the most lovely baby shower!

This past weekend my very dear friends gave me just the most beautiful little baby shower you ever did see . . . Those desserts you see were absolutely wonderful! They were prepared by Cakes by Jenn, a local pastry chef who is one of the most talented in the wedding industry as well. She is our go-to girl for all things delightful and delicious . . . and all of those other gorgeous details were thought of by my dearest friends. It was intimate, stunning, personal, and so enjoyable. We ended the soiree with a few photographs outside, and this one is our signature "maternity" shot. We have this same photograph for all of us who have had a baby since we became such wonderful friends, so it was only natural to re-create. I love you girls! I have been taking up a lot of time and attention of these ladies in the last few months. They were there when Joe and I got engaged, gave me the most beautiful bridal shower, planned every last detail of our incredible wedding with me, celebrated my 33rd birthday on New Year's Eve with a sit-down dinner of my most favorite foods, moved into this beautiful shower three weeks later . . . and I know for a fact Elsa escaped to Florida for two weeks with her family to recover from it all. ;) We are all as different as night and day, but our friendship is rare and wonderful, and I can't wait to bring little Grayson into a world where he is already loved so very much.

boudoir scheduling!

In lieu of either the most-favored or most-dreaded holiday coming up, that of our dear friend St. Valentine, I would love to extend the opportunity to those of you out there who have been waiting until after the Christmas holiday to schedule your session! Mini-sessions will be available from now until February 28th. At that time, my maternity leave will kick in, as I can't possibly look and feel sexy enough to demonstrate boudoir poses with you after I hit 8 months pregnant. ;) If you would like more information on scheduling a session, email me at morgan@morganlamare.com. I would love to meet you! (This photo opened the album design for a session that was delivered on Christmas morning. :)

feeling spring!

I am craving spring like no other . . . delightful evenings in my backyard with wonderful friends, the green grass, the way the sun sets so warm and beautifully every evening across a glass of Chardonnay with my little family near and dear. I know it will be here quick, and this spring I get to enjoy the gift of another little one to love and snuggle and cuddle on a picnic blanket . . . I hope the last of this winter season has you all dreaming big, planning all of those beautiful wedding details that will be here before you know it, and staying warm with one another every cozy evening you get . . .

a special little showing!

It isn't very often that I get to show my boudoir shoots, naturally because they are very personal, private, and usually intended for one person's eyes only . . . and I am so grateful to this beautiful client of mine for letting me share these with you!

the engagement session

One of my 2013 brides emailed me recently asking for suggestions on what to wear and where to go for their spring engagement session, and I thought it would be a wonderful opportunity to lay some of my ideas out in a blog post for all of you lovely couples wondering the same thing . . . and it lets me share some of my favorite photos, products, and fun little fashion advice! What to wear: I always tell my clients above anything else, choose an ensemble that represents your style, and is something you will feel natural and comfortable in. Go ahead and spend a few dollars on a new outfit, or a simple new piece to add to your wardrobe. I strongly encourage two outfit changes, one casual and one dressy. A few of my favorite websites for absolutely darling clothes at even more darling prices is Vestique and Modcloth. And here is the beautiful Amy in a dress and shoes from Modcloth, worn at her engagement session last spring. For your casual outfit, skinny jeans, tall boots and scarves are still going strong. The blouses at Vestique are to die for, and their jewelry is gorgeous, too. Another wonderful idea is incorporating a wedding color into your outfit choices. Kate did this with her chartreuse blouse and at her engagement session last year . . . and it also allowed the photos used in their save-the-dates to blend with their design even better. As far as hair and makeup go, I have become a huge fan of reaching out and having it done professionally - I have been spoiled in seeing how my own face transformed on my wedding day, and how long the look lasted, but more than anything, why not? Indulgence is my go-to place for makeup application, and your own hairdresser can give you a rock star blowout or casual waves in ways we simply aren’t capable of doing in our own bathrooms. With that said, a few of my favorite makeup products that I can’t live without include Lancome Undereye Concealer, Bare Minerals foundation, all-over-face color and mineral veil, Bobbi Brown eyeshadow in Bone, Bare Minerals eyeshadows in Greenhouse and Smoky Violet, and Laura Mercier lip glace in Bare Beige (or straight-up Vaseline!). I think most people’s everyday goal with makeup is to look natural, but it’s important to step it up just a touch when photo shoots are involved, and for me that usually means playing up my eyes. It may mean something completely different for you . . . either way, you should feel comfortable, confident and beautiful. And unless you never paint your nails, don’t forget this often overlooked detail. Deep cranberry tones, shades of gray, navy blue, deep purple, and even teal and green are so versatile and fun right now. I tend to be more classic and reach for the red tones, but it’s a fun time to step out of your comfort zone, too. I bought Dior’s nail color in Blue Label and it’s striking! Location: By now you may know the most important element in choosing the right location is the right light, which for me means it is behind the subject. I always ask my couples first to think about a couple of places that might be meaningful to them . . . maybe where they first got engaged, or a place where they spend a lot of time together. If nothing jumps out to them or they want me to choose, I am happy to do so. I tend to be drawn to open fields, windy roads, hillsides, quirky trees, and also a location where there will be shade. And while it's fun to drive around aimlessly looking for new locations, having a general idea of where we are headed ensures we aren't chasing the sun frantically - and we might even get to it just in time. I know this post was long-winded, and these tips and suggestions are of course fine-tuned for each couple. An engagement session is usually a wonderful time for a newly engaged couple to enjoy together . . . and I love being a part of them creatively. Happy wedding planning to you all!

mikey and heath: august 11, 2012

Mikey and Heath . . . what is not to love? This beautiful couple became one of my favorites and most memorable in all of my years as a wedding photographer, and in all of my years on earth. Mikey is a beautiful person, inside and out, with the kindest heart and soul you ever did know. I have not been able to spend as much time with Heath, but I know that if he chose Mikey for his wife, he's very, very smart. In addition to a couple who can totally work the camera, this wedding was adorned with some of the most gorgeous details I've seen . . . and I can't wait to send them out to publications so the rest of the wedding world can enjoy them, too! The ceremony was in a park in Fort Peck, and this was the seating. So fun! A collection of some of the centerpieces - sooo beautiful! Mikey and Heath, I wish you all of the love and happiness there ever is in this world! I can't wait to see what the future holds for both of you, and hopefully be a part of it. Much love!

2012 weddings: a reflection

I know I've blogged words similar to these many, many times throughout the year, but now that it's truly over, I will continue to express how grateful I am for the clients, experiences and success of this past wedding season . . . and how grateful I am to the clients before this past year, who helped my business grow to its most successful year to date. The precedence has been set for so many amazing things to come in 2013. If I could pack you all up a big suitcase and bring you to Vegas to celebrate with me, I would. Thank you, thank you, thank you, from the bottom of my heart!

happy new year!

Whew! I feel like I can finally take a deep breath, one that I've been holding since Thanksgiving! The holidays are of course my favorite time of year, and this year was no different, but we were also anxiously awaiting them to be over so we could focus on the arrival of little Grayson in March . . . since entertaining Joe's parents on Thanksgiving, in the midst of preparing for Christmas, we have been hopelessly busy with one project after another - between shoots, fulfilling holiday print orders, designing gift albums, editing, marketing, spending time with the girls, lending Joe a hand at his office, I am wiped. out. Two days after Christmas, my sister and her family arrived for a visit from Colorado, and we said goodbye to them just in time to celebrate my 33rd birthday on New Year's Eve, attend a fabulous birthday dinner and celebration at the home of our dear friends, and keep the shorties up until the wee hours of the morning to enjoy a midnight fireworks celebration . . . at that time, Joe and I also wrote down the things we wanted to let go of that weighed us down in 2012, and what we hoped to achieve in 2013. We cheersed to a champagne toast, made it home and to bed by 2:30 a.m., and voila! Just like that, the holidays and the most wonderful year are over. I am so happy to be back to routine, and I promise to bring you many, many posts and beautiful stories to share. For now, I want to say Happy New Year to you all! May you make it your best yet, take each day in 2013 one at a time, cherish your relationships, celebrate your loved ones to pieces, sip good wine, drink lots of water, take care of your bodies, be patient with your children, nurture your passions, and inspire those around you by being the most beautiful person you know how to be . . . Happy New Beginnings, everyone!