You've been looking forward to these photos for weeks.
I'd been looking forward to this wedding for several long months + one even longer year.
(I know you feel me, R+D.)
And over the course of that time, I'd been turning around some very important questions in my brain since Rachel and Dalton booked me for their destination wedding to New Orleans.

Because I promised the bride I'd post the first look next.
But it can't be distilled down to one image.
Enter: the pretty snippet edition of Dalton and Rachel's glorious weddin' day this last weekend.
Tadaaaaa!

Sit tight—it only gets better from here.

Richie and Alex. Alex and Richie. They've got quite a lot to smile about, I'd say.

I love wedding enquiries that start off with something à la "we don't know when and we don't know where"...

Click to see what happens when a senior sesh turns modeling fun.

The only thing better than photographing Elle, is getting the chance to do it twice.

Anyone wanting a winter session, you can now thank Veronica and Cody for showing me how stupidly sweet they can be.
 

I’m gonna let you in on a little secret.
Ever wondered how my best weddings earn their title?

I'm about to hit PUBLISH.
I'm about to post a social media preview to direct traffic.
And I'm about to publicly share this little gem of a blog post with the world.
With you!
(Hello, gorgeous.)

There will forever be a before and an after.
A time prior to Paula, and the life following, having lived 6 months of it out of a van in New Zealand.

Maybe it's because it's December 1st today. 
Perhaps the "winter scented" candle I've got burning next to me also has something to do with it. 
But I haven't really felt the holiday holidazzle until just now.

How do you know when you reallyreallyreally love a session?
We're going to figure this out in an organized, scientific manner.