so this is happening today....
ANNOUNCING: LKM STUDIOS, a new Associate and a letter that started it all....
So it's time. We're making it official. Laura K Moore Photography is growing. We'd like to introduce you to a part of LKM that is going to be a bit of a game-changer. I'm beside myself--completely, utterly stoked.
Here is a little bit of history...
photo by Trevor Crosby | LKM STUDIOS
Back in October 2014 LKM had reached it's ceiling. We had capped out in availability and were turning down weddings and sessions due to limited availability and personal capacity.
photo by Trevor Crosby | LKM STUDIOS
At the same time I had seen a local photographer's work sprinkle across my facebook feed and I'd swoon. He could deliver these epic shots in weddings that were breathtaking. I wanted to watch him work though. In my book of humble standards, quality of image must not trump the quality of client experience. Could he connect, direct, develop rapport, maintain trust, make his clients laugh? So when Trevor Crosby asked me to second shoot with him I took the opportunity to watch him work..... And his couple laughed. The bridal party was comfortable. The guys were at ease. He covered the story and everybody hugged him and his amazing assistant (cough) wife at the end of the night. SOLD. :)
photo by Trevor Crosby | LKM STUDIOS
So then we talked. I asked him what he loved most about photography. What part of the process of being a business owner resonated most and what did not. I had remembered, in times past, conversations about back-end stuff not being favorite -- the marketing, blogging, contract writing, etc. I grinned. This entire last year has been a calculated process of developing a succinct backend workflow process that can help us be more on our game. We've also been researching different modes of marketing that resonate most with our local and destination audiences. We have been watching the trends and meeting with vendors and asking questions about industry trends and tools. And folks, we are still in the midst of a maturing stage, but it was time to sit in front of this photographer whom I had grown to respect and ask him a big question...would you be willing to be part of LKM STUDIOS.
We talked more. A lot. Multiple occasions. He was intuitive and cautious but we were both beginning to get excited. And finally we found ourselves, with our spouses, facing a contract. Here is the opening to the contract--a letter of anticipation and thankfulness to Trevor:
photo by Trevor Crosby | LKM STUDIOS
Trevor,
Respected magic-maker, craft-developer, artist and friend,
You have been asked to be part of LKM Studios because of your expertise in technical artistry, ease of communication, gracious demeanor, love for the craft and love for people. I hope and pray that this is only the beginning of something both life-giving and incredibly fun and rewarding for both of us.
photo by Trevor Crosby | LKM STUDIOS
I anticipate a lot of laughter and excitement. I anticipate a sense of “team” that attracts people to our brand. I anticipate camaraderie, brainstorming, dreaming, challenging, sharing, bearing burdens and encouraging each other.
I am pumped.
I am nervous.
I am giddy with ambition and tangible possibility.
photo by Trevor Crosby | LKM STUDIOS
But first and foremost…I am honored that you are willing to come and shoot for LKM STUDIOS. I am proud to have you part of this team!
Sincerely,
Laura K Moore
Executive Photographer & CEO
photo by Trevor Crosby | LKM STUDIOS
So this is our preliminary announcement.... we will be rolling out a few more details and 'the way things will be' regarding this LKM STUDIOS thing and probably a few with FAQs and sassy answers. For right now, here are 3 clarifying points:
- I, Laura, am still shooting, just capping my number of weddings and portraits each month.
- Trevor is now an LKM photographer. His name will still be attached to his work and he will still be sharing highlights of his work but his clients are LKM couples and his work under the LKM Studios logo.
- Our goal is to not diminish his work nor reduce the the high quality and energy of the LKM brand. We also aim to serve our clients well, offer more options and availability, and will strive to strengthen a comprehensive portfolio as 2 photographers sharpen each other! CHEERS! | LKM
photo by Trevor Crosby | LKM STUDIOS
So this is Trevor. And his serious face....
and this is Trevor, one of his precious dogs Marty, and his silly lighthearted self. :)
Welcome to the LKM team Trevor!
LKM in SEDONA | "Behind the Scenes"
updated our behind the scenes blog today! a few highlights about last month's trip to Sedona for a shnazzy bridal show! click picture below!
me, nicky and corrie (#lkmwooteam) celebrating one of the best bridal shows we've ever done!
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
Seth + Joelle | A Pacific NorthWest Wedding Affair
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
DIY Backyard Wedding Details {teaser} | Texture Tuesday
This DIY Backyard San Jose wedding is about to hit the blog :) There were SO many DIY details, textures, colors and awesome garden plants at this wedding. I figured it only appropriate to release a few as part of "texture tuesday." Check back shortly for the whole wedding story! | LKM
Bryce + Caroline | El Chorro, Scottsdale, AZ Wedding | Inspiration: Glamour, Peach & Mint
At the fiesta reunion the night before the their wedding, friends and family began to trickle in from all over the country, pre-game and celebrate Bryce and Caroline. A year prior at our initial consult, Caroline and her Mom knew that it was the people at her wedding that would be her most favorite part. Mine too.
The word dovetail means "to join or fit together compactly or harmoniously." That one word describes this wedding. This family has branches and life-long friends and stories and connections that reach for generations and through a whole lot of experiences. I'll keep words to a minimum for this wedding story.
VENDORS
Prep Location: Scottsdale Plaza Resort // Hair Stylist: Candace Dunn of Spa Lamar // MakeUp Artist: Meleah Roadarmel // Bride's Dress: Destinys Bride // Bride's Accessories: Last Chance Phoenix // Bridesmaid Dresses: Nordstrom Scottsdale // Flower Girl Dress: Target // Bridesmaids Gifts: Tucson Gem Show // Groomsmen's Engraved Pocket Knives: Things Remembered // Groomsmen Tuxes: Mr. Formal AZ // Ceremony Location: El Chorro // Caterer: El Chorro // Cake: Ruze Cake House // Florist: Butterfly Petals // Reception Entertainment: "Best Band in Phoenix" The Hamptons Band
While the girls had a blast getting ready and sharing memories, the boys relaxed, took things slow, started off with some football and gift-giving.
Both parties made their way to El Chorro where Bryce + Caroline had a super sweet first look. The way she walked...you could TELL she felt gorgeous. And the way he watched her...she absolutely was.
A friend of the family loaned their restored fire-engine red, super sexy thunderbird...
The day was warm and El Chorro has a variety of locations both indoors and outdoors to keep the wedding party comfortable. The girls grabbed a few glasses of champagne and toasted to freedom and friendship. While the guys watched soccer...
We made our way out to the front of the beautiful property to snag some memorable wedding party formal pictures :) These can typically be boring. standard. ho hum. OR...you can get a party of friends like this willing to laugh and dance a little...
Finding reprieve in the bridal room, the wedding party waited for the ceremony to begin while guests trickled in...
Favorite moment of the ceremony was the way they looked at eachother coming back down aisle. married. happy. excited...
While guests enjoyed a classy, cheerful cocktail hour, the newlyweds took a little skip around the venue as sunbeams burst through palo verde trees and desert brush.
During cocktail hour people just laughed and reunited. There was a real atmosphere of "we are all family here"...
Once the guests were let into the reception hall, people immediately gushed over the centerpieces. The bride's mom, Diane, had spent the last several month designing these jeweled potted succulent arrangements. Real life. Well-watered. Multi-colored textures and sparkly sand...they were incredible and so unique.
Thank you for trusting your wedding day and these precious memories with me to me and my team!
Post Edit: From the bride.... When we were hunting for a photographer we were looking for somebody who was fun, nice and captured amazing photos. LKM's customer service was excellent! I could not have found a nicer person to work with! She was fun and easy to work with l. She was willing to travel to Scottsdale and the pictures turned out amazing! Everything! Everything looks beautiful, detail oriented and really captured our day perfectly! There were no low points! It was all perfect. I will always refer Laura! Hands down, best photographer ever!
Desert Bridal Portraits | Scottsdale Wedding Photography | Texture Teusday
We're branching away from plants and letting this beautiful bride take stage for Texture Tuesday. Bryce & Caroline's Scottsdale Wedding at El Chorro is being featured tomorrow but for now...here are a few textures and a couture dress and newlywed romance that just make me feel all warm and sparkly inside. Amid Palo Verde trees and Ironwood blossoms, these two snagged some beautiful sunset portraits immediately after their ceremony...
Check back tomorrow to see their whole wedding story... :) | LKM