I hear something a lot like this from brides all the time: ”I love your style, but I don’t think that my wedding will be as amazing as the ones I see on your website.”  After I blush because of such lovely compliments, I immediately tell them to hush.  See, there’s a secret for having amazing photography – The trick is to just keep true to yourself and who you are.

At every single consultation, I try to really understand each and every one of our couples.  What makes them unique, how their wedding will be like no other one I’ve ever photographed.  I listen for the tiny little clues that are hidden like gems in between details about the dress and florals.  At one consultation, one of our brides for this year, Emily,  very briefly mentioned  riding a tandem bicycle for a few photographs.  Emily immediately shrugged it off as silly, but I immediately protested and went on and on about what a great idea it was.  This is unique, fun and completely memorable.  Since Lucas and I eloped, I would give anything to have some images of us on my red Vespa on our wedding day; that’s who we are.

I also had to share a few images from Meagan & Mike’s wedding.  They had a friend who had this amazing classic car and offered to be their chauffeur on the wedding day.  Meagan told me about it before hand, but didn’t let me know just how incredible it would be.  After it pulled up, I knew it would be the perfect backdrop for some amazing portraits.  It perfectly captures the everyday, understated elegance that is at the heart of Meagan & Mike.  So, as you’re planning, make sure your personalities shine through in all the details, and I promise your wedding will be as incredible as the ones you see in the magazines you’re reading and on the blogs you’re following.

I’m so excited to share with you baby Estella, who has the craziest baby hair I’ve ever seen.  She’s only three months old, and I think she has more than than some one year olds!  But I’m getting ahead of myself…

Jenn emailed me inquiring about baby and family portraits, and after a few emails, I knew we were going to hit it off.  Maybe it was her brutal honesty or sense of humility, but I just knew I was going to love this family.  When we met a few weeks ago for our pre-consultation, I felt like I was meeting some old, dear friends.  They welcomed us into their home, and Bella the Boston Terrier was immediately taken with Lucas; like all dogs are.  We ate cookies, talked about photography and football, and I laughed at Mike’s dry, sardonic sense of humor.  What I love most about Jenn and Mike is their parenting style – They are realistic and human.  They take it all in stride.  They are the best new parents I’ve ever seen in my life. Mike even has earned the coveted title of the “baby whisperer.”

This weekend we had a morning session because beautiful light flooded their home in the morning, and Estella is a happy, morning baby.  Well, that was the plan – And like most plans, they never work out how you think they’re going to.  But we all were so relaxed, so willing to go with the flow, that it all worked out for the best.  See, Estella took a small, unscheduled nap during the session.  And Bella the Boston kept nudging into the photographs.  And it was all incredible and I’m so glad it all happened – We were able to get portraits of these new, amazing parents just marveling at their daughter, with the dog peeking in.  Someday I hope that Estella can look at these photographs and know how unbelievably loved she is.