Ariana and Chris - Grand Rapids Engagement Photos

Ariana and Chris are absolutely effortless to be around, and it makes perfect sense that these two wonderful people ended up together.
We started the engagement session in the backyard of Ariana’s parents, and I can’t believe people get to live with daily sunsets like this. After a lot of genuine laughter and these two looking like movie stars, we moved on to the Ada covered bridge where we ended the day.
They are some of the kindest, most thoughtful humans ever, and I can already tell their wedding is going to be full of people celebrating who they are as individuals as well as a power couple.

Congratulations, and I can’t wait for the big day!

Kiana and Tyler - Chicago engagement photos

Kiana and Tyler reached out to schedule their engagement session months in advance, and with a great plan of the perfect locations to tell their love story.
We started out at Vol. 39 bar at the Kimpton Gray Hotel, which is a place that actual dreams are made of. They somehow managed to secure the entire closed bar for their photos, and I’ve never been the same since.

We then switched to a more casual vibe and headed over to Wormhole Coffee, which also happens to be where Kiana and Tyler first met. Their puppy Oliver tagged along (because what family photo is complete without the fur baby) and we finished up recreating part of the walk from their first date.

Congrats you two, I’m so excited for the big day!

Dani and Zach - Grand Rapids engagement photos

March in Michigan means never really knowing which season we’re going to experience on any given day. As Dani and Zach’s engagement session date approached, a flash blizzard decided we would be working with winter, and they both rose to the challenge.
Location one looks like it could have been a nature preserve, but it’s actually the land where their home together will be built. It’s so cool to me that they’ll be able to look back at their engagement photos and see how different the property is through the years, and that’s a huge reason why I love including personal aspects into the portraits.

Location two was a bonus for me as someone who lives off coffee as my number one source of fuel. We ventured to Lantern Coffee in downtown Grand Rapids for a latte break from the cold, and then wrapped up at my favorite GR parking garage for some golden hour magic.

Spring is almost here, but I didn’t at all mind one final winter session. Congratulations you two!

Athens and Erin - Kalamazoo homestead engagement photos

From my very first conversation with Athens and Erin, I could tell they would be an absolute delight to shoot with. They’re both so incredibly happy being their raddest selves with hobbies like yoga instructing, beekeeping, and drumming in a legit band, they only become cooler when they’re with each other.

We took these engagement photos on Athen’s birthday, on the property that these two have enjoyed countless walks and sunsets on. They gave me so much creative freedom, and I’m so madly in love with these photos and this whole experience.

Congratulations you two, I’m so excited for your wedding next year!

Alex and Nick - Kalamazoo moody engagement photos

Alex: "We already had traditional engagement photos taken when I proposed"

Me: "Okay cool, how about we do ultra-moody UN-traditional engagement photos then?"

I’m a huge fan of alternative engagement portraits, and Alex and Nick were absolutely up for the challenge. I completely embraced the opportunity to go full “fine art” mode, and sent them a mood board with style inspiration in preparation. When going for a more monochromatic look, I want a simple, usually urban, location that doesn’t have a lot of color naturally. A parking garage is one of my favorite go-to spots for this reason, but this time around, I wanted something new with lots of leading lines, and this set of bleachers completely spoke to me.

The weather may have felt super inhospitable when the shoot day arrived, but they came prepared with all the moody layers to fight even the coldest winter day. This was also the perfect trial run for their January wedding photos (Pocket warmers are key), so win-win all around.

Thanks for being rockstars with hearts of gold you incredible humans!

Olivia and Garrett - Al Sabo engagement photos

Olivia and Garrett’s engagement session had all the necessities (specifically flowers and wine). They were already so sweet and natural in front of the camera, but it is definitely a portrait session pro-tip to have a sip of something before, or during your session to loosen nerves and just generally make photos more of a complete activity, or maybe even a date night.
It was a fairly hot Michigan fall evening when we adventured around Al Sabo preserve looking for the best photo and picnic locations, and we were certainly not disappointed.

Congratulations you two!

Lindsey and Mike - Downtown Kalamazoo engagement photos

Lindsey and Mike are the epitome of balancing each other in all the right ways. They met through teaching, and it didn’t take long for the sparks to fly. Lindsey is such a bright energy in every room she enters, and Mike is a steady source of support.

I adore these two beautiful humans, and I could not be happier for them!

Haily and Sean - Downtown Kalamazoo engagement photos

No lie, every engagement session of the spring for me was shot in downtown Kalamazoo. I also have a super soft spot in my heart for the place. With the amount of couples sharing first date stories and fond memories among the parks, restaurants, and walking mall, it’s no surprise it’s at the top of the list for requested photo locations. I’ve never been a photographer to recycle backdrops however, so this means lots of jumping around to find new visuals, and things that can help tell the individual story of a couple.
It’s a fun challenge, and I’m here for it.

Haily and Sean met at WMU, but spent so much of their time in the heart of our city. The weather had been questionable every day leading up to their engagement photos, but the day of was absolutely gorgeous.

Congratulations cuties, the wedding next year will be totally worth every day of waiting!

Kylie and Evan - Downtown Kalamazoo engagement photos

I attempt every year to take advantage of all the blooming trees in downtown Kalamazoo, and every year I typically miss the peak of them by about a week.

This year, we finally won when Michigan finally blessed us with something other than snow in mid-April! Kylie and Evan were super open to ideas when it came to engagement photo locations in the area, and so we adventured around some particularly bloomy blocks of downtown. They were all genuine smiles and laughter, and it makes me all the more excited for their October wedding.

Congrats lovely people!

Hannah and Chad - Saugatuck Dunes engagement photos

“Yeah, I get to look at this every day… there’s a chance I take that for granted” Chad said as I questioned the gorgeousness of our first location.
We met at Chad’s family farm for our first location to incorporate such a big part of their lives into their engagement photos, and I was completely blown away at the view. Rolling hills for miles, and a sky threatening rain that never touched us, but giving so much depth in the colors.
This was also the first time a dog was accidentally featured in engagement photos, as Rosco invited himself along, and wouldn’t leave (Truly, the best thing that could have happened). Chad’s one request is that we featured his beloved tractors in a portrait or two, so naturally we got a little extra with that concept.

Location two was quite a drive and a hike to Saugatuck Dunes State Park, and it was so worth fighting through the mosquitos as we arrived at the beach for the most perfect lighting. Beach engagement photos are always a win in my book, but the biggest aspect that can give them variety is the people. Hannah and Chad are so close to each other, and that was unmistakable. They laugh and joke together, they are comfortable and loving together, and they can’t wait to start their new lives together.

Congratulations you lovely people, next stop: wedding day!

Britt and Zach - Warren Dunes engagement photos

Britt and Zach are easily some of the sweetest people you’ll ever meet. They’re both driven and ambitious and spend so much of their time looking out for each other and the people around them.

When we were finally able to get an engagement session on the calendar (Thanks 2020), it was the perfect sunny beach day for a mini road trip from Kalamazoo to Warren Dunes. This spot has always had a million different locations to photograph in, and Britt and Zach were super down to adventure around with us.

Congrats you two! Your September wedding is going to be the stuff dreams are made of (and I’m not just saying that because the wedding meal is tacos).

Amanda and Eric - Grand Rapids engagement photos

When I first met Amanda at Bell’s Brewery (a great sign) to talk wedding photography details, I could already tell that she and Eric were going to be beautiful people to spend time with.
She told me all about their shared musical interests (Griz is their favorite artist), their dog who they wanted included in engagement photos named Griz (No seriously, they love this artist), and how they found each other and fell in love.
We started the engagement session at Provin Trails just outside of downtown, which is a hidden gem and the perfect place for the goodest boy Griz to get an adventure in before heading into the heart of Grand Rapids.
The year 2020 has not been kind to concert goers this year, so to incorporate their love of the music culture, we went to their favorite Griz mural (The artist, not the dog for those who are keeping track at home) and even swapped outfits to their favorite concert wear to complete the engagement session.

It was the best time and an amazing day. I can’t wait for the wedding you two! Keep showing love and spreading love.

Abigail and Jonathan - Grand Haven engagement photos

For as long as I’ve known these two, they’ve found their way in front of my camera. Whether they were models for a commercial shoot or just being their fabulous selves for a couples session, they are consistently the people who make your day better just by getting to spend time with them. When Covid turned our April engagement session into a June date, they took it completely in stride, and even still wore the original outfit choices, regardless of the temperature! (Take that Corona)
Grand Haven has meant a lot to Jonathan growing up, and he passed his fond memories along to Abigail as they grew closer, so it was a natural choice for their engagement photo location. Theirs was the first engagement session since quarantine, and the absolute perfect day. Even while practicing distance they were still the rays of sunshine they have always been.

Congratulations you two, I’ve been looking forward to your wedding all year, and it’s going to be so worth the wait!

Rachel and Jake - Downtown Grand Rapids engagement photos

When I first met Rachel and Jake, I could tell they were pretty perfect for one another. Their first date at Brewery Vivant led to many more, and now they can’t see a life without one another.

One of the best parts of photographing in Grand Rapids is the sheer amount of variety you get between locations. We started at Riverside park to incorporate some of Michigan’s natural winter beauty, and then obviously had to stop in for a brew and warm up at Brewery Vivant before finishing up downtown. Not only is this place a stunning old church that was repurposed into a thriving pub for beer enthusiasts of all types, but the staff went out of their way to make this engagement session an amazing experience for Rachel and Jake.
They gave us free rein of the pub and even led us on a mini tour of the brewery with the manager. I for one, was in heaven.

These stunners were nothing but smiles and laughter despite the frigid cold, and that is my favorite type of person.
Congratulations Rachel and Jake! Your Barn at Monterey Valley wedding is going to be amazing!

Michelle and Drew - Traverse City winery tour engagement photos

As long as I’ve known Michelle and Drew, they’ve been one of the most effortlessly cool couples. Always down to explore, show their family and friends a good time, and find new passions together.
For us as photographers,a huge goal whenever we shoot an engagement session is to incorporate special details or locations that help tell a couple’s story. When they talked about Traverse City and the Suttons Bay area and all the memories they hold, it was such an obvious choice for the engagement session. I am also a huge fan of Northern Michigan, and will look for literally any excuse to venture up that way. These two hold wine memberships at more Michigan wineries than I think most people do in a lifetime, so we started with two of their favorites (Blustone Vineyards and Black Star Farms) before finishing up in the winter igloos of Hop Lot Brewing Company.

Will shoot Traverse City engagement photos any day.

Congratulations Drew and Michelle, your 2020 wedding will be the party everyone talks about and you deserve all the happiness you bring each other!

Allison and Josh - Kalamazoo engagement photos

I’ve grown really find of winter engagement sessions over the last few years.
There’s a certain romance to the snowy landscape around Kalamazoo, and it’s hard to beat that soft light all day long. In addition, you’re forced to think a little bit harder about warmup locations which adds to the challenge and creativity, with the added bonus that snow-loving couples tend to not let anything phase them. It’s a win all around!

Allison and Josh are sweet, authentic and have the warmest smiles around. Turns out they had been so close to knowing each other from one connection or another all their lives, but when the time was right and they finally met, it was definitely meant to be. They already had fantastic ideas for where they wanted to shoot their engagement photos, and as always, Kalamazoo delivers.

Congratulations Allison and Josh, I’m so stoked for your wedding this year!

Leah and Tommy - Wayland country engagement photos

Leah and Tommy’s story is a pretty sweet one.
Tommy bought his grandparent’s farm and is now fixing it up and making it their own. They wanted to make sure to include personal touches all through the engagement photos, so we wandered around the property, fed cows, and pet cats, then adventured a little further and ended up at the hunting cabin his dad had built on the property.
The entire time, I don’t think Tommy stopped smiling once. He has such a joy for life that you can’t help but smile right along with him! Leah is equally wonderful, and sweet, and without a doubt has Tommy’s whole heart.
Congratulations you two, I can’t wait for your Monterey Valley wedding next year!

Olivia and Tom - Kalamazoo Kik pool engagement photos

Olivia and Tom are incredibly special people. I had been following Olivia on Instagram for a while, and was such a fan of her creativity and artistic mindset. When she reached out to me, and we started talking engagement photo details, I was completely over the moon when she suggested Kalamazoo’s Kik pool as one of their locations. I had my eye on it for weeks, and was just dying for the perfect couple to shoot there, and oh my goodness were they ever the perfect couple!
I could not think of a more ideal person for Olivia than Tom. He matches her energy, her creativity, and her joy for life. When I asked Tom when he knew he wanted to marry her, he said he couldn’t put his finger on a specific day or moment, but it was the years of becoming who they are together, and building their life. Knowing when you don’t want to spend the rest of your life without your person is such a crazy wonderful thing, and that is exactly what they found.
The engagement shoot was full of so many laughs, dance-offs, and all the color your heart could want. Congratulations Tom and Olivia, I can’t wait to see the dance moves on your wedding day!

Rachel and Dustin - Big Rapids engagement photos

Rachel and Dustin have some of the biggest hearts out of anyone I’ve met. They’re kind, genuine and put others before themselves, and it’s such a beautiful thing to see.
Rachel wanted to show me the venue where they’ll be getting married this September as one of the engagement photo locations at golden hour (Probably the most beautiful farm of all time), but there was still the first location to figure out. When she asked Dustin what he wanted in engagement photos, he said “cold beer”. Not wanting to disappoint, cold beer was exactly our first location! We met up at Raven Brewing and BBQ in Big Rapids, and I was so thrilled that we did. Not only did it set the mood so perfectly, but it also made for a laid back and effortless engagement session afterwards.
I had so much fun with these beautiful humans, and I can’t wait for the wedding day!

McKenzie and Brandon - Chicago engagement photos

McKenzie and Brandon moved to Chicago and immediately felt right at home. They embraced both the urban environment and natural parks near their home, and knew they wanted to incorporate the windy city, as well as their furbaby Theo, into their engagement photos. When our first engagement shoot day got rained out (One of the many reasons I trust weather predictions about as much as I trust a 5 year old who tells me my hair looks fine), we picked an early July date and watched the forecast like a hawk. The day finally arrived, and there was hardly a cloud in the sky!
The two of them had one request though: They wanted the essence of Chicago as a resident would see it, not a tourist. Rather than showing attractions or main streets full of people, we walked around their neighborhood and adventured into the Wrigleyville area, looking for great textures and settings. They were up for anything, and we had an incredible time documenting that.

Congratulations McKenzie and Brandon!