{ Teresa + Arnold = ENGAGED! }

For all you photographers out there - imagine the most fun photoshoot that you can: bright, whimsical backgrounds, playful props, and interactive events...not to mention a snuggly, in-love couple who can't keep their hands off each other!  Well, continue with your jealousy, because that perfectly describes our engagement photoshoot from last week.  Teresa and Arnold shared their very first kiss at Bay Beach years ago, and returned with us to document that special step in their relationship.

We started off the afternoon by taking a few pictures with their beautiful baby girl, Ava, (I am withholding those photos for a few days, but expect them soon on Facebook) ;).  We spent the rest of the day on and off of rides, snapping up a storm.  The first ride we ventured on was the ferris wheel, which Teresa was apprehensive about...and now I understand why!  In the back of my mind, I remembered the ferris wheel as never going faster than its loading and unloading speed...foolish me.  Needless to say, post ferris wheel time required a Sprite break.  We hit up the train, helicopters, and of course, the merry-go-round.  Teresa and Arnold were so relaxed and easy-going - up for anything that came to us.  Teresa is sweet and shy, with these icy blue eyes that are completely arresting.  Arnold is quiet and laid-back with a quirky, funny side that we got to see a few times throughout the afternoon.    Their big day is only a few months off, and we can't wait to be a part of it.

{ Michelle + Kevin = ENGAGED! }

It was a blistering summer afternoon for Michelle and Kevin's engagement photos, so an hour in, when the sky threatened rain and gave us those big, beautiful, blue clouds, everyone was thankful for the shade and cool.  This engagement session was particularly exciting because it was our first time getting to meet Michelle and Kevin.  Their little boy got sick on our meeting day a few months back, and living hours away we hadn't had a chance to connect since.  It was wonderful getting to know them both, and so fun shooting in a brand new location.

Michelle is sweet, with a beautiful, natural smile you can tell she wears often; Kevin is relaxed and attentive, impressing everyone when he reminded us of props we almost forgot to use.  On the day of the shoot they were both up for anything - climbing in four feet of grassy field in heels? Sure.  Hiking up to the edge of a former waterfall? Sure.  They certainly have adventure in their bones (which of course is a quality Ben and I love!)  Michelle and Kevin still have a little under a year until their big day - plenty of time to enjoy the planning and anticipation.  We are looking forward to seeing all their ideas come together!

Our Family Photos

As a brief interlude between blog posts, I thought I would share some of our family photos we took over Fourth of July weekend.  One of the most beautiful things about my job is sharing in your big events and intimate family moments, and because of this, I feel inclined to share mine with you.  These photos are of everyone on my mom's side of the family - grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, and of course my brother, Josh, my parents, and Ben.  Shockingly, we had never had a family photo with everyone involved, which seemed particularly shameful with Ben and myself as photographers.  I was so thankful that we could get everyone's schedules to work together for a brief hour so that we could have an opportunity to document the family I love so dearly.

The property on which we did the photoshoot was where my grandfather grew up.  The farm was bought in 1907 and the house in the photos was built in 1920 by my grandpa's grandpa, Mathias Berns, and for many years functioned as an orchard and dairy farm.  Since then, many of my family members have lived there for different parts of their lives, myself included.  Throughout the summer, we all gather together for festivals and Birthday parties always managing to turn them into big events and holidays.  We have campfires, climb trees, play on the old rope swings, drive a multitude of wild vehicles through the fields, and join together for Grandma's famous chicken dinners, and Grandpa's relaxed barbecues.  Writing about it now, I'm counting the days until our next visit.

{ Tricia + Dustin = MARRIED! }

Two weeks ago we had the pleasure of photographing Tricia and Dustin's wedding.  It was our first wedding at the Bridal Chapel, which was a gorgeous location - plenty of natural light and homestyle touches that reminded us of a bed and breakfast.  The entire day was intimate and relaxed - truly a celebration.  During the ceremony, Tricia did her best to stay strong, but in the end her mother was right (as mothers always are) and she shed a few tears during the vows.  Together Tricia and Dustin have a little girl named Hailey and Dustin has a son named Danny. On that day, the couple joined their lives by making promises to one another, but they also bonded a family, and there is nothing more beautiful than that.  Best of luck and many congratulations, Tricia and Dustin!

Maddox Turns 11 Months!

We always love getting to meet new families and new little ones.  This was our first photoshoot with Maddox, and he was such a sweetheart.  He came in dressed like a little man in his yellow button-down.  He was shy and nervous at first, being somewhere new with strangers, but by the end of the photoshoot he was exploring everything, playing with all our props and even crawling up into my lap to find the sparkly ball he knew I was hiding.  Smart little guy!  Maddox's mom says he is a rough-and-tumble boy, spending lots of time trying to keep up with his tough, older cousins, and proving himself every time.  He was nothing but smiles and curiosity, and we loved getting to be a part of his first year.