I adore Lynn and Drew. They are such genuinely sweet people. I met Drew a few years ago when I photographed his brother’s wedding. It’s amazing to me how my clients come to be my clients. It makes me so happy that although Drew and I met a few years ago, he was impressed enough with my work to look me up years later when he got engaged to his beautiful fiance Lynn.

Drew and Lynn are getting married in November this year at Our Lady of Good Hope in Fort Wayne, Indiana. Their reception will be at Parkview Field . I am so excited to photograph at this awesome new venue in Fort Wayne. The best part…their wedding color is TEAL! I guess my wardrobe will match the wedding that day

Anyway, I took Lynn and Drew to Concordia Lutheran Seminary . Knowing that their faith is super important to them, I thought this would be a perfect spot to photograph their love story. The images turned out stunning. Lynn seriously has the most beautiful eyes in the world, and the smile Drew has on his face while looking at his soon-to-be wife is so endearing.

Here are my favorites from their e-sesh.

The seminary campus is under construction right now, so we took advantage of the construction site:

Willow trees are my favorite, something about them is so magical

Are they adorable or what?

Some new textures I’m playing with thanks to Jesh de Rox .

H-O-T

See her beautiful eyes?

My hope for all of you is that you are this happy:

I love how they laugh together

Lynn and Drew, your love story is beautiful. I can’t wait to photography your wedding in November.

Thanks for stoppin by everyone. Lots more coming your way in the coming days/weeks.

J

She would have been seventy-three today. It’s the fifth year we’ve celebrated her birthday….without her. Five years seems like an eternity some days, and others it feels like a nano second. I miss her every day. Without a doubt, this woman is one of the most influential people in my life. She is my grandma.

Throughout my life she had always been one of the people I knew I could count on. She never missed a sporting event, cheerleading competition or musical performance. She was one of my biggest fans and for that I am so blessed. You know that song, “over the river and through the woods to grandmother’s house we go”? Well, that was my life during my early childhood. I could run out the backdoor of my house, through a few trees and I was at my grandma’s. I spent many days with her as a young child and even more time with her as I got older. I still wish I would have spent more time with her, that I would have soaked up every minute with her. Had I known I would loose her when I was twenty I would have spent so many more moments with her. Twenty years was all I got and that really stinks.

I’d like to think my relationship with my grandma is special, I don’t know many people who have the kind of relationship with their grandparents as I did with her. She was always a constant in my life. If I was sick at school and needed to come home, my grandma was there in five minutes. She drove me to drivers training and choir practice, any place I needed to go, she was there to take to me. I spent every day after school with her until I was in high school. Those days were my favorite. Two things I love: vegetable soup and cinnamon rolls (almost equally). I knew coming off the bus at her house, I’d walk in and smell the tomato broth boiling on the stove and the aroma of home made vegetable soup filled the air like a sweet summer day. If that wasn’t treat enough, on most days there would be a fresh batch of cinnamon rolls on the counter with the icing melted just the way I liked it. She loved me, that I knew for sure.

My love for General Hospital began while spending time with my grandma. She watched it every day and now, so do I. In a way, I guess I feel close to her when I sit down at 3:00 to watch my favorite show. She introduced me to many things and she encouraged me in so many areas of my life. She was the first person to comment on how beautiful of a voice I had and because of that I pursued music passionately. For that, I will always be greatful to her because music, in particular singing is one of the few things that define who I am.

My grandma wasn’t always the most positive person in the world, often times when asked how she was doing her reply would include a variety of ailments. During the last years of her life my family and I often heard of the battle with “no seeums” (apparently these little bugs in florida that like to nibble on your skin.) And though my grandma wasn’t the kind of grandma to TELL you “I love you” she sure knew how to show it loudly. I’ll never forget the last time I talked to my grandma on the phone, two days before she passed away from cancer. I told her that I would be seeing her that weekend (she was staying in hospice by this time) and that I loved her, I never expected to hear “i love you” you back. Usually throughout my life when I told her that, I got a smile and a nod, and a hug as she sat at the kitchen table with a smoke in one hand and coffee in the other. But this time, that day, March 8, 2005 as I was ending what would be the last conversation with my grandma she said, “I love you too.” I will treasure that forever.

It’s been five years since I have seen my grandma’s beautiful face or heard her contagious laugh. When she was particularly tickeled about something she would laugh and then at the end do this little snort thing. Some in my family have adopted the same laugh and again, I remember her.

My grandma (or Nanny as my cousins call her) was super stylish. She never left the house without “puttin’ her face on” and she slept carefully making sure not to mess up her hair that she had just gone to the beauty parlor to have washed and styled. And man oh man could my grandma find a bargain. Not the kind of bargains like cheap stuff, I’m talkin beautiful women’s suits usually $200+ but she went when they were on sale PLUS had a discount coupon. It made her so proud to find things, good things, and get them on sale. I however, did not inherit her thriftiness. But she knew how to shop and was one of the most classy dressed grandma’s I had ever seen.

I keep hoping that one day I will wake up and the ache of not having her here will have disappeared, but it doesn’t happen. I suppose when you loose one of the essential people in your life that void doesn’t go away. I miss having Christmas at her house and her “frickin flocked tree”, or our many lunch dates together. I wish I would have learned how to cook the way she did. Even the recipes that she wrote down don’t taste the same because a “dash” of this and a “pinch” of that isn’t exactly precise measuring.

My favorite time growing up was during the summer of my eighth grade year. Her mom had passed away from ovarian cancer and the daunting task of packing up her things remained. My great grandma lived in a one bedroom apartment in Avilla, Indiana and I got to spend the entire summer with my grandma going through Granny’s things. I had no idea so much stuff could be packed into such a small space. Oh my gosh the amount of antiques that we found was mind boggeling. And there is where I found my love for antiques. By the end of that summer I could tell you the difference between Roseville Pottery and a knock off, how much a piece was worth, where it was made and just about any other detail you wanted to know. I loved that summer. Every day we ate lunch at the St. James Hotel Resturaunt in Avilla. I’ve gone back there in recent years, but it doesn’t taste as good as I remember, maybe the food was never that great but it was the company of my grandmother that made the dining experience magical.

My grandma gave me my great grandmother’s printing box as a thank-you for all my help. For those of you unfamiliar with what a printing box is, in the old days that’s how they made press, each space contained a letter and they used it to print newspapers and books. But, in later years the printer’s boxes were used to display small trinkets such as thimbles, little mirrors, pretty much anything that would fit inside the spaces. I treasured that printer’s box and when my grandma gave it to me, I was so incredibly happy, it is one of my most prized possessions.

I could talk about my grandma for as long as anyone is willing to listen. She was the best. I don’t know how if any other families do this, but every year on her birthday and also the day she passed away we come together as a family to celebrate her life at her favorite resturaunt: Casa’s . My grandma ate there frequently, so frequently that she became friends with the manager. When I was sixteen and ready to find a job, she spoke to the manager who told her that he would give me a job purely because he adored her. I started working there when I was sixteen, and it was one of my favorite jobs as a teenager and young adult.

So tonight, my family and I gathered at Casa’s once again to remember her.

Her fiance Gene was there. Yes, my grandma had a fiance. He proposed to her thirteen years ago today, and tonight he shared the story of her response and how much she smiled when he asked. It brought tears to my eyes to hear how happy she was today thirteen years ago.

I miss her so much. I wish that she would have gotten to meet Jaxson. She would have loved him.

I know she is somewhere beautiful now. The cancer is no longer raviging through her body. I often dream of her, that she calls and when I pick up the phone the voice I hear is her’s. Distinctly hers. How I wish I could hear her talk to me one more time. But in my dream, it’s always the same. The phone rings, I answer, and she says, “Hey Jess, just wanted to let you know I’m here. Bye”. I believe God has put that dream in my mind to assure me that she is with Him and that little piece is why today is so beautiful.

I love you Non, Happy Birthday.

I love being a wedding photographer. I love it even more when I get to photograph my best friends on important occasions such as a wedding! Meet Lauren. I met her the first weekend I lived in Bloomington, Indiana as a freshman at IU . I had no idea that this girl I just met in the dormatory next to mine would end up being one of the best friends in my life. I love this girl beyond words and I am so excited that I get to photograph her and Dave getting married in September.

So, on the weekend of her bachelorette party we planned her engagement session also. (Might not have been the smartest decision to plan those two things in the same weekend by the way). But, the photos turned out beautiful! We started out the e-sesh at this beautiful park down the road from where they live called Ogden Gardens . The day was gorgeous! Then we went to the little town square for a few more fun photos as well and I found this super cute mural which you’ll see here in just a sec.

I am so excited for Lauren and Dave. I’m sure you all have that friend that you just are so happy they found someone who treats them well and makes them happy. That’s how I feel about Dave. I’m so happy I get to witness the beginning of their journey as husband and wife. So, here are my favorites from their engagement session!

This is my favorite picture of Lauren ever! She is so gorgeous!

Here is that fun mural we found :

And my favorite from the day!

Check back in September to see their awesome wedding!

J

I am really bad at writing the blog entries for my wedding photography clients. I want so much to describe their amazing love story in such a way that everyone reading would feel it as well. Once upon a time I was a great writer, but photography has taken over my brain

Anyway, meet Amber and Aaron. They are a super sweet couple that met and fell in love while attending Grace College . They also got married in Warsaw, Indiana in beautiful Winona Lake . Of all the weddings I have photographed this year, they had the most unique ceremony. They were married outside in the amphitheater surrounded by their closest friends and family. The weather was perfect. The “I Do’s” were said but something special took place during their ceremony that I had never seen before, and it is my FAVORITE thing to see at a wedding. You’ll have to look through the pictures to see what it was Here we go…

The handsome groom:

Amber getting into her dress

One of the things I love about being a wedding photographer (and also the most difficult of my job) is finding creative places to do photos for each wedding. Since I have never been to Winona Lake, I was unfamiliar with the town and how adorable it was. Once Amber got in her dress, I HAD to get this picture and I am so glad I did because WOW.

It’s a tradition with the boys from Grace College that once they get engaged they are thrown off the pier into Winona Lake. So of course we had to take a photo there! (Aaron stayed dry this time though)

And here is Amber with her lovely bridesmaids. Purple has been a popular wedding color this year, and these girls rocked it out

Amber is a stronger believer in Jesus, but don’t let her love for the Lord fool you. She’s got a bit of sass!

Gorgeous:

I love seeing men pray together. My first experience with young men praying was when I attended IU and went to a Campus Crusade meeting. The front row was filled with college guys with their arms around one another, praying and singing to Jesus. It was amazing. So, when I was walking to the amphitheater for the ceremony and saw this, it made me smile:

Amber walked down the isle to an accoustic version of American Honey . Something about watching a beautiful girl walking down the isle to an accoustic song makes me cry every time. I know I know, I’m a sap. The setup of their ceremony site was beautiful though:

Here is the part of the ceremony that I absolutely loved. Instead of doing the traditional unity candle or sand pouring, Amber and Aaron chose to wash each other’s feet as a symbol of being subservient to eachother and the Lord in their marriage. This was so incredibly special for them

Their awesome bridal party:

Amber made only one request during the post ceremony photos :

There were beautiful yellow flowers everywhere in the park

One of my favorites from the day:

If I were Amber and Aaron, this one would be a canvas in my house for sure

Maybe this one too:

Aaron and Amber chose to have their reception at Rodeheaver Auditorium in Winona Lake. The details of their wedding were beautiful, wouldn’t you agree?

It was such a pleasure getting to witness Amber and Aaron’s beautiful wedding. Thanks for stoppin’ by

J

Four years ago today I gave birth to the most beautiful little boy in the world. A perfect 7lbs 4 oz and 20 inches long. As I was getting my IV’s hooked up, the epidural going and my belly monitors working, I was so nervous about the birthing process. Was it going to hurt? Would I be able to make it? Tears filled my eyes as my family left and Justin and I were left in the hospital room. But nothing would have prepared me for the amazing feeling I would have while giving birth to my son. I love telling the story, I’d tell it every day if I could. I had no idea the amount of overflowing love I would have for this little person that had been growing inside me. He was so little and so perfect:

Who would have thought that four years would pass so quickly and that he would be THIS handsome:

I love having a little boy. I love how curious he is, the adventures he wants to have and the way he plays so well by himself. I also love that when I am trying to get pictures of him for his fourth birthday, I sometimes see these:

As most of you know, I have been planning Jaxson’s 4th birthday party for the last few weeks. He is OBSESSED with playing Super Mario on the Wii, so I decided to throw him a mario party. His face was absolutely adorable when he walked into the house yesterday to see cold coins hanging from the ceiling, question mark boxes, green pipes like in Mario, and all the Mario characters. And what kind of party would it have been without these guys:

Here is Jax’s birthday cake (courtesy of Hall’s Takes the Cake )

Mario pipes complete with and the fire spitting flowers

The Mario stickers for the hallway:

At the end of each world, you jump onto a flag pole and pull down a flag to “win” the level. Here is the flag

I got Jaxson plush dolls of Mario, Luigi, Toad, Yoshi and Bowzer.

I hung gold coins from the ceiling like in Super Mario. And question mark boxes were around the house.

In addition to birthday cake, I make star shaped sugar cookies for the stars that Mario can get in the levels that make him invincible.

And, my favorite thing from the party were these cupcakes that I made to look like Toad. I think they are pretty stinkin adorable!

It was an amazing day with family and friends. I can’t wait to see what the next year for Jaxson brings. He’ll be starting school in two weeks, summer has gone by so quickly! Thanks for stoppin by!

A few weeks ago I had the privilege of photography Kelly and Joe’s wedding. They are such a sweet couple! They’ve been together ten years and got married in July in their beautiful back yard. It is so fun as a wedding photographer getting to see each couple’s idea of the “perfect day”. For Kelly and Joe this meant celebrating in their back yard because of their gorgeous flowers and property. We started off with taking photos at Kelly’s Dad’s farm, it was gorgeous. The sun was shining, a slight breeze and two people who are crazy about each other. Then….the rain came. It started off as a drizzle, then it stopped, then it started again, then it stopped, and then it poured. I wasn’t sure if we were going to get any more pictures that day because the rain was so unpredictable. As a photographer, this makes me panic a little bit. Thankfully the rains did leave after a while and we were able to finish up the portraits after the ceremony.

I loved the garden theme that Kelly and Joe chose. They used mason jars filled with daisies and carnations as their center pieces,such a cute idea! Anyway, I’m sushing now…here are my favorites from their wedding day!

I’ll start with the details:

Here are Joe and Kelly’s granddaughters.

The new Mr. and Mrs.!

Kelly’s dad’s barn

This is my absolute favorite from the day, canvas anyone?

The flower girls

Adorably, Joe was a little emotional during the ceremony, but I was able to capture a sincere smile. The guy in the back of this picture is his son. I love this

As I mentioned, it rained a lot on their wedding day. But how amazing to see this after the rains were gone…

Thanks for stoppin by. More to come so stay tuned
J

With wedding season in full swing, it’s rare that I get to photo a family session. But, I get so excited when I get the opportunity!

Little miss Kennedy is such a doll. She turns two this week. Two year olds can either be absolutely delightful during a photo session, or….a bit of a challenge. I’ll let you decide which category Kennedy falls into.

This next photo is super special to me. I have one of Justin, Jaxson and me hanging above my fireplace at home. It was the inspiration for this shot.

This Kennedy’s “cheese” face

Happy birthday miss Kennedy.

Every now and then I get to meet a couple who are down to the bone goofy. I mean that in a good way of course! I love getting to photograph couples like this because it brings out such genuine emotions in the images. Paul and Alexa are “that” couple. We decided to do their engagement session at Salomon Farm because the Three River’s Festival was going on during their engagement session. Since I have done many photo sessions there, I wanted the images to look different than the other sessions…but how would I do that? Well, when you have two people who are as comfortable with each other and as in love as these two, it’s pretty easy to make the photos still stand out.

Here are my favs from their session:

How sweet are these two??

Sometimes a little improv turns out pretty fantastic

Meet Jessy and Dan. They are abso-frickin-lutely adorable. I like Jessy because she spells her name “Jessy” like I do…with a “y”. So that makes her really cool. Dan, well he’s a cool guy because he has a signature pair of white shoes that he wears ALL the time. And aside from those two things they are ridiculously in love

I like to believe that I’m an awesome photographer, especially when it comes to wedding photography or engagment photography. But, these two made my job pretty easy because they are beautiful. Jessy is one of those girls that has a natural beauty about her, a gorgeous smile, beautiful eyes and a super awesome sense of fashion. Dan is handsome and has a huge smile (especially when he is around Jessy). I could try and fill up a bunch of white space blabbing about how great they are, but really, it would take away from the amazing photos I got from their engagement session. So without further adieu…

Does Jessy have the sweetest smile or what?

This next photo made me laugh so hard when I was proofing. Typical guy/girl relationship: he wants to goof off and the girl is like, “honey, c’mon let’s go”.

They like to kiss…a lot

One of the great things about Jessy and Dan is that they are very involved with the photos. They had scouted out places the week prior to our engagement session, which was so helpful for me. Also, Dan’s main request was that we take a picture on IPFW’s Campus . His last name is Broyles and the main road that goes through camps is Broyles Blvd. How cool is that?

One of my favorites…

What would an engagement session be without some photos by the infamous Wells Street Bridge

I can’t wait to photograph Jessy and Dan’s wedding next June. They are going to look smashing on their big day!

J