Casie and Matt - St Joseph engagement photos

Casie and Matt are some of the sweetest people you will meet. I could tell from our first video call (a very 2020 statement) that they were going to be so easy to work with, and that was definitely the case.

We started in the downtown St Joseph area and wandered around some of the most perfect golden diffused light before heading to Tiscornia Park to finish up with all the beachy vibes you could want for a later summer engagement session. I love shooting with couples who are really up for anything, and these two were ready to jump in the water before I even asked.

Congratulations gorgeous people, I’m so excited for your 2021 wedding!

Hannah and Chad - Saugatuck Dunes engagement photos

“Yeah, I get to look at this every day… there’s a chance I take that for granted” Chad said as I questioned the gorgeousness of our first location.
We met at Chad’s family farm for our first location to incorporate such a big part of their lives into their engagement photos, and I was completely blown away at the view. Rolling hills for miles, and a sky threatening rain that never touched us, but giving so much depth in the colors.
This was also the first time a dog was accidentally featured in engagement photos, as Rosco invited himself along, and wouldn’t leave (Truly, the best thing that could have happened). Chad’s one request is that we featured his beloved tractors in a portrait or two, so naturally we got a little extra with that concept.

Location two was quite a drive and a hike to Saugatuck Dunes State Park, and it was so worth fighting through the mosquitos as we arrived at the beach for the most perfect lighting. Beach engagement photos are always a win in my book, but the biggest aspect that can give them variety is the people. Hannah and Chad are so close to each other, and that was unmistakable. They laugh and joke together, they are comfortable and loving together, and they can’t wait to start their new lives together.

Congratulations you lovely people, next stop: wedding day!

Britt and Zach - Warren Dunes engagement photos

Britt and Zach are easily some of the sweetest people you’ll ever meet. They’re both driven and ambitious and spend so much of their time looking out for each other and the people around them.

When we were finally able to get an engagement session on the calendar (Thanks 2020), it was the perfect sunny beach day for a mini road trip from Kalamazoo to Warren Dunes. This spot has always had a million different locations to photograph in, and Britt and Zach were super down to adventure around with us.

Congrats you two! Your September wedding is going to be the stuff dreams are made of (and I’m not just saying that because the wedding meal is tacos).

Abigail and Jonathan - Grand Haven engagement photos

For as long as I’ve known these two, they’ve found their way in front of my camera. Whether they were models for a commercial shoot or just being their fabulous selves for a couples session, they are consistently the people who make your day better just by getting to spend time with them. When Covid turned our April engagement session into a June date, they took it completely in stride, and even still wore the original outfit choices, regardless of the temperature! (Take that Corona)
Grand Haven has meant a lot to Jonathan growing up, and he passed his fond memories along to Abigail as they grew closer, so it was a natural choice for their engagement photo location. Theirs was the first engagement session since quarantine, and the absolute perfect day. Even while practicing distance they were still the rays of sunshine they have always been.

Congratulations you two, I’ve been looking forward to your wedding all year, and it’s going to be so worth the wait!

Kerrie and Robert - Ludington engagement photos

If you’ve been around me for longer than five minutes, you may know that I’m mildly obsessed with dogs. When Kerrie and Robert pulled up to our decided engagement photo location with probably the most precious pup of all time, I knew it was going to be a good day. (Spoiler alert: he’s also the ring bearer at their wedding, giving a new meaning to “golden retriever”)
Robert’s family has been making memories in Ludington Michigan every summer for generations, so it was a no-brainer where they wanted to document the next step in their lives together. These two have infectious smiles, big hearts, and great taste in dogs.
Congratulations Kerrie and Robert, I’m so excited to document your wedding in August!

Tammy and Paula - South Haven engagement photos

Tammy and Paula are the perfect example of people who are completely complementary to each other. We chose two locations that are special to them in some way, and the rest was just letting them be who they are together. At one point during our shoot, I asked each of them what they loved most about the other person and their answers almost had me in tears. They truly notice and appreciate the little things about each other, and that’s so special to see.

You two are so great together, and I can’t wait for your wedding this summer!

Favorites of 2018 - Kalamazoo wedding photographer

What a fantastic year 2018 has been!

Some really special people promised forever to one another. The more I got to know many of them, the more it felt like was photographing an old friend’s wedding, and I was celebrating their love right along with the guests. I’ve been so honored to have been trusted with some of the most important photos of these wonderful people lives, and I wouldn’t trade that for anything. Here are a few favorites from the 2018 season that have always made me smile when I come across them.
Thanks for being part of my year, I can’t wait to see what 2019 brings!

Becky and Thomas - Ludington engagement

Becky and Thomas are not only crazy photogenic and wonderful to work with, but they're a special couple in general. Hearing how he talks about her is already enough to make me happy cry, and the way they enjoy life together is completely beautiful. 
They wanted to do something special for the engagement session (and we're always up for a road-trip), so we adventured out to Thomas's hometown of Ludington, where the session was full of genuine laughter and lake-drenched pant legs, and I couldn't be more thrilled with the photos!
 

Tonya and Rick - South Haven engagement

Tonya and Rick are exactly what I'm talking about when I say the best photos happen when two people are just genuinely interacting with each other. There was so much laughter during the entirety of the engagement session, not to mention the way my heart melted every time I saw the way Rick looked at her. These two are very much in love, and I can't wait to photograph their wedding!

 

Kristina and Mike

I adore this couple. 
They are creative, intelligent, and appreciate the finer things in life such as fluffy cats and taco trucks. I am honored to call Kristina one of my closest friends, and I can't describe to you the amount of excitement I felt when I heard Mike was finally going to propose!

He popped the question on the sand dunes of lake Michigan, and there seemed no better place to start their engagement session. Since we're all fans of the craft beer scene in our area, we finished up with brews from Watermark Brewing in St. Joe. Such an amazing day with phenomenal people. 

Congratulations you two, your wedding next year is going to be legendary.