Britni and Ryan - She said yes!

It all began on I-15, Interstate 15, that is. I was trucking along on a road trip from Vegas to Malibu, most likely singing my best rendition of Cher's If I Could Turn Back Time when I got the call — Britni's call. 24 Hour Fitness, personal trainer Britni. She heard about me from another bride, LeAnne, and asked if I'd be interested in shooting her and Ryan's Cheyenne Mountain Resort wedding.

Both Ryan and Britni are personal trainers and have some of the most beautiful bodies I've ever seen. Not a soft spot on 'em! Though, I couldn't ignore the irony of how and with what Ryan proposed: ice cream. Yup, after the holiday season, it was their last hooray on sweet food before they started to "eat right." And as you may have guessed, Ryan hid the engagement ring in Britni's ice cream. Unfortunately, things didn't go according to plan:

haha I'm kidding! I couldn't resist, Ryan. :) Actually, everything went perfectly! But if you are curious about that X-Ray, it's a real story! Click here. Britni and Ryan were a hoot to photograph. Kind of slow to warm up, but as soon as I said, "Britni, make Ryan laugh," and she started dancing (see photo 4) it was easy from there. He was CRACKING UP at his cute fiancée. :) Anywho, without further ado... Britni and Ryan:

I get it.

Every bride is the prettiest bride I've ever seen. Every first dance is accompanied by the best song I've ever heard. At every reception I think, "It doesn't get any more fun than this!" And with every bride and groom I meet I think, "There is no one more perfect for one another than these two are for each other."
I know I'm in the right business.
I know I'm in the right business because I never get sick of Canon in D, nor do I ever resist the Electric Slide. I know I'm in the right business because I truly feel like I'm doing something worthwhile. I'm making a difference in the lives of others. I know I'm in the right business when every weekend I'm fighting back tears of overwhelming happiness. Whether it's Ali and Chris at the alter bowing their foreheads together in prayer, James' sister singing an Irish prayer to him and Alicia, or Meghan and Jason wildly jumping up and down, dancing and singing "I Want You to Want Me," and laughing hysterically — I cry. Every time I cry. I can't even begin to describe the undeniable joy that comes over me. And at the end of the night, after twelve grueling hours of crouching into unimaginable positions to get the perfect shot, I hug the parents of the bride and groom, who've adopted me as one of their own for the day, and say my thank yous; I load up my gear, drive home, and no matter how exhausted I am, I'm still unable to wipe the grin off my face and that's when I think, "I can't imagine doing anything else during this season of my life."
I get it.
I completely get it. I live for these moments. I live to capture these emotions and show people the light they exude.
Thank you to all of my brides, grooms, and parents for blessing me — blessing me with your trust, honesty, and candidness. Thank you for giving me the best "job" on the planet.

— With love,
René

Introducing: Meghan and Jason!

If I remember one thing about my first interaction with this couple, it is the way Jason looked at his bride. From our very first video iChat, I remember the way he looked over at her as she talked about their wedding and plastered on his face was the biggest grin I'd ever seen on a man. When Meghan first called to inquire about our services, I asked her to tell me a little bit more about themselves and with a giggle, she answered, "Well, we smile a lot," and she wasn't kidding! The joy they create together is contagious.

Greetings from Illinois! Jesie and I arrived this afternoon to the Chicago area for Meghan and Jason's stunning Jewish wedding. We've been in touch with these two for nearly a year and a half and their date is finally here! Never before have we met, with the exception of several video conferences. Today, was our first meeting, but it felt like our 50th! Approaching each other with joyful smiles and open arms we hugged like we'd hugged many times before.

We started off the day with a VERY well planned rehearsal and then headed off to downtown Normal, IL for a quick "get-to-know-you" shoot. With the wedding date less than 24 hours away we wanted to make sure to really get a handle on the personalities of these two incredible people. We only had 15 minutes to shoot before they jetted off to the rehearsal dinner, but it was quite possibly the EASIEST shoot we've ever had. Meghan and Jason are some of the most joyful people on this planet. They just LAUGH! And SMILE! Here's just a glimpse into the way they love each another...

Jeremy, Continued!

A few more favorites from Jeremy's Manitou Springs portrait shoot:

Warming up with a classic business head shot.

Starting to warm up and get in the zone:About right here is when Jeremy really started to open up in front of me:

I'm pretty sure I said something embarrassing here and that's why Jeremy's laughing:

8-bit Mario games are my absolute favorite. My second? 8-bit Pac-Man!

And lastly, a preview of the next post:

A Good Ol' Fashioned Portrait Shoot

I'm alive! I promise. I've been a little under the radar lately but despite what you may think, I did NOT fall of the face of the Earth. Just been traveling all over this planet and state lately. :) I have SO much to blog about. My goodness. Engagements shoots like crazy, portraits shoots, weddings... So check back often! But to kick things off, a quick teaser of Mr. Jeremy.

Jeremy and I shot yesterday in Manitou Springs. He was looking for those "senior pictures he never had," a good business head shot, and of course, a nice portrait for mom. Fun is an understatement. It was absolutely a gorgeous day and we had a blast getting to know each other. I know I always say "blast," but this time was exceptionally fun. This kid is so funny! It was our first time meeting but by the end of shoot, I wanted to put him in my pocket and take him home. haha I settled for margaritas at the The Loop with him, my fill-in assistant Shawn, and some of my friends we ran into while shooting in Manitou.

Wait 'til you see the rest... This is just a sampling as I'm off to an engagement shoot. :)