Silver Creek Engagement Session | Eric and Katie

Katie and Eric’s engagement session this past Sunday evening looks straight out of a fairytale, doesn’t it?! I had the best time hanging with these two cuties!! It’s so hard to believe this gorgeous location is nestled in the little town of Norton, Ohio- my old stomping grounds! I graduated from Norton High; so it was super fun getting to revisit this spot! A summer evening spent shooting an insanely cute couple? YES PLEASE!!

I can’t tell my couples this enough- DO THE ENGAGEMENT SESSION! This time together is not just so you can have gorgeous images, but it’s a great trial run for the 3 of us before your wedding day! This time will give you a feel of how I work, how things flow, and how to get (and stay!!) comfortable in front of the camera!

It didn’t take much more than maybe 5 minutes for these two to open up and give me ALL the feels during our time together. I absolutely can’t wait for their wedding this fall at Ricarrdi’s Tree Farm in Wadsworth!

Chad and Stacia | Bella Amore on Enchanted Acres

Chad and Stacia tied the knot on Saturday May 4th, 2019 at the stunning Bella Amore on Enchanted Acres! Nestled into the quiet, middle of no where town called Dennison, this venue might take the cake of one of my favorite venues to shoot at! The property has so much potential for couples, no matter what type of day they are planning. And don’t even get me started on the owners, Celeste and Ryan, because they were a DREAM to work with!!! I don’t think I have been treated so well and genuinely cared for by a venue like these two did.

Amazing Vendor Team

Venue: Bella Amore on Enchanted Acres
Dress: Abbott’s Bridal
Florals: Enchanted Acres Floral
Cake: Buehler’s Bakery
Entertainment, Photo Booth and Lighting: The Pure Events Group

Our day started off by capturing Chad and his guys getting ready and Stacia with her girls. I cannot get over how amazing the two rooms for the bride and groom to get ready in are! Pure elegance.

I don’t know who’s face I adore more here, the groom’s, the bride’s brother, or the groomsmen’s!!!

// For Better, or For Worse | Mental Health Awareness

For those who may not know, May is Mental Health Awareness month and today’s blog is SO special. Meet Ray and Natasha Hughes. A married couple who have overcame mental illness within their marriage and are here to share their story. I reached out to Natasha a few weeks back, after reading her story on her personal Facebook page. The raw, honest, and pure way of her words hit me. As as wedding photographer, it’s so easy to display gorgeous images of gushing couples on their wedding day. When Natasha told me that May was mental health awareness month, I knew we had to celebrate in some way. The Hughes family snagged my last spot during our spring mini sessions and we captured some amazing images. Natasha messaged me earlier in the day asking my thoughts on them showing up “just us”, and I am SO glad they did. They just might be the cutest (and funniest!!) family ever.


”Ten years is a long time. At this point, it’s one third of my whole life. It’s also the amount of time that Ray and I have loved each other and he has put up with my shenanigans. I have certainly not always been easy to love, but I’m thankful I have a husband who loves me even more in the times when it becomes the most difficult. I have always had my quirks and attitude, just like anyone; but two babies and a marriage later, those quirks and attitude have grown exponentially. At some point, without warning, my brain added in anxiety and a touch of depression. FUN!

I don’t know quite how long it really was, but Ray was dealing with me dealing with anxiety that I didn’t really know I had. At first, to be honest, I thought I was just getting fed up with the day to day life of wifing and momming. Small mishaps became large disasters in my mind. I would yell, cry, and say mean awful things. My husband and sweet babies got the brunt of what I didn’t even know was going on in my head. Yet, Ray’s love for me never faltered. The outbursts got worse, more frequent, and more depressive. Then they started taking a toll on my daily personality, my daily relationships, and my closest friendships. Yet- Ray loved me through it. (My friends did, too, after I finally told them there was a problem. I had been hiding it from EVERYONE) Ray and my friends made me promise, after one particularly bad night, that I would seek help and make myself better. They have all stuck by me, and checked on me, and loved me through it.

I have put a crazy amount of strain on my marriage and our family. I have been harsh, flat out awful, and said so many things I haven’t meant and would never say. Yet they have never dropped me. They have never made me feel less than. I finally got myself to the doctor because I was doing a disservice to myself and everyone around me. I can tell you that getting help; even when I wanted to cancel the appointment, wanted to say I was better, wanted to cancel me saying anything about it... was the best thing I have ever done. It has also allowed me to be more true to myself and stop worrying about everyone and everything so much. My marriage is stronger, my kids have a better mom, and my friends have the Natasha I want myself to be. I consider myself the luckiest gal to have a husband and kids that love me unconditionally, love me harder when there’s love to be had, and I know will be beside me every step of every day.

If you’re finding yourself not feeling like yourself, or feel like you could use some help, I URGE you to find it. Be comfortable with the uncomfortable. Tell your loved ones; I PROMISE they care. And never stop until you find a doctor that does, too, and will do what you need to get YOU back to YOU.” - Natasha Hughes

An Easter Inspired Couple's Session | Canton, Ohio

Two Sundays ago, I met up with Cassie and Justin at the Mckinley Monument park in Canton, Ohio to capture some beautiful Easter images for them! They have a sweet pet bunny named Macy and wanted to include her in the session! I have never done a bunny shoot so I was so excited to have Miss Macy join in!

We had the best weather, minus a bit of wind. We dodged a rainstorm by about an hour, which may have explained the gusty winds!

Canal Fulton Lifestyle Newborn | The Barnes Family

Last Tuesday morning, I had the absolute pleasure of being invited into the home of the Barnes family to capture some images of their new arrival and his big twin sisters! Not only was their home an absolute dream to photograph in, each member of the family was too! Meghan and Josh did an amazing job at coordinating everyone’s outfits, selecting a color palette that photographed so beautifully! I will definitely be using this session to give future families suggestions on color palette and coordination! <3

Meghan told me during our time together that she and Josh were just getting ready to start seeking IVF again (how they conceived their twin daughters) when Meghan found out she was unexpectedly pregnant with Jack! How incredibly special is God’s timing!

A Cleveland Engagement | Tom and Libby

Last Saturday, I met these two at their adorable Lakewood home and made them drive me around Cleveland! haha. As I have mentioned, I haaaaate driving in the city and it gives me awful anxiety! So when Tom + Libby offered to chauffeur me around for their engagement session, no arguments were had! They’re the BEST!

Tom and Libby met in 2012 when they were both working as counselors at Camp Christopher and after some talking, they started dating in 2013. Fast forward to June 2018, when Tom surprised Libby with popping the question in Washington DC on their way to the Outer Banks for a family vacation! Eeeeek!

They are planning a huge celebration on October 5th of this year (my wedding date!) at the beautiful Hilton in Fairlawn! I cannot wait to capture their day and celebrate with all 360 of their anticipated guests!

For their session, Libby and I dreamed up a beautiful vision to take place at the gorgeous Cleveland Art Museum. Tom, being the darling man that he is, happily went along with us girls and nailed every shot I asked of him! After finishing up at the museum, we headed to Lakewood Park and froze our hind ends (and every limb, let’s be honest) off! Regardless, their session was so much fun and I cannot wait for October 5th of this year!

I. DIE. That’s all.

// How to Wear Your Engagement Ring

Many of us ladies already know that once we receive the engagement ring, it goes on the left ring finger. But what happens when we get married and now have the wedding band AND the engagement ring?

Your first ring, the engagement ring, is a promise of marriage. The second solidifies the promise. Sometimes knowing which one goes where can be a bit confusing!

On your wedding day, you should switch your engagement ring to the third finger on your right hand. During the ceremony, your future spouse places the wedding band on your left ring finger. The custom of the third finger on your left hand being your ring finger originated in Egypt, where people believed the vein in that finger led directly to your heart. By placing the wedding ring on that finger, the groom ensures that it is in the position closest to your heart. Dawwww, so romantic!

Of course, this is just ancient tradition of the rings and I know so many brides that wear it their own ways! Do you boo,. there is no right or wrong way to rock that bling! <3

// What is a Fresh 48 Session?

Since announcing my half off sale (WOOO!!) on Fresh 48 Sessions, I have received a ton of messages asking what exactly a Fresh 48 is! You all know me, I’m a sucker for a good blog post and what better blog than one filled with BABIESSS! <3

I think any photographer that offers a Fresh 48 package can offer a different variety of things they offer within that package. But I feel the overall gist of the session is this: capturing your newborn baby within the first 48 hours of birth. These sessions are wonderful for those who would rather keep the actual birth private but still want those beautifully raw first moments of baby captured. That wrinkly skin, that first latch, siblings, grandparents meeting baby, those super cute little toes with the hospital band on… the list is endless! My main objective during my sessions is to capture that bond…the bond between you, your partner, siblings and baby

.

Fresh 48 sessions are so amazing because I come to you! Whether it’s in the hospital setting or you would prefer to be settled in at home, the choice is yours. In our time together, I will photograph baby in your arms or in his/her crib or bassinet. Baby is never placed in anything other than those two things. This is a very different approach than posed newborn photography. It’s a very candid and lifestyle documentary. While I am so so grateful to have had both my babies’ births photographed, I wish we would have had a Fresh 48 done as well. Newborns change by the minute, and having some photos of Asher meeting his sister and things like that would have been so so wonderful to have.

Photographing these first moments of you becoming parents is such an honorable moment. It immediately takes me back to meeting both of my own children, and how quickly that time goes by. Babies don’t keep and that’s why these portraits are SO important!

During our slower season right now, I am offering half off all of our Fresh 48’s, which makes them all $200. You will receive up to 25 high-resolution digital downloads, the print release, and up to one hour on location (hospital or in home). Prints and canvases are able to be ordered and discounts will apply if interested!

These sessions are able to be purchased in advance and are also able to be gifted as well! Shoot me an email brittany@brittanyhumes.com and let’s talk babies! <3

// Sparkler Exits at Your Wedding

Sparkler exits can make for some beautiful portraits, and are often the last thing on a bride’s “must have shot list”! But having a successful sparkler exit does require some planning!

1. Order long sparklers, but not TOO long! Figure out the location of the exit, and try to envision 75-125 people, give or take, hanging these burning sticks over your head! You want them to be long enough to get in the shot but also not too long that they catch you or your groom on fire ;) Most of my brides order the 36 or the 20 in sparklers!

2. Plan ahead. Coordinate time of the exit with all your vendors, and make sure everyone is on the same page. Have the DJ make the announcement about 20 mins before the actual exit, that way people can start making their way. Also. note that it takes longer than you would think to light 100 sparklers lol- so plan timing accordingly!!

3. Make sure your photographer will be there that late! Many times, the grand exit isn’t till after the reception is completely finished, and the photographer typically has been gone, possibly. Depending on what package you booked with your photographer, it’s key to communicate your wants with this!

4. Mixed drinks and sparklers don’t mix. :) Keep in mind, having a sparkler exit at the very end mayyyyy not go as smoothly and Pinterest-esque as you imagine it to be. People have been drinking all night long, and tend to get…silly…with sparklers. I honestly have feared for my clothing, hair. and eyeballs during certain weddings!

5. Designate someone to collect all the sparklers when you are finished. Trust me, no venue wants to pick up 100+ used sparkler rods that night, or even the next day. Make sure to communicate to your guests where to place them. Not everyone will listen, but a good amount will.

6. KISS MIDWAY!!! Doing some sort of gesture such as a kiss, a twirl, or even a dip makes for some amazing photos!

7. ENJOY IT!!! Sparkler exits are honestly so much fun….and it’s the best way to end the best day ever.

// 2019 Color of The Year

CONFESSION: I never knew “color of the year” was a thing. or real. Or whatever. But the more and more I get into the planning side of things and blogging, I found this out and think it’s SO cool! I absolutely LOVED reading about how the color of the year is selected- and fell in love with this year’s color- “living coral”. Pantone describes the color as “An animating and life-affirming coral hue with a golden undertone that energizes and enlivens with a softer edge”. HOW PERFECT!

SO, now that I am hip to the color of the year- I wanted to chat all wedding planning things CORAL! does happy dance. I do feel this color palette is very seasonal and would work with any spring or summer wedding. Pair this with different shades of grey and I think the possibilities could be endless! I am also loving gold and navy as other accent colors…eeeekk!!

In my research for today’s post, I came across these beautiful dresses through a site called luulla.com and I can’t get enough! They were priced for $88 and I absolutely love how affordable and flattering they are! I feel there is a style for almost every body type and would flow so beautifully within the wedding party!

Photo by: Clane Gessel Cake by: Ma Petite Maison Cakes

Another current love: simple, watercolored cakes! GAH! How gorgeous is this creation? Depending on how many guests you are having, I feel this size could be perfect. The more weddings I photograph, the more I tend to learn… it’s SO common for couples to opt for a much smaller cake and have either a sheet cake (of the same flavor as wedding cake) or cupcakes/cake pops for the guests to enjoy. I remember when Jerry and I got married, the cake portion of the planning STRESSED me out— because I truly did not think all 165 guests were going to eat cake, but narrowing down a number of slices that 1- looked presentable and 2- made sense financially- was difficult! Either way, I am still drooling over this design and capture that I stumbled upon one of my all-time favorite sites, Style Me Pretty!

Images by Jana Marie Photography

TUXES! How handsome are these combinations? I love the look of them all, and depending how much coral you truly want to incorporate into the day, the image of the far right with the navy accents is beyond gorgeous. I feel all these looks, just like the bridesmaids’ options, would look dapper on any groomsman!

Photo by: Lizelle Goussard Photography

STOP RIGHT HERE! Oh my goodness. Ok, so I am so so so sooooo in love with the bigger, almost cascading bridal bouquets. I absolutely love the flow and color palette of this particular bouquet, created by Moss Designs! I love when the bride’s bouquet coordinates, but is still different than the bridesmaids’ bouquets. The contrast of the different sizes also makes for beautiful images with your girls!

ALSO. ALLLLLLLL THE SUCCULENTS PLEASE!!! Image by: Gladys Jem

// Our Sweet Alexandra | 8 months

EIGHT MONTHS OLD?! No way. I cannot believe it!! Our precious little lady has been full of life and love these past few weeks! Watching my children grow is one of the single greatest joys in my life. I try so hard to soak in the days, hours, minutes because I know they’ll wake up tomorrow a day older and these moments pass WAY too quickly.

Our spunky little girl LOVES solid food. I struggle with schedules with my kids so she hasn’t tried a ton quite yet, but watching her eagerly try to snatch anything from our hands and her big brothers- has me laughing! She LOVES gnawing on French fries, not too sure about avocado yet, loves noodles, puffs, fruit pouches, and tried oatmeal for the first time today! I love watching her explore textures and tastes….as Asher didn’t take to real food till after his first birthday.

She is SO close to crawling. Up on all fours, rocking, and is ready to go! She can crawl backwards- haha! Which is so funny to watch. It’s so crazy to me that she no longer stays where I lay her on the floor - and sometimes she gets herself lodged into the craziest places (under Asher’s trampoline and picnic table) :)

Girlfriend has two teeth and says DADA like it’s her job… Speaking of, daddy is her BFF. She still to this day (as she has from pretty much day one) lights up anytime she sees or hears her daddy. Part of me is a bit jealous, but mainly over the moon of the bond these two share. Watching my husband be a daddy, but ESPECIALLy to our little girl, brings me to tears almost daily.

Her hair is FINALLY long enough for clip in bows and little baby ponies!!!!

I will never be able to express the joy and happiness this girl has brought and continues to bring to our lives. She loves her family so much— and I can’t wait to see who she becomes <3

// MY proposal story | June 2012

Ohhhh my goodness. Talk about a THROWBACK! A friend of mine, who is a photographer, posted something earlier this week that prompted the original thought of this post! I can’t remember what she said or posted, but it immediately had me thinking back to the night Jerry proposed to me.

June 2012. Jerry and I had a trip planned down to a little piece of paradise called Siesta Key, FL. I do believe this was my first visit— and I was SO excited. We had planned this trip with Jerry’s family and I was so excited to spend a week all together in such a beautiful place. Upon arrival, Jerry showed me around to some super cool bars and restaurants and we wasted no time indulging in some drinks! ;)

Please excuse the poor quality…we may or may not have had FLIP phones back then lol!!!

We spent the week enjoying life to the fullest. Sleeping in, staying out on the beach late. It truly was one of the best weeks of my life. There was just some sort of overwhelming peace and contentment that week. Jerry had I had been together almost 6 years at the point of our engagement, and about 6 months prior to this, we had split up. It was only a few weeks, but it was enough for us to both realize what we had was worth fighting for.

The thing is about Jerry and I, is that we are polar opposites. And why I think that is a good thing, it does present challenges within a long term relationship. I have a very bold and kind of- in your face type of personality. Lol. Jerry is more soft spoken, more chill, more go with the flow. I am a huge planner, I need to know every detail of every possible thing, and I’m also a HUGE worst case scenario thinker. Take all those things, flip them, and that’s Jerry’s personality- haha.

That being said, it has been SO good for us to navigate all the hardships that life and marriage has. It has made us two really strong and loving people. Which I am so thankful for- as I feel we are in SUCH a good place and can place our focus on our children and our businesses.

OK! Back to proposal.

I had some sort of feeling all week that Jerry was up to something. He was just not himself, seemed really hyper, just…off. Our final night, a Thursday, I told him I really wanted to have a nice dinner somewhere. I didn’t care where, just somewhere with a view and good food. Jerry told me he would have it handled. Gosh- I remember this night and every detail so vividly. Which is probably both a good thing and bad thing (keep reading hahaha)…

As we were getting ready to head to dinner, I remember Jerry asking me if he should wear shorts or “slacks”…pause for laughter. I told him I wasn’t sure how nice of place we were going to and that he should use his own best judgement. I was wearing a maxi dress! We hop in our rental car and head to dinner. We drove for a good 20 mins or so, and I had NO clue where we were or where we were going. We finally arrive and pull into a gated drive. No sign (that I saw) in sight. We roll up and a valet greets us, and opens my door and says “Welcome to the Ritz Carlton miss”……………………..WHAT. We are NOT Ritz Carlton people. at all. I immediately turned to Jerry and so angrily said “YOU SHOULD HAVE DEFINITELY WORN SLACKS!!!!”.

We go inside, and they sit us out on the beautiful terrace/patio that overlooks the gulf. Sunset was just a few mins away from happening, and our waiter had suggested we go down to a certain spot to watch it. As we were watching the sunset, I started to get really skiddish as I thought “omg. this is totally when he’s going to get down on one knee!”……………he did not. The sun set and the moment was over. Back to our table we went.

We had an amazing dinner, some insanely expensive champagne (that I am still mad that he bought!) haha. After dinner, we headed down into the courtyard where there was a beautiful sitting area, with bistro lights hanging above. It was here that we got into a deep conversation about our past, our current relationship, and our future. I REALLY thought this was the moment. He started fidgeting, seeming to struggle to keep the conversation flowing….aaaaaaaand all of a sudden we hear “MARCO! POLO! Marco Polo!” coming from the pool, just a few feet away. End scene.

Jerry suggests we head out and see what else we can get into. I eagerly asked where we were going next (like- this can’t be real- am I crazy or is he trying to propose?!). He said he heard of a really cool bridge called Skyway bridge that goes over the bay and is supposed to have some super cool views. As we head to that bridge, you have to stop and pay a toll. Jerry asks the lady if there is a location on the bridge to stop and she assures him there is. Folks, there was not. This bridge was approximately a one minute up and over. LOL. After this, Jerry says we are just going to head back to the condo. I IMMEDIATELY feel tears welling up. I just stared out my passenger window as I felt the tears start to fall. I thought “I absolutely cannot let him see me crying. I can’t let him know what I thought tonight was going to be”. But Jerry knowing me, and knowing I was far too quiet- asks me what’s wrong. I choked back tears and muttered out “nothing I’m fine”. Jerry pulls me back to see my face and immediately pulls the car over. We were in front of some grungy industrial plant in Sarasota, and I remember sobbing into him saying “I just really thought you were going to propose to me tonight!”, and Jerry pulls a ring box out of his pocket, without opening it, and yells “I was!! See!! I just felt no moment was good enough and stuff kept happening!!” I sobbed even harder and yelled “DON’T DO IT HEREEEEEEEE!” LOLOLOL. Ahhhhh yes. In true Jerry and Brittany fashion, that’s what happened. BUT! It does have a happy ending…

We headed back to the condo (I did not see the ring, nor did he ask), and we headed out to the beach. We were the only ones on the beach as I do believe it was after midnight at this point. Jerry and I laid on one lounge chair together, and just watched a few shooting stars fly over the ocean. It was truly one of the most amazing moments in my life to date. After an hour or so, Jerry got down on one knee and said “The next time we come down here, I want you to be my wife” <3 So so so amazing. I then used the flashlight on my phone to check out the ring hahahahaha. #truestory

I remember calling my mom back home around 2am and telling her. We told our families in the morning, and spent our last day that Friday soaking it all in and celebrating!

That ring shot though!!! HAHA

// Community Over Competition

Guys. I seriously don’t even know where to begin this post. I have the most overflowing heart these past few days and the people pictured above are a HUGE part of that!

A few years ago, I became a part of a local group here in Canton, OH called ‘Tuesdays Together’, which is ultimately a group of creatives that meet once a month, on Tuesdays. These groups are formed all over the US, and they are AMAZING. These groups were created with one thing in mind: community over competition. How incredible is that?!

But to be honest, this group and these people are so. much. more. They have become some of my closest friends and some of my biggest cheerleaders. They are always doing whatever they can to boost my business, my posts, my confidence, and so so so much more.

I have found, for me, that surrounding myself with like-minded people inspires me more than anything. I leave these meetings feeling SO motivated and SO on fire.

And that brings me to my main point: what gives you that in life? Is it your partner? Is it your girlfriends? Do you have something that ignites a fire in you? Of course there are many different “fires” to ignite in a person, but I really ant you to think about that. What motivates you? What is pushing you to do better and achieve more this year?

I urge you to find connections like this group. Find people that not only share in your dreams, that ENCOURAGE you in them. Find genuine, authentic people- and be sure to do the same in return. Cheer them on. Support them in their dreams. Do all you can do to ignite their fire. Because I promise friends, a rising tide lifts ALL boats. <3

North Canton Winter Engagement Session

Saturday night, Ohio finallyyyyy got some decent snow fall and late at night I posted on Facebook that I was dying to photograph a couple in the snow. Jena emailed me immediately and we started planning at 11pm! The next day, Sunday afternoon, we met up at a gorgeous park in North Canton and knocked our session out! Jena was SUCH a trooper for being out in the cold and I love her so much for that! I am in love with all of the images, it was exactly what my photographer soul needed!

Thanks Jena + Ben!! <3

The in-between moments are ALWAYS my favorite!

BEN DID SO GOOD!!

// Military Couples

I recently found out through one of the many photography groups I am a part of, that there is a program that brides that are active military or getting married to an active military member, can get A FREE WEDDING DRESS! How crazy awesome is that?!

The company that provides this service is Brides Across America and their website is www.bridesacrossamerica.com

I seriously cannot believe such an amazing company exists and are able to extend this to our military couples! Melanie’s dress, pictured above, was not from them, but was still one of my all-time favorite gowns! I absolutely adore seeing brides in their dresses and Melanie’s dress was MADE for her!

I am hoping to do a post here coming soon on all of my brides from 2018 in their gorgeous gowns and where they are all from! How fun and helpful would that be for brides to be and the planning?!

Lastly, I hope everyone knows that here at BHP, we offer a 15% discount on ALL services to our military and first responders. It’s the absolute least we can do for all they do for us! <3

// Sundays are for cuddling..

I’ve been toying around with this idea for awhile now, and I am SO excited to announce Sunday Sessions! These sessions are for any couple (dating, engaged, married, whatevs!) and will be deeply discounted for Sundays in the month of January and February. These sessions are lifestyle sessions and can take place in either your home, or a studio loft location! The sessions will consist of coffee or mimosas on me, a super fun and sexy playlist customized to you and your partner’s favorite jams, and LOTS of kissing, cuddles, and laughs.

I am so excited for these sessions because I TOTALLY WANT ONE! Ha! Any photographer out there want to trade services? Seriously, hit me up! I would absolutely love a lifestyle session with my husband. A morning of lounging around, sipping our coffee, cuddling up with our sweet pup- and honestly, just being US. Our marriage has changed so much through the years, and especially since having kids— it’s hard sometimes to remember to strip it all back to just you two. The foundation that started it all.

That being said, lets make some magic happen guys!! Feel free to email me over at brittany@brittanyhumes.com for pricing, available dates and times, and all that good stuff! I can’t waitttttt!!

// San Diego Couple's Session

A few weeks ago while I was in SoCal, I met up with one of my good friends Naomi and her husband Kyle out near where they live in San Diego. It’s still so surreal that she lives out there and is no longer a short drive from me, but seeing the beautiful city she now calls home was beyond amazing. Her husband is part of the Navy and is doing extraordinarily well in his job! I remember when the two of them met and being a part of their journey from day one has been so incredible. I photographed their intimate wedding (just the two of them!) at Gervasi Vineyards in April 2016. I miss having my Nomes around, planning nights of going out, Olive Garden dinner dates, and our shopping trips. But I love her “new” life out West, and am so thankful she is hands down the happiest I have ever seen her! <3

Our session took place on Coronado Beach, which was so beautiful! It was my first time ever seeing the West coast and in mid-November, it was just what I needed!

// 21 Questions

I struggle so hard with blogging. Is it worth all the effort and time? What do people really want to read about? Sheesh- being an entrepreneur is exhausting! haha. SOOO in light of all the chaos that is going on this time of year, I thought throwing it back to one of those “About Me” questionnaires would be corny yet fun! :)

1. If you could live anywhere, where would it be? Tough call. So many amazing places to consider. Probably somewhere in the Carolinas :)

2. What is your biggest fear? Losing someone I love.

3. What is your favorite family vacation? Siesta Key, FL!

4. What would you change about yourself if you could? I’m always a worst case scenario thinker. I HATE that about myself….let’s go with that!

5. What really makes you angry? People who lie.

6. What motivates you to work hard? My babies!! <3

7. What is your favorite thing about your career? Oh gosh. This is hard!! I would have to say the clients that turn into friends. I’ve said so many times- this job of mine has connected me with so many incredible people and I absolutely love that

8. What is your biggest complaint about your job? People who don’t understand what all goes into being a photographer…

9. What is your proudest accomplishment? My children.

10. What is your favorite book to read? Currently reading “girl wash your face” and it’s pretty awesome! I’m not usually a big book reader though…I wish I could change that too. Add that to the list! :)

11. What makes you laugh the most? Oh man. A classic comedy movie and I’m sold.

12. What was the last movie you went to? Uhhh… I legitimately don’t know the last movie I saw… that’s so sad! haha

13. What did you want to be when you were small? A teacher

14. If you could choose to do anything for a day, what would it be? NAPPPP!!

15. What is your favorite game or sport to watch and play? Never was a sports player. Watch? NFL football for sure.

16. Would you rather ride a bike, ride a horse, or drive a car? Lol. What an odd question! I’d like to do all 3 at different times/different places!

17. What would you sing at Karaoke night? Absolutely NOT.

18. What two radio stations do you listen to in the car the most? XM. Right now is probably Kenny Chesney’s No Shoes Radio station and the Holly Christmas station

19. Which would you rather do: wash dishes, mow the lawn, clean the bathroom, or vacuum the house? Vacuum.

20. If you could hire someone to help you, would it be with cleaning, cooking, or yard work? Husband does yard work….can this person clean AND cook? If so, you’re hired.

21. If you could only eat one meal for the rest of your life, what would it be? Ah man….good question! Probably a good steak with all the fixin's on the side.

And there you have it, friends! A little get to know me post! I’d love to hear something fun about you…so feel free to comment and let me know! :) Happy Friday, everyone!!

// The Majestic Family // Southern California

WHY ARE THEY SO CUTE?! Gahhhh. I had the absolute honor of photographing my best friend and her beautiful family in SOUTHERN CALI last weekend!! It still doesn’t seem real that I was there, in person, and got to hug them! My time was way too short but it was much needed. Robyn and I kept saying “my cup is overflowing” - which is so true. I just hate that we are so far apart and only get to visit once a year! I was able to fly out to LA on a round trip, nonstop flight for $190!!! I think this might become a yearly tradition…cheap flights, family photos, and so much love! :))

I reached out to a super sweet photographer that I follow in the Temecula area and asked for some good locations. She recommended a place called Glen Arbor park and it was GORGEOUS! But I couldn’t believe how many other photographers were there- at least 5 other sessions going on! It was a tad difficult navigating and trying to stay out of everyone’s way, but I would say we knocked it out of the park!

Will, Robyn’s hunky hubby is a member of the Armed Forces. His actual title is Sergeant First Class Majestic. How amazing is that?! He and his family have sacrificed SO much for our freedom, and I am so beyond thankful for families like them. Always remember, freedom is not free. <3

I told Daniella to do any pose she wanted- and this is what she did! Love her!!

Would it be weird to order a canvas of this for my house? Cuz I totally am! haha.

Love capturing the silly moments with kids, too! Ethan (3 years old) did SO good for these! I was truly impressed!! <3

Burnout and Timeout

Y’all. It’s been a SEASON! I am not complaining, not even a little bit. But I definitely want to shed some light on a few things- a lot of misconceptions if you will.

This year has been my busiest so far, and next year is shaping up to be twice a busy. WHICH IS AMAZING! I can’t even begin to express my love and gratitude to all my couples, families, and friends who trust me enough to be there in life for their biggest moments!!!! <3 But. It does not come without a ton of stress, pressure, time away from my babies, my husband, and so on.

I hit a moment a few weeks ago where I sobbed into my pillow and kept thinking “I’m giving everyone all of me and no one is getting all of me”. As goofy as that sounds, it was the truth. I felt like I had so many people to pour into and no one was getting the best version of me. I was running behind on promise dates for photos, I was missing bedtimes with my babies (my favorite part of the day is tucking them into bed each night), my husband and I hadn’t really SEEN each other, better yet had an actual conversation that didn’t involve diapers, schedules, or “did you eat yet”? It was chaos. BUT GOOD CHAOS. It’s such a slippery slope for me, and I am even struggling at this exact moment trying to explain it all.

I am so so so SO lucky. and happy. and passionate about what I do. I am finally at a point in my art where I FEEL confident, I SEE the value in myself. And to me, it’s uncharted waters. I have never had anything in my life that I was GOOD at. Anything that I strongly desired to work harder at. And my photography and my clients are just that. SO being in this new found bad-ass photographer-mama-wife-daughter-friend role, I found myself breaking rules. Rules that I set awhile back to maintain balance in my life. I was replying to emails outside of work hours. I was taking on sessions farther away for the same session fee as one right down the road, I was glued to my laptop trying to get images to clients as fast as I could when in actuality, I over promised. I set limits and boundaries and I broke them.

THANKFULLY- it was extremely short lived. Thanks to my incredible husband, a few days of buckling down, and some good ol’ soul searching- I finally got my head above water.

Why is she telling the whole world this? I’m sure some people are wondering. Well my friends, I guess I am kinda tired of the “cupcakes and rainbows” persona that is life on social media. I’m tired, burnt out, and NEED A BREAK!

So guess what? I’m doing just that!! That’s right- this mama is boarding a jet plane and headed out to CALIFORNIA for the weekend!

I have to admit- leaving my husband and babies back home meant major mom/wife guilt. especially since I just got done rambling about how much I hate being away from them. But the truth is, I have’t taken some actual ME time since before I got pregnant with Asher. And while I love my kids with every ounce of my soul, motherhood is utterly exhausting. Being needed by someone every second is taxing. And knowing those babies of mine are safely at home with their daddy is all I could ever ask for. I’m sure bed times will be broken, dance parties to Trolls will happen, and lots of laughs and daddy fun. <3

See you later Ohio! SoCal….hereeeee I come!!