Hillary & Bob {Grand Rapids, MI Wedding, November 19, 2011}
Bob & Hillary had a small snd intimate ceremony at the beautiful Frederick Meijer Gardens. It was a decent November day-sunny and just slightly chilly, so pretty perfect for Michigan weather! They are such a sweet couple-it is obvious that they are in love-she is constantly laughing at his silliness and he is staring into her eyes. Thanks for letting me share in your day!
Our Little Jameson-Hello World {Grand Rapids, MI Newborn, November 1, 2011}
There are really no words to describe what it is like becoming a mother. A true miracle and such a beautiful experience. Knowing that he was created by God and knit together as a perfect blend of Jim and I is beyond our comprehension. Looking at him and his perfect fingers, toes, eyes, ears, mouth and every other perfect detail is such a gift. To know that he is our son and we get the honor and privilege to help him grow into the man he was created to be is so amazing. And of course, we think he is the cutest baby on this planet! Welcome Jameson Lee 11/1/11 8:35 am 9 lbs 3 oz 21.5 inches long, perfect in every way and loved beyond measure. :)
Lawson Family {Middleville, MI Family Photos, October 16, 2011}
What a fun family! They were so cute and allowed themselves to have so much fun together! We roamed around my grand-pappy's land finding fun spots and enjoying the crisp fall day! The little girls were so cute...I was 8 days away from my due date and they said to me, "We can tell you are going to have a baby soon!" :) Yuppers! I am not sure what gave it away-maybe this ginormous belly! :) LOL! Liz was actually in one of my earlier weddings (See Sarah and Jordan) and is Sarah's sister-in-law, so I was very excited when she contacted me to take photos of her family! It was a great time!!!
Carolyn & Brandon {Grand Rapids, MI Wedding, October 15, 2011}
This wedding was my big accomplishment of the season...9 days before our little sprout was due, I embarked on the journey of my last wedding of the season! I couldn't have asked for a lovlier bride or a better day! It really went well-smooth and I felt good! I was pretty nervous about going into labor while I shot her wedding, so I had a backup plan just in case...but didn't need it, so that was good:) And, 8 days later as I write this post, sprout still is waiting to make his/her debut, so my worries were for nothing. Anyhoo, their wedding was beautiful-loved all the natural light in the St. Robert's Church in Ada, enjoyed gallyvanting around downtown Grand Rapids and the venue for the reception-Eve at the BOB was amazing. It was a great day and a wonderful way to draw the 2011 season to a close.
Beth & Chad {Grand Haven, MI Wedding, September 17, 2011}
Chad & Beth's wedding was beautiful from start to finish. They were married outdoors with their reception in an outdoor tent and they could not have asked for a nicer day! We had a blast at the Grand Haven park with the lighthouse and beach-it was just gorgeous!
Becki & Eric {Grand Rapids Wedding, September 10, 2011}
Becki and Eric are adorable together! The day was gorgeous and it was a quaint and beautiful fall wedding! Becki's father officiated the ceremony, which made it even more special and the guests enjoyed cookies and lemonade after the ceremony. We did a little trespassing to get the barn shots, but no one was any the wiser:) It was a great day-congrats Eric & Becki!
Sarah & Jordan {Flushing Wedding, August 13, 2011}
Sarah & Jordan are such a cute couple! Jim second shot with me and we kept looking at each other, reminded our our young love story:) Sarah & Jordan met when they were like 11 and grew up together, which is so rare and so neat! The day started out rainy, but dried up at the perfect times-when we took photos outdoors, it was just gorgeous! So, it rained during the ceremony and reception, but it was perfect when we needed it to be, which was so cool! They even got a rainbow at the end of the night!!! AND their cupcakes win best cupcakes in the world...Jim and I voted-the Coconut Lime were to die for! It sure was beautiful!
Joe & Jeny {Grand Rapids Wedding Photography, July 23, 2011}
Joe & Jeny's wedding was so beautiful! I loved the details of their reception-so quaint and vintage-y! They are such a sweet couple and it was so cute to see them so in love. Their wedding was in Bridgeman, MI which had the quaint 5 & 10 store and colorful backgrounds. It was about the hottest day of summer, so I was glad I was behind the camera:), but they carried it off perfectly!
David & Nicky {Grand Rapids Wedding Photography, July 10, 2011}
Wow-what a gorgeous pair these two were! Their wedding was in Holland, MI at the Dimnent Chapel and it was so gorgeous! Their reception was at the JW Marriot and what pizazz it had! The engraved ice bar was especially cool!!! Everything was beautiful!
Doren & Nathan{Grand Rapids Wedding Photography, July 2, 2011}
Well, I think these pictures say it all-my friends Nathan and Doren radiated the love they have for each other. It was an absolutely gorgeous day, they were both so perfect and so happy and I couldn't be happier for them!
Tali is One {Grand Rapids Child Photography, July 7, 2011}
Tali is getting so big and so darling. She is a little curious one who chats it up! She is so cute and growing so fast! It seems like just yesterday I was taking her one week old newborn photos!
Eddie & Brit {Grand Rapids Wedding Photography, June 10, 2011}
Eddie & Brit's wedding was just gorgeous. I loved the peacock details-all the way from the guestbook to Brit's earrings. The centerpieces were beautiful and the day ran smoothly-both thanks to Elements of Elegance wedding design & planning.
Carol, Ellen & Autumn {Caledonia Photography, June 17, 2011}
Had a fun time on Friday with Carol Hewitt Frey Allore, Tim Frey & Ellen Frey! Tim & Ellen were in Youth Drama when I led it and I can't believe "Little Tim" has a 5 year old (darling little one) and Ellen is graduated from college! You are all beautiful people and Tim & Ellen, you have grown into wonderful adults! Thanks for sharing your evening w/ me:)
Dan & Alyssa {Grand Rapids Wedding Photography, June 4, 2011}
What a beautiful wedding in Downtown Grand Rapids. The ceremony was held at Eastern Avenue CRC and was so special with Alyssa's father officiating. It was a very warm day, but the bridal party were troopers in the heat. Dan & Alyssa's love for one another was so apparent and the wedding was a blast! The groomsmen broke out their air guitar at one point in the evening which was hilarious to watch. So happy for them on their special day!
Cousins {Grand Rapids, June 2, 2011}
These little guys went to preschool where I worked before. They are just so precious! I consider their mom a saint because she had 2 sets of twin boys less than 2 years apart from one another!I do miss some of those sweet, precious little smiles-it was good to see them. The four older boys are cousins-2 are moving across the country, so they won't be seeing a lot of each other, but you could tell they had such a good time together!
Emeline-1 year! {Grand Rapids, May 1, 2011}
Oh little Emeline-how in the world did you get to be 1 year old already?!? Our dear friends Justin and Susan's littlest one is a year old and it seems like just yesterday they announced her birth! She could literally not be any cuter! Especially with her mom's amazing vintage taste-I mean seriously, you need to check out Good Little Things-she is amazing! Her shoes and accessories are so beautiful!
Chad & Beth {Grand Rapids, May 1, 2011}
We truly could not have asked for a nicer day in downtown Grand Rapids for this engagement session! Not only was it gorgeous, but the trees had gorgeous buds on them and it was just perfect. Not to mention the couple was adorable, comfortable and fun! I am hoping and praying for just as nice of a day for their outdoor wedding in September in Spring Lake/Grand Haven for them!
Eric & Becki {Grand Rapids, April 17, 2011}
What an adorable couple! This couple is so in love and it is so fun to see people so comfortable and look at each other with such adoration-so sweet! Should be an amazing September wedding!!!
Eddie & Britney {Grand Rapids, April 7, 2011}
Brit, Eddie and I had a fab time finding colorful, fun, urban places in downtown Grand Rapids! It was a fun time and I love their edgy, cool style. Looking forward to their wedding at English Hills in June!
Nathan & Doren {Grand Rapids, March 26, 2011}
I work with Nathan & Doren and am so excited for them! I started on the same day as Doren...we sat all nervously filling out paperwork together:) Her and Nathan (a middle school teacher) started dating shortly after she started and they fell in love and were engaged by spring! Their wedding is July 2 and I think it will just be gorgeous-with her simple, chic taste and his artsy bend it will be a unique and beautiful wedding!
Chad {Grand Rapids, March 7, 2011}
Chadwick is a dear friend of ours. He is an amazingly talented artist and so gifted in so many ways. I got the opportunity to take a few shots of him today for one of his school projects. Hope it goes great for you Chad-Enjoy!
Gianna {6 months-February 14, 2011}
Here we are-already the big Valentine's Day-halfway through February!!! I am so looking forward to spring and the new photography season! I have been scouring sites in downtown Grand Rapids and am loving some new, vibrant spots that I can't wait to try! Anyhoo, back to this little star! Little Gianna is 6 months old-what a cutie! She is so smily and adorable! She was very curious about that black lens sticking out of my face! She is such a little love bug:) P.S. Didn't my hubster do a phenom job picking out that backdrop for my christmas present? I love it!
Melissa-Portrait {December 5, 2010}
Melissa was wanting to send a couple special photos to her boyfriend who is stationed in Kuwait. He is there for 18 months and for Christmas she had the idea of doing a portrait session and sending him prints. I think it is very special and I am sure he will treasure the photographs while waiting to come home! Thanks too Melissa for making the trek from Kalamazoo to Grand Rapids-it was a joy to photograph you!
Tali {6 months-December 4, 2010}
Well, December flew by and I realized that I never graced my photo blog with Tali's 6 month cuteness! What the world...keeping these little treasures all to myself! :) I absolutely adore chubby babies-maybe it was because I was a 10 lb 3 oz chunk of flub-a-nubba when I was born, but I have an extreme fondness for chubster babies! An especially fun moment during this session was when Tali did the "So Big" motion for the FIRST TIME back to Marcia! So precious! I can't wait to see her in a few months, it is so much fun documenting her first stages of life!
Brian & Jessica {October 16, 2010}
All I can say is WOW for this couple. She oozes sexiness and confidence-I mean have you looked at the picture from the back on the balcony of the VanAndel Museum where their amazing reception was held? What an amazing venue-far too many backgrounds to choose from! My personal favorite was the Bissel Sweeper light-up wheel, AWESOME! I was pretty much in seventh heaven on this beautiful October day-gorgeous weather, gorgeous lighting, gorgeous couple, gorgeous venue, gorgeous downtown Grand Rapids, seriously could it have gotten any more perfect? So, I was called a geek this week-I think I just figured out why...
Graham Family {October 23, 2010}
On our 45 minute drive to Hastings October 23, it rained and rained and rained. It was already take two for the Graham's fall photographs, so I was disappointed that it looked like we would either be doing indoor photos (by far not my favorite) or no photos. But then, just as we were pulling onto their road, the heavens opened and the sun came out...okay, the sun PEEKED out. But still, we were able to gallivant around a few different spots and have fun roaming around the countryside:) What can I say about the Grahams-they are some of mine and Jim's favorite people on earth. And they are fun to photograph too!
Andrew & Chelsea-Wedding {September 25, 2010}
Andrew and Chelsea's wedding in Saugatuck, MI was just so quaint and simply beautiful. I loved all of the charm of the adorable little chapel in the woods, the beauty of the lake and the intimacy of the outdoor tent. Not to mention the food was lovely and the little burlap sacks the guests could take apples from a local orchard home in. They even had Simply Lemonade, which I am such a fan of:) And the lovely Porches house was a great spot to have the reception. What a lovely day!
Rodriguez & Sonza Family {September 3, 2010}
This was the second opportunity I had to photograph the adorable Sonza kids, but this time with their cute little cousins as well. The kids had a great time romping around grandpas yard, running and playing all while us adults tried to keep up! It was a fun time and I was happy to be able to capture some sweet moments!
Matt & Kallie {September 24, 2010}
One thing I really enjoy about second shooting is that I am not too concerned about getting all of the "required" shots and can focus on the art of photography and putting together unique compositions and capturing beautiful moments. It is fun just to get the chance sometimes to be on the other end of the spectrum and tweak a bit of my right brain which is not typically utilized very much! Oh-and I love retro things that I can make look old school...like this totally rad 70's era clock:)
Talia-3 months {September 19, 2010}
When I was born, I was 10 pounds, 3 and 1/2 ounces...yes, my poor mother. I don't know if it is because of that, or just still having a little extra padding myself, but I have an affinity to CHUBBY babies. I don't consider a baby a real cutie until they have rolls and look somewhat reminiscent of a Sharpei. So, 3-6 months is pretty much my favorite age. It is the age when they are so cuddle-able and rolly-polly and drooly-oh my goodness it makes me want to have a little one of my own. So, needless to say, I was a goner when I saw Talia and her CHEEKS! She wasn't too impressed with Marcia and my efforts to entertain her, but she pulled off looking adorable nonetheless!
Marketing {Grand Rapids Photography}
Wedding Photography Finder.com
Decidio {Marketing}
Lots of great wedding and design resources at Decidio. I am on there for wedding photography-would love to hear from you!
Marissa 2011 Senior {August 29, 2010}
Man this girl is gorgeous! Is it just me or are seniors looking older than when I was in high school- with my permed hair and bib overalls? I am serious-I think those were in style when I was high school-I could be wrong and just was completely out of touch, but I remember feeling like I was pretty stylin' in those days! I also remember HAVING to have five star notebooks, a Jansport backpack and a Starter jacket. Oh boy... Anyhow, Marissa is a complete sweetheart and it was a joy to spend a few hours with her on a hot August Sunday. I have to admit I was kind of jealous when her and her boyfriend Matt went in the water-it was definitely a dog day of summer. Marissa also put me up to a new challenge (purple wall picture), which ended up being a blast and I love how it turned out! Thanks for a great time!!!
Carpenters {August 7, 2010}
Taking wedding photos is hard work-it is far harder physically than my "real" job, but there is just something that is SOOOO refreshing, rejuvenating and restoring about being part of a couple's day. It is an amazing experience and I feel like as the photographer, you kind of get the front row ticket to the joyous day. Jen and Mike's day was just perfect. The weather was gorgeous, the ceremony was on her parent's land and it was picturesque. The bride and groom were relaxed and carefree and just were so much fun to photograph. I loved that we went downtown just the three of us and captured some awesome moments then as well as under the huge willow at her parents. It was a great day!
Miller Family {August 14, 2010}
The Millers are such an adorable family! Their little girls are going to be absolute heart breakers when they get older. Do you see those EYES? How does daddy say no to Isabelle with big ole' eyes like that? :) It was a joy just to hang out in their lives for a couple hours on a lovely (but warm) Saturday afternoon. There is nothing better than a family full of love and theirs is definitely one that displays the adoration they have for one another. Thanks Millers for allowing me to document a bit of your life together!
Gianna Brean {August 8, 2010}
You may remember the beautiful Lindsay from a couple months ago with her cute baby belly. Well, now little Gianna Breann has made her debut! What a little pumpkin. Isn't the miracle of life truly awe-inspiring? It is just such a beautiful and amazing thing and it just makes you stop and say, "WOW!" She is such a sweet baby and I look forward to seeing her grow:)
Wierenga Wedding {June 18, 2010}
Kim & Lee's wedding day was just perfect. Their love is so apparent and I just felt so lucky to be able to witness and be a part of their day. Kim is drop-dead gorgeous-seriously, look at her-it almost is sickening at how perfect she is-inside and out-what a beautiful person! Their wedding was a blast-congrats to a wonderful couple! Many blessings and wishes for a happy life together Kim & Lee!
Adam & Lindsay {June 20, 2010}
What better day to celebrate a new life on its way than Father's Day? Adam & Lindsay were a ton of fun to photograph and will be such amazing parents when their little girl comes in August! Adam and Jim met at school and hit it off with their similar design-nerdiness (who other than graphic designers would point at a bad font and gag or react like the world was ending...) So, when they are busy discussing Helvetica and kerning, Lindsay and I have fun!
Talia Hope {June 16, 2010}
Marcia has been such a blessing to me over the past couple of years. We helped keep each other sane through the ridiculous roller coaster of what we have been through at work and has been a true friend in good and rough patches. She is truly an amazing person in every aspect and I respect her and all that she stands for in every way. On June 7, 2010, she became a mother (and what an amazing mother she is) when Talia Hope was born. Talia is absolutely precious and adorable in every way!
Emeline Elizabeth {June 10, 2010}
It sure is something to think about how much things can change in such a short amount of time. I remember moving to Grand Rapids and being lonely. We were an hour away from all of our friends and family, looking for a church, I was starting a new job, Jim was going back to school after 8 long years in the factory and we both felt a little isolated. A different kind of isolation, because Prarieville was just a more rural isolation. This was that weird, lost in a sea of people in the city isolation. However, less than a year later, we found some amazing friends and have enjoyed having them in our lives immensely. Justin and Susan only had Isaac when we met them. They were looking to possibly adopt a baby and then found out that after years of trying, they were pregnant! Along came Jonas-the adorable, fun-loving and spunky little guy who complemented Isaac (the witty, soulful, uber intelligent little guy) well. And now, less than two years after Jonas, here is the amazingly perfect, gorgeous Emeline Elizabeth-so glad we get to share in your excitement Woods Family!
Sonza Family {June 12, 2010}
Victoria and I went to school together and she gave me the opportunity to photograph her beautiful family. Her children are so cute and Demi is just adorable! I can not believe it has been a decade since high school! What in the heck have I done in ten years? It sure does go by in a blur, doesn't it?
Avalos Family {June 12, 2010}
Noah and Ethan are two of the sweetest little boys. We had a lot of fun running around the park until the mosquitos started eating us alive! It was a narrow escape, but we came out of it with some great pics!
Sweet Baby Emeline {May 29, 2010}
So, how could this ever get boring? I just LOVE being able to photograph moments like this. There is nothing in this world more miraculous than life-how precious little ones like this come from nothing because of God's breath of life. It is truly awe-inspiring.
Statler Wedding {May 14, 2010}
I have only photographed two weddings, but I am shocked at how much I enjoyed them. I was intimidated at first because I know that it is their big day; I was worried about not having the opportunity to get all the right shots, etc... However, I have thoroughly enjoyed the two I have done- not saying they will all be peachy keen, but it was an awesome experience and I loved it! I love being a part of their day and being able to give them memories that will last a lifetime. Here are a few from the beautiful Statler Wedding.