I love love LOVE springtime engagement sessions, especially when they're at lush, beautiful locations like the Dallas Arboretum and White Rock Lake. Bensey and Dustin dressed to impress for their session. We discovered we had a lot in common during our session but I think the biggest was our New England roots (well, mine and Bensey's anyway). Their wedding next May will also be at the Arboretum in one of the new gardens (yay!) but I didn't realize how significant the location was to them until Dustin told me: Bensey's father has a greenhouse/garden business back in Connecticut so getting married at a place like the Arboretum was the perfect fit. I love when couples find ways to make their weddings significant like that.

The sun peeked out sporadically throughout the session but the even lighting made for some really beautiful images. Sure does make me excited to come back for their wedding next spring!

To learn more about engagement sessions and wedding packages, you can get in touch with me here! 

Spring weddings can be really tough with all the rain that showers North Texas but luckily it held off for these March nuptials. Meredith and JR's downtown Fort Worth wedding was beautiful and luckily, rain free! I loved how Meredith chose saturated colors for her bouquet and bridesmaids' dresses -- and how cool is that mismatched look?!

Congrats to you, Mr. and Mrs. Mauricio! Thank you for letting me part of your wedding day.

VENDORS:

Photography: Chelsea Q, White // Planning: Treasured Heart Events // MUAH: Stephanie Nelson Makeup & Hair // Venue: Celebration Community Church & 809 at Vickery // Bridesmaid's dresses: Show Me Your Mumu // Floral design: Blushington Blooms // Cake: That's The Cake // DJ: DJ Sean Lee

It's hard for me to believe that four years ago at this time, I was planning my own wedding. The experience was not exactly what I pictured or what wedding magazines make it out to be. Can we be honest for a second? Planning a wedding is hard. Most people I've talked to have not had the picture-perfect Pinterest planning experience but it seems like no one wants to talk about it. Well, today we're going to get real about wedding planning.

Am I doing something wrong if wedding planning is more difficult and stressful than it is joyful?

Oh sweet girl, no no no. Even the most kind and gracious individuals have been thrown for loops when they start planning a huge event like a wedding. Why? Because people get involved.

Truth: Everyone wants to know how this event is going to be significant for them.

Our pastor told us that little nugget of wisdom while we were experiencing some turmoil and it really helped us frame how we interacted with friends and family members. Weddings are a big deal which is why people tend to get emotional about it. Reassure your loved ones that they are important and their presence on your day matters. Involve them in some decision-making so they feel included. Thank them for their time and support of your future marriage.

Truth: Think about how you want to remember yourself during this season a year or two from now.

Can I be honest? There were moments when I wanted to lash out and scream at the top of my lungs. Was a wedding really worth the stress? At the end of the day, we wanted to be married and certainly that could happen is we just eloped ...

Yep, go ahead and throw out the "e" word. It'll make you feel better. If that doesn't help, go for a run, take a bath, or have a vent session with an impartial friend. Find a way to release your stress that does not include screaming matches or slammed doors. While I was engaged, I took a long walk with a dear coworker/friend of mine one day, and she told me about a friend of hers who recently posted on Facebook about regretting how horribly she had treated everyone on her wedding day instead of enjoying the fact that people took time and money to share in their celebration. She regretted it so much she wrote about it on social media on her one year anniversary. Oof.

It made me realize I didn't want to look back and have those same feelings. I wanted to look back and see someone who rolled with the punches, who was gracious and kind, despite the circumstances, and who's focus was on marrying their best friend -- not ripped bridesmaids dresses or limp flowers.

Four years later, I can tell you those little things do not matter, even though we had some big things go wrong on our wedding day (a story for another time). What matters is the marriage covenant you're creating with your husband in the presence of the people who love you most in the world. 

If you're feeling stressed out or just plain want to cry, I want you to know I hear you and I feel you. I remember being where you are. I wish I could take you out to coffee (or let's be serious, WINE), hug you fiercely, and tell you it will all be OK. Because honestly, the moment you say "I do," it'll all melt away and the wedding plans won't matter anymore. Your marriage will. 

You may remember from the fall when I helped The Akola Project with their holiday campaign to tell stories of Dallas women who were moving and shaking in their respective industries. Since the RewardStyle conference is in Dallas this weekend, I thought it would be fun to share some of my favorites from everyone's favorite vintage gal, Brittany Cobb.

Brittany's girl boss story is super inspiring. She started Flea Style back in 2009 and it has grown to multiple cities and multiple events! Hanging out at the Flea Style warehouse for the morning made me want to go rearrange my condo and also go thrifting for some vintage duds. Brittany does it so well. Check out my favorites below!

We've all thought it at one time or another: Man, all I really need is one photo for my {LinkedIn profile, Christmas card, save-the-date, etc.} As a photographer, I hear it all the time. And here's why I never agree to it.

Working with a professional photographer is not like snapping a selfie at Coachella. But, since we're on the topic of cell phone photos, let me use that example for a moment: How many times have you tried to take a selfie or had someone else take a photo of you, and immediately you retook the photo because you didn't like it. Did you move to better light? Did you adjust your hair or your shirt? I bet you did.

It's the same with a pro. I want to put you in the best light, make sure your hair looks perfect, and you look relaxed in front of the camera. If someone were to jump up in your face with a giant camera, would you feel at ease? Probably not. It usually helps to take a few practice shots and get to know the person behind the lens. You will need loosen up, especially if you're feeling nervous. I can assure you that whenever I do a session, the photos taken during the second half of the session are always better and they're my clients favorites. Why? Because they're relaxed and they're used to me directing them. Maybe they've seen the back of my camera so they know how good they look. How long does that take? At least 15-20 minutes minimum.

We as professional photographers work really hard to make sure you love your images. Just taking one does not do our skills or your beauty justice. We tweak the posing and the lighting to make sure it's perfect. We want you to have options in your final product. And although it seems like we could just show up with our camera, click the shutter, jump in our car and head home to send you the image, it doesn't work that way. It takes time for us to take in the environment and place you in the best position. It's taken years of hard work of practicing and learning posing techniques to make sure you look your best. It takes time to edit the photo and send it to you. 

I know sometimes money is an issue and that's why people ask for just a few photos. But consider the investment of a session and how meaningful those images become years down the road. The more time you spend with a photographer at your session, the more creative he or she can be, and the more you will be so glad you spent the time and money that you did.

​If I've convinced you to book a full session (wink wink), you can contact me here to get planning.

Y'all. Ali was the sweetest, most caring bride I have ever worked with and I'm so excited to share her bridals today now that she's a married lady! Ali was a beautiful bride, both inside and out. I've never seen a bride take such good care of her friends and family on her own wedding day. It was such a joy to watch and document the Corona wedding and see how God had been working long before Ali and Jordan even met. Their wedding was beautiful and I can't wait to share!

Until then, here is Ali's bridal session at the Carleen Bright Arboretum near Waco, Texas. Isn't she gorgeous?!

Natural light has become quite a buzzword in the photography world the past few years. We as photographers understand what it means but it can be confusing to clients or people who aren't in the photography world. I've had many conversations with wedding professionals and potential brides alike about all of the misconceptions surrounding natural light photography, and I thought it would be a good time to dispel some of the myths.

​First, let's talk about what natural light photography is and what types of images it produces. Natural light photography means using available light (i.e., the sun) to create an image without the use of additional lighting sources (i.e., flash). You know what creates all those gorgeous, glowing engagement photos you see in your Instagram feed? Natural light. Or what creates light and airy bridal portraits? Natural light. Sure, you can use external lighting to create it but it's not quite the same as the golden hour sunset.

As always, I want to give a disclaimer that all of this information is simply related to my style of photography. There are many photographers I admire who are not natural light photographers and that is OK! It works for them. Natural light and learning to manipulate it to create beautiful images is how I've developed my style and since there are many misconceptions, I want to educate brides about what it means for their wedding day.

​Misconception #1: Natural light photographers will only shoot your wedding if you do a first look.

Truth: In a word, no. In a few words, no no no. Someone told me this one time and it blew my mind. Do I love first looks? Of course. Can I still give you beautiful portraits if you choose not to do a first look? YES! 

If I have a couple who doesn't want to do a first look, I work with them on their ceremony timing to make sure we have enough available natural light after the ceremony to create those beautiful, romantic images they hired me to create. In the photo above, Brooke and Ben did not want to do a first look so we did their portraits after the ceremony and look how gorgeous they are. 

Misconception #2: Natural light photographers can't photograph a reception because it'll be dark.

Truth: Before I answer this (because it's a little sticky), please ask a photographer to see a full wedding gallery before you hire them so you can see what their reception photos look like. Most natural light photographers know how to use their flash enough to photograph your reception but there are a few (likely less experienced) photographers who dub themselves natural light because they do not know how to use their flash. This is a very rare case but it happens. Like I said, look at a photographer's work -- their blog, their portfolio, and their online wedding galleries -- to make sure this doesn't happen. The majority of the time, we work hard to make sure we know our flash and can create beautiful reception photos of your cake and your first dance without making it look like a bad family portrait from the 90s.

In the photo above at Megan and Brandon's wedding, I wanted to preserve the romanticism and emotion of the morning so I set my flash power low so as not to create harsh shadows or a flat image. I think it worked pretty well, don't you?

Misconception #3: Natural light photographers don't know how to use flash or work in dark lighting situations.

Truth: This is sort of related to misconception #2 but I want to expand on using flash in other wedding day situations. Sometimes bridal suites or hotels are really dark. Sometimes churches are really dark and there is not enough available light to photograph without a flash. In those situations, I will put my flash on my camera and again, dial down the power to create soft images that mimic natural light and don't look like bad 90s portraits. Is it my favorite thing to do? No. But I've learned enough over the past few years to know that when it's a complicated lighting situation, flash can save me hours of work in post-processing.

Jasmine and David's New Year's Eve wedding started after the sun set and to make matters more challenging, the chapel was really small and dark. This image was taken with flash but still looks like there was plenty of light flooding in.

So rest assured that if you don't want to do a first look, your wedding photographer can work with that and will also be able to give you beautiful reception images. Natural light photographers prefer to use sunlight as a light source to create beautiful images but that doesn't mean they need the sun. Be sure to check out their wedding galleries if you have any doubts and don't be afraid to ask questions!

Are there other misconceptions about natural light that you'd like to know about? Let me know in the comments!

Alright, friends, it's that time again -- playlist time! Yesterday was officially the first day of spring so I thought it'd be perfect to share my hot-off-the-press (er, record player?) playlist. This week is also apparently the week of concerts for me so I'm feeling very musical. I saw some SXSW bands Sunday at The Rustic in Dallas, Colony House and Knox Hamilton at Trees in Deep Ellum last night and Maren Morris on Thursday to round out the line up. 

I digress. Here's the mix. Get ready to roll down the windows and take the long way home on a lazy Saturday afternoon. Pop open an icy Topo Chico, squeeze some lime and kick your feet up in the backyard. Some of my favorites this time around include "Vinyl" by Fly by Midnight, "1234" by Colony House and "Out to Sea" by Pandas and People. I'd love to know what you think of the mix!

Listen here.

This colorful bohemian wedding editorial was such a dream come true. I photographed it back in November, a time when the world just needs some color -- amiright?! I loved collaborating with the creative team to come up with something a little more unique than your average styled shoot. And it was such an honor to be featured on The Perfect Palette in February! Take a peek at my favorite images below.

Photography: Chelsea Q. White // Styling & planning: Celebrate Colorfully // Bridal shop: Lovely Bride Dallas // MUAH: Hello Flawless Artistry // Jewelry: Shapiro Diamonds // Paper & calligraphy: Gypset Creative // Floral design: Celebrate Colorfully // Ring box: The Mrs Box // Furniture: Beautiful Event Rentals // Film processing: The FIND Lab