Tara Arseven Photography

Natalie walked down the aisle carrying a heart hand-sewn from her dad’s shirt. He isn’t here with us anymore, and someone who loved them both made sure he was anyway. I saw it right before the ceremony and had to physically collect myself, as I also lost my dad, and some moments just hit different when you know exactly how they feel. I was NOT about to start a cry train and help ruin her makeup before she even made it to the altar. 🥴
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She made it. Spencer saw her for the first time as she walked down holding her brother’s arm, and his whole face just lit up. They said their vows, they cried, they laughed, we chased the most beautiful Texas golden hour light across the ranch, and then Natalie proceeded to absolutely destroy the dance floor at nearly 7 months pregnant with zero hesitation and zero regrets. 💃🏻
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I shot this one solo because the day was intimate enough that I could be everywhere at once, and I am so glad I was. This little family is just getting started. Baby, if you ever see these photos someday, your parents had the best day.
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Congratulations, you three. 🥹
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Magnolia Creek Ranch, Princeton TX. 05.16.26 🤍
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Get yourself a wedding photographer who shows up like nothing happened, even after slipping in the hotel shower the night before, landing flat on her bum, hitting her head on the wall so hard she went in with two brain cells and came out with one. That last one’s still hangin’ in there 💀🫡
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And this 14 hour wedding day is proof I can still do my job on a single brain cell 😎 🤣🤣
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Ana, you cried during your first look, during your vows, while FaceTime’ing with your friend, during the ceremony, the toasts, your private last dance… You went through MULTIPLE boxes of tissues and somehow your makeup looked just as flawless at midnight as it did at sunrise. , you are a literal magician and I will be raving about you for the rest of time. 👏
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Ari, the way you look at her is something I’ll be thinking about for a while 🥹 The many butterfly kisses, the hugs, the way you tuck her hair behind her ear, and hold her… The two of you, together, is everything a wedding photographer can dream to work with 🧡
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And I can’t not mention Maria, certified G.O.A.T. of all mothers of the bride, who kept pulling surprise after surprise out of her sleeve… AND, plot twist of the century 🤪 she’s the mom who told her daughter to SHORTEN the family formal list. From 77 down to 33. Other MOBs are out here ADDING names and Maria said “no babe, less is more.” You set a bar no other MOB will ever clear. I bow to you 🙇‍♀️ (Dear future mothers-of-the-bride… take notes 📝)
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Venue + Catering:
Planning, Coordination + Florals:
DJ + Uplighting:
Hair + Makeup (the unsung hero):
Live Painter:
Pedicab:
Gown:
Officiant: Payam Pourjavad
Cake: Carol Li (friend with TALENT)
Sofreh decor: Maria Seifi (the G.O.A.T. herself)
Photo + Video: yours truly 📸🎥
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Rachel and Tanner got married yesterday and I haven’t put my camera down long enough to process it yet. 🥹

Hot pink tablecloths. Disco balls in the centerpieces. A custom suit hand-painted with roses. Vows that made people cry. A first kiss that got a standing ovation. This wedding had a whole entire personality and I loved every second of it.

More coming soon, but I literally could not wait. 🤩

Okay, also, Sunday morning PSA: 2026 is filling up way faster than I expected. I have two fall weekends left, one New Year’s Eve slot, and early 2027 dates open. If you just got engaged, congrats, hi, this is your sign. Inquiry link in bio and let’s see if we’re a match. 🤭🙌🏻

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It’s not every day someone slides into my DMs and says “let’s do something weird.” 👀

Challenge accepted. And I had the TIME of my life. 🤩 10/10 would absof**kinlutely do it again!!

What do you think? 🎈🖤

Slide 1 — “Perpetual Ballet” by Hyperstudio + Mauro Pace
Slide 2 — “BB Series” by Tadao Cern
Slide 3 — “Hyperfrequency” by Hyperstudio + Bruno Ribeiro
Slide 4 — “Swing” by Motorefisico

📍 Balloon Museum Dallas, Tx

⚠️Vulnerable post ahead. Proceed with caution ⚠️

March tried to take me out. And honestly? It almost had a case.

Within the span of a few days, I lost my close friend Su, who was based in Türkiye. Got dumped by someone I genuinely cared about, who was figuring out what they wanted for themselves. (Respect the journey, hate the timing.) And got a pap smear result that had my doctor wanting to look closer, just to rule some things out. All in the same week. Back to back to back. The universe said “here’s a combo meal you didn’t order” and slid it right across the counter.

I spent a lot of time alone in my loft spiraling into my own head. Did I miss signs? Could I have done something differently? Should I call my attorney about a will? (That last one is still on my actual to-do list. Hi, Hershel, if you’re reading this.)

But honestly? This isn’t even close to the hardest thing I’ve survived. Life has handed me some genuinely brutal chapters. Losses that gutted me. Relationships that broke me down to nothing. Starting over so many times I lost count, in different cities, different countries, different versions of myself. There were seasons I didn’t think I was going to make it through.

And every single time, without fail, my work saved me. My humans saved me.

We belly laugh, joke around, have a great time, and every single problem I have on my plate just... vanishes. I don’t know how to explain it except that it works, every time, without fail.
They don’t know they’re saving me. But I feel it every single time.

So to every human who has trusted me with their love, their body, their brand, their joy, over these 19 years: thank you. You have poured into me more than you will ever know. I genuinely don’t know where I’d be without you, and I don’t want to find out.

I’m okay. Getting better every day. Can’t wait to see you out there.

She built a whole world and then did hair in it. 🌌

Veronica has spent nearly a decade creating not just beautiful hair but an entire experience - a salon with a galaxy ceiling, a hidden bookcase door, fresh baked cookies, and a coffee/drink bar that has EVERYTHING you can ask for. The kind of place you don’t want to leave.

And then she sat down in front of my camera and reminded everyone exactly why she’s the artist behind it all. 🌈🖤

If you’re in Dallas and you haven’t booked with her yet, what are you even doing 🥲 Go find her

📍 Dallas TX

DallasSalon BrandingPhotography TaraArseven

Okay but can we talk about how good this engagement session turned out? 😍

I drove to Natalie and Spencer’s house first, met their kitties, hung out for a bit, and then Spencer drove us to Waco because I was absolutely not driving that many hours by myself. Road trip energy only 🥲😆

The Armstrong Browning Library is unreal! The stained glass... The marble... The dramatic natural light... I did a lot of my happy dance, gasping at every image I caught a glimpse at the back of the camera while we were still shooting 🤭🤭

And those two lovely humans… They are playful, sweet, and so comfortable together, I barely had to direct anything. They just fell into place and trusted me, which is always when the magic happens.

Their wedding is coming up this May and I am so excited 🥹 Days like this remind me why I love what I do.

Thank you Nat and Spencer for having me as your photographer 🫶🏻

I don’t have art, energy, time, or emotional labor to give to people who want my work without my values.

My perspective wasn’t formed in a vacuum. It comes from living in a body and a life that has never fit neatly into what’s considered acceptable, obedient, or convenient. It comes from knowing what it’s like to be talked over, legislated around, and told to be quieter for the comfort of others.

That reality shapes how I see. How I feel. How I create.

I don’t soften that to be more bookable.
I don’t hide it to feel safer.
And I don’t owe neutrality to systems that were never neutral toward me.

If this costs me work, so be it. I don’t want work that requires me to disappear.

I didn’t fall in love with photography because of cameras. I fell in love with people.

Somewhere along the way, I realized my favorite part of this job is showing up for my humans on some of the biggest, weirdest, most emotional days of their lives. I get to be the calm in the chaos, the hype woman when nerves hit, the quiet presence when things feel heavy, and the extra set of hands that makes the day smoother simply because I’m there. That matters to me more than any shot list ever could.

Energy is everything. I am very intentional about who I work with, because no amount of money can make me enjoy being around people I don’t vibe with. When we click, the day flows, the photos feel real, the laughter is easy, the trust is mutual. That connection is the magic, and it shows in every frame.

Rachel and Jesse are a perfect example of why I do this. From the beginning, it just made sense. From running around New York together for their engagement session to celebrating them in Dallas, it never felt like “work.” It felt like being invited into something meaningful.

There’s a Turkish saying I love: “Sevgi emektir.”
Love is effort. Love is showing up. Love is choosing each other, again and again.

And that’s exactly the kind of love I want to photograph. The kind shared by dope AF humans who value connection, trust, and a damn good party at the end of the night.

Here’s to more real moments, aligned energies, and dancing until our feet hurt.

2026, I’m ready for you. 🥂✨