Enjoy a few of my favorites from their very-Colorado engagement session!

favorite! kelly – you are just so ridiculously gorgeous!

it’s one of those cliche sayings. heck, even a super sappy song was written about it that we all got stuck in our heads way back when. but with some couples, you can just tell.

sarah and jimmy are one of those couples. they’re gonna be the couple that walks down the street together hand in hand when they are 95 years old, just grinning at each other. yep – they’re that adorable. it’s just something about them. they’re just…a pair.

sarah and jimmy’s wedding was one of the most down-to-earth days i’ve ever been a part of (which was good, since i was waddling around 38 weeks pregnant). it was all about the love.

and it was perfect.

sarah wore toms under her dress, and had them for all of her bridesmaids, too. love it

who says men can’t have spunky socks?

sarah and jimmy’s decor was so fresh, organic, and local. it was perfect for the ranch.

sarah’s dad was so proud all day. it was just beaming from him.

sarah – you are gorgeous.

i know i’ve said it about 100 times by now, but i don’t care. you. are. stunning.

favorite.

those  colors – i love fall!

sarah and jimmy – congratulations on an amazing day! thank you for trusting a very, very pregnant lady to capture your day

and a huge thanks to heidi and katie for shooting with me!

but for some girls, their high school boyfriend does end up being their husband. the dream comes true, and they marry their high school boyfriend. leanne did just that. she and matt met in high school, and married just before their 10 year anniversary. they went to the pep rallies together, the prom together, survived college together, and finally walked down the aisle together. leanne was one of the happiest brides i’ve photographed to date. this was her fairy tale day, and nothing was going to ruin it!

leanne and her family released lady bugs in stonebrook’s garden in honor of a grandparent who had passed away. such a sweet moment.

i don’t usually blog family portraits, but this one of leanne and her grandma is just too sweet. she looks so proud!

i love this shot of leanne and her girls. i don’t know if i’ve ever photographed a group that laughed more than these 5 did

leanne – you are so stinkin cute.

 we shot leanne and matt’s portraits immediately after the ceremony, and i just love how you see how excited they are from the ceremony that just ended.

shannon snapped this shot – i love it.

favorites.

how cute are these ideas? totally pinterest-worthy if i do say so myself

jessica green of jgreen weddings helped leanne make all the details just perfect! jess – you’re a total doll

dance-off time! (matt might kill me for posting this picture, but come on it’s hilarious!)

leanne and matt – thank you for allowing me to be a part of your day. you guys are so perfect together

when i first started my bump day blog posts, i wrote them so i’d have a record of my pregnancy, and so my friends and family from afar could share in nate and i’s journey. life goes by fast – too fast – and i didn’t want to forget all the memories of my pregnancy. i never expected so much positive feedback, and so many comments from those in my life. i had no intentions of continuing it once emmett arrived, but now i can’t imagine not writing about our journey into parenthood. and in 20 years, he’ll probably get quite the kick out of it so, here it goes – the start of “happily emmett after” – aka my updates on little emmett.

the past 9 months, i’ve had this mixture of excitement, anxiety, and nervousness about being a new mom. i knew it would be amazing. i also knew i had no idea how amazing it would be. but, the moment the doctor handed him to me in the delivery room, the nerves were gone. everything was exactly like it was supposed to be. it was perfect. absolutely perfect.

i’ll dive into the story of his delivery in a later post, but for now, here’s a glimpse into our first days as a family.

the adorable suitcase was a shower gift, and i love all the messages written on it.

is it totally obvious we’re in love with him?

charli likes him, too, and has been super protective. it’s pretty much adorable.

how could i resist? i mean, he’s our little lyon!!!

first nap in his big crib. (yep, i’m documenting everything, it’s a little absurd )

this top image melts my heart.

10 fingers. 10 toes. and 2 super cute little lips.

the poor guy will never escape my camera

oh, his little bum.

rawr!!!

tehehehe

yep, we love him.

lots.

teenie tiny little toes.

without sounding like i’m giving a bad oscar’s-thank-you-speech, i really do want to thank everyone for their love and support we’ve received over the past 9 months, and as we brought emmett into our lives. we have both been so blown away by the love and kindness that’s been shown to us. it’s more than we could have ever possibly imagined

our little lyon:

is 2 weeks old – already!

grunts and groans and makes all sorts of cute little squeaks.

has quite the little mullet – who knew a mullet could be so adorable?

looks just like nate

loves making faces, and is even trying to smile

likes to look around at his surroundings – especially into light

holds his head out like a turtle and makes a scruncy face when we burp him

is already a star on skype by meeting all of his long-distance relatives

]]> http://www.katemariephotography.com/happily-emmett-after-2-weeks-old-colorado-wedding-photographer/feed/ 10 http://www.katemariephotography.com/bump-day-week-38-colorado-wedding-photographer/ http://www.katemariephotography.com/bump-day-week-38-colorado-wedding-photographer/#comments Thu, 27 Sep 2012 02:57:59 +0000 Kate http://www.katemariephotography.com/?p=2383 the other day, i saw a photo of myself mid-pregnancy. i remember feeling so big, and now i look back and think i look so itty-bitty. little lyon could be coming any day now. any day could be my last day with him in my belly, which means any day could be the biggest i get. phew! i’m soooo excited to meet our little man, and i’m soooo excited to not have a big ‘ol santa belly! it’s been fun, but it’s getting a little out of hand! this belly is just huge!

during the pregnancy, nate and i have tried to take as many belly shots as we can. they weren’t meant to be super artistic – that wasn’t the point. we just wanted to have fun with it (and we did!). lots of them were done just before i’d make a bump day post when nate came home from work – you can tell how tired we both are in our mid-week faces! perfect or not, i love them, and it’s already fun to look back at them and see myself grow! the next long-term series like this will definitely be our little lyon growing – just outside of my belly   here are a few of my favorites from the past 9 months – some of them making their second turn on the blog, and some new

11 weeks and announcing the pregnancy! we were both incredibly excited to spill the beans. i remember my jeans already starting to get tight at this stage, but now i think i look so small!

16 weeks – let the “ate too many cupcakes” belly begin!!

20 weeks and finally finding out it’s a boy – and finally starting to show….kind of.

21 weeks – some days i looked more pregnant than other days.

25 and 27 weeks – i officially have a bump!

and i’m officially wearing yoga pants most days…as proven by the pics, hehe.

29 weeks!

33 weeks. grow, little lyon, grow!!

30 weeks, then 38 weeks.

38!

how far along? 38 weeks.
maternity clothes? of course!
sleep? not so great. the pregnancy insomnia has returned! let’s just say grey’s anatomy has proved very entertaining at 1am.
best moment of the week? shooting my last wedding before baby. i was nervous that i’d pop before the wedding day (or at the wedding!) but everything went great!
movement? rolling around, and hiccups every day.
symptoms: back pain, and huge-ness, but it will all be worth it!
milestones: the car seat is officially installed. we’re ready for him!
miss anything? wine, or better yet, pumpkin beer. with this fall weather, it would be pretty awesome to have one.
food cravings: nothing in particular!
belly button in or out? it’s pretty much just flat now, stretched out to the max!
wedding rings on or off? still on – it’s a miracle i tell ya.
looking forward to: cuddling the little guy

you see, mallory is incredibly sweet. like not a teaspoon-of-sugar-sweet, but a five-pound-bag-of-sugar-sweet. but then when she gets around adam, she somehow gets even sweeter. it’s something pretty amazing to watch. they literally just light up around each other. enjoy some of my favorites from their day in estes park (and see for yourself what i’m talking about)!

the spunky boots added the perfect touch of personality in mal’s outfit.

mallory – you are so stunning. sooo. stunning.

mal’s dad seeing his little girl in her dress.

so sweet, right?

i love me some adorable first looks

first prayer together as a married couple

favorites

the way the light caught mal’s veil…melted me a little bit.

details at the reception were everywhere. and all so cute with just enough mountain-country style mixed in.

i only ate one, i swear

the mr. & mrs. sign on the cupcakes – i mean, really? cutest idea ever!

let the party begin

mallory and adam – congratulations on your marriage and all the wonderful things that are to come for you both!

reception – estes park resort
Cupcakes – friend of bride and groom – Jetson Swayze
Suits – Men’s Warehouse
Dress – Bridal Collection
DJ – DJ Maestro
Flowers – Kim & Company (Kim Morrison)
Flowers in centerpieces – Mal’s Aunt’s grew the flowers in Kansas and Nebraska in their gardens!
Bride’s Boots- Fort Worth Stockyards
Boys Boots- Sheplers
Invitations- friend of bride and groom - Laura Taylor Finer

our third bedroom had been untouched since we moved into our house last year, and now was the time to take it over and decorate for the little lyon! here it is from the start: blank. builder-beige walls. boring light fixture. the pile of wainscotting on the carpet – just a sign of what was to come! we knew we wanted to do wainscotting from the very beginning!

then came my crazy mock-up in week 22. from there, we went crazy with ideas to make the nursery everything we imagined. we decided to have the room be a bit retro, a bit travel inspired, and still a bit baby. cutesy, but not too cutesy. travel themed, but not too travel themed. ya know, just not too much of anything.

here it is! the final product! putting the nursery together was such a fun project to do together. and i love it.

 nate had an idea for a painted mural above little lyon’s changing table/dresser to tie in the travel theme, and some whimsy. he hunted for just the right model airplane, and even incorporated an antique camera to tie in my photography. the little polaroid frames have photos we’ve taken from our travels in them. ya, my hubs, he’s pretty talented

i’ve said it before, and i’ll say it again – i’m a dork. and nate and i are both super detail-oriented. so, when we found the lamp with the teddy bear flying an old airplane, i was hooked. and we made a coaster for the side table made from coins that we’ve collected from our travels.

and the “table”…isn’t a table. it’s a trunk on its side. you don’t really notice it at first, but it ties it all together so well (if i do say so myself…hehehe)

the changing table/dresser that my brother made arrived this week! it’s all kinds of awesome.

little touches – antique movie poster, canvases above the crib that nate designed, and a comfy ottoman as extra seating!

perhaps the most important part of the nursery -

the door guard.

beware.

we made the mobile to go over little lyon’s crib

here it is! the final pano shot!

how far along? 37 weeks.
maternity clothes? of course. and more of nate’s basketball shorts.
sleep? still hit or miss, but not too bad!
best moment of the week? last night, i could feel his heel, and i nudged it one way, and he kicked it back! it was so sweet to have him actually respond!
movement? yes, but not as much. more feet movement than anything else.
symptoms: nothing new, but i’m still huge
milestones: reaching full term!
miss anything? advil. tylenol just isn’t the same.
food cravings: pumpkin!!!! i made some pumpkin-zucchini bread, and it’s pretty much amazing.
belly button in or out? out, way out.
wedding rings on or off? still on. not quite sure how, but still on!
looking forward to: him being here. the countdown is on, and it’s all a waiting game now.

things were totally flipped upside down. but it didn’t matter. becca and jeff were used to fighting for what they want. they’ve lived in different cities – even different states – while planning their wedding. they’ve battled through grad school, and becca even traveled to ecuador to do research. fighting for what they want is nothing new. so, that’s what we did. we made it work. and everything worked out just perfectly. the colorado storm just added some excitement to the day

here are just some of my favorites from their big day!

becca – this dress was made for you!

such a cute look jeff gave becca during the ceremony

i just love the detail in old churches.

since becca is a geophysicist, and jeff is also a scientist, they had hints of geology and organic elements weaved into their decor. the river stones on the table, the tree trunk discs, and even rock candy!

favorite.

becca – your smile just radiates when you look at jeff. so stinkin’ cute.

love. that. dress!

each colorado school of mines graduate gets a hardhat with the color of their graduating class. since the two lovebirds met while attending school there, we had to get a couple shots with their hardhats!

jeff’s request for the wedding: his groom’s cake.

jeff designed becca’s ring, and becca had jeff’s ring made with – you guessed it – rocks. you can’t tell me that’s not adorable

becca and jeff – i’m so happy i got to be a part of your day. i can’t wait to see what’s next for you both!! congratulations!!

getting ready: hotel boulderado

ceremony: sacred heart of jesus catholic church

reception: red lion restaurant

flowers & small cake: whole foods (becca loved that they used all organic ingredients and fair trade flowers)

grooms cake: anything but vanilla

signs & table numbers: carter creations

enjoy some of my favorites from courtney and ben’s wellshire inn wedding!

there’s something about the timelessness of courtney’s dress that i just looove.

ben was on cloud 9 when he saw courtney for the first time.

i’m telling you…their reactions could not have been sweeter.

ben and courtney did something i’ve never seen at a wedding before – they alternated vows. one set of vows, that they shared. he read a line, then she read a line. so creative, and such a perfect way to show them coming together.

just another reason i love having a second shooter! while i get the classic kiss shot from the back of the aisle, shannon got a creative view with all the groomsmen watching.

we always work with videographers to avoid getting in each other’s shots, but i love how you can see the videographer in this shot. it’s like their straight out of a movie.

i love snuggles. they do too

favorite. the romance, and the happiness – all in one.

my shot – on the left. shannon’s shot – on the right. i have the best second shooters….ever

we all know i love me a cute series.

courtney and ben incorporated the fact that their wedding venue was a golf course in cute, subtle details. the argyle. the golf tees. even purple golf balls. hello, adorable!

speeches=total hit.

not your typical first dance!! halfway through, they broke it down

cracks me up every time

i love taking a break during the reception for some sunset photos. it gives the bride and groom a chance to take a few moments together, and soak up the day together. plus, you can’t beat the light. i just love these.

love.

yup, she’s flipping! no lack of “party” at this party

courtney and ben – thank you so much for sharing your day with me. you’re incredible to watch together, and i can’t wait to see what’s next to come for you

it wasn’t just the decorations, and the food, and the gifts, and the games – although those were all far more fabulous than i would have thought. what was so incredible was sitting in a room, and realizing how much this little lyon meant to those in my life. he’s not just going to be our son. he’s going to be a grandson, a great grandson, a nephew, a great nephew. i’ve been so focused on how our lives are going to change, and what it’s going to be like to be a mom, that i lose sight of what he’s going to mean to others. having everyone in one room together and seeing how much he means to everyone was just breathtaking.

my three best friends and sister coordinated the whole shindig (with help from the moms, of course!). they did such a crazy incredible job – and i seriously cannot thank them all enough! and naturally, they decided on lions as the theme. i mean, what else could it be?

have you ever seen such a cute balloon? and the lion pillow – my adorable friend jenny made that. yep, the girl’s got talent.

she also made the thank you cards, and my sister-from-another-mister, amy, made the invitations. go ahead – be jealous of their skills

i can’t believe i’m admitting this, but i forgot my camera at the shower. yup. i, the professional photographer, forgot my camera. i need to go to photographer rehab. asap. i’m glad i can blame pregnancy brain….

thankfully…my friends and family had my back and snapped some cute candids from the actual shower – including my crazy adorable diaper cake (ash – you are the best!) and my lion basket (handmade by jenny). you can’t see it in the picture, but the diaper cake is held together by bottles in the middle…filled with all my favorite candies.  i’ve been in a slight sugar coma all week…mmmmm…

my sister snuck a shirt on my nephew, boedi, when we got to the shower that said “nugget’s cousin”. so cute, i swear i almost died. boedi looks proud to be a big cousin already

guess little lyon’s birthday – all i have to say is he better not be as late as some people guessed!!

my g-ma found these little lion booties and lion blanket and sent them as a gift. the booties are soooo tiny. and the lion hat – ahh! i’m melting…it’s too cute.

by the end of the shower, i felt totally spoiled. we not only had lion-inspired gifts, but we had received so many of our “baby necessity” items that will make our lives much easier once the little man is here. i can’t even say how thankful we are to everyone who gave us gifts and joined us for the special day! i wish i could say thank you a thousand times to everyone that helped with the shower and came to share in the celebration of the little lyon! thank you, thank you – a zillion times over

how far along? 36 weeks.
maternity clothes? yep, and i’m starting to outgrow them… i didn’t think was possible.
sleep? it’s hit or miss, but the past few nights have been great! i think my body finally just gave in and decided to let me sleep.
best moment of the week? definitely my baby shower.
movement? yup! although not as much, since he’s getting more tightly packed in there every day!
symptoms: nothing too crazy, just the whole “being massive thing,” hehe
milestones: this week, i start going to the doctor weekly for the final stretch. i remember when i first visited with the doc and she mentioned “eventually coming every week.” well, “eventually” has officially started!
miss anything? being able to move like a normal human! my belly is actually starting to get in the way!
food cravings: mexican – but that’s not shocking, right?
belly button in or out? out, and the scar i have from a belly button piercing back in the day is looking not-so-happy.
wedding rings on or off? still on. how my fingers haven’t swollen yet is beyond me, but i’m not complaining!
looking forward to: meeting the little man. now that we have all the necessities, and everything is set to go, i just want to meet him (and next week – the final post on the nursery! it’s all coming together!)