Features | Done Brilliantly

Sports: Maple Grove Crimson Hockey

17 May Filed Under: Featured, Features, Lifestyle, Natalia, Sport

This shoot is a true testament to what a great photographer can do even in unexpected circumstances! This sports shoot by Maris Ehlers Photography is of four Senior High School boys who all play hockey and attend Maple Grove Senior High in Maple Grove, Minnesota. Three of the clients are also captains of the varsity hockey team, who were in the Minnesota Hockey High School Championships last year! Maris Ehlers had agreed to photograph them at the rink as part of their senior sessions, but when they got there on the day they had chosen, the janitor was not there and there were no lights on in the rink! Maris was disappointed and wasn’t really sure how they could pull this off. They took photos in the locker room first, and then went out on the ice.

It was about 90 degrees outside on that summer day, and the heat and humidity created a layer of fog above the ice about 5 feet tall. Maris Ehlers decided to take some risks with her off camera flash, and boy did it pay off! She told us, “To this day, I still get emails from high school boys across the state asking me if I can “do those shots” at their high school rinks. These images were chosen for the front cover of the Maple Grove Hockey Books, and have been a great way to capture new clients in the area.” Even in unplanned circumstances, Maris Ehlers did a fantastic job with this shoot!Thanks to Maris Ehlers Photography for submitting this superb sports shoot via Two Bright Lights!

Location: Maple Grove Community Center

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Filed Under: Featured, Features, Lifestyle, Natalia, Sport

Fashion Shoot: Will you go to Prom with me?

17 May Filed Under: Fashion, Features, Inspiration, Shalyn

We all remember the time when Prom was the biggest and best event of the year. ”Will you go to Prom with me?” encouraged and plagued us all! Once we planned to go, we scoured the local stores and tried on countless dresses until we found the perfect one.

These days, prom has turned into a big business especially as teens look online for inspiration. Many photographers and vendors team up to create inspiration shoots to help inspire teens as they go on the hunt for their perfect look. Gil Strickland and two local dress and fashion stores, Bridals by Lori and Formal Elegance, did just this by creating a fun prom-themed shoot to inspire Prom dreams as well as day-to-day high school style. The sparkle tops on the short dresses add a fun twist to the traditional prom dress look! And it’s always nice to have inspiration for the everyday, not just those special dates. We really appreciate how this team incorporated those everyday looks into this styled shoot!

Thanks again to Gil Strickland for a great submission and stellar photography!

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Filed Under: Fashion, Features, Inspiration, Shalyn

Senior Shoot: Trinity Park, Texas

15 May Filed Under: Featured, Features, Lifestyle, Natalia

This Senior shoot in Fort Worth, Texas was inspired by high school student Dani’s clothing choices. The session took place in Trinity Park, which Ashley Mauldin Photography said is a client favorite because it offers so many possibilities for different looks! Ashley told us “Dani was such a fun Senior to work with. She was extremely comfortable in front of the camera, which made my job very easy. Her friend Tomi helped get some laughs out of her and once she loosened up, we all started being silly. I felt like a kid again! I wanted to showcase her beauty, so I chose to go with less contemporary posing, and leaned more toward an editorial type shoot, but wanted to keep it fun so I brought out my goofy side. I loved the combination of expressions and felt that the session was a way for her to show everyone that she’s grown up now. I loved that she let loose, and let me capture her in action.” A great photographer knows how to make their client look great and feel comfortable while doing so, and we can tell Ashley Mauldin Photography does just that!

The girl in the pictures with Dani is her brother’s girlfriend, Tomi, and they have become really close friends. Ashley chose to incorporate the cameras and “picnic” to complement the vintage dress. She also went with a gold chair to go with the purple dress because she liked the jewel tones, and wanted bold colors to make her stand out against the earthy background. Plus you can’t go wrong with a chair; it provides so many opportunities, and people get really comfortable when they have a prop to interact with!

Thanks to Ashley Mauldin Photography for submitting this creative senior shoot!

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Filed Under: Featured, Features, Lifestyle, Natalia

Engagement: A Country Boy and Girl At Heart

14 May Filed Under: Animals, Featured, Features, Inspiration, Real Weddings, Sophia

Acting as the backdrop for this love story between a country boy and girl, this picturesque, quaint equestrian center strikes a great southern cord with the couple. Danielle Aquiline Photography and the happy, engaged couple headed to the fields of Illinois to meet up with their beloved horse and dog at the Frankfort Equestrian Center, a place that Dana called her “second home.” Through the outdoor engagement shoot, the couple got a unique chance to celebrate their communal interest in the country and farm life. Eric grew up in Northwest Indiana in an old farm house, while Dana was involved in equestrian competitions her whole life, so it was a perfect way to express how they were (and still are) a country boy and girl at heart.

A couple of extra details helped to complete the southern ranch feel of this engagement shoot, such as Dana’s cowboy boots, the beer the couple shared, the rusty tractor, and more. But the best detail in the photo shoot has to be the bright, engagement ring on Dana’s left hand!

Thanks to Danielle Aquiline Photography for showing us a way to celebrate an engaged couple’s shared love of the rustic outdoors and their animal companions, complete with a certain southern flair.

Location: Frankfort Equestrian Center

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Filed Under: Animals, Featured, Features, Inspiration, Real Weddings, Sophia

Lifestyle & Kids: Smash the Cake Session

9 May Filed Under: Featured, Features, Lifestyle, Natalia

We always loving seeing adorable birthday party shoots, but we also know that the best part of any birthday is tearing into a yummy treat! The “Smash the Cake” shoot is a fun session designed for one, two, or three year old kids. Simply provide a special little birthday cake, and let the child’s natural curiosity take over. The parents end up with a selection of images portraying wonder, surprise, and sticky, messy delight! This feature represents all of Greg Howard Photography‘s favorite smash the cake photos over the years. We just love the expressions of pure glee on all these kids’ faces!

Thanks to Greg Howard Photography for submitting these hilarious “Smash the Cake” photos!

Event Planner: Bella Dia

Cake Designer: Coastal Cake Company

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Filed Under: Featured, Features, Lifestyle, Natalia

Events and Parties: Back to the Future Bar Mitzvah

7 May Filed Under: Events and Parties, Featured, Features, Sophia

Done Brilliantly is excited to welcome our first Bar Mitzvah photo shoot, captured by LunahZon Photography! Bar Mitzvahs are a time when Jewish boys celebrate becoming a man and becoming responsible for their actions. Ethan, the star of this Bar Mitzvah, took this time of stepping into the future to take a look back at his past with his favorite film, Back to the Future. LunahZon Photography made sure this Back to the Future-themed party was everything Ethan asked for, complete with a pre-shoot of Ethan as Marty McFly on his signing board and place-cards.

Since Bar Mitzvahs are a time when a boy steps into manhood, Ethan had the great idea to enjoy his childhood one more time with this sci-fi themed party. The event designer, Creative Events by Beth filled the Renaissance Charlotte Southpark Hotel to the brim with colorful candy, hover-board centerpieces and a bar bathed in green, futuristic glowing light. All these small touches helped recreate the Back to the Future setting with that vintage soda shop/diner vibe. Cue to DJ from East Coast Entertainment, and you’ve got a Bar Mitzvah that’s out of this world!

Thanks to LunahZon Photography for submitting our first featured Bar Mitzvah photo shoot on Done Brilliantly. And of course, mazeltov to Ethan!

Event Designer: Creative Events by Beth
Reception Venue: Renaissance Charlotte Southpark Hotel
DJ: East Coast Entertainment

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Filed Under: Events and Parties, Featured, Features, Sophia

Lifestyle: Family Fun Rain or Shine

4 May Filed Under: Featured, Features, Lifestyle, Shalyn

Summertime is quickly approaching, and it’s easy to think we can only have fun in the sun. But not so for the MacDougall family! This family proves they really can have fun together rain or shine! Renee of Renee Bowen Photography captured some adorable moments of the MacDougall family as they had fun together outside and inside at their California home. The facial expressions of these vivacious little ones are simply priceless!

Thanks again to Renee for sharing her beautiful images with us!

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Filed Under: Featured, Features, Lifestyle, Shalyn

Styled Shoot: Red and Aqua Wedding Inspiration

4 May Filed Under: Design Elements, Featured, Features, Inspiration, Natalia

This newlywed couple wanted some extra fun images after their wedding day, so they called Jeray and Kim Weddings to capture some lovely moments together. This fun inspiration shoot features stylist Collette Budd and makeup artist Martha Davenporte. The red and aqua details provide a colorful contrast to one another, and those desserts look simply delicious! We just love the natural outdoor setting and all the rustic details incorporated into this shoot. We hope you enjoy the summery vintage-inspired styling as much as we did!

Thank you to Jeray and Kim Weddings for submitting this fun, rustic shoot via Two Bright Lights!

Event Designer: Brier Rose Design

Reception Venue: Private Residence

Makeup Artist: Martha Davenporte Makeup Artistry

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Filed Under: Design Elements, Featured, Features, Inspiration, Natalia

Real Wedding: Hooked on Love

3 May Filed Under: Features, Lauren, Real Weddings

Good luck finding a detail out of place in this outdoor, gone-fishin’ California wedding! Kayleigh and Brent exchanged vows in a morning ceremony at Holly’s Ocean Meadow in Fort Bragg, overlooking the Pacific Ocean. If the gorgeous couple and beautiful venue aren’t enough for you, check out all of the ceremony and reception details– everything from butterfly embellishments on the flowers to what I would argue is one of the world’s most adorable wedding cakes. Even the wine glasses were decorated! Larsen’s Photography captured every special detail for the couple’s big day, and we feel so lucky to share them with you!

Thanks to Larsen’s Photography for sharing this wedding with us!

Caterer: B & C Grocery

Invitation Designer: Magnet Street

Dress Store: Wine Country Bridal

Dress Designer: Maggie Sottero

Cake Designer: Harvest Market

DJ: Premier Productions

Tuxedo and Mens Attire: Reynolds Menswear

Event Venue: Holly’s Ocean Meadow

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Filed Under: Features, Lauren, Real Weddings

Events and Parties: Annabelle’s Strawberry Birthday

3 May Filed Under: Design Elements, Events and Parties, Featured, Inspiration, Natalia

Birthdays are always a great opportunity to get creative with different themes and ideas, and this party is no exception! From the mom who is also the event designer, Sara at The Homespun Hostess told us about the inspiration behind her daughter’s strawberry themed birthday party! “Way back in early February my sweet little Annabelle got a new Strawberry tutu from Gymboree. As soon as she got it she told me she wanted to have a strawberry party so she could wear it for the party, and so the planning for her May birthday began! I knew in my head I wanted the style to be vintage strawberry, homespun and farm chic all wrapped into one! I used red gingham, fun polka dots and accented with a bit of retro aqua.” Maggie Russo Photo captured every charming detail, including the birthday girl herself, at this adorable affair!

Sara also shared more about the delicious details included in this sweet birthday party! “The dessert table was filled with goodies that my very talented sister {little miss sweet tooth} made: gorgeous strawberry ruffle cake, strawberry cake pops, strawberry cookies, truffles and strawberry french macarons! The food table had more of a “farm chic” rustic look with vintage popcorn bags, wrapped sandwiches tied with yarn and custom tags, mini homemade strawberry pies, individual strawberry spinach and dill potato salads and red lunch bags of chips. I love the pop of aqua against the red; it adds that little bit of retro charm that I love.” With all that yummy food, we can tell that even the adults would enjoy this kid’s birthday party. From the red ribbons to the polka dot straws, we just love all the creative yet simple touches that were incorporated into every aspect of this event! Thank you to Maggie Russo Photo for sharing this fun and festive birthday party with us!