Quick preview of Lindsey’s senior pictures! This girl is so photogenic…. it was hard to take a bad picture. These two just stood out right away but I’m excited to sort through the rest of her gorgeous photos!
Orange County Senior Photo
Orange County Senior Photo
When Angela’s mom told me her oldest sister, Vanessa, had written a song for Angela, I knew we had to incorporate it into their film! The moment Vanessa started singing, I could just feel the love between them. I had … Continue reading
The studying is done, tests have been taken and grades are in (good or bad… ). Yes it is most definitely time to celebrate! My friends Adam and Dianna are graduating from the University of Redlands this Saturday and I … Continue reading
This was a little something extra I decided to make for one of my couples, just because! Erika and Justin’s first dance was so sweet 
it brought tears to everyone’s eyes! Their first dance song was “Forever” by Ben Harper. Such a great song…..wedding or not.
This project is SO simple…. ya’ll should try it. I started by opening up the photo in Photoshop elements. Although I’m using Photoshop, you can probably get creative with Microsoft Word or Publisher and achieve the same end product. You may not have as much flexibility but it will still work in the end.
Start with the photo
I then added a fill layer in gray and reduced the opacity to about 50%. This makes it easier for you to read your text in the end.
Add gray fill layer
I found the lyrics to “Forever” just by searching around. Takes no time at all. I copied and pasted the text into a text element in Photoshop, added a few commas and periods so it read more like you would read standard text, instead of like lyrics. I formatted it so it bled over the ends of the photo. I also played with a few fonts and text weights. I found the light version of Kozuka Gothic Pro to be the most legible over my photo and gray fill layer.
Testing fonts…
Last but not least, I wanted to add the date to the photo. This couple’s colors were gray, red and yellow so red was a perfect fit. Even if those weren’t their colors, a red heart always works <3 I printed their date on an 8.5×11 paper several times…. here’s where the trial and error comes in. I had a heart punch but in order to make sure my date was centered, I had to do a few punches and find the best one. Thus, why I printed the date so many times. I kept punching until I got one I was happy with, then just glued it to the image! Make sure you put your picture in the frame first and see what area gets cut off before you glue your heart to the photo. If you had a shadow box or frame with a gap between the photo and the glass, you could use a pop-up glue dot and make it 3D!
Punch punch punch…
I love the end product and I think it’s time for me to make one for myself!
The End!
Don’t let life keep you on the sidelines. Get in the game! http://ow.ly/i/1OeKK
Before dress shopping, choosing your bridesmaids and celebrating with friends and family, the one thing that MUST happen is of course, the proposal! I had the opportunity to film a great friend’s proposal and I felt so privileged to be a part of it. Adam did such a great job! Feel free to check it out here.
When it comes to proposing, some guys shy away from anything too “public” because they’re too nervous or just want something more private. Or possibly they’re afraid she’ll say no! Here are some very brave guys and some amazing proposals!
Proposal in the Sky
A cruel yet awesome way to ask the woman of your dreams to marry you.
All in the Family
A beautiful, romantic and emotional proposal that incorporates their history as a couple, as well as their friends and family.
Disney Themed Proposal
When Holt realized that it was too late to propose to his girlfriend at Disney World, he decided he had to bring Disney World to her! Check out this unique and special proposal!
The 25 Awesome Wedding Proposals
Boys, there are of course an INFINITE number of ways to propose but all that matters is something special for the two of you to remember for the rest of your lives. Oh and hiring someone to film it doesn’t hurt either 
After watching the CreativeLive workshop last week with Sue Bryce and Hailey Bartholomew, I’m going to start my 30 day challenge today! Basically it means filming something everyday for 30 days and putting it together to show a brief look at life in 30 days. I haven’t quite figured out exactly when I’ll be able to film everything, especially because it’s so dark by the time I get off work everyday. I suppose you’ll be seeing a lot of dinners made at home and our cat! Hopefully I’ll be able to get out on the weekends to get some beautiful shots!
Here’s a sample of Hailey’s 30 day challenge. I’m excited to be a bit more creative and film everyday life around me!
It’s short films like this that truly have me inspired lately! Besides the fact that I am COMPLETELY obsessed with Sue Bryce right now (www.inbedwithsue.com), I am so wanting to make a short film like this to tell someone’s story. Her work is so amazing and truly inspiring!
While watching the CreativeLive workshop last week with Sue and Hailey Bartholomew (www.youcantbeserious.com.au), they also premiered the most amazing video. Watch this and tell me it doesn’t convey true, raw, unfiltered emotion. This is such a beautiful documentary that tells the story of a breast and bone cancer patient who continually fights everyday, but always lets her light shine from within. Get the tissues ready!
Quick facts about why video is so awesome
Aunt Sarah, Cousin Joe, that friend you haven’t talked to in 4 years. Creating a guest list for your wedding can sometimes feel like more of a daunting task than planning the rest of your big day. When other people’s feelings get involved it’s often hard to stick to your guns and do what’s right for you and your fiance.
When planning our wedding, I got some VERY helpful advice from my friend Paula….. (shoutout to my girl!). The best way to sort through your friends and family is to put them into 3 separate categories:
A) The “I Will Be So Upset If They Don’t Make It” group: Parents, grandparents, BFF’s, those people you couldn’t imagine your day without.
B) The “I Would Like Them To Come If They Can” crowd: Family members you’re not very close to, coworkers, old college/high school friends you’ve been in some contact with.
C) The “I Won’t Really Notice If They Aren’t There” group: Distant relatives, old friends you feel obligated to invite, others you’re pressured to include.
From here, start cutting! It may be your budget or venue restrictions that require you to lower your numbers but this will help you remember who you want to keep on the list and make it easier to prioritize. The other benefit to reducing your numbers is that you’ll see other quantities decrease…. like favors, invitations, programs and even centerpieces if you can cut down enough.
Another good thing to keep in mind, in most cases an average of 20% of your guest list will decline your invitation. You’ll probably feel a little guilty when you grin after receiving their “no” response but you know it’ll make your budget smile too.
All in all, just remember it’s a day to celebrate with friends and loved ones on YOUR big day. Don’t let others take control of what is ultimately your decision. 
