Lauren Halvorson Photography » Blog

This year has been one for the ages.  It is the one year of my life thus far that I will tell stories of and share images from for the rest of my life.  It is the year that I, your wedding photographer, had a life changing, soul stirring experience: I became a bride. 

I now see my business through a different set of eyes. I no longer find the posed portraits to be nearly as important as the emotional moments that happen throughout the day. I take less time planning and scheduling what is going to happen at your wedding and more time anticipating the spontaneous moments of joy and excitement that I will be able to capture as your day unfolds. I aim to create a group of images that will allow you to relive all the magical feelings you felt in those few moments when you pledged your love to the one person in the world that you never want to be without. I take more pictures of grandparents and little kids. I photograph your people as they laugh, cry, and squeeze you a little too tightly. My world has changed, as I now have been in your shoes (or high heels).  I am one of you, and I truly hope to continue to make positive changes to evolve my business to serve you in the best ways possible.  Thank you to each and every one of you for trusting me to capture your day as I now know, on a whole new level, just how intimate and personal that commitment and trust truly is. 

Here are a few (ok, a lot) of my favorite soul stirring images from 2015!  

Thank you to every single one of you for making 2015 one of the most incredible years of my life.  I am unbelievably excited to experience 2016 and all of the amazing weddings, proposals and engagements that we already have on the books!  I have also saved a few dates for those of you who just got engaged and can’t wait more than a few months to marry the love of your life, so please contact me if you’re looking for a photographer for your 2016 or 2017 wedding and want someone who cares about you and all the little moments of your big day! I would love to treat you to a cup of coffee and celebrate this season of your life with you! 

XOXO, Lauren

If you know me, you know that I LOVE Christmas.  Like crazy, stupid, giddy with glee LOOOOOOOVE Christmas.  I got married this year, and two days ago I realized (not that I ever had any doubt) that I absolutely chose the right man to be my husband when, on November 8th, he suggested that we put up our Christmas tree.  As newlyweds, everything we do together this year is a first.  We each had our own tree and after a little persuasion, my bearded man agreed that we should get a new tree together that’s uniquely ours and that we can put up every year until we are old and gray while we fondly remember our first Christmas as husband and wife.  I wanted to share it with you all…  Let me know if you have any questions about where we got a certain piece, etc.  I’m happy to share!

I also wanted to share a couple tips on tree decorating as several of you have asked on FB or IG:

1.) Pick a theme.  If you want your tree to look cohesive, pick a theme and collect items that ring true to that.  For us, we chose to go for a woodland theme this year, since we got hitched in the middle of the woods.

2.) Make a day of hunting for a few new theme-worthy ornaments that will really stand out, we picked Mr. and Mrs. lumberjack as well as a few other large felted woodland creature ornaments we love.  

3.) Choose colors that give the mood you want.  Ty suggested we go with browns.  He was spot on.  We chose to use our brown, copper and gold bulbs of different textures to bring out the warm browns paired with the green of the tree from the woods.  

4.) Add unique things that fit your theme that you wouldn’t expect to find on a tree.  We added some branches that I spray painted with a gold glitter spray, as well as pine cones we collected.  These items are free (I had the spray paint from a previous project) and add a little extra texture and authenticity to the theme of the tree.  

5.) If you LOVE Christmas as much as we do, and want to be budget conscious, you may want to think about a fake tree.  They make beautiful ones that look deceivingly real and they won’t die by Christmas time.  Also–we cheated a little more and bought “Scentsicles” scented ornaments to make our faux tree smell real.  Seriously, our whole house smells like fir trees!  Though it’s not quite as romantic as having a real tree, we can extend our Christmas season to last as long as we want, reuse the tree every year all while not sacrificing the romance of a home smelling of yummy fir trees!

 XOXO-Lauren

Jack and I met in college and became friends instantly. I admired his adventurous spirit and was grateful for the many times he pushed me out of my comfort zone to explore abandoned buildings or climb a crazy cliff to find a gorgeous place to take photos! He is one of the kindest, most compassionate people I’ve ever met.

Jack met Hala through mutual friends at a cabin where they would later spend their honeymoon! He knew she was the one early on, as she practically sparkles the moment you meet her. This girl is as sweet as sugar, she is athletic, stunningly beautiful (on the inside AND out) and is a humble and Godly woman. Jack got in touch with me letting me know he was going to propose to her and immediately I knew I HAD to photograph it! I hid under an abandoned boat covered in a million bugs and photographed as Jack rowed Hala in a boat straight out of The Notebook around the cove near her parent’s house in Cape Cod where she grew up and proposed to her during a picnic he had set up on a secluded little beach. While all of this was happening his team of “magical minions” (Hala’s sisters and parents) were at home putting together a party for 30+ people, so when Jack returned with his FIANCE, they would have a huge celebration to welcome them!  It was perfect. There were lots of happy tears. Lots.

When I met Hala, I knew she was perfect for Jack. I felt like we had been friends for years, and I could hardly contain the joy my heart felt to know that my sweet friend had found such an amazing gal to spend his life with.

Anyone who was at their wedding will tell you it was an absolute fairytale.  And not in the cliche “I’m a wedding photographer and every wedding is a fairytale” kind of way. Their love is something from the movies. You know, the old school movies where love was something so pure and selfless and beautiful. The love where two people just can’t imagine life any other way than to live it together. That’s their love.  They are amazing individuals, but as a team they are unstoppable.  The way he holds her, the way she giggles when she sees him, these are the things movies are made of.

I could go on for hours about the perfection of each and every detail of their wedding, but I think I’ll just let the images do the talking from here on.

Jack and Hala, here is your story…

Credits:
Venue: Quonquont Farm
Venue Coordinator: Jennelle Wilkins
Bride’s Dress: BHLDN
Groom and Groomsmen attire: J Crew
Flowers:  Joann Sparks
Hair: Carly Keafer
Wedding Planner: Hattie Coker
Dessert: Vermont Country Deli
DJ: Joel and Julia Spruance
Catoring: Pete the Butcher