If the answer is YES and the soon-to-be-weds radiate quirky, creative ideas oh boy oh boy HOLD ONTO YOUR SEATS.

SilverBox has teamed up with Hoot Design Co and The Bridal Solution to GIVE AWAY a full wedding package. That’s right:  GIVE.*

Applications are accepted starting February 14th (LOVE!) and the search is on to find the perfect DIY couple who is bringing their creativity, theme and unique sense of selves to their wedding celebration.

The last Win Your Wedding contest led Amy, Kim & Annika to Warsaw, Poland to document the epic celebration of Jan & Magda ~ where will this Win-Your-Wedding-2.0 adventure lead?

Apps accepted through April 1st (no kidding!) with winner determined by April’s end. Hip hip HOORAY! Stay tuned to the blog for details and the application itself this Valentine’s Day.

~ amy, kim, + annika

* We really mean GIVE. In fact the winning couple will win over $10,000 worth of wedding services — no strings, ribbon or heirloom ric-rac attached.

Hoot Design Co helps set the tone with save-the-date cards and invitations (with stationery collection and fantabulous wedding signage soon to follow!)

Complete coordination, styling and planning services provided with a smile thanks to The Bridal Solution.

AND the winning couple will re-live the joy and beauty of their celebration for years to come:  Best of Columbia SilverBox Photographers are at your service!

in context   | in ˈkän-tekst |  ::  consideration within the surrounding circumstance and environment

10 years ago when i started documenting weddings, one thing i knew for sure was that i wanted to document the love of family and the day’s fleeting moments IN CONTEXT. context is what adds richness ~ not just photographically, but to the Whole of our lives.

weddings in context.

family photography in context.

when local mixed-media (& widely renown) artist Jenny McGee shared her vision for how she wanted her art FEATURED and SHOWCASED on her new blog, the words “IN CONTEXT” came immediately to mind.

jenny mixes her own paint using mud and clay and crushed pearls and organic-based dyes. jenny’s paintings and collages are often created on reclaimed doors and windows. the work is take-your-breath INSPIRING. our collective hope and vision was to capture and celebrate her art in a memorable, unique and meaningful way. In sum:  jenny mcgee art in context.

This is a new venture for me:  photographing works of art and the artist who brought such ideals to life.

i’d LOVE your feedback, Silver Lining Reader. please share your comments — good, bad and neutral. jenny’s site is still evolving a bit but we’d both be honored for you to take a look at her web presence to date and my fingers are crossed that you get a sense of quirky, fabulous, uplifting, joy-filled jenny while there. jenny WARMS THE WORLD -  no kidding. one of my favorite bits written about jenny and her magnetic husband is a click away, right here.

at the end of our shooting day (new year’s eve’s eve!) as we were carrying paintings down from the hayloft in my family’s old barn, jenny said, beaming “amy, this has honestly been one of the best days of my life” and THOSE are words i’ll cherish and carry with me from this day forward. because the truth is jenny:  mine, too.

love you to pieces, jenny mcgee and oh how i’ve loved getting to know you through this adventure

xoxo -amy

extra bonus: kristen of hoot design co (who shares the space with us) provided custom holiday card designs to folks wanting personalized, professional cards.

if you missed this first round of “short & sweets,” do not despair! we are planning on another round in several weeks, along with a few delightfully playful surprises . . . we promise to keep you posted. here’s to a happy HApPy hAPpy 2012!

~ team silverbox (a.k.a. ~ amy, kim, annika)

we photographed johnny tate in our new studio, and wow-oh-wow are we loving having a bright, wide open space to work in (stop by and see us so that we can show it off to you)!

by the way, our brides may recognize the proud father: josh is a topnotch DJ with Main Event Productions. we count our lucky stars whenever we get to work with josh at a reception.

and thank you, studio home (silverbox’s next door neighbors with a luscious home interiors showroom), for supplying the “dough bowl” that johhny tate napped in.

~ kim

oh how i LOVED working with janna and adam! she is an early childhood educator. he is writing a novel and working at shakespeares, columbia’s very own pizza legacy. they were the perfect combination of laid back AND joyful . . . completely immersed in the utter bliss of the day.

the sun glowed; people danced with abandon; the universe smiled. so many favorites below to share with all of you . . . and my favorite of the favorites may just be janna’s dad helping her into the car; take a look at the expression on his face. for even more favorites, click here to see their wedding day slideshow.

……………………………

Columbia, Missouri

vendors who helped make janna + adam’s wedding wonderful:

ceremony venue ~ First Baptist Church
reception venue ~ University Club
reception music ~ Main Event Productions, Josh Keller
flowers ~ Kent’s Floral Gallery
cake ~ Upper Crust

……………………………

~ kim & annika

Congratulations to the two of you and your families!

annika (amy, too!)

congratulations to natalie and tim!
a perfect wedding.
a perfect day.
click here to see their wedding day slideshow and scroll down for lots of favorites.

……………………………

Fayette & Columbia, Missouri

vendors who helped make natalie + tim’s wedding wonderful:

ceremony venue • United Methodist Church, Fayette

reception venue • Columbia Country Club
……………………………

~kim

the picture of happiness! that’s heidi + tyler on their wedding day. love. laughter. wildflowers. WHITE PUMPKINS! a well-loved wooden swing that got lots of use!

a wagon with HAYBALES:

And a backyard flower-filled tent:

AND the most adorable children you’ve ever seen.

oh AND the BEST most AND the most MEANINGFUL, INSIGHTFUL ceremony readings on record.

and wait…the FOOD (thanks to Columbia’s own The Catering Kitchen) tasted even better than it looked!

Words simply cannot describe the JOY and SINCERITY of this celebration!

[so let's see if pictures do the trick... CLICK HERE for LOTS of them, set to MUSIC. or scroll on down for a few highlights]

and now, roughly in order of the afternoon, from first glance, to evening moonbeams:

dear dear heidi + tyler ~ we LOVED every single minute. THANK YOU THANK YOU from the bottom of our hearts!

~ amy (and annika, too!)