a couple of weeks ago i had the pleasure of taking some engagement photography in houston for randi and curtis. we scheduled it early in the morning to try to beat some of the heat, but it was HOT outside anyway. randi and curtis were awesome though and never complained about the heat. we wandered around downtown houston and took some edgy stuff as well as some more traditional photos to some variety. by the end of the shoot, i was completely covered in dirt from crawling around parking garages and utility areas getting unique angles - somehow, they managed to keep looking fabulous throughout the entire thing - heat and all.

i have to say - randi is a girl after my own heart. after getting to know her, i found out she loves classic coktails. we had an email chain going back and forth for a few hours one day about our favorite drinks. AND she got me hooked on iced chai. LOVE that girl!
 
their untraditional wedding is in october and we'll meet up a few days later for a trash the dress photography session in houston or galveston - can't wait!!

below are a few of my favs from their session - i could have kept shooting all day!



i love this photo that kevin got.







if you've done an engagement photography session with me, you know that i always try to have one photo with your wedding date. :)





i looooooove this photo of randi - obviously, curtis makes her laugh.... a lot!



and my fav for last.... we ran across this old VW beetle and it was just too perfect to pass up!



thanks you both such a fun session!! see you soon for cocktails!

over the past month, i have been attempting to put together an online portfolio of my boudoir clients. i have always had this fear of it - like i'm being disrespectful. at the same time, i know women want to know what to expect when booking me as their boudoir photographer... boudoir photography is an intimate thing and women need to feel like they can trust me to get a flattering angle. so it put me in a weird spot.... the thing is, when i asked a few of my clients if i could post a couple photos, the response was not at all what i expected "yes! please, feel free to  use whatever you'd like!" whatever i'd like!?!? really?!?! well ok then! my clients rock!! of course, i would NEVER post ANY boudoir photography from a client that was at all hesitant about it. it's a very intimate thing, and i would never want to show any disrespect to any of my clients.

about a month ago, lady j came in to the houston studio take some boudoir photogaphy as a wedding gift. weddings and photography just seem to go together - it's one of the most celecratory days of your life and between boudoir and wedding photography, it's great to have your memories documented through the lens of your photographer.

here are a few boudoir photos from lady j's session - and thank you miss j for letting me post some photos! keep an eye out for some complimentary product in the mail next week! :)

i loooooved this outfit! she brought along the tie that her husband was going to wear for their wedding, and paired it with some bridal lingerie. i always recommend bringing along the hint of a man for one of your photos. it reminds your guy that you had him in mind when you booked your boudoir photography session - even the centerfolds in every playboy issue have the hint of a man somewhere in the photo..... and yes.... i do consider that magazine a business expense. ;)
 

 

ok pretty ladies! J.Vallecorsa is setting up another boudoir photography marathon playdate this summer so be sure to get signed up soon since spots are limited and tend to fill up quickly.

this one will be held in the historic downtown Houston studio on August 28th and every package includes:
-30 minute make up session
-1 hour photo session
-unlimied outfit changes
-use of our intimate studio location
-online viewing gallery with print options
-and as always, mimosas and music will be free flowing to help calm the nerves!

i hope to see you there! and remember that i always offer a 10% discount when you book with a friend - so bring a group of your fav ladies and make a day of it. you can even head over to the spa afterwards in the same building as the studio for some extra relaxation and pampering! cheers!

emily and mike were married at San Luis Resort and Spa last month in galveston, tx. from the time kevin and i moved to texas, i told him that i wanted to photograph a wedding at san luis resort. so when mike and emily told me their beautiful wedding venue, i just about swooned, but somehow managed to hold in my excitement. and just as i imagined, the wedding far exceeded my expections.



emily had one of the most gorgeous gowns i have ever seen.

no matter how great of a photographer anyone is, you can't capture both the bride's and the groom's face when they first see each other. i was lucky enough to have jenna dee from studio|detro andmike charlton help me out to capture every moment. i always photograph the bride when she comes down the aisle, while my second shooter captures the groom's face when he first see his bride. as i was capturing this photo, i heard mike gasp a soft "wow..." as emily turned the corner. it was a touching response to seeing her for the first time, and jenna dee captured his expression perfectly.

emily and mike were married in an afternoon outdoor ceremony overlooking galveston's beach and ocean, just hours after a storm. the air smelled fresh, and the ceremony was intimate and calm as these two exchanged their vows with tearful eyes all around.







after the ceremony we all ventured inside for the cocktail hour and celebration!





these two didn't skip any details, and topped it off with a gorgeous display of tiffany blue wedding candy.



emily had a quick dress change half way through the reception, and i LOVED her tiffany blue cocktail dress!

the night ended poolside, with emily, of course, in her white bathing suit and matching tiara. kevin and i were done photographing for the day, but we stayed for the pool party and enjoyed our weekend in galveston. thank you so much emily and mike for trusting us to capture your day - we had a great time and can't wait to see you guys again!



to see more from emily and mike's wedding, check out their galveston wedding slideshow.

mine and kevin's second wedding anniversary was may 12th this year. and he planned an AMAZING night - yes, i know it was like 6 weeks ago and this blog post is really late - but ya know what - it was busy season for photography and the cobblers kids just don't have shoes. i'm writing the blog on it now. so let's get started, shall we?

for our first anniversary, we weren't able to be together. kevin had taken a job in galveston, tx and i was still in cleveland ohio finishing up some work i had there. and during the 6 weeks that we were apart, our first anniversary fell on a tuesday when we couldn't be together. (yes that means we got married on a monday - like we always say, we're a little different...) so for our second anniversary, kevin wanted to go all out and took over the planning of our day with a surprise... for as long as i can remember, i have had this 'perfect date' planned up in my head. i've never told anyone what it was - i didn't want it ruined with a feeling like he did it only because i asked him to.

so what was my perfect date? well, it's something that only happens once. and kevin didn't only guess my perfect date - he exceeded my dream date by leaps and bounds.

at 5:15, i was over at houston center in downtown and kevin called to say he was downstais to pick me up. i walked outside to be greeted by a driver who handed me an envelope and escorted me into my private limo. the envelope contained a note that read "relax and enjoy your short ride to the loft" and a disc with our wedding song - At Last by Etta James. i arrived at our loft a few blocks away and opened the door to an empty apartment and another note: "please go to the bath".




a bath was ready for me, with my dress and shoes set out to wear that night. the next note said "no need to rush. unwind from the day. the car will pick you up at 7:30".

i felt like we were dating again with the anticipation of where he would take me, and butterflies worrying over whether i looked ok. the limo arrived promptly at 7:30 and dropped me off at La Colombe D'Or - an absolutely gorgeous mansion in Montrose. kevin met me at the door with a french 75 cocktail and Ed, the director took us on a private tour of the mansion, discussing all of the details about how it was moved here from overseas. we also went through the art gallery, and of course, i HAD to check out the ballroom for wedding photography. houston brides, let me just say, WOW. this place is gorgeous and intimate, and the service is impeccable. we had a private waiter for dinner and the food was among the best in houston. if we got married all over again, there is no doubt in my mind that it would be at La Colombe D'or.

after dinner, kevin stepped away for a moment, and the waiter escorted me upstairs to our room for the night. kevin had candles lit and took me out on the balcony to read me a letter he wrote. i cried - of course - it takes a lot for me to cry over something sad or hurtful. but do something sentimental and i bawl like a child - to be honest, all it takes is a sentimental commercial. yes, i said commercial.


 

and that little tin on the table? oh yes, had a gift certificate from Fuller Edge Photography for a 2 hour couples photo session and i jumped around in excitement. he knows that Fuller Edge is my favorite photography studio so i absolutely can not wait to meet up with erin and chad for some edgy photography. kevin and i are both already talking about what we want to wear for it - yes, we are THAT dorky.

i teased kevin that he's done it all in one night - he has nothing left to impress me. :) my perfect date, plus so much more...

here's to another happy year together.