Every year I put together an annual group photo-shoot for the Vegas PUG (a local meetup group I lead for super-cool professional photographers). It’s a chance for everyone to get out on location, have fun shooting with others in the community and hopefully come away inspired and having picked up a new tip or two. This year I wanted to do something a little different, so I surprised everyone with a styled shoot filled with eye-candy just begging to be photographed!
For for theme, I took inspiration from the unique style of Sofia Coppola’s ‘Marie Antoinette’ (if you haven’t seen it, it’s a must!). I’ve always wanted to do my own take on it for a wedding-shoot and love how it turned out. Huge props go to my incredible team that pulled the vision together and made the shoot-out a huge success: AMAZING floral by Layers of Lovely, the epic cake and treats by Gimme Some Sugar, killer hair and makeup by Your Beauty Call, decor from The Pottery Shop, inspiring off-camera lighting demo by Steve Fogarty, an awesome behind-the-scenes video by Lighten Films, my girls Kristin Wilson and Liz Le for all their help bringing everything together and last but not least, our models: Carrie, Sarah and Lindsey – (all real and completely FABULOUS brides). Tons of love goes out to you all!
Here’s some of my images from the shoot:
Admittedly I always go a little crazy over Catherine at Layers of Lovely’s floral designs. Here’s Carrie modeling the pearl and peonies bouquet:
Lindsey’s rockin’ the macaroons - one thing a Marie Antoinette themed shoot would be incomplete without!
Towards the end of the shoot we topped things off with a surprise cake fight! While it was a bit sad seeing Gimme Some Sugar’s masterpiece getting torn apart, it was so much fun (and delicious too)! I couldn’t resist digging my fingers in for a little cake action – YUM!
Below is a fantastic behind the scenes video by one of my fave videographers, Terrence of Lighten Films!
You may notice that I sound like a complete dork at the beginning. I’m going to blame it on the cold, lol. It was freezing! Props go to the brides for rockin’ it out in the crazy weather we had that day.
**Click here to check out more images from this shoot in the feature on The Wedding Chicks!**
I’m excited to share a few images from Shauna’s trash the dress session! I feel like I’ve known Shauna for ages. We started chatting last year when her and Dustin were in the beginning stages of planning out their wedding. They had an intimate wedding in New York, then came out to Vegas for their honeymoon and post-wedding shoot. It was awesome rocking it out together!
To top things off, Dustin’s a firefighter and brought his fire gear all the way from Florida for our shoot! Here’s a few of the images from our day together:
These first two were photographed against the colorful backdrop of the Neon Boneyard! 
Shauna brought along Dustin’s extra name badge to use as an adorable prop in celebration of her new last name:
To see more from this shoot, check out the feature on Destination Inspirations wedding blog!
Johnnie is a pilot in the U.S. Air Force. For the past two years he has traveled across the globe to fly in air shows for millions of spectators. And the love of his life, Angela, has been right there with him. So it’s safe to say: Flying has played a huge role in their lives together.
After some brainstorming, we came up with the idea of doing an Amelia Earhart-esque style vintage aviation shoot in the middle of the Nevada desert.
The plane in the first image is a P-51 Mustang – one of Johnnie’s favorite vintage airplanes and one that he had the opportunity to fly alongside during many of his air shows.
I grew to love Johnnie and Angela when photographing their wedding way back in December of 2008 so I was stoked when Johnnie wrote to tell me they were returning to Vegas and he wanted to suprise Angela with a trash the dress to celebrate their 2-year wedding anniversary. It was awesome being able to both catch up on everything and capture them again at this new stage in their lives. They are bidding adieu to air shows and are starting their next adventure together in South Korea (where Johnnie’s now stationed for work). Angela even keeps an awesome photo-blog where they document all their travel and adventures.
Couldn’t resist doing my happier take on the iconic cinematography of Robert Burks in Alfred Hitchcock’s classic “North by Northwest” (1959).
Meet Kristen & Marlon:
Kristen and Marlon came out from New York City for an intimate Las Vegas wedding with close family. We got together the next day for a day-after trash the dress session downtown.
These two are easy going and up-for-anything, which made hanging out and exploring the streets with them a total blast. And I think the photos we captured really show their chemistry and love for each other.
I love their retro style! Kristen was rockin’ a beautiful feather headpiece and Marlon a vintage skinny tie.
They were also sporting some awesome converse shoes!
K & M: You two are so perfect together. 
Congrats again on tying the knot!!
**This engagement shoot was featured on Destination Inspirations!
Hope everyone’s enjoying their Saturday night! Jayse and I are ready to cuddle up for a movie-night in. But before we do I just had to share a little sneak peek of the shoot I’m working on:
More to come very soon!
Last month I was interviewed and filmed photographing Christina and Randy‘s trash the dress out at the Neon Boneyard for a Vegas feature that will air on the European television channel, ZDF German TV. Here’s a behind the scenes action shot of me and the paparazzi (thanks to Jayse):
And a little sneak peak of the shoot…
More to come!!
Angela and Brandon traveled from Germany for a destination wedding in Las Vegas. And what better way to celebrate than a day-after trash the dress session at the Neon Boneyard!
Angela was looking ultra GLAM with her fabulous hair and makeup all done up by Lori White:
A+B: Congrats guys! It was a blast shooting and hanging out after. Hope you enjoy the teaser photos!
Sally and Pete came out from London for an intimate wedding with just the two of them. It was their first time in the states and they went all out, celebrating their honeymoon in New York, Las Vegas, LA and San Francisco (and of course, getting hitched along the way). While they were in town we met up for a night out and a couple’s bridal with a little vintage flav-ah! Sally rocked out a beautiful 1940′s vintage dress and we hit up downtown old-Vegas.
It didn’t take too long for Sally’s sassy side to come out and play. Aren’t they great together?!
A+B: Thanks for an amazing day, for being up-for-anything and rockin’ it out in the Vegas heat with me! I had so much fun with you guys. 
Cara made Nathaniel a skinny black tie to match with his outfit for the shoot. I loved the knit hearts – such an adorable little touch.
Nathaniel plays in several bands and collects punk and garage singles. So as a little prop he brought along an issue of his favorite magazine, Ugly Things, all about sixties garage bands. And Cara rocked a copy of Knitting for Dummies! Minus the desert backdrop, this is exactly how they can be found in their free-time - Cara with her knits and Nathaniel chillin’ with a good magazine.
by chels
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