Tysen and W.T, Montana

One of the absolute biggest joys we get out of being photographers is meeting new people, making new friends, and crossing paths will those whom we would normally never encounter.

It is because of photography that we found ourselves on the shores of Flathead Lake in Polson MT, with two of the kindest and sweetest people we've met in our travels. Tysen and W.T. had one of the most beautiful weddings I've seen, in one of the most spectacular locations you could ask for.

I still get goosebumps when I remember it. It was in fact the only time I've teared up during the toasts to the bride and groom. You know how hard it is to take pictures and cry? Well..it is. We somehow have ended up with a standing invitation to visit Tysen's parents when we're up that way, who in fact are wonderfully sweet people as well. Though I'm not sure how I'll justify the wedding photographers dropping by for a visit....but I'll worry about that later.

This....was as perfect as a wedding could be. And with that I shall stop mooshing...and show you some pictures.

B

Outstanding In Our Field...

Seriously. This is us out standing in our field.

There was a rumor that the picture before this one was of me licking the 70-200 2.8 IS L lens...but that can neither be confirmed nor denied. Who would lick a $1600.00 lens....honestly.

Ok ok, it's not OUR field. But it was a field behind a very cool old barn we shot a wedding at this past weekend in Missouri. And this of course is where I'm supposed to insert some neato pictures of that wedding...but they happen to be in line behind the Montana wedding, which is still in the oven. And then we can start sorting through the 1577 pictures from this weekend. Yay!

I've noticed, especially since a friend pointed it out (yo Andrea...) that there's an unnerving rash of people out there labeling themselves as professional photographers. They walked into Wal-Mart, picked up a Coolpix camera, took some shots of some friends, posted them on myspace and POOF! Instant professional photographer. It's really quite amazing. Ok no, it's actually really scary. So...just check out your photographers, wherever you are.

And now it's time to feed the hamster so he'll run fast enough for the computer to run Photoshop.

B

Friends. With Benefits.

No silly, not like that.


I was fortunate enough to attend an event hosted by the gracious Sam Stokely and his lovely wife a few evenings ago. It was a meet and greet at the new Stokely Event Center (www.StokelyEventCenter.com) which is a great location for meetings, events, receptions, etc.

There were several vendors present, and as always I love to find the ones that are different than everyone else, that are outside the box in the services they offer and the level of professionalism they bring with their product or service. Alright, that's actually a fancy way of saying I love to go and eat all of their food....

But seriously...

When Julie and I got married, we didn't have a budget. No, we weren't rich. We were so poor that we couldn't even afford to have a budget. So my ever gowing list of friends and vendors is simply a wish list of people that I would have LOVED to had at our wedding, and most likely will use for our second wedding. (Yes you're allowed to have more than one wedding with the same person.)

For those of you that are considering offering a bar at your reception or event, check out www.bluelabelbartending.com . I'd seen their website several times, and was really glad to meet them in person. They simply are the best at what they do. From personal meetings to help you plan your event, to helping out in every way possible to make your day a complete success...these guys rock.

A complete and wonderful surprise was my introduction to Aroma Divina Espresso Bars (www.aromadivinaespresso.com) I can honestly say it was some of the best espresso I've ever had. Add to that the iced latte, cappucino, and iced coffees I consumed that night.....I was extremely hyper. But, it was all really, really good.

Now, let me pause here and say something ...unprofessional. Tell the kids to leave the room....

I have an allergy. Just one. My allergy is to conceited, stuck up, snobby, rude and arrogant people. Even more so if they try to pass themselves off as wedding vendors of any kind. They make my right arm twitch really fast in sort of a backhand motion, which isn't entirely polite in public.
Let me state this again.....your wedding day is one of the single most important, happy, exciting days of your entire life. It's magical, wonderful, romantic, beautiful...everything that you always wished and hoped that it would be. And to have any stress or complications added to it by some schmuck that has the people skills of a constipated warthog....isn't something you should have to worry about.

All of that to say, the people and businesses that are on our site, or that I mention in my blogs, are people that I have met with personally, worked with personally, and that I trust completely not to screw up your day.

Because when your photographer shows up late in shorts and a t-shirt, dragging his entire family along with him...(behold our wedding)...or the bartender himself is so intoxicated that he's more intent on groping the bridesmaids than serving your guests ( photographed this wedding)....your wedding day can become less than perfect really quick.


But don't take my word for it....

*Cue Reading Rainbow music *

Irish Pubs and Dead Cats

That has to be one of the greatest titles for a blog. Ever.

We did an engagement session for my best friend of 15 years....God I'm old.....and his fiance' on Sunday evening. It was freaking hot, but a lot of fun. Surprisingly enough, downtown was pretty much deserted, except for a homeless guy swimming in a fountain. I can't blame him though...Oklahoma heat and humidity sucks. (Montana and Arizona..I miss you ) We arrived at one location to be met with the remains of Fluffy the cat, who from the looks of things...well...anyway....

We ended the evening at Kilkenny's Irish Pub. I love that place.....had the best burger I think I've ever tasted. Ok, actually Kyle had the burger and I grabbed part of it while he wasn't looking. MUAhahahah.

I am officially buried in editing. My darling wife edited her photos, and skipped town with the monkeys. So....about 2000 pictures from now, I'll be done. Not counting the two weddings coming up....

Really, really hot....

B

Lions, and Tigers, and the Panda Veranda... oh my!

This is Julie... blogging again. I don't blog that often. Mainly it's because Brett has the gift of being able to write blogs in such a fun way. However, I had to write tonight. We recieved the contract in the mail today for a wedding we are shooting in March in Atlanta, Georgia. In our contract it has a space to fill out where the wedding will be taking place. How excited do you think we were to find out that it's going to be at the Atlanta Zoo!!!! It will actually be overlooking the Panda Bear exhibit. We love the zoo and I have always wondered how one would do a wedding at the zoo. I guess we will get a chance to see! We are so excited about it! It should be really fun!

Happy Thoughts...

Our very first wedding we shot was for two friends in Branson, MO. Colt and Kasey were gracious enough to let two freaked out photographers shoot their wedding.....and that wedding opened the floodgates of weddings that followed.

I heard today that we're shooting Kasey's maternity portraits in November.....and through all of the freaked out, stressed out, driving myself insane-ness with editing piling up on all sides and trying to beat deadlines and change diapers........it was a very happy little moment of excitement.

This of course, along with the upcoming seniors, is going to call for a new website. Not that there's anything wrong with the current one. I just really love the option of having specific songs for each gallery....fun times.

Now off to edit the reception, two engagements, and hugemongous destination wedding before next week's wedding.

But I digress....

What happens in Vegas......was actually really boring. Our brief stay at the Sahara consisted of arriving at 2am, spending 10 minutes in the casino, eating a over-priced pastry, and going to bed.
Ah yes, it was in Vegas however that I discovered the In and Out Hamburger food chain. That was just...mahvellous....

But as road trips go, this was pretty stinking awesome. We covered over 5300 miles in 7 days, went to Kansas, Colorado, Wyoming(awesome), Montana(freakishly awesome), Idaho, Washington, Oregon, Nevada, Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, and finally back to Oklahoma. I am beyond tired, but I'd do it again in a heartbeat. I love, love, love road trips.

But to the real reason for the trip, Tysen and W.T.'s wedding in Polson, MT....was just incredible. Incredbly sweet people, exquisite food, breathtaking locations, and a fireworks show to top it all off.

I love outdoor weddings.

On a side note, does anyone remember River Raid from Atari 2600? Your little plane or whatever it was stayed in one spot, and the whole point was to dodge all of these things that came flying at you, or blow them apart with your blaster cannons?

Driving through Nevada and Arizona at night is kind of like that. Except you're dodging really huge herds of elk on the road...and I couldn't find any blaster cannons on the Prius.

Road lagged,

Brett