THE BUBBLES!!!

I LOVE a good veil shot!!

REAL smiles are the BEST smiles!!

I LOVE THOSE SHOTS!!

A little photographer in the making!!

She makes ALL the faces but I LOVE this little face the best!!

THE BEST WEDDING CAKE TOPPER EVER!!!

ALWAYS make time to sneak off together and grab a few photos before the end of the night!

I try to keep myself OUT of the photos – but this one called for it!!

Danielle & Martin – I absolutely LOVED spending your wedding day with you!!

I hope to work with you guys again soon!!!

 

I met Danielle & Martin through the best referral source out there – YOUR WORD!!

Kate Blackwell (a former bride) works with Martin’s sister Amanda and that’s how she got my name!

PERFECT SHOT!!

You know that details are my FAVORITE!! And these details – are my ABSOLUTE favorite!!!

Danielle REALLY wanted a picture of her daughter in HER wedding dress!! It only lasted for a quick moment – but we got it!!

BUT we did get some GREAT ones of V in her own dress!!

She is SO MUCH FUN!!

A little bit of LEGO – I DO!!

These scenes are my favorite – just capturing what happens to be in front of me!!

Isn’t she SO GORGEOUS!?

Perfect moments!!

I loved the shadows in this spot!!

Those last few moments before the BIG moment!!

SO BEAUTIFUL!!

HUSBAND & WIFE!!!

I ADORE those shots!!! The bubbles – their sweet kiddos looking on!! PERFECT!

OH MY HEART!! Those bubbles and the crinkled nose!! A crinkled nose smile is a REAL smile!!!!

I’ll show you the rest of their wedding tomorrow!!!!

We stopped for a few silhouette shots before making our way into the waterfall!

PERFECTION!!!

I LOVE THAT ONE!!!

Sometimes I have a hard time believing that I’m in Waverly NY and NOT Hawaii when I’m in this waterfall!!!

OH MY WORD!!! I LOVE EVERYTHING ABOUT THIS SHOT!

MAYBE EVEN MORE IN BLACK & WHITE!?

GORGEOUS!!

PERFECT!

ONE OF MY FAVORITE SHOTS OF THE EVENING!!

Macy & Justin – thank you SO MUCH for spending the evening with me!!

THANK YOU for getting IN the water – you guys are the BEST!

I hope to work with you again soon!

 

Macy messaged me about an engagement session! She and Justin were getting married in October and wanted to have a little push out of their comfort zone before their wedding photos!

PERFECT!! We met at Waverly Glen – because there is a GORGEOUS waterfall there!

Before we got IN the waterfall – we explored a little bit around the park!

I LOVE THOSE SHOTS!!

SWOON!!

We climbed to the top of the waterfall and it was VERY worth it!!

SO BEAUTIFUL!!

OH MY WORD!! SO BEAUTIFUL!! Make sure to come back for the rest of the session – because they get IN the waterfall!!

 

 

On the morning of August 21st – I got a text from my friend and fellow photog Megan. She had a client who dabbled in photography and had a very small backyard wedding that night but her kiddos were sick and the groom was undergoing treatments for cancer and didn’t want to risk exposing him to anything extra. Megan wasn’t available either. I texted my in-laws and worked out childcare because Jared also had plans that night.

I was able to make it!

You know that I love all things about photography – weddings – family sessions – newborns – births – seniors. ALL OF THEM.

BUT – being asked to photograph intimate backyard weddings – especially this one – ones in the midst of hard times – it’s a humbling and moving experience.

Dylan and Rhonda have a beautiful home and a garage full of all the things he loves – classic cars being one!

They went into the garage to discuss the order of the ceremony with the officiant and their son.

I loved the reflections and composition of that moment.

Dylan and Rhonda chose August 21st as their wedding date because it was their 21st anniversary!

SO MUCH EMOTION.

There were several people that wanted to be there but couldn’t. FACETIME is one of the greatest inventions EVER!!

Those are my favorite shots from the evening – you can FEEL the emotion.

A handmade gift – among the many they received.

Before I left – I wanted to make sure to get some photos of Rhonda & Dylan together in front of their beautiful home they’ve built!

On October 14th – Dylan passed away after a hard-fought battle with pancreatic cancer.

I didn’t know them at all really. I spent a little over an hour with them on their wedding day – but I cried when I read it.

You can FEEL the love in these photos and I knew how much he loved and was loved.

Rhonda – I am happy that our paths crossed and I was able to be there with you and give you these photos to remember that beautiful day – however I am sure the memories are already vivid in your mind.

THANK YOU for welcoming me into your circle – if only for a little bit of time.

I know that you have an amazing support system surrounding you and I pray that you feel God giving you His strength.

I met Shaina YEARS ago when I photographed her daughter Hannah!

I was SO excited when she asked me about photographing her intimate wedding in their backyard!!

WITH THIS RING.

I THEE WED.

Sometimes family photos do not work out the way you thought they might!!

Shaina – thank you SO MUCH for asking me to spend your wedding day with you!!

I can’t WAIT to meet that new little guy soon!!

 

 

In early August I got an email from Nathan about hopefully capturing his proposal – stealthily!

They were from Boston and were coming to Cherry Springs State Park to view the meteor showers in mid-August.

There was a small window where he wanted to propose. But he couldn’t set it up under a photo session ruse – because he was pretty sure she would figure it out!

He found me on THE KNOT and it worked out that I was able to make it the day that he wanted to propose!!

I got to the park early and walked around to scope out my options!

There is something really historical about this cabin but I can’t remember what it is!

I found spot on a hill behind some long grass to hie until the moment came.

I waited in my car until they got out of their car with all their picnic goodies and made their way to the spot.

Then I got into position!

They chatted and cuddled and just enjoyed being together.

THEN it was THE moment!

I love that she reacted before he could even get on his knee!!

SHE SAID YES!!

I waited for Nathan to give me the nod that it was okay to come out of hiding!!

SO MUCH HAPPINESS!!

Isn’t that ring PERFECT!?

I LOVE THOSE SHOTS!!

That’s the spot where I was hiding and waiting!

OH MY GOODNESS!! Can I shoot here EVERY DAY!?

I suggested that they go ahead and eat dinner and we’ll just keep taking ALL the photos!!

LOVE LOVE LOVE!!

It started to rain just as we were finishing our session so it was PERFECT timing!!

Nathan & Gracie – I had such a GREAT time being able to capture this moment for you both! I wish you the BEST in your lives together!!!

 

 

Nate has been shadowing me on weddings for the past few years and it worked out that he was able to come to Damien & Liz’s wedding with me!

I applied my editing to these photos to “match” the photos that I already gave Liz & Damien – but everything else is all Nate!

THIS MOMENT!!! I’m SO happy we had two angles covered!!

THIS is why you should ALWAYS have 2 photographers!!

THIS IS SUCH A GREAT SHOT!

Nate – THANK YOU SO MUCH for spending the day with us!!

Liz absolutely ADORES her little cousins!

I LOVE THOSE SHOTS!!

ALWAYS make the time for sunset photos!!

Those first dance feelings. They never get old!

Damien’s mom wrote AND recorded a song for him – and that was their first dance!!

AHHHH!! I’ve said it before – but SO much of photography is being in the right place at the right time!

I LOVE THAT ONE!!

Instead of a cake – Liz & Damien had an ice cream sundae bar!!

Damien & Liz – THANK YOU SO MUCH for asking me to spend your day with you!!

 

 

 

I LOVE a good veil shot!!

We needed a bench for Liz’s extended family photos and I just LOVED that they were having a moment while her brother a little cousin were taking the bench back!

THOSE SHADOWS!!!

They sang their first dance song the whole time – and it was BEAUTIFUL!

I’ve got ONE MORE post to show you!!