Anna & Conner

I met Anna a few years ago in Honduras on a service trip with Humanity and Hope, and I remember hearing about this sweet boyfriend of hers (a professional golfer) whom she met on the course, when she was a beverage cart girl.

Anna is a Nebraska girl, and Conner grew up here in Portland. I love seeing Anna’s eyes light up at all of the beauty that the Pacific Northwest encompasses. I am so excited to capture their 2021 wedding day in Nebraska, but I’m also LOVING the fact that we got to do an engagement session in Oregon. Perfect for the two of them. Meeting Conner for the first time, and seeing the way my friend, Anna, looks at him - I really appreciate the way he looks back at her :) The respect and kindness these two show each other make them such a strong couple, and the chemistry and goofiness they share keeps their relationship fun. Anna and Conner, I adore you guys and thank you for allowing me to be a part of your love story!

Rana & Adam - Colorado Engagement

After learning that we lived so close together, Rana and Adam wanted a quick photo of them at the lake by both of our houses, to use for their wedding website. I said fat chance! I just moved to Denver so have been wanting to get out and explore all of the awesome places and epic views that Colorado has to offer. And THIS was the perfect opportunity to do so! So I whisked these two (they actually whisked me) up and away to Lookout Mountain in Genesee, Colorado.

While we definitely got to see some majestic views, the real view was these two! Rana and Adam are so much fun and they are truly perfect for each other. They are constantly laughing together and while Rana is quirky and hilarious, Adam balances them out with his gentleness and subtle wit.

Thank you guys for allowing me the privilege of capturing a bit of your love. Can’t wait for the wedding!

Brooklyn & CJ

I have so much appreciation for a grown man that isn’t afraid to wear his heart on his sleeve, to flirt and show affection, and to be so evidently proud to be his woman’s side. This is CJ. I knew it would be a fun shoot the first moment that I asked CJ to spin Brooklyn around and slow dance. They did it so naturally and beautifully, that I wasn’t surprised when CJ replied, “Oh we do this in the kitchen all of the time,” while shamelessly admitting that he is a hopeless romantic. Their chemistry is so strong, and I love their love story.

At such a young age themselves, they unexpectedly brought their little stud into the world. I was so happy that they brought their son, Cam, to our engagement session. I loved seeing them interact all together, and I was beyond impressed with what a sweet and polite little man that they have already raised. They shared their whole story with me, and I found it so admirable how they have worked hard together and have remained such a solid team through all of life’s trials, tribulations, heart-warming, and happy moments.

You could tell little Cam was just so excited for his parents to get married, and I think it’s safe to say we all are! These two have a contagious kind of love, and I was so honored to capture every little bit of their undeniable chemistry. Absolutely cannot wait for their wedding day!

Brianne & Dylan

We got blessed with a beautiful, sunny November afternoon for Brianne and Dylan’s engagement session. I made them hike a bit more than they probably anticipated, but they were troopers!

What I love about Dylan and Brianne is how much they laugh together. Even a serious conversation will somehow turn into laughter with these two. Dylan loves Brianne with every bit of him. He smiles at the sight of her smile, and holds her hand or wraps his arms around her whenever he can. I hardly even had to guide them in posing because they were already so cute and always wrapped up in each other! It’s evident these two were made for each other.

Dylan and Brianne, thank you so much for choosing me as your photographer. I loved getting to know you guys more at your engagement session and I am beyond excited to continuing celebrating your love at your wedding!

Daveen & Michael

"How cool is it that I get to wake up each morning feeling driven and feeling like I can do anything in the world just because the person next to me is pushing me and pushing for the same things in life." - Daveen

NOW THAT IS TRUE LOVE.
My job is so wonderful because I am constantly surrounded by and inspired by so much love. Daveen and Michael are a perfect example of this. A couple that you can clearly see just how much they truly love each other in the way they communicate, look at each other, speak about one another, laugh together, the list goes on. I love how sweet and softly Michael talks to Daveen, and I love even more how his eyes light up when he talks ABOUT her and their future together! I love how Daveen smiles when she talks about Michael, and I love her giddiness just being around him. This is a couple that truly enhances each other's lives just by loving each other.

Can you tell how much I adore these two?! I am so excited for their wedding!!

Also, I'm going to mention to my couples and future couples, how great it is to create and have a "love story" film before your wedding. It's such a good way for me to get to know a you guys better as a couple, and for you to share your story with me (while also getting some practice being in front of my camera!). It also is a great way to take a breather from all of the wedding planning chaos and really just enjoy being TOGETHER, being engaged, and soaking in this next step you're about to take in your relationship. Plus, it's another documented memory that you can have forever that will be special for you guys to look back on in years from now.

I'm going to end with a quote that I heard that reminds me of Michael and Daveen, "While loving someone deeply gives you courage, being deeply loved by someone gives you strength."
 

Kelley & Jay

It's pretty neat to grow up with someone and then get to document their love story. My cousin Jay found the most darling little lady, Kelley, and is making her his wife this September and I am so ecstatic for their wedding!

Since Jay is a train engineer, I obviously had to throw them on some abandoned railroad tracks for a couple of photos. After a couple of minutes shooting around the trains, Jay mentioned, "We don't have to do ALL of our photos here, trains aren't my LIFE you know..." Um, yes Jay, yes, they are. Every family gathering growing up, Jay had his lego trains, automatic train toys, any kind of train toy you can think of basically. A new one every time, if I remember right. I literally can still hear him chugging around saying "choo choo" as a kid. Fast forward to present day, driving down the gorge at their photo shoot, Jay also pointed out several different train cars that were carrying this or hauling that, and then spotted some tracks across the river that were part of some of his train routes. So yes, Jay, when I see a train I basically think of you! But such a cool job, am I right?! I think it's so badass that my 29 year old cousin drives trains for a living.

Okay, let's move on to how darling Kelley is. She is so sweet, bashful, and a little quiet at first. But once you get to know her, she is so spunky and full of life, and is constantly putting a huge grin on Jay's face, which I love! They flirt, they laugh, they have so much respect for each other, and it's very visible to me how much they truly bring out the best in each other.

YOU GUYS WERE MADE FOR EACH OTHER. I AM SO HAPPY FOR YOU!!
Thank you for including me in this incredibly special time of your lives. Kelley, you are going to be make the most stunning bride and Jay, I can't believe I get to capture your wedding day! Love you guys.

Courtney & Louis

Courtney and Louis are so perfect together. I love the way they look at each other and the way they are always laughing together. I had so much fun with them at their engagement shoot! We went to Crystal Springs Rhododendron garden in Portland, and it was absolutely beautiful. Everything in full bloom! Including the love between these two ;)

Courtney & Justin

Courtney and Justin asked if it would be okay to take me out to their family property (which happens to be a private airstrip for the pilots in the family) tucked away in Brush Prairie right on the river. Um, yes please! When I arrived, I am pretty sure my jaw dropped. It is a hidden gem!
They are the cutest little family with their two pups, who are actual best friends. We had a great time frolicking around their property and playing with the pups on a beautiful April evening - clearly lucked out with the weather.

What I love about Courtney and Justin is how easy their love for each other is. They speak to each other so kindly, they flirt, they hold hands and find so much joy just walking through a field and watching their pups run around. Jason Aldean's "You make it easy" song was literally stuck in my head throughout their shoot because I kept thinking how easy their love truly comes. "You're my sunshine in the darkest days, my better half, my saving grace, you make me who I want to be... you make it easy." Darius Rucker's "Need you more" song was also stuck in my head, but that's a whole other story regarding my tech-savvy self ;)

Courtney and Justin, I love how organic your love is, I love how you both enjoy the simple things, I loved frolicking around your gorgeous property with your pups, I loved learning more about your love story and seeing where Justin proposed, and I just love how sweet of humans the both of you truly are!! I am beyond ecstatic to get to capture your wedding day in a few months!

Erik & Shay

I get to meet a lot of really awesome people through this profession, and get to do a lot of really neat things... but how cool is it that I get to capture my own brother's engagement session?
Erik and Shay met 4 or so years back when they were both camp counselors at Lake Metigoshi in North Dakota. I love that my brother is so passionate about his faith, is so good with kids, and appreciates the simple things in life. I love even more that he found a girl that is passionate about the same things, and is even more passionate about her undying love for my brother.
They truly compliment and understand each other so well. They are always laughing together, and building each other up through both words and actions, it's so inspiring!
They came to visit me in Seattle where we got to do a few photos, and then we took it one step further, to the family vacation in Arizona, where we did another portion of their engagement session, and it was so fun!

They kept insisting on including this sign, with their date and hashtag. If you know me, you know that I do not typically like to include any props in photos, but rather capture the couple as is. I kept knocking down their "sign" idea and told them to just not do it. And finally, Shay was like "I get you don't like the idea, but can we just do one photo with it?" Trying not to roll my eyes, I hesitantly agreed to do one... and then quickly learned the method behind their madness ;) Such a clever and special way to surprise me! Scroll down halfway through the pics to see what I'm talking about.

Erik and Shay, I love you guys both so much and am so thankful you two found each other. I pray that you continue to laugh together, support each other, and love each other as much as I have witnessed throughout your relationship thus far. Thank you for having your sis capture this special time in your lives!!! Can't wait to be a part of it all next summer! 

Alyssa & Aaron

I love how outdoorsy Alyssa and Aaron are. They had their favorite spot up in the mountains they wanted to go for their engagement shoot, and I'm sure glad we did. The rain went away for the afternoon, and left the most beautiful fog rolling through for us. I loved frolicking around the woods and this cute spot by the river with these two.

They are so fun, flirty, and completely in love. And Lord knows I love a couple that is down for adventure :) I am so excited for their wedding day this summer in good ole Eatonville, WA! 

Brandi & Dustin

Quite literally obsessed with these two!
I am SO excited that they stumbled across my work (through mutual friends, thanks Nicole and Tonicha!) recently and last minute booked me for their San Francisco wedding this September.
I was even more excited when Brandi mentioned that she may be interested in an engagement photo session with me prior to September as well. Mainly excited because it's just such a great way to get to know a couple, get to know their love story and general vibe, and just connect with them. I casually mentioned a couple of my favorite locations to shoot, Rowena Crest being my favorite but also the furthest, and when Brandi agreed to that - I already knew I was going to love them. We all know how much I love adventure and the PNW.

During our photos, when I found out that they were 5 years apart and mentioned "Wow, I had no idea - Dustin, you're so well spoken and mature," I just about died when he looked over and smiled at Brandi, and said "Well, I had to be if I wanted to get her." Gosh, they are the cutest. They met a few years ago, both being super successful in their real estate careers... Although Dustin did mention as a young teenager, he know exactly who the babe was working a couple stores down in the Vancouver Mall... it just took nearly a decade later to meet her through real estate in their adult lives and win her over.

I truly had so much fun getting to know these two. They are such sweet, caring, humble individuals and then you put them together, and they are just serious "couple goals." Everything from the way that Dustin looks at Brandi, to the way she reaches for his hand, to their obvious connection and chemistry together, -- looking at them just makes one want to fall in love. Roses, wine, picnics in stranger's orchards, views of the gorge, it was all so lovely and I am so happy to have been able to capture just a tiny bit of their love story. Plus, it was very difficult to NOT capture a good photo of these two, aren't they just the most stunning couple?! Something out of a fairytale, I'm convinced. Brandi and Dustin, I adore you two, thanks for being so fun!

Taylor & Michael

I met Michael Keating freshman year of college. We remained friends all throughout college and I just adore this guy! He has the kindest heart, an infectious laugh, and is just a guy that everyone wants and loves to be around.

It was no surprise to me that I also adored his fiance, Taylor, right when I got to meet her, too. She is just as kind, and has the same infectious laugh that Mike does. They've been together for several years and said that they maybe had 5 pictures together so they warned me that this whole engagement session was going to be "new" for them. Pleeeeeease. They were naturals.

This first photo below is the very first image I snapped of them. That never happens. Usually it takes at least a good 10-15 clicks to even warm up to the camera. Seriously how adorable are they? They have such good chemistry, continuously make each other laugh, and it literally melts my heart the way that Michael looks at Taylor. 

Shoutout to my friend Katie who assisted me on this shoot. You rock!
Oh and of course there was a pitstop mid shoot to pet some corgis.

Lauren & Christian

Lauren and Christian are two peas in a pod. Lauren can't stop staring at Christian and telling him how handsome he is, and Christian can't stop kissing Lauren. They are so full of joy and laughter, I just adore these two. They were absolute naturals in front of the camera, too!

We had fun frolicking around downtown Tacoma and it was a pleasure getting to know Christian and Lauren.  I am so excited for their wedding next year!

Dylan & Christina

I knew it was going to be a fun evening with these two when the first shot I took with my camera, they couldn't stop laughing. Like, really laughing. Hysterical laughing.

Dylan and Christina are so sweet, and SO much fun! They're spontaneous and down for just about anything. We traveled over to Merwin Lake and Speelyai Bay for their engagement session, and we were blessed with a beautiful day.

It was fun getting to know these two and I loved seeing how similar their personalities were to each other, they're just a hoot! I'm so excited for their wedding this fall.

Steve & Nicole

I was scheduled to take Steve and Nicole's engagement photos back in January. A few days prior to the scheduled date, Steve was in a tragic accident.

Without going into too much detail about his personal life - I'll just say that it's an absolute miracle that we were able to do this photo shoot now, here in May, when there were several instances throughout being in a coma for 50 days, that he was not expected to make it, then not expected to be able to function - walk, talk, eat - on his own, then not expected to be the same Steve, same person, if he did wake up. I followed along, in addition to almost 3,000 other people, with his family's devastating journey throughout Steve's time in the coma via a facebook page that his fiance, Nicole, was posting daily updates on. As heartbreaking as it was to hear about the several instances that doctors told the family they must say goodbye to Steve, it was incredible to see how many people were praying for, fighting for, and supporting Steve, Nicole, and their families throughout his entire battle.

It is my personal belief that Steve's waking up was all God's doing. God had a purpose for waking Steve up from his coma, for granting him more time here on Earth. I also believe it was a combination of things that actually brought Steve back as STEVE, against all odds...The thousands of people praying for Steve, his personal fight (he is basically the Hulk), and of course Nicole's unconditional, unwavering love for him.

I loved hearing about the stories of his small responses while in the coma to Nicole's voice and touch. I can't even imagine what Nicole was going through and how she was feeling, but she is certainly one strong woman! I think this quote perfectly describes them as a couple and what they have been through together in 2017 so far:

“Being deeply loved by someone gives you strength, while loving someone deeply gives you courage.” -Lao Tzu

Steve and Nicole, they say going through life's greatest challenges and obstacles together makes you a stronger couple. I can honestly say that getting to spend the day with you guys the other day, I can visibly see and feel that you guys are stronger then ever before. I love how you are the same light-hearted, fun-loving, sarcastic, and adorable Steve and Nicole - but with a different kind of depth now. Your love for each other is so raw and intentional, I admire every bit of it!

I couldn't help but post a million photos from their session, because they are too adorable and this photo session was incredibly significant in so many ways. Plus, I am just in complete awe at Steve's ability to function and do things in a matter of weeks that the doctors warned that he would possibly never do again in his life. In addition to the miracle in all of that, I just love the way he still looks at Nicole.

PS: Scroll down and check out Jessica Heron's AMAZING video that she put together from their shoot as well!! Huge thank you to her, as I asked her to tag along and surprise them with a video, too! :)

Sydney & Chad

I couldn't have asked for a better day with Sydney and Chad. They are very laid-back and so much fun, plus we got blessed with the most GORGEOUS day at Mt. Hood. We happened to find out when we got up there that it is was one of the busiest skiing days of the whole year (the day after Christmas). Luckily, we weren't there to ski so there were no lines and we managed to create our own parking space, so we frolicked around Mt. Hood like we were the only ones up there.

I had a blast with them and I cannot wait until their July 2017 wedding! It's going to be epic!

Kaitlyn & James

It's easy to get a little carried away with a photoshoot when A) your couple is THIS flawless and B) when they drive 150 miles just to have you shoot them.
Seriously, how adorable are they? You may recognize them from when I did a cute little couple session with them a few years ago... Check out their cute younger selves HERE.
I always told them I couldn't wait for them to get engaged...
AND HERE WE ARE!

Somehow, I always get so lucky to have the most rad, down-to-earth couples... but these two are seriously so much fun! Their love literally radiates and the constant laughter between them is infectious. Both individually and as a couple, they can keep you laughing - they are hilarious! They are also adventurous and up for ANYTHING which is a huge plus in my book.

James and Kaitlyn, thank you a million times for continuing to choose me and trust me with the most precious moments of your lives. I love you guys and absolutely cannot wait for the wedding!

Sign and Lettering: Once Upon a Cake & Crafts

Melissa & Corey