Viewing entries tagged
Grand Rapids
“We are each other’s person,” Lauren remarked when we first met to talk about plans for their wedding. Their journey had taken them like ships in the night, through passing introductions from years past, to now on the brink of marriage. Stepping back, I could see so clearly why these two were such a stunning and compatible couple. Its not often that shared experiences and hobbies include triathlons and snowshoeing, but for these two..it just all made sense.
here it is...my final wedding of 2016. and what an awesome couple to spend it with! drew and rebecca were married on saturday in grand rapids surrounded by friends and family, and it was beautiful!
when i have the chance to sit down with couples and chat about their wedding day, we often talk about scheduling and how they envision their wedding day playing out. usually the topic of a first look comes up and i really make a point of trying not to influence a couple's thoughts prior to them making a decision one way or the other. there are certainly good reasons for both a first look or waiting to see each other until the moment the bride walks down the aisle.. i say all of this, because for these two...a first look was absolutely perfect. when both the bride and groom cry seeing each other for the first time, you know it was a special and powerful moment, made even more special because of the intimate privacy they were able to share.
and the wedding day was truly full of those moments! from the early morning stylings in the salon to the late night sky lanterns being lit, it was a stunning day* thank you d&r for helping me to finish out my shooting season on a high note! may God bless you you two in your marriage - it was a gift to be a witness for your wedding!
much love,
- npe
The day finally arrived for these two...i can remember vividly, sitting in my living room in oxford, skyping with alexis and rob and talking about this past weekend as a future moment of celebration we were going to be sharing. and now, the day has come and gone...what a day it was. you would have thought we were in late september with the absolutely perfect weather. so many singular moments in time to hold onto from saturday, so many memories to be treasured.
take just one look at a photo of either of these two and you wouldn't be surprised if you were told they worked professionally in some modeling agency...and i guess in some ways i was told that wouldn't be too far from reality! so much beauty, elegance, class, and happiness! these two just complimented each other so beautifully..and their families were a great gift to be around all day.
thank you a&r, for inviting me to sharing in your wedding day - i hope you enjoy this little window in the story of your celebration. it was lovely in so many ways, and i wish you both the very, very best in your marriage*
much love,
- npe
when you pair a sophisticated, hilarious, joyful girl from america...with an intelligent, thoughtful, authentic gentleman from switzerland...you get a couple that everybody wants to be friends with! and you know their party is going to be just that..a PARTY!
sometimes i don't have the chance to meet with couples in person before the wedding day...that was the case for katie and lukas...but their wedding just goes to show that even by means of skype and facetime, you can hit it off with clients and stand amazed at how lucky you were that they picked you to shoot their wedding. this was exactly my experience on saturday. so much fun, so much laughter, so many sharply dressed new friends. ahhhh, it was all great. and shooting on top of the jw is always a nice addition too.
k&l..thank you again for seeking me out all those months ago. thank you for putting your trust in me. thank you for being yourselves through and through..it was beautiful!
blessings,
- npe
where to begin...amy and eric were the perfect way to cap off a weekend of shooting in michigan. i've had the privilege of calling eric a friend for a while now - we met at our church in grand rapids and have kept in touch since he moved out of the state. i met amy vicariously through her blog that eric told me about...which by the way, is super impressive. not only is she the sweetest, but she is a food stylist and recipe extraordinaire! meeting her in person was even better as everyone can see in an instant that these two are so perfect for one another.
from the stunning details of the ever impressive cheney place, to the honest and sincere letters these two wrote to one another...everything about last sunday was a joy. thank you e&a for inviting me in! it truly was my privilege to spend the day with you and yours, pray with you, document such jubilance, and cut a rung together under those disco balls. much love you two!
blessings,
- npe
it was a great day indeed.
for quite a few of my weddings i am out of town, often up in northern michigan. don't get me wrong, i love everything about shooting at the stunning destinations that our beautiful state has to offer as you head north...but it is something sweet to savor when i have the privilege of shooting in my backyard. not only do i know this city well, but grand rapids never ceases to amaze me at all the vibrant nooks and crannies it offers up to us photographers.
for sarah and zach, they picked a pretty perfect line up...with the wedding ceremony at frederik meijer gardens and their reception at the stunning thousand oaks golf club. and every moment in between was truly wonderful. these two couldn't wait to see each other, and their passion for one another and the joy they were exuding on saturday was so easy to see. when the bride and groom's laughter and beaming smiles are completely infectious..you know you are in for a great day.
thank you z&s for inviting me to join you this past weekend! it was my honor and i couldn't be happier for you two! blessings to the newlyweds*
- npe
often during the busy summer months of wedding season, i am shooting in northern michigan...and while the beauty of the north is undeniable, having the chance to photograph a wedding here in grand rapids is a treat...especially when you combine the spectacular frederick meijer gardens and beautiful new ballroom at watermark country club!
the story of kyle and stephanie is pretty great, i must say. stephanie won an engagement session from me last year and i was so excited when she decided to not stop with the first session, but hire me for her wedding. i still laugh to this day about their engagement session, as these two have such a brilliant, hilarious sense of humor, and some of the photos truly captured that. all i can say is head to themountain.com to get a taste of the epic apparel worn for part of the day, just awesome!
this past saturday was the culmination of a lot of communication and organization, and it was absolutely lovely* sure it was a bit warm, but the dramatic sky only heightened the beauty of the day. i had such a blast and laughed often, which is always good for my soul on a wedding day..documenting these two and their love story. k&s, thank you for such a great day and for enduring the heat with me. i hope you enjoy your wedding preview as it was a joy to capture these moments!
blessings,
-npe
this past thursday in grand rapids was such a perfect day! gorgeous weather, blue skies, warm temps, and two best friends getting married...what could be better!?
liz and zach's wedding here in the city was such a wonderful day for me. right away i felt welcomed as family, and with a wedding party as fun as those gathered around the couple, how could you not have a blast? we even made a stop at dairy queen, which made for some great images but also just simply a refreshing treat! the ceremony and reception were both at the goei center, a stunning refurbished warehouse here in grand rapids, out of which eastern floral operates. it is always a treat to come back to shoot there, as the character of the space only adds to the richness of each couple's love story.
z&l, congratulations again on your wedding. it was an honor to spend the day with you. blessings in the many years to come of your marriage! much love,
- npe
meeting new friends and couples from chicago is always a treat! last year michele and nick reached out to me as they began the process of planning their wedding in southern michigan, asking if i would want to come to the windy city for their engagement session as well. i have to say, any chance i get to photograph in chicago is awesome, and add into the mix how great these two are and i could tell the photographer/couple dynamic was going to be stellar.
even with rain in the forecast for this past saturday's celebrations, the entire wedding party didn't slow down from making sure it was a day to remember. and n&m's relaxed attitudes and infectious smiles helped to remind all of us there why we had truly gathered...to witness this blessed marriage and surround michele and nick with love and support...not to mention a lot of laughter and awesome dance moves.
the vineyard itself felt like it transplanted us to tuscany, with such character and charm that i was in photographer heaven! even with the outside ceremony being moved in under the tent, a sense of romance and elegance was not lost, but only heightened. all in all, a spectacularly beautiful day for two lovely people.
n&m, thank you for inviting me along for the ride and trusting me with the rain. God bless you in many more years of joyful marriage to come. love you guys!
-npe
i had known chris and katie for quite some time from a distance. we attend the same church and have many friends in common..but it was certainly a surprise and honor to get the call from them asking if i would want to document their wedding day.
these two truly are the essence of honesty in their love for one another, both beaming all day as the memories were being made one by one. the joy on his face when chris saw his bride for the first time was undeniable! and when you are around both of them, their happiness and perspective on life is infectious. even with rain having to move the ceremony indoors, katie's demeanor never changed and her appreciation for every moment of her wedding day was so evident.
set against the backdrop of the lovely hydrangea blu barn in rockford, mi - katie and chris didn't let the rain stop them from saying their vows and making the very most of a celebration that brought together their closest friends and family.
thank you both for the privilege of joining you last friday for a wonderful day. it was such a blast! i hope you enjoy your wedding preview*
-npe
