Danielle and Dave are planning a wedding this fall, and we got together on a nice hazy summer afternoon at his parents' apple orchard for their e-session. I love this rural setting, it just seems so romantic and classical mid-west, and I love that the location has a personal significance.







Love old abandoned barns!!!
And I love the light here. They almost look like they're dancing...



I loved this in color too - but in this monochrome, it sort of reminded me of a starry sky... am I just being crazy? Probably... but if you stand back and squint you might see it too! :)





In a relatively short amount of time I got so many
fabulous images of these two, it was hard to narrow it down to share just these ones...
It was nice getting to know you each a little better,
and I can't wait for your wedding in October!

...for little girls...

You may have seen Ruby on a post here a few days ago, but I said I'd be posting more, so here they are!

Since Amber is an old friend from Hope College, I've been following her and her family throughout her pregnancy (and even before) through her very entertaining blog. I see glimpses of her siblings and her parents, as well as Ryan's family, and it's plain to see that Ruby is joining a remarkable group of people. I look forward to watching her grow in such a spiritually nurturing and positive environment.

They say the apple doesn't fall far from the tree. If that is true, she's destined to be an amazing woman! I'm so glad that I was able to capture this momentous time in your lives. Have fun with your new little daughter!

Last weekend I met this family in Ludington, along with her sister and brother-in-law, their kids, and their parents. The kids played in the sand and water... they even brought kites! Everyone was so friendly and happy to act natural even with a photographer wandering around. Here's a preview with one of my favorites... More to come.

One week ago tomorrow Kelly and Heath were married on the beach in Barcelo, Riviera Maya, Mexico. The celebration with friends and family lasted throughout the week, and the weather was - for the most part - gorgeous. The family and friends who were able to make the trip all got along wonderfully.

I love the angel statue, one of several throughout the resort hotel area, with her hands together in prayer.



The afternoon of the wedding, it began to rain, and Kelly and Heath decided to press on with their plans for a beach wedding. Umbrellas were purchased and we all kept our fingers crossed.




Beautiful - and obviously so happy!

My uncle Dan was actually the photographer during the ceremony, since I was the Matron of Honor (still not sure how I feel about the term "Matron" ;) - so I must give credit where it is due. Heath's brother Luke was also part of the photography team; he took the one of Kelly and me below. The rest of the time I had the camera...

See, the sun even came out for a bit! The wedding ceremony was breezy, and beautiful... and no rain. I still can't get over it... the timing could not have been more perfect.




We got a few more, and then the raindrops started falling again as we ran back up the beach toward the reception site. We made it under the thatched roof just in time to stay fairly dry, the rain stopped again and we ran back out for some more photos.
...To be continued. I will definitely be posting more!

Meet little Ruby Dawn.

Her parents, Amber and Ryan, along with so many friends and family, were thrilled when she finally arrived.
It was a privilege taking her photos on Friday, at just 9 days old.
She was awake and happy almost the entire time.
Amber is a natural at her new role as a mother, so calm and instinctive.
As much as I love taking pictures, my favorite part of the visit was just spending some time holding their little girl, she is so precious!

More photos are coming... but here are two of my favorites so far.

Congratulations again!

And to my dad, my father-in-law, my grandpas,
so many dear friends and neighbors, father-figures,
already dads or TTC,
and of course my wonderful husband,
Happy Fathers Day!

I am home from Mexico, where we went for Kelly and Heath's wedding on the beach.
The resort was breathtakingly beautiful, and Kelly was even more so. We had a blast! Blowing in the Caribbean breeze, this was the perfect gown, and it looked amazing on her... I can't wait to post more!

I went downtown with Savanna the other day for a session, and had a great time photographing this gorgeous girl - who happens to be over six feet tall! She even brought along a few tops, tons of fun jewelry, and a pair of black suede pumps, which "aren't for walking" as she put it, but looked so cute! When you're already as tall as she is, what's a few more inches anyway?

This was a happy accident - it was so bright out, even though it was overcast, she could hardly keep her eyes open. This one, with her eyes closed, turned out to be one of my favorites!



I love the all black - reminds me of Sandy from Grease!







She is just great at working so many different looks from silly to sexy, even serious. Definitely made my job so much easier! It seemed like every picture I took she looked great!









Wardrobe change again - and then we headed to a different part of town, where she showed me a great location (the dark stone wall) that I didn't even know about! I'm sure most photogs out there are well aware of it, but I'm still learning my way around town. It was a great place to end our session!











There are way too many great images to post on a blog! Thank you Savanna, you are a beautiful person, inside and out. I had a great time downtown with you, and getting to know you a little better.