engagements | Heather Essian Portrait Arts | blog - Part 3
Jun 3 2009

arden + paul {prenup session}

i just have to say it…

get rid of tradition unless it **r e a l l y** means something to you! :) pretty please.

i think it’s a very common misconception that the only sacred time to see one another on your wedding day is the moments walking down the aisle. i beg to differ…b e g to differ. this tradition came from arranged marriages and was put in place to keep the bride and groom from running. i’m pretty sure you know who you’re marrying before the wedding day so no need to worry that your fiance` will high-tail it the moment you lay eyes on them-thank goodness right?! so why not start your own tradition? that first sight is what you both make of it and has the potential to be even more special if experienced with just the two of you…well, and me.

this does not at all mean that i don’t support the tradition of waiting. i just think there are a few of you out there that need the permission to break the traditional rules. haaavvvveee at it! :)

arden and paul chose to forgo even seeing one another for the first time on their wedding day, and instead chose a separate day before their wedding so that we could spend loads of creative energy and time on their romantics. i’m so glad we did because we got some epic photos out of it. it meant there was not nearly the same amount of pressure on the wedding day. i’d like to think they had more time to enjoy their reception and guests ;)

arden, i love you and paul to pieces! i feel blessed to have you both as good friends. i’m so very happy for you, and honored that i got to be the one to photograph you two on your special day!

arden was the super gorgeous and talented lady who second shot the majority of my weddings with me last year. muah arden!!














    [...] Paul bought himself two pair of boots a couple of weeks ago – so I only gave him a robe and a photo book of our pre-nup session images! [...]

    [...] may remember arden and paul from this [...]

    Kim

    Josh and I saw each other before our wedding…best moment ever!!! I wouldn’t change a thing and recommend it to everyone!

    Cassie

    WOW…all I can say is AMAZING.
    My favorites to date! Gorgeous couple!
    Can I get married again? :)

    Heather

    thanks everyone!!

    arden and paul are a photographers dream clients, beautiful and easy to photograph :)

    amanda, you're always such a big help! thanks for coming and helping :)

    Kay Beaton

    Absolutely beautiful images – I love calling it a prenup session and taking the time to capture these moments that they will cherish forever! Great work Heather!

    Emily

    Gorgeous! Having such a beautiful bride doesn't hurt :)

    Amanda

    Okay heather, first off your images couldn't possibly be any spectacular! I laaaaoooovvee them! So glad I got to be there and watch it all in action! Also, I think you talked me out of tradition with just this little post :)

    Kellie Kano

    Lovely set of images, Heather! I couldn't agree more about ditching traditions..well said! :)

    Jennifer Knight

    so sweet and romantic all at the same time. gorgeous photographs!

    Arden Prucha

    Awh I once again LOVE them and appreciate all you have done for us. Your booty must be tired of me :) Thank you for everything you have let me experience, learn, have, and love. You are a dear friend and I couldn't have asked for a better photographer and friend!
    love love love -a

    Heather Thorne

    Just beautiful Heather! I wish all brides would do this! I've shot in front of that "jazz" wall before. :) Can't wait to see the wedding pics!


Jun 1 2009

cindy + peter {engaged}

meet cindy and peter. these two were so much fun to work with! i walked away from this session feeling blessed to have met them :)

they drove all the way from houston to have me photograph them for their engagement session. it just gets me all excited to know two super sweet amazing people are willing to drive hours just for little ol’ me ;)

it’s rare that i’m able to really take the time to break a session down for you all (a goal to do so more!) but feel this is the perfect session to do so. i think that cindy and peter’s e-session possesses all that a couples session should. we have fun, we have love, we have “moody”…we have a story folks. a story of two people in love who will share these images with family forever. i can picture these photos hanging in their home for years and years to come with no need of replacing them because they are a story, not just a photograph. i picture these sweet images reminding them of the love they share when times are tough. these were not taken on a wedding day (where love is to be expected) the photos are just- them. so if you haven’t taken photos with your special someone, you should because you’ll cherish them forever, and your kids (or future kids) will be so glad to witness your love captured.

cindy and peter, you two are a special couple. thank you for allowing me to capture you :)

okay okay i’m done being lame..enjoy!


they were laying on a tree trunk in the photo below while i carefully balanced on the tip of the trunk to get this shot…i’m sure it looked interesting to those passing by :)

a classic
isn’t cindy stunning?!
love the peacefulness of this image below…











looovvee this last image, the bus passed us just in time!

    [...] share such a sweet love for each other. i had the opportunity to photograph cindy and peter’s engagement session over a year ago (before i was to be their wedding photographer) and had such a blast getting to [...]

    [...] gorgeous cindy. you may remember her and peter from their e-session last [...]

    Heather

    thank you all for your kind comments…they warm my heart <3

    Cindy

    Thank you so much for capturing the love between Peter and me!!! The pics are so amazing and really tell a wondenderful story :) You rock!!!!

    hollie marie

    These are amazing! You did an incredible job!

    Amanda

    AHHHH-SOOMMEE!!!! I think this is one of my favorite e-sessions EVER! Seriously… thank you for being so inspiring : )

    ksenija

    love, LOVE the feeling in these. beautiful couple!

    Poser

    this is a fantastic set. wonderful!
    thanks for the love :)

    :P

    Arden Prucha

    Seriously Heath – I think these are one of my favorite sessions you have ever posted! You are becoming even more of a rockin’ photog, which I didn’t think was possible! Yeah for you my dear friend – I admire you so much :)
    love love love – a

    Naomi

    I love the one of them standing underneath the angel on the building…that is super cool! Not sure how it's possible, but every shoot you do gets better & better! xoxo

    akaJezebel

    I see what you mean. These are incredible! I love the one of just Cindy’s hands behind Peter’s head and the last one w/ the bus! Beautiful work as always and you just keep getting better! OH! Congrats on the latest wedding you did as well! I hope you get LOTS of exposure from it! You definitely deserve it!

    lynn

    wowser! holy cow, these are just amazing! I love everything about them! I know Cindy must love these, Heather!!!


May 13 2009

secret {bride and groom}

i want to share this session…but i can’t just yet :) it’s awesome!

    Amanda

    I think I know who it might be :) can’t wait to see them heather!!!

    Karen (Mikols) Bonar

    SECRETS DON’T MAKE FRIEND!!!!!!! ;) ~

    Arden Prucha

    yeah yeah yeah! I am so excited, I am about to head up to your place and tap on the windows like the old Mervyn’s commercials: OPEN OPEN OPEN. See you soon my sweet!


Nov 6 2008

.lynn. + .jon. e-session

Lynn and Jon were too much fun. We shot at The House of Dang , Deep Ellum, and then ended at the Fair! The smell of fried everything still lingers….Lynn had such a great vision for her e-session, and I was so excited to try new things. House of Dang was the type of place I’ve wanted to shoot at for so long now! Thanks to House of Dang for letting us turn the place upside down–you guys rock!
love love love this top image…it’s as if there is a glass window between us

And this image above is a shot I’ve had in mind for over a year now…all I needed was that perfect couple that was willing :)

“he loves me…he loves me not”

“he loves me!”



These two are super sweet and I’m so excited to shoot their wedding in March! Lynn…I know it’s going to be so glam!

    cbrownphoto

    glad you finally found a willing couple. the photo in the window is to die for.

    Cassie

    OMGosh Heather – these are freagin great. I just love them all. The last two are my favs, but this has got to be my favorite e-session yet. The teacups!! SO Awesome. I love seeing exciting and new places you get to shoot. GREAT!

    ksenija

    these are AWESOME! so much fun… i think it might just be my favorite esession to date! love, love LOVE!

    Nathaniel Thompson

    These shots are so much fun! Love the teacups!

    Naomi

    heather these are so great and it looks like you guys had so much fun…i love the one of them in the window, she looks like a doll! beautiful!

    Karen (Mikols) Bonar

    cuuuuuuuuute! And super-fun new blog header!

    Lynn

    heather, we love our pics and our photographer!
    haha… you’re killing me, I want to see more!


Sep 6 2008

jamie. + .bill. e-session!



This is Bill & Jamie- two super sweet people with fun loving personalities! I went to high school with Jamie so it’s really cool that I get to shoot their wedding in January, I can’t wait! These two have such a sweet story…Jamie was Bill’s son’s teacher and after much pursuing, Bill won Jamie’s heart <3

weeeee!!!!

a definite favorite from the day! {below}



I caught them flirting from around the corner ;)



so sweet…

    Heather

    thanks girls your words mean so much!

    ksenija

    seriously, some of your best esession work to date! love, love ,loooove them ALL!!! can’t stop looking at them — you are so talented Heather it is not even funny!

    lynn

    man, heather, these pics are totally making me rethink the field for our pics!!. love it!!!

    Karen Mikols

    LOVE the second to last one!!!!

    Andrea Flanagan

    Wow Heather! Just visited your blog for the first time. You have some stunningly gorgeous images. I am in awe! Your clients are lucky to have you!!

    Andrea Flanagan