We are just Love & Lighting this new wedding trend!! Imagine how beautiful it would be to walk down the aisle amongst a trail of beautiful flower petals… We can see it now: the long train of a wedding dress and/or veil gliding along pretty petals while the bride makes her debut would make for absolutely STUNNING wedding video & photos. It’s so creative & beautiful– it gives us goosebumps!
Check out Mike & Chelsea frolicking among flower petals on the beach in Mexico 🙂
-Love & Light <3
We were minus one for this family session as little brother Sammy is off living the dream 🙂 That didn’t stop us from making the best of it and getting Mama Wilk her Christmas present on time! It was bitterly cold, but this beautiful brood worked it! We love this family for their laughter, fun and, most notably, their enormous amount of love for one another <3.
The Sibson family kept our hearts warm during this chilly shoot! Jason had contacted Love & Light and told us that he wanted to surprise his mom for Christmas with a family portrait session! (SO sweet, right?!) She had been wanting one for years! So, the day after Christmas when the entire Sibson crew was in town for the holidays, we ventured to downtown Omaha and photographed this fun bunch! This family session was fillled with love, light & laughter!
We LOVE this little man’s joyous energy!! We had a delightful time on this shoot :). It was a simple idea, really… bare-bottomed baby all bundled in cotton! We had a blast and just cannot wait to see this smiley little boy again!
Thinking about writing your own vows? Here are some great ideas to help you get started:
-Think back to and reflect on the moment you knew your significant other was “the one”. Take yourself back to that magical moment when it felt like the world stopped rotating and your stomach was filled with butterflies :).
-Come up with one or two promises to make to your soon-to-be husband or wife– they are called vows for a reason, so the promises are the most important part! You can “promise to always say ‘I love you’” or “promise to always be supportive”. When you love someone the way you love your fiancé, these promises will most likely make you very emotional– in a good way! The tears will start to flow and your heart will feel happy :).
-Write it all out. Go for it. Write from the heart; anything and everything. Make it long, dramatic and full of run-on sentences. Remember, this is just the first draft so be carefree and write like you mean it. Save this rough draft for your first anniversary!
-Now, cull it down. Go through your notes and highlight the most important parts. Rewrite. Cull. Rewrite. Shorten your vows to one or two minutes max. Don’t let them drag on. Short and sweet is all you really need! Quality is more important than quantity.
-Practice out loud. Seriously! It may sound ridiculous, but practice makes perfect and it will ease any tension that you may have on your wedding day. When you practice, you will be able to hear how these vows sound coming off the paper and into the special words you will be speaking on the big day.
-Make a clean copy for yourself. Use a fresh piece of paper free of scribbles, arrows and doodles. You could even use linen paper or another higher quality paper to make these vows even more special! Make sure the paper is small enough to tuck away somewhere– maybe he’ll even find it later! Wink wink 😉
-Love & Light
Take a peek at Love & Light’s timeless Heirloom Wedding Album! This album ensures that you & yours will be able to cherish your special day forever & always <3 #loveandlight
Have you been looking for a photographer to shoot your wedding day? Don’t forget to ask these important questions!
1. Are you available for my date?
Wedding photographers typically book their weddings as far out as a year (or more!) in advance, so first things first: make sure your date is available. Book your dream photographer as early as possible. Save that date, mama!! Trust us!
2. What is your preferred style of shooting?
AKA: is the photographer you’re interested in a photojournalist? Is he/she traditional? Artistic or edgy? We like to think of ourselves as photojournalists with a satisfying blend of traditional photography–and we also love natural light! We capture the spontaneity of all your memorable, candid moments but also make sure to get a good chunk of “posed” shots as well (family formals, creatives, etc.)!
3. Do you offer wedding albums?
You’re damn right we do!! We have beautiful, heirloom albums to choose from– schedule a consultation with us to see our sample albums! We fall in love with our wedding day images and we want you to be able to preserve them for a lifetime. At Love & Light Productions, we believe in the importance of wedding albums and we want your album to “wow” your friends & family. Plus, how fun will it be to show your album to your children & grandchildren someday?
4. How much is the deposit?
The deposit is what sets your date in stone! Once you decide that you want to work with us (yay!!) we immediately stop selling your date. Our deposit is half of the total price for the coverage and products that you choose. We will make sure to go over every little detail with you during the initial consultation!
5. Do you work from a shot list?
Yes! It keeps everything streamlined and organized. Every wedding that we photograph has its very own shot list specific to the couple, their style, the venue, etc. We also welcome any ideas that you may have!
What are you waiting for?! Click here to see if your date is available for Omaha’s Best Wedding Photography & Cinematography Team!
-Love & Light <3
“Engagement ring selfies” are something we are all familiar with–especially this time of year! You’ll be scrolling through your Facebook or Instagram feed when BAM! …all of a sudden you see a picture of your friend’s perfectly manicured left hand sporting a beautiful ring on that very special finger. You may have even caught yourself daydreaming about the type of “hand selfie” you’ll post when the day comes that your guy pops the question; you want it to be perfect, right?! When that wonderul day does come, here are some tips & tricks for nailing that signature “engagement ring selfie” shot:
Get your nails done You deserve it! Use a color that’s simple and elegant: think blushes and muted taupes. This will showcase your new bling and will be much less distracting than a fuchsia or a red color would be.
Scout out a background Get creative! Find a gorgeous sunset or a place that has special meaning to you. Heck, why not use your adorable husband-to-be? He is the one who gave you that sparkly masterpiece! 🙂
Strike a pose Take a handful of different pictures and then narrow it down to “the one”. You’ll have lots of options to choose from, but only upload one of them 🙂
Share Finally, share the love with all of your friends online!! (Someone should do a study on the average amount of time it takes to post a “ring selfie” to social media after a proposal.. ) Be sure to tell your mom and dad before posting!
We look forward to seeing all of your beautiful “engagement ring selfies” this year!
-Love & Light
He finally popped the question! Yippee!!! After you’re done taking “hand selfies” (that RING!!) and being called a fiancé starts to feel more normal, here are some quick ideas for where to start in your wedding planning process:
Settle on a budget Just get it out of the way right off the bat! Nobody really likes to “talk money”, so starting here will prevent any hiccups from happening later on down the road in your wedding planning. You will be setting yourself up for success!
Start gathering names for the guest list This one is a toughie. Make sure to get both of your parents involved so that you don’t forget (more like “forget”) your crazy uncle who always smells like scotch & tells the same old, tired stories.
Narrow down a potential date It’s usually a good idea to have two or three dates in mind. Just in case your dream photographer (Love & Light Omaha… hint hint) ends up being booked on the only weekend you were planning for. Having more than one potential date will allow you to be more flexible in other aspects of your planning, too.
Create a wedding website This is where you can start to get creative! You can start choosing wedding colors, write your “how we met” love story, and keep things organized!
Hire a photographer Don’t procrastinate! Many photographers book weddings as far out as an entire year in advance, and you will want to lock down your weekend! Call Love & Light Omaha at 402-578-5591 today to schedule a consultation that you won’t regret! Love & Light Productions specializes in both wedding photography and videography in the Omaha metro area.
Wedding planning is hard. Really hard. Luckily, it’s 2014 and technology is crazy-awesome. There are some super helpful apps & websites out there that want to take the stress out of planning your wedding! Here are some of our personal favorites (in no particular order 🙂 ):
The Knot’s Wedding Dress Look Book App
One of the most exciting things about getting married (besides spending the rest of your life with the man of your dreams, yadda yadda…) is THE DRESS! So obviously you want to find the perfect one. The Knot’s Wedding Dress Look Book makes this easy for you! It’s an app that allows you to search over 5,000 wedding dresses by designer, price range, style, etc. The coolest thing about the Wedding Dress Look Book is that when you see a dress you just absolutely have to have, the app shows you the nearest bridal salon carrying that dress so that you don’t have to track it down separately! You can even book wedding dress fittings through the app. Another cool thing about it? It’s free! 🙂 Text “Dress” to 67076 to download it now!
Postable
This is how it usually goes: You’re scrolling through Facebook & notice that one of your friends got engaged. Fast-forward to sometime within the weeks/months after said engagement when you receive a text or Facebook message from this friend saying, “Hey girl! Could you send me your address?” Your friend is likely texting/emailing/messaging most all of her potential wedding guests to receive this information. Your poor, sweet friend could have saved a TON of time by using Postable. Using this site, brides are able to send out just one email to their friends and family sharing a link to an address book. Friends & relatives then fill out a form and suddenly everyone’s contact information is organized in one place! It’s also free :). But even if it wasn’t, we’d for sure buy it…
TopTablePlanner
Ugh– seating charts. Some brides decide against implementing a seating chart at their reception purely because they want to avoid the process of making one at all costs. Well, good news! TopTablePlanner takes the nightmare out of arranging your reception seating plan. You can access your plan from your tablet, iPhone, Mac, and PC. So if you’re on the go and suddenly have a brilliant-beyond-brilliant idea about where to seat someone, you can access your seating plan right then & there! Buy 6 months of access for $20 with unlimited edits & changes and free email support. Sounds like a bargain when you think about how many headaches you’ll avoid by using TopTablePlanner!
Wedding Wire
Wedding Wire does it all! Explore their website or the many apps that they offer & you’ll be inspired beyond belief! Get ideas for first dance songs, hair-styles, dresses, utilize their planning tools, read through their wedding forums… the list goes on & on!
Ah, Pinterest. Really, what would wedding planning be without it? (Answer: Brides-to-be would probably get more sleep and spend less time getting lost exploring pin after pin after pin…). But seriously, Pinterest is wonderful. Create a board for dress ideas, jewelry ideas, wedding hairstyles, wedding color ideas, etc. You can create a board for whatever your sweet little heart desires! If you haven’t checked out Pinterest by now, what are you waiting for?! Access it from your computer or your smart phone. Having the Pinterest App on your phone is handy when you’re out & about and all of a sudden become inspired. Prepare to be overwhelmed with incredible ideas!
So, there you have it!! ^God bless the creators of all of the above. Now you have more time to enjoy your engagement & the exciting process of planning your wedding! It should be fun, not stressful :). Happy planning!! Love & Light to you! <3
Those sweet little baby feet never ever get old!! Congratulations to Stefany & Mitch for making such a perfect baby! 🙂 #loveandlight
Planning a proposal? The winter season is a popular time of year to get engaged! There seems to be something special in the air around the holidays that makes everyone a little more romantic, a lot more cuddly, and, overall, very grateful for all of the blessings in life.
Christmas is a special time for everyone! So many ideas come to mind when proposing on Christmas… Just the two of you snuggled up around the fire, ice skating together in downtown Omaha, or getting down on one knee in front of friends and family when you are all gathered together joyfully opening gifts.
New Year’s Eve is another great date for proposals. I can’t think of a better way to ring in the New Year! When the clock strikes midnight, instead of immediately planting one on her, tell her to close her eyes while you get down on one knee. She will NEVER forget that New Year’s kiss! Plus, everyone around you is already popping confetti bombs and champagne bottles. What a perfect setting!
Last, but certainly not least, another popular time to propose is Valentine’s Day! On February 14th of every year, lovers love, crushes crush, and cupid aims his cute little arrow. Write your proposal on those tiny, colorful candy hearts, or give her a “valentine” that says, “Will you be my Valentine?”, and then cross out Valentine and write wife. She’ll just absolutely MELT! 🙂
We would love to be there to capture you popping the question! It will be the most romantic night of her life, and you’ll be able to re-live it all through photo & video :). Call us at 402-578-5591 or email us at loveandlightomaha@gmail.com for more information on Paparazzi Proposals.
-Love & Light
Boudoir Photography: What You Need to Know
Boudoir… sexy word, eh? It’s so sexy that it may even be difficult for you to pronounce it correctly. So what does it even mean? More importantly, why are people taking pictures of it? If you’re dying to find out, you’ve come to the right place!
The definition of boudour is: “a woman’s bedroom or a private room.”
Okay– pretty vague. Still doesn’t really explain what Boudoir Photography is. That’s where we come in—Love & Light to the rescue! 🙂 Below are five of the most important things we think you should know about Boudoir Photography:
1. It’s not X-rated
I mean, I guess it can be if you want it to be… But Boudoir Photography is meant to showcase your beauty in a soft and intimate way. You are not expected to wear 7-inch stilettos and a leather corset (again, unless you want to). Boudoir Photography is more like your standard portrait photography but more intimate and with less clothing (and we typically don’t hold these photo sessions outdoors… 😉 ).
2. It doesn’t have to be awkward
Your photographer has most likely photographed other boudoir sessions. And, if your photographer is a woman, she likely deals with the same types of insecurities that you are worried about when it comes to getting down to your skivvies & taking pictures. Relax. You are beautiful, and Boudoir Photography is all about showcasing your unique beauty.
3. Yes, you can bring wine!
Piggybacking off of the last point: if you are feeling uncomfortable, bring some wine and/or a friend! Our clients usually find that bringing a friend with them to their Boudoir session helps them to feel more comfortable and at ease. Your friend can also help you decide on what outfits to bring, be there for support during the shoot and can even pour you more wine :).
4. You don’t need to go out and buy $400 worth of lingerie
The lingerie and/or bras & panties (does anybody else really hate the word “panties?”) that you have in your dresser drawers/closet right now will do just fine! No need to break the bank for pricey lingerie. If you are doing the Boudoir session specifically for a wedding gift, why not wear your wedding-night lingerie during the shoot?
5. Your boyfriend/partner/fiancé/husband will love it
Does this really even need to be explained any further? What a phenomenal wedding, Christmas, Valentine’s Day, or “just because” gift!
We hope the above information provides you with some answers to your questions and/or doubts about Boudoir Photography. Contact Love & Light Productions to schedule a consultation and a Boudoir session today!
Lately, flower crowns are EVERYWHERE! And brides are loving them. We love them, too!! They are so pretty and easy! If you don’t think you can rock the flower crown, read on! We think you totally can.
You don’t have to be a hippie to wear a flower crown
If you are a hippie– cool! We love hippies! 🙂 But if you’re not, don’t shy away from rocking the flower crown on your wedding day. The possibilities are endless when it comes to the design of your crown.
Buy one or make your own
Pinterest will surely teach you how to make a flower crown (but then again, what can’t Pinterest teach you to do?). And it’s okay if your first attempt ends up on one of those “Top 25 Pinterest Fails” lists… ;). If you definitely do not want to make your own, there are plenty of sites that you can purchase your crown from. Check out Etsy.com! Affordable and SO pretty! <— We like that combo.
Consider the climate of your wedding when deciding on the style of your crown
Destination wedding? Why not rock some colorful, tropical flowers on your pretty little head?! Spring wedding? You could wear a crown with very delicate, soft & pretty flowers. Even winter brides can wear flower crowns! Like we said before– the possibilities are endless!
Wear it with a veil!
If you decide you want to wear a flower crown on your big day, that doesn’t mean you have to ditch your veil. Flower crowns and veils make a BEAUTIFUL combo!
You are going to look stunning in whatever kind of flower crown you choose! There’s no doubt about it! 🙂
-Love & Light
The full saying is actually, “Something Old, Something New, Something Borrowed, Something Blue, a Silver Sixpence in Her Shoe.” This first appeared in print in 1883. American brides tend to be pretty traditional and love to incorporate this fun little saying into their wedding day!
Something Old is a symbol for her family, her past and tradition.
Something New is a symbol for the new life ahead of her.
Something Borrowed is traditionally borrowed from another happy bride, and symbolizes borrowed happiness.
Something Blue is a symbol for fidelity, purity, and love. For Christian brides, it is also a symbol of the Virgin Mary.
A Sixpence in Her Shoe is a symbol for future prosperity and wealth. The sixpence is a British coin that was in use from 1551 to 1967, and was worth six pennies. If you have a chance to purchase an antique coin, you can tape it to your sole for good luck. Implementing the “Something Borrowed” is easy! But what about “Something Blue?” This tends to be the trickiest one of the bunch, yet to some it’s also the most important! Below are a few ways to incorporate this timeless tradition into your wedding day:
1. Shoes
Find a pair of cute, blue flats or heels to wear with your pretty white dress. They’ll be pretty hidden 🙂
2. Clutch
You won’t be carrying much around on your wedding day, but a tiny little blue clutch will hold the essentials!
3. Bra
Oooh-la-la!! 😉
4. Blue Hanky
This will be nice to have more many reasons!!
5. Handwritten date or cute little patch inside your dress… in blue of course 🙂
^This idea is our favorite. It seems to be the most intimate and special.
We can’t wait to see how you incorporate these cute ideas into your special day! 🙂
-Love & Light
Long gone are the days of tossing rice and bird seed. Here are some super unique and wonderful ways to make your wedding exit the grandest of the grand!
1. Explosive confetti poppers
Okay, you had us at explosive… and confetti… AND Poppers. Go out with a bang!
2. Custom paper planes
How cute is this idea? Now I just need to learn how to make a paper plane… I never was good at it! :/
3. Color Pom-Poms
Pom-Poms the color of your wedding colors?! Sounds good to me!!
4. Bubbles
Because who doesn’t automatically revert to their 5-year-old self when they hear the word “bubbles”?
5. Gold Sparkles
“Ooooooh… ahhhhh…” is all we have to say.
There you go! You’ve got some great ideas to work with. Now go WORK that grand exit, bride & groom!! 🙂
-Love & Light
Our session with Emily was fun and flirty! She is absolutely flawless and has a beautiful heart to match. She is the perfect package! Love & Light all the way!
loveandlightomaha@gmail.com
402-578-5591
Getting ready for your big day is magical! You have butterflies in your belly and a heart full of love and excitement. You’re surrounded by closest friends and family; all joined together for the sole purpose of celebrating you and your partner’s love. Love & Light Productions loves documenting the behind the scenes emotions that are typically only seen by those closest to the bride & groom. We strive to capture all of the little details that can easily be forgotten and we make those moments last forever… much like your love 🙂
Call 402-578-5591 or email loveandlightomaha@gmail.com if you would like more information!
Our last bride is about to get a delightful delivery!
Here’s a grand GIF of a bridal entrance to 1316 Jones Street in Omaha, Nebraska!
Dreaming of saying your “I do’s” with your toes in the sand while gazing out at a turquoise tide that’s almost as pretty as the sunset? For a lot of brides, the idea of leaving Omaha with your closest family and friends and heading to an exotic location is an easier choice that can take some of the stress and worry out of getting married. Get ready to pack your bags and hop on a flight to somewhere far, far away from Nebraska! Here are some helpful tips to help you get started on planning the perfect destination wedding:
Choose a date! Get your closet friends and family in the loop and see what dates would work for them. You’ll want to start planning and booking about 9-15 months in advance :).
Find a reputable travel agency in Omaha. From my experience, Andy Baker with Enchanted Honeymoons and Travel is the best in Omaha! He has some really fantastic ideas and is thoroughly organized from the early planning stages all the way to the time of your departure. You can contact him at andy@enchantedhoneymoons.com
Make sure to do your research! Costa Rica, Jamaica and Saint Lucia all have different marriage laws and travel laws. You’ll also want to get your passport (make sure to do this way ahead of time)!
Hire a wedding consultant through the resort. You won’t regret it! He or she will be your saving grace during the trip and throughout the entire process of planning your wedding.
Hire a photographer!!! This is so important; we cannot emphasize this enough. The price you pay for a photographer that the resort assigns to you and the price you pay for a photographer that you’ve done your research on will be the same (and sometimes the resort’s price will even be MORE… Yikes!). This is such an important part of one of the biggest days of your life, so why not pay the same price for someone you trust and have done your homework on? The resort photographers are usually paid an hourly wage and will produce very generic, unedited images. A hired photographer will document the entire day from start to finish. In fact, if you hire Love & Light Omaha you’ll receive both images and a video of our entire stay with you. We are very hands-on and tend to create lifelong friendships with our clients :).
Call us at 402-578-5591 or email us at audreybphotography@gmail.com or loveandlightomaha@gmail.com for more information! We can’t wait to hear from you!
What do I wear for my session?
Living in Omaha, Nebraska we are lucky enough to have all four seasons. Mother Nature, however, always has a very different agenda than our own! She can be pleasant and 75 one day, then with the flip of a switch her mood can become drastically cold. So, what are our options?
1. Layer, Layer, Layer! Layers add dimension and depth. In the summer? Layer your dress with a cute belt and pendant necklace. In the fall or winter? Cardigans, belts, scarves, hats and blazers.
2. Matching is out. Coordinating is in. Remember the days when everyone wore white and khakis for their family Christmas photos? No thank you! We all have our own style and it should reflect who you are. Choose a coordinating color that can really bring the group together. I say why not choose two?! Gray and Navy. Red and Cream… so on and so forth. Try to stay primary. Maybe even add a pop of color for an accent.
3. Dress your kiddos in clothes that fit perfectly, not with room to grow. Doing the latter can tend to make for a sloppy appearance. We all buy our kids clothes for the future months, but try to stay away from one size too big for your little tike. 
Call 402-578-5591 or email audreybphotography@gmail.com to schedule a session today!
I adore this adventurous couple! We didn’t let a measly tornado warning or torrential downpour stop us from doing this photo shoot! The weather must have been trying to match Stefany’s beautiful pregnancy glow, because soon the sky had cleared and the weather was picture-perfect… literally :). The sun was shining down on the bountiful field of goldenrod flowers (which, coincidentally, is Nebraska’s State Flower) and Stefany’s joy radiated through my camera lens. These two are going to be the best parents!
Marry Me Omaha!
Talk about being at the right place at the right time! Meet Jane and Henry. These two little lovebirds came all the way from Arkansas to go to The MAHA festival. She thought it was to see Death Cab for Cutie’s very last performance together. He however, had other plans! How cute are they! Love Love Love the thought he put into this. And of course…..she said “Yes”! {Omaha proposal photography} Call 402-578-5591 or email audreybphotography@gmail.com for details!
