Brian + Aliese | Summertime Garden Wedding in Dumas, Texas

This wedding seriously had it all: a Volkswagen van photo booth, live chickens, tons and tons of orchids, a food truck, and sweet ceremony in a lush, butterfly-filled garden. I don’t think weddings get better than that. Brian and Aliese created a beautiful wedding but more importantly, they focused the day around joining their two families by keeping things relaxed and easy-going. They got married in the bride’s cousin’s beautiful backyard and the day was an intimate celebration with close friends and family.

WeddingsKayla SmithSeptember 6, 2019wedding, texas, bride, the knot, dumas, bridal, groom, marriedComment

Kaden + Averye | Glamorous Industrial Wedding at Kitalou Gin in Lubbock, Texas

To say that I was excited about Kaden and Averye’s wedding would be an understatement. For one thing, the two of them are absolutely adorable. They are high school sweethearts and they knew they would one day get married. After several years, they committed their lives to one another in front of 400 of their closest family and friends. They are loved by a lot of people and it’s not surprising.

Seth + Jayla | Traditional and Elegant Wedding at St. Mary's Cathedral in Amarillo

Seth and Jayla are really the loveliest, sweetest people and I feel lucky that they chose me to take their wedding photos. And not only are they sweet, but their family and friends are spectacular. They had some of the nicest bridesmaids and groomsmen that I’ve encountered in the many weddings that I’ve photographed. It’s no wonder they invited over 400 people to their wedding! They are loved by many.

WeddingsKayla SmithJuly 6, 2019amarillo, texas, photographer, wedding, catholic, bride, groom, wedding photographerComment

Planning for Stress-Free Family Photos on Your Wedding Day

Family portraits are such an important reminder of a wedding day but unfortunately, they can be one of the more stressful portions of the day. The last thing I want is for you to get the energy zapped out of you by family pictures (especially if bride and groom portraits are afterwards!). Here is my best advice for making sure family pictures go smoothly.

WeddingsKayla SmithFebruary 20, 2019wedding planning, wedding, wedding photographer, family photos, weddings, bride, groom, portraitsComment

Hannah + Ty | Colorful, Free-Spirited Wedding in Palo Duro Canyon

Ty and Hannah’s wedding was one for the books.

It was totally, 100%, completely different from any other wedding that I have photographed and that is a beautiful thing! It was refreshing, real, and so much fun.

Hannah and Ty came from Houston to get married in Palo Duro Canyon simply because they love it. They had tons of bridesmaids and groomsmen and family members come up to support them because they are very clearly loved and cherished by many. And I can see why. Both Hannah and Ty have something about themselves that attracts people to them like a magnet. They light up the room when they walk in and I noticed that right from the start.

WeddingsKayla SmithNovember 15, 2018wedding, palo duro canyon, bride, groom, wedding photographer, wedding ring, details, weddings, wedding dress, wedding planningComment

Emily + Jeremy | Wedding at Panhandle Charm in Amarillo, Texas

Emily and Jeremy are a couple of those clients that have become friends to Mason and I (Mason was their DJ and they actually found him before me). Throughout their whole wedding planning process with us, they were so gracious and so inviting. Their wedding did not feel like work to us - it felt like a fun party with friends. Jeremy even invited me to stay longer and I wish I could have!

WeddingsKayla SmithSeptember 2, 2018wedding, amarillo, texas, panhandle charm, canyon, bride, groomComment

Brenna + Landon | Autumn Santa Fe Wedding at The Club at Las Campanas

Brenna and Landon got married on the most perfect, not-a-cloud-in-the-sky, 65 degree day surrounded on all sides by New Mexican mountains. Brenna is from Tucson and Landon is from Texas so for them, Santa Fe was a place for them to meet in the middle. It was the place where they fell in love and the place where Landon would eventually propose to Brenna. About a year later, they became husband and wife in the one of the most beautiful places that I’ve seen.

WeddingsKayla SmithOctober 21, 2017Wedding, wedding dress, bride, weddings, groom, love, couple, married, bridal, santa fe, southwest, new mexico, autumnComment

Channing + Josiah | Spirit Ranch Wedding in Lubbock, Texas

The night before Channing and Josiah's wedding their pastor got a text from a friend because God told him that peacocks would be a sign of the Holy Spirit for him. That friend didn't know that the next day the pastor would be performing a ceremony at Spirit Ranch - a venue known for its flock of peacocks that roam the grounds. During their wedding ceremony they chose to spend time in worship, right before officially becoming husband and wife.

WeddingsKayla SmithJuly 22, 2017wedding, wedding dress, lubbock, lubbock wedding, photographer, bride, groom, weddings, wedding photographer, love, couple, marriedComment

Lauren | Autumn Bridal Photography Session

I just love the way that Lauren's bright red hair pops against the deep autumn colors of the Wolflin neighborhood in Amarillo, Texas. She is a vibrant and beautiful bride! As I've said, the hardest thing about bridal sessions is holding off on posting images until after the wedding and with Lauren, I had to wait over a month! It was hard but now that she's married and her husband has seen her in her gorgeous wedding dress, I can show her bridal shoot off to the world.

WeddingsKayla SmithOctober 23, 2016bride, bridal, wedding, amarillo, amarillo photographer, wedding dress, weddings, groom, wolflin, amarillo photoComment

Stacy + Zach | Trinity River Audubon Center Wedding | Dallas Wedding Photographer

Stacy and Zach planned the perfect wedding. Their Dallas affair at Trinity River Audubon Center is the perfect example of what happens when a bride carefully selects her vendors and then trusts them to execute her vision for her wedding day. The couple was able to enjoy their wedding day because they knew everything was taken care of.

Callie + Kyle | Palo Duro Canyon Engagement Photo Session

These two are a couple of my favorites. A lot of people ask me if I know my clients before they hire me and the answer is no 98% of the time. However, sometimes clients come along that I feel like I have known for a long time. Callie and Kyle are a couple of clients like that. Their engagement session went so smoothly and comfortably and I could have photographed them for a couple more hours easily - except without the mosquitos that literally ate me alive ;)

EngagementsKayla SmithSeptember 21, 2016engagements, engagement, couple, love, engaged, bride, groom, palo duro canyon, lubbockComment

How to ensure that you will get beautiful getting ready photos on your wedding day

So you’ve combed through Pinterest and you have likely pinned some adorable wedding day getting ready photos. It’s the perfect time of the wedding day for sweet, soft, authentic moments but the shots you see on Pinterest don’t just happen by accident. They are the result of careful planning, smart scheduling, and the individual style of your wedding day. For gorgeous getting ready photos, there are a few tips to follow.

WeddingsKayla SmithSeptember 7, 2016wedding photographer, wedding, wedding dress, getting ready, makeup, details, weddings, bride, groomComment