Sarah + Michael {San Diego Wedding Photography} Engagement Portraits

Sarah and Michael are so much fun!  Sarah worked with my oldest daughter, Heather, at Nordstroms in San Diego and Heather, being the most awesome oldest daughter that she is, heard about Sarah’s engagement to Michael and of course pestered her daily with the fact that she HAD to check out, my, her momma’s website!  Now, anyone that knows my oldest daughter, knows that she can be a bit obsessive until you do what she wants you to do. (Love you Heather Feather!)  But, in this case, it was a win-win all around!  Sarah and Michael are so much fun, and the camera loves them (always a bonus right?!?)  We met at Balboa Park, which is not only gorgeous, but offers so many different options as far as portrait locations.  We stuck mainly to a couple of gardens and after finding out that the Botanical Garden was closed, we headed to Seaport Village for some more fun, some awesome water views and a gorgeous sunset.  A perfect SoCal evening for sure!  

 

Sarah and Michael will be tying the knot at San Bernardo Ranch Inn on September 22nd, 2012 in a small, intimate ceremony, surrounded by their family and closest friends.  I can’t wait to travel west and join them on what is going to prove to be a perfect day!

 

Here are a few of my faves from our session.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Our 2012 Free Wedding Photography Contest WINNERS!!!!!!

Congratulations Gabriela and Alexander of Tucson, AZ!

After much deliberation, we’ve chosen a winner!  Check out their story. You’ll fall in love with them as much as we did!  (And who doesn’t love CHEESECAKE!!?!! )

Congratulations guys! Contact me so we can get together and begin planning your big day!

As told to KristieLynn Photography by Gabriella:

Their love story started in 2008 when Xander was singing for a praise group at La Sierra University.  But it wasn’t until Xander’s sister introduced Gaby that they first spoke.  A few months later Xander finally had the courage to ask Gaby on a date.  A little walk led to a drive and a drive led to a kiss which sparked a fire that made them feel on “Top of the World.” By March 15th, 2009, over a Chocolate Raspberry Cheesecake at The Cheesecake Factory, it became official, Gaby and Xander were off the market and belonged only to each other. With God’s guidance, their like grew into love for one another and their passion brought them closer together. It was fairytale love but their biggest test was yet to come.  As Xander left La Sierra to go to Loma Linda University to pursue his doctorate degree, he was moving away from his special someone, his one and only love, Gaby. At their final day at La Sierra, they made a promise that would last until they declared their eternal love for each other on their wedding day. They promised that every 15th day of the month, as they did in March, they will share a cheesecake from The Cheesecake Factory and complete the full list until the day they say, “I do.” And so it has been, regardless of distance, time or circumstance, through good times and bad, they have continued their tradition only to ignite their firey love for one another even more as each month goes by.  The physical distance between them increased but their love only grew closer and intimate as time went by. By the Fall of 2009, Xander decided he could no longer live so far away from his love. He decided to live next to Gaby’s campus so they could once again see each other everyday. It was that day, that Xander knew he wanted to share his love with Gaby and only Gaby, forever. There was no distance or force that could tear this couple apart. Through the peaks and valleys that relationships go through, and by the grace of God, it was their promise that they wanted to be together and in love forever that kept them moving forward. By the grace of God it was that promise that has kept this couple together month upon month, year upon year, cheesecake upon cheesecake. Finally, 23 cheesecakes later, Xander proposed a question to his love, Gaby on a “Night that changed our lives forever…”

Their wedding will take place on July 15th, 2012.

Renee + Andrew <3 Arizona Engagement Photography~ Phoenix Wedding Photographer

Last week I had the absolute pleasure of photographing “Miss Graham” and her handsome other half, Andrew down near Tempe Town Lake.  ”Miss Graham” forever now referred to as Renee, you see, was my Kylie’s 2nd grade teacher for the short time she was in the 2nd grade. (She skipped ahead to third down here in sunny AZ!)  Renee and Andrew had originally planned a spring break wedding to coincide with her built in time away from her students, but plans changed when Mr. Van Allen decided to join the Army.  Now, the wedding is taking place in Feb.  just a very SHORT MONTH AWAY!!!

Now, I’ll admit…I wasn’t quite sure what to expect.  Would she be nervous being that I was a former (barely) student’s mom?  Nope!  Would Andrew relax in front of the camera? Most guys take a while to warm up to the camera, unless they’ve previously modeled since the age of 3…Not Andrew! This pair was sooo much fun to work with.  They both made my job super duper easy, which we all know is a major plus in any line of work, but especially mine!  So, without further ado, please enjoy the day we had from wherever you are, be it sunny AZ, or the cold north.  A perfectly calm, 78 degree January day at the lake! Thanks guys! I can’t wait to share your day with you again!

 

 

With this ring…I thee wed. Jenn and Tyler~ Arizona Wedding Photographer~ Phoenix, AZ

I had the pleasure recently of sharing the day with a very special couple, Jenn and Tyler. Tyler had just returned from his tour of duty in Iraq and they wanted their garden dream wedding, but weren’t sure how it was all going to happen on a soldier’s pay scale and very little planning time.  It turns out, there were quite a few people willing to step in and help this young couple realize their dream.  The venue, The Japanese Friendship Gardens of Phoenix was donated, and Channel 12 News covered the event. And that’s just for starters!

The day didn’t go off without it’s challenges, namely pouring rain in our great, normally sunny and DRY desert, but the clouds parted and it dried out just moments before the ceremony, leaving us all with a gorgeous day ahead. Let’s not mention the the fact that Jenn, our gorgeous bride had badly sprained her ankle days before the big event and was in a walking splint!!  Albeit a very blingy (see pics) decked out in zebra walking boot! It was perfect!

I can only wish these two the best.  Thank you again Tyler for your service to your country, and Jenn, just keep smiling! You’ll be together again soon! FOR GOOD!

ABSOLUTELY GORGEOUS!

And they lived Happily. Ever. After.

2012 Free Wedding Photography Contest!~ AZ wedding Photographer

It’s TIME! Who want’s some free wedding photography in 2012? Do you know a fantastic, deserving, completely head over heels in love couple?
Have they fallen on hard times?
Do they give back to their community and/or those they love without asking for anything in return?
Do they just dog-gone deserve it? Well then….continue reading!!

Why am I doing this?
I absolutely love photographing weddings and count it a blessing to participate in so many wedding day celebrations. I want to be able to give back some of that blessing by lending my time and talents to one couple.

What does the couple get?
Wedding coverage from KristieLynn Photography & Design We’ll be with you when you get ready right through to the reception where everyone lets loose. It’s about 9 hours of coverage (depending on your schedule). We’ll then edit the photos and get them to you on disk, ready for printing. We’ll also upload the files to an online gallery that you can share with family and friends.

But wait… there’s more!

I’m also offering a Totally Awesome and TOTALLY FREE Engagement session at your choice of location (local only) PLUS a custom designed hardcover photographic guest book for all of your fantastic guests to leave you notes of adoration and advice in. These are always a HUGE hit, and a great keepsake to look back on!
The couple, a family member or their friends submit the couple’s story via email to kristie@kristielynnphotography.com. The stories will be read by me, my spouse, and another objective party (or 3 if we really can’t make up our minds). We will choose a couple and announce the lucky couple by February 14th, 2012! (That’s Valentine’s day! What a great gift!) . If you aren’t the couple submitting an entry, please confirm with them that they don’t already have a photographer before you enter them in the contest.

Are there any rules?

• The couple must be getting married in 2012 and not have already booked a photographer. The date must be open on both of our calendars  If we  aren’t available for your wedding, we’ll let you know right away.
• The wedding has to be anywhere in the world. (Travel expenses ONLY outside of 150 miles of Surprise, AZ are to be covered by bride/groom)
• You must be real.
• You must be willing to sit back, relax and have your day beautifully captured by me and my equally talented second shooter. Just have fun! We’ve got this!

What do we need from you?

• The bride and groom’s first and last names and their contact information.
• The couple’s story (this is HUGE!) – how they met, got engaged, and why they should be chosen for free wedding coverage – anything fun you want us to know about them.
• The wedding date and locations (of the ceremony, reception, etc – whatever may be known).

• A photo of the couple. This will be used on the blog post when we announce the final couple.

Where and when do we send our submissions?
Email entry submissions and any questions you may have to kristie@kristielynnphotography.com  And remember, submissions are due by February 10, 2012 at midnight PST.

Shout it from the rooftops (ok, from your FB wall is fine too )
We’d absolutely love it if you took a moment right now to yell really loud!

Happy Halloween Family Session~ Phoenix, AZ Family Portrait Photographer

This was a fun and quick session with a great little family, in a quite unorthodox location….a Glendale CEMETERY!!!  Eva is a friend of another client, and we were originally going to do newborn pics for her little guy, who was a preemie but between conflicting schedules, sick babies and lack of time, we didn’t get around to it until now.  But that’s ok, because I got to meet the entire family this time! Big brother Aiden, who is 6, has special needs, and is just a complete doll! We hit it off right away, and I’ll be doing a Hero Session for him very soon through Inspiration Through Art, which is a FANTASTIC group of volunteer photographers that provide free sessions to children with chronic, and terminal conditions and illnesses.  Baby brother Shawn is nearing 6 months and is just precious.  He was full of smiles until he decided he’d had enough of me bothering him, and Mom and Dad were relaxed and natural!   Here is a quick sneak peek! I’ll be posting more later in the week! I’m swimming in a see of editing and homework!

Enjoy!

Ryan & Tylar ~Mormon Lake Lodge, Mormon Lake, AZ Wedding Photographer~

Oh wow, where do I even start? Ryan and Tylar’s big day made me fall in love with weddings all over again. I’ll be completely honest when I say I’d fallen in a big rut in the past few months, questioning what I do, how I do it, and if I’m good enough. Yep, that was a secret…but since it’s no longer true, I can fully admit it. I LOVE MY JOB! Period. End of Story. That’s all she wrote, folks! Tylar’s DIY wedding at the fantastically rustic Mormon Lake Lodge, in Mormon Lake, AZ,  was decorated impeccably with a mix of autumn colors, meets country charm. From the mason Jar candles on shepherd’s hooks at the ceremony site, to the horse drawn carriage pulled by her husband’s gorgeous horse, Zues (which she arrived in), to the sparrow on the groom’s cake made out of TINY pine cones, every detail was covered. The flowers were insanely gorgeous. And I can’t believe I nearly forgot to mention the LEAVES…fall leaves, in gorgeous shades of red, orange, and purple FLOWN IN from Washington state just for the occasion. Now that is dedication!

Ryan and Tylar have been together nearly 7 years, and I am so glad they chose me to capture their official start of forever together. I couldn’t have done so without my rockstar second shooter, Jenn Wakefield of Jennifer Wakefield Photography in Prescott, AZ. If you are in Northern, AZ and need a great photographer, she’s your girl! Thanks Jenn! You are truly appreciated! Now…on to the good stuff!

I heart faces August 15th entry…

Beautiful eyes….need I say more?  This image to me, is ALL ABOUT HER EYES.  When she is serene or solemn, or pensive and thoughtful, they  SHINE.  This is Kylie, my littlest princess. She is all of the aforementioned qualities and more.  She’s going to go places for sure.

The BEAUTIFUL Dusty S.~ Silver City, NM~HS Senior Portrait Photographer~Phoenix, AZ Photographer~

Better late than never I’d say!  I had the awesome privilege of photographing Miss D this past weekend in Silver City, NM.  Dusty is crazy fun, so I knew even though it would be a quick session, we’d have tons of goofy fun!  We braved the scary house w/ the “old lady” in the window and Dusty trapesed into “The Ditch” in 3.5 inch heels to get some fun shots near the water. FYI~ “The Ditch” really IS pretty!  despite the scary snakes!  No worries, I had my snake stick ready haha.  And yes, I did scream when I nearly stepped on a garter snake LOL.  It caught me off guard!!  I’m really not scared of snakes! Well, those w/o rattles on the ends of their tail that is !  So, without further ado, here is Miss Dusty’s sneak peek! I’ll have the rest up in a day or two!
To the rest of the 2012 SILVER HIGH SENIORS…I WILL be scheduling sessions in Silver and Deming this summer during TWO select weeks! Sessions will be “plentiful, but limited!” So get out from under that old school vibe and try something new! You won’t be disappointed!!

K~