Parin + Shiragi | Arizona Indian Wedding | Day 1

The phone call was a quick one but thorough:

“Laura! I need to talk to you! We love your work but can you do indian weddings?”

I have been a wedding photographer for 11 years. The last 5 have been spent traveling around the country shooting a wide spectrum of crazy and classy and creative wedding weekends and love stories. Our LKM forte is storytelling and our brand thrives on color and energy and emotion. Shiragi and Parin wanted to get that stroke and graciously introduced us to “how things work” in the indian wedding world.

There are SO many moving parts and special ceremonies that go into an indian wedding. There were several phone calls to prepare and massage a timeline that would nail both portraits AND raw storytelling. By the end of the 3-day event, we were toast; completely spent and overwhelmed with the warmth and fervor of Parin & Shiragi’s entire family and the cultural immersion they invited us into all weekend long.

We are sharing their wedding day story in 3 parts with some break down of the ceremonies they observed and emotional highlights. Do note — a HUGE priority to the parents were the portraits of all the guests and traditional poses ALL weekend long. We brought on an additional photographer each day to help with manpower and energy resources to stay attune to ALL the moving parts—wardrobe changes, cultural nuances, ceremony differences, gifts, games, surprises, portraits, more gifts, more ceremonies. Here are the highlights from Day 1! ( Note: you can see DAY 2 HERE and DAY 3 HERE)

// VENDORS //

Venue: Westward Look Wydnham Resort Tucson // Photography: Laura K Moore Photography // Videography: Fine Art Productions // Event Design & Decor: MM Celebrations LLC // Grah Shanti, Mehendi, and Garba Hair and Makeup: Blushed by Ish // Wedding Hair and Makeup: Makiaj Beauty // Wedding and Grah Shanti Outfit: Ekaya  // Reception Outfit: Shyamal and Bhumika // Garba Outfit: Swati Manish // Parfum: Valentino // Shoes: “a random stall in india” // Reception Flats: Keds // Rangoli & Other Design Details: Nisha Tailor Interior Designer // Tesla: Turo // Famous Singer & Band: Bhavin Shastri & Group // Famous Flutist- Anis Chandani // Famous Female Vocalist: Dhara Shah // Famous male singer- Dharmesh Chauhan

DAY ONE

Vidhi is the collection of pre-wedding ceremonies for Hindu weddings. For Shiragi and Parin’s wedding weekend, Day 1 was focused on the bride and her family where they hosted the: Ganesh Stapna, Maandva Muhrat, Mameru, Grah Shanti, Pithi and the Mehendi later in the evening. Gifts are an enormous part of the indian culture and the wedding weekend launch was lavish, joyful and full of energy and zeal.

When I saw LKM's website, i was immediately drawn to the emotions captured in her profile. Every photograph or blog shared an important story. I went ahead and contacted Laura and she was extremely professional and intrigued by the indian culture. She wanted to capture an indian wedding and I was looking for someone like her who would create a story that i could look back and bring back every single moment of the wedding. ~ Shiragi, Bride

PITHI

We were told that the Pithi was going to be “so much fun to shoot.” We had done our research and knew it was a ceremony for blessing and good luck BUT we were still drop-jawed as we watched the women roll up their sleeves and COVER the bride in haldi—an orange paste made out of turmeric, chickpea flour and rose water. OH MY WORD we had SUCH a kick capturing this part.

MEHENDI

Traditionally held a couple days before the ceremony, the bride’s family hosts the Mehendi - a party largely focused around henna art provided for as many women choose to participate. Live music, food, laughter filled the air with rich, rich celebration.

Day 2 coming launching shortly! :)

Honey Bee State Park | Lace & Saguaros | Tucson Engagement Session

Sometimes sunlight just says, “yo—i get you. i got you. here let me lay down this syrupy honey goodness while you shoot.” Plus Casey & Katlyn were great at simply loving eachother…okay actually CASEY gave me a run for my money and insisted I NOT give him cheesy directions or do funny stuff. I looked at him and said, “dude….just love her. and if THAT feels weird laugh and it will LOOK affectionate whether you like it or not.” It was a quick mini session and we lingered for a little traipsing around in our completely inappropriately clad feet for desert treading.

But this photo location is actually called Honey Bee State Park and considering how delightfully golden the sunsets are as they dip over the little mini valley — i say it is adequately named.

Personal Feature: Halloween Highlights | Wizard of Oz Theme & Costumes

Every year our church puts on the highlight-of-the-neighborhood fall family festival on Halloween. While costumes typically make me twitch with pinterest pressure, we actually nailed some solid outfits this year with a fun theme that are group #nailed.

Mountain Indian Wedding Ceremony in the Woods | Mt Lemmon, AZ | Arizona Elopement Photography

This intimate mountain ceremony wrecked me a little bit. At the risk of being dramatic, I truly left this time with the moreno and narichanias moved and inspired to re-assess what i loved most about weddings.

My most favorite thing of Aalap & Paula's intimate indian-american wedding was their deep desire to honor their family and keep things simple but deeply personal. Family stepped up and took the admonishment seriously--each member came prepared with thoughts and encouragement that they shared with tears and memories during their hour long ceremony together. Brother's played guitar, parents gave their blessing, sisters affirmed and the couple beamed with a sense of "wow, this is more special than i realized." They had a few cultural nods included the Saptapadi  - the point in the ceremony where the couple conducts seven rounds of the Holy Fire, which is considered a witness to the vows they make to each other.  As the afternoon wrapped up and we took a few sweetheart images with the newlyweds they shed their shoes, spun in the leaves and twigs and the breezy motion of nature. 

Real Review From the Clients:

"Thank you from the bottom of our hearts for providing your art and lending your vision to our celebration. We loved spending those moments with you and could not have asked for a better photographer. We did get a chance to see all of the photographs, and they are absolutely wonderful. You perfectly captured the beauty and unique craziness of the night!"

Oh sweet friends, you two are incredibly beautiful people. it was such a joy and honor to be part of your intimate wedding ceremony and listen to the sweet affirmation and bond you have with your loved ones! Blessings! | LKM & CO

JW Marriott Starr Pass | Mihai + Chan | An "Energy-meets-Elegance" Formal Affair

This Tucson Wedding at JW Marriot Starr Pass was full of energy and elegance--a combination that takes the finess and grace of a good planner and family lover. :) Mihai and Chan were a joy to work with this past year. When they originally inquired, they said they wanted their day to be formal and elegant while also being fun..."we want fun with plenty of food and drinks and lots of memories that you can help us capture forever! While we are excited for a few fine art portraits of ourselves, wedding party, and family - we also really look forward to action shots of moments!" 

Behold a merge of fun and formal below -- a mixture of moments and elegant sunbeamy editorial splashes that make us swoon. :)

// VENDORS //

Wedding Venue: JW Marriott Starr Pass Resort & Spa // Wedding Dress: Gigi Bridal Boutique // Flower Girl Dresses: Dillards // Groom's Tux: Indochino // MUAH: Margarita Godiva // Florist: Country Couture Flowers // DJ: Fantastic Five Entertainment // Videographer: Gavyn Gates // Officiant: Haig Huynh // Bride's Shoes: DSW // Groom's Shoes: Magnanni // Gifts: Mignon and Mignon // Veil: Bridals by Teri // Suspenders: Little Lovies Bowtique // Bridal Sash: EYMbellish Designs // Groom's band: Peacefield Titanium // Bride's Wedding Band: Sea Babe Jewelry // Cake Topper: Artifice Producciones // Wedding Burro: Walking M Farms

Mihai & Chan were eager for their first look...they knew that "all the people" were going to be a lot to manage for the day so these fleeting precious "alone moments" were some of the most anticipated....and probably, hind-sight, some of our most favorite :)

Thank you so much for inviting us into this season of wedding planning and celebrating Mihai & Chan! It was an honor to be part of your wedding day & season!! | LKM & CO

Also, sweet treat! Check out their wedding video by Gavyn Gates Cinematography! 

// VENDORS //

Wedding Venue: JW Marriott Starr Pass Resort & Spa // Wedding Dress: Gigi Bridal Boutique // Flower Girl Dresses: Dillards // Groom's Tux: Indochino // MUAH: Margarita Godiva // Florist: Country Couture Flowers // DJ: Fantastic Five Entertainment // Videographer: Gavyn Gates // Officiant: Haig Huynh // Bride's Shoes: DSW // Groom's Shoes: Magnanni // Gifts: Mignon and Mignon // Veil: Bridals by Teri // Suspenders: Little Lovies Bowtique // Bridal Sash: EYMbellish Designs // Groom's band: Peacefield Titanium // Bride's Wedding Band: Sea Babe Jewelry // Cake Topper: Artifice Producciones // Wedding Burro: Walking M Farms

Agua Caliente Engagement Session | Palm Trees + Sunbeams

Photos by Laura K Moore Associate Photographer Makayla McGarvey

Desert lovin', smiles and sunshine! Josh and Haley were such a wonderful, refreshing couple. We met at Agua Caliente Regional Park on the East side of Tucson for a love story session and had an absolute blast! Moments of goofiness, silly faces, giggles, dancing and kisses made it a breeze to tell their story and get to know them before their wedding day.   

Bates Mansion | Tucson Arizona Wedding

We are so excited to share Art and Sara's wedding with you guys! :) I can't even begin to describe how much of an honor it was to be their story tellers and get to experience their special day. Here are some highlights, enjoy!

Real Review From the Clients:

"LKM really listened to what type of moments and vibe we wanted to portray with our pictures, which made us feel very confident that the end product would be spectacular. The energy and enthusiasm of LKM photographers really help with getting into the mood and mindset of creating fabulous memories through photography! If you are looking for an enthusiastic, positive and professional experience with your photographers, we highly recommend LKM! Our wedding album is our favorite takeaway from our special day and it completely captures our love story."

//VENDORS//

Wedding & Reception Venue: Bates Mansion // Photography: Laura K Moore Photography // Florist: Eastland Alley // Hair & Makeup: HEAT // Caterer: Rincon Market // Cake: Cakes by Genevieve // DJ: The Hamptons Band

//VENDORS//

Wedding & Reception Venue: Bates Mansion // Photography: Laura K Moore Photography // Florist: Eastland Alley // Hair & Makeup: HEAT // Caterer: Rincon Market // Cake: Cakes by Genevieve // DJ: The Hamptons Band

ITS LKM'S ANNIVERSARY.....10 YEARS!!!

10 years ago today I shot my very first wedding :)...

I'm gonna be honest, I have thought of this day all year. I have dreamt up promo launches and fancy videos and feature posts....

but today, I paused it all and just have to say thank you. thank you to those who have encouraged me, invested in me, been patient with me in the busy seasons and reminded me of His perfect provision in the good and the hard. I sat down this past week to map out the timeline of being a photographer.  This is mostly a table of contents for my brain and the conversation of "how did you become a photographer" Read if your interested. Comment if you can. Otherwise--thank you for being here and for being part of the journey. :)

January 2008  - I PICKED UP MY FIRST DSLR and took a local community college course which I failed miserably--mostly because we had our first baby during finals week and didn’t quite finish. :) I did, however, learn about prime lenses and my instructor had a coffee shop meet up and took a portrait of a little girl standing near a window that turned my head. I loved what he froze and the light that he captured--it was something beautiful and real.  I wanted to capture people like that.

(my very first headshot session by my dear friend Emily Rickard)

August 2008 - My first official wedding….and I didn’t know WHAT the crap I was doing. I floundered more than thrived but fortunately still delivered a portfolio the clients were pleased with. I discovered that low light warehouses were no joke and that the art of photography was harder than it looked. I had a LOT to learn. 

October 2008 - Shot a picture of a bride that made me fall in love with the elegance and anticipation of a wedding day. (andrea burns...you haven't aged a bit :D)

January 2009 - My first season of portraits and captured one particular session with twins. They were as crazy and rambunctious as they come and yet the raw journalism from that shoot and just “go where they go” style flipped a switch with lifestyle photography. I loved that the pictures made me feel the kid's wildness and curiosity. I wanted to do more of that.

Summer 2009 - i loved the connections i was getting to make with couples and shot several weddings i was proud of.

Spring 2010 - went to my first WPPI - wedding and portrait photography international  conference. Met my photography celebrity crush -- Kelly Moore IN THE FLESH, shook hands with Kennie Kim (my destination wedding muse) and came home with a keen sense of ambition......tempered HARD by my season of life as a MOM. My kids were young. I had a 2 year old and a 4 month old. They needed me more than I needed photography...but i'm not gonna lie--the tension was real and my heart had to fight to stay present in the home.

Summer 2010 - I stopped booking weddings. Hubby was facing a career change and were headed to Saudi Arabia to teach English as a Second Language.  Long story for another time.

Spring 2011 - Our time in Saudi Arabia adventure met a detour and we ended up in Tucson with hubby’s family. Started from scratch and we opened LKM’s doors again.

Spring 2012 - Went to WPPI again and Susan Stripling made me weep and fanned a flame for excellence and creativity. SEE THINGS DIFFERENTLY was so very loud in my brain. I had been out of the loop of photography and felt inspired to GO FOR IT. It was my first portrait season in Tucson. I went crazy and gifted ALL THE PEOPLE with portrait sessions. I shot 75 sessions, hyperventilated, had some bad-apple client experiences, got to know Tucson culture better and unraveled melodramatically by the end of the year. Below are some of the highlights during that first year launch in Tucson...

Winter 2013 - rebranded and booked a celebrity wedding for the coming summer. "Celebrity wedding photographer" was a fun label to own but I didn’t want my clients to be my stepping stones. I fought against the pressure to compete and "need" for like and followers. I was surprised by how toxic the hustle could be and I knew my "why" was being challenge and I couldn't quite answer that question.

June 2013 - I shot 6 weddings in the course of 4 weeks in 3 different states and nearly came home with my 2 weeks notice ready to flop on my husband’s side of the bed. BUSY was a hat I started to wear--a badge given by everybody else. I had to figure out a way to slow down but still make ends meet. 

January 2014 - We raised our prices and then held on for dear life. I was scared I was shooting myself in the foot. But in the spirit of “if you build it, they will come” we set our prices to be what we needed to make to sustain a healthy business that paid the bills and its taxes and might even help put food on the table while allowing me to be more present. Business slowed but the clients who invested in me that year were ones that breathed life and joy into the art of wedding photography. They were eager to engage and trusted me. I found a stride and a "why" -- to be better at storytelling with people I could connect with and build a rapport--to tell their story authentically.

November 2014 - Business picked up and I was meeting my max capacity so I reached out to a colleague whom I respected and loved his work and had heard he "hated the business part of things." I asked him if he wanted to come shoot with the studio--under my name, take some weddings and function like a team.  He agreed.

Spring 2015 - It was the year i started to travel. I had several friends who were getting married abroad-- one in the Philippines, Alaska, Northern California, and then a cute little elopement in Mexico. That launched the "travel wedding photographer" part of the brand. To be honest though...we weren't quite sure what to do with it.

Christmas 2015 - wrapped up the year with our 1st attempt to function as a studio with an associate and became acutely aware of how unorganized our back-end was. We had no systems, no workflow. I knew if we were to grow if not thrive forward, I needed to stop looking so much externally or function autonomously. I had to start tending to the bones and foundation of the business. So we went into what I call the "ostrich" season. 

Early 2016 - We started working with an accounting firm who knew their stuff. They asked us hard questions and gave us hard numbers. I started to actually KNOW my business.

May 2016 - I started working with an editor who I’m convinced is actually an angel. Learning how to outsource was a game changer. My world turned to color again and I started sleeping more. (Jo -- you are a gift from God.)

Summer 2016 - We were stabilizing but I still couldn’t keep up. Accounting, studio management, social media, lead generation and retention, shooting, editing, marketing, planning--I felt like all the spinning plates were beginning to wobble. I needed to figure out how to tend to less plates and spin the right ones well.  Introducing …. INTERNS.

Fall 2016 - Makayla McGarvey joined the LKM team and I trained her on back-end tasks while being a regular second shooter. I exposed her to all the things -- family portraits, weddings, headshots, seniors. I wanted her to experience "on location" real world and find her preference. (below are a few of my faves from her this past year as second shooter)

January 2017 - Makayla and I reconvened for a studio pow wow and I offered her a promotion with a bare minimum gaurantee of work and a whole lotta "i don't know what's gonna happen but i do know i need help." She accepted the unknowns and we promised we would take the teamwork in intervals of 6 months.

Spring 2017 - We started focusing on technical and portfolio development. We set hard goals and high standards and she was more eager for feedback than I knew what to do with. Our trip to Maine was a big game changer. I asked her some pretty deep, hard, life, goal questions. I thought she'd run and peace out. Instead, a tearful plane ride home was filled with silent nods and an expression of "i want life to be more than pretty pictures and social media. I want to ask "why" more." We hunkered in and started applying...

November 2017 - Makayla shot her first independent wedding without me...and SHE NAILED IT. Despite the wedding being a rough experience (involving crazy mean park rangers, gnarly wind and wonky scheduling) she handled it beautifully. We officially promoted Makayla to associate shooter.

February 2018 - Major highlight.... Taxes were coming due and I was cleaning up the books. My jaw dropped when i saw the final profit/loss statement for our accountant. We had grossed over SIX FIGURES. My net was modest but it was something real and sustainable--and an intense moment when I sat in front of my husband and showed him the numbers and realized I had matched the average salary of a teacher -- the job i went to college for. I felt like a legitimate business owner and had hit an elusive goal in a changing and challenging industry. 

WPPI 2018 - 2 new interns joined us for WPPI and I experienced a passion for mentoring small businesses and start-ups. Asking hard questions and challenging people’s “why” lit my fire. A shift began in me.

Spring 2018 - Makayla & I traveled. A Lot. It was a season of me passing the baton. It was also our first Indian wedding which rocked our worlds. The culture and 3-day emphasis on family and "celebrating well" had me in tears by the end. 

June 2018 - We soft announced the shift for Makayla’s role as the New England point person

July 2018 - We spent this past month revising workflows, updating backend software, rewriting templates and projecting numbers for 2019. We also honed in on Makayla’s travel/adventure packages... coming soon to instagram feeds near you :)

CURRENT… I've decided to slow down and focus on local gigs and stay in the southwest while Makayla takes over most of the traveling abroad. I am firmly convinced, especially since working on the healthy bones of the business, that it is worth the sacrifice of busyness to live at a cadence I can keep up with and share stories with soul more than stress. 

So, in the spirit of “remember and remember well” this is the timeline of God’s provision...both the chaffing, the challenging and the championing.

Thank you for being a part of the LKM journey. If you made it this far down the rabbit trail of a blog post, you must either be crazy, creepy, competition *cough* colleague, commuty or a companion in this ride. The last few--thank you. Bless you. Cheers to the future and by all means--glory be to God for this job that has been a gift and a joy and a challenging petri dish of faith training. Cheers! | LKM & CO.

Kyle + Megan | Kraft Azalea Garden Engagement Session | Winterpark, FL

These florida sweethearts got fancy and grabbed their favorite luxury champagne Veuve Clicquot for a finale of their Orlando Florida Engagement Session in Kraft Azalea Gardens, Winter Park. By this point Megan & Kyle had gotten comfortable with me and the camera. We had all laughed a little, shared more of our stories and bonded a bit. Truly, it is this point in LKM engagement sessions that I (laura) settle in and breathe the best parts of romance. The goal in all our sessions is to ultimately find a natural, authentic stride where the attention is on each other and not the awkwardness. These two leaned into that and it was such a sweet place of comfort with each other. The backdrop of the gardens was exquisite and we ended on such a note of celebration. Highlights below! (if you didn't see the first part of their engagement session, here is Part 1)

Park Ave + Winter Park Engagement Session | Kyle + Megan Love Story Session Pt 1

I was drawn to Laura's previous work with its dreamy posed shots and lively candids. Once I reached out to her, Laura showed a genuine excitement to shoot our wedding in Winter Park. We instantly clicked over the phone. She took interest in Kyle's and my story, and wanted to document our engagement and wedding--her first in Central Florida! ~ Megan, Bride

Megan + Kyle wanted their engagement session in Orlando to be classy, shnazzy but personal and authentic.  Kyle is a chef and culinary teacher and Megan is Rollins College Associate Event Director. With their refined taste and Megan's acute sense of planning, we were able to meet for coffee the morning of their session, cover a few details, talk timeline, catch up on a bit of their love story and prep for the evening's engagement session around winter park. We grabbed a few casual shots with their fur baby in the rain in the courtyard of Barnie's Kitchen and then reconvened a few hours later all gussied up and ready to strut their stuff in Winter Park. Shout out to Armando's for graciously letting us get cozy in their classy restaurant and messin' with their wine glasses. 

“We had several highlights with LKM and they started at our engagement photo shoot. I highly recommend arranging one prior to the wedding so you can get to know your photographer and learn how to pose you and your partner's bodies for the best shots. Laura took us under her wing, and by the end of that day, we were completely in sync with each other!” ~ Megan + Kyle

We couldn't have asked for a classier couple to be our very first #LKMorlando lovebirds! Thank you so much! See PART TWO of their engagement session in Kraft Azalea Garden's here! 

// NOTE TO OUR READERS & NEWLY ENGAGED //

Hi! If you are newly engaged, take note! LKM has officially launched LKM in Orlando! We are providing wedding and engagement session packages for Central Florida couples at no extra travel cost! It is our new travel hub -- our new place of adventure and plan to be out once every fall/winter and spring and summer seasons! Inquire HERE to check on dates for our next Orlando visit!