Lauren + Jeff 05.10.08

We're back with Lauren and Jeff, and their adorable back yard wedding.  All of the pomp and circumstance with weddings is a beautiful thing, from the satin and lace to the confection cake concoctions.  But every now and then, it's refreshing to see a couple approach their wedding with elegant simplicity and really focus on the ultimate agenda of joining two lives forever.  Take a look at some of my faves from their day, and keep reading for more on the Larkins and their expanding family!

Krystal + Ron 05.10.08

We're back again!  Summer is always our busiest season, so blogging is starting to become more of a luxury these days.  Just to keep the flow going, some of these entries over the next few weeks are going to be short and sweet, letting our readers get to know our work, as well as a little about some of our clients.

Krystal and Ron were married in 2008.  They were our first wedding at the beautiful Historic Lowry House in downtown Huntsville.  It was a gorgeous day, and the Smith-Evans guests enjoyed the afternoon sun during the outdoor reception.  Every wedding has something unique and memorable to us.  For this event, it was the food!  Krystal's mother catered the event.  As an avid sampler of wedding cuisine, I can say with confidence that wedding food is either tasty or pretty, rarely ever both.  However, that day, not only did everything look awesome, it was sinfully delicious.  Five stars for Mrs. Smith!

Charlene & Trey 04.04.09

Charlene and Trey have been another fantastic couple that has stuck with Simpkins Photography over the years.  We met Charlene at a Huntsville bridal fair.  After our first consultation, we knew it was going to be a great fit.  They are just wonderful, sweet people; the kind of clients photographers hope for.  We were invited to photograph their Birmingham wedding in the spring of 2009.  Charlene had prepped for the big day down to every last detail, including finding a beautiful spot to take the wedding party for some fun photos.  This still remains one of my favorite outdoor locations.  Just the size of the fountains bring an epic feel to the whole session.  My favorite point during the whole day was the private time with just the couple.  Charlene and Trey were truly enjoying their experience, laughing and being so affectionate.  You can tell that each of them knew how lucky they were to find their perfect match.  Have a look at some of our favorites from the Barney wedding, and keep reading to see the Barney maternity session as Charlene and Trey prepare to welcome their first child soon!

Katie + Justin 04.03.10

Salty breezes and aquamarine skies set the mood of the Lovelace-Faires wedding a year ago today.  Weeks before the infamous oil spill that polluted Alabama's gulf coast, we were blessed with clear water and beautiful weather for Katie & Justin's big day. 

As we've mentioned before, this is a special couple for Simpkins Photography, not just clients but good friends as well.  Any time you take on a client on a personal basis, the stakes are raised significantly.  Katie had seen everything I'd done in my career, even volunteered to help us a few time with Bridal Fairs and other events.  She'd watched us produce unique work for people that started out to us as strangers, so what could we do for a couple that we knew so well with a close understanding of their personalities and interests?

We started by talking to Katie and Justin about why they chose Gulf Shores for their destination wedding, and what elements they wanted to incorporate into their photography.  Obviously the beach was key, but the couple was also interested in having a tropical appeal to some of their work.  The day before the wedding, Katie and I scouted the whole city and surrounding areas for somewhere special to bring in some color among the serene pastels of the beach.  We hit photographic gold when we came across a beautiful plantation-style venue at The Wharf in Orange Beach.  There were bright pink roses bushes, enormous hundred-year-old trees, and a wrap-around porch that gave the feeling of vintage Southern charm.

On the morning of the wedding, we brought the entire wedding party to The Wharf for their group pictures.  It was absolutely worth the effort.  We ended up with some of my favorite group shots of all time, as well as some images of Katie and Justin that show off their tropical venue.  We also got to have fun with some casual set ups, including sunglasses and Adirondack-style beach chairs.

The ceremony was held on the beach; the reception following at the beach house.  We took a break from mingling and dining to get some couple shots at sunset.  Katie's favorite image resulted from this time.  "Aqua Afternoon" now graces the cover of the couple's wedding album, as well as her walls in a stunning canvas print.

Take a look at my favorite images from the day with video highlights, as well as the couple's Wedding Album and Engagement ArtBook slideshow!

The Wedding - To see in HD, visit us on Facebook or YouTube!

Engagement ArtBook & Wedding Album

To see in HD, visit us on Facebook or YouTube!

Lauren + Jeff - Engagement Session

We don't write or talk too much about it due to unnecessary confusion for new clients, but...

Once upon a time, Simpkins Photography, formerly known as Innovative Imaging, was made up of two partners:  Ashley Daniel Simpkins (that's me!) and Andrea Simpkins Lavender.  We met in art school, became friends/lab partners, started a business, then I married her brother.  You know, the usual.  We were a dynamic business duo for 2 great years.  Then came along our sweet nephew, (Andrea's son) Eli, which prompted Andrea to opt out of the business to spend more time with her little man.  Her shoes were somewhat filled by Bryan (my husband, her brother), bringing us up to speed on Simpkins Photography history.  As you can see, when we say we're a family business, we mean the WHOLE family participates at some point in a jumbled web of Simpkins/Daniel/Lavender mass confusion.  ;-)

Having said ALL that, we now have the story of Lauren and Jeff.  This is one of two couple that were "Andrea Clients" that I did not work directly with during their wedding contract duration.  However, we have since done work with their beautiful daughter, but more on that another day... 

Lauren and Jeff's engagement session was strictly studio.  Andrea got some great serious shots, followed by the customary "cracking up" laughter that tends to follow.  The couple also brought along their pretty parakeet, Chicken.  Check out some of my faves from the Lile-Larkin engagements, and keep reading for more on their wedding in the coming entries!

Holly + Tim 03.29.08

We met Holly & Tim Noles through a friend referral from TNT Fireworks in Florence, AL.  The couple met and fell in love like many people do; in the office!  Holly has been one of our more bubbly brides.  She was always smiling and excited about everything from our very first meeting.  Tim took the typical "strong silent approach" that most grooms tend to follow, letting his leading lady run the show.

And what a show it was!  The wedding was held in the courtyard and ballrooms of historic Montgomery Place in Sheffield, AL.  Holly's vibrant personality was reflected in the bright pink and orange color scheme.  The radiant colors sure helped bring the feeling of sunny spring into an otherwise rainy afternoon.  We made it through the outdoor ceremony (barely) before the rain rushed in. 

Fortunately, guests were able to dance the night away at the indoor reception.  More personal flair added to the day was Holly & Tim's choice of a catered taco bar from the favorite local restaurant.  The couple and their guests continued the dancing, dining, and toasting festivities into the evening, ending with a special fireworks exit on a vintage get-away truck. 

Congrats to Holly & Tim on their 3 year anniversary!

Katie + Justin - Engagement Session

Bryan and I are probably closer to this couple than any other clients we have.  Katie and I have been friends since we were 7.  When we met Justin, we knew she'd finally met her match.  The two had been friends for years, so after they started dating, it didn't take Justin too long to pop the question.  About an hour after he did, Katie was standing in my foyer jumping up and down showing off her new ring.

Knowing the couple would have a destination wedding, they wanted something a little more personal for their engagement session.  We chose the Forks of Cypress as our location.  The ruins of this old plantation are within view of Katie's family farm.  We decided to have an autumn session so we could take advantage of all the foliage colors in the huge surrounding trees.  We also enjoyed catching the cotton before it was cut.

We had a great afternoon session.  The hardest part of the day was trying to keep serious faces during some of their pictures.  I'd have Katie and Justin look at each other, then 10 seconds later both would be laughing to the point of tears.

I've posted some of my favorites, along with their Engagement ArtBook slideshow.  More about Katie and Justin's beach wedding coming soon!

To see in HD, visit us on Facebook or YouTube!

Olivia + Michael 03.28.09

We met Olivia and Michael Chilton at our first visit to the WZYP Bridal Fair in early January of 2008.  At the time, we were still new to the Huntsville market, having done most of our work in Florence (my home town) or Auburn, where Bryan and I lived right after we got married.

So, the Chilton Wedding was our first experience shooting at Monte Sano.  Despite the bare trees still left from a cold winter, the views were breath-taking.  We did all the pictures before hand, starting with walking the grounds with the happy couple.  They were so awesome to work with.  You couldn't find two nicer people.  Even though storm clouds were rolling in, neither of them cared as long as they left The Lodge as husband and wife.

We made it through the outdoor pictures before the rain hit.  The Lodge offered plenty of room for guests to mingle without getting drenched.  One of the main things I remember from their reception is how kid-friendly Olivia had made the event.  She had special tables set up for her son and the other children, including activities to do throughout the evening. 

Overall, a beautiful (but rainy) first experience at a new location with some great people.  What more could a photographer ask for?

Melanie + Tommy 05.17.08

Melanie and Tommy Paone have been Simpkins Photography clients since 2008.  Originally commissioned for their wedding, we've gone on to photograph their son, Caden, as well.  More on cutie Caden next time...

The Paones were married in a beautiful May ceremony at St. Mary of the Visitation Catholic Church.  The reception followed at the Huntsville Museum of Art.  Melanie's mother managed to snag the coolest car to date for Melanie and Tommy's grand exit from the museum.  You've gotta love their expressions of excitement riding away from their waving guest...

Melanie and Tommy wanted some special images to remember their wedding day.  Understanding the limitation of their time at each venue and wanting something outdoors, they were the first couple to take us up on our "Romance Session."  This sessions is designed as a private photo session of the couple at a location of their choosing, not necessarily at their wedding venue(s).  For their Romance Session, Melanie and Tommy opted to go to Big Spring Park after leaving their reception.  We spent about a hour walking with the couple, letting them get comfortable and relax without an audience.  I think the results were absolutely worth the effort.  We got some great locals that could not be accomplished during a typical church wedding.

The image on the Embassy bridge was showcased as our Signature Canvas at several bridal shows before being retired to my office.  It has become our most requested shot for brides in the Huntsville area.

See their wedding album slideshow!

To see in HD, visit us on Facebook or YouTube!