A Cold Budapest Morning - Family Christmas Photo Shoot

I have been looking forward to this post since I started working on the actual project.

FAMILY PICTURES!!!

I love family pictures, but for some reason, my family never seems to get organized enough to get good ones.   Our last family picture was at our wedding, and although it's a beautiful picture, it's not particularly versatile, because- well let's face it, it's a wedding picture.  It's pretty obvious why the one girl is wearing a big (although stunning, if I might say so myself) white dress.

So, when my mom told me that her neighbor, who is a photographer, was giving my mom a family photo session as a Christmas gift, a bigger fire couldn't have been lit under my butt to get things going.  AND, she told me I could come up with the color scheme.  Pictures, clothes, style and a theme!?  And I get to tell my family what to do?  All the things I'm best at!

My mom told me, that we were taking the pictures in downtown Budapest, which 

(I know I'm biased, but)

is the most beautiful backdrop a person could ask for!  Only drawback?  It's freezing in December.  Correction, it's below freezing.

So, I started googling, and looking for cold weather, outdoor family pictures.  And let me tell you, it's slim pickins.  

So, I resorted to polyvore.com to create my own "family picture".

(Here's a link to the actual sets: polyvore.com/cgi/browse.sets)

I chose the color scheme red/black/white/gray, because the red made it Christmasy, but not in an uber-obvious way, it's my mom's favorite color, and it's classic.  I read everywhere, not to try to make it too matchy-matchy, but rather to go with a color scheme, and have everyone mix and match.  Even with patterns.  So I did...

Dad:  For my dad, I picked a handsome argyle sweater, because it's a basic, staple item, which honestly I thought he already had in his wardrobe.  I chose black/dark wash jeans for him, because I'm keeping my fingers crossed that one day he'll let us convince him to buy a pair. :)

Mom:  For my mom, I picked a black sheath dress, because I know it's what she feels most comfortable in, and she always rocks it.  She also has a pair of these amazing black shoes that have the signature Louboutin red sole.  Then, I gave her some red touches here and there, because my mom is all about detail.

Daughter:  For myself, I picked a cute Liz Claiborne dress my parents had just bought me (even though I ended up wearing the other one they got me), a jacket that looked like one I already had (jacket story to follow), boots, and cute red accents.

Daughter-in-law:  For my brother's girlfriend I chose a red coat, because I knew she already had one, and because she is so petite, she really could've worn anything, but I really liked the sweater dress with the skinny jeans.

Son-in-law:  For my husband, I picked a plaid shirt, because some days I think that's all he owns (but of course he had to buy a new one for the pictures), a black peacoat (he had just bought a charcoal one), Converse All Stars, some nice dark wash jeans, and a scarf, because deep down he's European.

Son:  For my middle brother, I picked a red button down shirt, because the boy likes a little flare, a black vest, because I know he loves vests, especially pairing them with signature shirts, and a euro tie, because that's just how he rolls.

Son:  For my youngest brother I picked red pants, because of all of us, he was probably the only one who could pull them off.  He's the kind of guy that saves up his money, and then buys a whole outfit, all the pieces from really nice stores I usually look in the windows of.  Also, the boy can rock a fedora, and is really classy in all his accents.

So, my family (wisely, I might add) did just about exactly as I said, ha! :)

Kidding.

Sort of.

Well, they did!

And THEN my parents surprised me with a gorgeous red peacoat that I'd been wishing for ever since the Lake House came out.

So, on a cold December Saturday, we all got up, Moni, my parents wonderful neighbor came over and did the ladies' make up, we got dressed, and all went downtown for our family photo session.

My gorgeous parents.

My handsome brother, and his beautiful leading lady.

My hot husband and I.

Our family. This is love.

Everyone.  I am in love with is picture.

She's as stunning as ever!

The city of love! (Ours, at least)

All I can say is, awwwwwww.

They won the hottest couple's picture though.  Seriously, look at those sparks!

The Gracza family.

The original Gracza family

:)

Siblings.

The boys

RED!!!

We had an amazing time, and finally have the family pictures to show for it!

I'd like to say a special thanks to Monika Melczer for her incredible work, and for the beautiful memories.