The light we were gifted with during this engagement session was so yummy, I could just eat it with a spoon. You know, if you could do that. We shot this entire session on Patrice’s family’s property in Flower Mound, and we could have easily shot for another two hours without running out of beautiful backdrops. This precious couple is getting married in September at Delaney Vineyards, and we’re so excited to be there with them!

Who else wants to gank that adorable blue dress Patrice is wearing? *raises hand* She told me it was available in bright yellow… I’m gettin’ one!

During the second half of our session, we gained a bit of an audience… donkeys!

LOVE me some of this tree. I’m trying to convince Patrice to do bridals now, because MAN do I have some ideas for it.

SWEET!

You kids are so cute, and it was so much fun getting to know you better. We’ll be seeing you again before you know it!

Blogstalkers… the wait is over! Our Summer wedding season starts THIS weekend, and we’ll have all the pretties from Liesa & Rob‘s sure-to-be-fabulous wedding coming your direction next week. Get excited!

Enjoy some of our favorites!

This next shot is a strong contender for my favorite from the session…

BUBBLES!!

Nevermind what I said earlier… THIS shot is my favorite!!

Thank you, Wilson family, for coming out to play with us! Reagan is such a doll, and we hope you have a blast watching her grow this summer.

We sat next to our friends in really great seats at the Ballpark in Arlington. The kids were having a blast. And then, as predicted, the storm rolled in. Thunder and Lightning and RAIN like you wouldn’t believe. And over the next two hours, we watched people give up. They could see the same radar we could, but they just didn’t have faith it was going to happen. So through the entire rain delay, people slowly streamed out to the parking lot, their heads hung low, defeated.

And I know it’s silly… it’s just a baseball game, right? But I sat there in the rain, wrapped in a plastic poncho with my husband and our kids and our dear friends, and I thought about what a striking metaphor that is. All around us, people gave up, and assumed the night was over. But not us. We sat there in the rain, knowing that when the storm cleared, we were going to have a perfect view of an amazing ballgame.

And we were right.

When the storm cleared… and it did… we were sitting there nice and cozy, enjoying our hot dogs. We were there until the game ended past midnight, cheering the Rangers to a decisive victory. We were there until 1 a.m., when we finally made it out to our car after the fireworks show. We dragged the kids in the house at 2:30 a.m., after we sang Texas Country music all the way home to keep each other awake.

We could have stayed home. We could have given up when we were cold and wet. We could have given up hope that we’d be able to have the fun night at the ballpark that we wanted. But we didn’t. We stuck it out, because that’s the kind of people we are. And when the storm cleared, we had the kind of amazing night that I hope sets the standard for an incredible summer to come.

Thank you to our friends The Bergs for taking us to the game. We’re more and more grateful for your friendship with each passing visit, and so excited for the adventures we have planned in the near future!

Kerri & Garrett are such wonderful parents already, and Brye is a beautiful little boy. I know he’ll never want for love or attention… and really, isn’t that all a boy needs?

The more of these sessions I shoot, the more drawn I am to natural, real feeling images. I’m not quite there yet, but I like where I’m going. Especially when I catch HILARIOUS faces like the one Brye made in this next shot.

Kerri, you’re such a beautiful mama!

Welcome to the world, baby Brye! We’ve all been so excited to meet you, and now I can’t wait to watch you grow up!

Today, we’re sharing some of our favorite images from a session we photographed for Mari & Nathan late last week. Mari is a Midland-area photographer, and we’ve been e-friends for a couple of years. When she said she wanted to drive in for a McG session with her beloved husband, I was so thrilled! And then, when I saw what she bought for herself to wear during the session??? Well, I admit, I squealed with joy.

We’ll start with some of the more simple images from the session. I hear it said all the time that photographers are like barefoot cobblers… we spend all our time giving people pictures of themselves together, and we rarely have any good ones of ourselves! Mack and I have prioritized fixing that this year, and we’re so glad we could help Mari & Nathan rectify their situation as well.

I kind of adore these next few images. I promise, there’s no Photoshop trickery darkening the edges of that tree tunnel… it was just that dark in the forest, and that bright in the clearing. MAGIC!

Are you ready for a heaping spoonful of fabulosity?? This giant pink tutu that Mari bought is my new dream outfit. NEED ONE.

Gawwwwgeous! Love!

Mari & Nathan, thank you so much for making the long drive in terrible weather to come out to play with McG. If we ever have the misfortune to be in the Permian Basin again, you can bet we’ll call you to return the favor!

So, no baseball tonight and that’s kind of a bummer. But if a Friday like this is when life DOESN’T work out? Yeah… I have nothing to complain about.

Have a fantastic weekend, kids. This is our last weekend off for a while, and you can bet we’ll be enjoying it!

And once we decided that, well, we knew exactly who to call. Our dear friend Michael, of JMH Photo, travels more than just about anyone I know, and in his day job as a travel agent, he takes great pride in sending people on their “trip of a lifetime”. He has graciously agreed to put together a guest blog for us, and we (also graciously, I like to think) dug out this super-hilarious picture of him to share again with the world.

Take it away, Mike!

One of my passions is travel. I love to travel. I love seeing happiness in the lives of others who travel. It’s rater contagious actually. When my friends go somewhere fun and exotic, I can’t wait to hop on Facebook to see their trip captured in still shots and video clips. As a travel agent, I highly encourage my clients to document their trip, even if it is only for their own benefit. Years later they will look back on a time when they were madly in love, vacationing on their dream getaway.

Now, you might be wondering – “How can I make this my story?” The following post will guide you in the right direction.

When Chelsea asked me to guest post for THE McG blog, I basically flipped. I am so very excited to share with you my passion for the wonderful world of travel, exotic destinations, and creating love milestones for your future life with your honey.

Location, location…Oh look! Something shiny!

How can we get there?

First, let me say, congratulations on getting to this point in your life. Because McG is the name for weddings, my focus in this blog post is honeymoon travel. However, my agency plans trips for couples at all stages of their relationship. If you want to celebrate your 1-year anniversary or a fun, relaxing transition into retirement, each trip can be tailored to your individual needs.

Have you been reading your favorite blogs, bridal forums, and/or Travel & Leisure or Condé Nast Traveler? If not, you should. Not only will these places give you current information on locations and safety, but they will also reveal the latest trends in “hot topic,” “must-see,” and celebrity destinations.

One word of caution: Your budget (discussed later) should not be your only barrier to destination decision-making. For example:

Watch out for culture shock.

If you’re looking for glitz, glam, and a fruity beverage with a cute little umbrella bobbing on the rim, think twice before you sign yourself up for the ultimate getaway to the Swiss Alps.

Are you into the rugged, outdoorsy approach to a honeymoon? Then Sardinia just might be the place for you (see above photo). You can also get your adventure juices flowing on an African safari, Australian walkabout, or Rocky Mountain hike & bike.

What if you want to lie out on the beach or by the resort pool? Do you like to snorkel and swim with dolphins? How about sailing together on a romantic sunset dinner cruise? Try Hawaii!

Try to avoid the high season blues.

Be aware that timing is an important consideration in the travel industry. I’m not suggesting that you should hold to a fear of other people (anthropophobia?), but if you want to go to a place where you and the love of your life can share intimate moments together, uninterrupted by other members of society (and their three young children), I suggest you avoid Disney World or even parts of Hawaii during certain times of the year.

Layovers, Fees, and Customs? Oh my!

I said before that your budget should not be your only concern. However, you should definitely let it guide your process of locating a destination. I would also recommend that you prepare a budget for time. How much time do you want to spend at an airport on a potential layover? Did you consider the time it would take to wait for your passports to show up in your mailbox (PAY ATTENTION, INTERNATIONAL TRAVEL PROSPECTS!)?

Draw up a trip blueprint.

With that being said, plan your trip with time and financial elements considered. Create a blueprint, a schematic for what you want in your trip. Flexibility is the key here. Travel can produce so many different variables before, during, and even after a trip. Just think about time for a moment. Before you travel, say, to Tahiti, you must make sure you have a passport and that it is current and won’t expire while you are away. Also, when you travel internationally, most sources will suggest you show up to your gateway airport at least 2 hours prior to your flight to account for check-in, security, and other variables.

Don’t count on it, but you might be surprised.

As a honeymoon couple, the likelihood of y’all receiving some amount of special resort treatment (e.g. Champagne & chocolate-covered strawberries) is pretty high. Other benefits I have negotiated for include late check out, suite upgrades, and canoe-delivered Tahitian breakfast. If you’ve seen Disney Pixar’s The Incredibles, one of the characters says, “When everyone is special, no one will be.” This philosophy actually holds true for many popular honeymoon destinations. When a majority of resort clientele is the honeymoon market, the special requests or extras offered are really just par for the course.

Wait – you’re certified in a tropical paradise?

I could recommend several resources beyond blogs and magazines, but honestly, how much time do you have in your busy schedule to do more than surface-level research and special interest planning? Many of you are working on planning your bridal portraits and boudoir sessions, wedding day scheduling, venue hunting, reception menu selections, DJs and other vendors, guest lists, etc.

Anyone can get on the internet today, do research on a destination, look for the “best deal,” book their flights, and make payments. So, why use a travel agent?

In a quick, bullet point list, here are just a few reasons why you should consider using a travel expert to help plan your dream honeymoon:

-          Expert Knowledge

-          Time Savings

-          Network Power

-          Central Communication

-          Stress Reliever

Bring the dog with the homework.

Before you go to a travel agent to discuss your honeymoon planning, do your homework. Bring all of the things I mentioned above about location research. Know what you want from your honeymoon, at least on some level, so that when you get asked questions like what your ideal vacation spot would be, you can answer with more than just, “I want to stay on the beach.”

Let’s get down to business.

I’m sure at this point you’re wondering what the bottom line looks like. What are the dollars and cents scribbled onto this price tag? Well, I cannot speak for every travel agent in the industry, but the times they are a’changin’. Agencies can no longer rely on travel supplier commission checks for their primary source of compensation. For example, most domestic airfare is now non-commissionable. What does this mean? It means, unless the travel agent charges the client a service fee, he will not make a living off this kind of transaction. If you want to book a roundtrip flight from LAX to SEA, you will probably be better off booking this yourself via AA.com or sites like Expedia or Orbitz.

As a general rule, travel agents operate off more than just commission checks. I would say a majority of agencies charge some form of service fee. To have some reasonable expectation, aim high. Better to be overshooting than show up with low expectations (i.e. FREE) and need to entirely rethink your lifetime getaway. For great service, expect to pay 8-10% of your total trip value. (e.g. Honeymoon to Tahiti = $14k; agency service fee = $1,400)

In closing, I hope this post has been helpful and inspiring. I already want to plan my next vacation. My creative juices are flowing after looking at the photos I shared with y’all. Somewhere in the South Pacific, for sure! Remember: Your perfect honeymoon starts with an idea. Take this idea and play with it. Look at the multitude of different options out there. When you have a basic blueprint in place, call up your travel agent and schedule an appointment. Get the proverbial ball rolling and put in for the vacation time. Prepare to make forever memories with the person you love the most on this gorgeous planet.

I realize this post doesn’t cover half of what’s out there to talk about. Travel is deep, y’all. With over 5 years of experience in the travel industry, my business partner and I have worked with clients all over the world. Sending two lovebirds to their dream destination is a true joy for us! If you have any questions, we would be more than happy to assist you with your travel needs. Feel free to dial us up at, 214.473,4913, or drop us a line at, admin@trendytrails.com. Live your dream. Start a trend. Peace out!

As a matter of disclaimer, McG didn’t get any sort of free travel agent’ing from JMH in exchange for him writing this blog. WE SHOULD, but we didn’t. We just really love this kid, and he’s crazy talented, and we’re comfortable saying that if you’re in the market for a travel agent, he should be your first call.

Feeling restless last week, I talked to my husband. I always can. He took my face in his hands and said he loves me FOR the gypsy in my soul, not in spite of her. He encouraged me to use our weekend off to run. So I called my best friend, who I knew needed the break too, and 20 hours later I was picking her up and breaking land-speed records getting to the coast. We stayed at the Mayan Princess in Port Aransas, and had an absolutely wonderful time.

I don’t take for granted the blessing of having a husband who loves me for my crazy. I don’t take for granted the blessing of having a best friend with whom I can alternatively be completely crazy, and also be completely silent. I love you both so much, it kind of hurts to think about it, and I appreciate you both turning your “plan” upside down and making this weekend exactly what I needed. I’m a lucky girl to have you.

What follows is a mix of pictures… some 5dMk ii, some iPhone 4s, some cheapy waterproof one-use camera. All love.

To the gypsy that remains and faces freedom with a little fear

I have no fear, I have only love

So, to Mika & Nick… Happy First Anniversary!

and to Scotty & Alessa… Happy First Anniversary!

We hope this year has blown your minds, in all the best ways, and that your second year of married life is even better.

I’d only met Jordyn once or twice before she drove out to our house before dawn for her portrait session last week. But in the limited time I’d been able to chat with her, I knew I loved her. Such a sweet girl, with a vibrant spirit. She’s one of those people who really reminds me what it’s like to be young. She’s so very ALIVE. When we started talking about what she envisioned for a photo shoot, I just liked her even more.

I really don’t know how to categorize this shoot. It’s not boudoir, in the sense that it’s not about lingerie or sexiness or a present to anyone. But it’s not a traditional portrait session in any way either. Ultimately, my “catch all” term for portrait sessions outside our norm ended up being pretty perfect. It’s a celebration. It’s a celebration of who Jordyn is… as a woman, as an artist, as a person making her mark on the world around her. I’m honestly jealous that I don’t have these kinds of portraits of myself during that formative time in my life, but I’m oh-so-honored that I was able to help Jordyn create this magic.

Mack was on this shoot as well, mostly as an assistant to me because I shot this session on film as well (for a personal project that I hope to share in the next month or so). But he also caught some absolutely gorgeous images, so those are mixed into this collection as well.

Some have pointed out lately a shift in our editing, and I’m glad it’s being noticed! We’re not making any big drastic changes or anything… we still love BIG color, after all. I’m just making a conscious effort to keep things as natural and organic as possible. With Jordyn’s blessing to treat this shoot as a creative outlet for myself, I really embraced that goal. I’m pretty much in love with the results… lots and lots of them. Settle into your chair, ’cause this is a long post!

We started our session just as the sun was breaking over the horizon, between 6 and 6:30 a.m. (All the time before 9 a.m. runs together for me.) I love that from the beginning of this post to the end, you can really see the light and the landscape change and warm up before your eyes…

Jordyn, my new friend, you are gorgeous. Stunning. Beyond. It was such a joy to photograph you, and get to know you a little better. I know you’re just going to keep taking on the world one step at a time, and I can’t wait to see where and how you shine!