Justin + Lisa | Warm Autumn Wedding at Starlight Canyon

I can’t believe this was my first wedding at Starlight Canyon! I love this place. It’s an oasis tucked into a canyon and it’s 360 degrees of natural beauty.

What I loved most about Lisa and Justin’s wedding was how relaxed it was. It was perfectly planned so the bride and groom could simply enjoy their day and the moments between each other and their family and friends. We had a ton of time to take pictures of Lisa and Justin after the family photos were done (can’t complain about that!). Once they entered their reception, they had their first dance outside while the sun was setting. After cutting their gorgeous cake, they danced and laughed for the rest of the night.

WeddingsKayla SmithNovember 15, 2019Comment

Brian + Aliese | Summertime Garden Wedding in Dumas, Texas

This wedding seriously had it all: a Volkswagen van photo booth, live chickens, tons and tons of orchids, a food truck, and sweet ceremony in a lush, butterfly-filled garden. I don’t think weddings get better than that. Brian and Aliese created a beautiful wedding but more importantly, they focused the day around joining their two families by keeping things relaxed and easy-going. They got married in the bride’s cousin’s beautiful backyard and the day was an intimate celebration with close friends and family.

WeddingsKayla SmithSeptember 6, 2019wedding, texas, bride, the knot, dumas, bridal, groom, marriedComment

Kaden + Averye | Glamorous Industrial Wedding at Kitalou Gin in Lubbock, Texas

To say that I was excited about Kaden and Averye’s wedding would be an understatement. For one thing, the two of them are absolutely adorable. They are high school sweethearts and they knew they would one day get married. After several years, they committed their lives to one another in front of 400 of their closest family and friends. They are loved by a lot of people and it’s not surprising.

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

Jeremy + Shelly | Intimate Wedding at First Presbyterian Church in Amarillo, Texas

This really is the year of the small, intimate wedding. Jeremy and Shelly’s wedding was simple but created with impeccable, meaningful details. Most of all, they wanted their day to be about them and the joining of their families. I love that Jeremy helped Shelly’s son Colin put on his tie and vice versa. A simple gesture filled with meaning.

WeddingsKayla SmithJune 22, 2019Comment

Tony + Lizzie | Sunrise Wedding in Palo Duro Canyon

I love that Tony and Lizzie kept their wedding day simple, sweet, and all about the most important thing: getting married. I love photographing weddings and all of the lovely little details but sometimes I think my industry has done a disservice to brides and grooms. There’s so much pressure for perfection and for everything to be over the top. I like it when a couple chooses to do what THEY want to do...not what Pinterest and all of social media tell them to do. Whether that means a big wedding or a small elopement, those are the best days.

WeddingsKayla SmithJune 22, 2019Comment

Jayla | Romantic Bridal Photos in Amarillo, Texas

I’m such a sucker for walls of green ivy, rose gardens, Tudor houses, and sweet brides. Jayla’s bridal photos at this house in Amarillo, Texas had all of this wrapped up into one beautiful package. I kept telling Jayla that this place was a playground for me and I had to rein myself back from shooting for hours upon hours (because I definitely could). It came to me at a time when I felt like I was in a rut, creatively speaking, and both Jayla and this place refreshed my creative spirit and breathed new life into me.

WeddingsKayla SmithJune 16, 2019Comment

Jake + Rebecca | Elopement at Texas Tech University

What a lovely pair <3

It had been a couple of years since I had taken pictures at Texas Tech University so I was so excited when Rebecca contacted me about shooting her elopement with Jake on campus in early May. They are both medical students and have been together for four years. I love that they chose to make their sweet, simple wedding ceremony all about their love together. It’s the best when a couple can relax on their wedding day. They simply showed up, took pictures, and started the rest of their lives together. It can be as easy as that.

WeddingsKayla SmithMay 14, 2019Comment

Alyssa | Bridal Photos at Joseph A. Hill Memorial Chapel

Alyssa is married so I can finally share her bridals! Unbelievable story: this was not the dress she got married in. Her original dress (not this one) was butchered during alterations (the hem and sleeves were literally cut off!). Her dream dress was ruined so she had to pick a new one (this one). But between her bridals and her wedding her talented mom took over and fixed her original dress! She was able to walk down the aisle in her dream wedding dress to her dream guy. What a story to tell.

WeddingsKayla SmithMay 3, 2019Comment

Planning for Stress-Free Family Photos on Your Wedding Day

Family portraits are such an important reminder of a wedding day but unfortunately, they can be one of the more stressful portions of the day. The last thing I want is for you to get the energy zapped out of you by family pictures (especially if bride and groom portraits are afterwards!). Here is my best advice for making sure family pictures go smoothly.

WeddingsKayla SmithFebruary 20, 2019wedding planning, wedding, wedding photographer, family photos, weddings, bride, groom, portraitsComment

Leah + Tristan | Elegant Wedding at St. Hyacinth in Amarillo

Man. This wedding.

This wedding gives me a lot of feelings, to say the least. I love how Leah put her wedding dress on in the living room of her childhood home. After which she pinned her dad’s boutonniere on and spent precious moments with her mom - those last few moments of her being their little girl, before they would give her away to Tristan. And after Tristan got ready he penned a letter to Leah, right before seeing her walk down the aisle.

WeddingsKayla SmithDecember 3, 2018Comment

Amber + Stetson | Classic Wedding at The Venue in Amarillo, Texas

I have been wanting to shoot a wedding at The Venue in Amarillo since it opened last year and I finally had my opportunity with Amber and Stetson’s wedding this fall! This wedding was chock full of greenery, orchids, crisps whites, a dinosaur (see photos below), and happy tears - seriously, there were bets going to see how many times Amber would cry happily. I think it ended up somewhere around 21 times.

WeddingsKayla SmithDecember 1, 2018Comment