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Wednesday, December 29, 2010

Sisters, Bridal Portraits, or Both!?!?

Ok, so before you think I am completely looney (and I probably am), let me explain . . . go back about 20+ years ago to when I was a little girl.  I got to be a miniature bride in my second cousin's wedding, and I was THRILLED!!!!  Not only was I going to dress just like the bride, but my great-aunt was making the dress, and it looked just like Princess Diana's wedding gown (poofy sleeves, train, and all).  What little girl doesn't want to look like a princess!?!?  Well, after this beautiful wedding, someone gave my parents a portrait painting of me in my little mini wedding gown . . . a super large painting . . . which they hung over the mantle . . . me, staring down at me!!!  I had lots of slumber parties, so sleeping in the floor with 30 other girls seeing me staring at them was a little creepy for a 9 year old.  And thus began my fear of bridal portraits (at least ones of myself).  Yes, you don't have to tell me how terrible that is for a photographer to say.  I know.

Soooo . . . when I got married in 2005, my Mom wanted a huge canvas of me to hang up, but I refused to do a bridal portrait session with my photographer.  Years later, there are only three things I regret from my wedding:  not making my mother relax more, not buying purple shoes, and not getting more fun outdoor photos of me, my favorite dress, my hubby, and my wedding party.  Well, I can't go back to make my mom relax (I am her daughter, so I know that would have never happened anyway - hahaha!), and convincing my husband or most of my wedding party to all be in the same place at the same time in formal attire would take an act of God, so . . . I came up with a better idea!!!  My sister!!!

My sister (who also managed to not have bridal portraits) got married in 2008 . . . soooo the wheels in our brains started spinning!!!  Mom wanted a bridal portrait.  We never took them.  Soooo, why can't we do them now!?!?  Together!!!  SISTERS!!!! 

This had to be a secret operation!!!  Soooo . . . one morning we told my mom that my sister was helping me with a photo shoot at my grandparents' house.  We had my step-dad call when he had Mom clear and occupied.  We got ready and hit the field with just us, some props, a camera, and a tripod!!!  We only had 45 minutes.  Let me just say (for anyone who happened to drive by that day), two girls in wedding dresses and cowboy boots running (literally) around in a field must be super entertaining to watch!!!  Hahahaha!!!!  But the end results were worth it!!!! 

The only people who really knew exactly what we were doing and saw the photos before Christmas Eve were my maternal grandparents.  I realize I haven't talked about this at all on my blog (although I'm likely to in a couple of days for New Years), but in short my grandfather, a man I deeply admire and respect, died on Black Friday after a 6 month battle with gastric cancer.  He got to see the photos and loved them!!!  This gave us another idea . . . maybe we weren't totally nuts!!!  Maybe this was really a good and fun idea!!!  Maybe people would really like them!!!  Soooo . . . we decided to make the photos Christmas gifts for our parents and grandparents!!!  I have to be honest, I was still a little nervous.  I wasn't sure if they'd love them, think they were weird, or what, but my husband was right (I don't tell him that often) . . . they LOVED them!!!  And my sister & I LOVED seeing them open them!!!  Complete surprise!!!  I'm soooo super excited!!!

Soooo . . . now after the super long story and lots of suspense, I will post some of the photos from my Sisters Photo Session with . . . me =)  And seriously, even though it may seem odd, it is a great idea!!!  If you missed getting photos you wanted of your wedding, of your family, or whatever no matter how random you think it is, call / email me!!!!  I love doing fun and random things!!!!!!!!












13 comments:

Lori T. said...

Love this idea...AND the shoes! You all are so pretty! I will have to say that it is a good thing that you all don't have kids yet bc the memory of you in your wedding gown might just be that ha! Speaking of myself after 3 of course ;)

Julie said...

I LOVE THEM ALL! The shoes on the fence is my FAVORITE!

Heidi said...

OMG Nicole - those are incredible!!! YAY - you did GREAT!

Jessica Bingham said...

Nicole, you are a creative genius! I cried reading the story, especially the part about your grandfather (I cry, it's what I do, haha.) The pictures as a gift were an amazing idea & I know your family had to have loved them!

Nicky Cloots said...

I love these pictures!!! You both look so pretty! Fabulous brides!

Leverton Photography said...

Lori & Julie -- Thank you both soooo much for the shoe love =) When I bought those Ferragamos, I just kept thinking how fabulous they would have looked with my wedding dress - hahaha!!! Heidi & Nicky -- Thank you both soooo much!!! That means sooo much to me =) Jessica -- Wow!!! Thank you!!! I don't believe I ever imagined I would be called creative (much less a creative genius), so I am totally humbled by that!!! Thank you!!! And yes, I cry alot too - hahaha!!! At least I laugh more to balance it out =)

Unknown said...

Awesome job Nicole!! :) shoes! A girl after my own heart! ;)

Anonymous said...

Well, I am the "mom" who received probably the most awesome gift at Christmas I could have asked for from my 2 beautiful daughters. 2 daughters sharing one of their most precious moments in their life up to that time together.
The pics are just absolutely beautiful and bring out your personalities!!! Nicole, You are an awesome photographer , and Meagan You are an awesome assistant.
I am looking at the portrait of you two right now as it hangs on my wall. and just so everyone knows, I cried over this sentimental gift. To know that my dad, who was my hero all my life and still is, got to see the pictures also before his death. I know he would have taken the one the girls gave me, and hung it in his office to look at all day long. thank you girls for an overwhelmingly beautiful gift of love that touched my heart and spirit forever!!! I love you, Mom

BamaBelle said...

Wonderful Job!!! And thanks for posting I actually stumbled upon your page after have the same idea of doing pictures with my sisters. I got married in 05 one of my sisters in 2010 and the third about 2 months ago.I have a beautiful frame for 3 pictures I wanted to put a picture of each of us in. But my middle sister has no pictures from her wedding.. sadly so we came up with the idea to dress her up again. Thus the idea of the sister portraits came to be.. So thank you for verifying Im not crazy for wanting a picture with my sisters in wedding dresses :)

Anonymous said...

Well crap, I just told you what I did with my dress. Think you could squeeze me in yours? It's much prettier! :) The pictures are fabulous, I especially love the one in front of the tree.
Michele

Leverton Photography said...

Hahaha!!! I still wish you had taken pictures of that!!! And yes, you can absolutely fit in my dress . . . it's a full corset w/ no buttons or zippers. How else do you think I fit into it after 6 years - haha!!!

Anonymous said...

BUT - I have four sisters! Good luck with getting us all in the same place at the same time. So, the sister idea is out. Maybe I should just go find that prom dress we talked about. Oh wait, again. 30 pounds...
Michele

Anonymous said...

here it is , May 2, 2013 and I just want to encourage anyone out there who might be wondering if this is a good idea and if your family would want pics of you in your wedding dress later and not from the exact wedding day, the answer is YES, I absolutely love the pictures the girls gave me of both of them together in their wedding dresses. A portrait i will forever cherish!!!! thank you girls and love you both!!