Category Archives: Wedding Photography

CJ and Carmen get hitched in Southfork Colorado

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I can’t believe it has been a week already since CJ and Carmen’s wedding in Southfork Colorado! I feel like it was just yesterday. Everything about the weekend was just a dream.

The day started off with some cool weather and the sound of the rushing river just outside our cabin. We had plenty of time to eat breakfast and start getting ready for the big day. Mary, the maid of honor kept everything running smoothly!  I’m pretty sure she was in charge. She kept everyone calm and on time. Thank you Mary!

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Carrollton, TX wedding couple

Carmen, the bride, looked breathtaking. She looked like an angel in her wedding gown. We photographed her and her family at an old bridge that they have been crossing for years.  It is a place that has special meaning to their family. They even have a nick name for the bridge. They call it the Shriek bridge. It’s a fitting name because it looks scary and is only wide enough for one person to cross at a time. No, I didn’t cross it, I’m a chicken!

destination wedding

Carrollton, TX wedding couple

CJ looked very handsome. Of course he was ready for pictures on time. This guy has got “it” together. Both families looked great and were all so happy to be there. The bride’s family was all from Carrollton, but the groom’s family was from all over… New York, Nebraska, Oklahoma and Spain. It’s a rare occasion when you can get your whole family in the same place at the same time.

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Carrollton, TX wedding couple

The wedding was held at a cute little bed and breakfast in the heart of Southfork, Colorado. It was called the Arbor House. If you ever get the chance to stay there, you will be treated as one of their family members. They are as friendly as us Texans.  The combination of trees and mountains and the river came together like a painting.  The color of the Aspen trees were vibrant! They didn’t look real. According to Eddy, the bride’s dad, they looked like they belonged in a Dr. Seuss movie.

destination wedding

Carrollton, TX wedding couple

The wedding started out with some beautiful music (thank goodness)(inside joke). Carmen and CJ were SO excited to see each other. This man is everything she dreamed her husband would be. And he is VERY lucky to have her. The awesome thing about a destination wedding, is that the guest list is kept to a small  number, which makes it very intimate. Every person there was family except me… and…

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Carrollton, TX wedding couple?

What is that?…

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Carrollton, TX wedding couple

Yep, it’s a cat.  And YES IT DID sit down in the front row… ON HER DRESS and enjoyed the wedding vows.

destination wedding

Carrollton, TX wedding couple

But, that didn’t change the mood or the focus of such a loving moment. CJ and Carmen are officially married!

destination wedding

Carrollton,TX Wedding Couple

destination wedding

Carrollton, TX Wedding Couple

What a beautiful couple! …and yes…

destination wedding

Carrollton, TX Wedding Couple

CJ tried to smash cake in her face.  Remember that mom and dad I was talking about in my last post? Here they are. Very proud.  Eddy’s face tells it all while he is hugging his daughter, his first born, daddy’s little girl. Thankfully, CJ is everything he wished for his little girl.

destination wedding

Carrollton, TX Wedding Couple

Congratulations CJ and Carmen!

destination wedding

Carrollton, TX wedding couple

Carrollton Wedding Photographer travels to South Fork Colorado for a destination wedding

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Last year when my very dear friend asked me what I was doing the weekend of October 19th 2014, I hesitated. I like to know what someone wants me to do BEFORE I answer a question like that.  Well, the answer was I’M OPEN after I heard what she wanted me to do. Her daughter was getting married and they wanted me to travel to South Fork Colorado to photograph the wedding.

I thought the day would never come since we booked everything a year in advance.  But, finally the day came for me to board the plane. It was a LITTLE plane. And the little plane didn’t have room for my LITTLE bag full of photography equipment.  I had to turn on my charm to get the flight attendant to agree to put my bag in the closet that the attendants keep their belongings in. Since I don’t travel much, I don’t know what most professional photographers do with their equipment, but I sure wasn’t letting it out of my sight, much less let them toss my bag in with the other luggage.

Once we (the brides dad, sister, grandma and I) landed in Durango, Co, got a rental car and had lunch, we drove 2 hours to South Fork. The trees were absolutely beautiful. I couldn’t wait to get my camera out.

The morning of the rehearsal dinner, the Bride’s mom, Ann asked me what I wanted to do.  We didn’t need to be to the rehearsal until 2pm, so we had some time to sight see.  She said we could do anything I wanted. Once I made sure she wouldn’t go back on her word, I told her I wanted to do some photographs of just her and her husband before the attention turned over to their daughter.

Now, I know all of you think that a wedding is all about the bride and the groom.  And it is! It’s their very special day.  But, if you really pay attention at a wedding you will see a whole other story start to unfold. This mom and dad started out this same exact way some twenty-ish years ago. And during the last year or so, they have been watching their daughter fall in love with this man. So, tomorrow, Sunday October 19th, 2014, their daughter will marry this wonderful young man. This will be the start of her new family. This is a very exciting day! It really is, but, if you look into the eyes of her mom and dad tomorrow, there will be SO much unconditional love, SO much pride and SO much joy, that they will be over flowing with emotion.  They will be sad that this chapter in their life is over, but joyous about the new one starting. I’m sure they are wondering how it can be that their first born daughter is already getting married.

So, before the festivities begin tomorrow, I want to say to my VERY dear friends Ann and Eddy, I love you two very much, I’m SO proud of you for raising such a beautiful daughter, and thank you for including me in this unforgettable weekend. I wouldn’t want to be anywhere else.

destination wedding

Dallas Wedding Couple Jennifer and John Tie the Knot on Valentines Day at The Old Bedford School

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It has been rumored that Valentine’s Day is the most romantic day of the year.  Once you take a look at Jennifer and John’s Valentine’s Day wedding, you will know FOR SURE that it was their most romantic day EVER!

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The beautiful floral arrangements were created by my very good friend and floral designer Kevin May from May Flowers and Gifts. (shameless plug 214-507-2837) The bride was very excited when she saw how amazing they looked.

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The red and white Valentine Theme was very romantic. The bride seems to have a BIG heart!

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The Old Bedford School was full of historical things. Every direction you turned, there was more to see.  The backgrounds were limitless.

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The Bride and Groom decided to have a first look in the class room. You should have seen John’s eyes light up when he saw his bride for the first time. She was stunning!

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Jennifer and John met back in 1988 when they went to school together.  They used to pass notes back and forth during class.

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YAY!!  He said yes!

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It is very easy to tell these two are crazy in love. John couldn’t take his eyes off his bride.

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The Ceremony was beautiful!  I just loved these “love” blocks on the alter.

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The Bedford School has incredible character. We could have photographed this couple all night!

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Gorgeous couple, Gorgeous Venue!

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The Catering and the Cake were prepared by Sweet Memories.  The presentation and the food were perfect.

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After a romantic private dance…

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The happy couple made their exit through some wavy glow sticks. And then the most unexpected thing happened…

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They gave us a box of Turtle Chocolates!!!  Alyssa and I had a very “sweet” ride home.

Dallas Signature Bridal Show – Texas Tradition LOVES brides!

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This past Sunday Texas Tradition Photography attended the Dallas Signature Bridal Show. It was awesome! We were able to meet with so many excited brides. Some brides just got engaged, while others were getting close to their wedding date and only had a few more vendors to book. Our booth looked great too.

Lisa with boothAlyssa4x5

We had such a big turnout that we named two winners of our mini-engagement session giveaway! Congratulations Beth Crutcher and Lindsey Foster!!!

Texas Tradition Photography enjoys providing quality wedding photography for the Dallas Fort Worth Area. Texas Tradition Photography has the classic timeless style that Dallas brides are looking for.

Alyssa and Joseph tied the knot! – Carrollton Photographer Photographs A Dream Wedding at Chapel at Ana Villa

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It finally happened! The second Joseph asked Alyssa to marry him, we have been counting the days until their wedding.  The wedding was worth the wait! Here’s a sneak peek at their amazing wedding!
Chapel Ana Villa girls
The boys hung out and played video games all morning. The girls had their hair and make up done by the talented Angela Boncek. Their beautiful hair should have stopped them from having a pillow fight and practicing their dance moves… But it didn’t!
Chapel Ana Villa getting ready
The boys looked pretty sharp in their red vests and matching hanky, and the ladies looked flawless! Once it was time for Alyssa to walk down the aisle, it was hard to keep from tearing up. They were made for each other!
Chapel Ana Villa ceremony
After a romantic ceremony, the couple was off to dance the night away.
Chapel Ana Villa dance
The reception was breathtaking thanks to Darla from Lyon’s Share Events. Frosted Art created the amazing (and delicious) cakes! Joseph’s Airplane cake even lit up.
Chapel Ana Villa tables
After one last private dance set up by Justin Williams from Intelligent Light and Sound,  the couple made their getaway! As the crowd waved their glow sticks, Alyssa and Joseph slid into a classic white Rolls. STUNNING!
Chapel Ana Villa getaway
Texas Tradition Photography photographs weddings around the Dallas Fort Worth Area. Texas Tradition Photography enjoys photographing weddings at venues like Chapel Ana Villa.

Proper Portrait Sizing – Tips from a Carrollton Professional Family Photographer

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Since family portrait season is in full swing, we wanted to take the time to educate our clients on how to pick the best size for their wall portraits. Often our clients tell us they “don’t need anything big” for their walls, only to come back and need to upgrade their portrait size. Here are our tips for how to choose the right portrait size for your home!

DVD's are not portraits!

1. DVD’s are not portraits!
We love being able to offer digital collections to our clients, but the portraits rarely make it off the disk! By having Texas Tradition Photography print your wall portrait, you get amazing quality, choice of mounting or gallery wrap, and you won’t be able to resist hanging your portrait right away!

8x10's aren't big!

2. 8×10’s only seem big when you’re holding them.
Unless you have a wall with A TON of portraits hanging on it, your wall will look empty. 8×10’s are great for desks and wall clusters, but they don’t make great wall portraits.

16x20's are still too small

3. Not bad, but not great.
This 20×24 is starting to fill the space, but still isn’t making much of an impact, even with a wider frame.

30x40 Perfect!

4. Now this is what we’re talking about!
This portrait is a 30×40. It may sound HUGE, but the second it’s hung on the wall it looks perfect!

Not sure what size will work best on your walls? Grab a sheet of paper and hang it on your wall. If it looks too small, add another sheet until it looks right. Once it is the perfect size, measure it. Bring in your measurement and we can help you find the perfect wall portrait for you!

Still need guidance? Give us a call, we would love to help you decorate your home with beautiful portraits!

A Winning Combination- How amazing Dallas wedding photography and great Dallas vendors create a magnificent Dallas wedding!

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When we first met Ashley and Jake it was obvious how excited they were to be engaged. There was NO doubt that they were in love! That level of excitement and love carried through their entire wedding day. They couldn’t stop smiling!

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Their endless smiling wasn’t the only reason we love this couple so much. The wedding was at Perkins Chapel. Perkins Chapel is one of my all time favorite wedding venues! Perkins is beautiful, and it has endless places for photography. Ashley and Jake decided to do our version of a “first look”. A normal “first look” is when a couple sees each other before the bride walks down the aisle. For our “first look”, Ashley and Jake didn’t actually SEE each other.

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Ashley and Jake talked quietly around a corner to one another right before the wedding. Ashley was having a hard time keeping it together, everything that Jake was saying was so sweet! The bridesmaids kept inching closer to hear what the couple was saying to one another.

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Ashley went back downstairs with her dad until it was time to walk down the aisle. When he didn’t think anyone was looking Ashley’s dad gave her one last kiss!

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It was time for Ashley to walk down the aisle and marry Jake!

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The ceremony was beautiful and Perkins Chapel was filled with sunlight! After Ashley and Jake said “I do!”, we took a few minutes for some romantic images.

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This is our favorite! You can see how happy they are to have just gotten married! Plus Ashley’s dress and bouquet look fantastic.

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The talented Kevin May of May Flowers and Gifts created Ashley’s amazing bouquet, along with the bridesmaids bouquets, and all the boutineers. We love working with Kevin. Her work is always beautiful and extremely creative.

After our formal portraits, it was time for Ashley and Jake to join their guests at the reception in the Umphrey Lee Center just a short walk from Perkins. Jake and his groomsmen had lined the sidewalk with balloons earlier that day. This made it a festive walk to the reception.

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We LOVED the Mr. and Mrs. signs Ashley and Jake had!

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May Flowers and Gifts also created the centerpieces for the reception. Ashley wanted to incorporate some old books into her decor. Kevin came up with the perfect way to do that. Each table had a stack of books, hearts made out of book pages, and a floral arrangement. Kevin did a mix of tall and short florals to give the room more dimension.

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Harvey, with Meringue Bakery made the fantastic cakes. Not only did it look beautiful, but the guests were raving about it!

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Ashley and Jake’s guests blew bubbles as the couple made their way to their getaway vehicle.

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And for good measure the groomsmen chased Ashley and Jake down the street!

We loved being invited to photograph Ashley and Jake’s wedding. They chose a great location, a fantastic florist, and an awesome bakery for the cake. With these choices Ashley and Jake enhanced not only their wedding images, but the memories they are going to have of this special day.

Jenna’s Amazing Bridal Portraits- What this Dallas Wedding Photographer LOVES to do!

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I’m so excited for Jenna, she got to marry Mr. Right! I loved getting to photograph her senior portraits, and I’ve been lucky to have also done her bridals!

Here are a few of our absolute favorites!

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We were so lucky that Bella Donna Chapel allowed us to take Jenna’s bridal portraits there, plus it’s BEAUTIFUL!

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This Chapel was made to be photographed! There isn’t a single area that doesn’t look fantastic, we had so many great images it’s hard to narrow it down to just a few.

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It also didn’t hurt that we had such a beautiful bride! Jenna’s dress and make-up were perfect!

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The gates at Bella Donna were the perfect way to end our shoot with Jenna. They look wonderful and the wind was on our side! Jenna’s veil was blowing perfectly for us, there couldn’t have been a better shot!

Dallas Wedding Photographer attends The bridal show in Garland, Texas

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Lisa in boothAlyssa in the boothTexas Tradition Photography Bridal show boothWe had an amazing time at the Bridal show this weekend. It was at The Atrium in Garland. The windows are beautiful; it would be a great place for a wedding reception! Alyssa and I have the system down! We had our booth set up in about 30 minutes and then had time to visit with vendors.

The brides were all super excited to be there (as were we). This is such an exciting time of the year for all of the newly engaged couples. I get excited for them. Here’s to a great wedding season!!

She Said Yes!!! – Dallas Wedding Photographer

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Right around Thanksgiving time, I got a call from a long time client with some great news.  She was super excited to tell me that her daughter was getting engaged. If you know this mom, you know she struggled to tell me this without crying!! Everything she does is BIG and PASSIONATE! After all, why do something if it isn’t going to be the best it can be? Besides, this is her only daughter.  And this guy… well he is definitely “the one”.

So, with his permission, she scheduled me to be hiding out at the location where he was going to propose to her. We had everything orchestrated so I knew exactly when they would arrive and where they would be when he dropped down on his knee.

1 Carrollton Engagement portraitsWhen I arrived, I saw the mom, Debra and the groom’s mom in the Gazebo decorating with some beautiful rose petals and roses.  The Gazebo was already decorated for Christmas, so it was absolutely breath taking. As they arrived and were walking toward the gazebo, I was hiding behind a big white Van in the parking lot.  (along with the rest of the family)2 Frisco engagement portraitsAlyssa and Joseph are high school sweet hearts. He absolutely adores her! She was completely caught off guard.  She had no idea that tonight was “the night”.3 Dallas engagement portraitsAnd SHE absolutely adores him! The ring was beautiful!4 Plano engagement portraitsThey make each other laugh. (especially when the whole family is watching you get engaged to the love of your life)5 Carrollton wedding photographerThis is the start of an amazing love story!6MG_1363What a lucky girl! 7MG_2114And now… all I have to say… is look out Carrollton!!!  Debra is planning a wedding!8MG_2101Alyssa and Joseph, thank you for inviting me to your proposal!  I can’t wait for the wedding!!!!