engagement
My family and I recently moved to Valparaiso, IN (still serving Chicago though!). So when it came time for Jillian and Kent’s sunrise engagement session, it was a 3:00am wake up call for me… Let me tell ya, it was so worth it! These two were truly a blast to capture. Their laughs were constant and their love seemed effortless. So stinkin’ excited to capture their wedding day this Fall.
When I was in high school, Indiana Dunes National Park was one of those places we used to go in the summer time and I absolutely loved it. Such a beautiful and peaceful place to be. Now I have a husband who actually grew up in this area, and we’ve created many fun memories there too. Fun fact - Ari’s (our daughter) first beach day took place at the Indiana Dunes! Gosh, this place has a special piece of my heart.
When it came time to planning Shelly and Wyatt’s engagement session they knew they wanted something in nature and at golden hour. When we decided on the Indiana Dunes, I was thrilled! I learned even more so how magical and gorgeous the Indiana Dunes are at sunset.
Shelly and Wyatt are a fun, low-key couple that have been together nearly a decade. Their love for each other feels easy and natural, and I loved every minute of capturing it.
Jackelyn and Peter met at work five years ago... and now, they are engaged to wed! For their engagement session, we walked along the city streets that they walk together each day on their way to work. We then hit Fullerton Beach for some gorgeous city views. Throughout the entire session, Jackelyn and Peter were so incredibly comfortable with one another and made each other laugh with ease.
I truly couldn't be more excited for these two as they plan to commit to forever together. <3
After taking about a three month break from photography for maternity leave, I could not think of a better session to come back to. Lacey and Tyler are one of those couples that is absolutely up for anything - even go out in the freezing cold to get some gorgeous winter wonderland-esque engagement photos at Bemis Woods South. These two just so naturally fell into laughter with one another and their love seems so effortless.
Lacey + Tyler - Thank you reminding me so much of why I love what I do. So thankful to have been able to capture a glimpse of this season of life for you, and cannot wait until your wedding day this Fall.
Kristin and Pavel's winter engagement session was the last engagement session of 2017 and I haven't had a chance to blog these until now since I've been on maternity leave the past couple months.... so without further ado, here are some of my favorites from this chilly day back in November. Cannot wait to capture their big day this August!
This may be one of my favorite engagement sessions to date. What's funny though is that this session didn't really go as planned.
We had planned to shoot photos in this public garden near Millennium Park; however, there was a huge event going on in the park so the owners of said garden decided to close down the gardens for the night for fear of many people running through/ruining the gardens... eek, right?! Not for these two.
When Celi and Mark showed up I told them the news and we decided to still have the session anyway and just walk around the area. We hit the bridge and gardens by the Art Institute of Chicago. We then walked down Michigan - J walked our way through the streets and had an amazing time. Nothing could have phased them; they were having such an amazing time laughing their way through the session. Our time together seriously included SO much "makes my stomach hurt" laughter and it was the best.
I had such a great time exploring the Art Institute of Chicago with Megan and Joe! Here are a few of my favorites things about their session: the way Joe made Megan laugh at any given moment; their ability to dance freely without a care to who may be watching them; and, those hilarious moments when Megan got lipstick on Joe (he was such a trooper about it all).
A few weeks back, Brandon (my hubs) and I drove out to Devil's Lake State Park in Baraboo, WI to meet Gina and Greg for their engagement session. It had rained the day before so all the trails were muddy and slippery, so we decided to stay along the lakefront and walk the rock-filled path along the lake. The four of us chatted and laughed throughout the whole session. We all share a love for Parks and Rec (Jerry Gergich <3), camping, and now, Devil's Lake. Gina and Greg became so comfortable during the session that it was so clear that these two love one another and aren't afraid to be themselves with each other. Their goofy side even came out for some photos which made me crack up while editing these (there's a good one below!). Can't wait until their wedding this October; I'm sure it'll be a good one!
Kaylee and Stuart are engaged, and I am so excited for them! For their engagement session, we went to the woods behind Kaylee's childhood home. Despite the cold temps, the sun was shining throughout the whole session and we had so much fun climbing over all the fallen trees. Cannot wait to capture these two again on their wedding day!
Kelsey and Drew's engagement session at Montrose Beach Harbor was my last engagement session for the year and it was such a good one. With little to no direction, they made each other laugh constantly. Their love was so effortless to capture. Sidenote: There is about a foot height difference between these two and Drew is known for picking up Kelsey often. Throughout the session, he picked her up maybe a half dozen times and it was adorable (included some photos of this throughout this blog post). Enjoy!
Lincoln Park never looked so pretty. Maureen, Scott and I met in mid-October for their engagement session. The Fall colors were just peeking through and it created a gorgeous backdrop for their shoot. Excited to meet again for their wedding next June.
I'll be the first to say that getting up before sunrise can be tough... but I am SO glad I did for these two. A little over nine years ago, Allie and Connor met in high school (my high school in fact!) and they have been dating ever since. After being with each other for so long, their love for one another is too good to miss. He makes her laugh so hard without even saying a word... literally, I asked him to whisper something funny in her ear and he couldn't think of anything to say so he said "nothing." As I type this I'm thinking that maybe that was a had to be there moment haha.. But okay I'll stop rambling and let you enjoy!
We are just half way through! After our sunrise session at North Avenue Beach, we went for coffee to catch up. Among other things, we chatted about wedding details - let me tell ya, their wedding is going to be gorgeous and I am so excited for them! I also got to hear their proposal story. So as I mentioned they met in high school - Connor thought it would be a good idea to take Allie back to classroom where they met to propose! He decorated the room with photos they've taken together throughout their 9+ years together. How sweet is that?! Gosh, I love hearing sweet proposal stories. :) Okay, now on to the rest of their engagement session at Lincoln Park Conservatory.
Elle and Dean met and fell in love in Tanzania, Africa. These two are seriously the sweetest. They even brought me a beaded necklace from Tanzania as a thank you! How sweet is that?! So thankful to have met them and capture their engagement photos in the beautiful Busse Woods.
Gina and Paul are seriously the sweetest! Believe it or not, they actually found me through Instagram. They were my first inquiry from Instagram and I am so thankful for the chance to meet these two! The way Gina and Paul smile and laugh in front of the lens is simply adorable. Looking forward to capturing their love once again later this summer!
Passion. If I had to describe this engagement session in one word, it would be passion. Sandra and Andre have a love for each other that it so playful, caring, real, passionate... And, they had no fear in showing it.
