Cupcake Catastrophy

While discussing the baby shower plans for tomorrow a memory popped up that made me wish I had my back-up drive handy today.  I'm working from the laptop while on some doctor ordered bedrest at the moment, so I'll have to pry the pictures out a little later.

Some of the most hilariously perfect photos happen when you are "there for set-up".  I often pop in to the venue on the day of an event and take a look around to get a fast mental image of the where-and-what to expect when we arrive at a reception.  On this particular day I arrived at the same time as the baker and the desert delivery and the ever so cute flower-girl in her sparkly pink and white dress.

Yep... anyone with babysitting or parenting experience can see where this is going...

Part of the delivery of deserts was a tower of beautiful cupcakes and lady-finger treats, all delicately frosted with an array of soft pinks, spring greens, and cheerful blues.  I saw the colors and made a mental note to get some good images of the colors before the reception turned them to crumbs, then headed upstairs to see the bride. 

The bride was lovely and already most of the way through dressing and hair so we had a chance to play with images of the bridesmaids.  We did some lovely images in front of the dressing room mirror and the window to catch the pristine white of her gown.  Just as we were ready to head down to the ceremony site outside, the bride asked where her flower girl was and a frantic search ensued as nobody had kept track.  Like any concerned mom I had a momentary "if that was my kid what would I do" then remembered the last time I had spotted the flower girl and where.

Yes, as you can guess she was mostly safe, though I'm not sure how long it took for her to work off the sugar rush.  Only about ten total cupcakes and cookies were mangled, but the results were slightly hilarious to behold.  Thankfully, the flowergirl, bride, and nervous mom (a bridesmaid so the girl was supposed to be under grandma's watch) were all fine though nothing could be done to save the pretty toddler dress from some very large stains.  What I did get for images were actually quite cute.  Covered in crumbs and frosting, the big grin on that messy little face made an appearance in the wedding album and I remember the bride asking for prints to share with her friend later.  

So what does all this mean to me?  Well, when life gives you cupcakes... MAKE A MESS!

Hotel Shenanigans

As Valentine's Day creeps ever closer I keep wanting to do one big day of shooting to get in as many bookings as possible in a single push to help limit how often I am over extending as the due date for this baby crawls ever closer.  Thankfully, the ever beautiful Tanya has thrown her hat in the ring to pull an event out for all our sultry brides to be and sexy ladies in lingerie!

While I am gearing up with new lens orders for the 2014 wedding season, we are going to do a big day of shooting at a local hotel as well.  The goal will be to book a fancy room that has all those picture perfect elements you know and love about great boudoir.  So girls, are you ready?  Bring your favorite something sexy, have your make-up and hair done by our team, and get your very own session of seductive images to share with your Valentine or yourself.

Dates and location to follow soon.  And a big bonus for one lovely bride to be may just be in the works too!

Props and Baby Bumps

New goodies and props are popping up in my prop collection and I simply could not be happier.  

I've been browsing the shelves at our local dollar store as they begin to pull out the Valentine's Day and even some very early Easter items.  This is when I can always find things like strings of huge chunky faux pearls to use for a finishing touch over a soft lingerie look for boudoir.  I'm most proud of a collection of lace fans that I found a few days after Christmas as they were ditching the "last minute gifts" that did not sell.  Score six for a dollar in different colors and no worries if they break or rip.

Soon I'll be going back, this time to look for items to use at my up-coming baby celebration and of course I'll be keeping an eye out for props.  One of my all time favorites came from a friend's baby shower where she used flowers in clear crystal slides (made to look like flowers pressed in glass).  Placing this just off center and shooting through it focused on a posing child or baby gives a lovely dual image without having to fuss with layers that may not line up in post process.  This also lets me have a reminder of that party as a paper weight on my desk when meeting with clients or editing in the evenings.

Colors are a big deal for me this year.  I've found that my tastes always seems to float to soft teals, greens, yellows and blues with toddlers and young kids, and deep jewel tones of burgundy, violet, and jade when it comes to adults.  I love a classing pin-up girl touch of red for boudoir, but it has started to land in the overkill zone lately with Rockabilly influence seeming to forget that there are color choices beyond black, white and red.  I'm a sucker for a bold blue because it does such good in the right light, making even simple images floaty and full of an ethereal sense of heavenly beauty.  

I'm going to do some color study images soon for sharing, something to take my mind off how much the pregnancy is slowing down my desire to get out there and shoot.  I also have another shoot in the works with a fellow boudoir photographer as part of celebrating my pregnancy and trying to reclaim some of the strength and drive this has sapped over the last month.  I'm obsessed with doing a henna belly shoot, so I'll be having a ball with sharing those shots in the near future.

Back to Booking

For those who we did have come in before the holidays or have been friendly stalking our facebook updates, yes, I really am back for the moment.  For anyone not caught up via the social media circuit... I recently had extensive testing and prenatal surgery to deal with some threatening complications to my current pregnancy.

I am not back to 100% just yet, but have returned to work editing and creating new collections of artistic prints to offer for sale and perhaps even a line of custom art wedding and baby shower invitations.  Working behind the scenes for the moment means that there will be new fun things to share as we come along toward Valentine's Day and then the start of spring's annual wedding season insanity.

According to my doctors I will be due around Mother's Day, but the chances of having a preemie are high.  This means from March - mid-May I will not take any bookings myself, but have enlisted the aid of other photographers who would be willing to take boudoir or wedding bookings and may even be ready to hand over the first shoots to my talented assistant photographer.

But first, VALENTINE'S DAY IS COMING!

I expect that by Sunday I will have time to fully flesh out the details of the packages for boudoir shoots for any and all interested in doing something sweet and sexy for their significant other.  I am keeping it all super simple and I can promise prices under $75 for those on a budget.

Until those are available, here is a snapshot of my adorable old doggie relaxing over the holidays.

Cyber Monday

I do about 90% of my holiday shopping online.  I work and edited images from home and spend a good part of my day here at the computer desk while enjoying the chance to be a work-from-home-mother.  This means Cyber Monday and Small Business Saturday are big on my "save money by shopping this way" list of budgeting tricks.  So why should you forget to save money on what is already one of the most expensive days of your life?  Yes... I offer Cyber Monday Wedding Deals!

This year I am focused on small weddings and elopements.  They are near and dear to my heart and budget brides should get the chance to be sale loving on every day of the year.  This means my Cyber Monday Special is for small events with deals available on larger bookings.  Note that this can be purchased any time Monday 12/02 - Friday 12/06.

As part of Cyber Monday we are offering a $350 total package for small events and elopements. Couples interested in this type of booking will have three hours of shooting, the top 100 images edited to their personal taste and finished on CD, and a simple press-print album and credit for another edited image CD on a future family photo shoot (ideal if planning on starting a family or interested in having photos with fur babies at the holidays).
 
Those who need a longer time, are looking to include a boudoir sitting, or want to investigate our other packages now offered at 30% off, should continue over to our weddings page.

Winter is Coming

Actually, winter is always coming in this area.  Just about the time the last snow melts, we start doing our job to prepare for next year's storms.  This somehow never manages to dampen my love for snow.  It can be a love/hate relationship at times, but nothing quite compares to watching children and pets play in the pretty white flakes.

Duke is getting older now, he is less about frolicking in the snowbanks and more about finding a soft pile to flop down for a nap, and yet manages to look adorable the whole time.  He reminds me how lovely it can be to enjoy the little things, and with a fair sized storm slated for Wednesday, I am trying to focus on how lovely it will look and not how little I enjoy driving through it for our trip to visit family.

Next comes the fun of winter weddings.  So many brides skip over this season because they cannot see how beautiful it can look or forget that often they will save money because of the off-peak booking which can go into a larger reception or upgrade in honeymoon. 

If you are a winter wonderland bride, congratulations on picking an uncommon season and making the most of the snowy white world!  Jewel tones against fresh snow can look amazing in photos, and I am a sucker for the look of a classic wool pea-coat over a wedding gown.  And don't forget that you can keep that dress off the ground by going with a knee length design and adding some super cute fashionable boots to warm your toes outside and slip on your dancing shoes at the reception.

As always, winter is slow season for many wedding businesses, so you can save with "End of Season Sales" and booking for the year ahead well in advance.  Small business Saturday is on the way too, so keep an eye out for all those discounts and deals where you can.  Because there are fewer events, this is a good time to research and contact vendors if you are the kind to ask a ton of questions, take notes and make use of the time wisely, doing everything in a rush can lead to impulse choices that cost you in the end.

As always, enjoy the snow and the holidays!

The Word You Are Looking For Is Perfect!

Part of being willing to pose for fantastic photography is being comfortable with your body.  This is as true for a new bride celebrating in a fantastic white dress as it is for a "heavy" girl doing her first boudoir shoot as a gift for a special somebody.  And trust me, it only gets harder when you are battling body image issues and a growing baby bump before a day you know you cannot avoid the camera's flash.

I am pregnant.  Some years ago now, I was a pregnant bride.  Both times I have been keenly aware of the dirty looks that leaving the house being confident and proud of my belly can earn.  The inconsiderate whispers of other brides and shoppers stabbed like knives as I did my best to enjoy planning a wedding and getting the opportunity to have a child.

So why does it bother me when I hear or see people commenting about a woman "looking pregnant"?  Because pregnancy requires so much bravery and selflessness.  Being heavy after a baby is something we shame women into thinking is a flaw, being thick without having a big round belly is rough and we ALL need to remember that healthy and happy people come in more than one size.

I have this shocking theory that the words "She looks pregnant" should never be used when talking about a woman's clothing choices.  It may well be one of the most insulting things ever said about a person's appearance for how it defines both body image and maternity.  And as a woman who deals with both fashion and nude figures, it is something that irks me beyond belief when I see those comments on a photo of any strong, smart, sassy lady brave enough to not fall into the fear of photos that comes with wearing a dress size beyond single digits.

Stay tuned for a few fun images I have been keeping up my sleeve that prove that "perfect" is a far better word than "pregnant".  Beautiful is defined in our minds, not in our media.

Great Causes We Love

Things have gone rather off track around here at the moment.  What should have been happy news of expecting a new baby in May has lead to some serious health concerns and partial bed-rest orders.  To make up for the lost time this is creating, I have been doing some work promoting local and national charities and great causes dear to my heart.  Today I'll be sharing those here before heading out to catch some photos of my little boy on his way to do his first real Trick-or-Treat.


EXTRA LIFE

Video game lovers around the country will be donating their time, energy, love, and dignity this weekend in a 25 hour marathon gaming event known as Extra Life.  A dear friend and former co-worker of mine is doing her part yet again and can be followed here as she sells her soul to the gamer gods to raise money for Children’s Miracle Network and Connecticut Children’s Medical Center.

My husband and I are avid gamers with a deep love of zombies and Skyrim, so this is a cause we can both get behind and open-hearted nerds who have seen the wonderful and terrifying side of children's hospitals.  Please take a moment to consider donating to this cause and show the world what a little love and an X-Box can do when used the right way!

NILMDTS

More years ago than I care to think of, I was introduced to the program Now I Lay Me Down To Sleep (NILMDTS) when a friend lost her baby in an unexpected twist of fate at the end of a healthy pregnancy.  The love in those images helped their family begin to heal by having a way to say goodbye.  These photographers are such loving and kind people who donate their time and work to grieving parents having to say goodbye just as they whisper hello.

As I mentioned, I am facing a difficult and high risk pregnancy at the moment.  Perhaps it is knowing that there is such a fragile balance with a new life that makes this all the more dear to my heart today.  Please take the time to see what an amazing gift these people do.  Someday I hope to join them in their work to bring a little less hurt to a time no family should be forced to face.

And now, I have a cuddly little race car driver (we are big BBC America fans and TopGear is always popular in our house) waiting to go collect some goodies.  Good night and Happy Halloween to you all!