OHHHHH I’ve been SO excited to show you this wedding 😀 😀 😀 Meet Tiffany and Larry… they’re awesome, you’re about to see why. 🙂

I ADORED these bridesmaids!

It’s only natural that Tiffany LOVES all things Tiffany 😀 duhtown…

Larry, you’re handsome 🙂

I’ve been DYING to shoot a red+purple wedding. Tiffany emailed me soon after booking and asked… “We’re having a hard time coming up with good colors that go with purple… do you have any ideas?” So… wedding planner Bobbi put together an inspiration board… and badaboom badabing… PURPLE+RED! 😀 Thanks Tiffany for asking and trusting my opinion 🙂

HOLY COWABUNGA TO THIS BOUQUET! This is, HANDS down… my FAAAAVORITE bouquet to date. Furthermore…  ARE YOU KIDDDDDING ME WITH THE BEAUTY THAT IS TIFFANY?!

Their ceremony was awesome. 😀 We don’t shoot many outdoor ceremonies anymore… not sure why… but if I had my way, all ceremonies would be outside 🙂 BTW, on this note.. if you are planning an outdoor ceremony, get in touch with your photographer about when and where (in relation to the sun) your ceremony should take place based on the sun (so that one person isn’t standing in direct light while the other person is in the shade) 😀

Another BMFB = bobbi+mike fearless bride! 😀 Again, NO dresses were harmed in the making of this image. How flipping CUTE are these two?!!?!

OH Tiffany… I’m not mad that you’re a hot tamale. Seriously so gorgeous… it’s overwhelming… My favorite ❓

Reception time!

Tiffany’s dad is one in a million. I’m a huge huge HUGE fan! Mike’s favorite ❓

GET DOWN GET DOWWWWWWWN!

WOWZA That garter must have been placed REALLY high! 😉

 

……………………………

utica, ill.

hair | Erin Broks
makeup | Mary Yu
florist | Celidan Creations
videographer | Steve Buller
ceremony & reception venue | Starved Rock Lodge
dj | Sounds About Entertainment
cake | Joyce Shevokas, Starved Rock Lodge
dress | Essence of Australia
bridesmaid dresses | Jim Hjelm

……………………………

 

 

their songs

bridal party introductions | “Let’s Get it Started” –Black Eyed Peas
bride & groom introduction | “My Name is Jonas” –Weezer
first dance | “I Will Follow you Into the Dark” –Death Cab for Cutie
father/daughter | “Your Song” –Elton John
mother/son | “What a Wonderful World” –Louis Armstrong
cake cutting | “(If You’re Wondering I want You to) I want you to” –Weezer

tiffany+larry

 

What was the most memorable moment of your day?
tiffany: do I have to pick? Probably when snot was running down my nose when I first held larrys hand at the end of the aisle 🙂 .
larry: hearing “Yellow” by Coldplay and seeing Tiffany for the first time.

What was your favorite detail?
The flowers were just stunning.

Any advice for future bride/grooms?
tiffany: enjoy every moment… It’ll be over before you know it.  You’ll find that the things that don’t go right are some of the best (and funniest) memories.
larry: choose Bobbi and Mike. Will make life easier.

Funniest memory from your wedding day?
tiffany: my bridesmaid Joanna sprinting to the ceremony in high heels to ask Larry to turn the other way so he wouldn’t see me.
larry: At 8 pm when open bar resumed, entire tables flocking to the bar. And Tom’s speech.

If you could do it all over, would you change anything?
Nope, not a thing 🙂

What was your favorite wedding purchase?
Bobbi and Mike <3

Where did you go on your honeymoon?
2 weeks in Europe – so amazing!

 

Someone suggested we do a “Full on Double Rainbow” photo… I interpreted that is busting out my biggest smile. 😀

bobbi+mike

our favorites: 1) getting to know Tiffany the morning of the wedding 😀 That was the first time I’d met her! She’s so sweet and feisty… my two favorite attributes! 😀 2) Watching the bridesmaids lace up the dress… 🙂 Joanna took this job VERY seriously! 😀 3) Photographing the groomsmen, SUCH a funny group! 4) watching a bridesmaid run in heels to make sure that Larry didn’t see Tiffany… that girl can runnnnn! 5) Right before she walked down the aisle her dad didn’t say much… but greeted her with a kiss on the cheek and had the biggest smile on his face! 6) Tiffany was so emotional during the ceremony that she kept avoiding eye contact with Larry because she was on the verge of some serious tears… she was SO cute! 7) This was the first wedding we photo’d with our new vehicle. We loaded Tiffany and Larry into the back seat and took them to a little photo spot nearby we found that morning… it’s SO great not being limited to the immediate walking area by having a vehicle that our brides can easily get in and out of! Alone bride and groom photo time is always the best 🙂 8. Watching the parents be introduced… the dads were dancing there way in 😀 9) Speaking of dads… the father/daughter dance was perfect in every way. 10) the unboxed photobooth!!!!! 11) their final dance with all of the guests circled around them… it really is the best way to end a reception 😀

Thank you thank you thank YOU for EVERYTHING!!!!!!!

Much love! 😀

~bobbi+mike ❗ + ❓

 

I don’t know why… but this photo cracks me up! I look very intense… I wonder what I was saying!? BTW, I look IDENTICAL to my dad in this photo… Well… minus the red hair 🙂

❗ + ❓

I know this is a pretty bold statement but… this has been one of my favorite events we’ve ever photo’d. It was an event with two incredible people who are ridiculously in love, have amazing families & fun friends, planned a perfect event with a well thought out timeline, who designed  an absolutely gorgeous wedding… not one detail was overlooked… oh, and awesome weather. 🙂

Of course you remember them… they’re the famous “laundromat engagement session”. Here it is… what many of you have been excited to see… angie and erik’s awesome wedding 🙂

Mike and I were talking a few days ago… just about people in general… when he said… “Erik is probably one of the best guys I’ve met…”

Oh Angie… I adore you… thank you for asking us to come photograph your wedding. Seriously, thank you. 🙂

Their first sight was freaking PERFECT in EVERY way! If you’re on the fence of “should we or shouldn’t we see each other before the ceremony” take a look at this and your mind will be made. Erik’s reaction was priceless. 🙂 The key to a good first look: to be all alone 😀 Well… add bobbi+mike, duh. Because Angie was an event planner she knew how to plan out a day…. PERFECTLY!!!! 🙂 She was a little late in their first sight (as she anticipated, because brides always are)… but put in SO much buffer time that we still had plenty of time for portraits. Most couples would have had their photo time completely cut due to lateness… with zero buffer… which would have caused me to run around like a crazy person trying to make magic happen. So Angie…. for my mental health state… thank you 😀

LOVE the colors in this. I’d take amazing light over a pretty setting ANY day! 🙂 Favorite #1 ❗ (there are five, just to warn you 😉 )

JUSSSSST in case you needed a reminder…. Yes, we really do have THE most amazing brides 🙂 No dresses were harmed in the making of this image 🙂

HELLOOOOOOO KIRKWOOD!

“SHOW ME YOUR BEST COOL POSE in 5… 4… 3… 2… ONE!” ::click click click::

GORGEOUS bridesmaids! Love how the green pops off of the black 🙂 PS. notice anyone (or two… ) familiar in this photo??

For those who watched me capture this image… you owe me high fives 😉

BADABOOM BADABING…  Favorite #2 ❗ Mike’s favorite, too ❓

This is SO Erik! 😀

Regardless of doing your photos ahead of time or not… I always INSIST on giving me 15-20 minutes after family photos to capture more photos of just the two of you… cocktail hour exists for a reason 😀 Why do I insist? Because, at this point… you’re 100% stress free, no one is waiting on you, it’s the only time in the day that’s JUST you two (well, I mean… with a little bobbi+mike mixed in)… but most importantly… YOU’RE MARRIED!!!!! Photos taken immediately after the “I do’s” are absolutely priceless. Take it from me… DO IT! 😀

Oh, btw…. THIS, in my OH SO humble opinion, is the perfect canvas image 😀 Hang it above your bed, k? k. Favorite #3 ❗

Angie, I knew you’d be the most gorgeous bride… and you certainly didn’t disappoint. You’re absolutely beautiful… inside and out. I’m lucky to know you.

Angie’s mom has a blog titled “It’s All About the Tables”. As you probably could have guessed by the title, Sandy LOVES all things event decor… she loves looking at it, designing it, creating it, finding it, etc, etc, etc.  Now I don’t usually post a ton of reception detail images to this blog… but for Sandy… anything! I mean, after all… it is ALL ABOUT THE TABLES! 😉

Dad’s toast…

I’m absolutely smitten with this… Favorite #4 ❗

I don’t know a lot about professional reception lighting… but whatever they did here was the MOST amazing I’d seen, EVER! It was perfectly set up for photography… which it usually never is. They usually place spot lights on all of the centerpieces and completely ignore where the bride and groom might be. Here, the lighting guy had a lot of lights pointing at the dance floor… which made for some incredible images. So, Mike the lighting guy… keep doing wh
at you’re doing because it’s awesome. 😀

Man oh man I’m making a LOT of superlative statements in this blog entry but I can’t help it. Best mother/son dance in the history of bb+mk weddings. Erik, I said this on your FB page and I’ll say it again… you’re so fortunate to have so many incredible women in your life. 🙂 The image on the right? Favorite #5 ❗

Don’t you wish you were at this party?! BOOOOYAH!!! WE WERE!!!! 😉

 

 

……………………………

bloomington, ind.

wedding planner | Social Butterfly
hair & makeup | Stacey Mayo and Co.
florist | Artful Blooms
ceremony site | Indiana Memorial Union: Garden
reception venue | Bari Kuhlman, Indiana Memorial Union: Alumni Hall
dj | Chris Sawywer, The Dance Machine
cake | Indiana Memorial Union Catering
lighting | Big Picture Productions
linens | Chair Covers & Linens
dress | Watters

……………………………

their songs

prelude | “Bubbly” –Colbie Callait
seating of the mothers | “Lucky” –Jason Mraz/Colbie Callait
processional | “I’m Yours” –Jason Mraz
recessional | “All You Need is Love” –Dana Fuchs and Jim Sturgess, from “Across the Universe”
introductions | “Only Heart” –John Mayer
first dance | “Follow Through” –Gavin DeGraw
father/daughter | “Stand By Me” –Ben E. King
mother/son | “In My Life” –The Beatles
cake cutting | “Better Together” –Jack Johnson
last dance | “Sweet Home Chicago” –The Blues Brothers

 

angie+erik

What was the most memorable moment of your day?
angie: Ahhh… the whole day was so incredibly special.  My most memorable moments are the beginning and the end: Seeing Erik for the first time and dancing to “Sweet Home Chicago” at the close of the reception.
erik: Turning around and see my gorgeous bride for the first time.

What was your favorite detail?
angie: Our linens!  The flower print on our linen was the design inspiration for the whole wedding.  The head table and candy buffet score high points too.
erik: My cufflinks.  D.R. and Denmark represent!

Any advice for future bride/grooms?
angie: The event planner in me says choose a venue and/or hire a great planner that will execute your vision, ensure that you are carefree on W-Day and wrap things up for you at the end of the night.  The bride in me says don’t trip up too much on tradition and do things your way! You’ll be happier that way.  Oh, and brides:  just know that your white dress isn’t meant to stay white— Don’t worry about trying to keep that thing clean!  Instead, just enjoy your beautiful day and all of the dirt that comes with it! 🙂
erik: Marry someone awesome.

Funniest memory from your wedding day?
angie: Walking up and down Kirkwood for photos was altogether hilarious, with the attention that we were receiving from random strangers.  My favorite was the group of girls who stopped to ask if I would take a photo with them (on their camera)!  For about one second I thought I was famous…
erik: The surprise attack of a Danish tradition that my cousin spearheaded!  In Denmark the first dance must occur before midnight, the couple does not choose the melody; it is a specific Wedding Waltz. When the song starts all guests surround the couple and slowly begin to move in, so by the end of the dance there is no room to move.  Immediately after this, the groom will get a piece of his sock cut off (signifies that the bride has to prove she can sew).  This is done by hoisting the groom up on their shoulders while one of the groomsman’s cuts of the toes of his socks.
That one will be remembered.

If you could do it all over, would you change anything?
angie: Absolutely nothing.
erik: Not a thing.

What was your favorite wedding purchase?
angie:  1. My wedding dress!!! (If at first you don’t succeed, try, try {try} again! haha)  2. Our FABULOUS photographers (umm, duh.) 3. The photobooth (people are still raving about that thing!)
erik: The honeymoon.

Where did you go on your honeymoon?
Wauwi Maui! More advice for future brides and grooms: GO THERE!    

 

OHHHH HOW I LOVE MY JOB! …me with three bobbi brides… present, past, future (VERY SOON!).

bobbi+mike

our favorites: 1) their first sight, duh! 2) walking around campus/kirkwood for photos. I’ve NEVER seen a bride and groom congratulated  by strangers more than I saw that day… it got to be so out of control that I was the one who started thanking because it was interrupting photo time. Erik called me their ambassador. 🙂 I liked that title. 3
) I LOVE having familiar faces at weddings, seeing so many past clients and their families is just awesome. 4) Knowing that if I gave Nicole an important responsibility… she’d handle it. She was my go to girl all day! 😀 5) Right before Angie walked down the aisle she was in full event planner mode getting everyone down the aisle at just the right time. Once a planner, always a planner! 😀 6) my favorite part of any ceremony ever happened at this wedding 🙂 Erik and Angie asked Erik’s Aunt Julia (who also happens to be a very famous author) to recite “Oh, The Places You’ll Go!” by Dr. Seuss. “You’re on your own. And you know what you know. And YOU are the one who’ll decide where to go.” It was the PERFECT reading for a wedding. If I were re-planning our wedding, I’d totally copy. 😉 7) Taking photos of Angie & Erik alone right after the ceremony. 8. The OH MY GOSH moment of walking into the reception hall. It was green goodiness. Sandy said to me, “so what do you think?!” My response… “I’m on visual overload, let me get back with you…” 9) the toasts! Especially Erik’s. 10) the mother/son dance 11) watching Angie and Erik on the dance floor… those two can BOOGIE! 😀

I said it once and I’ll say it again… Angie and Erik, it was truly awesome photographing your wedding day… so much love… so much joy… so much fun! The best part? I get to see you all again in just a couple of weeks!

LOVE TO YOU ALL!

~bobbi+mike ❗ + ❓

This isn’t my favorite angle and I look a hot mess… however, it made me laugh so I had to share it. I have NO idea what we were laughing at… but it must have been hilarious 🙂

How does he balance himself like that?! I guess that’s one of the benefits to p90x 😉

…ANNNNND one to grow on 😉 WACKY BOBBI STRIKES AGAIN!!!!!! Thanks Erik for being such a good sport 🙂 Don’t look at this for too long, you’ll get dizzy with a headache… trust me… I figured this out the hard way!

❗ + ❓

 

I know I know… I’m a few days late… but, as you know, I’ve been out of the office.

Here comes the part you see in me every time I do a healthy train… the part where I’m seriously bummed… the part where I’m always too busy to work out… the part where I’m avoiding the scale like the freakin’ plague… the part where I just want to be donnnnne!

How different this healthy train blog entry is from the one I wrote two weeks ago is crazy, right?! Well… as you probably have already figured out about me… I’m quite the positive thinker… so positive in fact that I avoid allll things negative. Sometimes…. outta NOWHERE all of that negativity that I’ve been avoiding just smacks me in the face and I get depressed. It’s an unhealthy cycle.

You see, I’ve been on this damn train now for 2 years… I’ve lost nearly 50 pounds… I look like a completely different person… and I should be focusing on that. HOWEVER, sometimes it’s just not that easy…. and I’m bummin’. The light at the end of the tunnel still seems so far away.

I weighed myself before I left for DC (after our mini vacation)… I’d gained… but not just 1 pound or even 2 pounds… but 4 freakin’ pounds (in the last month)! I cried. Drama queen style. All of this travel travel travel, go go go, work work work is taking it’s toll… and I’m making myself less and less and less of a priority.

I know, I know… you’ve heard this all before… same story, different day. 🙁

I NEED more personal time. I NEED to feel better about myself again. Bottom line… I NEED to be both physically and mentally healthy!

So, I’m back to making mini goals…But this time they aren’t so mini. I’m breaking my own advice here and making my goals too big. I’m try try TRYING to stay motivated.

 

Here are my goals for the next two weeks:

Gain more personal time/enjoy more “me” time:

• Work aggressively during “work time” so that I’m able to have an evening off
• Fill in an Excel time sheet for work so that I’m able to track what’s taking me so stinking long
• Back off of the social media*
• Go to bed at the same time as my husband
• During personal time, computers are off and phones are put away
• Say no 😉

Feel good about myself again:

• Work out in the morning at least 4 days/week
• Get ready in the morning… as though I’m going to a “real job”
• Drink more water
• Eat healthy dinners… no going out to eat!
• Get a facial/massage

 

I know I know… that’s a tall order… but I’m in an extreme funk… so it’s calling for extreme measures!

*oh, and about that social media thing… I just need to take a small break from it… I need to focus on work and us. I’ll still be updating the blog… and twittering minor things… but, I’m stepping away for a bit. I’ve already deleted Facebook from my iPhone. YEAH… THAT’S INTENSE!

So, I haven’t weighed myself since I’ve gotten back from DC… and… well… I’m not going to. 🙂 I’ll weigh myself in two weeks… promise.

Wow… six weeks until the finale of this train… LET’S KICK THIS SHIZ INTO HIGH FREAKIN’ GEAR!

BTW… to keep the results of the contest secret…. no more weighing in on the google sheet… you can let me know your final percentage lost when you send me in your new “after” pics. K? k. 😀

You know I don’t like blogging without a photo… so, here’s one. This was taken before things got hectic and I was making personal time a priority. Let’s get back to that, k?

May, 2010 | game night with some of our favorite people… self timer style 😀

Thanks team for being so awesome. I adore each and every single one of you.

Love love love!

~Bobbi ❗