Darbi G Photography : Inspired by you

{{Hitched}} Michelle & Colt wedding @ Mission Theatre, Kansas

06.13.18

What a wedding to kick off this year with–sorry I’m so delayed in posting these. I adored the vendors AND the couple (Michelle & Colt)… the reception venue was phenom (Shawnee Mission Theatre in Shawnee, KS) and the planner was top-notch (Christine Darden? of @Celebrations of Love). FYI::::: Christine is a planner who is hands on and there for you. She helps with things that truly separate her from other planners. And she’s FUN! YOU NEED HER! lol

Now on to the couple. The stunning, fun, silly and sweet couple. This is the couple whom I poached, lol. I met Michelle & her mom at the bridal fair, and we talked for awhile. I fell in love with them…and I knew they were meant to be mine (MuAHHAHAHA) lol And sure enough! DING!

Anyway, so on to love:::::
Michelle said she knew Colt was THE one because: “I can’t imagine living my life without him. He makes me laugh everyday and I love who he is; his values, virtues and principles is something rare and amazing that I value. He’s my person and I want to support his dreams and goals.”

Colt professes about Michelle’s beauty when asked why he is head over heels in love with her. He also loves that “She wants very simple but meaningful things, such as a hug, a kiss or just being in the same room can make the difference in her day. She just wants to see the people she cares about. I can remember several rough days she has had and all she needed to feel better was some time with me and maybe her dog. She thinks my ridiculousness is funny at times also.”

Bottom line: they are keepers for one another. HANDS DOWN.

And their wedding…lovely to the core. From the lighting to the colors to the venue to the florals (by Shelley Rundberg Couture Wedding Flowers). SCRUMPTIOUS!

And shout out to Bailey Pianalto for being my assistant!

Vendors, guests, friends etc: feel free to use as profile or cover pics, or share on your page…tag others, or LIKE/COMMENT on your faves…but please tag me

OTHER VENDORS:
STYLISTS: @Stephanie Frey-BlushTones KC . @Melanie Adele Williams Artist
GOWN: @Emily Hart Bridal
BRIDESMAID DRESSES: Natalie M of @House of Yoo
RESS DESIGNER(S)
Natalie M. House of Yoo
BAKERY
Jan Southwick O’Rourke
CATERER: Taylor Made Catering
TUXES: Tip Top Tux – Overland Park, Hawthorne Plaza
DJ: @Platinum Productions

WARNING: I had all the pics =IN ORDER…but they won’t stay that way once I upload to this blog…so for the time being, they will be a bit out of order, and I’m sorry. KC wedding bride and groom

wedding preparations getting ready Kansas City

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{Hitched} Erin & Zack @ Fresh Air Farms (Missouri wedding)

04.06.18

Surprisingly, for having been photographing weddings for 10 years, I haven’t experienced that many ethnic weddings. I have shot Jewish and Greek weddings, and other variations of certain religions… but with the wedding of Erin & Sakher (Zack), I now have a Jordanian/Arabic wedding under my belt. Albeit, their wedding wasn’t the full entree… Because they had previously gotten married in Portugal over the summer, so their September wedding took place at what might be my favorite outdoor rural venue ever (Fresh Air Farm) was mostly about celebrating their hitching. But their celebration wasn’t without ceremony.

In Arab culture, the couple is announced to their family and friends with a zaffa, which is a musical procession or parade in which the wedding party (in this case, this consisted of the bride’s sister as the maid of honor, and six flower girls) leads the couple into the celebration. Traditional zaffas go all out with belly dancers who balance candelabras on their heads to the beat of bendir drums and mizmars, bagpipes and horns. E & Z’s Zaffa was more subdued, but it was so fun to see. Because they parade between two lines of their loved ones, it truly boost the excitement and gets everyone in the mood to celebrate.

As the bride and groom pass them, family and friends fall in dancing steps behind the couple as they make their way to the dance floor. Talk about festive!!! Aside from the uniqueness of such a cultural touch, my sidekick, Jennifer Zugelder, and I felt full of celebration as well! The families were full of smiles, jokes and welcoming arms. And guests were treated to dinner a la Marigold’s food truck, a splendid fireworks display over the lake, a bonfire with smores, the best almond macaroons I’ve ever eaten and a sparkler exit. I’m telling you: the energy and happiness that exuded from the couple and those who joined in the celebrations was one of a kind!

I hope as Erin & Zack continue down their path of marriage, they have countless more reasons to celebrate! Thank you for having Jennifer Zugelder and I along for the festivities! And a special thank you to Jamie Lawless & Neal Lawless, dear loyal clients of mine who sent this couple my way!

Here are the vendors who made their day happen:

VENUE:::: @Fresh Air Farm

FLORALS::::: Wild Hill Flowers

BAND::::: The Magnetics

WEDDING DRESS DESIGNER::::: Leanne Marshall

BAKERY::::: Andre’s Chocolates & Confiserie Suisse

FOOD TRUCK:::: Marigolds Food Truck

KANSAS CITY WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHER:::: Darbi G. Photography

The darling couple above is one of my all-time fave Darbi G couples—I photographed their wedding, and now I photograph their growing family! They have two beautiful little girls.

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{Smilestone: New Life} Micah’s newborn photos in Platte City

03.28.18

What a lucky family this is…to have two healthy, beautiful baby girls with parents that are so head over heels in love with both of them that it’s nearly palpable when you’re around them. Because they are dear friends of mine, it makes me even happier to report that this is definitely in my top 5 newborn sessions of all time, especially when I think about sessions with siblings–most siblings can be extra challenging if they are under the age of 4. But Reese, though still a kid and in her own little world, she aced it as far as I’m concerned. She was also so into her baby sis that she was more than willing to cuddle…and more than understanding that she needed to be still and gentle. I mean. These pics are PROOF! So hugs to this new family of 4… I foresee some fun times ahead for you all! And Mark–they couldn’t have gotten a better daddy than you. And Jaime… you already know you’re a mom I look up to. xo

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{Hitched} Ashley & Sean’s wedding at Circle S. Ranch

03.23.18

As of today, Ashley & Sean have been married over a month now, and if their life since then is anything like their wedding was — it has been full of laughter, a few good-natured eyerolls, and lots of sweet moments, but not many dull ones.

Ashley says her favorite part of Sean is that he’s got one-liners for days, and a sensitive side that not many get to see. She says, “Sean is quite brilliant. Sometimes to the point of annoying (lol) as he knows everything! I’m always learning something.
I love the way he loves me. He loves all my flaws along with all the reasons he thinks I’m amazing.”

Sean says Ashley doesn’t hesitate to make a sacrifice for others. I love what he said about why he loves her: “She is not afraid to challenge me or call me out when she thinks I’m not doing my best. She’s very caring for others and would make so many sacrifices and do anything to make someone else happy. She’s not afraid to dream big and have lofty goals, and she knows how to work hard and do her best to accomplish them. She just pushes me every day to be a better person, whether it’s directly giving me a guiding hand when I need it or just indirectly by leading through her examples.”

Guys! That is LOVE through and through.

Anyway, about the wedding of these two accountants (yes, both of them are numbers people!!) that took place at such a great rural venue in LAwrence, KS: Circle S Ranch & Country Inn?

Late Fall and winter weddings get a bad rap because of chilly temperatures. But here’s a secret: If it’s not a cloudy day, the late fall/early winter light is absolutely delicious because even during the otherwise dreaded midday hours, the sun is coming in an at an ankle so it’s works well for back lighting.

And if it’s reasonably and bearably cold (like 35 degrees at least!)–all the better to cuddle up with. Ashley O’Daniel? and @Sean know what’s up. They grabbed a mid November date and ran with it… even planning the ceremony to be outside. But they of course didn’t want their guests to be uncomfortable, so they had an old pick up truck full of rolled up afghan throws at the ready for the ceremony. It was a thoughtful, practical and generous wedding favor! The teamwork required to pull of this wedding, which was rife with cozy, country-chic personal touches, was significant. So it’s a good thing these two lovebirds have a sold base of loving friends and family who didn’t hesitate to lend a hand with decorating and other logistics.

I went overboard on choosing faves from this wedding because it was a long wedding day full of so much goodness…and because A&S have proven to be the most patient couple–I usually try to get a teaser album up on FB within the first week of the wedding, however this time of year, that was impossible, so I’m doing this one AFTER they’ve already gotten their full gallery.

Photography is meant to be shared and unfortunately, fewer people are seeing the pics because FB’s algorithm favors paid posts. So whether you are a friend of mine personally…a loyal client….or a loved one of Ashley & Sean….or even someone who just appreciates photography or love stories…please do us a favor and comment/react to these pics so we feel the love! Please and thank you! 🙂

Ashley & Sean and friends/Family: Please use any of these as your cover or profile pics, but please tag Darbi G. Photography in the caption!

Wishing it were YOUR Loved ones in front of my lens? I’m now booking 2018 weddings, so please visit www.DarbiG.com for more information. I will be at the KC Weddings Bridal Spectacular? at the Overland Park Convention Center?, which is put on by KC Weddings?, the leading local wedding magazine in the area.

And of course, here is the VENDOR team that made the kick-buttery of the day possible:

::::VENDORS:::::
Flowers: In Bloom?
Styling: White Carpet Bride?
Dress: Natalie M.?
Cake: Kristen Furnish?
Location & catering: Circle S Ranch & Country Inn
Photo Booth: PhotostreamKC?
Suits: Jos. A. Bank Clothiers, Inc.?
DJ: DJ Alex Reed? (he was AWESOME, FYI!)

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{DARBI G TIP} Prep For Prep Pics on your Wedding Day

12.28.17

I am going to start sharing tips from the perspective of a photographer–both for taking images of your own kids and making the most of your wedding day coverage.

For my first installment of my #DarbiGWeddingTipOff (a better hash tag is in development, lol): Let’s talk #GETTINGREADYpics. In the decade I’ve been shooting weddings, I’ve experienced…and sometimes the better term would be “endured”… a variety of getting-ready locations. I am not a photographer who will push you into getting HOURS of coverage of the preparations so that I can get all creative with hundreds of macro shots of your eyelashes and each stage of your primping. I’d rather use my time and your time wisely, and I instead try to be there for the most important part: the 45 min before the bride puts her dress on, and then the 15-20 min after she’s all dolled up. But other than adequate TIME, there are other elements required to get frame-worthy prep shots.

Like…lighting. Natural lighting is my preference–GIVE ME AT LEAST ONE WINDOW, PUH-LEEEEZE? (insert puppy dog face here) Turn off the lights overhead. I don’t need ’em. But a window is a must.

I also don’t need a glamorous room, but if you want getting-ready images like the below triple-threat of Emily and her best gal pals (and me!! Can you see me??? lol), then take the reins on where you get dressed and choose a place that isn’t decorated with outdated furnishings, or cloaked in horrid wallpaper or enveloped in dark wood-paneled walls with flickering fluorescent lights overhead. Even if you’re religious, getting ready in a green-hued church rectory with bookcases full of dusty faith-based reads or in the church basement where the worn out tables and chairs, combined with the concrete walls painted a once-virginal white, will not be flattering to you, and will be detrimental to your prep photos.

If you can’t go for luxuriously amazing, then SIMPLE is best. Your childhood home is a great idea if it’s adorned with a nod to THIS decade and isn’t cluttered with signs of life. Your current abode may work if you have the right light and decor. Send me pics in advance and I’ll tell you if I can make it work! Hotel rooms work just fine in most cases. But a double plus if your venue has a bridal suite that is designed with beautiful photography in mind–which is the case with several venues around town, such as this one at NOAH’S Event Venue .

Let’s say you nail the room choice…don’t ruin it by letting your ladies strew their goods all over the place. Instead, instruct them from the get to keep all of their belongings in ONE corner on the opposite side of the window. This includes waterbottles, makeup, bras and the like.

And if there is a (movable is even more fun!!!) mirror… or three… well…you might just end up with an image that reflects (see what I did there?) more than you thought was possible.

Here are some more of my favorite getting-ready pics. The ones with more dramatic of light had not much window light, so I instead embrace the contrast. Well lighted rooms with bright wall colors are my favorite though.

What do YOU prefer? The high contrast/dramatic images or the bright, fresh ones?