White Rock Lake Engagement Photos | Jasmine and David's Engagement Session | Ellen Ashton Photography

I am SO excited to share Jasmine and David's beautiful engagement session!

I met Jasmine from a Facebook group for entrepreneurs last year and I knew through our email conversations that she was my kind of girl! 

Jasmine is the lovely lady behind the amazing fashion, beauty, and travel blog Jasmine Elias (click HERE to view her website).

I was so thrilled and excited when I saw via Instagram that Jasmine had gotten engaged to the love of her life, David. 

Photographing these two was literally the easiest things. I, mean, they are literally so precious!

These two are so fun and so incredibly in love. Seeing them interact with each other warmed my heart in so many ways. I always ask my couples how they met and I adored Davids response! He has so much admiration for Jasmine and it's so clear to see through the photographs that the love they share is a deep bond. Seeing people who truly love each other and so excited to spend the rest of their lives together is truly a contagious kind of joy.

It was amazing getting to hang out, joke around, and laugh with Jasmine and David as I captured their engagement photos. 

Not even the rain could keep the love they share from shining bright. 

I hope you all enjoyed this session as much as I enjoyed capturing it! Make sure to check out Jasmine's Instagram to see all her lovely work! (Click HERE for her Instagram).

Much love, 

-E

Oh Deery Floral Photos | Ellen Ashton Photography | Dallas Wedding Photographers

Happy Tuesday, everyone! 

I am so excited to share with all you lovelies the wedding vendor interview of the week! 

As I'm sure most of you have already gathered that I am interviewing all types of DFW wedding vendors! I have so enjoyed showcasing a little bit of what they do and of course allowing all you darling people to get to know the talented faces behind the brand. Click HERE to read last weeks featured vendor.  

Todays Wedding Vendor interview is with Briley, from Oh Deery Floral! 

MEET BRILEY 

I actually heard about Briley's business "Oh Deery Floral" several years ago and have been following her on social media ever since. When I decided to do this blog series I knew that I for sure wanted to interview Briely and show y'all how crazy talented and sweet she is. 

I met with Briley in her quaint little studio and we sipped on La Croix's and chatted for hours! I knew that when she had La Croix's in her fridge we were going to be great friends! 

I really enjoyed getting to know Briley! She is sweet, kind and a has the heart and mind of a crazy talented, creative entrepreneur.

I loved hearing Briley's passion about floral design and the services she offers to her clients.

As we talked it became very clear that Briley takes great care in providing her clients with beautiful and unique floral creations.

After I saw and heard Briely describe her work the thought came to me that Oh Deery Floral is not just a floral arrangement shop for weddings, but a place that create gorgeous pieces of art work with flowers. I am truly amazed at the outstanding services she offers her clients. If you are a bride looking for a florist, you should highly consider investing in Oh Deery Floral, you will not be disappointed! All of your guests will rave about your florals! 

Let's get to know a little it more about Briley and her business! 

OH DEERY INTERVIEW

Ellen Ashton: How did Oh Deery Floral start?

Briley: I always knew that I wanted to be an entrepreneur from a young age. I started my "first business" in 8th grade selling vintage necklaces and tried a handful of things before I ended up in college needing an internship and landing one with a floral designer. Honestly, one of the best experiences of my life! The first day there, I was literally just processing the flowers (taking off leaves, thorns, bad petals, etc.) but fell in LOVE and knew that I had to work with flowers. They called my name! I grew a lot there and was so privileged to work with someone who was so willing to teach, share knowledge, and invest in me and encouraged me to continue practicing floral design. Long story short, she had a baby and slowed down a bit with business so I had the opportunity to branch out and do my own thing and the rest is history. I continually feel so lucky that my business has grown and developed the way that it has in just 3 short years!

Ellen Ashton: How did you come up with the name Oh Deery Floral?

Briley:  In college, when I was experimenting with one of my many business ventures (with my best friend and business partner at the time) I needed a name but had no clue where to even begin to come up with one. One of our roommates took all the letters from our names and came up with several different words and phrases and Oh Deery was one of them! It just stuck and here I am - five years later, ha! 

Ellen Ashton: What do you love most about working as florist?

Bailey:  Hands down the flowers and color combinations. There are endless combinations and varieties and I still have moments when I see new color palettes that just stop my dead in my tracks. Finding those colors that just work together and make your heart flutter are what it's all about for me. 

Ellen Ashton: Where do you find the most inspiration? 

Bailey: My favorite place to find new inspiration is walking around plant nurseries! I find that it's the best place to see new unexpected color combinations, shapes, and movement. It breaks up the norm of wedding flowers and gives me new ideas for how to change up what I'm doing with my arrangements. If I'm stressed out during busy work seasons, I'll usually find an excuse to go take at least a 5 minute walk through a nursery. Something about it just relaxes me! I always think that I'll end up working at a nursery when I retire. I'll be the lady with a visor and hose talking to the plants!

Ellen Ashton: What is your favorite flower?

Briely: It changes with the seasons but right now it's spirea.

Ellen Asthon: What is your favorite 2016 wedding trend?

Briley: Dusty blue! I love LOVE blues and greens and have been waiting for the moment that blue would be in!

Ellen Ashton: What is your favorite wedding season?

Bailey: SO hard to choose! But you just can't beat the springtime flowers. Everything is so fresh and happy in the spring!

Ellen Ashton: How far in advance should one book a florist for their wedding?

Briley:  For me, 6-8 months is comfortable for planning for floral. 

Ellen Ashton: If you had to pick a celebrity to be stranded on a deserted island with, who would you pick and why?

Briley:  Taylor Swift! I feel like we'd have a lot to talk about and have a lot of fun.

Ellen Ashton: Kim, Kourtney, or Khloe?

Briley: Khloe! I want to be her friend!

Ellen Ashton: Favorite tv show?

Bailey: Game of Thrones!

Ellen Ashton Cupcakes or ice cream?

Briley: Fudgy chocolate ice cream :)

Thanks so much for reading this weeks interview and getting to know Briley of "Oh Deery Floral"! Make sure to check her out and follow her on social media! You will love seeing all her pretty creations! 

WEBSITE: www.ohdeery.com 

FACEBOOK: Oh Deery 

INSTAGRAM: @ohdeeryfloral

PINTEREST: Briley Studdard

As always, 

Much love and many blessings, 

-E 

a&be bridals Dallas Texas Photos | Ellen Ashton Photography | Dallas Wedding Photographers

A&Be Bridal 

A.K.A. my favorite bridal store! 

I am thrilled to share this wedding vendor interview with you all! 

A&be is a bridal salon that started in Denver, Co. and has migrated into Minneapolis and Dallas. As most of you know, my career as a wedding photographer blossomed in Minneapolis, MN. That is where I was introduced to this FABULOUS dress shop. I have been addicted ever since! 

Designer: Anna Campbell

As I have stated before, I love a&be! They carry all kinds of fabulous designers and I have had the honor and privilege of photographing a few of them. Because I love this company so much, I wanted to give all you Dallas brides the opportunity to get to know a little but more about the company and the girls who run the Dallas store.

Which; btw, the girls who run this shop are truly the sweetest women you will ever meet! I recently went into the shop to select a gown for a shoot and was blown away by how helped, hospitable, relatable and encouraging these girls are. They truly value and care for their brides! You will not be disappointed by the service or their gown selection! 

Meet the a&be babes 

DISCLAIMER: “The opinions expressed here are my own and do not necessarily represent the views of a&bé.”

Meet Mandi 

Mandi is the manager of the a&be store in Dallas. She is a total doll and so good at what she does! We had so much fun getting to know each other the day I interviewed her and the other girls. It's clear that Mandi truly values the store and her workers. During our chat I learned that Mandi is going to be getting married soon, won't she make such a beautiful bride?! One thing is for sure, she has amazing taste! She showed me a few of her favorite dresses in the store and they were amazingly gorgeous! 

Mandi's Instagram: @mandi.e.smith

Ellen Ashton: How did a&be start? 

 Mandi: Our owners Anna and Bre had been in the wedding industry for a while running their first store, anna be. When they started to see a new wave of brides gravitating towards more indie and creative designs they had the idea for a second location that could serve this new need in the bridal industry. With that a&be was born in 2013 in Denver, and has since then grown to Minneapolis and now DALLAS!  

Ellen Ashton: What services do you offer?

Mandi: We offer bridal gowns, accessories (sashes, headpieces, jewelry) and veils. 

Ellen Ashton: What do you love most about working in a bridal salon?

Mandi: So many things. I love working with my stylists, they constantly keep me laughing and watching them interact with the brides with so much love and care makes me so happy! I also love the numbers and forecasting that goes on behind the scenes. Staying on top of what is selling, what brides are wanting and what is trending and then turning that into a plan for market in New York is so much fun to me! And of course being able to share in such a big occasion for the brides; it's such a special experience to witness a bride find "the" gown! 

Ellen Ashton: Who is your favorite wedding dress designer?

Mandi: Houghton - the designer, Katharine Polk, has made a major splash in the bridal industry. Polk's designs are unlike anything I've seen done before in bridal. Houghton speaks to the wild at heart, and the rock and roll spirit while staying true to timeless designs. Spoiler alert - I am wearing a Houghton gown for my own wedding this October :)  

Ellen Ashton: What is your favorite 2016 wedding trend?

Mandi: When it comes to wedding gown trends - Texture. Whether that be in the form of embroidered details, floral appliques, fringe, etc. these elements bring just the right amount of interest to the typical wedding dress.

Ellen Ashton: If you had to pick a celebrity to be stranded on a deserted island with, who would you pick and why?

Mandi: Kevin Hart -- any unfortunate situation is instantly made better with a little laughter. 

Ellen Ashton: Kim, Kourtney or Khloe?

Mandi: Kendall - I more easily relate to her style, and more down to earth personality. Plus she could introduce me to Gigi Hadid and we could all just be BFF's!!!! 

Ellen Ashton: cupcakes or ice-cream?

Mandi: ice cream always! 

MEET BETHANY! 

Bethany is one of the stylist at a&be and let me just tell you, this girl is truly one of the sweetest and most genuine girls you will meet! Well, all the girls are really! I worked with Bethany on finding a dress for an upcoming shoot and she was such a doll! She was helpful, kind and her taste was on fleek! She has this gift for being warm and truly wants to make all her brides feel special and beautiful. You will love working with her to find your perfect wedding dress! 

bethany's instagram: @ bethanyharkins

Ellen Ashton: What do you love most about working in a bridal salon?

Bethany: Our brides and their inspiring visions we get to help bring to life! I think the bride should set the tone for her big day. And I love being a part of discovering what makes a bride feel most like herself.

Ellen Ashton: Who is your favorite wedding dress designer?

Bethany: Tara LaTour - she's a dream! The quality is phenomenal, the dresses are hand made with so much passion, and the designs are each touched with the most unique twists. 

Ellen Ashton: What is your favorite 2016 wedding trend?

Bethany: Neckline drama! I love both the deep deep v's and the high high necklines. 

Ellen Ashton: What do you think is the best season to buy a wedding dress?

Bethany: Depends your wedding date! We suggest 9-12 months out so that your bridal look truly sets the tone for the rest of your wedding day details and so you have peace of mind and no need for rush orders.

Ellen Ashton: How far in advance should you buy your wedding dress?

Bethany: 9-12 months if possible! We can always happily accommodate shorter engagements the selection might just be more limited.

Ellen Ashton: If you had to pick a celebrity to be stranded on a deserted island with, who would you pick and why?

Bethany: Ryan Gosling - 'cause he strikes me as the type that could actually survive on a deserted island if need be but he's also gorgeous and has a sense of humor. Doesn't seem like a bad situation at all.

Ellen Ashton: Kim, Kourtney or Khloe?

Bethany: Khloe -- 'cause she's funny as can be and makes fun of herself as much as the rest of the world does. I love people who don't take themselves too seriously.

Ellen Ashton: Cupcakes or ice-cream?

Bethany: Tacos! I'm not much for the sweet stuff but I'll take tacos for breakfast, lunch, dinner, & dessert. (:

MEET ASHTYN! 

I so enjoyed getting to know Ashtyn! First of all, we share one of the same names so I knew immediately that she as going to be awesome. It's a proven fact that if you have the name Ashtyn/Ashton you are grafted in as a cool kid for life. I love her free and adventurous spirit! I think that's what makes her such a great stylist! I saw her in action helping a customer and she pulled some amazing dresses that were so flattering to the bride who tried them on. This girl for sure has it going on! 

ashtyn's instagram: @ashtynstringer

Ellen Ashton: What do you love most about working in a bridal salon?

Ashtyn: Being apart of making someone's dream come true is pretty rad. I also love working with our close knit team and meeting new people all the time.

Ellen Ashton: Who is your favorite wedding dress designer? 

Ashtyn: Rue De Seine. First of all, its a husband and wife duo who kinda tackle different parts of the biz, which is just precious. I relate to their spontaneous life and her off-beat style, making her number one in my book!

Ellen Ashton: What is your favorite 2016 wedding trend?

Ashtyn: I am a flowerchild. I LOVE seeing what florists make happen! From floral installations, to crazy bouquets, to flower crowns-- I am constantly in awe!

Ellen Ashton: If you had to pick a celebrity to be stranded on a deserted island with, who would you pick and why?

Ashtyn: Ellen Degeneres. Because she's hilarious. and I can build the fire.

Ellen Ashton: Kim, Kourtney or Khloe?

Ashtyn: I don't really Keep Up With the Kardashians...

Ellen Ashton: cupcakes or ice-cream?

Ashtyn: uh. both?

MEET VICTORIA! 

Last, but certainly not least, is Victoria! Victoria greeted me as I walked in to the store to interview the babes and she was so welcoming and heartfelt. I absolutely love that about her! She has a super cute style (I secretly or not so secretly want her hair!) and personality to go with it. She made me laugh quite a few times which made for a fun interview! Just like all the other stylist, Victoria is so good at what she does! As we walked through the store and talked I could tell that she is a great help to the brides she works with because of her sweet, funny and helpful nature. You'll love working with her!

Victoria's instagram: @ victoriaexplores

Ellen Ashton: What do you love most about working in a bridal salon?

Victoria: Helping brides find their gown for their big day! This is my absolute favorite thing! I love seeing people happy and helping take off the huge pressure of finding "the one". <3

Ellen Ashton: Who is your favorite wedding dress designer?

Victoria: Well, we are all big fans of Rue De Siene here. We were already big fans and then we met the designers and fell in love even MORE with their sweet love story and how they started their company. I am a big fan of their gowns as well! The first wedding gown I ever tried on was Rue De Siene. So I feel like I have an allegiance of sorts to them.

Ellen Ashton: What is your favorite 2016 wedding trend?

Victoria: I love the minimalist bridal look! White, greenery, and a touch of gold. It's lovely! Intentional little details, those get me.

Ellen Ashton: If you had to pick a celebrity to be stranded on a deserted island with, who would you pick and why?

Victoria: Christian Bale! First off, he is batman..so he could get us off the deserted island (i'm sure). Then he is just very intriguing, so we would always have something to talk about. Also, strangely enough I just feel like we could be best friends.

Ellen Ashton: Kim, Kourtney or Khloe?

Victoria: I don't really care or know much about the Kardashians!!

Ellen Ashton: cupcakes or ice-cream?

Victoria: I SCREAMM FOR ICECREAAAMM! Ice cream. every.day. Anything Ben&Jerrys - more specifically.

One things is for sure, these girls are full of life and are rock stars at what they do.

Brides, you will LOVE shopping with them to find the perfect dress you have been dreaming of your whole life. 

DON'T FORGET! 

Social media is a great way to see all that a&be has to offer! Make sure to follow them! 

BE SURE TO FOLLOW A&BE! 

FACEBOOK: a&be bridal shop dallas

INSTAGRAM: @aandbe_bridalshop

PINTEREST: @aandbebridal

As always, 

Much love and many blessings, 

-E

Gold Dust Vintage Rentals | Dallas Wedding Photographer | Ellen Ashton Photography

I am so excited to share this weeks Q&A interview with y'all!

As most of you know, I am doing a interview/blog series on wedding vendors in the Dallas and Fort Worth areas. 

I am elated to share with you this weeks featured wedding vendor, Gold Rust Vintage Rental Company! 

Gold Dust is a family owned business that provides all types of gorgeous furniture pieces and vintage nicknacks for any type of occasion. Weddings, birthdays, parties, and photo shoots are just a few examples.

Walking into the Gold Dust warehouse was like walking into a fairy tale! They rent any thing from portable bars, settees, chairs, tables, candle sticks, and so much more! Their warehouse is filled to the brim with beautiful inventory to make your wedding day or event look even better than you imagined! 

Meeting the Gold Dust Dolls was an absolute pleasure! They are sweet, sassy, kindhearted and family centered, my favorite kind of people! 

So, lets meet the girls behind the business!

THE GOLD DUST SISTERS

Gold Dust is made up of two sisters who make a pretty kick butt team! Seeing their family dynamic work in their business is absolutely amazing and inspiring.

We sat on this adorable settee for a good hour just talking about life, business and everything in between. These thoughtful women are hard working, professional yet relatable moms who rock at being both lady bosses and super moms. 

Anyone who rents from Gold Dust will walk away feeling energized, excited about their event and feeling like they made a new friend. That's how good Gold Dust's services are! 

Let's get to know the girls a little more!  

MEET MEGAN! 

Megan is the oldest of the Gold Dust sisters and she is truly full of life and one of the funniest and sweetest people you will ever meet! Something that I truly admire about Megan is her dedication to her family and her work. It's not easy being a mom and business owner but this girl does it with such grace and ease! 

MEET RACHEL! 

Rachel is the middle sister of the Gold Dust girls, and just like Megan she possesses the same funny bone and genuine heart. Something that I love about Rachel is her eye for design. Rachel is the one who came up with this adorable settee and side table set up in these images and it's absolutely to die for! She can definitely help you pick just the right pieces to make your event sparkle!

THE INTERVIEW 

Ellen Ashton: Why did you start your business?

Gold Dust Girls: We started Gold Dust on a whim after getting a gentle nudge from one of our favorite planners, Lucia Bitnar. Rachel’s father-in-law built and designed Aristide in Mansfield and we ran the business for 3 years so we had already been in the industry before Gold Dust was created. We have always been antiquers with a knack for parties and southern hospitality and realized there was a need for vintage rentals and styling. 

Ellen Ashton: How did your first client find you?

Gold Dust Girls: Since we were already in the industry we had several “friendors” that were very helpful in referring Gold Dust and spreading the word. Joining several organizations and being from the metroplex also helped us grow. 

Ellen Ashton: Do you service Dallas, Fort Worth or Both?

Gold Dust Girls: Gold Dust will travel around like the Clampetts to anywhere your heart desires! 

Ellen Ashton: What is your favorite 2016 trend?

Gold Dust Girls: We love how you can mix vintage into so many looks and that creating a juxtaposition of glam, industrial, modern and elegant is totally perfect! 

Ellen Ashton: What is your favorite color palette for weddings this year? 

Gold Dust Girls: All day, every day, anything with Gold is going to make our hearts flutter! It’s basically a neutral that gives a huge impact and can go modern but will always have a timeless look. 

Ellen Ashton: If you had to pick a celebrity to be stranded on an island with, who would you pick and why? 

Rachel: well how hypothetical is this,  am I married? If no then Ryan Gosling if I am then someone scrappy like Chelsea Handler

Megan: Reese Witherspoon—she just seems so fun! But really I need to think about it! 

Ellen Ashton: Which Real Housewife show is your favorite?

Gold Dust Girls: Do we have to choose? We are such suckers for every single one—although Dallas better step up their game. Squad Goal: Lisa Vanderpump’s closet!  

Ellen Ashton: Wine or Ice Cream

Gold Dust Girls: Hands down wine—unless we drank too much wine and we can only handle ice cream! 

If you want to know more about Gold Dust, or want to book their services, make sure and check out their website and follow them on social media! 

WEBSITE: www.golddustvintage.com

FACEBOOK: Gold Dust Vintage Rentals

INSTAGRAM: @golddustvintagerentals

PINTEREST: Gold Dust Vintage Rentals

Thank you so much for reading about the Gold Dust girls today! If you want to check out our other featured vendors, click here and read about last week's DFW wedding vendor! 

As always, much love and many blessings, 

-E