I’m psyched!  This year I was recognized by Wedding Wire as part of the top 5% of Wedding Professionals nationwide.  Thank you to all the brides who left me amazing reviews and trusted me to photograph your weddings!!  I’m so lucky to have such great clients.

The WeddingWire Bride’s Choice Awards ™ recognizes the top local wedding professionals from the WeddingWire Network that demonstrate excellence in quality, service, responsiveness and professionalism. Unlike other awards in which winners are selected by the organization, the WeddingWire Bride’s Choice Awards™ are awarded solely based on the reviews from over 1.2 million newlyweds. Awards are determined by a combination of four factors: Overall rating (quality), total number of reviews (quantity), review performance from 2011 (recency), and consistency of reviews from year to year (consistency). This year’s recipients represent the top 5% of WeddingWire’s vendor community, across all service categories and all regions throughout the US and Canada.

It’s a new year.  It’s a good time to think about our goals and where we are headed, both personally and professionally.  It’s also a good time to be thankful for what we have.

Every year about this time I write down new business goals for myself.  But before I plan for the future, I first take a look back at the year I just wrapped up.  Taking a look back helps me figure out what goals I did achieve, what goals I surpassed, and what goals I have yet to accomplish.  And every time I take a look back, I am extremely grateful for all my amazing clients.  Because without them, I would not be able to achieve any goals at all.

I’d love to highlight ever family, child, and couple I’ve spent time with this past year.  I love them all!!  But that would make this post unbearably long, so I thought I’d recap the amazing couples who trusted me to capture their weddings in 2011.  Thank you all who invited me into your lives to photograph your memories!!  I am grateful.

2011 weddings…

Heather and Bryan‘s at Valley Garden Center in Phoenix

Irene and Jesse’s wedding at Bella Giardino in Phoneix

Cheryl and Doug’s wedding at home in Ahwatukee

Sara and John’s wedding at Tre Bella in Mesa

Robyn and Josh’s wedding at Reflections at the Buttes in Tucson

Theresa and Mark’s wedding at Sagauro Lake Ranch in Mesa

Sara and Jake’s wedding at The Rim Golf Club in Payson

Alyssa and Eric’s wedding at Reflections at the Buttes in Tucson

Erica and Peter’s wedding at The Stillwell House in Tucson

Norma and Adam’s wedding at Aldea in Phoenix

Norma and Adam celebrated their wedding on 11.11.11.   It was a beautiful, festive, and lively event and I couldn’t be happier for this super sweet couple.   I have tons more photos on the slideshow here… but below are just a few from their wedding.

Norma made a BEAUTIFUL bride!!  Adam, you’re one lucky man!!

Norma and Adam opted to do a First Look.  I’m so glad they did (I love it when couples decide to do this).  It allows for lots more time to get amazing photos AND I think it helps the bride and groom relax and enjoy a piece of the day before things get crazy.

Sarah from Fazzi Photography and Susan from A Dog’s Life Photography were working with me that day.  I don’t always have three shooters with me at weddings, but when I do, I love how the different perspectives of all the photographers really complete the experience of a First Look.

Below is Sarah’s perspective.

And my perspective.

And Susan’s perspective.

Right after a First Look, I like to go into the bride and groom portraits to keep the momentum going.

The ceremony was held at night and it was beautiful with all the twinkle lights!!

Their wedding was at Aldea here in Phoenix, Arizona.  Norma decked this location out with her amazing style and awesome decor.  She didn’t miss a thing.  Every detail was thought of.  I could probably do a blog post on just the decorations alone!!

The reception was kicked off with a fabulous mariachi band.  The dance floor was rockin most of the night.  Everyone was getting their groove on.  Adams ninety-one year old grandmother was probably the fiercest on the dance floor.  When she busted out her best moves to Billy Idol’s “White Wedding”, I decided she is the coolest grandma on the planet and I can only hope to have  her energy when I’m her age (if I’m blessed enough to get there).  She rocks!

Adam’s amazing grandma!

Norma and Adam, I hope you are enjoying your honeymoon!  Congratulations!!!

I couldn’t be happier that my last wedding of the season was with Erica and Peter.  They are the sweetest couple… so friendly, laid back, and gracious!!  I’m so happy for these two.  Below are some of their wedding photos, but you can view tons more on their slideshow here.

Sarah (from Fazzi Photographry) and Julia worked with me at this wedding (I love my team).  The day started capturing a few “getting ready” photos (Sarah took the pics of the guys).

Erica and Peter’s beautiful ceremony was at the Lutheran Church of the Foothills in Tucson, Arizona.   A favorite moment of mine was when the guests were arriving.  Erica’s sister played the viola and her friend played the piano while guests took their seats.  The music was so personal and gorgeous to listen to.

Sarah grabbed the photo of Erica and Peter walking down the aisle.  I love that shot!

After the ceremony, we headed over to the Stillwell House in Tuscon, Arizona.  The Stillwell House reminded me of New Orleans.  It is such an awesome historic location for a wedding reception, and even more awesome for taking photographs.  And the girls actually made their own bouquets.  I thought they turned out FABULOUS!!

Sarah took this one of the guys… super cool!

Aren’t Erica and Peter stunning?  I thought they both looked amazing!!

Below are three photos Sarah took of Erica and Peter.  I love how they turned out.

The center pieces were very personal to Erica.  Her mother grew all the cactuses and her father cut all the wood bits.  I love that her parents helped create her decor.  I also loved that she stepped outside of tradition, and opted for a desert table instead of wedding cake.  It looked like there was some yummy cheesecake there!!  (The following detail shots are a mix of both mine and Sarah’s photos).

Erica and Peter… thank you for asking me to document your wedding day!!  I had a wonderful time.  Congratulations!!

The other weekend I had the pleasure of photographing Alyssa and Eric’s wedding in Tucson, Arizona.  Alyssa has been diligently planning her wedding for a while now.  I know she poured her heart into the event, and she worked hard to make sure everything was organized and beautiful.  I was so excited to see all of her energy manifest into a gorgeous event.  Alyssa and Eric are such sweet people, so I was thrilled their day turned out so perfect.

Below are some photographs of their wedding.  But you can view lots more on their slideshow here.

Sarah, from Fazzi Photography, was second shooting with me this day.  We both arrived at the Hilton El Conquistador in Tucson, Arizona where Alyssa and the rest of the girls were getting ready.  I love photographing this part of the day.  Everything is so girly and the energy is always so exciting.  I thought Alyssa glowed with gorgeousness!

Sarah grabbed these two photos of Alyssa, and I’m pretty sure they are my favs of the morning.  Isn’t Alyssa stunning?  I also asked Sarah to snap some photos of the shoes and jewelry… I loved what she came up with!

The ceremony was at St. Odilia Catholic Church.  It was a beautiful event, full of tradition, God, and love.

I love this moment when Alyssa’s father gives her hand to Eric.  It choked me up and I had to fight back the tears.

Sarah’s photo is on the left with her new wide angle lens… love it!

After the ceremony, we met up at the Reflections at the Buttes for photographs.

Alyssa and Eric have the best group of family and friends… so much fun with this crowd!

Sarah snagged this pic of the guys, and it totally cracks me up.  Too funny!!

I love Reflections at the Buttes.  The grounds are gorgeous, the staff are all amazing, and their receptions are always well executed.  I was happy to hear Alyssa was having her reception here.  My two favorite moments of the evening was the cake smashing (I don’t think Alyssa knew about this… which made it even funnier/sweeter), and the mariachi band, Luz de Luna.   These musicians are dah-bomb!!!  I LOVED them!!

Alyssa and Eric, congratulations!! I wish you both the best and loads of love!!

Project Bride featured one of my weddings today on their website!  Stephanie and Matt are a beautiful couple, and I had an awesome time photographing their wedding last December.  These two are some of the nicest people on earth… so I’m happy their photographs were recognized.  Whoohoo!

I’ve known Sara for a while now.  So when she asked me to photograph her wedding I was super excited.  She’s such a nice person, fun to hang out with, and so easy going.  Working with her has been so much for for me!

Sara and Jake’s wedding was the other weekend at the Rim Golf Club in Payson, Arizona.  It was a beautiful day, in a gorgeous location, and they had all their friends and family in attendance.  I was so happy for them and thought their wedding was perfect.  I felt lucky to have the opportunity to document all the amazingness of their big day.  Please take a moment to check out more of the picture slideshow here.

The day started with the girls getting ready at The Rim.  Jen Haldeman from Jo’ Paris Salon and Spa did Sara’s hair and makeup, which turned out amazing!

I LOVE photographing all the details before a wedding.  Sara’s dress, shoes, and jewelry were so pretty!

Her bridesmaids wore black dresses, with red Steve Madden shoes (which were sooooo hot!), and the sweetest red flower hair accents.  I thought the look came together in a modern, beautiful, and unique way.

And the final results of the ladies?   Stunning!!

Sarah from Fazzi Photography took some awesome shots of Jake while I was with the girls…

A few shots of the beautiful ceremony…

Sara and Jake make such a gorgeous couple!!!

Below are a few fun shots we took after the ceremony.  The bridal party was awesome to work with!

The reception was rockin!  Sara and Jake know how to throw a party.  I had so much fun!!

I’m going to close with these last two photographs.  I love them.  The first picture is of Sara’s grandparents, who have been married for over 50 years.  And the last one is of Sara and Jake (obviously).  But I think it is cool to have these pictures side by side… two couples, one just starting off their marriage and one who have walked a long journey together.  Two couples who love each other, who dance together, and who hold on to each other.  I just really love the beauty of these moments.

Sara and Jake, congratulations!!  You are both beautiful people and I am so happy I was there to photograph your wedding!!!  Thank you!

I’ve known Theresa for a long time… probably at least 5 years.  So when I heard she was engaged, I was truly happy for her.  And when she asked me to photograph her wedding, I was honored to be a part of this big day in her life.  When she told me about her wedding plans, I got super excited because I knew this event would have tons of details and moments that were meant for me to photograph.  I couldn’t wait!

Theresa and Mark’s wedding was at Sagauro Lake Ranch in Mesa, Arizona.  Knowing that these two love the outdoors, I felt this place was the perfect location for their wedding celebration.  Sagauro has so many unique places to photograph.  Everywhere you turn is stunning, and the good energy that flows through this location is so refreshing.

Theresa’s theme was simple… she used wild flowers, daisies, and other natural and vintage details to complement the already amazing venue.  She chose orange and green as her colors… the perfect combo to pop off the gorgeous landscape.  Loved, loved, loved it all!!  To see more of their photos, you can view their slideshow here.

The start of the day was in the girl’s cabin, where the ladies hung out and got dressed.  Theresa was the most laid back bride I’ve ever worked with… not one worry with this girl!!  Theresa chilled while sipping on a refreshment as she got dolled up for her big day…

Mark’s cufflinks were super cool.  I’ve never seen anything like these before.   The next photo of Mark was taken by Sarah, from Fazzi Photography.  She hung out with the guys while I was with the girls.

I loved that Theresa and Mark decided to do a First Look (Sarah’s perspective on the left, mine on the right).  It is one of my favorite parts of the day… and makes for a nice starting place before transitioning into the bridal portraits.

When you have a bride and groom willing to do this, you’ve hit the jackpot.  I LOVED that they were so open and fun and crazy.

The next two photos were taken by Sarah.  I love them.

Theresa and Mark were so easy to photograph.  They just played along, had fun, enjoyed each other and the entire experience.

Some of my favorite photos of Theresa (Sarah’s photo is on the right, mine on the left).

Julia Romano is my new assistant that sometimes comes with us to weddings.  She gets the most fantastic moments while Sarah and I are shooting more direct photographs.  She’s provides an added dimension to the wedding photographs.  I love these next two she took.

There ceremony was simple and perfect.  I loved the black and white Sarah snapped.

While I was taking this photo…

Sarah grabbed this one.

Some of the awesome reception details…

One of my favorite parts of a reception is the toasts.  So many people spoke at Theresa and Mark’s wedding… it was fun and heartwarming hearing the stories, perspective, and love shared by everyone.

What I was surprised about… Theresa and Mark can boogie down!!  Seriously… they were tearing it up on the dance floor.

One of the coolest parts of the night?  Mark’s band putting on a sweet rock concert for everyone.  This party was a blast!

Congrats Theresa and Mark!!   Love ya!!

I’ve been looking forward to this wedding for a long time.  Robyn and Josh are funny, laid back, love to have fun, and so easy to be around.  And Robyn has this amazing creative vision, so I knew their wedding was going to be pure awesomeness.

Robyn and Josh got married last weekend at Reflections at the Buttes in Tucson, Arizona.  It’s a beautiful venue and the perfect backdrop for Robyn and Josh’s wedding.  Robyn chose to go with a “springtime wine” theme.  She had bright happy colors and flowers throughout, and touches of wine motifs in all the right spots.  It was such a cool combo and perfect vibe for this couple.  And I hope the photos below communicate the good energy of the day.   If you’d like to see more of their wedding photos, you can view their slideshow here.

The day started at Circa 79 Salon, where the girls got dolled up for the big day.  Then we moved to Reflections to finish the final “getting ready” touches.

Below are a few of the photographs Sarah, from Fazzi Photography, took of the guys.  The guys are hilarious… I was cracking up going through Sarah’s images.  Thanks Sarah for capturing these guys so authentically!

The wedding ceremony was beautiful.  I thought every moment was perfect.

This next photo is one of my favorites!

I think these next set of photos shows off how fun this couple is.  I seriously had a blast photographing them, their friends, and family.  They were a rockin’ crowd!

Josh and Robyn are such a gorgeous couple… I love these set of photos.

The photo on the right was captured by Sarah.

Below are just a few of the details of the wedding…  such a fun theme, right?  I loved it!

Robyn and Josh have a close group of friends…  they seem more like family than friends.  I loved watching them celebrate this wedding with their friends and family by their side.  Having all that love in one room is one of my favorite things about photographing weddings.

All the guests at this party knew how to have fun, love, laugh, and boogy down.  Even the kids knew how to have a blast.   The reception was a seriously fun party, and the energy was flowing all night long.

Congrats Robyn and Josh!!!  You guys are awesome!!

I recently had my work displayed on DIY Bride.   I’m totally stoked!   DIY Bride chose to show off some of Heather and Bryan’s wedding photos…. which are some of my all time favorites!  Heather and Bryan’s wedding was so beautiful, so I’m happy DIY Bride shared the images with others.

A few weeks ago, my client’s wedding album arrived at my door.  I was so excited to see it!  It’s always nice to see my images printed and bound in a beautiful album.

This album is is from the Sequoia line that Pictage offers their photographers.  I love this book!!  And the images are from Karina and Alex’s wedding back in December at the Villa Siena in Gilbert, Arizona.  It was a beautiful day, and I think this album was a perfect way to wrap up all their memories.

I felt like it was so easy to get to know Sara and John.  They have such a raw honesty in their energy, so it feels like I’ve known them for years.  Speaking of energy, these two have more than enough for an army.  It’s amazing to watch them together.  They are almost like one person, working in sync with enough power to take over the world (in a good way).  So I couldn’t wait to photograph their wedding, because I knew it was going to be full of amazing and wild moments!

Sara and John got married at Tre Bella in Mesa, Arizona.  I felt like they picked the perfect venue to represent who they are… urban, wild, fun, vibrant, full of energy, modern… everything about their wedding day matched this couple.  To see more of their wedding photos, you can view their slideshow here.

The day started with Sara getting ready… I thought she looked beautiful!

John and the guys got ready in the “man cave”.  Sarah from Fazzi Photography took the photos of John below and the ring shot…

I love it when a bride and groom choose to do a first look.  It is also a wonderful, private moment for the couple… one of the only ones they’ll get that day.   And it also sets a great mood for their portraits.   In this particular case, I especially loved the urban vibe we got with the photos.

(The middle photo of their first look is from Sarah’s perspective).

Below is a shot Sarah got… I love it!

The ceremony was indoors, and it was a very beautiful part of the day.

One of the things I like about Tre Bella is all the dramatic lighting.  I thought the reception looked amazing.  I loved Sara’s cake too!

There was plenty of dancing going on.  I love the one below of Sara’s mom.   But my favorites are the choreographed first dance that Sara and John did.  They totally killed it!!!

Congrats Sara and John!!!  You guys rock!!

Venue:  Tre Bella

Makeup: Veronica Lee and Michelle Lynn (email me if you’d like her contact info)

Hair:  Casey Hill

I don’t usually tell stories of how my wedding clients meet each other.  I always ask them, but I rarely post it on my blog.  Mostly because I’m worried I will mess up the story and not tell it correctly.  But I’m taking that risk today because I absolutely LOVE how Cheryl and Doug got together.

Cheryl and Doug have known each other for a long time.  In fact, they went to high school prom together!!!  But I don’t think either of them knew back then they would get married one day.  After high school, the years went on and they lost touch with one another.  But I’m sure they thought of each other from time to time and wondered how the other was doing.  But it wasn’t until many years later when Doug’s high school reunion was being planned, that Cheryl decided to give him a call out of the blue.  They spoke for hours, and only hung up the phone because Doug had to leave for work.  The spark was reunited, and what followed was lots of phone conversations and traveling back and forth for visits between California and Arizona.  It didn’t take long for Doug to relocate to Phoenix permanently.  And now… well, they are married!

I don’t tell their story as good as they do… but the reason I decided to share it is because it inspires me.  It reminds me that there’s something greater at work in the world.  There’s something bigger than ourselves out there pulling us in directions that are meaningful.  Life can be so beautiful and magical, and Doug and Cheryl are walking examples of that.  I’m so grateful I had the opportunity to meet them, to photograph their wedding, and be a witness to something so special.

Cheryl and Doug’s wedding was simply perfect and took place in their home, with their friends and family in attendance.  It was an intimate, fun, and beautiful evening.

Congrats Cheryl and Doug!!!  I’m truly happy for you both.

Below is their high school prom picture!!!

I love meeting brides who feel like a friend.  Irene had that vibe the first time I met her…  she’s laid back, honest, and upbeat.   She’s the type of person you just want to hang out with because you know you’ll have a good time.   I loved working with her!

Jesse (such a sweetheart of a guy!) and Irene got married at Bella Giardino in Phoenix, and it was a beautiful backdrop for their wedding day.  Photographing their wedding was a ton of fun!!!  Below are a few of pictures of their big day, and you can view tons more in their slideshow here.

Congratulations Irene and Jesse!!

While I photographed the girls, Sarah Shaw photographed the guys (the photo of Jesse below is hers).  We had a tricky timeline, so Sarah also took some amazing cake and ring shots for me.  You can see those in the slideshow.  I also had a new assistant working with me, Juila Romano.   Thanks girls for the amazing help!!

Heather and Bryan are everything you’d want in a bride and groom.  They are gracious, kind, and sooooo in love!  They share the kind of love that only exists in the movies or romance novels.  When I first met them, my heart melted every time Bryan looked at Heather.  His eyes would soften around the corners, and his smile transformed into pure kindness and respect for Heather.  And when Heather looked back at Bryan, she glowed… seriously glowed.  I’m pretty sure everyone who sat around us in the coffee shop that day could see the light radiating from this girl.  I knew at that first meeting these two were meant for each other.

Their wedding day was more beautiful than I could have imagined.  As the day unfolded, my heart continued to melt as I witnessed a coming together of their amazing family and friends, all in celebration of love, God, and the union of Heather and Bryan.  The day was a perfect manifestation of their love.

Heather and Bryan got married at the Valley Garden Center in Phoenix.  They stayed true to the garden theme in every thoughtful detail, and I thought it all came together perfectly.  Everything had a gorgeous organic vibe… right up my alley!  It was the perfect setting.   I hope some of the photos below communicate some of the awesomeness of their wedding day.  If you’d like to view more pictures, please visit their slideshow here.

And please see the vendor list at the end of this post… lots of talented people came together for this wedding.

Sarah Shaw was my second photographer for this wedding.  She was with the guys earlier in the day, and captured these next two photos of Bryan getting ready.  I love the light and overall vibe in these two pics.

Heather and Bryan… you are so beautiful!!!  It was an honor photographing your wedding.  I pray for your continued happiness, love, marriage, and lifelong blessings.  Congratulations!!

List of Vendors:

Second Photographer was Sarah Shaw.

Venue was the Valley Garden Center in Phoenix.

Flowers were done by Heather’s amazing bridesmaids!

The cupcake / cake was by Candie’s Sweets. (contact me for her number)

The gorgeous makeup was by Kerianne Drawdy. (contact me for her number)

The beautiful hair by Estevan.

The rockin DJ was Marc Anthony.

Yummy food by Bamboo House (on 502 E. Thunderbird Rd).

In a recent post, I mentioned that I’m going to focus my business this year on children (6 months – teenagers) and weddings only.  I mentioned that one of the reasons I love photography is because I like to capture honest moments.  Well, children are always truthful…  so it makes sense that I enjoy photographing them.  But weddings fall into this same category.  Wedding days are full of so many raw emotions and honest moments.  It’s that constant honest thread throughout the day that keeps me passionate and excited to photograph weddings.

Below are some of my favorite photos from 2010.  They are in no particular order…  all these couples are fabulous and I loved working with them all!

Dixye and Jason’s Phoenix wedding:

Stephanie and Matt’s Tucson wedding:

Brooke and Kirk’s Tucson wedding:

Janelle and John’s Sedona wedding:

Karina and Alex’s Gilbert wedding:

Nicole and Sonny’s Phoenix wedding:

Genie and Jarod’s Mesa wedding:

Heather and Shane’s Phoenix wedding:

Stacey and John’s Mesa wedding:

WeddingLenox
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When I did Stephanie and Matthew’s engagement session, I gushed about how amazing these two people were.  I probably got a bit carried away because I am only the photographer… but they really are that amazing.

So I was super excited for their wedding day to arrive.  They got married in Tucson, and I knew their wedding was going to be filled with love and beauty.  But I wasn’t expecting to get choked up as many times as I did throughout the day.  As the day unfolded, I encountered one moment after another of so many beautiful family exchanges.  Hugs, tears, laughter…   faces that were proud, faces that were emotional, faces that were filled with love.  I realized why Stephanie and Matthew were so remarkable.  Because of their family.  They have an amazing foundation to build from.

By the end of the night, I was rethinking my entire life.  The big stuff…  love, marriage, kids, career.   I was moved that deeply by this wedding.

I know Matthew and Stephanie can do anything they put their minds to.  They’ve already proved that with the amazing acomplishments they’ve achieved.  But now knowing their family a little better, I know they will reach places that only few of us dream about.

If you’d like to see more of their wedding photos, you can visit their slideshow here.

I also did a second slideshow for their Funny Booth, which you can view here.

*

Before I get to the photos, I want to give my usual shout outs to the amazing people I worked with…

My fab second shooter… Sarah Shaw….  Thanks girl!

Hair and makeup was by Khara Williams.  Every girl turned out gorgeous!

The beautiful flowers were by In Full Bloom Weddings.

Angel and Litza from E-Motions Video did the videography.  They were fantastic to work with!!

The reception and “getting ready” moments were at Reflections at the Buttes in Tucson.  I have a few more weddings here in 2011, and I’m so excited because this place is beautiful.

The ceremony took place at St. Philip’s.  This church is stunning!!

OK…  on to the pics!

Stephanie has impeccable taste.  I loved every detail…  from her dress to her shoes.

Seriously…  are we all drooling now?  Drop. Dead. GORGEOUS!!

The ever so handsome Matt…  he looked fabulous.

The next shot is one Sarah took.  I love it!

The reception was awesome.  Stephanie’s mother, Kathy, did so much work for this party (and her awesome girlfriends helped too).  She thought of every detail… right down to supplying flip flops for every girl in attendance so they could dance comfortably.  Now that is some serious love!!  Kathy… you rock!

The Funny Booth was a big hit, and all the guests were so fantastic for getting involved and having fun with it.  Thanks all!!  You can view more Funny Booth photos here.

Stephanie and Matt… you are both so special and beautiful.  Thank you for allowing me to be a part of your wedding.  Congratulations!!!

Life is like a roller coaster ride, and we all want someone to hang on to for the ups and downs.  Someone to share the good times, support us through the hard times, lift us up through the sad times, laugh with us through the fun times, and love us all the time.  This is what I love about Alex and Karina.  They hang on tight to one another as they ride Life’s roller coast.  Together, they are ready for whatever life brings them…  they’re unstoppable.

I met Alex and Karina over a year ago.  I believe it was October of 2010.  I remember thinking, “their wedding is never going to get here!”   Well, December 3, ,2011, eventually made it’s debut, but looking back I’m glad it took a while to get here.  That time allowed me to really get to know these two.  By the time their wedding arrived, I had an extra emotional investment in their success as a couple.  I’m grateful for the time I’ve spent with these amazing people this past year, and I’m honored I had the opportunity to document their wedding day.

Alex and Karina waited a long time for their wedding to arrive.  And I believe that old saying is true… good things come to those who wait.  This wedding was perfect and definitely worth waiting for.  If you’d like to view lots more of their photographs, you can visit their slideshow here.

Before we get to the photos on the blog, I’d like to give a few plugs to the great folks I worked with.

Their wedding took place at the Villa Siena in Gilbert, Arizona.  It was so special photographing their.  The venue is gorgeous!

Jen Bernhardt did makeup, and I think she is brilliant.  Everyone looked stunning!

Juan Murillo from SKM Entertainment was the DJ.  He was fantastic to work with and kept the party going.

And last, but definitely NOT least, Sarah Shaw (my right hand gal), was the second shooter on this wedding.  She’s amazing!

Let’s get to those pics!!

Karina added a special touch to her flowers.  She attached a photograph of her grandfather.  My heart melted when I saw this.  I envisioned him holding her hand through the entire day.

I absolutely LOVE it when my clients choose to do a First Look before the ceremony.  I know it breaks tradition, but it has so many benefits…  and heck, I say make new traditions!  By choosing a First Look, there’s less stress on everyone.  Also, the couple is almost always able to enjoy cocktail hour instead of taking photos.  But my favorite part of the First Look is the private moment the couple gets.  This is the only time of day they have for just the two of them, and I think that privacy is important.  It also allows for more emotions to flow because no one is watching… and that always makes for better pics!

Sarah’s perspective…

My perspective…

And because we did the First Look, we get more time to get photographs like these…

One that Sarah took…  I love the light in this photo…

A few of the ceremony…

Photographing at the Villa Siena is like visiting a castle.  It is stunning, and their ballroom is gorgeous.  On each table, one would fint the glow of candles or a beautiful arrangement of tulips.  I liked the mix of flowers and candle light… it created a softness to the room.

Karina’s sequined Coach “All Star” sneakers were super cool… and of course, perfect for dancing in!

And what would a grand wedding be without a grand exit?

Congratulations Karina and Alex!!!

My dear friend Dixye got married the other weekend.  Actually, she got married on 10.10.10.   I’ve known Dixye for a few years now, and I was very happy to document her wedding day.  I knew she would make a gorgeous bride, and she did not disappoint!

The day was classic, simple, and perfect.  The event took place at her friend’s gorgeous home.  The day started with Dixye and her mother getting ready and sharing “girl time” together.  I loved that Dixye and her mom were the only two women getting ready that day.  That alone time made it very special for the two of them.  As the girls primped, the guys watched football and snacked on food and the house buzzed with laughter.  As the day unfolded, a beautiful gathering of family filled the back yard and they prepared to witnessed Dixye and Jason’s union.   It was a lovely day.

One of the things that stood out to me during the day was the actual ceremony.  Pastor Charles Johnson and Renea Johnson, from the Victory Community Church, married Dixye and Jason.  I’m sure they’ve done thousands of weddings… but they delivered each word as if it was their first time.  I believe Pastor Charles Johnson would never marry anyone he didn’t believe in.  I felt the passion he had for God.  The passion he had for life.  And the passion he had for the commitment Dixye and Jason were making.  It was a remarkable ceremony, and I was elated Dixye and Jason had so much family, faith, God, and love surrounding them.

The celebrations were continued at Bloom, where everyone gathered for delicious food and cake.  It was seriously yummy!!

To see more of Dixye and Jason’s wedding, you can view their slideshow here:

I’ve been waiting for John and Janelle’s wedding since the day I met them.  I knew it was going to be a classy affair.  I knew it was going to be beautiful with the Sedona mountains as the natural backdrop.  I knew that John and Janelle were going to be gorgeous and full of love.  What I didn’t know is that their wedding day was going to surpass my already high expectations (a hard thing to do by the way).  Yes, their wedding was definitely worth waiting for.  To see all the amazingness of the day, you can visit their slideshow here.

A few nods to everyone who helped make this day so pretty…

The ceremony and reception took place at the Poco Diablo Resort in Sedona, Arizona.

The beautiful hair was created by Heather Tomasek, with Head First Hair Designs.

Flowers by Mountain High Flowers.

And my amazing second photographer, Sarah Shaw… thank you, thank you!!

On to the photos…  starting with a few photos of Janelle getting the final makeup touches.

Sarah captured these next two black and whites of Janelle, and I just love them!

Janelle’s dress was stunning and perfect for her.  And I loved the special touch with the purple shoes.  So fun!!

And the result of all that primping?  Absolutely stunning perfection!

Janelle and her girls…  awesome group!!

A few shots of John that Sarah captured.  Looking good John!

A few shots of the ceremony…

This next shot is one of Sarah’s.  Love it!

Sedona has so many glorious colors and amazing nature everywhere.  It was such a treat to photograph this wedding.

A few shots of the kiddos that Sarah captured…

John’s father hand carved the doves on top of the cake and the gift/card box.  I was stunned at the care and detail that went into these pieces.  I actually thought the doves were stone because of how they were polished.  Absolutely amazing!

Some of my favorite shots from the dance floor, starting with John and Janelle’s first dance.

Janelle and her father dancing…

My absolute favorite… another dance shot of Janelle and John later in the night…

OK… these last two shots aren’t the best, but probably the funniest for me and Sarah.  The guys grabbed us and twirled us around a few times on the dance floor.  I was definitely a bit embarrassed.  I’m not much of a dancer, especially when I’m not prepared.  But it was super funny and I had to share the pictures.

John and Janelle… you two are beautiful and I’m so happy for you!!  Congratulations!