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Congratulations to Brandi & Donald! They were married yesterday in a beautiful ceremony in Port Arthur, Texas and had a fantastic reception afterwards in Beaumont, Texas.

(I’ll be adding more photos and details later today - but I just wanted to share this one right away in case they got to check in before heading off on their honeymoon!)

I’m so excited! It is Brandi & Donald’s Wedding Day! When I delivered Brandi’s bridal portrait and the above portrait from their engagement session on Thursday afternoon, we talked about how we can’t believe the day is finally here. She was so calm about it all too - I love to see that. They are such a wonderful couple, and I just know it is going to be a fantastic celebration of their love.

Elaine & I are heading over to Port Arthur and then Beamont today for the wedding and reception. I can’t wait to see Donald’s look when he first sees her in her gorgeous wedding dress. I just know he is going to be blown away.

You can see more of their engagement session from last December on 19th Street in the Heights in this post.

Come to think of it, it was later that same day that we were pulling out of 11th Street Cafe and I first spotted Clover and thought that it would be the perfect place for a studio. Now, six months later, I’m renting space from the owner and using it for just that, and Brandi’s bridal portraits were my first portraits taken there in the new space. How is that for everything coming around?!?

Bridal portraits and then photographs from the wedding after it all takes place!

Building a website never really stops - there is always something to do - but it is finally official, Boudoir Mon Cheri is now live! I’ve also added a “Boudoir” option in the navigation bar up above.

I decided to split up the two sites for a few different reasons. I realize that people sometimes visit this site from work - on their lunch hour, of course! But you wouldn’t want to be surprised by boudoir photos when you come here. I want to give people fair warning before they visit the site. Also, this site is very wedding focused, and most of my boudoir clients do want sessions to create photographs to give to their groom on their wedding day. But it isn’t just about bridal boudoir - boudoir portraits make a fantastic gift for an anniversary or birthday, too! And most importantly, a boudoir session is a very empowering experience for you! Who says you have to do it as a gift for anyone? Why not just do it to have photographs of yourself looking fabulous?!

Just a reminder, the boudoir pre-launch special is going on for just a few more days! The session fee is waived on all sessions booked by June 30, 2008! Just contact me using the form on the contact page, and we’ll get your session all set up! More details can be found HERE! (Uhm, Boudoir Mon Cheri was going to go pink. Instead, it went red. I couldn’t resist that brocade, and I love a deep, rich red!)

I’m still testing out logos over there, so if you keep seeing different ones, don’t be surprised. The official logo by the designer will be done in about a week or so.

Of course, I had to celebrate the changes over there with a new background and some color tweaks over here too!

I will be heading out in July for a wedding up in Mendocino on July 21st. Since I will already be out there, I decided to make the most of it and leave two days available for photo sessions in the San Francisco Bay Area!

If you live in Houston, but have always wanted to have a destination Engagement Session or Day After Session in your wedding attire, it is the perfect opportunity! Fly out west and meet me in San Francisco for a session that is uniquely you! Live in the Bay Area and have always wished you could work with me but didn’t want to fly me out to you? Then now is the time - I am coming your way!

(You did know that I will gladly travel anywhere for a photo session, didn’t you?)

Session times are also available for Boudoir sessions! Have some girlfriends that you would like to gather up for a boudoir marathon? Let’s do it! A perfect gift to give to your special someone, whether on your wedding day, an anniversary, or just because!

I have session times available on Wednesday, July 23rd and Thursday, July 24th. Contact me right away to discuss details and schedule yours!

I often ask my clients to give me just 10 minutes out of the reception for us to sneak off and get some photographs of them alone. I like to do it while the reception is in full swing and no one is likely to miss them too much.

This set is the result of less than 10 minutes taken out of Emily & Glen’s wedding reception, after dinner and before they cut the wedding cake.

I really try to avoid stopping and posing photos throughout the wedding day. I never stage shots, telling people to put on the rings again so I can get a closeup, or pretend to repeat the kiss for a photo opportunity. I do pose family and wedding party photographs — and these 10 minutes. I prefer to let the rest of the day be organic and flow. Your wedding isn’t about me, it is about you.

These silhouette images required a little more positioning than usual. I didn’t want lines coming out in weird places. I wanted the reflection on the ground to be just right. I could see the image in my mind - and Emily & Glen were so fantastic about patiently helping me make it a reality. “Just a step forward. Wait, no, half a step back. Move in together. Ok, now lean back.” In the end though, our teamwork took it from the vision to the reality.

The other perk of the 10 minutes? It gives couples a break from the day. You’re not moving and focused on entertaining everyone else for just a few minutes. You get a break to be alone. You get to snuggle and embrace, laugh and whisper secrets. You get a moment to just focus on your love.

Sometimes, the guy even gets to have a portrait or two alone.

The last photo has nothing to do with the portraits — but there was just no way I could pass those beautiful flowers up without a photograph.

Emily & Glen were married on Saturday, June 14, 2008 in a beautiful, intimate ceremony at the First Unitarian Universalist Church of Houston in the Museum District of Houston, Texas. The reception followed at the church.

Years ago, Emily moved to Missouri for a job. As her step-dad said in his toast yesterday, she came back to Houston … with Glen. They are such a wonderful couple together, and such fantastic people. I love to see how they make each other laugh. Another thing I love? Glen’s waffles. They are quite delicious! I was treated to them during our pre-wedding consultation, when they invited me over for breakfast to go over the wedding day plans. Emily works overnight at a local TV station, so early morning meetings worked best for her schedule.

Being a journalist, Emily wanted the pure moments photographed. This worked well for me, because I don’t like staging photos unless they are absolutely critical. The above shot was the reaction of Emily being handed her incredibly beautiful bouquet. She just could not stop smelling it - it was incredible!

And before we knew it, it was time to get ready to head downstairs for the ceremony. Emily stopped to look outside, and was happy to see that it wasn’t raining as the forecast had predicted. Matter of fact, it was a beautiful, sunny day! Hmm… maybe Emily should talk with those weather men she works with about that. Then again, we always say that if you don’t like the weather in Houston, wait a few minutes - it will change.

Photograph on the left taken by Elaine Mesker-Garcia.

Photograph taken by Elaine Mesker-Garcia.

Emily’s mother, Diane, wrote an amazing song for Emily & Glen for their wedding and sang it. It was so beautiful, and so very moving. I always say that I’ll start to worry the day that I don’t get all misty-eyed during the wedding ceremony that I am photographing. This was that misty-eyed moment for me. Glen’s mother did a reading during the ceremony, and Emily’s father played an amazing piece on the piano.

At the reception, Emily & Glen share a moment after the toasts.

The Spiffingtons performed at the reception, and they were fantastic! This is the second wedding that we have been to this year where they have performed, and I can’t recommend them highly enough. They kept the party moving and everyone having a great time!

Elaine totally gets credit for the portrait of Emily above - she suggested it, and I executed it. How is that for teamwork?

When Cooper sang “What a Wonderful World it Would Be” along with The Spiffingtons for Emily & Glen, even Louis Armstrong himself would have been proud. I love that song - I had goosebumps from his rendition of it, and I’m sure I wasn’t the only one!

And then they were off! We wish you both nothing but the very best in the years ahead. It was such an honor being a part of your beautiful day! I’m testing a new proofing system, and their proofs are online already; select the “Clients” link above, register for the online gallery using your own unique username & password, and after selecting their gallery use the access code which is Glen’s last name to view the photographs. Enjoy!

Wedding Vendors — all highly recommended!
Caterer: Jami’s Fine Foods - Jami & Steve 6600 S Rice Suite C Bellaire, TX 77401 713-661-5264 (Vegetarian options offered at the reception.)
Florist: River Oaks Plant House - 3401 Westheimer Houston, TX 77027 713-622-5350 Ask for Gary
Linens: Party Cloths - 1102 Autrey Houston, TX 77006 - 713-523-0853
Wedding Musicians: Ruth & David Zeger - Zeger Entertainment - 3928 Byron Houston, TX - 713-666-4153
DJ: Adam Zeger - Zeger Entertainment
Band: The Spiffingtons, booked by Zeger Entertainment
Cakes: 3 Brother’s Bakery - 4036 S Braeswood Houston, TX 77025 - 713-666-2551
Dresses: Maison de Mode - 2431 Rice Blvd Houston 77005 - 713-527-8285
Alterations: Maison de Mode
Hair & Makeup: Teri at Cutloose - 1711 Westheimer Houston, TX 77098 - 713.520.7401

It has been a fabulously productive week around here, but blogging is being postponed for a few more days. Instead, I have:

– Returned from Florida and caught up on almost everything.

– Had my first bridal shoot at the new studio, which was awesome! Photos under wraps until the wedding at the end of the month. Thank you, Brandi!

– Had my first official boudoir session with Tish at Hotel ZaZa - I posted a “teaser” from her session below, but let me just say it was fabulous.

– Had my first official client meetings at the new studio - thanks Sophia & Staci!

– Have made a nice long list of things I need to add to the studio / office before my next meetings there. Including framing and hanging prints on the walls.

– Have proofed and uploaded the following weddings:
The Carson - Robson wedding in New Braunfels, Texas on May 3, 2008
The Banks - Wall wedding at Shirley Acres in Houston, Texas on May 10, 2008
The Harper - Pope wedding in Houston, Texas on May 24, 2008 (partial)

I’m almost done proofing several other sessions too, along with Kara & Bryan’s wedding, so keep an eye out for emails of updates on them!

Blogging to resume next week, when the new “after wedding process” goes into action. Oh, this is going to be so much fun!

I’ve had such fantastic interest in the Boudoir sessions that I will be offering starting this month, I thought I would post an update on them. If you have any feedback you would like to share, I would *love* to hear it — I know what I would want out of a session, and it seems to fit what most people want too, but if you have ideas please share away!

Boudoir sessions will be available on location (your house or a hotel room that you rent), or at my studio space in the Heights (starting in mid-June). If you have friends that would like to do sessions too and you want to get an awesome hotel suite and have a mini-marathon, that is fantastic! Feel free to contact me to see what dates are available for that. I am also coordinating a mini-marathon within the next few weeks and will post about it here.

I’ve decided that instead of packages, I will be going with sessions + a la carte items initially. I am planning to have 3 or 4 different levels of albums available, from press-printed coffee table types of books to art books and then complete flushmount albums like the ones I offer to wedding clients. That way, you can choose what fits your needs best! This is where I would love feedback though - I think most people want albums, but does an album + prints package fit your needs better? Or the whole thing rolled into one with the session fee?

Now for the special offer!!! For anyone that books a session in the month of June - it doesn’t have to do the session in June, just book it - the session fee will be waived! (Weekend appointments are very limited due to my schedule.) There is a $100 date reservation fee, and you will get a $100 credit for products that you can use towards albums and prints. To book a session, please contact me through the “Contact” link on all the pages which will take you to an email form - this helps me follow up with you. Sessions must be booked by June 30th, 2008 and the reservation fee must be received within 5 days of scheduling your session to hold the date.

(PS - I’m about to get on a plane so I’ll be offline for about 5 hours between the airport and the flight and the drive home - if you email me today I might not respond until tomorrow. I will respond though, I promise!)

As for the “Pretty in Pink!” title of this post — I have ideas for a new website, new branding, and so much more for this! I told you I was just buzzing with ideas!

(Update: I added a photo from my most recent boudoir session to this post — so now it is extra pretty in pink!)

I’ll be sending out emails once or twice a month regarding various things happening around here. I’ve even set it up so you can choose what topics of emails you would like to receive (General, Wedding, Family or Boudoir Photography related) so you can filter it down to the type of information you’re interested in. I’ll be announcing specials from time to time via the email list too!

I’ve added a link up top to sign up called “Newsletter” or you can register right here! I hope you’ll consider signing up!

Sign up for the Email Newsletter!