Backyard, Vintage, Homemade, DIY Weddings

I love looking at photo blogs and staying inspired for my craft.  Sometimes I spend more time perusing than others, and let me just say, I found an awesome one.

Green Wedding Shoes: http://greenweddingshoes.com/

They kind of stole my heart this evening (when I wasn't at small group, at which point the concept of God as a man kind of stole my heart and mind). So if you are planning a backyard wedding, a vintage inspired wedding, a homemade or DIY wedding in the STL area (or want to pay me to come to you), I'm your girl.  I think that a lot of my personal favorite-in-life things and deeply valued concepts shine through in a lot of these weddings.

Though not necessarily as awesome-looking as some of these weddings showcased on Green Wedding Shoes, my wedding was kind of like them.  Glimpse into my real life. Ready-set-go.

My wedding was/included:
Barefoot
I did the flowers, with help of a friend and my bridesmaids
We sort of made up the bridesmaid dresses look and my costume-designer best friend made the sashes I dreamt up
Two bridesmaids made the centerpeices
We got married and had our reception in locations that have never had weddings before, just because I daydreamed about it in college and they said, sure! How does $75 sound?
A detachable train
Foot washing
A girl usher
Friends played the music at the ceremony and different friends at the reception
Friend was the videographer, bosses were the photographers
wonderful

World Impact St. Louis Benefit Concert

A few weeks back, Brian got his first shot at being my assistant.  He did the Hearts for City Campaign booth at the World Impact Benefit concert.  He actually got more "business" at his booth than I did at mine for family snapshots.  Great job, honey!

But after we were done with the booths, we went into the concert with a sleepy, but well behaved toddler so I could not only enjoy some of the music of Mark Roach, but also get some concert shots.  Here are a few faves...

So grown up

It's hard to believe that I used to babysit this little/big girl when she was just about a year old, the same age as her baby sister, and that I was pregnant when I did that. Now my baby is going to turn 2 in two weeks. And she is going to turn 4 in 10 days! It amazes me to think about how time passes.  It seems like not long ago I tried hard to not let her take her first steps in my presence and get her first words to be "polar bear."  Yet today, she was concocting logical plans as to why she should be the one to eat my leftover pizza for lunch.  She won. I ate vegetables. :)

Paige

I love to use locations to make a statement- about the personality of the person, about their favorite things, special moments, or a feeling evoked by a place. Paige's session was no such exception.  She loves to read, so what better place than a library?  I had so much fun challenging myself to use the space to create lines, colors, and depth that would create a perfect setting for Paige using books and the crisp architecture at Webster University's library.  Here are a handful of favorites from our afternoon of photo-fun!

Showing off her favorite heels...

 

 And at the end of the session, she was willing to go out on a limb with me for a retro shot with her scarf. I love the outcome!- Definitely not your standard senior portrait!