ON THE BRINK-LEY

I think last Saturday was the HOTTEST day of the year so far. Of course, we had Brinkley's senior portrait session anyway and .... awesome! I've known Brinkley's mom since before Brinkley was born and she and I have always gotten along famously. I did, however, almost send her to the car Saturday morning! Brinkley is her little baby girl still but I think you can see that inside that little girl is a pretty talented woman about to take on the world. A little shy, fairly stoic, accomplished saxophonist (is that a word?), naturally curly hair (we all know how I envy that!) and a killer smile. I think she's going to be okay out there. (I don't know what we're going to do with her mother!) Go get 'em Brink!

MIA MAGAZINE PREMIER ISSUE IS OUT!

It's here! Mia Magazine premier issue is on the stands. It's free and you can pick one up several places around town. We are so proud to be a part of this new magazine for women by providing photography for the wonderful stories. I've been dropping them off in the Starbucks, shops in Brookside, just anywhere women go. It's a smaller size - meant to be carried in your purse so you can grab a quick read while you're waiting for your kids, waiting for your doctor, waiting for your hair/nail appt - waiting..... well, you get it - women have to wait a lot and now we have a nice little magazine to help us fill the time. When you're finished reading it, just leave it and let the next woman pick it up and read it too. It's full of great inspiration, ideas, tips and advice for women of today with stories by women of yesterday, today and tomorrow. A LOT of talented women are out there ready to share and touch the lives of other women. You may be one of them. Pick up a MIA and be inspired today! To read it online or contact them to advertise to all the women who will reading it, click here.

TULSA PEOPLE WEDDINGS - COVER GIRL!

We are thrilled to announce our darling bride, Meagan Stephens McDaniel is the new Tulsa People Weddings Cover Girl. When we were stylizing her bridal session I asked her where she thought she'd like to have it and she said she'd like to take a few at her house and then we could go somewhere else. I arrived at her house and immediately knew we didn't need to go anywhere else. It was perfect! And, of course she felt right at home so what could be better. Meagan wore a fabulously stellar designer gown by Monique Lhuillier of cream satin with an exquisite lace, re-embroidered corset, finished with a vanilla sash specially tied by...her mom. Meagan has some modeling experience and was actually called back and almost chosen for America's Next Top Model a couple of years ago. She's a doll and we're so happy to have her grace the cover of this issue. Her wedding is also featured so you can check out her darling groom inside. Pick one up today and take a look!

The Best Day

Wedding season is always so busy. I never seem to have time to spend with my family - well, they complain anyway - but today we just took a little time out and Kate, Tatum & Taylor and I went to the water park on 91st & Darlington. It was a little overcast so I could get by with a spf 70 for an hour or so! (It's hard being a ginger).   I love to watch how the girls are starting to come into themselves and just get out there amongst 'em.   Tatum cannot contain herself - I LOVE that about her.  She jumps and hops and her joy just overflows to the ends of her curls! Taylor is still watching a bit. Let's see how it goes and maybe I'll go over there. She's not too wild about uncontrollable water yet, but she did give it a try today! They love Kate and she pushed them in the swings awhile and we ended up at Josh's Sno-Shack for a sno-cone before we had to be home. It was THE BEST DAY!   I love my girls!  Peek Here!

Zinke Design Pampers Brides

A little while ago, we did a commercial session for Zinke Design's new line of pampering products. Brides will love them but so will all the girls you know. Satin, silk, a little lace and loads of style! Zinke was just featured in Luxury Las Vegas Magazine for these darling designs. Our beautiful model with all the camisoles, slippers, eye masks and more - gracing the pages. Looks great girls! Locally, their catalog of products is available online and I just picked one up at Jara Herron salon in Brookside, who also carries a few products. Get your satin eye masks before they are all gone and sleep like a baby! Congratulations to Arin Robinson and Jessie Zinke, the masterminds behind the new line!

On Bended Knee....

Women love romance....and there are few things more romantic than a marriage proposal on bended knee. if that proposal is made beneath a lace of winter trees on the grounds of Philbrook, tucked into the Christmas-festooned Tempieto...the culmination of a day of visiting all the places you fell in love...how could a girl possibly say no?

Lacy fell in love all over again as Trey slipped the "perfect," sparkling ring on her finger....and of course, she said yes. Every woman knows a man like this is a keeper.

Congratulations, Lacy and Trey! May your romance bloom through all the seasons of your life together.

Wild at Heart

Brooke and Mike are getting married in August. In Oklahoma. They are definitely two people who are risk takers, huh? I have known Brooke since she was a little girl. Brooke is artistic, creative and well, okay, she has a little wild streak in her. I love that about her! Apparently, so does Mike - who, I've been told - has had a few "wild child" moments of his own. I'm so glad these two have found each other. They are really at home with one another and make each other laugh ... a lot. Tulsa is their home turf and they wanted to go downtown for their engagement shoot. Of course, I must tote a furniture to most location, right? Oh, I almost forgot, we managed to catch the tail end of a train - another thing on their list. I had a great time with you two running around like crazies!

Sara Smiles

Named after the Hall & Oates song, Sara Milkovich was all smiles (and a few tears of joy) as she married her long-time love, Andrew Rapoport, in the Battery Park Gardens, New York City. Sara and Andrew's joy simply lit up the night. We were charmed by this couple.....and our wedding wish is that their love shines on forever. Mazel Tov!

Get a glimpse of the festivities here: Sara & Andrew's slideshow.

Marcus & Mandy's Wedding

Planning an outside wedding in April, in Oklahoma, is a true act of faith. But that's just what Marcus and Mandy had and it worked out just right for them. April 25th, 2009, was a little breezy, a little cloudy sometimes, but an overall glorious day to get married. Golf Club of Oklahoma was the setting with the ceremony on the north lawn and the reception in the clubhouse with its sweeping veranda. Family and friends traveled from near and far to wish these two many blessings. Marcus and Mandy made a special effort to include many family members in their wedding party and make everyone feel welcome. Marcus' children - Katie and Jonathan - were honor attendants and rose to the task of marrying their dad off to Mandy!

The Groove Pilots, with Marcus' brother Mathew singing, rocked the house til the wee hours. Take a peek at some of the highlights of the day in their slideshow here.

LUCY LOVE

I just don't know if there is a cuter baby. That's not just a grandmother speaking. : ) Getting to photograph these two anytime I please is a dream come true. ~sophia

MIA MAGAZINE - EXPOSED!

How many great women do you know?  How many women in your life do absolutely know have helped get you where you are today?   We are thrilled to announce that Lisa and Sophia will be the photographing for the new Mia Magazine!  A new publication, produced by women, for women and about women -- is undoubtedly the next BIG thing to hit the media waves.   Women inspiring women to be..well, women.. and damn proud of it!   The team on this publication has years of experience and I'm not just talking about publication and journalism - they are women! They know about women!  Finally!  They are taking story ideas and writing from all women of all ages as well as advertising that thousands of women will see so please go to the website- www.miamagazine.net and see for yourself why we are so excited about being a part of this fun, new publication!   CONGRATULATIONS GIRLS!  Let's ROCK this town and give women  something to talk about!

EMILY & BLAKE - MIDTOWN MAGIC!

Emily and Blake go together ... like tulips and Starbucks!  In Midtown EVERYONE knows what I'm talkin' 'bout.   We had great afternoon Sunday for a little romance in one of Tulsa's landmark areas - Utica Square.  Emily and Blake have a little history with tulips and coffee AND Utica Square so it only seemed too perfect that we'd have their engagement session there.  Blake has been sending Emily tulips every month since they started dating and her proposal started with a bouquet of tulips and two cards - think scavenger hunt - and guess who was at the end of it with the BIG QUESTION!  What a romantic!   Emily is a second grade teacher and I am certain every one of her students just adores her!  Blake keeps her in good training for them and these two just have so much fun together - lots of giggles going on!    I had so much fun with you guys.  Can't wait for your wedding this summer.  Congrats on your first new home too!  

Brides of Oklahoma Announcement Deadlines

Brides of Oklahoma Magazine publishes its next issue in July but May 15th is the DEADLINE for getting your wedding or engagement announcement application in.   If you want to have your wedding or engagement photos and information in the next issue, go to their website or come by the studio for an application, 'cause we have some here of course!    If you haven't seen the magazine, the January issue is still on the newstands and we have a copy you can look at too.  I think we've only got a couple issues left to hand out but you are welcome to come by and look and visit and grab a Starbucks with us.    We advertise with BOK Mag so be sure and tell them we're your 'togs and you'll get a discount on your submission fee.   It's really a beautiful magazine, the photos looks great in there and the pages feel like silk.  Yummy.  It's a NICE publication to send to all your family and the cost is comparable to putting a black/white announcement in the newspaper for one day.  So, call the girls - Kami & Ashley - at BOK Mag and GET PUBLISHED!       

Ace Reporters Crack Wedding Dress Mystery!

Now that I have your attention....This morning I was looking thru the newspaper - yes, the kind with pages and print - I LOVE those and hate to see them disappearing all over the globe but that's another BLOG - Anyway, full page ad Page A7 Sooner Surplus Sales - "Wedding Dresses - Top of the Line at a FRACTION of Bridal Store Prices" "Nothing priced over $299" -  so we decided to take a drive to the west side of Tulsa and check it out.  You have to go across the 21st street bridge, follow signs towards Chandler Park and it's on the left before the park.   It's a warehouse.   It's a WAREHOUSE.  A metal warehouse.   When you go in it's like a big thrift store.  We walked all the way to the back and there they were.   Racks of wedding dresses in their plastic sheaths and hanging according to size. Sizes 2-16.  Organized.  The covers had a name and phone number on it and I googled it and it was a bridal store from Tempe, Arizona that went out of biz.  Anyway, there were a lot of dresses.  Some not so great, but some were very nice.  They had a few Alfred Angelo dresses, MToo Couture, and several other brands.  They still had the store tags on them with prices and then the sign for pricing at the Warehouse.  

We thought we'd be like Clark Kent and Lois Lane reporting but it was more like Lucy & Ethel as we sneaked Sophia into the dressing room (I use that term loosely) to try one on. It's a little big on her but you can see the dress anyway.

This one was a M Too Couture dress.  It had a full lace overlay with scallop lace hem and tons of little seed pearls also.  It was a very pretty dress.   This is a size 6 but I saw it in several sizes.  It had a price tag of $2299.00 on it from the store.  It was $299.00 at the Warehouse. 


Had a zipper in the back but it also had the little satin buttons.
Had a sweeping circular train that french bustled underneath.
The price tag:  $2299.00   - white tag from warehouse $299.99




Bottom line is, there are some nice dresses there to be found if you look for them. They had white, diamond white, candlelight, off white, white w/red, white w/black, sleeves, sleeveless, cap sleeves, long sleeves. A lot to choose from. It's not glamourous. No one is going to schmooze you or offer you champagne while you shop but then you will be getting a dress for under $300 so you'll save enough money to buy your own champagne! (Or Upgrade your wedding Album!) Something else, you cannot alter a dress down more than two sizes. So, if you wear a size 2, don't buy a size 8. It won't work. And, remember, a dress this big never looks the same on the hanger - YOU HAVE TO TRY IT ON to find out if it's THE ONE.

You might find something stellar like this "chello wine rack" (taken from the tag)