Heather Armstrong Photography

Heather & Colin were married just outside of Chico at Centerville Estates.  Brides, if you are in need of an amazing venue, look no further! Centerville Estates is incredibly beautiful & dreamy beautiful! An absolute magical place to become one with the one you love!!!!

We Do Designs did a fantastic job creating a romantic look incorporating teals & golds & lovely peacock accents! Absolutely gorgeous! So wonderful working with you, Rabina!

Heather & Colin! It was a beautiful wedding! Your vision of your day was incredible & to be the one’s to capture it was an honor! Your ceremony was the best one to date! Props to your officiant!!!

Happily Ever After!!!!

& a First Look Ahhh! No matter what this moment always makes me tear up!

Centerville Estate has an incredible Museum of exotic wild life & creatures! It was a thrill to photograph in the museum.

Truly every wedding that we get to capture is an honor. I know I have said this before, but it is! Xan & Shyla thank you so much for the honor of capturing your day! Your celebration! It was so beautiful!

Xan & Shyla were married in Redding, CA just outside of the Senior Citizen Hall early in the morning. After the ceremony we were off to the Diestelhorst Bridge to take pictures!

After, Xan & Shyla changed into their traditional wedding attire to celebrate in a tea ceremony with all of their guests! It was absolutely incredible to capture!

After the tea ceremony, Xan & Shyla changed back & the party began! Dance, Dance, Dance!

Xan & Shyla! May your lives together be filled with much love & happiness!

yes…. took a walk over the bridge! We had the pleasure of working with team Tyler Faires for this wedding! Love you Tyler!!!

Ben & Mitzi… Thank you for all of your hard work!!!!!!! I couldn’t do what I do without you! Thank you! 

I found Tamara (From the Treetop) on eBay. I have been one of her biggest fans for probably, at least eight years, seriously. I tried, on many occasions, to be the high bidder on her auctions, but rarely won. Her auctions & the presentations of her auctions weren’t like any “ordinary” eBay auction.  They were exquisite, magical, charming, scary (in a fun way, during Halloween), beyond words incredible hand-sewn, custom-made, designed by Tamara auctions.  Every auction was intricately described & most of all incredibly photographed. Her little girl was captured in such a beautiful way!! True confession: Her auctions  inspired me to think I could sew… Yep, my hunny bought me a sewing machine & nope, nothing ever came out quite like Tamara’s…. But I tried & she inspired! I often feel like a stalker, but I just cannot get enough. Everything Tamara does is breath taking!

One of the dreams on my dream list is to have her take our family pictures! & to have coffee with her, & maybe have a sewing lesson.. just kidding! Love you Tamara!!! Thank you for being you & being so amazingly inspiring!!!!

Side note: Her blog today…. Ah! Big alligator tears rolled down my cheeks as I read it! It’s a must read!

Tamara has since become an incredible photographer & now offering amazing actions, textures, & photoshop tools for photographers! I was so honored when she asked if I might be willing to use her actions/textures on my images. I haven’t had a ton of time to play with them like I would like, but let me just tell you, after opening them up I feel like a little girl in a candy shop! SO amazing!

So, photographers be sure to add her actions & textures to your collection! They are FANTASTIC!!!

Seniors are about to graduate & orders are coming in, so I had a quick chance to “play” a little bit…

Here is a before & after:

Before:

After using From The Treetop Actions & Textures: Film Noir Texture & add depth/gosammer wings Actions

Looking forward to playing more with these actions!

Be sure to check out her website, her blog, buy her Textures & Actions, & become her biggest fan on facebook! 

I often stumble across the Mary Engelbreit quote, “Thanks I needed that!”  One of the most beautiful things about being a photographer are the clients that I meet, and even better, the clients who become my friends! It makes my heart so happy!

Tiffany e-mailed me, oh I think in like December or January about a family session, & then mentioned she was a pilates instructor & through a series of e-mails we agreed to trade services. I wasn’t quite sure what I was getting myself into, but I was up for it! I often think I got the better end of the deal, because more than anything I am absolutely loving pilates & loving my new friend. Tiffany, thanks!!!! I needed this!

It was truly an honor to capture Tiffany & her beautiful family! We had so much fun! Trenton kept us busy exploring! Oh how cute he is, & just wait for it, he rocks being a cowboy!!!!

Thank you Tiffany!!!!!!!

Meet Shasta!!!!!!!

Tiffany & Jerry received this blanket 25 years ago as a wedding gift! I love that this blanket still covers them with love!!! (wink, wink)

 

Happy Monday!! Hope you had a great weekend. We had an amazing Saturday & Sunday. Saturday we shot a wedding just outside of Chico at Centerville Estates. It was so beautiful! & the weather was just gorgeous & sunny! Happy Happy! Then Sunday we went to see the Avengers with some wonderful friends. Yes, got tickets early, & waited in line for about an hour to block off about 20 seats! It was a party!! We all loved the movie! Loved the message of “team” & what can be accomplished if we work together!! So great!!

Excited to share Collin & Heather’s last minute engagement shoot. In fact, they were our wedding on Saturday. Heather, last minute called & asked if I could squeeze in an engagement session so they could have a picture for a sign in at their wedding! It was really great getting to meet them before the wedding & spend a bit of time together!!!

 

Courage is being scared to death & saddling up anyways! -John Wayne

This wedding launched us into our first 2012 wedding & on one of my favorite days of the year, St. Patrick’s Day!!  I couldn’t have been more honored to capture Kilma & Season’s wedding. I have to first thank one of my longest friends, Hilary, for referring this wedding! Hilary & I went to kindergarten together, 5th & 6th grade together, & then high school. Thanks to facebook we were able to get “re-friended”! It had been like around eighteen years since I had seen Hil… So wonderful to see her again, & even more, to capture her sister’s beautiful wedding!!!! Thank you Hilary!! Love you girl!!!

Season & Kilma were married at the beautiful V. Sattui Winery in St. Helena, CA. It kept raining off & on, but luckily cleared for the ceremony & they were able to have their outdoor wedding after all!!!

Season & Kilma!!!! May your lives together continually be the most beautiful love story! Thank you for the honor of capturing your wedding!!!!

Season & Kilma chose not to see each other before the wedding!!! It always makes for such anticipation….

I fell in love with this shot of Season’s bridesmaids seeing her for the first time.

the cutest best man I’ve ever had at a wedding! ahhhhh!!!!

 

there are times when a photo is taken & quickly forgotten.

going through this shoot I found this shot!

hello love!

Rory & Allyson! You’re married!!! Yeah! Congrats! Congrats! Such an honor to capture your wedding!! From the time we first met, to your engagement shoot, & to your wedding, I have enjoyed getting to know you &  getting to work with you! What an amazing couple you are!!!

Such a beautiful day this was. Rainy for most of the day, except for a few glorious moments!!!! Ahhh!!!

Alyson & Rory became one at the St. Lutheran Church here in Redding, CA. The event was coordinated & planned by Marlene of A Planned Affair! She did an absolutely incredible job! Thank you, Marlene, for all of your hard work & pulling off such an amazing wedding!!! Shannon Rosan, thank you for second shooting with me on this wedding! Loved working with you! & Mitzi! Thank you for all you do! You are an incredible intern!!!

Happily Ever After to you both!!! May your years together be a life long of happiness!!!

 

 

Photo shoots with Jenn always seem to happen fairly fast. She needed a new bio shot & in between a recording came over & we shot these in about 20 minutes. Literally 20 minutes! Oh the pressure! Smile!

One day we will have a just her “full-on” not rushed at all session, but this one turned out wonderful! I am always so happy to capture her & love finding something new about her to capture!!

I have been wanting to blog a few from the shoot, but knew Jenn was turning 30, so saved them for her HAPPY BIRTHDAY post!!!!

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Jenn! Thank you for being my friend, my truest friend.

I love you so much & I am daily so very thankful for you!

I know your 30′s are going to be the greatest!

Thank you for the inspiration that you are!

The HAPPY that you always are! Your joy continually radiates!

Thank you for being such a leader & a catalyst for change!

Thank you for being an example of all a wife & a mother should be! You are incredible at it!

Thank you for being you! For shining! For loving! For being passionate! & For being real!

You are amazing & I just LOVE you!

Happy 30th Friend!

& to celebrate Jenn’s 30th Brian, myself, & my amazing husband planned a party!!!

Not just any party, a 30th party!

The location was epic! Absolutely breathtaking!!

The rain & fog didn’t stop us! It was the party of the year!

Jill from www.brightsideprints.com designed these amazing invitations! Loved them! Thank you Jill!!!!

& the PARTY!!  I texted Brian Jan 1st ready to start planning!! He was in the middle of recording, so we had to hold off, but the Party Planner in me was so excited to put together a 30th party for my best friend!!!!

In my next life I think I want to be an Event Coordinator & Designer! It is so much fun! Truly love the process of putting everything together! It’s an even funner process when it’s your best friend & you can incorporate so many of her “favorites”!

On a side note.. If I would have thought through it a little better, being the party host & a photographer doesn’t go hand in hand! Totally wish I would have designated a “photographer” there, but I got a few shots.

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& be ready…. lots of sweet treat pics!!!

& cute boxes to take the sweet treats home!!

Thank you PINTEREST for the S’more idea!!!

…sweet notes from Brian…

& nothing like the taste of chips & salsa from El Mariach’s... Jenn’ favorite!

Jenn’s mom brought up all of Jenn’s childhood albums, as well as an assortment of Jenn’s friend & family albums! Fun times & fun laughs!

Wonderful DJ! Andrew kept the party hopping!!!!!

Brent Van Auken had his AMAZING photo booth! So much fun! I think our kids had the most fun in it!!!

& parking by the amazing Justin R! Thank you Justin for all of your hard work & directing cars in the cold rain & wind! You are the best!!

& for the surprise of the night! Jim, the owner of Nello’s, & our great friend Carson, came & made Jenn her absolute FAVORITE dessert, Banana’s Flambe!! Oh so delicious!!

& the most wonderful part of  the evening! Everyone singing Happy Birthday to the incredible Jenn Johnson!!!

and the perfect ending to this post!!! Jenn!!!! Happy 30th Birthday!

 To everyone who helped make this party a success THANK YOU!!!! We couldn’t have pulled it off without you!!!!!