If you know me at all, or if you've been following along, you know just how much I love White Sands National Monument.  I've been to some cool places, but this place....it takes the cake. Our house in New Mexico was about 15 minutes away from this park and the last time we made the short drive we got pretty sad knowing that we were moving so far away! So you can imagine how I was beyond excited to be contacted by Brittany Miller, from Brittany Miller Photography, saying she had a bride that needed flowers for her elopement taking place at White Sands! My last wedding in New Mexico was going to be at my favorite place, and man....was it epic! 

Some of you may remember when I almost got a ticket for bringing live flowers into White Sands haha. You can read a little bit about it here but, suffice it to say, I wasn't going to chance it again! So when Jessica reached out to me, I asked her how she felt about silk flowers. I had never done silks for a wedding but honestly, it was a pretty cool experience, I think for both Jessica and me! 

Working with silk flowers is different than fresh for a lot of reasons. While I prefer fresh for most of those reasons ;) , both have their pros and cons. Using silks for this occasion was really cool because I was actually able to meet up with the bride-to-be at the local Hobby Lobby and she helped hand pick the flowers that were going into her bouquet. Not only was she able to pick out all the flowers, but it turned into a memento from her wedding that will last forever. 

So the day for the wedding came, and wouldn't you know it, we had a huge New Mexican thunderstorm roll in that afternoon. Brittany called me on her way from Las Cruces asking if I could get there a little earlier to get ahead of the storm. But even getting there earlier than the time we planned, the wind was already pretty fierce. Wind + sand + cameras = disaster! By the time the couple arrived, it was pounding rain and everyone was getting pretty nervous that it might not let up! But Jessica and Ryan were determined because they had a honeymoon to get on! I'm so glad they waited it out because what happened in the end result was....pure magic. 

Are you kidding me with the rainbow?? I'm obsessed with everything about this day from the bride, to the style, to the VENUE, and the photographer...all the heart eye emojis from me. Like, all of them. 

I'm so grateful to Brittany for recommending me to Jessica and for having the opportunity to be part of this amazing day!! It was such a pleasure and congrats to the newlyweds! 

Is it crazy to anyone else that we've lived in Alaska for three months already?? Just me? While I do feel like we're settling in quite nicely, and the family is dealing with the change pretty well, I now have an overwhelming feeling of needing to play catch up with all the things that took a backseat in the process of moving. Which means, I gotta post of few projects that happened before our move! 
This one was a really special one that took place last August! Having never done a vow renewal, it was really cool to be able to be part of such an intimate event. Words won't be able to do it justice so I'm super happy about the pictures I got from the photographer, Crystal Tompkins (thank you!!!). And when they told me this was taking place in Cloudcroft, NM, I was so excited. Could there be a more beautiful setting with more beautiful people for such a sweet occasion? I submit that there could not! 

Huge thank you to the Sauceda's. It was such a privilege to be part of your special day. 

You guys! It's been so long! It's actually gotten really crazy over here the past few months haha. We had a few trips to visit family at the beginning of the year and we put our house up for sale because we are MOVING! But I had to take some time to put this gorgeous shoot up on the blog today.
The story behind this shoot is a crazy one haha. I collaborated with Jaz & Theo - some amazing photographers out of El Paso - to do a styled shoot at White Sands. I had done shoots there before and thought nothing of it but when we arrived for the shoot, the park rangers came up and told us we weren't allowed to have real flowers in the park! I had never gotten in trouble when I'd been there before so I was a little shocked and we were all pretty bummed. Jaz & Theo worked their magic for that shoot but we obviously didn't get to include the flowers as much as we had wanted. 
We all went home after we were done and Jaz & Theo went to work putting another impromptu shoot together at Red Sands so we could get a few more photos, and I'll tell you, they did not disappoint! With the sweetest couple, Yasmin and Jared, ready on the fly, this is what they came up with and I'm pretty obsessed...

I mean, what a gorgeous couple!! And can I just say, Red Sands?? What a beautiful place to add to the uniqueness that is in this area! I'm going to miss a lot about this area but mostly, I really have been blessed by the people I have met and been able to work with during my time here in New Mexico! People that I now call my friends. That's what I'm going to miss the most!! 

This fall season was a busy one for me! I'll have to do a catch up post soon, but I'm so excited to share this wedding I was part of in October, and I just got these photos from the amazing photographer so, there's no better time for this post! :) 

This was the prettiest fall wedding and Samantha was the sweetest bride! Just the right ingredients for a beautiful New Mexico wedding (insert heart eyes here)!! 

First, the setting was gorgeous at the Farm and Ranch Museum. Their pretty little courtyard in the middle of their building is the perfect place for an intimate ceremony. 

How obsessed are we with these lanterns?? They were just the right amount of detail to add to this ceremony arch - and side note: They are available for rent :) 

Also, can I just say, that I love the idea of "junior bridesmaids" instead of flower girls?? First of all, these girls are KILLIN it and what little girl doesn't want to have some pretty flowers to hold like all the "big girls" at the wedding? ;)

And I mean, does it get any cooler than a glow stick exit? I doubt it! 

Thanks again to the beautiful couple for letting me be part of their day! 
And thanks to Jesse Kay Photography for these photos! And to the New Mexico Farm and Ranch Museum and their venue services! It was such a fun and beautiful day to be a part of! 

Picture this: You're engaged, planning your own wedding. You've got the perfect Pinterest board that shows exactly what you want for your big day. You've set up a meeting with your florist and you're prepared with photos to show him or her the exact flowers you want. You feel great about your meeting and you're excited that everything is coming together....until you see the quote. It's out of your budget! 
Real talk, weddings are expensive, as we know. Not every bride has the luxury of being able to afford every bloom their heart desires. Luckily, in the world of flowers, the possibilities and quite literally endless! Here are four examples of substituting those expensive blooms with some more affordable ones. 
​Ex 1. Peonies

So let's rewind back to our original scenario. Your floral quote is a little beyond what you were hoping to spend. Don't stress out! Work with your florist and see what less expensive alternatives you can come up with. You don't even have to give up the vision you're going for! Did you know there are almost 1/2 a million different types of flowers in the world? Chances are you can find a suitable substitution ;)

Happy planning!! 

*All photos came from one of my favorite Wholesalers, Red Mountain Utah. You can check out their instagram for some floral inspiration @redmutah

In late April, we took a family trip to Utah for my sister's college graduation. It was so great to see all our friends and family and it was really exciting to do a wedding while I was there! Fun story, I've known Lance since we were in 1st grade! So it was super fun to be there for his big day. 

When coordinating with Sara to get a feel for her vision, it was clear that she had a good idea on what she wanted and it was so fun to be able to bring that vision to life! Take a look...

I just loved the bold colors of this Spring wedding!! Congrats again, Adamson's!! <3

Oh man, the last couple weeks have been such a blur for my family! I had a few weddings and traveled to some fun places...so I gotta catch you all up on what I've been up too!! 
First, this fun wedding happened a few weeks ago. Let me just tell you, that when a bride requests peonies and garden roses, you know I'm gonna be on board! Throw a little ranunculus in and...well...these are a few of my favorite things....

I love that Cristianna was all about those classic, garden-y, spring flowers but wasn't afraid to add a pop of texture with some large succulents and even a few scabiosa pods. She also went for a lighter palette for her bridesmaids while making her bouquet stand out with corals and pinks. 

And of course I have to include some of my favorite shots by DeGroot Film Co. Heart eyes, heart eyes heart eyes!!

Thank you so much for the photos, Katie and Devin!! It was seriously so fun to do wedding party florals for Cristianna and Kevin! Congratulations to the newly weds!! 

When Jazmine Rubio contacted me to put some florals together for a styled shoot, I had no idea what I was in for. Not until I showed up the day of the shoot did I realize that I was about to be a part of something that so fully embodies the reason I love the creative community here in New Mexico. Jazmine, along with Brittany Miller, Diana Alvarado, and Laura Viramontes are all photographers in Las Cruces, New Mexico. As photographers, and friends, in the photography community here, they put together a styled shoot, that functioned as a "wedding workshop" and invited a handful of photographers to come and learn about the process of shooting a wedding from start to finish. Participants were able to ask questions about everything from help with posing their couples to business practices and get answers from some of the pros :) It was seriously the epitome of #communityovercompetition and I was so honored to be, not only a witness, but a part of it! 

First up, the bouquet! (insert heart eyes here!!) I love how each of the photographers captured it differently! 

Next is this gorgeous backdrop!! Perfect for an exchanging of vows :)

We also had an amazing sweetheart's table set up. Most of the decor was from the homes of the hostesses. It was definitely a collaborative effort if I've even seen one :D

Last, but not least...I mean, no wedding set up is complete without a cake...was this little scrumptious thing. And believe me when I say scrumptious!! 

Everyone did such an amazing job with this shoot!! Styled shoots are always so much fun to do because of all the coordinating involved with each vendor. I love being able to meet each vendor and see the creative process from all angles. It definitely makes you appreciate more the coordinating involved in big events!! 
Before signing off, I had a few more favorites from this shoot that I'm just gonna put here :) I hope you enjoyed going through these as much as I did! Maybe you got a little inspiration for a spring wedding?? Happy planning!! 

Vendors
Hostesses: Jazmine Rubio Photo + Film , FB @jazminerubiophotography, IG @jaminerubiophotoandfilm
                         Brittany Miller Photography, FB and IG @brittanymillerphotography, 
                         Laura's Photography LC,  FB @laurasphotographylascruces, IG @laurasphotographylc
                         Diana Alvarado Photography, FB and IG @dianaalvaradophotography
Dress: Renee's Bridal, FB and IG @reneesbridalnm, 
HMUA: Makeup by Brenda, FB @artistrybybrenda, IG @tarangobrenda
Stationary: Letters and Such, FB @lettersandsuch, IG @letters_and_such
Cake: Busy Bs Custom Cakes, FB and IG @busybscustomcakes
Video: American Faces, IG @american_faces
Models: Justine Fogle & Arturo Casillas

If you've been following along for the past couple years, you know that I can't get enough of the southwest vibes. The unique history, the culture, the scenery, the *food* (sopapillas anyone?) It's safe to say that I've fallen in love with everything New Mexico has to offer and that's why I've been so excited to share this shoot since it was just emerging as an idea. 

I have to give a huge shout out to Rose & Co Studios. When Rose first reached out to me about doing a styled shoot with her, I asked her what she had in mind and she basically said it was up to me! Ha, that had never truly happened before, since usually photographers come to me with a vision already in mind. While I love being able to bring someone's vision to life, I had a lot of fun doing my own thing :) 

My mind immediately went to a southwest-boho theme. With cactus, skulls, macrame, and lots of flowers. I found an amazing macrame artist, Chelsea, from Albuquerque and asked if she would be interested in being part of this project. I was ecstatic when she agreed and showed her excitement to be involved. I mean...look at the amazing detail on this piece she whipped up!! Seriously perfect. 

It all fell into place as Rose & Co Studios found some models, a hair and makeup artist, and a venue and the rest is history! What do you think?? 

Participating Vendors --

Venue - Magnolia House Event Venue IG @magnoliahousevenue
Photographer - Rose & Co IG @rosecostudio
HMUA - Katy Crooks IG @katydidhair
Models - Laura Rae IG @_laura.rae_
                  - Jorge Gonzalez IG @jorge_fsu
Macrame artist - Nyxon Creations IG @nyxoncreations
Skull Painter - Spiced Ink IG @spiced_ink

Happy New Year! Holy cow, 2017 went by way to fast! But how excited are you for 2018?? I'll tell you, this is such a fun time of year with all the newly engaged couples ready to plan the wedding of their dreams! 

I'm positive that a rustic wedding will never go out of style. Being in the Southwest, the outdoorsy, rural, simple, even a little bit country is less of a "trend" than it is a way of life. So here we are, with a post dedicated to planning the perfect Rustic Wedding! 

King Ranch provides the perfect place to start with this checklist! As we all know, the magic is in the details so I'm adding some inspiration for your own rustic touches. 

First up, venue! Your venue can add so much to the ambience of your rustic wedding! One of my favorite rustic weddings I did was at this amazing barn! This barn was actually converted from housing livestock to an event venue, so I'm not sure you could find a more perfect place ;) But if you don't have access to a barn, there are some fun local venues that will definitely do your wedding justice, the New Mexico Farm and Ranch Museum being one such venue that comes to mind! 

The next item on the checklist that will add a lot to your theme, is obviously, flowers and decor!! 

Burlap, lace, mason jars, and babies breath always seem to come to mind when the word "rustic" is brought up. But there is a way to add to the rustic theme and still be unique! This wedding was one of my favorites with all the antlers that we incorporated! The bride's dad had quite the collection and it was really cool to be able to include such a meaningful element.  This wedding was a fun one because it was centered around succulents and pinecones...not a very traditional pair and it turned out so awesome! And this wedding had some seriously sweet rustic touches, including incorporating their own brand! 

What kind of rustic wedding would it be without some cowboy boots?? I loved this post on knotsvilla and all their Bridal Boot shots. King Ranch has some amazing options for rustic wedding footwear for you and your man!