100th POST- Pensacola Beach, FL 2011 {personal}

"Good company upon the road is the shortest cut." ~Author Unknown

I am officially rejuvenated! My husband went to Pensacola as a kid and promised white sandy beaches and clear waters and he couldn't have been more accurate! It was stunning! Our crew consisted of Hubby & I and our clients & very good friends (oh and newlyweds too) Andrew & Kiley. We drove drown to the gulf Sunday night (7/31) and arrived bright and early the following Monday morning. Ahhhh, nothing better than waking up to the smell of salt water. I am a total beach bum...can't get enough of it! :) We had a very simple routine: morning coffee, hang at the beach, shower, EAT lots of seafood, enjoy a margarita or two, watch shark week (or as we called it "chark week"), hit the hay and repeat! Oh and we had the best hotel neighbors ever! Robert and Trish (you'll see them below) treated us to a wonderful "home cooked" meal and it was delicious. It was definitely one of those What About Bob "mmmmmmmmm" moments. For those who need a laugh: http://youtu.be/KvVKFCP5cCA Good food, good company and plenty of laughter=one great vacation. Thanks to all who made it a blast! <3

Our hotel :) Yes, those are our towels and suits hanging on the 4th floor. :) We had a bay view and were across the street from the gulf. Perfect location!

Our Bay View (Pool, Marina and all)

Life is good :)

Hangin' out after a long day at the beach :-P

Making friends (our hotel neighbors) and grilling. Fresh shrimp and ribs! Accompanied by yummy southwest salad and some SLAMMIN' corn on the cob. (See below)

Ashley & Ellis {wed} El Dorado Springs, MO Wedding Photographer

Ashley & Ellis tied the knot on a beautiful (and quite HOT) summer day, just outside of Eldorado Springs, MO. Ashley was a stunning bride and the groom was looking pretty 'GQ' himself. ;) All the towns people and lots of family from afar came to celebrate with them! It was gorgeous! To enjoy portraits from their picnic themed engagement session go here.

www.christinebonnivier.com

Joplin Smile! {community project}

For those of you on the east coast, Joplin Missouri, a fairly large city approximately 75 miles from where we call home in Springfield, MO, was hit by a F 5 tornado on May 22, 2011. Within minutes 30% of the city was destroyed, as many of us stared at our television screen in awe and absolute shock. This storm was so destructive, it became known as one of the worst tornadoes this country has ever seen. The heartbreaking news made headlines for weeks.

"Joplin Death Toll at 116 Making It Deadliest Tornado in Nearly 60 Years" -abc News

I don't want to bombard you with too many videos and such; I just want everyone to understand the gravity of such a natural disaster. I'm struggling to even comprehend the devastation. It's painful to here stories of loved ones lost. Homes and businesses can be rebuilt but losing a friend or family member!? It's just inconceivable to me to think of the hurt they must have. :'(

So here's the scoop:
Pictures are how we are remembered; they're our memories and legacies. A way to reflect and reminiscence! A lot of the people in Joplin are here today with generations of memories gone. I am so proud of the Mid-west photographers who have stepped up to help our neighbors in Joplin. This fall, photographers from all of over MO will be volunteering their time to give people new memories...family portraits! :) Giving back people their legacies and stories, for free. :) It's such a humbling thing to be apart of! I'm so excited to see their smiling faces in front of my camera. Overcoming loss, injury and hardship. Moving forward with strength and thankfulness.

Christine Bonnivier Photography is scheduled for Oct 23th, 2011 from 9:00am-6:00pm. To learn more and to see if you or a loved one is eligible for a Family Portrait Session visit the Joplin Smile! website. To book directly with CBP go here. :) Oh and don't forget to check out Joplin Smile! on Facebook.

*Drop us a line or send a note if you have any questions: christinebonnivier@gmail.com

Justin, Liz & Grayson {family} Springfield, MO Portrait Photographer

Cuties, right!? I had the pleasure of photographing Normans Bridal's most recent fashion show and that's where I met the lovely Liz! She is such a dear :) Kinda chatty too, so we got along great! ;) Their little family is so adorable. It was sooo worth the drive up to Macks Creek (gravel roads and all). It was a perfect day; not too hot and even a cool breeze. (I better stop saying that, because I will jinx my next shoot). But seriously...it's been gorgeous! Hope y'all enjoy their smiling faces :)

www.christinebonnivier.com

Jordan & Nate {engaged} New York, NY Engagement Photography

This couple was such a blast to photograph. Bride Jordan and I went to college together and I was so honored when she asked me to be her photographer. :) They plan on tying the knot in May 2012 near Hershey, PA. I proposed the idea of getting together for a whole day of photography fun in the Big Apple. It was a PERFECT Monday morning at Jones Beach...just delightful. Glorious weather too...made for some dreamy pictures. I hope y'all enjoy them :-)