Tyler + Karly | Anniversary Session at Columbia Riverwalk | Columbia SC Photographer

Columbia SC Photographer | Karly Richardson Anniversary Session | Lorin Marie Photography
Columbia SC Photographer | Karly Richardson Anniversary Session | Lorin Marie Photography

Tyler + Karly | Anniversary Session | Columbia Riverwalk Photography

These two are just one year into marriage but have years of friendship + dating one another to build upon. Karly Richardson is a sweet photography friend that I met last year and it has such a delight to get to know her and shoot alongside her at weddings. She had talked about really wanting some photos with Spanish moss gracing them and I told her I knew just the spot.

The Columbia Riverwalk (not to be confused with the West Columbia Riverwalk riverwalk) has several spots along the water that are dripping with that gorgeous Southern moss. As photographers, it can be somewhat daunting to be the one getting photographed, let alone photographing another photographer. Not the case for these two - all smiles, laughter, sweet embraces and picky holding (seriously, so adorable!). Get to know Tyler and Karly, and you'll get to see their heart for each other, the Lord, their family and others around them. To this wonderful couple, happy first anniversary!

Columbia SC Photographer | Karly Richardson Anniversary Session | Lorin Marie Photography
Columbia SC Photographer | Karly Richardson Anniversary Session | Lorin Marie Photography
Columbia SC Photographer | Karly Richardson Anniversary Session | Lorin Marie Photography
Columbia SC Photographer | Karly Richardson Anniversary Session | Lorin Marie Photography
Columbia SC Photographer | Karly Richardson Anniversary Session | Lorin Marie Photography
Columbia SC Photographer | Karly Richardson Anniversary Session | Lorin Marie Photography
Columbia SC Photographer | Karly Richardson Anniversary Session | Lorin Marie Photography
Columbia SC Photographer | Lorin Marie Photography
Columbia SC Photographer | Karly Richardson Anniversary Session | Lorin Marie Photography
Columbia SC Photographer | Karly Richardson Anniversary Session | Lorin Marie Photography
Columbia SC Photographer | Karly Richardson Anniversary Session | Lorin Marie Photography
Columbia SC Photographer | Karly Richardson Anniversary Session | Lorin Marie Photography
Columbia SC Wedding Photographer | Lorin Marie Photography
Columbia SC Photographer | Karly Richardson Anniversary Session | Lorin Marie Photography
Columbia SC Photographer | Karly Richardson Anniversary Session | Lorin Marie Photography
Columbia SC Photographer | Karly Richardson Anniversary Session | Lorin Marie Photography
Columbia SC Photographer | Karly Richardson Anniversary Session | Lorin Marie Photography
Columbia SC Photographer | Karly Richardson Anniversary Session | Lorin Marie Photography
Columbia SC Photographer | Lorin Marie Photography
Columbia SC Photographer | Lorin Marie Photography
Columbia SC Photographer | Lorin Marie Photography
Columbia SC Photographer | Lorin Marie Photography
Columbia SC Photographer | Lorin Marie Photography

Happy 12 months, Madison!

Madison's Monthly Highlights

Weight: Well, our little Cinco de Mayo baby has officially made it to the one-year mark! I am a little late in writing this because one-year-olds are constantly on the move, y'all. And it has been a overwhelming, incredible, amazing, exhausting and wonderful 12 months and counting! Maddie weighs over 21 pounds now - right at 21 pounds, 7 ounces at her last doctor's appointment. Although she isn't growing at quite the same rate as she had been a few months ago, she just looks more grownup. I still see some of her babyness when I look at her and then other times, I get a glimpse of the beautiful girl the Lord is growing and shaping her into.

Clothing: We do a lot of little dresses/boxy tops with leggings or bloomers underneath. She is starting to try helping to put her clothes on - so sweet. Unfortunately, bows are something she is more adamant about helping to pull off these days. But we're not giving up hope yet! One day, when she has more hair, the bow thing will stick! Madison still really likes to try putting on her little silver sandals, too.

Because it is sprummer weather here in Columbia (that would be not quite just spring, and not quite summer yet), I can't get too advantageous with layering like I want to. We have to make it lightweight and breathable around here!

Sleep: Still hovering between 10.5 and 11 hours a night with two naps during the day. Some teething has interrupted her sleep. She has not one, but two teeth now! Which is a big deal since up until this point, she had zero teeth. Now she smiles more with her mouth open and you can see those little pearly whites popping through.

Eating: Fruits, veggies, a little protein, grains and dairy are on constant rotation in our home. Maddie still loves munching on oatmeal for breakfast, diced pears and bits of cheese during the day, baked/smashed sweet potato and veggies for lunch or dinner. Goldfish crackers and these veggie puffs are her go-to snacks for at home and when we're on the go. We often have midday smoothie with spinach and yummy fruit and she is all about some watermelon slices! Also, she maaay have heard her first lick of ice cream not too long ago. And she had too much energy afterwards! Just from a little lick!

Personality: Madison is a little bundle of energy and joy. She is constantly laughing, smiling, babbling and giving hugs. It's funny that she didn't seem to like cuddling much when she was littler but she enjoys snuggling a lot now. She loves dogs as much as ever and still really likes to move - scootching, walking with her push walker, clapping her hands, shaking her head, bopping to music.

She may seem a little shy in larger groups or when we're in a store and someone stops to say hi, but she quickly warms up to others. Madison is really silly and loves it when Daddy and I try to "get her" by chasing her and trying to tickle her as she scootches away. Her wants/dislikes are becoming more vocalized as she figures out how to express something she sees, wants or doesn't want.

Madison is still a true adventurer but is still really content to sit and flip through the pages of her books for the afternoon. She is repeating a lot of the words I say and will give a big open mouth smile when she's really happy. One of the cutest things she does is peak around the corner from her play room into the living room, or in the kitchen, as if to say, "Peekabo!" Just the sweetest.

Firsts: She went to her very first baseball game with Daddy while I was shooting a wedding. Though they only stayed for part of it, Dean said she really liked cruising around the railing near where their seats were.

She had her first birthday celebration! We did a big Mexican fiesta theme - plenty of photos of her party to share soon! With that, she also had her first (healthy) homemade birthday cake.

She also went to her first Rhythm and Blooms night at the zoo. She loved bopping along to the live music and playing with our friends' kiddos that we shared picnic blankets with.

Madison also cruised through the kitchen and opened one of the cabinets while standing! I guess you could say it is time to babyproof :)

Likes: Balloons! As if the photos above weren't enough of a give away :) I surprised Madison with a big pile of pink balloons to play with on the morning of her birthday. That girl had so much fun grabbing them and watching them bounce in the air. Oh and candles! When I light a candle in the bathroom or on the table, Madison will drop whatever she is doing and scootch over so she can see the flame.

Her second main attraction right now is standing up with assistance and using her Fisher Price walker to walk through the house. She is pretty close to standing/walking by herself!
 

When she isn't zooming from room to room, she likes pulling things off of shelves, putting her books back on the shelf, rocking her car seat back and forth (as well as when she's in the car seat!), reading her books, play with her musical stuffed dog toy, dancing, making cute little sounds, lots of babbling, trying to climb our stairs (!!!!), hanging out on the front porch, tickle time/hugs with Daddy, taking baths, clapping to sign for more food, getting snacks out of her snack catcher and throwing them on the ground (we're working on this), talking to DaDa on the phone, cruising around from chair to table in the house and holding out my debit card to help pay whenever we check out!
 

Dislikes: If Dean or I leave the room for a minute, being told no, laying down for naptime, itchy skin and having her nose cleaned out.

What I want to remember: All of the sweet in between moments. Not just the big, showstopping ones but how it feels to snuggle Madison at naptime, how she giggles when we're playing and how blessed we are by God's precious gift in our lives.

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You may also like: Madison's 11-Month Highlights | Follow our daily adventures with #sweetmaddiegirlgram

The Prophet Family | Photos for Columbia | Saluda Shoals Park Photographer

Prophet Family Saluda Shoals Family Photos

Meet the Prophet family - Leonard, Vanessa and their fabulous children. Vanessa reached out to me after the flood as part of Photos for Columbia. It was delight to meet this beautiful family and see all the laughter, warmth and smiles they exude for life, and for one another.

We had a wonderful time exploring Saluda Shoals Park for their portrait session. Watching all the siblings hug, joke around and have fun with their parents was such a sweet sight. The bond they have as a family unit is truly a solid foundation, despite the bumps and curves and valleys that have come their way.

Though the rains came, and the flood waters rose, the Prophet family stood firm. What a fantastic thing to be able to look back and remember - how God was faithful in the midst of the storm!

Family portraits Saluda Shoals Park
Prophet Family Saluda Shoals Family Photos 2
Prophet Family Saluda Shoals Family Photographer
Photos for Columbia Saluda Shoals Family Photos
Family Photos Saluda Shoals Family Photos
Photos for Columbia | Lorin Marie Photography
Photos for Columbia | Lorin Marie Photography | Saluda Shoals Park
Photos for Columbia | Lorin Marie Photography
Saluda Shoals Park photographer | Lorin Marie Photography
Photos for Columbia | Lorin Marie Photography | Saluda Shoals Park
Photos for Columbia | Lorin Marie Photography
Photos for Columbia | Lorin Marie Photography
Photos for Columbia | Lorin Marie Photography
Photos for Columbia | Lorin Marie Photography
Photos for Columbia | Lorin Marie Photography
Prophet Family Photos Columbia SC-52.jpg
Photos for Columbia | Lorin Marie Photography
Photos for Columbia | Lorin Marie Photography
Photos for Columbia | Lorin Marie Photography
Photos for Columbia | Lorin Marie Photography | Family Portraits
Photos for Columbia | Lorin Marie Photography | Saluda Shoals Park photos
Photos for Columbia | Lorin Marie Photography
Photos for Columbia | Lorin Marie Photography | Columbia Family Photographer
Photos for Columbia | Lorin Marie Photography | Columbia Family Photographer
Photos for Columbia | Lorin Marie Photography | Columbia Family Photographer
Photos for Columbia | Lorin Marie Photography | Columbia Family Photographer
Prophet Family Photos Columbia SC-136.jpg

Happy 11 months, Madison!

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Daddy and baby
All images by Landon Jacob

Madison's Monthly Highlights

Weight: Our sweet little girl weighed 20 pounds, 6 ounces at her last trip to the doctor! Looking back at photos of her from just a couple months ago, I can already see how much she has lost some of her baby chub - and she didn't have much to begin with!

Clothing: Shoes are finally becoming more of a staple around here! It's the sweetest thing - Madison actually tried to put my black flats on her feet the other day. I later helped her put on my rain boots and they went all the way up to her thighs! Madison also reaches out and grabs at different things in her closet while I'm holding her. She seems to be getting the hang of this fashion thing :) And she is interested in keeping her own shoes on her feet. Win! She will also still (mostly) tolerate wearing headbands and bows on her head, although she almost always has it off when we come to pick her up from the church nursery. And, one shoe off. So a 50/50 win I should say!

Sleep: Getting her first ear infection and her first little tooth sprouting through definitely put a damper on sleeping well this past month. Poor baby! Mamas, isn't it just so heartwrenching when your baby is in pain and you can't just POOF and fix the issue?? Needless to say, Madison was extremely fussy when I would lie her down to change her, or for her nap, which led us to realize there may be a problem. After her ear infection healed (praise the Lord!), she has gotten back into the swing of things with taking 2 naps each day and sleeping well at night. And actually, our little night owl apparently would like to hit the hay sooner so we are trying to get her bedtime routine (starting with a bath!) started a little earlier than we used to.

Family session photo
Family session Columbia SC

Eating: Mealtimes and snack times are still fun! And adventurous! Actually, Madison started indicating that she would like to feed herself with a spoon. (Where did my little teeny baby go?!) So we preloaded some apple sauce and let her go for it. A very messy experience but she definitely gets the idea to pick up the spoon and put it in her mouth. Melting my heeeeart.

She is also eating more of what Dean and I eat at dinner instead of just purees or finger foods. She has tried bites of meatballs and roasted potatoes among other things. I also stopped shredding her cheese because girlfriend was getting a little too excited and orange bits were raining down from her high chair. So cheese cubes are the newest thing! Madison is also really starting to get the hang of using her tumbler cup with a straw from her Easter basket. And just the other day, she wanted to drink the smoothie herself. (What can I say - it's hard to let go!) So she is becoming very independent and great at feeding herself.

Personality: The picture below sums Maddie up pretty well :) A joyful, giggling, playful little girl who loves her Daddy (and Mama) very much. And DOGS. And BALLOONS. Y'all, I think a dog-shaped balloon might even be too much for this little child to handle! If she even thinks she hears our neighbors' dogs bark, she will stop what she's doing, look and listen to hear more "Woof woof!" So sweet.

Madison has also been loving playing with other little friends whenever we get the chance! She squeals and waves hi with other boys and girls. Just the sweetest thing. She also looooves to move! Whenever we pick her up from the nursery at church or from a play date, people will tell us about her dance moves and shimmying shoulders. A few of her musical toys will get her dancing, although not to every song they play. Just a few specific ones with the good beats. Her daddy is proud :)

This past month has also been more trying as Madison has wanted to do more things her way or when she wants to do them, which obviously cannot be most/all of the time when you are only 11 months old. (If only she would see it from our perspective, right?) I am so thankful for the wisdom in God's Word and a Moms' Bible Study at church that points us to the Lord for His help and discernment with parenting up our child in the way she should go.

Firsts: The first time she helped put her toys away - oh goodness, it was adorable to see! She has really gotten the hang of it when I tell her, "Say bye-bye to your toys. Let's put them away." Plus, she takes off her books from the shelf just to put them back, it seems.

She also has shown her first signs of being a great little helper, even trying to put food from the grocery cart onto the belt at checkout yesterday :)

Madison started officially cruising along her crib in April. She is almost able to pull herself up from sitting, and is still scooching more than crawling, but she can get already pretty quickly these days. I actually opened the front door to take something outside and she almost made her way outside before I turned back around!

And her first little tooth is coming in! Yay and painful.

Also, she pushed her Fisher Price walker by herself and she can push the buttons to change the colors of her light-up lady bug without assistance.

Daddy airplane with baby

Likes: She kind of discovered her nose recently so she loves to breathe in and out really loudly and try to poke around in it. She also is still pointing at all kinds of things, waving a lot, giving kisses to said doggies in the books we read (it is JUST as cute as it sounds!), standing up with assistance, taking steps while we hold her hands. She is helping put her clothes/shoes on, clapping her hands, dancing, exploring more of the house, trying to open kitchen cabinets, pulling things off shelves and playing peekaboo a ton. Bath time and when Daddy comes home are still two highlights of each day :)

Dislikes: Being told no, laying down for naptime, itchy skin and having her nose cleaned out.

 

What I want to remember: It all! How precious each moment is with her and the memories our family is making in the day-to-day living together. It's been an incredible 11 months and we can't wait to celebrate our little burrito baby with a Cinco de Mayo fiesta!


You may also like: Madison’s 10-Month Highlights | Follow our daily adventures with #sweetmaddiegirlgram

 

Advice for Brides: How to stay organized while planning your wedding

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                                                             Image from Southern Weddings Shop

Would you say you're big picture kind of girl? Or one who loves the little details?

Obviously you need both the small elements and larger frame of things to come together when planning your wedding. And whether you identify with the first or second description, there is a way to stay organized during your engagement and now want to pull your hair out!

I am definitely constantly looking at things from the macro perspective and this could not have been more apparent when we planned our wedding in 2013. When Dean proposed, I immediately because crazy obsessed with finding the perfect wedding venue - and photographer - such that I totally neglected the other, smaller details that also needed to be discussed and dealt with simultaneously during that time.

Having a fiance who is the opposite of you - in case, Dean is really, really great with all things details! - really helps to keep you on track. And having one place to store all your dogeared magazine pages, fabric swatches, receipts, timeline and vendor info.

Enter The Southern Weddings Planner.

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                                                             Image from Southern Weddings Shop

Isn't she pretty??

Where was this when I needed it? Instead of a sleek, prepared gold and white binder, picture more of a watercolor mix of pinks, purples and blues with a painted cursive F for Fairweather on the front and you'll have an idea of what I came up and really loved using. However, if the SW Planner had been thought up, designed and for sale at the time of our engagement, I would have bought it faster than you can blink. And it would have saved me so much time and energy that I could have put into my planning my wedding, instead of designing a binder to fit my needs.

The planner is a perfect place to write down your weddings dreams and watch them turn into a reality. Not only will this beautiful binder help you stay organized and on track through the planning process, there is tons of incredible inspiration tucked throughout. Just a few of the meaningful wedding and marriage planning sections include:

First Steps After You Get Engaged
Planning for Your Ceremony
Dress Shopping Journal
The Gracious Southern Bride

Anniversary Gift Guide
Marriage Planning

If you don't already have a physical way to organize your wedding details and the big picture of the day, hop on over to Southern Weddings and order your planner! P.S. Check out my Instagram post for a fun Southern Weddings Planner giveaway!

I'd love to know - for all my engaged readers (or now married readers), what has been your favorite aspect of your wedding - or marriage - to plan for?