Oh dear…I’m behind again!  It’s been so beautiful outside, and I’ve been busy shooting!  I’ve also been playing with my kiddos, tending the veggie garden, etc…but I’m finally catching up on my work.  Here’s the first step in catching up!

You’ve already met Mike and Tina from the post where I told you about the wedding giveaway winners.  On Monday of Memorial Day weekend, we headed up to their wedding venue, Crooked Willow Farms for their engagement shoot.  As soon as I realized where Crooked Willow is located, it instantly became near and dear to my heart.  When my parents first married, they built a house about 2 miles south of what is now Crooked Willow.  We lived in that house until I was 5, and some of my best childhood memories come from that house.  I love driving along Perry Park Road, especially in the summer time.  It’s always green and gorgeous, and needless to say I was so excited for this shoot, because it gave me the chance to walk down Memory Lane.  To get there, you have to drive through Palmer Lake.  Growing up in Monument, I always had a few friends who lived in Palmer Lake, and so if Perry Park Road is Memory Lane, then Palmer Lake is Memory Dr.  :)

Anyway, enough of my ramblings.  As expected, Crooked Willow is everything I hoped it would be, and Brendan, the event coordinator was so helpful.  Since I hadn’t been there, he gave me a  full tour of the indoor facilities, and walked around with us while we shot Mike and Tina’s pictures so that we could get the best spots on the property.  If you’re looking for a wedding venue, I highly recommend Brendan and his staff!

Tina has some fierce blue eyes… gorgeous!

The Eastern sky was rich with deep blue color as the sun was setting.

Whenever I would talk to Mike and Tina about Crooked Willow, the animals that live there were a constant topic of conversation.  Mike would tell me about Lola the pig.  He tried to explain her to me…  ”Lola is an 850# pig that lives at Crooked Willow, and she’s the coolest thing I’ve ever seen”, Mike would tell me.  Well, I’d smile and nod, and say sure, they have an 850# pig…ok.  Well, when I met Lola, I could see why Mike was so intrigued!  She has quite the personality, (for a pig) and is quite friendly.  She was thrilled to have Mike get right inside her stall and say hello.  Of course, I kept singing in my head, “Her name was Lola…she was a showgirl…”  Tina, on the other hand, would always talk about the horses that live at Crooked Willow.  As soon as Brendan took us into the private barns where the championship horses are stalled, I instantly knew her excitement.  The horses are very big, (probably about 19-20 hands) and, for lack of a better word, simply athletic.  Every muscle is defined, and they are true things of beauty.  What Mike and Tina didn’t tell me about were the camels that live at Crooked Willow.  They have 2, and one is quite friendly and wanted to get in on the engagement session action.  :)

Big thanks to Mike, Tina, and Brendan for such a fun shoot.  I can’t wait for the wedding in August!

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In the days following the sneak peak I posted of Kristin and Kevin’s engagement session, I got so busy with shooting that I am only just now getting to posting their full entry!  I’m not complaining though, because I love my job.

I have known Kristin for a little over 3 years now, and I treasure her friendship.  I was (and still am) so excited for her when she met Kevin towards the end of last year, and I was absolutely thrilled when I found out that they were engaged.  I simply cannot wait to shoot their July wedding, and I’m completely flattered that Kristin asked me to do their wedding!  I had such a blast doing their engagement session.  We were a little weary of the weather because it had been raining all day, but I told Kristin that we would accomplish our goal, and have a beautiful sky for a background to boot.  She was still nervous, but I told her that she was not allowed to stress about it!  I’m not sure how it happened, but it was all just as I said it would be.  I think it was simply because Kris and Kev were with me that it happened.  Things just seem to work out for them…one of many signs that they’re soul mates!

At some point, I realized that these two were on sort of a repetitive track of, “do something silly, laugh, kiss, repeat”.  I shared my observation with them, and I must have struck a nerve because  a few days later, I noticed that something very similar to the above statement was what Kevin had listed as his facebook status!  I think he’s a happy man.

Kristin’s ring is undeniably gorgeous.

Just as we started shooting, Kevin spotted an interesting carving in one of the rocks.  While I don’t really condone people carving things into rocks at beautiful places like Garden of the Gods, this particular carving was pretty cool, considering I was with two people whose names begin with K, and who are very much in love.

Kevin and Kristin are so wonderful together.  I’m always impressed with couples who can just be themselves no matter what, and K & K are just that type of couple.  They make each other laugh (all the time) and the happiness that they feel when they are around one another is absolutely catching.  Whenever I’m with them, I too seem to have a smile on my face!  I know that they will have a long, happy life together.

Thanks so much you two, and I can’t wait for your wedding!

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Last weekend, I had the privelege of shooting Katie and Brian’s engagement pictures.

Katie and Brian were seniors the year I started teaching, and I knew way back them that there was something special about these two.  They both displayed maturity beyond the typical “high school couple”, and it’s no surprise that they’ll be getting married in September.

I like Katie so much that she became our nanny shortly after Reagan was born.  She’s Reagan’s favorite, hands down.  (And when it comes to taking care of kids and our house, she’s our favorite too!)

Colleen and Allan have been a most patient couple! I took their engagement pictures early in July, and we were all patiently awaiting the arrival of my baby boy, who I will post about later.
I wanted to be sure I posted my favorite from their session. We went to Monument Valley Park and waited out a pretty terrific rainstorm, but it was well worth it for the lighting and wet streets.
Colleen and Allan will be married in September at the Briarhurst Manor. It’s sure to be a beautiful wedding, and I can’t wait!