Melo Family | Lifestyle Mini Sessions | Riverside, CA

Last May I pushed the 'play again' button my fitness journey. (see the "LKM beast mode journal" here) and it was initially because of this lady featured below with her family. Cindy started her own journey a few months prior and committed it to the public eye. She instagrammed the snot out of sweat. (-grin- there should be a t-shirt for that) I was curious to see what would stick. How long before she slacked... but she didn't. And it was encouraging to me. Convicting actually. I called her up and asked her about T25 and the rest is history. Over the summer we kept in touch, she snagged a mini session this last California visit and I beamed when I saw her...thriving and healthy with her little pod in Riverside. I am honored to capture a piece of this season in their lives. | LKM

(and if you are looking for a coach or just a dose of motivation...go connect with her here. she's wonderful at all that :D)

John + Lauren | A Vintage Private Affair | Destination Wedding | Bisbee, Arizona

John + Lauren // Hosterman Wedding Story

So there is this tiny little historical mining town in the middle of Arizona called Bisbee. It feels straight off of a Hollywood studio set. The aged brick, old signage, red rock set against ivy-covered vintage inns--I was so intrigued. The moment you drive into the narrow roads you are transplanted into this vibe of a vintage city....I'm gonna let the bride, Lauren, take the story from here.

Bisbee is our favorite place to go. It's where we fell in love, where we got engaged, and it was the perfect place to start our lives together. We loved that you can really see a lot of Bisbee in these photos. They capture the essence of this quirky little town!

Meanwhile, John waited to be led downstairs where he would meet his bride...

VENDOR SHOUT OUT // I have to just make a shout-out to my make up artist, Wendy Fiallo, of Wendy Rae Makeup Artistry worked with me for months prior to the big day. During my makeup trial she put my mind at ease and made me so excited about my big day. She is hands down the BEST makeup artist I know. Book her for your makeup for any event. She'll make you look so beautiful and glamorous!

I loved, loved, loved how personal Laura made each photo time...She truly cared about the little details and the moments with the bride and groom...I loved having this "first look".

the girls loved being girly...

Lauren: I'm so glad John and I decided to see each other prior to the ceremony. Those few moments that we had alone really were special and I loved the photos that were captured. Also, getting to take a majority of our pictures before the ceremony really cut down on the time we were away from guests during the reception. Our whole family kept telling us after the wedding how fun taking pictures was! This is something I've never heard before! I've been to weddings and I've always hated waiting around for pictures. Laura made the entire process so much fun though and everyone enjoyed it! 

People made their way upstairs to the private level of Cafe Roka where the small, intimate ceremony took place

I loved getting away with Laura and my groom during the cocktail hour. We feel like Laura really captured the essence of the wedding and of Bisbee in our shoot. When I look at the pictures, I feel like I'm reliving each moment over and over again. 

Laura was so spontaneous! She saw opportunities for great photos and took them...After a few moments of images in the streets of Bisbee, Laura turned and asked if we wanted to take an extra 10-15 minutes to get some even better shots and drive to the outskirts of Bisbee for some last memories....and it was SO worth it! 

We have to take moment for a solid shout out to the entire staff at Cafe Roka! Fred Miller, the banquet manager at Cafe Roka, worked with me for 7 months on every single tiny detail of our ceremony and reception. There were countless emails that he replied. Room measurements he took, menu changes, photos he sent... all of the effort he put in made us feel so at ease with having our wedding at Roka.

Rod, the owner and chef at Cafe Roka, was also a freaking rock star! The day before the wedding, we showed up to decorate and he bent over backwards to ensure everything got set up the way we wanted. He fed us his 5 star food for lunch and dinner the day before the big day AND made the most incredible food for our reception. Our guests kept gushing over how amazing the food was. I've never seen so many to go boxes being used at a wedding before! No one wanted to waste any of the deliciousness! Also, the wait staff at Cafe Roka took care of our guests so well. Huge thank you to them!

John + Lauren, thank you for inviting me into this sliver of your to capture a collection of memories that will be on your walls and in your hearts for the rest of your lives!  You guys are pretty darn special yourselves! | LKM

VENDORS

prep location: Letson Loft Hotel // ceremony & reception location: Cafe Roka // wedding dress: Norman's Bridal // bride's shoes: Dillards // flower girl dresses: Dillard's // make up rtist: Wendy Rae Makeup Artistry // hair: Erica DeFevers // photography: Laura K. Moore Photography

Texture Tuesday | Random Desert Weeds...

After the Tiggas Family session last week, i was driving home and the evening sunbeams caught these weeds on the side of the road. Wanted to share a few of them just because :) 

Oh, and hey, happy cold weather Tucson. We're pushin' mid 70s over here folks. Grab a parka! | LKM

so as i was wrapping the edits of these few textures, my husband Lawson insisted i take that first weed and make it a hard core black and white.... they are the exact same image.... which is your favorite? 

Tiggas Family | Holiday Mini Session | Tucson, Arizona

I met Kandice as a fellow kindergarden mom last year. Over the year, from a distance, I have enjoyed watching the way both she and Matt clearly tag-teamed with the kids...love them together. work together. I love that this session captured a little bit of the tag-teaming as well as #madduxmax's awesome giggles, Micah's nurturing big-brother heart, Capri's fantastic free spirit...and even some sweet kisses between mom and dad. What a sweet, intense season of young life!

oh! And since I just received Kandice's ever-so-thoughftul review a few days ago, here are a few of their thoughts from the session! 

What were key moments that stood out to you during your session / wedding day?: Getting kids to smile for an hour long session isn't easy, and LKM was not only able to get their full attention but she managed to capture their TRUE smiles and their real moments.

What were your highlights about working with LKM?: Throughout the session there was never a moment that felt awkward. Sometimes the camera seems intimidating but LKM made us feel comfortable and she knew what to say to us to get the perfect smile, giggle or big laugh. I loved that she encouraged the kids to just be kids, by playing games and letting them explore with no restrictions, you were there to capture whatever they were going to throw at you!

What would you tell a future client interested in hiring LKM?: If you are looking to capture your real life moments, put your best suit on and let Laura take care of the rest! 

Thank you so much Tiggas Family! Here are a few of their mini session highlights...

Reich Family | An Evening in a Desert Wash // lifestyle portrait session

When Katie was talking to me about what she was hoping from her session, i grinned. She simply wanted to capture this stage. The reality. The story. Them being them. 

So we did just that...

Thank you for letting me be an observer of your family for an evening Josh & Katie. Watching each one of your kids interact, play, learn, watch each other--watching you love them and be a family--I love this story. 

and since i'm still a fan of at least a few old-school traditional sprinkles of "1-2-3" / "everybody is looking at the camera because it is a pose" kind of stuff....here a few final lovelies of the whole family ACTUALLY sitting still for just a moment :)

Seth + Joelle | A Pacific NorthWest Wedding Affair

Seth Weisser + Joelle Miller  // Astoria Oregon

The Weisser wedding was off the hook this summer. Oregon hosted LKM well. If you missed the OREGON feature in general about the whole Pacific Northwest Journey in June, Go Here. 

First there was this city of Astoria. A historical little city up on the northern coast of Oregon that sits so simply. 

Here is Seth + Joelle's wedding story as told by Joelle...

With a bridal party of nine it takes a very generous salon to provide space and Champaign for all- and we found the perfect one! Prep time was so fun. The first time in a week I let my mind forget about everything that needed to be done and just let it sink it that it was my wedding day. My wedding day!

After the beautification process, Seth and I finally got to see one another. It was actually Laura who convinced us of the benefits of a first look while discussing photography plans. THANK YOU! That time, those moments just between us on our wedding day are some of our favorite moments. We met on "our bridge". The bridge we had first found late at night on a rainy and cold walk before we were dating- I was so taken with it, and with Seth, and then he asked me to dance. Months after he asked me to be his girlfriend in the same spot, and later set up a beautiful proposal, and then we got to share our first moments together on our wedding day on that bridge as well!

The wedding party joined us after- pictures in the breezy, chilly air were so much fun. One of my favorite, favorite things of all the wedding details were how my bridesmaids looked. Curls, pearls, neutral colors, and darling shoes on all my best friends made me so happy! 

A growing most FAVORITE thing with couple's who choose to do a FIRST LOOK, is the amount of time you can have with family BEFORE the wedding. It is relaxed. People aren't waiting on you. The Weisser and Miller clan was an enormous group of people who were hilarious and spread out all over the country save weddings of siblings and friends they get to come to. So this picture time was precious. We hung out. We laughed. We watched...it was a great prelude to ceremony time...

The ceremony is almost a blur, but a beautiful one! Standing in front of most everyone you love and proclaiming your love for each other, and for the Lord, is a beautiful thing. We kept saying beforehand that we wanted people to know that we loved Jesus first, that he was the reason for us, and we had so many of our guests tell us just that. Such an answer to prayer! Our vows were a highlight. Honest words from our fragile hearts of just how much we love and want to serve the other, and serve with the other, for the rest of our lives. It was beautiful to hear and to share. I know keep those words in my bible and read them so often!

After the ceremony, Seth & Joelle took some time to be alone and take some pretty authentic lovely pictures up in the hills and suburbs of Astoria.

 The reception was a fantastic party! So many people came from all over the country to celebrate! 

We rode away on bicycles- in true Oregonian style! The bikes were ones that Seth had bought from second hand stores and restored himself. Riding away in clouds of sparkly confetti was like magic for me, but Seth recalls being pelted in the face with those confetti clouds and falling behind me on the ride. That cool air felt incredible!

VENDORS

Location: Astoria Event Center // MUAH: Salone Boheme // Bride's Dress: David's Bridal // Groomsmen Outfits: Express // Flowers: Costco

Astoria, Oregon | Weisser Wedding Teaser | Texture Tuesday

This is texture tuesday is a teaser. Tomorrow a wedding is gonna hit the blog and you're gonna see a few things.... you're gonna see some green. and then you are going to see some coastal fog. and then you are gonna feast your eyes on one big happy family of a wedding party in Astoria, Oregon. These few details are part of the 'setting' of their wedding day...moody, confident and full of life...see you tomorrow.

Joy, 

LKM

Andrew + Jen's DIY Backyard Wedding | San Jose, CA

Andrew & Jen had an incredible backyard wedding in San Jose this summer. (You might remember their faces from their Manhattan Beach Engagement Session in the spring). It was small, intimate, relaxed, full of laughter and brightly lit with warm sunshine bursting through garden roses and all sorts of DIY details.

The ladies got ready at a good friend's salon, ate In-N-Out and caught up on memories and "remember-whens"...

Andrew + Jen chose to have  FIRST LOOK moment primarily to make sure they could truly enjoy each other for some private time...and THEN take a lot of relaxed pictures with wedding party, family...

Wedding Party caught up with them at the park and the timing was perfect. There was a breeze, their was leisure, there were picnic blankets and grown men playing on swings and see saws. Just couldn't have been better.

While the rest of the wedding party made way to Jen's aunts house where the festivities were being hosted, Andrew & Jen stayed behind for a few sweetheart portraits...

We were able to snag a few more relaxed family portraits pre-ceremony with Jen's fam...

And then the bride hid with dad while guests trickled in to sit on fold up chair under a picnic awning laced with branches and burlap, hemp string and garden flowers...The ceremony began and...I am again so tickled by how no FIRST LOOK or anything can take away from a groom watching his bride come down the aisle. It is special in and of itself... They incorporated several special jewish traditions into the ceremony, the audience participated, bride giggled, groom beamed, they stomped on glass and everybody cheered!

Conveniently aunt owns two homes side by side. A garden door leads from one ceremony backyard straight into a stunning modernized bohemian / understated alice-in-wonderland kind of patio. They hired a catering company to serve and keep the wine flowing. It was a simple sort of family affair. The perfect kind. Where laughter meets dancing at the intersection of newlywed.

While guests partied freely, A + J skipped out for a few minutes to grab some casual neighborhood sweetheart shots. We captured them on the sidewalk where sunbeams were sending their fareawells. We walked down the street that they'd remember as their wedding day street. They kissed fiercely. Loved exhuberantly...and then went back to join in on more dancing. Happy Wedding Day folks. This one was a favorite. | lkm

VENDORS

....while most all details seen and captured were DIY or borrowed from friends and family, here is a working list of some of the paces and resources for A + J's detai

Location: Aunt's Backyard // Flowers: Costco // Bride's Shoes: Toms & Ross // MakeUp: Paizleys Salon & Spa // Bridesmaids Dress: Davids Bridal 

The crazy. busy. wonderful. | personal update

We're gonna be a little real this morning. Life is a little bit crazy. I have a few hats that I am responsible for that i feel like i'm holding onto with my dear sweet life while a hard wind is trying to blow it off and make a mess of things. I don't know. Maybe that analogy doesn't work and i'm just being dramatic. Lets just go with...i'm trying to figure things out. 

I'm in my busy portrait season right now. I have more portrait sessions this month that i have had all year combined. That sweet little LKM flash sale a few weeks ago was exactly what i wanted it to be--an incentive to book early so i could shoot early and have a holiday season (theoretically) more focused on my own family and memory-making with my own community instead of working through the season and missing out on much.

This is my job. A joy-filled one. A job and most excellent, intuitive gift from God that breaths life into my daily responsibilities but also demands balance and perspective. daily. (deep breath)

Hello friends. If you are reading my blog because you have been trackin' with me for years, hi and here is my hug. Thanks for being awesome and supportive and touching base and investing into Laura K Moore Photography. If you just happened upon my website and are a stranger--curious and distant from me as a personal human being...welcome to my landing page. I haven't blogged in a while because i'm trying to stay on top of wedding and portrait deadlines. I don't apologize because people are more important than my website traffic or analytics. But i do value excellence. I do recognize how systems work. I do welcome you into my world, if but for a moment, and hope that you have a wonderful week and delight in memories...AND... if I get the privilege of capturing your own memories with you, your family, your beloved, your loved ones this season...i look forward to seeing you soon. 

Happy Tuesday. | LKM

My dear friend hope and I this past weekend at our church's women's retreat. | remembering to have fun, let loose, love much, live lots, learn even when painful and corrective, balance more...

PORTRAIT FLASH SALE: 8 Reasons Why You Want to Tap Into This

LKM 2014 FLASH PORTRAIT SALE 

It's Monday. Day One of the rediculously insane LKM Portrait Flash Sale. I have been hosting a little countdown on facebook in anticipation and glory be, the response has been fantastic! 

Here are 8 reasons why you want to tap into this:

#1. 50% off guys. I'm a clarence junkie. I see this and I'm like, HOOK UP YO. = HAPPINESS. 

#2. Christmas Gift Certificate options just got a whole lot more cool. FOR HALF OFF. #yeababy

#3. You're gonna be like, that super prudent friend with fresh 2014 holiday pictures that are full of life and personality and milestones. #legit

#4. Christmas Cards get out early. Or at least ON TIME. #woah

#5. Two-fers. I.E. Two sessions for the price of one. #zealousmuch? It's a real thing.

#6. Shout out to you awesome entrepreneurs, social media gurus, sales peeps...be on the ball and roll out a fresh face-lift in January? #headshots 

#7. Empty nesters...both pre and post babies... you can strut your sweetheart selves #ownit

Which reason tickels your fancy? You have another reason? Post below in the comments and receive $10 off your session booking. "Share" the link and get another $10 off. Tweet about it.... same deal. You get the picture. Have fun. 

BOOK HERE on our updated "book a session" page!

Look forward to hearing from you!