Once In A Lifetime :: {Tulsa Wedding Photographer}

When you make the final decision to choose one photographer over another you ultimatly have your reasons.  You like their style.  You like their price.  You like the emotion they are able to pull out of their clients.  You ultimatly see yourself in their images and can't imagine any other person photographing your big day.  It's true. 

Now, if you know me or have met with me, you know I'm a bit of a talker.  My husband loves this about me.  But all other conversations aside, let me be serious for a minute.  Yes, price will play an important roll in determing your wedding photographer for some of you, but don't let that be the final straw.  Ten.  Fifteen years from now you won't remember what color the table linens were.  You won't have flower still laying around from your big day.  You will have pictures of the table linens.  You will have pictures of the flowers.  See where I'm going?

There are three main things you will take away with you from your wedding day.

Your memories.

Your wedding video.

Your wedding images.

Oh, and your groom, but hopefully that's a given :)

You only get married once.  You don't get wedding photography do-overs.  You get one shot at capturing your wedding day as it unfolds.

So choose wisely.  Choose them because you can't imagine anyone else photographing your wedding.

Details In The Fabric :: {Tulsa Wedding Photographer}

As a bride there are so many things that go in to making your wedding day the best it can be, but since I'm a photographer, let's talk about that for a minute.

You have most likely spent several hours looking at photographers, comparing prices and packages and possibly meeting with a select few that you are considering for your big day.  Now, with all your work there is still one thing left for you to do to ensure your images turn out the best they can possibly be.  Pay attention to details.

      Disclaimer: I did not take this photo.  Courtesy of Etsy.

Little details like the personalized hanger for your dress will take your wedding photos from awesome to (as my husband recently described it) off-the-hook.  ha! (he was joking... a little)

And in case you didn't like this idea, just wait a little bit and I'll try again!

Style Me Pretty :: {Tulsa Wedding Photographer}

As I sat in her chair, black cape draped across my body to keep the falling hair from taking up residency all along my arms, we began chatting about her upcoming wedding.  Now, starting a conversation like this normally goes something like this.  So, tell me all the details! Yeah, that was easy.  I know.

You see, Lauren isn't quite engaged yet, but for the last couple of years I've known her guys have come in and out of her life every once in awhile, but she never lets them stay.  She knows what she wants and if you aren't it then she'd rather be single.  Bravo chica!

When she invisioned her wedding she talked of trees in full-bloom, the freshly manicured back yard of her possibly future in-laws, and lots of white blankets spread out on either side of the 'isle' which would be lined in candles.  She stopped cutting for a minute, looked at me and said, does that sound strange?

And this is where I reach my point. 

Your wedding is just that.  It's yours.  Personally, I love Lauren's idea of making it personal, cozy and quaint.  You don't have to put on a party if that's not your style.  If your theme is cozy and personal, do it, and carry that theme throughout everything you do.  Put blankets on the ground, pull some vintage furniture that you may have and create sitting areas around the yard for guests at the reception, use jars for your drinking glasses, have your decor reflect your theme and make it personal to you.  After all, these are your memories and you don't want to be stuck with memories floating through your head that you don't like.

Disclaimer: I did not take these images.  Image courtesy of Style Me Pretty

Don't let your wedding reflect what everyone else wants.  Make it your own.  If you want to wear a veil - gosh darnit wear that veil - it's the only time in your life that is is acceptable for you to walk around in public with that thing on without people thinking you're crazy.  So do it!

If you want your wedding colors to be the same colors your best friend used, it's OK!  I guarantee you the only people who are even going to notice is you and your best friend, and most likely she'll be honored that you loved it enough to use it for your own as well.  After all, you're not stealing her wedding theme/ideas, just a few simple colors that you're going to go make your own.

Whatever direction you decide to go, go with what you fell in love with and carry that theme throughout every detail of your wedding.  It's the details that will pull your whole theme together.

And most importantly.  If you want blankets - spread them out proudly, just make sure and wash them beforehand.

Taking Applications :: Senior Representative Program :: {Tulsa Senior Photographer}

Schools are letting out.

The stores are filled with shorts and tanktops.

And most important?  Snow Cone Shacks are open for business!

What does all of this mean?  It means SUMMER is almost here and we've got a new class of SENIORS about to relish in all that it means to be Seniors!

So what does this mean for you all?

I'm looking for unique 2012 seniors who want to be part of my Senior Representative Program!!!

In exchange for your help promoting Allison Lee Photo to your friends, you'll receive a free senior photography session!

One male and one female student will be chosen from each of the local high schools in Tulsa and its surrounding areas:

(Bartlesville, Owasso, Jenks, Broken Arrow, Bixy, etc.)

Now for the deets...

In order to be a senior rep for ALP, you must:

Be a senior graduating in 2012

Be camera friendly (if you hate having your picture taken this probably isn't the position for you ;)

Have a fun sense of personal style, be unique... funky even!

Live in Tulsa or it's surrounding cities/suburbs

Agree to promote Allison Lee Photo to your friends and classmates

Represent ONLY ALP & use the images from your session as your senior photos

Return a photo release signed by you and your parent/guardian

If you are a part of ALP's Senior Representative Program, you'll receive the following:

A free senior photography session

Unlimited shoot time

Two sessions (a fall/winter AND spring/summer)

A proofing gallery to select your favorite images

A CD of low-res, watermarked images to be used on your social networking page (Facebook, Myspace, blog, etc.)

50 senior rep. cards.  Each card will be personalized with your name, your photos and our business information to hand to your friends and classmates.

3 mini albums of your images to be used to show your friends and classmates (and so you can give one to mom and grandma!)

An opportunity to earn print credits and print discounts for each person you refer to Allison Lee Photo

A $50 prepaid Visa gift card will be awarded to the senior rep with the highest number of rep cards returned by January 1st, 2012 (**must be at least over 10 returned cards to qualify)

Card can be spent however you like

You'll earn referral discounts for each referral you send to Allison Lee Photo:

1-3 Referrals - 10% off print order and $20 print credit

4-6 Referrals - 10% off print order and $40 print credit

7-10 Referrals - 15% off print order and $60 print credit

11+ Referrals - High-Resolution DVD of all images from your session

All senior reps must agree with the following terms and conditions:

Senior representative sessions must be scheduled and take place before August 14, 2011.  You may schedule an initial session before August 14th and a follow-up session to take place before January 1st, 2012.  This might allow you to have the fall landscape as well as the summery Oklahoma weather in your portfolio.  Rep cards will be given to the reps before September 1st, 2011.  All students will be entered into the drawing for the $50 Visa card, but only rep cards before January 1, 2012 will count towards the drawing.  Any rep cards after January 1st, 2012 will still contribute towards your print credits and discounts, but will not count towards the Visa gift card drawing.  When your referrals book a session and pay in full, you will receive credit for that referral.

Any referral that presents your card when booking their session will receive 10% off of their senior photography session.

Be sure and tell your friends about the perks of the senior rep session.... they can sign up for the 2013 season!  Your participation in the program will not only introduce you to fun & funky, personalized photography, but wlso a way to help your parents out and earn incentives towards your session for senior portraits at little or no cost!  All students must return the aplication, including the model release, before June 30, 2011.  This program is first come, first serve so be sure to act fast if you're interested.  All reps will be contacted and announced on my blog July 13, 2011.

TO ENTER:

Please send me an email to allison@allisonleephoto.com with a photo of yourself & the school you will be graduating from (for my records)!

I will send you the full application & model release.

I can't wait to work with you!!

The Test of Time :: {Tulsa Engagement Photographer}

It seems as though it's always a love story that involves a glance from across the room.  This time though, it wasn't a glance across the room that brought these two together, it was time.

He said they've known eachother for what seems like forever, but he knew it wasn't right.  He was training to be a pilot and she was a school teacher.  Two chaotic lives, that, if intertwined, would become a tornado.

Years have passed, training has ended (for the moment) and what seemed like something that would never make it's way here has finally come.

Next month these two will board a flight to Arizona with two last names, only to return, hand in hand, with one.

Internet, meet my two new friends, Kyla & Tyler.

To View Kyla & Tyler's complete session - go ahead and push that little play button below.

And You Will Be My Squishy :: {Tulsa Wedding Photographer}

Let's get boogy boards today, he said.  We were in Cabo and the waves were ridiculous, but boogy boards seemed like the way to go.  I mean, what else is an Oklahoma girl to do when she see's huge waves?  How should I have known that these waves would crest a few hundred feet above my head?  What?  Not a hundred feet?  Ok fine, 50 feet.  We'll meet in the middle.

Two boogy boards in hand we ran like five-year-old kids towards the ocean.  Partially out of excitement.  Partially out of the 200 degree sand beneath our bare feet. 

As we reached the ocean, Caleb kept running and made his way out to where the waves were cresting.  I sat back for a few minutes to gather the nerve to take on the huge waves and overcome my slight fear of oceans.  You see, I hate, HATE big bodies of water.  Last year I tried snorkeling in Mexico and had a panick attack that lead to a few tears in the ocean.  What?  I was just trying to give that big ol' body of water a few more drops of moisture.  But yes, it was snorkeling.  And I panicked like a two-year-old. 

So this year I was determined to take part in the fun.  I stood and marched my pink little bathing suit straight towards Caleb with enough determination to, well, to do something really brave.  I watched him take a few waves and saw how easy and fun it all was, so the next big wave I gathered my courage and threw myself on my board right as the wave crested...

Let's just say that's now how you do it, internet.  1.  I threw myself too early and the wave crested on top of my pink bodied bathing suit.  2. When you get ingulfed in a wave it throws you around like a piece of sand... all under water.  Q fear of big bodies of water... now!  3.  When you're in the ocean there are lots of other, shall we say, 'creatures' that share the same space you are in.  Case and point?  I got stung by a Jelly Fish!   

It's true.  I tried to be a big girl and ride boogy boards with my husband but ended up flaling in the ocean, being turned end-over-end in a wave, allthewhile entertwining myself with a jelly fish and having him give me the common courtesy of stinging the back of my leg with his nice little tentacles.  Awesome.  Just the going home present I'd always dreamt of.

Which brings us to another edition of Kisses & Disses!

1. The amazing bridal session I just edited.  Out. Of. This. World.
2. The beautiful light Oklahoma is giving me to shoot in right now.  Thank you Oooooklahoma!
3. This proposal video.  So it made me cry a little.  What of it? 

And what's a kiss without a diss?

1. ESPN for stealing my husband right now.  NBA playoffs.  Lame. but Go Thunder!
2. Coming home from vacation in Mexico.  Why is it always so exciting to leave, but never fun returning?
3. Jellyfish.  Why you gotta be so hateful little man?  I was just trying to share a wave with you.  No need to get irritated.

The Knot is Tied :: Tulsa Wedding Photographer

Luke & Jazi Tying the Knot!

Wedding Venue: First Baptist Church

Wedding Reception: Camp Loughridge

He said it was her laugh that first grabbed his attention.  They had class together in college yet the only communication he had with her was through her laugh.  She would smile and throw her head back in complete adoration for whatever it was that said to be so funny.  and this made his heart wrench a little bit.

Luke knew his interest for this girl was different than any other girl he'd admired in teh past.  This particular girl had ambition and a zest for life.  She had a career path and a love like he'd never witnessed before. 

As life would have it, Jazi noticed Luke in class and decided... why not?  She invited both he and another guy to come out with she and her friends for her 21st birthday. 

Lucky for Luke, the other contender didn't show and what started out as a nice birthday gesture blossomed into the marriage of Jazi & Luke.

You may remember these two from their chilly engagement session a few months back. 

Luke & Jazi, thank you for being amazing and open to my crazy ideas.  Congratulations.  I'm so excited for you two.

And internet, give Jazi a big high-five - she just graduated a few days ago from Medical school and is now a doctor.  Wohoo.  free medical advice!  ha.

And because every blog post is better with a slideshow, I have to oblige.

I'm Back :: Manic Music Monday

I'm back!!!  I was going to give you all a warning that I'd be gone for 2 weeks, but then I forgot.  Oops.

I got to split my time between Mexico and Denver the last two weeks, so let's just say going from a beautiful sunny Mexico by the pool to a snowy Denver is not the most fun a girl can have.  Mexico, beautiful.  Denver, cold.

But, never fear, I'm back and I promise you'll want to stay tuned.  I have a yummy wedding blog coming up tomorrow.

For now, enjoy a little Rocket Summer to kick-off this Manic Music Monday.  His music is a treat to my little ears.