“All Dressed Up” ∙ Joe, Kristi & Kara ∙ New Bern Wedding Photographer

I got a very excited email from Kristi in March with lots of CAPS and exclamation marks. She was asking about my “Trash the Dress” sessions.  This, in turn, made me super excited because I desperately wanted to shoot a trash the dress with a bride.  So we emailed back and forth all those months while she was busily getting ready for her wedding day. A little bit after Joe and Kristi got back from their honeymoon, I got a very sad email that she just couldn’t “trash” her dress and she was going to have to cancel the session.  

I was sooooooo disappointed, but I didn’t give up. I wrote her an email encouraging her to reconsider and assuring her that we didn’t have to “trash” the dress. In fact, I had been thinking about renaming my trash the dress sessions because most brides just don’t want to trash their dress.  Actually, I already had two failed attempts at getting brides to trash their dresses.

Well, I was successful with Kristi and we did the session, which I now lovingly call “All Dressed Up.” It is a watered down version of “trash the dress” (maybe “watered down” is not the right phrase – haha!). It is a just-for-fun session after the wedding day with the happy couple dressed in their wedding garments.  We can go to some places that may lead in a little dirt or sand on the dress, but nothing serious. There is always the option of really “trashing” it, but it’s definitely not mandatory. It gives the couple some images that they did not have time to get on the wedding day.

Kristi still wanted to trash a dress, so her sister, Kara, and her brought a couple bridesmaids dresses. They took a little dip and we got some awesome photos. I could have gone on all day with these guys! They just kept firing new ideas at me that I loved.  

Thank you, Joe, Kristi & Kara for coming out to New Bern and having a bit of fun with me! You all are hilarious! I wish you lived closer so we could hang out. Kristi, thanks for going through with the session. Joe, you are one of the best grooms I’ve ever photographed and you had such awesome ideas. Kara, thanks for your help and for getting drenched. Call me when you need some senior photos!

 I had such a hard time choosing which photos to post today. I think I posted nearly half!

MIA ∙ A trip to Michigan

I have to apologize. I have been a negligent blogger. It’s not my fault though. These three people have kept Mckenna and me quite busy.  This is my college roommate, Lindsey, (yes, it was confusing at times) and her little ones.  Mckenna and I had a chance to spend the week with them last week. Although the daddies were away fishing in Canada, we had so much fun going to the zoo, Children’s Museum and watching chick flicks (after the kiddos’ bedtime, of course).

Lindsey got a few photos of Mckenna and me too. I’m a sucker for Queen Anne’s Lace.

Linds, we had such a wonderful time. It was really a time of refreshment and healing for me. I needed that time with a good friend! I can’t wait for our girls trip next year!



Hand-crafted Jewelry ∙ MK Jewelry by Design ∙ Bridesmaids’ Gifts Ideas

Deciding on bridesmaids gifts can be a bit of a struggle. A lot of the brides I work with have had the fabulous idea of giving wedding day jewelry to accentuate the bridesmaids' dresses.  I absolutely love when the jewelry is specially designed by the bride.  It makes the gift so much more special than something from the mall.

I must introduce you to my friend Mackenzie. She is a brilliant jewelry designer and owner of MK Jewelry by Design. Mackenzie’s designs are unique and one of a kind. She began designing and selling jewelry when she was (get this) twelve years old! And now, at fourteen, she has crafted over a thousand pieces.

Jewelry making is a creative outlet for Mackenzie and she believes it is a gift God has given her. She is inspired by colors, textures and sizes. She enjoys working with natural stones like amethyst, turquoise, and jasper.

“These are some of my favorite stones because they’re naturally so beautiful. It’s fun to find beads to combine with them,” says Mackenzie.

One of the newest materials Mackenzie is working with is Amazonite. “I absolutely love it! The pale blue color and veining make it absolutely unique and beautiful,” she says.

Where does she get these great stones and beads, you might ask. She looks for small local bead shops all over the country during her travels with her family. “The great thing about small bead stores is you can’t really find the same beads twice!”

Mackenzie designs pieces for her clients and she also has a large inventory offered online. Mackenzie offers casual and elegant jewelry that can be used for bridesmaid’s jewelry, bridal jewelry, prom, and other formal events or everyday fashion. Mackenzie also puts together jewelry parties hosted by her clients, which are so much fun.

Visit Mackenzie's website at www.mkjewels.com.

Mackenzie, I love your work! You are such a sweet young lady and are so talented. I enjoyed spending the afternoon with you and look forward to doing it again soon!