106
Not too long ago, we featured part one of Valerie & Ricky's gorgeous Winter Park wedding.
Part 2 is all about the details. And let me just tell you - they do not disappoint.
The entire theme was largely focused around earthy, vintage-inspired, country-chic aspects. Custom-made wooden pieces, family-style seating, pops of bright green and an ideal venue selection (the Winter Park's Farmer Market), were just some of the bits and pieces that made Valerie and Ricky's wedding a picture perfect event.
I don't normally post a lot of 'detail' photos on the blog because, well, most of the time details aren't as exciting to look at as people. :) But in this case, I think the details are so fantastic that they need to be shared. Future brides, wedding planners...appreciators of awesomeness - take note. The photo board below is a source of inspiration; a testimony that DIY can be chic and breathtaking.
Yup. I said DIY. Valerie and her exceptionally talented family created the entire look for this wedding. Valerie even found some of the little gems below on the side of the road. She was a dedicated bride. She had a vision, and sought to have it carried out in every element of her day. Brides - let this be encouragement to you that your wedding day can be creative and beautiful without breaking the bank. Just utilize your resources, be innovative and be hands-on. You can have the wedding of your dreams - you just have to be willing to put in the time and effort. :)
Valerie and Ricky's wedding was gorgeous and cohesive. Enjoy the charming details from their big day!
I love cake. A lot. And this cake was kind of amazing. So I felt like it deserved solo recognition.
And because every post is better with...people :), here's a couple of shots of Valerie and Ricky's first dance. More on the reception in part 3!
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valerie & ricky : married [part 2]
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105
I need to be honest - I'm feeling a bit nervous about writing this post.
Not because I'm nervous to write about Becky, the breast cancer survivor. Cancer, I can write about. I'm nervous to write about Becky, the courageous, spunky, full-of-life, extraordinary woman. Cancer is something that Becky has experienced, but cancer is not what defines her.
So I'm going to make my best attempt to describe what I think does define her.
I didn't get to spend a ton of time with Becky, but I didn't need to in order to understand who she is. She's a straight shooter; transparent, genuine, and a take-me-as-I-am type of person. She has a contagious smile that is constantly planted on her face. She adores her family. She radiates confidence. She carries herself with a certain grace and poise that I long for; I envy her self-assurance. She's not afraid to be goofy or affectionate or energetic - she allows her true personality to shine through no matter where she is or who she is around.
She's a survivor, but more importantly, she's a live-r. Not the organ :); the verb. She knows how to live.
On the day I met Becky, I had been experiencing a day. You know what I mean. A DAY. Nothing was going right, and the world seemed to be wreaking havoc on me every second that I spent awake. It's the kind of day that can put you in a slump; wreck your mindset. And it did - for a moment.
Becky changed my perspective. While we were running through the rain (yes. RAIN. On her shoot. Like I said - it was a day.), I was apologizing. And complaining. And apologizing some more. She stopped me, and with a smile said, 'you didn't know this was going to happen.'
It's simplistic, but so true. We can't control life. It's going to throw us curveballs - days, stormy weather, heartbreak, cancer...but it's up to us how we choose to handle it. We can sulk in our slump, apologize a million times, or take a cue from this lovely lady and keep pushing forward.
I'd like to believe that I'm a better person after hanging out with Becky for an hour. And for that, I'm so thankful that I had the opportunity to meet her. :)
Becky, you seriously rock. You have inspired me, and I'm so honored that you asked me to be a part of your journey. This was one of the most enjoyable shoots I've ever done - even with the 'day' I was having. :) I hope you love these photos - you're beautiful!
Becky's hair has started to grow back (yay!) but she wanted to grab some shots of her before it was fully grown to document such a monumental time in her life. Really cool, right? As we were e-mailing back and forth, I told her to feel free to bring any props along with her that she thought would add to the shoot. She told me that she was bringing along 2 of the things that have helped her the most throughout the whole process - her kids. :)
McKinzi and Michael love their mommy a lot.
And of course, the feeling is reciprocated. :)
How cute are they?!
One of my favorites.
LOVE these two.
Becky, you're gorgeous.
Demi Moore has nothing on this chick. ;)
:)
Denise is Becky's sister (and a great friend of ours - hi Denise! :)). Denise has been one of Becky's biggest cheerleaders, supporters, encouragers, and friends through the past months of challenges and trials. Having a sister myself, I can definitely appreciate how tight their bond must be. Sisters are seriously one of life's biggest blessings.
At some point during the shoot, McKinzi decided that she should wear Becky's hat. And as soon as I pointed the camera in her direction, she worked it. Someone needs to get this girl an agent!
I already knew I was going to love Becky before I even met her. But when she rolled up to the shoot wearing these boots, she stole my heart. <3
So as I mentioned before, it rained. Here, it wasn't downpouring, but it was definitely coming down steadily. Becky and I braved the drops to grab a few shots of her doing what she does best - embracing the moment that life has given her. :)
Becky:
I am in LOVE with these, Amy! You did a wonderful job! I can't say it enough....I love, love, LOVE them. Thank you so much!!!
(03.10.10)
Julie McClung:
Absolutely gorgeous!
(03.10.10)
Andy Schuler:
amazing story, amazing pictures. Way to go, both Becky and the Starks!
(03.10.10)
Renee:
These words and pictures are truly you, Becky! Absolutely love the rain picture! (and those boots) (and all the other pictures!) Fabulous!
(03.10.10)
Callie:
Absolutely amazing. Maybe my favorite blog post ever - gorgeous pictures and a truly inspiring story. So awesome! And I have to comment on how much I love the boots too. :)
(03.10.10)
Sue Lockhart:
Becky, my heart filled with joy, and my eyes with tears when I saw these pictures. They truely tell of your journey and the love that shines through you to others all around. You and the kids have became our hero, our example, and renews our faith in our wonderful God. You radiate his spirit that lives within you. Who knew the journey would be a blessing to all who love you so much. You are as a shinning star, wise beyond your years.....a true treasure on earth. I love you with all my heart, g-ma
(03.10.10)
Nana:
What can I say, but "WOW"!! Beautiful family, inspiring story, and precious pictures. May God continue to bless this family!
Nana
Phyllis:
I definitely need to re-read this everyday. You captured her spirit with both your words and photos! Awesome!
(03.15.10)
June:
I love checking your blog periodically. This is the first time I am leaving a comment and I must say, this post almost brought me to tears. Thank you for posting such a moving story through words and photos. Becky is a hero to us all.
(03.30.10)
June:
I love checking your blog periodically. This is the first time I am leaving a comment and I must say, this post almost brought me to tears. Thank you for posting such a moving story through words and photos. Becky is a hero to us all.
(03.30.10)
Dee:
This is a such a moving piece. Wow Amy - you guys always rock . Always.. But this is beyond picture taking and your special gift of photography.. This was very very special and you can see in your pictures how it moved you. :)
(04.05.10)
Dee:
This is a such a moving piece. Wow Amy - you guys always rock . Always.. But this is beyond picture taking and your special gift of photography.. This was very very special and you can see in your pictures how it moved you. :)
(04.05.10)
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104
This is my last Love Through the Lens session to post, and it's definitely bittersweet. Love Through the Lens was truly SUCH an amazing experience for Ben and I. We met some incredible people who were willing to get in front of our cameras to support a great cause. We feel humbled and blessed to have been a part of this. It rocked our world. :) (p.s. I'll be posting a LTTL follow-up entry to detail the total amount given, and the experience as a whole, so be sure to check back soon!)
The Dickins kids are Faith, Bethany, Drew, and William. They are probably some of the cutest, most photogenic people I've ever been around. And they're cool. And sweet. It's kind of like the best of all worlds, really. :)
Here's a few of our favorites from the day!
William is the youngest, and he lucked out in the fun-older-siblings department. :)
a little brotherly bonding...
...and sisterly love!
:)
Who doesn't love to swing?!
Favorite group shot!
I try to take at least one 'no face' shot during every session we do. I think attire/shoes say a lot about someone's personality. :)
William and I made a deal; if he gave me one 'nice smile'...
...he could make any face he wanted. (I'm kind of partial to this one, really :))
Faith and Bethany got in on the face-making action too. :)
Faith:
Wow! They look great! Thanks so much for the time you spent with us...I can't wait to see the rest :-)
(03.08.10)
Nana:
Such beutiful siblings and so much love is evident!
(03.08.10)
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dickins kids : love through the lens
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103
My posts have been a little light on words lately, but it's not because I don't have a lot to say - it's because I have literally no time to say it. I've been running in 562 directions, and the word 'chaos' is actually an understatement for my life right now. I think things are finally slowing down (but I don't want to talk about it in case I jinx it) - so my long-winded blog posts will be returning soon. I can hear the shouts of joy from all of you as I type that...:)
The Walbrown family (consisting of Randy, Kim, Allison, Ben and Cara) participated in one of our Love Through the Lens sessions, and they are a super fun group to be around. They laugh a lot together, which I believe is the key to a happy, healthy family. And they make monkey faces. How can you not be cool if you make monkey faces?!
The kids - Ben, Allison and Cara.
Then we added the parents to the mix. :)
Mom and Dad need a few by themselves. :)
There's something about this shot that I really love.
Probably my favorite family shot. :)
Ok - so you may be familiar with our personality boxes. If you are a client, you can request them, and we'll make it happen during your shoot or event! The Walbrown kids didn't request a personality box, but after spending some time letting them have total creative freedom in front of the camera, I decided that they definitely deserved one. There's a WHOLE lot of personality in these 9 frames. And I can't take any credit for the awesomeness of the faces or poses - that was all them. :)
Allison:
Yay! I love them! Thanks so much again for doing this with us!
(03.05.10)
Shannon :
hahaha, I love the crazy peace sign tourist one!
(03.05.10)
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102
Mandy and Matt braved the chilly weather with their little newborn daughter, Autumn, to grab some shots with us in Winter Park.
Despite the cold air, Autumn was a trooper! And Mandy and Matt are truly loving, devoted parents already. It was beautiful to watch their little family interact together, and to see how much they adore Autumn. I'm hoping to see more of them in the future as Autumn continues to grow! :)
Daddy/daughter photos melt my heart. :)
Doesn't it kind of look like Autumn is smiling here? I think she knows how much they love her. :)
SUCH a cute family!
Up there in the running for my favorite of the day.
I have said it before and I'll say it again; I think it is SO important for couples to have photos together, sans kids. Parents should document their love throughout the years because it is their relationship that is truly the foundation for their family. I'm off my soapbox now. :) P.s. How photogenic and precious are Mandy and Matt?!
Little baby fingers. :)
:)
Michelle Guzman:
I should not be away, but I'm glad I got to see this before bed. LOL! Beautiful work!
(03.05.10)
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These are GORGEOUS! Plus, the theme for their wedding is exactly what I want to go for with mine- I would love to "borrow" some ideas from these pictures- especially for the centerpieces! And great photography, as always :D
(03.15.10)Amy! I Love the format of this blog...the picture block is amazing! Photos are gorgeous as usual and I love the BM badge.
(03.15.10)The cake was awesome and from Publix!!!
(03.16.10)Those details are amazing! I am IN LOVE with her use of the tree logs. What an awesome idea! But especially the cake - Incredible!!
(03.16.10)