It’s cold and dark and gloomy outside, which is when I like to start blogging summer sessions… to remind me of the warmth and blooms and golden sun that is summer.

This session was one of my favorites of 2020. Haley and Derek chose to reschedule their August 22, 2020 wedding to August, 2021 due to COVID. However, they wanted to do something special on their original wedding date. They already had their fall engagement session in 2019, but decided a second engagement session on their original date would be a great way to celebrate. They got all dressed up, went out to dinner, and then headed to downtown Lansing for some photos at the Capitol building and on the rooftop of a parking garage with a view of the city.

Then, after an outfit change, we headed to Frances Park. It is a hidden gem in the Lansing area and has a stunning rose garden and river overlook. It’s one of my favorite parks to take portraits…and it’s free! Free parking and no permits!

I’m so happy I still got to celebrate their original wedding date with them, and happy that they had something special to do! What a great idea! And I’m so looking forward to their 2021 wedding!!!

Shelby and Kevin have a similar story to my previous post featuring Tiffany and Tad. Shelby is also a front line worker in healthcare and contracted COVID, causing us to reschedule three times. I particularly felt for these two, because Shelby had reached out to schedule her engagement session months in advance to guarantee they would have a weekend slot during peak fall color. While we still got gorgeous photos using the architecture of the beautiful U of M Law Quad, I still feel for our frontline workers like Shelby, who continue to make sacrifices and put themselves in harms way, altering their normal every day life, so that they can save and care for others during this pandemic.

They may have waited until late November for their session, but we got the most gorgeous day- sunny and near 70 degrees! I was so thankful that the weather cooperated for Shelby and Kevin, and that we were able to capture these gorgeous photos. I can’t wait for their June wedding next year!

Tiffany and Tad’s engagement session wasn’t supposed to be a winter engagement session. It was scheduled during the last week of October, when the trees were still full of colorful leaves. Sadly, it had to be rescheduled twice because these two are frontline workers- healthcare workers at the hospital- and tested positive for COVID the morning before the shoot and had to cancel. They ended being quarantined for three weeks, but thankfully emerged unscathed. The postponement ended up working to their advantage, as their previous two dates had 40 degree weather, but the date that finally worked had a surprising 70 degree temp! While the leaves on the trees were gone so we didn’t get that fall color, we were so warm and relaxed, and were still able to get beautiful photos by using the stunning U of M architecture around Ann Arbor.

Thanks, you two, for all that you do for our community during this pandemic!

If you had asked me in college/photo school if I planned on being a wedding photographer, I would have laughed. “Too stressful! I don’t like the industry- why spend that much on one day? I want to be a photojournalist! I want to travel!” is probably what I would have said in response.

Upon graduation, I visited my career counselor at school. She asked, “Well what do you want to do?”. I said frankly and honestly, “I have no idea.” She said, “Well how about weddings? With weddings, you photograph everything: landscape, people, moments, food, portraits, night, day, indoor, outdoor, groups, individuals, details, different lighting….basically everything! Shoot weddings while you figure out what you want to do, and you will hone your skills and be able to shoot anything and everything when you’re done” This was probably the best career advice I’ve ever received in my life.

That was 2009. Today, 11 years later, I am still photographing weddings. And I love it. It was nothing I expected it to be as a clueless new grad in 2009. It’s an industry that I’m proud to work in- run by nearly all small businesses, artists and institutes of culture. It’s a happy job- everyone is happy on their wedding day! I smile while shooting and I smile while editing. I have traveled all over photographing weddings- from the church where Jackie and John F. Kennedy were married in Newport to DC, Philly, Boston, NYC, Detroit, and more.

But the biggest reason I love this job is the significance- the moments I capture will be cherished and passed down. That’s a huge responsibility, one that I take seriously, and one that I am happy to take on. My photos will be loved and make other people smile and laugh and cry.

When I received this email from Hannah last week after delivering the engagement photos from her and Martin’s engagement session on Martin’s grandma’s property, I teared up immediately. Because this is why I do what I do.

“If you recall, we chose to take our pictures at “the Farm,” which was Martin’s grandma’s house and now serves as a central meeting place for the Brown family. Her and her husband bought the house back in the 1950s. The house was actually the second to be built in Jackson County back in the 1800s.

Before our pictures, we visited his grandma in the hospital downtown. We were so excited to tell her that her home would be the back drop of our photos. She was so incredibly sweet, with her response being “I need to buy a dress,” even while stuck in hospital bed at the age of 92.

Unfortunately, they shortly discovered she had suffered an ischemic stroke from which she would never completely recover. By the time we visited her the next Thursday, she had been moved to a hospice home and started to decline.

I wanted to let you know it meant the absolute world to me, Martin, his family, and his grandma to be able to show her our “sneak peek” photos. She had trouble speaking in her condition, but her face lit up seeing us so happy in a place very familiar to her. She was in awe of how beautiful of a backdrop you created with the place she called home for over 50 years.

Martin’s grandma passed away surrounded by her sons on Wednesday, October 28th. Although this means she won’t be there when we get married in June, we feel at peace knowing she was able to celebrate little things with us, like our engagement photos.

So in short, thank you again! The pictures are absolutely wonderful. We’re even more excited for next June!

Take care,

Hannah”

Here is the sneak peek that Hannah and Martin shared with his Grandma, taken on the property of her home…

Paige and Mac had quite the pandemic wedding experience. We had to reschedule their spring engagement session numerous times due to the 3 month shutdown. When we did finally meet up for the engagement photos, Paige and Mac mentioned that their original wedding plans taking place at the MSU Alumni Chapel and the East Lansing Marriott still stood, and that they would reduce their guest count to meet indoor event executive orders. Well, the following week, there was a COVID outbreak at Harpers brewery in East Lansing one block from the EL Marriott (we all saw it on the news!) and Paige and Mac immediately knew— their wedding plans were in jeopardy.

With just one month until their August wedding, new indoor executive orders were introduced, and Paige and Mac had two choices: reschedule or somehow plan an entirely new wedding in just 4 weeks at a new location. Living in Chicago with a wedding in MI, this would be quite a challenge. However, they did it! They decided to have a backyard wedding at Paige’s parents house on Crystal Lake! Not only did they plan an amazing event in such a short amount of time, but they also did it safely, reducing guest count, holding the entire event outside, providing masks and sanitizer, and spacing tables far apart. Paige kept in close contact with me, asking which way they should face their ceremony, working with me on portrait locations and crafting a timeline that would allow them to get all the photos they wanted. Paige kept stressing how important photos were to them, and kept me involved in the planning process the entire time. Being that this was a backyard wedding, they had total control which provided so much flexibility— it was amazing! It was also nice that since everything was in one location, we didn’t have to spend any time driving and could spend all the time we needed taking photos.

Congrats to Paige and Mac on their beautiful wedding that they were able to execute quickly, beautifully and safely!

Alissa and Rob originally wanted their session to take place on Belle Isle, but the island stopped issuing photo permits for 2020 due to the pandemic. So, we decided on downtown Detroit (Z-lot and Grand Circus), with the goal of getting as much fall color in the photos as possible. People don’t usually think of city locations as being great spots for fall photos, but they are! The trees turn color in cities too, and the leaves mixed with the architecture makes for stunning, unique color. In fact, cities are really the only location that look fantastic in all four seasons. Here are a few of my favorites from their shoot…

Fall mini session day in East Lansing on the MSU campus was a success!! And can you believe it was 75 degrees on a Michigan November afternoon?! It was crazy! I love the MSU gardens in all seasons, and they did not disappoint! Even in the second week of November, there were still trees with leaves and we got some great fall shots!

As a former preschool teacher, I know how stressful family portraits with small children can be, so we play games! On this day we played red light green light, going on a bear hunt, Simon says, and had dance parties with their favorite songs. It was the biggest compliment when one family said at the end of their session, “Normally we feel defeated at the end of family pictures, but this was actually fun!”. I can’t promise that is the case every time (30 degree weather just might not give us happy kids), but I try! Here are some of my favorites from the minis…

Morgan and Matthew were my first 2021 couple to book! They booked in 2019 and opted for a two year engagement when most have a one year engagement. Little did they know that it was a blessing in disguise, as many 2020 weddings were rescheduled. They are getting married at the University Club next year and I can’t wait!

In addition to having their wedding on MSU’s campus, they also decided to have their engagement photos on campus too! They chose the Children’s gardens and the Horticulture gardens. Because it was summer, all the flowers were in full bloom, including the roses. No other garden can beat an MSU garden— they are seriously the best gardens in Michigan for photos— and they are free…no fee at all, and easy parking! Even if you aren’t MSU alum, Spartan signs are absent from the gardens so you can still use them without any guilt :) .

I mentioned last week that I hadn’t blogged in 1.5 years! However, in the last week I’ve blogged 4 times and this post will make my 5th! Giving myself a pat on the back!

Because I haven’t blogged in 1.5 years, I have so many weddings and portrait shoots to share. Today, I’m sharing Brittany and Nick’s summer 2019 wedding at Oceancliff in RI. It makes me so happy to share these photos, especially since I wasn’t able to travel to RI/Boston this year for work due to COVID. Looking through these photos, it reminded me how sunny it was that day, how warm and breezy the ocean air felt, and the extreme happiness that Britt and Nick emoted. They and their families are seriously so fun and kind, and I can’t help but smile when I view these photos. Luckily, Britt and Nick purchased an album, so I get to work with them a little longer! It’s always hard to say good-bye to clients when you work with them closely for a year and experience one of the most important days of their lives with them, so it’s always nice to continue that relationship with an album design process.

Brittany and Nick were married at Oceancliff in Newport, RI, which has amazing views, an incredible experience, and great food. Every wedding I have photographed there (and I’ve done a lot!) has run so smoothly; couples are so relaxed and don’t have to worry about a thing due to their stellar team and service.

They started their day getting ready in separate AirBnb’s (which are always a great choice so your wedding party can spread out and you have room for photos!) and then headed to Oceancliff for a first look. I love the series of photos from their first look- they look so, so happy! Because Britt and Nick wanted to join in their cocktail hour to mingle with their guests, we did all of their photos prior to their ceremony, including wedding party and family portraits. This is a great way to schedule your day if you want to be at your party the whole time and not worry about missing any portions of it to take photos. Not to mention, we got some great candids of them greeting their guests at cocktail hour and some fun shots with college friends and extended family that weren’t in the portraits earlier in the day. Don’t miss the dessert bar photos towards the end— it was seriously amazing and every time I look at them, I feel the need to run out and get a doughnut!

Congrats, you two!!! Looking forward to the album!!

Kelsey and Brandon had the most beautiful barn wedding! They started their day with a dramatic first look in the pouring rain! Brandon waited by the pond while Kelsey made her way down from the bridal suite. Because it was raining, I provided clear bubble umbrellas to use. Fun fact: I carry several of these in my trunk all wedding season for my clients to use! You don’t have to buy your own :) . Even in the rain, outdoor photos are prettier, and as long as the umbrellas are clear (colored umbrellas throw a weird cast on your skin), we can capture stunning photographs.

Some clients are on the fence about doing a first look (and I totally understand!), but with two photographers and the right set up, we can create some pretty amazing photos if you choose to do one. Kelsey and Brandon’s first look images are some of my favorites ever, probably because they are so dramatic!

A few other interesting things about Kelsey and Brandon’s wedding- Kelsey arrived to the ceremony in a horse and carriage and Brandon built the arch they were married under by hand with his dad- how amazing is that?! Also, Kelsey’s mom surprised them with all of the flowers…they had no idea!

I loved all of the tall candles, and I also loved that the forest green candles matched the bridesmaids dresses. I’m always a fan of the earth tones because they photograph so well!

Congrats to Kelsey and Brandon on their stunning wedding!

I met Ava when she was 11 months old and babysat her regularly throughout my years in college. Last week I took her senior portraits- I cannot believe it!

Ava wanted urban and natural, so we headed to downtown Lansing which has a good mix of both. Downtown Lansing is quickly becoming one of my favorite locations because of all of the diverse backgrounds and ease of navigating it (and free/easy parking!). I LOVE how they turned out! Oh- and don't miss the last pic of Ava and I...13 years ago!

This weekend I took over 2,000 photos and had 3 engagement sessions and 3 family portrait sessions! This is a typical weekend for a photographer in October. We photographers joke that October for us is just like April for accountants....every one would like a service at the same time and so we have to jam pack our weekends so that all of our clients can get that fall color for their photos.

While we had to reschedule Erica and Grant's first session due to rain, the second date ended up being perfect- sunny and not too cold! People always ask me what to wear, and Erica and Grant chose the perfect outfits- solid, textured sweaters in earth tones. Erica also threw a scarf over her sweater for a third, different look!

I love how these turned out-- you can't beat the fall color on MSU's campus! Even if you aren’t alumni, I always recommend MSU’s campus for it’s beautiful gardens. As long as you don’t take pictures with Sparty, no one can tell you are on campus ;) .

I can’t believe my last blog post was a year and a half ago…In normal times a year a half may see little change. However, in 2020, this past year and a half will be one of the most memorable in history. There is a pandemic and the entire world shut down for months. The wedding industry came to a complete halt. It’s been a year like no other.

However, by summer things started to feel like normal and I even photographed some weddings! And this fall has felt like every other- packed full of weddings, engagements, and family sessions. I am SO thankful to be busy this October. I don’t think I will ever take feeling busy for granted again!

This month I had 7 engagement sessions and many of them were in downtown Detroit. I didn’t grow up in or near Detroit, and feel most at home in Lansing (which actually feels like a small version of Detroit to me!). However, this city has really grown on me! My clients have opened my eyes up to so much and I love wandering the streets and finding little nooks to shoot it.

Today I am sharing some of those images wandering around Detroit with Bea + Nick. Aren’t they so photogenic? After viewing a few, Bea said I made them feel like models and it makes my heart feel so happy to hear that! Can’t wait for their wedding next year!

When I moved from Michigan to Boston 12 years ago, Old Town in Lansing was just beginning. It was literally a two block radius, and while I thought it was awesome, I wasn’t sure about it’s future as an up and coming neighborhood in Lansing. Well, I was wrong. When I returned to Michigan two years ago, I was so pleasantly surprised that not only had Old Town survived ten years, but it had also THRIVED and EXPANDED by several blocks in all directions and is continuing to do so. Old Town is such a bright spot in Lansing and I was so thankful to return to a city that has so much going for it.

Anasa and Paul also love Old Town, and even though they are getting married in Florida (where they met and are from), chose to have their engagement photos taken in the neighborhood that they love. Congratulations to these two on their engagement and upcoming wedding!!

As I planned my move from Rhode Island to Michigan in 2016, I began to advertise in the Detroit area. Alyssa was one of the first brides I connected with, and we instantly hit it off. We found out we went to the same graduate school in Boston, and she had lived there about as long as I had. Having just made the move from East Coast to Midwest herself, she counseled me and told me what to expect. She felt like an old friend so much so, that when she hung up from our initial consultation, her now husband Phil asked who she had been talking to because it had sounded like an old friend.

When we finally met in person in Ann Arbor for their engagement shoot, Alyssa introduced me to “crack fries” at Hopcat downtown. She and Phil zipped me around Ann Arbor, showing me where to park and the best places to shoot.

When their wedding finally came, I was so excited. It was my first wedding in downtown Detroit and I was nervous! I had location scouted to select photo locations to help prepare, and Alyssa had arranged transportation for me so that all I had to focus on were the photos. Their wedding at Old St. Mary’s and reception at the Palazzo Grande were stunning. The church was one of the prettiest I have ever shot in and the Palazzo Grande had some of the best food I’ve ever had at a wedding. On top of great food, Alyssa + Phil sat us at a table with guests so that we were able to enjoy the multiple course meal along with their guests. We felt like family!

Thank you, Alyssa + Phil, for trusting me to document your beautiful wedding!

Sometimes when you wake up on your wedding day, it isn’t the sunny, beautiful day you have dreamed about, but rather pouring rain and high speed winds. This was what happened on Nicky + Joey’s wedding day, so when I arrived at the beach home they had rented in Newport, I fully expected some nerves and stress. Rather, I found the opposite. Some of the first words out of Nicky’s mouth were, “I’m so glad we rented an indoor/outdoor venue. I haven’t been stressed out at all.”

By indoor/outdoor venue, Nicky was referring to her venue, The Newport Beach House , which has gorgeous space inside for both ceremony and portraits (as well as outside). It was so nice seeing how relaxed Nicky + Joey were, and we were able to capture some amazing portraits in the newly constructed Oyster Lounge with it’s modern cement floors and walls full of windows.

Planning a wedding? Choose an indoor/outdoor venue to ease your nerves :) . If your dream venue doesn’t have an indoor option, see if you can rent one nearby for portraits. Botanical centers, libraries, and museums are great options that often rent space to wedding parties for a fee. If all else fails, grab some umbrellas and schedule a day after session :) . The lesson here is if there is rain- don’t fret! You can still get the photos you have dreamed about!

Aren’t Mallory and Jon the cutest?? We had an absolutely gorgeous (but a tad chilly!) fall day for their engagement photos on the north campus of Michigan State University in East Lansing. People are often scared to wait and do their photos the first two weekends of November, but I swear, those two weekends always have the best fall color!! Thankfully, Mallory and Jon waited, and the fall color was GORGEOUS!! I can’t wait for their June wedding!

Lauren and Garrett were married on the most beautiful June day at Meadowbrook Hall in Rochester, Michigan. Lauren and Garrett planned a simple stress free day, getting ready at the Royal Park Hotel nearby, and then having both their ceremony and reception all at Meadowbrook so they didn't have to drive anywhere. The grounds of Meadowbrook are stunning, so we took all of the photos on site. Here are some of my favorites that tell the story of the day below. Congrats to Lauren and Garrett!

Madison + Tom were married on the first real spring day of 2018. April had been a doozy with snow storms and ice storms, so I was thrilled for them when the snow stopped and the sun and warmth appeared. The venue was the gorgeous as always Dearborn Inn.

Madison and Tom opted for a first look and to do most of their photos prior to the ceremony. Nothing felt rushed, and the day went perfectly as planned. Congratulations Madison and Tom!!

Alicia and Logan have the most romantic story of how they met. Hearing how couples meet is one of the most exciting parts of my job. I have heard some really incredible stories! Alicia and Logan met at mass....in Mallorca, an island off the coast of Spain! Alicia was working on the island for a couple of years, and Logan was in the navy and his ship docked on the island briefly. They both decided to go to mass on the same night in Spain and met at church. They kept in touch but continued on their own paths, which took them around the globe- always to different countries. They finally were able to be together in the U.S. several years later and are now married! They held their wedding at the beautiful Bloomfield Hills Country Club in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan in the middle of February during a snow storm! Here are some of my favorites from their wedding day...

Second Photographer: Brian

Florals: Alexandra Zikakis/Morningview Gardens

Venue: Bloomfield Hills Country Club