Las Cruces Wedding: Alyssa + Bill
Posted on May 10, 2010
I have to tell the story of meeting with Alyssa for the first time – she came into the studio to talk to us about her wedding and engagement session, and I couldn’t shake the feeling that I KNEW her from somewhere. We went through all the particulars, discussing her plans, and forming ideas. When she signed the contract, I realized by her last name where I knew her – she and her sister could be twins, I swear – and I’ve known her sister for years, as a writer for the Las Cruces Bulletin. Natisha, her sister has a daughter nearly the same age as our eldest, and the two of them posed for the cover of a magazine together. Ever since then, I’ve been looking forward to shooting Alyssa and Bills wedding.
We met with everyone at the New Mexico Farm and Ranch Museum, a popular spot for weddings since their patio over looks our beautiful Organ Mountains. Alyssa was a little nervous, but once the dress was on, and the ceremony began, the nerves subsided. She visibly relaxed when she saw Bill waiting for her at the alter. After a short but beautiful ceremony, we took the couple out around the grounds of the museum for some bridals. I have to admit, these are some of my favorite images in a very long time – we couldn’t have had better skies, light, and subjects!
Now I know that some of you who follow the blog are used to our ring shots, and usually I include one with every wedding. But I liked her ring so much that I included TWO this time!
The cake was beautiful too – and we learned that Alyssa made it HERSELF! That pretty much floored me, since my cakes look like something that belongs on Cake Wrecks. Cake, flowers, dress…. it was all gorgeous.
We had a wonderful evening you guys, thanks for letting us be part of your day!
Roz
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Cynthia and Luis: Las Cruces Wedding
Posted on October 19, 2009
We met up with Cynthia at Crawford’s Salon on Saturday morning. When we walked in, the salon was humming at a fever pitch, and everywhere we turned it seemed another bridesmaid was having the finishing touches put on her hair, or her makeup applied to perfection. Roz and the girls headed from there to Cynthia’s house near Pioneer Park to get dressed. Most of the groomsmen joined them to have their boutineers pinned on, and to sign the engagement matt for the happy couple to hang in their home.
Meanwhile, Luis and Joey got into their tuxes at Joey’s house in the Las Cruces historic district, after a morning of running last-minute errands. Luis wore a white top over an all-black suit, and looked amazing.
As soon as he was dressed, Luis took off for Pioneer Park, where Gina from All You Can Linen had the gazebo and chairs decorated for the ceremony, and family members were already beginning to arrive. Soon, Cynthia pulled up in a white limo, and the bridal party filed down the aisle as music played softly.
The ceremony was relatively short, as a concession to the hot New Mexico sun. It included many traditional Catholic touches; the lasso and arras were featured prominently. Afterward, we took some family portraits before the bridal party loaded back into the limo for the short drive down to Mesilla. There, we spent some time getting some of the most stunning bridal portraits we’ve ever created.
Soon enough it was time to head to the Corbett Center at NMSU for the reception. When they walked into the ballroom, Cynthia and Luis stopped dead and just stared around. The room was eminently elegant; from the centerpieces to the table settings, everything reflected the black-and-silver color scheme of the wedding. The centerpieces especially caught my attention. Each table held a central column, which was filled with water and housed a live beta; each column was gently lit from beneath, and topped with a bowl of calla lilies and greenery.
As dinner was served, Mariachi los Toritos serenaded the guests. The lead singer, Valentin, had a very versatile and powerful voice, and he was backed up by some of the best instrumentals we’ve heard. The lead violinist especially was amazing; her talent was showcased by several solos. After dinner, the best man and maid of honor led toasts to the newlyweds, who then cut the wedding cake. Heavenly Yours provided the confection, which again reflected the elegance of this reception with an ornate pattern of swirls in white-on-white icing.
I’m not sure who came up with the idea of giving the single ladies small veils for the bouquet toss, but the guys who received aprons for the garter toss wore them with good humor. As the evening dissolved into happy chatter and dancing, Luis and Cynthia were having the best time of anyone. We headed for home after shooting a few hours of dancing and merrymaking. Cynthia and Luis, we had a blast at your wedding, and I can’t wait to show you the images!
Jason
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Aubri + Anthony: Las Cruces Wedding
Posted on September 21, 2009
Aubri and Anthony had a beautiful wedding on Saturday, at Hotel Encanto in Las Cruces. We met Aubri at Crawford’s Studio early in the afternoon, then I walked over to Encanto where the guys were lounging by the pool. This was one of the largest wedding parties we’ve photographed, with 10 attendants on each side of the bridal couple, so there was always plenty going on!
After everyone got into their tuxes, and I pinned on the guys’ flowers, we headed downstairs to where Barb was doing her usual exemplary job decorating the reception hall. The ceremony was held in one of the ballrooms near Azul, and we made great use of the stone cross at the end of the hall as a backdrop for some of the formal photos. The formal images also included a road trip – the guys and girls piled into matching black-and-white limos for the short drive to Sonoma Ranch, where the golf course had graciously agreed to permit us to use the driving range to get some images of the bridal party with the Organ Mountains in the background. Immediately after we got the image, it began to rain, and we all made a mad dash back to the limos. The guys didn’t get to stay in theirs for very long though – when the driver turned out of the clubhouse parking lot, the limo bottomed out, and they all had to get out before it could get over the turnout!
We shot a few more formals after our return to Encanto, then Aubri and Anthony joined their guests for the tail end of the cocktail hour. After the happy couple was introduced, they danced a slow number on the floor, and then dinner was served to the guests. After dinner, the best man and both maids of honor stood up to toast (and share embarrassing stories about) the newlyweds. Anthony took the mic from his brother Jason to say a few words about Aubri’s father, who passed away last November; Anthony’s toast of thanks to the deceased was answered – by a short power outage! We’re assuming that was one way of saying “you’re welcome”. Then, the DJ played a Rolling Stones tune in tribute, and the guests filled the floor.
After the cake was cut, the garter and bouquet were thrown, and the party was on. What a great wedding!
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Rick + Rocio: El Paso Wedding
Posted on September 21, 2009
On Friday, Roz and I photographed Rick and Rocio’s wedding in El Paso. Rick and Rocio wanted to have plenty of time for bridal portraits, so they elected to have a First Sight wedding. Rick got dressed at their home on the north end of town, and Rocio got into her dress at a friend’s house. When they were both ready, we took Rick out into their gorgeous backyard, and brought Rocio out. Rick’s face lit up when he saw her in her dress for the first time.
After they chatted and snuggled for a few minutes, we did several portraits around their home, inside and out, before heading to the UTEP campus, where Rocio had made arrangements to take some photos at the Alumi Lodge. Then, we headed downtown to Camino Real, where we placed them in the Dome Bar and on the marble-and-brass staircases for more portraits. We also did a few outside the Plaza Theater next door, where the upcoming production of Wicked was advertised by the inflatable feet of the Wicked Witch protruding from the front door.
Rick and Rocio had budgeted plenty of time for their portraits, so we were running well ahead of schedule by the time we were ready to head to the next location. We spent the down time chilling in the Central Grill and Bar before we met up with the rest of the bridal party at Club Vanilla, in the bar district where we did Rick and Rocio’s engagements. Vanilla was an incredible background for some very compelling group portraits, and we ended the session with Rocio standing on the bar, backlit by the shelves of drinks.
The wedding mass was held at All Saint’s Catholic Church, an older cathedral with plenty of character. The balcony wrapped over the entire seating area, allowing Roz to get very close to the bride and groom during the ceremony, while shooting from above. I shot from the floor as usual; although the church was very small and pretty crowded, I was able to move around a little without interfering with the ceremony in the slightest. After the mass, we photographed the families on the alter, and then headed over to the reception.
When I walked in to Isaron Hall, my first impression was of the huge, octagonal gazebo-like structure dominating the center of the two-story space. My second was of the huge amount of lighting and effects gear hanging from the ceiling! After dinner, the party kicked off in grand style with a waltz by the bridal couple. They’d obviously practiced the dance, it looked very natural and some of the poses provided perfect photo ops (which we took full advantage of!) Then the dance floor opened, the smoke machines and lasers kicked in, and we were off into some of the best dance images we’ve ever captured!
Eventually, Rick and Rocio stopped dancing for long enough to cut the cake (which was decorated with custom bobble-heads, dead ringers for Rick and Rocio) and throw the garter and bouquet, but the party started right back up and was still going strong when Roz and I bowed out sometime after midnight. Rick, Rocio, we had a wonderful time, and we got some incredible images! Keep an eye on the blog for even more incredible images, this time from the Trash the Dress session we did on Sunday, out at Red Sands on an ATV!
Jason
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Las Cruces Wedding: Carrie and Erich get Hitched at NMSU!
Posted on September 7, 2009
Oh my gosh, this couple was so much FUN! Carrie is a voice teacher here in Las Cruces, (many of her students are seniors here on the blog!) and her entire wedding was sort of like a giant theatrical production! On the golf course no less! Erich and Carrie are both very into golf, so NMSU’s golf course was a perfect place for them to have their ceremony and reception.
Carrie and the girls got ready over at Hotel Encanto, and the guys all got ready over at Erich and Carries place – and then we all headed over to the golf course. We had quite a time keeping them from seeing each other, because the guys were in the bar, overlooking the course, and the girls and I were out on the green, getting some formals before the ceremony. Jason managed to keep them distracted though, and it all went off seamlessly. They had chosen Tiffany blue for their main wedding color, and everything looked gorgeous all decked out there on the patio at the clubhouse.
It’s hard to say what my favorite part of the ceremony was – there were so many stunning moments that it makes it hard to choose! Lauren, Erichs daughter – twirled down the aisle sprinkling flowers as she went, and it was so cute I almost cried. She’s six – and missing more than a few teeth, making her so freaking adorable that I wanted to just take her home with me! They also had a group of Carrie’s students sing a gorgeous song during the ceremony, with acompniment of a gutairst (who doubled as the officiant) and a flautist. It was just so beautifully done! As a grand finale to the ceremony, they danced back down the aisle to Black Eyed Peas “I’ve Got A Feelin’” and it was just PRICELESS!
The reception got underway after a few bridals and couples portraits out on the course, up in the clubhouse. Their cake was not only delicious, but very well done! We loved the little golf cart on top, it was the perfect touch! They partied into the night, and even did some karaoke! Normally, that sort of thing would be fairly frightening at a wedding reception – but not at this one! Since almost all the people there were very talented musicians and singers in their own right, the karaoke was GREAT!
We had so much fun you guys! We wish you well in your life together!
Roz and Jason
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Las Cruces Wedding: Rebecca + Thomas
Posted on July 14, 2009
We’re back from vacation, and I’m finally ready to blog Rebecca and Tomas’ wedding from July 4th! First, let me say, what a gorgeous wedding this was! The entire event was held at Las Cruces’ own Farm and Ranch Museum, and had a western theme. Simply gorgeous, with the Organ Mountains in the background. The Farm and Ranch Museum is such a wonderful venue, we love shooting there for any occasion – but weddings are so special there!
Before their ceremony however, Rebecca and her bridesmaids had their hair and makeup done by the unmatchable Rob Crawford of Crawford Studios. Rob does SUCH a fantastic job on brides, and always gets their hair and makeup just right! We love working with him, and our brides are always so very pleased with his work. Rebecca was no different – Rob did his usual stunning job for each member of the bridal party, and Rebecca’s mom as well. It was a morning filled with laughter and tears.
As usual, the bride was the last to have her hair and makeup done, so that it would be as fresh as possible for the ceremony – but right before Rebecca had her hair done, she came down with an AMAZING case of hiccups. I rarely make an appearance in photos here on the blog, but Jason took some photos of me trying to cure her hiccups with my amazing concentration trick. We were all laughing so hard – and it WORKED! We got rid of them just like that. If you ever get a case of the hiccups, come see me, and I’ll show you the trick!
Thomas and Rebecca did such a wonderful job with the details for their wedding – her dress was to die for, her shoes were stunning, and her ring…. oh the ring! What a gorgeous one Thomas picked out for her. We couldn’t help ourselves with the detail shots as usual. Barb at Barb’s Flowerland handled all the flowers – if you’re looking for a great florist, this is who you go see. Rebecca’s flowers could not have been more amazing. And they smelled even better. Rebecca was walking in front of us at one point, and the flowers smelled so good as she carried them in front of her!
By the time the ceremony started, it was already pretty warm outside, but thankfully, there were bottles of ice cold water available for all the guests as they entered the plaza at the ceremony. We could not have asked for a more gorgeous blue sky, and the ceremony was just beautiful.
After the ceremony, we took some time around the museum grounds to get some great shots of the happy couple, and some beautiful bridals of Rebecca. Then it was time to get the party rolling!
The party lasted long into the evening, with friends and family enjoying themselves and clinking their glasses to have the couple kiss whenever they felt like it! The shot of Rebecca dancing with her dad makes me tear up a little when I look at it, it was truly a special evening.
Congratulations Thomas and Rebecca, we wish you a happy new life together!
Roz
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