Omaha Wedding Photographer : Lara Hanlon Photography : Omaha Family Photographer

jessica and justin : omaha engagement photography

2011-09-21T10:34:00.000-07:00

I showed you their wedding...let's back up and look at their engagement pictures! These were taken at Lauritzen Gardens here in Omaha...a gorgeous, gorgeous location. And they, as you already know from their wedding, are a gorgeous, gorgeous couple.

They actually got married at city hall on this day, which I will always remember because it's my birthday (and Jess brought me flowers - how sweet!). They had to do it early because Justin is in the armed forces and was deploying. So yes, in the wedding post, they were technically already married. My third such couple, and I have one more wedding coming like that! I thought it was a great idea to do the "engagement" pictures on the same day as the wedding so that they'll always have these pictures to remember it.

A: Did you notice her shoes??!?! and B: Could the light have been any more perfect? Crazily enough, we missed a huge thunderstorm by minutes when we were leaving!

They were truly one of my favorite couples to photograph. She's so ridiculously photogenic! (And so is Justin, if I'm being honest.) They really made my job easy.

I hope you guys are enjoying married life!

mason : omaha baby photography

2011-09-21T03:33:00.000-07:00

Little Mason was one year old, and his mom called on me for some fun pictures to commemorate the milestone!

I could not love these next few bed shots more. It really shows Mason as he is on a daily basis...a total charmer!

Of course, with a birthday, comes...balloons!

Can you imagine a one-year-old with a cake aversion?? I can - I met one! Mason wanted NOTHING to do with the cake. Crazy boy! He'll soon learn that cake is one of the greatest things we have here on earth.

Mom had fun cleaning that mess, I'm sure!

emily and jake : omaha engagement photography

2011-09-11T14:01:00.000-07:00

Emily and Jake were getting married out of town, but decided to get some engagement pictures in a city that was special to them - and in a place that was special to them!

No, this abandoned trainyard isn't the special place. It's just cool.

Waving at a passing train!

After the trainyard, we headed to a very special place...the rooftop of Emily's work, for some amazing views of the city and lights.

Congrats, you guys! I hope married life is treating you wonderfully!

the w family : omaha family photography

2011-09-09T13:47:00.000-07:00

Last post was Ryan and Abby; this is Ryne and Addie. And I shot them back-to-back...in the SAME location...too! A bit of deja vu! They were another family with adorable children and wonderful parents who were so fun!

Ryne was just a bitty baby!

And Addie couldn't have been more excited about him!

Newborn smile! I DIE.

In case you couldn't tell by Ryne's name, Dad is a liiiiittle bit of a Cubs fan.

They were too fun and I had such a good time shooting them and their beautiful, shy daughter and son who I'm sure will grow up to be an all-star second baseman (no pressure, Ryne!).

the r family : omaha family photography

2011-09-07T13:39:00.000-07:00

This family couldn't have been more adorable. Ryan and Abby were darling kids, and mom and dad couldn't have been more fun.

It was beyond fun shooting them, and we bonded over some personal experiences we both shared. It definitely made the shoot that much more special! I hope you guys are having an amazing summer and enjoy those adorable kids!

jess and john : okoboji wedding preview

2011-09-05T12:56:00.000-07:00

A while ago I shared a straight-out-of-camera (SOOC) picture from a wedding in Okoboji, Iowa that was just incredible - perfect lighting and wonderful couple. The rest of the wedding was just as amazing!

Bride-in-mirror shots? Classic.

Newly wedded bliss.

We went to a local amusement park for some ridiculously fun shots.

...including this one, which was so much harder to capture than you'd think. I was in the car behind them and everything had to line up right...my position, their position, the lighting, the action, the focus...so worth it!

Love their first dance!

The next morning, despite a late, late night (I'm not sure that John went to bed), we all met up around 6pm at the lake to get some day-after...make that early-morning-after...shots.

Love LOVE LOOOOOOOVE!

And of course, a ring shot!

Oh, and how could I forget? The edited version of that SOOC picture. Add a little contrast for a little pop, and INSTANT FAVE.

Before:

After:

jessica and justin : nebraska city wedding photography

2011-09-02T08:27:00.000-07:00

I'll be randomly catching up on posting some work that I did while on pregnancy leave. To start, here's the absolutely beautiful wedding of Jessica and Justin, that took place at Arbor Lodge in Nebraska City. They had a beautiful outdoor ceremony (it was just a BIT hot) and a fun indoor reception (Arbor Lodge also has space for outdoor parties, including in an old barn!).

Jessica took advantage of the big rustic timbers in each guest room when getting strapped into her dress.

I love the green door that peeks in during their first glance pictures.

Their wedding party? BROUGHT IT.

Best picture of all time? YES.

Some might argue this is cheesy. I argue this is ADORABLE KITSCH.

She. is. GORGEOUS. Swoon. And I looooove her veil.

That amazing outdoor ceremony. A bit hot and humid, but so very pretty.

The first picture was a total throwaway and accident, but I LOVE it. So very much.

Another...well, not accident. But definite risk. Not posed at all! They went to do the shot, I stuck my camera low and shot up and had no idea what I was getting. And I got this perfect moment of joy, fun, and camaraderie between friends.

I'm a sucker for bouquets and rings.

Their wedding was too much fun and tooooo gorgeous. You could tell how much love and work Jess put into it. Congrats you guys!

look what i made!

2011-08-31T11:03:00.000-07:00

After taking off nine months to grow a human, I'd like to introduce you to our daughter, Carys Josephine.

She was born on July 7 and was nine pounds even and 20 3/4 inches long.

After the devastation we experienced with the last pregnancy, I'm so grateful to have her here with us.

Lots to catch up on posting - it will be an explosion of beautiful brides and adorable children in the next few weeks!

taking a break

2010-11-30T22:29:00.000-08:00

We recently found out that everything in our world is going to be changing...yes, we're having a baby (hopefully!). To focus on that and all that is involved with it, I'm going to be taking a blog break for a bit. I'll be back soon!

alex : omaha baby photography

2010-09-14T13:31:00.000-07:00

Remember this little guy? From one of my favorite newborn sessions EVER? (Seriously...I had to hold myself back from sneaking him away in my purse!).

Well. He was even cuter at six months.

Seriously, cutest family ever, right? I think they should just be tasked with populating the earth and handing out adorable babies to anyone who wants one. I'll be first in line!

Because wait...

It gets EVEN MORE ADORABLE.

I know, you don't think it's possible, right? Let me prove you wrong.

Can you even...I mean...tell the truth. You stopped breathing with all that cuteness, didn't you? It's okay. I did.

Seriously, that kid needs to be a baby gap model OR SOMETHING.

Don't you want a baby with a huge mess of dark hair that flops everywhere and giant brown eyes? I do, now! Alex's mom and dad are super lucky!

what's your favorite?

2010-09-04T02:22:00.000-07:00

I simply could NOT decide between these three shots. Isn't it amazing the difference a little editing makes in the style and feeling of a shot?

Same shot, three ways. What's YOUR favorite?

nicole and eric : omaha engagement photography

2010-08-31T13:16:00.000-07:00

First. HUGE POST warning. Soooo heavy on the pictures. Give it a minute to load. Go get a beer. Or make some s'mores. Then come back. Worth it, I promise!

Because Nicole and Eric's wedding is coming up quickly, I thought it'd be a great time to post their engagement pictures. This is one set I've been holding onto - I don't want to post them, because then it means I can't post them again. I love this session. It's one of my favorites by far!

Nicole, who just SCREAMS vintage, styled the shoot herself. A vintage outfit here, an old suitcase there, a touch of red lipstick, and it was perfect.

(P.S. Excuse the pixelation...I accidentally uploaded the full size versions of these to the hosting service instead of the web size versions, so when I make them smaller for the blog you get those weird artifacts. That's the other reason for the slow loading. I'm so sorrrrry!)

I was so engrossed in the pictures I didn't even comment. Do I need to?? Is there anything to say other than WOW? Nicole, you're gorgeous and you did a great job with your styling! You and Eric will have a beautiful wedding and I know that you'll love living in Germany with your man!

P.S. Did I not mention that earlier? Yeah...they're going to live in Germany. Lucky duck!

craig and melinda preview : sioux city wedding photography

2010-08-23T10:17:00.000-07:00

Here's another preview that I'm blogging about a bit late (but don't worry - they had their pics right on time!). One sweltering day (and I do mean sweltering, poor couple) a few weeks ago, Craig and Melinda got married in Sioux City. I was lucky enough to again have the wonderful Julie Branyan second for me.

Melindas dress was simply stunning. A simple, elegant dress made absolutely breathtaking with the addition of a beaded belt.

And her shoes! HER SHOES!

This adorable little guy was Craig's son. Melinda is lucky to be part of his family!

After the ceremony, they rode into the sunset in Melinda's dad's vintage Mustang. Actually I should say ON the car instead of IN the car because as you can see...they were literally ON it.

Also, there wasn't a sunset yet. So it was more like "rode into the blue sky on Melinda's dad's vintage Mustang."

The ladies and gents.

How many members of a wedding party can you fit in a fountain?? Let's find out!

Favorite of favorites - first dance!

And of course...the ring shot!

jess and john : straigh outta camera preview

2010-08-17T20:36:00.001-07:00

Jess and John. Sigh. I'll post more about their wedding later, but for this post all you need to know is that these troopers got up at FIVE THIRTY IN THE MORNING THE DAY AFTER THEIR WEDDING to do a trash the dress/day after shoot.

It was SO worth it. The light was amazing and the city - Okoboji, IA - virtually deserted.

I am going through their pictures to pick the 500 to 800 I'll ultimately edit, and the 20 or so I'll immediately edit for their preview. This picture caught my eye and I had to post it. This without any editing - I uploaded the RAW file to Lightroom (where, for you fellow photographers, I do 95% of my editing) and exported straight to my desktop. And holy wow....what magic happens when you can get a beautiful couple and perfect light!!! Of course, I'll still tweak it a little - boost the contrast, sharpen it, maybe warm it up a touch - but man. Well worth the three hours of sleep in 72 hours, John! Just look at your bride!

madison : 8th grade graduation

2010-08-03T11:36:00.000-07:00

Remember a while ago I wrote about getting to speak to that 8th grade class about photography? A couple weeks ago, I got to take pictures for Madison, one of the young ladies who won a portrait session by completing an essay for the class. She is ADORABLE. She brought her two best friends - one of them is her cousin - with her to keep her laughing, and we made sure to get some pictures of the three of them.

But we started with Madison.

How gorgeous is this girl? Amazing eyes, perfect features.

Some pictures of the girls being silly together...picture perfect friendship.

The one on the left is the cover of their country album; the one on the right is the cover of their all-girl pop group album.

Back to Madison!

Team City Crew, holla!

On the right; yet another favorite. Love that blue!

Something about this one is a favorite. The colors? The SMIZING she's doing? Tyra would love it.

But I can't decide between color and this cool blue toned one.

What do you think?

Another fave. The sunflare, the hair, the tilt-shift....I love it all.

We ended the day, just before it got too dark to continue, with a couple more pictures of the three of them doing exactly what I imagine I'd do in a picture with my friends if I was 14.

And with that, I say "Peace Out."

Do they still say that?

ledawna and james preview : omaha wedding photography

2010-07-09T05:24:00.000-07:00

You are going to DIE when you see these pictures. Easily one of my favorite weddings! LeDawna (that's LaDONNA, as I kept NOT saying. Sorry LeDawna!!) and James both put so much time and effort into planning their wedding, and it showed in every aspect.

I was also super, super, SUPER lucky for two reasons: One, I had the pleasure of having the totally talented and completely wonderful Julie Branyan as my second shooter, and two, I got to work with the amazing Micky and Andy at Cue Motion for the first time. Do yourself a favor and go check out the Amazing Race video on their blog - it's awesome and scary on point (ok, confession time: I'm a huge AR fan. Like...I want to go on that show so bad and I've filled out the application about six time...but never sent it in. Please don't judge me!). Watch for an Andy cameo at 4:28!

However, we're not here to talk about my reality show aspirations. We're here to talk about LeDawna and James. And their vintage, fair-inspired, fire-alarm filled wedding that happened all because of 311.

BOOM...

...goes the dynamite. Insane, right? And people...those eyelashes are ALL real. Wait til you see it in color later in the post - her eyes are insane.

But let's back up for a minute here.

Let's swoon over her dress and shoes. I did.

I love, love, love this picture of LeDawna getting ready.

Oh, did I mention where they had their ceremony? At the Magnolia Hotel. One of my favorite places - but I'm biased...I got married there!

I managed to sneak into the hallway during their vows to get this amazing point of view.

After the ceremony (remember, this is just a sneak peak so tons more pictures to come later), we hopped in a vintage Rolls Royce for some pictures around the Old Market. I love this picture of LeDawna and James just enjoying their newly married-ness.

Once again, let me repeat. These eyelashes are NOT fake. I'm so jealous!

The tilt-shift lens was PERFECT for this wedding. They had a vintage vibe, and James described the wedding as being inspired by a French fair (yes, the GROOM came up with that - can you believe it??). The tilt-shift adds a dreamy vintage - almost whimsical - touch to some of the pictures and I feel like it fits that theme perfectly.

FAVORITE FAVORITE FAVORITE OH MY GOSH FAVORITE!

See, LeDawna, it was totally worth climbing up there in that huge dress! ;)

(The one on the right is one of Julie's fabulous captures!)

Who loves those balloons?? I do! I do!

Do you spy anything special in the background on the cake shot?? I do!! UPLIGHTING! I've talked before about what a difference the simple addition of a little lighting makes to a reception, and this one was no different.

And some sweetly romantic first dance pictures to close.

Oh, wait! I promised you the color version of the opening picture.

Yeah, I know. Sigh. She's amazing.

You'll have to wait until the full post to hear about the fire alarm and 311. ;)

megan and eric preview : omaha wedding photography

2010-07-08T09:07:00.000-07:00

A quick preview today and a quick preview tomorrow (Emily W., this is just for you!! haha), then I'm off to Philly to shoot a wedding with on of the amazing photographers I met in Italy, Kurstin Roe (yes, it's a dude). He's a fantastic photographer and I can't wait to shoot with him to steal all his tricks!

Megan is one of the sweetest girls I've met, and her husband Eric compliments her perfectly. Their wedding took place on a HOT, hot day, but their friends and family were huge troopers and let me shoot them outside anyway! We didn't have a lot of time for pictures, but we were able to squeeze some in before the ceremony in the church's courtyard.

Megan is SO PRETTY! And doesn't her sweetness just shine through in pictures?

This is what happens when you leave boys alone in a playground with sidewalk chalk.

He drew that completely unprompted, and even did the two-color heart on his own. All together now: AWWWWW!

How perfect and summery are their colors? So cheerful - you can't not smile!

I love how chill Eric is in that exit picture. "Yeah...I married a hottie. I'm awesome!" Ha!

I absolutely LOVE this first dance pic!! They way they are looking at each other gives me chills.

Congrats again, you two!! You're darling and your wedding was tons of fun!

iphone pictures

2010-06-24T06:38:00.001-07:00

Thought I would test out the blog app I downloaded. I'm such a nerd!

Taken with iPhone and edited with Camera Bag app.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

emily and tony preview : omaha wedding photography

2010-06-22T08:31:00.000-07:00

A few weeks ago, I got to shoot the stunning wedding of Emily and Tony and am so excited to share a few preview pictures with you!

First. Seriously. Who does Tony remind you of in this picture??

McDreamy, anyone? Is it just me? I don't even watch the show, but my good friend Darbi does and is a huge fan - and she assures me that it's not just me.

They had a great looking wedding party.

FAVORITE.

I could CRY at how gorgeous Emily is. She's absolutely stunning...and so sweet, too! Tony has quite the catch there (don't worry, he knows it!).

These are two of my favorite first dance pictures of all time.

I can't wait to share the rest of their wedding with you - but until then, enjoy this small preview (which they actually got a few weeks ago...I was holding the gorgeousness out on you!).

jess and mike : omaha wedding photography

2010-06-17T02:53:00.000-07:00

Yet another catch-up post! Jess and Mike got married late fall last year and wow...did they ever have a gorgeous wedding! But really...with their engagement session as wonderful as it was (truly, one of my favorites!), is there any surprise??

Take a second to re-familiarize yourself with what Jess's hair looked like before.

She got some HAIR for her wedding!

I was momentarily distracted from Jess's beauty and new hair when I spotted this cutie:

But soon I got right back into it.

After everyone was dressed, we headed over to Durham Western Heritage Museum for some wedding party pictures. I love that spot! I had my junior prom there, so I might be biased! :)

Then we headed over to the church. And yes - it was this dark! Evening wedding!

Then it was PARTY TIME! The reception was at the beautiful Scoular Ballroom.

Some tilt shift ring to close out the post? Okay!

megan and eric : omaha engagement photography

2010-06-04T02:52:00.000-07:00

This is an appropriate time to post this blog, because Megan and Eric's wedding is coming up in just a couple of weeks - so come back after June 12 to check out their preview pictures!

We had planned on doing a shoot at Lauritzen Gardens here in Omaha, only to discover that they charge $200 to do any kind of photo shoot there. Megan and Eric were quick to adapt, and we headed up the road just a few miles to Mt. Vernon Gardens, a (free!) garden and park area run by the city. It's really a beautiful little space, and great for outdoor weddings (not to mention super cheap!). It ended up being a perfect fall day for their shoot. They were a little unsure at the beginning - like most couples - but the moment they relaxed, the spark between them came out and their love was so evident. In fact, if you look at these pictures, you can almost SEE the moment they became comfortable in front of the camera.

FAVORITE. Love everything about this one!

Megan and Eric, so excited for June 12! Hopefully the weather cooperates and the light is as amazing as it was for your engagement pictures! :)

mckinley : omaha baby photography

2010-06-03T02:52:00.000-07:00

In another shoot from around Christmas, I headed down the street to shoot McKinley. Literally. Her parents live just blocks from me! I know this little girl pretty well now - I've been shooting her since before she was born! I've also shot her as a newborn, and a six-month-old, and a one year old.

And finally, as an eighteen months old. And at this shoot? She wanted NOTHING to do with the camera. Absolutely nothing. She didn't want to sit for pictures. She didn't want to smile (not for me, anyway). She just wanted to run around and play. And run. And play. And run. And play. How her parents keep up with her is beyond me, because I was exhausted after a two hour shoot! She's a bundle of energy. Cute energy, though. Definitely cute energy.

Her parents pulled out the secret weapons for her to sit still. Books.

And.

Jurassic Park.

SERIOUSLY! Jurassic Park is her favorite, favorite movie. She calls the dinosaurs "dodos" and swoons when they come on screen. She's not one bit scared of them, even with half a man hanging from their mouth. It's pretty hilarious.

DODOS!

Did you catch the name of the book her dad is reading to her? DINOSAURS. It's pretty hilarious hearing someone read about diplodocuses (diplodocii?) and pterodactyls and velocorapters to a baby who can just barely say her own name.

SWOON! Such a sweet smile. Little does it show that behind that sweet smile lurks the Energizer bunny!

I hope you get some sleep, mom and dad! :)

photo props

2010-06-01T12:04:00.000-07:00

Oh, won't some upcoming bride and groom grab these?

(image courtesy of HelloLucky.com)

I love them! And what a fun and unique alternative to the mustache trend!

It's a sad, sad fact that the Midwest has always lagged a bit behind the coasts when it comes to some fads. While we might be ahead of the game in music, in other ways trends that are old news on the coasts are just starting to become popular around here.

Or maybe that's just for me. I'm pathologically uncool, so it's possible it's just ME that lags behind. Today I read an article on "10 Decor Trends to Skip" and no joke...I have five of them on my mental "to do" list for our house. (For those of you wondering how truly uncool I am, it'd be the accent wall, this poster, 'boutique hotel chic', this pouf, and chalkboard paint.)

Anyway, a lot of photo trends that are well established on the coasts are just starting to make appearances locally. While every other wedding in California last summer seemed to feature kitschy mustaches* or huge balloons** or vintage books and cameras, brides are just starting to ask about it here. And you know what? That's okay! If it's an idea you love, go for it. It hasn't been done by YOU before, and that very fact will make it different than the others. But while going for it, make sure that you don't lose sight of the little details that announce your personality. Those little details are what will make your wedding so special and memorable. Every wedding has a bride and groom, but not every wedding has a pewter deer head shot glass. Or a Russian bread-breaking ceremony. Or a pair of old lady glasses. Find those things that are special to you, whether it's a nod to your heritage, a family heirloom, an inside joke, or honoring a special place, and figure out a way to include them!

*I love these mustaches...but for less, check out these, or if you're on a budget, you can go here or here!). For a similar but slightly less done idea, you could do mustaches for the gents and lips for the ladies (seen here or here). Or even less done, glasses!
**I'm guessing you can figure out where to get balloons without my help.

jessi and dave : chicago destination wedding photography

2010-05-29T02:49:00.000-07:00

To offset this insane heat and humidity wave we're having (one minute outside and you're drenched!), let's cool off with this winter wedding shoot from December. I met up with a group of VERY talented photographers who I met in Italy and we were able to do a shoot with two local models. We shot for a little bit inside the hotel - the Marriott Chicago Downtown, right on the Magnificent Mile - and then we forced the poor couple outside in to the bitter cold.

And FAVORITE. Love this picture so much!

There. I hope you feel better...a little cooler, a little more refreshed.

Thanks for letting us freeze you, Jessi and Dave! :)

jacie : omaha baby photography

2010-05-27T02:50:00.000-07:00

Here's another catch-up post from a baby shoot I did back by Christmas. This was such a fun shoot - Jacie (this sweet little newborn) was so grown up already!

Two opposite ends of the Jacie mood spectrum...but equally cute.

I had to laugh at these. This glass dish is important to her parents, so we thought we'd try to incorporate it into some pictures.

Question: Did she pee in the dish?

Answer: Yes. Would you expect anything less??

(Note some pics from her newborn shoot on the wall above them!)

emil and melinda : omaha wedding photography

2010-05-25T02:48:00.000-07:00

So this wedding post is LONG overdue. I actually have a store of five or six posts that never got posted for one reason or another - either I left for Italy, or I just had too many posts for that week, so I decided to save them up for a slow time...which never came. So now I'm catching up on some old ones!

And it's really a shame this wasn't posted immediately, because it's one of my favorite weddings from last year and it's one of my favorite couples!

Emil and Melinda had their wedding at an art gallery downtown called Jackson Artworks. It was a beautiful, unique location and they totally took advantage of the space, as you'll see.

But first, they got their hair and makeup done at T'eez Salon. It was actually a great salon for pictures - very airy and bright. I don't normally post salon pictures, but I love this one for the repetitiveness of the mirror reflections. (Just pretend you don't see the artifacts in these pictures - the tiny visible pixels - obviously I messed something up while resizing them for the blog!)

Melinda was a dream bride, in that she understood how very important pictures are to a wedding. She allowed tooooons of time to get some amazing shots with her and Emil.

I've said it before - what a dramatic look it is to have one big, clunky necklace with your other accessories and hair being simple. Melinda looked like she'd stepped straight out of a high-end fashion magazine with the styling that she chose!

I love that she looks modern and urban, yet somehow manages to look romantic as well. Definitely a look to remember!

Her ceremony took place in the front room at the gallery. Thanks to the industrial details of the space (a garage door!), it looks utterly modern and chic.

Now, before moving on to the ceremony, you must understand that Melinda is an insanely talented graphic designer who designed and made ALL of these next pieces. Ok, well, not all of them. She didn't make the napkins (I assume. Although she's talented enough, so who knows?). But the paper details were definitely her.

The theme of the wedding was immediate from the day the guests received their (Melinda-designed) wedding invites and continued right through to the programs and to the favors (complete with the word "Thank you" printed in both English and Russian, a nod to Emil's heritage).

This is one of my favorite ideas that I'd never seen before (or since). These luminaries doubled as decoration AND as menus.

They didn't seat people by table number, but rather by their favorite TV shows (this isn't even all of them - so can you imagine the work that went into this project?).

The beautiful reception space. Isn't it amazing how well it ties into her invitations?

I just loved everything about this reception.

And I'll end with what's become a signature of my posts....the beloved ring shot (even her ring is unique and modern!).

Congrats again, several months late, Melinda and Emil! You rocked your wedding!

kerry and nate preview : omaha wedding photography

2010-05-23T12:26:00.000-07:00

A couple weeks ago, I headed out to Oak Hills Golf course here in Omaha to shoot Kerry and Nate's outdoor, lakeside, golf course view wedding. Sounds perfect, doesn't it? It was! The day couldn't have been more perfect, with blue skies and the perfect temperature. Kerry was stunning, Nate looked great, and their groomsmen and bridesmaids were tons of fun.

I sent Kerry some preview pictures last weekend, and I'll share a few of those now. I was lucky enough to have Wendy Iske, of Strike Creative (a graphic design company) help me out.

I love, love, love this flower detail on her dress. I may have contemplated cutting it off when she wasn't looking and making a headband or a sash out of it. Don't worry, I didn't! I'm not actually a headband or sash wearing kind of girl, but I think I'd make an exception for this flower.

Speaking of beautiful flowers...

Okay, that was really cheesy. But doesn't she look gorgeous?

Proof of the perfect weather:

Her wedding party made me laugh all day long.

I love those pictures. Kerry and Nate just exude happiness when they are around each other.

Further proof:

And I'll end this preview with a ring shot - you know they're my favorites!

presented without comment

2010-05-18T11:01:00.000-07:00

YUM.

Oh, shoot, that was a comment, wasn't it? Well now I've ruined everything.

If you want some delicious cupcakes of your own...or maybe want to use them in lieu of a wedding cake?...head over to Sweet Magnolia's Bakery in Omaha.

dawn and brett preview : beatrice wedding photography

2010-05-04T07:58:00.000-07:00

Saturday I was very excited to drive two hours from Omaha to a small town in Nebraska named Beatrice - just 13,000 people. However, that's by far not the smallest town in which I've shot a wedding!

I knew from the moment I booked the wedding of Dawn and Brett that it would be an amazing wedding. First, they're both gorgeous (as their engagement pictures can attest). Second, Dawn is a graphic designer, and I can't imagine a better person to plan a wedding. Can we say DETAILS? Weddings with special details make my day. Third, they are both incredibly nice people - just genuinely GOOD.

So needless to say, I'm trilled to be able to share a few sneak peak pictures from their wedding.

Check out the felt flowers tucked into her gorgeous bouquets:

There's just something so dramatic about a big necklace paired with an elegant dress.

And again...they both really cleaned up well for the wedding. :)

FAVORITE.

I can't wait to get the rest of their pictures edited and posted...they will knock your socks off!

mmm...cake!

2010-04-21T12:03:00.001-07:00

There's no good way to ease back into things after such a huge loss, so I guess I'll just dive right in.

One of the blogs I read...and of course, I can no longer remember which one...featured a cake that was just about the most beautiful thing I'd ever seen. It was so gorgeous - just the picture looked good enough to eat. I went to the baker's site, and about fainted at the sight of so many stunning cakes. Unfortunately, she's in the UK, and I don't think cake would ship well across the country. However, that doesn't mean you can't use her amazing cakes as inspiration for your own! Here are a few of my favorites, the first one being the one that I am totally in love with and originally caught my eye, and the second one being another favorite - the simplicity! The elegance! The colors!

Aaaaand of course, I have to sneak in a cupcake picture. YUM.

Be sure to visit Maise Fantaisie for more cakes! (Warning: Don't read the description of the cake if hungry. I claim no responsibility for any weight gained as a result!)

sad news

2010-04-13T07:51:00.000-07:00

On April 12 at 1:55 AM, our son Caleb Anthony was born. He lived for 20 minutes and was beautiful. We miss him already.

urgent thought and prayer request, please

2010-04-10T08:11:00.000-07:00

I need to ask all my friends and followers for their urgent and powerful thoughts and prayers. My water broke Wed. at 18.5 weeks pregnant. Unfortunately there's just a 1-2% chance of a positive outcome in this situation, but that's still a chance, and we're clinging to it. Any positive vibes you can send our way are much appreciated.

las vegas workshop : destination wedding photography

2010-04-03T09:59:00.000-07:00

When I was in Vegas, I was lucky enough to be able to participate in a mentor shoot out (where a bunch of photographers get together with an amazing teacher and photographer and shoot away) with Victor Sizemore.

It was a chilly, windy day in the middle of the Vegas desert (literally...there were no buildings in eyesight). Our model, Anna, was such a trooper to stand out there in bare shoulders while the rest of us were in jeans and jackets.

I love the vastness of this next shot.

We also had this fabulous, real-life couple. I didn't get a chance to shoot them very much, but I did grab this shot that TOTALLY reminds me of a James Bond movie.

Mentor: Victor Sizemore Photography
Styling by Summer Watkins of Grey Likes Weddings
Jewelry by Historical Jewels
Make Up & Hair by Jill Guin of Darling Bride

announcement!

2010-04-01T09:19:00.000-07:00

I'm pregnant!

APRIL FOOL'S!

if i could get married again...

2010-03-26T16:47:00.000-07:00

...I'd totally wear this dress. I'm in LOVE.

If you're as in love with it as I am, check it out here. The best part? Um, $700. Yeah. LOVE.

traveling : las vegas!

2010-03-06T18:38:00.000-08:00

I'm in Las Vegas for the WPPI conference - that's Wedding and Portrait Photographers International. Please be patient with emails and phone calls!

wedding inspiration

2010-02-19T08:55:00.000-08:00

I was browsing a favorite decor blog, With Two Cats, and found...and FELL IN LOVE WITH...this idea board:

View the full post here!

How stunning! It's a good thing I didn't see this before my fall wedding...I would have had to completely re-do everything to match.

Swoon!

More photo posts coming, I promise...still working on that huge project that's kept me so occupied!

buckley family : omaha family photography

2010-01-22T14:18:00.001-08:00

Ah, I've been so distracted lately with everything that's going on (working on something big, share with you soon!) that I haven't been posting as much as I should. You loyal followers deserve better! (OK, followeR maybe...hi Mom!)

A couple months ago, on a VERY cold day, I met the Buckley family for some pictures at my favorite train station! In retrospect, it was probably like 60 degrees and it just FELT cold...little did we know that we'd soon be getting NEGATIVE SEVENTEEN DEGREE weather. (Yes, you read that right. -17.)

I just love the traditional family combined with the urban location...rocks my socks off!

Um, how are these kids dressed better than I ever have my entire life? Not fair. Maybe mom Jess can be my full-time stylist.

This is Lawrence, AKA Law.

He was...not enthralled to have his picture taken. But still SO DARLING. He loves Thomas the Train, so we were able to distract him and get smiles every time a train came by.

This little chubby-cheeked guy is Anderson.

Those cheeks! Those eyes! That head! He was also a total cutie patootie.

LOVE LOVE LOVE this picture of Anderson looking up at Lawrence. DARLING!

One of my favorites!

Jess is a very talented designer and photographer in her own right, and I can't wait to see what she does with these!

donate : haiti earthquake relief

2010-01-18T09:30:00.001-08:00

A group of photographers that I know and love is holding an auction to raise money for Haiti. You can visit the site and bid on some amazing, limited edition prints, and all proceeds will go directly to various relief organizations. I have prints available, and so do fantastic photographers from literally all over the world. The starting bids are low (just $10 on a lot of them!) and it's a great way to give something back...while getting an invaluable piece of art at the same time!

Check it out here:

Print Auction for Haiti Relief

venice, italy : travel photography

2010-01-18T09:03:00.000-08:00

A picture from our trip to Italy.

sara and cameron : omaha wedding photography

2010-01-05T14:50:00.000-08:00

Okay, I have to go WAY back here for a second...all the way to September! I had this wedding post ready to blog, and then never published it! Sorry, Sara and Cameron!

This was probably...DEFINITELY...one of my all-time favorite weddings. First, Sara and Cameron are both gorgeous, so that helps. Second, their location was amazing. Both the wedding and reception were held at the Holland Performing Arts Center. Third, their entire wedding party was awesome and tons of fun. Let's just say that this wedding had it's own hashtag on Twitter, and people were live-tweeting throughout the entire day. Completely hilarious! I'm not going to lie...I added a few of my own Tweets as well.

The room they got ready in was so bright and well-lit!

And how darling is Sara's mom, as she sees her daughter for the first time??

I loved their first glance. It was absolutely perfect!

Then I got to take the wedding party out for some shots...like I said, these guys were FUN.

How very wedding magazine is this??

There's not a single person in that shot that doesn't look like they came straight from the modeling agency!

Of course, we got some of just Sara and Cameron, too, but we'll get to those after the ceremony.

Which...could their site be more beautiful? So fresh and modern!

I love the intimate feel of this.

PERFECT first kiss!

They're married!

If I were Sara and Cameron, I'd get these next two in huge canvases and hang them up somewhere prominent. I mean...they look GOOD!

With amazing lighting at your venue comes amazing lighting for your first dance pictures....

And lest you doubt they had a fun crowd...check out their moves!

Before the night ended, I got to take Sara and Cameron out one last time....

AHHHH! Looking at these makes me sad their wedding is over. :) I loved it! Congrats again you guys!

outtakes : omaha newborn photography

2009-12-29T08:46:00.000-08:00

I recently saw a photo contest for outtakes at the wonderful I ♥ Faces blog. Sadly, I don't often have time to find an entry for their awesome contests, but for this one...a specific picture came to mind immediately!

Meet Rohan.

I don't think I even have to comment other than, "Yep, that's 100% real."

For more outtakes, check out the other entries over at I ♥ Faces!

new camera

2009-12-25T23:09:00.000-08:00

Um, BEST CHRISTMAS EVER. My amazing, amazing husband got me a 5D Mark II for Christmas. If you don't know what that is, all you need to know is that it's an amazing camera...that also shoots high-def video. Here are the first few test videos that I shot with the 5D Mark II and a 50mm f1.2 L lens. Obviously I have a lot to learn about this camera, but I think the possibilities are amazing!

5D Mark II Christmas Test from lara hanlon on Vimeo.

5D Mark II Test - Fire from lara hanlon on Vimeo.

double cans for comments!

2009-12-24T09:50:00.000-08:00

For today and tomorrow only, I will donate TWO cans to the food bank for any comment left. Right now we're at 26 cans; let's see if we can ~~get to 50~~ get to 75!

For more about Cans for Comments and a list of other photographers participating, look here!

venice, italy : travel photography

2009-12-23T13:33:00.000-08:00

Tilt/shift action in Venice, Italy....

samar : omaha senior photography : part 2

2009-12-22T09:26:00.000-08:00

I could NOT decide what to blog about next. A beautiful wedding I shot this fall? A chilly family session? A chilly bridal session? Or something from the summer, to remind us that yes, Virginia, it WILL be warm again some day?

Since I'm FREEZING in my office, I decided to go with the latter. So Samar, part 2, it is!

When we last left Samar's senior session (wow, say that ten times fast!) we were basking in the warmth of Omaha's Elmwood park. A few days later, we went less natural and more urban, and continued the shoot at the abandoned train station.

After that, we went...EDGY. And GOTH. And played around with some off-camera lighting.

By this time it was DARK out.

And oh yeah...I also made her scream at the top of her lungs.

Twice.

In a dark, abandonded train station.

I'm sure we caused a few people alarm....whoops!

And in case you're wondering...or you can't tell just from looking at the pictures...DAMN this girl can scream!

Samar, I can't wait for your graduation in May. :) Love you tons!

8th grade = awesome

2009-12-18T21:26:00.000-08:00

(l-r) Anthony, Charlotte, Alyssa, Siara, Christian and Kuira - All officers on the iJAG Success Council (a student government that promotes leadership and social and civic awarness).

A few months ago, I got an email from Mrs. Saar, who is an iJAG teacher in Council Bluffs. iJag is a wonderful program that works with students who are at risk of dropping out of school to help them continue their education and graduate. You can read more about this program here. Mrs. Saar wanted to know if I would come talk to two of her eighth grade classes about photography. I talked a little about the life of a photographer, the pros and cons of the profession, what they could start doing now to prepare for a photography career, etc. I was super nervous, but the kids were fantastic and had great questions.

A couple days ago, Mrs. Saar emailed me a copy of a newsletter created by her students, and I was in it! Below is the article, written by Matt, Alex, and Chloe.

“Things start small. They learn, they grow, like a flower until it blossoms and is admired far and wide.” Lara Hanlon, a local photographer, started out as just a regular, boring guest speaker. It was when she inspired all of us that she really took the stage. She told us that she had always loved taking pictures as a kid, then it grew to something more. She told us that great things take time, just like a photography career. Those words ignited the flame for those of us who were interested in photography to get started.

To give examples of people Lara motivated, Matt and Alex, two boys that have always enjoyed taking pictures, are now taking the 365 challenge that Lara suggested. This means that you should take one new picture each day for a year and over time you will see that your ability to take great pictures has increased dramatically. These two have even asked for cameras for Christmas! Matt and Alex believed they could be photographers after Lara told us that anyone can do it. It doesn’t have to be a really expensive camera or a professional one. It only takes someone motivated."

I love that they called me a regular, boring guest speaker. That made me laugh out loud. But it's amazing to know that they really got something out of the talk! Being mentioned in their newsletter made me feel like a total rockstar. :)

Four of the students, including Alyssa pictured above, won portrait session by doing extra work and writing an essay - you KNOW they're hardworking, motivated students when they do work that's not even required! Congrats to you four girls and good work!

cara and dan : colorado trash the dress

2009-12-15T16:53:00.000-08:00

Since it's TWO DEGREES here, I thought I'd take a break from some of the seasonal posting and post a shoot from over the summer...Cara and Dan's "trash the dress" session.

To tell you the truth, I don't really love the term "trash the dress," because the dress usually....isn't. Trashed, that is. I haven't shot a session yet where the dress is actually ruined. Nothing a good cleaning can't take care of! And I speak from experience - I did a session myself, and my dress was none the worse for the wear!

But back to Cara and Dan...over the summer I was lucky enough to get to shoot their wedding in Evergreen, Colorado with Darbi G. You can see our pictures from their gorgeous wedding at this post. The next day, they were complete troopers and drove out to Red Rock Amphitheater just outside Denver. Despite photo fatigue all around, we got some AMAZING shots, so to combat the winter blues I thought I'd do a quick mini-post from the shoot! Be sure to also check out Darbi's full post on the session here to see her beautiful shots and some more of mine.

This could be one of my favorite shots EVER.

We played around with off-camera lighting, and I love the result!

Ok, I'll end with two shots that I actually took at the wedding the day before...you know what a sucker I am for gorgeous ring shots, and I just love these!

Ok, I lied. One more. This just makes me laugh. It's like a cross between American Gothic and Rene Magritte.

I had SO MUCH FUN shooting this couple...gorgeous AND fun - my favorite type! Cara and Dan and Darbi, thanks so much for letting me be a part of your day!

P.S. Be sure to check out Darbi's post for the surprise ending to the day.....

personal : thirst relief international

2009-12-13T20:49:00.000-08:00

Ok...so you've commented on my blog to help feed the homeless. Which ROCKS! And good karma to you! But now you want to do MORE...so what to do??

There's an amazing, fantastic organization called Thirst Relief International, which provides drinking water to some of the 1.1 billion people in the world who don't have access to clean, safe drinking water. Can you believe that? 1.1 BILLION. They help set up water filters or wells that are locally sustainable. I heard about through Bob Davis, who I met at the Italy Workshop. This weekend I had the opportunity to have dinner with Bob and meet his beautiful wife Dawn and hear more about this amazing organization. Bob recently went on a mission trip there and got some fantastic pictures - you can check them out here. I'm running out of words to describe these pictures and this organization...I keep returning to "amazing." But it is SO. AMAZING. If you have even $5.00 to spare - as in, forgo that coffee one day this week! - please consider donating to this cause. For every dollar you donate, a karma dollar will come back to you!*

*Not guaranteed, but pretty darn likely.

mark and christina : omaha wedding photography

2009-12-10T19:44:00.000-08:00

I'd been waiting for the wedding of Mark and Christina since I shot their engagement pictures over the summer - it ended up being my favorite engagement shoot ever! They were both such natural models that I knew their wedding would be a blast. Plus, I'd get to see one of my newborns again! Little Mia's dad is Mark's twin brother! It was a total family affair.

Christina is hands down one of the most beautiful people I've ever met, inside AND out. She's so sweet - and was so relaxed! She was just enjoying the day, even while people around her stressed out.

I love the getting ready area at their venue - at Champions Run Golf Course in Omaha. Hollywood style lights!

And a gorgeous background for dress pictures!

Truly, Christina is just so full of joy - she's absolutely lovely to be around.

And check out her groom! Whooo hooo!

And of course, the lovely ladies and handsome gents. (Gents? Yes, gents!)

Then it was time for the ceremony, which took place in a room that overlooked the golf course.

Yay! They're married!

Classic golf course shot!

Aww, don't you love how she looks at him?

A MUST for any Red Sox fan!

Some of my favorite first dance pictures of all time!

Again, how cute is she??

I'm going to close out with a ring shot that I just am totally in love with...her ring is stunning and just screams "elegance!"

Congrats again you two!

hints and tips : weddings!

2009-12-08T16:12:00.000-08:00

As a Christmas present to all the brides out there, I updated the Weddings FAQ and added some additional information. Be sure to check it out, even if you've read it before. :)

wendy and troy : omaha engagement photography

2009-12-06T09:20:00.000-08:00

So Wendy has been waiting for this blog post for a long time. Like...ten minutes after I got home from their session she was already asking if it was blogged yet. So, since good things come to those who wait....it's finally here. :)

Troy is the brother of one of my favorite people, Darbi G. He was my last and only chance to marry into the fantabulous Gibson family, but unfortunately he was already taken, by the beautiful Wendy. They're a hilarious, fun couple who are about two feet apart in height.

I'm serious! You'll see!

We actually did two sessions. The first session was at Vala's Pumpkin Patch in Gretna, just outside of Omaha.

See what I mean about the height?

With a height difference of four feet, there are only two things you can do....hide it, or flaunt it. We flaunted.

More fun with their ten foot height difference!

Sunset came quickly, so a few days later we finished up the session at the OPPD Arboretum, a gorgeous little park in Omaha.

You'd think, with their twenty-three foot height difference, that Troy could easily jump over Wendy. But the above shot was the result of several attempts, during which Troy proved that, indeed, White Men Can't Jump.

I could have shot under this tree allllll day.

Troy and Wendy are getting married in Kentucky this summer, and then having a reception here in Omaha a few months later. I can't tell you how lucky I am to call them - and Darbi and their sister Temple...not to mention their insane parents - friends. Congrats, you guys! :)

italy workshop : destination wedding photography

2009-12-02T22:33:00.000-08:00

One night, when the wine was flowing...thanks to a bottle broken against a wall (remind me to tell you the whole story sometime) and thanks to a couple of willing test subjects and a photographer willing to lend his expertise, I got to do a super-mini-shoot that led to this shot.

So thanks to the amazing photographer Kurstin Roe for helping me light the scene...and holding the flash behind the couple (if you look hard you can see him!) and for, um, opening the bottle of wine. Thanks to the also amazing (at singing AND photography!) Sara Donaldson for putting on that huge dress and posing! And thanks to Matthew Johns, a PHENOMENAL stylist, for lugging that huge gown all the way to Italy and for being Sarah's groom.

cans for comments!

2009-12-01T10:40:00.000-08:00

For the next two weeks, for every comment I receive I will donate one canned food good to our local food bank. Please help this effort be a success and comment, comment, comment! :)

beth and rick : omaha engagement photography

2009-11-30T08:46:00.000-08:00

Beth and Rick continue the trend of gorgeous couples that I've been lucky enough to shoot...and not only do they continue it, but they raise the bar! We went to the old Omaha area favorite, the Old Market, for their engagement pictures.

I mean, really? Is this even FAIR?? Doesn't the universe implode when two people this beautiful find each other? :)

Can you believe they were wearing shorts and sandals? Sigh. It was only a couple months ago, too. Warm weather, come back!

A quick change of clothes later, and we were at it again!

We had to grab one at the Upstream...where they got engaged!!

Shooting their wedding in April is going to be a BREEZE! I could do it with my eyes closed and any picture with these two in it would come out fantastic. I can't wait to see you guys in the spring!

2010 pricing coming!

2009-11-27T19:51:00.000-08:00

I'll be updating my rates on December 1 to reflect 2010 pricing. Don't worry - if I've met with you already (or will meet with you before December 1), you still can book at the old pricing until December 10!

I look forward to meeting with you! :)

wedding idea : guest book!

2009-11-21T12:57:00.000-08:00

Okay, so browsing one of my favorite catalogs, Uncommon Goods, I saw something that IMMEDIATELY made me think "wedding guest book!!" I think it'd be so fun and unique - and aren't we all looking for ways to make our weddings fun and unique? :) I loved my guest book, but I really wish I'd seen this first!

It's a cardboard frame with a honeycomb inset into which people can insert their wishes. It comes with 500 multi-color slips of paper, but how cool would it be if you cut your own out of beautifully patterned paper, or paper that matched your wedding colors? The frame itself can also be painted or decorated or covered in fabric to personalize it. And needless to say, it'd be a blast photographing it. :)

You can buy it here!

samar : omaha senior photography : part 1

2009-11-18T12:00:00.000-08:00

I'm going to take a few minutes to catch up on some long-overdue blog posts. The first will be the senior pictures of a gorgeous girl...who also happens to be my cousin. Who also happens to be someone I've been baby-sitting since she was born, which also happens to make me feel OLD. Old old old. Samar, please don't graduate...I can't have someone I knew at birth old enough to graduate from high school!

We did this shoot on two different days, so I think I'll break it up into two posts. For the first, Samar's outfit reminded me of a vaguely gothic Alice in Wonderland, what with the blue bow headband - that perfectly matched her stunning blue eyes. And let me tell you...I actually had to TONE DOWN the saturation of her eyes in a few pictures because they were so bright and blue that they looked fake.

We took these senior pictures in Elmwood Park in Omaha, NE.

Here she was laughing in mock outrage at something her mom (my very adored Aunt Carol) said.

Okay, I love these next two. They look like something straight out of a fantasy movie - the amazing colors, the light, the wide-eyed innocent expression on the first...LOVE.

Could I love the colors (the moss! the MOSS!) here more?

I'll post part two - at a very familiar train station - soon!

italy workshop : desitnation wedding photography

2009-11-14T12:46:00.000-08:00

While I'm catching up on emails and voicemails and editing from being gone (almost enough to make me never want to leave again....ALMOST!), here's another pic from the workshop!

personal : home!

2009-11-12T10:40:00.000-08:00

Well, after nearly three weeks in Italy (not really...more like just over 2 weeks, but I like the sound of three weeks better!), I'm home!

...however...

I'm home without my cell phone, which is currently still enjoying an Italian vacation. I hope to make it out to the Apple store later today or first thing tomorrow to pick up a replacement. In the meantime, please continue to use the (402) 882-0831 number to call me - while I won't hear the phone ring, since it's a Google Voice number I'll get an email with the message! I'll try to check my email as often as possible - when I'm not sleeping off my jet lag in preparation for the much-anticipated wedding of Jess and Mike tomorrow!

And I'll leave you with this GIF from one of the days of the workshop - this is the awesome Kurstin Roe being surprised by our stylist, Matthew Johns.

italy workshop : destination wedding photography

2009-11-05T11:02:00.001-08:00

Another picture from the Italy workshop!

italy : destination engagement photography

2009-11-03T10:20:00.000-08:00

Another picture from the Italy workshop:

(P.S. We're in Rome right now - and completely wiped out from visiting the Vatican!)

italy : destination engagement photography

2009-10-31T16:40:00.000-07:00

As I said in my post yesterday (two days in a row?? What AM I doing posting so much from Italy??), I attended a wedding photography workshop with the amazing (AMAZING, I tell you) Jose Villa and Gene Higa. More to come...MUCH more...but here's one picture from the workshop for now.

venice, italy : travel photography

2009-10-30T15:33:00.000-07:00

As you hopefully know, I'm in Italy right now for my honeymoon....a year late. And there's a small possibility that I made my husband come along with me to a wedding photography workshop in Tuscany that JUST HAPPENED to be occurring at the same time we were going to be there. And maybe I planned the entire honeymoon around that workshop. And perhaps I talked about nothing else for months. And perchance I left my husband alone for hours and hours on end for three days straight while I attended said workshop.

JUST MAYBE.

But if I did - IF - it'd be okay because my husband is incredibly supportive and understanding and hey, there are worse places to be stuck for three days than an amazingly gorgeous villa in Italy, right?

The workshop ended last night, so today is the first chance I've had to jump online and post any pictures. These are a few from my first day in Venice - I say MY first day because Chris didn't join me in Italy until my second day. He was in Dublin for work and flew over from Dublin to Venice, the lucky jerkface!

So these are from day one, and we're on day six...so I may be posting pictures from the trip for a while. :)

jenny and roman : omaha wedding photography

2009-10-22T12:32:00.000-07:00

Has it really been since October 2 that I posted? Wow! I've been SO BUSY! Babies are being born, I'm packing up for my trip to Italy, trying to get sneak peeks out to everyone I shot before I leave tomorrow....man! I need a couple more days, please!

So this blog is a long time coming! I wanted to space out my weddings a little bit since they will be scarce over the winter. :)

Jenny and Roman's Omaha wedding was one of my favorite weddings of the year. The details were amazing - it's so clear that Jenny has amazing design talent! Roman is from Russia (my first of two Russian grooms this year!) and he had the most diverse wedding party ever - most of his groomsmen were from out of the country!

I started with some shots of the guys. These were some of the most photogenic guys I've shot - they were so into it!

Then I met with the ladies....er....the ladies and the two bridesmen. Love it!

Their ceremony location was amazing - the deck at 1316 Jones Street. The colors, the foliage, the people...it all worked together beautifully.

After the ceremony the wedding party and I hopped into a couple limos and headed out for some more pictures.

And of course...we had to have some Jenny and Roman alone time!

And in an unrelated note, did I mention how awesome her bridal party was? Check out this AMAZING eye makeup. LOVE.

Remember when I said how awesome the details of their wedding were?

Yeah.

When we arrived at the reception site, Jenny and Roman took part in a Russian tradition that involved breaking a loaf of bread, dipping it in salt, and eating it. Whoever gets the bigger half of the loaf of bread is supposed to be the one in charge of the marriage!

Toasts!

And a game where Roman had to identify Jenny based on her legs alone...while blindfolded. Needless to say, hilarity ensued.

And the first dance! One of my favorite wedding events. So romantic!

So what most people may not have known when they arrived at this wedding was that they weren't just here for a wedding. They were also in for an amazing concert by some AMAZING singers.

Open dancing! I love how many people were out on the dance floor!

And before I leave you, I'll share some ring shots!

Roman and Jenny, thanks so much for letting me be a part of your day! It was amazing! :)

P.S. How do you get a bride off a wall?

lily : omaha newborn photography

2009-10-02T12:00:00.001-07:00

Are you ready for some NEWBORN?? I am! A darling newborn shoot is always the perfect remedy to the Mondays. And boy, does this little girl ever fit the bill.

Meet Lilian - known as Lily.

How CUTE is she?? She was teeeeny too - my smallest newborn yet! She surprised mom and dad a few weeks early and weighed just under five pounds when I shot her. It was crazy to think that she still should have been inside her mama's tummy when I was there. Amazingly, she didn't have to stay in the hospital a single day extra - what a champ!

Look at those feet!

Look. at those. EYELASHES!

Baby smile!

Her grandma made her this cute little headband and pants set - since Lily was so early, she had to cut it and re-do it with velcro so it would fit her tiny head!

Her mom also had the great idea of putting a real lily with her in the pictures...

Speaking of mom...how gorgeous is this family??

Lily and her mama....

...and her daddy! Okay, I SWEAR Lily did this all by herself! She's already a daddy's girl!

Haha, I just realized those are all of Lily and her dad's hands, but I swear I have pictures of his face too! :) I just couldn't get over the cuteness that is a tiny baby's hands compared to her dad's fingers!

Is she not the most darling baby girl? I had so much fun shooting her and can't wait to see her grow up!

jess and mike : omaha engagement photography

2009-10-02T11:38:00.000-07:00

I love this couple! They are so relaxed and laid back and IN LOVE.

How amazing is Jess's smile?? It totally lights up a room!

They both have these amazing blue eyes....if they have kids, watch out!

I absolutely love the colors in these next two...the red and yellow? AWESOME!

Is anyone else in love with the dress that Jess is wearing? I am!!

They were a blast to photograph and I can't wait until their wedding...it'll be a favorite, I'm sure!

tiffany and david : lincoln wedding photography

2009-09-25T10:46:00.001-07:00

OH MY GOSH! I have no idea how I managed to do it, but I forgot to blog about one of my favorite weddings with one of the most gorgeous couples that I've ever had! Tiffany and David got married in Lincoln, and everything about their wedding was truly beautiful - from them to their ceremony to their reception to their details...just everything!

The "getting ready" time period before the wedding is always fun. Everyone is happy, excited, nervous...it's a great high!

And, of course, I get a chance to scope out some of the details from the day!

Tiffany and David's first glance at the alter where - very soon! - they would be married.

I love this one of the girls in the back room waiting for the ceremony to start.

Okay, I knew Tiffany was nice. I know you're maybe thinking that someone couldn't possibly be THAT pretty and nice too, but she really is! And this picture shows exactly how nice and good-hearted she really is:

Yes, my friends, that is Tiffany allowing a small child to put lipstick on her...minutes before she went down the aisle...in her white wedding dress.

The flower girl truly adored her.

Ceremony time! I love this church! St. Paul Methodist (in Lincoln). Beautiful for weddings!

HELLO!

Note the umbrellas - it was raining! Good thing it's luck on your wedding day! :)

On the way to the reception we stopped at a small park for some newly-married-couple-pics. The stormy skies made a beautiful background!

LOVE THIS.

I think Tiff and David look like they've stepped straight out of a magazine here. Killer!!

Then....PARTY TIME! This is while we were waiting for the wedding party to be introduced.

Those brooches are a good lead-in to the reception...Tiffany did an amazing job of tying all the details together! Those brooches match the one on her dress, and....

The ones on the cake! Look how gorgeous their cake is! It might be one of my favorite cakes ever, including over my own!

Oh, man...first dance! Swoon!

See that candelabra screen in the background? When we first arrived at the reception location, it fell over ON TOP OF David and a couple other bridal party members! Can you believe it?? Scary! David had wax all over the back of him...and just to show you how laid-back these two were, all he did was...switch coats with another member of the wedding party. Smooth!

Speaking of David, in what is now a Byrkit family tradition, his grandma brought a pink boa to the dance floor and danced with him. So cute and funny!

Confession? I kind of love bouquet and garter tosses and am sad that I don't get to partake anymore, now that I'm an old married woman. Sigh.

One of the many, many special things that happened during their reception was a song performed by one of their great friends, who also acted as the DJ for the evening. He was amazing!

Tiffany and David, thanks for an amazing time! You are both amazing and I wish you much love in your long life together! :)