Kayla is STUNNING!! Seriously…

And the wedding was super cute too.  It was my first time to Mountain Home, but I think I’ll be back

Book your Senior Portraits before the end of July (your shoot doesn’t have to be in July), and receive:

56 FREE Wallet prints for your Senior & a 2.5″ x 3.5″ Accordion brag-book containing 10 images for Mom

Happy SALE’ing!!

I reached in and pulled out a document that read:

“Pre-Nuptial Agreement, May 31, 2008 – I, Lacy, do hereby freely and whole-heartedly enter into this agreement today.  I promise that I will teat my father-in-law like a king from this day forward, (whenever he’s wearing a tiara).  I promise that my children, his grandchildren, will not be permitted to push him down the stairs in his old age, to make fun of his wrinkles, hair color, or waistline – as long as he buys them toys on a regular basis.  I further more promise that on his birthday each year I will subtract, not add one candle – so I can reduce the carbon emissions and slow global warming.  I will fan him with palm-branches whenever the temperature is over 78 degrees – on the condition that he has not mentioned the Morcon jacket for at least 3 week prior.  (Since he probably can’t ever do that I don’t expect to be buying pal branches any time soon.)  In short, I will do my best to try and be nice to him.  What more can one ask?  Signed Lacy, The Marvelous Miss Lacy (best thing that’s happened to Terry since Shelly!), Witnessed Terry (while holding my shotgun to Lacy’s back).”

I now have this framed in my house for quick reference .  What can I say…I’ve got it all:  Family, spouse, in-law’s and friends that are AMAZING.  Thank you to everyone who was a part of our special day 2 years ago, and thank you to everyone who has come into our lives since then.  D and I love you all!

I was born and raised in this community, and while it has grown by leaps and bounds in my last 26 years, the people have also changed.  It’s no longer the community we use to know.  I no longer know or recognize every person I walk past in the grocery store.  I no longer know everyone that lives on my block.  But with the growth we’ve had here, like in most “Boom Town’s”, also come some huge financial & emotional struggles once the oil rigs move elsewhere.  I was having a pity-party for myself last night while I was talking with my Mom on the phone.  She told me, “Lacy, write down on a piece of paper 5 things that you are grateful for”.  As I was sitting there with my neon orange post-it and sharpie marker…and started smiling.  As I was flooded with thoughts, I was instantly struck with exactly how blessed I am.  Narrow my list of blessings to 5?  Are you kidding me?  I’ve been more than blessed!  Thank you to my Mom for showing me the light, and help me realize what I need to do. 

Today, after also being inspired by photographer Jeremy Cowart, I have joined forces with his project Help-Portrait to hopefully ease the hardships of someone else.  I have also put a shout-out to a few other local photographer’s to help me on this project locally.  If you are a: photographer, hair dresser, makeup artist, or someone that just wants to give back, please contact me to see how you can help!

For anyone else…I’m now putting a shout-out to you.  I want you to spread the word!  I want you to rack your brain and submit names/phone numbers/personal stories to me via email (lacy@momentsbylacy.com) with the subject  line ”PROJECT HELP PORTRAIT” about people (other than yourself)  in our community that are in need.  People that are having a rough spot.  People that don’t have the opportunity to be photographed by a professional, or have their family photographed.  They will recieve a few shots of themselves or their families, along with some free prints.  We will try to get ALL submissions in to be photographed….so I will need a LOT of help here!  The official date for Jeremy’s Help-Portrait is December 4, 2010.  Now…we’ll probably be ankle deep in snow by that time, so we will probably kick off our local Help-Portrait this fall, so GET YOUR SUBMISSIONS IN ASAP!  Don’t put it off.

I’m so excited to kick off this project locally!  Thank you in advance for any and all submissions/volunteers that will take part in this epic community event.  THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU!

So, here’s my inner wedding planner coming out:  a few nuggets of advice on planning your day—-

- LIGHTING:  When you’re searching for a venue for your ceremony, think about the lighting that you’ll have during that time of day.  Too dark and your photographer will need to use flash during your vows, too bright and you’ll be squinting.  If you’re wanting a little help on this, just ask your photographer for their advice!  I could do an ENTIRE POST on this subject alone…but I’ll leave it at that.

-ENGAGEMENT TIME:  It’s fairly normal around here to have a short 3-4 month engagement before the ceremony (mine was 3.5 months).  If you’re not in a rush, take your time planning & finding the perfect “everything” for your day.  Don’t try to cram everything into a small time frame – you’ll inevitably make yourself miserable trying to get everything done in a short amount of time.  I had a few “Bridezilla” moments during my planning – thank goodness my family is so forgiving, or I’d be out on my ear. 

-CEREMONY/RECEPTION TIME:  If you choose to do portraits between the ceremony & reception, be sure to plan enough time between the two that you will still have time to get something to eat after we get all the pictures that you want. 

-RESEARCH:  When planning all the details of your wedding, it’s so easy to get sucked into buying EVERY bridal magazine on every stand in every store you happen to go into.  Although this is what I did…I don’t recommend it.  Those magazines get expensive, and rarely get looked through a second time.  I’m pretty sure I threw away 50 pounds of magazines post-wedding.  Instead, do your research online & bookmark everything you love!  There are a ton of great ideas floating around in cyberspace.  My good friend, and fellow photographer Tonya Peterson and a couple friends just launched Southwestern Bride.  It’s an amazing blog full of great color & detail ideas for your day! 

-FIRST LOOK:  Now, although we’re a region that is steeped in tradition, don’t turn your back on this idea wholly.  The First Look session is where the Bride & Groom get to see each other alone for the first time before the ceremony.  It is such an intimate & special moment.  The Groom gets to see his bride for the first time all alone – not with all of your guests watching him, so if he feels the need to shed a tear or two, he can do that without having his “man” badge snatched up by his best man.  We will then snap a few portraits of the two of you two together-and could possibly do all the family portraits and get those finished so you’ll have more time between the ceremony & reception to eat that delicious food you paid for  & enjoy your guests. 

-DAY AFTER:  Some people don’t want to have their wedding portraits taken at the same place as their ceremony/reception.  Many couples are electing to do a “Day After” shoot.  This can be done anywhere you choose, and is a good option if you don’t love that “orange gym floor in the church” look for your wedding portraits.  Usually the “Day After” shoots are even more fun because you’re not worried about getting your dress, or his tux dirty! 

I’m sure there are other things I will think of that I should have shared with you…but it’s St. Patty’s day and I’m just too excited about going around pinching everyone that isn’t wearing green!!  Don’t worry, I’m safe – D ordered this shirt for me to wear today…of course it’s a Nebraska shirt – Anyone that knows him understands his obsession

I can’t believe she has a family of her very own.  I swear it was just yesterday that we were kids playing out in the play house together, at the neighbor’s house bugging them, or running around her house as I accidentally jabbed my other cousin in the neck with the end of a play rifle as he came around the corner….YEAH, OOPS–sorry Jason

This is their new little addition…idn’t he cute!

This is proud Grandma

CONGRATS YOU GUYS!!

It was FREEZING the day we did Annie’s bridal pictures, and she was a trooper!  We did SO good in the riverbed not getting her gorgeous dress dirty, then when we got to the farm and started with the pictures with Birch’s truck…we got GREASE on it!!!  Thank goodness for wonderful cleaners that can work magic!

It was important to Annie & Birch to have a few pictures with his truck—it has A LOT to do with how they met

Birch called while we were up the canyon doing Annie’s bridals to let us know that the truck was parked and ready and asked for some of just the truck–I was happy to do that with such an awesome truck….

Thanks so much Annie & our helpers (her wonderful mom, sister & friend) along with Birch to make this shoot happen!!

I loved the details for this wedding:  simple, elegant & classic–which describes the bride perfectly.  Rafaela’s family is from equador and a family friend had HUNDREDS of white roses shipped in for the reception. Rafaela’s beautiful mom also foud a few champagne buckets to use as vases for an elegant and romantic touch–I loved this detail, and Rafaela being the sweety she is sent one home with me and my second shooter Meegan.  I also fell in love with Rafaela’s dress, and I think it had something to do with the fact that it reminded me of my own wedding dress-both our dresses were Maggie Sottero’s, which are amazing pieces! I highly recommend them to ANY bride because the detail and the quality are AMAZING.  I’m still trying to figure out what I can do with mine so I can wear it more often–or if I should leave it intact for sentimental/future children reasons.  Any ideas anyone??

Anyway, enough blabbing from me….