Matt and Amanda: Engagement Session

I always enjoy shooting at a location that has personal significance to the ones I'm photographing. The photographs are even more meaningful and bring back pleasant memories of special experiences shared there over the years as the photographs are enjoyed.

Matt and Amanda are horse lovers and made several visits here so it was appropriate that we would explore the beautiful grounds of Keeneland for their engagement session. Next month I will be documenting their wedding in eastern Kentucky and I'm so looking forward to it. It will be a small-ish wedding which I always enjoy for their especially personal nature. Matt and Amanda, it was a pleasure photographing you! Looking forward to next month!

I Heart Faces!

At the workshop I attended last month, I learned about this great 'little' website called "I Heart Faces". Each week they feature different contests around various themes and this week's theme is "sepia." I thought I would submit this photo of Mary Ellen and Jay as I've been getting remarks about it all day!

Jay and Mary Ellen | Engagement Session

Mary Ellen and I had been dialoguing about this session for months. As she shared her ideas with me, I knew it was going to be so fun and unique. (Background: Mary Ellen is a stationery designer and uber creative. She provided me with all kinds of ideas she had for props, clothes, poses, and how she wanted to use the finished images -- wonderful!). She found this location (The Arts Place on Mill Street, very appropriate for an artiste!) and made the arrangements to shoot there (thanks, Tripp!). Meshing our schedules proved to be a bit trickier, but when the day arrived, I had a great time getting to work with these two and know them better (we discovered we know some of the same people, and other fun details like the fact that they met at Aldersgate Camp -- a very cool place in eastern Kentucky attended by other great people we know). They are as sweet and kind in person as they come across in the photos below! I can't wait for their wedding in August!

It was SO hard narrowing down my favorites, but here's a 'few'! Enjoy!

Check out Mary Ellen's website, MEllen Designs. She will design personalized stationery, greeting cards, invitations, etc for you! Kudos to MEllen for their debut at the National Stationery Show in New York City earlier this spring!

Eric and Stephanie are Married!

I loved all the pops of pink! So pretty!

a budding photographer? (don't you love the wreaths in their hair?)

Yay!

When I met Eric and Stephanie over a year ago, June 2009 seemed SO far away! However, as the calendar is want to do, time flew by! I have to say, Stephanie didn't let it get away from her as she planned every detail to a 'T'. Her organization paid big dividends in a beautiful day! Not only was the day beautiful aesthetically, but it was full of warmth and love. Eric and Stephanie were surrounded by some wonderful friends in their bridal party as well as a family who obviously shared in their joy on this day. (I really get to meet some of the nicest - and funniest - people! Thanks, everyone!)

Here's some of the other folks that helped pull off a lovely wedding:

Catering: Kellie Stoddart, Season's Catering

Bridal Gown/Wedding Attire: Wedding Wonderland

Videographer: Melinda Shofner

DJ: DJ's in Motion

Florist: Kim Ballard Ross

Lexington Wedding Photographer: Cydil Waggoner Photography, copyright 2009.

Mark and Kaylene are Married!

Mark and Kaylene married on a beautiful May evening in Wilmore, one week ago today. Tears of happiness flowed frequently (which I love) as they were surrounded by friends and family. That alone would have been sufficient to make the day nearly perfect but they were blessed with beautiful weather and they blessed those present with a God-honoring ceremony and some fun and suprises at the reception (thank you Kaylene and girls for your wonderful performance, I still smile remembering it!). Enjoy some of these, my favorites from the day...

Don't these colors just say "summer" to you? So "happy"!

Kaylene was a beautiful (and may I add "adorable"?) bride -- it was hard not to post more of her portraits here!

love this exchange here with her flower girl

Lexington Wedding Photographer: Cydil Waggoner Photography, copyright 2009.

The K Family

I got some sweet photos of Miss Essie (above) but this is my hands down favorite

I love this expression on Miss Chloe's face because it just personifies her

Don't you just want to squeeze 'em? How can you not smile when you see these faces?
What sparkle in those eyes!
(I wish you could see their photos from 6 months ago! So somber for ones so young -- but not today!)

modeling their Ethiopian dresses

If you talk to me for very long, you'll know how passionate I am about adoption.
It's truly a miracle to behold. Thanks, Ks, for the opportunity to document this stage in your family's lives together!

Amber and Kaleb

I really enjoy engagement sessions -- it's always nice to have time with my clients and get to know them in a more relaxed environment without the time pressures inherant in a wedding day schedule. In this particular case, it was my first chance to meet Amber and Kaleb in person. For the time being they are living in Tennessee while Kaleb finishes school. After exchanging e-mails and phone calls, it would be nice to have faces in my mind's eye!

Notice I wrote "relaxed environment" a few sentences ago? Unfortunately this session didn't follow precedent and I was about to get to know these two in a different way. Things were going well 15 minutes into this session until we changed locations. I was following Kaleb and Amber as we drove the winding lanes of this beautiful farm. My eyes were scanning the gorgeous surroundings for possible shoot locations when something went BOOM! I didn't see it. Becky who was riding with me didn't see it. But it was there. A large, sharp stone on the edge of the road, placed I presume to keep tires from driving on the grassy edge. The problem was I hit it with two tires (front and rear), bent one rim, and rendered my vehicle completely immobile.

I pulled over immediately and my spirits deflated faster than than the tires which were hissing furiously. My mind was racing. It was after hours on a holiday weekend. What was I to do? I had visions of rescheduling attempts, transportation nightmares, etc., etc.,. To make a long story short, Triple A saved the day and was able to tow my car home. Amber and Kaleb were BEYOND gracious and we were able to finish their session with lots of photos before the tow truck arrived an hour or so later.

So there it is, blog readers. Considering all the places photography takes me, I should be grateful it was my first case of 'car troubles' and all worked out okay in the end. Kaleb and Amber, you got to see me under pressure (albeit a different kind of pressure)! Your wedding should be a walk in the park by comparison! Enjoy your photos!