If there are men reading this blog post, whether single, engaged or already married, I feel strongly compelled to begin by sharing the wisdom that I have gleaned from meeting with Mark and Kym the past few months. As we’ve talked through different options for their photography: times, locations, doing a first look, etc… Kym frequently asked Mark for his opinion and he would regularly reply with phrases like, “Is that what you want?”, “Will that make you happy?”, “Would you like that?” … It’s not that Mark doesn’t have an opinion, it’s that his opinion IS that he wants Kym to be happy! Y’all, these two care so much about the other even to the smallest detail. You can see it even in their posture. Allow me to introduce Kym and Mark.
I love that Kym and Mark were excited to select different portrait locations that were significant to them. Kym went to SMU and wanted to document a season of their relationship when Mark would walk her to her dorm. We started our portraits touring the SMU campus. Did you notice their color selection? I only wish we could have somehow arranged a portrait on the boulevard with Peruna.
Outtakes sometimes make for fun inclusions to the blog post like the bottom right photo in the set right above this, especially when you can tell that we’re all laughing at that moment. We moved from Virginia-Snider to the Rotunda, up the Boulevard and back down before going to the Dallas Arboretum.
Kym and Mark were like Houdini in between locations. Kym coordinated the logistics of the afternoon as well as their outfits, and when we arrived they were somehow already changed and Kym simply needed to retouch her lip gloss in the mirror before starting to shoot again. From the Arboretum’s botanical gardens we ventured to the Bishop Arts District! Driving and navigating through downtown was an adventure to say the least. I followed Kym and Mark to this location… except when Kym turned left onto a one way street going the wrong way. Sorry, Kym, 
since it was nothing more than a laugh after a quick maneuver turn around with no oncoming traffic… I had to!
We all caught a second wind at this new location. I had never been to the Bishop Arts district before using it as a portrait location for these two. Its boutique charm is matched by restaurants all of which have the ‘Best of Dallas’ accolade from D Magazine. Kym wanted to have bright portraits that were perfectly realized in their wardrobe selection. The set below this are easily my personal favorites from my time with them.
Kym definitely gets that marriage is about her and Mark, and that their wedding day is a celebration of both of them. She has put so much emphasis on it not being ‘her’ day as the bride. Again, each of them draw more attention to the other over themselves in conversation, and I would argue the same holds true for their pictures together. Their smiles aren’t for me behind the camera or for you reading this blog, or even for their guests at their wedding reception, but we are the lucky bystanders and onlookers of how much they’ve shared leading up to this milestone of marriage.
Mark, keep encouraging Kym in all that she does. I can tell how much she respects you. Kym, you match for your residency this FRIDAY! I know that you and Mark have so much to be celebrating, and as you approach your wedding day, at the risk of sounding like a Hallmark card… be reminded that you have the most to celebrate in your future with each other. It seems fitting to close with this note from Mark:
Keep on encouraging each other. This made me smile.
