Kim & Michael are Married-PART 2!! - Jacksonville, FL Wedding Photographer

It's past midnight here in Sweden, but I believe it's only 7 PM over there in Jacksonville, so therefore, I'm still wide awake :) I also get to blog Kim and Michael's wedding pictures-YAY!! I've been looking forward to this wonderful couple's beautiful wedding since last Fall. Kim is very organized and very detailed person, and I wish I could be like that 100% of the time. I have my moments ;) Their New Orleans-themed wedding was amazing!! They had their wedding ceremony at Chet's Creek and their reception at the Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens.

New Orleans Mardi Gras colors such as the orange and green were pretty dominant in their wedding hues. The bridesmaids' beautiful green orchids in their hair and orange bouquets complimented well with their black dresses. Also, it won't be like New Orleans without the Jazz band, beads, and Cajun yumminess!

Kim and Michael, we wish you two the best of everything!! Congratulations and thank you SO much for having Bobby and I be a part of your special day!! We love you both (and your families!) ;)

XOXO

>>CLICK HERE FOR THEIR FUN SLIDESHOW

>>CLICK HERE FOR THEIR FUN SLIDESHOW

THEIR LOVE STORY:

How did he propose to you?

Michael and I got engaged on September 28, 2009; also known as my 25th birthday! Michael planned a "surprise" birthday party for me at our favorite restaurant, The Funky Monkey Wine Company in Orlando, FL. To my complete surprise, we were greeted by 20 of our closest friends and family.

After we ordered dinner Ashley, the wonderful event manager at FMWC, announced to the table they had a "special birthday toast" for me, and would Michael mind reading the instructions for the toast. Michael read the card instructing everyone to find the numbered card under their wine glass, and please read them in order of the numbers.

Here are a few highlights of what they said...

Instructions: Instructions for this celebratory toast: Everyone is to read their card aloud in order, starting with 1 to 25. Once the card is read, the server will fill your glass with Champagne. Will the person with #1 please start, then #2 and so on...

Card 1: This story begins in February 2008: Michael and Kim meet on Match.com

Card 2: March 13, 2008: After weeks of talking online and on the phone, they finally meet in person, First date at The Funky Monkey Wine Company.

Card 3: March 27, 2008: Four dates later, after overcoming Michael's shyness, they finally have their First Kiss.

...

Card 7: May 4, 2008: Kim and Michael host their First dinner party together; "Quatro de Mayo"

Card 8: June 2, 2008: Kim and Michael enjoy his First birthday together.

...

Card 10: July 3, 2008: Kim and Michael exchange their First "I LOVE YOU"

...

Card 13: September 7, 2008: Kim and Michael enjoy their first NFL game together at the Superdome.

...

Card 15: October 2008: Michael takes Kim to her first UCF tailgate party. Kim is taking baby steps, a game is forthcoming.

Card 16: October 2008: Kim and Michael carve 8 pumpkins for their first Halloween together

...

Card 19: February 2009: Kim and Michael enjoy the scenery at Bok Tower, their first historic site together.

Card 20: February 2009: Michael takes Kim to Daytona for her first speedweeks, next year we are going to a NASCAR Race....

Card 21: March 13, 2009: They spend their First Anniversary at The Funky Monkey Wine Company.

...

Card 23: July 2009: They spend their First 4th of July together. Michael's favorite holiday, Fireworks!!! August 2009: They start to plan their move to Jacksonville and view numerous homes in the area.

Card 24: September 2009: Kim and Michael celebrate their 18 month anniversary. The band accepted their bid on their future home together on South Swimming Salmon Place in Jacksonville.

(Michael read this one) Card 25: On September 1, 2009, I asked Theresa and Chris for their daughter's hand in marriage. After a discussion of their expectations of me in our life ahead, they said "Yes!"... This story does not end here. Kim, over the last 564 days we have gotten to know each other. I have fallen in love with you; I love you and want to spend the rest of my life with you.

And then Michael said some very nice things to his parents and mine, and then *drumroll*

Got down on one knee and asked me to marry him!

Needless to say, the answer was a resounding YES!

This was such an amazing way to ask me to be his wife, and I was so happy and touched that our friends and family could be there to share it with us.

Good one, babe! :^)

Describe your wedding dress?

My dress was very sleek and simple, with off the shoulder straps and delicate rouching on the side. My mom and I hand stitched a scalloped beaded trim to the bottom of the dress to add a little more sparkle and vintage flavor to the dress!

Describe your wedding cake?

We opted for a very simple wedding cake with a bird of paradise motif handpainted on the bottom layer, and our monogram on the top. Even more special was our cake topper, made by our friend Mary. The paper dolls are called her Who-Doo Dolls and she even made who-dogs for us, too! We took the dolls with us on our honeymoon and have a ton of pictures with them popping up all over New Orleans.

Describe your flowers?

My flowers were gorgeous! My auntie (also my florist) brought flowers with her from California to make sure we had the perfect ones for the big day! Our bouquets had pincushion protea, orange gerber daisies, brazillia, miracle and circus roses, monkey tails (those awesome spiral-y things!) and green orchids.

What is your favorite wedding detail?

I surprised Michael with a pair of locket cufflinks with a picture of his grandpa inside a few hours before the wedding when we saw each other for the first time. He told me later that he kept his cufflinks open during the entire night so his grandpa could watch. It still makes me tear up!

What was the biggest challenge you had (if any) to overcome while planning your wedding?

My biggest challenge was making time to spend with my almost hubby! In the midst of the planning process, it was important to take a step back and make sure the most important part of the whole wedding wasn’t being left out.

What advice would you give to a newly engaged bride?

Weddings can be really overwhelming if you let them. Identify early, with your groom-to-be, what elements of the wedding are the most important, or “non-negotiables”, to you (a fancy dress or a full bar? Expensive venue or a lavish honeymoon?) and that will really help your decision making process.

WEDDING INGREDIENTS:

- CEREMONY LOCATION - Chet's Creek Church

- RECEPTION LOCATION - Jacksonville Zoo & Gardens

- CATERER - Anthony's Gourmet Catering

- WEDDING COORDINATOR – “Day-Of” coordination by Kim Flowers

- VIDEOGRAPHER - Doug Lewis from Take One Jax

- CAKE - Choux Bakery

- FLORIST - Happy Daisies by Kathy Johnston

- OFFICIANT - Spike Hogan

- HAIR - Brett Stalnaker and Kayla McDonald

- MAKE-UP - Paulina Perez Sylvestre

- ENTERTAINMENT (DJ/BAND) - Herman Nazworth (DJ) and JB and Lisa Kelly Scott (Dixieland Jazz Band)

- WEDDING DRESS - Alfred Angelo

- BRIDESMAIDS DRESSES - Alfred Angelo

- GROOM AND GROOMSMEN WEAR - Men's Warehouse (Town Center)

- Photobooth – PhotoMagic of Florida

Pictage Partner Conference 2009 - New Orleans

Earlier this month, a couple of photographers, Gwen and Kristen, and I took a road trip to NOLA for the Pictage's PartnerCon, where we got to meet and learn from the celebrity photographers such as (Mike Colon, Carlos Baez, Justin and Mary Marantz, Dane Sanders, Jules Bianchi, Kevin Kubota, and so many more) in the wedding industry. I also got the chance to review different album companies, as well, such as Zookbinder, Kiss, Asuka Book, Leather Craftsmen, and Couture Book. I'm really excited to offer more album varieties for 2010 :)

Although, I was in a beautiful city like New Orleans for the conference, I must say that I didn't take a lot of pictures (granted I was also at a photographer conference!). I mainly took pictures with my iPhone 3G S, which was more convenient ;-)

I left the conference feeling inspired, and I'm going over right now a new business plan for 2010. With prayers and support (thank you!), I'm re-designing my business models. Lots of wonderful things are on the horizon, and I'm aiming high!! :-D

Practicing w/ the 7D camera at the Canon booth

Mike Colon getting ready for his presentation

Trying to find my shooting workshop group

The bride at Sara France's shooting workshop

This is one of the props used at Sara France's shooting workshop

Close-up image ;-)

Kevin Kubota getting everyone together for Jules Bianchi's shooting workshop

Took this picture by accident, and I kinda like it :)

Washington Square Park

Where Gwen, Kristen, and I ate lunch before leaving back for Jacksonville

I'm loving the lighting in this picture even if it's "trash" that I'm taking a picture of.. oh well :)

French Quarter

On our way to Cafe Du Monde :)

Cafe Du Monde--gotta love the beignets!!

Here's a photo collage of pictures from my iPhone :)

The Lying Down Game

Pointless and seems kind of dumb, but I love it! I never heard of this trendy game before until last week at Jules Bianchi's Pictage Partner Conference photo-shooting workshop in New Orleans (which I will blog more about later!) :) It all started out when the awesome Kevin Kubota tagged along to our group shoot, and then he laid down on the train tracks. He caught me by surprise, but some of us including myself went along with it and did the same thing :)

Apparently, this is a world-wide craze! The website is not as updated, but there a lot of funny photos in its official Facebook page. Check 'em out and hey, go out there and have fun! Then tell me all about it and share your pictures. If you already have your own, please share and let me know where I can view it :)

Click here for the website page

Click here for the Facebook page

Enjoy!

Here's Kevin starting the lying down game!

Handed my camera to Erin Saldana to take this shot :) Thanks, girl!

I'm actually in this picture, and I'm the one in the white at the very end (starting from the bottom of the picture)!

Handed my camera to Kevin to take this group shot and gotta love Jules Bianchi for lying down :)

Pictage User Group (PUG)

It's always fun to network with other photographers, and back in July when I was up in Asheville, NC, I had the chance to attend the Asheville PUG (Pictage User Group) and meet a lot of COOL photographers like Regina Holder, Corey McNabb, Jarrad Lister, and Craig & Lindsey Mahaffey of Sposa Bella Photo.

We have the Jacksonville PUG as well, and it's so fun to get together once a month and either have a business forum or go out on a night shoot :) Earlier this year, the Jacksonville PUG got the chance to get together for a fun night shoot in San Marco area and that was so much fun!

I'm looking forward to going on a road trip with several photogs to New Orleans in November for the Pictage Partner Conference 2009 :) Awesome photogs like Mike Colon, Joe Buissink, Carlos Baez, and the oh-so wonderful Kevin Kubota will be there as well :)

By the way, Pictage is also my third vendor that handles all of my clients' print orders and albums :) It's $99 a month for the membership fee, but I think it's worth it that I don't have to worry about print and album order transactions for every wedding. :)

Here's a couple of pictures from the Asheville PUG:

And here's a couple of pictures from the Jacksonville PUG night shoot earlier this year (I really need a current one!):