“The most dangerous food in the world is wedding cake!” -James Thurber

I know this quote could have a couple different meanings, but for me it’s quite simple.  If I ate a piece of cake at every wedding I attended in a year I would have to be rolled out of the reception hall! People who know me well know that I have quite the sweet tooth, and cake is one of my favorite things……ever.  At the end of the night when I’m tired and hungry and they roll out that gorgeous confection of a cake it takes everything in me to just turn around and walk the other way. Until of course it’s time to cut the cake and I must stand right next to it while I capture the happy bride and groom cutting into their cake and jokingly smash it in each others faces. I find myself holding my breath so I don’t smell the gooey fruit or cream filling, but alas some nights are easier then others.  I think the wedding cake is a fun place for brides and grooms to get creative.  Working with a theme is always a good start, and don’t be afraid to go outside the box. I think the biggest mistake brides and grooms make is getting too big of a cake. Not everyone likes cake, and more often then not you’re left over with TONS of left over cake. Dessert and candy tables have become a new trend which I think is a great idea because not only can you have several different types of desserts, but you can order a smaller cake and save some money. Bulk candy is not hard to find and very wallet friendly:) Again make the cake all about you and your groom, don’t worry about satisfying the masses. This is your day, and let’s be honest, there’s a chance it will end up all over your face so make sure you like the way it tastes and smells!

Oh and on a side note if you are going to have a tented reception go ahead and splurge a little bit and get a tent liner. From a photography stand point it makes all the difference in the world. Sometimes they come included, but most of the time it costs a little extra to have it added….it’s worth it trust me.
Here’s some of the yummy confections I had to refrain myself from devouring this past wedding season.

 

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When I first moved to Seattle one of the first people I met in my industry was a wonderful woman named Sharlane Chase. We hit if off right away and quickly found out that we loved working together on weddings.  I was lucky enough to second shoot some weddings with Miss Sharlane this past season, and Erin and Adam’s wedding was one of them. Any wedding photographer will tell you that getting to second shoot is soooo much fun. You don’t have the stress of completing your obligated shots, you just get to run around and shoot whatever you want. The main job of a second shooter is to capture images and angles that are different from what the lead photographer is getting so that you have more of a variety to choose from in the end. For Erin and Adam’s wedding we traveled down the Oregon coast to Cannon Beach. Cannon Beach is an adorable beach community that has breathtaking views of a very unusual rock formation, as you will see in some of the photos. The wedding was so much fun, both sides of the bridal party were all childhood friends of the bride ad groom so there were lots of funny stories being told the entire day. Between the reminiscing and the joke telling the entire day was filled with smiles and laughter.  Erin and Adam truly are the best of friends and so in love, and you know what they say, “The couple that laughs together stays together.” Congratulations Erin and Adam, may your life always be filled with lots of love and laughter!

 

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Last fall I had the great pleasure of taking some pregnancy photos of a close family friend Ashleigh Farrell. It’s so fascinating to see my friends and my sibling’s friends grow up, get married, and have babies. To take pregnancy portraits of my baby sister’s best friend just blows my mind since I’ve known Ashleigh since they were in Elementry school together. Ashleigh married a school mate of mine Shaun Farrell, and let me tell you they make the best couple! They are so fun to be around, and they are the most kind-hearted loving couple. Pregnancy shoots have become more and more popular over the last few years, and I have to say I enjoy them immensely.  As hard as pregnancy is on ones’ body the emanating glow on a pregnant woman’s face is a beautiful thing.  I find my self incurably curious about pregnancy and it’s ailments, being far off from it myself, I ended up asking Ashleigh lots of questions and enjoyed her hilarious take on life while pregnant. Ashleigh has a great blog that documented her pregnancy, and the birth of her son Holden. She continues to blog on the daily highs and lows of having a newborn, and I find it incredibly witty and honest.  Her blog is www.ashleighandshaun.blogspot.com, it’s a great read! Stay tuned for pictures of their son Mr. Holden Liam in the next few weeks, trust me you don’t want to miss seeing this cutie pie:)

Congratulations Ashleigh and Shaun, you guys are amazing parents, and I was honored to get to share in documenting this special time in your lives:)

 

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This year has been an extremely hard year financially for most Americans and as a result Brides and Grooms had to scale back and get more creative with their wedding planning.  As fun it is to see new and creative low cost ideas come to life I still feel there are a few things that you just can’t skimp on. And it was very apparent that the grooms this year agreed with me…..bling galore! I admit that I am sometimes quite the girlie girl, and that is never more true then when I’m gawking at the brides ring. It’s one of my favorite details to shoot, and i was definitely not disappointed this year:) All were tasteful and classic, not those monstrosities that take up your entire hand and weigh more then my phone! Some had stories of inheritance, and some where reflections of how much the groom really did know his bride and her taste. I love asking the bride about her ring because without fail their faces light up and this huge joyous smile appears. I think that no matter the size a bride is always proud to show the symbol that represents the love and happiness she has to look forward to for the rest of her life.

Bravo Grooms!

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I love it when couples don’t do all the traditional wedding things and really make their wedding day their own.  Do what feels right for you, do what makes the day feel like YOUR day. Charlene and Larry did just that. They walked each other down the aisle which was incredibly special and unique, and immediately following the ceremony they did a champagne toast in the garden instead of at the reception. There where personal touches everywhere, from wooden ice cream tokens from the store Charlene used to work at as a kid, to getting married at the B&B that has become like their second home.  Larry is from South Africa so some of the guests had traveled quite the distance to be at the wedding, including his mother. There was this relaxed, comfortable feeling that defined the entire day. There was no running around to stick to a regimented schedule, it was wonderful! They made my job so easy, and were up for anything (which any photographer will tell you is a dream come true!) It was a real pleasure documenting the day, and I know that Larry and Charlene are going to have a long, happy, joy-filled life together.

 

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So I had planned to blog about something totally different today but I’ve had so many requests to do a Charlie blog post that I thought I better do it.  I could talk forever about my sweet Charlie boy but I will try and keep this post all about the afternoon we spent at the Arboretum. Someone asked me the other day what an Arboretum was and I said, ” a park thingy with plants and stuff…” Not the most intelligent answer so I looked it up and the official definition of an Arboretum is,” a place where an extensive variety of woody plants are cultivated for scientific, educational, and ornamental purposes.” We love finding new places to take Charlie, especially when they are so close to our home. Charlie is now a little over 8 months old and I guesstimate he has another 20-30 pounds still to go.  He is growing so fast and some days I wonder where my little pup has gone. Justin still attempts to pick him up like a baby and the result I assure you is quite hilarious! Charlie is a purebred German Shepherd, but he comes from a Czech working line so he is more Sable in color, and his hips are higher off the ground. Justin has been doing a great job training Charlie, and it’s exciting and impressive to see how fast Charlie can learn things. He likes meeting other people, and loves more then anything to go to the dog park and play with other dogs. He is super vocal, which I guess is a German Shepherd trait, but it can be really funny when he is trying to tell you something…via bark. Little kids confuse Charlie, he isn’t quite sure what to make of them. He just sits staring at them with this pensive look on his face….so funny! Justin and I feel very blessed to have such a happy and loving puppy, and look forward to sharing our lives with sweet Charlie boy for years to come.

 

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I’ve been taking pictures of my baby sister ever since I had a camera in my hand. It’s fun to look back at some of the early shots I took of her and see how much she has grown up.  I loved taking pictures of my sister and I used her for as many photo assignments that I could get away with while I was in college.  I love to take pictures of her for the simple fact that she is GORGEOUS!! A few years ago she graduated from college and moved out to LA to pursue an acting career.  Not only is Mallory a brilliant dramatic actress but she has a comedic timing that is unbelievable.  And as I mentioned before she is GORGEOUS:) Her laughter and her smile are infectious and I just know that she is going to have a great career. When she was in town for Thanksgiving I took the opportunity to take some updated pictures of her and somehow before the shoot was over I ended up in front of the lens….yikes! Mallory took a couple shots of me since I needed an updated photo for my new website, and I think it’s really special to be able to say that she took those portraits of me.

Mallory, I’m incredibly proud of you and I can’t wait to see what amazing things happen for you. LOVE YOU!

 

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This past wedding season was so incredibly fun. I had the great fortune of shooting several different types of weddings from beach weddings, to farm weddings, to backyard weddings. Each one was special and unique to the couples whose special day it was. My first wedding last season was for Laura and Matthew Carpenter down in San Diego, CA. Matthew is my boyfriend Justin’s cousin so it was extra special because Justin got to go with me and we got to see all his amazing family. The wedding was held at the Carpenter’s beautiful home, and let me tell you they know how to throw a party! Laura was GORGEOUS and couldn’t be more of a sweetheart, and Matthew’s eyes were glued to her the entire day. It was a true family affair filled with love and laughter, which is the very best ingredients to a fabulous wedding! Thank you both for letting me share in your special day it was a real honor for me.

 

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Two years ago my family moved an hour north from Littleton to Boulder, CO to be closer to my dad’s new offices. They live in a great new community and quickly found that they have wonderful new neighbors. One set of those neighbors are Jamie and Jeremy Riddle who where recently blessed with the arrival of their baby boy Elijah. When I was home for the holidays I got to finally meet the Riddle family and their beautiful baby boy! You would never know that they are first time parents because they were so cool, calm and collected when it came to everything Eli. Dressed and ready in his Santa outfit Eli was ready for his close up:) Jamie’s family was also there for the holidays and we had a great time taking turns taking pictures with Eli. My mom has recently signed on to be Eli’s nanny during the week, so a HUGE thank you goes out to Jamie for taking the pressure off of me for the next few years! My mom LOVES her new job and we all look forward to her cute Eli stories every afternoon when she gets home. Whether you know it or not you have been officially inducted into the McKenzie extended family and we are so excited to see what great things are in store for your beautiful family.

Here are some of my favorites from the shoot:

 

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Well here it is. The day has finally arrived. My first blog post, I can hardly believe it. I’ve been so resistant to starting a blog in the past and mainly for the simple reason of “what do I talk about.” I thought I’m not starting a blog until I can sit down and make an un-ending list of things I want to genuinely talk about, discuss, and share.  I’m not the best writer, and the thought of having to be informative and witty on a regular basis was too much pressure. Plus the spell check alone was daunting to me! So what’s changed you say….well not that much but In a years time I’ve somehow found my voice. I thought turning 25 would mean I finally feel like an adult…settled…confident……WRONG. In fact it was quite the opposite. I was in the midst of the grey area, living somewhere I didn’t want to be, not sure which way to dedicate my time career wise. Well a big move later and another year of shooting weddings under my belt, and I feel like I have some clarity. I feel “at home” and inspired here in Seattle and I finally find myself ready to share.

Read more…

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