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Lindsey and Jeff's Fayetteville Wedding Details and Story

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Hey everybody!

Meredith and I photographed Lindsey and Jeff's wedding at St. Catherine's at Bell Gables in Fayetteville recently, and every time I shoot there I just love it! Not only is it an absolutely GORGEOUS wedding venue in Fayetteville, but it's SUPER close to my house! You gotta love a short commute!



Seriously, isn't this place a DREAM???


I loved the look on Jeff's face when he first saw his bride.

Meredith got a really cool shot of the wedding through the doors...

The kiss, the dress... everything!



Lindsey and Jeff were great, too! Sweet, considerate, and fun... this couple definitely showed their guests a good time!






I'm excited to you show you their portraits - hitting the blog tomorrow!




Talk to you soon,
Dale

Lindsey and Jeff's Fayetteville Wedding Portraits

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Hey everybody!

Our darling Lindsey and Jeff are back on the blog today! Their wedding portraits we so easy to shoot because not only was our lighting perfect, but they are such naturals in front of our cameras. I chose more than I normally do for a single portrait post, but I couldn't help it! Look at my favorites below...












Talk to you soon,
Dale

Shelor's Fayetteville Family Portraits

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Hey everybody!

One of my favorite little families is about to enjoy a birthday! Nora is turning one! Of course (as if our history of shoots is any indication), Casey, Andrew, and I found the hottest day of the year to shoot portraits, but hey... at least it wasn't raining! Nora was a great sport too, and loved my playing peek-a-boo with her! She's SO precious!! Here are some of my favorites from our little session!



















Talk to you soon,
Dale

Yay! We're Featured in Bridal Guide

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Hey everybody!
How cool is this! We were recently featured on the Bridal Guide! It's such a reputable publication, and I love that they not only value our photography, but understand our requirement that our logo remains on our image online.  Classy! :)  Here's a link: bridal guide feature




Talk to you soon,
Dale

Dorris Family Portraits

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Hey everybody!

Mere and I feel like we've just been on a tour of the US, shooting portrait sessions and weddings all over the past week.  One of the shoots was of the Dorris family in Houston. Zach has been on the blog before with his parents, and today he's back with his cousins and his new baby sister. The Dorris family is a precious one, and I always look forward to spending time with them when I'm in Houston.








Talk to you soon,
Dale

My New Secret Weapon: Plated

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Hanger Steak with Charred Citrus and Shishito Peppers
Hey everybody!

As you know, I have a huge passion for cooking and serving others.  It led me to start, grow, and ultimately sell Baller Foodtruck here in Fayetteville.  But my experience in the kitchen started long before that.  Lately, I've been on a new little kick to keep my passion for cooking alive.

It all started on a late-night scroll through Facebook (a less than rare occurrence). I stumbled upon Plated, and thought I'd do a little research and found that they were on one of my favorite shows, Shark Tank.

Anyway, I thought I'd give it a shot.  After 3 rounds of giving it a go, I'm completely sold. I thought of a few reasons why...

1) the recipes are REALLY good.  They TEACH you something instead of just following along.
2) they're created by really good chefs.
Green Goddess Roasted Chicken
with Purple Potatoes
3) there's NO food waste!
4) you get ingredients you can't easily find here in NWA, which means I get to expand my knowledge of food!
5) they're fun and fairly simple recipes... and everything I've tasted so far has been dynamite!

If you're a food lover and find yourself in the kitchen a lot (or want to find yourself in the kitchen more, give Plated a try!



Talk to you soon,
Dale

P.S. I also tried the steak lettuce wraps but I ate them all before I remembered to take a picture. Haha!!  Seriously, though, y'all... it's really delicious food!

Kirsten and Jordan's Benny Backlight Engagement Session

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Hey everybody!

Kirsten's wedding weekend is finally here! We've been anticipating this wedding for so long and can't be happier for our best friends, who get married TOMORROW!

Mere and I met up with them for a mini round two session of engagement portraits shot in our signature little Benny Backlight style. I love these!









Talk to you soon,
Dale

More Benny Backlight Engagement Portraits of Kirsten and Jordan

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Hey everybody!

TODAY IS THE DAY! Jordan and Kirsten get married today! We have just a few more engagements we wanna share before we reveal her bridals to y'all (coming soon!). We love these Benny Backlight portraits of our super best friends! Enjoy!










Talk to you soon,
Dale


Coming Soon: Benfield Weddings, Issue 3

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Hey everybody!

We're almost finished with our 3rd issue of Benfield Weddings Magazine, and for the first time... you get to preorder! I'm still choosing the cover, so I'm putting up both for you to see below:



Reserve your copy here!
https://gumroad.com/l/benny3


Talk to you soon,
Dale

Elli and Eric's Houston Wedding Details

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Hey everybody!

It seems like I've known Elizabeth's mom for years... she's been a faithful blog follower for years, and it a great photographer in her own right. When I finally got to see her on the wedding day, it was truly like I was talking with an old friend! She and Elli are just so darling!

I was truly honored when Elizabeth wanted us to come to Houston for her wedding, but it still took my breath away when we arrived and Elli came to us and hugged us and said, "you are the only thing I knew I wanted for my wedding." Such an amazing compliment that I truly treasured.

Enough mushy stuff... let's look at how much style and taste Elli has! Those pink Louboutins are show stoppers!


I'd never seen centerpieces like this before, and I absolutely LOVE them! Brides... take note!

The Louboutins weren't her only shoes.  I love these custom designed (and monogrammed) converse - with coordinating pairs for the bridesmaids!  How awesome!

This car was restored for Elli by her grandpa - a great getaway car (and something blue!).  Cute cans too, right?



Okay... the scene is set! Story coming tomorrow!

Talk to you soon,
Dale

Elli and Eric's Houston Wedding Story

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Hey everybody!

I have a really great day to share with you all! Elizabeth is a dream bride who's not only gorgeous with great style, but is as sweet on the inside as could be. I already (yesterday) shared what she said as we arrived, but all day long she was so thoughtful and sweet with us, her parents, her wedding party, and guests. In essence, she's as non-bridezilla as they come. Yay!

First off, let me back up my statement that she's gorgeous and has great style. Exhibit A:


I was considering putting this shot on yesterday's post because I just ADORE this detail... her monogrammed veil. What a statement! {on a side note, Briscoe Manor was such a beautiful venue for both the wedding and the reception, and the staff was a dream to work with!}


Awww... here's Eric eying his bride as she walks toward him. They had a first look, but it was without the veil... so it's as if he's seeing her for the first time! Great smile, Eric!


After some sweet vows and an exchange of rings, we come to this. My favorite thing about this first kiss is Elli's hands on his cheeks... SO presh.


Happy happy happy!


They kicked off the reception (after a pretty fab wedding party intro) with their first dance. I just love the eye contact here so much. THIS is what first dances are all about.


How crazy and fun is this?!?!?




Elli and Eric did bubbles (with bubble guns) for their leave. The bubble guns create a hundred times the amount of bubbles, so it made for the perfect going away shot. I just love this so much!


Okay, friends... that's not all! I am a bit batty over the portraits we did with Elli and Eric, so you'll want to come back to the blog one more time tomorrow as I share those with you! Can't wait to see you then!

Talk to you soon,
Dale

Elli and Eric's Briscoe Manor Wedding Portraits

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Hey everybody!

Yay! It's portrait day! Meredith and I have developed quite a knack for working quickly on the wedding day and still being able to create some photo magic. Since Houston is a biiiiiit warm in July, we wanted to make sure we got our couple out and then back inside quickly so their faces didn't melt off. It turns out, at Briscoe Manor there are all sorts of amazing places to shoot portraits so our job was easier than usual! Have a look!








Talk to you soon,
Dale

P.S. A little shoutout to Brandy Fowler for the fab makeup!

Bonus: More Elli and Eric Portraits from their Houston Wedding

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Hey everybody!

How about this?! I have a few more I just had to share, y'all! This fabulous bride deserves another gorgeous post with more pretty wedding pictures, don't you agree? Enjoy!











Talk to you soon,
Dale

Maggie and Kevin's Engagement

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Hey everybody!

Greetings from Cali! Mere and I are here getting ready to photograph a wedding in Santa Barbara but we still blog every day!

Today on the blog we have one of my favorite people on the planet, Maggie! Maggie is the sweetest, and deserves Kevin (who is such a great, personable guy)! We're super excited to photograph their San Diego wedding later this year!
When we were in Houston to photograph Elli's wedding, we scheduled out some time to photograph some engagements.  I love the way they turned out, and was happy to find a couple new Houston spots to use for pictures!  Look at these sweeties...


















Talk to you soon,
Dale
Rededdddd

Kirsten's Bridal Portraits in Savannah GA

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Hey everybody!

I don't think it's just the fact that it's my best friend in the pictures, but I just ADORE these bridal portraits we took of Kirsten in Savannah, GA. It was great to go on another adventure with her; shooting her bridals was a bonus. Mere had a bright idea a week before we left that she was going to arrange for Kirsten to have a horse for the session. Love that idea, obviously!

FYI... we're taking pre-orders for our Benfield Weddings Magazine! If you want one, head here to order! Kirsten's bridal portrait (with the most votes) will be the cover, and her wedding is featured inside!












Talk to you soon,
Dale

Kirsten and Jordan's Rehearsal Dinner

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Hey everybody!

It’s Kirsten’s wedding week! Each day, I’m going to update the blog at 5pm, so be sure to check back.

Today I’m sharing Kirsten and Jordan’s rehearsal dinner, which I attended as a guest.

Yes… a GUEST!  Rachel, our super-everything-girl, took on the task of shooting the rehearsal dinner and let me just relax and enjoy my friends! Yay!

Jordan's parents, Melinda and Ken Stuckey, put on a great night for us. The details were beautiful, the food was amazing (shout out to Jen's Art of Cooking!) and the speeches made me laugh and cry!


Also, major shoutout to Kate from Alexis+Bolt who did the lettering for the signage (including my table... the Table of Honour).  I was TRULY honored to be at the table for the first time in my life!

LOVE this shot.  This definitely shows off how cool the design was for the tables at the rehearsal dinner.

I die.  Iris is the cuuuuuutest!  (Todd... you're just okay) ;)  I really love this family!

So... Mere, being the matron of honor, had to give a speech.  She really put a lot of thought and care into what she was going to say and as a result, we had a bride who laughed...

and cried.  This is my favorite shot of the night, and I'm so glad I'm out of focus so you don't see me weeping like a little sissy. Ahhhh... I just love Kirsten and Jordan so much!

The floor was opened up for toasts and Emily gave a poignant one! This is s really sweet shot!

As the night went on, it felt more like a Jordan Roast, which I appreciated.  Here's Jordan taking ridicule, like the "stupid" man he is.


This was my first rehearsal dinner in years, and I can't believe how much fun it was. I love surrounding myself with my friends on a Friday night (that NEVER happens) #lifeofaweddingphotographer

~~make sure to return to the blog tomorrow to see more from this fairytale weekend!


Talk to you soon,
Dale

Kirsten and Jordan's Pre-Wedding Details and Story

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Hey everybody!

I'm starting off the blog a bit differently today.  I'm am so in love with this first image.  When you have a ginormous wedding party, it can be a bit difficult to get a great shot of all the bridesmaids and house party.  However, these are the most classy, stylish, and cool girls I know, so we thought we'd do a Vanity Fair style shoot with them. The porch at Pratt Place Inn was a great location with lots of seating that gave us our different height levels.  Then we posed the girls (and then let them do the rest)... the result is SUPER FABULOUS!
Vanity Fair style bridal party picture

And now, here are just a few of Kirsten's breathtaking details.  Southern and charming (just like the married couple!), I just love these!  And a horse wearing a flower wreath... c'mon!  Talk about perfection.
southern rustic outdoor wedding details
We normally find a cute place to hang the wedding dress, but since Kirsten has an impeccably tasteful bedroom, we just tossed it on the bed and shot it.  Stunning dress (she got it at Tesori, y'all!)

Here's another first for the blog (or, at least a rare occurrence)... I wanted to post one of Jordan getting ready because I just love the motion and emotion in this shot.

When the time came for Kirsten to put on her dress, Mere (who normally kind of helps anyway) got to help Kirsten.  Mere told me at the end of the night that this was her favorite part of the day (we ALWAYS ask what each other's favorite part of the day was).

Oooh la la. These shoes, the draping dress, and Kirsten's sessiness. :)


Now, I don't know how to prepare you for the next shot.  I imagine myself doing the same thing when I first see Ellie and Cece in their wedding dresses... getting emotional.

I happen to adore Kirsten's dad, english accent and all, so witnessing him see Kirsten in her dress for the first time was really special.

I'm surprised I didn't ugly cry.


And then pure joy.

More of these hottttties (Mad Props to the team at Crown Beauty Bar for the hair and makeup - everybody looked gorrrrgeous!!!.  Here you go... the first look at the ridiculously gorgeous bouquets by Pigmint. Seriously, Kirsten's bouquet was to-die-for!!

Seriously... breathtaking.

Let's head inside!  This gives you a little sneak peek into the transformation of Pratt Place Barn into the dreamy wedding wonderland (brought to life by the fabulous team at Finishing Touch Event Design) where Kirsten and Jordan said their vows. I love how they used our engagement picture and their invitation near the entrance to help welcome guests.

Okay... now back outside.  This arrangement from Pigmint is insane.  I don't know anything about how to make something like this, which makes me have a huge appreciate for the floral artists at Pigmint, and this one is just mind-blowing.  Right?

To end the post today, here are a couple more shots of Kirsten's dreamy bridal bouquet and coordinating centerpiece by Pigmint.  I hopped out to their warehouse the day before the wedding to capture these two arrangements.  I've run out of words.  Just.so.good.


Hey y'all... you can pre-order the new Benfield Weddings Magazine (issue 3!) right here: gum.co/benny3 (it has Kirsten's wedding, and a bunch of others, featured in it!)
Also, come back tomorrow to the blog... it'll be WEDDING TIME!



Talk to you soon,
Dale

Pratt Place Barn Wedding of Kirsten and Jordan

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Hey everybody!

I've shot a ton of weddings at Pratt Place Barn, but none have looked like this! Disco balls, illuminating "LOVE" sign in front of the stage, huge paper flowers adorning the staircase... there were so many creative design elements that made this ceremony venue extraordinary.  Leave it to creative mastermind Kirsten, along with the immensely talented team at Finishing Touch Event Design, to create a TRUE MASTERPIECE for Kirsten and Jordan's nuptials.


Here's the reverse view as Kirsten is escorted in by her father.

One of our shooters, Chelsey, was up in the balcony with a huge loom lens to grab this absolutely perfect shot of Kirsten and her dad's reaction as they walk down to Jordan. I love how Chelsey shot through some of the barn's lights to get that awesome effect! (yay chels!)

Isn't this just PERFECT? Plus... it was my best friends getting married! So... have to say... pretty good day!

I couldn't decide whether I wanted the horizontal shot or vertical shot, so here are both! :)

On their way out... husband and wife!! (how about that bouquet?!  dammmmmn... Pigmint is amazing!!!)

I feel like this image should be my screensaver/wallpaper.  The lighting is perfect, and the soft blush florals make me calm and happy!

Y'all!! This is the shot-of-shots! Kirsten and her happy bridesmaids!  (and how about all those Tesori gowns! Yay!!)

Our silly friends, Macy and Madison, enjoying some refreshments outside the barn. Cuties.

Coach Bielema attended the wedding. It was cute to see all those manly men get nervous... too nervous to ask for a picture (thankfully, Jessica from Finishing Touch Event Design had guts enough to ask. Hahaha!)  It was a really fun cocktail hour!


I wish I could show you even more (like the custom bag-o game that had Kirsten and Jordan's silhouettes on them, or the caricature artist who was drawing guests on request... so many perfect details!).  However, we're not finished yet!  The reception and portraits are still waiting in the wings for their time on the blog!  Come back tomorrow, friends!


Talk to you soon,
Dale

Pratt Place Barn Reception of Kirsten and Jordan

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Hey everybody!

Time for a room flip!  Y'all... room flips are STRESSFUL!  Everybody's running around like crazy, checking things off to-do lists, yelling across rooms... meanwhile all the guest are lazily enjoying themselves outside and treating themselves to cocktails and conversations.  During this time, I was shooting a very quick portrait session with the bride and groom, then running in to sound check with the band (say whaaaat?  yep... read on!), and then I frantically photographed a finished room in the closing minutes of cocktail hour before the guests entered.  Off we go...


I needed to include TWO collage detail boards today... there was just SO MUCH to shoot!  Everywhere I turned there was some new burst of creativity by the bride and the planning/design team (Finishing Touch Event Design), not to mention amazing florals by Pigmint!

This.Table.  Oh my word.  Forty feet of amazingness. I about fell over when I walked in, and I even knew it was coming.  All the vendors truly outdid themselves.

One of my favorite little details were the his and hers arrows on the couple's seat.  Precious right?

An above shot that truly takes my breath away! Just perfection.

This naked cake from Briar Rose Bakery was so fun (ooooh, and delicious!!)



Oh yeah... there were people there too. Haha (that was a lot of details)!  Jordan and Kirsten enjoying a first dance as husband and wife. How cute is that?! :)

And then it was daddy's turn.  They were all giggles and smiles - the way it should be!

Every time I look at this I crack up.  First, Jordan just looks so serious... doing what a good husband should do. And then, without warning... silliness ensues.  This picture on the right is how I know these two were MADE for each other.

Okay, so... I told Kirsten I had a tiny surprise for her (she's not a huge fan of surprises, so I was a little shocked when she didn't force me to tell her).  My buddy Wiley from Boom Kinetic and I hatched a plan to call me up on stage and play the saxophone with them for a few songs.  We literally NEVER practiced, but BK is SO talented that we honestly didn't need to! They're true pros, and I had a BLAST hopping up on stage for a couple numbers.

The kids enjoyed it too. ;)  How about these hotties with their heart sunnies?!  So presh.

Ellie and I had to get some too, of course. Ellie told me later that this was the best night of her life (Wiley brought her up on stage to dance with him and it was totally cute!).  We literally NEVER left the dance floor, and I got to pass off my camera a couple times to Rachel and Chelsey so I could enjoy the reception.

Of course... I didn't have moves like this.  Such cutie-pies!


Selfie time!  I stalked #stuckeypartyof2 in Insta for about 48 hours straight.  Okay 96.  Okay, I still stalk it non-stop.

Say it with me now... "awwwwwwwww.........."

Even though it was late and darkish, I had Rachel shoot with only available light during certain parts of the reception.  I love it because it brings out the true ambiance of the barn.  I love this cute pic!

Same with this!  So fun!

Long ribbons on the toss bouquet... they thought of everything!

Okay, y'all.

I can't even believe I got this next shot.

I've never been at a wedding reception where they were poppin bottles as the bride and groom leave.  Let me make a prediction, they will start now!  Kirsten and Jordan planned for sparklers (which I always love), but our friend at Retrotender had a few bottles of champagne left and leave it to those cute Riffraff girls to take advantage and make some magic!

Don't you love this?  Such a perfect celebration shot.  (oh, and how STUNNING does Kirsten look in her going away dress? daaaammmnnnnn!!)





Talk to you soon,
Dale

Benny Backlight Wedding Portraits of Kirsten and Jordan

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Hey everybody!

On Kirsten and Jordan's wedding day, everything worked out perfectly.  Maybe that had to do with Kirsten's perfect planning skills, or maybe her rad dream team of vendors (Crown Beauty Bar, Finishing Touch Event Design, Pigmint, Boom Kinetic, Retrotender, Tesori, etc.), or maybe some of both.  All I know is, this wedding hardly seemed like work to me.  When I was around Kirsten or Jordan, it was like I was a friend there who happened to have my camera.  And when it came time for their wedding day portraits, I wasn't nervous a bit. It was as if i was just watching them do what they do: love on each other.

They really are a dream couple.  They're ridiculously good looking, hardworking, successful, talented, and know how to have fun... and when you put them together, they just feed off each other and become even better.

And they're my best friends.  I'm fortunate to call them that. And I'm honored.

Without further adieu, my best friends... Kirsten and Jordan Stuckey.















Talk to you soon,
Dale

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