• Hey, there! I'm Melissa McCrotty......a wedding and senior portrait photographer based in Russellville, Arkansas. I'm also a wife to Wes, and mommy to our two little gals, all three of whom you will probably see on this blog, if you hang around long enough!

    This blog follows my most recent shoots, as well as bits and pieces of my life and other random-ness! Thank you so much for stopping by! Now, pull up a chair and hang out for a bit......

10.23.12

Rachel + Daniel: Hendrix Greene Chapel Wedding

When Rachel and Daniel look at each other, there’s no question at all that they are wildly in love.  They make you believe in love….the fairy-tale kind that mostly just seems real on television and in movies.  Rachel and Daniel’s wedding day felt very much like a real-life fairytale, and it was such an honor to get to be the one to document the day!  A great group of vendors was responsible for making the day as perfect as could be!

Vendors:
Venue:  Hendrix College Greene Chapel
Reception:  Conway Country Club
DJ:  Central Arkansas Entertainment
Dress:  Low’s Bridal in Brinkley
Florals/Reception:  Cathy’s Flowers in Russellville

Here are some favorites from the day, and you can see more from Rachel and Daniel’s wedding in the slideshow!

We experienced a first at this wedding….when we got out of the chapel to head over to the reception, we couldn’t find our vintage car driver!   We waited a few minutes, but we were losing light fast, so they hoped in the back of our car!  Not quite as romantic as the vintage car, but still memorable
:)
Congratulations, Rachel and Daniel!

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Carol Gray - That girl knows what she’s doing. Beautiful!

Ellen Morris - Such a beautiful couple and wedding!:)

10.22.12

The Gray Family: 2012

It’s that time of year again…time to figure out and coordinate outfits for 10 people….try to prepare 4 kids, three under the age of 5, to please, please, PLEASE cooperate for a few family pictures (can you say BRIBES?!)  It’s hard, I tell ya!
Sometimes I forget how hard……and I guess it’s a good reminder of the stress of being on the other side of the camera!

Huge thanks to Tryston Hines for snapping our group shots. The rest of the images were taken by either me or Lori…..

My favorite picture of the day.  It’s SO Cale.  Sweet and cute, but some definite mischief in those eyes!
So, Wes, Carl, and Lori have all been training for a half-marathon next weekend….so they all look great and slender and healthy.  I am the one who NEEDED to be doing the running, but……. well, I can’t think of any excuses.  I just don’t enjoy running!  However, I do enjoy eating….. 
:)

This was Cale’s reward for being good through family pictures…he got to put on his Spiderman Halloween costume…..which actually fit our color-scheme pretty perfectly!
Wait….maybe THIS was his reward for being good in family pictures?!!  Cale insists he is going to marry Kenzie someday.  We keep telling him he can’t marry his cousin, but he’s not quite ready to believe us yet.  Kenzie love Cale, but she insists she isn’t marrying anyone (because she wants to stay with her mommy and daddy forever…..awww!!!)  One day, he will deny ever saying this……but at least we will have pictures to back up our story!
Abree and Keaton kind of have the short end of the cousin stick….since they are farther apart in age, but they buddy up and have become big pals!  Abree likes to “mother-hen” Keat, and Keaton seems to eat it up!

Whew!  I’m always so happy to have these yearly pictures, but I am also so happy to have them done with for another year!

Happy Monday!

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Carol Gray - The pictures are wonderful. It looks like you had fun even if it was work for you. We love your efforts and the outcome. You are all beautiful.

Kerrye DuVall Swicegood - You are all gorgeous! Even Uncle Rick ;) .

Kay Rackley Jordan - Awesome family! Love the boys hats! Beautiful!

10.17.12

Kelly + Jay: Engagement

So, Kelly was sweet enough to share she and Jay’s story with me after the shoot!  In her words……

One of our mutual friends decided we would be a great match.  He called Jay and then, me, to let us both know.  We didn’t get to meet the first time we had planned, though, in a night out with friends.  Jay’s grandmother was sick in West Memphis, and he couldn’t make it.  A week later, we met and ended up talking, along with a group of friends, for the rest of the evening.  I invited Jay to a fundraiser that I was attending the following night, but he never gave me a straight answer as to whether he would attend.  The next night I looked for him all night, but he never came! A few days later,  he Facebook messaged me and told me he enjoyed meeting me.  I responded and gave him my number, just in case, we “all” wanted to hang out again.  I didn’t hear back from him that night or the next and was a little discouraged.  On Tuesday I had another message from Jay.  Apparently, I had given him the wrong number!!  He said, “unless you have a guy on your voice mail,  you gave me the wrong number!”  I was so embarrassed and quickly sent him the correct number.  He texted me immediately and asked me to meet him that night with some other friends.  I went and never looked back!  Thank goodness he tried to contact me again, even after I sent him the wrong number!  We started dating and were engaged in New Orleans on May 30th in the Carousal Lounge at the Hotel Monte Leon.  Then we spent an amazing week celebrating our engagement!  We look forward to spending the rest of our lives together beginning April 27, 2013!

I met up with Kelly and Jay earlier this week to shoot their engagement session at The Barn at Twin Oaks Ranch.  I enjoyed hanging out with these two SO much, and I can’t wait for their wedding this spring!  Here are a few favorites, and you can see more in the slideshow!

 

How stinkin’ cute is Isabella?!! 
Happy Wednesday!

 

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Kimmy NailSalon - Thank you so much ! To share the picture, it lovely i love it……

10.16.12

Lauren + Creighton: Little Rock Wedding

Lauren and Creighton were married on Saturday, in the most beautiful wedding at Trinity Presbyterian Church in Little Rock.   Here are a few favorites from the day, and, of course, you can see more in the SLIDESHOW!

After the ceremony, we shot a few more images of Lauren and Creighton before heading into the reception, at the Country Club of Little Rock….
The guys always react a little differently than the ladies….this one cracked me up!  Can you guess who ended up snatching the garter up?
Glad someone had the guts to grab it! 
Congratulations, Lauren and Creighton!  Your wedding was a blast, and I know you guys are having a great time in Turks and Caicos!

Happy Tuesday!

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Christina Tarpley - Loved the pictures!

beverly cox - Love the picture with the Little Rock skyline in the background!

10.15.12

Lauren: Bridals

Lauren and Creighton were married this weekend, and I am so happy to be able to share Lauren’s lovely bridal session from a few weeks back!

Lauren had the coolest idea ever!  She brought both her mother and Creighton’s mother’s wedding gowns, and wore them for a couple of quick pictures.  Then, she displayed those pictures at a table at the reception, along with the dresses!  Very cool way to honor the mothers! 
Here’s a shot of the scene at the reception!

 

Check back tomorrow for the full post of Lauren and Creighton’s wedding day!

Happy Monday!

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Christina Tarpley - Lovely pictures!

Erin Blome - Where was this? Its beautiful!