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
i don't often have the opportunity to shoot on the east side of the state...i figure that there are plenty of incredibly talented and capable photographers in the greater detroit area that couples look to hire when planning their east side wedding. but this past weekend i headed east to join rachael and andrew for their wedding celebration, and it was awesome! my wife and i first officially met rachael while on a trip to israel last summer. although we attended the same church here in grand rapids, we hadn't been introduced. and i must say, experiencing israel in the way that our group did has a way of making everyone family. we depended upon one another and grew close as we spent two weeks in the summer heat of the holy land.
so when rachael got engaged and asked if i was available for her wedding, i was so excited to share in the next chapter of life for her and andrew. it was funny, because andrew even told me on the wedding day that initially he wasn't totally sure about me, haha...as that makes sense because often the first point of contact for my couples is with the bride. but it didn't take long for us to hit our stride as friends on saturday. it was beautiful to see these two interact, completely infatuated with each other but even more...a desire to pledge their very lives to one another.
a&r - thank you for the joy of sharing in your day. i know you two are currently enjoying the beauty of the hawaiian sun, but i hope this wedding preview allows you to enjoy and relive such a wonderful day!
blessings,
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
a question i often ask couples who get in touch with me is where they found my name in the search for a wedding photographer. and no matter how many times i hear it, i am still grateful and honored to hear that they were recommended to me by past clients. there is an inherent accountability in the work that i do..no matter how many weddings i shoot, each and every one has to be respected as the only one that matters in that moment. to have past couples encourage their friends to invest in me for their wedding day is so humbling and gives me great joy every time i get the chance.
for megan and eric, their wedding on saturday was that very scenario. one of eric's groomsmen derek, was a groom from one of my weddings last year. and so, not only is it a great honor, but it feels like a growing family as i see past couples, friends and families at these weddings and remind myself that as much as people see the images..this work is so much more than just photographs. its about people, relationships, and the celebration of love in so many honest, intimate, and beautiful ways.
i am pretty sure that the west michigan autumn day on saturday was just trying to keep up with megan on her wedding day. she looked absolutely stunning, and her husband eric embodied the hashtag that megan coined for him...#frustratinglyphotogenic haha! thank you both for the privilege of joining this past weekend. i hope you love your wedding day preview as much as i loved editing it. blessings to you two in the many years to come!
all the best,
-npe
so i'll tell you right away..i am pretty sure i broke every rule for the reasonable number of portraits for a bride and groom in one blog post. but hopefully once you scroll down, you will understand why! when a couple is this easy to photograph, and the light is this wonderful all day, you just can't help yourself!
i met whitney a few years ago as a guest at another wedding i was shooting and had the wonderful privilege of photographing her mother's wedding in 2014. when couples ask you to capture their wedding day after witnessing your work, especially for family members, it is probably the highest compliment i can receive. and the day was so much fun, seriously. ben and i could totally pass off as long time friends i am pretty sure, with the fact that we couldn't stop laughing at the awesome awkwardness that photos can sometimes be!
thank you b&w, for the gift of celebrating beside you two and your beautiful families. leland will always hold a special place in my heart, and the fact that your wedding was there makes it all the more magical! lets relive this past weekend, what do you say? i loved working through these images...pretty sure i cried while editing your vow photos. love you guys!
- npe
it was a whole lot of fun and laughter, thats for sure! whitley and adam love each other, and they do the perfect job of not taking themselves too seriously, all the while loving every moment of life and exuding an overwhelming happiness. who wouldn't want to be around that all the time? it was perfectly complimented by the stunning venue of the hidden vineyard wedding barn, a place i've been waiting to photograph for a while!
saturday was beautiful, and as always..a privilege to witness. thank you whitley and adam for inviting me along for your celebration. you guys trusted me and i hope it was worth it! i loved working through this preview and i hope it brings you right back to the magic of saturday*
blessings,
- npe
i am so excited to share this wedding! i am pretty sure cassie, tom, and their families single handedly helped me fall in love with charlevoix. i have had the privilege of shooting weddings all over the state and yet i hadn't shot in this stunning little costal town yet...i have been missing out! from the engagement session along the water, to their wedding among the spires of castle farms, i was blown away by the beauty of it all*
with the very best of vendors helping make this wedding all of what it was, cassie and tom celebrated alongside friends and family from all over. speeches that make you cry, details that make you swoon, and a couple who lived in the moment...every minute of the day!
thank you c&t - i hope i was able to capture the beauty of the day that was all around me. you two and your families have been so very gracious to me, and i count it a true blessing to have shared in your wedding celebration with you. congratulations again - here's to a life of joy, journeying together!
all the best,
-npe
as autumn begins to settle in for west michigan, the air cools and the colors begin to change...one of my favorite seasons in the mitten state. weddings in the fall are especially beautiful and this past saturday was no exception! when we were living in oxford last year, i enjoyed the privilege of meeting lin and sara in boston for their engagement session. these two graciously showed me around the city they had come to love and i knew that when their wedding day arrived, it would be a special one!
there was plenty of emotion to capture..from sara's father seeing her for the first time in her dress, to the incredible speech lin's mother gave at the reception. and the way these two attended to one another throughout the day..you could tell that this day was being appreciated for all that it was, two best friends overjoyed to begin their married lives together!
thank you sara & lin - it seems like just yesterday we were in boston on a beautiful early summer day..and now you are married!!! it was an honor to share in the day with you*
all the best,
-npe
after last weekend's wedding..i am pretty sure its hard to beat colorado in september. what a privilege it was to land in the centennial state and make my way up into the mountains for jessica and dylan's wedding celebration. when your views look like they did for me, you have to tell yourself over and over to keep your eyes on the road...such a beautiful place!
i actually met dylan and jessica via Skype when our family was still living over in oxford for the year. it was so incredible to have a chance to get to know them and plan for the wedding day, while we were living nearly 5,000 miles away from each other! but everything came together, and oh how magical it was! from the detailed direction of our wedding planner juls, to the perfectly timed snow gracing the tops of the surrounding peaks..it was a perfect day!
thank you d&j for such a lovely weekend. it was a true pleasure meeting your friends and family, and an honor to document such a joyous occasion! say hi to those pups for me, and blessings to you as you start this new and beautiful chapter together!
all the best,
-npe
i realized it at the very start of my career, even if i didn't fully understand the weight of it....wedding photography is just as much about relationship as it is about art.
now, it goes without saying that the artistry of a photographer stands tall in a world of social media and visual overload, but the subtle threads of real relationship behind the photos are what bring those images to life in an honest and captivating way. the great honor of sharing in the wedding day of a couple is something that settles on my heart with a weight of gratitude.
and this past saturday was yet another wedding where the esteemed role i had been given was a gift all in itself. jordan and matt have quite the story, both individually and together as a couple...and to join them in this moment in time at their wedding was truly a privilege. quite moments and prayers among siblings, a ceremony rich in humble love and purposed vows, joyous celebration and beautiful details...it was a dream day, and i am pretty sure everyone who attended would agree.
thank you matt & jordan. i know the choice of photographer was a question heavy on your hearts, and i am so grateful to have walked beside you two on your wedding day. may God bless you and keep you...and remember, never stop dating. but you already knew that, didn't you? haha
much love,
- npe
