Please read below for her inspiring story:
I have stage 4 cancer called Granuosa Cell Tumor. I was diagnosed in November 2006. This is my 5th time going through chemo. I was woken up with severe abdominal pain sending me to the ER. They saw a mass on my left ovary and decided to take a sample making the mass open. A few days pass and I get a phone call that I needed to go to a Dr. appointment asap. EEEEKKKK CANCER!!!!!! I was given the news of the big “C” word. I was scheduled for surgery to remove my left ovary that December 2006.
My husband and I had been trying to get pregnant. The Oncologist spoke with us letting me know that the chemo I was going to start in January 2007 was very toxic (bleomycin), etoposide and cisplatin). This combo would kill my only ovary not being able to bear children. I was devastated. That same year of 2007 I was in remission. The very next year 2008, a miracle happened, I got pregnant. I had my son in February of 2009.
My son was over a year old when I was given the news that cancer had invaded my body again. I had a second surgery giving me a complete hysterectomy mid 2010 ending in remission again. A few years go by when I get the news cancer had invaded my body. I was treated by CANCER TREATMENT CENTERS of AMERICA. I had a 15-hour surgery and remission.
I was given the confirmation in January 2017 that Cancer has now invaded my liver and my abdominal cavity. I am here now fighting for my life trying to remain here for my son for as long as possible.
Monica A. Reyes Ramirez
P.S.
PLEASE if you feel inclined. PLEASE make a small donation to her GoFundMe account www.gofundme.com/3d21ld4 OR SHARE :)
TY in advance :)
LOCATION: Railyard Studio
Makeup Artist: Beauty by Jesse
! Right after our shoot she had to rush to her chemo! Looking FLAWLESS and all! 
Read more of her story below:
My name is Jessica Bustamante and I am living with Stage 4 Metastasis breast cancer that spread to the lungs and to the bones. Living with this diagnosis has completely changed my life. Now I try to educate others on the importance of taking care of their health so that they may avoid getting a sickness. My journey began in August of 2014 when I was diagnosed and I have been fighting ever since and through countless hours of research I found that by living a healthy life style I can try and live every day I am given to the fullest. See, living with a terminal illness is so difficult on the mind if you are not head strong this disease will take hold of you. I believe that every day is a gift and a choice to make the most out of it. I have seen many who get diagnosed get depressed angry or bitter and live as if they are already dead. Even living with this diagnosis the struggle of this battle is not easy I am still blessed for the life I have had. And still am living because I believe that if we can make a difference in someone else’s life then you shall be blessed to 10 times fold. Miracles happen every day so I will never lose my faith and will always have hope and meanwhile I will live my life showing others that life is precious. There is nothing more important than ones health because everything else has a solution except death. I take no day for granted and try to encourage others to do the same, with my diagnosis I was only given a life expectancy of 6 months to no more than 2 years yet I am going on over 4 years and still here because I do have my faith and choose to live life with my loved ones. There has been many changes I have had to do, from the foods I eat to the water I drink seeing doctors that help with side effects from chemo treatments to taking supplements my body needs which has been very difficult. But all worthwhile to have more time. So, my advice is never give up, always press forward and live your life to the fullest but never take your life for granted. My legacy is to show others that even though I am living with cancer this disease never beat me I will fight till the end and I will teach my children and others that life is worth fighting for and that I never gave up or in to the Cancer.
Location: Railyard Studio
Makeup artist: Beauty by Jesse
Some behind the scene shots from Jessica's shoot :)
Eileen did have a special request. Sadly, her father passed away two years ago and she wanted to visit him at his grave site. She said she needed to do this because she felt it be his way to give her away, to give her his blessing. My heart hurt so much for her! I couldn't even imagine not having my father present on my wedding day. I OF course obliged without question.
On the big DAY! I arrived to Eileen's mother's house where everyone was getting their hair and makeup done! One thing I have learned when capturing weddings, is that time FLIES and expect the unexpected! Before we knew it we were rushing to get everyone out the door. Then, we realized Eileen's dress looked a bit off. The bottom was bustled and we couldn't figure out how to detach it! That took us FOREVER! Fortunately, my spanish skills helped out! haha! I was able to talk to the lady where the dress was purchased and she was able to help us out! We were on a time crunch but luckily we were able to make a short stop at the cemetery so Eileen can have a few moments with her dad. That has to be one the most heartfelt, sad, most beautiful images I have ever captured!
The ceremony was short and SWEET! We were able to capture some beautiful images outdoors after the wedding. We were all a little panicked because the day before the weather in El Paso was INSANE! High winds, horrible dust storms, and rain! I dreaded for the worst! BUT the next day it cleared up! The weather couldn't have been more perfect! I believe Eileen's dad had a little something to do with that from up above! I am sure he wanted his little girl's wedding day to be AMAZING! And so it was ;)
Zack is not the only one in the military in his family. His brother is deployed and unfortunately was unable to attend the wedding. His family had a GREAT way to incorporate him into family pics! I thought it was soooooo clever and thoughtful at the same time! It warmed my heart to see people face timing him through out the day so he can be a part of the wedding in some way. You gotta LOVE technology RIGHT! ?
I swear I cried so much during this wedding I am not even going to lie! A very emotional moment was during the dance. This beautiful bride did not have her dad present for the Father Daughter dance so in his place she danced with her brother and her uncles who traveled from miles and miles away to dance with her in his honor. While they danced a projector showed images of Eileen and her father. As I took pictures I noticed there was not a dry eye in site!
I MUST say. Even though these two had to plan everything from a far their wedding was SPECTACULAR! I truly enjoyed being a part of their day! I had such a difficult time selecting which images to share in the blog because they are ALL so GORGEOUS! Scroll down to see for yourself ;)
THANK YOU soooooo much Mr. and Mrs. Nichols for allowing me to be your photographer! I wish you both a lifetime of happiness! God bless you ALWAYS! - Laura
VEDORS:
Venue: Grand Palace Ballroom
Makeup Artist: Makeup by Melodie
Makeup Artist: Heather Portillo
Hair: Jacob Papke
Dress: Posh Bridal
Hair Piece: Posh Bridal
Flowers: Angie's Flowers
Bridesmaids: Dress Davids Bridal
Tuxedos: Men's Warehouse
*** Second Shooter: Armando Perez
I arrived at the bridal suite to see the bride getting glammed up surrounded by her bridesmaids, mother, grandmother, sister and friends. They were all hanging out having a GREAT time! Things got a bit emotional once the videographer arrived and asked Kristin some questions about the man she will soon marry. Kristin could not hold back the tears when she was asked "What she loved about him." I look around the room and everyone is in tears! Then, the crying turned to laughter when she recalled the first time she met him and how he ignored her! This is what I enjoy about weddings. I get to witness and capture a roller coaster of emotions. You never know what's coming, you just have to be ready!
I had never taken pictures of a Father's first look! I've been wanting to capture one for a while now and it FINALLY happened! 
Kristin made it a priority to have these special moments captured with her dad! OMG! I totally shed a few tears! It was such a beautiful moment! I will never forget!
Kristin had a HUGE surprise for Justin! Something he DEFINITELY did not see coming! She had her sister/matron of honor Kari, and myself take him a VERY special gift. We arrive at the groom's suite to find him sitting down chatting away with his groomsmen. Kari ensures no one is sitting by Justin and hands it to him. He looks at us confused and I tell him "TRUST me you will want to open this up ALONE." What you all don't know is, Kristin had scheduled a boudoir session with me and had a beautiful album created. Justin's reaction says it all! SORRY I can't share the images... they are meant for his EYES to see ONLY ;)
The day was going GREAT! Then all of a sudden while I was waiting at the ceremony area, I get word that they had not heard from the officiant. It was a little bump on the road and did not affect the bride and groom one bit. Kristin's brother in law came to the rescue! He was inside the resort on the computer getting ordained online. YES, he stepped up to the plate and married them! Later, the family found out the officiant could not make it because she had a stroke. Hopefully she is having a speedy recovery.
This wedding was absolutely GORGEOUS! THANK YOU so much Millers for allowing me to be your photographer! Your wedding was STUNNING and I enjoyed being able to be a part of your BIG DAY! May God bless you both with a lifetime of happiness!
Vendors:
- Venue :: The Wigwam
- DJ :: Rock Around the Clock Entertainment / Jeff Marcus
- Caterer :: The Wigwam
- Cake :: Frosted Art Inc / Elizabeth
- Décor :: DIY / Mother of the Bride
- Dress Store :: Elite Bridal, Champaign, Illinois
- Dress Designer :: David Tutera
- Jewelry :: David Tutera
- Shoes :: David’s Bridal
- Tuxedos :: Men’s Warehouse
- Bridesmaid Dresses :: David’s Bridal
- Makeup :: MBS Bridal Beauty / Michelle’s Beautique & Salon
- Hair :: Jamie Cooley
- Rings :: Shane Co.
- Photographer: Laura Gordillo Photography
- Second Shooter: Tarisa San Agustin Photography
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Our very first child to participate in our Beautiful YOU event! This vibrant young girl filled our hearts with soooooo much joy! She was energetic happy, and LOVED being in front of the camera! She was over there telling me how she wanted to pose! LOL! She also has a LOVE for photography and she showed me a few of her pics! I told her she could totally be my assistant :) Her mom Devinn had brought along an outfit inspired by Rosie the Riveter! We had some classic cars out front and the images turned out AMAZING! Specially having a model like Whitney! This girl can definitely be a model some day :) I was so glad her and her mom were able to join us! I was able to chat with Devinn (Whitney's mom) about Whitney difficult journey! As a mom, I couldn't even imagine seeing your child endure so much pain! Whitney is such a strong, kind, loving little girl! For someone so young and having to face so many challenges you wouldn't even know because she literally brightens up an entire room with that smile! When you see her you do not see a child suffering from Cancer! You see a beautiful vivacious little girl full of LIFE!
Whitney is a vibrant full of life seven year old with a wonderful and caring heart. She is the beloved baby sister of her three older brothers. With a due date of 01/08/08 and the unexpected arrival on 12/11/07 we could tell that Whitney was going to be very ambitious about life. Unfortunately, at 10 months old she made her first trip to Phoenix Children's Hospital with a diagnoses of bacterial spinal meninigitis which resulted with partial hearing loss. Since then Whitney has not spent an entire year without having to be admitted to the hospital resulting in five different surgeries thus far. Despite these challenges she still has a zest for life. Whitney is definitely an old soul with the love of Audrey Hepburn, old fashion movies, a unique since of fashion, and a love for baking.
As of April 2013 Whitney was diagnosed with a rare form of spinal brain cancer (Myxopapillary Ependymoma) and underwent surgery to remove the tumor from the inside of her spinal cord. We thought that she may be in the clear and hoped for the best but in November of 2014 we received another bout of bad news. The tumor was back and it brought five friends. She was no longer in remission. Whitney went through a year and half of chemotherapy called etopside, that was used to hopefully shrink the tumors but fortunately/unfortunately it kept the tumors stable. Being unhappy with Whitney's doctors decision to take her off Chemo and watch her, I decided to further research other hospitals that treated her type of cancer. We were accepted into the care of MD Anderson of Houston in November 2015. Whitney and I traveled to Houston in December 2015, where she received 33 rounds of proton beam radiation. She went to treatment in Houston every day of week and treatments lasted about 2 hours. During the duration of their stay in Houston, Whitney was hospitalized once for becoming neutropenic {not having enough white blood cells} and another time for treatments of 4th degree burns due to the radiation. Whitney and her mom returned home to Phoenix on February 23rd and were reunited with her dad and three older brothers. Currently, Whitney is continuing her care with Phoenix Children's Hospital and MD Anderson. She has an MRI scan completed every three months and meets with the complete hematology/ oncology team to review the results. Whitney is doing well and her tumors are currently stable. Unfortunately, she is not in remission but we encourage her to live life to the fullest and to never be sad cause everyday is a blessing.
After being home schooled during her treatment, Whitney has recently returned back to school for the 2016-2017 second grade school year.
There is nothing we want more in life than to watch Whitney grow up happy, strong and healthy like she, and every other child deserves to grow up.
THANK YOU so much to :
Only their immediate family was in attendance to witness their I DOs ! And what an AMAZING, beautiful, intimate wedding it was!! Their bridesmaid and groomsmen were their KIDS! I thought that was such a wonderful unique idea! What a wonderful way to incorporate their babies on their BIG day!
There were SOOOO many heartfelt emotional moments during this wedding ! A very memorable one was when the bride and groom decided to exchange gifts. They wanted to keep it traditional, so Jason can see his bride until she walked down the aisle. So, they stood on opposite sides of a window curtain to trade gifts. Jason wrote a letter to Lucy and immediate tears started streaming down her face as she read it! She kept saying "I normally don't cry! I'm not a cry-er!" Welp, needless to say, she definitely cried many tears of joy this day and she had many of us crying along with her!
They had a sand ceremony in which they included the kids as well. The "Blending of the Sands" ceremony was absolutely a beautiful and meaningful alternative to the " Unity Candle" ceremony. Like a Unity candle the pouring of different colored sands together is used to symbolize the joining of the bride and groom as well as the joining of their families.
THANK YOU so much Lucy & Jason for allowing me to be your photographer! Your wedding was STUNNING and I enjoyed being able to be a part of your BIG DAY! May God bless you both with a lifetime of happiness!
Vendors:
Wedding Coordinator: Bliss Events
CAKE: SWEET CHEEKS
DRESS: MAGGIE SOTERO
MAKE-UP: CLAIR STYLE
FLORISTS: MOMENTS IN BLOOM
Our very first male to participate in our Beautiful YOU event! This man was soooooo easy going! He was up for anything! Just said "Tell me where to stand and what to do and who to pose!" Lucas is such a strong person who has overcome many hardships! I LOVE his outlook on life and his positivity! I am so glad he has found friendships and support through Singleton Moms since he does not know many people out here! Please scroll down to read his inspiring BIO!
My name is Lucas Rainville and I am 37. I am retired Firefighter Paramedic. I have 2 sons. My oldest is 18 and in college in South Carolina and my youngest who is 5 lives with me here in Scottsdale, AZ. I was originally diagnosed with stage 3A Colorectal Cancer in December 2010. My youngest was not quite 3 months old. My oldest son was living with myself and my spouse at the time. I went through the standard protocol which included Chemo/radiation/surgery and was deemed cancer free after a battle that included multiple surgeries and a leak at my surgical site that caused a temporary ileostomy. I did return to work full time as a firefighter Paramedic and worked 9 months before my cancer had returned in 2012. The cancer had returned and now was in my liver. The progression of the type of cancer I have starts in your colon and spreads to liver, lungs and then to your peritoneal cavity. I once again went through the protocols for my cancer. With some life adjustments at this point it has now brought me to being a single parent with my 3 year old son. My older son had decided to live with his birth mother. At this point I was forced to retire from firefighting. My brothers and sisters in the fire service were extremely helpful during my whole battle with cancer. They even donated enough time to me so I could medically retire with a full pension. They raised money to help cover medical and life cost. They also donated tons of personal time and support to my family and myself. I would not be here today without their help. After my retirement I felt a little lost. I opened a small retail shop and did various things to occupy myself. During this time I continued to have medical issues from all the surgeries which included to bouts of sepsis.
In the winter of 2014 my cancer returned to my lungs this time. I was ready for a change and looked to some clinical trials that were available and for a new set of eyes to look at my medical issues. I decided to move to the Phoenix area because of all the cancer research hospitals in the area and the bounty of trials available. I moved out here with my son and a friend Dave. He was a young guy that was going through some life changes of his own. He was and is extremely helpful to me and my son. He has found a very comfortable life here along with meeting his girlfriend here. So here I am in Scottsdale, AZ with no known family in the area and no other friends to speak of as well. I had no real connections out here. I had spoken with some of the local firefighters in the area and also talked to some of the people at the Virginia Piper Cancer Research center to find childcare and all the other things you need to know to find my way here. I was lucky enough to fall into the right place to live. It is less than 10 miles from my hospital and other cancer hospitals in the area. 3 weeks upon arriving here I was having severe stomach pain and the result was a perforated bowel. I had emergency surgery and was unable to start treatments for a couple months. During this time I was able to finally start gaining weight. I was 106 lbs when I moved here and was extremely thin. The emergency surgery almost did me in but I am a fighter and wasn’t ready to relinquish this life yet.
I was introduced to the Singleton Moms organization last summer. They have been wonderful. It was like having 12 sisters keeping up with me and helping with various things throughout my treatment. One of the most beneficial things has been the emotional support they provide. Being able to talk with someone who has gone or is going through the struggle of being a single parent with the added stress of being a cancer patient has been immeasurable. In August of 2015 I started a clinical trial. With no change in my cancer I moved on to another treatment. Currently I am in week 22 of my treatment. My scans are showing my cancer shrinking and I have been able to maintain my health with some minor side effects from the chemotherapy. As long as this is I could fill a small novel up with all the spaces and stories in between. My son is happy and I am happy to be here and living life.
She came in being a bit shy. She didn't quite feel comfortable being in front of the camera. We got to chatting and we talked about her beautiful daughters. Like a proud mama she showed them off by pictures and we both admired their beauty! I mentioned to her that they MUST get their looks from their gorgeous mother and she just smiled and blushed! Lluvia asked me if I knew of a spanish actress named Daniela Romo. She recently was battling breast cancer and she really liked one the the images she took and wanted something similar. I truly enjoyed taking pictures of this amazing, woman mother, warrior! Please scroll down to view her images and read her bio :)
My name is Lluvia Zatarain and I am the mother of three beautiful daughters. The oldest is Hilary who is 15 years old, Mia is the middle child at age 11, and my youngest Brismar is 3 years old.
On October 25, 2014 I was diagnosed with stage 3 Inflammatory Breast Cancer at age 35. This changed my life completely. All that was on my mind when I received the diagnosis was what would happen to my three girls. The news of me having cancer was truly a sad and hard truth, but I stayed positive and strong and knew that I would win this fight for my three girls. Even though I do not have family here in the United States and all my family is in Mexico, I still knew I was not alone here and I knew I had friends that cared about me.
I worried about what would happen because I am a single mother. I didn’t know what would happen with my job since am a barber. I worried about whether I would still be able to keep my job and cut hair to support my family.
My oncologist told me that my treatments were going to be very aggressive because my cancer was aggressive. I was told that I would have to go through 16 chemotherapies and 34 radiation treatments. I was honestly scared and worried about how my body would react to such aggressive treatment. I didn’t know if I was going to be able to endure so much. But even when I was scared about it all I still stayed positive with a lot of will to life.
At the start of my treatment I was left with having to pay for a large portion of it because my insurance did not cover all the expenses. I spoke to my family in Mexico about all of this and they suggested I move to Mexico where all the expenses would be covered. But I had my three girls here in the United States so I could not leave. I did not have all the money needed to start my treatment so some of my close friends went out of their way to raise money by doing raffles, garage sales, and preparing and selling food. With all their efforts I was finally able to begin my treatment to beat this cancer.
My friend Azucena Valenzuela in particular was a huge support for me. She went as far as to miss work so she could take me to my chemotherapy appointments. I honestly do not know what I would have done without all her support and friendship as well as all of my other friends that acted as my family through it all. My uncle Manuel Garcia and all his family were a really big help too. I received support from so many people - I cannot name them all or it would be too long of a list - but I am truly grateful to every single one of them for all their support and continued help through this.
After I was done with all my chemotherapy and radiation treatments in May of 2015, I was scheduled to have surgery to remove my breast. The oncologist informed me of the possibility of my cancer coming back and developing in my other breast. He gave me a week to think about possibly removing both of my breasts. I thought it over really hard and the next day I called him and told him I had made the decision to remove both of my breasts and hopefully later to begin reconstruction.
Thanks to God the surgery was successful. After everything my body has been through, it is not the same and my life is different as well. But I treat every day as if it is my last and stay positive with faith that everything will be okay. Now I can actually hold my youngest daughter Brismar. During my treatments she was only 1 ½ years old and I was not able to caress her or hold her in my arms due to not having strength in my body after every chemotherapy session. I hold all three of my beautiful girls now every day and tell them I love them with all my heart since they are the world to me. They were my whole reason for wanting to live and win the battle against this cancer.
No one really knows how to be strong until you are faced with a hard situation and being strong is the only choice you have. Remember that it is not always easy to have the strength to keep going and keep fighting in order to win any battle in life.
I give thanks to all my friends, family, and Singleton Moms who help and support people with different types of cancer, and help people to stay positive and encourage them to keep going through a life challenge such as this. It was never easy but with the amazing support I have received it really does ease the challenge. Thank you all truly.
She came in a bit shy. Mentioned she didn't quite like being in front of the camera. She said she didn't really like to smile and that I would definitely have to work my MAGIC with her! Well, I needed absolutely NO magic! This lady is GORGEOUS! And she did give me a few smiles ;) Beverly you are a beautiful person inside and out! I am so thankful I was able to capture it! :) Scroll down to view her amazing images!
Hello
My name is Beverly and I am a single mother of 2 amazing daughters. The oldest is almost 21 and finishing up her junior year at ASU. The younger is 15 and a freshman in high school. I was diagnosed with stage 4 non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma in my bone marrow in June of 2015 although this journey started even before that. After a thyroid removal and several blood transfusions they finally figured out what was causing it all. I have completed my intensive chemotherapy for now but the maintenance treatments will continue until at least December of 2017. Although my cancer number are currently low they are not gone and my doctor has me always looking for symptoms because he assures me that it will come back and I will be sick again. It’s just a matter of time. I went from working two jobs and traveling with the girls to being virtually stopped in my tracks. My younger daughter really struggles especially when I am not feeling well or have Dr appts. She withdrawals and has trouble focusing at school and suffers from depression. I am not sure how the older one copes since she is living in the dorms I don’t see her very often. My parents and sister live close by and have been very supportive through everything but unfortunately my mother was recently diagnosed with breast cancer and is now awaiting her surgery and treatment. One could never understand the emotional and financial devastation you go through after a cancer diagnosis but that magnifies even more when you are a single parent. The range of emotions within yourself and reactions from others is unbelievable and amazing. Although I can honestly say it has removed some people from my life but has also strengthened the most important relationships. The best thing that has happened since being diagnosed with cancer is that my perspective on thing has changed. Things that used to bother me (OCD) no longer matter. What matters most to me now is just spending time with loved ones, making memories with my girls and taking lots of pictures.
I truly enjoyed photographing this amazing woman! She was so fun and vivacious! She was up to ANYTHING! She had to be at work a little after our event began, so our time was cut short due to that! But I had a blast! We did as much as we could under the circumstances! But the outcome was GREAT :) check out her gorgeous images! Scroll down to read Linn's story!
Hair - Theboyz Dohair
Makeup- Adrian Garcia
This journey begins in June 2015
I made the appointment for my yearly check up showed up for the appointment to be told that I was scheduled for a different day the following week which was not my regular day off not sure how the mixup happened but was very frustrated life just happened and I got busy and I thought they always come out fine I'll just wait until next year then one day in October a friend of mine posted something on Facebook saying ladies please get your mammograms it only takes a half hour, my mom passed away from breast cancer early awareness is everything!
Something told me to call and schedule my appointment and I did and they actually had an opening that evening it was on the Thursday by Friday morning at 9 o'clock they called me and said they wanted me to come back in so they could do another mammogram.
After what felt like forever the radiologist came in to check the film and said she felt like it needed to be biopsied she didn't like how the small area looked. The following week I had a biopsy the day after the radiologist called me while I was pulling into my daughter's soccer practice and told me that it was breast cancer. I remember I just felt and feel like there's no way that this is really happening. I sat in my car and cried, while my daughter was at practice I called my family members left a message for the doctor to get in right away and just do whatever needed to be done to deal with things .
Being a single mom is tough I don't have time to sit and think "Poor me" I just figure out what has to be done and I have to try to do the best I can. I went to the doctor after many visits and multiple opinions. I had surgery at the end of November, however the margins were not clear and we found out that the tumor was much larger than we thought.
So after many doctor visits and multiple opinions I had a bilateral Mesec to me February 9 of 2016.
There are days where it still doesn't seem real. I am reminded by the scars that I see in the mirror, the help and the support I've received has just been amazing! Being a single mom of three and working full-time is hard to make time for yourself . Having found Singleton Moms was such a blessing! To be able to meet women who have been through or who are going through the same thing and who understand! Just to have the support and know that there are people there that you can call has just made all the difference! To be invited to the Beautiful You made me feel so special. To have someone help you or do things for you is hard when you're used to doing everything for everyone and not feeling good about yourself and just trying to be positive and survive every day so to have someone take photos and make you feel beautiful and remember that you're beautiful was such a special thing for me in a really tough time.
Thank you again I will always cherish that day!
This wedding was absolutely BEAUTIFUL! The location was very rustic and chic! I was very excited to finally shoot at this venue! It has a gorgeous outdoor reception and ceremony area. I LOVE that the where the couple stood during the ceremony was under a huge tree which to me signifies love, strength and eternity.
The ceremony was beautiful! I recall Norma's hands shaking while she was trying to recite her vows to Kevin. Kevin's vows were beautiful and from the heart. The ceremony was short and sweet! After they were pronounced husband and wife, Kevin was ready to PARTY! He walked down the aisle with his new wife in hand and danced the entire way out of the ceremony area! Everyone in attendance broke out in laughter!
It was a bit cold outside, but that didn't stop anyone from dancing the night away! Kevin gave a wonderful speech then busted out with a RAP! There is a first for everything and that was a first for me! He did a GREAT job! All you could see were phones taking pictures and recording that moment! It was pretty EPIC!
I want to thank this amazing couple for allowing me to be part of their wedding! May the One who brought you together bless your marriage, enrich your lives and deepen your love throughout the years.
Vendors:
Dress: Molina's Bridal
Flowers: Rose Garden Floral
Tux: Angel's Tuxedo
Bridesmaids Dresses: Pillar's Fashion
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I really got to know and interact with this couple. Which is why like to be able to capture engagement picture so we can all get to hang out and they can see how crazy I am while I work! haha ;) We took their engagement pics twice because we got rained out on the first one! FREAKING AZ weather can be so unpredictable! If I recall we rescheduled the second session twice! Fortunately, the weather was not an issue on their wedding day! The day could not have been more perfect!
Cassandra and Carlos got married November 21st, 2015 at the Bella Rose Estate. This venue is absolutely beautiful! Their ceremony was outdoors, in a beautiful garden under a gazebo. I LOVe that this location has a variation of backgrounds from fountains, greenery, arches, trees, pine trees! Indoors the bridal suite was glorious very modern with beautiful couches, and plenty of space of the lovely bride to get ready in.
Both the bride and groom were very chill leading up to the wedding. I remember Cassandra mentioning that there was still a lot of time left before the ceremony began but before we knew it, she was rushing to get her lovely gown on to make her way down that aisle!
Carlos wanted to keep it keep it traditional. He opted out of a First Look and waited to see his bride for the first time as she walked down the aisle. This part of weddings always makes me teary eyed! That look on a grooms face is like no other! Not that I blame him! His bride looked STUNNING! The ceremony was absolutely beautiful, while reciting their vows I was able to take a glimpse of their moms and they were both filled with emotion! Cassandra's mom used the hanky she had gifted right before the wedding to wipe her tears!
What's a wedding with out mariachis! During the cocktail hour there were mariachis playing in the background while guests chatted and enjoyed some alcoholic beverages!
There were some very emotional moments during this wedding. One was the amazing speech given by the lovely Maid of Honor Henriette who traveled from the bay area to be at her best friend's wedding! Another of course was the Father daughter and Mother son Dance! Carlos' mom had suffered an injury on her leg which prevented to stand for long periods of time . They had decided not to have a Mother and Son dance to avoid any further pain. BUT mom stood up from her seat for a few moments danced with her son. As a mother myself it truly made my heart melt to witness that!
Oh I need to give a HUGE shout out Chris from Birkett Entertainment! THIS guy knows how to entertain a crowd! I have never seen anything like it! To name a few he started a fire (see pic) , danced the electric slide, brought out the maracas and started a train to Gloria Estefan's "Conga", and the shoe game with the bride and groom! It was really awesome to see him in action! The crowd loved it!
Well I will stop here, so you can enjoy some amazing images! I want to thank Mr. and the new Mrs. Gutierrez for allowing me to be their photographer! They are REALLY the nicest couple I have ever met! I wish you both a lifetime of happiness! May you never lose sight of this precious treasure in all your days together.
Florist: Lux
Cake: Piece of Cake
Dress: Private Label by G
Tux: Vera Wang
Make-up artist: Allison Pynn
Hair stylist: Jennifer Sparveri
Caterer: Heidi’s Events and Catering
A HUGE THANK YOU to my wonderful assistant Tarissa!
The wedding took place in Ardovino's Desert Crossing in the west side of El Paso. This venue was GORGEOUS! Very rustic, with the beautiful view of the Franklin Mountains.
This was a very emotional wedding! Starting with the bride being greeted by her father! YES, immediate tears rolled down my face! I recall the father telling his daughter "You are only getting married because it's Jonathan! Only him" I thought that was so sweet! Then the moment came when dad gives his daughter away to marry. Mom already had tears streaming down her face. And once again dad gives Jonathan a huge hug and tells him "ONLY because it's you!" Then laughter with tears immersed amongst them! What a sweet moment that was!
I then thought ok, NO MORE tears! BUT I was wrong! The father daughter dance began. The bride communicated with me that this was a very pivotal moment she wanted captured. You see, her dad used to be a lead singer in a band. She found an old record of him singing "Danny's Song" which would be the song they danced too. BUT nobody knew about this and she not only wanted this moment captured but wanted me to capture the reactions of her grandparents and her mother which were priceless !
Needless to say I cried plenty of happy tears this day! I wish Jonathan and Sarah a LIFETIME of happiness! Sorry for being a cry baby at your wedding but please know I truly enjoyed being a part of your wedding day! God bless you both ALWAYS!
Vendors:
Venue: Ardovino's Desert Crossing
Cake balls: Austin Cake Ball
Centerpiece flowers: Ecoflower.com
Party favors: Etsy
Wedding Dress: Bridal Novias
Tuxedos: Men's Wearhouse
Hair & Makeup: Foliage Salon & Spa
Jit wanted to keep it traditional, and wanted to wait to see his lovely bride as she walked down the aisle for the first time instead of doing a first look before the ceremony. He faced backwards so he wouldn't see her. He then turned around and had his eyes closed until his best man told him to open them. The look on his face was PRiCELESS as he saw his gorgeous wife to be walk towards him. As she walked down the aisle I saw him whisper to her "You look beautiful" I KNOW TEAR!!! I thought that was the sweetest thing EVER!! It melted my heart!
This wedding was so much fun to shoot! The maid of honor found someone dressed up as a Minion and brought him over to come and take pics with the newlyweds! That was the first for me! LOL! We captured some fun shots!!
Jit's family (parents and sister) came all the way from India to attend their son's wedding! Unfortunately, not all of the family could make the trip out here so they will be traveling to India next year to have a wedding out there so all of Jit's family can be apart of it! I am so glad they are going to be able to celebrate their union with them.
I cannot explain what an honor it was to capture their love! I was fortunate enough to be able to take their engagement pictures a several months ago and we had a GREAT connection! I knew their wedding would turn out AMAZING! THANK YOU so very much for allowing me to be your photographer! I wish you both a lifetime of happiness!
Flowers: Blossoms N Bloom
Cake: Sugarlips Cakery
Tux: Men's Warehouse
Bridesmaids Dresses: Azazie
Hair & Makeup: Reese Patterson
