Besides being the signature to Luke’s email, this blog series features the things we’re loving as we start each Monday morning with gratitude and coffee!

Here’s what we’re discussing over our morning coffee on this week!

• Knox is 4 months old! Our son has been with us now for 1/3 of a year! Where does the time go? This morning we were up early for his 4 month checkup, where he continues to get good reports! We’re raising a tall one… in the 75th percentile for height! We’re still waiting on that first real laugh, which could happen any day now!
• And…. Knox can finally sit in his Bumbo chair and look us in the eye while we have our morning coffee! 
• Instagram grid prep. I finally decided to dedicate some significant time to planning out my feed and trying to make it look more visually cohesive. This included carefully curating the portfolio images that I share and making sure that the personal photos of our life (my favorite things to share on Instagram) that I post fit in well with them. I’ve had to take some new photos (of myself, of Knox, of wedding details, etc.) but I am really excited about how everything is working out. Planoly has become my new best friend and has made planning out my grid so much easier!
• New styling stuff! We just added several styling boards and ring boxes to our ‘stash,’ to get ready for our workshop. We wanted our attendees to have great things to practice with, but I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t super excited to play with them myself this week and take some new detail photos for… what else… my Instagram!
• The Walking Dead return. Is anyone else still watching that show, or just us? The premiere was pretty good in our opinion, but how in the heck does Negan still make it out alive after all of that?
• Is cold weather here for good? The first cold front was a few weeks ago, but it got hot once again. This time, it looks like cool mornings may be here to stay. We’ll be working with the screen doors open just as long as we can.
• Our own family photos are this week! Becka from our sister company (Our Little Ranch Photography) is taking our first ever family photos on the ranch tomorrow. The number of outfits we ordered and returned to choose the right combo has been quite entertaining!
• The sounds of the week. We’re still finalizing our Spotify playlist for this month, but so far, we’re throwing it back to 2011 and listening to Bon Iver’s self titled album on the turntable. 

Love & Coffee, (See you next week!)

Luke & Cat

About the weekend snapshot series: It’s our weekend ritual. Every Friday before shooting a wedding, we spend a few hours feasting on inspiration: glossy magazine spreads, favorite Instagram feeds, wedding site editorials, ads for luxury brands, Sprinkles’ cupcake window displays…. It ensures we arrive at every wedding fueled by fresh ideas. Now, we’re bringing a delicious bite of inspiration to you. Start your wedding weekend with a Luke & Cat Weekend Snapshot. The icing on the cake? The hands-on, how-to advice that accompanies each photo. Sweet.

View others in this series:

• Weekend Snapshot #1 Bookend Those Bridesmaids
• Weekend Snapshot #2 At The Reception
• Weekend Snapshot #4 A Classic Toast

THE Best of Both Worlds

Every bride loves a gorgeous candid photo of themselves with their best girls! While Luke is taking the more traditional bridesmaid photos, Cat likes to snap the candid shots off to the side. But what if you have to divide and conquer, or you’re taking the bridesmaids photos by yourself? Here’s today’s tip for getting the best of both worlds - even when you’re the only one taking the photos:

There’s a science to making this work just right when it comes to positioning the bride. Encourage the bride and one of her bridesmaids to turn toward one another and embrace or hold hands. They’ll naturally laugh, smile, and display the genuine emotion that makes for a great shot. By moving back and forth from shooting facing the group to shooting next to where the bride is facing, you can create the illusion of multiple photographers taking posed formal pics, as well as beautiful candids.

Lovely ladies & candid photos,

Luke & Cat

What a lovely fall evening it was. We were thrilled to have Erin and Trey out to the ranch for their engagement session. We can't wait for their wedding at the beautiful Farmhouse in Montgomery!

Lovely Light & Cool Weather (two components of a great engagement session,)

Luke & Cat