When people I know have a new baby, I find a way to go catch some newborn snuggles. FAST! ;) Little lady Abigail was no exception! Her mom grew up in my home church but was enough older than I that we were never friends, just acquaintances. Fast forward a while and with Facebook, we’re now “friends”.. haha! Anyhow, Alison and I connected when she was looking for someone to watch her baby this summer. I met her & her husband, all three of us hit it off (this is gonna be a long friendship, y’all) and everyone was just eager for baby to come.
Gabby and David share a passion for life. They met in college, dated for two years, and got engaged in the fall of 2018! This year has been full for the two of them, working towards graduation and planning a wedding together. We have met up multiple times to talk about wedding timelines and photography, but we finally made it to spring when we could shoot their engagement photos! It was the perfect spring evening, and these two did a wonderful job getting each other to laugh and smile. :)
It’s long been on my heart to find a way to throw a party for the brides who choose to hire me. After all, I take this job and responsibility seriously! It’s a HUGE honor to be chosen, out of the countless other photographers in the area… let alone the world. I’m just a simple girl with a heart to help brides have high quality memories and moments on their wedding day. And so, to show my gratitude, I invited the women who had hired me for 2019 to come for an afternoon of treats and learning!
These two were married in Ames last May. We took their engagement session in early April (almost exactly a year to the day of this anniversary session!) but it wasn’t a very warm or green day yet. Thankfully, Preston landed a job in the Washington DC area after graduation and they moved out this winter. DC is about the same latitude as Kansas City, so just a bit warmer and earlier to change seasons than Des Moines and the rest of central Iowa.
What to even write!? Alyssa and Carter will be long-time friends of mine, even after their November wedding. I just know it! We had only communicated via email and the phone until the afternoon of their engagement photos. I was nervous (always!) but oh, so excited to meet these two. Click through to see their magical spring engagement session in a downtown Des Moines garden!
Oh friends! This trip was a DREAM. Literally never wanted to wake up (although I also was exhausted by the end of this trip— so much so that I slept in my car for an hour at a rest stop 1.5 hours away from home). I really fell in love with DC. Low key trying to decide if I want to move there now. (semi-no joking.) Of course, this may all change when I visit NYC for the first time but for now… I really do think Washington DC is both the capitol city of our nation & my heart.
My fall mini-sessions were such a great success, that I’ve decided to offer spring mini sessions as well! Spring is just such a gorgeous time of year, especially with all the budding and blossoming trees. It only comes around once a year, especially with the apple (or cherry or whatever they are!) blossoms at Water Works Park! We’ll definitely be fighting the crowds, but it will be worth it!
Travel has been part of my life since birth. (Literally!) Most of you know that I’m always down for another adventure— especially a cross-cultural one. One the last Saturday in March, I had the wonderful opportunity to travel to Nepal… but not really. :) Although India & Nepal have long been on my bucket list to visit, this wedding was a blend of Nepali and American culture just up the road in Madrid & Johnston, Iowa!
Elizabeth & Paras met in college, on their first day of classes, I believe! It’s always fascinating to meet others around my age who were in school at UNI. Although I was never technically a UNI student, I was on campus enough my first three years of college to confuse a lot of my friends there. Ha! It’s a wonder I never met these two back then. Regardless, we’ve got mutual friends and that’s how I ended up connecting with the couple & photographing this wedding day.
Cherry trees may be the most gorgeous of all God’s blossoming creations. My ultimate dream would be to visit Japan & see the original trees there, but the right opportunity has not yet come up. Instead, when my friends Shelby & Preston moved to the Washington DC area this winter, I decided to see about a trip there. After all, the Tidal Basin blossoms draw thousands on onlookers each year for the Cherry Blossom Festival!
Coming up with new ideas for engagement shoots is a dream for me. If you want to do something cool, adventurous, or epic… just ask me about my bucket list of photography ideas! Two years ago, Chris and Elizabeth woke up before sunrise to meet me at the Iowa State Capitol for engagement photos. It not only is a gorgeous space, but boasts a stunning view of downtown Des Moines!
It has taken me a long time to finally get around to blogging some of my sweet fall family mini-session photos! I love meeting the Hornberg fam—the two girls gave me a run for my money, but we had a blast chasing each other around in the grass. There are so many family photographers in the Des Moines and Ames area… it really was a treat to be chosen by mom Katie, to update the family photos! I can’t wait to see these sweet girls grow up over the years.
Cassie and I have been friends since childhood. We were never “best friends” but our lives overlapped a lot in elementary and high school years. She brought the party to any gathering, and never showed up quietly. ;) Wes entered her life in high school… and never left. Ha! They got engaged a few years later, and actually came to me in Ames for their engagement photos. It was cold and wintery, not unlike this day. It didn’t work out for me to do their wedding, sadly. And since they live in Cedar Rapids, and I in Des Moines, we haven’t crossed paths in person since then.
You won’t find many people planning a snowy destination wedding. All the magazine covers showcase mountains covered with wildflowers, or beaches on exotic islands. And even though I consider myself a part-time destination wedding photographer (hello, Colorado weddings!) the majority of my couples live and marry in the Midwest. Not surprisingly, I primarily photograph weddings in Iowa, Nebraska, and Minnesota. All of which come with a LONG HARD WINTER each year!
Don’t get me wrong. I love snow! It’s gorgeous and reminds of me of ski vacations in the Rocky Mountains. And Christmas & my birthday (shoutout at December). And mulled wine, and sweaters, and silent wintery nights. But when you live in the Midwest, and winter can be anywhere from 3-6 months long, that means a good chunk of couples choose to tie the knot… come hell or high snow drifts. ;)
I am SO excited to be announcing that as of today, I will be officially offering mentoring sessions for other photographers! After five years in business and nearing 70 photographed weddings, I think it’s time for me to pass on some of the things I’ve learned over the years. It is SO important to really know what you’re doing, especially with so many people interested in photography.
Kurt and Kristen are a POWER COUPLE. They build friendships to last, which was so evident by their bridal party (14 friends, plus ushers and personal attendants)! It is also true for the two of them… they were friends for a long time before dating came into the picture, and then they dated long-distance when Kristen lived overseas for a year. After a whirlwind five-month-engagement, March finally rolled around!!!
Even before I moved to Des Moines in 2018, I knew Des Moines held some of the best coffee shops in the Midwest. I just didn’t know where they all were! But I wanted to find out. After all, cafes are the best places to get your morning caffeine fix, work on your laptop, read a book, or drop by with a visiting out-of-town friend. You’ll find below my top 5 coffee stops in Des Moines, as well as a few bonus cafes!
Savannah and Harrison met through Iowa State University in Ames, Iowa. Both of them are students there, and involved in the military and ministry. They both value leadership, faith, and fun! I’d known Savannah for a few years (as acquaintances) and although I hadn’t met Harrison until the day we took their engagement photos, we got along great. Both of us are NEEDTOBREATHE fans, so really, what else is there to know!? #immediatefriends
Back when I started photographing seniors (when I was an itty-bitty-baby-photogapher myself!) I did a Senior Model Team. Like any beginner, I had noooo idea what I was doing… but it was fun! When I transferred schools to Iowa State in Ames, I didn’t shoot as many senior portraits due to time constraints with homework and not knowing many high schoolers in the area.
