abi & jordan tied the knot!! {louisville wedding photographer}

Last weekend I photographed a beautiful New Year's Eve wedding in Louisville. The weather was absolutely perfect... as were the bride and groom.

My first time meeting Abi and Jordan was just days before the wedding... and I knew instantly their wedding was going to be special. I can't even begin to tell you the number of conversations I overheard from family and friends during the wedding... all talking about how kind-hearted Abi and Jordan are... they are perfect for each other and I can't wait to see how the Lord uses them together.

The entire day was magical. See for yourself...

We had perfect weather... you would have never guessed it was December 31st.

The church was stunning.

Abi lost her voice the day before the wedding, so she spent the morning sipping on vitamin C while getting ready for the big day.

I loved the detail on Abi's dress... it looked even more amazing once she slipped it on...

I think the bridesmaids agreed:)

I loved the simple wedding shoes...

Oh... and that bouquet!

You could practically see Abi glowing.

Abi had an amazing fur shawl that we used for some of her portraits... it's the only way you could tell it was a winter wedding!

The bridesmaids were a blast... such a beautiful group of girls. I loved the different styles of navy dresses.

And here's the handsome groom...

The rest of the guys cleaned up pretty nice too!

Jordan and the guys looked awesome rocking their shades:)

The inside of this church was amazing... just look at those intricate beams.

And the stained glass windows were absolutely gorgeous!!

The ceremony was so beautiful. Jordan and Abi wrote their own vows and I found myself tearing up behind my camera... seriously.

Oh, and did I mention that they had the cutest ring bearers and flower girl ever!?!

They look pretty good as a Mr. & Mrs... don't you think?

This is one of my favorite shots... precious.

Jordan could not keep his eyes off his beautiful bride... but I mean, can you blame him?

Another happily ever after...

This was one of the sweetest weddings I have ever photographed. It was such a beautiful day with a truly special couple. Be sure to show the newlyweds some love and tell them congratulations!!

Best wishes Abi and Jordan! Thank you for letting me be a part of your big day!

the art of journaling

In yesterday's thankful thursday post I talked about my new journal and my resolve to pick up the pen more often. There is just something so exciting about a new journal... the crisp clean pages... the smell of new paper... the possibilities within the empty lines. In college I was an avid journaler... but the habit slowly faded and it's something I truly miss.

There's just something so powerful about putting pen to paper... something therapeutic about giving your thoughts a permanent home. There is no right or wrong way to collect your thoughts... there are many different types of journalers out there...

...some are list-makers....

...some are artistic...

...some are colorful...

...some are prayerful...

...some are classic...

...some are creative...

Are you a journaler?? What kind of journaler are you? Or maybe you're like me, and you're finally dusting off the pages and reuniting with your pen?

thankful thursday {link up} & embrace the camera

{link up your own Thankful Thursday post below}

This Thursday I am thankful for...

1) Friends & food. Last night I went to Nava in Atlanta with some very dear friends. We laughed and chatted over delicious food and wine. It was my first time eating at Nava and it.was.delicious. But the company was even better:) (This is my embrace the camera photo this week too!)

2) A new journal. I recently bought a new journal and I'm excited about breaking it open and writing on those first few pages. There is just something about putting pen-to-paper... something therapeutic... but more on this later.

3) Newness. All this talk about the new year... new goals... new journal... all this newness. I can't help but feel motivated. I've been thinking a lot about my recent resolutions and I'm eager to see what the newness of the new year brings.

What are you thankful for this week? Grab the Thankful Thursday button from the right sidebar and link up your own post below. Be sure to visit the other Thankful Thursday participants and share the love!

I'm also linking up to Emily's blog this week for Embrace the Camera:)

new year... new goals... (or some might call them resolutions)

I love the newness that the new year brings... the fresh start... the clean calendar... new goals... untarnished resolutions. I kept debating if I should even bother with new year's resolutions this year... especially after last year's half-ass attempt.

But here's the thing... I like goals... and I like lists. So, I caved. I made resolutions... again. But this year, I tried my best to make my resolutions attainable (and enjoyable)... so hopefully I'm not writing a "failure-follow-up post" like last year... but no promises. My resolutions are all things I want to do... many of them things I'm excited about doing... well, all except for #4.

So, here you have it... in 2012, I resolve to:

1) be a better listener.

2) start journaling again.

3) read a classic (or two).

4) drink less soda.

5) organize my photos.

6) write more real letters.

7) finish more projects.

8) talk to God more.

9) use a planner (for the whole year).

10) pay off credit card debt.

There you have it. I hope to elaborate on all of these a little more in the coming months. What about you? Did you make resolutions this year?

Linking this up to Oh Amanda.

2011... a year in review

2011 literally flew by. Like on a plane... or on any number of the planes we traveled on this year. This year shall be called the year-of-travel. Some months were a blur of exciting trips and experiences, while others were filled with trips to the office, and others were spent photographing weddings in various states. It was a little chaotic at times and definitely exhausting... but.I.wouldn't.trade.it.for.the.world.

In January Lance took me to a Colts game so I could cross off one of my 30 by 30 list items.

We experienced LOTS and LOTS of snow.

In March Jenna came to visit for another closet swap.

I set up a tent and slept under the stars in March to cross off another 30 by 30 item.

We also had a bit of rain in March and April... just a tad... enough to flood the Ohio River right by our house.

In April I hosted my first-ever craft party. It.was.awesome.

In April we also had our first Thunder Over Louisville experience.

I also experienced my first ever Balloon Glow in April. Sadly this was the closest I came to a hot air balloon ride before my 30th birthday.

In May I entered my dreaded thirties... okay, okay... they're not quite as bad as I thought they would be. I received lots of sweet wishes from loved ones near and far helping to soften the blow.

In June I flew out to Houston for a wedding weekend extravaganza... with bridal showers and bachelorette parties galore. (woop! woop!)

Then Lance's brother and his wife came to visit us in Kentucky and we took them out for a tour at the Woodford Reserve bourbon distillery.

In July we went on an amazing Alaskan cruise with 16 family members...

There were mountains and glaciers galore... Alaska is GINORMOUS, people.

We made the move into our new (old) rental house as soon as we returned from our cruise.

At the end of July we headed to Georgia for the Black family reunion... which never disappoints.

In August I stood by my little sister as she said her vows and tied the knot with the handsome Mr. Chris McAnnally.

Then I hosted my second craft night... this time with an 80's theme. (think puff paint and friendship bracelets:)

In September we went on an incredible trip to Aachen, Germany to attend the wedding of a very dear friend.

Lance's mom and her husband Hayward came to visit us in September too. We toured the Jim Beam distillery and showed them some of our favorite Louisville spots.

In October I headed to Columbus, GA to spend a weekend with my favorite college girlfriends.

In November we celebrated Thanksgiving with Lance's family in Georgia.

And finally, in December we spent time in Houston with my family.

2011 was a whirlwind of a year for us... with LOTS and LOTS of travel. I eventually lost track of the number of planes I've been on this year. 2011 was nothing short of AMAZING, but we are looking forward to all that 2012 has to offer...

TWENTY-TWELVE... bring it...

new day... new year...