DIY Wedding Invites: Part II

I'm having so much fun sharing wedding invitations with you. This is the second of three. I just heart invitations. So I felt like sharing for several reasons. I know brides are always on the look out for ideas. And since I assume some of you are in fact brides I thought you might appreciate another idea source. And I'll give you my two-cents, just for fun.

Plus, there's a chance some of you out there are obsessed with paper and stationary like I am. In which case, you'll enjoy a little invitation eye candy.

What I love about invitations is how different they are. It's all about making your day a reflection of the couple. And so... here's number two from Kady and Brian. You can't see it in the photo, but the envelope is a really cool metallic silver.


There's isn't a 'traditional' hand made invite. Kady did her creating on the computer instead of cutting, punching, and gluing. Same amount of freedom, just a different method of implementation.

Kady has a strong design background. Matter of fact, she was a designer at a newspaper when we met. She has since taken her design full-time and started her own business called Wishful Thinking Designs. So for all you brides, if you like what you see check out her website!

So needless to say I new their invitation would be focused on graphics rather than the 'scrapbook' approach.

*Note: the RSVP card didn't make it in the photo. It fell out of the envelope, and I didn't see it until after I'd taken the pictures.

The design is simple and very beautiful. The lines are clean and the fonts are classy and elegant. I wouldn't expect anything less from Kady. Not only did they get exactly what they wanted, but they were able to incorporate Kady's passion into the wedding as well.

It's those little things that make the day yours.

DIY Wedding Invites

I have a slight obsession with paper. All the different colors. The different patterns. It goes hand-in-hand with my addiction to pens and markers. And old fashioned letter press. I love the way paper smells. And I enjoy the smooth glide of a good fountain pen or Sharpie marker. Scrapbooking, decorating, and handmade invitations make me swoon.

With a blank sheet of paper and a good pen, the possibilities are endless. Just like photography.

So given my passion for paper, pens, fonts, and printing... I love getting wedding invitations. I love it even more when they're handmade! We got three wedding invitations this week. I was so excited to discover all three of them are made by hand.

Given there might be other paper fanatics, I thought I would share them with you over the next few days. They're all very different, unique to each couple. The first wedding invitation we got is for Bobbier and Adam. If you didn't know them, you would after getting this in the mail.




They (I'm assuming probably Bobbier) even made the envelopes! I didn't think about blogging these until after I opened them. Had I gotten the idea before I would have been more careful about opening them.



Bobbier and Adam love the outdoors and nature. They love hiking, backpacking, camping, and taking their dog Sally anywhere outside. The browns and greens are very natural. As are the stiff textures of the rough brown card stock and the raffia tie.


The green velum added a fun element and a new texture on the inside.

I l.o.v.e. this embossed stamp! I believe it's a hydrangea.

This is a perfect example of why I love invitations. It's one of the best ways to personalize your wedding. And it's the first glimpse your guests will have of what's in store for your big day. Sets the tone if you will. Personally, I think making your own invites gives you the freedom to do exactly what you want. But it's not for everyone.

And after tying over 100 bows for our wedding invitations almost six years ago, I completely understand why buying them is so appealing!

Look for Kady and Brian as well as Allison and Terry's invites coming soon!

Another year

Today...
is a very special day.
is my Ryan's birthday.
he turns 32-years-old.
I'm reminded of how fortunate I am to have him in my life.
I want him to know he's loved.

He's playing 'the victim' during fire department training.

Happy birthday, hon. Love you as big as the whole world.

Ariell and Jared: Engagement photos

She's a little on the shy side. He's a little more outgoing. She is a listener, and he's a talker. And they just happen to be perfect for each other. Ariell will always listen to his stories. And Jared will always be there to help her find the right words... starting with "I do" next spring.


As per usual it seems - this couple is also very special to me. Once upon a time, several years ago, I used to babysit Ariell. That's right, I said babysit. Translation... I'm old.


Saturday we ventured out to take their engagement photos... on the second hottest day of the year. After catching a few on the golf course (visit my Facebook page for more photos) we headed east to the Mississippi. Many thanks to the Brady's for letting us shoot on their river side property.

Aren't they cute? This one was her sister, Rachel's idea.

Who knew a green garage door could be so much fun?

Ariell and Jared couldn't resist the pool on such a hot day...

Thanks for the great session Ariell and Jared. Can't wait to continue your story on April 30th!

Bobbier and Adam: Engagement photos

I met Bobbier my first week of college. Two of my older friends from high school were friends with Bobbier, and so I became a friend by association. That first year was so much fun. There were parties and going swimming at the beach in the middle of the night. We went sledding on the cross country course with baking sheets a friend "borrowed" from the cafeteria. In the wee hours of the morning we decided to crimp our hair. Oohh yes. That's right, internet. Straight from the 80s.



Fast forward. The next year Bobbier and I got an apartment with two other girls and even more good times followed. Bobbier graduated that year and went off to law school. Thanks to email we kept in touch. And there was the occasional visit to tailgate at a football game. At one point she went to a wedding for a friend and afterward kept talking about this guy, Adam.



Turns out Adam had lived in the same dorm at Iowa State. Bobbier remembered seeing Adam around the dorms and in the cafeteria. But the two never actually met. Wasn't long after getting reacquainted at the wedding they started dating. And it didn't take me long to realize Adam was perfect for her. He gave her a diamond and made it official. They are planning a wedding on September 25, and I can't wait.



Hopefully the weather cooperates a little better on their wedding day than it did for their engagement photos. I can handle clouds. And we even tolerated a few sprinkles. Thankfully, we got some good shots in before it really started coming down.

Adam suggested the co-op in their small town. Bobbier and I had our doubts at first, but the grain elevator was a gold mine for cool textures and awesome backgrounds.

Their little town proved to be a great spot for photos. The old bar on the corner of the town triangle (as opposed to a town square) was full of character.

Thanks for bearing with me Bobbier and Adam! Enjoy the next... 65 days? 64 days? The time will pass quickly and your wedding day will be here before you know it. Personally, I can't wait to see it happen!

The Hulsebus Family

Last weekend I got an opportunity to photograph one of my favorite families again. Favorite not only because we've been friends with Jason and Stefany for years, but also because they're easy to work with and super photogenic.



We sought out a cool, urban location as Stef was hoping for a more 'industrial' feel after doing the park thing in the past. So we ventured out to old downtown Ankeny. It was pretty hit and miss, but we did manage to find a few gems. One of which, was located a little too close to a trash bin that had us wishing we'd brought nose plugs. No joke! It was horrible. But Jason and Stef stuck it out like a champ.



Canon, their almost two-year-old, has grown a lot since last year. This time it was very apparent if he didn't want his photograph taken. Thankfully, Ryan came along and provided a little comic relief to get Canon smiling. Ryan did such a good job, I might just put him on the pay roll! :-)

A little lovin' for mom...

Just adore the big cheesey smile!

I always like to get a few photos of just the couple together. After all, they were husband and wife long before they were mom and dad.

I always have such a great time photographing this family. They're great friends, terrific people, and thankfully - very photogenic! :-) Afterward we drove up to Polk City and had some terrific ice cream at the Reising Sun Cafe. Thanks Jason and Stef!

Happy Anniversary to the Stone's

I have photos of an adorable family and a really cute engaged couple to blog... but first, let's jump back a little.

Julie and Scott were married one year ago yesterday - July 11. I had met them just two months earlier. They were in front of my camera for Julie's sister Mary's wedding in May. Needless to say I was a little surprised when Julie emailed me a few weeks later. Not only had Scott proposed, but they were planning a wedding in two months! I was beyond flattered.

Happy first anniversary to you, Julie and Scott! I am certain there are many more to come. I hope you were able to celebrate this milestone amid the chaos of moving.

32 wks - 7 mos

It's been nearly two months since I announced the news of our baby boy on this 'lil blog. So I figured an update was due. (Ha! Due... get it? Yeah, pathetic I know.)

Things have continued to go extremely well. I'm 32 weeks, which to most people means 7 months. I'll give a cookie to anyone who can explain to me why the majority of the population goes by 9 months, but doctors go by 40 weeks. Simple math will tell you that's 10 months. But, whatever.

I feel great (knock on wood for me). Well, minus the heartburn. Tums have taken the place of my Dr. Pepper chapstick. I carry them with me in my purse, in my car, at my desk, at home. But it's tolerable. And far less annoying than some pregnancy symptoms.

The occasional well placed jab may make me cringe, but I cherish every single one. He's getting stronger and that's all I ask. When I don't feel him move for awhile, I start to get a little worried. I poke at him until he starts jabbing me again. A small taste of the constant worry and paranoia that lingers in the back of my head.

But the excitement is building as we get closer to finally meeting this little guy. As ready as I think I am, I know he needs to sit tight for awhile longer. And so... we wait. For a few more weeks at least.

Since posts are more fun with photos... here's one of me a couple weeks ago (courtesy of Ryan).

P.S. It's going to be a busy couple of weeks. I've got a session for one of my favorite families, a kids session for two adorable little girls, and engagement sessions for two amazing couples. Which means - lotsa fun posts and pictures in the future!