Sunday Superthoughts: Little Equals Big

December 2, 2012, 8:53 pm

≫ Next: Horton Farms Engagement Session of Erin and Kevin

≪ Previous: Keely's Northwest Arkansas Senior Session

Hey everybody!

Little things. Our day is made up of a million little things. Decisions about what we do with our time are among the most important we make, and I've been trying to instill an awareness in Ellie that she can take her little moments and make smart decisions that can change her (and others') future. After all...

For example, you can take one minute right now, and change the future of an amazing organization, and countless kids. Help by voting for Art Feeds so they can win a million dollars!

You can only vote once, and the voting period only lasts until December 4th, so there's very little time to spare. Vote, then share.

We make millions of little decisions; they are the fibers that weave the thread of our lives. What does your tapestry look like?

Talk to you soon,
Dale

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Horton Farms Engagement Session of Erin and Kevin

December 3, 2012, 12:37 pm

≫ Next: Lauren's Senior Portraits, by Chelsey

≪ Previous: Sunday Superthoughts: Little Equals Big

Hey everybody!

I love couples who are all about having fun. From the moment I met Erin and Kevin, it was easy to see... they were this kind of couple! It makes shooting them so fun and easy, as you'll see in my favorites below. We shot the session at Horton Farms, which is where their April 2013 wedding will be (yay! we love shooting here!).

Talk to you soon,
Dale

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Lauren's Senior Portraits, by Chelsey

December 4, 2012, 9:23 pm

≫ Next: Meg Bourne's Bridal Portraits

≪ Previous: Horton Farms Engagement Session of Erin and Kevin

Hi Friends! Chelsey here!

It's the season for senior pics and I have some stunning seniors to show off starting with the beautiful Lauren! I had a blast on her shoot, the weather was perfect for us, and these pictures are to die for! I tried to pick a favorite to start with but I just have so many favorites... so I'll let you decide!

If you are a senior or know a senior, I still have openings for senior shoots and would love to chat with you!
xoxo
{ add signature }

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Meg Bourne's Bridal Portraits

December 5, 2012, 6:44 pm

≫ Next: Meg Bourne and Carter Hulsey Wedding in Joplin MO!

≪ Previous: Lauren's Senior Portraits, by Chelsey

Hey everybody!

Such fun and exciting news: Meg Bourne, our great friend and founder of Art Feeds, just got married!!! Yay! We were honored to be her photographers, and are excited to share Carter and Meg's wedding with you over the next few days. You won't want to miss her amazing wedding details (she called it a vintage circus!!), and sweet moments with you all! First up, here are a couple of her bridal portraits...

Such a beautiful bride!

Talk to you soon,
Dale

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Meg Bourne and Carter Hulsey Wedding in Joplin MO!

December 6, 2012, 9:55 am

≫ Next: Meg and Carter Hulsey's Joplin Wedding Details

≪ Previous: Meg Bourne's Bridal Portraits

Hey everybody!

I know I say frequently that I have the best job on the planet, but it's true. I get to have great friends like Meg Bourne and Carter Hulsey (two individually amazing people, and a dream-come-true couple) as clients. Creative, talented, sincere people who have dedicated their lives to be there for others... could you ask for more? Okay, throw hotness on top of the pile because they've got that too. :) Yeah... best job on the planet.

I love how that you can see Meg's Art Feeds hand tattoo here! Oh, and also that you can see how totally crazy they are about each other!

Carter Hulsey and Meg Bourne wedding portrait images

Meg is the first Benny bride to dye her dress - yep, seriously! See the pink ombre at the bottom? She's so talented!

I love how silly they are with each other!

But when it comes down to it, they are two amazing and caring individuals who deserve each other. Perfect pairing.

There was a lot of this during the day, so I had to include one... they have so much fun together!

Tomorrow, I'm sharing Meg and Carter's wedding details with you - you won't want to miss... especially if you're currently planning your own wedding!

Talk to you soon,
Dale

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Meg and Carter Hulsey's Joplin Wedding Details

December 7, 2012, 12:00 pm

≫ Next: Meg and Carter's Joplin Wedding Moments

≪ Previous: Meg Bourne and Carter Hulsey Wedding in Joplin MO!

Hey everybody,

It should come as no surprise that Meg (founder of Art Feeds) and Carter (super talented musician) would have amazingly artistic and creative details at their wedding and reception. Yet, I'm still surprised at how every little thing was so thoughtful and creative. Meg's dad welcomed everybody to his daughter's "Vintage Circus" - such a perfect description of the atmosphere they created.

I mentioned yesterday that Meg dyed her dress a pink ombre. Yeah... gutsy... but it paid off! It was already such a beautiful dress, but she made it her own and it was to-die-for! Oh, and of course the pink matched her engagement ring. (sigh...)

Carter Hulsey and Meg Bourne vintage circus themed wedding images

Every centerpiece was different at her reception, and featured a collection of vintage artifacts and beautiful flowers.

Are you kidding me? This was such a dramatic focal point of the room - a handmade statement that hung above the couple as they danced their first dance.

Hers: vintage inspired cake with huge floral accents. His: rock'em sock'em robots on rice crispy treat cakes. PERFECTION.

Of course, there were more sweets to be had. This ombre cake matched Meg's hand-dyed wedding dress.

Pinterest users... get your pinners ready! I love this final detail today. A great little gray slug bug (er, VW Beetle) adorned these recycled book pages and stole our hearts as they drove away from the cereomony.

Sweet moments from this wedding coming up!

Talk to you soon,
Dale

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Meg and Carter's Joplin Wedding Moments

December 8, 2012, 2:00 pm

≫ Next: Sunday Superthoughts: Love Naively...

≪ Previous: Meg and Carter Hulsey's Joplin Wedding Details

Hey everybody!

I've been sharing a beautiful vintage circus themed wedding with you over the past couple days, but I have yet to show you all the sweet moments that REALLY make up the wedding day... what the wedding day is actually about.

I love that we got all the Bourne girls in one image. I just love these moments as her sister and mother get Meg ready for her first reveal/first look with Carter.

I love Meg's sweet smile as she sees Carter for the first time. I also love the crowd witnessing through the glass wall at the back of the church sanctuary.

Meg and Carter had a special first meeting in the church sanctuary that was just perfect. I love these because the couple gets to spend a few minutes of real moments with each other, soaking in not only their WEDDING DAY, but EACH OTHER.

Here's a talented bunch of bridemaids! Musicians, artists, dancers, and all-around genuine ladies!

There normally isn't a lot of chance for "creative" ceremony shots during a Catholic wedding (no moving... no flash...) but I couldn't help to frame the couple from the balcony...

Sweet first kiss. Also notice that you can see the parents' heads in the frame. Purposeful... I'm proud of this kiss shot.

So I showed the jaw-dropping display on yesterday's post, and here it is again hanging above the bride and groom during their first dance. Precious and priceless.

Ah! Moments!

Then the party got rockin' thanks to my lifelong best friend Tom, who DJ'd the event.

Balloons played a central role in the engagement (and bridal portraits), and the end of the wedding reception showed the bride and groom releasing the balloons into the world.

Talk to you soon,
Dale

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Sunday Superthoughts: Love Naively...

December 9, 2012, 11:34 am

≫ Next: Cassie and Walker's Rogers House Wedding in Little Rock

≪ Previous: Meg and Carter's Joplin Wedding Moments

Hey everybody!

I can think of no better way to end Meg and Carter's wedding posts than with a Sunday Superthought discussing the philosophy of Art Feeds, and of Meg... its founder.

The troops at Art Feeds really do embody this mentality. They don't just say it, they live it. Loving naively is my favorite part of this slogan, because it's telling us to love like God wants us to love. There's no hidden agenda, there's no preconception or judgement, there's just love. Plain and simple (and perfect) love. When you watch Art Feeds penetrate the school classrooms on a daily basis, this is the type of love they bring in, and this is why the kids are so ready to open up. After the Joplin tornado, the need for Art Feeds grew exponentially, and volunteers came from everywhere to join the mission to bring simple and perfect love to the hurting children of Joplin.

Giving Generously is easily the hardest thing to do in today's world. We have busy lives. We have bills. We have needs that we are striving hard to meet on a personal level. However, that is why it's a sacrifice. If it were easy, and took no discipline, everybody would give generously. What amazes me so much about Meg and the Art Feeds team is that there is no end to the sacrifice they are constantly making... and Meg is about the busiest person I know! We all could learn a lot from her giving heart - no matter how much we already give (time, money, or talent) ... we could do more. We should do more.

I've traveled to Ghana with Meg and the gang, so I've seen with my very own eyes the depth of their compassion. To see the sweet little African boys and girls running up to them screaming with excitement would soften even the toughest of nails. To get vaccines, fly across the globe, endure some truly scary situations so they can help rescue sweet little ones, and give them a means to open up and express their inner feelings in new, constructive, positive ways... it's beautiful to witness. Of course, Meg is a beautiful soul.

We could all learn a lot about how to live our lives from the Art Feeds slogan, and from Meg. Thank you Meg, for not only what you do on a daily basis, but for being a true role model for my 8-year-old daughter (who ADORES you)!

And now, to finish out Meg's posts on the blog, here are a few more of my favorite wedding portraits from her wedding.

One of my very very very favorite images from the entire day... {gorgeousness...}

Yeah... there was a LOT of this... which I adored.

Oh, hello Benny Backlight! Nice to see you again. And nice dip, Mr. Carter Hulsey.

Carter might hate me for this picture, but it's priceless to me. Sorry for making you run in an alley, Carter, but look how happy your bride is!

Meg and Carter... Mere, Ellie, and I LOVE you!

Talk to you soon,
Dale

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Cassie and Walker's Rogers House Wedding in Little Rock

December 10, 2012, 7:53 pm

≫ Next: Rogers House Wedding in Little Rock... Cassie and Walker's Portraits

≪ Previous: Sunday Superthoughts: Love Naively...

Hey everybody,

Fun, fun, fun! That's what comes to mind when I think of Walker and Cassie! They're a really silly couple who knows how to have a good time! What was really special about their wedding, though, was all the sweet moments - the moment Walker first saw his bride as she walked down the aisle, their first dance that had them laughing all the way through it, etc. Scroll down... you'll see!

First up, look at all her great florals...

The Rogers House in Little Rock was such a gorgeous backdrop for a wedding!

And Cassie was a gorgeous bride...

And here we go... a moment to remember!

Oh how I love the emotion here...

Tomorrow I'm going to post their fabulous fall wedding portraits we shot with the most gorgeous fall leaves!

Talk to you soon,
Dale

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Rogers House Wedding in Little Rock... Cassie and Walker's Portraits

December 11, 2012, 6:30 am

≫ Next: Bourgon's Little Rock Bridal Session

≪ Previous: Cassie and Walker's Rogers House Wedding in Little Rock

Hey everybody,

I love Fall weddings in Arkansas! Cassie and Walker picked the very best weekend in Little Rock for a wedding - beautiful colored fall leaves everywhere! It was the perfect backdrop for wedding portraits...

Talk to you soon,
Dale

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Bourgon's Little Rock Bridal Session

December 12, 2012, 9:29 pm

≫ Next: Bourgon and Brad's Little Rock Wedding

≪ Previous: Rogers House Wedding in Little Rock... Cassie and Walker's Portraits

Hey everybody!

Our brides seriously are beautiful inside and out. Bourgon might be the sweetest bride ever! We photographed her bridals in Little Rock at the same church you'll see in her wedding images. More on those coming soon! In the meantime, take a look!

Talk to you soon,
Dale

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Bourgon and Brad's Little Rock Wedding

December 13, 2012, 8:06 pm

≫ Next: Brad and Bourgon's Little Rock Wedding Portraits

≪ Previous: Bourgon's Little Rock Bridal Session

Hey everybody!

Such a timeless and beautiful wedding is on the blog today! Bourgon was full of laughs and smiles - I think she really took in the day and enjoyed it! There were so many sweet moments - I've included a few of my favorite moments below.

Heather and the team at Inspired Grace helped execute this wedding, and timing was tricky! I appreciate them being on the ball and getting everything to fall into place for us.

This just MELTS me. Great shots by Lauren!

Hi there gorgeous bride!

You know how I feel about daddy/daughter moments...

A sweet first meeting moment with Bourgon and Brad.

Love these bridesmaids! They were so sweet all day long! I spy Britney from Big Brother.

Trinity Episcopal Cathedral in Little Rock is so beautiful!

The reception was at the Junior League of Little Rock - that chandelier is legit! And look how happy Bourgon is during their first dance!

And happy...

And happy!!! (of course, who couldn't help but to laugh at Brad... Mr. GQ?)

Talk to you soon,
Dale

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Brad and Bourgon's Little Rock Wedding Portraits

December 14, 2012, 11:30 am

≫ Next: Laura and Jason's Eureka Springs Wedding

≪ Previous: Bourgon and Brad's Little Rock Wedding

Hey everybody,

I'm finishing Bourgon's blog posts today with some really fabulous portraits. Later in the day, Brad pulled me aside and let me know that the portraits went fast and great (he confessed he wasn't looking forward to them leading up to the wedding). It was a great compliment because I try to make it look amazing, while being fast, relaxed, and easy! Enjoy!

Talk to you soon,
Dale

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Laura and Jason's Eureka Springs Wedding

December 15, 2012, 9:16 pm

≫ Next: Sunday Superthoughts: Comfort Vs. Character

≪ Previous: Brad and Bourgon's Little Rock Wedding Portraits

Hey everybody,

Laura and Jason are such a sweet couple! They had me come out to the most beautiful resort in Arkansas to photograph their wedding, and I'm excited to share some of it with you! You'll notice that Laura has the best smile... well, that's just her! I didn't even have to tell her what to do... she is just naturally a happy soul (I've known her nearly all my life) and her happiness is really infections, which (I'm sure) is one of the many reasons Jason easily fell for her! I photographed their portraits outside the resort and near the dam at Eureka Springs. Here are some of my favorites...

All time favorite... awesomeness!

Talk to you soon,
Dale

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Sunday Superthoughts: Comfort Vs. Character

December 16, 2012, 7:34 pm

≫ Next: Amanda and Adam's Fayetteville Engagement Portraits

≪ Previous: Laura and Jason's Eureka Springs Wedding

Hey everybody,

Call it cheating, but when I was younger my friends and I would play Nintendo and if we didn't like the way the game was going, we'd just hit the reset button. I noticed that I still do the same thing as an adult when I play Angry Birds. If things aren't going perfectly, I just jump ahead to the let's-not-waste-time-finishing-this-one-out stage and take a mulligan.

Do you ever wish you could have a do over button on life? Man I do. The weekend has been a pretty terrible weekend. Starting with some devastating news on every channel on tv, my heart was already broken on Friday. Later in the day, Meredith and I were heading to Tulsa for the night to finish our Christmas shopping and have some nice family time when a big ol' buck landed in front of our 4Runner. Without any time to react, we hit the deer, causing airbags to inflate, and my dear wife and expectant mother to go into a bit of hysterics. Since then, we've concluded that the baby is fine! For our car, well that's another story. Because it was such a huge buck there was a lot of damage to the car and the engine won't work, but thankfully we are safe and sound. But boy... I wish I could have a do-over.

It's easy to think things like "if we only decided to stay home that day..." and for the parents of the Sandy Hook students... these questions are even more prevalent, and heartbreaking. It's easy to wish away the present when things don't go as planned. But, friends, it's these times that build character and shape us into the people that God wants us to be. When I was on staff at YoungLife, my mentor would always remind me that God is more concerned with my character than my comfort. God doesn't give us reset buttons for a reason. He has a plan.

"God is more concerned about our character than our comfort. His goal is not to pamper us physically but to perfect us spiritually."

Talk to you soon,
Dale

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Amanda and Adam's Fayetteville Engagement Portraits

December 17, 2012, 6:15 pm

≫ Next: Fayetteville Engagement Portraits of Aimee and Todd

≪ Previous: Sunday Superthoughts: Comfort Vs. Character

Hey everybody,

I'm loving this weather in NW Arkansas! Normally we'd be finished shooting for the year, but this wedding and engagement season has been extended because of an increase in Benny brides (yay!). The weather is really helping us out by staying warm enough to shoot, and I'm sure our couples love that too! Here are some of Amanda and Adam's recent engagement portraits, which we shot in downtown Fayetteville.

What is that? A little Benny Backlight? Yep!

Talk to you soon,
Dale

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Fayetteville Engagement Portraits of Aimee and Todd

December 18, 2012, 8:00 am

≫ Next: Nikki and Ryan's Hot Springs Wedding Portraits

≪ Previous: Amanda and Adam's Fayetteville Engagement Portraits

Hey everybody,

I'm so bummed that I'm booked on Aimee's destination wedding date, but at least I got to spend time with the fun couple for their engagement session! I'll have more from this couple later (we did a fun video!), but in the meantime here are some of my favorite portraits from the session!

Talk to you soon,
Dale

P.S. Aimee, if you decide it wouldn't be a proper wedding with me, just let me know! :)

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Nikki and Ryan's Hot Springs Wedding Portraits

December 19, 2012, 9:27 pm

≫ Next: Nikki and Ryan's Wedding Details and Story

≪ Previous: Fayetteville Engagement Portraits of Aimee and Todd

Hey everybody!

Lighting is my favorite! When we scheduled Nikki and Ryan wedding portraits, I knew I wanted to get some yummy Benny Backlight! We have more from this sweet Hot Springs on the blog coming up, but I couldn't wait any longer to share these fun portraits!

Talk to you soon,
Dale

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Nikki and Ryan's Wedding Details and Story

December 20, 2012, 6:02 pm

≫ Next: End of the World Renunion Tonight: The Rowskabouts

≪ Previous: Nikki and Ryan's Hot Springs Wedding Portraits

Hey everybody,

Today I have the sweet details and story from Nikki and Ryan's Hot Spring wedding... Her details were classic and timeless (as were her amazing shoes)... have a look!

Sweet moment from the bride and groom's first meeting...

This girl could dance circles around me!

A bit Greek family doing a little Greek dancing...

Love this ending...

Talk to you soon,
Dale

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End of the World Renunion Tonight: The Rowskabouts

December 21, 2012, 8:00 am

≫ Next: Sweet Kiddo Pics...

≪ Previous: Nikki and Ryan's Wedding Details and Story

Hey everybody!

If the Mayan's are right, the world will end sometime today. A few years ago, my high school / college ska band, The Rowskabouts, planned to play one last show as the world was ending... so we're playing tonight at Kitchen Pass in Joplin! The doors open at 8, and the show is only $5. There is only one or two ways I could better think to go out if the world is ending...

From the bowels of middle America, sucked by the teet of small town boredom, a lost double dare, a failed attempt at the “knifey knife” record; out of necessity, The Rowskabouts--second best band of all time--was born. The year was 1995.
After a full 18 years of playing the same 20 songs, this collective of stereotypes have whittled down their sonic array to include only the most meditative melodies, precise poly-rhythms, and level headed lyrics. Along with the relevant display of fantastic horn lines, the rhythm section makes this group almost unbeatable. Almost. With smooth classic tunes such as “Mohaska,” “Proctoral,” and “Hookey Schnacky,” this ensemble will literally have you begging for more.
For the best End of the World party you could ever experience (with one possible exception) make sure to stop by and experience the nearly amazing Rowskabouts. They will be performing just before the End of the World on December 21, 2012 at the Kitchen Pass in Joplin. The show starts at 8PM and ends when it ends, if you know what I mean. Your $5 admission fee will be returned if the world does in fact end.

Talk to you soon,
Dale

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