Sam

Enjoy,

Sam

Vanessa is one of a kind- vivacious, bubbly and with red hair to match her bold personality!! We have been working together for a year and I had the joy of sharing in her wedding day moments as she became Mrs. Philip Nisbet this past Saturday- Feb. 25th.

It was during our very first consult over a year ago that Vanessa was explaining her wedding color scheme of pink and chocolate that I let slip a little smidge of fun: “why don’t you dye your petticoat pink”. Now I saw this in a bridal mag about 5 years ago and have been ever since hoping I could sweet talk a bride into adding a splash of color under her white gown. And Vanessa was the first bride who didn’t look at me like I had two heads!:) Haha….it was the beginning of a beautiful relationship!! Ya’ll know I LOVE a bride who can bring creativity and something “new”. She didn’t disapoint either!! Her dressmaker custom designed a new pink tulle crinoline that was a gorgeous rosy pink and a fun twist on tradition!!

Vanessa also had her heart set since day 1 of doing her bridal portraits in historic Goliad, TX at Presidio La Bahia. It all came together beautifully and we had such a blast- and we could’t have asked for a more perfect day!!

Congratulations Vanessa & Philip!! Enjoy a sneak peek at these gorgeous bridal portraits!

Celeste is a super creative bride with a backround in graphic arts, so we knew we wanted to make the most of her bold beauty and daring spirit by shooting her bridal portraits in a truly unique location! I have had my eye on the Estelle Stair Gallery in Rockport, TX since it opened a year ago. Its a haven for those who love ecclectic art! The Estelle Stair Gallery is truly a historic treasure, and the most amazing setting for portraiture! We are so thankful to gallery owner Lisa Baer-Frederick, for allowing us the priviledge of shooting in such an amazing and inspiring place!

We spent the second half of our shoot on the historic Fulton Mansion property- another of my all time favorite portrait locations- pristine and bold all in one!

Enjoy these portraits and congratulations to Celeste and Chris who were married this past Saturday February 18th!!

Since I’ve been planning my own wedding, of course I come across many ideas for EVERYTHING WEDDING! I am absolutely in love with creating your own style and “Do It Yourself” items. I absolutely LOVE this custom calligraphy rubber stamps. This particular one is from primele

Enjoy!!

First of all, thank you so much for all of our clients that we’ve had over the past year.  We literally starting with nothing in this business, and have grown so much through your support.  We’ve loved getting to know all of you, and the privilege of taking your photographs!

We have also really appreciated all of our friends and family helping to promote our business.  Our goal is to shoot TEN weddings this year, and we would love to have your support and help once again, by referring a couple that books us for a wedding this year you will win a free mini session

That’s right folks, all you have to do is refer a couple that books with us in 2012 and you can win a free portrait session a $100 value will be yours for just telling someone about us!  We know we can do it with your help and we can’t wait to take more pictures this year!

We look forward to 2012 and the opportunities that will come!

Ryan and Megan

The Small Print/Nitty Gritty details

 -The Weddings must be booked within the calendar year of 2012.

-All rewarded sessions will take place after the wedding.

-The Refereed client must inform us of the referral at the time of commitment/signing of contract.

It’s officially time for us to throw our 2 cents into the ring on what’s going to set this wedding season apart from all the others;

1. Refined Elegance is back. Rustic chic will always have a warm place in our hearts and our DIY dreams – but Kate Middleton is the spearhead behind this campaign. Sure, the Royal Wedding may be over but that doesn’t mean girls are ready to give up the chance to be a princess in their very own fairytale. We’re expecting to say the return of the ballgown, the long veils & grand venues.

2. Cocktail & Black Tie attire will make a come back. A wedding is a grand event, regardless of location or style. But wanting your guests to be just as glammed up for your big day as you are? You bet. And if any part of the event is after 6pm – it’s cocktail attire regardless. We can’t wait to see everyone dressed the 9′s. Cheers!

3. Food Trucks. Let’s face it – we’ve all taken the RSVP out of a wedding invite and painstakingly thought about whether we’ll be choosing fish, beef or a vegetarian meal…well, not so much in 2012. Food trucks have been growing in popularity over the last few years, but we’re betting you’re going to see more and more of your favorite trucks at upcoming nuptials. Brides & Grooms are going to be ready to send shout outs to their favorite food trucks by allowing them to be the big highlight of the reception. What says “Happy Wedding” like an In N’ Out burger in your best heels??

4. Speaking of cocktail attire, Classic Cocktails will be making a stir at social gatherings this year.  Perhaps it’s inspired by the Mad Men craze, or maybe it’s the dapper-factor that comes from holding a vintage cocktail in your hand, or maybe it’s just because a Manhattan tastes so delicious.  Classic cocktails give off a more elegant feel than the run of the mill brew or bottle of house wine. These bevies will definitley add to the ambiance of the Refined Elegance trend.  Expect to see vintage drinks shakin’ things up!  Guests will be hanging out with Tom Collins, Gin Rickey, and Pimms.  You know, Old Fashioned kind of guys.

5. Terrariums won’t fully replace bouquets in any way, but they will make for an amazing “living” center piece. Anything from succulents to live fungi to garden herbs can be arranged in a beautiful and delicate way. Some florists have this in their repertoire like Poppies and Posies, pictured below. If you can’t find a florist that does, you can try your hand (or green thumb) at making your own with West Elm’s collection of glass bubble hanging terrariums.

6. Swans.  Not the giant live bird that waddles down the aisle (what’s that famous rule? “Never work with children or animals”?).  We’re predicting that swan print is going to be this year’s hot new animal print.  Party-goers can don a casual dress with swan print, like the one featured from Zara.  Causal and surprisingly whimsy, dress this print up with a delicate piece of jewelry or a pair of stunning shoes.  Honk if you love swans!

We’re so excited to see 2012 unfold before us and we cannot see which of these trends take off! Which of these trends speaks to you??

~ Kathleen & Carson ~

However, for my first blog I thought I would start off with my goals and hopes for 2012. Obviously the first was to write a blog. Continuing on… be a nicer person in general and not be so judgmental. Not saying that I am terrible, but I know I can be better-we can all be better. There are so many people facing situations in their lives that many of us know nothing about; Give more. I am always looking for ways to give back, to continue and spread my social responsibility; Do something I absolutely love, not for the money, but because I love it-go do something you LOVE; Keep up with social media more-be more aware of new marketing and business trends-whatever your career is, do more to learn more; Take more chances and opportunities, if we don’t do it now, when will we?; Realize that some people are who they are. We cannot change them. Personally, I need to learn to embrace qualities as well as faults-not everyone can be who I wish they’d be; Do-don’t just think. Many things seem impossible until they are done; Don’t worry so much about pleasing others, sometimes you just have to be ok with pleasing yourself; Don’t worry about gossip or the people gossiping. Live your life the way you want to live it. Do what makes you happy-if you don’t, then who will? If your friends are true they will stick by you through the entire journey-NO MATTER WHAT, when times are great and when they are tough; Continuously remind myself-yourself-just how lucky and blessed we are; Say what’s on your mind and mean what you say, try not to conform to other’s opinions; do some soul searching; last but definitely not least, MARRY my BEST FRIEND, the LOVE of my LIFE! I need to take more time to realize just how lucky I am and how much he has really helped me grow. Trust me, there is so much more, but I want you to come back and read more blogs, not chase you away!!

I hope that my goals inspire you create some of your own. I do wish this New Year will be full of joy, excitement, new memories, lessons learned, and all things good. What are your plans and/or goals for 2012? Attending any weddings? (Insert Sarcasm)

P.S. I will try to always leave some words of wisdom or something for you to think about.

Here goes: ”One little step may be the beginning of a great journey.”

As always, please feel free to copy any pictures for personal use, but we do ask that you don’t crop out the logo, and to acknowledge Albaugh Photography as the source, thanks!

LSE is excited to begin the rounds of wedding shows in 2012! We’re also pleased to say that we will be teaming up with a great photographer and friend to offer a package deal to help you save time and money!

Details will be posted very soon.

As always, the clickable images will take you to the original location of the image (in this situation, the site where you can buy these awesome shoes).

The feather detail on these shoes is actually a clip. These clips can be added almost anywhere, on any shoe, to sass them up a bit!

I really love the vintage hair look. It’s soft, romantic, elegant and timeless. Side swept do’s and pin up curls is where it’s at, ladies! I am so very thankful that the 80′s-90′s traditional french twist and the let’s just curl everything in sight look is making a strong exit. Don’t get me wrong, curls are never going away. The innocence of them is perfect for almost any bride, but there’s a right way to do them, and a very wrong way. Now I’m rambling, and I really just wanted to share some fabulous hair pics! So, without further ado, very vintage hair:

(As always, the pictures are clickable links to where they originally came from.)

Now don’t get me wrong, I have no plans of moving my 1940 Corona Sterling typewriter from its prime location at the studio and I am not putting my blue mason jars on Craigslist.  I love all things from decades past but it is time to add a little individuality and sophistication in wedding style.  Bring on 2012!

The End of the Vintage Wedding Trend by Harmony Walton

Sprawling fields of high grass, hillsides off in the distance, and … a gorgeous bride and groom perched on a vintage velvet burgundy chaise. Oh, the memories of the vintage wedding and its somewhat silly staged photographs. The not-so timeless vintage theme is one that often incorporates elements such as 50′s era luggage used as décor, mismatched chairs reminiscent of a casual backyard event, and floral vessels made from all types of throwback food canisters.

Thankfully, the vintage wedding trend that took the nation by storm (in no small part due to the relentless plugging by us bridal bloggers), is finally starting to see the shade of its own sunset. And not a moment too soon — I say let the trend end!

Over the past few years we’ve seen such a clamoring for personal and nostalgic wedding details that those details have lost all personalization and actual meaning. A typewriter guest book that once told guests the bride or groom were, in fact, writers, now merely signals a successful flea market shopping trip, writers or not. But today brings a new dawn and a new crop of engaged gals. The popularity of the vintage ideal is fading, since all the guests have, well, been there and done that.

This infatuation actually affects the quality of work too! Robert Evans, co-founder ofWeddingPhotography411.com, appreciates art when it doesn’t reflect last week’s wedding. “Wedding photography should tell a different story each time. If you buy into the recent fad, your wedding photographs will quickly become dated before their time. Every vintage wedding I see looks exactly the same, as if there is a set of directions on how to shoot it! The couple in the field holding hands two feet apart, back lit by the sun, or the dress and slacks pulled up showing shoes and socks. I think it’s important for photographers to find their own vision and capture the unique style of the couple, not the trend of the season.” Bottom line: the end of a trend can actually benefit brides and grooms, as it translates to more original thinking on the part of wedding vendors.

So what’s next? Anthroplogie may have made its mark on our weddings, but thanks to the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, William and Kate’s wedding, in 2012 we’ll see a shift away from that nostalgic tradition to a more formal and sophisticated style. Say goodbye to those weathered fabrics and mason jar refreshments and hello to detailed French lace and lavish tufted furnishings. A more carefully curated and less-cluttered, old world glamour meets modern sophistication wedding trend has emerged.

A couture gown might still give a nod to history, yet shows the fashion-forward side of today’s bride. Dare I say Ralph Lauren and Alexander McQueen even have a shot of knocking Anthropologie off its wedding high horse? Julie Sabatino, founder of The Stylish Bride in New York, has also been noticing the shift. “I’m seeing a return to classic style and glamour. Surprisingly, this is translating into bridal fashion through brides’ renewed interest in fuller A-line skirts. It’s so refreshing, and perhaps on trend because of Kate Middletown’s gown and the influence of the royal wedding. I think we will see a greater number of brides wearing a veil as she did, and considering long sleeves.”

And that regal style has found its way into event design, too. The new flavor is infused with rich textures, lots of white (and even some metallics) and grand traditional settings. Linda Pittelli, owner and lead designer of Eventful in Los Angeles, shares her insight, “The classic traditional wedding will never fade away. It just needs a little modification. It doesn’t matter how many fads come and go, there are always the girls who have the dream of the fantasy storybook wedding.” Case in point, “we recently designed a wedding in Santa Monica and had basically a sandy beach to work with. I needed to turn that into something very special since the bride was wearing an amazing ball gown! The feeling I was going for was an English garden on the sand. We built a platform, carpeting it and added lots of hedging and flowers, and poof: a formal ceremony area on the sand!” Linda explains.

So say farewell to the photo of the couple in the field, and say hello to the next token iconic wedding image … perhaps a kiss on a regal balcony? At least this image will be anchored by the love of the couple and not the lack of creativity in design. I welcome the glamour of the old world into our new wedding season as it pays tribute to the depth, meaning, and emotion a marriage is meant to have. Though wait until next year and I’ll likely be desperate for the next new thing to take shape and refresh our state of unions.

Thank you Harmony…

What caught my eye about this little trinket is the beautiful raised cabbage rose against the white hinged lid.  Not to mention the delicate raised scrolls that line the silver metal box.  So romantic and lovely.  An award winning combination that oozes vintage and immediately captures the imagination. Perfect for storing wedding rings in!  Or any of your favorite rings!  Vintage Ring box is from the 70s and supplied by MikasTreasures.

A true gem. This Antique Blue Velvet (yes, velvet!) Ring Box dates to the early 1900′s where it used to hold a very special ring. Talk about a dream!  Imagine housing your jewelry (or wedding rings!) in a piece of history where over a hundred years ago it was used to profess one’s love for another.  ::Sigh:: Yes, I know, super mushy.  But, besides the history, just look at it.  Deep blue velvet,  satin interior and a dainty Mother of Pearl open/close button.  How can you not fall in love with it! (From VintageBroad)

I love how this Vintage Silver Ring Box from AntiqueCombray has a turn of the century feel to it, but is modernized by the addition of a brown gemstone top.  From the 80s, it appeals to that antique/vintage enthusiast who likes their collectibles with a punch of eclecticism. I know I do.  And while it’s easier to put a twist on clothing, sometimes it becomes a bit more challenging when doing it with accessories.  But, fortunately with this punkster ring box, no work need be done! Just enjoy!

If you love anything having to do with the 60s, then you will be enamored with this Vintage Ornate Ring Box from SellOriginals.  My favorite thing about besides it antique hue and intricate floral design?  The heart.  It adds a whimsical character to the already personable box.  Not to mention the delicate dotted outline which makes your eye draw immediately to the box.  I also think the legs are adorable and definitely unusual!  It reminds me of antique bathtubs with the clawed legs!  Another fun fact? This box is lined in old red felt. Very fitting, don’t you think?

Unique.  That is probably the best word to describe this Wooden Jewelry Box from WillowontheWater.  Artfully crafted from two different pieces of wood, this ring box was made in the 1970s and has a smooth, glossy finish.  I love that it looks like a treasure box, considering that you are putting your own “treasure” in it.  So cute!  Perfect gift for the friend who loves a more modern approach to vintage!

Another amazing gem kept alive and well from the 1930s.  This Antique Mosaic Ring Box from HappyMoonDesigns was handmade in Italy.  Which, judging by the intricate mosaic design, you could have guessed on your own!  It was the mosaics that drew me to this one-of-a-kind box. I’ve never seen anything like this before and coming from someone who owns a ton of jewelry (and jewelry boxes) that says a lot!  It may be that work like this just isn’t done anymore or just the fact that it may only be done in Italy.  Whatever the reason, this box is a unique find and if I were you, I’d pick it up real quick!

…we literally arrived at 3 am, unpacked till 6 am, slept for a few hours and then packed our camera gear up and went to NH to shoot Laura | Terry’s wedding.  Sometimes I wonder if people even believe our life stories, I can’t even believe our life at times!  Our story is quite “unbelievable” and continues to fill up with more and more preposterous adventures.  ANYWAY, Terry and Laura’s wedding went off seamlessly and we had such an awesome time there.  It was truly a Knot Best Pick wedding for sure!  Absolutely gorgeous in every way.  Not to mention that Laura looked stunning and Terry was super sharp!  It was such a blessing to be a part of their wedding.  Reconnecting with some old friends too!  After spending some time with Laura and Terry, we unequivocally approve.  We’ve posted some photos of them already but wanted to let everyone know that their Wedding Website is up and running with wedding photos galore!

Go check it out!

If you find yourself in love, and have recently acquired a rock on your left ring finger…send us a postcard on our website – we’ll hook you up!

Here’s some of our favorite shots from Laura| Terry’s wedding!

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SO here is a riddle:

What do you do when there is a fierce storm brewing in the gulf that is about 2 hours off shore? 

Answer: Grab your dogs, your guns, and the one you love…jump in the car, and meet your wedding photographer for a photo shoot!!!

This was SUCH A FUN shoot- Vanessa and Phillip had been planning this session for weeks and no tropical storm threat was gonna get in their way!! Thank goodness Tropical Storm Don ended up hangin out in the South, but he sure got us motivated to rock this session, ominous clouds and all!! (if you don’t believe me, check out this SOOC image below (Straight Out Of Camera) 

Luckily for me these “ominous clouds” were God’s greatest GIFT! After months of this endless drought and beating sun, I was thrilled to get perfect skin tones and NO BLINKING or ugly shadows!!!!  For once natural light meant exactly what it sounds like:) Heaven’s own softbox.

And speaking of clouds, these two are on one!! So cute and a blast to work with!! Sweet and spunky- creative and quirky….the perfect blend of romance and hilarity! I am absolutely looking forward to their February 2012 wedding!

 Enjoy!