We’re going to change things up a bit this week on the LBB Blog and let you see the rest of Kristina & Rob’s beautiful day at the Dancing Apache Ranch directly from the cameron + kelly studios website:  Click HERE for the SLIDE SHOW that is just overflowing with, as Abby would say … pure gorgeousness!

And for more details about the day, you can read a bit about it on their blog post ~ Click HERE for Kristina & Rob’s Wedding Day … Click HERE for their Day After Shoot At Red Rocks.

Congratulations to Kristina & Rob and a HUGE  thank you to Cameron & Jamelle!

We’ll have lots of the images from this wedding loaded into our Photo Galleries for your Inspiration Boards a little later this week!

© Style Me Pretty : The Ultimate Wedding Blog, 2009. | Permalink | 12 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: Arizona, Cameron + Kelly, Dancing Apache Ranch
Post categories: Casual Elegance, Little Black Book Blog

Hollye Schumacher Photography and Victoria Canada Weddings & Events shared these awesome images with us!

How beautiful is this shot? Such an incredible memory from the day.

Hollye is an award winning photographer … and from these photos, you can definitely understand why!

* * *

A few details of the day from Victoria, Laura & Brian’s ever-so-talented wedding coordinator …

The adorable couple wed at The Royal Palms Resort & Spa on a gorgeous Arizona fall afternoon. Before the ceremony, Laura surprised guests with root beer, green apple, and orange cream Jones Sodas adorned with photos of Laura and Brian’s long history together.

The ceremony décor was soft and elegant with brilliant colors of red, orange and brown. Rose petals covered the aisle spelling out the letter “S” with a pop of color. At the end of the ceremony, guests tossed rose petals to Laura and Brian’s “rosy future” and for the cocktail hour, the vintage photo theme continued … the guests seating was indicated when they picked up chocolate brown boxes. On top of the custom label was the guest’s name. When they opened the box, their table number was nestled in a bed of orange rose petals and the lid of the box showed photos of the bride & groom’s dating history … the prom, a trip to Paris, their first date…

The gorgeous cake design was based on Laura’s Ramona Keveza wedding gown and the brooch that sparkled on the top tier was taken from a formal dress Laura wore on a date with Brian.

The reception exuded warmth and matched the elegant feel of the Royal Palm’s Salon with different shades of taupe, brown and gold.

Guests were treated to a delicious plated meal, and then the party started! Laura changed her hair and the music picked up. Guests were able to change out of their high heels and into flip flops as the dancing began because “happy feet are dancing feet!” A photo booth provided fun favors for all of the guests and more vintage photos were displayed throughout the reception.

As the night went on, guests indulged themselves in a chocolate decadence bar for some tasty treats to take with them. Laura and Brian started their rosy future while surrounded by family, friends and spectacular memories.

Just one more perfect example of combining pure elegance with classic fun!  Congratulations Laura & Brian!

A HUGE thank you to Victoria Canada Weddings & Events for sending us Laura & Brian’s wedding to share with our readers.

{By the way, Victoria has a pretty great blog of her own.}

* * *

And to Hollye Schumacher … your sensational talent never ceases to amaze us! We can literally spend HOURS on your site looking at your images (brides, babies & the charming pooches!).

We featured Laura and Brian’s engagement shoot, a while back on the LBB blog  -or- you can see it on Hollye’s blog.  Hollye LOVES to travel so definitely check out more of her amazing weddings even if you’re NOT in Arizona … (reminds me of a George Strait song) …

Here are just a few more gorgeous weddings from Hollye’s blog ~

Colette’s fantastic dress!

Anna & Wes’ dramatic October wedding!

Renee & Justin’s fun-filled wedding (with super-cool green tennies)!

* * *

Additional wedding vendors from today’s featured wedding ~ Serendipity Videography, String Serenade (ceremony music), The Hamptons (band), Royal Palms Resort (cake), Table Tops, Etc. (Florist), BBJ Linens, Corinna Cooke (Make-up), Photo Booth AZ, and Celebrations In Paper (all paper pieces).

© Style Me Pretty : The Ultimate Wedding Blog, 2009. | Permalink | 22 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: Arizona, Cake, Candy Station, Chocolate, Hollye Schumacher Photography, Phoenix, Photo Booth, Romona Keveza, Rose Petals, Royal Palms Resort & Spa, Serendipity Videography, Table Tops Etc., Victoria Canada Weddings & Events
Post categories: Little Black Book Blog, Wedding Photography, Wedding Planners & Designers

Kristin and Gino …

Dana and Mark …

Tracy and Justin …

Irene and Derek …

Milley and Doug …

Pretty amazing, right? From all of us at Style Me Pretty, we congratulate you all!

* * *

And before we leave you today, we wanted to share a couple of shots from Gail and Harry’s wedding that we saw on Sedona Bride’s blog.  Gail and Harry didn’t elope (!), but their wedding photos did remind us, all over again … what this marriage thing is all about!

A HUGE thank you to Katrina and Andrew for allowing us to share in the joy of these lovely moments!

© Style Me Pretty : The Ultimate Wedding Blog, 2009. | Permalink | 14 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: Arizona, Bride and Groom Magazine, Christian Louboutin, Elope, Elopement, Oak Creek Canyon, Red Rocks, Sedona Bride
Post categories: Little Black Book Blog

That was before they were married!

This … is their wedding day …

Rebecca and Jesse were married at her parent’s desert home outside Lake Havasu City, Arizona.

Michele and Mark ~ IN Photography ~ sent us these stunning photos from this gorgeous day in May!

The handsome young men wore snazzy brown suits and the beautiful maids were in rich reds …

But Rebecca’s dress stole the show!

What a great backgound!

A strand of pearls … classic roses … a touch of gold …  simple perfection!

Thank YOU … Rebecca & Jesse … Michele & Mark at IN Photography … for sharing this day with us!

© Style Me Pretty : The Ultimate Wedding Blog, 2009. | Permalink | 5 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: Arizona, Chivari Chairs, Color Palette Red White, Engagement Shoot, Gold, IN Photography, Lake Havasu, Pearls, Roses
Post categories: Little Black Book Blog

It should only take a second to guess that this was ONE very special wedding!

As  with virtually ALL weddings, there is so much more to the story than meets the eye.

Sent to us by Little Black Book photographer Cameron Clark at Cameron + Kelly Studios, DeeAnn and Eric’s wedding in Tucson immediately caught our eye! We think, it’s pretty obvious why …

From Cameron’s blog post …  “It is with great humility I write this post. Initially, I had no idea why, but I was very drawn to photograph Dee and Eric’s wedding at the last minute. So drawn, in fact, I offered to do it pro-bono even though I really knew nothing about the couple. Let me explain the story…”

We’ll be back in a bit with more photos and the ‘rest of the story’. If the suspense is too tough, take a peek at Cameron’s blog: {click here!}

© Style Me Pretty : The Ultimate Wedding Blog, 2009. | Permalink | 4 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: Arizona, Cameron + Kelly Studios, Heart Logo, Mexican Theme, Tucson
Post categories: Do-It-Yourself Inspired, Little Black Book Blog, Real Weddings, Wedding Photography, Wedding Style, Whimsical

But today, we’re cranking it back a few paces and dealing with those other photos … the first photos you’ll take now that you’re engaged!!

E* shoots … from ordinary to extraordinary! Gone are the days of sweet, sentimental engagement photos. Nowadays, crazy, sensual, just plain fun … anything goes! We’ve asked our own dream team of experts, the Little Black Book photographers, to share some tips and tricks to achieving those extraordinary engagement shots that you’ll be proud to claim as your first piece of true art!

Today, we’ve asked Holly Schumacher, a fabulous fine art and wedding photographer to give us her best advice to couples preparing for their engagement sessions.

from Hollye …

I would first (and most importantly) find a photographer who shoots in different outdoor locations. Ask the photographer if they specialize in customized engagement sessions. Does the photographer shoot in a lot of similar locations with similar poses, or is their a lot of variety? Once you find your photographer, share information about yourselves, such as, things you like to do together, places you frequently eat, what type of couple you are (romantic, traditional, playful, outgoing) and the story of how you met. The more a photographer knows about a couple, the more personalized the engagement session will be.The “about us” list, also acts as a source of inspiration. I’ve found the best spots based on this feedback, shooting in a playground, in swinging chairs at the fair, at In-N-Out Burger, in a fountain, cooking store, etc.

I found out from one of my couples that the groom had proposed to his girlfriend by putting the engagement ring in the bible that they read every night. When she opened the book, the ring fell out into her lap and he proposed to her. When I did their engagement session at their house, I had them get out the book and I photographed the ring in the book creating a heart out of the shadow. If you’re wanting to do something creative, be sure to convey it to the photographer and give them an example of something you saw that moved you.

Everyone has a different level of tolerance in front of the camera. If you (or your fiance) is not willing to get wet, dirty, or mess up your hair, then beware of what you ask for.

I know that when clients come to me and verbally tell me that they want an out-of-the-box engagement session they should strap themselves in for an exciting ride. Try to be yourself in front of the camera. For some, this means drinking a glass of wine (only ONE) before the session or getting in a good mood and leaving the day’s dramas behind. A lot of couples can be nervous before the session which can create tensions when they arrive for the shoot. Do your best to acknowlege that you may be nervous, but that tension will quickly fade once you start. If you are not so great at styling your hair (myself included) have your hair and make up professionally done. It can make or break a session. Your photographer can create the most amazing images, but if you didn’t like your hair, it’s a complete waste of time. Ultimately, you want to be happy with how you look in the picture. Be sure to go to a stylist you trust who has done it in the past so you’re not left with a style that looks like someone else.

If you get great images, do something with them! If you spend the time and money to do a fun session, be sure to either create a guest sign-in book, holiday card, slideshow, website, or large wall portrait, with the images. Do not let them waste away. I have a set of photos from my engagement session between myself and my husband at my house and office, and they never cease to remind me of the love we share and the fun time we had making the images.

Such great advice, Hollye! Thanks so much for this first in a series of Little Black Book posts on E*shoots.

Hollye Schumacher Photography is based in Phoenix, Arizona, but if you read her bio, you’ll see she’s addicted to travel … so if you love her style (and who wouldn’t!) shoot her an e*mail.  Her December 30 blog has some more seriously incredible engagement shots from Lauren and Merrill’s e*shoot. Don’t know how they’ll be able to choose … they’re all so fun!

If any of you guys have stories to tell about your own e*shoots … please let us know by sending us a comment. I’m sure other couples would really like to hear from you, too! OR if you have questions … send ‘em our way. We’ve got a panel of experts who can help you with any question you might have!

© Style Me Pretty : The Ultimate Wedding Blog, 2009. | Permalink | 8 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: Arizona, Brown Mouse Photography, E*Shoots, Engagement Sessions, Hollye Schumacher Photography, Karen Rusten, Phoenix
Post categories: Little Black Book Blog, Wedding Photography

Before we show you the ceremony, let’s start with a few so-so-cute pre-wedding pics…

The phenomenal wedding photo-story is next …

© Style Me Pretty : The Ultimate Wedding Blog, 2008. | Permalink | Comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: Arizona, Cathedral Rock, Pre-Wedding, Sedona Bride, Sedona Wedding Planner
Post categories: Little Black Book Blog, Wedding Photography

From Cameron, Carol and Steve…

Another really cool project…Carol repurposed a wedding invitation to conceal their vows. Designed by Carol and Steve’s friend, Kristie, is a local Flagstaff artist and teaches art to junior high students in Winslow. She designed them to be reminicent of the wedding site, and linoleum block printed an edition of 100. She signed and numbered each. The result was that each guest received a limited edition piece of art that commemorated our wedding as well as an invitation.

From Steve…my sister made the wedding cake. This caused great anxiety with my mother, who feared an amature cake might somehow be the wedding’s downfall, bringing only ruin and despair to our big day; my sister is an air traffic controller, and not a professional baker. The end result was beautiful, though, and was a great way to put money into areas our guests would appreciate more directly.

Oh, I just love all of these personal touches. Not only do they bring a sense of intimacy to the wedding…Steve and Carol now have so many stories to tell about their big day! Thanks, Cameron, for sending to us and a HUGE congratulations to Steve and Carol!

© Style Me Pretty : The Ultimate Wedding Blog, 2008. | Permalink | 8 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: Arizona, Cameron Clark, Outdoor Wedding
Post categories: Do-It-Yourself Inspired

From Cameron, Carol and Steve…

The wedding was filled with DIY touches. Carol’s sister printed up, cut out, and pasted old family photographs to construction paper and then hung them on twine with clothespins on the “forest walk” to the ceremony site.  Every guest stopped to check out the photos.  It was a huge HIT!

Also in superb DIY fashion their friends cut out Aspen tree ‘rounds’ and arranged tabletop flowers within them. They turned out beautiful. Our friend David constructed these rounds by cutting a fallen aspen into sections and auguring multiple holes into each to contain the stems. He sealed the bottoms with a lacquer to prevent water from leaking onto the tablecloths.

Other tidbits…The bride’s friend Tamara arranged her bouquet using many local flowers including a huge sunflower.  They wrote their own vows, and used a beautiful wood-cut paper invitation to conceal them.

More to come!

© Style Me Pretty : The Ultimate Wedding Blog, 2008. | Permalink | 5 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: Arizona, Cameron Clark, Outdoor Wedding
Post categories: Do-It-Yourself Inspired

From Cameron…

Steve and Carol have been together forever. They even went to prom together! Their ceremony location was tucked behind some Aspen trees in the middle of the forest at 8,000 in Flagstaff, AZ and it was gorgeous. They made this wedding really reflect their personalities. They had lawn games and many DIY details. From the FANCY portable “Royal” restroom facility to the artist who crafted their invites, Carol must have spent hours dreaming up the details to her wedding.

More details and pictures coming soon!

© Style Me Pretty : The Ultimate Wedding Blog, 2008. | Permalink | 7 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: Arizona, Cameron Clark, Outdoor Wedding
Post categories: Do-It-Yourself Inspired