the blog

If there was ever a wedding in which my skills as a photographer were challenged to the max, this was it! My goal is to never let weather or lighting conditions mess with a couple’s photos. I REFUSE to let it happen and that’s why I’ve focused heavily on using extra lighting in all of my wedding work. 

It literally poured the whole day & natural light was basically non-existent…..but let me tell you, we made it happen! Kodie & Jesse had a beautiful location tucked into the woods which was surrounded by beautiful fall color. Considering the rainy conditions, Kodie remained positive and calm the whole day…even when she had to make the decision to just get married under the tent and move to an alternate location for the reception.

Regardless of weather or unpredictable events, I love rolling with the day and capturing the story. Please enjoy some of my favorite images from this wonderful day!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Adam and Jill’s wedding day on the Celebration Belle was definitely a day to remember. Adam & Jill traveled all the way from Texas and many family and friends traveled a long way as well!

As Jill put it: “This wasn’t just a wedding… it was a family reunion with stories.”

Please enjoy these photos & I hope you can see all of the love and laughter that this day was made of.

Wow!! That’s all I can say about this amazing wedding.

Kayla & Shaun had a beautiful ceremony at Faith Lutheran Church in Eldridge, IA & reception at the iWireless Center (am I the only one who still can’t call it TaxSlayer?!) 

Kayla’s beautiful dress was from my very favorite bridal shop, A Storybook Ending & flowers from Melanie’s Flowers by Design

There are so many wonderful words I could say about this couple. From our first meeting to the engagement session, to the wedding, they were so patient, kind and passionate about their photography experience. (You may remember their epic water engagement session!) 

This is one of the largest wedding galleries I’ve delivered & also some of the best reception/party shots I’ve captured. This wedding celebration is so full of love, fun and laughter which is the heart of what I aim to capture. At the end of the day, the photos are truly what my couples will have forever . . . and I don’t take that lightly!

It was wickedly hard to narrow down my favorites from this wedding, but here they are! 

Secret locations, great weather, beautiful fall colors, and amazing light . . . what else could this couple ask for? We had an absolutely perfect engagement session! This awesome couple will be tying the knot in 2018 and I’m very excited for their big day! Please enjoy these gorgeous images!

This Quad Cities location was so, so beautiful & it was the first time I had shot here! We timed this shoot right before sunset and Tyler and Brianne totally nailed it!

We photographed until the sun went down & had an amazing time! Please enjoy these beautiful images and stay tuned for their 2018 Quad Cities wedding!

 

I’ve gotten a bit behind on blogging recently, but wanted to share this wonderful wedding day! Dra and Ally had a picture perfect wedding ceremony at Heritage Canyon in Fulton, IL. This was such a fun day filled with beautiful reactions and lots of happy tears. Special thanks goes to my second shooter Kelly Heartjens for second shooting this wedding with me!

Wow! October has just been the busiest month! 

I’m super excited to share these amazing images from a recent engagement session! 

Kristi and Brandon’s session was SO much fun and I love that we were able to capture a few family photos, too!

Kayla definitely had vision for her engagement photos! When she told me she wanted a water session, I did my best to make that happen! The night of their engagement shoot was SO hot and SO humid. By the end of it, all three of us were soaked (and I didn’t even get in the water!)

Kayla and Shaun will be tying the knot this fall & I am thrilled to have a couple so excited and dedicated to creating the best photos possible with me!

Please enjoy this beautiful adventure!! We captured so many amazing images.

Sara & Chase’s engagement session was kind of a squishy/buggy night, but we certainly made the most of it. We also did not let the lack of sun put a damper on our images! We just made our own sun! 

This was my first time meeting these two awesome people & I can’t wait for their Galesburg Quad Cities wedding! 

WOW! That about sums up this beautiful day and experience. 

I have always been fascinated with Indian culture and all of the traditional beauty that surrounds it, so when I was contacted to shoot this engagement ceremony I was very excited! Ankit, the soon-to-be-groom, was vital in helping me prepare to document this day, especially after I explained it would be my first time photographing this type of event. He sent me several video clips before the big day to help me understand the traditions and help me know what to watch for!

Needless to say, I enjoyed this day (AND the food!!!) so much. 

Please enjoy Ankit and Priti’s engagement ceremony! 

Food: Mantra

Design/decorations: Clazzy Designs

The day began with Ankit and his family welcoming Priti and her family into their home, followed by a beautiful ceremony/reception surrounded with friends & family.