Weddings, Engagements & Laundry ♥

Howdy! It's Sunday early evening and the night is quickly approaching in my area but the day is merely commencing for me. Sunday has been a quiet and beautiful day...while my loved ones enjoy a much needed vacation I am here working harder to meet deadlines and make sure I clear up my weekdays for the upcoming week so I can come home and relax daily. For the past three weeks I've been making the rounds on valley weddings... both as a guest, photographer and both. This coming Saturday will be the first free Saturday evening in a while... I am so looking forward to it! 

I woke up early this morning for an engagement session at a really fabulous location. I had been looking forward to photographing the couple at their upcoming wedding venue because I love the earthy feel the pictures would yield. Unfortunately, the location became unavailable at the very last minute so I had to think quick and improvise.. and I did :) 

I have lots of chores to catch up on as well as work, so for now I move on to my to do list and will attempt to finish laundry. But I'll leave you with one shot from today's engagement session..... full post coming later :)

I hope you had a great weekend!

Roman & Illiana.... Engaged! ♥

When I was in 5th grade I knew a little boy in my class. He was taller than me, had short hair and wore round glasses. He, like the rest of the boys in our class, liked to pick on the girls on occasion. Granted, other boys were more malicious than he was, he still picked on me at least once. I grew up and so did this little boy and we both went off to middle school and later high school. Our paths never really crossed much other than the occasional "I went to school with that kid when I was younger" conversation that pops up when various middle schools merge into one freshmen class in highschool

In middle school I met a young lady named Illiana with a charming personality and extremly black and curly hair. She was a little loud but oh-so-funny. It wasn't until high school that we became really great friends and to this day I enjoy meeting up with her. Illiana was the typical All-American high school student. She was a varisty cheerleader, in student council and full of peppy smiles. I am more than sure that it was her great qualities along with her radiant smile that caught the eye of a special young man. Roman, the little boy I went to elementary school with, fell in love with Illiana. 

The high school sweethearts dated all the way through college and have grown together as a couple. Illiana and I saw many of our friends get engaged and married and we'd look to each other and I am sure we thought the same thing.... When will that be me?

Roman and Illiana love each other. It's been a fairytale they've lived for the past 8 years. Yes, you read right... 8 years! Chris made me wait 6 years but I definitely think Roman takes the trophy on this one. Kidding aside, I certainly didn't mind waiting so long for Chris to pop the question and I have no doubt Illiana would not have had it any other way either. Roman and Illiana share a fond love for one another, they are definitely ready to marry one another.

Illiana, I am beyond excited for your upcoming wedding and all the great new things the Lord is blessing you and Roman with. I wish you the best in your marriage and a beautiful and healthy family. Roman, take care of my friend Illiana and take care of yourself always so that two of you can raise beautiful children together. God bless you both and I look forward to photographing your wedding this coming Friday!

Happy Monday :)

A simple kind of love... JD and Greg Engagement Preview ;)

I seriously considered heading to my bedroom, climbing in my bed and cuddling with Roberto until I fell into deep slumber. I've worked all afternoon and evening and caught up on a lot of stuff and naturally I am back to feeling tired. But I dared not go to bed without writing just a few words here and giving you a peek at JD and Greg's engagement session from a few weeks ago. Jessica, you may remember her from the Dominguez siblings post a few weeks back, had scheduled her engagement session with me a little more than a year ago! The wait, I believe, was well worth it. Jessica has hired a super-talented wedding photographer for her upcoming wedding so I will enjoy the day fully as a guest :) But she wanted me to take her engagement pictures and I was delighted. I can't wait to show you the rest but for now, I bid you goodnight and leave you bloggernet with one simple photograph of an extraordinary love ♥.

 

Now, I can go to sleep peacefully and with something less tugging at my to do list ;)

Good night and have a pleasantly amazing day tomorrow!!!

Engagement Session... Cynthia and Rene!!!

Wohooo! It's Sunday and my weekend has been great :) I can't believe it's already after 4:00 PM here in my area and the weekdays are looming ahead. I also can't believe I just spent quite a few hours watching a soccer game... What is wrong with me? I guess I really think it's nice the way people form strong ties to their favorite teams. Anyway, I thought we could end the week (or start a new one, depending on how you look at it...) with Cynthia and Rene's engagement session.

I met Cynthia almost a month ago and she mentioned she had seen my work. She already had a wedding photographer and in fact already had taken engagement sessions. Her wedding is coming up next month and she really wanted an engagement session with me. I felt happy to oblige :) We scheduled a session that very day we met and I thought it be nice to share the session with you. Cynthia and Rene were quiet and lovely to work with. I gave them just a bit of direction and the rest was just them being themselves. I'd like to thank Cynthia for "finding" me and for letting me work with them. I hope they enjoyed the photos as much as I do. Congratulations on your upcoming marriage and I wish you the ultimate best :)

Have a Happy Sunday! :)

L.O.V.E. Candace & Billy - Engagement!

I am 5'2 inches and that's because I round up... Candace is, well, I don't know her exact height stats but she's quite taller than me. Billy, he's tall, too. The three of us together for their engagement session... challenging but oh so fun.... Candace and Billy flew in from El Paso a few weeks ago for their engagement session and I was delighted to get to spend some time with them. We met on a Friday late in the afternoon but the weather was quite hot. Regardless, we made it through the sticky heat and walked around North McAllen for some fun shots.

I know Candace because she is my sorority sister. Eventually, I met Billy and I was estatic when they became engaged last fall. Back when we were seniors in college (we graduated together ) Candace asked me to take some senior portraits. So I guess, technically, she was my first official paying customer. Soon after graduation Candace left and was stationed to El Paso. A year passed and she came home for Christmas one day with a beautiful sparkly ring on her left hand finger. Some of the girls were together to celebrate the holiday season and enjoy a Christmas party. It was a pot luck but no one cooked any of the meal... ha ha! Amidst our table full of store-bought goodies, wedding conversation struck up. Then, she said it. And I was, truthfully, a bit speechless but jumping for joy inside. She said she wanted me to be her wedding photographer... Me?! O-M-Gosh!!! I tried to keep composure, I was pro now, remember?

Indeed, she hired me on the spot. She knew I had no prior wedding experience but said something I'll never forget, she trusted me. Of course I'll do it! I practically shouted and I am looking forward to Candace and Billy's December wedding. They are a great couple and are full of giggles and love for each other. It's a bummer they are so far away, okay so they could be further.... but El Paso is still far from here so I was excited to shoot their photos and catch up.

By the time their wedding comes around later this year I will have a few weddings under my belt. But, her's was the first wedding I booked and I am so glad I get to be a part of it. Candace, thank you for placing your trust in me. I am very grateful. I wish you and Billy every happiness and all of the blessings in life. I'll be seeing you both soon ;)

Candace and Billy I'm excited for your wedding! Happy Thursday :)

Cynthia and Orlando... Engaged and soon to be married!

Thursday's are date night for Chris and I. We are both extremely busy but once Thursday evening comes around, computers are shut down, books are closed and all this photography and medical school stuff comes to a minute halt. The evening together consists of some form of dinner and dessert followed by a movie of our choosing. We take turns on picking out the meal and restaurant and, unfortunately, I never get to pick the movie. Not to fret, Chris is considerate to my taste, in both movies and food, so whatever he choses is what I want to see anyway (usually...). 

Last Thursday as I quickly scrambled through my temporary office and tried to finish some important emails before Date Night commenced, I got a phone call. I contemplated answering and just having the caller leave me a voicemail to check later. Afterall, I still had to get dressed and be ready in less than fifteen minutes. But I went ahead and took the call and I am glad I did. On the other end of a line was the sound of a sweet young woman, a bride. She quickly got the point... she needed a photographer and needed one soon. 

Me! Me! Me! I thought to myself ;)

After a finding out the details of her wedding and what she wanted from her wedding photographer, I hoped she'd pick me. The wedding she described was exactly the type of weddings I enjoy. Cinthya and Orlando were recently engaged and I had the honor of capturing that special glow their love shows. When I met them the next day I realized how much Cinthya and Orlando had in common with myself. Throughout their session I would smile because I saw their love, it's real. Photographing them was so easy and getting to know them was the best part. 

Cinthya and Orlando, I am delighted to have met you and wish you every happiness in the world. God will shower you with a blessed marriage, I know it. Congratulations on your engagement and I hope you are excited for your wedding tomorrow.

To the happy couple, God Bless! To you my faithful reader and friend, God Bless.

Good night :)