A Style Guide for Shannon Williams Spring Families

I am often asked “What should we wear?”, and I usually recommend creams and earthy tones because thats always safe, but this is how you do it. Creams and earthy tones…and a good bold pattern! These colors compliment each other beautifully and they all tie in together with the pattern in moms dress.

Pinterest is a lifesaver when it comes to choosing a look for your family photos, but if its too overwhelming (way too many options – I don’t make decisions well) then here are some helpful tips!

• Find your (mom) outfit first! As a mom, I totally get that it’s more fun to dress your kids then it is to dress yourself. I hardly ever buy clothes for myself anymore – Maci’s stuff is so much more fun to shop for and she looks cute in everything so it’s easy. But, if you’re trying to coordinate for family photos start with yourself. You want to look your best and feel great, so find an outfit that makes you feel beautiful and confident! Spoil yourself and get that outfit you’ve been wanting, then coordinate everyone else around you!
• If you go with a bold print like this family, it’s best that everyone else wears a solid color that ties into the print. You’ll want to coordinate your colors, but avoid putting everyone in the same color.
• You’ll want to avoid big logos, characters, and neon colors. They draw attention away from the face and we want the focus to be on your beautiful faces!
• Choose something that you are comfortable enough to move around in. I may ask you to sit on the ground for some poses!
• Keep your location in mind! Something a little more dressy may look best in a city or downtown area, where something a little more casual may look best in a park/field.
• Don’t forget about accessories and shoes! They can be easily overlooked.
• Don’t wait until the last minute to plan outfits.
• If you’re feeling stuck and need some help feel free to ask me!

Sarah did a wonderful job choosing outfits for her family. We had so much fun and they smiled and laughed the whole time! They even got to go out for ice cream afterward!

Location: Forest Park St. Louis, MO

Sometimes you get a shot that you love. You love it so much that you think about it all day. You can’t wait to get home and edit it. It gives you life and makes you remember why you do what you do.

This WHOLE DAY was like that.

Sydney and Caleb’s day couldn’t have been more perfect. There were some missing suspenders…and two right shoes, but we made it work. No, we didn’t just make it work…we nailed it.

Sydney got ready this morning at her parents beautiful home, in her old bedroom. How sweet to incorporate the home you grew up in into your wedding day? When I first met Sydney and Caleb they told me that they thought about a destination wedding, but they felt getting married in their hometown would be a little more special to them. I think they were right in that decision. They spent the day surrounded by family and friends, sharing stories and marriage tips. Actually, my favorite quote of the day stems from a marriage tip that was given. Ever heard of an onion butt? “He says I got a onion butt…looks so good it brings a tear to his eye. If I walk by and he doesn’t smack my butt I get offended.”…and that’s the type of marriage you want to have. #goals

I mentioned earlier some missing suspenders and two right shoes. Let it be known that that wasn’t the girls (as someone mentioned in their best man speech tonight). Once we found a left and right shoe, and someone gave up their suspenders we got some shots of the guys. They had a lot of fun with their photos, but I’ll let Caleb share those later.

Sydney didn’t care about the shoes or the suspenders, or really many of the little details. She said “I’m ready to go get my man.” And she did. I wish them the happiest of years ahead.

Thanks for the amazing day!

-Shannon

My husband went on a fishing trip over spring break, so I decided to surprise him with a bedroom makeover! I don’t claim to be any good at decorating my home, and I am actually pretty hesitant to make any major changes, but I went all in on this one. I knew I wanted something bright and white that would be perfect for pictures! Some of my favorite pictures are of Maci sleeping or jumping on my bed.

 

 

 

 

I already had this bench at the foot of my bed and it is definitely my most favorite piece of furniture that we own. I wanted to stick with the style of the bench so I ordered a headboard to match. I got the headboard from amazon for just $75! This was a bedroom makeover on a budget and even though the headboard was cheap, the reviews for this headboard were great so I ordered it! I am so glad I went with this one, the fabric is nice and it matches the bench perfectly.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Once I had the headboard and I knew I liked it, I started painting. Oh painting…I spent all day Thursday painting. My father in law came and helped me and we got it finished in a few hours. My arms were sore (I know, I’m a cry baby) and I definitely didn’t feel like painting any more rooms any time soon. And then the paint dried yellow. I hated it. So, I spent the day Friday repainting. The second color is the color I stuck with and I love it! It’s called “intense white” and in person it looks like a very light gray.

While the paint dried I started shopping. The fun part! I love a good deal so I shopped around a lot and ended up finding the perfect end tables at Hobby Lobby for just $27 a piece! They have a beautiful design painted on the tops and they’re exactly what I was looking for. They add a little something to an all white room. The mirrors came from Hobby Lobby too, and they were marked down to half off so they were $20 a piece! Score.

I splurged on the lamps, but they were the perfect color and height and I just couldn’t leave them behind. They came from Lowes.

And today the final piece came in! I ordered a sweet sign from Smallwood Homes that reads “The most wonderful thing I decided to do was share my life and heart with you.”

And it couldn’t be more true.

Here it is guys, my very first blog post, and I couldn’t have chosen a more beautiful couple!

I spent the afternoon (while Maci napped) finishing their session, and dreaming about starting a blog. I had no idea how to start a blog, so I just dove right in and here we are. It was actually pretty simple, so if you’ve been dreaming about blogging go for it!

Angela emailed me back in October, full of questions (ps. I love it when brides have lots of questions! It shows me that they’re invested in their search for the right photographer.) and ready to start the booking process. We immediately scheduled an engagement session but then had to reschedule…twice! This day wasn’t looking promising either. It had rained all morning, and was raining when I left for their session. We were determined though, rain or shine, we weren’t going to reschedule again. Luckily, the clouds parted, the sun came out, and we were able to capture these beautiful images before it started raining on us again. Props to my little sister for letting me know how beautiful the Lewis and Clark campus is! I mean, look at this place!

Her ring…GORGEOUS. Round diamond solitaire with a gold band – what more could a girl want? Besides, of course, a sweet fiancé to go along with it! I think she’s got both!

These two were naturals and after their engagement session I am even more excited for their October 2019 wedding! Congratulations Angela + Kyle.