Vesuvius Vineyards Wedding | Jen & Greg

What is more exciting than a wedding day? All of your closest family and friends traveling from all over to come see two people make a lifelong commitment to one another. On Saturday, I got to photograph this special occasion for Jen and Greg, and even though it may have been a little hot for October, it was still an amazing day!!

Vesuvius Vineyards had a great set up where both the bride and groom could get ready inside the main home and not risk running into each other. When I arrived I found Jen, hair all pined up, putting on her makeup, and cool as a cucumber! Her mom was also there looking beautiful in a gray lace gown that perfectly complemented Jen’s dress. Her mom was so sweet and was just taking in every moment and enjoying every minute she was spending with her daughter, you could immediately tell they have a special bond.

Once I made my way to Greg, he was with his best friend, Jed, working on his tie to make sure it hit at the right length, which, for a guy Greg’s height, can be an issue! A quiet man for the time being, as I think he was taking in all the excitement and wanting this day to be as perfect as it could be for his bride.

Once Jen stepped into her dress she was stunning (as her mother kept saying). Her dress was a-line, off-white, with a lace bodice and had tool skirt that just flowed so nicely with the afternoon breeze, perfect for an outdoor fall wedding. Greg and Jen, had a close friend, Jed, be their officiant and you could immediately tell why he was asked to do this job, he had so many thoughtful touches and great stories about the couple that made you feel like you got an inside glimpse into their relationship and why these two have decided to spend the rest of their lives together.

Once the ceremony was over, and guests enjoyed cocktail hour, we were able to take full advantage of the grounds including a vineyard, covered bridge and beautiful creek! Greg and Jen were the dream couple for a photographer!! They were ready and willing to do whatever I asked of them, no matter how stilly it might have been.

As great as this part of the evening was, it wouldn’t be appropriate to not mention Jed during this process. I asked Jen to have someone present for the formal family photos that would know everyone to help us move through those photos as quick as possible. Jen said Jed would be perfect for the job because he is so detail oriented. I thought, “Great” this will be such a big help! I did not fully understand how detail oriented Jed was until we got to the photos of just the newlyweds. If I could have created the perfect assistant out of thin air, Jed, was the man for the job!! He helped make my job easier and was part of the reason we got so many great photos! So a huge Thank you goes to Jed!!

After photos, Greg and Jen were able to join in on the end of cocktail hour and enjoy the rest of their evening with friends and family. By just looking around the reception you could feel so much love and support they have from their family and friends. Greg and Jen could not looked more beautiful have enjoyed their night any more than they did. It was a perfect evening! 

Jen and Greg, y’all are beautiful people inside and out and come from two amazing families! I feel so blessed to have had the opportunity to photograph your wedding and enjoyed getting to know you over the past few months. I hope yall treasure these photos and they find a special place in your home to remind you of the love that not only you have for each other but the love that everyone had for you both on your wedding day! I wish you all the best.

Special Thank You to all the vendors who made my job easier with all the beautiful things you created and/or the amazing atmosphere you helped create.

Venue Vesuvius Vineyards

Catering by: Something Classic

Flowers by Vickey Lineberry Designs

Cake by Nancy Lemke Cake

String Duo by Elegant Ensembles

Dj by Dow Oak Events

Katy Short is a family photographer but does any and all things from engagements, to weddings, to newborns and family portraits with young and grown kids. She loves God, her Mr. Fix-it husband, three daughters, anything with chocolate. She is grew up in southern Louisiana and graduated from LSU, Geaux Tigers, but loves that she gets to call Mooresville, NC home and she secretly hopes to be able to move back so her daughter’s can experience all the unique things that make southern Louisiana so special. Please email Katy at kshortphoto@gmail.com for your next photography needs

Little Boys Leave Smudges on Your Heart!

Luke Farmer

It is always a special experience when you get to see a friend from your past. Erin and I have known each other all the way back to the high school days! We laugh at the similarities of our life and how our paths continue to cross even if just for a brief time (we both swam together, both went to LSU, both were a part of the same sorority, and now we are both in the Charlotte area). I was honored that Erin asked me to photograph their first child, Maddie Grace, a little over two years ago and was so happy for them when I heard they were having a little boy!! 

Lucky for Erin, Luke made his grand entrance a few days early!! Yall, he might be one of the prettiest baby boys ever! Which is not surprising, I mean look at his parent, these kids hit the jackpot with the good looking genes!!! 

These types of sessions are pretty laid back and we just follow the baby's needs. So while Luke was getting his belly full, Maddie Grace, her dad, Thomas, and I, went outside to get a few photos of them as well as play a little soccer! It was so fun to see Maddie Grace outside just having a good time and bonding with her dad! We were able to get a few candid shots that I think really show her personality!  Once Erin and Luke were ready, we captured some moments in the living room as well as the presence of a tickle monster to bring out some genuine smiles. 

Erin had asked that we take a few photos outside, which of course I was excited about!! So once we were done inside we captured some of my favorite images of the entire session outside in their amazing backyard! 

Erin and Thomas, thank you again for letting me into your home to capture your sweet family and beautiful children! Yall are amazing parents and your home is full of some much love! I hope its not another two years before we see each other again! 

Katy Short is a family photographer but does any and all things from engagements, to weddings, to newborns and family portraits with young and grown kids. She loves God, her Mr. Fix-it husband, three daughters, anything with chocolate. She is grew up in southern Louisiana but loves that she gets to call Mooresville, NC home and she secretly hopes to be able to move back so her daughter's can experience all the unique things that make southern Louisiana so special. Please email Katy at kshortphoto@gmail.com for your next photography needs. 

Family Photos..... What to Wear!!!

Its spring time and along with spring cleaning I know lots of people love to get their updated family photos with all the beautiful spring colors! So maybe you have booked a photo session and maybe you are overwhelmed with the thought of planning your family photo session in your backyard with your own camera, either way, these tips will help you and your family look their best!! 

So you have decided on a date for your family photos, now comes the hard part of figuring out what everyone is going to wear! As a mom of three daughters this is always a huge job!! So in an effort to make things easier for you, I have outlined a few tips on how to lay out the perfect coordinating outfits that will take your photos to the next level, justl like they came out of a magazine!!! 

If your home has a signature color scheme try and figure out what that is and what colors compliment that space. If you know there is a certain place you want to hang that family portrait start in that space! Once you identify the colors of those rooms, see if one of those colors look good on you? If not, is there a color that you love to wear that would work well with the colors in that space? For example look at this photo from Pottery Barn. If this was your space and you had a family photo on the wall you may want to find outfits with a light blue, green, yellow, white and a shade of brown, with a cute ridding boot of course ;) - A photo with your family is those colors would compliment this space so much more than a family in orange, pink and purple (even though I doubt most families wouldn't have all those in one photos together lol). 

courtesy of Pottery Barn

Next tip and this is a BIG one!! Parents, always start with you!! I know its easy to put ourselves last and find the cute item for the kids but its actually so much harder to make you match the kids instead of the kids matching you! For me, if I like the way I look in the photo I am more likely to print it and keep it around the home, post it to Instagram and/or Facebook (and tag Katy Short Photography of course!). So start with those colors you found around your home and find a dress or top you love and feel confident in!! Then, if you have young kids this is easier to find items that they look good in because they always look cute and there are so many options for them!! If you have teenagers who are wanting to decide what they wear the next steps will help you give them guideline so they can find what they want while still giving them guidelines on color and pattern. The goal is that the family still looks like a cohesive unit and everyone is happy with what they are wearing!  But first, find something you love and feel GREAT in!! 

Photo courtesy of Stylish Petite

Keep patterns to a minimum...... If everyone has a patten on the shirt (like check, flowers, polkadots, etc.) the eye doesn't know where to look once the photos are printed. I always say keep it to a 3:1 ratio, so if you have just started growing your family and have one child, its best to put them in a pattern bc they are usually front and center. If you have a family of 5-6 you can have 1-2 of them in a pattern and everyone else wears a solid color. So back to that teenager, you can now tell them that they need to wear something with blue, green or yellow and it can or can't have a pattern. Now that they have the guidelines and are still feeling like they are in control of what they wear, will hopefully makes for a happy and smooth process. 

An oldie but a goodie before we had our third!! 

Another great tips is, accent with a fun pop of color! If you have a little girl with yellow pants, then its fun to have mom wear a scarf that is the same color. Or if a little boy has a teal shirt under a navy blue vest then mom or dad could do a shirt in that teal color. But try to limit the bright pops of color to one or two items. Like in this example the twins are in a pattern with a little yellow so big sister got to pop in an all yellow dress! Nailed it! 

Don't put everyone in one color! There was a huge trend in the 90's where everyone wore white and it needs to stay in the 90's lol! A few years ago we gifted my in-laws a photo session with a local photographer for Christmas (they LOVED it by the way! So if you have that person that is hard to buy for, contact me about gift cards!!). Well the second year we did it, my mother-in-law wanted all the boys in the family to be in blue and the women in pink. Everyone in their family (three boys) have blue eyes and the blue shirt makes their eyes pop.  This is great but the problem was that everyone wore all different shades of blue and pink. When this happens you are drawn to all the different shades and how the colors don't really flow, so when I see this I don't focus on everyone's faces in the photos instead I notice all the different blues. So whats interesting is by making everyone the same, it takes away from everyone's faces in the photo. I will say there is one exception to this and its if you have twins/triplets/ quadruplets..... in that case they are always cute when they are dressed the same! 

Photo Courtesy of Melissa Butler Photography

I hope this helps you and your family look their best and take away some of the stress of having an upcoming family photo session! As always, when your a client on KSP I am here to help you from start to end to make your photos your best ones yet. Please don't hesitate to ask questions or send me your clothing laid out to see if it will all work together and in the space we planed your photo session. 

About the Author:

Katy Short started as a family photographer about 4 years ago but does any and all things from engagements, to weddings, to newborns and family portraits with young and grown kids. She loves God, her Mr. Fix-it husband, three daughters, anything with chocolate. She is grew up in southern Louisiana but loves that she gets to call Mooresville, NC home and she secretly hopes to be able to move back so her daughter’s can experience all the unique things that make Louisiana special.

She is Finally Here! Welcome Eleni Tate

She is finally here!!

Another little girl joined our family a few weeks ago!!! My brother, Robbie, and sister-in-law, Georgina, welcomed their first child, Eleni Tate!!  This little girl was loved long before she was here and has already stollen quite a few hearts!! 

There is something so special about watching your older brother navigate parenthood especially after you have been in his shoes yourself (three times lol)! Robbie has always been great with kids and so I have no doubt about the type of father he will be!!! 

As soon as Eleni was born my dad, step-mom Kim, as well as my grandparents were there visiting for a few days, and I was fortunate enough that I had an opening in my schedule to be able to drive down to FL to see her a few days as she was one week old!  To be completely honest I was a little anxious to get down there.  These new parents weren’t the parents that came into this knowing a ton about babies, I think they both told me that they had never changed a diaper until she was born! That, along with quite a few funny, slightly unrealistic comments and conversations with Robbie before Eleni was born, made me want to whiteness these two navigate parenthood as soon as possible!! Before I got there I wasn’t quite sure how much help they needed or how to help but not be in the way of their exciting new experience!! However, to my surprise Robbie and Georgina were quickly starting to find their groove as new parents!! There was of course the first blow-out diaper that I think at one point had Eleni having more poop on her head then her bottom, being there for her first bath at home and most importantly being asked to help capture their life at home through my lease! Wow, what an honor to be asked by your bother and sister-in-law (who has a local photographer they love) to be able to capture the first photos of them as a family!!

Their home is a photographer’s dream with all the neutral colors and natural light! We took photos throughout the late morning and early afternoon as we had time between feedings and picking up lunch. Georgina was worried the nursery would be too dark but it ended up not being an issue at all and might be some of my favorite photos I have taken to date!! After photos in the nursery, which Georgina did an amazing job decorating, we took some photos of the three of them in the master bedroom and then we finished the photos downstairs in their kitchen.  The previous photos we had done upstairs were mostly focused on the baby and once we moved downstairs I wanted these to be more about Robbie and Georgina and being able to see their love and connection through the photos! One of my favorite ways of doing this was by coming up with fun games and silly things for Robbie to do to make Georgina laugh!! This is not something that Robbie struggles as he was always keeping my sister and I in stitches when we were growing up (remember the "convertible" and "t-Rex Rob??) 

Robbie and Georgina, thank you so much for not only inviting me into your space as yall have flawlessly navigated this new exciting time but also for letting me be apart of this journey and Eleni's life so far. I know the days and nights become one in these early days but try to savor every cuddle, every smile, and even every late night that you get to sit and rock her back to sleep because these days will go so fast and you will crave for just one more night to hold her until your arms and back feel like they will break! 

Katy Short is a family photographer but does any and all things from engagements, to weddings, to newborns and family portraits with young and grown kids. She loves God, her Mr. Fix-it husband, three daughters, anything with chocolate. She is grew up in southern Louisiana but loves that she gets to call Mooresville, NC home and she secretly hopes to be able to move back so her daughter's can experience all the unique things that make southern Louisiana so special. Please email Katy at kshortphoto@gmail.com for your next photography needs. 

Lake Norman Family Portraits | The Glasgow Family

The Glasgow Family

Maureen is the type of mom I strive to be!! Be honest, how many of yall get your Christmas cards out before Thanksgiving?? In her initial message to me she asked if I had availability to take her family photos because she usually gets her Christmas cards out before Thanksgiving!! Those of you that get Christmas cards out or even ordered before Thanksgiving get a gold star in my book!!! I am lucky if I even have a photo of my family together by thanksgiving, let along decide on a card and have it ordered by Christmas, for me, that is winning!!! 

Maureen, Art, their two youngest boys, Liam and Riley, and Maureen's mother Kathy, were a dream to work with! The live on Lake Norman and had a beautiful setting next to their home for some evening photos.  We had some concerns on if the weather would hold out (rain was originally in the forecast) and to my pleasure we had a few clouds but the rain stayed away until later that evening!

One of Art's requests was that their two female Australian goodendoodles would be in the photos! These two ladies were full of energy and loved the fall leaves (especially Sadie) which got a few laughs from the family! We were able to get a few photos of the dog which is always fun when you can get the those special family members included!

The one thing that stood out to me the most from this photography session was the love this family has and came through in everything they did! In just the short time I spend with them, you can tell how much these two boys LOVE their mom and would do anything for her!! And it doesn't stop there, Maureen and her mom have such a special bond and can tell they are not only mother and daughter but great friends. Lastly, Maureen and Art, at first Art comes off as the conservative and not a huge talker but I soon realized that he has a goofy side with strategic timing (Ill keep the "supermodel" pose on the blanket in their private gallery, lol). Some of my favorite photos are with the moms and dads during my sessions, it always seems awkward when I tell them to look into each others eyes but you always get some of the best most sincere smiles and you get a glimpse of the love they have for each other and Art and Maureen did not disappoint during these photos! 

Maureen and Art, thank you for asking me to take photos of your sweet family. Your boys are so kind and will grow up to be amazing men and adults! I hope you love and treasure these photos! 

 

Katy Short is a family photographer but does any and all things from engagements, to weddings, to newborns and family portraits with young and grown kids. She loves God, her Mr. Fix-it husband, three daughters, anything with chocolate. She is grew up in southern Louisiana but loves that she gets to call Mooresville, NC home and she secretly hopes to be able to move back so her daughter’s can experience all the unique things that make southern Louisiana so special. Please email Katy at kshortphoto@gmail.com for your next photography needs.