We spent the weekend in Kansas City recently with Courtney and Gil. Beautiful weather, nice fall colors and great company! Planning a June wedding in Minnesota, they took time from their busy schedules for a little play time with me! Courtney is in communications but her passion is cooking and she's looking around for that great combination niche. Kansas City is one of the BEST places for that I would suppose. I know she'll find it soon. They took us to all the great local food places while we were there. So good! Gil (this comes from his last name, Gilroy, which I didn't know for a quite awhile) is a liver specialist at KU Med. If you need a liver, he's your guy! It takes a special quality to be a doctor and also to be a doctor's wife. Lots of sacrifices of your personal time are made - - and for people you don't even know. I'm always so amazed and impressed by their dedication. These two have that special dedication. Their time together is precious and they totally enjoy each other when the are together. I love the way he just looks at her and smiles, when she doesn't even know it. The way she just slips her hand into his as they walk. At first we thought we would go up to Lawrence but then decided to stay just a stone's throw from their hi-rise home and all the things they look out upon from their windows - the Veterans Park and the Train Station.  It was the perfect choice.

There was a government protest going on in the park with these shipping containers spelling out I.O.U. (These two are the modern day version of Mary Matalin and James Carville.) Thankfully, they just agree to disagree about some things. I think it's gonna work!

Waiting on the corner of Main Street, he saw her car. "Here she comes, here she comes!" He was like a child on Christmas morning, wringing with anticipation. She pulled up and opened the door. She had on the cutest little dress. Short, off-white, soutache trimmed. Gorgeous. He gasped "Oh my God. Look at her!" and headed across the street. I watched them meet half way in the middle of a Main Street crosswalk and just stare at each other and I knew. This was going to be a great day. That's how Bette and Carter and I met for the first time. On their wedding day, October 1, 2011.  On a corner on Main Street. In Broken Arrow. We had a little time for photos before their evening wedding at Tarp Chapel and we took full advantage of it. They are so comfortable with each other. So fun together. As if they had been together for a long time. At one point I asked them how long they had been together, expecting an answer of several years. Five Months was the answer. I thought they were joking with me. Nope. Five Months. Each single for a decade or more, having never met "the one". He in the corporate world. She as a doctor. Finally two mutual friends intervened and introduced them to one another. Like they say in the movies - "Magic". They knew right away that this was it so why wait any more. He loves her laugh (a real, loud, throw back your head and laugh kind of laugh). She loves his wit. Which I'm sure he'll keep sharp just to make her laugh! They pretty much forgot I was there and isn't that how we all want to be in love? Find that one person who just makes the rest of world go away? Bette and Carter have it and we wish them all the happiness in the world!  Their ceremony was just before sunset. Simple, classic and beautiful. Surrounded by family and close friends, they exchanged vows and then greeted each row of guests - many meeting the other for the first time. Beautiful bouquet - The French Bouquet of course! Ludgers cakes were beautiful and yummy! Fall centerpieces added just the right touch to the light and bright reception hall. Congratulations Bette and Carter! Many blessings!
 



Ahhh, the paparazzi. They're everywhere!

Stan and Abigail . . . these two brilliant people found each other through a mutual friend and the chemistry was there right away. They have that really comfortable, Sunday kind of love. You know, they just "are" with each other and totally love that about the other. The kind of love where you just exchange looks and don't need words to know what the other is thinking. The kind of love that lasts a lifetime. Abigail and Stan both come from big families with lots of crazy cousins, aunts and uncles. Something always going on. It's made them both ready for a big family of their own and we all wished them on that way Saturday night, as they officially declared their love and intentions and got married right here in Tulsa, Oklahoma. A beautiful ceremony on the South Lawn in the Garden of the Four Terraces at Philbrook Museum of Art started the evening off. Parasols provided shade, programs were fans, cold drinks were served as guests were seated. Readings by family members and attended by all their closest friends and family. Cocktails on the terrace, followed by a four course dinner prepared and served by The Brasserie  inside a huge tent (air conditioned ahhh) and well appointed throughout. Talmadge Powell  coordinated and designed the event which was complete with a larger than life tree bearing the couples initials carved in a heart!  Toni's Flowers were gorgeous!  Flower boxes lined the center of the harvest tables,filled with white roses, peonies and hydrangea and an occasional coral rose. Abigail and Stan, not being your everyday couple, wanted to have a grand celebration for their friends and family rather than a traditional wedding celebration -- Just a BIG PARTY! She had her "first look" with her father.  He was gushing with joy! No garters or bouquet tossings.  They didn't even have a wedding cake! BUT, chocolate truffles, brownies and milk, and warm snickerdoodle cookies were passed after dinner and I've gotta say - - it was really fun and very delicious! Abigail has a thing for pink champagne and Stan has a thing for cigars. So they both had all they wanted all night long. Cigars were hand rolled in the cigar bar - it was fascinating. I'd never seen a cigar rolled before! Sophia got some great shots of the cigar rolling! Some of these cigars were huge too! We passed on the cigars but we never pass on champagne and tonite the champagne was delightful!  Cheers to Abigail & Stan as they start their life together in San Francisco where even rocket scientists fall in love! 



The Kiss from my view:

 
The Kiss from Sophia's view:

Our little globetrotters landed in Guthrie to say their vows May 14th. I can't even put into words how much fun we have had with this couple. Seatte, San Fransisco and now . . . Guthrie, OK. It was definitely the closest destination for this courtship. We've learned that Lesley is just one of those people who loves everyone and everyone loves her. It showed even more on her wedding day. Every guest there was thrilled for them!  We got to meet Sean's family - his son Shane, his mother and brother.   We made a weekend of it in Guthrie - (including a little Karaoke at the town wine bar--I played the Sean card ;) Rehearsal dinner on Friday and lots of fun wedding festivities on Saturday. Wonderful food and beautiful venue at The Sand Plum.   Cake, cupcakes and truffles by Mishelle Handy Cakes of OKC, Von Wedding Films created a surprise same-day-edit of the video of the day and everyone gathered to watch. Dave and The Wavetones kept it rockin into Sunday morning, even after the happy couple road off into the moonlight in a horse drawn carriage.  It truly was a magical weekend.   I can't possibly post it all at once - this one is full already! I'll post rehearsal dinner and some reception highlights in the next post.  Lesley - ever practical - handled many of her details and decorations herself with the help of her family platoon, who fell right into her command, almost as if they'd been doing it their whole lives.  They chose to have a first look and play with Sophia and I a little for pictures before her guests arrived. She didn't want to take any time away from them once the ceremony was over.  I really LOVE that about her! I love the picture Sophia got where Sean's son, Shane and Lesley's little brother Ben are peeking in the window for the kiss!  Here's a few more from the wedding day.

Love this look Sophia captured!

This shot Sophia took before they all went downstairs for ceremony is one of my favorites of the day.

A couple of years ago, my daughter Kate and I were wandering around Alcatraz Island trying to imagine how it would have been to have been stuck there for your life. All the beauty of the city of San Fransisco, rising up through the fog, the smells of coffee and Ghirardelli chocolate in the breeze, and not being able to have any of it. Now, that's punishment!  While we were discussing these things, we both commented on how peaceful it was and what great light there was. Kate said - "this would be a great place to shoot a bridal portrait, right mom?" Why, YES, Kate it would. Now, how could I convince a bride to A) meet me in San Fran,  B) drag her beautiful dress to Alcatraz on a boat - maybe in the fog and/or rain and C) traipse around a filthy tourist island in it and be photographed in front of boatloads of tourists?  It was going to take a very special person to even consider this. So, I threw it out there a couple of times to brides and they either thought I was joking or was completely insane. And . . . then . . . there was Lesley!  She probably saw it in my eyes as we were brainstorming and stylizing her bridal session and she mentioned she had once been tour guide in San Fran.  She lives in Washington state now but she was oh soooo willing to come to San Fran for the session and honestly, I don't know which of us was more excited to be going to Alcatraz. We took the first boat over to try to catch the most fog but we ended up with one of the most beautiful, sunny days I've ever seen there!  And it was the only day all week it wasn't raining. Luck?  Fate?  Whichever, we'll take it!  Lesley had a couple of other spots in town she adored, and I wanted to include San Fran's marvelous City Hall, so we just made a day of it with her darling mom and sister toting gear, the dress, shoes, diva bag (that's all the little extra fun stuff you need) and Kate, who just couldn't miss it and was my most excellent assistant with a little OCF and reflector as needed! She even shot a little at City Hall (I posted it below) and is getting pretty darn good and has a new appreciation for wedding dress exposures. Lesley's mom treated us all to lunch at The Fog City Diner and we had our personal cab driver on call all day, just like 27 Dresses! (The Cab Driver/owner's cousin is Seigi of Seigi's Sausage here in Tulsa - what are the chances of that?) We ended up at the overlook of the Golden Gate Bridge. It was a perfect ending to a perfect day! It's a long post but it was a long day and oh so many pretty pictures!  Lesley and Sean just got married last weekend so some wedding pics will be coming soon!





This was Kate's shot at City Hall. I love the way her veil is flowing! Nice, Kato!