© 2009 Dena Shipley Photography all rights reserved

I met Brandy Lynn back in October of last year shortly after the fall bridal show in Brazos Valley. She stopped by our table for a brief moment and I knew at that moment I would be seeing her again.

Last Saturday Brandy Lynn & Jason began their happily ever after. The day went smoothly as expected, Brandy Lynn pays very close attention to detail and throughout our correspondence she would email updates on the timeline of the day and what would be occurring when and with whom. The weather was perfect at Messina Hof Winery, and there was a nice breeze blowing against the blue sky perfectly filled with puffs of white clouds.

Thank you Brandy Lynn & Jason for allowing us to share in your beautiful day with you!

I know Brandy is anxious for the sneak peek so I won’t hold you all in anticipation any longer.

Brandy Lynn & Jason, we wish you many years of love, laughter, & beautiful life together!

With much appreciation & love
~D & K

© 2009 Dena Shipley Photography all rights reserved

Today is a special day, my Mom is celebrating 60 years of wisdom, beauty, love and a fabulous life! My Mom is many, many miles from me in California and she is on my mind daily.
She is a huge part of who I am today, & I am forever grateful to her for her love, support, compassion she has given, and her cagillions (yes I made up the word, it’s like a million…only way more!) of x’s and o’s! My birthday post to you today Mom, 3 memories of you to celebrate you today!

Memory 1
It was the first time we (my sister, brother & I) we had seen my mom after nearly a month passing by (at least that is my memory of time, as a child time passing like that goes so slow). Our home had caught fire during the summer in 1980. So, we went to stay with my Aunt, Uncle and our cousin in Sacramento, CA, while my parents dealt with preparing our home for us to live in again. This was a difficult time for the 3 of us; we had never been apart from our parents for more than a night. When the time finally came that we were able to go home, my Aunt took us to my mom’s place of work…she came walking out saw us and was so overwhelmed with I believe joy and emotion of seeing us, she ran the opposite direction in tears. I wondered then as a 10 year old young girl why my mom would run from me, crying…now as a grown woman I know. I know Mom.

Memory 2
One of our many, many trips to John Muir Woods, this one in particular is etched so deeply in mind and fills me with such warm feelings when I think of it. A simple moment when we were all huddled in a burnt out Redwood to snap a photo with the Kodak that will forever be etched in my mind, you were wearing your straw hat that you wore every chance you had and look beautiful in, and your pink, purple and white stripped bathing suit with your white shorts, and one of those smiles that you only see on a mother who is loved to eternity. I adore this moment in our life, the entire day with you, Dad, my sister & brother couldn’t have been more perfect. The dry salami, cheese & crackers, the smell of the air, the light shining through the Redwood branches, your voice reminding us where to step. In one word the memory of that day. Amazing.

Memory 3
The moment I had told you that I had fallen in love…truly fallen in love. Your immediate reaction, was with your loving arms, a hug like no other and the whisper in my ear of I love you, Dena always, my starshine.

As I sit here typing this out with welled eyes from the overwhelming, unconditional, beautiful love that you have given to me through my life Mom. Thank you Mom, for the amazing beautiful memories, thank you for YOU. I want to tell you, I love you always.
Happy Birthday, may this day be filled with more beautiful memories to add to your beautiful life!

xoxoxo
~Dena

Below is a photo of my mom and I from Christmas ‘07

© 2009 Dena Shipley Photography all rights reserved

They met while attending college in Iowa. She brushed him off for while; until she realized he was for real. While dating they both transferred to Sam Houston State University, Jacque majoring in criminal justice and Michael in education. On March 14th. last year they were married and begun their happily ever after life together. This past February, Jacque called me up to meet me and discuss a session to do on their anniversary, telling me how disappointed they were with their wedding photographs and how they longed for some new, amazing & beautiful photos of each other together celebrating their love (after hearing that, all I was hoping for was that I could follow through and make them happy and love their images of love for each other)…so that was the plan to capture their love, and it was also their gift to each other for their first year of marriage.

When I finally met Jacque & Michael here in the studio, we hit it off instantly. Jacque has an amazing smile and laughed the entire time they were here, a little help from Michael and his jokes didn’t hurt either. He makes her happy, it’s obvious…her eyes sparkle from his love! We scheduled their session and were ready to shoot on the 14th, but the unsteady weather at this time of the year here in east Texas brought in a horrible thunderstorm that day and that meant moving the shoot to our “rain day”…

The day arrived and we finally had the chance to have some fun with them this past Saturday.
We met early on that beautiful, crisp & breezy Saturday morning and headed out to Sam Houston State Park, they brought along their dogs Baxter & Laila for some fun shots with them too! There was nothing short of fun and lots of laughs from Jacque; and Michael uses every chance he can to keep her smiling and laughing. Jacque has amazing big b-e-a-u-t-i-f-u-l green eyes as you will see in some of the photos we caught of her.

Jacque & Michael are simply beautiful & fabulous people and it was an honor documenting their love & celebration of their Happily Ever After!

With much love & appreciation…
~D & K