Taylor Falls Minnesota Wedding | Missionary Kids get Married at a Waterpark | St Paul, Minnesota

“Not only did she capture our day perfectly, but she made us all feel comfortable the whole time (even my husband who isn’t a fan of taking pictures). ~ Heidi, Bride”

Caleb + Heidi were highschool sweethearts from Faith Academy International School in the Philippines--my old highschool stomping grounds. When they asked me (Laura) to come shoot their wedding, I was thrilled. Missionary kid weddings are often a big international reunion of sorts--rich with understanding and inside jokes and nostalgia. Also, escaping 116 degree heat in Tucson, Arizona was also a perk and I was more than thankful to be shooting anywhere BUT the oven of the summer desert.  

When the couple initially inquired they shared some of their priorities for their wedding that i thought were beautiful and refreshing--they knew that people were most important and they wanted both a personal and journalistic approach to the day. #wegotyou is what I thought and hollered to Maggie Witter, another Faith Academy Alumni and phenomenal photographer based in Minnesota, to come shoot with me! Enjoy the highlights below! (oh and if you missed their pretty epic Rehearsal Dinner on Tayler Falls Paddle Boat!

From the Bride...Caleb and I are both very simple and we want our wedding day to reflect that, we're both just thrilled to be getting married. We're going for a more natural wedding style, with a vibe that reflects who we are as fun, casual people :) ...The most important thing to me is that the candid moments and true joy and happiness of the day are captured through the photos. I'm most excited for images that capture the special moments between Caleb and I. I'm also excited for photos with the special people in my life that are able to celebrate with us (family and best friends). ... In regards to horror stories or concerns that we have...to be completely honest, both Caleb and I aren't the most photogenic people, haha. We can't do the 'serious/model' like photos, it just doesn't suit us well. So I guess just know that and know we're much better at being natural and smiling with each other-- we welcome direction when being photographed :) (apart from just being natural) I also really would love to have a journalistic approach to capture the full story...

“When I started wedding planning, the only thing I knew for sure was that I wanted LKM to photograph our wedding. I was so happy that it all came together and she made it out to Minnesota. Laura is absolutely amazing!! ...LKM a pro, so she knows what will look best in terms of lighting, poses, background, etc.— but at the same time she also knows when to let things play out and just photograph the moment unfolding. Now we have stunning photos to look at for the rest of our lives, and I could not be more grateful. If I had to make the decision of a photographer again, I would choose Laura, every single time.
~ Heidi, Bride”

Caleb + Heidi, I can't thank you guys and your families enough for trusting LKM with your precious wedding weekend. It was such a refreshing treat to be among missionary families and celebrate a wedding out in the mountains with Faith family! Blessings! ~ Laura

La Mariposa Tucson Wedding | Creme & Eucalyptus Meets Love and Tears

“We just wanted to thank you for the incredible job you did with our wedding photos! We consider ourselves so blessed to have had our whole day captured with such raw emotion. From spencer crying to my grandma laughing you truly were able to put together snapshots that represent the many emotions of the day!! We can’t thank you enough! If you need any more reviews or anything out in the Bay Area let us know! We loved working with you and would be more than happy to help you with anything! ~ Krista, Bride”

Conversations leading up to the wedding were sprinkled with eager assurances that people and relationships were top priority. From beginning to end this sweet couple eager loved each other and were set to honor their family as best as they could. Planning a wedding long distance from San Francisco was a challenge but when our team arrived on their wedding day, we were stoked to see hands working, family aware, spirits calm and hearts aglow. It was truly a beautiful day! Here are a few highlights from this beautiful Tucson Wedding!

// VENDORS //

Wedding & Reception Venue: La Mariposa Resort // Photography: Laura K Moore Photography // Florist: In Full Bloom // Gown Boutique: Lulu's // Makeup: Analia Martinez // Hair: Gadabout // Cake: Dairy Queen // DJ/Band: Millennium Music Service // Officiant: Desert Hope Lutheran Church // Videographer: Omega Wedding Films // Bridesmaid Robes: LeRoseGifts // Custom Designed Signage: Danadecals

Krista anticipated her first look with her dad as much as she did with spencer…it was a moment for everybody :) If you make your way to the bottom you’ll also be able to see the video footage capturing spencers emotions when he saw his bride for the first time.

that last image of the three generations is one of my most favorite from this wedding

the ceremony was rich with sweet memories and moments… both parents were head-turning in their joy for the marriage. the whole day was packed with frineds from all over the country who were thrilled for the couple.

and then there is this expression. possibly one of top favorites. Spencer’s face nearly made me lose it as he could NOT contain the relief and joy. I learned a lot from this wedding — i became more convinced than ever that the ceremony really is a valuable part of the wedding day. These two leaned into their vows and their words and their commitments. You could tell they felt the weight of it all :)

and then it was time for wedding party portraits while guests grabbed a bite to eat at the cocktail hour

the rest of the evening was “let your hair down and celebrate” style :)

And as a finale, here is the awesome wedding highlight video from Omega Wedding Films! 

Thank you so much for trusting us with your love story Spencer & Krista! What a joy it was to be part of your day! // LKM

Wedding & Reception Venue: La Mariposa Resort // Photography: Laura K Moore Photography // Florist: In Full Bloom // Gown Boutique: Lulu's // Makeup: Analia Martinez // Hair: Gadabout // Cake: Dairy Queen // DJ/Band: Millennium Music Service // Officiant: Desert Hope Lutheran Church // Videographer: Omega Wedding Films // Bridesmaid Robes: LeRoseGifts // Custom Designed Signage: Danadecals

Vista West Ranch | Wedding Videography Highlight Reel

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Here is a highlight wedding video from Eric + Katie's Wedding at Vista West Ranch in Dripping Springs, Texas. *Push Play*

To see highlights and photos from their entire wedding weekend, go HERE.

Vista West Ranch | Austin Texas Wedding Weekend | Jade Green, Babies Breath & Southern Charm

“ One reason I knew I wanted Laura to photograph my wedding, even before I was engaged, is because she has a personality that will bring the fun, smiles and spunk out of people. She can fit into any crowd. She loves to tell a story with her photography. She wants to capture the emotion and thoughts during each and every moment of your special day... ~ Katie Dollar, Bride”

The Wedding Day Story...behind the scenes recap

Wedding photography for this Austin wedding day began early. My team and I (Makayla, Gavyn & I) made our trek (but first, coffee) to Molly, the make up artist’s house and our jaws dropped with the shiny chrome and class that oozed from Molly’s home studio. Her work was stunning and you could tell that the girls were being pampered well. We hung out a little while the bride relaxed with her girls and mimosa.

We peaced out to the venue 10 minutes down the country road to Vista West Ranch -- a hidden boutique gem of a venue in the middle of Dripping Springs Texas on the outskirts of Austin. The whole location was perfect--nailing the casual but classy vibe of the couple's personality colors were fresh and the sunbeams ROYALLY on par. Also note, Austin wedding coordinator Jordan Smith with Coordinate This helped move things along from the very beginning of the weekend and kept everything smooth and organized!

//VENDORS //

Wedding & Reception Venue: Vista West Ranch // Photography: Laura K Moore Photography // Event Coordinator: Coordinate This // Florist: The Flower Girl // Gown Boutique: Paisley Crush // Bridesmaids Dresses: Alfred Angelo // Grooms Attire: Men's Wearhouse // Hair & Makeup: Molly Makeup // Caterer: Freebirds // Cake: Gale's Cakes  // DJ: Premier Entertainment // Photobooth: Posers Photobooth // Rehearsal Dinner: Trudy's // Farm table + Vintage Chairs: Petal Pushers // Bartenders: Bar Butlers // Videography: Gavyn Gates Cinematography

The first look was one of the most precious. The couple being nonsense "lets just have fun" kind of people seemed to sink into the moment alone--reading their vows to eachother and breathing in the first real moments of the wedding day. Their affection and eagerness was palpable. From there we swayed into wedding part pictures, family portraits and all the relaxed, casual moments with the VIPs. Can we just take a moment to note that First Look's are crazy intensely game-changing? It was, at least, for Eric & Katie. They had been on the fence but experiencing that space of sweetness and unprompted freedom and privacy--it set the tone of joy for the day!

The ceremony time approached and the bride made her way back to the room to freshen up and cool off a little. (It was a warm one that day). Guests trickled in and the bride watched eagerly from above through the window of the bridal parlor. Because the timeline had provided these margins of space to just breath and enjoy eachother, she used this pamper time to give a few letters to her girls. Good grief were those notes special!

Because we   been able to capture so many of the signature portrait moments and enjoyed family time, bride and groom grabbed a few relaxed moments in creme de la creme late afternoon light and then surprised the guests by joining cocktail hour early and doing a super special receiving line--welcome their guests personally into the dining hall!

The rest of the night was spent eating yummy food, enjoying cake and being merry. (note the Baylor Stadium Groom's Cake!) 

“It was an absolute pleasure working with Katie + Eric on their wedding day. They are such a sweet and laid back couple and their love for each other was evident from the moment I met them. They put together a fabulous vendor team, including Laura Moore Photography. Not only were they fun to work with throughout the evening, but their professionalism made the event run smoothly and the whole night went off without a hitch. Of course the images are stunning and something Katie + Eric will be able to treasure forever as they look back on their wedding day. ~ Jordan Smith, Owner & Lead of Coordinate This”

“What a firecracker and joy to have (LKM & her team) photograph our wedding.... They want to capture the emotion and thoughts during each and every moment of your special day! I would HIGHLY recommend LKM for an engagement and wedding photographer. Thank you, Laura, for all you did for Eric and I. Thank you for going above and beyond! ~ Eric & Katie”

Eric & Katie, it was an honor to be part of your wedding weekend! Thank you so much for trusting us with your crazy fun and spaztically awesome wedding day! :D Joy, LKM

To see more from Eric & Katie's wedding weekend, go HERE for their engagement session, HERE for their rehearsal & mini sweetheart session and HERE for their wedding video!

//VENDORS //

Wedding & Reception Venue: Vista West Ranch // Photography: Laura K Moore Photography // Event Coordinator: Coordinate This // Florist: The Flower Girl // Gown Boutique: Paisley Crush // Bridesmaids Dresses: Alfred Angelo // Grooms Attire: Men's Wearhouse // Hair & Makeup: Molly Makeup // Caterer: Freebirds // Cake: Gale's Cakes  // DJ: Premier Entertainment // Photobooth: Posers Photobooth // Rehearsal Dinner: Trudy's // Farm table + Vintage Chairs: Petal Pushers // Bartenders: Bar Butlers // Videography: Gavyn Gates Cinematography

Dripping Springs Texas Wedding | Rehearsal & "Day-Before" Sweetheart Session | Austin Wedding Photographer

We adore storytelling and are a bit obsessed about people...the natural, real side of people.

As part of our "wedding weekend" packages we often are able to be a part of the rehearsal and maybe some dinner flare. It offers a chance to meet people, break the ice with our destination wedding folk and start storytelling off on the right foot--with relationship and candor. :)

Eric & Katie spent some sweet moments with us during their wedding weekend -- we met each other Thursday morning before the wedding for a sunrise engagement session on PennyBacker Bridge on the outskirts of Austin Texas. Afterwards we parted ways, edited a few highlights and then met back up again later that evening to casually watch, shoot and meet friends and relatives at their rehearsal on wedding venue property: Vista West Ranch in Dripping Springs. 

Below are a few highlights of the chill evening and camaraderie between their favorite people. It set the tone for the weekend -- celebratory, energetic and deeply affectionate and grateful. See highlights from the evening below a!

Go HERE to see Eric & Katie's engagement session on Austin's PennyBacker Bridge & HERE To see their full wedding day highlight story! 

Austin Texas Engagement Session | PennyBacker Bridge & Colorado River Sweethearts

Makayla, Laura & Gavyn flew into Austin thursday night before Dollar Wedding Weekend kicked off! We grabbed a rental car and skiddadled over to Pennybacker Bridge where the couple, Eric & Katie, had asked to do their sweetheart / day-before / kinda-sorta engagement sunrise session the next morning! We scouted the area and noted shadows, parking, greenery that tickled our fancy, watched the light play on the rocks on the side of Lake Austin (i.e. Colorado River) and then made our way back to our AirBnB.

The next morning we met up for the engagement session at PennyBacker Bridge and met Eric & Katie's fur baby Bean. (he may or may not have a ridiculously cute instagram page :D). There was a thin layer of cloud cover that softened the rich greens and rugged browns of the mountains. Eric & Katie were relaxed and...well...just couldn't keep their hands off eachother :) 

To see Eric + Katie's wedding day go here!

Desert Engagement Session | Palo Verde Trees + Prickly Pears w/ a Splash of Wine

Krista & Spencer flew in from San Francisco for the weekend to get their Tucson desert fix, visit their wedding venue at La Mariposa Resort and grab a few lovely sunbeam embraces during their engagement session in northeast Tucson. We had a few wardrobe changes and Sulamita Pacifica, a local event stylist, offered to contribute a few elements and the couple agreed. Enjoy the picnic in the desert. And to see Spencer + Krista's wedding highlights, go HERE!

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WPPI 2018 | Highlights & Behind the Scenes

Every February/March the world of photography converges in Vegas at a conference called WPPI (Weddings and Portrait Photographers International). Photographers, vendors, industry leaders, trend setters and market voices stand on podiums, walk the halls, hug familiar faces, wave to familiar fans (and even those not familiar), vouch for their favorite products, attest to their current equipment and speak boldly about failures and successes over the years. It is a place where proficiency is honored and a few prodigies are identified. 

WHY WE CAME

This year I, Laura - LKM owner and exec. photographer,  am returning with three ladies who are the current #LKM&CO team. Megan Lange, Makayla McGarvey and Miranda Rico are walkin' the halls as a team--representing LKM with vigor, class and an affirming sense of trust in myself as their boss/leader/trainer/mentor. Attending this conference is something we've been preparing for for months. The girls have gotten used to my invasive questions. They've even started to anticipate them and when they catch me approaching another gut-kicking/self-awareness-challenging question they often say, "uh oh, it's a laura question." #suchasatisfyingthingtobeknownfor

I came this year for these ladies. I wanted them to get dunked into the industry and hear voices other than my own. I wanted to hear different value systems, different strategies, different histories and "how i made it work" stories. I wanted them to observe the variety of personalities and dynamics; assess what organically attracts them to other photographers/other work and what might confuse them. I wanted them to get training in areas that are not my fortes while hearing an echo of things that are the lifeblood of the LKM brand--i.e. LOVE PEOPLE, CAPTURE REAL STORIES, YOUR WORTH IS NOT DEFINED BY YOUR PRICE TAG BUT YOUR PRICE TAG SHOULD REFLECT THE WORTH OF WHAT YOU DO, etc etc etc. (I have several soap boxes that I get very feisty about so i'll have self-control for the moment.)

DAY 1 - SATURDAY - PRINT HANGING / CONFERENCE PREP

First stage of the whole experience was working alongside Jerry Ghionis & his Print Competition Crew and fearless "hangers" leader Garret Winslow. We worked in shifts all day. Below are highlights from our time watching a bit of the print judging and hanging the winners on the floor in the expo hall! I very much consider the experience a VIP pass and "sneak peak" to the competition's results.  It was a sweet dunk into the deep end of competitive quality for the girls too. Immersing ourselves into international standards of excellence across a variety of genres in photography was healthy and challenging and inspiring. I especially caught a lump in my throat when 5 internationally renowned judges bantered back and forth fighting the score and integrity of a particularly journalistic image. It was 1 single image and they were peering at it intensely--discussing every gnitty gritty detail that went into a perfect picture--the convergence of old school, new school and just standard rules of storytelling and composition and color grading. I felt myself sobered to think of how FAST i approach pictures and don't always slow down for the perfect elements or patiently comprise something that is one step more refined or thoughtful or patiently precise. I was challenged to be more patient--respectful and engaged with my role a storyteller as well as an artist as well as people person.

once done we hung out and fleshed out the classes and instructor and vendors we wanted to connect with

to be continued... 

Tim + Jenna | Deserty Lovin' and a Fiesty Dancer | Tanque Verde Guest Ranch Engagement Session

Tim & Jenna were from Tucson but lived in Phoenix and were getting married in Cancun. They had seen some of our wedding pictures styled by Margarita Potts via her instagram feed with her team at I Do Hair & Makeup Artistry and reached out for prices and a quote for the whole shibang: storytelling in Tucson and following them to Cancun.....we coulnd't say "yes please" fast enough. :) 

Jenna cared most about being natural, clean light, real emotion and bright colors. She liked light and liked wine and she knew how to strut some heals like a gazelle across the jagged rocks of the Sonoran desert (hats off lady). Tim...well, he was skeptical. An email following the session read, "Tim just told me...wow! that was actually kind of fun and way better than i expected." (*laughing*... #nailed it. I'll go for "kinda fun" from any tough cookie who'd rather be chill than posed or passed off as a schmuck. I get you sir. I don't want you lookin' schmuckly either.) 

So they drove to Tucson, grabbed a room at Tanque Verde Guest Ranch and I met them there to talk wedding details, frolick about in the desert, drink some wine, navigate a few sweetheart moments, get them comfortable with my style -- expressing their affection-- (not difficult) and got to know each other. Here are a few highlights! :)

(P.S. we are sharing highlights from their destination wedding in Cancun tomorrow on the blog! Stop back by!)

Balboa Inn Newport Beach California Wedding | Rainbow Ambrosia Dress + Birds of Paradise

Joshua & Joyce knew that wrangling family for their wedding was going to be tricky. So they hijacked an evening during their family reunion this summer and made sure it happened. The day was low key and casual with a few sprinkles that made it special. Her dress was handmade by a dear friend with dye-tipped ends and led lights sewn in to surprise guests as the sunset. Balboa Inn was the historical venue where all pre-gaming and prep happened. The gazebo across the street had been reserved and up until ceremony time, guests were welcome to lounge on the beach, enjoy barbecue and leisurely engage till vow time. Here are a few highlights from the day :)