Austin Ranch, Grapevine

Red Barn – Grapevine
      Fort Worth Stockyards
           

We started at Arbor Hills Nature Preserve in Plano where apparently everyone on that side of town had decided would be a good place to spend the afternoon.  But we managed to find a few (pseudo) isolated locations for some intimate photos.

After a quick change we had some fun on the hillside and discovered a nicely secluded little alcove among the evergreens that provided a very nice setting for a few more “traditional” images.

Then we headed off to Legacy Town Center for a more urban setting and had a great time wandering the area and enjoying the variety of great locations we found.  Martin even discovered there was a street named for him.

The juxtaposition of the two settings seemed perfect for Laura and Martin.  Martin is an attorney (think suit and tie) and Laura is a geologist (think hard hat and boots).  Yin and Yang.  And perfect for each other.

Take a look at the images below and see if you don’t agree.

They’re real traffic stoppers, huh?  We can’t wait til their St Patrick’s Day wedding!

In addition to all the wonderful people and activities that we were blessed to photograph, Anni and Tyler had quite a few special touches for their celebration.  Tyler wore a cufflink that is quite appropriate when your future father-in-law is a United States Congressman.  Anni carried an heirloom crucifix that had a long history of family weddings.  Their cake toppers were Bean and Echo.  There were wedding cake charms, Mexican wedding cookies, and lots of references to their days at Loyola and New Orleans.  But I think my favorites were all the family wedding photos on display.  Check out the Great Great Grandparents’ photo from 1891.

Congratulations Mr. and Mrs. Drinkwine.

Thanks to the Dallas Wedding and Event professionals that helped to make this such a beautiful and fun wedding celebration:

The Stoneleigh Hotel
About Face Artistry
Salon three Thirty
Arlington Hall
The Wildflower
Glenn Roush
Memphis Soul
Frosted Art

The bride and groom elected to see each other prior to the ceremony and then dash off to SMU for some fun photos around the campus.  As you can see from the first couple of images, John was quite anxious to get a glimpse of his beautiful bride.

It was a beautiful wedding followed by a great reception.  After dancing the night away the happy couple headed off as family and friends tebowed bubbles.

Congratulations Mr. and Mrs. Williams!

We photographed Raven’s big brother Julian when he was about to graduate in early 2009 and that is when we first met Miss Raven.  She was a beauty then but now, she is quite stunning!

We started by photographing Raven casually around her home and backyard in a few favorite outfits.

Comfortable by Carpe Vita Photography

Stylin' by Carpe Vita Photography

Then we added in the family’s puppy who has as much personality as Miss Raven so it was a contest to have them show off their diva-ness.

Dos Divas by Carpe Vita Photography

Truly Texan by Carpe Vita Photography

Fun Senior Moments by Carpe Vita Photography

We like to keep our Cap and Gown photography more relaxed and casual like today’s seniors really are.

Relaxed Cap and Gown by Carpe Vita Photography

All Personality by Carpe Vita Photography

Then we photographed Raven in a beautiful formal gown that we’ll be wearing for her school’s Jazz presentations for when schools from across the United States come scouting for their next undergrads.  Raven attends THE arts school in Dallas to be recognized and she hopes to study how music therapy can assist students K-12 with learning disabilities to better communicate.

Stunning by Carpe Vita Photography

Artistic Impression by Carpe Vita Photography

And then we had to get a few photos of Raven with her mom.  Her dad was busy with honey-dos and pet patrol so he begged out of being photographed with his beautiful daughter on this occasion.

Like Mother, Like Daughter by Carpe Vita Photography

Two lovely ladies who made an afternoon of photography very pleasant.  Congratulations Raven, we can’t wait to say, “We remember her when…”.

Jesse knew it was time to celebrate his 70th birthday but with his two daughters, he didn’t really know what to expect.  He lives not too far from Alicia and her family in the Killeen area, so they picked him up with the kids all packed for a road trip.  They head north to where sister Kimberley and her family live but veer away from Farmers Branch where they live and land in Grapevine.  And by 10am, we are photographing Jesse with his children and grandchildren.

A big squishy family hug by Carpe Vita Photography

The last time this family was formally photographed, we were still shooting with film and Katherine, the oldest grandchild was maybe 3 and the token male grandchild was about 6 months old.  Their great-grandparents and their grandmother who were in the previous session have all passed away and now there are two additional sisters and cousins.

Jesse photographed with all his grandkids by Carpe Vita Photography

We love photographing families we know and love and seeing how they have grown.

Making memories by Carpe Vita Photography

Photography kids enjoy by Carpe Vita Photography

And not all family photography has to be smiling for the camera.  This is just how this family is – a load of laughter.

This is just who they are by Carpe Vita Photography

From here, Jesse’s family treated him to a special lunch with a surprise guest from his past and then a night at Great Wolf Lodge and Water Park here in Grapevine with all of the family.  We were honored to be part of Jesse’s celebration and their families memories for years to come.

And for the ladies at the Grapevine 9/11 Flight Crew Memorial this morning, please go to
http://kimcooleytoday.wordpress.com/2011/09/11/sunday-9-11-ten-years-later/ to see some of the photos.  As I do in my professional photography life, I took too many photos for the blog but these are the best highlights.

God bless America on this sad anniversary.

Their wedding will be at the Gaylord on August 10, 2012.  We’re really looking forward to it because that’s our anniversary.  We think it’s a great date to get married.  Don’t you think so too?

Here are some of our favorites :

Mom and Dad

The original Mewhirter Family

Stacie and Ken’s family complete with the best posing puppy dog!

All of the siblings together…

And then the whole fam-damily!

The wedding was held at St. Luke’s Episcopal Church in Dallas and offered wonderful options for groupings that was not only special to the couple but provided Carpe Vita Photography  with some interesting viewpoints during the ceremony.

Here are the gentlemen in the courtyard. The ladies in the St. Luke’s ChapelWhen is was time for Sara’s dad to escort her, the way the church is laid out allowed for more guests to enjoy her entrance which was a very nice treat.

Listening to the soloist during the ceremony gave us a sweet (and rare) view of the faces of the principle participants.  This arrangement coupled with the church’s seating in the round was a nice blessing.Mr and Mrs. FloresSara and Damian’s reception was held at  Union Station in Downtown Dallas and was the perfect space for their party.
Damian and Sara share a quiet moment while their guests enjoy the cocktail hourRobert Emery, the wedding designer honored by both Sara and her sister-in-law during their toasts for being “the one wedding accessory no bride should have to live without” works with DJ MicahB to really get the party started. A little friendly rivalry…  The winner gets a kiss from the loser.The Picflips Flipbooks Booth was so popular, we were only able to squeeze in a few times for photos but it really looked like the guests loved this personalized party favor.
One of the highlights of the party for some of the guests after midnight was the special cigars that Damian had to celebrate this very special occasion.And then Sara and Damian were on their way to their fabulous life together…Of course, there are many other photos to be seen and enjoyed.  The rest will be available for viewing when Sara and Damian return from their honeymoon and have a chance to review everything.  If you are interested in seeing the rest of the photos, let Sara or her mom Kathy know and they’ll make sure you are notified when the photos are ready for viewing.