Viewing entries tagged
flowers
I don’t think you could have asked for a more perfect September day in the windy city. This past Saturday began downtown at a private residence just a block from the lake. With sun bursting in, Ryan and Amanda began their day together with a first look and a quick getaway with the wedding party for some photos. It really was as much fun hanging out with this crew as it looks in the photos, haha.
It is not hard to love Jackie and Matt. Everything about them as individuals and as a couple welcomes you in with open arms and honest smiles. Being in the spotlight was certainly not Matt’s favorite thing, and yet he endured the photos and attention with authentic happiness…and I credit that to the fact that he kept his eyes squarely fixed on the woman that he loved. The two were in it, 100%..and it was awesome to witness.
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
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 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
it takes a special couple to hire you when you are living on a different continent for pretty much the whole ten months leading up to their wedding. maria and paul are just that! we had hopes of meeting up in person prior to the wedding day but my travels never really made it possible until the week of the wedding. but even with all this said, maria and paul were the most laid back couple, working together with my experience to nail down details for the day and prepare for the possibility of rain meeting us for the whole wedding day.
well, last friday came and went, and it certainly was a wedding to remember - these two know how to laugh and see the humor in everything. even with the unpredictable forecast, maria did such an amazing job of taking the day for exactly what it was, a wedding worth a full heart of celebration! and wouldn't you know it..but we caught a window of clearing and were able to have the ceremony on the lakeshore, under the cool clouds of an august afternoon..and it was beautiful!
paul & maria, we now know each other at a whole other level, haha..thanks for letting me tag along and for trusting me throughout the day. i wish you two all the best in your lives together!
blessings,
-npe
it is always exciting when you get the chance to shoot at a new location, especially when it is for such an awesome couple like mallory and brian. even with a bit longer commute to this past saturday's wedding, it was so worth it to document these two and their beautiful wedding celebration.
and you could totally tell that this wedding..well, it was all brian and mal! from the unique and super cool antler woven into the bridal bouquet, to the stunning backdrop of the northern michigan wilderness..it was a wonderful day*
thank you so much m&b for inviting me to come along and share in the celebration. it felt like we had known each other for years, and that is such a gift to me as I strived to capture all the details and beauty of your wedding. blessing to you two!
much love,
-npe
this past saturday was truly the perfect april day, crisp morning air, sun burning off the clouds, and wedding to celebrate!
i met emily and eric at a wedding i photographed last year and was especially humbled and thrilled when they asked me to be a part of their own wedding. from the beginning of the day when i went skeet shooting with eric, his dad, and best man...to the gorgeous sunset over midland's unique tridge, it was a wonderful day. there was plenty of laughter from start to finish, with a couple who embodied hearts of generosity and kindness while enjoying their wedding day to the fullest!
e&e..thank you again for taking a chance on me and offering me your trust. i hope you find you made a good decision. it was my honor to spend the day with you and your families and friends. blessings,
-npe
its a funny story...the circumstances in which we first met. but you'll have to ask stephanie about that one! ;D
a little over a week ago, i spent a colorful fall day in grand rapids with two new friends. freddy, along with his new bride stephanie, were smiles at every turn, every moment! trying to get a vogue look from these two was a pretty awesome challenge, because lets face it..who doesn't love people who exude happiness and laughter. and laugh we did!
with some of the most vibrant fall color i have seen here in michigan, the day itself was vibrant as well with true celebration as steph and freddy said 'i do.' it is always a gift to just be one of the party, and thats how i felt, right from the start...feeling far away from 'work' and very close to the profound reminder that my job is such a privilege...and SO MUCH FUN!
thank you f&s..for picking me out of a lineup of endless photographers and for trusting me with your day. it was fabulous and a joy for me to be a part of. i hope this preview lets you relive a little of how great your wedding truly was. i wish you two all the best!
much love,
- npe
when lives collide in the midst of beautifully unique cultures*
the story of moses and laura has some personal elements to it for me, as we all attended the same small bible college here in michigan. knowing moses from school and getting to know laura through her family and our meetings before the wedding helped me see so many similarities between their relationship and the relationship my wife and i have.
moses traces his heritage back the hmong people of asia and laura grew up in the wilds of africa, so you can imagine the amazing diversity this home will always hold...and if you know anything about me, you know i'm a big fan of interracial marriages, just ask jana - haha! these two were radiant this past friday. from the emotional first look moment that even took my breath away, to the dance floor full till the end of the night, it was an incredible day.
m&l, may God richly bless you two - jana and i love you and are so excited for your future! thank you for allowing us to spend the day with you, it was absolutely wonderful!
all the best,
- npe
