going 

and here’s the part where lauren dances and totally steals my heart. i know you’re dying to hear the back story. here it is: we wanted to finish up the session by climbing onto the roof of the super cool historical building lauren and andrew live in, in the north end of boise. lauren had prepped me before our session, “it might be a little tricky, its kind of sketchy getting up there.” i assure her, “oh, i’m pretty sure i can handle it.”

HA. ha. ha. ha. i could not handle it.  after watching the incredibly athletic andrew basically hop up, and the extraordinarily nimble lauren scramble up like a pretty little  cat, i nervously tried to hoist myself on the railings…….and started sweating AND shaking within 1.89 minutes.

i looked down and saw the street, far below us, so very very very far below us, and it was at that moment that i   said, “guys, i don’t think i can do this.” and my pride was busted and bruised. we agreed to shoot the dancing portion of the session the following night in another cool location (yet to be determined), and lauren and andrew were so super nice and gracious about the whole thing. they really really tried to not let me be embarrassed.

but i couldn’t. get. over. it. i knew there had to be away to get up that roof. i went home that night and brainstormed with my mom, who is the master of all resourcefulness, in case you didn’t know. long story short, we devised a plan, i emailed lauren and said, “we ARE getting up on that roof gosh darn it,” and as you will soon see, we did.

it was the bravest thing i have ever done for a client and it was 100% worth it. because, my goodness just look at her….(i kid you not she brought me to tears)

most of the events of the day took place at the historic bishop’s house in boise. i was in love with its soft, antique-ish, pastel palette

carrie’s dress was absolutely incredible in its simplistic beauty. i believe she designed it herself and had it made. i can’t imagine a dress more delicate or more perfect for carrie.

the ladies got ready in one of the charming little room’s in the bishops house, and i’ll confess right now: girls getting pretty and enjoying one another’s company is one of my favorite things to photograph. there’s a magic in the anticipation.

so sweet, carrie’s sister in law was tearing up as she saw her in her dress.

everything about carrie is so adorably feminine and her shoes were no exception.

i just love the timelessness and feel of this shot.

some final touches.

i try to ask my brides to close their eyes for a moment and take a deep breath. i am in love with carrie’s serene beauty here.

getting a little emotional

gasp, carrie, you take my breath away. seriously, who has such  natural grace?

okay, get a load of kev’s super excited face.

i am totally a proponent of a first look before the ceremony. where else would we get teary, sweet moments like these?

cannot handle carrie’s cuteness…

we headed out for some portraits in the hot hot hot sun. but sun? you’re not quiiiiiite as hot as kevin.

in case you were wondering, they needed just about NO direction.

love the shot above on the left. this was martin’s perspective while we were working with carrie and kev.

kevin was such a gentleman. again, totally not directed.

fyi, seven bridesmaids and six groomsman might suggest that people like carrie and kevin, ALOT.

loved the little touches at the bishop’s house.

carrie and kevin’s dog got a little side tracked when it was his turn to walk down the aisle. carrie, however kept her eye on the prize.

how firm do you think this handshake is between kevin and carrie’s dad?

they were so, so happy.

how could i not have gotten a portrait of that dapper young man in the suit coat and tie. i hope his mother sees this.

toward the end of the night i couldn’t help but steal carrie for a few more portraits. i am so happy she not only obliged me but then proceeded to ROCK the camera.

see, in this very moment, all was right in the world.

thank you again carrie and kevin. as my four year old myra would say, you make my heart happy.

this is jill and joe. crazy in love, major laid back cool, and sharing moments that are astonishingly beautiful. they got married on a mountain top and it suited them.

i love her tiny baby bump

but.

somehow by the end of candace and eric’s day, my energy came back. something about their love, the excitement of their friends and family, rejuvenated me.  i seriously drove home asking myself how in the world that just happened. and for that i can’t thank them enough.

one other thing you should know – kollin MIGHT be the kind of guy that goes in monthly to get his haircut by a girl he has a crush on for an entire YEAR before they ever get together. and all that time steph thought he was just diligent about hair maintenance.

hahahahahahaha, oh man, i’m so sorry guys, but i have to laugh thinking about it.

still, that wasn’t the most tragic thing about our time together. the most tragic thing was that after photographing Michelle and brian’s engagements (why didn’t those ever get blogged, oh for the same reason the half dozen other sessions still waiting for blog time didn’t- my life is  crazy), and their groomal session, i missed their wedding day. its not what you think! it was no fault of my own! i sadly happened to already be booked for their date by the time they contacted me. i was so flattered that they wanted to go ahead and do pictures together anyway. racing the sun after our unwelcome tow truck interruption, this is what we got.

looky here heartshop attendees, this session is shot at the very location where you’ll be hanging out for a few days! not only did we want to show you the studio, we wanted to show you images that make our heart sing. these images are like more heart healthy for me than cheerios! why? because 1. they have MY girls in them. =)  (though wrennie, the little squat bucket, only survived the first half of the shoot) 2. they have my girls in them being their silly selves 3. when i look at them i’m reminded of more than one reason as to why life is so, so, so good.

thanks for looking!

p.s. if this shoot had audio, you’d have to cover your ears. otherwise they might explode from a giggling overload.