Instagram weekend / August 20-21st, 2011

1/ "I now pronounce you husband and wife!" Stef and Kenny got married! They had an amazing ceremony in Kansas City, MO and I was so excited to see them. Here they are, looking beautiful and happy, seconds into their new lives together. <3 2/ A "fromwhereistand" photo of the ground after the ceremony ended. I never get tired of white flower petals. Or white flowers. Or just flowers in general... (She picked the most beautiful flowers too!)

3/ The wedding topper to their cake was super cute. But duh, it's Stefanie and Kenny- they make everything cute! I love that they included their little pup Tooie. 4/ Meet the Kim's! A fun family photo booth of the three of them. :) It was fun having a photo booth running all night. I popped in several times and had a blast.

5/ My outfit, for the evening wedding and reception. 6/ All the tiny hand made details from the S + K wedding were amazing. I had such a great time looking at everything, and a great time being there too!

words to shoot by: instant

Today's word on the Words to Shoot By blog is instant. Here is my take on the word in three instant photographs. And thank you to the beautiful xoazuree for being such a lovely model. :) 

dog beach day polaroids

A few Polaroids* from a day spent exploring around a new (to me) Chicago neighborhood and then ending up on a dog beach. Lots of smiling happy dogs, running free and enjoying life. Can't help but boost your spirits watching dogs be so silly playing in the water.

*more to come! (will edit them in)

new chapter

Last night my dearest friend (pictured above) gave birth to a beautiful baby girl, who is going to grow into a person even more remarkable than her very own mother is today, I'm sure of it. This picture was taken just weeks before her life would be given the most amazing surprise ever- you're pregnant! I remember the night she shared her secret with me, my eyes welled up with pure happiness for her in less than an instant. We walked nearly 50 times around the same few blocks of the small downtown area we lived in, thinking of the future with only a positive outlook- that, and a million and one "what-if's." It was a special moment for me too in a way, as I've never had such a close friend of mine have a baby, or even any friend of mine really, but not someone as special as she is to me.

Ah, my heart is exploding with happiness for her and her family as well as her new little family, who has been officially three people, as of one day and a couple hours now.