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Las Cruces Wedding: Ed + Darby

Posted on May 25, 2009

Our second wedding this Memorial Day weekend was Ed and Darby’s, here in Las Cruces. The girls got ready at the bride’s house just off Foothills; the guys were just a loud shout away at Encanto. From the moment we walked in, we knew this was going to be a fun group; the groomsmen started a competition to offend Roz (which continued throughout the evening), while the girls were drinking champagne and reading Cosmo at Yoli’s. Barb’s Flowerland did an amazing job with Darby’s flowers and the groomsmens’ boutineers.

Ed and Darby elected to have a first sight, which let us shoot most of the bridal party photos before the wedding. Ed was a tad delayed by his Boxer puppy Sasha, who hopped into the car when the guys stopped by his place for a few last-minute items and did not understand why she couldn’t come to the wedding too. Darby of course looked stunning, and Ed’s face lit up when he first saw her sitting on a bench in the Kent Hall courtyard, where the scene was set for a gorgeous ceremony.

After a lot of really incredible portraits, and a minor incident involving some dead tree branches that were in my way (I triumphed eventually, but it was a messy victory , Darby and her maids headed to another building while the guests got seated. La Cella Bella provided music to set the scene, then segued into the Wedding March as Darby entered, preceded by the wedding party. There were sprinkles of rain for luck during the ceremony, but the shining sun kissed the raindrops into molten gold. Afterward, we shot a few more sunset bridals (Darby’s cathedral-length veil provided options Roz just could not pass up), then everyone piled into the limo for the short drive to Old Mesilla and Josephina’s Old Gate.

Josephina’s was decked out to the nines with garden lights and black-and-white linens that turned the gardens into a New Mexican fairy-tale grotto as twilight descended. Soft music and happy conversation blended with birdsong; I completely forgot that we were just off Mesilla Square! For dessert, Darby and her maids created a delicious chocolate mousse, topped with garden-fresh berries and served in cups of milk chocolate.

After dessert, the party really got rolling. The guys broke out cigars, while the girls tore up the dance floor. Around midnight, Josephina’s was shutting down, but the party was still going strong, so the bridal party hopped into the limo and rode over to El Patio. Roz and I tagged along, and we got some more excellent images of everyone at the bar before we called it a night.

Ed and Darby, you guys had one of the prettiest weddings we’ve ever had the privilege of participating in. We’ll give you a shout when you get back from Hawaii!

Las Cruces Wedding: Allison + Anthony

Posted on May 24, 2009

All you need is love…. all you need is love…. love is all you need….

This Saturday we were so privileged to photograph the wedding of Anthony and Allison, who are both huge Beatles fans! We were so excited about their wedding – we knew that all the music would be The Beatles, and there were also lots of other little details, as I’m sure you’ll see, that had our shutters clicking away in sheer delight!

First, I met Allison over at Crawford Studios, where Robert Tellez did his usual fabulous job with Allison’s hair and makeup. Allison had brought in a magazine photo that she really liked, and Robert wasted no time getting straight to work! Her makeup and hair were flawless, and they stayed that way all day long! Allison’s Maid of Honor, Melissa, also had her hair done at Crawford Studios, and looked equally fabulous. Time was running short however, so we rushed over to the brides parents house, where we got her into her dress!

Meanwhile, Jason was hanging out with Anthony and his parents at their house not too far away. As usual, things were a little more relaxed for the groom – they even broke out the guitars and had an impromptu jam session with Anthony’s dad! When they were finished jamming, Anthony had to get not only himself, but Allison’s little yorkie Hannibal ready for the wedding! Hannibal was starring as the ring bearer, and was quite dashing in his little tuxedo.

We all met up at the NMSU Botanical Gardens just outside Mesilla. Despite the fact that we’ve been having a week of on again – off again rainstorms, it couldn’t have been a more gorgeous day. The gardens were almost magically spring-like, with the birds chirping, the slight dampness in the air, and everything so fresh and green. Allison’s choice of blues, creams, and the brilliant colors of peacock feathers accented everything perfectly! Her bouquet, done by Barb’s Flowerland in Las Cruces was just perfect! The look on Anthony’s face when he saw his bride for the first time was priceless! It was an absolutely wonderful ceremony, ending with a butterfly release and many cheers for the newlyweds. After some quick bridals at the gardens, we were off to the Stan Fulton Center at NMSU, overlooking the stadium for the reception!

At the reception, the couple showed a slideshow, set to their favorite Beatles songs with their favorite snapshots and photos from their lives before they met, and while they were dating. After some very emotional toasts, it was time to cut the delicious looking cakes from Si Bistro! We were so excited, because we knew beforehand that one of the themes that the couple were trying to work into their wedding decor was Dia de los Muertos, and their cake toppers were skeletons dressed as a bride and groom! We loved them, original things like that really make a wedding special! We wish you both the best in your new lives together!

Roz

Suzanna and Julio: Wedding in Ruidoso, NM

Posted on March 10, 2009

We were so blessed to be asked to photograph Suzanna and Julio’s wedding on Valentines Day in Ruidoso! We love shooting weddings up in the mountains, it’s always so beautiful! Suzanna and Julio both got ready in Ruidoso, with Suzanna doing her final prep at Inn of The Mountain Gods. We got some lovely images of them getting ready, and it’s the place they chose to do their “First Look”. Because of the wedding day schedule, they decided that they’d like to see each other before the ceremony – something that more and more couples are doing these days. We gave them some time to chat after taking a few pictures of those first emotional moments of seeing each other in their wedding attire. Then we got all the formals out of the way! Once that was done, it was time to head to the wedding venue!

Suzanna picked Mountain Annies for her wedding venue and reception; and it’s really a neat place! Mountain Annies is a dinner theater, with a huge stage, and some gorgeous tables – perfect for a wedding and reception. They also have an outdoor place for weddings, however, it was just too chilly in February to do that! The ceremony was gorgeous and emotional, the look on Julio’s face when his bride walked down the aisle was just priceless.

It was a gorgeous day, and we were so honored to be there to document it for both of you! We wish you and your gorgeous family the best! Now on with a few photos!

Laura + Jose – Off to Barcelona

Posted on December 21, 2008

We are so happy to have attended and photographed Laura and Jose Menendez’s wedding this weekend! Jose is from Barcelona, Spain; he’s been been flying to El Paso as often as possible to see his beloved Laura. They’re planning to move to in Barcelona in a few weeks; what a move! All of the traditional Spanish details of this wedding just blew us away. The day started when we met Laura at Salone Trevizzo on the east side of El Paso; the small salon turned out to be a really hip place! They had orange juice, cheese, and all kinds of snacks waiting for the bridal party. The team got right to work on everyone’s hair; before we knew it, everyone was looking even better than they did when they walked in! Araceli Garcia from Trevizzo did Laura’s hair; she did a beautiful and unique up-do with a pretty comb that Laura had found.

I went with Laura and her sisters to their parents’ house, where Laura did her make-up and put on her dress. Laura’s mom actually made her wedding dress by hand. It was hands down the most gorgeous dress I have ever seen, made of champagne-colored silk with simple and elegant details (especially the beaded waistband, which Laura and Jose brought back from Barcelona). I was floored by the beauty of this garment. Her mom joked that she wasn’t ever going to make any more wedding dresses, but we’ll see – Laura has two younger sisters, and I know they’ll want equally beautiful dresses for their weddings!

Jason went with Jose and his family at the Marriott, where he was getting ready. Jose’s family had flown in from Spain for the ceremony, and Jason got a lot of great shots of the family helping Jose dress, and just chatting and enjoying the day. Jose’s father is a connoisseur of fine suits; he helped Jose get the details just so. I have to admit a failure here – Jason and I know absolutely no Spanish! Even though Jose knows English fairly well, his family knew as much English as we do Spanish. The majority of the day (and the entire ceremony and reception) was entirely in Spanish. Thanks to Laura and Jose’s occasional translations, the language barrier didn’t slow us down at all, but it did give us a good New Years Resolution: Learn Spanish NOW.

The ceremony took place at St. Marks, which is a fairly new (and very, very pretty) catholic church on the east side of El Paso. Many of Jose and Laura’s family and friends are musical; the ceremony was accented by a largish band which played in the front pews. Many of the musicians wrangled instruments through the intricacies of international air travel to play at the wedding! All of the musical parts of the ceremony were accompanied by these wonderful musicians, with mandolins, guitars, congas, castanets and more. I have never been so moved by a ceremony. Even though we didn’t understand most of what was said, the emotion came through loud and clear. It was truly stunning. One of my favorite parts of the ceremony was when the bride and groom did a ceremony with Spanish coins, symbolizing the sharing of their assets. It was so pretty, and so moving.

After the ceremony, we headed out to take a few photos, and then off to the reception! The Marriott Airport staff was so attentive, and the ballroom looked GREAT! Dinner was served in 5 courses, and was absolutely delicious. Our gracious bride and groom had even set a place for us – with place cards! I was so excited about that that I took a picture of mine. I’ll spare you that photo. I did take some photos of the really tasty biscochos though. They came directly from Mexico, and were some of the best I’ve ever had. The DJ, who was with Jukebox Entertainment was very professional, and really kept the party rolling. He did a great job of rolling with the changing schedule, something we wish more DJ’s in this area were capable of. After the cake cutting and toast, the wonderful mariachi from Mariachi Allegre came in and entertained with some wonderful music. They were so talented!

Here are a few more images from the day!

Come and join our fan page on Facebook, there’s even more to be seen there! It was a long and beautiful day, and we wish both of you the best in your life together in Spain. Congratulations Laura and Jose!
Roz

Kids at the Wedding

Posted on November 24, 2008

Children at, or in, your wedding can make the party – as long as they’re happily entertained during all the “boring” adult parts of the day. However you include the younger generation, Let the parents on your list know what you’ve got planned so they’ll feel comfortable about bringing the little ones along – and so they can get the kids excited about coming.

Kids as Participants

No doubt about it, including a few children in your wedding party can make for some of the cutest moments of the day. Children of any age can be included; from old enough to walk up to about 8, children are adorable as ring bearers and flower girls, and older kids will be proud to be junior bridesmaids or groomsmen.

Getting Ready There’s a lot of waiting during the preparations for a wedding, and one universal truth is that kids (especially younger kids) don’t wait well. Keep the kids busy elsewhere until it’s time for them to get dressed; having them dress in the same room as everyone else makes for some adorable photos. Once they’re dressed, we’ll want to take some pictures; having a small toy or snack on hand helps keep them busy between shots.

Down Time If there’s any down time between photos and the ceremony, younger kids might want to try to nap, or at least play quietly. This may be the only chance they’ll have all day for a rest. Kids who are used to napping tend to be cranky if they don’t get some down time, but don’t be surprised if they’re too keyed up by all the unusual activity and excitement to sleep.

The Long Walk When the time comes to walk down the aisle, putting Grandma (or another trusted adult) in the front pew with a handful of Cheerios or another favorite snack can really focus the attention of small children. If you have 2 or 3 children, having the older ones help with the younger can also ease the long walk to the alter, as can having Mom and/or Dad in the wedding party, since they’ll already be at the alter when Junior starts the trip.

Meltdowns In the event of an emotional meltdown or temper tantrum, be sure to have a trusted adult who can be spared from the ceremony ready to swoop in and carry the little one to safety, and out of earshot, so that your ceremony doesn’t come to a screeching halt.

Kids as Guests

At the Ceremony If you’re planning a long ceremony (more than about 20 minutes), a sitter-attended room for the under-10 set is a great idea; your church may be willing to set aside one of its Sunday school rooms for the purpose. Stock the area with crayons, paper, and pencils – forgo the markers; many younger children are still unaware of the difference between the paper, and their hands or clothing. The playground, if your venue has one, is also a very good option – let the kids burn off that energy running instead of fidgeting!

At the Reception To help Mom and Dad relax and enjoy themselves, have a separate area for the youngsters near or in the main reception area, with one or more dedicated babysitters to keep an eye on things. Replace the reception-hall chairs with kid-size furniture; you can get cheap plastic chairs from Wal-Mart and either cover them to match your reception colors, or leave them bright to capture the interest of your younger guests. Set the tables with a variety of kid-themed favors; stuffed animals, toy cars, miniature slinkys (remember those?), action figures (call one of the moms on your guest list and ask her what’s popular with her boys and girls; it changes daily), and other easy-to-play-with items will keep them busy all night long. A carnival supply company is a great source for cheap toys; just be sure to avoid anything that bounces, runs away on its own, or makes loud noises.

Have you ever eaten at a restaurant where the tables are covered in butcher paper, and the waiter/waitress writes on the table? That’s another great way to engage younger guests. Have an apron for each; stuff the pockets with pencils or crayons. The aprons will encourage activity and interaction, and they’ll also help protect party dresses and fancy suits from the ravages of dinner.

Dinnertime! Serve the children first; they don’t wait well. You can serve smaller portions from the adult menu, or you can customize a menu for your younger guests. Miniature hamburgers, chicken strips, popcorn shrimp, and french fries always go over well. (Children under 2 years or so may be better off sitting with Mom and Dad during dinner, or they may require special seating, like high chairs.) Switch out the standard cups for clear plastic with secure lids and curly straws, containing brightly-colored kid-friendly beverages.

With just a little planning, you can be sure that your young guests (and the youngest members ofyour bridal party) will have a blast at your wedding, and that Mom and Dad can relax and enjoy themselves too.

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