"We're going to chapel and we're gonna get married..."

NATALIE AND HER MOMMY

I did the Pre-Bridal portraits of Natalie and Brittany and the engagement portraits. Years ago my good friend, Pam, a professional photographer, and I discussed who would photograph our children's weddings when the day came. Well, we knew we didn't want that pressure for ourself being the photographer and parent of a the bride or groom (in her case just groom...she has two boys and I have one of each...so I get to see both sides of the fence). So we decided then we would trade up since we both have two children. I did pay her assistantant the fee the fee that Pam pays her when she assists with her other weddings and I will, of course, put all the hours in that we always have after a session, but especially after a wedding (lots and lots of images files), of editing and retouching, etc. I have more files than normal. I have files from my camera (a few), files from her assistant's (many more than mine) and Pam's (even more than both of ours). So I have lots of files to go through when I get them time. I have been taking a few days off my regular work to re-cover, wash clothes, and try to put everything back in place around here. So I have took the time to scan through these images. I am sure they will be put on the back burner as I have lots that I am behind on and I am starting to schedule new sessions today too. The first image is cropped very tight, but it was my favorite image from the bridal session. It is posted below (about 1/2 down). This image was enlarged to 16x20 and displayed at the reception as you come into the door. Both of my girls look absolutely beautiful in the image. I also displayed one of Brittany by herself at the reception too by the bride's table.



This next image is how Natalie looked when I took her curlers down before doing her hair for her portraits with her mommmy and daddy. We were so worried about her and her nap schedule and how it would affect her mood for the wedding, photography before the wedding and the reception...my hopes were to make it through the wedding because she didn't have to be a little angel at the reception...she already looked like an angel...so she didn't have to act like it too...that's just too much for an almost 3 year old. I called her:

"LITTLE SHIRLEY TEMPLE"

So Natalie ran into the formal parlor while they were doing their photographs and acted silly with her mommy and daddy. She wanted to show them her new hair do.

A beautiful formal portrait of the bride and groom...
another one...
I had to throw this one in from the wedding cermeony, my beautiful daughter, Cari, also bridesmaid...
And one more from the actual ceremoney...my cute nephew, Dalton, walking with Natalie. I was so glad that he could be the ring bearer and she could hold his hand to walk in. She thinks he is so cool and she loved walking in and out of the church holding his hand.
When Pam and I went to the lake house a week earlier to scope out the plans for wedding portraits before the wedding, I told her I want one really good portrait of the three of them to replace the one I already have in my living room. Her comment was "no pressure, uh?" But it really wasn't. I have realistic expectations of weddings and especially of Natalie and how she can be at any given moment. They took four and that was what it took to have a great photo and to lose Natalie's interest.

MY NEW WALL PORTRAIT OF THE THREE OF THEM...

I love, love this one. It doesn't get much better than this of Natalie. This is a geniune expression. I don't know what Pam or her assistant were doing at this time, but it certainly peaked Natalie's interest. Thanks again, Pam!
The bride and her miniature bride...
The Miniature Bride and her daddy...
kiss for daddy...
kiss for mommy...

My new daughter, Natalie's mommy, the beautiful bride...
My son, Natalie's daddy, the handsome groom, Cameron...
I designed this collage from the first 1/2 of engagement photos that we did in the fall at the campus of LSU. This was displayed on Cameron's groom's table along with his LSU cake.
I designed this for the wedding favors that I designed...sort of like the birth annoucements or wedding invitations with vellum overlay. I added a special thank you from Cameron and Brittany along with an appropriate little poem that applied to them. "Thank you for sharing our special day with us. July 29, 2005, we became a family. Since then our lives have not been the SAME. Today will forever be another special day. For today, we will all share the same NAME." Brittany approved of it...so I proceeded. Natalie's sweet Poppa helped me with this project...cutting card stock, ribbon, (I think I cut the vellum), ribbon and the assembly of these. I don't have a photograph of the finished product, but when if I find one when I post more images, I will add it then.


To view a few other poses from the bridal portrait session go to my other blog:

http://www.japimages.blogspot.com/

I still hope to catch up the blogging some more this week, but this gives you an early sneak peak of the wedding that has been a significant part of Natalie's life.

~~Natalie's Mimi~~