Wedding, Family, & Engagement Photography Blog

Kim and Jon’s Tropical New Year’s Eve Wedding

05.04.22

Celebrating the end of 2021 and starting the new year right with Kim and Jon’s tropical New Year’s Eve wedding!

Kim and Jon

Hinge is to thank for bringing these two together. In 2019, they met on the dating app and went out for drinks. Because they were both in a place where they knew exactly what they wanted in a partner, they became serious very quickly.

“We both had just gone through really bad relationships before. As a result, we pretty much knew instantly that we’d both found the one. On our first date, I (Kim) said something about just going to the courthouse for our second date LOL! It was love at first sight. We’re pretty similar so we didn’t play any games, and we were both just like, ‘I’m all in starting right now.'”

He Proposed and She Said …

Jon popped the question in the mountains of Breckenridge, Colorado. During an overnight trip with some close friends, they went up to the lake to take photos before dinner. That’s when and where Jon asked Kim to marry him. After he proposed, they ended up being chased by mountain goats! I would say that’s quite the epic, unique, and memorable end to the night and proposal!

New Year’s Eve Wedding

This “happy, loving, edgy, stylish, and outgoing” couple planned the most gorgeous New Year’s Eve wedding at Kim’s parents’ home in Boca Raton, Florida. Between the couple living in Colorado and their friends and family coming from all over the world, this intimate celebration is a destination wedding. One that no one will ever forget!

The Day Has Finally Come

After all the planning, the day has finally come. I walked into the private residence and was greeted with so much warmth. With Christmas decorations still up, the chaos of all the ladies getting ready, and sun shining through the windows, it reminded me of holidays with my family. After sweet “hellos” and hugs (because this family and wedding party are the absolute best), I got to work!

Starting with photographing Kim’s stunning Galia Lahav gown:

That Kim and Jon’s dog, Ernie, decided he needed to protect!

Sometimes the smallest details mean the most …

A group shot before the ladies start putting on their dresses. This was actually set up for me to take the photo with their polaroid camera but I couldn’t resist taking one with my own!

A casual shot of all the ladies before heading upstairs to get ready

Ernie and the bride heading upstairs for champagne and getting ready for the ceremony:

The bride making her way up to her bridal suite

Mom of the bride getting her jewelry on.

Helping the bride get into her Galia Lahav gown.

Tropical New Year's Eve Wedding | Destination Wedding Photographer

The bride putting on her gown and jewelry.

Ernie’s ready to walk down the aisle and give the bride away.

While the ladies got ready at the home, Jon and his boys got ready at a nearby hotel:

The guys getting ready to go down the aisle.

More formal photos of the groom with his family

“We Do”

The trolley made a few rounds to bring all the guests to the ceremony site where they were greeted with refreshments. Florida seemed to have no mind that it was technically winter, so we were met with sunshine and heat!

The guests arriving to the ceremony site

The guests enjoying a refreshing drink before the ceremony begins

Kim’s dad’s Porsche was all decked out for photo opps and the couple’s get-away:

The bride's dad's car all ready for their get-away!

Ernie was the first to walk down the aisle.

Focusing on Jon’s reaction as Kim walked down the aisle … his reaction was priceless!

The groom's reaction to the bride coming down the aisle

He couldn’t help but shed a few happy tears.

Shedding a few happy tears as the bride comes down to meet him

Emotional vows followed by the ring-exchange:

The bride's emotional reaction during the vows.

And they’re officially husband and wife!

A group shot of everyone in attendance (thank goodness for the outdoor staircase that allowed me to capture this shot):

Family and Group Photos

The groom with his groomsmen at the ceremony site

Bride and Groom Portraits

Bride looking gorgeous in her Galia Lahav gown

Taking photos next to the lake by the home.

A silhouette shot of the couple as the sun sets

Welcome the New Days

I love all the little and big details that Kim and Jon incorporated into their wedding day. One of my most favorite details is definitely the cocktail stirrers embellished with Ernie’s head!

How breathtaking is their reception tent? Daniel Events really transformed the space into the most amazing tropical paradise!

And as the outside lighting changed, so did the reception space, making it even more dramatic:

How cute is Kim’s reception purse?!

What’s a New Year’s Eve wedding without bells to ring, champagne to drink, and noisemakers to use?

All the Christmas and New Year's decorations

Their first dance as husband and wife:

Followed by sweet parent dances. At the end of the father-daughter dance, the rest of her family came up for a group hug and sweet tears.

Cheers to the Days!

Toasts to the bride and groom on their wedding day

The flower girls surprised the bride and groom with a choreographed dance. And Kim couldn’t resist recording the special performance!

The flower girls dedicated a special dance to the married couple

Dancing and celebrating the end of 2021 together …

And prepping to enter 2022 with a BANG! All of their guests were given glasses of champagne, noisemakers, and petals.

The petal toss at midnight:

And while everyone was under the tent cheering to the new year, the outside world was filled with fireworks.

And with that, the happy couple exited their reception and entered the new year with sparklers!

What an amazing start to 2022! Congratulations to the beautiful couple and thank you so much for allowing me to celebrate with you!

The Wonderful Wedding Vendors

Bridal Boutique: Boca Raton Bridal ♥ Wedding Dress: Galia Lahav ♥ Hair Stylist: Trish Vanzee ♥ Makeup Artist: Emily Rivera Artistry ♥ Wedding Venue: Private Residence ♥ Photographer: Sweet Memories Photography ♥ Floral Company: Daniel Events ♥ Catering: Silver Sac Catering ♥ DJ: AAMusicians ♥ Wedding Cake: Silver Sac Catering

Bull Creek Family Photo Session

04.27.22

You can prepare all you want for your Bull Creek family photo session. From the timing and location to the outfits and props. But you just can’t prepare for when the star of the show has growing pains. In this case, sweet baby Delilah woke up with a fever the morning of our session. It was so bad that this family contemplated canceling the photos altogether.

However, after speaking with a local pediatrician, all was fine and normal. Delilah suffered from teething. With some rest, extra love and attention, and medication, everyone was ready to go for our Bull Creek family photo session!

Which was especially great in this case. For one, this family is visiting their relatives in Austin and were heading back to Michigan shortly after.

Secondly, if you’re a parent, or been around children, you know how quickly they grow! So it’s so important to document all stages of their youth and we wanted to make sure to document this time in her life!

Bull Creek Family Photo Session

You may remember Susan from her Zilker botanical gardens engagement session. Well, with her mother, brother, sister-in-law, and niece visiting from Michigan for the holidays, she knew it was the perfect time to get everyone together for their first formal family session.

And why not show off a bit of Austin while you’re family is in town? If you haven’t been to Bull Creek District Park, it’s a must-see! Between the picturesque scenery, clear water that you can swim in, and hiking paths, it’s worth visiting.

And definitely one of my favorite places to photograph any and all kinds of sessions!

Happy Holidays from the Markose Family

Despite her mouth bothering her and meeting this stranger (me) for the first time, we managed to squeeze a few smiles out of Delilah!

Family pictures at Bull Creek District Park in Austin, Texas

Bull Creek family photo session | Austin Photographer

With her aunt Susan:

Lack of smiles often means we need some play time!

The Markose ladies:

How cute is Delilah’s outfit?! And her little booties are 😍

There’s nothing quite like a mother’s love …

Or grandmother’s love in this case …

Taking a quick break to cool off and play in the water:

And that’s a wrap! Thank you to this lovely family for celebrating the holidays with me!

Moon River Ranch Wedding: Alexis and Philip

04.21.22

This white Christmas-themed Moon River Ranch wedding was adorned with evergreen, pinecones, stockings, warmth and laughter. And really brought the season’s joy and cheer!

Let the Planning Begin

Following a romantic dinner and proposal in the backyard with their dogs, the newly engaged couple went to work on planning their wedding. Organized and a creative planner at heart, Alexis had a vision: a white Christmas wedding accented by deep greens. And let’s not forget about including their fur-babies!

Between collecting Christmas decor and working on her DIY projects, she slowly started bringing her visions to life.

Moon River Ranch Wedding

Situated near Waco, Texas, Moon River Ranch is the perfect venue for Alexis and Philip’s wedding. It comes with its own church, reception hall, and rustic boutique lodging. This venue also offers “accommodations in the Main Lodge that is filled with overstuffed leather furniture, vintage antiques and elegant finishes that captures the true spirit of Texas living at its best.”

But most importantly, it allows the couple’s dogs on property and can host the amount of guests that are attending this wedding.

The Big Day

The day has finally come! Alexis and Philip are ready to say “I do!”

Moon River Ranch Wedding in Waco Texas | Photographer

Alexis getting ready with her entire bridal party, and dogs, of course!

Dogs and children played a major role in this Moon River Ranch Wedding in Waco Texas

Matching flannels for all the bridesmaids and bridesmen:

Getting ready for the Moon River Ranch Wedding in Waco Texas

Mom and sister zipping and buttoning up the Martina Liana gown on the bride.

The bride putting on her wedding jewelry

Meanwhile, at the boathouse …

The groom and groomsmen getting ready for the Moon River Ranch Wedding

The weather seemed to know that this was a Christmas-themed wedding. Dark clouds loomed over us, rain threatened to pour down, and there was constant cold wind blowing. However, that wasn’t going to stop these two from enjoying their day.

First Look

We went back and forth on whether to do this first look inside or out. With the rain holding out, we just couldn’t resist using this perfect setting. So we set Philip up and waited for the bride.

The bride walking to do the first look with her groom

Their first look:

After the first look, they read their vows to one another. It was such a sweet and intimate moment.

Reading their vows to one another before the ceremony

Most first looks are just between the bride and groom. However, in this case, they wanted their moms and sisters to be a part of the special moment.

The moms and sisters witnessing the first look and vows.

It's the groom's turn to read out his vows.

Time for bride and groom portraits (my favorite time)!!

Taking time out for bride and groom portraits

The wedding party:

Moon River Ranch Ceremony

Alexis and Philip’s dogs play a huge role in their lives and relationship. So much so that they give the dogs credit for shaping them into the couple they are today. This couple “compliments each other in how much they care about dogs, and people.”

Just like with their engagement session, their dogs (Georgie, Pompi, and Jack) were very present. From walking down the aisle (alongside their cousin dogs), to details like the koozies below, they make many appearances. Being a dog-lover myself, it made my heart happy!

The dogs were physically a part of the wedding, as well as part of the decorations.

The beautiful flower girl with the ring BEARers!!

The bride’s dad began singing a song while the bride starting coming down the aisle:

The father of the bride singing as the bride walks down the aisle.

The bride walking down the aisle with her dogs.

The wedding ceremony outside of the chapel.

The wedding party at the wedding ceremony

Family Portraits

The wind and cold proved to be too much. We moved family photos from the ceremony location to inside the ranch, where everyone was able to stay warm (and fix their wind-blown hair).

Wedding Reception

Can we just take a moment to really appreciate all the small and large details? All imagined and executed (with the help of family, friends, and her planner) by the brilliant bride!

Wedding reception details and matching jean jackets for the bridesmaids

Signature drinks inspired by their dogs.

Okay, so just take a look at the photo below. How does a bride get flipped and still maintain a pretty face and a big smile?! Impressive!

The father-daughter dance:

Mother-son dance:

Toasting the bride and groom:

This cake by Glamour Cakes is just the cutest! Alexis and Philip made sure that Georgie, Pompi, and Jack made an appearance on the cake. And one of them was naughty (but cute) and took a bite out of the cake!

Santa made a surprise appearance, bringing a smile to everyone’s faces. As if that weren’t enough, he even had gifts for the little ones. Then, he stayed to dance and party with the guests!

Santa surprised the guests and joined in on the party!

The groom dancing on his bride before grabbing the garter

I love when couples celebrate their heritage. That’s exactly what Alexis and Philip did. They incorporated a few Dutch and Romanian traditions. Everyone danced the Dutch promenade, and a traditional boiled Romanian drink was served to the guests with its cheese-meat pairing.

What’s a reception without a flash mob? The bride and groom, wedding party, and family all broke out into one in the middle of the reception. As the song continued, their guests jumped in, learned the moves, and made it one of the largest flash mobs I’ve seen!

It’s always a fun idea to include LED lights and accessories:

Who needs sleeves? Exactly what the groom and his brother were thinking! Off with the sleeves!

Cheers to the bride and groom and one of the most epic weddings ever!!

Wedding Vendors:

Bridal Boutique: Georgios Bridal ♥ Wedding Dress: Martina Liana ♥ Wedding Coordinator: The Whole Bridal Affair ♥ Hair Stylist: Ashlyn Quisenberry ♥ Makeup Artist: Angela Karr ♥ Wedding Venue: Moon River Ranch ♥ Photographer: Sweet Memories Photography ♥ Videographer: The Philgreens ♥ Floral Company (bridal bouquet only): A Rare Bloom ♥ Catering: TCP Catering ♥ DJ: DJ Traviste ♥ Rental Company: Action Rental ♥ Wedding Cake: Glamour Cakes ♥ Christmas Tree Decorator: Elizabeth Soto ♥ Santa: North Texas Santa

A Milestone Georgetown Wedding: Tre’Mesia and Fred

04.12.22

Tre’Mesia and Fred’s Milestone Georgetown wedding was everything and more than they could have ever imagined. After months of planning, it has all come together. But most importantly, they are finally going to be married and celebrate with their loved ones!

F+T’s Love Story

Back in 2017, this two met at work. They would often pass each other, exchange smiles, and say the occasional “hi.”

Fred ended up being Tre’Mesia’s trainer during a work cross-training. Because of this, more conversation between the two occurred. They both felt (but never said) that they’d known each other for a very long time. It was just one of those feelings.

About a year later, Fred finally asked her on a date. Unfortunately, during their first date, nerves kicked in and Fred locked himself out of his car. Although they were still able to enjoy the poetry reading at the Spiderhouse Ballroom, they had the locked car weighing on their minds.

With him having to work at 3 AM and the poetry reading not ending until midnight, Tre’Mesia graciously offered to drive him back to his apartment to grab his spare key. During the hour drive, Fred admitted to having feelings for her.

Two months later, he asked her to be his “lady” and 2 years later, his fiancé.

Bride and Groom-to-Be

You may remember Tre’Mesia and Fred’s proposal story and engagement session at McKinney Falls (if not, click here).

When it comes to their wedding, they want their day to “reflect who we really are, with joy sparking all around us. For it to embody the humbleness and faithfulness that helps sustain our loyalty that we have for one another. The gentleness, goodness, and self-control that orders our steps towards our biggest and smallest goals in life. And the peace that nurtures our hearts, minds, spirits, and souls.”

Being the couple that they are, with the love they have for each other and for their loved ones, they want their wedding to be a celebration of not only their love, but a unification between their family and friends.

Milestone Georgetown Wedding

The day is finally here! And starts with the couple getting ready at the Milestone Georgetown:

Inside the bridal suite, the girls are enjoying being pampered and getting ready for the Milestone Georgetown wedding.

The girls getting ready inside the bridal suite at Milestone Georgetown Wedding

The bride's sister waiting to have her makeup done.

The bride having her makeup done at the Milestone Georgetown Wedding

Tre’Mesia’s sister helping her get into her stunning Morilee gown:

Bride's sister getting the bride into her gown.

Getting ready for the Milestone Georgetown Wedding

Waiting for the ceremony to begin, the bride finishes up her wedding vows.

Milestone Georgetown Wedding | Austin Texas Photographer

Tre’Mesia’s mother arrived in the suite to help her finish getting ready:

Walking down the grand stairs at the Milestone Georgetown to do her first look with her father:

First look before the Milestone Georgetown Wedding

Bride seeing her father for the first time.

Daddy’s little girl:

Meanwhile, in the groom’s suite ….

The groom getting ready in the groom's suite

the groomsmen at the Milestone Georgetown Wedding

A prayer between Fred, his groomsmen, and the officiant:

It’s Time to Say ‘We Do’

Milestone Georgetown Wedding ceremony details

Fred coming down the aisle. If he was nervous at all, we definitely could not tell!

The groom and groomsmen at the wedding ceremony

With everyone in position at the ceremony site, Tre’Mesia and her father begin walking down the aisle.

The bride coming down the aisle with her father.

Tre’Mesia and Fred chose to do a traditional first-look. Personally, I’m all for it! I think there’s something so sweet and intimate about the couple seeing each other for the first time on their wedding day, walking down the aisle. Especially when the groom’s reaction is:

The groom crying after seeing his bride for the first time.

Fred didn’t think he’d cry. But he just couldn’t hold back his tears when he saw his beautiful bride.

The sun blessed the bride as she walked down the aisle

“Unity candles are a symbolic part within the wedding ceremony. The wedding candle represents the joining of two people in the new marriage.” I love the personalized candles that not only tied in their names and wedding date, but also their wedding colors.

They did it! They’re officially husband and wife!

The newlyweds wanted to incorporate the jumping of the broom. “During this wedding tradition, the couple jumps over a broom that is placed on the floor at the front of the wedding ceremony. According to Desireé Dent of Dejanae Events, ‘jumping the Broom is an African tradition created during the days of slavery. It not only symbolizes the sweeping away of evil, past loves and the old you, but it also represents jumping into a new life together and setting up your household.'”

Post-Ceremony Photos

The wedding party at the Milestone Georgetown

Bride and Groom Portraits

The Milestone Georgetown Wedding Reception

Wedding details inside the reception hall.

Prayers and Toasts:

Baked by Hailey rocked this cake! Elegant, classy, and beautiful, and just as delicious!

Let’s get this party started!

Milestone Georgetown Wedding in Austin, Texas

Bouquet Toss:

The garter retrieval and toss:

Who else loves the shoe game?!

A final song …

And a grand exit! I love that the couple used fiber optic wands. It’s playful, cute, and safe for all!

The bride and groom exiting their Milestone Georgetown Wedding

And they’re off!

Leaving their Milestone Georgetown Wedding

To the happy couple: Congratulations and thank you so much for allowing me to be a part of the most amazing day ever! May your “Eat, Pray, Love” adventures together continue to be blessed, full of love, and beautiful memories!

Bridal Boutique: Amour Bridal ♥ Wedding Gown: Morilee ♥ Makeup Artist: Simone Rivers ♥ Wedding Coordinator: Ronda Lewis ♥ Wedding Venue: Milestone Georgetown ♥ Wedding Photographer: Sweet Memories Photography ♥ Wedding Cake: Baked by Hailey ♥ DJ: Joshua Hunt of KAZI FM 88.7

Austin Photographer: Photographing the Paloian Family

04.05.22

Being an Austin photographer, I have the pleasure of meeting some of the nicest, most beautiful families. And the Paloian family was no exception!

Family and Photographer Expectations

As an Austin photographer, I never know exactly what to expect when it comes to children. Even if I’ve worked with the family before. I don’t think the family really knows either! So I prepare for anything! And I try to prepare the families, as well (see this blog post).

This being the first time I’ve met the Paloian family, and the first time baby Oakley being photographed, I figured it would be a challenging session.

But Courtney and husband, Michael, know that children are unpredictable. Are they going to have fun with the session? Throw a tantrum?

You never know what you’re going to get! So they came in with an open mind, lots of snacks, and support from their family.

Family Time

After arriving in a residential area in Austin, we started our session. Parker, their son, was definitely not a fan of smiling for the camera, or for this strange Austin photographer. But with the help of his favorite grandparents, aunt, and baby sister (not to mention lots of treats), we succeeded in capturing his personality and cutest expressions.

Baby Oakley was unsure of where to look! But that’s okay, because the top of her head and that bow is just darling!

This beautiful family chose a location in Texas close to their hearts and home.

It’s these in-between moments that I live for:

Grandma loving on her sweet granddaughter:

Giving Oakley all of the love:

These Austin grandparents loving on the newest addition to their family.

Parker may pay no attention to me but his interactions with his baby sister are everything. All he wanted to do was love on her!

This is the perfect example of when you just go with the flow and have fun, you get some of the most beautiful photos. And none of the stress!

Just letting Parker be Parker and do his own thing!

Parker was not a fan of sitting still so we allowed him to run around a little bit.

Parker having a good time being swung by his parents.

Grandma treating Parker to a few snacks.

Courtney and husband smiling for the camera with the cute pier in the background.

Three generations of ladies:

This Austin family is so beautiful and just the most friendly!

Loving how much Oakley looks up to her big brother!

While being posed by their parents, Parker and Oakley shared a couple of bonding moments.

Who else just wants to grab those cheeks?! And look how her dimples come out when she smiles. I just can’t get enough!!

As the session was coming to a close, I was able to sneak some photos of Parker, who was running around with snacks in one hand, and rocks in another.

Oakley was also just as thrilled that her time in the spotlight was over. Little did she know that I was photographing her from a distance, capturing her genuine smiles as she was being loved on by her parents.

Almost done with our session, the kids started to really let loose and have fun.

This is what family time looks like:

Sisters and best friends:

The proud parents of these two lovely ladies:

Individual shots between the two daughters and their parents.

Oakley loves her grandma!

Grandma loves holding and kissing on baby Oakley.

Okay, and if the below series doesn’t make you smile, I just don’t know what will!

Baby giggles are the best kind of giggles!

I had so much fun working with this adorable family ! Until next time …

« Older posts Newer posts »

Kim and Jon’s Tropical New Year’s Eve Wedding

Kim and Jon

He Proposed and She Said …

New Year’s Eve Wedding

The Day Has Finally Come

“We Do”

Welcome the New Days

The Wonderful Wedding Vendors

Bull Creek Family Photo Session

Bull Creek Family Photo Session

Happy Holidays from the Markose Family

Moon River Ranch Wedding: Alexis and Philip

Let the Planning Begin

Moon River Ranch Wedding

The Big Day

First Look

Moon River Ranch Ceremony

Family Portraits

Wedding Reception

Wedding Vendors:

A Milestone Georgetown Wedding: Tre’Mesia and Fred

F+T’s Love Story

Bride and Groom-to-Be

Milestone Georgetown Wedding

It’s Time to Say ‘We Do’

Austin Photographer: Photographing the Paloian Family

Family and Photographer Expectations

Family Time

FEATURED POSTS