If you’ve been thinking about doing a bridal session before your wedding day here’s a reason to do it! This styled bridal shoot was put together by the uber talent Sarah Vaughan Photography. We have all seen styled shoots before, however, Sarah took a very different approach to her styled shoot and I’m glad she did!

Sarah said, “The reason I did this was to show the value of having a bridal session. We had lots of time to shoot, with no pressure of a tight timeline and we were also able to pick the BEST time of day to get beautiful light for the photographs.”

Bridal sessions are commonly known as a Southern tradition where the bride does a portrait session in her full wedding day attire – hair, makeup, jewelry, veil, bouquet, and of course, the dress.  Most of the time a large portrait from the session is displayed at the reception (I’ve always seen them near the wedding cake).  In many cases the large photo is given as a gift to the Mother-of-the-Bride after the wedding, with smaller photos being given to the Father-of-the-Bride and the Groom, as well.

One BIG reason I believe every bride should do a bridal session is the opportunity for a trial run of the wedding day look.  It will give you enough time to make adjustments on your dress (maybe it was too big), or the shoes (maybe they gave you blisters), or the eye makeup was too intense, or hair kept falling in your eyes and annoying you, or the flowers didn’t hold up the way you thought they would. Its worth it in the end and your wedding day will fly by with all the extra time!

You can check out more of Sarah’s work by visiting her website and blog! You can also check out Amanda of Add Love, who created the gorgeous bouquet and hair piece.

From the photographer:

I love when I get to photograph a couple who are so perfect for each other that they fit together like two little puzzle pieces.  That’s exactly how Lindsey and Sean describe themselves and I think you can see it in their photos. 

I am hard pressed to figure out a better way to describe this particular session as anything other than just a perfect alignment.  They met at work where they both make a living as accountants and. I can’t wait for their wedding this August!

You can check out more of April O’Hare Photography by visiting her website!

This is part 2 of Nina and Nguyen gracing the LDW blog! We featured their engagement session back in November and were so excited when their photographer Chyna Darner Photography submitted their pink inspired wedding!

Don’t you LOVE the candy bar?

You can check out more of Chyna Darner Photography by checking out her website!

Happy Monday!

Erica and Mike met in Windsor, On, at a bar where Mike worked as a bartender and Erica a barfly. After several attempts, Erica finally said yes to a date. He took her out for dinner, and they have been together ever since.

You can check out more of Erica and Mike’s story by watching their Engagement Cinematography Video we featured in early November by the super fabulous {Dylan List member} Brent Foster Photography!

Photography: Brent Foster Photography

Florist: Flowers by Design

Venue: Caboto Club

Wedding Gown: Bridal Couture

DJ: Corbett Productions

From purple shoes to farm weddings to engagement session with lamp shades you adored so MANY couples this year! I can’t thank the wonderful photographers enough who submitted their work to me to feature this year.

As always here are the best couples of 2011 in no particular order!

Real Manitou Springs, Co Wedding: Jandee & Shane by JasonG Photography

Real Victor, Idaho Wedding: Sarah & David by {Dylan List member} Kisa Koenig

Real Missoula Wedding: Daisy & Erik by Kristine Paulsen Photography

Real Vancouver Wedding: Kelly & Zac by Jamie Delaine Photography

Real New York Wedding: Felicia & James by Photography by Verdi

Real Williamsburg, VA Wedding: Torrie & Stephen by Rebekah J. Murray

Real Windsor, Ontario Wedding: Janye & Ricardo by {Dylan List member} Brent Foster Photography

Real Pleasanton Wedding: Sylvia & Johnny by Rhee Bevere

Real Savannah, GA Wedding: Pam & Pat by Diana Daley Photographers

Real Wedding: Samantha & Jared by Marvelous Things Photography

Real New York Wedding: Ginger & Preston by Jenny Evelyn Photography

Real Wedding: Melissa & David by Kate Miller Photography

Real Engagement: Rena & Sean by Misty DeBlasio Photography

Real Ontario Wedding Katrina & Jason by Renaissance Studios Photography

Real Engagement: Cori & Ben by {Dylan List member} The Last Forty Percent Photography

Real Nashville Wedding: Jennifer & Jon by Jennifer Creed | Photographer

Real Wedding: Jenny & Roger by March Seven Photography

Real Engagement: Dani & Nahrain by Photography by MM

Real Wedding: Alina & Nico by I Drop Photo

Real Wedding: Falon & Clay by Two Ring Studios

Here’s too a fantastic 2012… Cheers!

I hope the last few weeks have been a good one for everyone! To say things have been crazy around here would be an understatement!

I’m glad to be back into the swing of things and bringing you a wonderful engagement session submitted by Chyna Darner Photography.I just love that brick wall. Don’t you?

I adore this wedding because of the food. Tori and Tim picked the King Estate Winery because of the food- Its that delicious!

Today’s vineyard wedding was submitted by Tara Francis Photography and I can’t thank her enough for making our mouths water today with this submission.

Photography: Tara Francis Photography

Venue: King Estate Winery

Hair Stylist: Lotus Hair Design

Music: Don Latarski

Wedding Gown: Exclusively Bridal

Bakery: Sweet Life Patisserie

Grooms Attire: Men’s Warehouse

I came across this video from Dylan List member Brent Foster Photography and had to share.

This piece focuses on Erica and Mike’s love for one another, their personalities, their thoughts about each other, and their upcoming wedding.

Its very sweet and a great way to be inspired by love this weekend.

TGIF!

Erica and Mike | Engagement Cinematography | Wedding Cinematography from Brent Foster on Vimeo.

Michael and I met in October 2009 at a tailgate party prior to the Texas Tech vs Kansas football game. Michael and some of his buddies were hosting and I was attending with a friend.

Michael’s dad struck up a conversation with me, and after a while, Michael came over to “rescue” me. We hit it off right away and later that evening, he told me that he was going to marry me!

I carried a European style hand tied bouquet of white tulips, white/green parrot tulips, white rananculus, white medium size roses, green viburnum, and lemon leaves.

My bridesmaids carried European style hand tied bouquets of roses, tulips, ranunculis, and baronia heather in vibrant shades of orange, yellow, red, and purple.

All of the bouquets were tied with turquoise ribbon to match my shoes and the turquoise stones in the bridesmaid’s necklaces.

On the Wednesday before our Friday wedding, God sent a massive snowstorm that blanketed most of West Texas and pretty much all of New Mexico. When we selected Santa Fe as our destination wedding location, I had hoped for some snow on the ground on our wedding day, but knew that with the wedding being in February, the chances were slim.

God answered my prayer for snow in a BIG way!

Travel was slow, and some of our guests nearly didn’t make it, but by the day of our wedding, the weather had warmed some and there was still a beautiful, clean, white layer of snow on everything around us. God’s last minute detail made the entire weekend all the more magical!

Michael proposed on June 18, 2010. He had been acting strangely the week leading up to his proposal and had told me early-on that week not to make any plans for Friday night because he had committed us to go to a fundraiser that evening with some of his friends. He took me out shopping for a new dress to wear and kept reminding me every chance he could not to plan anything for that Friday night. Once Friday night rolled around, I had begun to suspect that something other than a fundraiser was on his agenda! He took me to dinner at the Double Nickel, a very nice restaurant here in Lubbock, TX and said we would meet up with the rest of the group afterwards. As dinner was drawing to a close, Michael excused himself, saying that he had left his wallet in the car and needed to go get it. After a few minutes, our waitress approached me with an envelope. It was addressed to me. I opened it and inside found a card that read:

“A beautiful girl, in a stunning dress,
What’s coming next, she can only guess.
Get up from the table and walk outside,
Someone is waiting to take you on a short drive.”

I made my way outside and found a limo waiting for me. As I got in, the driver handed me another
envelope. The card inside read:

“I’m sure at this point you’re wondering,
“Where has he gone?”
The answer is coming, it won’t be too long.
Sit back, relax, and soon you will see
What will be next in our love story.”

The limo drove me to the Lubbock Memorial Arboretum, where I was met by Michael’s friend Jeff who helped me out of the limo and escorted me down the garden path. As we rounded a bend, I saw Michael standing under an archway that was lit up with tiny twinkle lights. Jeff excused himself and I made my way to Michael. He looked so handsome…..and so nervous! When I reached him, he told me how happy I made him and that he couldn’t imagine his future without me in it, then got down on one knee and asked me to be his wife! Of course I said yes! After we left the Arboretum, the limo took us to the Overton Hotel where Michael had arranged a surprise engagement party. I couldn’t have imagined a more thoughtful, romantic, beautiful proposal. Finding my family and friends all waiting to celebrate with us afterwards was the perfect finishing touch to a fairytale evening!

Michael’s daughter, Bragen, turned three a couple of weeks before the wedding. We wanted to include her in some aspect of the ceremony, but knew that she was still too small to be comfortable standing with us in front of all our guests. At the beginning of the ceremony, Michael escorted her in with his mom and seated them together.

When it was time for the “giving of the bride,” our pastor called both sets of our parents up to the alter, asking my parents if they would accept Michael in to their family and asking Michael’s parents if they would accept me in to their family. Bragen also stood with us during this time.

At the end of the ceremony, after we had been pronounced husband and wife, Bragen joined us and we walked out of the chapel as a family. All of this allowed her to feel part of the ceremony without being scared or intimidated by the crowd. She was very proud of the part she played in our special day and still talks about “our wedding” and “when we got married in Santa Fe.”

We had a three-tiered, round; white fondant finished wedding cake with hand painted decorations on the sides in ivory.

The top of the cake featured a composition of ivory and white fondant faux roses. The top and bottom tiers were almond vanilla cake with vanilla bean butter cream frosting. The middle tier was chocolate cake with raspberry preserve filling. It was delicious!

Photographer: Cristy Cross Photography

Chapel: The Loretto Chapel

Reception/Catering: La Posada De Santa Fe

Ceremony/Reception Music: Absolute Entertainment

Florist: Marisa’s Flowers

Cake: Maggie’s Cakes, maggiescakes@macdialup.com

Save the Dates/Invitations/Programs: Hodgepodge Design

From the photographer:

It was New Year’s Eve night and everyone was in on Jimmy’s plan…except for Laura. He had the custom-made ring burning a hole through his pocket as he thought and looked for the most opportune moment to follow through. As everyone gathered around anticipating the fireworks, Jimmy found the ideal spot for the occasion.

Their friends and those closest to Laura and Jimmy looked ahead but out of the corner of their eyes they were also waiting. In fact, everyone was waiting but Laura. She settled into Jimmy looking ahead as the fireworks began to fill the sky with light and color.

It was in that moment that  he turned to her and kneeled to propose; Laura was speechless…until she let out a “Whaatt?!!” And then, a ‘YES!’

Spending the day with Laura and Jimmy was perfect; they are SO laid back. With the weather being less than ideal, we made a plan to start at an indoor location, the well-known Ralph’s across from City Park and we would play it by ear. We made it through the clouds and rain, dried off, and shoot a bit inside before we made the decision to shoot the rest of the session outdoors…in the rain. It was such a fun afternoon and really showed me the specialness of these two.

As I photographed them the word ‘comfortable’ kept coming into my head. Because they are such a perfect representation of finding that one…the person that you can completely be yourself with.

Catherine Guidry is based in Louisiana. You can check out more of her work by visiting her website and blog.