Goodbye Katie!

Isn't it funny, so much is happening in Missouri, the United States, and the world in which we live -- and yet the buzz is Katie Couric's departure from the Today Show!

We must confess, we will tape Wednesday's Today Show so we can watch the highlights of her 15 years on tv. We counted on her to be there for the wake up and get out the door television coverage, laughs, tears and personality plus. And, yes, we will even be a little bit sad. Meredith Viera is going to have huge shoes to fill.

Goodbye Katie!

Let them eat cake

Let them eat cake?? Wedding cake is the sweet display at a wedding reception, always anticipated--- sometimes disappointing. Chocolate? Marble? Vanilla? Filled? The sentiment behind cake is that the newlyweds life would be as sweet as the cake they eat at their wedding reception. (If this is true, what does it say when they smash cake up each others noses and all over their face? No telling!)

We always recommend starting with the recommendation of a friend, and then always have a tasting at bakeries. Choose to sample what you like, and start from there. Many wedding couples are selecting cakes that look like the wedding dress, the cake might have elements of lace, or buttons, or the shape itself. A cake should LOOK great, but it is always nice when it tastes great too. Start with photos that you bring the baker, they will have a collection of some of their prettiest cakes but if you bring some examples yourself you will be able to narrow down your choices a bit more easily.

Save the top tier? A poll of our recent brides say that they don't really care about this time honored tradition, eating the top layer of their cake on their first anniversary just doesn't seem to have the charm it used to. Ask your baker how best to preserve your cake top for best taste and texture if you do choose to save your cake tier. Otherwise, you will end up disappointed that you wasted all of that freezer space for a year only to eat really awful cake.

Many cities have some great small bakers, and independents-- give them a try. The same rules hold, taste first before ordering your wedding cake. Google and small newspapers are a great springboard to find hidden treasures of bakers.

Our cake choice is anything under a layer of really good buttercream frosting! It is a rare wedding when we don't make our way to the cake table and have a taste.......... only to be able to fully capture the special event of course!

Happy Memorial Day

Happy Memorial Day!

Enjoy your day of (if you are lucky enough to have one), your barbeques (did someone say pork steaks?), friends and family. But sometime today, please stop for a moment and say a sincere "thank you" to our American Veterans and Servicemen and women who have given so much to our country.

Angel & Sean

A beautiful bride, a handsome groom, and wonderful families-- those were the players gathered at the Jewel Box Saturday for a lovely wedding. Sean and Angel were not only glowing on the outside, but genuinely warm and kind on the inside-- what a pleasure to photograph!

From the moment Maddie, the adorable flower girl had to be escorted down the aisle by her grampa to the pronouncement by Reverend Cathey, it was a lovely ceremony, the pink and blue hydrangeas in the Jewel Box were a fitting tribute to this great bride and groom. Even in the sweltering heat of St. Louis we all had a great time taking photos in Forest Park before the reception.

Congratulations to a wonderful couple, may all your days be full of light and love!

Turner, Fraley & Long

Turner, Fraley & Long are St. Louis's newest contemporary gospel group and Bobbi Brinkman Photography was honored to work with them Friday on their CD promotional shoot. The guys have amazing voices and are extremely talented--- and a lot of fun as well! Laughter was definitely the order of the day, but these three men are serious about their music, and it shows. We will be looking forward to the release of their much anticipated CD.

No doubt we'll see them collecting their Dove awards in the near future! St. Louis is ready to share this talent with the world!

We had a blast TFL, thanks for including us!

A Sweet Affair

A Sweet Affair it was indeed! Last weekend we were blessed and honored to photograph an absolutely lovely garden wedding. The setting was lush and green, the bridal party was excited, and the parents and grandparents were so proud! Melissa's brother and his wife had joined our bridal family a few years ago so of course we were thrilled to be able to participate in another joyous event! Casey and Melissa made an otherwise gray day sparkle with their love and enthusiasm. After the wedding we all had a really great time taking photos around St. Louis--- and the rain held off!

Thanks to this great family and this loving couple to allow us once again to capture their special event with "Images from the Heart..."

On Saturday, we will be capturing memories on this Memorial Day weekend for Sean and Angel, it is sure to be a gorgeous day!

Welcome to the family!

Welcome to the wedding family!

One of the happiest things we get to do at Bobbi Brinkman Photography is to welcome new brides and grooms to our wedding family. The entire staff welcomes Melissa and Ben! We're very excited that they have honored us by allowing us to photograph their wedding with
"Images from the Heart..." Melissa and Ben are a wonderful couple, fun-enthusiastic- and really down to earth.

We can't wait for your very special day!!!!!!!!

Details matter

The little things........

Our brides say it's all about the dress-
Our grooms say it's all about the bride!
(Well the smart ones do anyway!)

Some couples say it's the flowers, or the church. It is not uncommon to see an element such as the lace on the wedding dress, or the color of the bridesmaids dresses to be repeated on the wedding cake, or even the sashes on the chairs at the reception. There are plenty of brides who with their Mom's or their attendants craft unique table favors, gifts, or even CD's of the couples favorite music. Chocolates or candies handmade in shapes of the brides choosing. Destination wedding brides almost always put together a wonderful collection of goodies personalized by wedding and location for their out of town guests.

Whatever answer comes up the truth is that the details can absolutely make the wedding. It all adds up to the overall look, a statement about the bride and groom and their personalities. We always encourage brides and grooms to look at a variety of bridal magazines both national and local and cut out ideas to make a scrapbook of things they like, and then make details their own by personalizing them.

Almost all weddings have a theme based on their last name, their hobbies or a color or flower.
Carry an element through your day, repeat your statement--- that's advise from all the wedding professionals.

Bobbi Brinkman Photography will capture your details in images that when viewed after the wedding add up to show off all of the hard work, the dreams, and the blissful visions of bridal couples and their families.

Go ahead......... surprise us with your details! We'll be watching!

A fine day

It is a fine day for:

Celebrating the Weekend

Working in the garden

Going to the Zoo

Having a Barbeque

Playing ball with the kids

Walking the dogs

The staff at Bobbi Brinkman Photography will be enjoying the day with Melissa and Casey as they get married! We're keeping our fingers triple crossed that the weather holds and they enjoy their very special day.

Whatever your plans are for the day, enjoy it and remember it is a fine day to bless others with your kindness and generosity.

Graduation Season

Graduation Season is upon us!

We've been blessed to capture a number of great seniors this year from all over the St. Louis metro area-- thanks for the privilege!

We send congratulations to all of the seniors who will be graduating over the next couple of weeks along with our best wishes for success, health, and happiness in your future!

Sparkle!

Sparkle..........

Joy..............

Happiness...................

Escape..............................




Another destination wedding--thanks to Jen and Mark! Will it be as great as Key West the first time? We will let you know! I can tell you this, Tina has already gone on record to say that she won't be going to the church on the back of a scooter (in a dress---- eeeeeeeeeeeeeeek!~)

For our wonderful brides who are planning their local St. Louis weddings, we look forward to those just as much, after all it isn't the location you choose but the love that inspires...... and you all inspire us!

Happy Mother's Day!!

Happy Mother's Day!!!

To Mother's everywhere (and mother's to be) we send blessings! You've given without expectations, you've loved without counting the cost, and you've been there for your children (and even the neighborhood kids) in good times and in bad---- you are the definition of the phrase "the hand that rocks the cradle rules the world"!

* Bobbi's Mom Jeanetta was on TV last week! She was on an episode of "Show Me St. Louis", she and her friends were in a tour of local candy shops (and a chocolate martini bar, need we say more?) She was so funny when she told the host Heidi that she couldn't eat her chocolate samples because her Weight Watcher leader might be watching (wink wink).



Hope our favorite Mothers have a fabulous day!!!! (Now, don't forget to call your Mama!)

Tina shares...........

Sharing good things.........................

Tina somehow always gets to talking about entertaining, cooking or food with our clients (who always benefit!). Her latest creation is a peanut butter granola pancake recipe that has everyone raving. We've had two brides (and a studio owner) ask for her recipe this week so we'll post it here!

Maybe make up a batch for Mom this weekend!

Peanut Butter Granola Pancakes

1 1/4 cups flour (multigrain is awesome)
a handful of your favorite granola
2 tbs. sugar
2 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1 1/4 cups milk
3 tbs. melted butter
1 egg
1/4 cup peanut butter

Combine flour, sugar, granola, baking powder and salt.
Beat milk with egg and peanut butter until smooth.
Add to dry ingredients and mix just until moistened.
Lightly butter a hot griddle and spoon batter on with a ladle.
Cook until golden brown on both sides, top with a schmear of peanut butter and hot maple syrup.

ENJOY!

M is for Mia

M is for Mother when Sunday comes, but today, M is for Mia.
Another one of our fabulous bridal couples who are part of our family honored us by letting us capture newborn Mia. We've enjoyed photographing their incredible older kids for years now--- and welcoming Miss Mia is a pleasure indeed. She is quiet and sweet, soft and lovely. Can you believe all that hair?????

Maybe we can start a dating service, handsome Owen might be looking for a nice girl!

Blessings to you Mia!!!!!

ahhhhhhhhhh Youth!

The blessings of youth!

We are so honored at Bobbi Brinkman Photography to be able to capture the lives of families for all their special events: births, family portraits, children's milestones, weddings and more. It was a wonderful privilege to photograph the Seniors from Northwest High School as they attended their Prom. The gowns were lovely, the tuxedos were dashing--- and the students were just wonderful! The parents in attendance with cameras in hand had as much fun photographing the kids as we did!

It makes you understand that youth is a wonderful thing indeed! We only hope we are fortunate enough to be able to come full circle with these great young adults and capture their weddings when that time comes with "Images from the Heart..."

Congratulations Seniors!

Nothing like a baby...

Babies are such a blessing!

Babies are such a precious gift--

for their sweet smell & their tiny feet

their expressive hands

& the way they reflect love

and peace..................

Babies are a miracle...........

We were blessed to capture the new life of Owen last weekend, it was truly an honor. His parents belong to our family of brides and grooms so it was expecially wonderful to be able to continue to be a part of the life of this young family.

Owen was a delight, he has a sweet spirit and seems to take in everything and everyone around him, what lucky parents, grandparents, and extended family he has!

Love is...........

Love is:











Letting your Mother-In-Law to be choose your reception location

Letting your Father choose that cheesy song for your Father Daughter Dance

Letting your Brother bring his stupid girlfriend to the wedding

Letting your Sister say mean things about her Maid of Honor dress

Letting your Mom decide on a dress that shows her new butterfly tattoo

Letting your Uncle tell you that he thinks weddings are a waste of money

Letting your Bridesmaids throw you a couples lingerie shower

Letting your good sense decide on a new dining room set instead of a fancy honeymoon

---and most importantly, LOVE is knowing that in the long run, only you and the love of your life matter. The wedding will be lovely, it will celebrate your forever love and you will have the photographs to remember all the silly things that everyone else did on your very special day!

Kissin' Cousins

Family---- well at least Puppy Family! Hana and Prince (above of course) are happy, frisky puppies to be sure. They welcome their new 'cousin' who is absolutely adorable, isn't he? Becky had to put down her beloved Shadow a few weeks ago and it was a terribly sad time for us all. Being the dog lover she and her family are, it was time to open their hearts once again and find a new puppy to love. He gets to come home on the 8th and we don't know who is the most excited--- Becky's son Alex might be the prize winner of CAN'T WAIT! :) The photo comes from Danielle so we'd have to put her in the running as well. Hana and Prince are looking forward to seeing what trouble they can get into together, it may be a contest to see who can be the naughtiest. Bobbi says that Hana and Prince usually don't need any encouragement to get into trouble but this puppy may teach them a thing or two.

Have a great Wednesday!