Ariana and Chris - Grand Rapids Engagement Photos

Ariana and Chris are absolutely effortless to be around, and it makes perfect sense that these two wonderful people ended up together.
We started the engagement session in the backyard of Ariana’s parents, and I can’t believe people get to live with daily sunsets like this. After a lot of genuine laughter and these two looking like movie stars, we moved on to the Ada covered bridge where we ended the day.
They are some of the kindest, most thoughtful humans ever, and I can already tell their wedding is going to be full of people celebrating who they are as individuals as well as a power couple.

Congratulations, and I can’t wait for the big day!

Dani and Zach - Grand Rapids engagement photos

March in Michigan means never really knowing which season we’re going to experience on any given day. As Dani and Zach’s engagement session date approached, a flash blizzard decided we would be working with winter, and they both rose to the challenge.
Location one looks like it could have been a nature preserve, but it’s actually the land where their home together will be built. It’s so cool to me that they’ll be able to look back at their engagement photos and see how different the property is through the years, and that’s a huge reason why I love including personal aspects into the portraits.

Location two was a bonus for me as someone who lives off coffee as my number one source of fuel. We ventured to Lantern Coffee in downtown Grand Rapids for a latte break from the cold, and then wrapped up at my favorite GR parking garage for some golden hour magic.

Spring is almost here, but I didn’t at all mind one final winter session. Congratulations you two!

Amanda and Eric - Grand Rapids engagement photos

When I first met Amanda at Bell’s Brewery (a great sign) to talk wedding photography details, I could already tell that she and Eric were going to be beautiful people to spend time with.
She told me all about their shared musical interests (Griz is their favorite artist), their dog who they wanted included in engagement photos named Griz (No seriously, they love this artist), and how they found each other and fell in love.
We started the engagement session at Provin Trails just outside of downtown, which is a hidden gem and the perfect place for the goodest boy Griz to get an adventure in before heading into the heart of Grand Rapids.
The year 2020 has not been kind to concert goers this year, so to incorporate their love of the music culture, we went to their favorite Griz mural (The artist, not the dog for those who are keeping track at home) and even swapped outfits to their favorite concert wear to complete the engagement session.

It was the best time and an amazing day. I can’t wait for the wedding you two! Keep showing love and spreading love.

Rachel and Jake - Downtown Grand Rapids engagement photos

When I first met Rachel and Jake, I could tell they were pretty perfect for one another. Their first date at Brewery Vivant led to many more, and now they can’t see a life without one another.

One of the best parts of photographing in Grand Rapids is the sheer amount of variety you get between locations. We started at Riverside park to incorporate some of Michigan’s natural winter beauty, and then obviously had to stop in for a brew and warm up at Brewery Vivant before finishing up downtown. Not only is this place a stunning old church that was repurposed into a thriving pub for beer enthusiasts of all types, but the staff went out of their way to make this engagement session an amazing experience for Rachel and Jake.
They gave us free rein of the pub and even led us on a mini tour of the brewery with the manager. I for one, was in heaven.

These stunners were nothing but smiles and laughter despite the frigid cold, and that is my favorite type of person.
Congratulations Rachel and Jake! Your Barn at Monterey Valley wedding is going to be amazing!

Kristin and Will - Downtown Grand Rapids engagement photos

The day before Kristin and Will’s engagement session was mid sixties and sunny, great photo weather you might think! The day of our shoot comes around and the springtime air was replaced with low forties and enough wind to ruin just about any mood. You would never know it to look at these two. They took the whole thing in stride, laughing through the entire session, and joyfully pointing out every dog we saw along the way (I care deeply about that, Kristin gets me).
We wandered around ta few of the great locations downtown Grand Rapids has to offer, and then finished up with a pint at City Built Brewing. Honestly, it was perfect.

Congratulations Kristin and Will! Your October wedding is going to be magnificent.