Miranda Kitchen Photography

Cody and Laura's Wedding!

2010-07-06T14:38:00.000-05:00

You know, when you are a wedding photographer, you get to meet several new bride and grooms each year. They are all lovely, and I've never met a couple who was not ecstatic to be getting married on their wedding day. But, I have to tell you, I've never met a more giddy couple on their wedding day that Cody and Laura. Each was just as nervous and excited as the other as they got ready. Then after the ceremony, I think I heard "I love you" about every five minutes! It made me happy!

Two of my favorite moments from the wedding came from their giddy-ness. One came as my sister-in-law, Rachel, who helped me (Thanks, Rach!) asked Cody to come to take a picture with Laura and her family. She said, "Cody, your wife wants you." He said, "What? Say it again!" So she said, "Your WIFE wants you." Seriously? Too cute.

The next awesome moment was the last moment before they left. As they were leaving, Cody opened the door of their car for you and said, "Here you are my beautiful wife." And Laura replied, "Why thank you, husband."

If I had to do their wedding all over again, I would say yes! Just because they made me happy watching them be so happy!

My New Neice...

2010-06-30T14:31:00.001-05:00

OK. Well, she's not JUST new, but she's still new to me. After all, it's only been about 6 weeks since she was born. I would have posted about her earlier, but I got the big shush-shush until the birth announcements went out. Those went out last week, though, so now I can blog as much as I want!!! First I want to show the announcements that my sister and I put together for our cute little Camryn:

And here are some of my favorites from the newborn photo shoot we did:

This one is of a bonnet that my mom made for Camryn and all my kids as well. They wear it home from the hospital and then can carry it down the aisle when they get married. For girls, it can be their 'something old.' My sister and I had one from when we were babies that we carried when we got married as well.

This is a blanket that has been passed down in the Baily family. It was Camryn's dad's before it was hers.

In Mackenzie's maternity shoot, I wrote on her belly, so it's only fitting to get a picture in an OU hat right after the girl is born, right?

Mom and Dad lived in China for several years before they came back home to have Camryn. These shoes were given to Camryn from some dear Chinese friends of Mac and Nate's.

Just adorable.

Sneak Peek....Stephen and Natalie

2010-06-28T17:16:00.000-05:00

The bride of this wedding told me that she couldn't wait to have her wedding outside in June...in Oklahoma...when she planned it last winter. The idea of warm weather apparently sounded fabulous when we were in the middle of our winter storms! Oh well. Regardless of the heat...we got some beautiful shots. Thanks, Nat!

Look back soon for more on Stephen and Natalie!!

Carrie and Brian's Engagements

2010-06-28T09:33:00.000-05:00

This was such a fun session! I mean, who doesn't LOVE taking pictures on the University of Oklahoma's Campus?? And to be able to go inside the music building with all that amazing stained glass? Yes, please! Carrie and Brian met while they were playing for the OU band. What a fun place to meet! So, of course, we had to capture a few moments in the building where they have spent most of their college careers! I learned a few things about the OU campus, too, that I hadn't known before.....always good. :) Enjoy!

This ring picture has a story. See...it was taken in the EXACT spot where Brian proposed...in a courtyard at the OU School of Music building. So I told them...you two will always know that this ring picture is not JUST the engagement ring, but it's taken right where he proposed!

And who doesn't need one in those awesome red phone booths? I mean seriously??

This was my lesson for the day. Apparently there is this big cement sitting area right in the middle of the oval at OU. Brian and Carrie where shocked that I had never taken engagements here. You see, the rumor on campus is that if you kiss someone in the "spoonholder," you will marry them. And yes, it's actually called the Spoonholder. There is even a plaque there with the name on it. Promise.

Cody and Laura Sneak Peek!

2010-06-21T13:03:00.000-05:00

Here is a sneak peek from my wedding last weekend. There will be LOTS more...I had a hard time even decided which to put on the blog as a preview!!

Jarin and Megan

2010-06-17T16:50:00.000-05:00

Congratulations to Jarin and Megan! I LOVE wedding season. I love being a part of the day. I love watching the mom and dad get emotional. I love hearing the toasts. I love watching the first dance. I love seeing the emotion in the ceremony. Seriously, I love being honored with the opportunity to share in that one special day. Thanks guys, for letting me be a part of YOUR special day.

And a few of my favorite detail shots of the day:

And the cake, which was made by the always fabulous Amy Cakes in Norman. I have seriously never seen a bad cake from this place.

Sneak Peek....Megan and Matt.

2010-06-03T22:15:00.000-05:00

I tell every couple in the first few moments of my engagements shoots, "The cheesier the better." The reason is because if a couple can be as cheesy as they can or as "lovey-dovey" as they can, they will LOVE their pictures. During the shoots, sometimes couples feel like they are cheesin' too much, but once they see the photos, they realize I was right!

Now meet Megan and Matt. I never had to worry about these two. You can tell as soon as you spend five minutes with them that they are totally in love. Some of the shots I got that are amazing were just because they were lovin' on each other. It had nothing to do with me!!

Enjoy!

Sneak Peek of Marissa and Robert....

2010-06-02T16:14:00.000-05:00

We had such a great time! I always ask my clients to bring a prop that describes them or is something that they like to do together as a couple. Marissa and Robert completely surprised me with their props! I couldn't wait to get their pictures. I am so excited to get the rest of these posted. Check back in a few days!

Jarin and Megan Sneek Peak

2010-05-24T13:19:00.002-05:00

We had such a great time shooting last Saturday. It was an EXTREMELY windy day in Norman, Oklahoma, but such a great time. Jarin and Megan were a great laid-back couple who were so easy to work with. There were quite a few changes that happened on the day of the wedding - including where the bride got ready...but Megan handled it like a champ. Here is a quick sampling of Saturday. Look for more in a few days!

Beautiful London Faith

2010-05-20T13:09:00.000-05:00

You know, every once and a while, you try to photograph a newborn who just isn't in the mood to sleep. They can be fed and warm and still would rather stare at your camera than sleep. Holly and I both knew that London was exhausted, but she just didn't want to doze off! It's ok, though. I think that we got some great shots. We took so many that day trying to get a few of her and the perfect shot of the family, that it was really hard to narrow it down to just these few. I'm happy though. I think that London is on her way to being a beautiful young lady.

Welcome to the world, Camryn Anne!

2010-05-17T09:42:00.001-05:00

So...last week was a crazy insane week. Monday morning on my way to take my daughter to school, I got a call from my mom which informed me that my sister was in the hospital and (FINALLY) in labor. Poor girl...this call followed her having contractions for about 4 or 5 days - fairly regularly. So, I dropped Libby off and then went to north OKC for the labor. It was a strange day! First off, I've never been on the waiting side of things, so everything seemed to take much longer than I remembered it. Next, we were surprised by Mac needing a C-section, so we got to deal with that whirlwind. The best part? Camryn was born around 4 pm, Monday May 10. Mackenzie was rolled back into her room about 30 minutes later and Camryn came in about 10 minutes after that. Mackenzie had JUST held her for...oh about 30 seconds...when her nurse came in to inform us that we needed to evacuate to the back halls of the hospital because bad weather was coming and there was a chance of a tornado. Nice.

So, we not only got to welcome a beautiful new girl into the world, but we got to spend the first few minutes of her life in a back hallway of a hospital waiting for a tornado to pass. Welcome to Oklahoma, right?? :)

But, despite it all, we have a beautiful new baby girl in the family. Enjoy!

My hubby, Josh, imitating Camyrn's expression.

It is sweet moments like this that make me fall more in love with him.

My beautiful kids.

The happy family. Aren't they perfect??

á bientôt!

James and Rachel's Engagements!

2010-05-03T17:12:00.001-05:00

We just shot these this last Saturday. It was quite interesting. Both James and Rachel were driving in from outside of OKC, so when there was a threat of rain, we just said, "Bring it on!"We had to head under shelter from the sprinkles about 2 or 3 times, but in between those times, we got some really great shots.

You know, you learn all kinds of things when you are in a car traveling to different places to take pictures. I found out that James, in 8th grade, wrote an email to Rachel's mother, telling her that he was going to marry her daughter one day. James said, "Yeah, at the time everyone thought I was crazy. Little did they know I could tell the future!" Bwahahaha! Isn't that a great story?

We had so much fun. Thanks for driving in, you guys! I can't wait until I get to shoot your wedding!! :)

Here are a few of them having fun with some bubbles they brought!

And, of course, when I suggested that they try to blow bubbles in each other's faces, James decided that meant it was time to get competitive:

á bientôt!

Hi, friend.

2010-04-29T21:55:00.001-05:00

When Holly called me and told me that she wanted her shoot in a field, I just said, "Ok." I have no worries with Holly. She has one of those houses where most people walk in and think, "Man, I wish I could decorate like this. She really has great taste." She is a very classy woman. So, when she told what she wanted, I knew she already had her location picked out with the perfect outfit and props ready to go AND with her family dressed and ready to go. I was right.

Turns out her props were amazing, her family looked great, and even though her field was just a field on the side of the road, it couldn't have turned out better. What did she need me for? (I'm just kidding of course, I had to be there to push the camera trigger and use my mad skills to capture such great moments....) I think we got some great shots of her cute little belly. This was her third pregnancy, by the way - and she looks amazing. And her boys kept life exciting. Boys don't have more fun than being boys in a field on the side of the road, am I right? But, they were great and gave me some really great shots. I just melt every time I see their smiles.

á bientôt!

Kids can be so peaceful...

2010-04-26T13:16:00.002-05:00

You know when you always hear Moms and Dads saying how peaceful their children are when they are asleep? I have to agree with them. I try to sneak in on my kids every once and a while just to see them sleep. I love it.

Apparently, last week was a bit too much for my kids. We were all home Friday evening - as usual - waiting for my husband to come home. My eldest, Libby, asked if they could all watch the infamous Tom and Jerry...so I agreed. After about 5 minutes I walked back into the living room to see my 18 month old sound asleep. I missed the great pose with my nice camera and had to supplement with my iPhone.

And, yes, I know the shoes are lovely. He picked them out and I didn't argue. We weren't going out into public anyway. When I finally did get my nice camera out, I captured him in a different pose. Cuddling with his sippy cup, I guess.

I left the room again to do a few more things on my computer when my eldest came and told me that my 3-year old had fallen asleep as well!

Sometimes you wonder....why can't they always be this peaceful and wonderful? But then you remember....without their liveliness, my life would be completely boring. Love you guys.

á bientôt!

The Great Dinosaur Adventure....

2010-04-22T10:54:00.001-05:00

Some of my great friends came in town this last weekend and stayed with me and my family. We had planned to take pictures of their kids, but it stinkin' rained ALL weekend. To make up for this tragedy - a tragedy that my flowers were happy about, but my camera was not - we took all our kids to the Sam Noble Museum of Natural History in Norman. We figured that if we could keep them occupied for a photo shoot, we had dinosaurs around the corner to reward them afterwards.

So meet my friends, Grant and Trent. Almost exactly one year ago, Grant was diagnosed with Leukemia...on his third birthday. He is one of the cutest little boys I've ever seen. His mom and dad are two of my very good friends. So much so, in fact, that when I read some of their blog about the last year, it affects me as if it was my own kids. Seeing people that you consider family hurt in ways that you cannot fix is one of the big tests of this world. One of the greatest testimonies their family has is their great faith in Jesus and how this sickness had actually strengthened their faith and their family - not driven them away.

So when they asked me to take pictures of their precious boys - I jumped at the chance. I mean, seriously...are they not just as handsome as they could be? We wound up getting some great shots in our impromptu photo shoot. Enjoy!

Here is one more...of all the kids together.

It was so hard to pick just a few! If you would like to see more of these photos, visit my website.

á bientôt!

Josh and Sunny

2010-04-19T19:59:00.002-05:00

Josh and Sunny have a super awesome story. Several years ago, Josh went overseas to teach in a small town in China. While he was there, he met a beautiful girl names Sunny. They hit it off well and after he came home, they continued to talk until they felt they were meant to be together forever. From that moment on, Josh worked feverishly on the details of getting his bride-to-be into America. The basics were that he had to not only save money to get Sunny here to America, but also had to pay (what would translate into) a dowry to the family - which is still a tradition in rural areas of the Chinese culture. How romantic is that??!

Because of the nature of the beast, Josh had to be ready to go get Sunny in a moments notice. When the time came, Josh took the almost 20-hour trip to retrieve his beautiful bride. Once he reached China, Josh and Sunny enjoyed a traditional Chinese wedding - which was absolutely beautiful. After finishing the Chinese wedding, Josh and Sunny hopped on a plane back to America for their traditional American wedding. It was so exciting to see Sunny experience all the new American traditions. Sunny had no idea why we used some of our traditions at American weddings. The funny thing was that most of us didn't know exactly why we used some of those same traditions! But, none the less, no tradition was spared. Sunny was able to experience all the amazing traditions of an American wedding.

The fun part for me? Sunny wore not only a traditional American dress (don't drool girls, you can't buy this one here....it was made in China...hehe), but also changed into her Chinese wedding dress for the reception. It was so neat to see these two cultures mixing. I am very excited to see how their two very different cultures bring them closer together....

Here are a few of my favorite details of the day - including her amazing Chinese wedding dress.

What to Wear?

2010-04-15T20:32:00.000-05:00

With the season of weddings, engagements, senior pictures, and the like coming up quickly on us, one might wonder: "What should I wear?"

The quick answer to that question is that you should wear exactly what you feel comfortable in. What makes you feel the most beautiful? What describes your personality? Are you a more modern bride? Are you a classy timeless person? Do you want to look hip now or still feel like your choice in clothes was a good choice twenty years down the road? (Is that actually possible? I still avoid any type of "dress-up day" that has to do with the 80s. I am so thankful that my senior picture did not include bangs that reached all the way from the ceiling to the floor...hehe.)

As far as colors, usually brighter colors work well. Find a color that compliments your skin tones. Neutral colors tend to wash out the people wearing them. Plus, when you wear neutral colors, the photographer usually needs to compensate and make brighter colors part of the background. Now, to clarify, there are times to wear neutral colors. For instance, what is a beach picture without a white shirt and khaki bottoms??!!

The bottom line? Be sure to communicate with your photographer ahead of time about what you are wearing. This always helps your photographer plan ahead a bit on where he or she will take your shots. The more communication with your photographer, the better. Let them know your expectations beforehand so that you are not left wanting more or wishing you had spoken up earlier.

á bientôt!

William Lafayette...

2010-04-12T10:30:00.001-05:00

I love this guy! William was a bit older than most of my newborn shoots, but that made it so much fun. He is about 12 weeks old, so we were able to get lots of pictures of him smiling at his mom, which was so amazing! I love to see little babies smile. I think that babies smile before they do anything else for a reason...so I'm really glad that we got so many of William's beautiful smile! William and his mom actually live in Virginia, right by Washington, DC. I was so lucky to get to take these pictures of them before they headed back home. I hope I get to take lots more....

á bientôt!

Ruth and Justin Engagements...

2010-04-08T19:45:00.001-05:00

So, Ruth and Justin are one of the winners of my FREE engagement shoots that I gave away at the Bridal Fair in OKC this last January. We had a lot of fun running around the city finding some great places to take some pictures. Since I had never met either Ruth or Justin before the engagement shoot, we took a few minutes in my car to figure out some fun things about them. We used some of the information we found out about them to take some of our shots that day. Here are some of my favorites that we took....enjoy!

á bientôt!

This is probably my favorite collage of the day! Can you guess the hidden meaning?!! I'll give you a clue...they are getting married this April. So fun!! I think I may try this a few more times this spring. I think I might have fallen in love with this idea.

When Josh and I ask questions, we usually ask what they engaged couple like to do together...as a couple. We use those questions to come up with a unique pose or two that will be set aside just for that couple - to make their shoot different from anyone else's. With Justin and Ruth, we had a really funny response. They told us that what they usually did as a couple involved Justin working on cars and Ruth waiting for him to be finished! I couldn't resist!

Here are just a few more of my favorites that we took that evening:

Easter

2010-04-05T14:47:00.001-05:00

I love Easter. I love how Easter changed history. I love how Easter changed me. I can't imagine a world where Easter did not exist. It is a great chance to spend time with family and so much fun watching kids hunt for Easter eggs. I love getting matching clothes for my kiddos...yes, I'm one of those moms! I didn't think I would be, but I am. I got some great shots of our Easter activities. We decorated rice crispy treat eggs ate a great dinner and hunted tons of eggs. Surprisingly, the most difficult task of the day was capturing that "perfect" picture of my three kids! We went a little non-traditional.

But the best part of Easter is remember why we celebrate it in the first place. Thank you Jesus for everything that you suffered for me. All I can do is give you everything I have in return.

á bientôt!

Myles Jack

2010-03-31T11:27:00.001-05:00

This is my new friend, Myles Jack. Myles is only one week old in these pictures! He was so much fun to work with, and his mom came up with some great props to take pictures with. I was so excited. His dad works a lot with Habitat for Humanity, so I made sure to get some of the pictures of Myles in his dad's Habitat hard hat. They turned out absolutely adorable. Hope you enjoy!

A few more of Kelley and Brad's Wedding...

2010-03-29T19:49:00.001-05:00

I've had so many new photos to publish lately! This has been a really great spring season. I'm very excited about all the new clients I have for this summer. And it was all kicked off by Brad and Kelly who asked me to travel to the wonderful city of Covington, LA - just across Lake Pontchartrain from New Orleans. (Which, by the way, did you know that the bridge from New Orleans to the Covington area is like 20 miles long???) They had a great wedding where her dad performed the main parts of the ceremony. She is also a Children's minister at FBC Covington and had some great tables set up for "her kids" at the reception. Her cakes were made by Patisserie Joan, a local company in Folsom, LA. After that reception, we scooted on over to Benedict's Plantation, an absolutely gorgeous little venue right off of the Lake Pontchartrain, for her second reception. It was built in 1911 and later sold. It has since been a summer house, a restaurant, and is now mainly used as a wedding and reception site. I love places with history! Enjoy the photos!

á bientôt!

This was the table she had set up for all the kids that came from FBC Covington. She had cupcakes, fruit drinks, and bowls of candy. I heard her tell a mom, "Well, I decided it might be the only time in my life I can sugar them up and send them home to YOU...."

Baby Evrett James

2010-03-23T17:34:00.001-05:00

Isn't he adorable???? I had so much fun shooting these pictures. I think his mom and dad already have him pitching in the majors! Kim is a first time mom who was a great sport. She let me take little Evrett all over their house to get some really great photos. Evrett is only 2 weeks old and was also a great sport. We even got a few pictures with Dad's baseball hat and the AMAZING "chair rail" Dad Rusty made on Evrett's nursery wall. I loved it! It was so creative. I hope you enjoy!

á bientôt!

Mackenzie's Maternity Pics

2010-03-22T21:19:00.003-05:00

Here is a spur of the moment maternity shoot that I did for my sister, Mackenzie. She is due the beginning to middle of May. We're hoping little Camryn Anne comes early, though! Mac was a great model. She did anything I asked...she even let me paint on her belly.

We didn't get to finish the shoot...we got all the images I wanted with just her, but I really wanted to capture some with her and her husband, Nathan. He wasn't feeling well, so we will be finishing it up hopefully this next weekend. Be watching for those new photos!!!!

á bientôt!

New Orleans Wedding!

2010-03-15T16:21:00.002-05:00

Meet Kelley. She is one of my really good friends. She knew me when she used to live in the OKC area and wanted me to fly out to capture her wedding day. I was so honored! While getting to the church was a big mess...my GPS messed up on more than one occasion....when the big day finally arrived, it was well worth it. Her father performed the ceremony, which made it even more special. She and Brad were an awesome couple to work with! Once they had seen each other before the ceremony, it was cake! And they were so in love! It was not hard at all to capture some special moments between the two of them. I always say that the "cheesier" the bride and groom, the better the photos turn out. Enjoy!

This was outside of the church - First Baptist Covington

Isn't she just an elegant bride?

OK...this is really more fitting for their personalities.

This may seem an odd placement for the rings, but there is a story. Right after Brad and Kelley began dating, she put a bottle of orange crush on his desk with a note that said, "I have a crush on you." So sweet! So from there on out, they would randomly place bottles of Crush so that the other would find it. I couldn't resist!

This was by far the sweetest moment I captured. Kelley is the Children's Minister at First Baptist Covington and these are some of her kids in her ministry who came to watch the wedding. They couldn't see...and I couldn't resist.

á bientôt!

WPPI Las Vegas

2010-03-10T09:51:00.003-06:00

Rachel and I the first day of WPPI

I just returned from one of the nation's largest photographers conventions - WPPI in Las Vegas. I had so much fun! I met my sister-in-law, Rachel, and some of her friends, Shannon and Lindsay. We had a great time. We got to hear some great speakers like Jessica Claire, Jasmine Star, Scott and Adina Hayne, and JB and DeEtte Sallee. It's really great when once a year, you can meet with other photographers and find ways to sharpen your skills and improve your work for the next year.

My big purchase for this year was a Shootsac - which I think is going to make my life as a wedding photographer MUCH easier. I'm really excited about it and can't wait to use it at my next wedding this month.

I think the biggest lesson I learned is to make sure that I keep myself humble. There are way too many photographers out there who think too highly of themselves. My goal in photography will be to constantly improve my work and always strive to find something different to challenge myself. I want to provide my clients with the best possible work that I can provide them with while making them feel comfortable and appreciated. I want to try to make your wedding day as nice as I can by not adding stress to your life. I'm really feeling refreshed and excited about what the next year has to offer and cannot wait to work harder to make my images even better. Bring on 2010!!

Me, Shannon, Lindsay, and Rachel

á bientôt!

How to Get the Most Out of Your Photographer, Part Three: The Reception

2010-03-01T17:00:00.000-06:00

So, once you are finished with your formal portraits and your ceremony, the reception is quite easy! All you have to do now is enjoy yourself and visit with your guests.....oh, and do whatever your coordinator tells you to do!

Most photographers who are covering your reception will know to cover the cutting of your cake (and when you stuff it into each other's mouths.....), your toasts, your first dances, the throwing of the bouquet, and the garter toss. My suggestions for your reception are quite simple:

1. Meet with your photographer and give him or her a list of the things that you will be doing. This may consist of exactly what I've listed in the paragraph above, or it might include other things. This is not so much to check up on your photographer or make sure that they will be available for everything. It's more for your photographer - just to have an idea of what your reception will entail. You should also include in your meeting the discussion of whether or not you are wanting your photographer to capture your "get-a-way."

And may I make a suggestion here? Most of the time - especially in the winter - your "get-a-way" winds up being in the dark. No matter how great your photographer, it's difficult to light up the entire walkway to get perfect pictures of you running to your car amidst your favorite family and friends. One of my favorite things I have seen done to solve this problem is to have a "fake get-a-way." The couple had everything ready for their "get-a-way" immediately following the ceremony. They escaped to a room while their guests assembled themselves outside of the church, and then once everyone was in place - rose petals in hand - the couple ran out to their car. After they had "left," the guests went to their cars to head to the reception site. The couple drove around in their car for a few minutes, then headed to the reception site and received the same introduction as most do at their reception. I thought this was genius because the pictures I took were in the afternoon sunlight and turned out beautiful!

2. If you have plenty of guests and specific ones that you want pictures of, designate one of your friends or family who can point out guests that they know you would want a picture of.

3. Once you have taken care of all of your "duties" during the reception (ie - cake cutting, etc.), enjoy yourself! Your photographer should be capturing your first moments as husband and wife. Be gushy, lovey dovey, and kiss lots. Those are the best pictures!

4. Get outta dodge! And enjoy your honeymoon!

á bientôt!

How to Get the Most Out of Your Photographer, Part Two: The Ceremony!

2010-02-22T09:24:00.003-06:00

The Ceremony. The moment you have been preparing for for the last several months...or years. All your planning culminates into this gathering of your closest friends and family joining together to witness one of the top moments of your life. Everyone is smiling and happy....or maybe even crying tears of joy. You don't want to miss a beat. You yearn to remember of every second of it. Seeing your bride or your groom for the first time.....

But we all know that remembering everything can be tough. There is so much going on...and let's admit it: Most of the brides and grooms are not focused on the decorations or the songs or even pastor. They are focused on one thing: the beautiful eyes of their spouse to be. So how can you be sure your photographer captures all those moments you "don't want to miss?"

The simple answer? PLAN AHEAD!!

1) Talk with your photographer about everything that you want captured in your ceremony. If your photographer has done many weddings, he or she should have a pretty good idea of what is "normal" for a wedding ceremony...so he should know to capture the ring exchange, the kiss, the unity candle, etc.

BUT...if you have something special in your wedding, let your photographer know! For example, if your long lost cousin is coming back to visit the family for the first time in 8 years and has agreed to sing at your wedding and you would like to document it, let your photographer know that you would really like some great pictures of your long lost cousin. If you are doing something out of the ordinary - like jumping rope right after you say your vows for some strange reason - prepare your photographer so he or she will be prepared to capture that special moment.

2) Now this one is my personal preference. When I got married, the only picture I have of my dad and I walking down the isle...my eyes are closed! Now, my theory is that you only walk down the isle with your dad for him to give you away once, so make sure you get a great photo of just you and your dad moments before he walks you down the isle. Honestly, this is easier when you have two photographers, because one can stay with you and your dad prior to the ceremony while the other is capturing your wedding party as the enter the sanctuary. Even if you don't have two photographers, make it a priority to get a nice picture of you and your dad's faces smiling at the camera. Maybe that's not important to everyone, but I still regret that I don't have a decent photo of me and my dad.

3) OK. This one is a bit controversial....let me just begin by saying that when I got married, I was the bride who DID NOT want to see my fiance before the wedding. Even is high school for the dances, I LOVED that moment when my date came in to see me for the first time. The look on his face either made or broke the entire evening for me. When the doors were opened for me to walk into the sanctuary on my wedding day, the first thing I looked for was Josh's face to see what his reaction was....and it was a good one. Made my whole day.

So with all that said, you know that I completely understand that point of view; however, from a photographer's point of view, I think a little differently. Formal portraits can be some of the most beautiful and most creative photos from your wedding. If you take all your formal portraits BEFORE the wedding, it frees up so much more time for your photographer to be creative. There is no pressure on your photographer to finish quickly and get you to the reception. He or she can take their time to pose you and your spouse-to-be and make sure he is getting beautiful photos of you both. I also suggest that you take about 15 minutes prior to the beginning of your portrait session to spend with just you and your spouse-to-be. Have that "Ah-Ha" moment just between the two of you and no one else...except maybe your photographer who may or may not want to capture that awesome moment for you. This is a great idea, too, because you and your fiance can have a moment to say, "Hello, you look awesome! I love you!"

Now, I've heard that seeing your spouse before the actual ceremony does not take away from the moment when the doors open and the bride walks down the isle. It's up to you!

4) This one is a MUST! Before your wedding day, create a list of formal photos with your photographer that you want to take on your wedding day. Your photographer may have a list created for you already that you may want to add to or take away from. Why, you ask? Well, it just helps the mass chaos run more smoothly. If you have a solid list of photos, you don't run through them all and then ask, "Did we get my step-mom and my real dad together with BOTH of us?" You just know you did because your photographer is following the list. Plus, you run the list by both your parents to make sure everything they might want is on there as well. This takes away from both sets of parents saying, "Can we take this one with this person and then add so-and-so? And then can we add this? Oh, and then I want one with just my family....." Those are the photos that can take a simple 30-minute photo session and can change it to an hour long photo session.

Well, there you go. Four simple tips on how to get exactly what YOU want on your wedding day. After all, it's all about you, right?? :) Check back next week for my tips on getting great photos during your reception!

á bientôt!

How to Get the Most Out of Your Photographer, Part One: Hiring the Perfect Photographer

2010-02-17T13:29:00.001-06:00

It's coming up on Oklahoma's Wedding Season! Planning a wedding can be very stressful. First, you have to pick the venue and book that...next on to the reception venue - if that is different - then your dress! Oh my goodness, the dress. We mustn't forget that the dress may take up to 8 weeks to get in....

Then comes the photographer. You know that the photographs are what will last forever. Even ten years after I was married, I look back to the photos and it brings memories flooding back. But how can you know that you have hired the right photographer for you?

When you are looking for a photographer, don't forget some simple ideas that might help you decide whether a certain photographer is right for you or not:

1. The first thing you should do is to LOOK AT THEIR WEBSITE!! I know this may seem strange to say...and yes of course you would! But how is their website set up? Do you love it? Do you love their photography?

2. Ask to see some of their work in print. We all know that most photographers post their best work on their website. The colors are vibrant and the music makes you settle in and "fall in love." Ask to see an entire wedding, if you so choose. That way you can see exactly what you might expect from them. From staged to spur of the moment photos.

3. Ask how the photographer edits their photos. You might not care about what programs they use, and that's fine. But ask if they personally retouch each photo. That might not mean that they run each and every photo through Photoshop, but they may. You just want to make sure that they are taking the time to color-correct and enhance each photo. I have seen some photographers who run every single photo through the same "ritual" and every photo winds up looking exactly the same with the same fade to black look around the outside. (Now, I'm not dogging the black around the edges. Sometimes it really does add to the color intensity of the photo....just not EVERY SINGLE PHOTO.)

4. Be very honest with your photographer. If you are expecting something special from your photographer, let him or her know. We're not mind-readers...and every bride and groom couple is different. Some people enjoy the romantic look, others more bold. Some want to push the envelope...others want to look like a model. Which leads me to my next point:

5. Pick the photographer that most captures your style. Your photos will last forever and you want to like them for that long! When I got married, I just had a photographer that did the "stand and pose" style. If I could have had something different, I would have! But now there are so many options, you can pick a photographer that fits your "photo personality." Find that one and stick with them!

6. And last but NOT least....Find a photographer that you trust. One that has good business sense. One that you feel like is going to take care of you. Get it in writing. The last thing you need is more stress, so find that one photographer that you feel the most comfortable with. And enjoy your day!

Look back soon for some tips on what to ask of your photographer to capture every moment during your ceremony!!

á bientôt!

My beautiful children!

2010-01-30T19:12:00.001-06:00

I love taking pictures of the kiddos. This one started to capture my middle, Sydney, and her cousin because they matched. All Sydney can say is, "I want to match Izzy." Okay, kiddo.

Izzy is on the left and Sydney is on the right.

Aren't they just adorable? I know, I'm lucky I have such great subjects for my photography. :)

Next up is my youngest, Tyson, in his Christmas outfit provide my Aunt Mac and Uncle Nate:

And last but not least, my oldest, Libby...in all her wonderful, beautiful make-up...also provided by Aunt Mac and Uncle Nate. Thanks guys. My whole house is still sparkly.

I am so blessed to have such wonderful children.

á bientôt!

Libby's Ballet Recital

2010-01-24T13:35:00.002-06:00

Well, first grade has brought on more than homework and all-day school. Libby started ballet this year. With that came weekly practice and two big time recitals - one in December and one in June. Now, if you knew Libby, you would know that she is one of the girliest girls I've ever met...so dressing up in a pink costume and getting to wear make-up is right up her alley. I'm really glad. I thought when I had her that I would not know what to do with such a girlie girl. But, I've decided that when you see the look on their face when they love that Christmas present that is just make-up and glitter or when they see themselves dressed up thinking they are as pretty as a bride, it doesn't matter. It's what makes them happy and glowing that makes me happy. And she is beautiful. First inside, and that flows to the outside. I'm so proud of her.

á bientôt!

Congratulations!

2010-01-12T16:24:00.000-06:00

Thanks to everyone who came to see me at the Oklahoma Bridal Show a couple of weeks ago. It was such a blast. It was non-stop action from 1-5 pm! Wow! I was privileged to speak with a lot of brides who are planning their wedding dates for this year and next year. As part of the festivities, I offered a drawing for a free Bridal shoot or Engagement Shoot. I completed the drawing last week and here are the four lucky winners:

Kirsten K.

Crystal B.

Jami Mc.

Ruth F.

I look forward to working with each of them and am so excited to see what the shoots bring! I can't wait to get started on the work!

For those of you who are sad, no worries! Come see me at my next Bridal Fair. I am sure to have a drawing there as well. :)

á bientôt!

Fayetteville wedding!

2010-01-10T18:09:00.000-06:00

I had so much fun getting to do a wedding with my two sister-in-laws Rachel and Naomi. The wedding was such a fun time...despite the fire alarm that started wailing 20 minutes before the wedding! What an adventure. It turned out to only be a few busted pipes and a water-works show in the offices at the church. Gotta love that extra cold weather....it was 4 degrees when we drove in Friday night. The wedding rocked, though. The groom and groomsmen put on quite a show for me while we were waiting. Can't wait to post them!

á bientôt!

Thunder Basketball!!

2010-01-07T10:46:00.000-06:00

So, my dad got tickets to any Thunder basketball game he wanted to go to as his Christmas present at his work. The lady who gave them to him got six tickets so that all the adults in my family could go. So fun! It wound up that the tickets were on the Terrace Suite level...ie: we got really great food for free (all you can eat), had a box that had six reclining chairs, a bar type thing we could eat at and watch the game at the same time, and two HD televisions where we could watch the basketball game or any other thing on TV we wanted to. Nice! We had such a good time!

I didn't take a camera, so the pictures I have posted on Facebook are only with my phone. The video is the same...taken with my phone. But, you get the idea. :)

Thunder Video!

Thunder Pictures of the Fam!

á bientôt!

OK Bridal Fair!

2010-01-03T11:43:00.000-06:00

Come visit me at the OK Bridal Fair today! It's from 1-5 at the Cox Convention Center in downtown OKC. Can't wait to visit with you!

Jester Family!

2009-12-14T09:41:00.000-06:00

This family was so fun to shoot! We looked around downtown Edmond to find some great colors for the background. One of my favorite things was the eyebrows that this little girl can give:

Aren't those great?? I had such a fun time that it's really hard to pick a few of my favorites to show to you! BUT, since I can't load all of them here on my blog, I'll load a few of my top faves.....

á bientôt!

MOVING.....

2009-11-16T12:21:00.000-06:00

Yes, yes....we've been crazy busy these last couple of weeks getting ready to move into our new house. Our goal is to have Thanksgiving there. Soooo, we're moving either this weekend or next Tuesday. Rushed?? Yep, a bit. But it's going to be beautiful. Right now, we're doing all kinds of renovations to the inside. I've been ripping up flooring, painting, putting paper on the floors...just staying busy. You can follow all of our renovations here. Pardon the pictures, I had to take them all on my iPhone.....

Happy Birthday to ME!

2009-11-11T20:47:00.000-06:00

Today, I am officially 30. Imagine that! Do I feel old? No, not really. It doesn't feel much different than 29. My husband tried to make me feel really old, but.....not so much. I celebrated by tearing out old contact paper from all the shelving in Josh and I's new house. Yep, that's right, we're moving! We found an absolutely beautiful house on 5 wooded acres that we have bought and are semi-renovating before Thanksgiving....thus the rush to pull contact paper on my birthday. It's ok though. I started out with a nice Starbucks from my hubby, ate lunch with family, then went to dinner to celebrate. Now I have all the kids in bed and Josh is back at the new house cleaning before the tile layers come tomorrow. I think I'll sit back, relax, and...do absolutely nothing. It's my birthday, right? I can do nothing if I feel like it. All the cleaning, laundry, packing, editing....it can all wait until tomorrow. Or at least until 12:01 am.......

á bientôt!

Ben and Torie!

2009-10-31T13:17:00.000-05:00

OK, so these are just a PREVIEW of this shoot. Really, I had SO much fun on this shoot. These guys were great sports. I talked them into going downtown OKC and finding some great places to shoot. At the end of the shoot, I talked them into getting into some fountains and waterfalls! But, you'll have to wait to see those. :) Here are some of my favorite photos from the beginning of the shoot. You can see more on my website....

á bientôt!

Kim's Bridals

2009-10-31T13:12:00.000-05:00

OK bloggers...ready for some pictures of my friend, Kim, here on my blog??? Me too!! We had such a fun time with this shoot. We started in her bedroom, which had awesome light...and a beautiful bed. Then we moved to campus corner in Norman and took advantage of some GREAT spots. She was really light-hearted and did just about anything I asked of her. Hopefully, we'll see more of her on here really soon!!! Here is a small preview. You can see the rest under the featured section on my website.

á bientôt!

A Crimson and Cream in Burnt Orange Territory...

2009-10-24T10:48:00.000-05:00

So, I'm in Austin, TX this weekend helping a friend of mine shoot a wedding. It's going to be beautiful weather....in the mid-70s....for an outdoor wedding. I think it's going to be a great day and some beautiful weather to enjoy. I've been thinking of my husband a lot today and last night, though....He's at home with all three of my kids...ALONE. Sounds like the first night went well. My two-year-old slept with him in our bed - right next to him in fact. Got to love that. Hopefully things will go well tongith also, and he will tell me tomorrow how much he loves me and missed me! :)

á bientôt!

MY NEW WEBSITE IS UP!

2009-10-21T10:19:00.002-05:00

Go check it out and let me know what you think!

Kim's Bridals!

2009-10-14T20:12:00.000-05:00

I'm still having computer issues, so you will have to check out this sneek peek of these beautiful bridals through Facebook. :)

Enjoy!

NEW WEBSITE LAUNCH!!

2009-10-14T20:03:00.000-05:00

I'm excited to announce that I should FINALLY be launching my new website this week! I have had computer problems...ie - I can't upload anything. Ugh. But no worries.

I have some great trash the dress pics and some beautiful bridal portraits going live soon....

as soon as I can figure out where to upload them. Hmmm.

The Burke Family Sneek Peak!

2009-09-15T09:30:00.000-05:00

Aren't they beautiful?? We had to rush to get these pictures but Baby Sophia was great! Bobby and Heather had their three kids there, and Josh and I had our three kids as well. The four older kids didn't want to take pictures, they just wanted to play! Oh, well, at least I got some great ones! Enjoy!

á bientôt!

Florida Vacation!

2009-09-14T19:19:00.000-05:00

These are a few of my favorite pictures of my family during our vacation to Destin. Enjoy!

á bientôt!

Mac & Nate!

This is everyone: Dad, Mom, Libby, Nathan, Mackenize, Me, Sydney, Tyson, and my handsome hubby, Josh

Everyone again.

Don't I have good looking parents???

Mom and Dad...man I'm lucky....

Nate & Mac again!

What a great couple, huh? Sorry about the green line in the pic. I've had an AWFUL time trying to upload these pictures today....

Tyson is turning 1!

2009-09-04T09:28:00.000-05:00

My last baby is turning one next Tuesday. Wow. I can't believe that it's gone so quickly. So I have a 1st grader, a two-year old (with ALL the two-year-old attitude), and now a one-year-old. Oh well. C'est la vie. I love the stage they are all at. Some days you want them to stop growing so you can enjoy them always at this same age. Other days I wish they would hurry and grow up so they could help me clean the house. I guess the best I can do is to just love where we are and enjoy every single second.

á bientôt!

Baby Daelon!

2009-09-01T16:25:00.000-05:00

This is my cousin and cousin-in-law's baby. He was a preemie...so TINY! But, he sure took some great pictures. To see the whole shoot, look at this link: on my Facebook.

It's a start...

2009-09-01T14:09:00.001-05:00

Well, I've given in and decided that it's about time to start blogging! I know there are a lot of people out there who have started one....but this really helps keep me in touch with my clientele...right? Plus, who doesn't like to know what their photographer has been up to lately. Doesn't that just make it all the more fun and personal?

I hope so.

Enjoy the future of Miranda Kitchen.