Mark + Madi | Fun and Playful Engagement Photos in Amarillo, Texas

Just know that if you decide to book your engagement/wedding photos with me, I’m definitely going to make you hug, kiss, and cuddle, and I might even make you dance in the street or run down the road holding hands with each other. Fair warning! Madi and Mark were one of my most FUN couples to date! I never had to prompt them to laugh at each other or giggle. It was so natural for them. Their smiles, their hugs are genuine and they come from a place of pure love for each other. They are best friends. They went along with all of my crazy plans and had a great time while doing it.

EngagementsKayla SmithJuly 15, 2019engaged, engagement, love, couple, photographer, amarillo, downtown, palo duro canyonComment

Seth + Jayla | Traditional and Elegant Wedding at St. Mary's Cathedral in Amarillo

Seth and Jayla are really the loveliest, sweetest people and I feel lucky that they chose me to take their wedding photos. And not only are they sweet, but their family and friends are spectacular. They had some of the nicest bridesmaids and groomsmen that I’ve encountered in the many weddings that I’ve photographed. It’s no wonder they invited over 400 people to their wedding! They are loved by many.

WeddingsKayla SmithJuly 6, 2019amarillo, texas, photographer, wedding, catholic, bride, groom, wedding photographerComment

Belle | Palo Duro Canyon Head shots

Gosh, this girl is so pretty! She is graduating from West Texas A&M University this December so she did a graduation/head shot session with me. She needed some fresh head shots because she is leaving for Los Angeles after graduation where she is moving to go to film school and pursue a career in acting. She told me she wants to start out in commercials. I hope these pictures will help get her where she wants to go!

SeniorsKayla SmithNovember 7, 2017palo duro canyon, graduate, college senior, west texas a&m university, west texas, photographer, modelComment

Rachel + Matt | Engagement Session at Texas Tech University

I first met Rachel a few months ago when she booked me for her upcoming wedding and the first time I met Matt was during their engagement session. When I saw them together I instantly knew that they fit perfectly together. I mean, just look at them! Matt is from all over the United States but he moved to Lubbock to accept a job at Texas Tech's library. He then met Rachel at church and they fell in love.

EngagementsKayla SmithNovember 6, 2017engagements, wedding, engagement photos, texas tech, texas, couple, love, autumn, fall, photographer, lubbockComment

Channing + Josiah | Spirit Ranch Wedding in Lubbock, Texas

The night before Channing and Josiah's wedding their pastor got a text from a friend because God told him that peacocks would be a sign of the Holy Spirit for him. That friend didn't know that the next day the pastor would be performing a ceremony at Spirit Ranch - a venue known for its flock of peacocks that roam the grounds. During their wedding ceremony they chose to spend time in worship, right before officially becoming husband and wife.

WeddingsKayla SmithJuly 22, 2017wedding, wedding dress, lubbock, lubbock wedding, photographer, bride, groom, weddings, wedding photographer, love, couple, marriedComment

Amy + Ross | First Christian Church & McPherson Cellars Wedding in Lubbock

I could go on and on about how much I love this couple. Just one example of how sweet and amazing they are: Amy texted me the morning after her wedding to say thank you. That one text totally exemplifies how Amy and Ross live their lives - with love, kindness, and consideration for everyone around them. They really are perfect together and I know that they are going to do some amazing things in their marriage.

Sheridan + Jerry | Springtime Lubbock, Texas Engagement Photos

I knew I liked Sheridan and Jerry from day one. We met back in the fall when they booked me for their July 2017 wedding. The moment that Sheridan pulled out her wedding planning notebook was the moment that I knew I had found an ideal client and kindred spirit. She was so organized and on the ball! Being super Type A myself, it's fun to work with people that think like I do.

Ashley + John | Early Spring Engagement Photos at Texas Tech

I'm so glad that Ashley, John, and I were finally able to meet up and do their engagement session! I say "finally" because all of us kept switching the date back and forth. We couldn't seem to find a date that stuck due to weather, work schedules, my shooting schedule, etc. But finally! We made it work and it was so worth it.

Wedding Day Timeline Tips from a Wedding Photographer

Nothing can have a more drastic effect on a wedding day (negative or positive) than the way the timeline is laid out - and whether or not that timeline is adhered to. As a wedding photographer, I have seen first hand how a well-planned, spacious timeline allows me to create great photos and allows the bride and groom room to relax and breathe. I have also seen how cramped timelines that are more of an afterthought cause frenzied brides and grooms and missed photo opportunities.

Year in Review: Some of my favorite images from 2016

Holy cow, it's been an exciting year! This is the year that I finally started doing photography full-time without depending on income from another job. It's the year that Mason and I bought our first home (my office is no longer in the kitchen!) And it's the year that I shot 28 weddings and around 100 portrait sessions. To say that it's been sunshine and rainbows all year would be a lie, however. I've had many frustrations and difficult moments but it's all been worth it. I'm still ecstatic that I get to wake up every day and live this life.

PersonalKayla SmithDecember 21, 2016photographer, amarillo, texas, photo, wedding photographerComment

Samantha + Shane | Autumn Anniversary Photo Session

This fall anniversary session makes me want to cuddle up with a good book and some hot tea. But seriously. Aren't these two the cutest? Samantha and Shane recently moved to Amarillo from New Hampshire, where Samantha is from and where they got married last fall. Before they moved here, she had a plan to take one photo from each season of the first year of their marriage. She found me through one of my past clients and I am so glad she chose me to take their fall photo because meeting them and taking their anniversary photos has turned out to be one of my favorite shoots of the year.

EngagementsKayla SmithOctober 20, 2016anniversary, couple, married, fall, autumn, love, canyon, texas, photographerComment

Stacy + Zach | Trinity River Audubon Center Wedding | Dallas Wedding Photographer

Stacy and Zach planned the perfect wedding. Their Dallas affair at Trinity River Audubon Center is the perfect example of what happens when a bride carefully selects her vendors and then trusts them to execute her vision for her wedding day. The couple was able to enjoy their wedding day because they knew everything was taken care of.