The Good Old Summertime...

Despite the hot, humid days of Kansas in July, the summer continues to be busy. I have been visiting with a LOT of brides-to-be as they are planning their weddings. The Wedding Affair Bridal Show had a great response, and I enjoyed meeting the brides that were there.

This past weekend was spent photographing a regional Pinto horse show in Hutchinson. Even with high gas prices and hot weather, the exhibitors there had a great time....congratulations on a terrific show!

Wanted to share some pictures from a recent portrait session taken at the family's home in the Flint Hills. You can see that they are just as comfortable in jeans and hats as they are all dressed up. Thank you, Preheim Family!

Wedding Affair Bridal Show

To see the latest in wedding ideas, designs, floral creations, wedding gowns and MUCH MORE...come to the Wedding Affair Bridal Show. This will be the 18 year for the show, and features some of the finest wedding professionals in the area. See you there!

What: WEDDING AFFAIR BRIDAL SHOW

Where: WICHITA MARRIOTT (near Kellogg/Webb)

When: Sunday, July 20, 1-4:00pm, Bridal Fashion Show at 2:30

Why: WIN GREAT PRIZES INCLUDING A HONEYMOON GETAWAY, get GREAT IDEAS to help make your wedding plans go smoothly, AND MUCH MORE!

Vendors-to refer or not to refer...

Since I have been photographing weddings across the region since 1989, I have had the pleasure (and sometimes dis-pleasure) of working with a wide variety of wedding professionals. I believe that giving a referral is the highest praise of the work and talents of another business, so I am happy give information about only exceptional businesses in order to help you as you plan your wedding, anniversary, reunion or other event.

For instance, at a recent wedding the flowers, bouquets, etc. were all mistakenly sent to a church in Derby instead of Wichita. By the time the flowers were correctly delivered, many of the photographs had already been taken, sans flowers, due to time constraints. That florist is not on my list of referrals.

At another wedding, there was panic when it was realized that the ringbearer didn't have a boutonniere. As we were at the Cathedral in downtown Wichita, I called nearby JR Koontz Flowers to see if they could help out. Within 10 minutes the ringbearer had his "flower" and the bride never knew there was a problem. JR Koontz was NOT the florist for this wedding...he was just the one who helped it go smoothly, and is definitely on my list of referrals!

On another note, congratulations to Jennifer and John Koerner on your July 5th wedding. It was held at beautiful St. Francis in Wichita. The image above left was taken at their reception held in Cana Hall of the church. The top right image was taken outside in front of the church belltower. They are a great couple and I completely enjoyed working with them. Best wishes!

What a great family!

Yesterday I had the honor (and fun!) of photographing a 50th wedding anniversary celebration. The anniversary couple had their sons, their son's families and many other family members and friends around them as they celebrated and remembered their day. They chose to commemorate the anniversary with a wedding vow renewal, complete with beautiful new wedding bands. As you can see from their photo (with Mr. Davis planting a big kiss on his lovely bride!), love and humor are very evident in the relationship of this wonderful family. Congratulations, Davis Family!

Quite often at a wedding reception I will overhear the comment, "Well, I'm glad that's over", in reference to the long hours of planning spent getting ready for the wedding day. What I would like to do is show them a photo of this family, and remind them, "No, the best part is only just beginning."

Weddings, graduations and new babies

My favorite time of year...lots of weddings taking place! Congratulations to May newlyweds photographed by Wright Focus: Leah and Randy Jefferis, Amber and Thomas Daniels, Louella and John Chavez, Lauren and Dan Davis and Marishka and Andrew McElwain.

Sometimes at a wedding, the children capture your attention. This little girl caught my eye...what a doll.

In mid-May I had the honor of photographing the Kindergarten graduates of Sunrise Christian Academy. As a parent, it seems like only a few minutes between seeing a child at that age and seeing them become college students. Yes, every day between is hectic and busy, but enjoy each moment...it flies by.

Just for fun-- thought you would enjoy seeing the newest baby in our "herd"...born May 10, 2008 and weighing 105 lb. He is only about 3 hours old in this photo and already keeping up with mom!

Looking your best on your wedding day

Since the busy wedding season is upon us, following are some tips for the bride to look her best on the wedding day.
1. Be comfortable in your wedding gown. Spend some time prior to the wedding day wearing it, walking around in it, and even sitting down in your wedding gown. You want to know in advance if it needs hemmed an inch, or that the bodice rubs under your right arm, etc. so that these details can be corrected before the big day.
2. Be comfortable with your wedding hair style. Keep it simple and classic. Practice wearing the style with your headpiece, flowers or veil in place prior to the wedding day.
3. Be comfortable with your wedding day makeup. It should be applied a little heavier than daytime wear-as if you are going to a club or restaurant at night. Avoid deep red and pale pink lipstick Use new mascara to avoid clumping. Have your nails professionally manicured the morning of, or the day before your wedding.
4. Be well rested for your wedding day. If you are having a rehearsal dinner the night before, make sure that it ends early. Drink very moderately, if at all, to avoid bloodshot, puffy eyes. Take a long walk to relax and calm any last minute jitters, then a relaxing bath and you are ready for a good night’s sleep before the big day.
5. Be comfortable with the vendors hired for your wedding. You took a lot of time selecting your florist, caterer, photographer, and so on, so relax and trust them to take care of you and your guests throughout your wedding day.
6. HAVE FUN! Your wedding day is a once-in-a-lifetime event, so enjoy every minute. Your radiant look and relaxed attitude will be very evident in your wedding day photos…smile, and enjoy knowing that your wedding day is just the beginning of a lifetime of happiness in your new marriage.

Cary & Yvonne

Congratulations to Yvonne and Cary on your recent wedding in New York.

I had the honor of photographing their Wichita reception at Flint Hills National this past Saturday. They had about 120 of their closest friends and family members there-including Yvonne's father and sister from Poland. Even though her dad didn't speak English, I heard some terrific stories about his first time in a go cart and other fun adventures in Wichita.

Cary is a photojournalist (www.visualdiaries.com), and so his cake looked like a Leica camera. It was beautifully created by Cheri's Cakes, and displayed along with some edible "snapshots" of Yvonne and Cary...very unique!

As you are planning your wedding, don't forget to share a sprinkle of your personality and interests in the decor for your special day. Your guests will love it! Remember, it's those special little "something extras" that make your wedding and reception memorable.