I really love shooting boudoir.  There I said it… I absolutely love shooting boudoir!  There is something so magical about making a woman feel beautiful and confident in her own skin.  Every woman, no matter her age or size deserves to have a moment where she can be completely feminine and soft and feel like a one of a kind work of art.  It’s that ability to draw out each girl’s femininity that I love so much.  At our most recent boudoir event we were blessed to be able to work with some of the most amazing clients anyone could ask for.  One of our girls has given me permission to share her photos with our blog readers.  Her session was one that just made my  heart sing.  I felt like we were able to capture that quiet sexiness that I’m always in search of during our boudoir sessions.  She is such a natural in front of the camera and instantly let her guard down for us.  I swear she is a cross between Maggie Gyllenhaal and Nicole Kidman.  Although her session had some stunning color images, something about the black and white ones just moved me and I had to share them.  I hope you all enjoy these photos.

and just as proof that her color images are stunning as well…

Our next boudoir event will be held on August 16th here in Jacksonville.  If you are interested, please email info@ladolcevitastudio.com for more details.

Bonnie & Jason’s gorgeous Sapelo Island wedding was published in the latest issue of Weddings Unveiled Magazine!  We were so excited to find a box of magazines waiting on our doorstep last week.  Even though I was sick as a dog that day I couldn’t help but get excited when I started flipping through the pages and saw our adorable couple featured on pages 98-101.  Below are some shots I took of the magazine as well as the feature I scanned in.  Be sure to go out and pick up a copy when it hits newsstands on July 1st!  It is one of my favorite wedding magazines.  They always have large bold images that suck you right in.  Go figure I’m a sucker for big pretty pictures.  Oh and did I mention I’m in love with this month’s cover?!?  Yes I do believe I am!

Brides… if you love real wedding inspiration then you NEED this magazine.  Its chock full of wedding inspiration from top wedding professionals from all over the south.

You can see more of Bonnie & Jason’s Engagement session here and their wedding here and here.

It was the summer of 2007. Tamikia was living in Dallas at the time and had gone to visit a friend for the weekend in Houston. Little did she know her weekend getaway would put her face to face with the man she would eventually marry. A fateful meeting at a party with mutual friends eventually grew into a friendship. They talked for hours on end via email and the phone. Knowing all along something, not sure exactly what, but something special was growing. The friendship they had was evolving but the winds of change started to blow and Tamikia soon found herself moving to Orlando for a new job. Time took its toll on their relationship and soon they found they had lost contact with one another. Although Tamikia was enjoying her new life in Orlando she still found herself missing her connection with Josh. One day she sent him an email out of the blue and it was that day that changed the course of their relationship for good.

They say absence makes the heart grow fonder and possibly it was just what these two needed to bring them together for good. They began a long distance relationship. Flying back and forth between Houston and Orlando, spending countless hours on the phone and sending endless amounts of emails, they had found love. Tamikia knew that Josh was the perfect fit for her and apparently Josh knew it too. Before anyone could blink Josh proposed and Tamikia whole heartedly accepted. Wedding planning began and during that time Tamikia decided her place in this world was back in Texas with Josh. On the day we shot their engagement session, Tamikia was moving to Houston. She packed the last of her belongings in her car and the two of them drove from Orlando to meet us here in Jacksonville. Although it was a rainy day we knew this was our only chance to shoot before their wedding in October. There is nothing like a little rain to spice up an engagement shoot. They did awesome and didn’t let the rain phase them one bit! After our session they got back on the road to start their lives together in Houston. We cannot wait for their wedding at the Hard Rock Hotel in Orlando this Fall. We seriously love how sweet and silly these two are and even better their wedding is going to be surrounded by musical awesomeness. Did I forget to mention that Tamikia and Josh are HUGE music fans? Yup, Josh even proposed at the Hard Rock. He is super excited about the guitar sculpture fountain outside the hotel and so are we.

Here are a few of our favorites from their engagement session followed by a little slideshow. We hope you all enjoy.

Tamikia & Josh, thank you both so much for coming up and playing in the rain with us. You’re wedding will be so much fun we can’t wait!

Last week I got the cutest little card in the mail and just had to share it. Check out Michelle & Jamaal on their honeymoon in Maui!

The inside reads:

“Melanie & Brad,

Michelle & Jamaal Fudge”

Thank you Michelle & Jamaal for sending such a sweet love note our way. I LOVE the honeymoon picture you chose for the card. It makes me want to go to Hawaii right now!

Chelsea and Matt are one of those couples that you just instantly fall in love with.  They are both so laid back and seem to genuinely love life and living in the moment.  We met them this past Fall while shooting Jessica & Kevin’s wedding.   Matt was very intrigued by our style of shooting and approached us immediately at the reception.  It wasn’t but a week or so after that we had our first consultation with them and I knew instantly they were our kind of couple.  They told us they wanted to have  a simple and elegant wedding near the beach and most importantly make sure everyone who came was having an incredible time!  They trusted our vision for shooting their wedding and capturing all the important moments giving us complete creative freedom.  We love that!  When we showed up on their wedding day everything was running smooth as can be.  Everyone was so relaxed, enjoying the moments leading up to the ceremony.  Chelsea looked stunning in her Monique Lhuillier sheath gown and ridiculously brilliant diamond earrings.  She was absolutely glowing as she walked down the aisle to meet her soon to be husband.  The ceremony was held on the lawn of the Ritz-Carlton Amelia Island overlooking the ocean.  The breeze kept everyone cool as the sun began to set behind the hotel.  After Matt & Chelsea said “I do” cocktails started flowing while live music played.  Everyone was having a great time exactly as Matt & Chelsea predicted.  The rest of the night was spent dancing and celebrating inside the ballroom of the Ritz followed by a sparkler send off.

Chelsea & Matt we are so happy to have been part of such a beautiful day in your lives.  You two are so perfect for one another and we have enjoyed every minute with you both.  We hope your honeymoon in Antigua was incredible.  We wish you both lots of love and happiness together!

Cheers,

Mel & Brad

Here are some of my favorites from the day.  Be sure to check out the slideshow at the end… it’s chock full of deliciousness!

Venue provided all flowers and catering:  The Ritz-Carleton Amelia Island
Ceremony and Reception Band:  The Michael Munn Band
Bride’s Attire:  Sharon Batten