Memorial Day Thank-You

I know I am late in posting this as the day is almost over, but I just wanted to say a big thank-you to all of the Veterans who have served our country so faithfully. I am so quick to take for granted the freedom that we have in this country and forget that our freedom has not come without high cost. There are many men who have given their lives over the years to ensure the safety and prosperity that we enjoy today.

Both of my grandfathers, Donald Rex Hartness and Donald Sinclair Aigner, served in

World War 2. It is difficult, if not impossible, to imagine what our nation would be today were it not for their sacrifice and the sacrifice of thousands and thousands of brave men and women like them; men and women willing to give up their lives on behalf of our great country to defend us from our enemies.

So, THANK YOU to all of those who have given their lives to the point of death to provide for generations they did not yet know. And THANK YOU to those of you who are sacrificing time with your families and the comforts of home to protect our freedom today. Blessings to you. You have our support and our prayers.

Arkansas Wedding: Seth and Meghan

Today is portrait day for Seth and Meghan's wedding! Seth and Meghan were married last weekend in Stuttgart, AR at the Holy Rosary Catholic Church. This wedding was a long time coming because Seth and Meghan dated six years before getting engaged!

We were so blessed to have beautiful (and HOT) weather for the wedding day. The late afternoon light was amazing for portrait time! Meghan and Seth pushed through the heat and managed to look incredible for the camera. Totally worth it!

Be sure to check back next week for some wedding details coordinated by the fab Shawna Young of Young Designs.

Arkansas Photographer: Khaki & Travis: Engagements

After talking via e-mail for several months, I was excited to finally get to meet Khaki and Travis in person for their engagement session. I've said it before, and I'll say it again: one of the best parts of my job is getting to know my clients and hear the story of how they met. One thing I love even more is stories of high school sweethearts (maybe because everyone always says it's not possible to meet the person you're going to marry when you're in high school). Well, sure enough, Khaki and Travis met in high school and have been together ever since (love it!) and are planning a June wedding at a family farm in Springdale.

We met out at Beaver Lake to take pictures in a unique setting. After being interrogated by two police officers about why we were out at the lake, we were able to get down to shooting. Beyond hearing all about their story, Khaki and I had lots to talk about. She is an art major and enjoys learning all about painting, sculpting, graphic design, and photography. She rocked it out in front of the camera!

Arkansas Photographer: Meghan: Bridals

The day is finally here! Today I get to share Meghan's bridal portraits with the world! Meghan and Seth got married this past Saturday in Stuttgart (more on that later this week), so it's now okay to show off the beautiful bride.

Meghan and I met last month at the Old State House in Little Rock for her bridal session. We had a blast exploring the halls and different rooms and were blessed to have perfect weather. Meghan was in the middle of wedding planning and taking FINALS and still managed to look beautiful and relaxed. She's beautiful inside and out! More pics from Seth and Meghan's wedding later this week!

On a side note, I love bridal sessions! Ladies, this is the perfect opportunity for a test run for hair, make-up, and flowers. And... let's be honest, it's a fun excuse to get to wear your dress before the wedding day :)

Vintage Inspiration

I thought it might be fun to share a little bit of eye candy today from my favorite wedding blog, Style Me Pretty. This Austin bride did a fabulous job of using items that she already had to create a lovely wedding. These details prove that a few carefully chosen pieces mixed with a little creativity, ingenuity, and thinking outside-of-the-box can go a long way to create a day that is both unique and personal. Decorations include a fence from her backyard, scrabble pieces, a cake topper from the dollar store! Beautiful! Click here to read more!

Happy Thursday!

Photogs and Friends

Hello from Newport Beach!

I wish I could say, Hello from warm, sunny Newport Beach, but the unfortunate truth is that it has been chilly, cloudy, and raining. You may remember me blogging awhile back about the Escalate Live conference. This conference is a first-time, one-of-a-kind conference for photographers featuring some of the greatest wedding and portrait photographers in the industry. 

Sooo... the time is here. We had a great day in sessions today, getting to hear from amazing photographers like Becker, Dane Sanders, Jasmine Star, and Julieanne Kost. All of these photogs and business people have very different personalities, styles, and gifts and have each found unique ways to add to the industry. The talks so far have been incredibly motivational and inspiring. More on that later.

For me, the best part so far has just been getting to meet and spend time with other photographers. I've met some really great, talented photographers and it's been really encouraging to talk through ideas, dreams, frustrations and struggles with one another. I've been really surprised to find out that so many of us face the same challenges. It's exciting to see, not only the knowledge that my colleagues bring to the table, but also the incredible heart and passion that each person has for the industry and their clients. These photographers love wedding photography, but more importantly, LOVE and care for their clients and are incredibly honored to be able to participate in such a special day. 

I can't wait to share more with you next week as I have time to process my thoughts! Have a great week!

Kristin J.

Fayetteville Portrait Photographer: Yount

Because I'm cool like that...

Have you ever had one of those kinds of weeks? You know. The kind of week where you're running around like crazy trying for dear life to keep your head on straight? Last week was that kind of week for me. I was running around all over town with meetings, shoots, and lots of projects to edit. All of the sudden, the scatter-brainedness (?) hit. I was scrambling for my keys, to find that missing shirt, making wrong turns while driving... You get the picture.

All of this came to culmination Friday morning. I had an early meeting with some local business professionals. Since I had not attended a meeting like this before, I was a little nervous and definitely wanted to make a good first impression. I thought long and hard on what to wear and pieced together my most professional business-casual outfit: skinny jeans, pink tunic top, boyfriend blazer. I tried on 3 pairs of heels and settled on some spring-appropriate strappy silver ones, and... good. to. go. I grabbed my earrings as I ran out the door as the final touch.

Well, the meeting was great. I chatted with quite a few people and learned a lot about some new local businesses. I went home after that and got to work on a project. Later that afternoon, a friend stopped by. After we talked for a few minutes, she discreetly asked me if I was meaning to be wearing two different earrings. WHAT??? I took out the earrings and, sure enough, I was wearing two, very different earrings! I had quickly grabbed what I thought were matching earrings and, in my hurry to get out the door, hadn't checked to be sure. It would happen to me. We had a good laugh about it and I'm comforting myself by choosing to believe that no one noticed it :)

Hopefully this week goes a little bit more smoothly. Happy Monday!

The culprits. At least they were both gold... right?

Style Watch: Bridesmaids

Hey ladies,

Such a fun style post today. For those of you who are in the process of choosing bridesmaid dresses or those of you who are blessed to serve as bridesmaids in the coming months, this is for you! Choosing dresses for your girls is so hard. It seems almost impossible to choose something that will suite the tone of your wedding, flatter, and appeal to everyone's taste. Well... worry no more! There are some adorable dresses right now that your girls can wear with pride and confidence on your big day. AND... they can most definitely be worn again (can I get a hip-hip-hooray on that one)! Each of these dresses are simple, tasteful, unique, elegant and lovely. What do you think?

From Anthropologie. Great for a casual outdoor wedding!

From J. Crew. Something to love about these dresses: they can go casual or a bit more formal. A couple of them have pockets, who doesn't love that???