Chelsea and Dan

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Everyone has something quirky and unique about them.  Something that when you find it out, it changes how you view them a little bit, and helps you see a side that you never had before.... like when you find that your bride and groom can break dance.  AWESOME.

The sky at Saltair was incredible!

I love dramatic shots, I love beautiful skies and gorgeous colors, but what I still love most is to shoot happy people.

A Perry Happy Birthday

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I had the privilege of meeting David Perry last December.  He's an incredibly talented videographer and an amazing person.  I am most impressed with how he treats the bride and groom through the wedding process.  He views the wedding day as a celebration of the marriage and the beginning of a new family, not just a big production and another day at work.  He is one of the rare few who is actually successful at doing what's best for the client, not just for himself.  You cannot find a more genuinely caring and nice individual.  If you are looking for videography, or just need another blog to stalk, do yourself a favor and check out David Perry Films.
I had the opportunity to hang out with his family to photograph his youngest son's first birthday party.

David's wife Danielle made this beautiful cake herself, and the rest of the decorations were hand carved! Oh, to be that crafty one day....

You can already tell Hudson has the camera bug.  In a few years, maybe he'll be shooting your wedding!   :D

A pinch of this, and dash of that...

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I love food.  Really.  I told Thomas once that we could live in a cardboard box as long as we could go out to a really nice meal once a week.
...BUT... I hate to cook.  I despise spending hours in the kitchen only only to create a crummy tasting meal.  Or inviting people for dinner and having it be perfect right at 6pm....  only for them to arrive late.  The meal ends up cold, usually microwaved to heat it back up, and usually isn't satisfying at all!
I don't like the clean up much, either, but that's a different story.   :)

Luckily, I have a wonderful husband who is a great cook and is interested in learning more about it.  So, in an attempt to get me away from the computer and my 70-hour work weeks, we finally decided to take some classes together.  I tried putting work behind me, but of course took photos while everyone else cooked.  Then I ate the food.  It was a perfect evening for both of us!

Thomas and I both LOVE LOVE LOVE Indian food, and so I am very excited that he is experimenting with more Indian dishes.  The woman teaching the class is opening a restaurant and publishing a cookbook.  I may or may not have some news soon about the photographer who will be doing the photos for the cookbook.  Needless to say, working one on one with a chef as she cooks through her recipes to parade in front of a camera might lead to a few more lessons for Thomas.

And someone has to eat the food, right?  We wouldn't want it to go to waste, after all.

The Storm of the Century!!!

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Katie and Steven were married in the LDS Oquirrh Mountain Temple on a beautifully sunny but COLD November day.  They also had quite the experience the day before their wedding.  Here's the story in Katie's own words:

"Tuesday was supposedly the biggest storm Utah's seen in a long time. I'll admit that around the point of the canyon it got pretty bad but Provo didn't even have snow stick. Steven received the scariest phone call of his entire life. The temple receptionist called to inform him that due to the storm the temple was going to be closed on Wednesday (our wedding day). He asked if they were joking. They said no and that all ordinances were canceled. His mind started racing of what to do, so he asked how much longer they were going to be open (trying to see if we could drive up that night and get married) and if he could make a couple calls then call them back. They said they were closing and Steven said "Well I was only planning on getting married tomorrow." The receptionist realized she had called the wrong person because she went on to apologize and informed us that the temple was closed for all ordinances except for our wedding. Scariest phone call EVER! The wedding was great! Yes, I cried. How can you not cry as you look at the person who is making your dreams come true. The sealing room was packed full of people we love. Then we went outside to take pictures. I have never been more cold in my entire life! But I think the pictures turned out great!"

I loved the shoes.  Loved them!

The reception was Heritage Gardens, and it could not have been more gorgeous with all the holiday lights.... absolutely breathtaking.
You can see all of Katie and Steven's wedding photos from beginning to end here.

Anna and Robbie

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For Anna and Robbie's engagement shoot we went to Anna's home in Wallsburg up Provo Canyon.  Her family lives in this amazing old house that used to be a dairy farm when the area was first settled.  The town is very small, quiet, and has some pretty breathtaking views!

Anna's father is incredible- he made this working replica of a U.S. Mail Studebaker.  He's been working on it eight years and it is absolutely gorgeous.

Mika and Francois

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Now, if you follow my posts y'all know I am from Austin, Texas.  Winter for us included about two snow days a year growing up, and any time it got below 32 degrees the entire city pretty much shut down. Our standard daytime low was about 40 or 45 degrees.  So coming to Utah makes it a little depressing one third of the year.  I don't really do well with single digit weather!  However, Mika and Francois were just so cute with their outfits and did so well braving the bitter cold the day of their engagements that it started to change my mind.  I mean, cold weather can be a great romance booster!  You can go get some delicious hot chocolate from the bakery, you get to wear colorful scarves, it's a great excuse to cuddle up and get close to someone.... it can be a lot of fun!
So thanks guys, for opening my eyes a bit more to the better side of these winter days.

Mike + Marie: The Big Show

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Marie bought these beautiful shoes below for the wedding, but cracked her tibia shortly before their formals session.  So she ended up wearing the much more comfortable option above. :D

Something I really enjoy attending a wedding is seeing the relationship between the parents and their child.  Marie's parents were wonderful, and super supportive throughout the wedding.  Marie's dad was cracking jokes the whole time.