Ashley and Luis Engagement

As I stood on the doorstep getting ready to ring the doorbell, I took a deep breath to ease my nerves. I was immediately greeted by a warm smile and two adorable dogs. Luis politely invited me inside as we waited for Ashley to finish getting ready. This was my first time meeting them, as I was referred to them by my best friend's sister.

I always get nervous before meeting people for the first time, afraid I'm going to say the wrong thing and make a complete fool out of myself. However, once Ashley descended the stairs, I quickly realized why Luis was so smitten by her. She has this electric smile and adorable laugh that immediately puts everyone around her at ease.

These two were easy peasy to photograph as they were constantly laughing and giggly. I almost couldn't handle all the cuteness they were throwing my way. We spent the day exploring the gorgeous grounds of the Deering Estate and the bustling streets of Coconut Grove.

Ashley and Luis, thank you so much for allowing me to be a part of this special day in your lives. I'm so excited for you and what the future holds. I know you're going to start off your marriage with an awesome rocking party in Las Vegas. =)

Blair Family

When I walked up to greet Michelle, Bo and their two adorable sons, Eric and Caden, I quietly thanked the photo gods (and my good friend Melanie who referred them) for blessing me with such a beautiful family. They looked like they were straight out of a magazine.

We spent the afternoon playing baseball, tossing the football around, and even had some fun with bubbles. The beautiful moss covered oak trees of the ridge made for a gorgeous back drop and I just stepped back and watched as they interacted as a family. I'll keep it real and say there were a fair share of tantrums and sour faces, but what family doesn't?

At the end of the day though, what stays in my memories of this family is the laughter, squeals, silly faces, and love that was shared between each other.

Michelle, Bo, Eric, and Caden thank you for inviting me to spend the afternoon with you. Melanie, thank you for trusting me with your family and giving me this opportunity. =)

The handsome Eric...

The adorable Caden...

 I love how uninterested the boys look while Michelle and Bo are smiling at each other

 Michelle you are looking fierce!

My Loves

I have typed and deleted five times now. I just can't express how I feel about this family in words. Nothing sounds good enough or conveys the right emotion. There simply aren't any words for the love I have for them.

My brother, Jason, and his beautiful girls, Terry and Madison, have a very special place in my heart.  Jason tormented and teased me as a kid, like most brothers do, but he's always been looking out for me too. He has the biggest heart and would do anything for his family. Terry is an amazing mother and the sweetest person. She has an awesome laugh that comes from deep within and makes anyone around her laugh too. Madison is the perfect mix of both of them. She has her father's love for animals and her mother's nurturing care. She's a free spirit and a little bit of a wild child. I love her to pieces and can't imagine my life without her.

I was so happy to be able to document their family at this time in their lives. I can only wrangle them up for a family session once a year, but I'll take what I can get. =)

Madison sweetly refers to the dogs as, "my boys."

I couldn't help but post this one. Her face had me bent over in laughter.

Graffiti Walls and High Heels

Yuly loves everything fashion and wanted her quince pictures to represent that. She didn't have the traditional formal white dress, instead she had a gorgeous, short, cream-colored bubble dress that was adorned with silver and pink gems. It represented Yuly's personality perfectly.

Yuly also wanted a lot of bright colors and has a love for graffiti. When I mentioned Jimbo's in Key Biscayne to her, her eyes lit up. It's full of colorful shacks and a graffitied bus. Our first time out shooting we ran out of light quickly and weren't able to make it to Jimbo's in time. I couldn't disappoint her though and I knew how much she really wanted to take pictures there, so we went out again today and grabbed some gorgeous shots at Jimbo's.

Yuly it was truly a pleasure working with you and I hope you lovee the photos. =)

Part 1

Part 2