Charlie + Ronika: Tucson Palo Verde Desert Wash & Sunset Bike Ride Engagement Session

Charlie & Ronika are so chill and made my job was painfully easy. I realized that much of their ease would allow me to hush up and let them breathe together. Pre-wedding craziness is at a high and this evening together seemed to be progressively more of a detox "i-love-you-so-much" interlude. And the reminding grace that "oh-my-gosh-i-want-to-be-with-this-person-forever" seemed to wash over them in moments of sweetness and sunbeams...sunset bike rides. I am beyond excited for their wedding at the Tucson Museum of Art. Game on baby. | lkm

EDIT // I asked Ronika for some of the backstory for her and Charlie's wedding day and she gave the sweetest proposal story that i had to add...

Its beginning: The modest rumble of a triumph motorcycle, led me to you that night. I made my way to the door to thank you, Charlie, for the two colorful assorted bouquets. I found you at the end of the steps looking hesitant but sexy in cowboy boots, fitted jeans, button down gray shirt covered by a brown vest. I walked toward the man who I had desired since a young girl. By our third date I realized he was the face I had tried so hard to imagine, a man full integrity, love and a need for adventure. I opened my arms and you embraced me, I felt the slightest trembling running through your skin. You grabbed my hands and looked up at me with a big determined grin and said, “Ronika a year ago today I asked you to hangout and today I wanted ask if you would hang out with me for the rest of your life!” . The man of my dreams took one knee and asked me to marry him. I was altogether beside myself unable to keep tears of happiness from ruling my entire face. My dreams had become a reality this is a moment I shall always remember....Shall we always to choose to love.

Johnny + Lauren | A Red + Black Classy Downtown Engagement Session

{Johnny + Lauren | Downtown Tucson Engagement Session } These two are getting married today!!!! So excited to CELEBRATE with them! | LKM

Curtis & Jenna | Stillwell House | Tucson Wedding Photography

{Curtis & Jenna | Stillwell House , Tucson AZ | August 2012} Curtis & Jenna's  wedding day was full of joy and fresh, simple beautiful friendship frosted with super sweet anticipation. I loved being there. I loved laughing with you girls; i loved waiting for those moments when Curtis would sneak the HUGEST grin; I loved the details. and the food. and the music. friends dancing with friends. the ice cream sandwiches. the sheer weight of commitment and faithfulness and perspective. Curtis & Jenna, hearing you guys tell story and watching you two shift gears and serve alongside each other this last year of marriage has been pretty awesome too! | HAPPY ANNIVERSARY! | LKM

P.S. If you didn't see Curtis & Jenna's engagement session from last summer, their cuteness is worth revisiting HERE. :D

the many faces of Jenna :D and this last, final image is probably one of my top very favorite images ever taken at a wedding. knowing their story. knowing his love for dancing (grin). knowing her gentle affection...it's just one of my favorites. and i found out a few months ago...that it's CURTIS' #1 favorite too! same page.  :)

Arizona Wedding Photography | Catalina Foothills Private Estate | Inspiration: Hippies, Biceps and Burlap | Part Two

{Arizona Wedding Photography | Catalina Foothills Private Estate | Inspiration: Hippies, Biceps and Burlap | Part Two } If you didn't catch Part One go HERE! Brent & Erica's wedding continued on. okay.... i asked Erica to just run into Brent's arms like she did when she saw him the very first time. And unfortunately i didn't catch it, but she totally jumped nearly over him. He barely caught her and this is them laughing so hard about it...

but then we did finally nail it... and then this pretty little girl came to give them a few gifts...something about an inside joke and using random pieces of nature to mean something special....they just giggled a bit about it. i took pictures. and i'll never know the rest of the story. and then it was cake time :)i love succulents. I'm convinced God had fun when he was making the whole breed of succulents. they are hardy. unique. and beautiful when displayed appropriately spun around to catch this little tike enjoying his first lime...:) the wedding was at this awesome private estate that used to be a "Bed-N-Breakfast" in the Catalina Foothills. They kept things casual and low key by having the dance party in the drive way...

love this last one. it's just an amazing picture of surrender...:)Thank you so much for letting me be part of your wedding day Brent & Erica. Seriously can't stop grinning about the laughs and funny moments. I totally felt at home with you and your family! | joy, LKM

Arizona Wedding Photography | Catalina Foothills Private Estate | Inspiration: Hippies, Biceps and Burlap | Part One

{Arizona Wedding Photography | Catalina Foothills Private Estate | Inspiration: Hippies, Biceps and Burlap}

Brent & Erica are beasts. They love the outdoors, thrive in physical activity, boast of outdoing eachother's push-up count--the first conversation I had with them immediately turned to Erica's emphatic insistence that humans have simply forgotten that were were designed to run and 50 miles is no biggee. riiiiight... They are a hoot. And madly in love. Since they actually had a destination wedding in Tucson and had to plan their wedding long-distance from Colorado, Erica's mom and aunt were the wedding planners. I met with them first and legitimately choked on coffee the entire time because I was laughing so hard. Laughter just runs in the veins of these people. It's incredible. I was STOKED to be able to capture the laughter on such a special day...They warned me prior to meeting Erica...'she's no frills. totally relaxed. no crazy demands. pretty hippie'...and when I met the bride-to-be--ms. blue eyes and blonde dreads  she simply said..."Just do your thing. I'm not even sure what I want...except that people are happy; that we look happy--stay happy." And to quote one of my movies: "Their happy was so very LOUD." | lkmErica had these awesome uber-hippie  sandals made from scratch. real leather. tanned and stained just for her. she also wore her grandma's pearls and kept an heirloom of a hankerchief with her throughout the day the prelude to the whole shibang was awesome. so chill. sisters hanging out with cousins. it was great! Erica was such a fun bride! Lori, mom, is an amazing mom. She pretty much made me cry just watching her get weepy throughout the day. And then they had a first look moment...so tender and special. They couldn't WAIT to be together that morning. And as soon as she, literally, flew up into his arms, it was like a very definitive "start" switch was flipped. like the day had officially started and they were going to be side by side the whole way through. biggest. bouquet. ever. they totally insisted on this pose...boys, boys, boys. (props to my 2nd shooter Tony Bernardo for snatching this shot below) (check back for PART TWO tomorrow!)

Lauren | Ventana Canyon Couture Bridal Session | Tucson Wedding Photographer

{Lauren | Ventana Canyon Couture Bridal Session | Tucson Wedding Photographer}

Lauren's grandmother MADE her incredible wedding dress.  Jaw-dropping right? Hand-laced. Hand-loved. I haven't been able to do very many bridal sessions and it was extraordinary. The ability to relax, capture these still moments in this one of a kind dress, laugh and giggle a bit with the bride-to-be, practice moving and enjoying her wedding dress ...it was really special. I'm so glad we did this Lauren. I'm so glad you took the time and thought to honor your grandma and all the sweat, blood and tears that went into this piece of art. You are a joy. | lkm

We specifically wanted to get pictures of grandma actually working on the dress...

and of course grandpa got to sneak in a kiss as well :)

and then we went to go enjoy some of the glowy sunset up in the foothills of the catalina mountains

Joy, LKM

Andy + Autumn | Cowboy Meets Cowgirl | Tucson Engagement Session | Arizona Wedding Photographer

{Andy + Autumn | Cowboy Meets Cowgirl | Tucson Engagement Session | Arizona Wedding Photographer | Make Up & Hair Artist: Dana Buchanan} Autumn specifically contacted me because she said, 'i loved your website! it was clean. simple. and your images were beautiful.' AWESOME SAUCE. I've been processing brand identity behind the scenes for awhile now. I'm keeping things clean and simple until i figure it out. And apparently that's just fine because i got to meet, greet and laugh with two awesome little love birds who were precious to shoot. Her gentleness with him was my favorite part. Autumn adores Andy. And I can just tell it makes him walk 10 feet taller. He adores her back. And it makes her eyes dance like a million sunbeams...(grin)...too sappy for you? feast your eyeballs then and swoon later. | lkm

(above) she made those cute little placks herself. so crafty. i'm pretty jealous of craft people ya know. :) (below) Seriously. Her skin is flawless! I went to go do air brushing...and i was like, "uhm...well, i guess i could...nope. not really..."... this next series in the orange trees are some of my favorites. he just holds her...and she drinks in his embrace. a boy and his gun...and his girl. :) Andy is going to be deployed soon. Not sure where. Not sure when. Not sure for how long. But by golly, this will just have to be their FIRST of many sweetheart shoots...one day we're gonna have ourselves a WEDDING! Love you guys! | LKM

Amir + Maribel | Tucson, Arizona Wedding Photographer | Reflections at the Buttes | Inspiration: Pink, Silver, Sparkle | PART ONE

{Amir + Maribel | Tucson, Arizona Wedding Photographer | Reflections at the Buttes | Inspiration: Pink, Silver, Sparkle}

Since I met Amir & Maribel at an expo last May we've had coffee dates, email convos, phone chats, and shot a 3 part engagement session (Go HERE to see highlights from their engagement session!). Come wedding time they trusted me and we laughed a bunch! They're wedding party was  great--friends supporting each other and celebrating! We had a few inside jokes to tease about, they're friends and family were very gracious, and their wedding....well, here are the highlights! Here is PART ONE of their sophisticated and classy wedding!

oh munchkin face ... :)lil' girls :) Mari, you are absolutely stunning!

gorgeous bouquet! cool ring holder yea?!So so suave. :) Nothin' like a daddy-daughter cuddle right before show time :) the studs Reflections at the Buttes is gorgeous!  check out this shot below! my second shooter, heather, snagged it right as the couple were saying 'I do'... gah. love it! props heather!

pure joy!STAY TUNED FOR PART TWO!!!

Mike + Roni | Amado Territory Inn | Southwest Arizona Wedding Photography

{Mike + Roni | Amando Territory Inn | Southwest Arizona Wedding Photography | 09.15.2012} This was a unique wedding experience for me. I don't normally offer 'short and sweet' wedding photography coverage packages but new that I'd be pushing my capacity (have i mentionend I'm 9 months pregnant?)  if i signed up for anything longer come September. :) Mike + Roni were emphatic about wanting me to cover their wedding day but had to get creative with budget. We whipped up a special little contract  for me to come do a few hours and it was great. I'm so glad I got to capture some of the little details; be part of the preliminary laughs and inside jokes; observe crazy hiccups that have to be grinned and giggled through. (Yay for bridesman losing his trousers 15 minutes before the ceremony!) Congrats Mike & Roni! Thank you for letting me be part of your wedding day! | lkm Roni actually did the cake herself! amazing wedding shoes :) pink & lime green details :) large and in charge... / really cool photo booth set up! studly ring bearers :) Happy one-month anniversary you two! :D

Mark + Leanna | Arizona Urban Flare & Railroad Fun | Engagement Session

{Mark + Leanna | Engagement Session |  E Downtown Tucson, Arizona | August 2012 } Mark &  Leanna were a treat to shoot! The sun was great, the weather was perfect and the more we laughed the more 'at ease' the lovebirds became. If I'm not mistaken, Mark got increasingly giddy as he smooched and loved on his future bride. I think one of my most favorite things is whatching a couple just fall into place. Taking pictures isn't easy. Posing can be awkward. Kissing on command sometimes feels weird. But by the end of M+L's session Leanna was blushing, Mark was beaming and I just glowed with deep satisfaction. Not to mention, I got home from the shoot and promptly sat down with my husband to show him a few favorites. To which he replied, "Sheesh. He's beautiful!" I think he has a man crush. Weird... In my opinion, I can't get over Leanna's baby blues. Or are they green? I'm so conflicted. :D | lkm

Thank you so much for hangin' out Mark & Leanna. I hope you had as much fun as I did! :) | lkm