Fall weddings so often get rained on, and this day was no exception. Torrential downpours in the morning caused a little stress for family members of Brian + Rebekah, and for Cyclones who waited out a rain delay before the first October football game. Thankfully, the sunshine decided to join the party and a beautiful wedding day in Ames was had!
Late summer and early fall are some of the prettiest times in the Midwest. Yellow wildflowers pop their shiny faces out of deepening grasses, and storms roll in at sunset to replenish the fields. Megan + Evan’s nature filled engagement session is up on the blog and sure to make you smile!
Nothing like a cozy cabin feel on a rainy fall wedding day! Check out Eric + Katie’s September marriage celebration, in Johnston at the wonderful Stoney Creek Hotel.
I’m behind on editing and short on time.. so here’s a quick little blog post of Lisa and Mitch’s sweet late summer engagement photos. These two ooze fun and playfulness, and I’m SO excited to party with them when they get married in 2020!
Ever wondered why your photographer is insisting on coming an hour earlier, and asking you to set aside your dress, flowers, veil, and rings? Or are you curious —or indecisive!— on where to get ready and dressed on your wedding day? Look no further! This blog post will serve as a guide to help you think through all the details of your wedding day details. ;)
Melanie is effortlessly beautiful, and that was true especially on her wedding day. From the perfect hairstyle and dress, to her sweet excitement while greeting family and guests, you couldn’t find a more perfect bride! Ryan is her perfect match, funny and kind, faith centered and a strong work ethic to boot. It was so wonderful to see all their favorite people come together to celebrate them, and to know that this marriage is built to last! Click to see this intimate downtown Des Moines wedding, and Snyder Farm reception!
From Carlie’s initial email inquiry to meeting for the first time at her senior session, I had a hunch that this girl would be a ball to hang out with. And she is! From a park with flowers to East Village for some funky photos, we made some of my favorite senior pictures yet. Check ‘em out!
Engagement photos in a park near downtown Des Moines Iowa. Buttery, summer light. And lots of laughter! Take a peek…
This August wedding celebration in Fort Collins, Colorado was elegant, simple, and so precious to me. Joel and Libby have gone from mere acquaintances to co-workers, then best friends, and finally a whirlwind romance and wedding. World changers at heart, these two will have a lifetime full of adventures together! There wedding day was no less an adventure. Click the blog post to read more and see wedding photos!
It is possible that a bit of insanity took over my brain when I decided to head to Colorado for 5 days before “2019 wedding season 2.0”… but I also kind of don’t care. ;) I’ve got a bunch of work to catch up on, but it’s a blessing! And I was able to see some great friends, drink some good coffee, take my first solo hike, and feel refreshed before the next 10 weeks of nonstop work! Click the post title to read and see more!
I'm so excited to announce my Fall Mini-Session dates! This is the second year that I've been able to schedule these, and I'm just so excited to see what families sign up for a session. It’s always a blast hanging out with past clients and new friends. These mini sessions are specifically for families, however, if you need some simple headshots or roomie photos for your Christmas card, let me know!
Caitlyn’s mom emailed me after learning about my photography work from another friend in the Des Moines area. She asked if I took senior photos, which I love, so of course we met for coffee at Smokey Row to chat. I learned that Caitlyn is a talented dancer, enjoys the outdoors, pastels, her new puppy Luna, and art. In fact, she designed the website and logo of Panka Restaurant, and hopes to study graphic design in college! SO cool.
WOW. Where to begin with this wedding day!? Gabby and David had a beautiful summer day for their Chateau at White Oak wedding. A little overnight rain led to a cloudy morning, but as the clouds cleared and the sun appeared, humidity rose and we remembered that August never feels like the end of summer. ;) However, just a few blocks away from the church where these two married, David will finish up school this fall semester at Iowa State.
It seems like just yesterday, I had an exciting email in my email inbox from Madi, inquiring about my senior model team! When we finally met & shot our fairytale styled shoot back in May, I could tell this gal was a keeper. Madi dances, and participates in just about every way a dancer can… she’s in cheer, and dances through a local competitive dance group. She also runs track! Girl knows how to stay active, for sure. Madi’s a girl after my own heart; she love choco chip cookie dough ice cream and the color pink!
Ethan and Heidi began dating in college after becoming friends. Ethan was interested in Heidi, and asked her out …she was a little clueless at first, but soon realized his intentions and figured that she enjoyed his company, so why not try dating!? They’ve been together ever since! Ethan proposed in November, and both have since graduated from their schools in the Cedar Rapids metro and are planning a fall wedding.
Des Moines, City of Monks, da moinz… call it what you wish. But this mid-sized city in the very midwestern state of Iowa is truly one of the most up-and-coming places to live, work, and play. Although I didn’t make it here often as a child (just the occasional trip to Adventureland or the State Fair), once I was allowed to travel sans-parents, my visits to the Iowa capitol because much more frequent. Why? Well, why not!?
This glowing city (literally! the capitol dome is shiny, actual gold!) is full of unique locations to spice up your Instagram (or Snapchat) stories. You’ll find a plethora of parks, iconic and historic landmarks, and plenty of great food and drinks to boost your photo hunt. See the city in a day, or stay forever. Your choice! ;)
Where to even start with this day!!! From the moment I walked in to the mall salon, to the last song I heard exiting the VFW in Waverly… this day made a mark in my heart. I can’t even begin to share how sweet this couple is! Kelsey and Josh and their son became a family, forever, and it truly couldn’t have been a more gorgeous July afternoon to start life off together!
Before I wrote and posted on the website/blog, my mom, sister and I traveled to the land Down Under. Never in my lifetime did I expect to get to travel to Australia! However, in high school, my friend Mikayla and her family moved there… and when she started dating an Australian we realized that mayyyybe someday a trip would be in our future. So, when Kayla and Luke got engaged and asked me to be in their wedding, we decided to make a family trip (minus dad) to this continent country.
Photographing friends happens quite often in my line of work. Anyone out there surprised at all? Nah? Me either! But it was a bit of a surprise when these two asked me to photograph their fall wedding! I’ve known Brian since childhood in Cedar Falls, and we’ve become better friends since he decided to attend Iowa State University four years ago. Rebekah’s older sister is a friend of mine, so when these two started dating it felt like worlds colliding!
I’m so glad you’ve stopped by the blog to check out some of my favorite photos from Ashley’s senior session! Ashley will graduate with the class of 2020 from Waterloo West, but she came down to West Des Moines to have an adventure with me while taking her senior photos. The night we’d picked ended up being hooooottttttt as anything, but she rocked her session with no complaints and a brilliant smile the entire time. My kind of gal!
