Kristen Lunceford Photography

I Moved!

I'm blogging exclusively now over at www.kristenlunceford.com, so please join me there from here on out!

 

Amelia Grace Valeria

She was born on the 4th of July last year in Colombia, and my sister-in-law and brother-in-law adopted her in Bogota this spring. She is squishy and sweet like a Cabbage Patch doll, and our family is crazy smitten for her. She's loved and lovely, and I get to be her aunt because God is rad like that. 

 “It may take place in a foreign land or it may take place in your backyard, but I believe that we were each created to change the world for someone. To serve someone. To love someone the way Christ first loved us..."

{Katie Davis}

Oh, Amelia, I'll eat you up--I love you so! Mmmwaaah.

 

Las Vegas Vow Renewal: Tim + Jen

 I love what my friend Bo Stern says about wedding vows:

"Vows aren’t perfect and they aren’t even-steven, but they are strong and real. They’re as strong as you’re willing to live them and as strong as the God who heard you say them. One day you’ll see a young, healthy couple make their promises, dressed in white. You will think about how they have all their days ahead of them and your heart will do a little squeeze because you remember that very moment in your life when the future stretched out so wide. But here’s the thing: you won’t envy them. Because you’ll know what you have is proven and true. It’s made of long nights and hard fights and a lot of giving when it seemed there was nothing more to give. In a world that is more comfortable with quitting than sticking, you will discover that the truest joy is not found in the shallows, but out in the deep."

Tim & Jen have lived most of their twenty years of marriage "out in the deep" and wouldn't dream of trading what they've forged together in that time for another shot at young love, which is one reason why they decided to renew their wedding vows in the Calico Basin last week. Jen's dad officiated the intimate ceremony in much the same way he did twenty years ago, only this time he enlisted the help of Tim & Jen's three sons. It was sweet and sincere with a side of...dancing! Here's a little preview...

 What a legacy!

Happy Anniversary, you guys. Here's to twenty more...

 

 

Click here to view their complete gallery

 

Las Vegas Portraits: Jodie

Jodie needed some headshots for her work with Dream Racing, but she kept putting off contacting a photographer because she's a bit camera shy. I promised to make it fun and painless for her, and just look at how great she did!

Jodie, you are one cool cat. I can't wait to meet the rest of your family soon!

Las Vegas Engagement Photos: Anarae + Brandon

Photoshoots should be fun, which is why I asked Brandon and Anarae to meet me at my favorite wine bar for their engagement shoot. :-)

Here's a preview of what went down...

Keep making each other laugh like this, you guys, and June will be here before you know it. 

Heaps of congrats!Want to see more? Ok! Click here to go to the full gallery. 

 

Las Vegas Wedding Photos: Dave + Tiegra

Of course a girl named Tiegra Boots would grow up to marry a Shumaker. I mean, come on! It's too perfect...kinda like their wedding day.

Tiegra kept a journal while she and Dave were dating and gave it to me to give to him to read while he waited for her to arrive for their first look. Best time killer ever! 

My favorite wedding moment is always this one.

Dave was one of the first people to join our church's launch team in February 2011 when it was only a few people meeting in our living room, so it was special to see him married at Advance Church almost exactly three years later. :-)

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Las Vegas Family Photos: The Scotts

Mavin and her dog, Teddy, have a way of stealing the show. Last year they ended up featured on The Indie Tot blog thanks to this eyefull of adorableness...

  And this year? Yep.

All right, guys, here's the deal: Since you up and moved to Nashville, you are going to have to fly me out there next year, m'kay? ;-)

Happy New Year!

 

Las Vegas Family Photos: Miss McKenna & Family

Is it weird that I was concerned about what my hair looked like heading to this photoshoot? I guess not when you consider that I was meeting up with my amazeballs hairdresser and her family. :-) Lauren and Ben's daughter, McKenna, was born last December and I couldn't have been more excited to finally lay eyes on her and squeeze these cheeks! Enjoy this quick preview of her very first shoot...

Las Vegas Family Photos: The De Albas

This time last year I told you how purchasing shaving gel always reminds me of my childhood friend, Sara. Well, this year the childhood friend is Coral and the random reminder is cleaning the bathroom sink. 

As was the case with Sara, Coral and I spent more than 20 hours a week training together as competitive gymnasts in Santa Barbara and nearly as many hours every month trying to convince our parents to let us have sleepovers. For some reason Coral's dad (who I always thought looked like Mel Gibson) would never let us do anything until Coral cleaned her bathroom. I remember helping her frantically scrub the sink so we could get on with life already, and I am reminded of it every. single. time I bust out the Comet in my kids' bathroom. Truly. My first thought is always, "Why am I doing this? Coral's dad made her do this, I really need to start making my kids do this." It's a ridiculous memory, I know, but it's a comforting one, too. It reminds me that though my childhood was rife with flaws, it was also exceedingly full of wonderful people who I'm still tethered to in fun and familiar ways. 

So when Coral contacted me about meeting up for photos just few days before she planned to be in Vegas, how could I not find time to make some new memories with her and her majorly adorable family?

Thankfully, we didn't have to check with our parents first... 

 

Las Vegas Family Photos: The Fentons

This wee mister...

...would not stop hugging me during his family's shoot! Totally smitten, that one. He was the sweetest and even told me he loved me (blush)! I photographed Ruben three years ago when he was still in his momma's tummy and again last year with his big brother, Lincoln. I had a blast reconnecting with them and seeing how much they've grown (in size and, apparently, in love for me. Hehehe).

Enjoy this preview of their cuteness...   

Have a happy Thanksgiving, you guys! Thanks for being so totally great to meet up with every year. :-)