Something new we've started doing this year are styled engagement shoots. We love it when details make a photo shoot or a wedding day more unique and personal, and we love shooting in an editorial style, so styled engagement shoots came about naturally for us and are something that we absolutely adore.

Our first styled engagement was Sarah and Andrew's outdoor/fishing themed shoot. For Sarah and Andrew's shoot, we took the time to learn a lot of details about their love story, from when they first started dating all the way to their engagement. One thing that kept coming up in all of their stories was their love for the outdoors. Several consultations, Pinterest boards, and meetings later, we had the shoot planned!

On our styled engagement shoots we work with a stylist to plan the whole event, from hair and makeup ideas, to outfit ideas, to locations, activities, and details. For this shoot, we worked with our former bride, the amazingly creative Katie Hollis out of Austin. Sarah and Andrew kept saying that they really felt like they were out on a date! We love making this special!

Here's a moodboard with images from Sarah and Andrew's styled engagement shoot earlier this summer.

As we said, we loved shooting this in an editorial style. You can imagine how happy we were when we found out this shoot was going to be featured on a national wedding blog for inspiration for other couples.

Since that shoot, our mind is full of ideas for our next styled engagement shoots! Can't wait!

A little glance from a bride to groom, a special toast from a dear friend, or those little details that take the evening to another level are all moments we fall in love with.

Every once and awhile, something happens that causes us to lower our cameras and be a part of the moment that is happening in front of us. One of those moments happened at Valerie and Jeff's recent wedding.

A father/daughter dance is always special to watch and usually gets a few tears gently falling down a smiling face. When Valerie and her father took the floor, it was magical. As they glided around the floor (just like a fairytale princess) everyone stopped what they were doing, and just watched. No cell phone photos were taken, conversation ceased, and everyone just watched. Cat and I lowered our cameras and joined the guests watching Valerie and her father dance in perfect rhythm. It was a beautiful moment coupled with a beautiful song. The song was Cinderella by Steven Curtis Chapman.

Afterwards, we grabbed Valerie and told her how enamored we were with her first dance with her father. This is when that special dance turned in to one of our favorite moments. She shared the story of the significance of the song choice to us. We asked Valerie to tell us in her own words so that we could pass this along.

From Our Bride, Valerie:

My little brother, John, spent the first week of February 2008 in a drug-induced coma in Dell Children's Hospital following a serious motocross racing accident. On that Tuesday, the doctors encouraged my parents to get out of the hospital for a bit while John underwent another MRI to evaluate the swelling on his brain. My parents-who jokingly attribute their 28 years of marriage to NEVER shopping together-ended up in a bookstore not far from the hospital. Daddy picked up a book, began reading, and a box of Kleenex later, they left with the book, Cinderella; The Love of a Daddy and His Princess. I was a sophomore at A&M at the time, and on one of my 3 trips to Austin that week, Daddy handed me what I would later call "my Cinderella book."

The book is based on the lyrics of Steven Curtis Chapman's song "Cinderella," and as the summary on the back explains, it "celebrates childhood, fatherhood, love and life, and compels us to hand our own Cinderella her glass slippers and let her go with no regrets." The entire book is absolutely beautiful, but my favorite part of the book is on one of the very last pages where my daddy concluded his inscription with:

"... [this book] expresses my feelings for you in words I couldn't have otherwise come up with.
Love, Daddy
P.S. Hope you enjoy the CD"

From the first time I listened to the CD enclosed in the back of the book, I knew "Cinderella" would be the song that Daddy and I would dance to at my wedding. I wasn't the kind of girl who had her wedding planned years ahead of time, but that was one detail that I was certain of. I'm so blessed to know exactly what Chapman means when he sings about taking the time to dance with his daughter, his Cinderella. I have a daddy who took the time to dance with me-"dancing" that took many forms. He took time to twirl my jump rope, taught me how to dance by letting me stand on his boots, and indulged my semi-ridiculous (ok, mostly ridiculous) ideas like re-painting the interior of his deer stand to make it a playhouse.

Though something very small, this book brought joy to our family during one of the scariest weeks we've ever experienced-a week that made us re-focus on what's truly important. So, when I married my Prince Charming in June, Daddy and I danced to our song, and it was just as I had always imagined it. And the fact that my remarkable little brother-a college student who at the age of 20 already has his commercial pilot's license-was there to give a toast reminded me once again, that miracles really do happen.

So I will dance with Cinderella
while she is here in my arms
'cause I know something the prince never knew

Oh I will dance with Cinderella
I don't want to miss even one song
'cause all too soon the clock
Will strike midnight
And she'll be gone"

Click here to listen to this beautiful song.

When Valerie shared that with us, we were once again reminded how blessed we are to be able to share such special moments with our couples. Luckily both her dad and brother were able to dance with her at her wedding.

Thank you Valerie for inviting us in to your life and sharing such special moments with us. You are one of a kind!

Incase you haven't noticed, we love wedding blogs. As photographers, they offer a way to showcase our bride and groom's fabulous wedding days, and as a bonus for us, we get to showcase our photography!

More and more blogs are gaining notoriety and that's a great thing, because that means there's more and more beautiful wedding days happening. If you aren't following wedding blogs, and need a place to start, I'd suggest these! There's plenty of blogs to follow and I'll keep you posted on my current favorites as they change, but at the moment, I'm loving these!

I selected these blogs to feature because they are showcasing my favorite things: thoughtfully styled weddings, true love stories, and timeless fine art photography. You'll also be able to find some DIY projects, which, if you're craftier than I am, might make for a fun evening!

At their most useful, wedding blogs are a great way to get your own creativity flowing and be inspired. If you're a blog reader, add these to your list!