{Naked as we came}
We turn not older with years, but newer every day.- Emily Dickinson
Birthdays for me are kind of like New Years.It’s a great time to reflect and clean slate to looking forward to the future. At 23 I am still quite young but I’ve always felt like an older soul. There are times when I look at my life and think I’m not much farther than I was when I was 18. I’m still working on my college degree. Still scraping by pay check to pay check, many people my age have graduation form college, are getting engaged and seem to be such… grown ups. I’m ready for that next chapter in my life and I think this year, my 23rd year of life is the year to make things happen.
I have made plenty of mistakes along the way to 23, and I’m sure I will keep making many but it’s learning life’s little lessons from those mistakes that makes an individual stronger. This year it is my goal to continue staying focused on my dream of becoming a professional photographer, getting the most of my education from Metro State and loving every person around me a little more.
Some of the best lessons I have learned…
To breathe more…. Thank you Erin
To not sweat the small stuff… Thank you Matty
You miss 100% of the shots you don’t take… Thank you Lara Casey (and Wayne Gretzky)
Inspiration is everywhere.
Take pleasure in the simple things.
Life is Beautiful.
Day One. 7.17.1987 in Altamonte Springs, FL
You can tell were sisters by the matching outfits. Me and My half sister Lacey.
One Year Old. One of my favorite baby pictures, too bad about the scratch.
Christmas. 1988.
For real this time.. this is my favorite baby picture of me. I love how you can still see your adult self in baby pictures.
Five. My mom chopped my hair off, forever traumatizing me from getting my hair cut.
My first interaction with snow. Southern Girl at heart. I still hate snow.
My little sister Serena. She changed my life forever. She made me stronger.
Eight. Those teeth would be the death of me until high school.
{Long Black Veil}
Fareeba + Ali: July.02.2010
I always love when I get the chance to experience something new. Every wedding is unique and different but this wedding was extra special since it was a different culture. No white wedding dresses here, instead it was an ocean of beautiful color and fabric! Fareeba & Ali had a three day Indian celebration of their marriage, I was lucky enough to photograph the first day of the marriage ceremony at their home. At Ali’s home in a beautiful area in Highlands Ranch the backyard was transformed into a wedding sanctuary. The tent was beautiful decorated with colorful fabric that matched the Brides traditional Indian wedding gown, flowers and lights. One of my favorite parts of the evening was instead of the couples’ first dance their were dancers that preformed for the bride and groom and all of their guests. Wish I could have been there for the other days to see the whole celebration but I was happy to experience the first day. Also loved something the officiant said during the ceremony… no matter what your religion is Muslim, Christian or other the family that prays together stays together.
This wedding was photographed by Laura Brooks for 2Sisters Photography
{La Bamba}
Molly + Lucas
REDEMPTION SHOOT!
Molly and Lucas were married at Willow Ridge Manor, which is the same place I photographed a wedding just the weekend before. This was my opportunity to master the lighting… I’ll let you be the judge.
Molly and her bridesmaids were full of giggles and smiles while getting ready for Molly’s walk down the aisle. Molly was probably one of the most laid back brides I have ever seen and it was rare to not see a bright smile on her face. I just loved her personality and how she truly was enjoying her wedding day and the start of her life as a Mrs.
It was a treat to be at Willow Ridge Manor again because the scenery is seriously amazing. Just miles away from Red Rocks, mini red rocks are the backdrop of Willow Ridge Manor that sit on a hill over looking Denver to the east and the foothills to the west. It’s truly an amazing backdrop for any wedding. Molly and Lucas’ wedding was no different as the two of them said their I DO’s surrounded by Colorado beauty.
The party really started during the reception, I have never seen a dance floor so packed! I loved how enthusiastic Molly and Lucas’ family and friends were to DANCE… DANCE… DANCE! The guests started dancing before the couple’s first dance. Many weddings I have been to it take a while for even just a few people to get out on the dance floor. At times it looked more like a club than a wedding. I have never captured so many amazing dance photographs. One of the best songs that really got the crowd jumping was Shout! This wedding really made me wish I was a guest so I could join in. Just DANCE!
This wedding was photographed by Laura Brooks for 2Sisters Photography
{Kick start my heart}
April + Jason: June.04.2010
Hole in one! April and Jason feel in love working for the Pepsi Center and celebrated their love of sports through their wedding. April was a beautiful bride with her long brunette curls and stunning mermaid style wedding gown. Her bridesmaids wore dark navy blue dresses with yellow bouquets. I’m a little bias for loving April’s bouquet, which were yellow orchids and Cali lilies. Orchids are my favorite flower. The wedding took place at Omni Hotel in Broomfeild, Colorado, which is a sort of hidden gem to have a wedding. The hotel is huge and the décor is beautiful with resort amenities of a beautiful pool, spa and gold course. The ceremony actually took place at the second hole of the golf course, which made for a very unique and adorable get away car… a golf cart that transported all the guests and bridal party to the ceremony.
As a photographer light is an important element to photography, and during April and Jason’s wedding the lighting was beautiful, sickingly perfect! The sun hid behind the fully white clouds in a picturesque bright blue sky that left even blanket of daylight to fall over the entire golf course. It was a photographers dream. In between taking pictures of the ceremony I admired the beautiful setting that surrounded us and spotted something that was almost as perfect as the lighting. A field of yellow flowers (that were actually weeds) that mixed with the blue sky matched April and Jason’s colors of navy and yellow. It was the perfect place for photographs of the two of them.
Back into the ballroom of the hotel for the reception, touches of the couples love for sports was seen again in the details. Escort cards that were also favors to the guests were personalized golf balls with April and Jason and the wedding date written on them. The cake topper was super cute giving a spin to the traditional bride and groom topper; only the groom was pitching a baseball to the bride that held a baseball bat. But the best part of all was the announcing of the bridal party, because of April and Jason’s connection with the Pepsi Center it was done by the official announcer who does all the Colorado Avalanche and Denver Nuggets home games! Being a fan of the Colorado Avalanche I was defiantly impressed and loved such a unique announcing of the bridal party. April and Jason’s wedding was defiantly a home run!
This wedding was photographed by Laura Brooks for 2Sisters Photography
{Love Me Tender}
Rebecca & Chris 5.21.2010
A small town in Colorado know as Loveland was the beautiful moutain setting for Becky and Chris’ wedding at the Sylvan Dale Ranch. The couple chose to have a moutain destination style wedding by staying at Sylvan Dale Ranch for a week long celebration for their wedding with family and firends. Married by a small heart shape pond Becky and Chris promised the rest of their lives together with personal passages from Plato rather than the standard Bible passages, the entire day was filled with personal touches of the couple. Becky and Chris, along with their family and friends are corkie and couldn’t stop the laughter and smiles the entire day.
This wedding was photographed by Laura Brooks for 2Sisters Photography
{The Big Thompson River that runs right through Sylvan Dale Ranch}
{The Gorgous Bride Rebecca, a little film noir inspiration}
{Rebecca’s Sister and other Bridesmaids sign the bottom of Rebecca’s shoes, a turkish wedding tradition.}
{ Chris with his Dashing Groomsmen}
{Beatles Inspired}
{The Beautiful Childhood Innocence of Grace the Flowergirl}
{Nothing is cuter than a wooden swing and a Bride with her Maids}
{Rebecca is such a classic beauty}
{The Groomsmen lift Rebecca for a photo op, later the Bridesmaids lifted Chris too… only dropping him once!}
{Who said bunny ears makes for a bad photo? A wonderful moment between Rebecca and her father}
{The Bestman leading a helping hand}
{Cute DIY Table Numbers}
Every heart sings a song, incomplete, until another heart whispers back. Those who wish to sing always find a song. At the touch of a lover, everyone becomes a poet.
Plato
{C'est la vie : Laura la vie} 