and Tony and thank you for letting me be a part of your special day.

Congratulations you two!

Thinking of you...

My heart is very heavy today.  If you follow my blog you may remember my shoot with the lovely Laura.  She is so full of life and has the biggest heart in the world.  Well last week Laura's fiance' Dan tragically passed away and I cannot stop thinking about her.  If there is one thing I hate the most, it's my friends being in pain.  I just want to wrap my arms around her and hug her so tightly and make all of the pain go away, but I know it's not that easy.  Laura I am so sorry about Dan, he was taken too soon.  You are a strong woman and just know that Dan will always be shining down on you and will always be with you.  ♥

St. Louis Boudoir Photographer - Jamie

Hi there!  Okay, so just to get this out of the way.  If you at all get offended by boudoir photography, turn around and run away.  If you at all get offended when you walk through the underwear department at any department store, run away.  And finally, if you at all get offended when you go to a public swimming pool, a public beach, or get offended while watching Spring Break on MTV....run run run.  Why?  Because I am posting a boudoir session.  Is there nudity?  Nope...  You are not going to see anymore skin than you would see at any of the above places.  But again, if you get easily offended by gorgeous women in lace, sequins, leather boots, pearls, and red lipstick....DON'T READ beyond this point.  Okay?  Don't say I didn't warn you.  Yes I get that some people do not approve of this type of photography, but it doesn't bother me at all....in fact I LOVE it...and I would post it all day long if given the chance.  Got it?  FABULOUS!

So after all of that, I would like to start off by shouting out a huge THANK YOU to Jamie for letting me post her boudoir session.  It takes a big person to do that, and Jamie I am soooooo grateful for your decision!  THANK YOU!  Why did I want to post Jamie's session?  To all of you ladies out there who are on the fence about doing a boudoir session, this is for you.  You don't have to be naked, you don't have to show all the goods, and you don't have to only wear 80s looking lingerie.  If you want to do all of that, great!  More power to you!  But I wanted to take a more modern approach to boudoir photography.  If you do a boudoir session are your images going to be posted on my blog?  Heck to the no.  Absolutely not.  Only if permission is given will I post an image.  Jamie was game for anything which made my "job" easy, and styling this shoot was a blast. Skinny jeans, check!  Leather boots, check!  One gorgeous and modern boudoir session, check check!  Enjoy!

Jamie is absolutely stunning...hands down.....

Skinny jeans ans knee high boots....yup...

Old hollywood glam ish?...yup...LOVE....

I definitely sqeeeeed when I saw this one...gorgeous....

Can't go wrong with pearls ladies...

Jamie rocks a red lipstick like a pro....

Jamie could wear a garbage bag and look drop dead gorgeous...

Of course I would want to decorate that garbage bag in sequins.... :)

Love it....  And you'd never know that I was standing above Jamie with one hand against the ceiling knocking yucky popcorn ceiling crap all over the place...lol...Jamie is a trooper!

RAWR!.....

That was SO much fun and Jamie did an AH-mazing job!
Big shout out to Makeup Artist Monika Ruzicka for once again doing  FABULOUS job!

Jamie I hope you had fun listening to the Jackson 5 the entire session... :)

Okay ladies, now it's your turn. :)  You can do it!

About Me: Where was I born?

So why do I include personal info on my photog blog?  Because I can.... :)  And because I want clients to "hire me" because they like that I'm obsessed with red velvet cake and know I expect a piece of cake during their wedding reception.  :)  I can hold my camera with one hand and shove cake in my mouth with the other...mad skills.  So personal fact for the day?  Where I was born. 

I was born on Yokota Air Base in Tokyo, Japan.  The number one comment I get when I tell people this.... "You don't look Japanese"....yes, I know this.  My dad was in the Air Force.  My mom bopped around Yokota Air Base with me in her belly making several trips to the BX (Base Exchange) to enjoy her daily chili dog.  In my family photo album I have pictures of my parents opening Christmas presents not knowing that 2 days later they would be welcoming their only daughter and only child into their lives.  I was born at 5:30pm (dinner time....go figure) on December 27th, one month early.  I weighed 6 pounds 6 ounces (pretty good size for a premature baby), must have been all of those chili dogs.

What was it like growing up in Japan?  I wouldn't know...  We only lived there for a few more months and then moved back to the States....California to be exact.  When I was in my senior year of college I thought seriously about moving to Japan for a bit to teach English, but I do plan on going back one day for a visit.  I would love to see where I was born, take lots and lots of photos, and mingle with the people and experience the culture. 

Wanna know another cool personal fact?  I have a cousin who was also born at Yokota Air Base in the exact same hospital.  Cool?  I think so...  Hi Chris! :)  Just one of the perks of being a military brat.  And because a post is always better with a photo....

Quiche....  I know, random.  I'm posting this because I bought all the stuff to make a broccoli quiche but I haven't made it yet....and I need to.  And I'm hungry.

Mmmmmm Quiche...and this was the best quiche I have ever had...little cafe in Paris.  YUMMO!

Have a fabulous day! ♥

Happy Valentine's Day!

Just wanted to wish everyone a Happy Valentine's Day!

Have a fabulous day! ♥

Turquoise and Pink: Antique Pretty Things

So when I was in 4th grade I REALLY wanted a peach and turquoise room.  Well finally my senior year of high school my mom let me paint my room a dark turquoise/hunter green and my bedding was a peach and green patterned quilt.  Do these colors "technically" match?  No...  Do I care?  Obviously not... :)  I recently paid a visit to my favorite antique shop Keil's.  Some of you may already know this, but I am obsessed with antiques....especially dishes and chunky colored depression glass.  I just can't help myself.  But I picked up a few things and wanted to share.  Enjoy!

I love big chunky pitchers...

I have a yellow one just like it....

Squeeeee!...

It's sitting pretty between our Tiffany wedding toasting flutes...

I found this set of pink depression glass plates in the bargain basement. 

I am not a pink person, I'm a red person....but these plates are GORGEOUS! 

The pattern is so chunky and....chunky....LOVE.... :)

UH I can't handle it....how flippin gorgeous is that pattern?...

Some of you are probably like "It's a plate, get over it"

You get over it....okay.... :)

Obsessed...

My china cabinet is now overflowing with antique goodness....I have no more room!

So I guess I am just going to have to get another china cabinet....right?  RIGHT!

Have a fabulous weekend!

St. Louis Newborn Photographer - Isabelle

I recently had the amazing and exciting opportunity to photograph the adorable Isabelle and her lovely family.  Isabelle was only 5 days old during her very first photo shoot, and let me just tell you....she is a natural.  My husband and I are good friends with Amy and Adam, proud parents of Isabelle.  I have known Adam since college, had the privilege of watching Adam and Amy become husband and wife, and now watch them raise their beautiful daughter.  I'm not going to lie, I did get a little teary eyed during their session.  To see them so incredibly happy and so much in love is a great thing in my book.  I am so honored to share with you their beautiful daughter Isabelle.  Enjoy!

♥ The gorgeous Isabelle ♥

Little ladybug... :)

And those widdle hands...uh...melt...

One gorgeous momma.  Amy was glowing...

And one proud Dad...you're gorgeous too Adam... ;)

Okay this is the moment when I got teary eyed....

And then laughed when Adam was trying to figure out those tiny little buttons...

Melt...

One big happy family :)

(Their dog Glenda is SUCH a good girl...she also did a great job!)

Congratulations you two!  SOOOOO happy for you both!