Lizzy and I met through a church small group about 3 years ago. I didn’t know her very well for a while, except that she was an agronomy student at Iowa State University, had a bubbly personality, and loved to travel through school! The next year, we ended up being roommates (which means I got to know her a lot more!) and found out that she bakes when she’s stressed, enjoys watching One Tree Hill, and was falling in love with a guy named Nate. I’ve been able to watch their relationship progress and grow from (almost) the start. It’s been full of trials and excitement, and I’m so excited to see these two finally get married in December!
Heather and Clinton have been together for years now, and are finally getting married next summer in her hometown of Sioux City! Although they live near Iowa City, where Clinton is still in school, Heather really wanted to do their engagement pictures in her hometown. SO, this past weekend, I drove up to meet the two of them, their adorable dogs, and spend an evening on the lake!
Last night, I met up with Jenna and Treye in the downtown Des Moines area. A month ago, I photographed their proposal in West Des Moines. The next day they bought a house, and the following week, these two asked me to photograph their wedding. (I am sooo thrilled!) They’ll get married in Pella next June, and celebrate at Central College… and it’s going to be gorgeous!
Casey and Alycia won my summer giveaway last year— which meant that we got to hang out one evening in late October, and take some beautiful fall pictures! I met Alycia through a mutual friend back when she was in undergrad school at UNI, and when I was at Hawkeye for photography. They were looking for an engagement photographer, and I just happened to be available. ;)
Treye and I met back in our early college days. We both took classes at Hawkeye Community College (photography for me, and I'm honestly not remembering what he studied!). We had some mutual friends, so out paths crossed pretty often at local concerts, old school neon dance parties, and over lunch on HCC campus. Eventually, I transferred to Iowa State and we lost touch, aside from the occasional Facebook like here and there.
Spontaneous, "just for fun" anniversary-style photos are obviously the best kind. Especially when they happen on the most gorgeous of evenings, in front of thousands of cherry blossoms in a Des Moines park! That's exactly what this session was. Emily and Parker hadn't had any professional photos taken since their engagement photos & wedding pictures four years ago in Wyoming. Three years ago --one year into marriage!-- they moved to Iowa. That was when our paths crossed, and my life was changed for the better.
Luke and Megan are so much fun! They booked me for their September wedding after talking on the phone this spring, but we didn’t meet until their engagement session at the end of May. We headed downtown Des Moines to shoot some photos by the river (peep those gorgeous gardens at the World Food Prize) and then moved over to WaterWorks Park. You just can’t go wrong with the gorgeous green spaces there! Jasper Winery made an appearance, too, and these two rocked their engagement photos— despite the humidity and numerous swarming bugs.
This sweet engagement session started out at a local Iowa apple orchard, just north of Ames! Click the header to view the whole blog post.
It's been two years since these two got married, and they will be leaving Ames and moving to St. Louis this month for Brennan's job. To commemorate their time in Ames, they asked me to photograph some anniversary photos! And we had the perfect evening to shoot...
Karly and Byron met a few years back through work. Byron is older than Karly, so he never really considered that she might be a great fit for him—but Karly’s mom (hi Chris!) had an idea. She dropped a few hints to her daughter, and after getting to know Byron a bit more, Karly asked him out! He said yes, and they went on their first date at Harman Reserve in Cedar Falls.
I’ve know Rich for about five years now. Last fall, when I saw on Facebook that he had a girlfriend, and they kept posting photos…and new profile photos… and another one…I had a feeling that she was a keeper! ;) So, much to my surprise and delight, I got a text message from Rich a few weeks back, asking about my availability to photograph his proposal of marriage to Julia!!! Of course, I had to say yes. Not to mention his plan was to propose at the famous High Trestle Trail Bridge (just outside of Madrid, Iowa). I’d driven past it many times with friends, but never had made my way over to the actual bridge. It was so fun for me to go out there for my first time, just days before the proposal, to scout out the area.
Lauren emailed me a few months ago about photographing her wedding (at a local winery just outside Ames!) and I jumped at the chance! I've actually photographed there--but nothing was green yet. :) I'm anxiously awaiting this coming September!!!
It has been such a sweet thing to watch these two become friends, date, fall in love, and plan to get married (in less than a month!). Preston's older brother was in my grade, so I knew who Preston was... even before he moved into the dorm where we all lived. However, I didn't see much of him, because he opted to be part of the infamous Iowa State University Cyclone Football 'Varsity' Marching Band. Which, as it happens, is what Shelby also did. ;)
I am all for spontaneity (with a little planning, of course!). So when Erin texted me the day of their engagement session & suggested that we shoot their photos on Cole's parents' land... I was all for it! When I showed up, I knew that decision was the perfect one. Rolling hills, a pond (lake?!) and long tall grass, hanging on from the fall. Plus we got the full gambit of weather--a little spring rain, and then a full sunset at the end! My kinda night. :)
...However, like some dating relationships in college go, their ended. Tears were shed, dreams lost. Both moved on, and both moved. Moved to Colorado, actually. It took a while; months and months went by, until Grand and Jan took a step towards friendship and then dating again! They took their time, and even managed dating "long distance" while living in separate cities in Colorado.
Lizy and I met just a few weeks into her freshman year at Iowa State, and I remember just how bubbly and sweet she was! (And still is, ha!) Memories were made that year, including dorm room karaoke, which is something I *highly* recommend.
Alex and Natalie share a love based on faith, and on serving others. Their engagement photo session in Des Moines was a fall dream-come-true!
